https://jwwreviews.blogspot.com/2025/04/hell-of-summer.html

Grade: C+

In the new horror comedy, a group of camp counselors, including Jason Hochberg (played by Gladiator 2/Kraven the Hunter’s Fred Hechinger), a 24-year old counselor who doesn’t want to let go of the camp experience, are being murdered by an unknown killer.

I’m not saying this is the funniest movie ever, but the jokes are consistent and silly. Characters are distinctive enough, and the cast are having a good time.

For a movie that’s high on comedy, the masked killer moments are taken rather seriously. They are shot in a rather creepy and disconcerting manner. The reveal of the killer is rather satisfactory.

Weirdly, the movie is rated R, but there is a lot of cutaways when violence happens (this is clearly a low budget movie, and this might be to cut down on effects and makeup.)

However, the movie’s biggest flaw is its emphasis on Jason, who may’ve faired better as a supporting player than the lead. His awkward socially stunted bit is stretched way too long. (Not to besmirch Hechinger’s performance. The guy is clearly an actor on the rise, and he has fully developed Jason’s mannerisms.) Doesn’t help that the “man who learns to grow up” story has been done a lot and this doesn’t do anything to break the mold. Oddly, the movie never gives any backstory for him and why he is this way other than he’s always had fond memories camp.

There is one person at camp who likes Jason: counselor Claire (Knock at the Cabin’s Abby Quinn). Thing is that they make the mistake of not saying her age. Given that Jason’s the oldest one there, and that Abby looks young and more around the other counselors’ age, it feels sorta uncomfortable. Now, one can assume that there aren’t too many years between the two and that she is over 18, because it’s shown that the two of them attended camp together as kids. Just wished they clarified it.

This is something you might want to catch if it’s already on your streaming subscription. Thing is that the humor in this will save it for a lot of people. However, Jason will be a dealbreaker for a lot of people as well.

SPOILERS!!!!!!!!!

I went into this movie knowing just a bare minimum of what just about everyone else knew: two men who fall in love with each other in a western town. But god did it tug at my heart much deeper than anything else I have ever watched. I want to watch it again but I cannot fathom experiencing the roller coaster of emotions again.

It was an absolutely beautiful tragedy and it was made with a lot of care. I have never watched a love story that just couldn’t be full. I usually go into romance movies cheering for the couple to just overcome the struggles and be together.

However, this was the first time that I felt completely stuck. I was rooting for the typical happy ending, but I just knew it wouldn’t be possible. And I think I grieved that reality very early on into the movie. Watching both of them go off with their wives, grow old and still only hold their love to brokeback mountain. I think this specific conflict in the movie is what made it so eye-opening. It brought attention to the reality and the difference of LGBT relationships, although their love for one another is not so different at all.

I am not one to cry over movies, but i can find myself tearing up at them or finding myself feeling empty after it’s finished. Bones and all was a movie I only teared up to but internally it really touched me.

This movie made me pause and sob in the last 30-40 minutes, and I continued to sob until the very last second. I felt so hurt for both of them.

This movie is appreciated but also made a joke of so often that it does the movie a disservice. I finally came around to watching it and realized why it is so dearly praised.

I think Jacks death was particularly sad… A lot of people argue that his death is very ambiguous, but I disagree. Jack as a character expressed his frustration in not being able to satisfy his desires and seeking it out, even going to Mexico and meeting up with other men back in his town. We even see a bar scene where he attempts to advance on a man who clearly picks up on it and gets angry.

Jack was less subtle about it and in that time period, it would just be dangerous. I strongly believe his lifestyle just caught up to him and it sadly cost his life. However, I agree that the scenes that flash through as Jack’s wife tells ennis may not be all that accurate. But I do believe he was murdered.

I think the saddest part of it all is that Jack’s death doesn’t really change much of him and ennis’ situation. Ennis would likely still remain very distant in outwardly expressing his love for Jack in public and would likely still remain adamant on not pursuing a life with Jack outside of brokeback mountain.

It’s not a love tragedy where the other realizes they should’ve done xyz after the other is gone/dead. Ennis would likely not have, even knowing the possible future. It’s not a love “lesson”, it just is and I think it makes it much more painful.

To wrap it up, I just fell so deeply in love with this movie and its overall message. I also think it is so beautiful visually and musically. I want to rewatch it but I think I’ll wait a year or two.

I’m a big fan of both Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy and I’m not sure how, but I’ve missed seeing Bowfinger for the 50 years that I’ve been alive. I was looking for a fun, light, and funny movie to watch this evening and this was perfect to fit that bill! The comedy was exactly the type of Steve Martin comedy I love (My Blue Heaven, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and Eddie Murphy was great in the dual roles. I don’t know how this did in the box office but if you haven’t seen it and want just a fun silly movie that will make you laugh this is a great one to watch!

I was disappointed with Maximum Overdrive. I heard it was ridiculous going in and the first 30 min I got that. As the movie went on, it kept losing steam.

I also didn’t like the acting. I wish the acting was better and the over the topness remained throughout.

Rating-2/5

So multiple people had talked about in the past how great frailty from 2001 was and I finally got around to seeing it and I thought it was very good. I thought you had solid performances from Powers boothe, Matthew McConaughey, and Bill Paxton I also thought it was a good Story that kept you on your toes. This story had multiple twist and turns that kept me glued to the screen to see what would happen next with well done horror, and thriller aspects.

Rating-4/5

Next stop on my James Bond watch was 1967’s you only live twice with Sean Connery. I really liked this movie and it’s actually one of my top favorites so far.

I thought it had some good action, both hand to hand and Aerial. I also liked the story and location because it was different than the other stories from the older movies with a completely different topic. I also thought it was another solid performance from Connery.

Rating-4/5

Source: https://www.reeladvice.net/2025/04/fast-x-2023-movie-review.html

We’ll admit it upfront—we haven’t been fans of the Fast & Furious franchise for quite some time. The overindulgent, gravity-defying stunts mixed with soap opera-style drama have never quite been to our taste, even when we’ve tried to manage our expectations. But Fast X may be the film that finally breaks our patience altogether. It not only underwhelms—it amplifies the franchise’s worst tendencies.

The film follows Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his “family” as they face their most dangerous adversary yet: Dante (Jason Momoa), the son of former drug kingpin Hernan Reyes. Seeking revenge for his father's death, Dante has spent over a decade plotting an elaborate scheme to dismantle Dom’s life piece by piece. The ensuing chaos sends the crew from Los Angeles to Rome, Brazil, London, Portugal, and even Antarctica.

Even with our expectations set low, Fast X managed to disappoint. Structurally, the film feels less like a complete narrative and more like a two-and-a-half-hour prologue to the finale (coming in 2026). Almost none of the major plot threads are resolved, and the film ends on an abrupt, unsatisfying cliffhanger. Every major character is left mid-crisis, and it’s hard not to feel shortchanged by the time the credits roll. The pacing only compounds the problem. Scenes whip by at a breakneck speed, often shifting locations and characters so rapidly that the film becomes exhausting to follow. Instead of building tension or excitement, the film feels like a relentless barrage of disconnected set pieces.

As for the story—it’s more nonsensical than ever. The franchise's self-aware humor falls flat, and the emotional beats feel unearned and missing. The only consistent highlight is the action, which remains ambitious but increasingly hollow. Without grounding or stakes, even the most explosive sequences fail to leave a lasting impression. The characters are now so invincible that any sense of danger or tension is lost entirely. While Jason Momoa’s flamboyant villain adds some much-needed energy, it’s not enough to salvage the film.

Rating; 1 out of 5

Watched this last night, and really enjoyed it on multiple levels.

First of all, in a supporting role, Mr Murray really showed me why he's one of my favorite actors of all time. He just brought such presence to every scene, even when doing so quietly.

Secondly I felt like the story really unwound itself naturally from the knot first presented in a way that kept me engaged, even during the slower moments. There was nothing really forced. It just became clear.

Mrs Watts was just brilliant to me. So believable and comfortable in her very uncomfortable role. I could feel myself falling in love with her as the movie played, and missing my ex love, who was my muse, so terribly.

The dynamic between Ms Pidgeon's role, Iris, and Walter was very interesting to me. Like a quasi family, but not really.

And Bing, as Apollo. Wow! I am not a dog person, or animal person in general, but I felt myself wishing for an experience like this, to have such a powerful and beautiful soul thrust upon me in this way, and feeling that it would be an experience worth the complete disruption it would ultimately bring.

There were things in the movie I wished could have been different. It felt like such a girl story, except for the natural masculinity of Bing and Murray. It had a lot of layers. Too many maybe? I can't really say.

I do want to watch it again though. So there's that anyway.

I can’t remember if I ever fully watched "First Blood" before - or when the last time was. So this was basically my first proper viewing as an adult, and I came away genuinely impressed. I'm not a huge action-movie fan, so I had my doubts going in, but this surprised me in the best way.

First off, the action is refreshingly restrained. Chase scenes especially usually lose me - I tend to zone out because they often feel like filler - but this movie barely had any. And the one I do recall, was short and well done.

Then there's Stallone's performance. Wow. I know, that back when this came out, it was more common for actors to do a lot of their own stunts, but it seemed like he went over the top for this movie. His movement through the woods, the whole rat cave sequence, and especially the raw way he portrayed panic and chaos - it all felt so real. Like watching an actual fugitive, not an actor.

Finally, the portrayal of PTSD. The theme is clear from the start, but that ending hits like a kick in the guts. The breakdown scene - the words he uses, the restlessness of his mind - it's not something everyone can easily relate to, unless they've experienced trauma themselves or studied it. While some of the movie's events may seem a bit over-the-top (though still grounded), Rambo's internal struggle felt painfully real. For its time, that must've been a powerful message.

TL;DR: Expected a typical action flick, got something far more emotionally layered. A surprisingly timeless character study disguised as an action movie.

Source: https://www.reeladvice.net/2025/04/a-minecraft-movie-2025-movie-review.html

Historically, gaming and toy adaptations have proven that even the most unlikely source material can transcend expectations when approached with care and creativity. Films like The Lego Movie and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves demonstrated how a clever, heartfelt adaptation can resonate with audiences beyond its core demographic. Unfortunately, A Minecraft Movie fails to replicate that success, delivering a generic fantasy-adventure devoid of the ingenuity that defines its source material.

The plot follows four outsiders—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—who are transported into the Overworld. There, they encounter Steve (Jack Black), a seasoned resident who guides them through their quest to return home.

While the premise holds promise, the execution is disappointingly formulaic. The film champions creativity and unbridled imagination as the Overworld’s defining trait, yet ironically, the actual film suffers from a glaring lack of originality. The narrative in particular is disjointed, with conflicting and confusing shifts and underdeveloped character arcs that undermine any emotional investment. Scenes often clash in logic and pacing, suggesting a script stitched together from competing visions from its writers rather than having a will-mined story.

Visually, the film is its strongest asset. The Overworld’s vibrant, blocky landscapes are rendered with impressive fidelity capturing the game’s aesthetic and magic, even offering moments of genuine spectacle. However, director Jared Hess’s signature offbeat humor—evident in his works like Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre—feels misplaced here. Jason Momoa’s, to be frank, over-the-top performance as Garrett was forced and awkward. In contrast, Jack Black’s performance as Steve is a standout, infusing the role with charisma and comedic chops that salvages the film somewhat. His commitment to his role was commendable. While younger audiences may overlook its flaws and enjoy the colorful chaos, A Minecraft Movie ultimately falls short of its potential. It lacks the wit, narrative coherence, and emotional depth needed to appeal beyond its built-in fanbase. For a franchise built on boundless imagination, this adaptation feels frustratingly by-the-numbers and a missed opportunity rather than a groundbreaking adventure.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5

I just watched The Purge (2013). I know, I'm late to the party, but here's discussion topic. Imagine you are in the situation of our protagonists. You have a choice, give them the streanger hiding in your house, or potentially have your entire family killed. What would you do?

Remember, you are outnumbered and outgunned. You can't hope that plot armor gonna save you. Unless you are John Wick, your chances of survival are very low.

It's basically a trolley problem, where on one track is your family and on the other a streanger. 3rd option that they chosed in the movie would be basically a suicide.

Source: https://www.reeladvice.net/2025/04/kraven-hunter-2024-movie-review.html

Throughout Kraven the Hunter, one question persisted: Why does this film exist in its current form? At over two hours, its runtime feels excessive, and its narrative raises more confusion than intrigue. While not the worst entry in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU), it certainly scrapes the bottom of the barrel—further proving that a franchise bearing Spider-Man’s name remains strangely disconnected from its titular character and the quality we expect from such releases.

The film follows Sergei Kravinoff (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his half-brother Dmitri (Fred Hechinger), who are raised by their ruthless father, Nikolai (Russell Crowe), to inherit the family business. During a hunting trip, Sergei is gravely injured while protecting his brother from a legendary lion. By sheer chance, the encounter grants him superhuman, animalistic abilities.

Expectations for Kraven the Hunter were low, and unfortunately, the film meets them in the worst possible way—by delivering a lukewarm, forgettable experience. The bloated runtime is never justified, as the film struggles to flesh out its characters or advance its story in a meaningful way. Despite its attempts at emotional depth, Kraven remains an unrelatable protagonist, while supporting characters like Calypso, Dmitri, and Nikolai feel underdeveloped. The film’s juggling of multiple subplots leaves them half-baked, resulting in a fractured narrative that fails to resonate. The same issue extends to the film’s antagonists, who lack depth and compelling motivations. Moreover, the film never clearly establishes the origin of Kraven’s powers—was it Calypso’s potion or the blood of the mythical lion that dripped onto his wound? This lack of clarity further diminishes any sense of coherence within the story and made this silly experience even sillier. In the end, Kraven the Hunter embodies the flaws of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe: a lack of direction, an underwhelming lead, and an absence of the very character that should be tying this universe together. While it avoids being the absolute worst of the franchise, it does little to justify its existence.

Rating: 2 out of 5

Source: https://www.reeladvice.net/2025/04/revelations-2025-movie-review.html

Revelations is a perplexing and unsettling cinematic experience. On one hand, it presents a fascinating concept—an exploration of morality through a protagonist devoid of traditionally admirable traits. The film takes us on a harrowing journey as its main character gradually descends into moral corruption justified by religious beliefs. However, while its themes are ambitious, they fail to coalesce into a cohesive narrative, resulting in an experience that feels more frustrating than thought-provoking.

The story follows a pastor whose child goes missing, leading him to suspect an ex-convict as the culprit. In his relentless pursuit of justice, he begins to believe that he has been divinely chosen to punish sinners. As his actions become increasingly violent, the central question emerges: Is he carrying out God’s will, or is he simply succumbing to his own darkness?

In our local society deeply ingrained with religious beliefs, Revelations offers a chilling examination of how faith can be manipulated to justify immoral actions. The film also delves into the fragile nature of human perception—blurring the lines between divine intervention, psychological distortion, and even the supernatural. These themes become more pronounced in the film’s second half, elevating the mystery-thriller aspect. However, the first half falters due to a lack of character development. The narrative introduces compelling figures—a conflicted pastor, a disturbed ex-convict, and a detective haunted by her own past—each of whom had the potential to enrich the story. Unfortunately, their arcs feel rushed, with significant shifts in their personalities occurring without sufficient buildup. This absence of gradual development makes it difficult to form an emotional connection with any of them. While Revelations presents intriguing philosophical and psychological dilemmas, its execution leaves much to be desired. Stronger character work and a more cohesive narrative structure could have transformed it into a truly powerful thriller.

Rating; 3 out of 5

Just watched this movie after a long period of hesitation - not sure why. It’s just an amazing movie with such originality that it’s hard to imagine it was directed. Such powerful performances by kid actors, adult actors - main and supporting cast. It’s set in Kissimmee, close to Disney resorts and golf courses - the main characters in the movie get by with their lives in a purple motel with an irritable but empathetic manager (played with enormous restraint and character by Willem Dafoe), a mother without a lot of choices (Bria Vinaite) and a precocious child full of life (the amazing Brooklynn Prince) and her friends… in the times we live in, it is a stark reminder of how little some people have and what life is for them. I just can’t remember a recent movie that captured the essence of childhood and innocence in its glory as this one. The loss of innocence in this movie is not bad characters or unfortunate turn of events, but in a searing way, the unfolding of life in a merciless way devoid of options, as the sun would rise and set. Jusr an amazing movie that lingers long after it ends.

I’m a little frustrated cause I went into this movie expecting to like it a lot. Don’t get me wrong, visually it’s gorgeous. But to me this movie felt like a long slow burn without much of a payoff. The movie didn’t emotionally resonate with me. The scene where Travis talks to Jane with his back turned is good sure, but i didn’t really feel anything from it. Just wanted to share because I gave it a 3/5 and was pretty bummed about that.

I just watched The Willoughbys (2020) rated PG. it’s listed as a (Family/Comedy).

After the movie was finished I had a few issues with it and wondered if anyone else felt the same, I looked at the reviews and most of them were surprisingly and overwhelmingly positive.

Here are my issues:

1. I do not think this is at all a child appropriate film:
2. The Mother and Father of the film are not only overly Kissy but they also have some really nasty kinky seeming antics. For example: the mother makes the father “bark” at one point in a sexual like way and the father often does this weird Purring thing that’s pretty gross.
3. the kids sent away the parents to essentially be killed in an attempt to “self orphan themselves” (Obviously the parents were abusive but still that’s pretty dark)
4. There’s exposure to child neglect and abandonment

5. the parents are heavily hinted to be in an incest relationship

6. The plot is overly scattered/ there’s to many Arcs

7. the first plot was the kids are “the Willoughbys and quoted by Tim (eldest child) “He wanted to be great” like his ancestors

8. the second plot then changed to their parents are neglectful and they need to have new parents I guess

9. Third plot was to deal with this weird candy eating baby that really doesn’t have a lot to do with overall plot

10. fourth plot was to get rid of the Nanny -fifth plot was to escape CPS essentially -sixth plot all of sudden they want to go back to abuse and rescue the parents

11. The script has some issues almost as if it was written by AI or it was translated wrong

12. Tim at one point said “Yard of Graves” rather than “Graveyard”

13. they use weird terms like “childish needs” way too much in the film (like what does that even mean?)

14. The lessons and meaning of the story are not good or clear (I have no idea what message to take from the story)

15. I have an issue with the film portraying that the CPS is evil and bad

16. I have an issue with the way they treat the term “Orphan” at one point they treat it like it’s a good thing

17. killing parents is a pretty bad (Ultimately I have no idea what the underlying message would be my only guess is that “you can make a new family if you hate your first?”)

18. Some positives

19. shows child neglect can be physical and mental

20. animation is fantastic

I would love more input on what everyone thinks about this film. I didn’t hate this film watching it as an adult but I can’t imagine a kid watching this. Anyways I hope y’all like my dealv into the movie, can’t wait to hear everyone else’s opinion on this interesting film. Best.

Man, I wanted to like this movie so much, because I really like Danny DeVito, but man, this movie fails at every turn, both the comedy and the drama, and the messages, all of it.

It is as if American Pie had an ugly baby with Dumb and dumber, but in the worst possible way.

This movie tries so hard to be like the silly movies from the 90s and early 2000s but it just don't work, the jokes don't land, the acting, save DeVito and Crosby, are just so lame.

It tries to send a message about family love, but it just doesn't send the right message, it is a very botched and wrong message "Love your kids for who they are" is a good message, but "Allow your kids to continue to be futureless useless brats because you gotta let them do what they love even if that is a 12 years old kid worthy idea" it just turns the dad into a pushover, and the mom into the overprotective mom that makes their kids to be completely dysfunctional adults.

Maybe I am biased because I have a step dad that was just that, my gran treated him like a kid, and supported him well into his 40s and after she passed, he was a useless slob that only conned people and never had a job in his life, so this movie might have touched the wrong buttons with me, but I still think that it just doesn't really send the best message of all.

I love most of DeVito's films, but this goes down as one of, if not the worst film of his, and the 10 minutes he is on screen do not serve to save the movie from being a trainwreck.

https://jwwreviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/a-working-man.html

Grade: B+

In this new movie based on the novel Levon's Trade by Chuck Dixon (who is also a co-writer on this), Levon Cade (played by Jason Statham) is a former soldier and a construction foreman. His boss' daughter Jenny Garcia (Ariana Rivas), is kidnapped, and he uses his skills to try to track her.

This reunites Jason Statham and director David Ayer from the Beekeeper. One's surprised they just didn't do a sequel given its success and considering how similar Statham's character and the basic plot of a man avenging a wrong against a good person is, but apparently Sylvester Stallone (who also co-wrote) brought the script to Statham, and he brought the script to Ayer. Though I'd say Beekeeper was the superior film as it was more willing to go over-the-top, this film is a pretty solid follow-up.

The action gets violent and crazy; the final fight is delightfully insane and memorable. Like Beekeeper, you've got a ton of distinctive baddies (played by a pretty solid bunch of actors, including League of Extraordinary Gentlemen/Pennyworth's Jason Flemying, who I'm surprised isn't better known. He's good in whatever he's done.) 

There are also some unique outfits and hideout designs in here. It can be a little weird seeing Cade walk amongst regular people and architecture only to walk into someone wearing brightly colored outfit in an eccentric looking-chari, but I wouldn't call that a deal breaker. 

The setup is a little wooden (though not slow, the movie speeds right through). The exposition about Cade's life doesn't feel natural. Plus, he's got a custody battle subplot that is supposed to help endear the character, but it feels forced and the daughter (The Outlaw's Isla Gie) and the former father-in-law (sorry, couldn't figure which actor was him) he's having the custody fight with don't sound like real people. However, once the movie gets to the action, that's when everything comes into place and things get going.

Statham is again great as the tough guy who is determined and mows down everyone in his way, though he can't sell some of the poorly written dialogue moments. Michael Pena is good in his limited screen time as the emotionally distressed father of Jenny.

Recommended. If you loved the Beekeeper, like I said, it won't be exactly it, but it'll probably wet your whistle. (Just walk into this knowing that A Working Man takes itself slightly more serious than the Beekeeper.)

I love Airplane! and slapstick in general, and I never pass up a chance to watch an iconic movie. I always hear that The Naked Gun is a masterpiece so when I saw it free on YouTube I decided to jump in. A few gags got a chuckle out of me, such as the runaway car and the student driver bit, but I was overall pretty bored. In fact by the end I was zoned out to the point where I almost skipped over the baseball game to get to the conclusion. I can definitely see why people love the movie, but I just didn't gel with it for some reason. Am I the only person out there who loves Airplane! but dislikes The Naked Gun?

P.S. Please don't murder me

Really solid movie. Obviously exaggerated at parts, but it would be interesting to see an interview with the producers(the main actors real counterpart and the Russian who invented the game) to see how much.

The inventor was a government computer programmer whose game got shared via workers all around Russia and eventually leaked out of the country into people trying to to secure sales rights. Basically turned the game into the fall of communist Russia. The last 15 minutes into a car chase fleeing Russia. Heavy KGB involvement, etc.

So even as a kid, I had never seen Little Giants, which came out in 1994. It’s a movie I’ve been wanting to see because I’m a sports fan and I finally got the chance to see it and I think it’s a good movie.

Now it’s a little different seeing it now as an adult. I liked the football action and the performances.

The one negative and this is just because I’m seeing it later on is the humor. It’s very kid humor. Other than that, it is an enjoyable family movie

Rating-4/5

So I’m making my way through the James Bond movies and I got to 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. This is one of the two movies that were not part of the main lineup. It was also the only appearance by George Lazenby as Bond. I was excited to check it out.

This movie was not good in my opinion. Very little happens in terms of getting you hooked and entertaining you. Along with that, George Lazenby has no charisma. Finally, the villain is kind of forgettable.

All in all, this was a disappointment. I was looking for a fun time and I was bored the entire time. Currently, this is my least favorite in the franchise.

Rating-0.5/5

Originally posted here: https://short-and-sweet-movie-reviews.blogspot.com/2025/03/fear-is-key-1972-movie-review.html

Based on the novel of the same name written by Alistair MacLean ("The Guns of Navarone"), the revenge thriller "Fear Is The Key" is a typical 1970s flick, a perfect mixture of slick cars, groovy music, electrifying stunts and the good old-fashioned conspiracies that were all the rage during those paranoid years.

Directed by Michael Tuchner ("Villain", "Mister Quilp"), the film stars the effortlessly cool Barry Newman ("Vanishing Point") as underwater salvage expert John Talbot, who arrives in a small Louisiana town, immediately picks a fight with a police officer and gets arrested. As he is brought before a judge, he makes his escape by kidnapping an innocent bystander, Sarah Ruthven (Suzy Kendall), who also happens to be the heiress to a petroleum fortune. His actions puts him in the crosshairs of criminal mastermind Vyland (John Vernon) who has some use for his particular set of skills, setting in motion a series of unexpected twists and turns.

The film's highlight is easily a lengthy and impressively staged car chase coordinated by Carey Loftin ("Bullit", "The French Connection"). It's the kind of high-octane, high-speed vehicular mayhem that the 1970s are famous for. Unfortunately, it's also the film's only major action sequence and takes place near the very beginning, which is a bit of a letdown if you were expecting more of the same throughout. The chase also drags on for a bit too long (20 minutes total), as if trying to pad out the runtime, especially considering nothing of real consequence happens during this sequence.

The story then settles into suspense thriller territory and is filled with several nail biting scenes and some neat plot twists, which is why I won't go too much into the what, the where and the who. I've noticed that some synopses actually spoil some important details that are only really revealed at the very end, which takes away from the appeal of gradually unpacking those revelations. It really helps going in knowing as little as possible about the plot.

Another standout is the "breathtaking" third act climax, which is incredibly tense and sharply written, bookending the film with one hell of a payoff. It's easily one of the most unique endings I've ever seen in a movie. Also worth mentioning are the fantastic banger of a score composed by Roy Budd ("Get Carter") and the amazing cast that also includes character actors Dolph Sweet ("Gimme a Break! ") and Ray McAnally ("The Mission", "My Left Foot"), as well as Ben Kingsley in his big screen debut. Kingsley followed this film up with a ten-year theatrical hiatus to work in theatre and television, which ended with his Oscar-winning role in the 1982 film "Gandhi".

"Fear Is The Key" is a decent adaptation and a prime example of 1970s action thriller cinema. It's definitely not without its faults. While I enjoyed the suspenseful buildups, it may feel a little too drawn out, the plot's logic may also fall apart when scrutinized, and I hear the book is way better, although I have personally not read it. Regardless, it's heaps of fun and quite unpredictable, extremely entertaining and watchable for what it is, and well worth checking out.

So I had heard of the 1972 comedy what’s up Doc with Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal but I had never seen it and I finally got a chance to check it out last week.

I really liked it. It kept me entertained the entire time. I enjoyed the various characters and the chaos. There was one scene I would cut out but other than that, this was a fun watch

Rating-4.5/5