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Tank 432 is the directorial debut film of Nick Gillespie, a frequent collaborator with Ben Wheatley (Kill List, High-Rise, Free Fire), who is an executive producer here, when he should have been a co- writer, because this film, while admirable for it's stylish and truly terrible (in a good way) atmosphere, the ultimate payoff never comes.

When a group of mercenaries transporting two hooded individuals through a rural forested area somewhere in Europe, they eventually become trapped in a tank, where the enemy slowly reveals itself to be not the enemy from beyond the forest, but trapped in the belly of the steel beast they now reside.

The story, characters and setting were all there, with the latter two being pretty solid, but the psychedelic and surreal imagery, while compelling and intriguing, doesn't help to clear up the confusing and pointless plot. The pieces to a ground-breaking horror thriller are here, but Gillespie just couldn't put the puzzle together himself, being the writer and director. I feel if Wheatley had co-written the script or did re-writes after Gillespie, the issue could have been worked out and through, but sadly, we're stuck with an empty but stylish thriller, with some truly awesome acting chops (Michael Smiley has an outstanding moment of craziness that does show Gillespie's love of the craft).

Tank 432 is a missed opportunity, but still worth a watch for the performances and the cinematography. Maybe Gillespie will have better luck directing a script from a more experienced playwright, or have his script directed, because the man has talent.

The Great Wall, from director Zhang Yimou (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) comes this big and beautiful epic that is told to the audience as being legend, not fact (as the trailers were terrible at telling us). When William and Tovar are taken hostage by the Nameless Order who patrol the Great Wall of China, they are unwillingly pulled into a centuries-old fight between humanity and something much older that threatens all of civilization.

The movie is an astounding and thrilling ride from beginning to end, never letting up on the action or the beautifully constructed production that weaves seamlessly with the brilliant visual effects. The cast is incredible, "becoming" their roles wholly, with the banter between Damon and Pascal hysterical, while the determination and steadfastness of Jing Tian's Commander Lin and the other leaders is very believable. But, what I find to be the best thing about the film is how it's not entirely serious, as there's always a certain "playfulness" to the action sequences (save for the final siege).

Everything about the movie was top-notch, from the production design to the emotionally-charged musical score from Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Person of Interest). If you want a big, stunning spectacle, go see The Great Wall. It's a solid blend of action, adventure, warfare and terrifying monster-driven fun.

Spectral has had a bumpy ride on its way to being released, due to Universal Pictures' lack of faith in the bankable cast,but thankfully Netflix finished the movie and released it in all it's visually-satisfying glory. The story: when soldiers start dying in a war-torn European city after the downfall of a totalitarian regime, the lead engineer of equipment used by the Special Forces teams is brought in to "clarify" what his goggles are picking up, and they soon find themselves in the midst of something far more terrifying than an insurgency.

For director Nic Mathieu's directorial debut, this one hell of a solid entry, looking like a slick cross between Ridley Scott and Michael Bay. The script is never cheesy or over-the-top, but straight-forward all the way through. There are no subplots, and there is no romance. Once the action starts, it doesn't let up, not even a little. The cast is all around solid, with James Badge Dale being a fantastic lead as the engineer, Clyne. The supporting cast (Max Martini, Bruce Greenwood, Emily Mortimer) fill there roles perfectly, and Martini even steals a couple moments in the third act, one of which is truly awesome to say the least. The production values and visuals are incredible, and never look just like CG. For a movie that was filmed a couple years ago, this could be an Oscar- contender for Best Visual Effects and Production Design. Even the score is superb, coming from acclaimed Tom Holkenborg, aka Junkie XL (Mad Max: Fury Road, Deadpool, Black Mass). The only negative i can think of is the editing. The transition between the second and third acts is a little sloppy, as the dialogue, character movement and filming becomes uneven and choppy, happily just for a short bit.

Spectral is a surprise hit for Netflix, and definitely a strong entry in their collection of Originals. Honestly, this could have been successful in theaters, just not the scale of blockbuster Universal was probably hoping for. Still, a must-watch action- thriller that's as entertaining as it is interesting.