Ed's Review Dot Com

Stereo D, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation,

Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Liam Hemsworth, Jessie Usher, Maika Monroe, Sela Ward, Judd Hirsch, Angelababy, Joey King, Vivica A. Fox, Brent Spiner, Charlotte Gainsbourg, William Fichtner, Deobia Oparei, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Patrick St. Esprit

Twenty years have passed since the original battle for freedom from the aliens was fought. There is a new lady president (to show it’s fiction) and the original President Whitmore is much the worse for wear, but his daughter has grown and is now an emissary to the white house. Captain Hiller is long gone, but his son, Dylan (Jesse T Usher) is a crack pilot and ready to step in to his fathers shoes to fight off the aliens once again who have come back, this time more than double the size of the last time. This time Earth has no chance, but they are going to give it their best shot. They have been improving over the last 20 years, but have they done enough?

This is a big budget blockbuster summer film that falls a little short. There is no way to match the scope of the first one, which caught us all by surprise. They did a really good job of bringing back the major characters and it’s easy to age them 20 years, since the original was released in 1996, 20 years ago! The story is done very well, and the characters are good. Furthermore, the special effects are extremely well done. The battle scenes are awesome, and I was totally entertained throughout the entire film. It’s a very well done movie, and very worthwhile to watch. So why the bad press, and the less than stellar box office? Well, there is no choice but to compare this to the experience 20 years ago of the original, and that’s a no win situation. If you were to watch these back to back now, it would become very clear how well done the new one is, and how the old one is 20 years old, but this is not a remake, it’s a sequel. A long after 20 years in the making sequel. I think they did an excellent job as well, and if this was a brand new story, It’s probably five stars, but you can’t help but compare the feeling you had coming out of the first one, completely exhausted and blown away, and the way you come out of this one thinking, “It’s not as good as the first one”. I probably is better, but can never be seen that way. It’s just a fact of human nature that the awe and wonder of the first one can’t be recreated. But I am glad to know what happened to this alien bunch and can’t help hoping they get what’s coming to them. Just don’t let the naysayers get to you, and go see it while you can.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Regency Enterprises, TSG Entertainment,

Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry, Carrie Coon, Kim Dickens, Missi Pyle, Sela Ward, Casey Wilson, Patrick Fugit, David Clennon, Lisa Banes, Lola Kirke, Boyd Holbrook

Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) fell instantly in love with Amy (Rosamund Pike), and they were quickly married, but four years later a lot has changed. They’re not feeling close anymore, fighting more than talking, and both feel disappointed in how their lives have turned out. Contemplating divorce, Nick returns home from the bar that he owns with his sister to find his wife is missing. The house is torn up, and it appears like a struggle. As Amy’s family arrives to help, Nick insists he doesn’t know anything about Amy’s disappearance, but as time goes by, everyone seems to turn on him and his alibi is wearing thin.

This is a crime story, right out of today’s headlines, but with plot twists and turns and loads of suspense building, it was a wildly popular film in theaters, and one I wanted to get to see. But the timing was bad, and I never made it. Now it has come out on DVD and I planned a nice evening watching this film. This might be a case where your expectation is too high. Sometimes that backfires, and I was simply not blown away by this movie as I was with some of the others I have seen recently, but knew little about. Ben Affleck was pretty good, and played the frustrated husband with lots of secrets pretty well. I have no complaints with his performance. In fact, it was a very high quality film, and certainly interesting enough to watch. I enjoyed it, and it was an OK thriller with a good cast and an ordinary script. I think my biggest problem here was there were no great AHA! moments, but rather lots of little “ok, sure” moments. I wasn’t shocked by the way the story went, and it was a rather unfulfilling ending at the end. But it fits, and the story is certainly pretty authentic modern America. I don’t want to discourage people from watching this, as it was certainly a good film, but definitely not a GREAT film. Perhaps if you come in with lower expectations you won’t be disappointed.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog