Originally intended as a sci-fi/horror film, “Attack Force” is a picture that got completely mangled by the studio. With some re-shoots, dubbing and re-editing, we ended up with a messy action film. It’s just so noticeable that has been completely butchered.

In “Attack Force”, Steven Seagal (“Mercenary For Justice”, “Kill Switch”) stars as Marshall Lawson, a man that loses members of his strike team after a violent attack. As he investigates the murder of his fallen comrades, he uncovers a dangerous plot to poison the water supply of a French city and its surrounding areas with a dangerous drug that transforms users into superpowered killers.

There are numerous scenes where obvious body doubles have been used for Seagal in re-shoots. He has also had many of his lines dubbed. It’s really jarring to go from his regular voice to the dub voice and back again (sometimes even in the same scene). He gets to do very little in this film and when he does fight, he never looks convincing. The villains are severely boring and I did not really understand their motivation. The superpowered people blink sideways like one of the aliens in “Men In Black” so it’s painfully obvious that this was intended to be a sci-fi film.

The action sequences in “Attack Force” are laughably bad with truly horrendous editing. Actually, the whole movie has really bad editing. Even fans of Seagal will hate this one because he’s not in it as much as he usually is and he’s been dubbed in many scenes. The way this film has been made, you almost feel like you’re watching a movie where the lead actor has died and the filmmakers are doing their best to cobble together all the material they have. As a result, it is definitely unintentionally funny but that’s about it.

The animated “Batman” films are hit and miss. Sadly, “Batman vs. Robin” is another miss. It introduces some interesting ideas but unfortunately, it doesn’t make the most of them. In the end, we have a rather unremarkable addition to DC’s growing animated library.

In “Batman vs. Robin”, the rebellious Damian Wayne continues to have an intense and confrontational relationship with Batman. Damian becomes increasingly disillusioned with Batman’s moral code. A sinister secret society, the Court of Owls, is looking to reclaim its power over Gotham. The group wants Bruce Wayne to join it but also it plans to destroy Batman.

Damian Wayne is only ten but he fights with all the strength of an adult crimefighter in their prime. Even so, it’s a little awkward watching him getting pummelled by Batman during their big fight. In the opening scene, we get to see the disturbing Dollmaker but his appearance is way too brief for him to leave much of an impression. I love the concept of the Court of Owls but we never really get to see them do anything. I wanted to know how they were manipulating the whole city. The scenes with them did remind me a little of the cult in “Eyes Wide Shut”. The villain Talon is really disappointing as I did not really understand his plans. The animation is pretty good for all the characters.

“Batman vs. Robin” maybe has too plot points and not enough time to develop any of them. The action sequences are pretty forgettable. I really think the Court of Owls could be used successfully in a “Batman” film but we need to be given more details about how they go about their business. What we get here is just way too superficial. If you are a big fan of the animated “Batman” films then maybe check this one out but it’s not one of the better ones.

“Batman: Assault On Arkham” has the distinction of being the first “Batman” film to be based on a videogame. It takes place in the same continuity as the popular “Batman: Arkham” videogames. It’s actually quite entertaining and a much better “Suicide Squad” film than the live-action version we got in 2016.

A group of villains are assembled by government worker Amanda Waller to break into Arkham Asylum to find the copy of data stolen by the Riddler. Batman is occupied with another task as he searches Gotham for a dirty bomb that the Joker has hidden somewhere in the city. However, these two missions might be linked in a way that nobody could foresee.

Batman is not the main focus of this film; we spend most of our time with the Suicide Squad characters. I like King Shark, Killer Frost, Harley Quinn and even Deadshot but Captain Boomerang is pretty lame. Some of the interactions between the Suicide Squad members are quite fun. I’m also not a fan of the Amanda Waller character. Batman is very good in the scenes where he appears. Other foes appear including the Joker, the Riddler, Poison Ivy and Bane. The voice acting for the Penguin is dreadful though. The animation on all the characters is actually really good.

“Batman: Assault On Arkham” has some really good action scenes, a fairly interesting plot and some good characters. It’s not an amazing film by any stretch of the imagination but it is impressive how much more satisfying it is when you compare it to the live-action “Suicide Squad”. This one has a much more coherent structure with more interesting things going on. If you are a fan of the “Batman: Arkham” games or animated “Batman” films then you should make sure that you give this one a watch at some point.

“Jojo Rabbit” is a controversial yet hilarious WWII comedy. It’s already been compared to Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” but I think “Jojo Rabbit” is even better. The film was directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok”) and he also has a prominent onscreen role here. This is a man with a stylish comedic vision and he demonstrates that perfectly with this movie.

Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) is a naïve young boy in Nazi Germany that passionately supports the ruling party and its leader. He loves the Nazis so much that his imaginary friend is in the form of Adolf Hitler (Waititi). However, Jojo’s loyalties to the Nazi ideology are tested when he begins to fall for a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie “Leave No Trace”) hiding in his house.

The young Roman Griffin Davis is really good as the innocent Jojo, who just does not understand that the Nazis aren’t the good guys. Thomasin McKenzie is great as Elsa. The two have an interesting chemistry. Taika Waititi is brilliant as imaginary Hitler. He plays the role with his New Zealand accent. It’s even funnier if you know that Waititi is from a Jewish background. The interactions between Jojo and Hitler are great as the imaginary Hitler begins to change from gentle and playful to a closer reflection of the real man. Sam Rockwell (“Moon”), Scarlett Johansson (“Iron Man 2”), Stephen Merchant (“Logan”) and Rebel Wilson (“Bridesmaids”) are all really funny here.

“Jojo Rabbit” has some hilarious moments but it also has its more emotional moments and some powerful messages in it. Those that have already dismissed as insensitive and childish might be pleasantly surprised by what is on offer here. This is a touching film almost as much as it is a hysterical one. A lot of research apparently went into this movie and the homework has definitely paid off.

“Against The Dark” is a zombie movie and it’s bad even by the low standards of most zombie films. Actually, the film is also a vampire film because the creatures here are vampire zombies yet they seem pretty much like regular zombies to me. The movie has used Steven Seagal (“Executive Decision”, “Out For Justice”) extensively in its marketing even though he only has a supporting role.

After a virus has infected the globe, vampire zombies stalk the streets at night to feed on the remnants of humanity. A group of survivors are trapped in a hospital as the American military prepares to perform an aerial strike on the area. Led by Tao (Seagal), a team of ex-military vigilantes, known as ‘Hunters’, are the survivors only hope of getting out of the hospital alive.

As I mentioned, Seagal was used in all in the movie’s marketing but he gets very little to do. He has only a few scenes and you can probably count the number of lines he has on your hands. He waddles around slashing a few monsters with his sword and it’s so bad that it’s hilarious. Keith David (“They Live”) also has a small role. The other characters are painfully dull. Some of the zombies look okay but I do not like that some of them talk coherently while others run around like brainless creatures.

“Against The Dark” looks like a low-budget movie. Almost all of the movie takes place inside the hospital. I’m not a fan of zombie films but most people seem to agree that this is a really bad film. Fans of Seagal may find it fun to see him do a horror flick but they are likely to be very disappointed by his lack of time on the screen. Unless you are desperate to see Seagal slice his way through some zombies then skip “Against The Dark”.

“Into The Sun” is a moderately entertaining action flick. The movie stars Steven Seagal (“Hard To Kill”, “Maximum Conviction”) and some of the scenes were filmed in parts of Tokyo that Seagal used to live in. It’s setting certainly helps distinguish it from many of his other movies.

When a controversial Japanese political figure is murdered, the C.I.A. agent Travis Hunter (Seagal) is assigned to the case due to his experience with the Yakuza. Partnered with a rookie (Matthew Davis “Legally Blonde”), Hunter pursues a new generation of mobsters that have forgotten the honourable ways of the past and are deadlier than ever.

Steven Seagal has never been among my favourite action stars. Here, he does get to show off his Japanese language skills. The scenes where he wields a samurai sword are quite impressive but some of the hand-to-hand combat is hilarious bad at times. The rookie agent has no personality whatsoever. William Atherton (“Ghostbusters”, “Die Hard”) is disappointing as Hunter’s boss. Martial artist Ken Lo (“The Legend of the Drunken Master”) plays one of the villains. He must have felt slightly embarrassed to go from battling Jackie Chan in the legendary fight at the end of the second “Drunken Master” film to getting slapped around by Seagal.

“Into The Sun” starts off with a rather promising action sequence. Parts of the film are enjoyable but it’s not exactly a good film. It was funny to hear one of Seagal’s songs playing in the background of a scene (his vocal skills are surprisingly not as bad as he you would imagine). In another scene, “Gamera: Guardian of the Universe” starring Ayako Fujitani, Seagal’s real-life daughter. It’s not Seagal’s absolute best but it’s certainly a lot more enjoyable than most of his pictures. If you are a fan of Seagal then definitely check this one out.

“End Of A Gun” stars Steven Seagal (“Above The Law”, “Contract To Kill”) and it’s another completely forgettable action flick. There’s nothing particularly wrong with it but everything is just so mediocre and underwhelming that you will have a hard time remembering anything about it once it is all over.

In this film, Seagal plays Decker, a former special agent living in Paris. When he sees a young woman (Jade Ewen) being hurt, he intervenes and soon finds himself in the crosshairs of dangerous gangsters. Decker hopes to steal the gangsters’ money and flee to Florida but he’s not sure who exactly he can trust.

It’s not uncommon to see Seagal look seriously bored in his movies. You get the sense that this was yet another film in which he was just there to collect his money. He does get to fight a few people but none of the sequences are very impressive. The girl in the movie is just there to look attractive and sleep with Seagal’s character. The villains are pretty much as bland as they come. They are not bad by any means but I just cannot remember a single thing about any of them. Has Seagal fought any memorable foes since he went up against Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey in the first “Under Siege”?

“End Of A Gun” represents the underwhelming standard that has defined Seagal’s more recent work. What’s the point of this film? The plot is not remotely interesting, the characters leave no impact, the action sequences are disappointing and some of the dialog is cringeworthy. If you have enjoyed Seagal’s other recent movies such as “Mercenary: Absolution” and “Code Of Honour” then you will probably get a kick out of “End Of A Gun” but everybody else should skip it.

Jean-Claude Van Damme (“Universal Soldier”, “Death Warrant”) stars in “Knock Off”, an action film so bad that it might be the star’s worst movie. It has a very strange premise for an action flick and the storyline is needlessly complicated.

I did not really understand the plot of “Knock Off”. For some reason, Van Damme plays a fashion designer. During the British handover of Hong Kong to the Chinese, he becomes involved in espionage when explosives are found in a shipment of counterfeit jeans. There are some people that are working undercover and other playing both sides but the film is so terrible that you will lose interest in the story’s twists and turns.

Why on Earth is Van Damme playing a fashion designer? There is no real explanation as to why this fashion designer is also a martial arts master as we see him fight professional baddies like he has special forces’ training. Rob Schneider (“The Animal”, “Judge Dredd”) plays his business partner, Tommy, and he is just awful. There is one scene where there is a rickshaw race and Schneider whips Van Damme’s rear… why? Some of the villains are Russia but it is not really made clear as to whether they are mobsters, government agents or international terrorists.

The action sequences in “Knock Off” are appalling. You do not really know what is going on and the weird transition effects are completely unnecessary. The special effects for the explosions are laughable and the shot of a Buddhist monument in ruins looks like something from an independent film and not a Hollywood production. “Knock Off” features poor acting, horrific editing, pathetic special effects and awful fight scenes. I thought “Cyborg” was Van Damme’s worst film but I think “Knock Off” is slightly worse. Seriously, who thought that a film where Van Damme plays a fashion designer was a good idea?

“Kiss of the Dragon” doesn’t really come up with anything new in terms of plot or storyline and several of its action sequences and chases seem copied from other films before it too but there’s something about the intensity of the film that makes it work.

In this film, Jet Li (“Fist Of Legend”, “Romeo Must Die”) arrives in Paris on a secret assignment. He gets set up and everybody’s chasing him. It kind-of reminded me of “Chain Reaction” and “Bourne Identity” with pretty much any given martial arts film thrown in for good measure so it’s pretty exhilarating stuff.

Jet Li plays it cool as usual. He doesn’t yell like he’s Jean-Claude Van Damme (“Kickboxer”), he doesn’t goof around like Jackie Chan (“Rush Hour”) and he doesn’t deliver the one-liners like Arnold Schwarzenegger (“Predator”) but rather he gives people a good stare to let them know who’s boss and there’s a part where he does something inspired with a snooker ball. Bridget Fonda (“Jackie Brown”) plays a prostitute in need of help and she’s okay. Their chemistry is average. Burt Kwouk from the “Pink Panther” series of films is here but sadly doesn’t do all that much. The villains are average.

It’s a little too violent and dark at times and I dislike the heavy use of rap music but overall “Kiss of the Dragon” is a very exciting film. The action sequences are great and I as I said, the overall intensity works. It’s vastly better than Li’s “The One” or “Cradle 2 The Grave” although don’t go into expecting another “Fist of Legend” (although there is one scene involving a martial arts class here that’ll definitely bring back memories of it). It’s got good action sequences, a good star and the rest of it is alright so that’s probably all the justification you need to see it.

“I, Frankenstein” is easily the worst film featuring Frankenstein’s Monster I ever seen. It has virtually nothing in common with any other version of the character. It has basically the same plot as “Blade” and “Underworld” where a secretive war is waged by supernatural beings so there is nothing original here and nothing enjoyable.

In “I, Frankenstein”, Frankenstein’s Monster (Aaron Eckhart “The Dark Knight”, “Thank You For Smoking”) finds himself at the heart of a centuries old battle between gargoyles and demons. The demonic forces are hoping to duplicate Frankenstein’s experiment and create an army of super soldiers so that they can conquer the world and enslave humanity.

For most of the movie, Frankenstein’s Monster is referred to as ‘Adam’. He also looks nothing like any other version of the character. Instead of looking like a freakish creature stitched together from various people’s body parts, he just looks like a regular guy with a few stitches after a minor accident. I hated this version of the Monster. The other characters are terrible too. We get awful performances from Bill Nighy (“Love Actually”) and Jai Courtney (“Suicide Squad”). The gargoyles and demons look really generic. A lot of the dialog is just awkward.

“I, Frankenstein” has underwhelming special effects, appalling writing, an unoriginal premise, bad acting, forgettable action scenes and the worst depiction of Frankenstein’s Monster I have ever had the displeasure of seeing. I could maybe get over how they messed up the Monster character if the rest of the film was not so atrocious. I’m just tired of seeing this underground battle between different creatures. I sat through “Blade”, “Underworld”, the Hugh Jackman “Van Helsing” and “Twilight” so I’ve seen it done to death at this point. Bill Nighy was even in “Underworld” so “I, Frankenstein” just blends into the crowd.