MovieRankingReviews

  The Mandalorian and Grogu is a serviceable popcorn flick. The problem is that this is a Star Wars film. Being just a serviceable film is just not what Star Wars is. Even the most controversial or even critically considered bad Star Wars film, are still memorable and cinematic. Nothing remotely important or interesting happens in this film. If you want 4-5 good episodes of the Mandalorian show then this movie is basically that. For Star Wars though, this isn’t the way.

  This is an insanely bonkers and absurd 90-minutes of fun! It has some incredibly top-notch action set pieces with over-the-top violence and gore that just makes this an entertaining watch! Yeah the film is a bit tonally over the place and there are some pacing issues but with a short run-time, it never overstays its welcome. Recommend going into this blind for full enjoyment!

  The visuals are phenomenal with a wonderful practical set design and lighting that really illustrates the surreal nature of the backrooms. The cinematography and editing is also top-notch and captures the claustrophobic environment. The writing is where the problems lie though. The characters are quite under-developed, the plot is very minimal, and the 3rd act of the film is a bit of a drag with a weak ending. Still, for a directorial debut, this is extremely promising!

  It was basically 90 minutes of the “Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme” for the whole runtime. No character development for any of the characters, unfocused and minimal story, unimaginative writing with no depth. At least they used more songs from the Mario games instead of pop songs so at least there is one improvement!

  The story is incredibly predictable and some of the lines are very cheesy. However, this doesn’t stop the film from being wonderfully heartwarming. Brendan Fraser gives a believable and empathetic performance as a struggling actor while having a great supporting cast. The film also gives a thought-provoking look into a small part of Japan’s culture while exploring the theme of lies, loneliness and connection. This is a worthy watch that leaves you with a positive message.

  The last 15 minutes is incredibly gritty, brutal and violent Punishing that is just a blast to watch! Jon Bernthal continues to deliver a strong and ferocious performance as the titular character. I was also genuinely surprise to also see such a powerful and emotional performance as well. It was also great to see Jason R. Moore return as Frank’s friend Curtis, even if it was just a hallucination. It was a shame that Amber Rose Revah nor Ben Barnes got to return as Madani and Billy respectively though. The villain Ma Gnucci is also sadly very underutilised. Plus, it can also be a bit repetitive to see Punisher repeat the plotline of giving up Punishing, only to return again. Still, for 45 minutes, this is an entertaining watch and I look forward to seeing more Punisher in the future!