Hostile Takeover

Sure it isn't a big Hollywood movie, but then that's exactly why it's actually funny, with far, FAR better crafted fight choreography. There are a couple questionable spots, but since the action coming out of Hollywood is generally blends together into one long groan, they're pretty easy to get over.

It seems like there's an 80's action movie homage influencing the movie. The constant joking is a little over the top, but oh well, still funny.

I've always been a Michael Jai White fan since Spawn and Universal Soldier 2. He's actually a talented and humble (relatively) martial artist a who never fails to produce a good performance. His comedic timing apparently isn't bad either.

I was actually very disheartened when it looked like Mikey was going the way of Steven Seagal, getting to fat to lift his legs and kick properly, but then I realized it was entirely because he was wearing modern style tapered super tight jeans. No one can kick in those. He must have known and was doing it to illustrate how stupid and dangerous it is to wear jeans like that. A+

I am a huge MJW fan, seen quite a few of his flicks but this one was, how you say,,,,bad. The plot was stupid, the endless fighting was stupid, the witty banter was stupid. Nothing like his previous films. The Workaholics Anonymous angle was stupid. The ending just bad. I've got nothing against some hand to hand fighting but when he was fighting for his life for about 10 minutes, literally, he looked and acted like nothing at all happened.

It's a bit sad that, apart from a few independent productions, film studios have so little to offer in terms of plot.

After about 10 minutes, I felt like I was watching the 1997 classic thriller "The Game" with Michael Douglas, reworked into a strange, grotesque compilation of fight scenes, in which every act is highly mannered. The longer I watched, the more bored I became... Yes, the film is a kind of middle-of-the-road entertainment, but it's neither too funny nor too serious; it's probably the least balanced film of its kind I've seen in recent years. Good for a get-together with a beer and the TV humming in the background.

It's a bit like the mush that generative AI would produce.

This isnt one of Michael Jai wights movies that follows the normal format for an action moive. This is pseudo comedy light hearted look at a hitman who loves his job but comes across some problems because of his decision to join a self help group. I don't want to give away the plot so thats as far as I will go with reveals.

I think the move suffers from this approach because it restricts itself in not maximising the comedy aspect. Some of the nuances that are employed... say with Wights character, and the curious relationships he has with other characters, just don't really work in the manner they are trying to portray. There are some amusing moments sure, but no laugh-out-loud or even chuckle moments to really appreciate.

White really gives his all here. You can see he's putting eveyrthing into rendering this character, but it's sort of a waste really. I just didn't feel the mood the movie was going for. To be honest it was barely watchable, not because it was done necessarily badly, though that's not to say it was particularly interesting or entertaining, but becasue it was flat and rather boring.

The fight scenes were almost a slow-mo version or what were used to seeing with White. I get the impression this was done deliberately, again, as variation of the normally fast moving electric coreography were used to, and I think this was to offset the style of the movie, but again, it doesn't really work.

I laboured through it but mostly it falls flat, and doesn't deliver. If your a Wight fan, as I am, you sould probably watch it anyway, so judge for yourself.

I didn't like it and can only manage a 3/10.

Of course I needed no persuasion to sit down and watch the 2025 action comedy "Hostile Takeover". Why? Well, first of all, it was a movie that I hadn't already seen, and thus it needed to be given a fair chance. Secondly, with Michael Jai White in the lead, of course chances were that it would be an enjoyable movie.

Writers Michael Hamilton-Wright, Christina Laughlin and Burton L. Warner put together an enjoyable and entertaining script. It was a narrative that managed to combine storytelling with action and just the right amount of lighthearted comedy banter.

Aside from leading actor Michael Jai White, then I was only familiar with Aimee Stolte and Aleks Paunovic. The acting performances in the movie were good.

There is a good amount of nicely choreographed and executed fight scenes throughout the course of the movie, which definitely helps add to the overall enjoyment of the movie.

If you enjoy action movies where there is a pinch of comedy to it, then "Hostile Takeover" certainly is worth checking out.

My rating of director Michael Hamilton-Wright's 2025 movie "Hostile Takeover" lands on a six out of ten stars.