Tag: action

Our lives are the sum of our choices. “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” (2025)

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directed by Christopher McQuarrie
© 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Am I the only one who feels the same way at the end of this year as Tom Cruise in that picture? Like… you’re helpless, there’s not much you can do, but you’re still hanging to that plane that is flying like crazy and there’s a big chance you’ll fall and crash your body in a hurtful way? Yep, that’s exactly what the end of 2025 feels like. It was definitely one of the worst for me and if 2026 has plans to be worse, I’ll gladly unsubscribe and get back to VHS kind of life. Do you even remember VHS? Or should I go dye my grey hair already? Anyway, the end of 2025 is also the end of Mission Impossible! Or is it? Well, it kind of gives the vibes of the final part, but you never know. And the ending says nothing specific, so I guess we will see. Anyway, this one is definitely not my favourite part of Mission Impossible, yet I couldn’t dislike it just like that – it’s Mission Impossible in the end. I adore this fast running Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), the soundtrack, the special effects and Tom doing things I would never do unless you paid me as much as he earns. This film is the continuation of the story of “Dead Reckoning” and I guess it’s pointless to watch it without knowing the first part. I mean, the plot is already very complex, so at least watch the first one and have the idea who is whom. I have to say that I didn’t feel much engaged in the story itself and I believe “Dead Reckoning” was way better when it comes to the screenplay. However, it’s still thrilling, full of plot twists and action, so as a fan of Mission Impossible I wasn’t devastated – just slightly disappointed. I guess Tom focused too much on doing all the dangerous things to be remembered as the guy with huge cojones. Burning parachuting, diving, flying “off” the plane… I mean, yes, Tom, you are damn brave and I’m not even joking about it. Standing ovation for you there. But I wish they polished the screenplay a bit more so the film could be remembered also for the plot. But hey, isn’t it the best kind of film to end 2025 with? Full of plot twists, random dangerous actions and with a poor story to remember. Perfection if you ask me. Let’s hope 2026 will be more generous and we will finish it with a relaxing comedy. Or at least a documentary about koalas. Pretty please.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Is this what the end of the world feels like? “Sirāt” (2025)

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directed by Óliver Laxe
© 2025 BTeam Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

When I heard of this film, I was sure it’s a family drama that may turn into a crime story or thriller. Obviously, I hadn’t seen any trailer (as always), so I entered the world of “Sirāt” totally unaware. Would I watch it again? No. But am I glad I had a chance to experience it? Definitely yes. At the beginning, we get to know Luis (Sergi López), a father of two. His older daughter has disappeared and the man cannot contact her anyhow. That is why he decides to travel to Morocco with his younger child Esteban (Bruno Núñez Arjona) and search for the missing girl. They meet people raving and enjoying electronic music there, and at some point Luis is told about another big raving party in a dessert, where he might actually find his daughter. Even though the journey to that dessert is difficult, the man and the boy are determined to give it a try. They join a group of ravers and hope for a happy ending. Will it be happy? It’s for you to see. I have to say I was reflecting on this film for a long time. The story itself isn’t anyhow complicated, but the hidden messages are quite hard to understand. At least while watching. I needed to think about it all for a day or two to create my own interpretation. There won’t be any spoilers here, at least not any significant ones: I’m mostly focused on the differences between Luis and the ravers. The man is terrified and hopeful to find his missing child, and he doesn’t agree to accept she might not want to be found or she might not be with us anymore. He wants to achieve his goal and nothing can stop him. The ravers, however, adapt to life in their own way – they might not be achieving their goals, but they focus on themselves and the present. Seems like a great way to live, right? Well, while watching the film I felt the director shows us those two opposite approaches to life in order to make us come to a conclusion that perhaps it’s good to compromise. Maybe something in the middle of the scale is the right choice. If I could say what this film is about in one word, to me it’s about balance. We need balance in our lives not to lose ourselves and cross the line, even unconsciously. But I was reading some reviews of this story and I feel like each person has a different reflection, which is amazing. It means this film is of good quality and different people might find something for themselves there. I encourage you to check it out as well.

My rating: 7/10
S.

No pain, no gain. “Novocaine” (2025)

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directed by Dan Berk & Robert Olsen
© 2025 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Hell yeah! That’s what’s I’m talking about! A superhero who flies? Boring. A superhero that is very fast? Lame! A superhero that’s huge and green? Cute, but nah. Let’s take a random guy with a rare disorder who makes use of it to save the love of his life. Yay! Welcome to “Novocaine”. We get to meet Nathan (Jack Quaid), who used to be called “Novocaine” when we went to school. Why? Because he cannot feel pain. At all. And in case you didn’t know, novocaine is the drug that doctors use to make you stay still during the procedure. Sounds fun not to feel any pain, right? Well, not really. It can also be dangerous, so Nathan has to be very careful and because of that his life has always been quite boring. Getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new seems like a chance to hurt yourself without noticing it. However, there’s a person who changes his way of thinking – Sherry (Amber Midthunder), a colleague working at the same bank. Those two have a great chemistry between each other, but they need to learn to be together – because he’s a very reserved introvert, and she’s a yolo extrovert. Unfortunately, one day their bank is robbed and Sherry is kidnapped by the criminals. At this moment, Nathan stops worring about himself and decides to save his girlfriend. And his annoying disorder may actually become quite useful. I had so much fun watching this film! We really needed such superhero, because those old ones are way too copy-paste, aren’t they? Nathan is adorably clumsy, yet clever and dedicated. That’s a character you simply cannot dislike. The story is simple, but the lines – hilarious! I don’t remember when was the last time I felt so hyped watching an action film. Even though I know sequels are usually worse than originals, I really hope for another part about Novocaine. No more to say – it’s probably the best action film made this year.

My rating: 8/10
S.

Revenge has never been sweeter. “Thelma” (2024)

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directed by Josh Margolin
© 2024 Magnolia Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Don’t mess with grandmas! I mean it. They won’t only feed you till you can’t move – they can also fight criminals like pros! If you’re in need of good vibes, this comedy is definitely for you. We get to know Thelma (June Squibb), who’s a 93-year-old woman living alone and enjoying her retirement. She has a loving grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger), who’s overly protective and always makes sure his grandma is fine. One day, Thelma answers a phone from Danny who says that he’s arrested and the woman has to send $10 000 to a certain adress to let him free. The woman panics and does it, but soon after she finds out that the caller wasn’t her Danny and she’s got scammed. Thelma is furious about the situation and asks the police for help, but they don’t even bother. And when people don’t seem to care, what do we do? Yes, baby, we do it ourselves! The brave granny decides to find the scammer’s address and visit them in order to get her money back. But how will an elderly lady like her actually manage to fight a criminal? Oh, you’d be surprised… I absolutely loved this comedy and the story about Thelma, because it gives positive vibes and shows how much power elderly people still have. We often see grandmas and grandads being pushed away from our everyday life as if they weren’t able to join us in numerous activities. Well, if you ask them to run a marathon, they may rather refuse, but so would I and I’m much younger. However, they deserve to be seen and included. And they have the right to catch the scammer that fooled them. As I said, I had a lot of fun watching this film, but I also find it important when it comes to picturing seniors nowadays. I wish for more productions like this one, so please – feel free to tell stories of brave and crazy grandparents who break the boring stereotypes! Cheers to Thelma and all the unstoppable seniors!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Like I’m born to be. “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025)

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directed by Maggie Kang & Chris Appelhans
© 2025 Netflix. All Rights Reserved.

I was avoiding this film for so long, but one day I gave up. It’s because I was too tired of everyone talking about it and playing its songs over and over. Kpop is not what I listen to and anime is difficult for me to watch (forgive me anime fans!), because everything’s too exaggerated for my European eyes. And how surprised I was when a film that was supposed to be just a background noise turned out to be one of the best animations I’ve seen in years. Yeah, I’m still shocked myself, but I’m more than happy to recommend it to you if you still haven’t seen it. We get to know a female Kpop band named Huntr/x – Rumi, Mira and Zoey (Arden Cho, May Hong & Ji-young Yoo). They are not only the most famous music trio with lots of fans, but also demon hunters. You see, in this world, demons steal humans’ souls and give them to their ruler Gwi-Ma. That is why we need such hunters like the girls to stop them and keep people safe. Everything goes well until a new band shows up – the Saja Boys, with their leader Jinu (Ahn Hyo-seop) – and their song “Soda Pop” becomes an absolute hit. At first, Huntr/x believe it’s going to be just a music bands battle, but it turns out the Saja Boys are undercover demons, who want to manipulate people using their popularity. The girls obviously cannot let it happen and they begin preparing an even bigger performance to win with the demon band. In the meantime, Rumi and Jinu start talking to each other in private and it seems like they have more in common than you could imagine. If you’re a grumpy adult (like me) who says “such animations are not for me”, then take a deep breath and play it. And I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed. First of all, I loved the animation style and how dynamic it was, yet not annoying like most anime productions I’ve seen. Second of all, the girls reminded me of “Totally Spies!”, a cartoon I used to watch as a child. Back then, it was a true hit and the girls had a similar energy to Huntr/x, which made me feel a bit nostalgic. Third of all, the songs are very catchy and impressive! For example “Golden” has become a true challenge for singers, because you need to be horribly talented to hit the right notes. I was vibing a lot while watching and I still listen to the soundtrack now. And last but not least, the messages coming with this film. I’m moved because to me this film is about acceptance. The girls are fighting some cartoon demons, but in fact, it’s just a metaphor of fighting our real demons, which “steal our souls”. They make us believe we’re not enough, we are not meant to succeed, we should hide our true self. Even though the main character here is Rumi and we get to learn about her personal issues, the two other members are dealing with their own demons too. And if thanks to this animation some children and teenagers change the way they see themselves for better, I couldn’t be happier. We really need such films. Especially younger generations do. So I’m crossing my fingers for sequels and I hope the meaningful messages keep reaching those who need them.

My rating: 8/10
S.

You never know when… “Final Destination Bloodlines” (2025)

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directed by Zach Lipovsky & Adam Stein
© 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

Here we are. After a long trauma journey we finally reach the end. I mean, almost the end, because we already know that they’re planning another part… oh boy, I’m wondering how many more characters have to die so we could get the idea – Death always wins. Anyway, what’s going on in this part? We follow Iris (Brec Bassinger) and her husband attending the opening of the Sky View in 1969. It’s a fancy restaurant in a high tower, so you can see a nice view while eating your overpriced meal. During the event, Iris has a premonition that the tower is going to burn and kill everyone in it. However, this time the protagonist actually manages to save everyone, which makes a whole bunch of of people join the “dying team”. What next? We move 55 years later, where we meet Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), a granddaughter of Iris. So the woman not only survived that accident, but also had children who had children. You know what that means? No? Well, the only reason those guys are safe is because Iris is still alive. Stefani decides to meet with her grandma Iris (Gabrielle Rose) and learn about her story. The old woman tells the truth, but her granddaughter doesn’t believe her until Iris lets the Death kill her in front of Stefani. From that moment, the girl has to protect her family and make sure they stay safe. When it comes to the general idea, I actually appreciate it. Although it’s quite amazing to see Iris win with Death for 55 years while other characters die within days. But hey, it’s fiction, right? However, I think the film could have been more horrorish than comedic. I don’t know, but to me this newest part looks a bit like a parody of the whole series. Still, I appreciate the effort and bringing the story back in 2025. It was actually adorable to see William Bludworth (Tony Todd), the coroner known from every part of the film. He returns in this newest film and we learn about his past, which was a clever idea – I give a thumb up for that. So generally, I praise the idea, but not really the form. Yet, I’m glad we had a chance to remind ourselves about the series and traumatise new generations. Enjoy, kiddos! Thanks to this part, we might avoid any towers, weather vanes, vending machines, MRI machines, garbage trucks, lawnmowers and, which is actually a great joke made by the filmmakers, logs. Final Destination crews must hate tress, I swear… Anyway, that’s it folks! We’ve survived 6 films full of drastic scenes, creepy accidents and mysterious consequences. I really hope that you won’t forget about the series and may Death keep playing with us. Also, let’s cross our fingers for the 7th film not to ruin everything.

My rating: 6/10
S.

Death doesn’t like to be cheated. “Final Destination 5” (2011)

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directed by Steven Quale
© 2011 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

There’s a rule that the first film of a series is almost always the best, and sequels can be either okay or pointless. What if I tell you that the 5th part of Final Destination series is my favourite? Surprise surprise. How is that possible? Well, there are several reasons. The plot doesn’t seem to be anything new – again, we have a protagonist who has a premonition. This time it’s Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) going on some company retreat with other colleagues. They’re about to cross a bridge and, as you might be guessing, the bridge is going to collapse. Sam survives and like every other protagonist tries to guess the order and save as many people as it’s possible, including himself. Doesn’t sound anyhow spectacular, does it? So why do I like the 5th film the most? First, it’s made in a similar way to the first film. If you watch all the parts one after the other, you may notice how the first film is much darker and mysterious, while next ones look like typical action productions. And in the 5th part they get back to the horrorish aesthetics, which I personally appreciate a lot. Second, this is the only film of the series during which I have to skip one death sequence. And that sequence is the eye surgery. I’m horribly sensitive when it comes to eyes and after watching this film I’ve gained a new trauma. Now I’m always anxious when I have to have my eyes checked… From the personal point of view, that’s a nightmare. From the horror filmmaker’s point of view, I’d say “great job”. And third… if you haven’t seen this part, please, I’m begging you not to read the rest of the post. Begging you! Because I’m about to discuss the ending and it’s an absolute cherry on top, so I don’t want you to miss the experience. So, SPOILERS are coming and please, read it only if you’ve seen the film. My third reason to love this part the most is the ending, which beautifully connects to the first film. I wasn’t expecting that at all, so it was a huge surprise and I simply love such. To me, the 5th film could have been the perfect ending of the series and I wouldn’t complain at all. It was the newest part, but also a prequel, so it made a perfect point about this whole game: Death will continuously win with us and it cannot be tricked. But… as you can see, 14 years later we get another part. One the one hand I was shocked and happy because I like this series very much, but on the other… could they make anything better than the 5th film? Well, my answer to that will be in the next post. In the meantime, let’s thank the 5th part for traumatising us about crossing bridges, visiting eye doctors, going to spas, using meat spits and, finally, reminding us about not flying. Anywhere, ever.

My rating: 9/10
S.

Of course there’s a crash. There’s always a crash. “The Final Destination” (2009)

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directed by David R. Ellis
© 2009 Warner Bros. Pictures. All Rights Reserved.

This part is not only traumatising because of all the deaths and disgusting scenes, but it’s also pure hell for people with OCD. Why? Well, the first film of the series is titled “Final Destination”. The second – “Final Destination 2”. The third – “Final Destination 3”. And then the fourth shows up with “The Final Destination”. No number, just the article added at the beginning. Right after this one, we get the fifth part titled… “Final Destination 5”. What’s going on? Well, let me explain you this ridiculous situation. The 4th part was titled in such way because it was supposed to be the last part of the series. That’s why it’s THE Final Destination. Buuuut, it was a box office success so they decided to continue making more films. And as much as I dislike my country’s titles’ translations, I have to proudly say that in my country it’s known as “Final Destination 4”. If there’s some important person in the film industry reading this – please, I know it’s been like 16 years, but can you officially change the title of this part? The fans would be thankful for sure. Before we move to the plot, it’s also important to mention that it was the first part to be shot in HD 3D, so you could really enjoy the destination, if you know what I mean. Last time we had a high school girl, now we have a college student named Nick (Bobby Campo), who goes to watch an auto race with his friends. You already know what’s about to happen, right? Shortly – premonition, panicking, accident happens, avoiding death. Same story. Nick realises that the survivors will be dying in the same order as if they would have died in the avoided accident. Therefore, he manages to see the surveillance footage (one of the most annoying moments – show me a guard that doesn’t kick you out and actually lets you see such tapes… I know it’s fiction, but give me a break) and thanks to that he learns the order. And that’s pretty much the only new thing we get. Personally, I believe this part is my least favourite, but it’s still quite fun to watch. So if you’re planning to rewatch the whole series, don’t skip the 4th part. Because thanks to this film you will stay away from car races, tires and metal fences, think twice before swimming in the pool, lose trust in bathtubs, always check if there’s an ambulance around, stop taking the escalator and perhaps choose to drink your coffee at home. See you for the part 5!

My rating: 6/10
S.

Oh shit, not again! “Final Destination 3” (2006)

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directed by James Wong
© 2006 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Part 3 is a real rollercoaster of emotions. Literally. Be careful, SPOILERS coming. So since everyone dies in this series, we need a new protagonist. Her name is Wendy (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), high school student who goes with her boyfriend and their friends to an amusement park. Now you’re guessing what I meant by that rollercoaster at the beginning, aren’t you? And yes, Wendy has a premonition that the rollercoaster derails and everyone dies. As usually, it happens, but since Wendy panicked and refused to ride it, she stays alive. Due to the drama scene she made, some other passengers avoided being killed as well, so that’s how we get a new dying team. What’s new in this part? Oh, something quite creative. Before the attempt to take the rollercoaster, Wendy was taking photos with her camera at the amusement park. After the first death, she realises that Death has improved its game. Apparently, the photos are clues to guess how each survivor will die. The clues are not super obvious, so they may trick Wendy, but if she analyses well, there’s a chance to save others and herself. But hey, is there really? I mean, Death will catch them anyway. Or…? Yeah, that’s the moment I stop and let you see the film yourselves. From what I’ve learnt, the director’s idea for the main theme of this part was the fear of losing control. And that’s quite visible, because Wendy is the most vigilant protagonist so far, who observes a lot and wants to be the leader of change. And I guess losing control is one of the biggest fears of most people, so it’s a smart move to highlight it in a horror. Thanks to this part you may avoid getting tanned, stay away from nail guns and flags, choose a different form of transport than train and definitely think twice before taking a rollercoaster. Some critics said that this part was pretty pointless – well, I believe some critics are pretty pointless, too. Even though the general idea for the film is well-known, each part is different and here, thanks to the trick with photographs, we may enjoy it in a new way. Choo choo!

My rating: 7/10
S.

Today is the day you may die. “Final Destination 2” (2003)

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directed by David R. Ellis
© 2003 New Line Cinema. All Rights Reserved.

Seems like you like being traumatised? Good, let’s continue the game. Especially, since the second part is well-known for its log scene, which is considered the most traumatising moment that has influenced the whole generation. What scene are we talking about? Well, even if you haven’t seen the whole film, I’m sure you must have heard of the log scene. It’s the moment where there’s a lorry with logs driving a highway. At some point the chains break and one of the logs goes through the car behind the lorry, killing the driver. As a representative of the traumatised generation, I admit that driving behind such lorries is no longer acceptable. If you do that, please search help. And if you’re a lorry driver transporting logs – what would you like your seat in hell to look like? Anyway, if you’re wondering what happens in this part except the most traumatising scene, let me share it with you. Here comes a SPOILER… so, as you know, Death is a damn good player and our cutiepies from the first part didn’t manage to win with it. That is why we need new characters and we begin with Kimberly (A. J. Cook), a student going for spring break with her friends. On the way, she has a premonition in which she sees a huge accident on the highway they’re about to take soon. The girl panics and blocks several cars from driving into the highway. When the police appears and tries to understand the girl’s behaviour, the accident actually happens, just without Kimberly, her friends and several other cars behind them. Yes, dear readers, that’s our new to-die team. This time, those aren’t only people who know each other, so contacting them and following their deaths becomes a challenge. The only person that may understand Kimberly and actually try to help her is Clear (Ali Larter), known from the first part and the only survivor. She’s in a psychiatric ward, avoiding death at all costs. So is it actually possible to win this game? Well, you’ll have to see. The girls come up with an idea to trick their enemy, which is quite creative, I liked it, but obviously the filmmakers had to complicate it even more. In the end, that wouldn’t be another “Final Destination” film, right? This part is definitely more twisted than the first one, which is a plus, because we don’t stay bored. At least I always have fun with the whole series, so you’ll have to see yourself. This part may encourage you to stop using ladders, look up more often, reconsider taking a lift and definitely never drive behind a lorry with logs. I mean, never. See you for part 3!

My rating: 7/10
S.