wesleybh Reviews

BloodRayne: The Third Reich (2011 Video)

Could have been something...

[4/10 · 6 July 2011]

Going into this movie I had only seen the first Bloodrayne movie which I didn't mind because there was so much action. Bloodrayne: The Third Reich is once again about action, but sadly the action scenes are way to short and there is just not enough in them. There was actually one action scene that came out of no where and the time could have been used better. The acting was sub par with some laugh out loud moments because of both the script and the acting, especially the last line in the movie. I like how the movie didn't go overboard with gore like the first movie.

The movie without the credits runs 1hr 12min director's cut, which shows how the movie could have been made a lot better if someone put more time into the script. I wouldn't recommend this movie because it just doesn't pack a punch. The script does have humor that isn't witty, but you still get a laugh because it is so random. If you want something to waste your time with then go ahead and rent it, but just don't buy it.

Robin Hood (2010)

Better than Kingdom of Heaven, Worse than Gladiator

[7/10 · 14 May 2010]

Keep in mind that this isn't the story of Robin Hood that we all grew up with; this is the prelude to the story we grew up with. "The Story Behind the Legend." Robin Hood is truly epic in every way.

The acting was perfect. I couldn't have asked for a better performance for any of the actors/actresses. You will love some characters and hate some and your opinion will change throughout the movie about some of the characters. However, very few of the characters were introduced in a way that I understood them, they were just fleshed out as the movie went on.

The battle scenes were epic, but they were lacking the brutality that made Gladiator's battles so much more epic. Sometimes I felt that the exact sword slashes were used multiple times, but overall the battles felt intense and exciting.

I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially Ridley Scott fans. This was 2 1/2 hours of fun that you will not forget for a long time. Better than Kingdom of Heaven, but worse than Gladiator (which really isn't saying much considering how great Gladiator is).

1968 Tunnel Rats (2008)

Brutal and heavy hearted

[6/10 · 26 April 2010]

Uwe Boll is notorious for making some terrible movies, most of which are video game adaptations. However, every drama Uwe Boll has done which I have seen, this and Heart of America, have been good movies worthy of some praise.

Tunnel Rats is hard to watch. It is extremely brutal and graphic, probably the most graphic movie I have seen. This adds to the drama because it will make you cringe and you will want to close your eyes. I was against Uwe Boll making a Vietnam movie, because he's German, but I think he put more effort into the drama than Oliver Stone did with Platoon. However, Platoon is a better film in terms of characters and progression with the story, and one of my favorite films.

I felt that the movie was too short and that everything was rushed, but the short length fit somehow because I was getting ready to stop watching, because of the violence level. This isn't a particularly great movie, but it does show both sides of the war and the ending was wonderful. This is the first Vietnam movie that actually made it feel like the US lost the war, and we did.

Far Cry (2008)

Actually, I had fun watching this

[4/10 · 24 April 2010]

There are several conditions which one must abide by in order to enjoy this movie. ONE, forget the game (even though it is good);TWO,watch this movie empty headed/don't take it seriously; THREE, ignore the bad acting. If you can do these things, then you might actually like it. There were several points in the movie where I was laughing so hard, I was crying. The humor was subtle at times and others it was blatant, but it was still funny.

Now, with that being said, it wasn't a quality movie by any means. The action scenes were nice, but not awesome; the acting was sub par, especially the lady in the beginning, "But George, I want to see the whales!" This was a part where I was cracking up. Also, the chemistry between Valerie and Jack was, well, interesting. They just sort of, ummm, came together as if they knew each other for a long time. In fact, the character development was the weakest point of the movie, but hey, like I said, condition number two.

The ending was good enough, but in the end I felt like nothing was accomplished. It sounds like I hated the movie, but the humor and Shweiger's relaxed feel, even in dire situations, just made this enjoyable. Plus the ending action sequence was cool. Don't watch this if you want a serious, hard core action movie. Watch this if you want to watch a relaxed, not-so-serious movie.

Uwe Boll's best video game movie, and the only one worth seeing (renting).

Alone in the Dark (2005)

It felt like a Sci/Fi channel movie, bad

[2/10 · 24 April 2010]

I was skeptical about this movie. I said, "Hey, you could enjoy this. Christian Slater is in it." That did nothing for the movie. There was nothing good about it, except for Brendan Fletcher as the cab driver. I actually let out a "ha" during this part.

The acting was a huge nose bridge rub. It wasn't even funny, bad acting. I wanted every character to die. My favorite line was, "The hair on the back of my neck just stood up." Tara Reid. That line was almost as useless as this movie. The action was awful. The guns were shooting a special round, but it made it seem like they were shooting tracer rounds. Also the monsters were poorly designed. They were invisible half the time, so it looked like the guys were shooting laser beams at nothing. Plus, the outfits were paintball gear. Each character looked like they were children playing war.

Avoid this movie, please. I am not biased against Uwe Boll, in fact I liked Heart of America, but this movie is undoubtedly horrendous. If you are looking to kill time, paint a wall and watch the paint dry. Be careful of the fumes please.

Heart of America (2002)

Uwe Boll has directed 3 of the worst films I have ever scene

[7/10 · 13 April 2010]

I forgave Boll for the three abominations that were HotD, AitD, and In the Name of the King. As I finished this movie, I actually forgot this was an Uwe Boll film. This was terrific and moving, but it does have its flaws.

Heart of America tells the tale of three high school students who are beaten by the jocks of the school. It is the last day of school and the movie is filled with flashbacks that develop the characters rather nicely. You love some, hate some, feel sympathetic to some, and some make you laugh. The story is filled with all the situations that could go wrong on the last day of school, a pregnant girl and her boyfriend trying to make her happy, a cheating boy friend, meth, abusive parents, and some other stuff that I won't spoil.

The acting was sub par at parts and the script was ultimately weak at points. Though, some parts were very well done.

The ending left me in a moral bind, who should I hate? Whose actions were justified? This is Uwe Boll's best movie, and that IS saying something considering that I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see a thought provoking, moral dilemmaing film.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Even though I study mythology, I was surprised...

[5/10 · 4 April 2010]

The whole movie I was trying to find mythological mistakes, there were definitely some, but I am not going to get into them. One I will point out is that, on page 28 of Edith Hamilton's Mythology, "(HADES) was unpitying, inexorable, but just; a terrible, not an evil god." This movie denies this mythological fact completely and makes Hades evil. This was the only thing a found hard to watch in the movie, and a big thing in the movie.

The plot is Perseus is found in a box with his deceased mother, by a fisherman. He adopts Perseus and he grows up happy. Later on the family is killed by Hades because people have begun to defy the gods. Perseus is rescued by Argonians and eventually has to find a way to kill Hades (another problem). There are the Fates, only one gorgon, and the Adromadean conflict.

The chemistry between the characters felt somewhat rushed. Draco started off hating Perseus, but five seconds later they were best friends. Andromeda wasn't really properly introduced. Also the other soldiers had distinct personalities, but we were never given any reason for them existing. Perseus and Io were the only characters to have a steady, developing relationship. The Gods could of had more screen time, but it was better than their screen time in Troy (which was none.)

This was a great movie, but not a serious movie; a CGI fest with a good plot. Don't go to this movie expecting some Oscar winning film. Go into this movie expecting to see a lot of great action. This was much better than 300 and Troy.

7/10 For a great action/adventure movie with poor character building and mythological inaccuracies.

The Ghost Writer (2010)

Great B+ mystery film

[8/10 · 21 March 2010]

When I saw this movie this afternoon, I didn't have any expectations for the movie. What I got was a great mystery film with great characters and a decent twist.

The plot is simple, after the death of a ghost writer for Prime Minister Adam Lang, another ghost writer is hired to finish Langley's memoir. Immediately you realize there is something wrong with the situation, but you really don't know what. Slowly the plot unravels and the suspense builds up.

The only complaints that I have are that Ewan McGregor's character (the ghost) didn't seem to have a real distinct personality. He just went with the flow, which I suppose ghost writers are supposed to do. Also, some characters seemed to be useless, such as the maid who seemed to be mysterious. Finally, some of the scenes from this movie are derived from other movies, but don't all films these days borrow scenes? These are only minor complaints that will easily be looked passed.

The ending before the credits role was really shocking to me; I really did not see it coming. The twist in the end was really a half twist because you can see it coming, but Polanski (or Robert Harris rather)added something extra, twisting the twist, that was spoiled by my dad saying the extra twist out loud before it happened.

This movie reminds me of some of the Hitchcock style movies where the movie starts out slow, then the suspense builds to a slight adrenaline rush, then to a stunning ending. So, if you want a great mystery with a great twist, see this movie, not Shutter Island.

Armored (2009)

Cool movie if you are bored, other than that it was pretty bad

[5/10 · 12 March 2010]

The movie starts off great, a war veteran who is struggling to pay off his parents debts gets a job as a security guard for Eagle Shield to protect the money being transported. One day his "godfather"/partner asks him to assist in the robbery of the Armored truck. Morally conflicted Ty Hackett agrees to assist and then the movie falls down.

Ty himself did not seem to do a lot to protect the money as much as he seemed to protect himself. Some of the guards seemed to have emotional meltdowns which did not fit the story line at all. However these melt downs are what make this character(s) unique from the rest. Some of the guards are off'd in the strangest ways that will make you sigh and say "wow, that was a waste of a character." Jean Reno played absolutely no role in the film whatsoever, I mean sure he had a couple of shinning moments but I forgot he was even in the movie.

The ending was really disappointing and the robbery sequence which lasted approximately thirty minutes, was not interesting at all. While Ty remained inside of the vehicle, the guards were trying to knock out the hinges of the door. Yeah. Another guard decides to rebel so another guard kills him and then that guard commits suicide. Two characters wasted. Then three other guards are killed by a bomb when Ty finally decides to open the door of the truck. Finally Ty is chased by an armored truck which flips over killing the last guard. The movie itself was 1:23, which is actually good because it ends before you can walk away from it because of the lack of interest.

Shutter Island (2010)

Very Predictable, but Still Enjoyable...

[7/10 · 1 March 2010]

Don't go into this thinking that this is a horror movie. My mom saw this thinking that, and so did my brother. They were both extremely disappointed with this movie. This is a psychological thriller, and a good one at that.

If you are someone who watches a lot of movies in this genre, then you can probably figure out what will happen, but if you are not prone to watching psycho-thrillers, then you will love this movie.

The acting was solid, but I just feel that De Caprio is too feminine looking to be believable as a Federal Marshal. Still, I will say he held his own and pulled through. Although, in the WWII flash backs he seemed out of place.

The story is pretty basic, but the twist will throw some into a loop, but others, like me and my family, not so much. Still, I felt that the movie was a good movie to watch when there is almost nothing to do. It had a good mystery behind it and some good performances.

This short review makes this movie seem poor, but its not. I have read to many reviews on IMDb that emphasize the good stuff, but no one really wants to say the bad stuff.

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Brilliant, Exciting, and Intriguing

[10/10 · 26 July 2009]

During the past Christmas season I received the Alfred Hitchcock Collectors Set consisting of 13 Hitchcock films. I never really watched any of them until last night. I was shocked at the sheer suspense and adventure in this film considering its age. I had seen A. H. Psycho many times before, but this is in a completely different film from Psycho.

The story is about a lady who is taking care of this woman on a train. This woman was hit in the head by something, so on the train she takes a nap and wakes up to find the lady missing and everybody on the train has denied seeing her. She teams up with this man who was rude at first in the film and later on became her side kick.

There wasn't an empty moment in the film and it kept me very entertained the whole way through. From the collectors set that I received, The Lady Vanishes and The 39 Steps were by far the best films in the set. Buy it, I promise you won't be disappointed.

Die Hard 2 (1990)

A Good Sequel, but not as Good as the First

[8/10 · 14 December 2008]

Die Hard 2 is a action/thriller that is wonderfully casted with a few minor flaws. Bruce Willis, once again, is stuck outside of his home town, New York, where people don't want him there. Terrorists take over an airport and John McClain has to stop them.

There is a plot twist in the end, but not big enough for you to say, "Oh my god! I never saw that coming." I am not saying it was bold faced obvious, but it was not a surprise.

The acting is great, the dialogue is good, character development is great, and there are some awesome shootouts. You did not have to see the first Die Hard movie to understand this one, but if you have not seen it, go out right now and BUY it. You are going to want to watch it more than once. Same with Die Hard 2.

4/5

Natural Born Killers (1994)

"...the Tale of Mickey and Mallory Knox"- Robert Downey Jr.

[7/10 · 3 September 2008]

Let me start off by saying that the first time you see this movie you will be confused. There are metaphors randomly flashing through out random parts of the film. Once you understand what is going on, you realize that this movie is an art; another Oliver Stone master piece that almost measures up to Platoon.

Natural Born Killers is violent and disturbing. The violent scenes are filled with unsteady camera angles and flashing between color film and black and white film. Many people have a problem understanding the purpose for creating this film, but it is quite simple, America's obsession with violence and its influence on the media.

Don't go into the film expecting a great action film, be skeptical about what you see and you will enjoy it. NBK it not meant to be focused on violence, just the obsession. I fully understand why people hate this film, but I like it for the reasons people hate it. It was a great film with a great cast. Robert Downey Jr. (Wayne Gail) gives a brilliant and credible performance who represents the whole media in the world and its focuses on violence.

10/10

First Blood (1982)

"They Spilled First Blood, Not me!"

[7/10 · 3 September 2008]

The some what new Rambo strayed away from what First Blood started. John Rambo, I retired Vietnam veteran, finds himself in prison for some reason that is not fully explained. He escapes and is perused into the wilderness.

If you started with Rambo, you will be disappointed because First Blood is about tactics and survival, not shooting everyone in Stallone's path. Just the sheer fact Stallone looks healthy and not pumped full steroids makes this movie 10x's better the Rambo. My dad did not want see Rambo because of how Sylvester Stallone looked, which undermined Rambo, in my opinion, severely.

First Blood is a thrill ride from beginning to end that shows what Rambo is meant to be in his Green Beret ways, a highly trained lethal weapon.

I would recommend this movie to people who like stealthy action films and not shoot em' up fans.

9/10

10,000 BC (2008)

Slavery in 10,000 BC

[4/10 · 19 March 2008]

If you watch the trailer, you would be under the impression that this was about Cave-Men vs. Mammoths, Sabertooth tigers, etc... You are wrong. After a hunter's lover is captured, he must track down the people who eventually force her to be a slave, along with other people of her tribe. Take a good look at the cover, that is the only violent the the Sabertooth tiger (speartooth) does. One of the most disappointing things in the movie were the fact that nothing was really explained. This movie actually reminded me of Pathfinder, the dialogue, romance, and more. Overall the movie was mediocre and there could have been major improvements.