Screen Rant » 2 star movies

‘The Hangover Part II’ Review

Vic Holtreman — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:10:04 +0000

Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews Hangover II

Ah, comedy sequels… after a very successful and funny first film, the question is whether The Hangover Part II is as funny as the original (to which we gave 4 out 5 stars). I’ll just cut to the chase and answer that: No, it’s not, and that’s too bad because I was looking forward to this one.

The original film had an interesting premise and a cast that made up for a funny combination of personalities. We had Bradley Cooper as Phil - roguishly handsome but foul mouthed, self-involved and pretty much a jerk of a fellow; Ed Helms as Stu – not so handsome and more of a “regular guy” who probably hung out with Phil because he’s a “fun guy”; and ...

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‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 20 May 2011 20:11:39 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Rob Marshall’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides may be one of the most highly anticipated films of the summer – set to reinvigorate Disney’s theme park ride-turned movie franchise. Despite racking up nearly $2 billion in combined box office revenues worldwide, the last two installments in the original trilogy failed to capture the same magic as the first film. Sure they were epic in scale and tied-into historical pirate lore but each subsequent film grew increasingly convoluted as love triangles, multi-film betrayals, and one of the least satisfying act two cliffhangers in film history, muddled what was originally a carefree summer surprise.

To combat franchise fatigue, ...

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‘Dylan Dog: Dead of Night’ Review

Ben Kendrick — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:56:28 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

The 2011 summer blockbuster movie season is packed with comic book adaptations: Thor, X-Men: First Class, Priest, Captain America: The First Avenger, and Green Lantern. However, in a film-scape loaded with familiar comic properties, a lesser-known hero has already hit the big screen this summer: paranormal investigator Dylan Dog. Dylan Dog: Dead of Night isn’t the first cinematic interpretation of the Dylan Dog universe. In 1994 director Michele Soavi filmed Dellamorte Dellamore starring Rupert Everett as Francesco Dellamorte (a side character in the Italian comic series) who dressed in the iconic Dylan Dog outfit – though the titular lead never appeared in the film. The movie received mostly negative reviews in the U.S. and abroad.

More than 15 years ...

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‘Arthur’ Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 19:41:55 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Arthur

Hollywood’s current obsession with rebooting classic film-brands (such as Annie, The Karate Kid, and soon The Three Stooges) has, for better or worse, just birthed the latest “reimagining” set to prey on moviegoers’ collective nostalgia – Arthur with UK comedian/actor Russell Brand in the titular role.

The original Arthur, starring Dudley Moore, premiered in 1981 to critical and commercial success – owing greatly to the smart and irreverent performance of its leading man. As a result, Arthur is still a timeless classic that, in spite of the aging look of the film stock, manages to tell a modern story of true love – albeit a silly one. In this remake Warner Bros. and director Jason Winer have attempted to refresh Arthur’s story for a new generation, hiring ...

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Sucker Punch Review

Ben Kendrick — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:52:53 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Sucker Punch

For many moviegoers, Zack Snyder seemingly exploded onto the scene with his visually striking adaptation of Frank Miller’s 300 – with Snyder both penning the screenplay and directing the film. The combination of Miller’s imagination and what we now know as Snyder’s trademark slow-motion/action choreography, resulted in an exciting and brutal film that paved the way for the director to tackle other high-profile existing properties, including Watchmen and the upcoming Superman: Man of Steel.

Sucker Punch, however, is entirely Snyder’s invention – earning the director his first original story credit. With Superman reboot fervor (and fear) at an all time high, not to mention the response to Snyder’s middle-of-the-road Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, many film fans are looking to Sucker Punch as a ...

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‘Paul’ Review

Vic Holtreman — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 17:13:27 +0000

Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews Paul

Pretty much every negative review for Paul that I’ve read is prefaced with the same thing I’ll say here: I’m a big fan of Shaun of the Dead and I loved Hot Fuzz (I gave it 5 stars). Those films starred the dynamic duo of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and were directed by Edgar Wright. The director here is Greg Mottola, who directed Superbad (which I also liked). I had hoped that the Pegg, Frost, and Mottola partnership would make for a new and great comedy movie combination aimed directly at fanboy geeks like myself.

Sadly… not so much.

Pegg and Frost play Graeme Wily and Clive Gollings, a couple of British nerd/fanboys who’ve finally realized their ...

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‘Rango’ Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 03:24:18 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Rango

Rango, the latest animated release from Nickelodeon Movies is also Gore Verbinski’s first film since concluding his Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy in 2007 with the underwhelming At World’s End. Through his work on the Pirates films, Verbinski earned positive buzz for his complicated, but still light-hearted, action set-pieces – as well as a reputation for (some misguided) attempts at simultaneously injecting darker themes and convoluted philosophical ideas into films that were intended as summer popcorn flicks.

Does Verbinski’s CGI animated feature Rango, about a thrill-seeking anthropomorphic chameleon in the prairie town of Dirt, play to the director’s strengths – or does the film juggle too many elements to offer people of all ages a meaningful story as well as a guilt-free action-comedy?

Read on…

As in Verbinski’s prior work, Rango the movie, ...

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‘Hall Pass’ Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:27:54 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Hall Pass

Hall Pass, the most recent Hangover-inspired comedy to hit the big screen, is also the latest offering from the notorious director team/brothers Bobby and Peter Farrelly.

Throughout the seventeen years since the pair’s breakout hit Dumb and Dumber turned a $17 million production budget into a $247 million total box office gross, the Farrelly Brothers have seen their share of critical success (There’s Something About Mary) and failures (The Heartbreak Kid). However, despite the ups and downs, the Farrelly name still carries weight at the cineplex. Has their latest film, Hall Pass, earned a place alongside their critical successes – or have the brothers once again crossed the line from comedy into tastelessness?

While it’s unlikely that Hall Pass will challenge Dumb and Dumber or There’s Something ...

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‘I Am Number Four’ Review

Roth Cornet — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 19:43:21 +0000

Screen Rant’s Roth Cornet reviews I Am Number Four

I Am Number Four is an amalgamation of every conceivable snare for both the male and female teenage animal. With thematic and visual references to classic teen-angst romances such as Rebel Without A Cause and the contemporary paranormal young-love phenomenon The Twilight Saga, as well as a third act infusion of the Michael Bay-brand action, I Am Number 4 shamelessly grasps for every last leaf on the young-adult movie money tree.

Using a sci-fi (rather than paranormal) template as the backdrop for the story, the film attempts to appeal to the boys, and distinguish itself from the popular made-for-girls romances of the day, such as The Vampire Diaries and, of course, the aforementioned Twilight. Though the film does take advantage of certain romantic conceits found ...

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‘Justin Bieber: Never Say Never’ Review

Mike Eisenberg — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:07:03 +0000

Screen Rant’s Mike Eisenberg reviews Justin Bieber: Never Say Never

Pop sensation Justin Bieber’s first single hit the radio waves on May 18th, 2009. 20 months later, a documentary of his 16-year-old life hit theaters in 3D under the title Justin Bieber: Never Say Never. While it succeeds as a concert film, it struggles to be the uplifting documentary that was promised.

A documentary is only as entertaining as its main subject – luckily for Never Say Never, the young performer has every bit of charisma and style a boy his age can possess. For this reason, Never Say Never is watchable, but still lacks any real value as a film other than a money-making machine for Paramount Pictures. This is simply Hollywood implementing every strategy in the ...

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‘The Eagle’ Review

Sandy Schaefer — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 04:25:26 +0000

Screen Rant’s Sandy Schaefer reviews The Eagle

The Eagle is quite simply one of the more tepid swords & sandals adventures to grace the silver screen in modern times. While other, recent entries in the genre have thrived on sheer bloody spectacle and emotional fanfare, this is a film that favors mood and atmosphere over visceral action.

Ultimately the movie falls flat because it lacks the substance to satisfy as an arthouse drama, and is far too muddled in structure and pacing to offer those in the mood for some mindless violence much bang for their buck.

Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical adventure novel, “The Eagle of the Ninth” is the basis for this story, which takes place in Roman-ruled Britain circa 140 AD. The opening text of The Eagle reveals that some twenty years prior, the ...

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‘The Rite’ Review

Kofi Outlaw — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:21:54 +0000

Screen Rant’s Kofi Outlaw Reviews The Rite

If The Rite is proof of anything, it’s that the often odd and mysterious nature of real life doesn’t always translate into the best movie. While this familiar tale of faith and skepticism isn’t the disaster some might expect, it is, at best, a mundane entry in the exorcism sub-genre.

In fact, if not for the presence of Anthony Hopkins, who often is the only spark keeping the heart of this film beating, The Rite would likely be one of the dullest stories about the devil ever told.

Based on the book The Rite: The Making of a Modern Exorcist by journalist Matt Baglio, the film follows young priest-in-training Michael Kovak (Colin O’Donoghue), who flees a depressing life working at ...

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The Green Hornet Review

Vic Holtreman — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:30:17 +0000

Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews The Green Hornet

Hey, are you old enough to remember when everyone freaked out about Michael Keaton being cast as Batman because he was a comedic actor, didn’t have the look nor the stature to play the iconic masked vigilante – but in the end it turned out to be a daring bit of casting and pretty damned cool?

Well that didn’t happen with The Green Hornet.

The Green Hornet movie has a (troubled) history going back to mid-2007 when rumors first floated that Seth Rogen would be playing the titular hero (and writing the script). Initially Stephen Chow (director of the hysterically funny Kung Fu Hustle) was set to play the role of Kato ...

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Season of the Witch Review

Paul Young — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:40:28 +0000

Screen Rant’s Paul Young reviews Season of the Witch

Traditionally January is set aside as the month studios release movies for which they have low expectations of success. Every once in a while a rare gem will emerge from the dross that is usually offered at this time of year – unfortunately or maybe unsurprisingly, Season of the Witch isn’t that rare gem.

However, that’s not to say that the film was a total letdown. Even though Season of the Witch is wrought full of problems ranging from weak dialog via poorly delivered, uninspired one-liners – to under developed characters and CG effects reminiscent of a Saturday night SyFy channel original film… I managed to walk out of the theater pleasantly surprised at how much I actually enjoyed it.

Season of the Witch stars ...

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Yogi Bear Review

Paul Young — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:19:36 +0000

Screen Rant’s Paul Young reviews Yogi Bear

Every trailer, poster or movie still leading up to the release of Yogi Bear had me firmly convinced this movie would be juvenile, uninspired and unfunny – so imagine my surprise when it actually ended up showing some charm.

Don’t misunderstand me, director Eric Brevig hasn’t created some new masterpiece of cinema – but he does know who’s in his target audience and how to pander to them intelligently. It was quite refreshing to watch a children’s film that doesn’t to resort to poop jokes, crotch shots or inappropriate behavior to illicit laughs from those under the age of ten. Far too many times films marketed to younger kids insert scenes which make the parent in me cringe – thankfully there are no such scenes ...

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‘The Tourist’ Review

Vic Holtreman — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:38:45 +0000

Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews The Tourist

Usually, it’s a Sci-Fi or superhero film that comes along from time to time which relies primarily on its “look” above everything else – one doesn’t usually expect a drama, romance or semi-action/adventure story to rely on its visual aspect to carry it. The Tourist does just that, whether that was director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s intention or not.

Of course there are worse things than a film which stars Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp relying on its appearance.

We begin in the beautiful city of Paris, with the most beautiful Angelina Jolie (it’s the eyes I tell ya). She is so aristocratic here that she fairly glides across the screen – and she is under ...

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The Warrior’s Way Review

Vic Holtreman — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 04:10:01 +0000

Screen Rant’s Vic Holtreman reviews The Warrior’s Way

I didn’t have much in the way of expectations heading in to see The Warrior’s Way. I figured hey, cowboys vs. ninjas, wire-fu… what’s not to like as long as that’s all you’re expecting.

Well one thing I didn’t expect was an ill-placed attempt at comedy mixed in with the above ingredients.

The Warrior’s Way starts off like it’s going to be some semi-epic, mystical story – telling us about the ultimate swordsman (played by Dong-gun Jang), and how he was within reach of killing off the last of the enemy clan. Problem is the remaining member is a tiny baby girl, and in a moment of humanity (for him) she wins his heart and he decides to take ...

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Skyline Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 22:05:56 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Skyline

When it debuted in front of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, the Skyline trailer promised one of the most exciting, and at the same time, unsettling, movie offerings of the Fall season – drawing comparisons to other aliens-on-earth films such as District 9 as well as Independence Day.

Now that Skyline has officially invaded theaters, does it live up to these lofty expectations?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Where District 9 relied on terrific performances and weighty subject matter, and Independence Day wowed audiences with epic battles as well as enjoyable (albeit campy) writing , Skyline comes across as a big-screen B-movie with a convoluted plot and too limited of a scope to make the audience feel the worldwide alien-apocalypse that’s supposedly unfolding in the film.

If you’ve missed our previous ...

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Saw 3D Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 15:49:18 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews Saw 3D

Saw 3D (aka Saw 7) has been marketed as the “Final Chapter” in the Saw film series, but whether or not the filmmakers continue the flagship torture porn franchise, as a spin-off, prequel, or yet another sequel, remains to be seen.

In the meantime, two things are certain:

Saw 3D is the most violent and disturbing Saw film to date.

The 3D is completely unnecessary.

If you’re on the fence about seeing Saw 3D, make sure to check out our ‘Saw’ Movies: The Complete Guide in 6:66 feature to get caught up. We’ve included summaries of each film, as well as a one-stop video mash-up revisiting the key events from the Saw series so far.

In case you’ve missed our prior Saw 3D coverage, ...

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My Soul to Take (3D) Review

Ben Kendrick — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 04:00:32 +0000

Screen Rant’s Ben Kendrick reviews My Soul to Take 3D

My Soul to Take 3D could be considered a “back to the drawing board” film for legendary horror director, Wes Craven, especially considering the project marks the first time Craven has both written and directed a film since 1994 with the Nightmare on Elm Street meta-film, New Nightmare.

While there are a number of Craven staples (as director or writer) in My Soul to Take – a coming of age tale, socially segmented teens, and a new iconic slayer-figure – the writer/director’s most recent project fails to stitch these components together with anything but surface-level filler.

In case you’ve been glued to our coverage of Craven’s next directorial project, Scream 4, take a look at the plot synopsis for My Soul to Take:

“In the sleepy town ...

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