Relay
A fixer who specializes in brokering lucrative deals between corrupt corporations and individuals threatening to expose them breaks his own rules for the sake of a new client.
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- Very strong opening.
- Solid direction with several standout moments, directed by David Mackenzie.
- Riz Ahmed is quite good in his role, conveying a strong inner tension.
- There is a plot twist I did not expect. I thought it was heading somewhere else.
- It has moments of real tension, which is exactly what you want from this kind of thriller.
- It gives off 1970s thriller vibes while also feeling fresh. I liked that.
- What it tries to show is interesting: a man trying to remain invisible in a world of hyper-transparency.
- New York is used like a kaleidoscope of loneliness.
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- The pacing is a bit slow, which may put some people off.
- The last twenty minutes disappointed me a bit. It feels like the film loses its identity.
- A simplistic explanation is given that undermines what has been built up, no spoilers.
- The ending feels somewhat rushed.
- Lily James does not work for me when her character takes on a more romantic tone.
- It slightly loses its balance as a film when it shifts toward more mainstream action.
After Burn
Ten years after a solar flare wiped out technology across the world, former soldier Jake wanders through a dangerous new world and works as a treasure hunter. He takes on a job to find the once-famous Mona Lisa for a powerful client.
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- One or two nicely choreographed fight scenes.
- A good scene with Kurylenko.
- Post-apocalyptic settings always fascinate me.
- An interesting initial idea, I will give it that.
- Plenty of intense action if you are a fan of this type of movie.
🔴🔴🔴🔴
- Some performances are indefensible.
- Bargain-bin script with no real beginning, middle, or end.
- Not engaging enough to keep you invested.
- Predictable finale.
- Packed with genre clichés that become tiring after a while.
- Samuel L. Jackson is purely decorative.
- These movies suit Dave Bautista, but he does not convince me of anything more 🤷♂️.
- The digital effects, probably due to budget, do not convince and feel rushed.
- Poor cinematography.