Movie Reviews

I watched a number of movies over the past few weeks and I gotta say, most of them were stinkers (!), so this looks like a brief review compared to my regular longwinded spiel.

XXX2 : The Next Level or State of the Union (as it is known outside of Asia)

This movie SUCKED. Hard.

Why?

It practically used EVERY known cliche’ available from greater and more enjoyable summer action movies of yesteryear that’s why!

From the opening set-up scene before the opening montage; to the killing of the mentor mid-movie to give purpose to the hero for vengeance and redemption; to the multiple explosion-packed finale.

I mean c’mon....I grew up watching cliche’d action movies that were of far superior quality like the Rambo and Die Hard series of the ‘80s which could bitch-slap XXX2 and put it in its rightful place: a trash can.

(*Conscience Call* Errr....dude..maybe you're getting TOO OLD to still be watching this kinda mindless action movies...they ARE after all packaged for today's kids and teenagers who doesn't know any better and will then have not realised that there ARE better written action movies from olden days... Oh shut up goddamn conscience! ur making me look bad right now! )

Then again, as they say, H’wood is an everlasting cycle.....genres are recycled every 10 years or so as audiences tastes waxes and wanes. Currently, ppl are going crazy for actioners and super-hero themed movie which are larger than life and lightweight in the thinking dept. During the 70s & the 80s peeps dug talky-talky melodramatic movies (read; Easy Rider, Kramer Vs. Kramer, Wall Street, etc.)

Granted the 80’s also had great action movies like the aforementioned Rambo(Stallone), Die Hard(Willis) and Terminator(Swarzchenegger) series but at least they weren’t as dumb-ass as these current crop of actioners (XXX, anything the Rock acts in, etc.).

I can’t believe the writer of this crap cliche’d mess (Simon Kinberg) is being lauded as the NEW writer to watch out for since he is SO prolific and touted to have 5-6 movies set to screen this year. (Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Fantastic Four, X-Men 3)

If XXX2 is any indicator of what Kinberg is capable of....I worry for the future of Marvel Comic’s future movies such as Fantastic Four and X-Men 3.

Instead of being homage to the great comics as it should be like Spiderman 1 and 2, those movies might just be shadows of their former comic selves’ ala crappy Marvel adaptations like Daredevil and The Hulk (ugghh!)

Watch ONLY if you have nothing better to do during your weekend!