Movie Reviews

‘Joker: Folie a Deux’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“Joker: Folie à Deux” is an ambitious film to say the least. It’s a musical, a courtroom drama, a character study, a love story, and a thriller all-in-one.  Before I even put the film in my 4K player, I was well aware of how poorly it was received by critics and audiences alike.  I was also well aware that some people considered it a misunderstood masterpiece. I tend to fall somewhere in the middle with “Joker: Folie à Deux,” as I thought there were individual moments in the film which were powerful, well-acted and intense.  There were also moments where I was shaking my head and wondering what the hell was going on, and why they decided to go in this particular direction.  Overall, it’s a mixed bag, but I would say there is more bad than good in here.

I was a big fan of 2019’s “Joker” which surprised me, as I’m not usually a fan of comic book films.  I liked it because it didn’t feel like a comic book movie, and it was more of a character study.  I know film critics and fans like to criticize and call it a “Taxi Driver” rip-off, but I thought it was an impressive film with a standout performance from Joaquin Phoenix.  I was excited to watch the sequel, even with all the negative press it had received, because I thought the character was interesting, layered and complex. I wanted to see what they would do next with Arthur Fleck/Joker and what he’s been up to since we last visited him.

When “Joker: Folie à Deux” opens up, we see Arthur adjusting to life in Arkham State Hospital. He’s become a local celebrity because of the TV movie on his life, and the guards and fellow patients alike are fascinated by him.  While in the heavily guarded hospital, he’s awaiting trial for the five murders he committed.  Arthur’s lawyer, Maryanne Stewart, played by Catherine Keener, is not exactly sure what to make of him.  Her case is going to center around the fact that she believes Arthur suffers from dissociative identity disorder, which means his Joker persona is responsible for the murders. I found this part of the film to be the most intriguing, especially when Arthur is interviewed by a reporter, played by Steve Coogan.

One day, Arthur meets Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), and it is love at first sight.  They connect over their love of music, and she’s also a fan of Arthur.  She tells Arthur she’s watched the TV movie about his life twenty times and reveals they have a lot in common. Arthur is smitten with Lee, and they hit it off right away.  This gives him new life as he prepares for his upcoming trial.  He trusts anything that comes out of Lee’s mouth and believes she knows what is best for him. His lawyer, on the other hand, is looking out for Arthur’s best interests and warns him to keep his guard up.

Let’s start with the positives—”Joker: Folie à Deux” has a lot of big ideas.  I enjoyed the exploration of mental health.  I thought the way they presented it was done in a way that was compelling and multifaceted. I also liked the way the film dealt with how society becomes obsessed with fame and how villains and killers are worshipped by the public. I thought the film had a terrific cast.  The performances were nuanced and believable. All of this made this sequel even more frustrating because there are true moments of brilliance on screen from the actors and the people behind the scenes.

Whenever the film started to get interesting or capture my attention, it would seem to have a moment where it felt like the director and the screenwriter were messing with the audience. It was almost as if we entered another film. I didn’t understand why they didn’t have the conviction and nerve to just make this a straight-up sequel without all of the random musical scenes and gimmicks. I have nothing against musicals, but these scenes made me lose my focus because they didn’t add to the story and instead took away from what was happening on screen.  Again, I felt like the director and the screenwriter were just messing with the audience and playing games.

Overall, I can’t recommend “Joker: Folie à Deux” because the film is all over-the-place and wildly inconsistent.  It’s even more infuriating because, like I stated previously, there are some really, really powerful and well-acted scenes throughout. However, they are not in the film nearly enough to recommend it.  Lady Gaga, for example, is great, but she doesn’t have enough screen time.  I was hoping she would have just as Phoenix did, but she’s in and out of this film far too often.  This is one of the most disappointing films of 2024.  I didn’t hate it, but I sure was disappointed by it.

* ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Joker: Folie à Deux” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It also comes with a digital copy of the film. The film has a running-time of 138 minutes and is rated R for some strong violence, language throughout, some sexuality, and brief full nudity.

4K Video Info: Much like 2019’s “Joker,” this is a top-notch visual experience.  It is crystal clear from start-to-finish.  The film also has deep blacks which really set the moody and atmospheric tone of what unfolds. From a visual standpoint, this film gets an A. The Dolby Vision transfer is perfect.

4K Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos track is also perfect. This is a theatrical movie in every sense of the word, and the audio is perfect. It’s perfect for your at-home theater set-up.  Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Everything Must Go (Four Part Longform Documentary)

   – Can I Have a Cigarette?

   – Finding Lee

    – A Hundred Films in One

    – King of Nothing

The Character of Music

Live! With The Joker

Colors Of Madness

Crafted With Class

Should You Buy It?

This is going to be a hard pass from me unless you loved the film and thought it was brilliant.  I know John Waters and Quentin Tarantino have praised it, and it has been a source of controversy in the film community. Overall, I didn’t think it was great, and I also didn’t think it was one of the worst films of the year either. I think it’s below average, but it’s watchable, despite its lengthy running time. Joaquin Phoenix gives another top-flight performance as Arthur Fleck, and it’s hard to keep your eyes off him on screen. As mentioned earlier, I wish they would have given Lady Gaga more to do, as I thought she was fantastic when she was on-screen.  Overall, I’d say watch it on Max and see how you feel about it. If you do like it, you will be very happy with this 4K release.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

Spike Jonze’s ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ Deserves Another Look

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

Back when I saw it in 2009, Spike Jonze’s take on Maurice Sendak’s “Where the Wild Things Are” proved to be one of the few movies which I felt really dealt with real kids instead of the cliched ones which inhabit far too many motion pictures. Here, we get a young boy who has quite a vivid imagination which he retreats to when the real world becomes too scary to deal with, and who comes from a broken family where the father is not present. It was nice to see kids, one in particular, treated as intelligent and capable of learning more than they knew, and it combines them with things which are real, imaginary and, of course, wild.

The kid here is Max, and he is played by Max Records in one of the best performances I have seen from a child actor. Seeing him build an igloo out of a snow pile or making a spaceship in his bedroom with his stuffed animals as willing passengers brought back great memories from when I was a kid. But reality rears its ugly head when other kids thoughtlessly destroy his igloo, not thinking of what it meant to him. Then we see him in elementary school as his teacher explains how the sun will die one day. This is one of the funnier moments as the teacher just can’t stop talking about all the different ways our planet will die. Granted, this won’t happen for another billion years, but when you’re a kid, this can feel like it is just around the corner.

Everything comes to a head as Max becomes very resentful of his mother (the always terrific Catherine Keener) when she brings home a new boyfriend (played by Mark Ruffalo). The bond Max shares with his mother is very strong, but when he is no longer the center of her attention, he rebels and ends up biting her on the shoulder. Horrified at what he did, Max runs away from home and sails to a distant island where he does indeed come across the Wild Things of the title, and this is where the rumpus truly begins…

The Wild Things are a combination of puppetry and CGI effects, and it makes them all the more real as a result. The visual effects are used to give them facial expressions which vividly captures their happiness and sadness. As a result, it never ever felt like I was just watching a whole bunch of special effects. It really felt like I was watching creatures I could actually interact with.

Of all the monsters, the one with the most recognizable voice is the late great James Gandolfini who plays the most prominent Wild Thing, Carol. We first see Carol destroying some dwellings he had just built. For Max, breaking things has a wonderment to it, and Carol links on to this with the upmost enthusiasm. Gandolfini is wonderful, and at times truly heartbreaking as he takes Carol from utterly enthusiastic highs to downright angry lows. This is not him doing Tony Soprano as if he was all covered with fur. Also, Carol’s last scene is one which really choked me up, and Gandolfini sells it for all it is worth.

Among the other voices are Catherine O’Hara’s, and she plays Judith, the one monster who is very mistrusting of Max. Paul Dano plays the ever so sensitive Alexander, and he captures the painfully shy nature of this monster in a very truthful way. Forest Whitaker portrays Ira, and I barely recognized his voice here which is pretty impressive. Lauren Ambrose voices KW, and the moments she shares with Max form some of the movie’s best moments.

You know the saying of how we have met the monster, and the monster is us? Well, that is very much the case here. The Wild Things clearly represent the different parts of Max’s personality, and he soon comes to see himself in all of them. As a result, Max manages to see things a little more clearly in relation to his own family, and especially his mother. By becoming the monsters’ king, he realizes he has become much like his mother.

I really mean it when I say Records gives one of the best child actor performances I have ever seen. The whole movie really rests on his shoulders, and that is a lot to put an 11-year-old through. Jonze really lucked out getting him to play this part as the young actor makes his character’s transition from being just a kid to someone who is more mature and understanding very believable, and this really shows in the movie’s last half.

Jonze shot a good portion of the action with handheld cameras to give the proceedings more of an immediacy, and he thankfully does not overdo it. Some filmmakers fail to reign this camerawork in a lot of times to where it is hard not to feel sea sick. This was only his third movie as a director, following the creative triumphs of “Being John Malkovich” and “Adaptation,” and his directorial vision remains a very original one.

“Where The Wild Things Are” was originally supposed to be released in 2008, but Warner Brothers had considered reshooting the whole thing. It turned out Jonze’s vision was a lot darker than they expected it to be for something they thought would be an average family movie. The fact that Jonze’s take on this classic children’s book did make it to the silver screen and was not buried in a deep dark dungeon like “Batgirl” feels like a miracle. While it was not the box office hit the studio hoped it would be, it continues to have a long shelf life.

It also has a wonderful soundtrack done by Karen O and the Kids. It’s one of those soundtracks which has really great songs which are never easily forgotten, and it adds vividly to the strong emotions generated throughout.

Is this movie appropriate for kids? Well, it depends. If they are 6 years or younger, you may want to see it before they do. I was sitting near a boy and his mother, and the boy did get a little freaked out at times. Still, it is nowhere as traumatic as “Watership Down” or “The Neverending Story” was. If your kid can handle “Bambi,” they can handle this one as well.

One of my favorite scenes comes when Max and the monsters are jumping all over the forest, and Carol was creating big dust clouds when he landed. This all leads to a wonderfully heartwarming moment where the wild things pile on top of each other and fall asleep. Seeing Max befriend the somewhat alienated KW is especially great because their individual differences just evaporate at that point. These are two who can relate and sympathize with one another as they both come from worlds where they feel like outcasts.

If there is one weakness to be found here, it is that the plot does not always hold together. There are some moments which drag, and it takes a bit for the pace to recover. Then again, this movie is based upon a book that is only ten sentences long. The fact Jonze and co-writer Dave Eggers were able to craft a story for a feature length movie out of it is pretty amazing. But when you read or re-read the book, I think you will find that there is more to it than its simplicity of story might imply.

There was a bookstore next to the theater I saw the film at, and I dashed in there to read the book. I can’t even remember the last time I read this Caldecott award winner, and there is a lot of different ways you can look at it. You can see it as a story of how kids do not easily separate from their parents, and of how the further away from home they get, the more they realize the importance of a home. Or maybe you will see it as a story of the one person who becomes king and gets what he wants, but then finds it deeply unfulfilling and bereft of love and family which we largely thrive upon.

I think Jonze saw “Where the Wild Things Are” as a story which clearly take in a child’s point of view. Just about everything in this movie made me feel like I a child again, and of how we become shaped by the things which make us happy and sad. It is not meant to break down the imaginary worlds we create for ourselves, but of how they can make us understand the world around us and the people who figure most prominently in our lives better. Max comes to see why his mother treated him the way he did, and he grows up a lot quicker than most others his age do in the process.

For me, this film was something of a godsend when I first watched it. We see kids treated like real kids, and there is a wealth of genuine imagination and emotions throughout. While it doesn’t always hold together, it is a much more accomplished film than many others which get passed off as “family entertainment.” Too many movies then and now are dumbed down for audiences, and they often don’t treat children like the intelligent creatures they can be,

Indeed, no one could have brought this classic book to the silver screen the way Jonze did. And after all these years, it is definitely worth another look.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

‘Bad Teacher’ – A Wannabe ‘Bad Santa’

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“Bad Teacher” so desperately wants to be a devious black comedy like “Bad Santa” but for teachers. Depressingly, it doesn’t even come close to reaching such devilishly hilarious heights. Despite some good laughs sprinkled throughout, this movie is a surprising bore with few surprises up its sleeve. You can see things coming long in advance, and the punch line deflates very quickly. Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel, Justin Timberlake and a talented cast do their best with a severely underwritten script, but the movie wears out its welcome within the first ten minutes.

Cameron Diaz stars as the teacher of the movie’s title, Elizabeth Halsey. She is dumped by her rich fiancé at the start as he figures out that she is only with him for his money, and this forces Elizabeth to go back to her teaching job which she claims is “the only thing I’m good at.” Her teaching style, however, consists of showing her students movies like “Stand and Deliver” and “Lean on Me” before moving on to the R-rated stuff. While they watch, she’s either nursing a hangover or working towards one with tiny little bottles of Jim Beam whiskey stashed in her desk. But while Jack Black played a somewhat similar character nursing a hangover in “School of Rock,” Diaz comes up short here.

The thing with movies like “Bad Santa” is that, as deplorable as the lead characters were in their actions and demeanor, there was something which made me want to keep watching what they went through, and in the hopes that they would reach some sort of evolution or catharsis. Whether they were likable or not, they were interesting. Billy Bob Thornton succeeded in “Bad Santa” in painting a complex portrait of a man who was as pitiful as he was cruel to others.

This brings us to a really big problem with “Bad Teacher;” Elizabeth Halsey is not an interesting character. She is essentially a shallow human being looking to manipulate those around her to get what she wants. Through schemes like school car washes and, as it is described, “extra tutoring,” Elizabeth works towards raising money to get breast implants as they seem more important than anything else. Aside from that, there’s not much to the character here. She comes across as one-dimensional without much to work with in terms of complexity or a back story, and this just sinks the film even further down into the muck.

Regardless of what has been said, I believe Diaz is a very good actress. She is endowed with great comedic talents which were put to good use in movies like “There’s Something About Mary,” and she has proven to be a strong dramatic actress in “Any Given Sunday” and “Being John Malkovich.” While she is game in making Elizabeth a despicable teacher, she never becomes like the ones everyone hated during school years, and the lack if any interesting and redeeming qualities makes this a waste of her talents. With a better screenplay, she would have been fantastic here.

“Bad Teacher” does pick up a little as it goes on, and it scores some great laughs when Elizabeth discovers that the teacher whose class gets the highest scores on the state exam gets a bonus of around $5,000. Seeing her switch her class from movie watching to reading the first 100 pages of “To Kill a Mockingbird” in one night for a quiz the next day is comedic gold. It gets even better when she uses unorthodox methods to make the students learn like standing them in a line and hurling balls at them when they give the wrong answers. Unfortunately, these are some of the highlights, and they all happen at the movie’s midpoint.

Other scenes like Elizabeth getting revenge on faculty members becomes anticlimactic as I could see long in advance how her vengeance would end. When she is running the school car wash and dresses scantily, it’s funny for a minute. I have seen so many movies over the years which have utilized this sight gag, sexy women at a car wash barely dressed, and it’s so old now. We have been there and done that, and nothing is done to make this particular gag look the least bit fresh.

One actor who fares better in this movie is Jason Segel who plays gym teacher, Russell Gettis. His humor is unforced, and he never strives too hard in making us laugh and succeeds in sneaking jokes when least expected. If only “Bad Teacher” had more of this humorous magic… I mean, I can dream, can’t I?

After all these years, I’m glad Justin Timberlake has singing career to fall back on as he has not had the greatest luck in movies despite his inspired turn in “The Social Network.” Watching him opposite Diaz is interesting in part because we all know they were once a couple, but the chemistry they had in life doesn’t quite translate to the silver screen. His character of substitute teacher Scott Delacorte is a rich guy who Elizabeth courts as she selfishly wants someone wealthy to pamper her for life. But it becomes far too obvious how this relationship will turn out, and while Timberlake does what he can with the material given to him, he can only do so much.

Other actors who have their moments include Phyllis Smith who steals scenes as the shy Lynn Davies. Her muted ways make for amusing moments as she argues about certain things bothering her at a very subdued level. Stealing even more scenes though is Lucy Punch who plays Elizabeth’s arch nemesis, Amy Squirrell. Punch fills her character with a certain joy brought on by an innocence which masks a deep resentment that eventually gets the best of her.

The director of “Bad Teacher” is Jake Kasdan who is of course the son of famed filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan, Jake’s a good director, and his movie “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story” remains one of the most vastly underrated comedies of all time. But here, he is unable to find the balance between comedy and character. If the characters in this here movie were a little more down to earth and nowhere as contrived, he could have made this film truly work and give it a spark few comedies could have.

Many may watch “Bad Teacher” with high hopes that it will be a deliciously nasty comedy along the lines of “Observe and Report” or “World’s Greatest Dad,” let alone “Bad Santa.” The problem is this one is nastier than it is funny. Doing comedy is hard work, but making a black comedy is even more difficult. Hopefully, Jake will have more luck in the future with this kind of film, as he has done good work in the past. And I also say this because the recently released “Red One,” which he directed, is, like this one, far from ever being a critical darling.

* * out of * * * *

‘Blazing Saddles’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When it comes to comedy, it’s all a matter of opinion. Comedy, even more than film criticism, is subjective.  For example, I’m not an Adam Sandler fan and I find his films terribly unfunny, but there is a reason why his films keep getting released by studios. There is really no right or wrong when it comes to comedy.  With “Blazing Saddles,” I heard all of the praise surrounding it and how some critics considered it one of the funniest films of all time.  While watching the film for the first time, I understood what they were going for and what they were looking to achieve.  It wasn’t as though the film went over my head or I didn’t understand the style of comedy they were putting on screen.  I just never laughed.

My first issue with “Blazing Saddles” was its lack of plot.  It seems this is mostly a movie filled with random gags and one-liners that are intended to make the audience laugh.  They throw everything but the kitchen sink at us. It must be said the film is filled with the N-word along with other racial and homophobic slurs.  I understand this film was made in 1974, which was fifty years ago, but it’s still uncomfortable to watch.  The film is not funny and the jokes don’t land.  There is a way to be offensive and also be funny, but this movie did not accomplish that goal.  With comedy, you can go almost anywhere if you know what you’re doing.  We have seen films that pushed the comedic envelope in the past, but they have been done in a smart and clever way.  This is just flat-out lazy.

The plot involves a railroad being built through the town of Rock Ridge, a railroad that will make a corrupt politician a lot of money if he is able to force the residents out of their town. One way he is hoping to do this is by having a black sheriff named Bart (Cleavon Little) come in and make some of the local residents uncomfortable. The sheriff is called Black Bart.  Subtlety is not this film’s strong suit.  Bart’s deputy is played by Gene Wilder. Even though they are hoping to get the locals out of Rock Ridge, they end up staying and fighting for their town. Bart must also deal with Lili Von Shtüpp, played by Madeline Kahn, who is looking to find a way to sink her teeth into him.

“Blazing Saddles” features performances from Mel Brooks, Alex Karras and Richard Collier, to name a few.  However, no one can save this movie from its awful screenplay and bad jokes.  It is unwatchable from start-to-finish.  It took every ounce of strength in my body to not only watch this movie, but to finish watching it.  I absolutely hated it in a way I haven’t hated a movie in a very long time. I understand they were trying to make a film that would be a satire on Westerns and how certain demographics view African Americans. It shows how they are exploiting African Americans because the money men are only focused on the bottom line. I know what the message was and what they were trying to do in this film. I just didn’t find it funny.

In the end, “Blazing Saddles” is considered a comedy classic and one of the funniest films of all-time.  I wouldn’t be doing this film any justice if I didn’t acknowledge its reputation and its three Oscar nominations.  It has clearly reasoned with a lot of people.  With this being its 50th anniversary, I know a lot of people are very excited about this 4K release. One of the worst things you can do as a critic is to say a movie should not be watched by anyone, and if anyone likes this movie, they are a moron.  I would never dream of doing that.  I acknowledge the reputation of “Blazing Saddles,” but I simply shrug my shoulders and say, “This was not, at all, my kind of comedy.”  As stated previously, comedy is subjective. If you love the film, you will love the 4K.

ZERO out of * * * *

4K Info: “Blazing Saddles” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.  It has a running time of 93 minutes and is rated R. You can purchase either the 4K slipcover or the 4K steelbook.

4K Video: The 4K HDR transfer from Warner Brothers is fantastic and looks terrific.  Westerns, when done right, can look great on 4K. This is a visual feast for the eyes, and I imagine fans of the film will be quite pleased with this 4K transfer.

4K Audio: The Dolby Atmos track is also right on cue, as it’s a strong audio mix throughout the film that hits all the right notes.

Special Features:

Inappropriate Inspiration: The Blazing Saddles Effect

Scene-Specific Commentary by Mel Brooks

Blaze of Glory: Mel Brooks’ Wild, Wild West

Back in the Saddle

Additional Scenes

Should You Buy It?

I imagine some readers might call me too sensitive or say the film went over my head. I’m a huge fan of standup comedy, and I believe just about anything in the world is fodder for comedy when it’s done right. I understood exactly what Mel Brooks was going for in this movie, and I know that one of its writers was Richard Pryor.  It is my job to give my honest assessment of this film, and I thought it was painfully unfunny and wanted to turn it off after twenty minutes.  Because I was reviewing it, I felt obligated to watch the entire film. If this style of comedy is not for you, you won’t find a whole lot to laugh about in “Blazing Saddles.” If you enjoy the film and it fits into your comedic sensibilities, you will be very happy with it.  This is another top-notch 4K release from Warner Brothers.  They are doing a great job with releasing 4K’s from their massive library.  Overall, if you loved this film, buy it. If you haven’t seen it before, I’d recommend watching it and seeing how you respond to it.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

When the sequel to “Beetlejuice” was announced, movie fans all over the world were excited for its release. The original 1988 film has long since become a Halloween classic and required viewing every October. I thought the original “Beetlejuice” was okay, as the style and the tone of the film didn’t always connect with me as a viewer.  With “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” one thing fans will have a difficult time accepting is the lack of screentime for Beetlejuice. Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice, but he’s more of a supporting character here. If fans are going to a “Beetlejuice” movie expecting to see more of the main character, they will have to adjust their expectations.  I, on the other hand, thought this made the film more enjoyable and entertaining as it opened up the door for other characters to shine on screen.  It added some much-needed heart and humanity to the story.

Our film opens by showing us Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) hosting her own supernatural talk-show called Ghost House.  She’s not exactly thrilled with this gig, but it comes with some nice perks.  She’s also in a relationship with the show’s producer, Rory, played by Justin Theroux. He’s looking to latch onto Lydia and exploit her for all she’s worth. Lydia is having a difficult time reconnecting with her daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega).  They have trouble being on the same page because Astrid wants to know more about her father who passed away.  Lydia is not sure how to process the death of her ex-husband, and Astrid wants to know why her mother can’t use her ability to connect with the dead to reach out to her father. Astrid has more questions than answers about her father, and she is looking for some closure.

After Lydia’s father passes away, Lydia, Astrid, Rory, and Lydia’s stepmother, Delia (Catherine O’Hara) meet up in Winter River, Connecticut for his funeral and to help sell his house. Throughout this whole ordeal, Lydia can’t help but feel the presence of Beetlejuice. At first, she wonders if all of this is just in her head, or if there is some truth to her suspicions.  Beetlejuice has his own problems in the Netherworld as he’s being chased by his ex-wife, Dolores (Monica Bellucci), who is a cultist and a literal soul sucker.  There is also Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe), a former actor who has now become a detective in the afterlife. He’s trying to piece together what is going on with Dolores and Beetlejuice.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is a better film than the original because it’s more grounded in reality.  Of course, there are elements of the usual Tim Burton wackiness here.  This time around, he uses those moments effectively without turning the film into a gimmick. Because of this, they are far more effective when they do happen.  The heart and soul of this film is the relationship between Lydia and Astrid.  I thought Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega had such a strong bond and connection on screen as mother and daughter.  The good movies make you care about the characters and what happens to them.  You become emotionally invested in seeing them find happiness and peace of mind.

I also thought the way the film used Beetlejuice was effective because he only comes on screen when he absolutely needs to be there.  They don’t overuse the character. This is a film which deals with grief, loss and the inability to process feelings and connect with family.  It’s a really brainy film, and I did not expect it to go in that direction.  With that being said, I think fans of the first film might be disappointed by the choices that Burton made as a director. I thought it was necessary for the story and the characters to evolve. The performances from the cast, from top-to-bottom, are terrific. They understand what they signed up for in this film, and they are more than up to the task.  Burton put together a fantastic cast.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is one of the biggest surprises of 2024 for me. I did not walk into the film with the greatest of expectations, considering how I felt about the first film.  I walk into every film with an open mind, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was looking forward to certain films more than others.  With “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” I thought they would up the ante with the gimmicks, the silliness and the in-your-face set pieces.  While those scenes are in the film, they aren’t done so much to where they irritated me.  This is a story about people trying to figure out their place in the world.  They just happen to be occupying a world where strange and weird things are happening all around them.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is being released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It also comes with a digital copy of the film. The film has a running time of 104 minutes and is rated PG-13 for violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material, and brief drug use. You can either buy the 4K slipcover or the 4K steelbook.

4K Video Info:  The Dolby Vision transfer of this film is really eye-popping and stunning. The film looks great on 4K with a striking balance of dark blacks and bright, vivid colors. Tim Burton’s wacky and crazy world really shines on this format.

4K Audio Info:  The same can be said for the Dolby Atmos track here with subtitles in English, Spanish and French.  This is a movie with a lot of unusual and unique sounds, and they are all enhanced on this audio mix.

Special Features:

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” Commentary by director Tim Burton

The Juice is Loose! The Making of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”

The Ghost with the Most: Beetlejuice Returns

Meet the Deetz

Handbook for the Recently Deceased

Shrinkers, Shrinkers Everywhere!

An Animated Afterlife: The Stop-Motion Art of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”

‘Til Death Do Us Park

Should You Buy It?

This is a tough one for me, as I’m not really the audience for this film. I didn’t love the original, so I imagine, because I enjoyed the sequel, fans of the original might feel differently than I do.  In the end, there is a lot to like about “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” The performances from Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega are outstanding, as they are filled with life and love.  You understand where both of them are coming from and you root for them to work it out.  From an audio and visual standpoint, this is a mesmerizing 4K viewing experience. I ended up having a blast with this movie, and it put a smile on my face.  At times it did drag a little bit, and certain scenes could have been edited out, but this is a good flick.  I’d recommend you rent it from a digital retailer first and then decide if you want to buy it.  I think it’s worth owning on physical media because Warner Brothers released a tremendous 4K of a surprisingly good flick.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘The Terminator’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“The Terminator,” directed by James Cameron, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Because of this, Warner Brothers released the film on 4K for the very first time.  This has been one of the most anticipated 4K releases in years.  James Cameron released a number of his movies this year on 4K, including “Aliens,” “True Lies” and “The Abyss.”  Many YouTubers and physical media collectors have expressed mixed opinions on the transfers of these releases, and it has caused a lot of debate in the physical media community. Cameron himself has come out and expressed his frustration with their criticism and even suggested they move out of their parent’s basements.

As far as the film itself, “The Terminator” opens up by introducing the audience to a cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who has been sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to eliminate Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton). To the untrained eye, he looks like a regular human being with his flesh, his ability to talk, and his ability to enter a room without really drawing a lot of attention to himself. Standing in the Terminator’s way is a soldier by the name of Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn).  He’s also from the future, and he has one job and one job only, which is to protect Sarah.  The Terminator’s job is to stop at nothing to eliminate Sarah because her unborn son, John Connor, is going to be the one to attempt to stop the machines from taking over after a war in the future begins.

The battle between humans and machines is one we are still battling in today’s world, especially with the introduction of artificial intelligence.  Will machines become so powerful that humans will be rendered useless and unnecessary? Cameron was way ahead of himself with 1984’s “The Terminator.”  This is a movie with big ideas and big characters.  Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator is fantastic with his movements, his screen presence, and his aura.  Whenever he is on screen, you are completely captivated by him as an audience member to where you can’t keep your eyes off him.  Linda Hamilton is terrific at walking that tightrope to where she’s seen as tough but also a little vulnerable.  Michael Biehn also turns in a stellar performance as Kyle Reese.  It’s a hard role to pull off, as Kyle needs to talk about the future in a way that will not only convince Sarah he’s telling the truth but also win over the audience.

I might be in the minority on this one, but my one issue with “The Terminator” is the love story between Sarah and Kyle.  It is why I can’t give the film a perfect rating, even though I absolutely love it.  The love story feels unnecessary when all of this is going on in Sarah’s world.  In a film where I was able to suspend my disbelief for almost its entire running time, the romance came completely out of left field for me.  Besides that, there is a lot to like about this film.  It has a ton of great supporting work from actors such as Lance Henriksen, Paul Winfield, Dick Miller, and Earl Boen. Los Angeles is a character in this film, especially late at night. In many ways, “The Terminator” felt like Michael Mann directed a sci-fi thriller.  It’s a moody and dark film with an underbelly of seediness and gloom and doom.

I also felt as though “The Terminator” had a sense of humor about itself without being too jokey.  When the Terminator himself encounters some street punks while he’s naked, it allows Cameron to have a little fun with his premise.  He is wise to not make the film too silly or goofy, however, as then it would be a completely different film altogether.  The comedic moments come more from the way people react to the Terminator and how he reacts to them.  Because he is so laser focused on killing Sarah Connor, he doesn’t have time for pleasantries.  He is a man on a mission and will eliminate anyone and anything in his way.  This film is able to feel like a big budget Hollywood blockbuster and a gritty, down and dirty independent film at the same time.  It was made for $6.4 million, but it looks top-notch and has a sense of danger to it as well.  “The Terminator” is an almost perfect film.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Terminator” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It comes with a digital copy of the film as well. The film has a running time of 107 minutes and is rated R for intense sequences of sci-fi action violence throughout, some sexuality/nudity, and strong language. You can get this film either with a 4K slipcover or a 4K steelbook.

4K Video Info:  Warner Brothers released this film on Dolby Vision HDR. It is a clean-looking transfer that doesn’t take any chances and doesn’t really need to when you consider its original source material. I thought the majority of the film looked impressive and it had a very cinematic feel to it. I don’t think there are too many things you can find wrong with this 4K video transfer.

4K Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos track is really good here.  This is a film filled with a lot of action, explosions and big moments.  Those scenes sound impressive and make for a good at-home theater experience. It wasn’t too loud or boisterous, but it made its presence known. Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Deleted Scenes with Optional James Cameron Commentary

Creating the Terminator: Visual Effects & Music

The Terminator: Closer to the Real Thing

Unstoppable Force: The Legacy of the Terminator

Should You Buy It?

This is one of the greatest sci-fi/action films of all time, despite my issues with the love story between Sarah and Kyle.  It comes with a stand-out 4K transfer which includes Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.  This is the best “The Terminator” has looked, and it looks much better than the failed “Terminator 2” 4K release from Lionsgate a few years back.  It seems like they have found a happy medium when it comes to James Cameron and his 4K transfers.  They know how to make the most out of the 4K format without changing it too much to where you don’t recognize the film you love. Much like the prior Blu-ray release, the special features are lacking, which is a disappointment. Overall, though, if you love movies, you have to have “The Terminator” on 4K in your collection.  It is a must-own, whether you get the 4K slipcover or the 4K steelbook.   It’s a revolutionary film that holds up incredibly well on repeat viewings.  This one comes highly recommended.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Riddick’ – A Welcome Return to ‘Pitch Black’ Basics

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

After the bloated motion picture that was “The Chronicles of Riddick,” filmmaker David Twohy and star Vin Diesel return for “Riddick,” the third in a trilogy which began with the riveting “Pitch Black.” This sequel proves to be a return to as the story here is a lean one and is not about to overwhelm us with too many plot points. Also, it proves to be a stand-alone film which does not require you to view the previous installments (or “The Chronicles of Riddick” at the least) to understand all that is going on.

As the movie starts, Riddick (Vin Diesel) is now King of the Necromongers, but he ends up being betrayed by his supposed followers when he is left for dead on a planet which he is led to believe is his home world of Furya. From there, this anti-hero struggles to survive in a hostile environment where all these scorpion-like creatures and dog beasts are out to eat anything that moves on at least two feet. To make matters worse, bounty hunters are once again on his tail as he is forced to expose his location in order to find a way off of this barren planet.

What I found interesting about “Riddick” is how being King has somehow robbed this anti-hero of his abilities to survive. Diesel has made it no secret of how much he loves playing this character, and he invests Riddick with everything he has. Whatever you may think of his acting, you cannot say “The Fast & The Furious” star is not dedicated to giving this character the respect he deserves. Riddick is a bad dude, but like the best anti-heroes in movies, I still found myself rooting for him.

This sequel is truly a passion project for Diesel and Twohy more than anything else. Because “The Chronicles of Riddick” was a big budget studio movie that didn’t do well commercially, the two of them ended up having to raise the money independently to make this one a reality. Going from a budget of over $100 to one of under $40 million may have forced them to cut a lot of corners, and this is probably not the “Riddick” movie they originally envisioned doing. Still, I liked what they were able to come up with given the limited resources at their disposal.

One of the joys of watching “Riddick” is seeing how Twohy deftly skewers a lot of sci-fi clichés and wonderfully plays on the bounty hunters’ collective fear of their prey. Once the hunters arrive on this barren planet, Riddick leaves them a warning to leave one ship behind for him or suffer the consequences. Right away, you know that a majority of these characters are screwed. The question is, how are they going to die? There’s a great scene where they think Riddick has gotten into one of their storage compartments which is protected by a highly explosive device. Did he or didn’t get inside? That’s the question. Whatever the answer is, it leads to one of the film’s most wonderfully suspenseful moments.

Among the crew of bounty hunters is Katee Sackhoff whom we all know and love for her work on “Battlestar Galactica” and “Longmire.” She plays Dahl, a female mercenary who can dish it out as much as the men can and then some, and the punches Dahl inflicts on the male population she is forced to deal with are exquisitely painful to say the least, and they leave scars which will not be easily forgotten. Sackhoff is awesome in a role that definitely reminds us of how much we love her work, but she isn’t just playing Starbuck all over again. Dahl makes it abundantly clear at one point that she doesn’t fuck guys, and Sackhoff leaves you wondering just what exactly her character means by this. Remember, a single word never has just one definition.

Also in the cast is Jordi Mollà who has been nominated three times for the Goya Award for Best Actor, but none of those nominations include the performance he gave in Michael Bay’s horrifically bombastic “Bad Boys II.” Here he plays Santana, the leader of one of the bounty hunter groups, and Santana does very little to hide just slimy of a bastard he is. Mollà clearly relishes playing such a despicable character, and I got a kick watching him go over the top as he hunts down his prey. I don’t think it’s giving away too much to say that his character gets the painful fate he so deserves.

Then there is Matt Nable who plays the leader of the other bounty hunter team (who have much better equipment by the way), Boss Johns. I have no idea if his mother gave him that name, but I can only imagine the playground beatings this character got as a kid. Talk about a name to live up to!

Anyway, Nable, a former professional rugby player, does good work in conveying the conflicted emotions of his character as it turns out he needs Riddick for more than just a simple bounty, and it gives this sequel a complexity I did not expect it to have.

Dave Bautista, a former WWE wrestler who has since given memorable performances in movies like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Spectre,” plays the most bone crushing bounty hunter of all, Diaz. With Bautista in the cast, we know he and Diesel are going to have an all-out fight. And yes, it is quite the fight.

Most of the visual effects we see here are rendered in CGI, but that’s understandable given the movie’s budget. While the overuse of CGI effects in movies tends to drive me crazy, many of them look really good, and the alien landscapes are memorably illustrated. Riddick also gets to adopt a dog in the process, and the dog turns out to be one of this sequel’s best characters. Despite all the snarling, this dog is a cuddly little beast at heart.

It is also great to see Graeme Revell back composing the score for “Riddick” as he also did the music for the previous two films as well. It also marks a welcome return to the electronic elements he utilized so well in both “The Crow” and “Dead Calm.” It’s a wonderful reminder of how Revell doesn’t always need a full orchestra to create suck a compelling score.

“Riddick” is not a great movie and does not reinvent the wheel for either the action or science fiction genres, but it kept me entertained throughout. It also says a lot about Diesel and Twohy that they managed to bring this character back to the silver screen despite the commercial disappointment of “The Chronicles of Riddick.” The fans still wanted to see Diesel’s most favorite character make a return to the big screen. It took almost a decade for this to happen, but Diesel and Twohy came through even though they had fewer resources to work with.

And now we have news that a fourth “Pitch Black” movie is in the works. I am intrigued to see what Diesel and Twohy come up with next, and it is nice to know Diesel has another character to rely on other than Dominic Toretto.

* * * out of * * * *

‘Blink Twice’ Movie and Blu-ray Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

“Blink Twice” is a film with ambition, style, and some big goals.  It does not always achieve those goals from a filmmaking perspective, but it’s an interesting directorial debut from actress Zoë Kravitz, who also co-wrote the screenplay with E.T. Feigenbaum. The film also opens with a trigger warning for audiences, which is something I don’t think I’ve seen before from a big screen movie. I’ve seen it before on TV shows when a particular episode is going to show scenes involving abuse, suicide, or rape.  “Blink Twice” has become one of the most-talked about movies of 2024, and it’s easy to see why.  It’s a film that is either going to piss audiences off or leave them with a lot to ponder.

Our film opens up introducing us to Frida (Naomi Ackie) who, along with her friend and roommate Jess (Alia Shawkat), work a ritzy and glamorous exclusive event, where she runs into Slater King (Channing Tatum). He was recently forced to step down as CEO of his company after a scandalous event which forced him into therapy.  He claims to be a changed man and has also apologized publicly for his behavior.  When he runs into Frida and Jess, they are invited to his private island, where they have to put their phones in a bag.  It seems to be your typical rich, glamorous party with drugs and over-the-top behavior, but Slater insists he has toned down his behavior. The longer Frida and Jess spend at this private island, the more they suspect something is up. Can they put the pieces together?

Kravitz has assembled an all-star cast for her feature film debut.  The film features unique screen performances from Christian Slater, Haley Joel Osment, Geena Davis, Kyle MacLachlan, and Simon Rex.  While their performances are unique and out there, unfortunately these are not characters that are particularly well-written or fleshed out. Since they are good actors, they chew up the scenery.  However, I can only imagine how much more effective these performances would have been if these characters were not so one-dimensional. The stand-out performance comes from Tatum, who gives a chilling, eerie and unnerving performance.

The first 45-60 minutes are repetitive and boring at times, even though the film is shot beautifully and looks fantastic.  As a director, Kravitz has a keen eye behind the camera. This is a gorgeous film featuring beautiful people looking their best while doing very bad things.  The film is much more interesting in the third act when certain elements of the plot are revealed to the audience.  I wanted the film to be more like the third act, which was lively, intense and exciting. The film lost me for the first hour or so, which is why it was too little, too late to save it as a whole.

I could examine all of the issues and themes which are rather on-the-nose, but I don’t think it would serve my review.  I think Kravitz has A LOT to say, and she’s not shy about how she goes about presenting that message. Is it preachy at times? Yes, but it didn’t take me out of the film or make me lose interest in the story. As a matter of fact, it did the opposite for me—it left me with a lot to think about long after the credits rolled.  It made me want to see what she has up her sleeve in the future as a filmmaker.  “Blink Twice” is a film that gains traction the more you think about it and the further removed you are from it as an audience member. It was the lack of action and the pacing which took me out of the film in the first hour.

Overall, “Blink Twice” almost lost me entirely for a good chunk of its running time.  This is something that cannot be ignored.  If I wasn’t reviewing the movie, I would have shut it off.  Yes, I enjoyed the scenery and the acting, but the plot took way too long to get moving.  That being said, I also can’t ignore the power and the impact of the film’s final act along with the energy Kravitz brought to this film as a director. After the movie was over, it stayed with me and I thought about it for a long time.  This is a movie that is below average for the first 45-60 minutes before it ends with a bang for the final 30-35 minutes. This is a brainy film. I give it a slight recommendation with some hesitation.

* * out of * * * *

Blu-ray Info: “Blink Twice” is released on a single-disc Blu-ray from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 102 minutes and is rated R for strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use and language throughout, and some sexual references. It comes with a digital copy of the film as well.

Blu-ray Audio/Video Info: “Blink Twice” looks good on Blu-ray, but I’m not sure why this film didn’t get a 4K release.  This film was screaming to be released on 4K, and I’m not sure why they didn’t offer that option. It is still a solid Blu-ray, but a 4K transfer would have been eye-popping and mesmerizing.  The Dolby Audio is also solid, but an Atmos track would have been preferred for this movie. Subtitles are included in Parisian French, Castilian Spanish, Italian, English, Latin Spanish, and Canadian French.

Special Features:

NONE

Should You Buy It?

Considering this film should have received a 4K release and there are no special features on this Blu-Ray disc, I don’t think it is a film you need to purchase right away. It also doesn’t come with a slipcover for the Blu-ray. For a collector like me, I enjoy a slipcover over the Blu-ray case. For the time being, it is a film worth seeing, despite how frustrating it can be at times.  I’d recommend you rent the film from a digital platform like Amazon, YouTube or Apple TV. It’s worth renting digitally and checking out.  I’m looking forward to the next film from director Zoë Kravitz, as she impressed me with her first offering.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.

‘Unhinged’ is Not Unhinged Enough

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

“Unhinged” was one of the first movies to be released in theaters near the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This may very well be its biggest claim to fame as what results is an action thriller which is never boring, but hints at a motion picture which could have been so much better than it is. As much as I want to look at a movie for what it is as opposed to what I want it to be, this one has me inescapably thinking of what could have been improved with the material. Seriously, this could have been an epic thriller which stood proudly alongside Steven Spielberg’s “Duel” and “The Hitcher” (the original, not the terrible Platinum Dunes remake), but no such luck.

We are introduced to Tom Cooper (Russell Crowe) who, as “Unhinged” begins, breaks into his ex-wife’s house, murders her and her boyfriend who has the bad luck of sleeping at her place on this particular evening. These actions are preceded by Tom holding a lit match in his fingers and letting it burn right down to the tip of his skin. I kept waiting for him to flinch, but he never does. Clearly, he has already reached his D-FEN’s “Falling Down” moment, and it is all downhill for him from there.

We then meet Rachel Flynn (Caren Pistorius), a recent divorcee who, like me, sleeps in a lot later than they should. This particular morning, she is supposed to be meeting with a client, driving her son Kyle (Gabriel Bateman) to school, and figuring out what to do with her brother Fred (Austin P. McKenzie) and his girlfriend Mary (Juliene Joyner) who have taken up residence in her house due to their unfortunate financial circumstances. On top of all of this, one of Rachel’s clients coldly fires her while she drives her son to school. Clearly, she is already having a very bad day and is understandably pissed.

Then Rachel ends up behind Tom in his truck, and she becomes irate when he is not quick to step on the gas before the light turns red. She ends up passing him, more or less flips him off, and when he asks her for an apology in an effort to smooth things out, she is dismissive as she sees his problems as being no more or less important than anyone else’s. From there, Tom becomes determined to show her what it is to have a very bad day. This reminded me of when Robert De Niro told Nick Nolte that he would teach him the meaning of commitment in Martin Scorsese’s remake of “Cape Fear,” and we all came to see how vicious De Niro’s intentions were.

The first thing I should point out about “Unhinged” is Russell Crowe’s performance as Tom Cooper. The material might seem beneath him as this is the same actor who gave such epic performances in “Gladiator,” “A Beautiful Mind” and “Cinderella Man,” but he helps to give Tom a little more dimension than the screenplay might imply. Crowe helps to make Tom’s psychotic behavior all the more frightening than it might be if it were another actor taking on this role. It also helps that Crowe is playing a man who is prepared to commit suicide by cop as he has nothing left to lose, and this makes him all the more frightening as a result.

Playing Tom Cooper’s unfortunate victim is Caren Pistorius. I am not familiar with her work, but she made a breakthrough with her performance in “Slow West” in which she co-starred with Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smith-McPhee, and she appeared in Derek Cianfrance’s “Light Between Oceans.” She was also born in South Africa and raised in New Zealand, and this makes her American accent all the more impressive.

Pistorius makes Rachel Flynn into the type of protagonist you quickly come to care for. Rachel is not perfect (who is by the way?), but we root for her because the actress makes her into an everyone we have to recognize in our own lives. Like her, we would flip off any driver who would never be quick to step on the gas once the light turns green to where it is like an automatic impulse, but we don’t expect said drivers to come after us with a murderous vengeance. Watching Rachel deal with Tom’s murderous advances makes the furious emotions on display all the more brutal.

Having said all of this, “Unhinged” still has a lot of problems. Among them is that there are many plot holes throughout. Whether or not I could quickly identify these holes is not important. What is important is that I could tell they existed as much as the great white shark’s unrealistic roar of pain came about in “Jaws: The Revenge.” I mean, seriously, how does Tom get to learn about Rachel’s life through her cell phone ever so quickly?

Plus, there are many things which are telegraphed throughout like a cell phone being left in an individual’s car which you know will get stolen, and a pair of scissors which figure prominently in the climactic battle to where you wonder where in Tom’s body they will end up. Just when I thought “Unhinged” would subvert the cliches a movie like this is expected to have, it falls victim to them in ways which just kill the tension and the plausibility.

I recently came across an article on The Guardian website regarding Robert Harmon’s “The Hitcher” in which Rutger Hauer, who played the murderous psychopath John Ryder, stated that he didn’t play bad guys. This made Hauer’s performance in that film all the more fascinating to me, and it also made me want to believe Crowe had the same intentions when it came to him portraying Tom Cooper. But in the end, “Unhinged” blows a lot of opportunities to make it stand out from so many thrillers like it, and it will not last long in the memory after you have watched it.

* * out of * * * *

‘Trap’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

The following review was written by Ultimate Rabbit correspondent, Tony Farinella.

It’s interesting how timing can work when watching movies, as I recently checked out “The Sixth Sense” on 4K with it being its 25th anniversary.  “The Sixth Sense” is one of my favorite films from M. Night Shyamalan along with “Unbreakable.” These two are great reminders of what he can do when he’s in the right headspace creatively.  He knows how to hook an audience into his films with suspense and tension.  Lately, however, he has struggled to consistently craft a satisfying conclusion to his films. He’s one of the most polarizing filmmakers today because he relies so much on a “twist” ending and not every movie needs to live and die with a twist.  After all, if you are expecting a twist, is it really a surprise?

With his latest film, “Trap,” he sets the scene in a large arena where a father named Cooper, played by Josh Hartnett, is taking his young daughter to a concert.  Cooper sticks out like a sore thumb in this venue as he’s one of the few men at the concert, and he’s also 6’3″. He doesn’t exactly blend in with the crowd.  He’s also very uneasy at this concert and looks quite uncomfortable. His daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) notices her father keeps leaving his seat and appears hypervigilant of his surroundings.  If you have seen the trailer, it’s not a spoiler to reveal the concert is a trap for a killer known as The Butcher. It’s also not a spoiler to reveal The Butcher is also Cooper.

The film then turns into a cat and mouse game as Cooper must find a way to escape the concert and stay one step ahead of security as well as an FBI profiler, played by Hayley Mills. They have security and police at every exit as they have planned for The Butcher to attend this concert, and this is their chance to finally catch him.  On paper, this sounds like an interesting and fun premise for a film, especially considering its venue. He has to interact with various security guards, vendors and even parents. How is he going to remain incognito and avoid being arrested? I can see how it would initially capture an audience’s attention.

The biggest issue with “Trap” is the fact that so many of the characters act incredibly dumb and make it quite easy for The Butcher/Cooper to outsmart them.  The film would work if he was smart, quick on his feet and clever, and he also had to deal with various roadblocks and obstacles.  Instead, he meets a t-shirt vendor who basically tells him everything that is going on and also reveals the security code.  Why are the people in this movie so stupid? They seem completely oblivious, which makes his job so much easier.  After a while, I just started to laugh at Trap because I couldn’t take any of this seriously, especially Hartnett with his cheesy nice-guy smile.  It’s an over-the-top performance in a poorly written movie.

The concert is for Lady Raven, played by Saleka Shyamalan, M. Night’s daughter. This definitely felt like it was a vanity project for his daughter to show off her musical skills. Another issue with was how Cooper seemed to have the ability to appear and reappear without any explanation, whatsoever. I’m all for suspending my disbelief at the movies, but this movie asked too much of me as a viewer. As stated earlier, it became laughable after a while.  There are a ton of plot holes, and it’s impossible to ignore them as they are completely implausible. The ending is also completely ridiculous as, once again, people who are supposed to be smart, well-trained professionals act in ways which only serve the plot instead of supporting the intelligence of the character or the profession.

“Trap” is one of the worst films of 2024 because it’s a big budget movie with big ideas, and they should have treated the audience with more respect and intelligence. This film is lazy.  It almost feels like M. Night Shyamalan is trolling the audience at this point.  He knows how to make movies look great on screen, and he gets all of the little details right in terms of the technical aspects. However, he overlooked the most important part of any movie, which is the screenplay.  Since he’s the writer/director here, the screenplay being a stinker falls solely on his shoulders. This was a huge disappointment.

* out of * * * * 

4K Info: “Trap” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It comes with a digital copy of the film as well. The film is rated PG-13 for some violent content and brief strong language and has a running time of 105 minutes.

4K Video Info: The Dolby Vision 4K transfer is quite striking, especially during the concert scenes. The dark blacks set a moody and atmospheric environment.  The film looks fantastic on 4K, and it’s a top-notch visual experience. I don’t have anything bad to say about the film from a visual or audio standpoint.  It’s the film itself.

4K Audio Info:  There is also a fantastic Dolby Atmos soundtrack featured here with subtitles in English, Spanish and French. It really pops during the tense moments and also during the musical numbers.  I think that is why the film was such a disappointment for me as a viewer, as it looks and sounds so good.

Special Features:

Setting the Trap: A New M. Night Shyamalan Experience

Saleka as Lady Raven

Deleted Scenes

Extended Concert Scene: Where Did She Go

Should You Buy It?

I’ve noticed “Trap”has elicited a love it or hate it response from a lot of filmgoers. This falls under the category of, “For those who like that sort of thing, that is the sort of thing they like.”  If you did enjoy “Trap,” this is a top-notch 4K experience from an audio and visual perspective.  It looks and sounds fantastic.  If you haven’t enjoyed the latest offerings of M. Night Shyamalan, this film is not likely to be in your wheelhouse.  I found the film to be laborious, silly and laughable. It started off with such promise and then it went completely off the rails.  It’s not so bad, it’s good.  It’s just bad.

**Disclaimer** I received a copy of this film from Warner Brothers to review for free.  The opinions and statements in the review are mine and mine alone.