stepofhan

I blindly trusted Angel Studios to deliver on a wholesome, heartfelt movie. Here's a PG film with innocent advertising. What could go wrong?

Well, I did not expect a horror film to unveil before my eyes. I thought the starter was just for kicks, but horrific undertones were the mainstay of the movie. My heart was racing at times, and I'm a young adult. Incredibly dark imagery throughout with disturbing images on blast. Cue the spooky music.

I can't say I'm disappointed in the production itself. The film was top-notch in terms of acting, editing, and even effects (if you give some scenes some grace). Even so, this movie was an unexpected dark turn for an Angel Studios production. The language was unnecessary. I am baffled this still got PG instead of PG-13, given there was nothing cutesy or innocent about the movie. God or Christian themes are nowhere in this film, a telling sign of what this production was meant to be. The "magic" pond should have been a giveaway.

TL;DR Entertaining but not a film that pleases or gives honor to the Lord.

I'm a sci-fi geek that loves robots and futurism, but even my zeals have limits when it comes to a poorly-made film. There were so many epic shots and could've-been heartfelt moments that weren't even close to hitting the mark of remarkable. Every scene came across as stale footage with zero emotional strings attached. To give you the full picture, here's some major points about my experience.

3. Recycled Content/Ideas

Understandably, you don't always have to reinvent the wheel, but you have to have some aspect of originality. Everything in the movie felt seen, like I've already crossed the road a million times over. Fight scenes that should've been energetic seemed flat and boo-worthy. So what there are robots blasting laser beams at each other. Am I supposed to gawk because I see a Transformers logo and some slow-mo kicks?

2. Static Characters

What really took me to Snooze Town was how artificial the characters came across. You would think that humans would be the most relatable; it turns out that hieroglyphics had more dimensions than them all. I can handle some cringy jokes, but deliberately minimizing everyone's arc to heroes that save the day (eventually) is just so tried and tired. It's monotone heroism, and heroes that you don't care to save the day are the worst ones to have.

1. Zero Substance

For the grand prize, the film couldn't induce emotions in two hours!! I wasn't even close to crying for any losses or tragedies in the movie. A scene was either dry or cheesy, both of which leaves an unsettling taste in your mouth. And the actors, the cinematography cannot be the ones to blame! It's the BORING lines and dull acts. No amount of CGI can redeem an underdeveloped script. In short, it would've made a better 20-minute episode adapted for kids.

All that to say, it will disappoint you. I wasn't a die-hard Transformers fan before, and I certainly won't be one now.

After some 30 years since his last mission, Maverick appears as a pilot that has only achieved mediocrity. The time comes for him to prove himself when a NATO threat calls for a fleet of elite pilots to extinguish the target. You're in for a heartfelt journey filled with elegant supersonic jet maneuvers, Navy salutes, and nostalgic callbacks to the initial Top Gun.

This film struck the immaculate balance of action and storytelling. There was hardly a dull moment in the movie, and even though I felt that there should've been more to Maverick's arc than flying, I think we see enough of his life on the ground to know the real him. I especially loved his interactions with the other pilots--one pilot in particular. The juxtaposition undeniably made the aftermath of the first film feel real, raw, and relatable to anyone who has experienced loss.

It's an energetic adventure that will take you to the skies.