Movie Review: Karate Kid: Legends

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The latest addition to the Karate Kid franchise mostly works thanks to a charming cast and its attempts to break away from the expected formula, but it loses its way when it rushes through the overstuffed and predictable final act. The plot has all the broad strokes of the original film and the “remake,” but it takes its own path for a big portion of the film and is engaging in its own right thanks to likable lead characters that have good chemistry with each other. However, the third act switches gears and rushes through the training montage and the big tournament while sidelining everyone except the lead character and Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso. This combination never really gels and almost feels tacked-on. While there is a fun Jackie Chan-inspired fight scene early on, the rest of the action is so-so. Also, the villains are pretty one-note and there’s some odd video-game-like onscreen graphics that feel out of place.

*** out of *****

TV Review: The Last of Us (Season 2)

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Following up from the first season that adapted the popular video game, the second season of “The Last of Us” is tasked with adapting the polarizing chapter of that game. Thanks to sticking with what did work in that game, season 2 works overall, even though this season only covers half of the story.

The plot closely follows the prologue and first arc of the game, although critical information that appeared late in the game’s story is used to start off the season. While season one was the story of Ellie and Joel, this time the focus shifts to Ellie and Dina. The two do have good chemistry, but the father/daughter bond is sorely missed, especially after we get a taste of it later on in the season. While Ellie’s motivation works to kick start the adventure, that narrative seems somewhat flimsy at times and often feels like an impossible task. The story also jumps occasionally to cover aspects of The Wolves and the Scars. While there ongoing war has some interesting elements, both sides are inconsistently portrayed as victims and as aggressors. (Not to mention most of this arc appears later in the game and seems to be more for setting up season 3 of this series.)

As far as returning characters go, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey once again do a phenomenal job as Joel and Ellie. This is tricky because Ellie is now closer to an adult than a child, forcing Ramsey to create a compelling new version of the character. (Although thanks to some flashbacks, they easily slide back into the more “innocent” side of Ellie.) And while Tommy is given much more to do this time around, he’s still mostly sits out of most of the major storylines.

As far as new characters, Abby and her crew are fine for what we see of them, with Kaitlyn Dever standing out. Jesse is also a nice addition to the show, with Young Mazino giving a nuanced performance considering his complicated role in the series. But the standout is easily Isabela Merced as Dina, who brings both a playfulness and also a levelheadedness that really compliments her dynamic with Ellie.

The series looks fantastic, with locations overgrown with vegetation in the same way as shown in the game, and a few areas ripped straight from the game. (There’s also plenty of key character moments, action sequences and dialog that’s practically 1:1 adapted from the game.) All the major characters beats work well, the emotional moments hit hard, and this season doesn’t skimp on having “zombies” actually show up in a “zombie” show.

“The Last of Us” season 2 looks amazing, is well acted and features plenty of action and scares. However, while trying to copy the structure of the game, it is essentially half of a story and it’s unclear if the second half of the story will be compelling enough to bring back the audience for more.

**** out of *****

Movie Review: Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

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An overly long franchise sendoff (maybe) that is saved by solid performances and a few strong set pieces. Despite the change to the title, this film is still a direct sequel to “Dead Reckoning,” and while this chapter gets you up to speed in case you didn’t see the last film, it focuses mostly on the continuing plotlines and not on the characters. As far as the plot specific to this film, it’s somehow both straightforward and a cluttered mess. The pacing is all over the place for the first hour of the film and it takes a while for things to get going. The middle portion has a strong, tension filled sequences that works despite the fact you know things have to work out for the hero because this isn’t that type of franchise. The final act is a bit overstuffed, but there’s another fun action sequences that features Tom Cruise putting his life on the line and doing his own stunts. Normally, there’s plenty of humor in these films, usually from the interaction of the IMF team, but here there’s shockingly little of that. The runtime is nearly three hours, and there’s easily a half hour of material that could be cut from the film. And while there’s a ton of flashbacks, callbacks (and a few retcons) to make this feel like it’s truly the end of the franchise, the ending leaves enough room to continue on.

**1/2 out of *****

Movie Review: Final Destination Bloodlines

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Despite being the sixth film in the franchise, “Bloodlines” finds an interesting way to reinvent the lore, but unfortunately the film itself doesn’t quite take advantage of it. The plot is basically exactly the same as all the other “Final Destination” films, but it takes an unexpected detour after the first act. While they hint that this will have some effect on how the rest of the movie plays out, it mostly gives up on the new premise for more of the same. The cast is fine for what the film requires, but none of the characters are too particularly interesting. In fact, there’s usually a character you can’t wait to see get killed off, but there really isn’t that bad apple this time. (However, franchise regular Tony Todd makes the most of what ended up being his final performance before his death, It’s a bittersweet moment in both the story of the film and also in real life.) The effects are decent, appearing to be a mix of practical and so-so CG. The kills are fine, and they still do a good job of putting a lot of balls in the air and keeping you guessing on which one with be the one that takes somebody out.

**1/2 out of *****