the_legend_27 Reviews

The Dark Tower (2017)

​ Probably not as epic as the books, but a fun adventure nonetheless

[6/10 · 15 August 2017]

Filled with some great action and boasted with great performances from leads: Tom Taylor, Idris Elba, and Matthew McConaughey, The Dark Tower is a short and sweet adventure that introduces viewers to a mysterious and eye-catching world even if it may seem to be more inspired than based on the epic novels by Stephen King.

Logan (2017)

Brutal, Sad, and Thoughtful, Logan is a defiant classic that brings great light into the superhero genre

[10/10 · 30 July 2017]

With the power of James Mangold and Hugh Jackman, 2017's Logan makes a truly defining step for the comic book film genre by giving viewers an excellent story full of endless emotion and bloodshed that gives the character of Wolverine, and Wolvie fans alike, what he deserves with a dark western style action film that is lead by brilliant direction and writing from Mangold and excellent Oscar-worthy performances from leads Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, and Dafne Keen, and is a beautiful send off to both Jackman and the Wolverine.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017)

A fun period-piece adventure flick in a genre that seems to not be as prominent as it once was

[7/10 · 30 July 2017]

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales may suffer from being the fifth in the series and for the way too long title, but in seriousness, Pirates 5 is a fun adventure from beginning to end. Even though its not as great as it once was with some cringe worthy moments and a tad bit too much CGI at times, this possible final chapter of the pirate saga is a fun mindless ride with a grand opening and final act that will give Pirate's fans, and passable casual film goers, satisfaction.

Blade Runner (1982)

Possibly one of the greatest Sci-Fi films of all time

[10/10 · 30 July 2017]

Ridley's Scott masterpiece, Blade Runner: The Final Cut, transcends the typical troupes of the genre and uses great thematic imagery, writing, characters, and beautiful direction to make a truly defining piece of science fiction that demonstrates what stories can be told with the power of film making, and despite its age, Blade Runner contains a world full of imposing characters, a thought-provoking narrative, and exquisite themes that has not been well replicated (no pun intended) ever since, and with the recent final cut in 2007, it also looks better than most Sci-Fi films today.

War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

A stunning and epic conclusion to a masterful trilogy

[8/10 · 30 July 2017]

Matt Reeves' thrilling conclusion to the great series, War for the Planet of the Apes, is truly the definition of Epic with its excellent storytelling, action, characters, direction, and, of course, special effects. War further provides a new standard for CGI as well as blockbusters in general by providing a story that is just about as exhilarating as it's action set pieces and with a breathtaking performance by Andy Serkis, War for the Planet of the Apes is the final grand piece of a fantastic trilogy and is a perfect example of the potential of prequels and reboots.

The Big Sick (2017)

A fun light hearted comedy that's realistic characters and witty writing make it stand out in the large pool of romantic comedy fluff

[7/10 · 30 July 2017]

The Big Sick benefits from its great cast and funny script from lead Kumail Nanjiani and wife Emily V. Gordon, and makes for a fun light hearted, and sometimes raunchy, comedy about two clashing cultures and with especially great performances from actors Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, The Big Sick is a delightful treat for rom-com and non rom-com fans alike.

Atomic Blonde (2017)

A kickass "John Wick meets James Bond" romp that's action, cinematography, and strong lead overcomes its semi-confusing narrative

[8/10 · 27 July 2017]

David Leitch (Director of John Wick) gives audiences a fun, stylish, and most importantly, badass action piece with Atomic Blonde. Although its somewhat mild plot may turn off some viewers, casual fans and action connoisseurs will fall in love with its beautiful action set pieces, familiar to that of John Wick, mesmerizing performances from stars Charlize Theron and James McAvoy, and a truly spectacular finale.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)

Visually stunning and filled with imagination, but completely lacking in great character, charm, or substance.

[4/10 · 26 July 2017]

Although Luc Besson gives audiences an incredible visual 3D spectacle full of jaw-dropping moments, Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets lack the character and charm that is usually brought from the genre and, unfortunately, feels like a mess with its very by-the- numbers and uninteresting plot and zero chemistry between its two leads, Valerian and Laureline. Though there are many truly awe- inspiring sequences with fantastic CGI, beautiful costume and art designs, and Besson's great direction, but the story is just nothing to ride home about and with poor writing, attempts of forced humor and a complete lack of interesting characters, especially with the leads, Luc Besson's Valerian seems like a huge disappointment for what it was trying to be.

Grand Theft Auto V (2013 Video Game)

A huge bombastic and somewhat offensive parody of modern day America that refuses to play it safe

[24 July 2017]

Grand Theft Auto V is a masterpiece with its giant cast of memorable and funny characters, large and deep open world with the harsh land of San Andreas, and its three Oscar-worthy main protagonists. Rockstar North continues to prove their credibility with the latest game in the critically acclaimed franchise that seems to keep getting better after each installment. GTA V has become a staple for the video game industry with Rockstar's mind numbing attention to detail with its fantastic story that's both crazy and over the top with single missions that feel more cinematic than other video game stories all together, and deep and thoughtful with great performances by leads Ned Luke, Steven Ogg, and Shawn Fonteno, bringing the best from the lighter and darker installments in the series. GTA V not only brings the upgrade to the story department (already being a prominent figure of the series) but Rockstar North also brings the tightest and most fluid of combat, driving, and flying mechanics that we have ever seen, blending all the pros of past GTAs as well as mechanics from Red Dead Redemption, Max Payne 3, and Midnight Club, making this feel like the ultimate form of all of Rockstar's past successes (which there are many). Grand Theft Auto V gives hundreds of hours of joy to players with its long and drawn out gem of a main storyline, plenty of fun and interesting side missions (dubbed "Strangers & Freaks" understandably) as well as charming random events that occur throughout the city, tight and smooth gameplay, beautiful visuals (not to mention great motion capture and cinematography), and the rich and freakish world of Los Santos and Blaine County, making Grand Theft Auto V Rockstar's latest classic. Oh, there is also an Online mode. Supporting up to 32 players, Grand Theft Auto Online is a fun and chaotic mess where players each want to go up through the ranks by doing various missions, races, deathmatches, wave-based survival modes, adversary modes (special player vs player only modes that have their own rule sets), and activities in the open world. GTA Online allows players to have fun with their friends, whether by doing missions involving beloved characters from the story mode, as well as past games in the series, just goofing off around in freeroam, or by making their own custom game modes with the content creator. Long lasting players are also pleased with Rockstar adding tons of new free content that keep the world of Los Santos alive, though admittedly making it difficult for players to get some of this new content with the inclusion of microtransactions. All in all, Grand Theft Auto V is definitely well-worth your money with its excellent story mode: filled to the brim with great and memorable moments, brilliant writing that seems like Tarantino was involved with the production, a great barrage of characters, fun side missions and activities, and its solid gameplay making one of, if not, the best Rockstar has produced. Rockstar Games has made a masterpiece with GTA V by having the obliviously well-praised story mode, fun and time-consuming online mode, as well as a support for the modders and content creators by including director mode, which allows players to use characters for the base game and make their own cinematics by taking control of the camera as well as other features in the world such as lighting, filters, and weather effects, and allowing creators to edit their cinematics as well as clips they can record through the game in both story and online mode in the Rockstar Editor and upload their creations to YouTube or Rockstar's own social club, making it easier for creators to do what they love. If you could not tell, Grand Theft Auto V is a great game that will provide anyone hundreds and hundreds of hours of entertainment and is probably one of the greatest videogames in recent years.

Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk is a masterpiece through and through with every single shot meticulously designed to amaze

[10/10 · 23 July 2017]

Most war movies are about a group of characters dealing with a terrible and frightening situation, but Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk is about one thing and one thing only, War. Dunkirk does not focus on having memorable characters with large story arcs but instead focuses on the event of Dunkirk itself and the real and truly horrifying experiences the many men and women faced on that day. Nolan gives audiences a gripping and intense epic with beautiful camera work shot completely with good ol' film and thankfully a complete lack of CGI and overdone blood splatter. With its impressively large and realistic cast, use of real vehicles and stunts, great complex narrative, and possibly one of the best scores from legend Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk is a shinning example of why we love film.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

A 'spectacular' Spider-Man movie that proves that Spider-Man's still got it.

[8/10 · 21 July 2017]

Jon Watts (Director of Clown and Cop Car) perfects the character and charm of Spider-Man that we all love from the comics without doing disservice to either fans of both the Raimi and Amazing Spider-Man franchises with a fun superhero movie oozing with joy with its great cast and characters, big and small, as well as an 'amazing' performance from Tom Holland who brilliantly combines what Maguire and Garfield brought to the character by truly demonstrating the differences and similarities between the awkward nerd Peter Parker and the quippy crime fighting Spider-Man. The film also gives many critics of Marvel's lack of great villains what they want most, a relatable villain that is as, if not more, interesting than the hero itself and not only is great adversary physically but also psychologically and we see this with Michael Keaton's excellent portrayal of the Vulture. What Spider-Man: Homecoming does best, however, is its attention to detail and world building put into the town of Queens, which feels more real and believable than any other fictional world we have seen in the MCU, making Spider-Man: Homecoming one of the best chapters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and another great example for future superhero movies to learn from.

Castlevania (2017–2021)

A badass epic full of fun, gory, and over the top action as well as an interesting story with thankfully no filler

[8/10 · 20 July 2017]

Castlevania proves the potential of storytelling in videogames and provides fans of the classic adventures, anime lovers, and casual viewers alike with a badass collection of beautiful imagery, stunning action sequences, and great characters to make the audience stay and enjoy the ride in this four episode season. Unlike other TV shows, Castlevania ditches the unnecessary filler and makes a gripping story that keeps on giving with teases of whats to come, and yes, while at the start it may seem dry, by the end viewers will crave for more as the credits begin to roll, making a perfect start to what may be a great series. Castlevania is a success in every which way by showing that a show or film does not have to have a high budget value to engage audiences as well as further proving Netflix's credibility with their trust on independent creators.

Megan Leavey (2017)

Megan Leavey will touch even the most cynical of viewers and with an Oscar-worthy performance by Kate Mara, will not leave viewers unsatisfied in the slightest

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite (Blackfish) shows the beautiful bond between man and dog with this telling of the true story of a young marine's relationship between her and her combat bomb-sniffing dog, Rex. Megan Leavey is an uplifting war drama with interesting characters, surprisingly tense action sequences, and an Oscar-worthy performance from star, Kate Mara, as well as the many dogs themselves, and will make sure to touch anyone and everyone who steps foot in the theater, while making sure nobody leaves with a dry eye.

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

A masterpiece of animated story telling with lovable characters and a beautiful world

[9/10 · 4 July 2017]

Laika's latest animation, Kubo and the Two Strings, further proves their credibility with a beautifully crafted world of full of endless imagination and matches its own animation with a thrilling adventure full of fantasy, myth, and surprisingly melancholy, as well as a small batch of great and lovable characters and a premise that will remain timeless and provide pleasure to viewers of all ages.

Moana (I) (2016)

A beautiful and fun delight but not a masterpiece by any means

[7/10 · 4 July 2017]

Disney's Moana is a fun treat its with breathtaking animation, funny and interesting characters, and classic Disney-style musical sequences, but suffers due to a somewhat cookie-cutter story and a seemingly lack of overall stakes or consequence. All in all, Moana is another fun adventure from Disney studios that will entertain audiences of any age or background, but is far from the classics of old.

Baby Driver (2017)

Writer-Director Edgar Wright's Baby Driver is an instant classic and a must-watch for movie fans of any kind

[8/10 · 3 July 2017]

Packed with unprecedented style, flawless editing, relentless charm, and a beyond-killer soundtrack, Edgar Wright does what he does best with Baby Driver and proves that action movies can be smartly written as well as beautifully directed without sacrificing any of the sweet eye-candy we come to love in action cinema. It's masterful cast, with brilliant performances by Ansel Elgort, Lily James, and Jamie Foxx further proves its high praise, but with Edgar Wright's flawless script and direction, Baby Driver is a must-watch for any movie-going fan and is another example of the best the art can provide making it Baby Driver an instant classic. TeKillYah!

Power Rangers (2017)

A great movie for teenagers and adults alike, but kids maybe should wait till their older

[8/10 · 16 June 2017]

2017's Power Rangers uses a blend of nonsensical action, fun characters, and a self-aware script to tell a fun superhero movie that focuses on its characters more than anything else but also provides the fun camp fans will miss from the beloved shows towards the latter half. Teenagers as well as adults will relate to these characters with their attitude, relationships, and quirky high-school situations. Parents may want to have their kids hold on seeing this one, but nonetheless, Power Rangers like 1990's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a great adaptation that revives the heart and spirit of the original product.

The Mummy (2017)

A solid start for the Dark Universe

[6/10 · 16 June 2017]

The Mummy brings movie goers a fun experience full of adventure, charisma, action, and occasional terror. Though it may have some faults in the first and third act, The Mummy makes a solid start to a potentially great franchise by being one thing first, a complete movie with a beginning and end. Most franchise starters nowadays try to shove weak setups for future sequels down viewers' throats as seen in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Ghostbusters (2016) but this movie does not do the same. It uses a rich cast, fun script, memorable action, and a beautiful score by Brian Tyler to give another fun action-adventure popcorn flick that rises above the rest.

Deadpool (2016)

A new landmark for superhero and comedy films

[9/10 · 10 June 2017]

With a brilliant script, visceral action, and a Oscar-worthy performance by lead Ryan Reynolds, 2016's Deadpool takes superhero and comedy films into a new direction and proves that comic book movies still have a lot more to offer.

Proof of the benefits of filmmakers taking risks rather than following the working formula, Deadpool takes the superhero genre and heightens it with its unapologetic offensive humor, bloody and intense violence, as well as a excellent cast and script. Deadpool is an example to not only based ones characters and stories off of the original material, but to embrace the heart and soul of the comic book medium as a whole.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Fun, but half of what the original set out to be

[8/10 · 8 June 2017]

Although it benefits greatly from James Gunn's beautiful direction, a charming cast, and a nearly flawless third act (as well as another fantastic soundtrack), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is half of what the first brought to the table with a large array of forced humor and unfunny gags.

Prometheus (I) (2012)

A thought provoking movie both with an interesting narrative and world built by mastermind Ridley Scott

[8/10 · 8 June 2017]

A beautiful, thrilling, and thought provoking film that may not exceed the expectations one may view for an Alien movie, but instead brings a fresh take on the beloved franchise with its stunning visual splendor, complex characters, and many strong themes of the nature of human culture.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

A great blend of Prometheus and Alien that should provide fans of both films satisfaction

[8/10 · 8 June 2017]

Scott's Alien Covenant heightens on the many strengths of Prometheus and brings another solid entry into the famous saga with a fresh and realistic cast of characters, beautifully disgusting production design, thrilling narrative, and some answers to many of our long-awaited questions.

Wonder Woman (2017)

A film filled with charm but lacks the essential qualities of a modern blockbuster

[6/10 · 7 June 2017]

It may have some issues with it's semi-overabundant use of slow-motion, somewhat messy third act, and lackluster 3D, but overall Patty Jenkin's Wonder Woman is an charming, colorful, and exhilarating thrill ride with fantastic performances by leads Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, a cheerful barrage of supporting characters, beautiful score, and moments of tight Snyder-inspired action, and is another example of the great potential of the DC Extended Universe.