The titles discussed in this article aren't deserving of full (proper) reviews hence I will only give you some quick thoughts on them.
Cold Pursuit might seem like Liam Neeson is doing the Taken thing again. Only it's not. For some reason this supposed crime thriller tries to be a black comedy a la Quintin Tarantino without the wit and clever dialog. Instead you get a film that tonally is all over the place where it becomes increasingly harder to remain invested. It's so incredibly ludicrous and stupid that I had to shut down the film. For me this is something I rarely do so it is saying something. The ending made me laugh but at the same time demonstrates how bad the film is. Especially considering the controversy sparked by Liam Neeson. Revenge is a theme for sure but is mocked beyond belief. This almost makes you question whether what Neeson had said is even intended to be taken seriously.
In any case give this one a miss. It's a complete waste of time.
The Lego Movie 2, is a title that has more going for itself but ultimately does let down especially compared to the original. Unlike Cold Pursuit the film does have some redeeming elements like the ending and it's message. My biggest problem with the film was the lack of laughs. Most of the comedy was lazy and poorly written. Even if you would judge it from a child's perspective.
One to watch on rainy Sundays.
Truth or Dare has a premise that is very reminiscent of Final Destination. And while that franchise was heavily flawed it at least had some real creative deaths and high fun factor. This film is devoid of fun and seems like to make up rules on the fly. Clearly this destroys the credibility especially if the supposed shocking twists and turns have no impact whatsoever. There is zero suspense, tension or dread. But worst of all is that you simply won't care. The actors weren't even that bad but the material they had to work with was just atrocious.
Dreadful. So give it a miss!
Slaughterhouse Rulez fares much better. It at least builds up to something and during this build up it tries to make you invested into the characters and their ordeal. It doesn't take itself too seriously even though it does throw in some serious topics that plague schools today. Plus it doesn't shy away from showing blood or gore. The big names involved are mostly glorified cameos and don't really add that much other than to emphasize the absurdity. Sure there were some funny moments but never to the extent that they had me in stitches. However writer / director Crispian Mills shows a lot of promise and I will be looking forward to his future projects. Asa Butterfield also surprised me. He showed that he does have the capacity to steal the show and be compelling.
Worth a watch if you don't have the highest expectations.
What can I say about The Nun that hasn't said before? Of course I knew that it never was going to be as good as The Conjuring or other James Wan produced films. Although I had at least expected some real scares and dread. The dread is absent and replaced with too many loud noises and jump scares. No terror and very little blood or gore which is fine if you offer atmospheric horror. At first it did seem like it was going the right way. The Nun starts subtle and creepy but soon becomes over the top and bombastic. What could and should have been scary simple is laughable. Even the scary nun portrayed by Bonnie Aarons fails to be effective. To be fair that has more to do with the lack of direction and poor storytelling. Because trust me, Bonnie Aarons is super scary.
They had the chance to deepen the Conjuring franchise and make it more terrifying. Bonnie Aarons as the nun truly looks like she eats souls for breakfast. So how the hell did The Nun turn into a borefest? Avoid!
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