Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare
Cinematic Sommelier
6.5
Just watch the bit (linked below).
It may have been that I was forced to watch the red carpet for a half hour prior to watching this opening night, but I just found it okay… Which was unfortunate, because I was excited for this one. All the funniest moments were in the trailer, which I always hate. And it just seemed to drag by the end. An hour special – solid. A two hour movie? Too much Machine. Mark Hamill is just as out of place as you’d think.
8.1
Holy shit this is intense. From every angle. Not only does the action leave you sitting on the edge of your seat, but the emotional impact will leave you slumped in your chair trying to recover before the next barrage of violence in these 2 men’s pursuits of honor, commitment, friendship, and brotherhood. It’s a beautiful display of the best and worst of humanity, and how they often coexist side by side in our world, mixing in a gray middle at times, left to our own perceptions.
Guy Ritchie can do no wrong with the action, but where this film goes above and beyond is in the characters. The story is demonstrated expertly, instead of spoon fed to the audience. There’s an understanding reached while going on this journey together, and it leads to much more impactful twists and turns. I found myself enveloped by this film in a way not many achieve. Bravo!
8.8
The best action film this side of “Top Gun: Maverick.” Unlike anything you’ll see in the genre the rest of the year. The fight and stunt coordinators deserve academy awards. This movie is ballet level coordinated with a brutality that’s unrivaled in the cinema today. But not violence for the sake of violence. It’s feels believable and justified as we embark on this quest for revenge and ultimately freedom.
Bill Skarsgard continues his streak as a phenomenal villain. The table continues to do table things. Keanu continues to do his best work saying the fewest words. Strap in for a nearly 3 hour film that feels more tightly wound than most hour and a half pure action flicks, and enjoy the ride!
7.1
So… it’s female “John Wick”… Jane Wick?
I hit play because of Katie Holmes. I was left speechless as the credits rolled at the conclusion of this hellacious curveball from the depths of Amazon Prime Video.
The acting may be cheesy, but the story is razor sharp and the action is divine. This movie had no right to be this good, but here we are. Don’t let the Sunday school teacher attire fool you…
8.5
Strong “Dark Knight Rises” vibes with this one…
An enemy that knows our hero better than he knows himself. Pierces the veil and exposes them in a way that opens up a new narrative avenue that refreshes the series. A fantastic landing pad for a trilogy, but I’m sure they’ll keep going.
Jonathan Majors is the best villain in Hollywood in my book. His menacing presence in this rivals that of even his recent outing as Kang in “Ant Man: Quantumania.” Even without saying a word, his mere presence in the scene evokes a feeling of unease. It’s a true talent, and a gift to this film as Adonis is tested as he’s never been tested before.
The stakes may have been weakened in the third act, but it is a Rocky anthology film after all. Still a phenomenal addition to the franchise that I highly recommend!
Brett Garten, Movie Extraordinare 