SYNOPSIS: "How much does a life cost? “ Faced with the kidnapping of his daughter, a desperate father engages in a battle of wits with the manipulative kidnapper, a perilous struggle akin to seeking a tiger's skin. Beneath the surface, dark currents stir…
MOVIE REVIEW:
Xiao Yang plays yet again a tortured character in the third entry of the highly successful Chen Sicheng’s produced franchise, Sheep Without a Shepherd.
In the weirdly titled, Octopus with Broken Arms, Xiao Yang plays a cosmetics magnate Zheng Bingrui whose daughter, Tingting is kidnapped during a Vesak Day celebration at his mansion. Zhang Jingxian (Duan Yihong) from the Anti-Kidnapping Group (AKG) force is called up to the crime scene and Zheng suspects it’s his past associate, Shi Fu-an (Feng Bing) who has earlier came to ask for money is involved in the crime.
Zheng however refuses Zhang’s help and went on a blind goose chase following instructions from the kidnapper. Tingting’s teacher, Li Huiping (Tong Liya) also went along since she reasoned that Tingting vanished on her watch and she should help in locating her.
But here’s the thing about Octopus with Broken Arms, it’s not simply a crime movie about kidnapping. There’s more to uncover as director Jacky Gan and his team of screenwriters including Chen Sicheng maps out a series of twists and turns as we go down the rabbit hole with Zheng and Li.
First and foremost, we must say the pacing is relentless. There’s apparently no room left for audiences to breathe before we are taken on another ride to another location to uncover another secret. You see, there is this big, dark “619 incident” that connects Zheng and the kidnapping.
Of course, it doesn’t takes long to reveal that Zheng is not exactly the Buddha-loving, charitable businessman we are expecting him to be. Those flashback memories of Zheng as a young boy in an orphanage hints of something far more sinister. And with the appearance of Taiwan’ most famous baddie, Jack Kao midway, you know kidnapping and human trafficking is not a mere casual mention.
While the cast including Cya Liu is excellent, the whole idea of introducing live-streaming and TV news coverage seems over the top at times. Not to mention the countless endings and a long mid-credits scene that rival the average Marvel movie. Still, Octopus with Broken Arms is a solid plot-driven crime thriller despite the flaws. Revenge, retribution being the main themes of this movie and Chen’s trademark “Sherlock Holmes” detective elements.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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THE 43RD HONG KONG FILM AWARDS 香港電影金像奬 2025Posted on 27 Apr 2025 |
SYNOPSIS: After successfully leading his team to crack a major fraud case, the leader of the Anti-Fraud Society, Zeng Miao Zhu, uncovers an even larger conspiracy lurking in the shadows. He then assigns elite members Lam, Arrow, Big Mouth, and Ba Jie to infiltrate the money game controlled by Tang Gang. Their mission is to become the spokespersons for the project, quickly attracting a large influx of funds while simultaneously collecting evidence of criminal activity. However, after Tang Gang reaps enormous profits, the plan takes a sudden turn. Arrow is promoted by Tang Gang to become the spokesperson for a new wave of fraudulent schemes, leading to suspicion and internal conflict within the Anti-Fraud Society. Moreover, the society accidentally discovers that an even more powerful hand is manipulating everything behind the money game. As their investigation deepens, they gradually uncover a horrifying murder case that occurred in China 20 years ago. This long-buried case not only involves local elites but is also intricately linked to the current financial fraud network, plunging the entire Anti-Fraud Society into even greater danger and challenges…
MOVIE REVIEW:
Malaysia’s actor, DJ, producer Jack Lim and actor turned General Manager of TVB, Eric Tsang teams up in this Chinese New Year comedy, Money Game$.
Directed by Malaysian filmmaker Matt Lai, this Malaysia-Hong Kong collaboration revolves around a mysterious setup, the Anti-Fraud society led by Master (Tsang) and his team of members including Lam (Lim), Jian Tau (Haoren), Big Mouth (Tomato) and Ba Jie (Ah Ya).
Their aim is to simply rid the world of scammers. And their latest mission require them to inflitrate a criminal group led by Tong (Edmond So from HK pop group “Grasshoppers”). In actual fact, there is a far more sinister, bigger boss behind all the online frauds and Ponzi schemes.
Will Lam and his team able to crack the case?
Lai of course have collaborated with Lim in last year’s gambling comedy, All In. Thus you can expect the usual doses of comedy and passable entertainment. While the plot of Money Game$ certainly combines educational messages and some Ocean Eleven’s quirks, it’s a lukewarm setup to the eventual revelation of the main villain.
Half the time, the narrative is doing its job dispensing advice not to be scam. You know fake phone calls by the police or some elaborate investing schemes that are too good to be true? I give the filmmakers some credit for giving the public some need be lessons.
The other half of the story focused on the mysterious baddie who pulled off one of the largest scam in China and disappeared from the world. You don’t need Sherlock Holmes to tell you who exactly is that person so the narrative takes us on a merry-go-round ride with a “big” twist and betrayal thrown in only to end in such a lukewarm, anti-climax way that you probably wonder why is there a need to do so in the first place.
Fortunately, there are Steady Gang’s Tomato and Ah Ya to throw in some hilarious banter and physical humour along the way. Edmond So is slightly over the top but still watchable. Bobby Au-yeung truly is the surprise here. To say more might spoil your viewing enjoyment. So let’s leave it as it is.
Ultimately, Money Game$ is a feel good cautionary tale. Fluffy, forgettable entertainment you won’t remember until Jack Lim and Matt Lai returns next year with yet another CNY comedy.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: James Madigan
Cast: Josh Hartnett, Charithra Chandran, Marko Zaror, Katee Sackhoff, Julian Kostov, JuJu Chan Szeto, Danny Ashok, Hughie O'Donnell, Jyuddah Jaymes
Runtime: 1 hr 42 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Gore)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 15 May 2025
Synopsis: Wildly entertaining, gory action thriller from the producers of John Wick. Josh Hartnett takes on a plane full of assassins in a first-class fight for survival.
Movie Review:
Josh Hartnett is officially back after appearing in high-profile studio projects liked Oppenheimer and Trap. And to think 20 years ago, he was in the same league as Ben Affleck and Matt Damon until he decided to step away from Hollywood.
Whether he is back or not, at least Hartnett is still consistently doing his B movies. Coincidentally, someone just watches David Leitch’s Bullet Train and flips the setting from a train to a plane in Fight or Flight.
Hartnett plays Lucas Reyes, an out-of-shape, perpetually drunk ex-Secret service agent now living in exile in Bangkok. One day, he got a call from his ex-girlfriend, Katherine (Katee Sackoff) who needs him to arrest a cyber-terrorist dubbed The Ghost on a flight to San Francisco.
Katherine who works in an unnamed, secret organisation manages to get Reyes a passport to board the flight. Unfortunately, a bounty has been placed on The Ghost’s head and there are many ruthless bounty hunters onboard. And who and exactly where is The Ghost? Well, Reyes has to enlist the help of flight attendant Isha (Charithra Chandran) to at least sort things out.
When the poster proudly declares it’s from the producers of John Wick, the movie jolly well lives up to its proclamation. Indeed, after 20 long minutes of setup, Fight or Flight delivers its first fight between Reyes and an assassin Cayenne (Marko Zaror) in the first class shower facility. It definitely sets the tone of the movie, gruesome, chaotic and Hartnett is game on in delivering the action.
Fight or Flight certainly is generous in putting out cartoonish level of violence and gore. Both former second unit director James Madigan and fight choreographer Brahim Chab is definitely at ease staging the numerous fight scenes which involved anything from a seat belt to an ice axe. Whoever came up with the idea of an chainsaw, he or she just scored an extra star for the rating. The action is outrageous and you even have a trio of Wu Dang expertise onboard.
Yet when the movie cuts to the narrative side which includes some messages on slave labour and unnecessary prolonged talks between Katherine and her subordinate, you starts to feel the dragginess of the plot which in all honesty, runs less than 100 minutes. And then, there’s the tone of it as it struggles hard to be tongue-in-cheek and grounded all at the same time.
Even if the story is a little letdown, a bleached blond Josh Hartnett is still as entertaining as ever as the leading man. The casting of Brad Pitt unquestionably salvages Bullet Train. Let’s face it, even if Hartnett lacks the star power of Pitt, he still has the charism and goofiness to save the flight. Just simply armed him with a chainsaw and a bottle of opioid. He will get the job done.
Movie Rating:
(Outrageously violent innovative action choreography, this one is for the action fans. Casting Hartnett is a bonus as well)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Leo Zhang
Cast: Tony Leung, Duan Yihong, Erica Xia-hou, Zhang Aoyue, Olga Kurylenko
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: NC16 (Some Violence and Nudity)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 8 May 2025
Synopsis: Based on true events. Dai Yichen (Tony Leung), the Shanghai-based mastermind of a massive financial fraud who has been on the run for seven years, resurfaces in Paris. Chinese economic crime detective Ye Jun (Duan Yihong) leads the “Fox Hunt Team” on a cross-border mission to recover the stolen assets. When the hunter becomes the hunted, can the Fox Hunt Team make a comeback against all odds?
Movie Review:
Where Were You Six Years Ago?
A time when Donald Trump was still in his first term as president (and now he’s back for a second!), Marvel movies dominated the box office, and no one had heard of COVID-19—a virus that would soon shut down the world.
Six years can feel like a lifetime. To put things into perspective, Fox Hunt was filmed back in 2019. It was pulled from theaters in 2021, only to be delayed until 2025 for a general release. For a film starring two respected actors—Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Duan Yihong—that kind of delay doesn’t exactly inspire confidence.
Leung plays Dai Yicheng, a cigar-smoking, art-loving man of refined tastes who also happens to be wanted by Chinese authorities for his alleged role in a financial scam. Captain Ye (Duan), along with teammates Jia (Erica Xia-Hou) and Yi (Zhang Aoye), is dispatched to Paris to assist French police in an extradition operation code-named “Fox Hunt.”
Directed and co-written by Leo Zhang (with co-writer and co-star Erica Xia-Hou), Fox Hunt struggles to find its footing. Dai Yicheng is meant to represent a real-life financial criminal, yet the film never clearly explains what crimes he committed. Viewers are left guessing about his shady dealings, which seem limited to vague investment schemes with his French partners.
Duan’s Captain Ye is a colorful character—he sings in French, charms a gruff French cop and dismantles bombs in seconds. Whether he’s a supercop or simply reckless is never clear, but at least he keeps things interesting.
Unfortunately, the film lacks the tension and momentum expected from a nearly two-hour thriller. It never delivers the sense of urgency promised by its title. Dai never feels dangerous or intelligent enough to justify an international manhunt. He’s more of a cipher than a character, despite Leung’s reliably stylish and composed performance.
In what seems to be an attempt to stay “grounded,” the Chinese police largely take a back seat until the final act. And that’s part of the problem. Zhang and Xia-Hou can’t seem to decide whether they’re making a grounded, fact-based actioner or a Hollywood-style action thriller. Most of the film was shot in Paris, and the production values are undeniably high. There are car chases and shootouts, but they’re marred by overuse of slow motion, frantic editing, and awkward close-ups. It’s worth noting that the editing is also credited to Erica Xia-Hou—a true multi-hyphenate for better or worse.
In the six years since filming, Tony Leung has impressed audiences with his English-speaking role in Shang-Chi and delivered a much better conman performance in The Goldfinger. Zhang, for his part, had previously directed the unintentionally bizarre Jackie Chan film Bleeding Steel, and there’s no word on whether he’s tackling another project anytime soon.
If Fox Hunt weren’t already frustrating enough, it ends with a heavy-handed, cringeworthy message extolling the virtues of China’s police force just in case you forgot the production is a collaboration with the authorities.
Movie Rating:
(Less of a fox hunt, more of a dull game of cat and mouse)
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Romance/Comedy
Director: Fu-Hsiang Hsu
Cast: Zhan Huai-Yun, Victoria Chiang, Hsiu-Fu Liu
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:
Opening Day: 1 May 2025
Synopsis: Zijie, a rebellious teen, discovers that pretending to be terminally ill earns him unexpected perks - sympathy, freedom, and the chance to skip out on life’s pressures. But his web of lies takes an unexpected turn when he meets Yezi, a brilliant classmate who seems perfectly healthy yet hides a painful truth - she's the one who’s actually dying. As their worlds collide, the faker and the fragile form a bond neither expected, embarking on a bittersweet journey to complete each other’s bucket lists before time runs out.
Movie Review:
This Taiwanese film weaves together familiar tropes you’ve likely seen before. First, there’s the female protagonist battling a devastating illness (it’s leukemia here), setting the stage for a bittersweet love story. Then comes a playful twist: the male lead shares a name that sounds identical to hers in Chinese, leading to a string of charming misunderstandings.
Add to that a male supporting character with epilepsy, creating room for a secondary narrative thread that’s tear-inducing. And finally, there’s the story’s most whimsical element - a postbox submerged deep underwater. This dreamy and symbolic object paves the way for a beautifully cinematic dive toward fulfilling a heartfelt wish.
These are elements of a feel-good Taiwanese high school romance drama, but thanks to its charming leads, we are not feeling that it is a drag to watch.
Zhan Huai-Yun, who previously charmed audiences as the dreamy bellboy enamoured with a washed-up actress in the TV drama Born for the Spotlight, once again leans into his boyish appeal as Zijie, a high school student and resident class clown. He’s the classic lovable troublemaker, the kind who always seems to wriggle out of trouble. But behind the carefree grin lies a past that’s left him unwilling to believe in the promise of the future.
Starring opposite Zhan is Victoria Chiang as the other Zijie, a disciplined class monitress and model student tasked with keeping him in check. Following a hospital mix-up after an accident, everyone believes that the mischievous Zijie is terminally ill.
Unbeknownst to him, it's actually the responsible and kind-hearted monitress who is quietly battling a life-threatening illness. Adding drama to the narrative is Chen Li, a soft-spoken junior played with wide-eyed sincerity by Liu Hsiu-Fu (last seen in Nelicia Low’s fencing thriller Pierce), who also appears to be grappling with a condition that stands in the way of his dreams.
With this trio of heartfelt stories, the film delivers a story that will delight fans of the genre, guaranteeing lighthearted smiles to tearful, tender moments.
Dripping with charm, this 111-minute film directed by Fu-Hsiang Hsu makes the most of its youthful cast and the heartfelt chemistry between them, drawing viewers into their emotional journeys. Zhan lights up the screen every time he appears, and the filmmakers don’t shy away from using his charisma to set hearts fluttering - and that includes having him go topless in some scenes. Chiang, a relative newcomer, brings a fresh-faced sincerity to her role. Her warmth and quiet strength make it easy to believe that hearts as kind as hers are a rare find these days.
The film is filled with moments that will transport you back to the carefree days of school. For the boys, it’s the thrill of harmless pranks and the innocent excitement of crushing on the prettiest girl in class. For the girls, it’s the exasperation at the boys’ antics, and also the conversations about dreams, ambitions, and what life might look like after graduation.
With a photogenic cast and a story full of emotion and charm, this is the perfect feel-good film to lose yourself in—especially when life feels a little too overwhelming.
Movie Rating:
(A familiar yet feel-good Taiwanese high school drama elevated by the charming on-screen chemistry of charismatic leads Zhan Huai-Yun and Victoria Chiang)
Review by John Li
SYNOPSIS: Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.
MOVIE REVIEW:
With Another Simple Favor, Paul Feig seems to have lost his touch. It’s hard to believe this is the same director who gave us comedy gems like Bridesmaids, Spy, and The Heat.
The sequel to the 2018 dark comedy-mystery brings back Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively as Stephanie Smothers, an influencer-turned-writer, and Emily Nelson, the glamorous femme fatale with a shady past.
If you haven’t seen the first film (which I highly recommend), here’s a quick catch-up: Emily is now out of prison and planning to marry a handsome mafia boss, Dante Versano (Michele Morrone). Emily invites Stephanie to be her maid of honor at her lavish wedding on the island of Capri. The eclectic guest list includes Emily’s ex-husband Sean (Henry Golding) and their son, her sharp-tongued aunt Linda (Allison Janney), her frosty mother Margaret (Elizabeth Perkins), Dante’s protective mother Portia (Elena Sofia Ricci), and Matteo Bartolo (Lorenzo de Moor), the brooding son of a rival mob family.
Despite an ensemble cast, Another Simple Favor somehow feels bare and lifeless. The chemistry and banter between Kendrick and Lively arguably the best part of the original are still sweet but the two aren’t on screen together nearly enough. It takes almost an hour before anything remotely thrilling happens. Yes, there is a mysterious death but by then, you may have already checked out.
Where the first film thrived on a darkly comedic blend of incest, adultery, and murder, the sequel plays it safe and suffers for it. Jessica Sharzer returns as screenwriter, but her script lacks the sharpness and wit of the original. The dialogue is bloated with dull exchanges and Henry Golding’s Sean is unbearable, delivering a constant stream of crass jokes that fall flat save for one standout scene featuring Kendrick and an Italian housekeeper, which is genuinely funny.
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively remain radiant and effortlessly charming, Capri itself almost takes a backseat to their screen presence. Kendrick brings an endearing spark to Stephanie, even when the story lets her down. And despite recent tabloid noise about Lively’s off-screen feuds with her co-star from It Ends With Us, she’s still magnetic on camera.
Sadly, Another Simple Favor lacks the bite and intrigue that made its predecessor a surprise hit. The mystery is paper-thin and the so-called twist ending is more tiresome than clever. It all culminates in a limp attempt to set up a third installment.
Please Paul Feig, do us a simple favor and let someone else take the reins.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
Genre: Thriller
Director: Nick Cheung
Cast: Nick Cheung, Fala Chen, Terrance Lau, Rebecca Zhu, Ben Yeun, Julius Brian Siswojo, Natalie Hsu
Runtime: 1 hr 38 mins
Rating: NC16 (Disturbing Scenes and Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:
Opening Day: 29 May 2025
Synopsis: Psychiatrist Dr. MAN is skilled at extracting the deepest secrets of his patients. One day, he encounters CHOI, a cab driver, and finds his condition deeply disturbing. A few days later, CHOI has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation and MAN quickly realises that CHOI struggles to differentiate between dreams and reality. MAN is determined to get to the bottom of his story. As CHOI's story unfolds, MAN begins to experience disturbing and perplexing dreams. Are his night terrors a result of repressed memories, or is there a price to pay for uncovering the ghosts hidden in CHOI's closet?
Movie Review:
Hong Kong actor Nick Cheung has come a long way since his comedic days in The Conman (1998) and The Tricky Master (1999). Once known for his funnyman roles in the late 1990s, he has since reinvented himself as a serious dramatic actor, delivering gripping performances in Beast Stalker (2008), The Stool Pigeon (2010), and Nightfall (2012). He even bulked up to play a former boxing champion in Unbeatable (2013), a role that earned him multiple Best Actor awards.
Now 60, Cheung has also made his mark behind the camera, directing and starring in gritty films like Hungry Ghost Ritual (2014), Keeper of Darkness (2015), and The Trough (2018). From cracking jokes to cracking skulls and calling the shots on set, he really does it all — talk about a hardworking guy!
In his latest directorial effort, Nick Cheung ventures into the human psyche, exploring the origins of nightmares and the haunting consequences of past actions. Like his past works, he also steps in front of the camera, portraying Choi — a deeply troubled taxi driver grappling with a traumatic incident from his past. Emotionally unhinged and on the brink, Choi becomes a danger not only to himself but to the unsuspecting passengers who step into his cab.
Just when you think things can’t get any darker, we meet his wife Fiona, played with unsettling intensity by Fala Chen. Best known for her polished image, the Chinese-American actress delivers a raw and transformative performance as a woman teetering on the edge of sanity. It's the kind of gritty, emotionally charged role actors dream of — a true test of their range and willingness to dive into chaos.
Then there's Dr Man, played by Terrance Lau — a sharp, composed psychiatrist determined to unravel the mysteries of Choi’s troubled past. On the surface, he’s the classic do-gooder, committed to helping his patients, even if it means bending a few rules along the way. But in a twist that feels is somewhat expected from a drama like this, Dr Man is plagued by a recurring nightmare of his own, hinting that he may not be as emotionally steady — or as fit to treat others — as he appears.
On paper, the screenplay co-written by Cheung and Ryan Ling holds strong promise, with the potential to grip audiences much like Christopher Nolan’s Inception did with its psychological twists and layered narrative. However, as the 98-minute film unfolds, a nagging sense sets in: the thriller seems more invested in showcasing sleek, experimental visuals than in truly delving into the complexities of the human psyche. Scene after scene dazzles with stylised camerawork and flashy editing, but these moments often feel more like aesthetic exercises than meaningful contributions to the story.
It’s still an engaging cinematic experience, thanks to some truly hair-raising imagery and a cast fully committed to their roles. The actors anchor the film with compelling performances that keep viewers invested from start to finish. While the narrative unfolds in a somewhat predictable fashion, it nonetheless leaves a lasting impression — though you can’t help but wonder if it had the potential to dig deeper and deliver an even greater emotional impact.
Movie Rating:
(This thriller leans heavily on striking visual style while telling a cautionary tale about how the past can haunt and ultimately consume a person)
Review by John Li
Genre: Action/Thriller
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Cast: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Ving Rhames, Simon Pegg, Esai Morales, Pom Klementieff, Henry Czerny, Holt McCallany, Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Hannah Waddingham, Tramell Tillman and Angela Bassett, Shea Whigham, Greg Tarzan Davis, Charles Parnell, Mark Gatiss, Rolf Saxon, Lucy Tulugarjuk
Runtime: 2 hrs 49 mins
Rating: PG13 (Violence)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:
Opening Day: 17 May 2025
Synopsis: Our lives are the sum of our choices. Tom Cruise is Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.
Movie Review:
Tom Cruise has indeed done the impossible. For close to three decades, Cruise has been the face, the pulse and the very life of the ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise, and we dare say that no other actor on this planet could have accomplished what he had. As the title implies, this is Cruise’s swan song; because at the age of 62, there is really little more that he hasn’t done or needs to prove.
That finality permeates every minute of Christopher McQuarrie’s gargantuan finale, which, picking up from ‘Dead Reckoning’, sees Cruise confront an artificial intelligence known as The Entity bent on destroying Earth. Months have passed since Cruise’s IMF superspy Ethan Hunt outsmarted the Entity’s proxy, an old nemesis of Hunt called Gabriel (Esai Morales), by stealing a key that apparently unlocks the Entity’s source code and therefore the formula to destroying it; and in these months, governments have collapsed, societal order has crumbled, and the Entity has gained control of the world’s nuclear arsenals.
After ‘Rogue Nation’ and ‘Fallout’, McQuarrie has decided to up the ante, essentially mounting a Cold War-like film with superpowers being forced into military brinksmanship. As understandable as those ambitions may be, ‘Final Reckoning’ also lays bare the challenges of that conceit – put plainly, McQuarrie struggles to realise the full extent of the global threat that the Entity purportedly has engineered, not least the fact that it all comes down to Hunt and his ragtag team to stop it; and so, despite being well-oiled, there is no denying that the entire first hour creaks under the weight of its setup and exposition.
Thankfully, we are in good company with Hunt, his old IMF comrades Luther (Ving Rhames) and Benji (Simon Pegg), master pickpocket cum latest love interest Grace (Hayley Atwell) and former-henchperson-turned-ally Paris (Pom Klementiff); there are also memorable run-ins with federal agents Briggs (Shea Whigham) and Degas (Greg Tarzan Davis), as well as IMF chief Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny). Thanks to the ensemble, the conversational turn-taking that doubles up to move the plotting along is surprisingly engaging. You’ll appreciate too the callbacks that McQuarrie has weaved into the film – and without spoiling the surprise for fans, let’s just say that there is a nice narrative link to ‘Mission: Impossible III’, as well as a welcome return by hapless analyst William Donloe (Rolf Saxon) from the very first movie.
Even at just under three hours – the longest of any chapter in the series – it does take more than an hour before the action kicks into high gear. Unlike the other films, there are just two major set-pieces here: one that sees Cruise make a daring, potentially deadly ocean dive to retrieve the source code from the sunken Russian submarine Sevastopol in the Arctic Ocean; and another that sees Cruise literally take to the skies to take down Gabriel, as he stows away on a biplane, commandeers it, then jump onto a second biplane and hang on to the wing while swooping up to 8000 feet.
When it does get there, the wait is absolutely worth it. Spinning an intricate plan with two parallel theatres of action, McQuarrie juggles both explanation and action deftly, with Hunt’s team racing against time to broadcast the exact coordinates of the Sevastopol in order that Hunt may jump off a USS Ohio submarine to dive more than 500 metres to get to the Russian submarine; and when inside, Hunt has to navigate a room full of floating torpedoes as the submarine rolls around on the unstable sea floor. If you haven’t already read, in order to ensure that you know it is Cruise doing the stunt, he wears a lit mask all the way through, which also means he can only put that on for ten minutes at a time or risk hypoxia.
And if there was any doubt that Cruise’s dedication to spectacle and showmanship is absolute and unquestionable, his piece de resistance manoeuvring around two biplanes in mid-air will put all of that to rest. It is a wondrous feat of derring-do, which McQuarrie intertwines with a couple of other standoffs involving a nuclear bomb and another act of precise timing, and is adrenaline-pumping, nail-biting and downright sensational. It is a perfect symbol of what this franchise has been about – that is, a thrilling cocktail of spy thrillers, summer blockbuster fun, and Cruise risking life and limb in the name of practical action.
We won’t pretend though that ‘Final Reckoning’ is the best of the series; and in particular, even if it is difficult to spin yet another terrorist or rogue agent to top the combination of Solomon Lane and August Walker, the creation of an all-powerful, nameless, faceless and omnipresent digital entity in both ‘Reckonings’ cannot quite top the groundedness we enjoyed in ‘Rogue Nation’ and ‘Fallout’. Still, there is no question that both Cruise and McQuarrie have endeavoured to take this concluding chapter of Cruise’s IMF exploits to dizzying heights and depths, and it would be (almost) impossible to top what they have achieved here.
For the millions of fans – who like us – have grown up watching Cruise embody Hunt over the last three decades, ‘Final Reckoning’ is also sweet, sentimental and satisfying. What truly moved us was Luther’s coda at the end, summarising not just what it had meant for Hunt through a sum of all his choices over the years, but also what these choices represent to ‘save those we hold close, and those we never meet’, and above all, a reflection of the state of the real world today as well as a hope for more kindness, trust and mutual understanding. It is as magnificent a way to go out as any, and if this is truly Cruise’s final reckoning with the ‘Mission: Impossible’ series, it is also a beautiful sendoff that we will treasure long after the credits are over.
Movie Rating:
(Capping a three-decade journey of stunts, jumps and runs, 'Final Reckoning' sees Cruise take us to dizzying heights and depths for an exhilarating, sentimental and satisfying sendoff to the greatest action franchise in modern cinema)
Review by Gabriel Chong
SYNOPSIS: A father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) accidentally hit and kill a unicorn while en route to a weekend retreat, where his billionaire boss (Richard E. Grant) seeks to exploit the creature's miraculous curative properties.
MOVIE REVIEW:
This is definitely not a live-action version of My Little Pony. In fact, it is so bloody and violent that you may never look at a unicorn the same way again.
The story begins with a father-and-daughter pair: corporate lawyer Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his rebellious teenage daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega). They are on their way to the Leopolds’ estate, as Elliot has been chosen to take over the running of the business for his wealthy boss, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant). Distracted by seasonal pollen and his daughter, Elliot accidentally hits a unicorn foal along the way.
In a rush to reach the Leopolds, Elliot leaves the supposedly dead foal in his car. Meanwhile, Ridley begins experiencing strange cosmic visions after earlier touching the foal’s horn. Miraculously, they soon discover that the unicorn’s blood has the ability to cure any sickness including Odell’s cancer and even Ridley’s acne.
Despite coming from A24, a studio known for its stylistic and often thought-provoking releases, Death of a Unicorn is an easy watch or, dare it be said, a film that offers very little in the way of meaningful messages. The idea of Odell’s pharmaceutical empire greedily exploiting the healing properties of the unicorn’s horn is quickly overshadowed by the film’s relentless bloodshed. At the very least, the strained father-and-daughter relationship provides a thread of emotional redemption by the end.
There are moments of mild jump scares and plenty of silly, shocking deaths that should delight any B-movie fan. Making his feature film debut, writer-director Alex Scharfman delivers a film with hints of satire, though these elements are unfortunately buried beneath an average narrative and a “Jurassic World”-style creature rampage.
Téa Leoni, who has not appeared in a film for quite some time, plays the Leopold matriarch. Will Poulter shows up as her nitwit yet ambitious son, while Anthony Carrigan is well cast as their long-suffering butler. It is a solid ensemble overall, with the likeable Rudd and Ortega further boosting the impressive cast.
What does not quite work, however, is the less-than-convincing CGI. The concept of monstrous unicorns is mildly creative, but having them charge around like awkwardly oversized horses undercuts the menace. If you are expecting a smart, subversive creature feature from A24, this is not it. But if you are in the mood for an excessively cruel movie packed with countless deaths by piercing horns, Death of a Unicorn may just be your kind of treat.
MOVIE RATING:
Review by Linus Tee
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