Today I've got an action packed review! By this, I mean that I am reviewing two action movies. I can try to make the blog action packed but I don't know if it would work. *boom* *explosion.* Yeah this isn't working, so I will just stick with reviewing "The Wolverine" and "Red 2." As usual 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/.
Let's kick things off with "Red 2." Here is the trailer:
- As with the last "Red" movie, the cast is phenomenal. It's obvious that these actors really enjoy playing these characters.
- There are some fantastic action scenes that are delightful (despite being somewhat over the top.)
- Like the last "Red" movie, "Red 2" has a great amount of style that is very refreshing
The Bad:
- The writing is somewhat sloppy. There are plot holes galore as well a several jumps in logic that are just too hard to ignore.
- While the actors do a good job, there two main characters are so unlikable that it is hard to root for them. Again, this goes back to the writing.
- The attempts at humor fell flat bout 90% of the time. I managed to lightly chuckle every once and a while but for the most part the attempts at humor didn't work and they make a lot of attempts at it.
- The movie is incredibly formulaic and predictable. This takes away any tension and it make it harder for the viewer to become invested in it.
The Verdict:
While "Red 2" is a stylish movie with great action, it falls apart in the writing department to the point where it becomes so much less fun than the original "Red." I'd say this movie is worth watching as a rental or on Netflix at best.
And now, it's time to move on to "The Wolverine." Here is the trailer:
- Once again, Hugh Jackman absolutely owns the role of Wolverine. Like Robert Downy Jr. playing Iron Man, I can't see anyone else playing Wolverine.
- The fight scenes were absolutely thrilling to watch. There was less focus on spectacle and more on cool martial arts and it definitely worked in this movie.
- The story was very interesting and (mostly) well written. I was into all of the characters and as a result was pretty absorbed in this movie.
- I absolutely loved the setting of this movie. As it is set in Japan, it has a different feel than the other X-men/Wolverine movies and therefore it felt fresh. Also, they treated Japanese culture with respect as opposed to using it as the butt of every joke as many movies tend to when dealing with other cultures.
- The movie was about the right length and it never felt like it was dragging on.
The Bad:
- The plot twist at the end was super predictable and was so lame that it might as well have been designed by M Night Shyamalan. (not a "Sixth Sense" like twist but more of a "The Village" type of twist.)
- The entire third act felt very cartoon like and it really didn't fit with the rest of the movie. It was full of plot holes, cliches, and was super predictable.
The Verdict:
Although it may not be perfect, "The Wolverine" is a movie that will entertain the hell out of you. I'd say it's worth seeing in theaters as long as you can deal with endings that do not live up to their potential. Other than that, you'll have a good time.
Thanks for reading everyone!! Feel free to leave a comment.