Director: Robert Eggers
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, Björk, Willem Dafoe
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 138 mins

The Northman is the latest by director Robert Eggers and is arguably his highest-profile film to date. Eggers cooked a cinematic storm with his debut feature The Witch which was a visceral and deeply unsettling drama that was wrongly marketed as an out-and-out horror film which disappointed some audiences. It also served as a launchpad for Anya Taylor-Joy whose exemplary and nuanced performance provided the film’s backbone. 

Eggers next directed The Lighthouse, which performed favourably with critics. I thought Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe delivered excellent, authentic performances and the film’s atmosphere was frequently mesmerising, although narratively it is a challenging watch.   

The Northman is a historical revenge epic starring Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth, a Viking prince whose father, King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke) is brutally murdered by his Uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang) when he is a child. Fjölnir takes control of the kingdom and puts a price on Amleth’s head, forcing him to flee, and unites with Amleth’s mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman). 

Amleth has a simple quest, a mantra that he repeats to himself throughout the film – avenge his father, save his mother and kill Fjölnir. The film jumps forward in time when Amleth is a fully fledged man, a member of a band of Vikings who have raised him as a ruthless berserker. When Amleth encounters a Seeress (Björk) following an attack on a village, he is placed on his path of revenge. 

The Northman is a Robert Eggers film through and through and there’s a lot to admire, even if it is flawed. As he has demonstrated in his first two films, his attention to authenticity is laudable and the Scandinavian setting is presented as a cutthroat, desolate and animalistic vista. It is typically well-researched and the script penned by Eggers and Icelandic poet Sjón feels genuine in its choice of language.  

The film is frequently spiritual and dream-like in its tone, although it often borders on the ridiculous and is full of portent. The first half an hour is particularly sensory, as the young Amleth undergoes a spiritual coming-of-age ceremony with his father. There is also an astonishingly beautiful montage sequence that foreshows Amleth’s destiny that is Eggers through and through. 

The cinematography by Eggers-regular Jarin Blaschke is profound and evocative, a long-take in an early raiding of a village particularly satisfying. The Northman marks the first of Eggers’ films not to be scored by Mark Korven and instead brings the duo of Robin Carolan and Sebastian Gainsborough to the fore. The score also does a lot of the heavy lifting in establishing a grim tone with its authentic string and percussion-based beats. 

As is also typical for Eggers, the director coaxes some excellent performances from the talented cast. Alexander Skarsgård is not the most subtle of actors in quieter films but with this being a more physical role that suits him, he delivers and he makes for a commanding lead. Anya Taylor-Joy is by far and away the highlight of the film with a typically nuanced and delicate performance as Olga, a Slavic sorceress whose path crosses with Amleth, their love diverting from his mission. Claes Bang is also surprisingly excellent as the seemingly formidable yet pathetic Fjölnir, offering a muted performance, which is against type as he is quite a showy actor. Ethan Hawke delivers an interesting but committed performance as the King with a limited life in the film’s first thirty minutes and Willem Dafoe makes a commanding impression in a small role as a court jester. Björk also delivers an assured performance as the Seeress in a small role. It’s only really Nicole Kidman who doesn’t bring her all to the role of the Queen, although she is serviceable enough. 

The Northman has its fair share of flaws though and it’s not quite the slam-dunk it could have been. Although Eggers generates a palpable atmosphere, the film’s narrative is rather empty and it doesn’t have much of an elegiac and lasting quality to it. That said, there are some interesting sporadic plot twists that keep the film tipped on the fresh side. One also has to suspend narrative belief as Amleth could very easily achieved his mission earlier. The film is a lengthy 138 minutes and it sure is plodding in its pace at times. 

The film is also not nearly violent enough considering its subject matter. Eggers stages some visceral action sequences with some thrilling kills, but they are generally all implied as the camera cuts away, leaving the action to audience interpretation.

The Northman is ultimately an ambitious Viking epic with some excellent performances and arresting visuals. However, it’s lacking in its narrative and lacks the lasting impact of the best historical epic revenge films. It is always better for a director to take risks than to compromise in its directors vision and deliver an anonymous picture. On that front, The Northman is unmistakably a Robert Eggers film that showcases his best and worst qualities. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: David Yates
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, William Nadylam, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Mads Mikkelsen
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 142 mins

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the third instalment in the spin-off series to the Harry Potter films. The series has drawn a fair amount of controversy, firstly with J.K. Rowling’s controversial comments on the transgender community losing her a legion of fans following the release of the The Crimes of Grindelwald. Then, there is Johnny Depp who plays the lead villain, Gellert Grindelwald, his career in limbo during his high-profile feud with Amber Heard. For The Secrets of Dumbledore, he was controversially asked to step down from the series and is instead replaced by Mads Mikkelsen. Ezra Miller, who plays Credence, has also been in trouble for his public conduct, which also doesn’t grant the film any favours. 

Perhaps the biggest hurdle of all is that The Secrets of Dumbledore is riding off the back of The Crimes of Grindelwald, the first in the entire Wizarding World canon to garner a mixed-to-negative reception. Whilst I loved Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, I was also disappointed by The Crimes of Grindelwald, a film that makes some strange decisions, chooses to bewilderingly retcon prior narrative events and is far too busy concerned with setting up future films than being entertaining itself. 

This third entry sees the younger Dumbledore (Jude Law) tasking series lead Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his allies in their quest to thwart Grindelwald’s rapid ascent, who seeks to be elected as the Supreme Mugwump to govern over the wizarding world to unleash his reign of terror.  Can The Secrets of Dumbledore function as a course-correction for the series?  

The answer is mostly a resounding yes as Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore learns some important lessons from the second film’s shortcomings. Returning director David Yates deftly melds both Grindelwald’s political quest and Newt’s storyline and unlike the second film which sidelined the titular fantastic beasts, Newt’s briefcase of magical creatures play an important part in the narrative. 

David Yates is a fine director and as well as this series, he was responsible for the final four Harry Potter films and also the underrated The Legend of Tarzan. He excels as a visual voice and always strikes a poetic tone but he sadly seemed to be on autopilot for large sections of The Crimes of Grindelwald. There are some arresting visuals here and the film is directed with confidence.  

There are some noteworthy performances, with Jude Law the standout in an expanded role as Dumbledore, who retains Michael Gambon’s twinkly personality and Irish lilt. Redmayne carries the film well again and Callum Turner as Newt’s Auror brother, Theseus makes more of an impression in an expanded role, as he was quite wooden last time round. 

Newcomer Mads Mikkelsen is excellent as Grindelwald but wisely avoids channeling Johnny Depp’s equally strong performance. Mikkelsen is a more straight-faced but solemn presence and the idea that his character and Law’s Dumbledore had a romantic relationship is believable. Richard Coyle is also new to the franchise as Dumbledore’s brother Aberforth, and he’s also great and I can very easily see how the character grows up to be his older, gruff self as played by Ciaran Hinds in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. 

Cinematographer George Richmond replaces Philippe Rousselot for this third installment and he conjures a greyer aesthetic to suit the world that is on the brink of an all-out war, foregoing Rousselot’s more romantic elements. 

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a thoroughly entertaining ride that justifies the existence of this series. I’m not sure if it’s quite as good as the first instalment but it’s certainly pretty close. Sadly, the film has attracted mixed-to-positive reviews and with the many controversies looming over, I really hope it’s not the end for the series. I’d love to see how the story develops, as it slowly heads to the exciting historical wizarding match between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. Only time (and the box office) will determine the series future. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Excellent)

Director: Mark Williams
Starring: Liam Neeson, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Taylor John Smith, Aidan Quinn, Claire van der Boom
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 104 mins

Blacklight is Liam Neeson’s latest action vehicle, re-teaming with Honest Thief director Mark Williams. Neeson stars as Travis Block, a Vietnam War veteran turned FBI fixer. He extracts undercover agents from difficult situations but wants to spend more time with his daughter, Amanda (Claire van der Boom) and granddaughter Natalie (Gabriella Sengos). When Block is tasked with bringing in undercover FBI Agent Dusty Crane (Taylor John Smith), a web of conspiracy ensues. 

Although Neeson has his detractors for his action era, I believe he picks interesting projects. The original Taken was a lean and mean thrill-ride and A Walk Among The Tombstones oozes in grit and substance. Run All Night has surprising style and Cold Pursuit revels in its dark humour. I’ve even got time for some of his lesser works directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and Taken 2 at a push. 

Unfortunately, Blacklight is a total disaster and has virtually no redeeming qualities. Neeson tries to make the best of a bad situation but even he can’t convince audiences with some terrible lines. It’s offensively bland in its direction, the supporting performances are embarrassing and the storyline nonsensical. Taylor John Smith and Aidan Quinn are particularly poor in their roles and Claire van der Boom’s character struck me as borderline psychotic to be a mother. 

Blacklight is marketed as an action thriller and yet, only really contains two action sequences. Even if the storyline is poor, action sequences can pass the time well but this film doesn’t have that. It’s a total chore to sit through, despite only being 104 minutes and I lost patience very early on into the film. 

Blacklight is an utter dud in Neeson’s action catalogue and is terrible in pretty much every respect. It manages to make Taken 3, a film in which no-one actually gets taken, look like a masterpiece. Luckily in the UK, it’s not being released theatrically and is heading straight to Sky Cinema, so you can very easily avoid it.  

⭐ (Terrible)

Director: Adrian Lyne
Starring: Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, Tracy Letts, Grace Jenkins, Dash Mihok, Rachel Blanchard, Kristen Connolly, Jacob Elordi, Lil Rel Howery
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 115 mins

Deep Water is an erotic psychological thriller, directed by Adrian Lyne, his first film in twenty years. This genre is Lyne’s bread-and-butter, most famous for films such as Fatal Attraction, Lolita and Jacob’s Ladder, all of which feature sexually charged stories and characters. 

The film is an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1957 novel of the same name and follows Vic and Melinda Van Allen (Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas), a couple in a loveless marriage. The two have an agreement that Melinda is allowed to have affairs with anyone she wants, as long as she does not desert Vic for the sake of their young daughter, Trixie (Grace Jenkins). 

Their open marriage isn’t a well kept secret amongst their friends, although Vic grows increasingly tired and jealous of Melinda’s lovers. They are both led into a web of conspiracies following the death of one of Melinda’s partners, with Vic the obvious prime suspect. 

Although Deep Water is a rather trashy affair, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable and pulpy ride. The film plays to Lyne’s directorial strengths and he’s able to capitalise on the spiky yet sensual relationship convincingly. Until the third act, the mystery is satisfying to witness unravel and it sustains its positively vicious tone throughout. 

Affleck is no stranger to this type of role, with obvious comparisons to Gone Girl. Vic has a cynical outlook on life and can be cold and clinical at times, but he is also measured and has the closer relationship with his daughter compared to her mother. Melinda, on the other hand, has an erratic personality and revels in the pain she inflicts on Vic and isn’t particularly motherly towards her daughter. After excellent performances in Knives Out and No Time To Die, Ana de Armas continues to build her impressive career with her versatility, as her character is quite despicable. 

Unfortunately, the film finds itself in fittingly deep water in its third act where it falls apart in its logic. Tracy Letts plays Don Wilson, a friend of the couple who is judgemental, in one scene outwardly questioning the moral ethics of the drone warfare that Vic has made his wealth from. It’s unnatural how uncommonly interested Wilson finds himself in Vic’s character and it’s impossible to take the character’s intentions seriously, which are particularly prevalent in the third act. There is also a borderline laughable chase between a car and a bicycle, worsened by choppy editing, that ends too narratively conveniently. 

Whilst it’s perhaps easy to understand why critics haven’t taken particularly kindly to Deep Water, I found the film a guilty pleasure. The spiky relationship of the central duo are the thread that binds the narrative and the murder mystery elements are genuinely interesting, as a result of the convincing development of the couple. If you can get on board with its ludicrous premise, it makes for a thoroughly entertaining ride until it falls apart somewhat in its third act. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Ti West
Starring: Mia Goth, Jenny Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, Owen Campbell, Stephen Ure, Scott Mescudi
Certificate: 18
Run Time: 106 mins

X is the new film from director Ti West, who returns to his horror roots after a brief venture to the Western with the giddily entertaining In A Valley Of Violence. West’s horror films have been hit-and-miss – I liked aspects of The House of the Devil and while The Innkeepers had an original concept, it just tonally didn’t work for me. That said, you can’t deny he always has a vision and for that reason, West is an exciting director.

X takes place in 1979 and follows a cast and crew of a pornographic film who choose to shoot on an unsuspecting elderly couple’s rural Texas property. The group is comprised of aspiring actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth), her producer boyfriend Wayne (Martin Henderson) , actors Bobby-Lynne (Brittany Snow) and Jackson Hole (Scott Mescudi), the director RJ (Owen Campbell) and his girlfriend Lorraine (Jenna Ortega). 

Immediately on arrival, one of the proprietor’s, Howard (Stephen Ure), is temperamental towards the group and things seem off. What follows is a cacophony of gleeful violence intertwined with sexual awakenings and discovery. 

X is a thoroughly entertaining horror that is elevated by its cineliteracy towards 20th-century slasher films such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, as well as its satisfying exploration of a range of themes. It is most effective in its first half as the build-up is at a constant simmer. The film heads off the rails in its second half in a mostly satisfying way, albeit with some silliness as it leans into the genre tropes of that era.

Mia Goth has impressed in horror films with A Cure For Wellness and Suspiria and makes her mark here again. She brings a down-and-dirty edge into the role of Maxine and she quite literally disappears into her second role under heavy prosthetics as Pearl, the wife of Howard. The rest of the cast are all game too, with Jenny Ortega receiving a meaningful arc and Stephen Ure proving what an underrated actor he is, channeling the nastiness from his most famous portrayal of an Orc in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. 

The score by Tyler Bates and Chelsea Wolfe is haunting using period pieces as well as an original predominantly synth-based score. Chelsea Wolfe’s rendition of Oui Oui Marie is particularly mesmerising.  The film is also beautifully shot by Eliot Rockett. He frames the characters as if they are prey, an aerial shot of an alligator stalking its target and an eagle encircling the air above the film crew are of particular note. 

X is quite easily Ti West’s best horror film and is a great example of how to flirt with the past and deliver an original concept. In A Valley Of Violence remains his best film overall but this is a thoroughly entertaining piece that wears its inspirations on its sleeve and has depth. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Excellent)

Director: Domee Shi
Starring: (voices of) Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, Tristan Allerick Chen, James Hong
Certificate: PG
Run Time: 100 mins

Turning Red is the latest in the Disney Pixar canon and like Soul and Luca last year, it has released straight on Disney+. Whilst the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t gone away, this seems a strange decision, especially considering Disney films such as Encanto and Spider-Man: No Way Home have performed very well in cinemas. The film is directed by Domee Shi, the Oscar-winning director of Pixar short Bao.

Set in 2002, Turning Red’s central character is a thirteen year old Chinese-Canadian girl called Meilin ‘Mei’ Lee (Rosalie Chiang). She lives with her parents in Toronto – her father, Jin (Orion Lee) is relaxed and easygoing but her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), is authoritative and overprotective. Mei walks a fine line between trying to please her mother and  trying to fit in with her peers at school, although she’s part of a small circle of girls who are fans of a boyband called ‘4*Town’. Her mother disapproves and outside of school, Mei helps to look after her family’s temple dedicated to their ancestor, Sun Yee. 

Mei gets increasingly stressed with having to walk the tightrope between her mother and her own personal choices and one morning, Mei wakes up and finds that she has transformed into a giant red panda. Mei discovers that she transforms  whenever she gets into a strong state of emotion, evocative of growing up and the film doesn’t shy away from topics such as menstruation and puberty. 

Turning Red is to be commended for its sheer ambition of dealing with what is a relatively taboo subject matter for a mainstream film, especially one that also has to appeal to younger audiences. It represents a very different affair for a Pixar film and as is typical for the animation studio, it is moving in parts. It is clearly inspired by anime with its transformative element and colour scheme, down to the extreme facial expressions of its characters. 

The script, co-written by Shi and Julia Cho, is smart and its characters bursting with personality. Mei is a very well written lead and is endlessly empathetic. She simply wants to carve her own life and is intelligent and funny, although crucially not perfect. Her friends – Miriam, Priya and Abby are also delightful and the topics they discuss and aspirations they share are typical of teenagers in an early 2000’s society. 

The toxic relationship between Mei and her mother is well-handled and once we start to learn more about the extended family that the Lee’s belong to, some of the extreme measures Ming takes to protect her daughter make more sense. It’s a shame that Jin is sidelined as a character, reduced to a quiet though thoroughly comedic presence. The film wears its distinctly female voice with pride on its sleeve but a more fleshed-out role for Jin would have been more satisfying to balance the drama. 

Turning Red takes some adjusting to get into, as its first fifteen minutes or so comes across as obnoxious. However, this is by design as Shi conveys the eclectic teenage lifestyle and once its characters have been introduced, the film is much easier to get on board with. The score by Ludwig Göransson, his first animation effort, is similarly eclectic but the themes aren’t particularly memorable and simply put, it doesn’t always work in the context of the scene it accompanies. 

Overall, Turning Red is an innovative and thoroughly original Pixar film and is respectful though unashamed in its presentation of its subject matter. Once you settle into its tone, it’s a very satisfying journey to watch unfold bolstered by its strongly written female characters. It’s not quite top-tier Pixar for me, as it isn’t quite as effortlessly charming and poignant as its best entries such as Up or Coco, but I’m very glad it exists. The film is sure to launch Domee Shi’s career and I can’t wait to see what she does next. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, Walker Scobell, Catherine Keener, Zoe Saldaña
Certificate: 12A
Run Time: 106 mins

The Adam Project is the second collaboration between director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds. They first collaborated on last year’s Free Guy, a film that received critical acclaim but I found it to be a bland disappointment. The Adam Project is more of a straightforward sci-fi, which Free Guy also skirted with but in a more fantastical setting. This film follows Ryan Reynolds as a pilot from the future who attempts to time-travel back to 2018 to save his wife, Laura (Zoe Saldaña). Unfortunately, things go rather wrong and he ends up in 2022. There, he meets his 12-year-old self (Walker Scobell), who is trying to come to terms with the death of his father (Mark Ruffalo) one year prior. He is bullied at school and has a rocky relationship with his mother (Jennifer Garner). The Adams are soon attacked by the leader of the future dystopian world, Maya Sorian (Catherine Keener) and have to team together to protect the future from her dictatorship. 

The Adam Project is a much better effort this time around and the first half of the film has a lot going for it. Levy assuredly establishes and develops the characters and it is quite moving in places, especially the relationship between the younger Adam and his mother and how they are both trying to process the loss of their patriarchal figure. Reynold’s Adam touchingly attempts to step in to repair the relationship and set it on a better course so that his younger counterpart doesn’t live the same life of regret.  

The second half of the film is a far more conventional science fiction piece and adheres to many of the genre codes and conventions. There’s a reasonably kinetic chase sequence mid-way through the film but Levy leans too far into the realm of visual effects for the climax. The film is visually interesting, except for its climax and it’s typically clinically yet warmly lensed by Tobias Schliesser. 

Reynolds plays his usual self, which is fine, and luckily the film doesn’t resort to trying to coast on his humour, which is hit-and-miss. Scobell is excellent as the younger Adam and really sells the fed-up and down teenager. Garner has some nice moments too, although Ruffalo is sadly underused and not given a lot to work with. Keener doesn’t fare particularly well in the villain role and is far better suited to subtle roles, such as her excellent performances in Sicario 2: Soldado or Get Out. 

The Adam Project is far better than expected and is best in its first half where it explores and tackles the broken family dynamic in an interesting way. I cared less for its second half, which gets increasingly visual effects heavy and formulaic. Following the release of the film, it’s been announced that Levy will re-team with Reynolds again for the long-awaited Deadpool 3. Whilst I am hoping for the best, I’m sceptical with Levy in the director’s chair as his career so far suggests he is better suited to more family-oriented fare. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Matt Reeves
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano, Jeffrey Wright, John Turturro, Peter Sarsgaard, Andy Serkis, Colin Farrell
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 176 mins

The Batman is a new rendition of the Caped Crusader, positioned outside of the DCEU canon. The film was originally destined for the DCEU, functioning as a solo effort on Ben Affleck’s iteration of the character established in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Affleck was to also direct the project but departed, feeling it was too much to take on with his schedule at the time. 

War for the Planet of the Apes director Matt Reeves stepped in and decided to steer the property in a different direction to what Affleck had envisaged. Affleck had wanted to make a James Bond influenced film (which sounded very promising!) but Reeves wanted to introduce his own Batman without the confines of a cinematic universe. 

The Batman sees a younger Dark Knight (Robert Pattinson) in his second year of crimefighting and Reeves hones in on his detective skills. Gotham City is threatened by serial killer, The Riddler (Paul Dano), who is targeting the city’s elite. Batman uncovers a web of corruption, drawing him closer to the villain, as well as other unsavoury characters such as The Penguin (an almost unrecognisable Colin Farrell) and Carmine Falcone (John Turturro). He works alongside James Gordon (Jeffrey Wright) and Reeves portrays a much closer relationship between the two, Batman allowed to investigate live crime scenes. His inquiries also collide with Selina Kyle (Zoë Kravitz), who is also in her early days of her alter ego, Catwoman, and the two form a relationship. 

There has been no filmic shortage of the Caped Crusader in recent memory. As well as the DCEU, there has been Will Arnett’s comedic Lego-themed performances, most notably in The Lego Batman Movie. There have also been spin-offs such as Joker, which received awards acclaim for its demented yet innovative treatment of Joaquin Phoenix’s supervillain, whose course collides with a young Bruce Wayne at one point. 

Even Christopher Nolan’s triumphant trilogy that represents the very pinnacle of the character is barely a decade old. Can Reeves’ neo-noir vision translate into an engaging film that stands apart from the plethora of other Batman properties?  

The Batman is an interesting, if flawed, depiction of the Caped Crusader. Reeves’ take on the character is certainly admirable. It very much owes a debt to the Nolan and Snyder aesthetic in that it is a darker and grungier interpretation. Experiencing Batman as a detective figure is refreshing. The notion of Batman providing narration is also innovative, yet uneven in that it’s not sustained throughout the film. The extended run time of 176 minutes isn’t to the film’s detriment.  It’s always promising to see a director allow a film breathe when it warrants it rather than resorting to quick cuts. Reeves has clearly been inspired by the filmography of David Fincher, with the aesthetic and narrative highly reminiscent of Se7en and Zodiac. There are also visual elements of Alfred Hitchcock in its ideology of crafting suspense (Reeves isn’t always successful), as well as an ode to Saw with some of the elaborate traps that the Riddler places his victims in. 

Batman is easily Pattinson’s highest profile role since his early career Twilight days. Pattinson has proved a particularly versatile screen presence, picking thoughtful projects and always being a highlight in them, with films such as Good Time, Tenet and The Devil All The Time. His portrayal of Batman is expectedly excellent, although his Bruce Wayne needs some work. This is more a choice of the script rather than any wrongdoing by Pattinson as Bruce Wayne doesn’t receive a particularly meaningful arc so he isn’t granted the opportunity. 

Other highlights of the cast include Colin Farrell, who is almost unrecognisable as Oswald Cobblepot in his early Penguin days. Here, he is presented as a mobster and Farrell does a great job here, although the role is rather limited. I can’t wait to see where they take the character in future instalments.

Jeffrey Wright is effortless as James Gordon and provides strong support to Pattinson. Andy Serkis portrays Alfred and represents a much younger portrayal from other actors who’ve taken the role such as Michael Caine and J.K. Simmons. I wasn’t sold on Serkis’ performance to begin with, as he lacks the wisened nature of his predecessors but I was won over later in the film, although his role is also quite limited. 

Moving onto the lesser performances, The Riddler is an interesting villain and poses a genuine threat to Batman throughout much of the film. He’s not in it a great deal but the spectre of his actions loom heavily throughout. Paul Dano does a reliably good job, as we’d expect him to do after performances in Prisoners and There Will Be Blood where he’s proved he can play this kind of deranged character. Unfortunately, his character arc is severely let down towards the end of the film to the point where he doesn’t pose a threat and his performance borders on being laughable. A scene that suggests a future direction for a sequel that features Dano is also ill-judged and undoes a lot of the solid groundwork. 

Zoë Kravitz also doesn’t particularly make much of an impression as Catwoman. Pattinson and Kravitz just don’t share a particularly believable chemistry, nor is their relationship believable from a scripting point of view.

The narrative that Reeves has concocted is pretty convincing and there are some interesting twists in the narrative. The riddles that The Riddler creates are not straightforward to answer and the way his intentions unfold over the bulk of the run time is mostly satisfying. 

I appreciated the darker tone that Reeves aimed for. Although the BBFC have rated the film a 15 in the UK, in reality, it is more of a high 12A as the violence doesn’t dwell on detail and there is only one use of strong language. The gritty world that Reeves creates is screaming for an adult rating and it feels a little restrained within the confines of being appealing to the broadest audience possible.

Reeves also isn’t quite sure on how to open the film. There are effectively three openings with two false starts. Some shuffling around of these scenes would have worked in the film’s favour, establishing Batman and the city of Gotham before introducing a problem.  

The score by Michael Giacchino is really excellent and he establishes very memorable themes for the characters. His score centres mainly on three themes, one for Batman, Catwoman and the Riddler. That said, how his score interacts with the scenes isn’t always brilliant and it’s also overused in places. Nirvana’s Something’s In The Way (which had also featured in the first trailer) is used twice, but it is inserted clumsily, as it is over speech and just doesn’t really fit. 

The cinematography by Greig Fraser is beautiful, hot on the footsteps of his similarly excellent work on Dune. He doesn’t resort to quick cuts and finds refreshing angles to shoot from. The film is pitch black, creating an atmosphere where Gotham’s criminals are unaware if Batman could be overseeing their activities. A high-octane car chase in the pouring rain is particularly interesting in that it has intentionally been shot incoherently. There is a beautiful shot towards the end of the film where the light erupting from a flare is contrasted against black.   

Ultimately, The Batman is a strong interpretation of the material and I’m looking forward to see where future instalments could go, although I have some reservations with the teases. However, it’s not quite the masterpiece that some have proclaimed it to be and Reeves is just not as competent a director as Nolan or even Snyder. Snyder may get a bad rap for his storytelling when he is restrained by a run time but despite any shortcomings, they are packed with his authorial traits. A neo-noir, detective spin is a strong stylistic choice from Reeves to go for and I hope he sustains these traits if he is to further develop this world. As a standalone film, The Batman is a promising diversion for the Caped Crusader, if not without its flaws. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)

Director: Potsy Ponciroli
Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Gavin Lewis, Trace Adkins, Stephen Dorff
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 99 mins

Old Henry is a thrilling Western with a particularly satisfying final act with an inspired performance from Tim Blake Nelson. Nelson plays the titular character, a widower whose quite clearly experienced a violent past. He lives with his son, Wyatt (Gavin Lewis) on a farm in Oklahoma, who he is is very protective of. One day, when roaming the Oklahoma landscape, he comes across a wounded man, Curry (Scott Haze) carrying a satchel of cash. He takes him back to his house, methodically erases any trace of his whereabouts, and nurses him back to health, while keeping him handcuffed. Soon enough, a trio led by Ketchum (Stephen Dorff) arrive on the property to see if Henry has seen Curry, who plays ignorance. Being a Western, you’d be wise to assume Ketchum doesn’t just head off on his way. 

Directed by Potsy Ponciroli in what is his second feature-length film after the little known Super Zeroes in 2012, Old Henry keeps its cards close to its chest in its first act. But when it gets going, it’s a deeply satisfying romp with an elegiac quality. While it may seem like a fairly typical (but well done) Western, its narrative is elevated by a character revelation in the final act. There are some thrilling action sequences, particularly a chase within some reeds and a customary final shoot-out.  The film is beautifully shot by director of photography, John Matysiak.

Tim Blake Nelson is excellent as the world-weary, tired titular pig farmer. He wants to be left in peace and look after his son, who he is trying to raise in a different way to his own upbringing. It’s rare to see Nelson fully carry a film, but he does so with gusto. Nelson is no stranger to the Western after featuring in The Coen Brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and being its brightest spot. Nelson was apparently apprehensive to commit to this film, not wanting it to be similar to Buster Scruggs, but he needn’t have worried. The other performances are also solid, with Stephen Dorff another highlight as the sadistic villain.

Old Henry is a thrilling, old-fashioned Western with a couple of tricks up its sleeve to shake the genre’s formula. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Excellent)

Director: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Zoë Kravitz, Betsy Brantley, Rita Wilson, India de Beaufort, Emily Kuroda, Byron Bowers
Certificate: 15
Run Time: 89 mins

Kimi is the latest by director Steven Soderbergh, whose enjoyed an incredibly varied career in terms of the genres he has worked in. This action thriller follows Angela Childs (Zoë Kravitz), an agoraphobe whose previously been the victim of assault and her anxiety has been worsened by the coronavirus pandemic. She is an employee of a tech company called Amygdala, who have pioneered a smart speaker called Kimi that controversially makes use of human monitoring to improve its algorithm and deliver a better user experience. 

Angela monitors incoming data streams and makes corrections to Kimi’s software. One day, she picks up on a disturbing stream that appears to portray a sexual assault and when she tries to report it to her superiors at Amygdala, things go, well, pear-shaped. 

Kimi is an efficient, mostly one-location thriller with a terrific central performance from Kravitz. Its first two acts are its best, with Soderbergh excellently capturing and exploring Angela’s agoraphobia, and there are clear parallels to Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. In many ways, it’s a modern update for the Alexa-owning, coronavirus pandemic generation. The script is sleek and plays to writer David Koepp’s strengths who’s proved himself in this genre before with films such as Panic Room and Secret Window. The third act leans more into action, which I found less interesting, although still rather enjoyable and the film doesn’t outstay its welcome. 

Soderbergh (working under his usual alias of Peter Andrews) also acts as the cinematographer for Kimi and his work is impressive. He deftly captures Angela’s luxurious and extravagant apartment, making her enclosed world feel much larger than it really is. Scenes outside of the apartment are shot in a disorienting and kaleidoscopic manner, which are thrilling and clearly portray Angela out of her depth, as if her head is spinning. 

Kimi is a minor entry in Soderbergh’s back catalogue but he clearly seems to be revelling in the journey, even if the film isn’t particularly deep. This is an effective and taut thriller that has something to say. 

⭐⭐⭐ (Good)