Author: dlepikcom

“Orphan: First Kill” (*** out of four) was a chilling prequel to the original showing how the murderous Ester (Isabelle Fuhrman) escaped from an Estonian psychiatric facility and ingratiated herself with a loving family but the matriarch (Julia Stiles) senses from the beginning that something isn’t quite right. Unnecessary follow-up to the 2009 original but having said that, it’s well-made, features some scares, and Fuhrman again delivers another strong, creepy performance. Impressive digital de-aging made Furhman look exactly the same as in the original.

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“The Most Dangerous Game” (* out of four) was a dangerously dull action thriller about a group of various people (Judd Nelson, Tom Berenger, Bruce Dern, and others) who find themselves on a remote island under the ruling of a vindictive psychopath (Casper Van Dien) who uses the island as a killing ground for hunting humans. Umpteenth adaptation of Richard Connell’s short story may be its worst yet and is a complete bore. Collection of lost actors from the ’80’s and ’90’s seem to be simply collecting another check before retirement and nothing more. A foreign accent simply does not work for Van Dien.

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“Nope” (**1/2 out of four) was an elegantly done but overall empty horror psychodrama about various residents and actors (Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun, and others) in an inland California town who start witnessing an unidentified flying object and have to scramble to find out its origins and to attempt to survive. Initially gripping and compelling in a way that harks back to the grandeur of early Kubrick and Craven but the more the story unfolds, the less frightening and revelatory it is and it starts to lose its way. By the end- you may ask “is that all there is?” Kaluuya is rock-solid as usual and the great character actor Michael Wincott shows up in a key role in the middle.

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“Bullet Train” (*1/2 out of four) was speedy stupidity about a disgraced assassin (Brad Pitt) who finds himself aboard the world’s fastest train along with some of the world’s deadliest assassins (Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, and others) and they all find their missions have something vital in common. Director David Leitch more than lives up to film’s title as film never stops moving but it’s all for nothing since story is nonexistent and script and characters are tiresome and dumb. Film’s excesses are meant to be entertaining but wind up giving you a big headache. There’s a surprise cameo at the end, if you make it that far.

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“Sniper: Rogue Mission” (*1/2 out of four) was a leaden action thriller about CIA sniper Brandon Beckett (Chad Michael Collins) who goes rogue in an attempt to uncover a deadly international conspiracy within the government and turns back to his former allies (Ryan Robbins and Sayaka Akimoto) to stay alive. Umpteenth entry in this endless series is more tongue-in-cheek and light-hearted than previous ones but it’s still a pile of empty hardware. Dennis Haysbert does his best to enliven things in a minor supporting role but Collins makes Tom Berenger or Billy Zane look like Humphrey Bogart by comparison.

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“Safe House 1618” (* out of four) was a dreadful horror thriller about a group of criminals (Randy Rochford, Jasmine Day, Matison Card) who are holed up in a safe house before they can leave the country but soon find they are trapped there and that this house is anything but safe. Potentially intriguing and juicy storyline is bungled by terrible acting, cheesy production, and overall unpleasantness. Watch 2012’s “Safe House” with Denzel Washington instead.

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“The Gray Man” (*** out of four) was an adrenalized Netflix action adventure about a skilled C.I.A. operative (Ryan Gosling) who is brought back into action by his grizzled mentor (Billy Bob Thornton) but it turns out they are both targeted by a vindictive former colleague (Chris Evans) for extinction leading to a chase in which worldwide destruction hangs in the balance. Too long overall and a bit too jokey at times but so fast-paced and packed with action and nonstop intrigue that it’s fun to watch and more than gives you your money’s worth. Gosling’s understating is a nice counterbalance to Evans who makes a very entertaining villain.

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“River Road” (**1/2 out of four) was a moderately engaging serio-melodrama about a rock musician (Cody Kearsley) and a free-spirited woman (Lexi Redman) who form a relationship that soon spirals into a world of drugs and crime and turns both of their lives and realities inside-out and upside-down. Writer/director Rob Willey works in a hallucinatory style that is at times bleakly hypnotic and compelling but films eventually gets lost in its own ozone of ugliness and self-indulgence. Still it’s an overall worthwhile effort. Strong work from Redman and fierce cinematography from Redman are definite standouts.

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“Black Wood” (** out of four) was a scattershot Western about a Native American woman (Tanajsia Slaughter) who escapes a notorious gang (led by Bates Wilder) by running into the forbidden Black Wood Forest; they initially pursue her but once inside realize they have to band together to survive after they awaken an ancient ravenous creature that threatens to consume them all. Attempt to cross-pollinate a Western with a monster suspense story doesn’t congeal although film moves sturdily and remains watchable. Not likely to satisfy fans of either genre but far from the worst of its ilk.

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