I hope we won’t be spotted. I hope it’s safe to stay. With every hour More we cower, The more I feel like prey.
I hear the sounds approaching. I fear their origin, The smell of death Upon its breath As hope is wearing thin. __________________
MPA rating: R (for violence and language)
I’m torn on whether I should catch up on a pretty deep backlog of films or focus on new releases, so I might as well alternate. One of several Korean imports in recent months, Hope is the latest film from acclaimed director Na Hong-jin, an apocalyptic alien invasion thriller that boasts the highest budget yet for a Korean film. Set in the (surprisingly heavily armed) rural village of Hope Harbor near the DMZ, police chief Ko Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) goes from investigating a mysterious dead cow to fighting for survival against a giant creature wreaking havoc on the town, with bigger implications as the scope of the danger spreads.
Despite an overlong runtime of over 2½ hours, Hope’s pace rarely falters, with the extended sequences of alien carnage being the main attraction. Whether it’s navigating narrow village streets or battling in beautiful green forests, the action is consistently thrilling and shot fluidly to capture the right balance of tension and movement, with echoes of Attack on Titan and Predator. Once seen, the monsters themselves suffer a bit from imperfect CGI, but they have a unique biology and thick hide that make them a particularly dangerous adversary for mere humans. Special mention is deserved by Jung Ho-yeon as a rookie cop with a truly badass introduction and Zo In-sung as a hunter with especially impressive plot armor.
The main drawback for Hope is that it is very obviously incomplete; it might as well be called Hope: Part One for all the closure it gives to… anything. After an exciting chase scene that gets a bit repetitive, something big and catastrophic happens for reasons unknown, and it just ends. There’s a sort of twist in the final moments that indicates the alien perspective will become more important, which could be really interesting in a sequel, which is supposedly already written but yet to be greenlit. But as the film stands now, it offers little beyond the action (admittedly very skillful, intense action) and a suggestion of a larger story that we may never see. One can only hope that a worthy Part Two will come eventually.
Do you believe that a man can fly? Or do they all fall to the cynical eye? The worst is more likely, so doubt in the best. That S on the chest Is a pie in the sky.
Do you believe we are too far gone, That the king and the queen have forgotten the pawn? But someone is fighting, if need be alone, And every stone thrown Makes trying feel wrong.
Do you believe we are doomed from the start? Or can hope be found in the ol’ bleeding heart? It’s risky, of course, pinning hopes anywhere, But such is the prayer Of playing one’s part. ___________________
MPA rating: PG-13
Considering how deep my year-plus backlog of movies is, I wasn’t sure where to start with my return to blogging, but it made sense to begin with my official favorite movie of 2025. I don’t think I’m alone, but I have long been a proponent of Marvel’s cinematic universe over DC’s more scattershot attempts. Except for Wonder Woman and Shazam, I never really connected with most of the Snyderverse, so I had no qualms over James Gunn taking over the DC franchise and giving it a fresh coat of paint. And considering his first film in that rebooted world, I’m fully on board.
Stepping confidently into Christopher Reeve’s shoes and eschewing the more broody Henry Cavill take, David Corenswet plays the new Man of Steel, already an established hero dating Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) and defending Metropolis alongside an incipient “Justice Gang” made up of a Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi). Superman ends up a punching bag more often than one might expect, both literally and figuratively, thanks to the machinations of born hater Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), who is intent on taking his nemesis down physically and in the public eye.
It was smart of Gunn to not belabor yet another origin story for an already well-known character, and he wastes no time in dropping us into the new DC universe, complete with Krypto the Superdog, prison pocket dimensions, Fortress of Solitude robots, and existing character dynamics. There’s a lot of comic book geekery on display, yet it manages to serve the story without alienating newcomers. It doesn’t hurt that Gunn borrows some of his own trademarks from Guardians of the Galaxy, like an extended one-shot battle scene set to music that makes Mr. Terrific the unexpected stand-out side character.
No hate to the prior Superman actors, but Corenswet is a natural, boasting excellent chemistry with Brosnahan and a likeable boy-scout earnestness opposite the more cynical heroes. A climactic monologue to Luthor doesn’t quite land as well as intended, but a quieter moment with Lois in his childhood bedroom reinforces how his optimism and goodness are their own form of resistance. I liked how his adoptive parents Ma and Pa Kent are played by lesser-known actors (Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell), as well as his arc of ultimately embracing his earth heritage over his Kryptonian one.
After the comparative drudgery of the Snyderverse, the latest Superman is a breath of fresh air. Action-packed, sincere, perhaps slightly overstuffed, but above all fun, this is how to start a cinematic universe.
Best line: (Lois) “My point is I question everything and everyone. You trust everyone and think everyone you’ve ever met is, like… beautiful.” (Clark) “Maybe that’s the real punk rock.”
(I’m catching up after the fact, but for Day 15 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a six-line poem characterized by simple language and enthusiasm, so I focused on the film itself this time.)
I played the games when I was young. I guess I’ll go watch the movie. Looks fun. It’s not as if I’ve been waiting for this, But all my friends saw it. I don’t want to miss The tragic backstory, Jim Carrey’s full glory, ooh, that scene was peak! Shut up, I’m no geek…. ______________________
MPA rating: PG
It honestly feels like a minor miracle that the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise has translated to the big screen as well as it has. It seemed as if it would be a bomb on arrival after the poorly received initial design for the title character, but three live-action movies and a streaming show later, it’s proven to be remarkably fun. In this third outing (did I never review the sequel? Guess not.), a powerful black and red hedgehog called Shadow (Keanu Reeves) is freed from decades-long imprisonment and embarks on a spree of vengeance, leading Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) to team with the non-shockingly not dead Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to bring him down.
While the Knuckles series got rather dumb as it dragged out, the movies have found the right secret sauce for Team Sonic, with Sonic’s quippy super-speed antics bouncing well off of Tails’ earnest tech support and Knuckles’ headstrong aggression. Add in a self-serious straight man in the form of Shadow, a villain very much in the mold of Mewtwo from Pokémon, and the film is able to find a surprising balance between silly action and emotional stakes. It also helps that James Marsden and Tika Sumpter as Sonic’s adoptive parents are given more to do this time, while Jim Carrey pulls eccentric double duty as both the returning mad scientist Ivo Robotnik and his even madder grandfather Gerald.
Sonic the Hedgehog 3 gives every indication that this franchise has the potential to keep getting better, with yet another character from the games teased at the end for a sequel. One dance scene between the Robotniks will no doubt go down as one of Carrey’s finest and most hilarious moments and well worth his return from retirement. And though there’s nothing revolutionary about the plot or themes, the overall entertainment value makes this a film to please nostalgic nerds and present kids alike.
Best line: (Shadow) “The light shines, even though the star is gone.”
(For Day 21 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem describing an abnormal version of an event as if it’s normal, so I took an outsider’s view of a wild party.)
The neighbors had another party last night. I saw from a distance and rolled my eyes. I got a nice view of each head light As all of the guests rolled in. It didn’t take long for the hahs and guffaws, The drunken cheers and smoky highs. They probably broke some local laws, But, hey, I was used to the din.
And then, as usual, the screams began, The frenzied shrieks of “Eek, he’s dead!” It must be some weird game they plan For when the tension loosens. Threats were yelled and shots were fired, But I just tried to go to bed. I checked in the morning, sore and tired. More cops… what a nuisance…. ________________________
MPA rating: R (for frequent language and brief violence)
I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of body swaps; when I was growing up, they always made for especially fun cartoon episodes (and you’d be surprised at how many there are). So a film with multiple body switches at its core had my interest from the get-go. A group of seven college friends reunite after eight years for a pre-wedding party at a remote mansion. To their surprise, an estranged pal of theirs named Forbes (David Thompson) shows up as well, bearing a mysterious device and inviting them to play a game in which they all trade bodies and then must guess who is who. When an accident leaves, shall we say, fewer bodies to go around, chaos breaks out as their weird fun transforms into competing self-preservation.
It’s What’s Inside gets a lot of mileage out of its uniquely trippy take on a timeworn concept, even if it can be confusing to keep the ensemble cast straight as they swap bodies and sometimes lie about who they really are. There’s initial interest from the idea of being one’s own friend temporarily and how that can affect one’s self-esteem and ambitions, but, once the shoe drops, the second half is a twisting whirlwind of intrigue and backstabbing that makes for a wild ride. I had some reservations about the ending, though, particularly how one character is punished excessively for more of an interpersonal offense, but It’s What’s Inside was still a fun watch exploring the dangers of body-swapping.
(Happy Easter to all! For Day 20 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for “a poem informed by musical phrasing or melody,” with the suggestion of rewriting a song’s lyrics. I’ve done that plenty of times before, so I considered the theme of long-distance relationships and rewrote the irregular lyrics of “Spitting Off the Edge of the World” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Perfume Genius, which was prominently used in this film.)
Distance, not too far To meet your eyes. Though I know where you are, And you likewise, Must, must wishes on a star Be squandered on this expanse That spans our hearts? I’ll never mind the gap in between Your heart and mine. Standing on a cliff, I see your sign. I’ll never mind the gap in between Earth and its star. Never mind what if; It’s not so far.
Lover, I wait and watch With bated breath. If you shoot, I won’t dodge A welcome death, But if you can stand the thirst, That suffering deserves quite a dance, Our favorite parts. I’ll never mind the gap in between Your heart and mine. Standing on a cliff, I see your sign. I’ll never mind the gap in between Earth and its star. Never mind what if; It’s not so far. I’ll never mind the gap in between Souls biding time, Standing on a cliff That’s worth the climb. ___________________________
MPA rating: PG-13
It’s unfortunate that films deserving of a theater release can easily be overlooked when only available behind the walls of a particular streaming service. Luckily, Apple TV+ is among my subscriptions, allowing me to watch The Gorge, which caught my interest just from the trailer (which gives way too much away, in my opinion; don’t watch it first). Directed by Scott Derrickson of Sinister and Doctor Strange fame, the film stars Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy as a pair of world-weary snipers, one American and one Lithuanian, who are tasked with guarding remote outposts on either side of a deep and mysterious gorge. Despite the pit between them and orders not to communicate, they gradually develop a relationship, even as the secrets at the bottom of the gorge threaten to emerge.
I’ll say up front, as many critics have complained, that the premise of The Gorge does take a massive amount of suspension of disbelief. The secrecy around the giant hidden trench begs a lot of logistical questions (like how many giant pieces of paper did the eastern side keep in stock?), and the action of the latter half, often putting Derrickson’s horror roots to good use, does strain credulity. Yet this is one of those cases where I just didn’t mind, thanks in large part to Teller and Taylor-Joy, who share a remarkable chemistry and one of the steamiest dance scenes in recent memory (set to that wonderfully atmospheric Yeah Yeah Yeahs song). Taylor-Joy especially has never looked better, so maybe I just have a new celebrity crush. The Gorge is popcorn entertainment sadly relegated to small-screen streaming, a far-fetched but very watchable mashup of genres that I highly recommend.
Best line: (actually quoting T.S. Eliot) “Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
(For Day 14 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem describing a place in terms of the animals and natural sounds, so I thought of a certain humanless island from a recent animated film.)
The island was peaceful, no humans as kings, Serene with the sounds of dying things. Nature was spinning the circle of life That ends with a cry and then silence. The ocean was beating its breast on the rocks, As the yelp of a whelp and the laugh of a fox Echoed through trees as indifferent as death, So soothing (ignoring the violence).
The geese were declaring their edge over ducks, The does were all teases outrunning the bucks, The woodpeckers gifted headaches to the squirrels, And nothing was likely to change. But then a new creature came, bringing new noises, The whirring of servos, the shock that a voice is, No fur and no feathers, just a fool metal jacket, A new kind of racket, exciting and strange. ________________________
MPA rating: PG
My favorite film of 2024, The Wild Robot is further proof that DreamWorks can match and even surpass Disney at its best. Based on a 2016 children’s novel by Peter Brown, the first in a trilogy, this animated adventure set in the future sees an unprogrammed robot, ROZZUM Unit 7134 or “Roz” (Lupita Nyong’o), wash up on an unpopulated island full of unfriendly wildlife. Seeking some meaningful service to offer, Roz stumbles into the care of a baby gosling eventually named Brightbill (Kit Connor), raising it with the aid of a crafty fox (Pedro Pascal) and gradually weaving herself into the ecosystem in a way none would have guessed.
The early scenes of Roz exploring the island, before she is able to communicate with the animals, bring to mind the beginning of WALL-E, near-wordless storytelling at its finest. And once she does make contact, the film is surprisingly candid about the dog-eat-dog nature of nature, slipping in some darker-than-expected humor for a kids movie. The film’s emotional core lies in Roz’s connection to Brightbill, a poignant bond of adoptive motherhood that is likely to draw out tears from the tenderhearted, especially when backed by Kris Bowers’ moving, instantly iconic score.
The animation is also a sheer joy to behold, a gorgeous watercolor style that puts other 3D animation to shame with its warmth and natural detail, and, although I quite enjoyed Flow too, it’s a crime that this didn’t win the Best Animated Feature Oscar. Nyong’o brings an excellent balance of robotic coolness and burgeoning emotion as the voice of Roz, while Pascal is a special delight as the wise-cracking fox she befriends. And did I mention the score? It still gives me goosebumps.
It’s true there’s nothing particularly new about The Wild Robot’s themes, borrowing from the likes of The Iron Giant and Wolf Children, and the latter half has some holes (the exciting climax feels a bit pointless by the end). But this fable of a robot learning humanity even without humans around is exceptionally well-crafted otherwise and will always hold a special place in my heart. I’m skeptical whether the planned sequel can match it, but I hope so.
Best line: (Roz) “Sometimes, to survive, we must become more than we were programmed to be.”
(For Day 9 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a rhyming poem with varying line lengths, so I thought exploring time might be a good theme.)
The stone on which the house in which the chair in which I sit Has witnessed quite a bit. While flesh is quick to disappear, The bedrock lives in centuries; It waits for ice to yield to sea to yield to continental sheer And waits for errant meteors or yet another global freeze, Eroding into dust and grit, Chipped and thawed and trod and split, Ground and pressed and layered deep and never asking “what’s the year?” Giving purchase to the dirt, the firm foundation of the trees, Until at last, I came to rest Here. ____________________
MPA rating: PG-13
I love the idea of 65 more than I do 65 itself. I can absolutely picture the pitch meeting for the concept of aliens stumbling upon Earth in prehistoric times and being met by a dinosaur-filled death trap in the same way humans imagine inhospitable exoplanets. But it’s all in the execution, and 65 (named for the number of millions of years ago) somehow makes that thrilling notion feel ho-hum.
Adam Driver is serviceable as the main character Mills, a grieving father who left his sick daughter to pilot a space expedition, only for the ship to crash-land with only him and a young girl (Ariana Greenblatt) surviving. What follows is rather paint-by-numbers as they fight or evade dinosaurs and grow closer in their shared loss. There’s nothing particularly wrong with the plot or effects-heavy action, and it makes for a decent watch; it just never rises above a slightly futuristic Jurassic Park knock-off. Maybe films like Jurassic Park or King Kong have simply made dinosaurs less scary than they should be, at least when viewed from the comfort of our living rooms.
Best line: (Nevine, Mills’ daughter) “I know that you’re leaving. And I know it’s because of me.” (Mills) “No. It’s not because of you, it’s for you.”
(For Day 24 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was to borrow a line from an existing poem and take it in a different direction. Since this film has a direct connection to the poem “Lucy Gray” by William Wordsworth, I decided to start with the same opening line and use the same form.)
Oft I had heard of Lucy Gray: Her story nearly myth. We had few tales to light our day Or dreams to bargain with.
Dear Lucy Gray endured the Games, That much is widely known, But as to any other claims, They’re whispered when alone.
I’ve heard details that she was friend To Coriolanus Snow, The man who every year will end Our children as a show.
It makes me worry how a man Could dull his very heart. Was Lucy Gray part of his plan? And did it fall apart?
I cannot say, but still I hear Of rumors in the night, That Lucy Gray just may appear And offer us a light.
I wonder who awaits that more, The tyrant or the slave. We all have things we’re waiting for Along the road we pave.
Such stories make me want to pray For nigh unlikely things, To hail another Lucy Gray And see what change she brings. ________________________
MPA rating: PG-13
While The Maze Runner and Divergent struggled to match its success, there’s something about the world of The Hunger Games that stands out among young adult dystopia franchises. The concept of children being forced to kill each other for entertainment is not without precedent (ahem, Battle Royale), but the journey of Katniss Everdeen from tribute to freedom fighter is a special blend of sci-fi action and frighteningly plausible barbarism, with just the right amount of hope. It’s a testament to Suzanne Collins’s book series and their film adaptations that the world they create is able to sustain a prequel without it feeling like a cheap cash grab. Let’s just be glad it’s not a whole new trilogy.
As advertised, The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes is the origin story of Coriolanus Snow, the tyrannical villain played by Donald Sutherland in the original series. Proving that even dictators were young and hot once, “Coryo” is played here by Tom Blyth, who gives the future despot a fitting ambiguity between his tender side with his remaining family (Hunter Schafer, Fionnula Flanagan) and his growing ambition to rise above his peers. At the behest of the inventor of the Hunger Games (Peter Dinklage), the Capitol’s Academy class must serve as mentors for the upcoming Games, with Snow paired with District 12 musician Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler, never quite as compelling as Jennifer Lawrence). Eager to prove himself to the ruthless Head Gamemaker (Viola Davis), Snow conspires to keep Lucy Gray alive for both their sakes.
The first Hunger Games featured the 74th annual contest, so the pipeline of reaping children and training them into gladiator combat had been efficiently honed over decades by that point. In the prequel, it’s only the 10th Hunger Games, with the devastating war that prompted their creation still seared into most people’s memories. I found it fascinating to see the process Katniss experienced still in its infancy, with less refined technology and growing pains like defective drones for delivering resources to the arena. Being a tribute was not always glitz and glamor before the fighting began, and there were even vocal critics of the Games’ brutality, such as Snow’s close friend Sejanus (Josh Andrés Rivera).
The plot is broken up into three sections, and it does feel odd that the always thrilling Games make up more of a middle climax, kind of like the bomb testing in Oppenheimer, leaving the rest of the film to be potentially dull by comparison. Thus, it depends how interesting you find subtle treachery and questionable loyalties whether the latter third holds up without the action. I for one did still enjoy Snow’s gradual slide into Machiavellian deceit, as well as the little fan-service references to the other films. As for the ending, I don’t blame anyone for feeling unsatisfied by its open-ended lack of resolution, but the connection to Wordsworth’s “Lucy Gray” helped me appreciate its poetic mystique.
I mulled over how I would rank all the films with this new addition, and it would probably come in fourth, ahead of only Mockingjay – Part 1. (I loved how that film’s great “Hanging Tree” song found its origin in this film too.) That ranking speaks more to the strength of the other three movies since The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes has plenty of merits, including a strong tragic character arc, great actors adding to the story’s gravitas, and welcome development of the history and lore of Panem. It’s certainly the most musical of the series, with Rachel Zegler flexing her singing chops perhaps too often, but I didn’t mind that. It’s hard to say how well the film works for uninitiated audiences, but this ballad is an insightful expansion for franchise fans like me.
Best line: (Lucy Gray Baird, to her captors) “Nothing you can take from me was ever worth keeping.”
Rank: List-Worthy (joining the rest of the series)
(For Day 23 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem involving a superhero, so what better inspiration than an actual superhero movie?)
Never meet your heroes, So the sayings go. Let them be paragons up on their pedestal, Marvels, Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible, Always impressive and never forgettable, Better the less that you know.
But given the chance to be heroes, How can we resist? To get a good look at the celebratory Defenders of goodness in all of their glory, The feet made of clay, just a little bit gory, The things we would rather have missed. That’s one idol less on the list…. _________________________
MPA rating: PG-13
I think it’s clear to everyone that Marvel has lost much of its former glory. Since Infinity War and Endgame, the MCU has been deluged with more content and yet seems to be suffering from diminishing returns with every new entry. All that said, I’m still 100% along for the ride and have found much to enjoy even in the lesser installments (not Thor: Love and Thunder, though).
The Marvels has clearly been set up over time, bringing together Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel/Carol Danvers with two characters established in Disney+ series: Jersey City fangirl and mutant Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani), who gained Green Lantern-ish abilities from a magic bangle in Ms. Marvel, and former S.W.O.R.D. agent Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris), the daughter of Carol’s Air Force buddy, who gained light-based powers from interacting with Scarlet Witch’s Hex field in WandaVision. Some may balk at the amount of non-movie homework needed on these characters’ backstories, but The Marvels is still a mostly fun romp without that prior knowledge.
For reasons thinly explained, all three of these heroines find themselves suddenly switching places whenever they use their powers at the same time, an inconvenient development since vengeful Kree leader Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) is intent on stealing the resources of other planets to save her homeworld. The character interactions are often the film’s greatest strength, since Carol and Monica have a shared and strained bond through Monica’s dead mother Maria. Meanwhile, Kamala brings the Peter Parker exuberance as a diehard fan of Captain Marvel, giddy to be working alongside her childhood hero.
I won’t deny that The Marvels has glaring weaknesses, mainly in its tonal shifts. It’s full of goofy moments (including a lame scene that feels like a little girl’s fantasy that she convinced the screenwriters to somehow work in), yet the battle with Dar-Benn involves world-ending consequences, making it rather egregious that one planet is written off as doomed and never mentioned again. Dar-Benn herself is quite a generic villain who hardly seems like she should be a threat considering what Carol was capable of in Endgame. And then there’s Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), an always welcome presence yet wildly more lighthearted here compared with the serious version seen in the Secret Invasion series just a few months before this film’s release.
Yet despite its weak plotting and a villain plan ripped straight from Spaceballs, I still am a sucker for Marvel’s brand of superheroics. The idea of characters swapping locations, even across the galaxy, is a fun concept well-utilized for both humor and action. Larson is still only moderately interesting as a protagonist, even with Parris for dramatic support, but Vellani is a joyful addition to inject levity where needed, and I liked how her family was kept around for laughs as well. And while it can border on cringy, the goofiness reaches its crescendo in a marvelously absurd sequence in the climax set to a Broadway showtune that had me giggling uncontrollably.
It is disappointing that The Marvels was such a comparative bomb for the MCU, the only entry to not earn back its budget. It definitely feels like a half-baked effort that could have used more time in development, but it’s still a likable and entertaining comic book movie with a healthy dose of girl power. Others may abandon ship, but there’s enough good still to keep me on board until the MCU finds its footing again.
(For Day 19 of NaPoWriMo, the prompt was for a poem about what haunts us, or rather what hunts us.)
The eyes that hide in broad daylight, Assured that none will spot them…. The lips that curl just out of sight, At ease since no one’s caught them… The mind that’s sick and quick to spite A people that forgot them…
The hands that crave a heedless neck And wait for chances hidden… The fiends of windowsill and deck Who disappear unbidden… That one fool time I fail to check, To watch my back but didn’t…
The hate that hunts and takes in trade Our frail serenity… Disquiet’s grip that doesn’t fade When I’m alone and free… The things that make me most afraid Are things I cannot see. ________________________
MPA rating: R (mainly for violence)
Before 2020’s The Invisible Man reminded audiences what a nightmare an invisible menace would be, Hollow Man gave us a more conventional thriller version of such a story. Kevin Bacon plays Dr. Sebastian Caine, an egotistical scientist working on a secret military project for invisibility, and, after dozens of animal tests, he takes the unauthorized risk to try it on himself. When the attempt to make him visible again fails, he finds a disturbing freedom from morality in being able to do whatever he wants unseen, worrying his ex-girlfriend (Elizabeth Shue) and her colleague/lover (Josh Brolin).
Owing much of its science-run-amok plot to The Fly, Hollow Man fell in that turn-of-the-millennium period when CGI was still a wonder even when it would be considered unpolished by today’s standards. The scenes of Bacon and a gorilla gradually shifting their transparency one organ at a time is still rather impressive and feels like a leap in visual effects around which the rest of the film was built. The acting is merely serviceable, but director Paul Verhoeven, aiming to make a more palatable mainstream movie, pulls off some effective chills and thrills once Sebastian goes into predictable slasher mode. It’s entertaining, but it can’t quite escape its innate cheesiness, especially when compared to the 2020 Invisible Man.
Best line: (Sebastian) “It’s amazing what you can do… when you don’t have to look at yourself in the mirror anymore.”
