Review Category: Movie

MISSING LINK

Four excellent feature films in and with staggering levels of evolution in their mastery of the stop-motion animation technique, it is safe to say that Laika have proved themselves to be one of the most exciting film companies around. Their last film, the masterpiece Kubo and the Two Strings, was arguably their deepest and most ambitious project to date and while Missing Link doesn’t resonate to that same degree (but honestly what does?), it continues Laika’s red hot streak to 5-0, in the most ridiculously enjoyable way possible.

After dark alternate families, zombies, box-dwelling monsters and tales of legend Laika’s latest follows the adventures of cryptozoologist-cum-monster investigator/explorer, Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman), as he sets off on a high stakes expedition to find the elusive Sasquatch. Only he soon discovers that there might just be more to this wild creature than big feet and fur in this gleeful animated romp that is like Around the World in 80 Days meets Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists and Indiana Jones.

Laika continue to innovate, evolve and captivate, as they this time opt to expand some of their other filmmaking senses and it makes for perhaps their most accessible film to date but not at the expense of their enchanting imagination, characters and acuity. The plot may have some predictable beats but Chris Butler’s great script will be too busy making audiences young and old giggle for it to be a major issue. Without doubt Missing Link is Laika’s funniest film yet(i)! Superbly witty and written gags, endlessly endearing, rewatchable as heck and with a great big heart beneath its Vernian narrative, this movie is an absolute hoot.

Tipping its hat to classic globetrotting adventure stories, Missing Link fills its journey with absolutely splendid characters and first-rate voice work. Jackman leads with gusto as the sophisticated Frost, who soon realises the respect of his peers may not be all it is cracked up to be. Zach Galifianakis as the literal-minded bigfoot ‘Mister Link’ is hilarious and warm, while Zoe Saldana as Frost’s old “acquaintance” (the terrifically named) Adelina Fortnight is resilient and action-ready, much like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Angelica or Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. There is also a great OTT villain in Stephen Fry as the morally odorous explorer Lord Piggot-Dunceb and Timothy Olyphant as his gun-toting henchman Stenk, as the film pokes fun at British colonialism joyously.

From faultlessly assembled set pieces (including an Inception-esque hallway sequence) to visually breathtaking and painstakingly realised detail (see a mid-credits behind the scenes insight), Missing Link looks as fabulous as it sounds, thanks to Carter Burwell’s perfectly toned score. The story even makes room for some timely themes about man’s endangering and annihilation of all it discovers, and assess the true nature of perceived “civilised society”, while a welcome final detour from convention between the lead characters also adds a free-spirited edge.

Sometimes the most important adventure one can take, is finding someone to join you on your future ones and this funny, frolicking, crusade from Laika is a trip worth taking for all ages.

MISSING LINK / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: CHRIS BUTLER / SCREENPLAY: CHRIS BUTLER / STARRING: HUGH JACKMAN, ZOE SALDANA, ZACH GALIFIANAKIS, STEPHEN FRY, TIMOTHY OLYPHANT, EMMA THOMPSON / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

KNIFE+HEART

Director Yann Gonzalez’s new film Knife+Heart has been described as both a “deliriously kinky queer horror thriller” and a “queer giallo thriller,” and while there is definitely a thriller aspect to it, the movie is giallo to its absolute core.

Firstly, there is a masked killer who murders people with an unusual implement of death. While Luciano Ercoli’s Death Walks at Midnight had previously held the crown for “strangest murder weapon” with its spiked glove, Gonzalez dethrones Ercoli’s by having Knife+Heart‘s killer utilise a big dildo from which springs a deadly spike. Bravo, sir.

Then, there must be a cast of characters, any one of which could be the killer, and all of which harbor some hidden secret. Given that Knife+Heart is about a lesbian film director, Anne Parèze (Vanessa Paradis), who is making gay porn in the 1970s, with a cast and crew that runs the gamut from hustlers to drug addicts to genuine artistes like Archibald Langevin (Nicolas Maury), there’s no lack of suspects.

Finally, by the film’s end – and this is by no means a spoiler, especially for those who’ve seen more than one giallo – the viewer is treated to a voiceover explanation of everything they’ve just seen, telling us why the killer did what they did. It’s the story of how they came to be, and how they got away with it, and it’s absolutely note-perfect.

This is no parody of gialli, nor is it some sort of pastiche. In Knife+Heart, Gonzalez has crafted a film which stands shoulder to shoulder with classics of the genre, while also bringing a new perspective. When one considers how the director portrays Paradis’ Anne and her recent ex-girlfriend and editor, Lois (Kate Moran), with how Dario Argento depicted the lesbian couple Tilde and Marion in Tenebre, the sheer fact that the couple is granted humanity makes Knife+Heart a revelatory giallo.

This is to say nothing of the fact that gay men and trans individuals are also shown as people, not screeching caricatures as in so many gialli of the late ’70s and early ’80s. Factor in that the title of the film Anne and her crew is making is “Homocidal”, and it’s even more impressive that not once does Gonzalez lapse into making fun of what’s happening.

The rich score by French electronic act M83 grants the picture further power, bringing another modern take on vintage entertainment. The end result is a film which is fascinating, involving, and a faithful yet clever inversion of a genre which is all too frequently about style over substance.

KNIFE+HEART / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: YANN GONZALEZ / STARRING: VANESSA PARADIS, KATE MORAN, NICOLAS MURRAY, NOE HERNANDEZ / UK RELEASE DATE: JULY 5TH

TIEMPO DESPUÉS

Written and directed by acclaimed Spanish director Jose Luis Cuerda, Tiempo después is a surrealist comedy which puts a magnifying glass on social, political and class issues. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the world has been reduced to just one building which houses the ‘establishment’, a place where the elite of society lives under royal rule. Outside of the building, deep in the forest, are hundreds of unemployed who are without resources and purpose. Tired of being belittled and looked down upon, José Maria attempts to sell lemonade to those at the Representative Building in hopes of getting a job. When he enters, he finds out that change is forbidden for fear that he would ‘lose his essence’. Having been met with hostility and rejection, Maria goes back to his home and plans a revolution in the hopes of changing the world forever.

A film which is layered thick with absurdist humour, Cuerda has created an offbeat comedy which relentlessly mocks people in power. Whether it’s the ineptitude of royalty, the narrow-minded hunger of the army or the disenchantment of the youth, no one is safe from receiving the brunt of Cuerda’s scathing screenplay. There’s a theatricality to both the writing and performances which sets aside subtlety in favour of brash monologues on neoliberal capitalism, and bombastic performances that lack any real emotional depth. Although the writing can at times be razor sharp with characters partaking in comically blunt conversations about life and death, there are times when it all becomes nonsensical mumbo jumbo.

One of the film’s biggest issues is that every character becomes a vessel for Cuerda’s critique of certain establishments which makes it tough for the viewer to actually connect with anyone on screen. Without a connection, it becomes harder to get invested with the overall premise, as what started as a quirky satire on modern day issues gradually turns into a heavy-handed sermon about everything that is wrong with society. Still, there’s plenty here that’ll attract people who have yet to see any of his previous work. The directing is impeccable as ever, the cinematography is gorgeous and the music is appropriately kooky, matching the bizarre events that gradually unfold.

The set design also does a great job of telling the audience everything they need to know, with the brutalist decoration of the corridors inside the Representative Building evoking a prison-like environment where freedom is suppressed. In contrast, the camps in the forest act as a shanty town in which poverty is rife and life has no meaning. With regular propaganda being blasted from the speakers that surround the camp, we’re able to make modern-day connections with the way that the media try to control the way we all should think and feel. It’s an interesting approach which visually gives the film some authenticity to what it’s trying to say.

Tiempo después is a film that wears its heart on its sleeve, and Cuerda isn’t afraid to voice his displeasure at those who wield power. Having a history of making political films about his homeland in the past, there’s no surprise that his trademark humour once again comes in tandem with his tongue in cheek derision for the establishment. It’s certainly not for everyone, and some themes can be a little hard to grasp due to their deep-rooted nature in Spanish society, but if you’re into the idea of a theatrical display of satire then this will be a welcome change from the usual.

CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: JOSE LUIS CUERDA / STARRING: ROBERTO ALAMO, BLANCA SUAREZ, INAKI ARDANAZ / UK PREMIERE: APRIL 5TH (HOME, Manchester)

PET SEMATARY

Remakes are always a risky venture. They can be criticised for adhering too closely to their predecessor, and being creatively stagnant, or they can go the other way and change a well-loved story unnecessarily, alienating the fans of the original. Sadly, the latter is the case with the new and revised version of Pet Sematary.

Based on the best selling book by Stephen King that was published in 1983 – this is the story of the Creed family, who move to a rural part of Maine and find that on their land, there’s a pet cemetery that has been used for generations by the local children to lay their pets to rest. Just beyond is the ancient burial ground of the Micmac tribe, where the ground has ‘gone sour’. Burying someone there will bring them back to life, but not quite as they were. When the family cat falls victim to the nearby highway used by speeding tanker trucks, their elderly neighbour shows Louis Creed the way to this burial ground and the cat is returned but is a soulless zombie version of his former self – but the most tragic loss of all befalls them when their youngest child Gage runs into the road and his grief-stricken father acts out of desperation.

By his own admission, and we wholeheartedly agree, this is certainly King’s most disturbing book to date, and was successfully adapted for the big screen in 1989, in a truncated but faithful version which was very bit as un-nerving as the book.

Thirty years later, the story is back on the screen in a version that might well work for an audience used to the sudden jolt scares of The Conjuring and The Nun, but is certain to leave fans of the book and the 1989 adaptation wondering what just happened.

Characters who are integral to the story seem rushed and unfinished. For example, Zelda – Rachel Gage’s older sister died of her spinal meningitis when Rachel was a child on the evening their parents went out, leaving Rachel alone to care for her. This has left Rachel psychologically damaged, and suffering flashbacks. Husband Louis has a tense and hostile relationship with her parents as a result. In this version, Zelda is little more than a background character used for sudden jump scares. Louis’ dysfunctional relationship with her parents is brushed under the carpet, other than the fact they barely acknowledge each other. Even the ghostly Victor Pascow, the spirit who’s trying to warn Louis not to take the path he’s considering is largely side-lined and contributes nothing of consequence to the narrative here.

But worse is changing the biggest part of the well-known story and having older child Ellie suffer the fatal accident. Inexplicably, tragic as her death is, knowing that a small toddler is run over is somehow more disturbing and chilling, especially when the innocence of a very small child is then corrupted by what happens when he’s buried in the sour ground beyond the marker.

If, somehow, the plot of Pet Sematary is new to you, then you’ll find this to be a perfectly serviceable horror film. But if you’re expecting a more faithful adaptation of the book, then to paraphrase the Ramones’ song “I don’t wanna be buried in THIS Pet Sematary.”

PET SEMATARY / CERT: 18 / DIRECTORS: KEVIN KÖLSCH, DENNIS WIDMYER / SCREENPLAY: JEFF BUHLER / STARRING: JASON CLARKE, AMY SEIMETZ, JOHN LITHGOW, JETÉ LAURENCE / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 5TH

Expected Rating: 7 out of 10

THE HAUNTING OF SHARON TATE

DIRECTOR: DANIEL FARRANDS | SCREENPLAY: DANIEL FARRANDS | STARRING: HILARY DUFF, JONATHAN BENNETT, LYDIA HEARST, PAWEL SZAJDA, RYAN CARGILL | RELEASE DATE: APRIL 8TH (VOD)

Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood will see Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt as a screen actor and stunt double attempting to make a name for themselves around the time of ‘The Manson Murders’, in which five people, including the then-wife of director Roman Polanski, Sharon Tate, were brutally murdered over the nights of August 8th and 9th, 1969. Coincidentally, Hilary Duff is a co-Executive Producer and lead actress in The Haunting of Sharon Tate, which will certainly stimulate additional interest in that time when a decade was undergoing transition in a stormy world.

Set over the days before and during the key event, Tate (Duff) is home at the LA residence she shares with then-husband Roman Polanski, fresh from her successful role in Valley of the Dolls, and preparing for the birth of their first child. However, the stresses of impending motherhood, as well as concerns over visitors to the house which have been allowed in by her friends staying with her, have begun to impact on her well-being. Soon, a very vivid and graphic psychological depiction of impending death and murder takes an all-too-real nightmarish hold on her psyche, which leads her to question her own sanity and future, coupled with reel-to-reel tapes that seem to have subliminal messages within them…

The film applies a traditional alternate timeline premise which has been used considerably over the years, but it does have a reasonable amount of promise within. If there is a flaw here, then it’s that the film has a tendency to relish in the more gory moments of what may or may not have happened on that fateful night, creating a standard home-invasion narrative, rather than aim for a more factual depiction like the best true-crime dramas of recent years on television. Ultimately, the film rises and falls on the strength of a strong central performance from Duff amidst some jarring moments of horror and violence.

PARTY LINE

Everyone loves a bit of the 80s, don’t they? The music, the neon lights, the outrageous fashion, and who could forget the party lines? Yes, that’s right, before the internet had us all glued to our phones, some folk got their kicks on the party line, a place where people could talk to ‘like-minded’ strangers via phone whilst paying for the privilege. Racking up hefty phone bills was part and parcel, but as long as people were able to get their rocks off then many would have called it money well spent. So what better way to warn the youth of the 1980s about stranger danger than to make a slasher based on those late night calls.

Party Line follows upper-class siblings Seth and Stacy who live a secluded life in their family’s Beverly Hills mansion. Sharing a passion for murder, they entice lustful strangers using sexually driven party lines before dispatching them with a razor blade to the throat. With the body count rising and a Detective’s girlfriend caught up in the horror, it’s only a matter of time before their nefarious actions come to an end.

Starring Richard Hatch, Shawn Weatherly and Leif Garrett, Party Line contains a host of memorable faces from the past with Richard Roundtree also making the occasional appearance throughout. Although it may have initially gone under the radar upon its original release, it’s now coming to Blu-ray for the very first time. Newly scanned and restored in 4K from its original 35mm negative, Vinegar Syndrome has done a jaw-dropping job at giving this forgotten oddity an overhaul for new and old fans alike. Visually the film has never looked so good thanks to the crystal clear quality of the 4K which manages to enhance John Huneck’s cinematography to dizzying new heights.

Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the direction, as William Webb’s attempt at creating a competent slasher just falls short of hitting the mark. Admittedly, the film never takes itself too seriously, however it’s a shame that they didn’t have more fun with the almost camp delivery of its premise. Still, there’s a certain charm to be had when watching this nostalgic blast from the past. Whether it’s the bold and brash colours popping out from the screen or the synthesised beats of 80’s disco, there is plenty to entertain those who love a solid B-movie.

Party Line is a true product of its time and, although more imagination could have been put into many of the deaths, there’s still a lot here that’ll please newcomers to the film. There’s not much in the way of extras apart from an interview with screenwriter Richard Brandes. Talking in depth about what inspired him to write the screenplay, this will be an interesting detour for those who want to know more about the film’s development. One for the connoisseurs of cult cinema, Party Line is a visual treat that’ll please fans of B-movies but may potentially bewilder the uninitiated.

Special Features: Newly scanned & restored in 4k from its 35mm original camera negative, Party Line Fever – interview with screenwriter Richard Brandes, Original theatrical trailer, Reversible cover artwork, English SDH subtitles.

PARTY LINE / CERT: UNRATED / DIRECTOR: WILLIAM WEBB / SCREENPLAY: RICHARD BRANDES, TOM BYRNES / STARRING: RICHARD HATCH, RICHARD ROUNDTREE, SHAWN WEATHERLY, LEIF GARRETT, GRETA BLACKBURN / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW (USA)

SHAZAM!

One of the most often repeated criticisms we hear about the DC Universe films is that they’re too dark, too heavy, too grim, and too humourless. Warner and DC started to address those concerns effectively with Aquaman last year which had a lighter tone in its dialogue. With Shazam!, those criticisms have been blown away completely.

It’s the story of Billy Batson (Angel) a 14-year-old in search of his mother, a constant problem for the social services as he constantly runs away from his foster homes. But he is pure in spirit, and thus finds himself standing in front of the ancient wizard, Shazam who bestows super powers on him. By uttering the wizard’s name, the kid becomes a super powered adult, dressed in a red costume. Shazam! was always going to be a risky venture for the studio, who steer away from referring to the character by his proper name of Captain Marvel to avoid confusion or litigation from Marvel Studios who, of course released their Captain Marvel film last month. (If you’re confused about there being two Captain Marvels, you need to dig out last month’s STARBURST.)

The heroic alter ego is played to perfection by Zachary Levi who previously played TV’s Chuck. The tone is exactly right, as what we have is a child in a super-powered adult body, but director David F. Sandburg (Annabelle: Creation) whose last film was in 2017, wisely steers away from taking the film all the way down the route of being a rehash of Big with spandex and a cape. Levi’s portrayal of a man-child is hilarious, warm and touching.

The film works better than was hoped, as the trailer certainly gave the impression of being more comedic than the film actually is, which would’ve been a disservice to the character. It’s equal parts comedy, driven by the goofy absurdities of the central character, with the mounting tension that the inept superhero will have to face an adversary in Doctor Sivana (Strong) who is not only a ‘proper’ adult, but also a twisted evil genius. Effectively woven into the story is the tragic backstory of a child who was abandoned.

Shazam! is, at its heart, a gleeful, colourful comic strip romp without the emotional weight of Henry Cavill’s Superman or the angst of Batman. It doesn’t have the epic scope the Wonder Woman or Aquaman films but is a much-needed entry point to the lighter side of DC without spinning in to the silliness of the sixties Batman.

The film is set in the same universe as Man of Steel, Dawn of Justice, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman, which raises hopes that the loveable goofball we see here, sometimes referred to by Freddy as Captain Sparklefingers will one day cross paths with the other established characters in the DC Universe. We need to see Zachary Levi and Jason Momoa teamed together in a film. We’re also anxious for the promised match-up against Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam somewhere down the line.

SHAZAM! / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: DAVID F. SANDBERG / SCREENPLAY: HENRY GAYDEN / STARRING: ZACHARY LEVI, DIJMON HOUNSOU, ASHER ANGEL, MICHELLE BORTH, MARK STRONG / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 5TH

Expected rating 6 out of 10

DUMBO

“I’ve never seen an elephant fly!” – except that we have. As is the case with Disney lately, they have decided to once again re-imagine one of their all-time classic animated films and this time it is the turn of Tim Burton retelling the much-loved story of the elephant with abnormally large ears, Dumbo.

As is the case with these live action remakes, it’s hard to not compare them to their animated predecessors and, although that isn’t the best practice, it has to be addressed. This new version of the cherished tale starts off promising with its wonderfully realised opening title sequence, which to be truthful embodies the original with its wacky train set piece, and introduces us to the humans who will be our main focal point in telling Dumbo’s story.

Danny DeVito plays Medici, a ring leader of the Medici Brothers Circus whose prize elephant Jumbo, is pregnant and when one of his star attractions Holt Farrier (Farrell) returns from war with only one arm, Medici assigns him and his children Milly (Nico Parker) and Joe (Finley Hobbins) to look after the elephants. After Jumbo gives birth to Jumbo Jr, Medici is unhappy that the baby is ‘a freak’ and he and the rest of his crew torment the baby elephant, who is eventually nicknamed ‘Dumbo’ (in a different set piece from the original).

With almost an hour difference in the runtime between the original and this remake, one might imagine that some of the most beloved scenes and key story elements would have been addressed in the appropriate manner, but unfortunately that is not the case. The key scene of Dumbo and his mother being pulled apart due to her motherly rampage occurs much too soon to derive any true sympathy or emotion from the audience – that being said, the new rendition of Baby Mine is performed incredibly well by the talented Sharon Rooney, but it’s over far too quickly. A lot more focus has been taken away from Dumbo, with a whole new story arc of the not-so-sinister V. A. Vandevere (Michael Keaton) introduced as the films climatic plot point when he wants to, by any means necessary, get hold of the world’s number one attraction of a flying elephant, and reap the rewards all for himself.

Even with the runtime of the film, the pacing is all over the place. As previously mentioned, the first big plot point is delivered and tossed aside within the first 15 minutes or so and then it feels like a slog to get to the moment when Dumbo first flies. Instead of a mouse, the role is given to Milly and Joe Farrier (although there are mice who act as a nice Easter egg). Recently, a lot of child performances have been out of this world but regrettably, these felt lacklustre. There was a distinct absence of chemistry between the two children and their background and relationship with their father felt incredibly forced. Couple that with a blatant romantic interest in the form of Colette Marchant (Green) for Holt Farrier and you have a very weak and bland accompanying chain of events for the main attraction.

As for the main attraction, when Dumbo first flies, Burton manages to capture the essence of wonder and amazement that you truly felt with the animated classic – however, that is quickly diminished when the same lead up and score is used a further two or three times when Dumbo has to use his ‘magic’ feather to fly and it swiftly becomes uninteresting.

In the recent Disney live-action adaptations of The Jungle Book and the upcoming The Lion King, they have truly displayed their power when it comes to special effects. Yet even with that attention to detail, it’s completely thrown that out of the window in Dumbo. When the only realistic and convincing looking creature is your title elephant with massive ears, you have a serious problem. On multiple occasions, we were created with immersion-breaking sloppy CGI that really took you out of the moment and prevents you from suspending your disbelief.

Although entirely watchable, this remake of the Disney classic lacks an interesting secondary storyline, is derived of almost all charisma and charm that made the original what it is today and is plagued with wooden performances and poor CGI, which is a mighty real shame and shock when it comes from the global powerhouse of magic.

DUMBO / CERT: PG / DIRECTOR: TIM BURTON / SCREENPLAY: EHREN KRUGER / STARRING: COLIN FARRELL, MICHAEL KEATON, DANNY DEVITO, EVA GREEN, ALAN ARKIN / RELEASE DATE: MARCH 29TH

Expected Rating: 8 out of 10

US

After his oscar-winning directorial debut Get Out, Jordan Peele’s next project was always going to be one that we all followed intently. Peele is fast becoming an excitingly fresh voice in horror and his new film Us is further confirmation of his love of the genre.

Inspired somewhat by The Twilight Zone’s “Mirror image” (S1, Ep. 21), Us sees young woman Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) haunted by a distressing incident from her past. Decades on she confronts these feelings, by returning to her parent’s Santa Cruz beach house for a holiday with her husband Gabriel (Winston Duke) and her kids Zora (Shahadi Wright Joseph) and Jason (Evan Alex). However, deja vu soon builds to terror, as four strangers turn up on the drive way, with an uncanny resemblance to Adelaide and her family.

Us is intelligently ambitious, as Peele takes the more unusual elements of Get Out and runs with it, embracing the oddness wholesale to create a story that is like Stephen King married with Romero’s Dawn of the Dead by way of Guillermo del Toro’s Mimic. This film well and truly sees Peele expand his reach in terms of ideas, scale and bizarreness and even if some aspects don’t quite click, far more works than doesn’t and the aspirations are nobly built on subtle detail and themes. Us is boldly ready to be divisive and distinctive and will likely reward revisitation…we’d certainly you keep away from spoilers.

Michael Abels’ score is like a character itself and the soundtrack all round for this film is superb, providing a diverse accompaniment to the story. The script and narrative are smart and creepy if not quite as lingeringly dread-filled as the likes of Hereditary. Off the back of people continually dismissing Get Out as being something other than a horror film (it is horror from this writer’s eyes), Us was promoted as being an unadulterated frightener but it must be said the tonal shifts do occasionally jar, as the film moves from pure horror to some unusually placed moments of comedy and the tonal balance is less tight than it was with Get Out. While some things do not quite come off coherently in a very full third act that revels in the warped qualities of the concept, you are still compelled throughout.

Us is quite easily a film you could watch and hate, then revisit down the line and love, or vice versa. This is a movie unafraid to show conviction to its ideas (no matter how polarising or out there they may be) and Peele is clearly an expert horror craftsman as he draws on an array of pictures as diverse as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Funny Games, Jaws and The Shining to create a twisty, unusual and amazingly shot tale of twisted dualism, worship, ideology and paranoia. The first sequence in particular is a sublimely constructed piece of horror cinema, recalling the likes of It Follows, in how it builds tension and inevitability.

Lupita Nyong’o is exceptional, as she plays Adelaide and her mysterious doppelgänger, nailing both the troubled wife/mother finding her strength in the face of brutality and confusion and the deranged individual driven by her own ambiguous mission. The entire cast do a great job in many dualistic roles, with young Evan Alex being a particularly impressive standout.

Opinions on Us will be strong, from bafflement to film of the year and we doubt Peele would have it any other way. Off the basis of his brilliant director filmography so far, Peele will fit into his producer/host role in the upcoming Twilight Zone revival ridiculously well.

US / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JORDAN PEELE / SCREENPLAY: JORDAN PEELE / STARRING: LUPITA NYONG’O, WINSTON DUKE, SHAHADI WRIGHT JOSEPH, EVAN ALEX / RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

AQUAMAN – 4K

Roaring at the skies, quipping wise, and handing out tanned hides. That was pretty much the role of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman in 2017’s Justice League. After a big-screen release late last year, Momoa’s Marine Marvel’s first solo film is now on the cusp of its home release, but is genre fave James Wan’s movie merely another fishy flop for Warner Brothers’ DC Extended Universe, or does the movie swim against the tide of criticism often levied at this shared cinematic ream?

Let’s first address the elephant in the room: that the DC Extended Universe has proven extremely problematic for Warner Brothers so far. It seems that even some of the most basic fundamentals of DC’s finest have been bungled for the most part, making it difficult for audiences both casual and hardcore to connect to some of the greatest figures in pop culture history. Here, it’s the time of Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, to ride the waves of uncertainty as this half-man, half-Atlantean wrestles with his very destiny. You see, as a youngster, Arthur witnessed the romance of his human father Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and Atlantean mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) destroyed before his very eyes; his mother forced to return to Atlanta, where she was promptly sacrificed for her sins. In the years past, Arthur’s half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) has gained power over Atlantis and now has plans for an all-out war against the surface-dwellers! When Mera (Amber Heard), Orm’s bride-to-be, seeks out Arthur for help in preventing this war, it’s down to the grizzled loner to finally decide on the man he wants to be.

Given the imagination of James Wan, the involvement of DC’s brilliant Geoff Johns, and the technology now available, many had hopes for something visually spectacular from Aquaman. And on that front, the movie doesn’t disappoint. This is a marvel to watch, with the Seven Seas being brought to glorious life in a way that feels both magical and mystical, yet also grim and unrelenting at certain points. Interestingly though, having spent so much time submerged, Aquaman also shines brilliantly upon taking the action to the surface, in particular during an Indiana Jones-esque trip to Italy that is a refreshing change of tone and palette. And then there are other moments that are nothing if not legitimate terror and horror, which we all know is certainly something that director James Wan is effortlessly at home with. Now while this all looked truly spectacular on the cinema screen, the 4K release of Aquaman is sheer and utter perfection; the 4K transfer of the feature standing up as one of the most visually jaw-dropping movies released to date on the 4K format.

In terms of performances, everyone here is pitch-perfect for what is needed. Despite many worrying that Momoa’s Aquaman was going to be a little too “yippe ki-yay”, what we actually get is a multi-layered Arthur Curry who we see develop and progress before our eyes. Sure, he’s not afraid to drink hard and punch harder while quipping wise, but there is huge character development for Arthur as the narrative begins to flow, giving us a look at his very real human flaws and his otherworldly god-like powers. Similarly, the supporting players all shine when given the spotlight; Patrick Wilson devouring scenery as Orm; Willem Dafoe brilliantly nuanced as Atlantean advisor Vulko; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II intensely menacing as Black Manta; Nicole Kidman utterly badass as Atlanna; and Temeura Morrison the emotional anchor of the picture. But the brightest star other than Momoa’s titular hero is Amber Heard’s Mera. Heard puts in a career best performance here, and, like Arthur, we see her character and path ever-changing as the movie progresses. Given how romance in superhero movies can so often feel ham-fisted, poorly-judged or simply outright cheesy, the chemistry and spark between Momoa and Heard comes across as natural, both in terms of performance and in terms of how the characters’ arcs intertwine.

Considering how much of a hard slog it has been to get through certain other DCEU movies, seeing a runtime of nearly 2 1/2 hours for Aquaman was a slightly daunting prospect. With that said, it’s testament to all involved that the movie never particularly lags or hits any major slump. Sure, there are obviously the slower paced moments, but they never feel overly drawn out or dull; instead serving to further the story on display. The end result is a strong, effective story that makes the Aquaman character feel like a genuinely big deal. And even more impressive, the film isn’t ever embarrassed by its titular character and his world, embracing so many of the comic book elements that some have often used to mock the King of Atlantis and making them work masterfully in this environment.

For the most part, Warners’ DC Extended Universe has been at best misjudged, at worst a total sham, but Aquaman proves that there is still hope for DC’s greatest heroes when placed in the rights hands. And make no mistake about it, James Wan, Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Geoff Johns et al are most certainly the right hands.

In the sea of DCEU efforts dished up so far, Wonder Woman has been rightly viewed as the best of the bunch. Is Aquaman as good as Patty Jenkins’ Gal Gadot-starrer? As good as, if not even better. This is a movie that’s a visual treat, has a delicate and well-paced narrative, isn’t afraid to offer up a dash of humour when needed, is bursting at the scenes through its high-octane action sequences, and is littered with performances that perfectly encapsulate the heart and the spirit in which this film was made.

A triumph. See this big ‘n’ loud as soon as you possibly can.

In terms of bonus material here, the 4K release and standard Blu-ray release are absolutely flooded with fascinating special features. Literally, anything that you wanted to know or explore about Aquaman is covered in the extensive featurettes included here, not to mention the exclusive sneak peek at the upcoming Shazam! is a welcome addition to what is an absolutely outstanding release.

AQUAMAN – 4K / CERT: 12 / DIRECTOR: JAMES WAN / SCREENPLAY: DAVID LESLIE JOHNSON-MCGOLDRICK, WILL BEALL, GEOFF JOHNS, JAMES WAN/ STARRING: JASON MOMOA, AMBER HEARD, PATRICK WILSON, WILLEM DAFOE, TEMUERA MORRISON, NICOLE KIDMAN / RELEASE DATE: APRIL 8TH