A “QUICK!” Review of “Last Samurai Standing (2025)”

The premise of a Battle Royale but with Samurais is an incredibly fun idea!

The fight scenes are incredibly well-choreographed, bloody and a visual treat to watch! There is also some wonderful cinematography and it genuinely feels like they brought the Meiji era to life! The music score is also excellent. I found that all the actors did a terrific job and special praise has to go to Junichi Okada as the main character Shujiro Saga. He does a great job in bringing depth to the character and also performing the fight choreography.

While the story sounds generic on paper, I do love how they explore conflict between the old Samurai era and the new one while also handling some of the politics in a digestible way.

It does have a lot of generic tropes including the old broken down man, the young naive girl who can be quite annoying and overly silly bad guy.

However, I enjoyed a lot of this show and it is a great start for Season 1. I am most definitely looking forward to where this goes next!

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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.

A “QUICK!” Review of “Heart Eyes (2025)”

Heart Eyes has the makings of a really cool modern slasher character. The killer’s design is pretty cool, and the concept of killing couples on Valentine’s Day is a novel idea. The movie even starts off well with some creative kills. However, the movie goes downhill from there. It turns into an incredibly corny romcom—the dialogue is sappy, and the characters feel cartoonish. The movie then whiplashes between romance and horror, as if suddenly remembering there’s a killer on the loose. At one point, in the middle of a chase, the characters start opening up to each other—which was definitely not the time. Meanwhile, the killer becomes increasingly incompetent, failing to take out the main characters. The comedy doesn’t land, the romance is bland, but the kills are at least enjoyable. Just don’t go into this expecting a full-on slasher horror movie.

A “QUICK!” Review of “Last Breath (2025)”

Last Breath is a thrilling, anxiety-inducing telling of the true story of the 2012 saturation diving accident. The director, Alex Parkinson, is notable for co-directing the documentary film of the same name. This benefits the movie, as the events feel highly believable—Parkinson sticks to the facts rather than over-dramatizing them. Character actions and dialogue remain relatively grounded, reflecting the director’s commitment to honouring the real-life individuals involved. His inclusion of a timer is a great addition, elevating the tension. However, the film’s short runtime results in a lack of depth. We barely get to know the characters enough to care about them before they begin the dive. Additionally, the ending feels rushed, with constant time jumps after the dive. I wish the film had explored more of what happened immediately after the dive. Overall, Last Breath remains a very entertaining movie that respectfully represents the true story.

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