A “QUICK!” Review of “Murder on the Orient Express (2017)”

I never read the book that this is based on or any of the previous movies or tv adaptions. This was my first experience with the famous title.

Firstly, the cast are all great with special praise to Kenneth as the detective. He was just a joy to watch and seeing him spit rapid information when he starts to figure parts of the mystery out is a sight to see. I also really love the cinematography which was gorgeous.

However, my big issue is the murder mystery itself. A good murder mystery film or show is one where we understand the suspects and the clues. This is so we as an audience can learn and deduce it ourselves while the detective is solving it. The problem is that there is 13 suspects and only a 114 minute run time to explore them. Unfortunately, the suspects all feel one note and forgettable, with me not even remotely remembering what their name was. Some clues are also a bit too vague and I never felt like I was provided enough information at times. It got ridiculous when the movie reaches the climax and there are suddenly a bombardment of revelations that seem to come out of left field.

Nevertheless, it is still a fun mystery and there is definitely enjoyment to be had. Plus Kenneth has an amazing moustache.

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A “QUICK!” Review of “Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (2024)”

When I found out after watching, that this was based on a Manhua (Chinese Comic book), it started to make sense. Characters that feel straightforward, the action scenes that defy physics in every way, the power of friendship, straight-up superpowered abilities, and countless flashbacks. The film suffers from juggling too many things. We have this fish out of water, self-discovery story with our main character. We have this gang conflict between those in the Walled City and the Triads. We have a revenge plot. We have a man dealing with his past—the growing of bonds. Unfortunately, the story is all incredibly predictable and lacks real depth. The constant talk about the past conflict sounded more interesting than the main plot. The ending is lacklustre and the final fight is so weird with the unexplained superpowers. However, if you like martial arts movies then there is certainly fun to be had here.

A “QUICK!” Review of “Rebel Ridge (2024)”

Netflix marketed Rebel Ridge as a cool action movie. If you came in expecting that, you are going to be disappointed. Rebel Ridge is not an action movie. It has just one proper action set piece near the end. What Rebel Ridge really is, is a slow-burn thriller mystery. Aaron Pierre absolutely delivers as the main lead. He is calm, collected and incredibly charismatic. He totally sells on a character that is secretly a badass. I like the twist in that the character doesn’t kill, even if they are corrupt cops. This gives the very few action set pieces a unique element to it. The mystery itself is a little convoluted and the movie does go on for 10-15 minutes too long. The ending is quite rushed and unsatisfying as well. Still, this is a pretty interesting film and I do recommend people give it a chance.

A “QUICK!” Review of “The Prosecutor (2024)”

The Prosecutor is an interesting film, as it’s actually a legal-focused thriller first and foremost, with the martial arts action coming second. I found this blend of genres to work surprisingly well, and I give Donnie props for trying something different. The movie features a phenomenal opening action sequence and an incredible climactic one too. When it comes to the action scenes, you definitely won’t be disappointed. However, the legal aspect—which makes up the majority of the film—is unfortunately a bit lacklustre and predictable. I wish the courtroom scenes had explored more of the complexities of the justice system and delivered more intense drama. It didn’t help that the villain was incredibly one-dimensional. Still, it’s an entertaining action movie overall, and this film does show that Donnie knows how to handle action.

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