MathizsiasDezial Reviews

Haunted Mansion (2023)

Generic, Eddie's version is better.

[5/10 · 9 August 2023]

There is so little to say, everything is as expected of a PG-13 family film. It has no edge, no horror, no real scares. It has no sense of adventure or dares to do anything that might not please a family crowd.

If they had cut everything outside of the mansion, this movie would've been only an hour long.

Some special effects are interesting, sets and wardrobe are nice and the cast tries pretty hard, but they all seem to be misinformed on what this movie is supposed to be. The directors track record isn't exactly stellar and its evident in the production of this film that the creative side had some fun and the direction meandered.

Perhaps the young director was pushed too hard by Disney execs to be as inclusive as possible and sand off all the edges. Who knows, but nobody would be surprised if it were the case.

Pirates of the Caribbean's lightning in a bottle seems to ever elude Disney when it comes to ride-to-film adaptions.

The 2003 film is funnier, more exciting and adventurous.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023)

Adventure for everyone

[10/10 · 29 March 2023]

It's just so much damn fun, even when it tries to very serious about D&D and the Forgotten Realms.

This movie could absolutely break the mold for the culture of old grognards and dusty nerds playing games in the basement. The movie is fun, well cast and well written.

This movie can eradicate the legacy of other D&D movies, it does true to the source material and provide a very fun heist movie experience to the rest of the viewers.

Does it have Avengers levels of CGI? No. But it uses it creatively in a manner that sure is to make the old grognards like me happy and perhaps make young and regular viewers interested in picking up some D&D starter set, Time Stop, and end-game level spell in D&D game, is very strong! There are many neat looking practical effects and creatures, it's reminiscent to that oldskool Star Wars vibe in some scenes. Sets and presentation might feel a little generic to the regular viewer, but seem in some cases to be there to appease the true fans of the material.

The cast is masterful at their craft and plays it off well in their respective roles. Chris Pine, an intriguing leader and bard that by all rights should be a movie star of the level of Tom Cruise does not undermine the subject matter and carries the movie on his back with charm as Edgin. Pine is only riveled by Rege-Jean as the stalwart Xenk, Xenk might strike some as forced, but it's totally within character and tropes from the game itself. Lawful stupid, look it up folks. Xenk was largely for the D&D fans.

Rodriguez as Holga the barbarian provides deadpan comedyan has the energy to give the action scenes some extra oompf, Grant as Forge contains his inner Irons to not make it cringeworthy, but is absolutely despicable with a smile on face.

The younger party members are no slouches either, Smith as Simon is not the typical bumbling mage, but more the coming of age story for his wizard heritage (Which is heavily steeped in 'lore'). Lilis is the outsider that joins for a personal cause, but finds like-minded individuals - her scenes are rather creative and dive deep into the magic and channel that Hulk-smash... charm..? Yes. Charm.

Head as Sofina is a mysterious mage that develops into a real threatening villain. If there was ever to be a sequel, that sure left room to play. Never make a deal with a lich.

Shoutout to my chonker dragon Thamberchaud, it absolutely had the theatre in shambles, the heroes eventually escape was rather creative, but I feel was changed in post.

Hasbro, you have a winner at your hands, don't waste it or get greedy.

The Last of Us: Part II (2020 Video Game)

A story about wrong and right, by folks that think they're always right.

[5/10 · 22 August 2022]

Audiovisually stunning presentation, only Red Dead Redemption 2 can rival. Gameplay is improved upon compared to its predecessor, feels excellent and can be challenging. The game is technical marvel.

Part 2 falters in its storytelling, a merit that wasn't copied from Part 1 and frankly that is its biggest crime. It rears its ugly head so much in Part 2 that it is hard to connect to any of the characters or situations. Any moral ambiguity is out the window. The writers are telling you how to feel and what to think at every moment.

Altered Carbon (2018–2020)

Season 1: 8 - Season 2: 4

[6/10 · 9 August 2022]

Can't resleeve if you shoot yourself in the foot that bad like Netflix did. Season 1 was a defacto cyberpunk story, season 2 seemed like Anthony Mackie drained all the fun, money and cyberpunk vibe from the show.

The Sandman (2022– )

Dreams without hope

[6/10 · 8 August 2022]

Adapting from one visual medium to another visual medium has proven to be difficult and has created a lot of unhappy fans of the original source material - and somewhat rightly so. Stick to the graphic novel or the audiobook, your own imagination is miles better than some of the bits that the showrunners want to force upon you.

The Endless, dreams and nightmares are all mutable, it is a core concept within the world of Sandman, but some roles are cast spot on as presented in the source material and some not at all or completely swapped. While almost all the actors deliver as good as a job as they can, some scenes can feel jarring and forced if you have ever read the graphic novel.

The show can be good at times and when it is, it is exhilirating and thougth provoking. After Episode 6 the show's plot, some of the acting and storytelling plummet and never finds it footing again and the very, very few moments it briefly shines it cannot help but stumble seconds later. Leaving little excitement for a second season..

Altered Carbon: Resleeved (2020)

Good action, beautiful scnes, shallow story, emotionless characters

[6/10 · 23 March 2020]

It has been said a dozen times by now, the story is full of anime tropes and is cliched to no end. While that doesn't make it bad, it just loses points for having no originality and it didn't need the AC brand slapped on it.

The pros of the film are the visceral and kinetic fight scenes. What it achieves with its neatly and beautifully choreographed fights, it can't fix with the lack of human emotion from any of the characters or the story.

This should've been a shorter story on something like Love, Death, Robots - without the AC brand.

Ps. This still a better time investement than S2 of AC, Anthony Mackie had even less emotion for the entire season of AC S2 than any of the lifeless characters in this film. I guess that 500k per episode wasn't enough for the Marvel actor.

Hunters (2020–2023)

A good premise, without a good delivery

[5/10 · 21 February 2020]

I'll keep this short, like the time that was spent on developing the casting, story and dialogue. There's little to no intrigue, it all feels too similar to other stories - some is even given away in the intro video. It almost feels like everything this is trying to be has been done better with the same context in other films and series.

Its not funny, even when it is trying to be - it is not intimidating, when it is trying to be. The opening scene of the first episode has a great antagonist that is later completely made into a farce for reason that I can't fully understand from the story's perspective. It does occasionally dabble in horrifying subjects when it deals with characters' past.

Alas the main cast falls flat, while many of the supporting crew does a great job - with the given dialogue. Al Pacino is wasted playing a caricature with unoriginal story, again, even when he's trying to be interesting - it is Al Pacino with an accent.

Verisimilitude went out the window when the main character - a young adult or late teenager - goes superhero after the death of relative without any portrayed conviction. Nowhere is it established that the main protagonist is any good at what he seems to be able to do as a savant and that feels like a missed opportunity.

It takes away tension as well, since it seems unbelievable for the main character to have any interest in his world other than the obvious - loss of a family member. Any situation he's put it ends with a witty remark, a curse or him doing something that is unbelievable or wasn't established anywhere he could do.

So the positives, it is well shot and made, scenes feel like they belong - 1984 feels like 1984. Flashbacks of some of the characters to different times are well shot and made and are the only scenes that had a lasting impact, the transition and editing of these scenes is fluid as the meager story is being told. The music is great, since it deals with several different time periods it does a good job of blending transitions.

No doubt in my mind some will view this series as political and while I think this series is a fantasy with real life elements and nothing else it far more important to remember that it doesn't challenge any notions we weren't already aware of or doesn't spark any thoughtful conversation like last year's Watchmen could. This series is far too light for it to have any meaningful political impact however, anyone who thinks it does is wasting their time talking to a wall.

It is not great, it is not terrible either. Could've been fun with a better developed story and dialogue.

Klondike (2014)

Well made, well acted, decent script, very mediocre story

[7/10 · 15 May 2014]

I'll keep this short and without spoilers, I found this mini-series to be well crafted, well acted on the most part, it had decent dialogues but a very mediocre story and boring villains. Historic accuracy.. not here, it is however fun.

Most actors hit the spot when it comes to filling their role and acting their bit, I particularly liked Abbie Cornish(Belinda) and Tim Blake Nelson(Meeker). The other main cast does a decent job, but doesn't get up to their level.

Tim Roth plays Tim Roth which is fine, I liked him in Lie to me, but there's nothing distinguishing about his role in this mini-series, he plays a very generic villain.