BLOODSHOT

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: March 13, 2020

Director: Dave Wilson

Stars: Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez, Guy Pearce

Plot: A tech firm brings a soldier back to life, but the person responsible for the scientific breakthrough has alternative plans 

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

This is exactly what you think it is. It is a comic book turned action flick that doesn't bother with things like character development or worry about massive plot holes. The whole premise of the movie is so far-fetched that you can easily suspend disbelief and just roll with it. 

If you are into action flicks, this is a perfect film for you. It has all of the gadgets and explosions you could ever want. It even has all of the cheesy one-liners.

There isn't anything great about this movie, but there isn't anything terrible either. It's fun, it's exciting, and it is an escape from reality. What more could we all want right now? 

THE RHYTHM SECTION

Rated: R

Release Date: January 31, 2020

Director: Reed Morano

Stars: Blake Lively, Jude Law, Sterling K. Brown

Plot: A woman bent on destroying her own life, after the tragic death of her family, finds out the event wasn't an accident, and turns her destructive desires towards the people responsible

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the digital release

The number one rule of an action flick is that there should be a lot of action. This movie breaks that rule, and so many others. 

To say this movie is slow would be an understatement. A better description would be to say that this movie gives you an incredible opportunity to enjoy a 110 minute nap. 

I will say that it is not the fault of the actors that this flick is so bad. They all do a pretty good job in their roles. Unfortunately, the writing and directing are just plain terrible. The writer got the pacing and the plot all wrong from the first act, and was not able to recover. The director tried to be unique and artistic with the film, but instead it looks like the whole thing was shot by amateurs. 

The story spends too much time focusing on the main character trying to get well enough to be able to do anything. This is fine in most films, but in this one, it lasted 3/4 of the movie. It isn't until there are about 15 minutes left in the film that the quest finally gets on track and starts moving forward. By then, it's way too late to salvage the movie. 

If you saw the trailer and were hoping for an action flick with a powerful female protagonist, you will be thoroughly disappointed. 

THE GENTLEMEN

Rated: R

Release Date: January 24, 2020

Director: Guy Ritchie

Stars: Matthew McConaughy, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding

Plot: A group of criminals get swindles by a reporter with no scruples

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the digital release, and make someone else rent it

The movie trailer lies!

This is one of those films that looks like it is going to be action-packed, filled with witty dialogue, and teeming with effervescent chaos for 115 minutes, thanks to the trailer. Instead, the first 45 minutes are an utter snoozefest, and the last hour does little to snap you out of your slumber.

I will never understand why writers and directors choose the "Unreliable Narrator" gimmick to lead you through the story. 95% of the movies that use it aren't any good. They fall flat, because half of the film is just some guy talking about something that happened instead of it being show to us. And then, he's unreliable, so you know that some of the information you are getting is false, because he's trying to save his own skin. 

I wish that was the only issues with this film, but it is full of terrible decisions. For example, we never see the outcome of one of the main characters. A certain thing is about to happen to him and it's never mentioned or shown again. Throw on top of that a ton of racist jokes, and the constant use of the nastiest word in the English language, and this movie becomes thoroughly unpalatable.

It's slow, it's barely funny, it's not nearly as smart as it would like you to think it it, and it's offensive. Pass on this one.

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE

Rated: R

Release Date: January 17, 2020

Director: Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah

Stars: Will Smith, Martin Lawrence, Jacob Scipio, Vanessa Hudgens

Plot: Two hero Miami cops must stop an assassin that is killing high-level government employees

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

It's been 25 years since bad boys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence gave a couple of fantastic performances in a movie that was almost ruined by director Michael Bay. It's been 17 years since Michael Bay messed up BAD BOYS 2. Now it is 2020, and we have a third installment in the franchise, and the great news is Michael Bay had nothing to do with this film except for one uncredited cameo! 

BAD BOYS FOR LIFE is easily the best of the three films in the BAD BOYS franchise. It's still not a fantastic film, but for an action flick it is above average.

One of the things that makes this movie better is that the guys are older now and have to rely on their wits and experience more than their muscles. Not to mention that middle-aged guys doing physical comedy is so much more funny than when people in their 20's do it. Don't get me wrong, it's still filled with a ton of action and mayhem, but it has balance as well.

Martin Lawrence proves once again that he can be amazingly funny even in the midst of a high-drama scene. He has so many great one-liners that you'll probably need to see this one a second time to catch them all. 

Will Smith gives his best performance in years by giving us a new and improved Mike Lowrey. He straddles the line between straight guy and comedian with precision. It never feels like he is trying to do too much or to out-funny Lawrence.

This third film also has the best story of the three. Michael Bay was more interested in showing off explosions and girls in bikinis than he was in actually telling a story. Thankfully, the new directors gave us a movie that has a compelling plot that will keep you entertained through the end credits.

If you liked the first two movies, you are going to love this one. If you are an action flick fan, you'll want to see this in theaters. 

JUMANJI: THE NEXT LEVEL

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: December 13, 2019

Director: Jake Kasdan

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Awkwafina

Plot: Four friends return to the game, but this time there are more players and the game has changed

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait until after opening weekend, but see this in theaters

Yes! They did it again! The cast of JUMANJI is back with a few new players and a whole lot of fun for everyone. While I didn't like this one quite as much as the first film, this one is still very good and well above average. It's more like an A- compared to the A of the first one.

Once again we see the cast having to act like other people in the film and they all do it so well. Dwayne Johnson as Danny Devito is funny in every way possible. We also get the addition of Awkwafina who has become an acting force this year, and will probably be up for several acting awards for her role in THE FAREWELL. She is a blast to watch in everything she does. 

The rest of the cast is stellar, and this time we get to see them interact a lot more with each other. The dialogue is funny and fast-paced. All of the actors bring something special to the film that makes it better. 

The story is exciting, the action is awesome, and the ending will make you wish the third film was already out. So, gather up the family and go have a great time at the theater this weekend. 

21 BRIDGES

Rated: R

Release Date: November 22, 2019

Director: Brian Kirk

Stars: Chadwick Boseman, J.K. Simmons, Sienna Miller

Plot: A NYPD detective is tasked with finding 2 cop killers in Manhattan, but he only has a few hours to do it

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

First things first, Chadwick Boseman is a beast. He is great in everything he does, and he makes every movie he is in better. Not only is he fun to watch, but it is obvious he works hard at his craft in order to give us the best possible version of every character he portrays. 

As for the movie, it's pretty good. Not great, but not terrible either. It's one of those movies that is filled with excitement, action, and suspense. And because it is filled up on those things there isn't much room for things like compelling dialogue, character development, or any emotions other than fear and anger.

If you are going for the fun stuff then go for it. You'll enjoy this movie for sure. It's filled with great chases, fights, and explosions. If you are hoping to see a smart film you should look elsewhere. This film is formulaic from beginning to end. They even had a wonderful opportunity to steer away from the typical police procedural plot with this one, but chose to stick with the same old thing once again. 

This isn't the kind of movie that is going to win any awards. It's not the kind of movie you'll be dying to see again once it comes out digitally, but it is a movie that can be really fun to watch once. 

TERMINATOR: DARK FATE

Rated: R

Release Date: November 1, 2019

Director: Tim Miller

Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes

Plot: A new and better terminator has come from the future to kill a girl that could destroy their future, but she has unexpected help

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

If you've seen one TERMINATOR flick you've seen them all. The plot of this one is about 95% the same as the original. It almost feels like they wanted to give the franchise a reboot, but also wanted to tie it into the original series somehow.

As with all of the other films in this franchise, you go for the action. If you are going for any other reason you will be left wanting more. The plot is regurgitated, the plot holes are massive, and the acting is average at best. The good news is this film is full of action, explosions, fighting, huge weapons, and cheesy one-liners. 

Thankfully, the studio spent money on making most of the special effects look right. There are a couple of scenes where the CGI doesn't work, but for the most part the effects are amazing. I just wish the same could be said for the rest of the movie. 

Yes, it is fun to see Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger in a movie together again, but it would be much more fun if the film were better.

If action flicks are your thing, this one will satisfy. If you need something to think about while watching a movie, think about seeing something else. 

GEMINI MAN

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: October 11, 2019

Director: Ang Lee

Stars: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen, Benedict Wong

Plot: The best assassin in the world must stay alive while his much younger and more agile clone is trying to kill him

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the digital release

Will Smith is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood history. Ang Lee is an Oscar-winning director. One would hope that a team like this would make an amazing film.

They didn't.

Yes, this movie does have some good suspense and an intriguing story line, but there is so much more about it that is below average.

First, the effects are just plain terrible. It looks like they pulled out the CGI software from 2005 and decided to give it another shot. The young Will Smith never looks right, to the point where every time he was on screen it pulled me out of the story. The action scenes are just as bad with the effects moving faster than reality. Your eye knows when it is seeing something moving faster than it should be, and in the case of this movie almost all of the effects move too fast.

As for the acting, Smith does a fine job. Benedict Wong steals the show with his funny one-liners. Unfortunately, the entire cast had to work with a horrible script. There are so many eye-rolling line delivered that it got to the point where the audience was laughing at lines that were never meant to be funny.

This is a film that will quickly be forgotten. There is nothing that makes it worth seeing in theaters, and there is no way anybody will call this a great film. It is mediocre at best, and well below average for a Will Smith movie.

We are getting to the part of the year where a lot of great films will be in theaters. Save your money and wait for one of those.

RAMBO: LAST BLOOD

Rated: R

Release Date: September 20, 2019

Director: Adrian Grunberg

Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Yvette Monreal

Plot: Rambo must return to his violent ways after his niece is taken by Mexican human traffickers

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

Do you remember that scene in HOME ALONE where the kid is looking over a map of his house and plotting all of the traps he is going to set for the bad guys? And then we see little Kevin setting up the house of horrors? Well, imagine that movie all grown up and every trap that gets set is going to kill someone in a brutal and gory way. 

RAMBO LAST BLOOD, meet HOME ALONE. You two are going to get along great, you have a ton of stuff in common.

Here's the deal. If you are wanting nothing more than a bunch of explosions, some cringe-worthy death scenes, and a couple of good fights then you will get everything you want out of this flick. If you are a person who cares about things like plot and intelligent dialogue this film should be avoided at all costs. 

While I did want to keep referring to Rambo as Killer Kevin from HOME ALONE, for the most part I found the action to be fun and exciting. However there was one major exception. The end of the big fight near the end of the movie is absolutely hilarious...but it isn't supposed to be. It is so ridiculous and insane that all you can do is laugh at the stupidity. 

As far as action flicks go this one is middle of the road at best. It's not one that will stick with you or become a cult classic like the original. Maybe it's just best if we all pretend that this one doesn't even exist. 

ANGEL HAS FALLEN

Rated: R

Release Date: August 23, 2019

Director: Ric Roman Waugh

Stars: Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman, Nick Nolte, Danny Huston

Plot: When the President is attacked his top security detail is framed and must fight to clear his name

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

This is the third film in the "FALLEN" franchise. You would think by now that the President would realize that his number one security guy is incredibly terrible at his job, because people have almost killed him in massive plots three different times. 

Just fire the guy already!

As for the movie, it's the same stuff as before, just a different setting. Lot's of explosions, lots of gunfire, and about a thousand laws broken, but none of that matters in the end, because the good guy finally gets his man. 

The best part of this movie is Nick Nolte. He completely steals the show. He is hilarious and heartwarming. And he adds a much-needed element of humanity to the story. Without him this film would be stiff and unbearable. 

As with most movies of this ilk, it is full of plot holes and moments of convenience. Just ignore those and go with it if you want to enjoy the film.

If you like high-stakes action flicks then you'll probably enjoy seeing this. You might as well see it in the theaters, just so you can get the full, body-shaking effect of stuff blowing up. If you are hoping for a smart, political thriller you should keep your money in your pocket and wait for something else to come along.

HOBBS AND SHAW

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: August 2, 2019

Director: David Leitch

Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Elba

Plot: Two former enemies must work together to save the world from a deadly virus and a mad man

Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this in theaters now

Sometimes in life you just want something brainless, ridiculous, and stupid to satisfy your cravings. This is the perfect movie for that. It is, in every way, brainless, ridiculous, and stupid. But it is also a good movie. 

The banter and jokes thrown between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Staham are fantastic, funny, entertaining, and awesome. I have no idea how they managed to shoot several of the scenes without cracking up every single take. 

One of the best additions to this film, and the FAST AND FURIOUS franchise is the appearance of Helen Mirren as Shaw's criminal mastermind mother. She is brilliant in the role and perfectly hilarious, too. 

Vanessa Kirby also brings new blood to the franchise in more ways than one. Her fighting skills are on par with the guys three times her size, and she is faster and smarter than everyone she encounters. Plus she has a very interesting relationship with both Hobbs and Shaw making for some great comedic tension.

Idris Elba plays the over-the-top bad guy as well as anyone has ever played the bad guy in a movie like this. He goes to the extreme without it becoming too campy. And because of his character we get to see a ton of cool stuff blow up. 

I'm pretty sure I lost brain cells while watching this film, but I'm completely okay with that. This is 100% awesome fun. It is insanely funny, overflowing with ridiculous action, and packed with high levels of testosterone and stupidity. What more could anyone possibly want or need in a summer popcorn flick. 

This one is so fun you may even want to see it twice. 

SHAFT

Rated: R

Release Date: June 14, 2019

Director: Tim Story

Stars: Samuel L. Jackson, Regina Hall, Jessie T. Usher, Alexandra Shipp

Plot: The son of Shaft needs the help of his estranged father when his best friend gets into trouble

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

If you are old enough to remember the Richard Roundtree SHAFT films from the 70's then you will be happy to know that this movie does a good job of paying homage to them, while still making itself relevant to 2019.

I was surprised by the humor throughout. I figured there would be a couple of laughs thrown in to lighten the mood, but this movie is really funny. In fact, there were more jokes in this movie than in some of the comedies that have come out recently.

The only thing I didn't like was that the mystery and the solving of the mystery were too straightforward and formulaic. I was hoping for more twists and turns, but instead it's a no-nonsense who-done-it.

This film does a fantastic job of using the music to it's advantage. There is one scene where the main action gets interrupted, at that point the music stops dead, the characters deal with the nuisance, and then, as they get back to the point of the scene, the music ramps up again like it's being played on a record player.

Overall, this is a fun, funny film with a decent mystery and a little bit of suspense. If you are a fan of Samuel L. Jackson then you have to see this movie. The same goes if you are a fan of the original SHAFT flicks. It's a good summer film where you can relax, be entertained, and not have to use your brain too much for a couple of hours.

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: May 31, 2019

Director: Michael Dougherty

Stars: Kyle Chandler, Vera Farmiga, Millie Bobby Brown, Ken Wantanabe

Plot: A vigilante group finds a way to release all of the titans, causing mass destruction all over the world

Trailer

Clint Says: If you are a fan of monster movies, see this in theaters. If not, skip it.

This film can be summed up in one sentence. It is a lot of humans doing colossally stupid things allowing the monsters ample opportunity to destroy everything and fight each other.

If you read that sentence and said, "Sounds good to me," then you should go see this movie immediately. If your response was anything short of that, then do anything else.

This is a check-your-brain-at-the-door popcorn flick. The plot is so insanely stupid that it really feels like it is in the way of us just being able to enjoy the battles. For those of you that are MMA, boxing, or wrestling fans, the plot in this film is like enduring the 25 minutes of filler between the fights. Sometimes you get a good moment or two, but for the most part it's just annoying and a great opportunity to go to the bathroom.

It's sad that they didn't bother to make this movie any smarter. Movies like PACIFIC RIM prove you can make a monster movie that is smart, has great character development, and a compelling plot. This film has none of that.

The upside is that the fight scenes are incredible. The sights and sounds are exciting and entertaining, and there are a lot of fights in this movie.  The downside is there are usually several helpless humans below them, (oddly enough, it's almost always the same group of people), and we don't care about any of them because the character development is so bad.

I saw this movie with a huge Godzilla fan and a couple of 12 year old boys. You'd think they all would have considered this to be Best Picture material, but all three of them were just okay with it. Even the 12 year olds picked up on how thin the plot was.

If you go, just enjoy the monster bash. Do not engage your brain at all. If you do you will be severely disappointed.

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3: PARABELLUM

Rated: R

Release Date: May 17, 2019

Director: Chad Stahelski

Stars: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne

Plot: John Wick has become excommunicated, and now everyone is trying to claim the $14 Million price on his head

Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this in theaters now

It is confirmed. This is the best action movie franchise in the history of film. It's better than DIE HARD, it's better than the BOURNE films, it's better than all of them.

Never have I seen a row full of movie critics all jump back in their seats, look at each other in amazement, and then clap and cheer like a bunch of kids at an amusement park. And that happened TWICE in the first ten minutes of the movie!

Just about 90 minutes into the film a fellow critic leaned over to me and whispered, "I'm going to see this movie infinity times." To which my reply was, "I know, right!?"

If you have not seen the first two films in this series it is essential that you do before seeing this one. This movie doesn't bother with silly things like resetting the world, the characters, or what the heck is going on. It just picks up right where the last one left off and sprints towards the finish line. 

This is the kind of movie where you have to suspend your disbelief. If you can do that, you'll stand a great chance of loving this movie. If you can't, you shouldn't even bother. Just about everything that happens in the JOHN WICK films are impossible and ridiculous. But that is what makes them so great.

For those of you that are not familiar with this franchise, you need to know that it is filled with brutal violence, and oh-I-really-don't-want-to-look-but-I-have-to moments from beginning to end. If you can handle all of that then you should watch the first two film immediately and then head straight to the theater to see this one.

MISS BALA

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: February 1, 2019

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Stars: Gina Rodriguez, Anthony Mackie, Ismael Cruz Cordova

Plot: A makeup artist finds herself in the middle of a drug war and must survive any way she can

Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the digital release

If you ever saw the movie MISS CONGENIALITY you've pretty much seen this film, but only if you played the first one in reverse...and take out all of the happy moments.

Gina Rodriguez is decent in this movie, but the rest of the cast is pretty terrible. It is filled with stilted dialogue, one-dimensional characters, and formulaic plot points. It has a couple of suspenseful moments, but for an action flick it moves pretty slow.

There isn't a lot to this movie other than what you see in the trailer. It is just over 90 minutes long and it feels like they stretched to get it there. It has a lot of potential, but it never really pays off in an entertaining way. 

If you are in the mood for a couple of cool explosions and you don't really care about thinking while watching a film, then grab some popcorn and enjoy this. If you are expecting something smart as well as full of action, you may want to wait until something better comes along.  

ROBIN HOOD

Rated: PG-13

Release Date: November 21, 2018

Director: Otto Bathurst

Stars: Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx, Ben Mendelsohn, Eve Hewson

Plot: Robin of Loxley returns from war to a very different Nottingham than when he left, and must work with a small group of people to try to bring down the evil Sheriff 

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

I think that Hollywood is slowly forgetting how to write a proper hero. Several times this year I've sat through films where the "hero" does nothing on his/her own, but simply reacts to the environment presented before them. A true hero is proactive, not reactive. They figure out a way, against all odds, to overcome the bigger, badder, evil that no one else can vanquish.

This Robin Hood is no hero. 

He spends the entire movie, save for literally one minute, following the orders and wishes of everyone else in the film. He never makes his own way, until one point where he says "I have a plan," and unfurls a map in front of his gang. And that's it. That is his one shining moment as the hero.

There are some good things about this movie. First, Taron Egerton is in it. He's great in just about everything he does, even in a bad movie. Second, there are a lot of great action scenes. Third, the music is awesome. And finally, there is some great, witty banter between the characters. If the story had been better this could have been an outstanding film. 

If you are a fan of the Robin Hood tale, you may want to skip this one. It might leave a bad taste in your mouth. If you are a Taron Egerton fan, by all means, get to the theater right away and enjoy.

THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB

Rated: R

Release Date: November 9, 2018

Director: Fede Alvarez

Stars: Claire Foy, Sverrir Gudnason, Lakeith Stanfield, Sylvia Hoeks

Plot: A hacker is tasked with destroying a dangerous computer program before it falls into the wrong hands

Trailer

Clint Says: Save some money and see a matinee

I'm not sure why almost all European-based mystery/action films are so slow and deliberate. This one is no exception. That isn't to say that this is a bad movie. On the contrary, this is actually a pretty decent film. It's not going to blow you away, but it will keep you interested for almost the entire length of the film. However, it plods along at a pace that is a bit too slow for most movie-goers.

Claire Foy does a fine job taking over the role from Rooney Mara. She portrays the complexity of her character with great skill. Even while you see her have the strength to stand up against a massive foe, you can also see that she feels insecure and alone.

The mystery is good despite using several of the same tired tropes we see in so many films like this. (The bad guys are all trying to get their hands on a bunch of nuclear weapons to destroy the world). It could have been outstanding if they had made it a bit more reckless and fun. It is a bit too dark and depressing to be an entertaining movie.

For those of you that saw the first film in this series and don't want to see this one because of the graphic nature of several scenes, just know that this one is much tamer. If you liked the first one you should give this one a shot.

THE PREDATOR

Rated: R

Release Date: September 14, 2018

Director: Shane Black

Stars: Boyd Holbrook, Jacob Tremblay, Olivia Munn, Sterling K. Brown

Plot: Predators have returned to earth and a rag-tag team of misfits have to try to figure out why they are here and how to get rid of them

Trailer

Clint Says: Don't even bother

There is a high probability that this movie is going to end up on my 10 Worst Films of the Year list. It's going to take several real stinkers to knock this one off of the list.

Director Shane Back should be embarrassed that he made such a terrible movie, and the producers should be ashamed that they didn't secure enough funding to make this thing look better than a bad made-for-television film from the mid-80's. 

The effects are so bad they are literally laugh-out-loud funny. The acting is terrible to the point where I was cringing every time I heard a cheesy line. The editing is amateur and makes the movie look like a bad episode of POWER RANGERS rather than a big-budget action flick. And the music is so weird and out of place it actually pulled me out of the story several times.

This travesty is full of massive plot holes, horrific writing, and terrible chemistry. I am shocked that this film is getting a wide release. It looks like it's a video-on-demand flick.

Do not waste your time. Even if you use a free coupon to see this, you are going to be disappointed.