Film Reviews by Tommy

A great director led by a great actor with a very interesting premise. It intrigued me, watching the trailer and reading articles and interviews about this film, a movie i was looking forward to. The appeal - a mix of artificial intelligence vs humans and the philosophical questions around the subject, i.e. what is means to be human, and a story of major potential consequences during a war. There was focus of a human special forces agent involved with AI. Something we've seen but a different take. This looked a big sci fi with action and all possibilities were there. Space ships, futuristic weapons, robots! But crucially the director appealed and was the main selling point for me. Gareth Edwards i knew would focus on something meaningful and original. He has proved he'll balance the high concept and characters. The pursuit of pushing special effects, new images of something that's only in our imagination, and pushing the emotions and relationships between the characters. Asking some questions as the humans and AI come together, whether they like it or not. From his perspective, crucial, being a director involved in most things during production. One known for science fiction.

This did have everything i expected but didn't disappoint in giving new visuals to the sci fi genre, in the images, action and sound. All with obvious quality, hard work and expertise. However i still wanted more. I expected more originality. More unseen visuals and a story firmly giving the genre something new. My attention fluttered in and out, as inconsistent as the scenes between flat out action and emotional character development. My attention was fully on during the inevitable plot reveals and the action was exceptional but it kept circling back to Star Wars. It did it's own thing with it so i'm not complaining for the decisions but i lost interest during these moments. Not for long though, gladly. John David Washington is a charismatic lead in the characters gritty, determination. And the child actor playing Alphie was amazing. An AI child who has natural instincts to be one but is being used as a weapon. There wasn't all obvious special effects everywhere which is welcome and used where needed. A lot was needed but totally justified, visually stunning and intriguing. World building done with a decent pace and wasn't under done. This had the usual inspirations for a future changed by technology and questionable political motivations but for the better, mixed in with real beautiful East Asian locations.

A big let down for me was a story driven by sentiment and romance. It really made the film to cliched and annoying, to be blunt. It let down the impact of other elements. The emotional scenes not always hitting. Ultimately it finished as Star Wars and didn't have the unique elements it seemed to have but the final few images used this in a positive way, just only after using it in a predictable action favoured way. However i wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

Indiana Jones is what it is, we all know that. An entertaining adventure with Harrison Ford normally directed by Steven Spielberg with the balance of humour and fighting the nazis. Not to be taken seriously but thoroughly fun. I didn't expect too much from this film especially after the last one but knowing this was the last and without Spielberg i was looking forward to seeing what they did. This was way better than i thought. I didn't think it would be bad but i expected average.

An aging Harrison Ford, no master Spielberg ... hmmm. But no this was such fun and i'm not particularly into them, i find it too hammy and don't take it seriously but get the appeal, as an adult, as a kid i loved it obviously. This ticked along nicely, the plot not over the top, complicated or silly, and the action was great with the usual humour and peril consistent with the previous films. Crucially for me this lacked sentimentality but did have some heart and good reasons for Indy to get back in the treasure hunt to stop the greedy bad guys using the irreplaceable artifacts for themselves.

Like i saw in previous reviews i agree the de-aging was amazing on Harrison Ford in particular. For some skeptical viewers about Ford being too old this was perhaps crucial in getting them on board, because from the start in classic Indy style, straight in the middle of a fight. A flashback, with the ever awesome Toby Jones, scrapping with wit and improvised tactics for an ancient Greek artifact. I won't go through the plot or what he's after, others have done that. The story flashes back to Indy's present where the pace doesn't feel like it drags. It skips forward in a way these films should. It feels like Spielberg.

James Mangold was a perfect choice. He may not be the best director or original in artistic style or has made the best films but he can certainly direct, a solid film maker who hasn't made a bad film. OK Knight and Day maybe is bad. Girl Interrupted, Walk The Line, Logan, Ford V Ferrari among others he has made various films but every time, like Spielberg, he gets the tone, pace, etc spot on. This is no exception.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge was great, for me. I have seen others less keen on her, fair enough. Particularly with comedy not everyone is going to have the same view. She is great at timing and as Fleabag showed she does it, normally, with a dark shadow behind the character. This is toned down but she has the anti-hero vibe. She is the emotional motivation for Indy, a link to Toby Jones who sadly isn't in it much, just flashbacks. And to be fair to Phoebe you need to watch Flebag for more than 10 minutes or accept there are different dark comedies that aren't for everyone, it doesn't make the actor bad. She can act and write for sure. Mads Mikkelsen is as always brilliant.

A let down is the a CGI is too obvious during action scenes, a point another reviewer(s) made. Second is that is there any memorable moments? I don't think there is. I remember the film well, i really enjoyed it. I recommend it. But a scene, a moment of classic Indy history, i don't know. The whole film is historic, it's the last one! Ford's final outing with the hat and whip. It has a nice unsentimental but heartfelt moment to end with. Not over the top but just the right touch.