Film reviews

Pitfall Review

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When there is a hole full of spheres in a wretched forest, it sets the scene for an unforgettable survival game. Pitfall had me in wonders. I was shocked and elevated. The film had plenty of motion linking present and past events. There is a dynamic where a harsh past impacts new territories with dangerous elements. Directed by James Kondelik, this is one of the most gory and brilliant terror films I have seen. The brutality in this story captivates and requires thick skin.

The hiking adventures take place around British Columbia.There are a group of friends, Scott (Marshall Williams), Lars (Richard Harmon), Ashley (Alexandra Essoe), Gwen (Jordan Claire Robbins), and Charlie. Scott and Ashley are siblings. They are going on a camping adventure. Their past causes the forest to bring back terrorizing memories. Yet, they feel getting back out in the woods will help them regain their confidence.

The film brings in a storyline about grieving. It highlights aspects of the emotions humans face when dealing with things that are right in front of them. These parts of the film are uplifting and offset the crazier moments in Pitfall. To continue with the plot, Scott falls in a hole, and his leg is stuck and he is at risk of bleeding out. Everyone tries to search for Scott, but an enemy is in their midst. He is Hunter (Randy Couture). When it comes to Hunter, it is his forest, his territory, and his traps. He is like a combo of Big Foot meets Zelda. However, an even uglier type.

I love this movie because I love slasher flicks. With the forest and the trees providing a mix of resources, I felt nature fit wellwith the battle and survival sequences. Trees always offer a form of protection, even if the wood is thin. After pursuing many angles, there is no clear way out in Pitfall. There is only sticking together and hoping to make it out alive. This is a solid shock and awe thriller with a new brand vengeance that I was wrapped up in from beginning to end. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Passenger Review

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This film about an RV trip that finds itself in shambles has class. It has karma, symbolism, and eye-opening lines. At moments it is quirky, but chilling in the scares. Passenger soars. The momentum is gradual and audacious. The forest settings are surreal. The plot is promising. Best of all, it is not so predictable. There are hidden gems that spiral ferociously in Passengerwhile. demonic moments of evil linger.

The movie is directed by André Øvredal and written by Zachary Donohue and T.W. Burgess. These writers have backgrounds that began with short films. This one is Burgess’s first main feature. Their creative minds are determined to haunt viewers in Passenger. The RV plays a starring role in Passenger during a romantic getaway where nightmares abound, and the story takes compelling turns.

The film is about a couple, Tyler and Maddie (Jacob Scipio and Lou Llobell) who are on the road to an engagement. Tyler lives for his RV and Maddie goes along with it. Before their adventures the film introduces audiences to a scenario involvinga car accident. That spirit then follows Tyler and Maddie. The karma from those events continues to follow Tyler and Maddie. It is likely to make this RV excursion their last one.

There are moments of imagery in the film where Maddie feels like they’re being followed. Someone is painted to appear menacing, and he is. However, it takes time for Tyler to get caught up with this lingering component in their travels. The film transitions to focus on their relationship. I appreciated that part of the story because I feel relationships do not always have a strong focus in a film like this. Fortunately, their relationship is explored in various parts of Passenger.

There is a line that gets crossed frequently in the film. I felt the adventures they faced on the road trip stirred both horrid and good questions during the ride. There is no happy way out. There are lots of twists and turns, but the way they stick together makes it enjoyable yet not amazing. Three out of four stars for Passenger.

Film reviews

Masters of the Universe Review

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This is a superhero adaptation with a surrounding of nostalgia and a presence of gold written all over it, as a sword becomes the symbol of the hero. I loved the superhero He-Man growing up, so I felt I was in for a ride that would be bumpy and adventurous. I had a feeling that I would not be able to take some of the characters seriously, primarily because the cheesiness of Masters of the Universe keeps the cheese shredding with moments of brilliance that can simply fade into blurs. This is one where the silliness gets topped off and it can be a little too much.

Masters of the Universe is not horrid, but its plot is seemingly lackluster. The film’s premise surrounds a kingdom called Eternia with the villain Skeletor dwelling in this land. He is played by Jared Leto. The man who must save the army of darkness is Adam, played by Nicholas Galitzine. However, in the beginning he feels no one will believe his path is to be a hero. That is until he grabs the sword and becomes He-Man. He must fight to save Eternia, before Skeletor takes over. Not only Skeletor rules, as he has an assistant named Evil-Lyn, played by Alison Brie. The life of Adam becoming a hero is not something he expected. He rises fast though when his childhood friend Teela, played by Camila Mendes, comes in to assist.

The kingdom in shambles and a man questioning his fate make the execution of Masters of the Universe to have more moments to laugh at than to take seriously. I could not take Jared Leto or Alison Brie very seriously at all, because the persona of evil within their characters flies below the radar. Leto is already sketchy with characteristics of strange acting methods, and Brie is just too sweet and innocent to present as evil.  The fighting, however, is what stands out the most, as it rises above all the plots.

The question that comes around in the film is, “Have you seen this sword?” The moment this question is asked is where the wheels fall off and things begin to feel disastrous. It creates so much CGI and too much predictability between good guys and bad guys. Disappointingly, the technology speak louder than the storyline of the film. The sword does not spin with cinematic wonders as much as I had expected.

Quirky and almost predictable, this is an average superhero adaptation with more to come. I do give this credit for forming somewhat of a franchise foundation, but I feel that I will just go back to cartoon series of He-Man for any sort of true fulfillment.The animation classic had more meaning than this presentation, as the cheesiness of the actors in this adaptation did not make the film feel like it was flowing well. Fun with all the action and extremely witty, but so predictable. Two out of four stars for Masters of the Universe.

 

 

 

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