BigGuy

I was pleasantly surprised by this little gem. Probably because it is a French movie, and didn't get any press in the US, I hadn't heard about until right before we went to see it. The movie was quite enjoyable for adults and definitely for kids.

For adults, there are a ton of references to Die Hard (the trivia page lists a few), although the plot was closer to Speed. The movie mocks influencers, social media and even the actual media. Overall the plot is a smattering of action tropes, played in a lighthearted way.

Even though it is basically an action movie, I really don't think there were frightening scenes for the kids. The tension was always dialed down a couple of notches, so it never got intense. The characters are also an appeal to kids. They are plucky, but have fears to overcome and other problems that would be relatable to kids. Even the villian isn't super scary and has his own problems.

If you get a chance, I would recommend this one, especially for kids in the 5-10 age range.

People don't watch these movies for realism, so don't expect a lot. As others have commented there was a lot of green screen usage, which was pretty distracting. Basically anything set at night was done that way, and it was annoying.

Ella the time traveler adapted way too quickly to modern clothing and habits. Aside from being overly extroverted, and a few technology issues (a very few) she seemed pretty modern. It was almost like they didn't want to address the issue except where it provided comic relief.

There was a decent twist in the middle, which really only served to explain how the predictable ending was workable.

Anyway, that being said, it was watchable. Sure it was formulaic and sappy, but in a way it is supposed to be.

I enjoyed this movie. The tone was actually a little more upbeat than the original. The original had the man-at-the-end-of-his-rope thing going on in this movie, he comes across as more impulsive than backed into a corner.

The villains in this movie were the weak points. The initial baddie, the owner of the town (or mayor or whatever) was a little flat and trying too hars. When Sharon Stone's villain enters the scene it is just awful. I don't know if she got bad direction or what, but her acting was like nails on the chalkboard bad. They tried to give her a great villian entrance but it was sad.

I really wish Rza and Christopher Lloyd had more development. They are fun characters but act as Deus Ex Machina rather than full fledged characters (although the same as from the first one).

I was pleased that they didn't repeat too many bits from the original movie, which is one of the more common failures for sequels. For instance the opening scene is very similar to the original. There are a couple of other callbacks but they weren't so shoehorned in that if you watched this one without the original you would wonder what that scene was about.

If you are an action movie fan, especially with some dark humor thrown in, check it out. If you liked the original, you'll like this.