Movie Reviews

‘Blue Beetle’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

For those of you who keep up with my reviews on this website, you are familiar with my feelings on most superhero films. It is not my favorite genre, but I’m always willing to give it a try and hope for the best.  It hasn’t happened in a while, which is why I was so pleased to be completely enamored with “Blue Beetle.” I went into the film knowing absolutely nothing about it, and it ended up being one of the more enjoyable viewing experiences I’ve had this year.  When you sit down to watch a movie, you truly never know what is going to transpire on screen. It’s the beauty of cinema.

Prior to seeing “Blue Beetle,” I had never even heard of this character in any shape or form. After watching this movie, I hope to see more of this character, especially if he’s played by the uber-talented Xolo Maridueña, who is terrific on “Cobra Kai.” However, after the low box office numbers, I wonder if it’s a realistic expectation.

Maridueña stars as Jaime Reyes, a recent college graduate with a degree in pre-law, who returns home to Palmera City to discover a plethora of problems for his family.  They are struggling to keep their heads above water as the father had a heart attack, recently lost his job, and they are about to lose their family home.  However, he believes if they stick together, they can find a way to make it work.

Family is at the heart of “Blue Beetle,” and the film has a big old heart attached to it which I absolutely adored. This is a family of fun, eccentric and entertaining characters.  You have the wise-cracking sister, Milagro, played wonderfully by Belissa Escobedo. You have the tough, no-nonsense Nana Reyes played by Adriana Barraza. There is also the pot-smoking conspiracy theorist Uncle Rudy played by George Lopez. All of these characters are unique and fun in their own way. They feel like a real family as the chemistry between all of the characters on screen is off-the-charts.

When Jaime discovers that jobs are hard to come by after college, he gets one with his sister working for the CEO of Kord Industries, Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), at their mansion.  After Jaime and Milagro end up losing their jobs when they are caught eavesdropping on a conversation between Victoria and her niece, Jenny (Bruna Marquezine), Jaime must figure out what to do next.  Jenny was impressed by the way Jaime stuck up for her and might have a job opportunity for him. When he goes to meet up with her, she hands him the Scarab, an artifact which holds special powers. She tells him not to open it, but when his family opens it for him, he soon finds out that his life will never be the same again.

With this Scarab, it chooses you, you don’t choose it.  It has chosen Jaime, and he has to figure out how to handle the responsibilities which come with it. He’s also dealing with a nosey family, a newly developing crush on Jenny, and having to fight off Victoria who wants to have the Scarab to create a series of One-Man Army Corps. He also learns that Jenny’s father was Ted Kord, a vigilante named Blue Beetle who left the family company because they were more interested in creating mayhem instead of working for the greater good. Victoria is also not pleased she was overlooked by her father in favor of her brother when it came time to take over Kord Industries.

“Blue Beetle” is a film I was able to follow with relative ease, which is a huge accomplishment considering I didn’t know anything about it or the character as previously mentioned. I do believe a comic book movie should be able to stand on its own two feet for first-time viewers and long-time fans.  This film does this for first-time viewers, and I imagine fans of the “Blue Beetle” comic will not be disappointed.  I was also quite pleased to see the film really lean into the ethnic dynamics of the family.  It’s rare to see a film which is almost entirely composed of Latino actors. Even though I’m an Italian-American, I felt as though the film was accessible to everyone.  Although, I imagine you will enjoy it even more if you are Latino as some of the jokes and TV shows they reference will be more in your wheelhouse.

This film is about 15-20 minutes too long, but it is never boring or uninteresting.  Some of the scenes involving lasers, blades and various high-flying actions can be a little repetitive, but I thought the special effects looked terrific and they were still fun to watch. This is one of the best superhero movies I’ve seen in a while.  As a matter of fact, it’s my favorite superhero movie I’ve seen since 2022’s “The Batman.” It has so much going for it: the cast, the love story, the backstory, the acting, and the fact it wears its big heart on its sleeve.

I like when my superhero movies are grounded in reality with a sense of wonder, and “Blue Beetle” knows all of the right notes to hit. Maridueña is perfect at getting his ass kicked and being a likable underdog to root for, as we have seen in this film and also in “Cobra Kai.” He’s incredibly likable, and he has the emotional elements of the character down pat along with the physical transformation as well.  The family is hilarious, and I loved spending time with them.  This is a fun superhero movie with a tremendous sense of humor.  I really enjoyed “Blue Beetle,” and I hope it finds a second home with this physical media release.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Blue Beetle” is released on a single 4K disc from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It has a running time of 127 minutes and is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, language and some suggestive references.  It comes with a digital copy of the film as well.

4K Video/Audio Info:  Once again, we are treated to a tremendous Dolby Vision transfer.  I loved the look of this movie on 4K. It has a gorgeous blue hue throughout, and when the suit lights up, it looks absolutely incredible.  It’s an eye-popping transfer.  The Dolby Atmos soundtrack also brings the film to life in your home theater.  Subtitles are included in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

“Generations: Blue Beetle” – 4-part documentary

Told in distinct chapters, explore the journeys of actors and filmmakers bringing “Blue Beetle” to the big screen for the first time ever. Audiences will be immersed in the POV of filmmakers who showcase their experiences on set and in their creative studios making the story of this DC character a reality.

 Nana Knows Best – featurette

Witness Nana’s transformation from an adorable ‘abuelita’ into a machine gun-wielding revolutionary, and stop in for a few of her most fun moments on set throughout production.

Scarab Vision – 2-part featurette

Xolo Maridueña hosts this series of scene study walk throughs that showcases how the scarab works and the role it plays in some of Blue Beetle’s most epic moments.

Should You Buy It?

I can’t tell you how pleased I was with “Blue Beetle” both as a film and as a 4K release with tremendous visuals and a powerful Dolby Atmos soundtrack.  One of the greatest joys of being a film reviewer is when you are completely caught off guard by a movie in the best possible way. You go into most movies with an open mind and open heart, but certain movies you are more excited to watch and review than others.  As soon as I finished this one, I couldn’t wait to write this review and spread the word to those who have not seen it to check it out.  It’s a film which deserves a lot more attention than it has received so far. This is the kind of superhero film I truly enjoy and want more of in the future.  The 4K was released on Halloween, and I think the Best Buy steelbook looks really, really cool. If you can pick that up, I’d recommend it. If not, the 4K slipcover is really good as well. 

Do yourself a favor and check out “Blue Beetle.”  It’s one of the most pleasant surprises of 2023.

**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.

‘Meg 2: The Trench’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

I haven’t seen 2018’s “The Meg”, but after watching the sequel, I don’t see myself seeking out the original.  “The Meg 2: The Trench,” I thought, would be a fun little popcorn film to kick back and enjoy while I shut my brain off for 90 minutes or so. Instead, it is a film which is almost two-hours long and goes back and forth between being deadly serious and having silly over-the-top nonsense.  The problem with the silly over-the-top nonsense is, by the time it kicks in, things have already lost its audience to where it is far too late for anyone to recover.  Plus, the scenes do not feel natural or organic, and they seem to be in there saying, “See? Here is the stuff you came for: the killings, the mayhem, and random one-liners. Isn’t this movie fun?” “The Meg 2: The Trench” was a tedious viewing experience.

Jason Statham stars as Jonas Taylor, and if you have seen one performance from Statham, you have probably seen them all.  However, I do enjoy when he collaborates with director Guy Ritchie, as there are darker elements to his characters in those films.  In his other films, he’s the wise-cracking bad-ass who beats everyone up.  That’s OK once in a while, but when you keep playing the same tune, it gets rather repetitive and dull. In this film, he plays an environmentalist with a heart of gold who is looking after Meiying (Shuya Sophia Cai) after her mother passed away, along with her uncle Jiuming Zhang (Wu Jing). She’s a teenager who is looking to explore and be adventurous while her two guardians are also trying to keep a close eye on her.

One day on a deep-dive mission, Jonas and Jiuming discover there is an illegal operation happening deep down below in the water. So, this time, not only do they have to fight off the megalodons, but they also have to fight off the attacks of greedy and avaricious mercenaries who are looking to make billions of dollars off of this illegal mining operation.  Does any of this sound like fun?  It wasn’t fun for me.  It might have been fun if they kept the plot to 90-95 minutes, moved at a faster pace, and went with an R-rating.  They play it a little too safe here, and it is dull, uninventive, and very uninteresting.

Another problem with the film is the other characters in it.  There is nothing unique or original about them. They come and go with absolutely zero-character development or any significant reasons why we should care if they live or die.  There are some nice scenes between Jonas, Meiying and Jiuming, and there are some pretty cool shark deaths, but by the time they finally make it to the screen, as mentioned, the audience has long since fallen asleep and lost interest in anything happening on screen. I popped up for a minute to remark, “Oh, that was cool. That was a sweet moment.” When your film is nearly two hours long, though, you need a lot more of those scenes instead of random characters in scuba gear you can’t even identify or care about.

This film also suffers from not having any silly or fun villains.  The whole thing just felt like a cash-in sequel to me.  It made a lot of money, so I’m sure no one who made the film or was involved in it is disappointed by that.  There is also a wise-cracking supporting character played by Page Kennedy, and he’s trying way too hard to be funny.  It’s almost like they added him specifically for the purpose of forcing comedy on us when it wasn’t there. As soon as he appears on screen, you are waiting for the one-liners instead of them happening naturally.  It’s clear they were only thinking about the bottom line with this movie, and they had zero interest in making a film which could at least pass as escapist entertainment.

* ½ out * * * *

4K Info: “The Meg 2: The Trench” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It comes with a digital copy of the film as well.  It is rated PG-13 for action/violence, some bloody images, language, and brief suggestive material. It has a running time of 116 minutes.

4K Video/Audio Info:  One of the good things about this release is we get the film released on Dolby Vision with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack as well.  As far as the transfer here, it’s a flawless transfer that is clean, crisp, and bright.  The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is also a really good one, as it’s not too loud or in-your-face.  Even though the special effects left something to be desired, I can’t deny how good the transfer looks and how good the film sounds. As a 4K, it’s one of the better transfers I’ve seen for a film released in 2023.  It also comes with subtitles in English, Spanish, and French.

Special Features:

The Making of “Meg 2: The Trench” – Cast and crew revisit the making of the film and working with new and returning cast members, then highlight the beauty and challenges of working with a Meg they can’t see.

Up From the Depths: Even More Beasts – Director Ben Wheatley, cast and producers guide fans through the creation and design of the new creatures seen in “Meg 2: The Trench”

Should You Buy It?

If you enjoyed the original “Meg” and are a fan of Jason Statham films, you will probably want to add this one to your collection.  However, I would say it’s a film you can wait to buy when it drops a little in price.  If you did not enjoy the “Meg or haven’t seen the original, I don’t think there is anything here that will convert you to this sequel.  It’s a shame, too, as the second half showed some promise and did deliver some cool kills.  If they had trimmed the fat, stuck to a reasonable running time, embraced the absurdity of the film and had better looking sharks, we would have a good popcorn film here.  Instead, we are left with a laborious viewing experience with only a few highlights. This one left a lot to be desired.

**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 ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot – Jason is Vicious, But the Movie is Bland

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This review was written back in 2009 when this reboot was released.

What better way to spend Singles Awareness Day (a.k.a. Valentine’s Day) than with an old friend who butchers camp counselors because they didn’t keep him from drowning, or supposedly so? I somehow doubt you can call this latest slasher adventure of Jason Voorhees a remake. Each sequel to the original “Friday the 13th” was basically a reworking of the first sequel which introduced Jason as the main killer of the franchise. Watching each successive sequel has been like witnessing a perverted sports event. How is Jason going to kill off those promiscuous teenagers? What weapons will he use? Will the ladies be as cute as they were in the previous movie? Will the guys be every bit as gullible as before? I think this is what makes people keep coming back to this never-ending franchise. We are curious to see how Jason will dispatch his latest batch of victims before he gets laid waste to by the final girl. John Carpenter said evil never dies, and Jason Voorhees is proof of this.

This “Friday the 13th” comes to us from Platinum Dunes, Michael Bay’s film company which made such unnecessary remakes of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “The Hitcher” and “The Amityville Horror.” A lot of people complain about Bay the director, but I am more worried about Bay the producer. Still, the idea of bringing back Jason was too intriguing even for me to pass up.

In this particular “Friday,” Jason more threatening here than he has been in ages. For the last few movies, he has become a figure of such unbridled camp that he comes across as more of a joke. Here, he is as vicious as ever. This Jason does not just walk at lightning speed like he did in “Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.” Here, he thrusts his weapons and impales his victims with sheer velocity. His mommy issues have never been more deeply rooted than they have been since the franchise first began.

The movie starts off more or less condensing the original, as it was Jason’s mother who was the brutal killer in that one. We see Jason’s mother, played by Nana Visitor from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (never piss off a Bajoran), get decapitated by the one camp counselor, female of course, who she couldn’t kill. We all know how seriously pissed she was at the counselors who let her son Jason drown, and now Jason will carry on her vengeance. The prologue is much longer than I ever could have expected, and in it we meet a bunch of kids who are seriously interested in obtaining a huge quantity of marijuana. Jason, however, is there with a bag over his head, the iconic hockey mask gets introduced later, killing off potential profiteers. It made wonder if Jason was actually a drug dealer as he apparently lives near such a big farm of green.

These kids meet a gruesome end (is there any other kind?), and the movie then moves ahead a couple of months to introduce us to a new set of victims. These ones though are not there to be camp counselors, but instead to stay in a house by the lake to have a “relaxing” weekend. The house belongs to the father of a snobby little spoiled brat named Trent (Travis Van Winkle), and his name wreaks of snobbery whether he likes it or not. Along with him is his girlfriend Jenna (Danielle Panabaker) who has no business being with a guy like him, an Asian smarty named Chewie (Aaron Yoo) who has yet to get laid, and a couple others who, whether they get laid or not, will most likely not live through the weekend. You also have the sole black man, Lawrence (Arlen Escarpeta), who loves to mess with white people and their prejudices they are blind to. Arlen has one of the best lines of dialogue, and you will know it when you hear it.

What makes this particular “Friday the 13th” different from the others? Not much. It has the requisite killings and naked breasts. Sean S. Cunningham, the director of the original, is along for the ride as a producer, and he is intent on giving the audience what they expect from a movie like this. What makes this franchise reboot different is it is a lot bleaker and more unrelenting than the other sequels.

Marcus Nispel directed this installment, and he also directed the Platinum Dunes remake of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” He gives it a washed out look, and it gives the proceedings a more realistic feel as well as a foreboding one. The tension is thick in the air, and even though the scares are pretty much where you would expect them to be. The killings are effectively brutal, but Nispel doesn’t dwell so much on the blood and gore as much as you might expect.

As for the characters, they really didn’t stick in mind for long after I left the theater. That’s the problem with movies like these. Not that I expect them to be in depth character studies, but it is clear these characters are presented as being ones who are quickly disposable. There are those who you want to live through the night, and there are others whose demise constantly root for, especially Trent. In the end, they are all fair sport for Jason who kills everything in his path. Having an Asian and a black character also shows how this masked killer knows no racial boundaries when it comes to slashing trespassers. After all these years, Jason Voorhees remains an equal opportunity murderer.

Jason is played in this incarnation by Derek Mears, an actor who played the Chameleon character in that awful sequel, “The Hills Have Eyes 2.” I liked how he gave Jason a fury we have not seen from in over a decade. Not that I want to take away from Kane Hodder, but Mears gives Jason a viciousness which makes him feel more dangerous than ever before.

Regardless of these positives, there is nothing particularly special to this “Friday the 13th.” Despite a higher standard of production values the other sequels never got, it still feels like an ordinary run of the mill slasher movie to where the one word I can best describe it as being is bland. It’s the kind of movie which doesn’t stay in the brain too long after you have seen it. While Jason may be more threatening than ever, it is not enough to make this movie seem altogether satisfying.

Also, I am really getting sick of this plot device in which cell phones do not work. I find it hard to believe there are places on this planet which do not have cell phone signals. Granted, the Hollywood Hills never seem to have them, but still, while this scenario worked fine in “The Hills Have Eyes” remake, this singular excuse to isolate these dumb characters continues to get weaker and weaker.

For what it’s worth, this is the first “Friday the 13th” movie I have ever seen in a theater. I always kept hearing about these movies as a kid, and I was fascinated with them even while Siskel & Ebert kept tearing them apart as “cynical filmmaking.” It took me a while to get around to actually watching them, and even then, I had the volume turned down. I also kept hearing from my friends how people reacted during them. One told me how, when he saw “Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood,” everyone started a chant when it looked like the most unlikable character, a horribly spoiled girl with no manners whatsoever, was about to get killed off. This led the audience members to start chanting:

“Kill the bitch, kill the bitch, kill the bitch, kill the bitch, KILL THE BITCH! KILL THE BITCH!! KILL THE BITCH!!! KILL THE BITCH!!!!!!”

That would have been fun to witness, and the fact that this “Friday the 13th” movie did not have it took away from the experience. While I admire how they made Jason more lethal, part of me missed the tongue in cheek qualities of this franchise. You know, the moments which reminded you it was just a movie, and how some critics take them way too seriously. Looking back, I feel like I missed out on something.

Jason should really engage in a group therapy session with Norman Bates because they have more in common than they realize. Of course, Jason doesn’t talk, but maybe Norman could get him to or perhaps teach him sign language. Hey, anything is possible, right?

* * out of * * * *

‘Barbie’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

I went into “Barbie” with very little knowledge of the film beforehand. I was aware that it gained a lot of money at the box office, and I also knew it was the most talked about movie of the summer.  It broke records at the box office, as stated, and it’s the rare film that has received positive reviews with critics and also with audiences as well.  It’s an important film in today’s world.  Of course, I heard of the Barbie brand name in my 38-years on this planet, but I didn’t consider myself the key demographic for this film.  However, the expert direction of Greta Gerwig and the top-notch writing from herself along with her long-time partner, Noah Baumbach, made this a very, very enjoyable viewing experience.  I also believe it can create healthy and meaningful conversations for families after they watch it together.  It’s the power of cinema.

“Barbie” opens up by introducing us to Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) living in Barbieland.  She sees a world populated by Barbies, Kens and other characters, even if it is full of mundane routines at times. One of the Barbies is even President (Issa Rae).   One day, Stereotypical Barbie notices she has flat feet and is starting to think about her own mortality.  This is met with confusion by those in Barbieland where everything, on the surface, is always sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. They tend to live in denial at times. The Kens like to hang out at the beach and seek approval from the Barbies. This most certainly applies to one Ken, played by Ryan Gosling.  When Stereotypical Barbie meets Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), she realizes that someone has been playing with her and causing her to have bad breath, flat feet and even cellulite.

Ken insists on following her into the real world where he and Barbie are mocked, ridiculed and even thrown into prison. Barbie is not used to men making comments on her appearance and even groping her.  Ken, on the other hand, likes it in the real world as he sees the opportunities and respect that come with being a man. He didn’t have those same privileges in Barbieland.  Barbie meets young Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) who lays into Barbie about how she has given young women unrealistic expectations of how they should present themselves in the real world. This is news to Barbie, who becomes quite depressed. 

When the Mattel CEO (Will Ferrell) finds out that Barbie is running loose in the real world, he wants to ensure she is put back into her box, as he doesn’t like the fact that worlds are colliding.  Barbie also learns more about what caused her to have problems in Barbieland.  She wants to find out how to make things better not only for herself, but for everyone else.  Since Ken is starting to feel overly confident and selfish, this puts Barbieland in serious jeopardy.  It’s up to Barbie, Sasha, and Sasha’s mother, Gloria (America Ferrera), to make things right not only for all of the Barbie’s out there, but for the entire Barbieland as well, which includes numerous Kens and also Allan, played by Michael Cera.

For a movie about a collection of dolls, “Barbie” has a lot to say, and it says it quite well with humor, intelligence and a powerful sense of self-awareness.  The filmmakers are also not afraid to take Mattel to task as well for some of their decision making.  This is a film about change, growth, empowerment, and being the best version of yourself.  It’s also a beautiful looking film with some of the best cinematography I’ve seen in a long time.  It’s filled with color, vividness and life.  At times, the film can be a little too on the nose and it does lag a little in the end, but this is a really, really good movie that is hugely entertaining while also having a strong message behind it at the same time.  It’s really remarkable what Gerwig has achieved with this film.  She took a lot of chances with this film, but nine times out of ten, they were the right chances to take.

“Barbie” is going to cause an uproar with certain groups of people and, quite frankly, that is their burden to carry around with them.  As the old expression goes, “For those who understand, no explanation is necessary. For those who don’t, no explanation is good enough.”  It’s fine if you don’t like the film, but if you are getting caught up in certain aspects of the film’s subject matter, you are missing the point entirely. “Barbie” is well-acted, well-made, incredibly funny, and it has a wit to it that I’m sure many audiences will appreciate.

Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are tremendous here, of course, and the rest of the cast is top-notch, featuring such actors as America Ferrera, Rhea Perlman, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, and Will Ferrell.  They know exactly how to hit all of the right notes with this material.  Everyone has bought into the film here, and they know how to sell it just perfectly.  This is sophisticated humor, and the actors are never too over-the-top or winking at the camera too much. Of course, there are moments where the movie is breaking the fourth wall, such as when its narrator, Helen Mirren, talks about it not being a good idea by the filmmakers to have Margot Robbie complain about being ugly, but those moments make sense because it shows the movie is right there with the audience in terms of what we are thinking.

All in all, “Barbie” was one of my favorite viewing experiences of 2023.  As stated earlier, it is not perfect. At times, it is a little too self-aware for its own good, and the last thirty minutes or so tend to drag a bit.  However, it is easy to see why this film garnered so much attention at the box office and with mainstream audiences. A movie about Barbie could have easily been banal and vapid. Instead, they trusted that audiences can be smart and they want something more out of a Barbie movie.  I really enjoyed “Barbie,” and I can’t wait to watch it again.

* * * ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “Barbie” is released on a single-disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. It also comes with a digital copy of the film.  It is rated PG-13 for suggestive references and brief language. It has a running time of 114 minutes.

Video Info: The 4K look of this film is really, really on-point with its lively HDR and tremendous color palette.  It is not so bright that it will hurt your eyes or cause any discomfort.  It knows when to pop and when to shine and it always looks sharp, clear, and incredibly rich. It’s a visual feast for audiences. This movie was made for 4K.

Audio Info: The Dolby Atmos soundtrack is also vibrant and really consistent throughout the entire film.  It has a nice bass to it, as there are tons of great songs sprinkled throughout the soundtrack of the film.  Dialogue is easy to understand without any issues. Subtitles are in English, Spanish and French.

Special Features:

Welcome to Barbie Land – featurette

Becoming Barbie – featurette

Playing Dress-Up – featurette

Musical Make-Believe – featurette

All-Star Barbie Party – featurette

It’s A Weird World – featurette

Should You Buy It?

HECK YES!! I don’t care what age you are or what gender you identify as, if you have a sense of humor and heart, you will really, really enjoy Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” This is a great example of how to do a big studio film the right way while also making a ton of money at the box office.  The audio and visual aspects are also top-notch and really, really well done.  It’s a gorgeous looking transfer with an incredible Dolby Atmos soundtrack.  We also get some pretty cool special features as well.  “Barbie” is one of the biggest surprises of 2023, and it is the kind of film I love to see out of Hollywood. It comes out on 4K on October 17th, and it is a day-one purchase.  I don’t know if there will be a steelbook edition at some point or not, but this is the kind of film you would not mind double dipping on in the future.  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.

‘The Exorcist: Believer’ is Not a Worthy Sequel

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” was such a singular cinematic experience, let alone a singular horror film like few others, that making a sequel to it had to seem like a truly insane prospect. “The Exorcist II: The Heretic” proved to be as hideous piece of celluloid as the original was a brilliant one, “The Exorcist III” was undone by needless studio interference which made it look pitiful for no good reason, and the attempts to make a prequel got so messed up to where two versions of it were made, both of which proved to be quite flawed. Looking at this franchise, one which is quite accidental, it seems like one driven by profit more than anything else. Granted, sequels are generally made because the original was a big box office hit, but not all of them exist simply because of financial benefits for everyone involved.

Now we have “The Exorcist: Believer” which comes to us from David Gordon Green and his fellow filmmakers who gave us the recent “Halloween” trilogy which proved to be worthy sequels to a celebrated classic. And yes, I do include “Halloween Ends” which many despised. Like those films, this “Exorcist” installment serves as a direct sequel to Friedkin’s original, it completely ignores the other sequels to create its own cinematic path. What results is a motion picture which is not terrible, and I went into it refusing to expect it to be any equal to the original, but it still proves to be inconsequential and unnecessary as Friedkin’s film continues to be extremely difficult to make a sequel to.

We are introduced to professional photographer Victor Fielding (Leslie Odom Jr.) who is raising his daughter, Angela (Lidya Jewett), as a single parent following the tragic death of his wife. One day, Angela asks her dad if she can go over to her friend Katherine’s (Olivia O’Neill) to study. That’s okay, Victor says, but she needs to be prompt about returning home for dinner. When Angela fails to do so, and she and Katherine go missing, the whole town goes looking for them. Eventually, they are found alive 30 miles away from their home addresses, but both are convinced they were only gone for a few hours.

As you can expect, both Angela and Katherine turn out to be possessed, and Victor turns to others to help the girls before any more lasting damage can be inflicted. Among them are Ann (Ann Dowd), a nurse at a local hospital and a fallen Catholic, and Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn), an actress turned exorcism researcher who has since become renowned for her studies and her best-selling book on the subject. From there, we know we are in store for an exorcism, albeit one which cannot possibly be as intense as the one Friedkin gave audiences half a century ago.

Now you cannot go into “The Exorcist: Believer” expecting something along the lines of Friedkin’s original film as that is asking to be severely disappointed in the process. None of the sequels or prequels could touch it as the 1973 film is a cinematic experience not easily duplicated. But even with reserved expectations, “The Exorcist: Believer” just doesn’t work. It has some strong performances from Odom Jr. and Dowd, and there are some clever jump scares, but there is not enough to justify this as a significant follow-up to a celebrated classic.

The big news with this one is that Ellen Burstyn returns as Chris MacNeil for the first time since the first “Exorcist” film. But while Jamie Lee Curtis’ character of Laurie Strode was a major component of the recent “Halloween” trilogy, Chris MacNeil’s presence in “The Exorcist: Believer” feels like an afterthought, and while Burstyn is great as always, the character does not feel especially necessary to this installment. While it may give this film some legitimacy, Burstyn is barely in this film and does not get a lot to do.

When it comes to the climactic exorcism which the film’s title and its trailers have promised us, it is no surprise to find it utterly lacking in tension. Sure, there is some suspense as the adult characters are forced to make a choice no one wants to make, but it all feels lacking in the long run. As much as I wanted to view this film on its own instead of in comparison to the classic original, I could not help but be reminded of how intense and unnerving Friedkin’s film was. I wanted this exorcism to have the extreme intensity of what came before, and I knew that was not going to be the case which made this direct sequel all the more frustrating.

David Gordon Green is a terrific filmmaker. In addition to his “Halloween” trilogy, he has also directed films in various genres. He has given us “George Washington,” “Pineapple Express,” “All the Real Girls,” and “Joe” which features not only one of Nicolas Cage’s best performances, but also one of his most subtle, and that is saying a lot. I cannot help but wonder what made him, Scott Teems, Danny McBride, Jason Blum and all of Blumhouse were hoping to accomplish here. Were they hoping to make something which could stand alongside the original proudly, or at least be considered its equal?

For a moment, I thought Green might have some luck as the opening scenes in Haiti do have a documentary feel to them like the original did. But after a bit, it just felt like I was watching a movie. This is the biggest problem with “The Exorcist: Believer;” you watch it more than you experience it. You can see how the screws go in, and it does not help that the CGI effects utilized here are not all that great. Then again, I have long since been spoiled by the visual wonders of “Avatar: The Way of Water,” so nothing else can possibly compare.

Making a sequel or any kind of follow-up to “The Exorcist” is no different than anyone trying to make one to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Both those horror classics gave audiences a cinematic experience like few others, and they still remain enthralling and greatly unnerving so many years later. And yet, there are those who have turned these movies into franchises which may succeed financially, but never critically. They will forever be shadowed by a predecessor which can only make the best efforts look ever so pale in comparison, and yet people keep trying futilely to give us something worth watching. The fact that no one has succeeded in doing so should not come as a surprise.

Nevertheless, another “Exorcist” movie is set to be released in 2025, and the best way to look at this situation is to say Green and company have nowhere to go from here but up. Perhaps if they played around with the formula, they could audiences something more original which will stand on its own. Until then, I wonder if the ghost of William Friedkin will haunt Green just like he promised.

* * out of * * * *

‘The Expendables 3’ – A Franchise Killer

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This review was written in 2014.

I was really looking forward to the third “Expendables” movie ever since I saw the teaser trailer which was scored to the theme for “Bridge on the River Kwai.” None of the films in this franchise will ever be mistaken for high art, but they bring about a much-needed nostalgia workout which many of us have for the action movies from the 1980’s. Watching “The Expendables 3,” however, reminded me of how the third movie in a franchise is where everything falls apart due to a reliance on formula and clichés which don’t work the way they used to. While I have a hard time saying how the actors look tired here (and that’s because they don’t), the story gets boring quickly, the dialogue is cruddy and not even the action sequences could lift me out of my utter frustration with something that is not nostalgic enough nor exhilarating or adrenaline-pumping in the slightest.

“The Expendables 3” starts off with the team rescuing one of its long-lost members, Doctor Death (Wesley Snipes), from being sent to a military prison. The scene where he’s being rescued is cool, but the thrill we get from watching it feels a bit muted, and this becomes a sign that everything else following the movie’s opening will be equally exhilarating, which is to say not at all. Either that, or “The Raid 2” truly spoiled me to where no other action film being released these days can come even remotely close to that sequel’s brilliance.

After rescuing Doctor Death, the team heads off to Somalia to intercept a shipment of bombs being sent to a warlord, of course. In the process, they come face to face with former member and Expendables co-founder Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) who had betrayed the team by profiting off of illegal weapons dealings. When he shoots Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) to where he is left in a precarious medical state, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) gets all shaken up and decides to disband the veteran members of the Expendables as he feels they have all run their course, and they should all get out while they still have a pulse.

When Barney does this, I knew this sequel was going to be in serious trouble. Barney ends up recruiting a whole bunch of younger Expendables with the help of retired mercenary Bonaparte (Kelsey Grammer), but I knew from there that those “old guys” will eventually return to help save the day. Stallone, who has always been the major creative force behind the “Expendables” movies, always writes screenplays where the main character suffers a personal tragedy and seeks redemption in order to right what he did wrong, and he’s basically been writing the same damn screenplay since the original “Rocky.” Frankly, I think it’s time Stallone opens his eyes to see how this storyline is now as old as the Declaration of Independence.

Look, I don’t care how old Jason Statham, Wesley Snipes, Randy Couture and Dolph Lundgren are because they can all still kick ass after all these years, but putting them all on the back burner for this entry proves to be very foolish. You know that Barney will eventually realize he needs their help, and the movie takes way too long for him to reach this conclusion. Instead, it wastes a lot of time introducing us to a new generation of Expendables, and most of them are inescapably tame to where it’s easy to understand why this sequel got a PG-13 rating instead of an R.

Kellan Lutz ends up showing the same range as an actor that he showed earlier in the horrifically bad “The Legend of Hercules,” and that is not a compliment. As for Glen Powell and Victor Ortiz, they don’t leave much of an impression here. Things fare much better though for Ronda Rousey who plays the highly athletic nightclub bouncer, Luna. Don’t even ask if she holds her own with the male action stars because you can quickly tell she can even before she starts kicking ass. While her co-stars won’t linger in the mind long after you’ve endured “The Expendables 3,” Rousey makes you eager to see a female version of this franchise sooner rather than later.

Antonio Banderas shows up as Galgo, the soldier who won’t shut up. It’s like he’s doing a version of his “Puss in Boots” character on acid, and it’s a kick to see how much energy the Spanish actor still has at his age. Harrison Ford is also on board as Max Drummer, the CIA dude who manages the Expendables. It’s fun seeing Ford join the party, but it doesn’t take long to see that he is playing the same character Bruce Willis played in the last two films. All the writers have done here is change the name to protect the greedy “Die Hard” movie star.

Granted, there are some nice in-jokes throughout “The Expendables 3” which show the cast having a good sense of humor about themselves. I have to give Snipes credit as even he pokes fun at his felonious past, and there’s a nice line of dialogue regarding Willis’ disappearance from the franchise. But while the cast is clearly having fun, that fun never translates over to the audience. On top of being saddled with a weak story and crappy dialogue, this sequel makes you feel like you are a guest at a party where you’re not really party to the party.

Looking back, this movie could have used a lot more of Schwarzenegger in it as he proves to be the one who gives us all the 1980’s action nostalgia we could ever possibly want. Seeing him spout off classic one-liners from “Predator” provided me with the most enjoyable moments this misbegotten sequel had to offer. Indeed, he’s always had a good sense of humor about himself and is always determined to give audiences what they want. To see him reduced to a series of cameos here does “The Expendables 3” a major disservice.

Actually, the best and most enjoyable performance here is, in my humble opinion, Mel Gibson’s who plays the ruthless arms dealer Conrad Stonebanks. Playing a crazed villain has become the kind of role Gibson typically plays these days, and this is one of the most gleefully psychotic bad guys he has played thus far. That crazy energy he displayed in the “Mad Max” and “Lethal Weapon” movies is put to great use here, and he makes Conrad the kind of bad guy we seriously love to hate.

“The Expendables” movies have been about reviving the old days of 1980’s action flicks, but this third entry misses the whole point about what made them so much fun; even with the thinnest of plots, they were about something. “The Expendables 3” feels like it barely exists, and I came out of the theater feeling empty and depressed. Those 1980’s action classics always got my adrenaline pumping, but this one almost put me to sleep despite an especially loud climax. After two fun action movies which made me nostalgic for what I grew up on cinematically, here we have with a sequel which reminded us of why so many in this genre suck nowadays.

“The Expendables 3” was directed by Patrick Hughes, an Australian filmmaker who is said to be helming the American remake of “The Raid: Redemption.” Now it is bad enough anyone is remaking that infinitely awesome flick, but I hope he has better luck with that one than he did with this lousy sequel.

* ½ out of * * * *

‘The Expendables 2’ – More Fun Than Its Predecessor

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This review was written in 2012.

“The Expendables 2” is the kind of dumb action movie fun we have come to expect from the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis among others famous in this particular genre. Clearly everyone involved in its making was simply out to give action fans what they want, and while there are no real surprises in store, it is still fun for those who just want to enjoy the R-rated carnage being inflicted onscreen without analyzing this sequel’s threadbare plot. It’s also nice to see a lot of these action movie icons come together in the same film, and it helps to make “The Expendables 2” more memorable than its predecessor.

This sequel opens like gangbusters as the Expendables blast their way through a village to rescue someone who looks rather familiar (I’ll leave it to you to find out who it is). Those who survived the first movie, or proved to be nowhere as expendable as the film’s title suggested, are back, and seeing them lay waste to a foreign army made me wonder if these were the soldiers John Rambo forgot to eviscerate in “Rambo.”

Afterwards, Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is greeted by the secretive Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) who gives Ross a mission he is in no position to turn down; recover an electronic device that can help retrieve a dangerous substance which cannot fall into enemy hands. It turns out that this substance is plutonium, and the gang is met by an especially villainous character appropriately named Jean Vilain (Jean-Claude Van Damme) who plans to sell it to the highest weapons making bidder. This leads to the Expendables losing one of its members in unforgivably cold-blooded fashion, and that ends up making this particular mission especially personal.

Stallone once again has the lead role and co-wrote the script, but he has turned the directing duties over to Simon West, the filmmaker responsible for “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “The General’s Daughter” starring John Travolta, some remakes which vary in degrees of quality (“When A Stranger Calls” and “The Mechanic”), and perhaps the best Jerry Bruckheimer guilty pleasure to date, “Con Air.” While I have no problem defending Stallone as a director, having West take over proved to be a good move. The action scenes are more cohesive, the editing is not all over the place, and everything we see onscreen remains appropriately LOUD.

By the way, those who complain about how loud “The Expendables 2” is, just shut up. All the action movies released in summer 2012 are just as loud, so we should expect the increase in volume by now. Next time bring yourself some ear plugs if you want to preserve what’s left of your hearing!

Now Stallone and Schwarzenegger are definitely showing their age here (Schwarzenegger especially), but it is great to see them still kicking ass even as they have long since become senior citizens. In an industry which continues to be increasingly youth-based, these action movie veterans prove the odds against them are more expendable than they are. Seeing Schwarzenegger handle a machine gun is especially fulfilling as it shows he has not lost aim after getting caught up in the realm of politics as Governor of California.

Jason Statham, who returns as knife specialist Lee Christmas, almost looks like a kid compared to the rest of the cast. Liam Hemsworth, who portrays former military sniper Billy the Kid, practically resembles an infant next to Stallone which probably makes the majority of the cast feel jealous as a result, and Terry Crews still knows how to rock a nasty looking gun as weapons specialist Hale Caesar (nice name). Randy Couture returns as demolitions expert Toll Road, but he does not much to do here. The same goes for Jet Li who plays combat expert Yin Yang as he ends up disappearing from this sequel far sooner than I would have anticipated. As for Dolph Lundgren, who reprises his character of the volatile Gunner Jensen, he actually grew on me a bit this time around.

There are some “new” cast members who team up with the Expendables this time, and they prove to be welcome additions. Nan Yu adds that needed touch of estrogen to this testosterone dominated franchise as Maggie, a CIA agent who provides some of this sequel’s few surprises as she proves to be an expert in more ways than one. The previously mentioned Liam Hemsworth gives “The Expendables 2” that youthful feel of someone who has yet to become as cynical as his hard-bitten colleagues, and he gives a strong performance as a soldier eager to steer his destiny in a new direction.

One action star, however, who I was happy to see here was Chuck Norris who portrays a “lone wolf” retired military operative named Booker, an homage to the character he played in “Good Guys Wear Black.” Now while I can’t agree with Norris’ political beliefs in real life, seeing him appear onscreen had me applauding. Norris has always had a strong and memorable presence in the movies I have seen him in, and he has one of this movie’s best lines regarding a snake.

But one actor I actually had more fun watching than I thought I would in “The Expendables 2” was Jean-Claude Van Damme. His limited acting skills prove to be a perfect fit for this sequel’s main villain, and he creates a perfectly detestable bad guy we want to see Stallone and company beat the crap out of. Now while he may be one of my dad’s favorite actors (just kidding), I have never cared much for him in movies other than “Hard Target” or “JCVD.” But here, Van Damme proves he still has those graceful moves as he dares his opponents to take him out minus the use of guns.

I guess I could complain more about “The Expendables 2” as it likely has more plot holes than anyone would notice upon first glance. But hey, in the end this is a movie which should be fun, and for me it was. I enjoyed seeing these action stalwarts come together in one place, and seeing them interact made for some exciting and funny moments. This sequel may not reach the exhilarating action movie heights of this year’s “The Dark Knight Rises” or even “The Raid: Redemption,” but it does get the job done. With something like this, that is usually the best you can hope for.

* * * out of * * * *

‘The Expendables’ – The ‘Ocean’s Eleven’ of Action Movie Extravaganzas

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

WRITER’S NOTE: This review was written back in 2010. It has since been upgraded to eliminate typos and run-on sentences which never should have existed in the first place.

Sylvester Stallone continues his cinematic time travel to the testosterone driven action extravaganzas made famous in the 1980’s with “The Expendables,” a film you can easily describe as the “Ocean’s Eleven” of action films with its cast of movie stars and martial artists you never would have expected to see together on the silver screen. After previously revisiting his iconic characters of Rocky Balboa and John Rambo, Stallone stars and directs this film which is a combination of “The Dirty Dozen” with a little bit of “The Delta Force” thrown in for good measure as we are bombarded with gunfights, explosions and everything else these movies had to offer. The morally conflicted heroes or superheroes currently dominating cinemas today are nowhere to be found here as this film’s mission is to simply give the audience an action-packed adrenaline ide with the good guys defeating the bad guys.

The plot here is paper thin to where I wondered if “The Expendables” had one at all. It involves a team of mercenaries led by Barney Ross (Stallone) who gets his team together for a mission which involves overthrowing a brutal dictator (is there any other kind?) in South America named General Garza (David Zayas). Things, however, get complicated as they always do when the team discovers Garza is in co-hoots with ex-CIA agent James Munroe (Eric Roberts) who is determined to keep Garza on a tight leash while controlling Garza’s biggest business, drug trafficking. The team eventually realizes this was all a set up by the CIA to take out both Garza and Munroe as the agency wouldn’t be able to do it without serious consequences, hence the title of the movie. These elite mercenaries are the best at what they do, and they have no connections to senior military officials. They get killed off, and the CIA can comfortably deny their involvement, just like the Impossible Mission Force.

Stallone makes it clear from the start that he is running the show here as he is said to control every aspect of every movie he appears in, even if he is not the director. He has been dealt so many career setbacks over the years to where it is truly astonishing he has not been forever relegated to the straight to video realm alongside Steven Seagal. While “Daylight” and “Driven” looked to be the final nails driven into his movie star coffin, new generations keep discovering those movies which brought him stardom, and he is still quite the box office draw overseas. “The Expendables” is not necessarily going to be remembered for his performance which is adequate here, but it is nice to see him let loose after the intensity of “Rambo.”

Jason Statham co-stars as Ross’ right-hand man, Lee Christmas, and he gets to kick ass here without having to look all prim and proper like he did in those “Transporter” movies. Lee is always fast on his feet and super quick with a blade, but if only he could work out his relationship with that woman he left behind. Statham is one of best actors in “The Expendables,” and he holds his own throughout each scene opposite the veteran movie stars. Moreover, he is the one to have on your side if your boyfriend is foolish enough to hit you in the face.

We also have Jet Li on board as Yin Yang who quickly becomes the butt of jokes over his diminutive height, which is of course a setup for the ass kicking we know he will eventually be doing. Terry Crews, as Hale Caesar, sports a huge ego which is soon outdone by his massive automatic shotgun which results in some of the film’s most graphic moments that will have audience members going, “OUCH!”

Dolph Lundgren temporarily escapes his direct to DVD career here as Gunner Jensen, and it’s nice to see him in a film which gives him more dialogue than usual. Right from the start, you know he won’t go from here in pieces.

While Eric Roberts has never fully escaped the shadow which enveloped his career after playing Paul Snyder in “Star 80,” he still creates slimy villains like very few others can today. His villainous character may seem one-dimensional on the page, but the actor makes him a charismatic one and the kind we love to hate.

The brutal dictator is the typical kind you find in movies like these, and David Zayas does good work here even though he is only given so much to do. Some of you may remember Zayas as Enrique Morales from “OZ,” and I wish Stallone allowed the actor to bring that same energy to General Garza. Watching him on “OZ” was electric because he could come across as quite frightening without having to raise his voice any, and I was hoping he could have had more of Morales’ impact here.

And let us not forget the scene where the original Planet Hollywood trio comes together in a manner which does not involve bankrupt restaurant chains. Seeing Stallone onscreen with Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger feels long overdue and, if nothing else, shows how each of them has a good sense of humor about themselves and their Hollywood images. This is especially the case with Schwarzenegger, and you will see why.

Overall, “The Expendables” is definitely a fun time at the movies, but I came out of it feeling like it could have been better. It is also a victim of Jason Bourne franchise editing style as the camera is flying all over the place, and the editing is so lightning quick to where you cannot always tell what is going on. There are a number of cool action sequences though where the adrenaline really kicks in, and characters of all kinds get eviscerated in memorably painful ways. As for the acting, it is good for the most part, but some actors remind of us more of what they were originally famous for, and how none of it had to do with classical actor training.

Actually, one actor I really have to give props to here is Mickey Rourke who made the other of all acting comebacks in “The Wrestler,” and recently stole scenes from Robert Downey Jr. in “Iron Man 2.” As Tool, a former teammate of this mercenary team who now spends his days doing tattoos for his buddies, he has a speech where his character talks about when he was in Bosnia where he witnessed a woman taking her own life. Tool could have kept it from happening, but he did not. This is one of those typical “buy back my soul” moments we see all the time, and I bet it looked flat on paper, but Rourke plays the hell out it and delivers this film’s most emotionally powerful moment.

So, it looks like the tagline for “The A-Team” movie was very wrong indeed; there is a plan B after all! Granted, “The A-Team” movie was more fun, but “The Expendables” has plenty of excellent moments which makes it worth the long wait. Plus, in a time where movies are very anti-mercenary, this is a unique example of where they can work as action movie heroes.

Now we have the inevitable sequel to look forward to, and you know there’s gonna be one. The big question is, what other 1980’s and 1990’s action stars will join Stallone and company on the next go around? Some of these cast members will clearly not be returning, so there are job openings. Jean Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal and even Kurt Russell turned down roles in “The Expendables” for different reasons. But with this film being a hit, you know they will express interest in climbing aboard for the follow up.

* * * out of * * * *

‘The Exorcist’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

It’s crazy to me to know “The Exorcist” is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. Unfortunately, we lost its legendary director recently in William Friedkin, a trailblazer who was not afraid to push the envelope and do things his own way in films such as “Cruising,” “The French Connection,” and “To Live and Die in L.A.”  He was an outspoken and passionate filmmaker who never backed down from his vision and his principles. I think it’s safe to say his most talked about film of all-time is “The Exorcist” which recently got a 4K upgrade from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. Even to this day, people go to their local theater to watch it on the big screen, or they revisit it on home video when it’s spooky season.

There is quite an infamous backstory to the making of this film and getting it off the ground.  It’s a legitimate miracle the film was able to be made considering all of the roadblocks and obstacles the director and his crew had in making it. I could go into detail here, but it’s best to Google it, as it’s lengthy and strange.  I’ll just say this–many thought the film itself was cursed because of all the odd occurrences which happened to this production.  People would also heavily protest the film, and many filmgoers would faint and get sick while watching it.  The film has certainly developed quite a reputation over the years for a variety of reasons.

“The Exorcist” is set in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. and introduces the audience to actress Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) and her twelve-year-old daughter Regan (Linda Blair). They are renting a house while Chris works on a film directed by Burke Dennings (Jack MacGowran), someone she considers a close friend.  We are also introduced to Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a psychiatrist at Georgetown University who works with fellow priests. Father Karras is struggling with guilt as he wishes he was spending more time with his mother, who is elderly, frail and unwell. He is also having a crisis of faith as well. At a party Chris is hosting, she notices some unusual behavior from Regan, and Regan is also talking about strange and weird noises in the attic.

From here, things only get worse for Regan as she starts to become vulgar, aggressive and develop facial sores.  She has baffled modern science as they can’t understand what is wrong with her. They think it has something to do with her brain, but it still doesn’t explain her actions or her superhuman strength. Once Regan becomes a danger to herself and others, they decide the only solution is to tie her to her bed and perform an exorcism.  There is a lot of hesitation on the part of Father Karras, as he doesn’t think it will turn out well and might only further damage young Regan.  However, if a more experienced priest helps him, he will do it.  This is where Father Merrin (Max von Sydow) comes in to help Father Karras with the exorcism that will hopefully save the child.

I’ve seen “The Exorcist” three times now, and I’ve really, really wanted to fall in love with it, but for whatever reason, it is a film I respect and admire but don’t love.  I can see the great acting on display from Jason Miller, Ellen Burstyn, and Linda Blair.  It’s impossible to ignore their range of emotions and their ability to sell this material and make it work. My issue is with the pacing of the film.  I’m all about letting things breathe and building up to something, but this is very much an all-or-nothing film at times.  At times, it’s moving a little too slowly without enough character build-up, and the plotting can be a little tedious.  At other times, it’s in-your-face, intense, and really mind-blowing.  There is really no middle ground with “The Exorcist.”

At fifty-years-old, “The Exorcist” is still an impactful horror film, without question.  I just wonder if it’s more built on its reputation and folklore at this point. One might even argue if it’s a horror film or a thriller. It is a little bit of both, which I think most horror films are to some degree unless they are just flat-out horror with no plot.  There is a plot here and a rhyme and reason to what unfolds, but it feels a little dated, in my opinion.  All in all, I think “The Exorcist” should get its flowers for being a horror film that was ahead of its time and has really opened the door for a lot of the supernatural horror films we see today from “The Conjuring” and “Insidious” world.  However, it’s a good yet flawed film, overall. As I stated earlier, I like it and it stays with me, which is a good thing, but I don’t love it and it doesn’t impact me, as much as I feel like it should, considering its place in film history.

* * * out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Exorcist” is released on a two-disc 4K release from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment.  It comes with two different 4K versions of the film.  One version is the theatrical cut, which is 122 minutes. The second disc is 132 minutes and features the extended director’s cut of the film in 4K.

Video/Audio Info:  Warner Brothers did a pretty good job of cleaning up this film. However, they didn’t clean it up so much that you aren’t able to enjoy the dark and moody look of the film. I would say it’s a good but not great transfer of the film.  I’ve seen better transfers of older films from Warner Brothers.  It does come with a very, very good Dolby Atmos soundtrack for the film, though. I was really blown away by how good the film sounds. It also comes with subtitles in English, French, and Spanish.

Special Features: The theatrical version comes with the following special features: an introduction by William Friedkin, a commentary track by Friedkin, and a commentary track by William Peter Blatty, who wrote the novel and the screenplay for the film, with special sound effects. The unrated version of the film also comes with a commentary by Friedkin. These are all older commentary tracks and the introduction is much older as well.  The big issue here is the fact they didn’t have a third disc with some of the special features from the previous Blu-ray release.

 Should You Buy It?

This is a rather tricky one.  I’ll say this–if you love “The Exorcist” and it’s one of your favorite films of all time, the transfer makes it worth the upgrade, even though I didn’t think it was a great transfer.  It has its issues, as, at times, it can be a little unfocused and not super clear.  If you own the Blu-ray, you should keep and not sell it because you will lose your special features with this 4K as it only has the commentary tracks and an introduction from the director. They really should have added a third disc just for the special features.  Overall, “The Exorcist” is a film that has earned its place in horror film history based on it being released at the right time with the right director and the right cast and crew.  It’s a good film.  However, I don’t think it’s a great film in my personal opinion. If you love the film, I think you will be happy with what Warner Brothers has done with the transfer.  It’s not a bad transfer by any means.  It’s just not a transfer that is going to “wow” you.  You will probably be very disappointed they didn’t port over the special features from the Blu-ray.  However, if this is your favorite horror movie, you want to own it on the best format out there right now, which is 4K.  If you are lukewarm on the film or think it’s merely good, you can keep your Blu-ray if you already own 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.

‘The Flash’ Movie and 4K Review

Posted on by The Ultimate Rabbit

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

In order to be direct with the readers, I must admit two things before reviewing “The Flash” – I’m not at all familiar with the drama surrounding Ezra Miller and his off-screen antics.  I’m also not at familiar with “The Flash.”  Because of these reasons, I was able to go into the film fairly fresh, which is how I like to go into most movies.  The less I know about a movie or a character, the better.  I believe a film should be able to stand on its own two feet for the diehard fans along with the newbies.  When the movie accomplishes that tricky tightrope act, it has done its job.

Ezra Miller stars as Barry Allen/The Flash.  He’s just trying to get his energy for the day with a sandwich when he must help save a hospital, specifically the maternity ward, as babies are flying out of the window along with a nurse and a dog.  Barry even says to himself that he feels like the janitor of the Justice League. Meanwhile, he shows up late to his job at a research center, where his coworkers are none too pleased with his track record for being tardy. After work, he sees an old friend from college, Iris West (Kiersey Clemons). She’s a reporter who wants to find out how Barry feels about his father’s upcoming trial for the murder of his mother.  Barry maintains that his father is innocent.  This sets him on a mission to try to go back in time using his lightning speed and change the past.

If he can change the past, his father will not be in prison and his mother will still be alive.  Batman (Ben Affleck) warns The Flash about the consequences of messing with the past.  He says their past made them who they are, and they need to grow from it.  The Flash, however, believes he can right a wrong and is determined to change past events. When he goes back into his childhood home, he sees his mother, father, and a different version of himself.  He meets up with the second version of himself and tries to explain what he’s trying to do and how they are going to do it.

“The Flash” had a great opening sequence which was fun, exciting, and really well-done by director Andy Muschietti (“It” and “It Chapter Two”).  I thought the film was establishing a really good baseline of humor and emotion, especially in the scene with Barry talking to his father (Ron Livingston) on the phone.  I could feel the connection between Barry and his mother and what an important relationship this was to him.  It’s the emotional core of the movie.  Who amongst us has not wanted to go back in time and fix the past?  However, the middle of the movie is really bogged down with action sequences, Michael Keaton looking bored as Batman, and the film lost its way in the multiverse.  It ends on a high note with the emotion and heart from the start of the movie. At that point, we were two hours plus into this movie, so it was too little, too late.

Miller is entertaining in small doses here, but when there are two of him, he overplays it a little bit and tries way too hard to be funny.  Less is more with the multiverse angle in the film. The second version of Barry is incredibly grating, annoying and cumbersome to spend time with as an audience member.  When the first part of him is grounded in some form of reality, it’s really good. Overall, it’s a mixed bag with his performance.  The film loves nostalgia with cameos and callbacks throughout the film, but it didn’t work for me because it felt like they were trying to be a little too cutesy.  Overall, there is a good film in here somewhere, but it really lost its way in the middle.  Once it regained its footing, it was far too late.

* ½ out of * * * *

4K Info: “The Flash” is released on a single disc 4K from Warner Brothers Home Entertainment. The film has a running time of 144 minutes and is rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, some strong language, and partial nudity. It comes with a digital code for the film as well.

Video/Audio Info: The film comes with a Dolby Vision transfer and a Dolby Atmos soundtrack. I’m sad to report, this is not one of the better transfers I’ve seen for a new film. It didn’t stand out in any way, really.  It looks very lifeless and run-of-the-mill. The audio was solid, but the visual look of the film left a lot to be desired.

Special Features:

“The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” podcast – Six-part original scripted audio series featuring Max Greenfield as The Flash

“The Flash: Escape the Midnight Circus” Behind the Scenes

Deleted Scenes

Saving Supergirl – featurette

The Bat Chase – featurette

Battling Zod – featurette

Fighting Dark Flash – featurette

The Flash: The Saga of the Scarlet Speedster – featurette

Making the Flash: Worlds Collide – featurette

Let’s Get Nuts: Batman Returns, Again – featurette

Supergirl: Last Daughter of Krypton – featurette

Flashpoint: Introducing the Multiverse – featurette

Should You Buy It?

I had high hopes for this film as I’m a big fan of director Andy Muschietti, and I thought he would bring a unique visual flair to it.  I also felt as though the film would do what I wish more superhero films would do, which is incorporate comedy and emotion with some fun action sequences.  Instead, it goes off the rails for a good chunk, and it doesn’t stick with what works in the beginning and end of the film. It also completely forgets about the love story between Iris and Barry, which was moving in a really good direction.  For the most part, this was a pretty dull and uninteresting viewing experience.  The 4K transfer also leaves a lot to be desired.  There are plenty of special features here, so if you did enjoy the film, you will have a lot to go through if you pick this disc up.  If you did like the film, I’d suggest waiting for it to drop down in price a little bit, as the 4K transfer doesn’t make this a must-own right away.  I wish it would have included the Blu-ray, as I would have liked to have seen the difference between the two formats.  Overall, if you haven’t seen this film, you aren’t missing anything. If you did see it and liked it, you have the special features going for you, but the visuals are truly underwhelming.

**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.