With its dazzling opening credit sequence, Daredevil begins on an unquestionably promising note. Stylized drawings of a gigantic metropolis give way to a CGI cityscape suitably grim for a crime-fighting crusader. But then, a terrible thing happens. With no warning, the first voiceover narration begins, delivered in Ben Affleck’s distinctly inflection-free monotone. And just like … Continue reading
Blinded by toxic waste when he was a boy, lawyer Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck) now puts his radioactivally enhanced remaining senses to use every night as Daredevil, a vigilante crime fighter in a ridiculous red leather pantsuit. The surprisingly joyless action sees him wooing Elektra (Jennifer Garner), a hyper-defensive martial arts expert, while squaring off … Continue reading
“There are no moments of miraculous self-discovery in Dark Blue, nor do any of the characters suddenly grow a conscience. Instead, as their own situations increasingly mirror the city’s own foreboding state of affairs, they experience brief moments of clarity, then struggle quietly to figure out the right thing to do.” Riot Act Racial unrest serves … Continue reading
Set against the urban unrest that exploded in Los Angeles after the 1992 beating of Rodney King, this gripping police thriller showcases an inspired performance by Kurt Russell as a racist cop with a disturbingly distorted sense of justice. As the city simmers in hostility awaiting a verdict in the King-beating trial, Eldon Perry (Russell) … Continue reading
This macabre misfire scrapes the bottom of the idea barrel by reimagining the tooth fairy as a vengeful spirit who butchers anyone who lays eyes on her. Having seen the specter kill his mother when he lost his last tooth as a boy, the now-grown Kyle (Chaney Kley) lives in constant fear of the spirit. … Continue reading
“I guess it’s only fair that black audiences are now bombarded with the same inconsequential fluff that’s been aimed at white moviegoers for years. There’s not a lick of dramatic heft in director Gary Hardwick’s Deliver Us From Eva, but, then again, there wasn’t any in Two Week’s Notice or Just Married, either. And, with competent performances by a … Continue reading
Opinionated, acerbic and downright brutal, Eva (Gabrielle Union) never met a man she wouldn’t gladly rip to shreds. Having raised her younger sisters (Essence Atkins, Robinne Lee and Meagan Good) since she was 18, Eva still substitutes running their lives for living one of her own. Even though her sisters don’t mind Eva’s constant meddling, … Continue reading
“With his swoon-inducing good looks and charisma to spare, Brosnan makes, if not the best Bond ever, then a mighty close second.” 00-Crossed James Bond fights for his honor in Die Another Day It’s weird seeing James Bond behind the wheel of a vintage Thunderbird in Die Another Day. For his past three or four … Continue reading
In the most introspective Bond film ever, Pierce Brosnan returns as the dashing agent, who’s been held hostage in Korea for more than a year. Stripped of his “00” status upon his release for allegedly divulging top-secret information, Bond strikes out alone to uncover the traitor who set him up. Crossing paths repeatedly with the … Continue reading
“Eminem commands the screen in his feature debut with an exhilarating performance that virtually dares viewers to look away.” Rapper Delights Eminem impresses in his big screen debut Gay activists can start gnashing their teeth and sharpening their battle-axes; with his stellar performance in 8 Mile, notorious fag-basher Eminem is about to attain a whole … Continue reading
Mike Rucker Writes 