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Review by Daniel Lima  On paper, there’s nothing separating Prisoner of War from plenty of great examples of martial arts action starring Scott Adkins. Military man, check; martial arts expert, check; unflappable and unstoppable in the face of adversity, check. Directed by his former The Debt Collector co-star Louis Mandylor, one would expect that this would fertile ground for Adkins to lean into his particular capabilities as an action star, combining affability with agility to deliver the kinetic thrills that made him a modern-day legend. Sadly, it is Mandylor’s creative instincts that sink the film, rendering inert what should be exhilarating fun. Adkins plays an RAF pilot shot down over the Philippines who is captured and placed in a Japanese POW camp. He quickly displays his knowledge of Eastern martial arts, singling him out to the camp commander and earning his enmity. With the Allies closing in and the depraved Japanese forces growing more violent by the day, Adkins must team up with his fellow captives in order to escape from their clutches. Mandylor is no stranger to the Pacific front of the Second World War, his last two films having been set there as well. Reviewing 3 Days in Malay, I noted that his desire to make a fun action crowd-pleaser was at war with his sense of reverence for the sacrifices made by men in uniform. It seems that the latter instinct has won out, and so Prisoner of War ends up a dour, po-faced portrait of camp life that fails to earn the dramatic weight is so clamors for.  One could generously attribute the lack of characterization of both the Western prisoners and Japanese jailers as an attempt to show they not so different as patriots willing to sacrifice anything for their country. The end result, however, is none of these characters have a single distinct personality between them. One American can kind of speak Japanese, one guard is sympathetic to their plight, but these qualities are not elaborated on beyond servicing the procedural plot. It is genuinely incredible that for all the time spent with this limited ensemble, by the end there is nothing to distinguish one from the other. This in turn cripples any sense of danger or emotional stakes, as there is nothing to engender the audience to any one of these people. In fairness, that would already be undercut by the film’s structure. For some unfathomable reason, the opening scene is Scott Adkins storming into a Japanese dojo after the war, by himself, angrily asking to see the man who had tortured him back in the Philippines. On the one hand, no one who would watch this movie would ever doubt that Adkins would survive to the end; on the other hand, to confirm this from the jump, in addition to showing the survival of his compatriots will ultimately not affect the finale, adds absolutely nothing to the unfolding drama in the camp. It’s a baffling choice that only hurts the narrative. Once Adkins is captured, the film idles into a familiar routine: the Japanese commit some casual war crimes, Adkins shows off his martial prowess, he collaborates with the fellow prisoners in building an escape plan. Beyond the thin characters, a key issue is developing the escape plan is not thrilling in its own right. Adkins’ own invulnerability is assured, but the film also studiously avoids putting any of the other Westerners in any real danger, even though the Filipino prisoners are killed with impunity. Each new step towards freedom is taken with precious little effort or complexity, and so the movie idles forward with no sense of intensity or momentum.  The closest Prisoner of War comes to actual character is in the relationship between Scott Adkins’ downed pilot and Peter Shinkoda’s camp commander, though even this is mostly down to the two actors’ performances rather than how they are written. Scott is a bona fide star, and remains a compelling screen presence even when saddled with nothing to work with. Shinkoda brings gravitas to his role, but it can only go so far when the motivations of his character as so ill-defined. This Japanese officer is a brutal, deranged thug whose devotion to his nation’s imperialist project supersedes any conventional sense of morality, yet he cannot bring himself to actually kill the man who brings him nothing but trouble because he’s impressed with how well he knows Eastern culture? A better script might interrogate that contradiction, but here it exists merely due to convention.
This leads to the elephant in the room: this movie is deeply Orientalist. The Westerner who knows the mysterious Eastern ways better than the Asian savages is a trope that is only rarely played with sincerity these days, and for good reason. Yet here it is, as pure an example as any of the ninja films of the 1980s. The villain’s fascination with the Caucasian hero, the way he completely dominates everyone he’s up against, the fact only the white prisoners are given any dialogue and only the Asian prisoners are allowed to die, the beautiful Asian nurses brought in as a prize for the Westerners. If this were a schlocky action film like Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, this element might go down easier, but the complete lack of any humor or self-awareness makes the bile taste of white racial supremacy hard to ignore. That said, there are plenty of action movies with questionable politics and weak writing that skate by on the strength of their action. This does not manage that feat. Every fight take place on an open, barren space, leaving no room for incorporating the environment and offering little to differentiate them visually. Scott Adkins is an impressive physical performer even pushing fifty years old, and what he does here is especially impressive knowing he tore his hamstring shortly after production began, but the choreography similarly looks the same from fight to fight, maintaining the same rhythm and intensity with no deviation. Worse still is the camera, purposelessly circling around the fighters, capturing all the action clearly but doing nothing to accentuate any of the violence. It’s rare that an Adkins vehicle have such forgettable fights, but it’s just one failing among many. Prisoner of War seemed like a layup, the kind of project tailor made for both its star and the audience he has cultivated for himself. Actually watching it made me feel sadder than anything else, as the realization that it would not measure up to even Adkins’ middle-of-the-road work dawned on me. At least the fans have Diablo and Day of Reckoning from this year to enjoy instead. Prisoner of War is now in theaters and on digital. Rating: 2/5
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Review by Camden Ferrell  Paul Thomas Anderson has nothing left to prove as a filmmaker. Over the course of his previous nine features, he has firmly established himself as one of the most talented voices the history of film has ever seen. What do you do when you find yourself with a resume that rivals some of the all-time great directors? You try to outdo yourself, not because you have to but because you can. One Battle After Another feels like PTA’s observation of modern society mixed with a rallying cry and a screwball sensibility that is an ode to car-chase style Hollywood spectacle. Featuring an energetically devoted turn from Leonardo DiCaprio and showcasing some of the most mind-blowingly crafted sequences of the year, this is a timely film that reminds us of why movies are made in the first place. We begin in the middle of a mission for the French 75, a revolutionary group who uses tangible action to aggressively fight for a more just society. In what feels like a fond reminiscence of the power of political violence in an increasingly unjust world, we are quickly shown how a dream is killed. 16 years later, an adversary of the French 75 resurfacing spells trouble for Bob and his teenage daughter Willa. Inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s Vineland, this movie reimagines it in a modern context, one that feels hauntingly familiar to the volatile state of our union. It aims to capture the absurdity and fear that has become the new normal while also illustrating the ways in which tangible change can come to fruition. And beneath the social commentary that cuts like a knife, he still manages to tell a cohesive and moving story about love, family, and the reason we fight the good fight. From the start, it’s quick to see that this movie is one that views its lack of subtlety as a feature not a flaw. The beautiful things PTA has explored in nuance and silence throughout his career are thrown out the window. Instead, he treats us to the most extreme parts of his filmography. His writing is sharp, angry, hopeful, and often absurdly hilarious. He holds no punches in his attempt to view society whether it’s through an indictment or a more innocuous observation. This sets the stage for all the other things in his movie to come together so beautifully. The touching father-daughter dynamic only works because of his ability to so fearlessly establish the world in which we currently live. The screwball antics of the film’s characters only work for that exact same reason. It encapsulates everything a movie should be. It has explicit purpose, earned emotion, and unfettered ambition.  This movie is led by the always reliable DiCaprio who gives one of the most memorable performances in his career. He leans fearlessly into the extreme nature of his character, and he elevates the tension and offbeat comedy as a result. Chase Infiniti makes her feature film debut as Willa, and it’s an impressive debut in which she displays her ability to hold her own as an actress across such seasoned veterans. One of the biggest surprises is how entertaining Sean Penn is as Colonel Lockjaw, the film’s antagonist. It’s a ruthless role with some of the best moments of comedy in the movie. It’s an interesting blend of fear and hilarity that could really only work in a movie like this one.
One of the most impressive feats of this movie is how it delivers sequence after sequence that show such an unrivaled discipline in film. One night time sequence in particular might just be some of the best filmmaking I’ve seen this century. PTA reunites with cinematographer Michael Bauman who does such visually stunning things in darkness for that one particular sequence. He also brilliantly captures the citywide chaos in which this film thrives the most. This is propelled by a steady, hypnotic and frequently discordant score from frequent collaborator Johnny Greenwood. While I’m specifically highlighting one sequence, these artists are firing on all cylinders from start to finish to bring PTA’s vision to life. One Battle After Another is yet another masterpiece to PTA’s name. It is the best movie of the year so far, and it’s one that revels in its spectacle, action, and controlled mayhem. It’s a furious and weirdly comical call to action that will surely go down as an emblematic film of our current era. One Battle After Another is in theaters September 26. Rating: 5/5 Review by Adam Donato  Jordan Peele may have had his next feature’s release date pulled from next year’s schedule, but he’s back here as a producer of Him. With football season underway, what better time to remind fans of the dangers of the game than a movie about the consequences of the pursuit to becoming the greatest football player of all time. Cameron Cade is on the precipice of being drafted to the big leagues when he suffers an injury that puts his career in jeopardy. Cade’s favorite player growing up, Isaiah White, invites him to train for the week to potentially take over as the quarterback of their team. When the training proves to be more intense than he expects, Cade has to decide if he’s really built for this. The horror market is becoming a crowded place as it does this time of year. The Conjuring: Last Rites has been surprising at the box office and The Long Walk has been impressing with the reviews. Does Him have what it takes to be the GOAT? It’s interesting that this movie is supposed to appeal to football fans, while also being a condemnation of the dark side of the industry. As if to remind fans that every time there’s helmet to helmet contact, an irreparably dangerous concussion is taking place. That being said, it’s not that hard for fans to not take seriously the dangers of the game and focus on the cult like voodoo going on instead. It does feel like a missed opportunity to not seriously explore the ideas that are being thrown around. The dangers of football are merely a setting for this cult horror movie. This just leaves the film feeling shallow. Feels like a lot of meat left on the bone.  The real appeal of the movie is in the ambitious performance from Marlon Wayans. Mostly known for his spoof comedies, Wayans is back after not being featured on the big screen in a long time and trying his hand out at a real horror movie. His character is ripe for a home run performance as this over zealous coach. He doesn’t quite hit the heights of expectations here. He carries the film, but not to an extent that demands a rewatch. The performance never reaches peak funny or scary. His bond with Cade’s character is not rich enough to satisfy audiences. Tyriq Withers plays the main character Cade. He also starred in this summer’s horror remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer. While his character may have the making of a top prospect, Withers is not blessed with similar acting prowess. When Wayans isn’t on screen, Withers struggles to maintain audiences.
More often it’s too long of a runtime that holds a film back, but Him could’ve used some extra screen time to develop the central relationship of the film and flesh out the themes that are only touched on here. The best scares in the film are born out of the real life horrors that come with such a violent game. There’s some shots in the film during the action scenes when they show an x-ray of the hits the characters are taking. These shots are bone chilling and the subsequent gore is effective. The rest of the scares are standard horror movie fodder. So the film isn’t scary enough, the comedy isn’t strong, and the themes are surface level. Him is still an enjoyable horror movie outing, but too standard to stand amongst the crowd. Wayans deserves to be applauded for trying something new, but the real comedian to dramatic actor performance is coming soon in the form of The Smashing Machine. This will definitely get people talking about him again as the hype for the next Scary Movie film is strong. This film though has too much style and not enough substance. Football fans of 0-2 teams may not find this film as scary as watching their own team play, but Him is a good enough time at the theaters. Him is in theaters on September 19. Rating: 3/5 Review by Camden Ferrell  Kogonada has established a name for himself as a filmmaker who can speak volumes within the confines of an intimate and meticulously paced feature. Both Columbus and After Yang highlighted his abilities to write compelling dialogue and execute it with unhurried nuance. His newest film is A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, his first feature in which he is not the writer. While it plays well to his strengths as a director, this romantic fantasy film ends up being less than the sum of its parts due to a lack of cohesion that undermines it as a complete body of work. David and Sarah are two strangers who can’t find love for one reason or another. Through fate and an eccentric rental car company, the two strangers meet at a wedding. Afterwards, the decide to embark on a journey together that takes them through key moments in their life in an attempt to retroactively reconcile with their past. It’s a movie that clearly loves the convention of romance films but uses the fantasy angle to distinguish itself in the genre. Written by Seth Reiss, there are a lot of things working in the script’s favor. It is unapologetically genuine and vulnerable. While it takes a little while to break free from the convention I mentioned earlier, it does find its stride eventually. When it does, the movie has some true gems hidden throughout its messiness. As a whole, the narrative is a bit jumbled and feels uneven in tone and pacing. But in a vacuum, Reiss creates a handful of devastatingly beautiful moments that make you hurt and smile at the same time.  This movie is led by Colin Farrell as David and Margot Robbie as Sarah, and they’re both serviceable in their roles. They fully lean into the more mystical aspects of the story without losing how grounded their characters are. They handle the more subdued moments well, but as a whole, their performance isn’t anything revelatory. They have a strong and well-known supporting cast who aren’t given much to work with, so there’s nothing particularly memorable in that department either.
Given Kogonada’s style of filmmaking, Reiss’ script compliments that style very well. While he didn’t write it, there are several key moments that feel like something out of one of his previous films. He executes the movie with such tenderness and visual creativity (courtesy of cinematographer Benjamin Loeb), and it truly feels like a romance film that at least tries to push the boundaries of that genre. Pair this with a truly mesmerizing score from Joe Hisaishi, and you have a film that’s worth checking out for some of the offscreen talent alone. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is a frustrating movie. Some odd pacing and general messiness stop this from being a truly amazing film. It has all the ingredients, and yet it just doesn’t come together in the way one would hope. It’s still a movie worth checking out due to the many things working in its favor. However, it is truly disappointing when you can tell a movie is just a hair’s breadth away from greatness. A Big Bold Beautiful Journey is in theaters September 19. Rating: 3.5/5 Review by Camden Ferrell  Dag Johan Haugerud’s trilogy of movies that have been releasing throughout the summer is being capped off with Dreams. This movie played at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival where it won the coveted Golden Bear, a prize given to the best film at the festival. The final part of this trilogy gorgeously captures the feeling of first love while balancing it with yet another round of insightful and conversational dialogue around the film’s central themes. Johanne is a 17 year old student who finds herself diving head first into a crush on her teacher (coincidentally named Johanna). These intense feelings of infatuation manifest itself into intimate writings from Johanne in an attempt to document what she’s feeling at a pivotal point in her life. Eventually, her mother and grandmother read these writings. This inspires conversations about love, intimacy, and the power of personal experiences and our attempts to express them. Like the previous movies in the trilogy, this premise tackles similar themes but from a different perspective, and it’s interesting to finally get the adolescent perspective on these subjects. Haugerud’s writing feels distinctly different in certain sections of this movie. He employs a large amount of narration from Johanne which feels like watching a writer flex a muscle we haven’t seen much of yet. This allows us to become one with Johanne, and while it leaves little to the imagination, getting such an intimate look into her thought process is paramount in making this movie work. It works because it speaks to the universal experience of first love, and we naturally see so much of ourselves in Johanne. Outside of this, he employs his typical style of conversational dialogue to explore the themes presented in the trilogy. It definitely toes the line between realistic and overly scripted, but it still has some compelling insights even if it’s not as thought-provoking as the previous films.  The movie is led by a subtly brilliant Ella Øverbye who plays Johanne. She brings such a youthful wonder to the role that gives viewers a gateway into her mind. We see ourselves in her thoughts because we first see ourselves in her. This is in large part due to the relatable and nuanced performance on screen. It’s not showy, but it speaks volumes about an experience we all have had. She is surrounded with a supporting ensemble that commendably deliver with the material they are given even if it’s not nearly as memorable as Øverbye.
One of the aspects that I appreciated more than the previous entries was the music. Anna Berg’s score captures a sound that is so grandiose while being introspective and intimate in nature. It’s an oxymoronic auditory experience that seems to delicately balance the Earth-shattering perspective of first love while still retaining the more sincere and subdued aspects that make it such a thrillingly intimate experience. Pair this with more visual prowess from cinematographer Cecilie Semec, and you have a movie that beautifully captures the story that Haugerud is trying to tell. Dreams may not be the best movie of the trilogy, but it’s yet another brilliant showcase for the talents of everyone involved. It has the highest highs with how it captures first love but also has some dialogue that isn’t as strong as previous entries. Regardless, this is a trilogy of films that everyone should check out, and it’s one that speaks so strongly to the one emotion we all have the capability to express: love. Dreams is in theaters September 12. Rating: 4/5 |