Reviews

I understand the award for special effects, although it has some problems, especially with Godzilla's animation in some sequences. However, there are others that are very impressive, with great destruction. The ones that caught my attention the most are those sequences in the water, where impressive simulations of this enormous monstrous mass interacting with the fluid are seen.

The soundtrack works very well, taking up the classic theme of Godzilla from 1954, very much in line with the themes and tone of the movie. I like the main theme of the film, which deals with revenge, remorse, fear, but mainly the value of life. All these themes and their relation to war are well handled throughout the movie, except for some somewhat cliché or predictable dialogue.

My biggest problem with the movie is the performances, which in most of the characters fail to convince entirely, giving a somewhat caricatured interpretation that contrasts with the tone of the film. Also, the rhythm or timing could have been better managed so that the impact of some sequences was more marked on the viewer, as sometimes it feels like things happen too quickly.

I haven't seen too many Godzilla movies, but of the few I've seen, this one stands out the most in its photography, mostly presenting warm colors except in the scenes at sea, where cold tones dominate. The scale of the monster is not sufficiently enhanced with cinematography, where the most immersive shots taken from street level are more effective than aerial shots or shots taken at the monster's height, which make it seem somewhat small compared to other iterations of Godzilla.

It's a fairly entertaining movie, with a pleasant pace, which tackles complex themes in a simple and digestible way. It is beautifully filmed and allows us to see Godzilla again in its threatening aspect, without taking it to the realm of pure action, presenting a more dramatic background without neglecting the spectacle that a monster of tens of meters high represents, ravaging entire cities.

In this Part 2, the cinematography doesn't suffer as much as the Part 1 regarding completely out-of-focus or distorted shots, but the presence of lens flares for every tiny light source on screen is ridiculous. During "laser" shootout moments, these flares cover practically the entire screen. The color palette remains very dull, and except for a couple of shots, it can be summarized as insipid or, in the most extreme cases, horrendous. The special effects are not as noticeable as in the Part 1, but they're not remarkable either.

As in the first part, the dialogue and script are dismal, constantly teetering on the brink of cringe and incoherence. This isn't helped by the poor staging, where Snyder can't find a better way to present exposition than through a mediocre scene where characters sit and recount their past as if reading it from Wikipedia. Or presenting deaths or dramatic moments in a bland manner, incapable of conveying anything to the audience, pretending that putting dramatic music over the scene compensates for the poor dialogue, performances, and cinematography.

Continuing with the performances, they're flat, partly due to both the actors and the script. Practically every character has barely enough lines for their voices to be heard. Snyder prefers to invest footage of his film in trivial slow-motion scenes of wheat harvesting rather than showing us interactions between his characters that allow us to connect with them. The case of Anthony Hopkins is especially lamentable; bringing an actor of his caliber to perform in such a poor role is a complete waste of talent.

The only thing that is partially redeemable is the soundtrack. Junkie XL does a good job, although not exceptional, and it's far from his other works.

This film is more action-packed, at least in its second half, after a tedious introduction that doesn't really contribute as much to the plot as it could have. This helps to better handle the pace compared to Part 1, and perhaps this is the reason why I can't place this second part in a worse position than its predecessor. The film has great action sequences, especially towards the end, mixed with others that are more disorganized, but they all suffer from the same problem: a complete lack of emotion, as there is never any tension or the feeling that the heroes might not win.

The film overall is quite predictable, uninspired, boring, and clumsy. There's really not much to salvage from this franchise attempt.

Where to begin... Wow. The scale of this movie surpasses everything: the action, the performances, the music; everything is perfect. The film picks up where the previous one left off to create what could feel like a war behind the screen. It feels so real; emotions flow throughout the projection, from beginning to end.

We witness Paul's growth to become the promised Messiah, and as he does, the terrifying sensation caused solely by the idea of what is to come is chilling.

Feyd-Rautha is terrifying in a very explicit sense; he is unpredictable and sadistic, truly relishing it, and Austin Butler portrays him magnificently. But the figure of Paul, played by Timothée Chalamet, feels like oppression itself, of a much more powerful and sinister evil, truly terrifying. Yet his more human side is not overlooked, as we see his suffering from the fate that falls upon his shoulders. To not dwell too much on interpretations, I must simply say that there is not a single one that disappoints; they are all truly magnificent.

Hans Zimmer picks up where he left off in the Part One and elevates it, providing a sense of epicness, without neglecting the mystique. The visuals are incomparable; the effects are polished to the smallest detail, making you believe in Dune, in Arrakis, and in the entire world built by Frank Herbert, and shown through Denis Villeneuve's vision.

Lastly, regarding this, it can only be said that this great director continues to improve; he always surprises for the better. With this film, he brings his sensitivity, which has already made him stand out, to tell the most epic story of his career, perhaps his greatest challenge, and he has succeeded; what seemed impossible, he has achieved.

I truly feel fortunate to have seen this movie in theaters; it was a sublime experience. I hope that, just like the book did in its own right, this movie becomes a benchmark for propelling the future of Sci-Fi in cinema.

To begin with, in this movie, a series of rather generic and somewhat cheesy stories unfold. When elements of science fiction are added, they seem quite silly and uninspired, and at times, downright stupid. This makes the more 'earthly' stories turn out to be the most effective. When addressing the concepts that make up each of the stories, they become Manichean and reductionist, both in conflicts and motivations, providing a very limited reflection on the themes addressed.

The only story that caught my attention a little was the one about Cavendish, which at least I can say was fun.

The narrative is nothing special, and the idea of telling all these stories simultaneously doesn't seem to have a purpose in itself but appears to come solely from a poor attempt to be innovative. In the end, it only results in a handful of poorly combined stories that drag on long enough to make you wonder several times, 'How much longer until it's over?'

The dialogues are very poor at times, and at some moments, they release phrases that seem intentionally placed to appear eloquent, but with all the clumsiness around them, they only end up revealing themselves.

The cinematography doesn't stand out at all; it looks like a commercial for the next iPhone camera. The image is so 'clean' that everything seems overly artificial, and combined with poor production design, it makes everything look terribly flat and empty.

Although it is a zombie movie that incorporates elements of comedy, it still has very effective moments of pure terror.

Regarding the special effects, they are excellent, surpassing many other films of the genre. In this movie, creatures are presented that make you wonder 'How did they do it?' and they are truly outstanding; little can be said about the threat they represent, as they seem genuinely invincible creatures.

The plot, at first, may seem somewhat simplistic, but when the movie starts, flashes of brilliance are revealed regarding the foundations for the existence of these zombies.

Although there are interpretations by some actors that are unconvincing, the charisma of the cast holds the weight of the film well, generating concern in the viewer for these characters.

It is an effective movie that will make you have a good time.

The story is presented as a narration of a series of events exaggerated to the extreme of hyperbole, to make the blood of the warriors who will fight for freedom boil, a story whose merit lies with Frank Miller as the creator of the original work. This results in a tremendous action film.

The pace is well handled, condensing the entire story in the best way, with some slower moments that do not harm immersion in this tale. The performances are suitable in most cases, contributing to said immersion.

The major problem with this film is its abundant use of CGI and computer-generated backgrounds, which at times is too noticeable, to the point of taking you out of the narrative. Nevertheless, considering that probably 80% of what we see on screen is CGI, the film manages it well and serves an impressive cinematography, very much in line with the comic it adapts. Another aspect that caused me some displeasure was the excessive grain in the image. Do not misunderstand me; personally, I love that aspect in movies, but in this instance, it was simply too much, especially intrusive in close-ups.

As small details to add, there is Snyder's classic use of slow-motion, which in this case, I find excellently executed. On the other hand, I found it amusing the use of CGI to add abs to the characters; it was simply too obvious in some scenes.

Having said that, it seems to me a great film and one of the director's best along with Dawn of the Dead.

What is presented in Prometheus is completely lost in this sequel; perhaps attempting to give greater depth to Prometheus's plot with the Engineers' theme did not work entirely, but it is clearly more satisfying than what is offered by this sequel. There is no mystery anymore; it is replaced by poor and uninspired action. The horror element is scarce and ineffective.

If you were intrigued by what would happen after the events of Prometheus, this installment doesn't seem to care; it only serves as the foundation for David's story and nothing more. The performances are quite good, I would even say better than those in the previous film. But this doesn't save a poor script that portrays the crew as the most inept in any film of this saga; just when you think they can't make a more foolish decision, they surprise you.

The creature is very simplistic; the CGI fails to convince and pales in comparison to the previous iterations of the Xenomorph. In the previous films, this creature appears very little, and it's difficult to have a clear view as it develops in narrow and dark environments, but certainly, this has proven to enhance the staging and successfully convey the desired sensations to the audience. With this installment, they decide to avoid this, but what some might call 'a bold move' only manages to demonstrate that the oppressive atmosphere of the previous installments is perfect and should not be replaced.

Scott seems not to be entirely convinced with the Engineers' plot, so he gets rid of it with this installment, resulting in a more generic film that doesn't even seem characteristic of Ridley Scott. Michael Fassbender does great again, and doubly so, but it's insufficient to save the film.

It develops its characters very well, showcasing their personalities and idiosyncrasies without the need for expositional dialogue. Additionally, the dynamic that arises among them is perfect. Although the soundtrack is very good and memorable, it pales in comparison to that of other classic westerns.

While it draws from the premise of Kurosawa's 'Seven Samurai' (which is quite evident), it makes a couple of changes that subvert the expectations of those who have seen Kurosawa's work.

As a weak point, the somewhat hasty deaths of some of the main characters can be mentioned, and perhaps the worst is the villain and his group, who, against all logic, decide at a certain point in the movie to squander their advantage.

The performances are good, at least in the 9 or 10 characters who have more screen time, but the other supporting characters don't even seem to be trying.

In conclusion, highly recommended.

I'll start with the positives; the staging is fantastic, with some minor drawbacks, but overall, very well done. The film manages to engage you in its narrative, at least until the last few minutes, which can be described as generic. This is more aggravating considering that the film builds up great anticipation towards its conclusion, resulting in disappointment.

I also liked the performances, especially that of Michael Fassbender, which could be described as intriguing.

Now, I must make a small mention of the inconsistencies with the rest of the saga; the technology differs greatly from what was shown in Alien (1979). Being a prequel to it, the more advanced technology of humanity has no justification. It turns out that if the original saga did not exist, this would work better, but for some reason, they decided to move away from the original aesthetics, bringing something more "contemporary" that ultimately doesn't quite work.

On the other hand, most of the characters are terrible. They are supposed to be scientists and a well-prepared crew for that mission, but most seem brainless, making the most implausible decisions.

Finally, the movie is enjoyable above all and presents interesting ideas. It deviates from the action-oriented focus of the previous installments (Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection) but also doesn't return to the horror of Alien (1979), providing a refreshing change. What stands out are its visuals, which make you feel small in front of the structures displayed.

It's so ridiculously and excessively cheesy that I felt like covering my face in shame it induces.

There's a budget for creating sets as grand as they are horrendous, but there isn't one for a decent or at least coherent script. It can be summarized as 'if you help me, I'll give you sex'; that's what everyone in this movie seems to need.

I don't know if it intentionally aims to be funny or some kind of erotic film, but it fails in either case. It lasts just over an hour and a half, but it feels eternal, almost like torture.

I watched it initially thinking it would be bad, but at least I would have fun with how bad it is, but it doesn't even achieve that; it's just bad, disastrous, and frankly boring.

Although the jokes often fall flat, and sometimes Momoa seems to play himself rather than Arthur Curry, the action set up by James Wan remains thrilling and impeccably choreographed, adding great fluidity to the film.

The best moments occur when the protagonist, Arthur, takes things seriously, and although it doesn't reach the epic scale of the first film's third act, in this one, its third act is much more intimate, involving Aquaman, Orm, and Black Manta.

What initially worried me was that the relationship between Aquaman and Orm would be treated as trivial and a weak subplot, but it ends up being one of the film's strengths, providing a satisfying resolution in the final part.

Black Manta is always menacing, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's effort and commitment to his portrayal are evident, making him arguably the standout in this movie.

I watched it with low expectations, I think that worked in its favor, although it's still unsatisfactory.

It's a stumbling movie that doesn't quite know how to structure the story it wants to tell, and it simply manages by jumping from one place to another through ellipses, where all the interactions between characters are lost, and in the end, you discover that you don't know them. They don't stand out, you don't care about them, they're just participants in the action and nothing more.

The structure is clumsy, with flashbacks inserted inorganically and forced, only to try to drive the entire story behind it a little, which doesn't really contribute much to this movie, maybe to the second part, but that remains to be seen.

In the end, the best thing that can be said about this movie is that it doesn't make you feel like you've wasted your time, and it doesn't evoke any emotion, you feel nothing once it's over, it just ends.

But it announces a second part, which hopefully won't be so disappointing.