With “The Death Of Superman” as the title, you know something big is going to happen. This is a relatively fun animated DC movie where we get to see the Man of Steel give his life for humanity. We have seen this done before in the comics, other animated movies and even on the big screen. This one does not really bring a lot of new stuff to the table but it is still enjoyable to watch.

Superman is agonising over how to manage a relationship with Lois Lane but love and happiness will have to wait when a monstrous being from outer space lands on Earth and begins destroying everything in its path. The rest of the Justice League try and fail to halt the creature. Now, only Superman can save Metropolis (and the world) from certain annihilation.

We get to see Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern and others all fighting Doomsday. It’s nice that we get to see the other superheroes but it’s also really good that the movie remembers to keep the focus on Superman. Some of the relationship stuff with Superman and Lois is a little lame and feels a little rushed. Some better writing could have helped but I got what they were going for. Doomsday is pretty good. I wish they could have made him a little bigger though. The animation is not great but I think most of the characters look fine.

“The Death Of Superman” of course ends just as you would expect it to with Superman dying so it’s not about any big revelation, it’s about the journey to get there. There’s plenty of action in here to keep you entertained as the Justice League battle Doomsday. The movie starts off a little slowly but once Doomsday arrives, everything just goes into place. If you are not particularly into comic book movies then I wouldn’t bother with this one but I think fans of DC superheroes will enjoy it.

“Psycho IV: The Beginning” is the fourth and final entry in the original “Psycho” series. The first film was of course a classic and I thought the second was a highly underrated follow-up. The third film was disposable but it’s great to see the series back on track for this finale. Like “Psycho II”, this one meaningfully expands on the original concept.

Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins “Psycho”, “The Trial”) calls a radio show discussing men who have murdered their mothers. He begins to reminiscence about the past while also threatening to kill again. As we unlock the disturbing secrets of his youth, we learn of even more terrifying things to come.

It’s great to see Perkins back one last time as Norman Bates. He really created one of the all-time great horror villains in the original movie and the way the sequels make him even more complex is just fantastic too. Henry Thomas (“E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial”) is good as the young Norman during the flashback sequences. He looks like a young Anthony Perkins and manages to copy those iconic mannerisms that I still recall from the original classic. Olivia Hussey (“Black Christmas”, “Death On The Nil”) is brilliant as Norma Bates. Also, keep an eye for John Landis (“Schlock”, “The Blues Brothers”).

Although I think the radio show idea is somewhat clever, those scenes do drag a little bit and it’s clear that this movie was made with a much smaller budget than some of the earlier films. This one was a tv movie rather than a theatrical release so it’s unsurprising that it looks cheaper. It’s obviously not a match for the terrific original nor is it quite as intriguing as “Psycho II” but it’s so much better than “Psycho III”. I really like the way this one finishes the storyline for the Norman Bates character. He truly is one of the greatest characters in cinema history.

There was a time when jokes were actually featured in parody films such as “Airplane!” and “The Naked Gun” but now with “Scary Movie”, “Epic Movie” and the many others, we just get reference after reference. “The Onion Movie” arrives at a time when the parody genre feels like it is on life-support and is done in a sketch style similar to “The Kentucky Fried Movie”. This movie is based on the popular satirical news organisation, The Onion.

The movie has no real plot and instead just consists of a series of skits. A lot of them are done as a satire of news programmes and the growing corporate influence. Aside from that there are fake trailers for a Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”) film called “Cockpuncher”, an amusing look at upgrading your computer and a bunch of other crazy skits.

I did not spot many big names in here with probably the most famous face being Seagal. He plays himself in what is sadly one of the best movies he has been in. Some of the other characters are quite funny with my favourites being the uptight news presenter, the parody of Britney Spears and the Arab terrorists. Also, in the computer sketch notice the lack of subtlety with a character by the name of Gil Bates.

“The Onion Movie” is not a great movie but for a parody film of its era, it is surprisingly fun. I am so sick of seeing parodies that wouldn’t know a joke if it walked right into one, that there is actually something refreshing about “The Onion Movie”. The thing that I was surprised at was that some of the gags seemed a little outdated for 2008 but apparently this film was made in 2003 but sat on the shelf after poor test screenings. I assume “Scary Movie”, “Disaster Movie”, “Superhero Movie” and all the other abysmal parodies were not subject to any scrutiny else they may never have advanced beyond the script stage.

“Pistol Whipped” is a rather bad action thriller. This film stars Steven Seagal (“Hard To Kill”, “Kill Switch”) and this is a mundane flick even by his standards. It’s such a forgettable movie that really offers nothing even remotely memorable.

Matt Conlin (Seagal) is an ex-cop that struggles with gambling and alcohol addictions. He’s recruited as a hitman by a mysterious individual (Lance Henriksen “Aliens”, “Pumpkinhead”). As Conlin carries out hits on some of the city’s most ruthless bad guys, he discovers the complex network of criminality that has been much closer to him than he ever realised. He will have to decide who he trusts if he is to survive.

Seagal could not look more disinterested. I get that he’s playing a guy that’s depressed but he never seems to be engaged in the material. The fight scenes with him are nothing special. Lance Henriksen is pretty disappointing. There are several scenes with Conlin’s daughter as he tries to develop a relationship with her as she lives with his ex-wife. It’s trying to be emotive but Seagal doesn’t really do emotional. The other characters in this movie are really bland and most of them are just there for Seagal to kill.

“Pistol Whipped” is not one of the worst movies I’ve seen but it just feels so similar to countless other movies. There’s nothing to distinguish this from so many other cop films. I have seen it all before and I have seen it done better. If you are a big fan of Seagal and want to tick another movie off the list then “Pistol Whipped” will provide you all the standard Seagal stuff (shootouts, lots of dialog whispered by Seagal etc…). If you are not a fan of Seagal then “Pistol Whipped” stands no chance of having you re-evaluate the action star.

“Urban Justice” (also known “Renegade Justice”) is a surprisingly good action flick starring Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”, “Exit Wounds”). After churning out so many generic films, it’s nice to see him make a film that’s actually fairly engaging. It’s not great by any means but for this type of film, it’s entertaining.

Simon Ballister (Seagal) searches the streets of Los Angeles after his police officer son is murdered. The police dismiss the case as just another random gang shooting but Ballister won’t rest until he avenges his son. He will face black, Latino and neo-Nazis gangs as well as corrupt cops.

Seagal does not give a particularly good performance but he plays to his strengths here and appears more credible during many of the action sequences than he usually does. He still feels the need to whisper a lot of the dialog but still, he’s more enjoyable here than he is in many of his other films. Eddie Griffin (“Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo”, “Undercover Brother”) plays a gangster and he’s okay. Danny Trejo (“Desperado”, “Once Upon A Time In Mexico”) has a small role and he’s pretty good; I wish he had more to do. The other characters are decent.

“Urban Justice” is your typical revenge film and it’s good fun. We get to see Seagal beat up various gangsters on his crusade. The fistfights are alright, the shootouts are pretty good and even the car chase is not too shabby. This is still a low-budget, direct-to-video picture so don’t expect too much from it. Still, it’s a massive improvement over other Seagal films such as “Attack Force” and “Belly of the Beast”. If you are a Seagal fan then you should really check this one out. If you do just like action movies in general then you might have a good time with this one.

“Shadow Man” is a rather goofy action flick with a convoluted plot starring Steven Seagal (“Above The Law”, “Into The Sun”). It’s certainly not a good movie but it is watchable (something that cannot be said about all of Seagal’s pictures). None of it really impressed but there were a few cheesy moments that managed to put a smile on my face.

In “Shadow Man”, Jack Foster (Seagal) is an ex-intelligence operative that finds himself thrust into a plot involving a formula for a biological weapon and his daughter (Skye Bennett) has been kidnapped. With seemingly nobody at his side, Jack must search the streets of Bucharest to find her and he will uncover the true forces behind this dangerous situation.

Seagal gives his usual underwhelming performance. He seems to not have always been there during shooting so there are numerous shots where he has been rather obviously replaced by a stand-in. It’s not even necessarily during the action sequences. It’s really funny to see his body size change so dramatically from one shot to the next. The little girl is okay but nothing special. The other characters in the film are really dull and forgettable. Everybody is working both sides or not what they appear to be so you never really get to know any of them.

“Shadow Man” is not a good action film but it was pretty funny at times. Seagal just casually strolls into scenes and kills bad guys without every breaking a sweat. One particular scenes has him take out a helicopter with a pistol. It just almost feels like a parody at times. There are some better Seagal films out there and there are obviously lots of great action movies to watch instead of this but I won’t deny that a few sequences did provide some entertainment value.

Steven Seagal (“Marked For Death”, “Exit Wounds”) stars in “The Foreigner” (not to be confused with the unrelated 2017 Jackie Chan movie of the same name), a somewhat enjoyable spy flick. It’s like a poor man’s “Bourne Identity” with lots of goofy moments throughout but it’s certainly nowhere near as bad as many of Seagal’s other movies.

Secret agent Jonathan Cold (Seagal) gets sent to deliver a mysterious package. At every turn, there are people trying to kill him. The whole mission is littered with deception and betrayals so it becomes an increasingly complex situation for him to navigate as he journeys across the European continent.

Seagal is okay as Jonathan Cold. He’s just sort of there but in all fairness, he just needs to shoot a bunch of bad guys. There’s a ton of other characters in here but everything becomes very complicated so you don’t know who is good and who is bad and you don’t really care. It really did remind me of the “Bourne” films with the multiple assassins sent to take down Cold. There’s so much conspiracy talk in here that you just lose track of what the characters are even talking about as nothing is what it initially appears to me.

This is a silly movie with some corny moments. By far the corniest must be the scene where Seagal avoids an explosion while using a urinal (you’ll have to see it to believe it). None of the action sequences are great but they are okay. It’s clearly taking inspiration from “Bourne Identity”, “Mission: Impossible”, “The Transporter” and even some of the “James Bond” movies but everything looks a little cheap here. The characters and dialog are not compelling enough to fully engage you but it is a mildly entertaining picture. It’s a film that Seagal fans will probably want to check out.

Not to be confused with the unrelated 2000 film of the same name starring Mel Gibson, 1998’s “The Patriot” stars Steven Seagal (“Under Siege”, “Fire Down Below”) in easily one of the best films I’ve seen him in. Apparently, a lot of Seagal fans dislike this one as it’s not one of his typical action flicks. It’s more of a thriller than anything else but it has more heart and more brains than any of his other movies.

A right-wing paramilitary unleashes a lethal virus, produced by the U.S. government, on a small town in Montana. Wesley McClaren (Seagal) is the local doctor, who previously worked for the government to counter biological weapons, and he’s now the town’s only hope as he races to produce a vaccine.

Fans of Seagal are likely to be disappointed that he kills very few people and doesn’t even throw many punches here. However, I’ve never been particularly impressed by his brand of action. He’s not exactly good in this more dramatic role but he’s more likeable here than in any of his action movies. Camilla Belle (“Practical Magic”) is okay as Seagal’s onscreen daughter, Holly. His real-life daughter, Ayako Fujitani “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe”) has a cameo. The best character is easily the militia leader (Gailard Sartain “Mississippi Burning”).

“The Patriot” certainly has a smarter script than Seagal’s other films. The plot is a lot less convoluted and is actually quite engaging. The are some bland moments here and there and maybe it fizzles out a little near the end but I enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting to. If you are not a fan of Seagal then I think this one is still worth a go. Just don’t expect an action film and you should find something with a little more substance to it.

From production company The Asylum comes “Universal Soldiers”. Now, the name gives it away that they are clearly trying to cash-in on the popularity of the “Universal Soldier” franchise but that’s not the only movie they are copying. One of the robots looks like the endoskeleton from “The Terminator”, the theme music is virtually the same as the one from “Predator” and most of the cyborgs look like the Borg from “Star Trek”.

In “Universal Soldiers”, the American government is working on a secretive program to create super soldier cyborgs. However, the test subjects escape from their lab and are killing anybody that they find. A group of soldiers and scientists must now try to disable the robots before it’s too late.

The acting in this movie is abysmal. What makes it even worse is that this film is some serious audio issues. The audio frequently gets distorted when the characters are shouting (something that happens a lot). It’s embarrassing to see a movie you can literally pay to see with such an amateurish problem. The robots look like “Star Trek” fans dressed in cheap Borg costumes for a convention. The endoskeleton seen during the opening credits and at the end looks horrible too.

This is not the worst of The Asylum’s movies but “Universal Soldiers” makes the actual first “Universal Soldier” look like a masterpiece in comparison. Normally, when The Asylum makes a rip-off they do it to coincide with a big release but this came out 2007, almost a decade after “Universal Soldier: The Return” and a couple of years before “Universal Soldier: Regeneration”. It’s definitely a strange marketing choice from the company. Either way, this is a really bad film that should avoid. Don’t get fooled into thinking this has anything to do with the Jean-Claude Van Damme sci-fi/action franchise.

From production company The Asylum comes “The Terminators”. Do not be fooled, this has nothing to do with the popular “Terminator” franchise. Like “Transmorphers” and “Snakes On A Train”, The Asylum loves to dupe people with its ‘mockbusters’. As disappointing as some of the later real “Terminator” films are, they are still infinitely better than this abomination.

A small group of humans desperately tries to find a way to disable the robots that have taken control of the Earth. The metallic foes are seemingly unstoppable with their great strength and endurance. Can humanity be saved from total annihilation by its own creation?

The acting in this movie is as bad as it is practically every film I’ve seen from The Asylum. I didn’t care about any of the characters or what any of their motivations were. All the cyborgs are played by the same guy. He clearly was chosen because he looks a tiny bit like Arnold Schwarzenegger from the proper “Terminator” films. You really have to squint while standing a couple of dozen feet from your screen. The special effects are absolutely awful so when we finally see one of the robots in its endoskeleton form, it looks atrocious. It’s one of the worst robots I’ve seen in a movie. Even the effects from the original “Terminator” all the way back from 1984 look twice as convincing as anything in this 2009 knock-off.

Cheap special effects, a lousy plot, boring characters and bad action sequences all plague this disastrous flick. I feel genuinely sorry for anybody that was fooled into thinking this had any connection with the real “Terminator” franchise. They would have got home and been devastated by how they had just wasted some money on a film this bad. Nobody here either in front of the camera or behind the camera has done a job worthy of any praise whatsoever. Clearly, no effort went into this project.