Today I will be reviewing "The Boy" which is the latest horror movie involving a creepy doll, "The Fifth Wave" which is the latest YA novel to be adapted into a movie, and "The Finest Hours" which is a rescue/disaster movie based on an incredible true story. Before I get started, I'd like to give a shoutout to the Free Gamer's Alliance YouTube channel. Their videos cover everything from walkthroughs, glitches, easter eggs, and various amusing video game related content, all of which is delivered with some colorful commentary while they have buckets of fun doing it. Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/user/FreeGamersAlliance/
Lets start this off with "The Fifth Wave." Here is the trailer:
- The opening scene is absolutely fantastic. It definitely starts the movie on the right foot.
- I have to give Chloe Grace Moretz and Nick Robinson a lot of credit for trying really hard with their performances. They did a good job considering what they were given to work with.
- There are some plot points that feel particularly rushed. Certain things happen and they feel a bit cheap and unearned.
- Speaking of cheap, the special effects in this movie look so hilariously bad. It is like they came directly out of a video game.
- The romance in this movie feels so incredibly forced and awkward that it will make your eyes roll hard.
- Alex Roe manages to deliver some of the most wooden acting I have seen in a very long time (and I have recently seen Liam Hemsworth in "The Hunger Games" series fairly recently so that is really saying something).
- The movie's biggest problem is that is all feels stale and formulaic. Everything is really predictable, it is full of YA cliches, and there just isn't anything that feels particularly fresh.
"The Fifth Wave" isn't the most incompetent YA film I've ever seen but it does manage to be the most generic and bland one I've ever seen (and I saw the last two "Divergent" movies so that is really saying something). I'd say that unless you are a superfan of the book, skip this one.
Lets move on to "The Boy." Here is the trailer:
- There is a lot of unintentionally hilarious moments.
- It is really nice to see a horror movie where the protagonists aren't complete and total dumbasses. While they may make the odd questionable decision, they actually seem to have a certain amount of common sense.
- As I mentioned above, there are a lot of unintentionally hilarious moments. Many of these come as the movie is trying to be scary.
- Speaking of attempts at scares, the jump scares are ridiculously predictable.
- There are so many horror cliches that your eyes will definitely be rolling.
- The big reveal in the third act is so stupid and nonsensical that it pushes the movie right off a cliff. It descends into complete lunacy and will make you stop taking anything happening seriously.
"The Boy" is an horror movie that fails to be scary in any way. It ends up feeling more like a comedy than anything else. I would recommend watching this in the context of a bad movie night or if you are just looking for a bit of a laugh. That being said, if you are looking for a horror movie or a movie of any bit of quality, look elsewhere.
Finally, lets talk about "The Finest Hours." Here is the trailer:
- The performances from this cast are great. Everyone brings their A-game and puts everything into their characters.
- Visually, this movie is stunning. Everything from water to snow will make your eyes sigh a bit. These visuals are the big reason that it is worth seeing this movie in 3D (anyone who knows me or reads this blog regularly knows that this is something that I VERY rarely say).
- The third act is absolutely riveting and will have you on the edge of your seat.
- This movie is incredibly stylish. It is set in the 1950s and between the costumes, the sets, and the way the characters talk the movie really transports you back there.
- The soundtrack is excellent.
- There is one scene where slow motion is used in a very cringeworthy way.
- There are a few points in the movie that feel a bit dull as they drag on way longer than they should.
- The movie does overdo many cliches of this genre.
"The Finest Hours" is a surprisingly exciting disaster/rescue movie even if it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel. It is visually great with some fine performances. I'd say this one is worth seeing in theaters.
Thanks for reading everyone! As usual, feel free to leave a comment but please be advised that if you read any potential comments, spoilers may be present.