(trailer review) - Dune: Part 3

(TEASER TRAILER) 

The previous trailer for this film did absolutely nothing for me. Maybe it was the mood I was in, or maybe it's because I loved the first two films so much that I was already sold. At this point, I don't need convincing—I just want to watch the movie. So, you'd think another trailer wouldn't change my mind. Well... I've done a complete 180. This is the trailer that got me excited. Maybe it's because release day is finally creeping closer, but this looks absolutely phenomenal.

The trailer opens with Paul confronting Chani as she angrily reminds him that she trusted him, and that he swore he'd never seize power in his own name. Their confrontation is intercut with flashes of happier times, brutal battles, and Paul walking away from absolute devastation. It's an emotional opening that immediately sets the tone.

Things only escalate from there. Paul asks, "What do you know about me?" before someone replies, "You have conquered the galaxy. You have destroyed thousands of worlds, and I think you are way beyond redemption." That's a hell of a line. We then get what initially looks like a sparring session before it's revealed to be a fight with someone who looks like Duncan, who claims to have brought Paul a peace proposal that would ultimately destroy him.

Then the trailer just starts showing off. Massive battles, our best look yet at Robert Pattinson's mysterious character Feyd-Rau, the Fremen standing on a beach with crashing waves—a visual I never expected to see in Dune—and the princess, played by Florence Pugh, warning that anyone trying to stop Paul has just signed their own death warrant. Feyd-Rau says, "I've found someone," before Chani slams her fist into the sand and summons a sandworm, all cut together with more breathtaking action. The trailer ends with Paul simply saying, "I'm sorry."

Visually, this looks every bit as spectacular as the previous films, but this trailer also feels far more emotionally charged. It hints at the consequences of Paul's choices, raises plenty of questions, and somehow leaves me wanting even more. Mission accomplished.

(series review) [STREAMING] - X-Men '97: Season 2 - Episode 1, 2 & 3

 

If you read my review of the first season of X-Men '97, you'll know I loved it. It captured everything that made the '90s series special, but with a richer colour palette, stronger voice acting and even more ambitious storytelling. Best of all, it fully respected what came before, continuing storylines from the original five seasons instead of pretending they never happened.

It never spoon-fed the audience or leaned too far into being overly mature or childish. The themes were darker, but it was still every bit as accessible as the original series. Rather than a reboot or retelling, it felt like a genuine continuation—just upgraded.

Now we're two years on, with Beau DeMayo no longer involved. It'll be interesting to see where the storytelling goes, but based on these opening episodes, the series hasn't missed a beat.

Episode 1

Following the events of Season 1, the X-Men have vanished, leaving Bishop and Forge to search for them across time. Forge eventually finds Storm, Wolverine, Morph, Cyclops, Jean and Nathan Summers in the distant future, where Mother Askani leads the fight against Apocalypse. Realising they'll need more allies, Cable joins forces with Psylocke and Archangel to recruit two new members for the battle ahead.

Episode 2

Back in 1997, mutant children flee to the X-Mansion seeking safety, only to be intercepted by X-Factor, the government's mutant task force. Meanwhile, Cable assembles his new X-Force team to hunt one of Apocalypse's Horsemen, War. A meeting with Emma Frost quickly goes sideways, landing them in X-Factor's custody, but Jubilee finds a way to rescue the captured mutants and get them to safety.

Episode 3

In ancient Egypt, Magneto believes En Sabah Nur can still be saved, while Charles insists his future as Apocalypse is inevitable. Magneto attempts to steer him onto a different path, but Rama-Tut's manipulations continue pushing En Sabah Nur towards his destiny. Elsewhere, Beast, Nightcrawler, Rogue and Professor X study future technology in the hope of returning home, only to be accused of working alongside Rama-Tut. As tensions boil over, En Sabah Nur clashes with the X-Men, Bishop joins the fight, and Rama-Tut moves to eliminate them all.

(trailer review) - Shrek 5

 

You know what? I don't actually think I've seen Shrek 4. I definitely watched the first and second movies, and I'm pretty sure I saw Shrek the Third at some point, but Shrek Forever After? I genuinely can not remember watching it. Maybe I saw a trailer and was not interested at the time, or maybe I just thought the franchise had run its course. Whatever the reason, I kind of drifted away from Shrek. But after watching this trailer, I might need to jump back in.

I thought this was genuinely funny. And more importantly, it reminded me of something I had forgotten about these films: how much of the comedy relies on Donkey, or does it? In fact, by the end of this trailer, I found myself wondering if Eddie Murphy has secretly been the star of this franchise the entire time. I do not remember the previous films well enough to say that definitively, but he absolutely steals every moment he's in here.

The trailer opens with a narrator introducing us to an ogre and a donkey, "who once embarked on a magical journey to Further, Further Away. Before the narration can really get going, Donkey interrupts, excitedly talking about going on another adventure with Shrek and the family.

Straight away, the energy feels familiar, and I am immediately reminded of Donkey's song about being "On the road again".

Donkey starts talking about getting himself into shape for the holiday, listing all the areas he needs to work on, before trying to launch into a song. Every time he starts building momentum, Shrek tries to reassure him that what he's thinking isn't actually happening, which only makes the whole exchange funnier.

Then we get one of the trailer's biggest laughs when we see The Gingerbread Man standing between two gingerbread women, proudly shaking his jelly and declaring that he's "caked up like a freaking bakery." I will not lie, I laughed. From there, the trailer kicks into full chaos mode.

Donkey finally gets his wish, and the adventure begins. While travelling through a town, a snowman casually turns towards them and asks, "Wanna date a snowman?" which feels exactly like the kind of random joke these films thrive on, but it's the snowman's voice that is the problem here.

Then the montage starts, and there are flashes of what looks like Princess Fiona flying on a broomstick like Elphaba from Wicked, moments that suggest the gang is being chased by the authorities, Donkey somehow being transformed into a ram, prison scenes, action sequences and, because it's Donkey, a completely random rendition of Roxanne, which is hilarious. 

The whole thing feels silly, energetic and completely aware of how ridiculous it is, but does not seem over the top.

What surprised me most was that the jokes actually landed. Not every animated sequel manages that, especially this many films into a franchise, but this trailer had me laughing more than I expected.

If the film can maintain this energy for its full runtime, then Shrek 5 could end up being a lot more fun than I initially thought.

And if nothing else, Eddie Murphy looks like he's having an absolute blast.

(film review) - Backrooms

I remember watching Cloverfield for the first time and by the end of it asking myself, "What the hell was that?" Not because it was bad. Quite the opposite. I was fascinated by it, but I also had that lingering feeling of, "What exactly did I just watch?" By the time the credits rolled on Backrooms, I found myself having a very similar reaction.
Now, one of the things that intrigued me going into this film was learning that the director is only twenty years old and originally made a name for himself as a visual effects artist. Pair that with A24, a studio that seems incapable of avoiding interesting projects, and I was curious to see what all the fuss was about.
I can safely say I discovered what the fuss was about. Whether I completely understood it is another matter entirely.
I'll be honest: a lot of this film went straight over my head. After watching a few reviews and ending explainers, I realised I'd picked up on some of the themes and ideas being presented, but the deeper CreepyPasta lore and mythology surrounding the Backrooms? Yeah, I was completely lost there.

Backrooms stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Clark, an architect who now finds himself working in a furniture store. While investigating a lighting issue, he discovers a hidden doorway that leads to a seemingly endless maze of interconnected rooms. After discussing his discovery with his therapist, Mary, she decides to investigate the mysterious space herself, and from there things become increasingly strange, unsettling and difficult to explain.

One thing that immediately stood out to me was how little this film must have cost to make. This genuinely feels like it was made for the price of a bag of fish and chips, a portion of mushy peas and maybe a cup of gravy if the budget stretched that far.
The film mostly revolves around two central characters, with only a handful of supporting roles, and the majority of the story takes place within a single environment. Normally, when films work with those kinds of limitations, they need one of three things: a brilliant script, brilliant performances or brilliant ideas. Backrooms definitely have at least two of those.

The story itself is where things become a little complicated for me. On paper, there is absolutely a narrative. We meet Clark, we learn about his problems, we follow his journey, and eventually we reach a resolution. But this isn't a film interested in traditional storytelling.

It isn't concerned with explaining itself. It isn't interested in answering every question. And that reminded me of Cloverfield, I did not mind that.
Mary's storyline in particular felt underdeveloped to me, or at least they could have added a little more to really flesh out her character. I found myself wanting more from her character and more exploration of what she was going through. However, I also recognise that the film is deliberately designed to leave gaps and allow the audience to fill them in themselves.

The film seems far more interested in exploring ideas surrounding accountability, guilt, trauma and possibly forgiveness than it is in explaining what the Backrooms actually are. And honestly, the film never even attempts to provide those answers.

As a horror film, though, it absolutely succeeds. The cinematography is fantastic. There are moments that genuinely made me uncomfortable despite very little actually happening. Slow camera movements, endless corridors, dark corners, strange sounds and objects that appear slightly distorted or out of place all combine to create an atmosphere that feels consistently unsettling. The Backrooms themselves are often filled with furniture, objects and environments that look familiar at first glance but feel wrong the longer you look at them. That uncanny feeling becomes one of the film's greatest strengths.

The sound design deserves a lot of praise as well. There isn't a huge amount of music throughout the film, but what it lacks in score it more than makes up for with atmosphere. Every creak, hum, distant noise and echo is used to make you feel uneasy. Then there are the performances.

These kinds of films live or die based on the actors carrying the audience through long stretches of uncertainty, and thankfully, the cast is more than up to the task. Chiwetel Ejiofor is superb, as he usually is. He plays Clark with an intensity that constantly keeps you guessing. There were several moments where I wasn't entirely sure whether I trusted him, understood him or even fully believed what he was experiencing.

Alongside him, Renate Reinsve delivers a strong performance as Mary. She spends much of the film attempting to maintain control while clearly carrying unresolved trauma beneath the surface. Watching her navigate the increasingly bizarre situation reminded me at times of the characters in The Descent.

Ultimately, Backrooms is a film that has a lot to say, but it absolutely refuses to spoon-feed its audience. It doesn't explain the rules. It doesn't explain the mythology. It doesn't tell you how or why things exist. They simply do. I did not mind that, but perhaps I needed just that little bit more, but another part of me found it fascinating.

Maybe a sequel will explore more of the lore. Maybe the director intends to build an anthology around the Backrooms mythology. Or maybe the mystery is entirely the point. What I do know is that this is one of those films that sticks with you after the credits roll, especially with what you see. I would definitely watch it again. And who knows? Maybe the second time around, I'll finally understand what on earth I just watched.

(film review) - Masters of the Universe

I grew up on 'He-Man and the Masters of the Universe' cartoon, and when I think of ‘80s cartoons, not many hold the kind of place in my heart that He-Man does. There have been a few attempts over the years to recapture that magic—a good example being the 2011 ThunderCats reboot, which I thought was actually really strong in its anime style, but it never caught on. And then there was the Netflix Masters of the Universe series, directed by Kevin Smith. That was a continuation of the ‘80s show, and for a while, I was completely hooked. It dug deeper into the lore, gave us new angles, but at a certain point, it lost me. I’m not sure if it was all canon or if they were just experimenting, but some of the choices didn’t sit right with me. Still, even when it veered off, it had brilliant ideas, and the animation was top-tier.

So when I saw Travis Knight was directing the new Masters of the Universe movie—this is the guy who gave us 'Bumblebee', which was a breath of fresh air in a Transformers franchise that was losing steam—my interest piqued. Then I saw the pedigree of the film. Knight gave us 'Paranorman' and 'Kubo and the Two Strings', so he’s proven he can handle imaginative worlds with heart. And for me, overall, Masters of the Universe was entertaining—but it left me disappointed as it could have been so much more.

The film follows Prince Adam of Eternia, a young boy sent to Earth after a cosmic event. As he searches for the Sword of Power, he’s eventually found by Teela and brought back home, where Skeletor has left Eternia in ruins. Adam must discover his inner strength, do the right thing, and defeat Skeletor.

Is the movie bad? No. It’s fun, it’s got energy, and I’d absolutely watch it again because I did have a good time. But it’s a film that could have been so much more with a few key improvements—mainly in the dialogue, tone, and execution. The story is fine—it hits all the beats—but the supporting characters, though not the focus, could have been fleshed out a bit more. The acting was a mixed bag—some performances skirting between decent and flat-out weak—and I think a lot of that fell on the direction. The dialogue didn’t always land, and the tone was all over the place. At times, it felt like a throwback to the ‘80s cartoon—made to sell toys—while I know there are films out there that balance being kid-friendly but still sophisticated—like Pixar or Marvel, for example. Here, it felt like they didn’t quite know how to strike that balance.

I’d heard before going in that the humour didn’t always land and that serious moments were undercut by offbeat jokes—there’s a lot of rapid-fire innuendo, and yeah, a few went too far and broke the tone. That said, there was a thin layer of camp that, surprisingly, I didn’t mind. And even though Nicholas Galitzine was solid (despite some of the character choices they went for), and Idris Elba was good, Skeletor stole this movie. I know Jared Leto gets a lot of hate—some of it totally fair after his Joker antics—but as Skeletor, he brought a perfect balance of menace and camp. I think people either do not know or forget he is an Academy Award-winning actor, because he captured that iconic laugh, the sinister charm, and gave the role his own twist. If you love Skeletor from the cartoon, you’re going to love him here—he was, for me, the highlight.

The score is fantastic, the special effects are mostly great, and the action sequences are solid, but where the film really falters is in its tonal execution. It didn’t quite know how to balance a film for adults aimed at kids—or vice versa—like Pixar or even Marvel often manage. And I can’t help but think, maybe Knight had a better cut, and due to studio interference, this is what we got, because with someone who brought us earlier films which are deemed as really good to great by many, what happened here? Everything about the world, the world-building and even how they explained the character names was very well done and it worked, but as a whole, for me, I was simply disappointed because they played it simple and safe. I really hope they do a sequel and, due to the post-credits, open up the world a bit more, but maybe the movie will do well internationally, leading to a sequel where they can learn from what went wrong in this one and improve on it.

(trailer review) - How to rob a bank

 

There are trailers that look good, and then there are trailers that look like they were made specifically for me, and Wow. Just wow! If you know me, you know I absolutely live for films like Bullet Train and Deadpool—that perfect, chaotic blend of ultra-slick action, sharp wit, and stylized violence. So when this trailer dropped, I was already all over it. And let me tell you, it does not disappoint.

First of all, I absolutely love Nicholas Hoult. He is front and center. I genuinely think he's one of the most versatile actors working today. One minute he's playing a complete psychopath, the next he's playing someone charming, funny or completely awkward. He seems able to slide into almost any role as he switches gears so effortlessly, and make it work, and from this trailer alone, he looks like he's having an absolute blast and he looks absolutely brilliant here. The thumbnail did actually make me think it was Ed Skrein at first.

​The casting across the board is just hitting all the right notes for me:

​Seeing the black boy from Marvel's The Runaways, Rhenzy Feliz, who many people will more recently recognise from The Penguin, he's one of those actors who always seems to bring a lot of energy whenever he appears on screen and has a very cool demeanor and presence.

Pete Davidson isn't everyone's cup of tea, but he is likely to bring a bit of levity to the group among the chaos. The film looks like it knows exactly when to be serious and exactly when to let the audience laugh, and Pete feels like a big part of that balance.

Then you've got John C. Reilly, who seems to be playing it more straight than comedic with a few comedic notes here and there laced throughout the trailer. I haven't seen Christian in much of anything recently, so seeing Christian Slater genuinely made me smile. Having him back on screen doing his thing is a massive treat. 

Seeing Zoë Kravitz was another great get. She has such a natural screen presence that whenever she turns up in a project, I immediately become more interested. She is great in pretty much everything she has been in from X-Men: First Class to Mad Max Fury Road, to Blink Twice, to The Batman. Absolute bonus. She just adds that extra layer of cool to the whole aesthetic.

The trailer kicks off with a brilliant line that perfectly sets the tone for our digital age: "You know what is more powerful than money? An audience." From there, it hits us with a hilarious breakdown of success rates—comparing the abysmal odds of actually owning your own home or earning a six-figure salary against the surprisingly high success rate of... well, robbing a bank. All of this is delivered by Hoult’s character, casually wearing a mask and talking straight into a camera as they are literally turning bank heists into content for the masses!

We get a glimpse of the crew of four in a van, setting up the ground rules for their next engagement. But when they rush the bank doors, only to politely step aside and let an old lady walk out and a reference to The Golden Girls is mentioned. She doesn't even notice she’s walking past a fully armed heist crew. 

As we see a montage of them hitting banks and recording it all for socials, enter John C. Reilly. His character tells his team: these kids have robbed 15 banks and are making the FBI look like absolute fools.

To level the playing field, the feds enlist a hacker who is currently under house arrest. Their mission? To use a bespoke program she created to track down people who explicitly do not want to be found. What follows is a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, with John C. Reilly hot on their heels until he has a breakthrough. He realises the key to catching them lies in one very specific bank—one that has a major, mysterious tie to the robbers themselves.

The final stretch of the trailer is just pure, unadulterated adrenaline. We’re treated to a barrage of explosions, a flawless dropkick, and intense police chases, but the dialogue remains the star. In the middle of commandeering a getaway vehicle, the driver looks at them in shock and asks, "Is this 'How to Rob a Bank'? I love your show!" Hoult’s crew doesn't even blink: "Thanks for watching!"

The trailer leaves us on a high note with a massive police chase. A cop car smashes into another vehicle, completely flipping it over, prompting one of the robbers to yell out the window: "Dude, you just blew a stop sign!"

Honestly? The comedic timing is impeccable, the action looks incredibly slick, and the premise is brilliant as it also seems to have a lot to say. I cannot wait for this.

(trailer review) - Onslaught

This feels like one of those films that could easily get overlooked. The trailer has a slightly generic setup on paper, there isn’t exactly a huge A-list star front and centre, and I can already see some people dismissing it before giving it a chance. Besides, the name does not help. But honestly? I think this looks really good.

For a good portion of the trailer, I was trying to work out where I recognised the lead actress from. It was bugging me the entire time until her name popped up at the end and it finally clicked. Then I spotted Reginald VelJohnson and thought, "Wait... what?"

But the name that completely caught me off guard was Michael Biehn. Let me catch you up to who this is.

The moment someone in the trailer says they were trying to create the ideal combatant, my brain immediately went to Universal Soldier with Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lungdren. I used to have that recorded off cable TV on VHS and watched it countless times. If memory serves, those soldiers were enhanced more through cybernetics and experimentation than outright robotics like an cyborg, but that's the first thing that came to mind watching the trailer.

The other movie this reminded me of has a guy who was sent back in time to protect a woman from a cyborg because she would eventually give birth to his son, John Connor. Yep, The Terminator.

So seeing his name attached to a film involving engineered super soldiers and or cyborgs/killing machines felt strangely fitting.

The overall vibe gave me a mixture of both those films. It feels more Universal Soldier because of the military backdrop, but there's definitely a little bit of The Terminator DNA in there too. At the same time, it has that slightly rough-around-the-edges B-movie energy that I actually quite enjoy, and considering it's coming from A24, that immediately raises my interest level.

The trailer introduces us to a former soldier who appears to be living a quiet life whilst dealing with the lingering effects of PTSD. She's isolated, keeps to herself and is raising her daughter alone, but things start to unravel when she notices a pattern of military helicopters repeatedly flying over the area where she lives. Convinced something isn't right, she begins digging deeper.

That's when we hear the line, "What you're looking at is the human equivalent of a heat-seeking missile. The perfect soldier." And from there, the trailer kicks into gear.

We get glimpses of a heavily enhanced soldier with pale, almost glowing pupils tearing through people with brutal efficiency. There's a knife attack, gunfire, bodies dropping and the sense that whatever experiment was created has gone very, very wrong.

Then we're introduced to another operative, seemingly brought in to contain the situation and clean up the mess before it becomes public knowledge.

We are then reintroduced to the lead where she's forced into the conflict when the violence starts spilling into her world. From that point onwards, her focus becomes survival and protecting her daughter at all costs.

The story itself doesn't look particularly groundbreaking, but the execution looks strong. The action appears solid, the atmosphere works, and there's enough mystery surrounding these soldiers to keep me interested.

Could it end up being another generic military sci-fi action film? Absolutely. But based on this trailer, I think there's a decent chance it's something better than that. And sometimes, that's all a trailer needs to do. Make you want to find out more.

(film review) - Mortal Kombat II

What’s wild to me is that back in the ‘90s, they actually tried to make a Mortal Kombat movie, and at the time… we just accepted it. To be fair, it was definitely better than Street Fighter, but that still didn’t make it good. It was just the best of a bad bunch.

But back then, that was all we had. A bit like those early X-Men films in the 2000s—whether they fully worked or not, fans just had to take what they could get.

Then, a few years ago, they rebooted the franchise with Mortal Kombat, and while that film was definitely an improvement over the ‘90s version, I still wouldn’t call it amazing because it made some genuinely questionable choices.

This sequel though? Yeah, this is leagues better.

The film pretty much picks up where the last one left off. The tournament is finally here, and Raiden needs a new champion pr the Earth Realm will fall. Alongside Sonya Blade, they approach Johnny Cage, an actor who initially brushes the whole thing off after meeting the likes of Liu Kang, Jax and Cole. But once he’s dragged properly into the chaos, Johnny has no choice but to stop acting like a hero and actually become one.

And honestly, I had a blast with this film.

The plot itself is still pretty basic—stop the bad guys from taking over Earthrealm—but the difference this time is that almost everything else has been improved. The action is better, the pacing is better, the characters are more enjoyable, and the fight choreography is on another level compared to the previous film. The previous film kind of felt like an action film with fighting, where this one feels more like an action martial arts film.

Seeing classic moves from the games finally translated properly onto the screen was a genuine game-changer.

The dialogue is still cheesy in places, but I found myself laughing, chuckling, and fully enjoying the ridiculousness of it all throughout the film. The movie knows exactly what it is and leans into it.

The addition of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage was honestly perfect casting, especially with how they handled the character. He brings the exact kind of energy the movie needed.

The visual effects are solid, too. Not groundbreaking or Avatar-level spectacle, but they absolutely do the job. And there are loads of moments that reminded me of other cult classics and fantasy properties like Big Trouble in Little China, Game of Thrones and even Pennywise at one point.

There’s even a fake movie within the movie called 'Uncaged Fury', and honestly? I’d genuinely watch that. It is all the nonsensical and over-the-top action from a B-rated (I think it is called B-rated) movie, from the early 80s...almost like Dolemite Is My Name (see my review on that).

Overall, this is just a fun time. Good action, brutal fights, decent humour, solid performances and way more entertaining than the previous film. If you enjoyed the first rebooted movie, you’ll probably have a great time with this.

But if you’re expecting some deep, serious masterpiece… this definitely isn’t that.

(film review) [STREAMING] - The Punisher: One Last Kill

So, Disney said it was going to produce one-off shows called Special Presentations—standalone stories separate from the wider MCU. So far, we've had Werewolf by Night and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Strangely enough, Werewolf by Night was really good, and The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special was even better, although that one still connected to the wider MCU. The Punisher: One Last Kill seemingly does and doesn't at the same time, and it's never entirely clear. What is clear, however, is that this should have been a bottle episode within Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, and here's why.

Frank Castle is hiding out in Little Sicily, a neighbourhood tearing itself apart amid a power vacuum. Haunted by his past and battling PTSD, Frank is approached by a grieving woman whose loss forces him to make a choice: continue his war on the criminals responsible or turn his attention to those who genuinely need saving. Revenge and retribution, or vigilante justice?

At around 50 minutes, this is a short, punchy presentation, but it could easily have been another five or ten minutes longer. A little more dialogue and a few references to the Daredevil corner of the MCU—the state of Hell's Kitchen, the Mayor, or even the remaining Defenders—would have gone a long way. I appreciate this is meant to stand alone, but a little cohesion would have elevated it enormously. As a bottle episode within Daredevil: Born Again, and as an appetiser for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it would have made far more sense.

My biggest issue is how disconnected it feels from the current MCU narrative. That may be intentional, but it mostly functions as an introduction for viewers who never watched The Punisher, Daredevil Season 2, or Frank's appearances in Daredevil: Born Again. Does it take place before Season 1? During Season 2? Somewhere else entirely? It's impossible to tell. While entertaining, it ultimately feels like an excuse to give Frank a solo outing and perhaps explain where he is before Spider-Man: Brand New Day. That's really my only complaint because, for the most part, this is Frank Castle unleashed. Think his prison escape from Daredevil Season 2 stretched to nearly 50 minutes—brutal, relentless, and immensely satisfying.

The story is flimsy, the score does its job, and most of the supporting performances are merely serviceable. Jonathan Bernthal, however, is superb. He brings every ounce of Frank's torment to the screen—the PTSD, the inner conflict, the grief and the hallucinations—all with complete conviction. When the action starts, it's exactly what you'd expect: gritty, savage and uncompromisingly violent.

The problem is that, beyond Bernthal's performance and the action, there isn't much else here. I wanted stronger connections to the wider story and a little more substance. This didn't need to be restricted to a single 50-minute presentation; a three-episode arc would have given the story room to breathe. Instead, it simply ends, offering very little in the way of resolution.

(trailer review) - The Odyssey

 

Here is something interesting straight away—I don’t actually think I know this story all that well. It’s been a long time since I properly read up on Greek mythology and while I’ve always found it interesting, this particular story feels fresh to me. That said, when you’ve got Christopher Nolan behind it, you already know it’s going to be elevated into something much bigger, or at least, this is how I feel, and honestly? This trailer looks epic.

It looks grand in scale, finely acted by everyone involved, and shot with that kind of precision that just screams big-screen cinema. I genuinely can’t see this being anything less than awards-worthy. And yes, maybe I’m biased because it’s Nolan, but damn… this looks good.

The trailer opens with Tom Holland floating alone in the ocean on a piece of wood, with the line: “Tell me what you remember.” The response: “A wife, a son, and we won the war.” Straight away, it sets the tone. From there it’s flashes of everything—Anne Hathaway, the Trojan Horse with soldiers emerging from it, armies storming in, Jon Bernthal roaring, and Charlize Theron asking question after question until it lands on: “And then what?” Then Matt Damon delivers the simple but powerful line: “Help me go home.”

From the trailer, it looks like his journey back is where all the chaos unfolds, while back home things seem tense, with Robert Pattinson seemingly wanting Anne Hathaway’s character to choose him while she holds out hope for her husband’s return. There are loads of quick shots of battle, despair and survival, but the standout for me was Odysseus and his men fighting what look like giant soldiers, with one literally being launched into a tree hard enough to snap it.

Then you’ve got Anne Hathaway’s delivery of “That world is gone”—which lands perfectly—followed by the line: “No one can stand between me and home, not even the Gods.” That’s the moment the trailer really locks in and I am fully engaged into the story. We then get soldiers charging across beaches, ships battling brutal waters, a whirlpool sequence, what looks like a giant figure moving through the trees (possibly the Cyclops), burning cities, and that final line: "I think it’s asleep.” Naturally, whatever “it” is… moves.

Everything about this looks huge, intense and classic Nolan. And from what I’ve heard about the Trojan Horse sequence already, that’s apparently one of the most tension-filled moments in the whole thing.

Yeah… this looks incredible.

(trailer review) - Resident Evil

There have been a couple of attempts at making Resident Evil work properly on screen and honestly, I still don’t know why they keep struggling with it.

Because to me, the answer always seemed simple—stick as closely to the games as possible, make changes where necessary for film, but keep the core of what made the games work. That way, you satisfy the fans and you can still bring in general audiences if the story looks compelling enough.

But after watching this teaser… I’m still not fully convinced.

And that’s the strange thing because this comes from Zach Cregger, the director behind Barbarian and Weapons, and those recent horror projects have been genuinely strong. So there’s clearly talent behind this.

The teaser itself is definitely creepy though.

It opens with a man walking through heavy snow towards a house. He knocks on the door, enters, and explains he had trouble on the road and needs to use the telephone. Straight away, the atmosphere feels cold, isolated and uneasy.

From there, the trailer slowly builds tension through quick flashes and fragments.

We see him trying to use the phone, desperately attempting to make a connection while repeatedly saying “hello” into dead silence. Eventually the line connects and he leaves a message for someone he loves, apologising for being disconnected earlier before saying something has happened and there’s a chance they may never speak again.

That entire voice message plays over the chaos unfolding around him.

While he’s speaking, we get flashes of him being chased, searching the house for weapons, hearing creatures screeching somewhere nearby, and trying to grab keys from what looks like a dead body… only for the body to suddenly move.

There’s also a genuinely unsettling shot of him going down into what looks like a sewer tunnel where, sitting deep in the darkness, is this huge human-like figure. Naked, oversized and fully visible with some dark shadows on it.

That image alone feels like something straight out of a nightmare, or at least, almost lifted straight from the original Blade movie with Wesley Snipes.

The teaser keeps escalating from there. Arms burst through an open door reaching for the walls outside, creatures lunge at him as he slams doors shut behind him, an overturned police car sits wrecked as he approaches it, and there are shots of him possibly seeing dead bodies or these creatures for the first time as he discovers them.

There’s a great moment where he’s running through the street, looks upwards, and these creatures suddenly begin falling from rooftops onto cars around him.

The whole teaser is backed by the constant sound of a busy tone from the phone line, which honestly makes everything feel even more tense and hopeless.

And right before the title card appears, he quietly says: “I love you.”

Then the tone continues.

I can’t lie, visually and atmospherically this looks strong. It definitely leans more into horror than action, which is probably the right move. I’m just still not fully sold yet on whether this is finally going to be the adaptation that truly gets Resident Evil right.

But the potential is definitely there especially as I have heard, it is not based on any one computer game story, but a story within that world; that is what might save this, if they do it right!

(trailer review) - Spider-Noir

As off-the-wall as a black-and-white character being dropped into a colourful comic-book world sounds, the first trailer for Spider-Noir, being off-the-wall, somehow makes it work perfectly—and I absolutely loved it.

It’s also Nicolas Cage being… well, Nicolas Cage. And from what people have been saying, this is him in the most “Nick Cage-iest” way possible. Somehow, it completely works for the tone they’re going for. If anything, this trailer feels even stronger than the first.

The trailer opens with Ben Reilly saying: “Every mystery forms a complex web, but pull the right strand, and it’s a straight line to the answer.”

Straight away, it sets that noir detective tone.

There’s an interesting visual during this too, with a crane hook ascending in a way that mirrors Spider-Man hanging upside down. Then we get flashes of cards shuffling, a man with electricity glowing through his face like veins, and Ben Reilly lying on his back looking completely defeated.

The trailer moves quickly between these strange, stylish moments. There’s a cityscape drenched in shadow, a possible villain sitting in anguish, someone holding fire in the palm of their hand, and a nightclub performance that instantly reminded me of the opening of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.

Then the detective story kicks in properly.

A woman walks into Ben Reilly’s office asking for help finding a missing friend, and from there the trailer spirals into chaos. There’s a great slow-motion shot where Spider-Noir gets punched by what looks like a Sandman-style character before falling from a rooftop. But as he falls, something changes. We get flashes of him trying to save someone trapped in a sinking car underwater before he finally fires out a web and swings back into the fight.

Someone tells him: “You’ve been in a hole ever since Ruby died.”

That line alone tells you there’s a lot more pain behind this version of the character.

From there it’s pure madness in the best way possible—Spider-Noir taking out enemies, person engulfed in flames, cars being stopped with brute force, electricity igniting oil in the streets and some genuinely creepy shots of what look like failed experiments and mutated villains.

One shot in particular of a man with multiple eyes on one side of his face biting someone’s arm felt straight out of a horror film but also reminded me of the Spider-Man animated series which had Peter Parker turn unti a "Man-Spider".

Visually, this show looks fantastic too. The black-and-white noir aesthetic mixed with comic-book action gives it a completely different feel from most superhero projects out right now and harkens back to the likes of Sin City. And the swinging shots through the city genuinely look great.

The final joke lands perfectly as well. After getting beaten up repeatedly in various fights, the woman asks Ben what happened to his face and he casually replies: “I walked into a door.”

Classic noir detective energy.

And then the trailer ends by revealing you can watch it in two different ways, including “True-Hue” full colour mode, which honestly feels like such a cool touch for a project like this.

Everything about this looks stylish, weird, dramatic and surprisingly fresh.

(episode review) [STREAMING] - Daredevil: Born Again - Season 2: Episode 6

  

I’ll be honest—sometimes I like to listen to other critics and pundits after I’ve watched an episode, just to get a different perspective. Not because I can’t form my own opinion, but because I’ve started to notice something about myself: if I really like a show, I can overlook flaws a bit too easily. Moments that might not fully land/work, or questions that should be answered, can get brushed aside because I’m enjoying the experience overall. That’s exactly what happened here.

After listening to a discussion about this episode with John and Shannon (for full disclosure), I started to reflect a bit more critically. One thing that stood out is how much I’ve been relying on the show itself to eventually explain certain plot points, character decisions, or transitions—even when it doesn’t fully do that. Characters sometimes disappear for an episode or two and then reappear and the development feels shallow and while I’ve mostly gone along with it, it’s fair to say those connections aren’t always as strong or clearly developed as they could be.

Now, to be fair, not every criticism they had lands for me. I had no real issue with the therapist and Buck, and Jessica Jones’ introduction worked for me too—it was set up with a small line from Karen, and that was enough in my view. But the broader point does stick: this series could benefit from tightening its narrative threads and being a bit more deliberate in how it connects everything together.

When you look at the bigger picture, it makes sense. This was originally planned as an 18-episode run before being reworked. A lot was clearly cut, reshaped, and refocused to better align with what fans wanted. That likely explains why Season 1 felt like a collection of ideas loosely stitched together. Season 2 is definitely stronger—it has clearer direction, better ideas, and more engaging character dynamics—but those connective gaps are still there and it needs tightening.

That said, when the show hits, it really hits. The core characters remain compelling, the dynamics between them are strong, and the action continues to deliver.

Picking up directly from the previous episode, we see Wilson Fisk grieving over Vanessa’s death—a rare moment of vulnerability for him. But this is still Kingpin, and even in grief, he’s thinking ahead. While a funeral is held, Fisk is already making moves regarding the shipment, showing that his empire doesn’t pause for anything.

Jessica Jones enters the story properly here, crossing paths with Daredevil as she looks for payback. This leads to a warehouse fight involving the AVTF, and it’s exactly the kind of gritty, chaotic action you’d expect when those two characters share the screen.

Elsewhere, Daniel is assigned to feed BB false information to test her loyalty, adding another layer of tension and manipulation behind the scenes.

There’s also growing friction between Matt and Karen, particularly after Daredevil saves Bullseye. Their opposing ideologies are starting to clash more openly, which adds some strong emotional weight to their dynamic.

The episode builds towards unrest outside City Hall, with protesters clashing against the AVTF. What starts as a disturbance escalates quickly, culminating in the death of an AVTF officer and Karen being captured by Officer Powell—raising the stakes significantly heading into the next episode.

Overall, I did enjoy this episode. Seeing Krysten Ritter return as Jessica Jones was a highlight and playing a few notes from her theme qas a nice touch, and it’s interesting to see where she is at this point in her life, so it would be nice to tie these threads together. At this point, we know Luke is coming back, so will Danny Rand?, especially when he gave the Ironfist to Corleen Wing. Also, it would be nice to get Elektra and Clare Temple back. But I do find myself wondering where the story goes from here—especially when it comes to Matt’s path going forward and his evolving dynamic with Fisk now that Vanessa is gone. There’s a lot to like here, but also just enough missing to make you pause and think.

(trailer review) - Clayface

 

So at first, I didn’t even realise the trailer had started—it just sort of crept in. But as it went on, I clocked how unsettling it was getting, with these flashes of this guy (who I’m assuming is the main character), and I’m still not even sure “body horror” fully covers it.

It starts very slow—just a bandaged face staring out. Then quick cuts: a blond-haired man, back to the bandages, then him in a crowd, maybe at a premiere. Then it escalates—someone cutting into his face, injections, masks… all very fragmented and uncomfortable.

As it builds, continuing with shots of the bandages, that’s when it gets mad. His face starts melting while he’s looking in the mirror? In ome shot, he’s running through the street in another, and there are these flashes of him screaming—but his mouth isn’t opening properly, his lips are stretching in a way that just looks wrong. At one point he takes off his sunglasses and his eye is basically sealed shut.

And then that moment—he rubs his hand across his face and just… moves or maybe rubs away all of his features. Wild.

Clayface already looks like it’s going to be something completely different for the superhero genre. It leans hard into horror, and not in a safe way either. Considering Clayface is a villain, it’ll be interesting to see how this plays out, especially when Batman eventually comes into it.

But yeah… this looks crazy.

(trailer review) - The Punisher: One Last Kill

 

So, I’m probably still a few months away from doing live trailer reactions while I finish setting up, but for now—let’s talk about this.

If you watched Daredevil Season 2 on Netflix, then you already know one of the absolute standout moments was that rooftop scene between Daredevil and the Punisher. The dialogue, the tension—everything about Frank Castle in that season just worked. Then we got The Punisher Seasons 1 and 2, which only deepened how compelling his character is.

Fast forward to Daredevil: Born Again (which, as I’ve said before, basically feels like Season 4 of the Netflix show), and Frank’s conversation with Matt is a pivotal moment in Matt’s decision-making and inner conflict. So seeing the Punisher show up in the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer? That’s something I don’t think any of us realised we needed—but we absolutely did. And this trailer? It completely goes off.

It opens with Frank sitting in a chair, listening to a friend speaking to him. There are flashes of people around him—maybe real, maybe not—which makes it feel like either a flashback or something playing out in his head. Frank looks through a viewfinder, there is a woman screaming, and then a brutal shot of Frank using someone as a human shield, taking a shotgun blast to the chest.

We then cut back to his friend confronting him about his past, intercut with flashes of Frank’s daughter, a gravesite, and a young girl in a diner. Then suddenly, Frank is walking topless, carrying a massive gun—pure Punisher energy.

One standout moment shows liquid seeping under a door. You hear it ignite, and Frank’s legs catch fire. And right there, I knew exactly what was coming—I literally called it—he charges straight through the flames and crashes through the door in classic Frank Castle fashion.

From there, it’s chaos. He’s walking through the streets as everything falls apart. A little girl calls out “Daddy,” while the girl from the diner is being taken away. Frank charges in with a baseball bat. We see him on top of a building fighting multiple men at once—throwing some over the edge, using others as shields, even going up against someone wielding an axe. He’s diving through windows, leaping backwards off buildings while firing, taking people out in diners—it’s relentless. And then the final shot: dressed in black, revealing the iconic skull logo across his chest.

This trailer is incredible.

Story-wise, it could go either way—it might be thin, or it could surprise us. Right now, it’s hard to tell but he is a beloved character and Jon plays him very well. I’m also not sure why it’s called "One Last Kill" so hopefully not a limited series, but like Loki, may end up with a "sequel" if the reaponse is right. We do not know exactly where it sits in the current MCU timeline—if it even does. It could be a standalone story, which seems likely, even though the Daredevil connections are now essentially canon.

It’ll be interesting to see whether this picks up from The Punisher series, Daredevil: Born Again, or somehow ties into Spider-Man: Brand New Day—or if it just exists on its own while still being awesome, hopefully.

Either way, we’ll find out soon enough.

(episode review) [STREAMING] - Daredevil: Born Again - Season 2: Episode 4

 

Episode 4 opens with Benjamin Poindexter moving through a quiet, almost methodical routine—making breakfast, getting in some light exercise, even leaving food out for his landlord’s cat. It’s calm, controlled… and deeply unsettling once you remember who he is. This all leads into the diner sequence teased in the trailer, where he arrives—and, notably, leaves without incident.

That said, the trailer definitely cherry-picked the most intense moments, because the full scene plays out with far more restraint. Once Bullseye exits, the episode shifts focus back to Karen Page and Matt Murdock as they begin interviewing the hostages. It’s here that the legal side of things starts to take shape, with Karen eventually bringing in attorney Kirsten McDuffie to help strengthen their position.

Matt, of course, takes things a step further. His investigation leads him straight to Bullseye, culminating in a brutal and incredibly well-choreographed fight inside Bullseye’s apartment. It’s one of the standout moments of the episode—raw, intense, and very much in line with what fans expect from Daredevil at his best.

What makes it more interesting is Bullseye’s mindset. He genuinely claims to be one of the “good guys,” and as the episode unfolds, it becomes clear that he’s working towards a larger plan. By the end, that plan is set into motion—or at least appears to be—leaving things on a very tense note.

One thing I’ve really come to appreciate about Daredevil: Born Again is how it carries over the grounded tone of the Netflix series while clearly benefiting from a bigger budget and more stylistic confidence. There’s a noticeable flair to it now, and New York feels more alive—almost like a character in its own right. You see everyday people reacting through video clips, sharing opinions, taking sides on vigilantes, Fisk, Daredevil—it all adds texture to the world. There’s even a layer of real-world reflection woven in, reinforcing that “art imitates life” idea.

This episode strikes a strong balance between drama and action, and honestly, it feels closer to what Season 1 of Born Again should have been from the start. That said, looking back, you can see what they were aiming for—and with how this episode ends, the title feels very fitting: All Gloves Are Off.

If I had one criticism, it’s that some of the plot points feel a bit too telegraphed. You can see certain developments coming from a mile away, which takes away a bit of the tension. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but it does hold it back slightly from being truly unpredictable.

Still, this is a strong episode—and a clear sign that the series is finding its footing.

(trailer review) - Daredevil: Born Again - Season 2

 

I’ve been locked into this show.

If you’ve been following my blog—or just following me in general—you’ll already know how much I rate the original Daredevil series on Netflix, and honestly, the wider Defenders “saga” as a whole. Not every show hit the same level, but that’s expected. Daredevil came out the gate strong, and while Season 2 is a bit divisive (despite introducing The Punisher), Season 3 brought things right back with Bullseye—who, if we’re being real, is one of Daredevil’s best antagonists. A man with perfect aim versus a man who can’t see? It just works.

Now, Daredevil: Born Again feels like it’s really finding its footing. The build-up has been strong, and this Season 2 trailer is proof of that. The release strategy has helped too—dropping Episode 1 on its own, then Episodes 2 and 3 back-to-back as a companion piece worked really well. But this trailer? It takes things up another level. It leans heavily into Bullseye’s chaos, his precision, and just how unhinged he really is—and with Jessica Jones now entering the mix, I genuinely can’t wait for what’s coming next.

The trailer opens with Benjamin Poindexter casually walking into a diner and ordering a banana milkshake. It’s quiet, controlled… until it isn’t. The AVTF suddenly storm in, and when one officer clocks who he’s dealing with, there’s a brilliant dolly zoom moment (one of my favourite shots) as the realisation hits—this is Bullseye. What follows is quick, brutal, and efficient. He takes them all out without hesitation, then calmly walks out, leaving behind his signature mark on the diner doors.

From there, the scale widens. We see Daredevil standing on the Brooklyn Bridge as unrest brews across the city. There are shots of Matt Murdock and Karen Page leaving what looks like a courthouse, while public opinion seems increasingly divided—some people even appearing to support Daredevil, masks in hand and on their heads. 

There are quieter character moments too—Matt and Karen sitting down together, Vanessa framed in a cold, blue-lit shot holding a gun, and Bullseye stepping out of a mansion with that unsettling smile. Matt is also seen entering a courtroom, reinforcing that constant duality between his legal life and his vigilante role.

Then the tone shifts again. The music builds, cuts—and we hear Jessica Jones: “They showed up at my house… with my daughter there.” Matt asks, “You hurt?” Her response: “I’m pissed.” From that point, it’s chaos. Jessica is tearing through AVTF agents in a warehouse, throwing one across the room and smashing through another. We get rapid cuts—Bullseye launching projectiles with deadly precision, Wilson Fisk in the middle of a brutal fight (possibly against Bullseye, though it’s hard to say for sure), Karen behind bars, and what looks like a large-scale conflict involving figures dressed in red—whether that’s The Hand or something else entirely remains unclear.

There are flashes of what seems to be the classic hallway-style fight, Daredevil taking on multiple AVTF agents, and a moment where two officers rip off his mask—seemingly exposing Matt Murdock.

The trailer closes in a frenzy of quick cuts: the psychiatrist, Bullseye throwing daggers, Karen fighting back, explosions, and Fisk looking very pleased with himself.

Then we get the final exchange. "It’s going to be a bloodbath,” Daredevil says. Jessica responds: “Then this should be tons of fun.” And honestly? That pretty much sums it up.

This trailer is intense, focused, and full of promise. If the series delivers on even half of what’s shown here, we’re in for something special.

(episode review) [STREAMING] - Daredevil: Born Again - Season 2: Episode 1

 

We’ve come a long way to get here.

From the fan campaigns and constant push to bring Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio back as Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk, to finally seeing them fully re-established in this world—it’s been a journey. While Born Again Season 1 felt like a bit of a mish-mash at times—visually, structurally, and in its overall flow—this first episode of Season 2 feels like a real course correction. In fact, by the end of the episode, I was so caught off guard that I actually shouted out loud. That rarely happens.

Usually, before a new season drops, I like to go back and rewatch the previous one. Sure, you can get a 20-minute recap on YouTube, but there’s something about revisiting the world and characters properly that hits differently. I didn’t have time to do that here, but thankfully, the episode does a great job of grounding you. Visually and sonically, it feels familiar—carrying over elements from Season 1, which itself echoed the Netflix era—but everything feels more refined, more confident. It’s an upgrade.

The episode opens with Daredevil infiltrating a ship, taking out guards in a sequence that gave me real Captain America: The Winter Soldier vibes. It’s slick, controlled, and intense. But things escalate quickly—once the captain realises what’s happening, he sinks the ship.

That single act sets off a chain reaction.

We soon learn that the sinking has created a major situation, prompting Wilson Fisk to bring in Mr. Charles to handle the fallout while he personally hunts down both the captain and his first mate. At the same time, Fisk spins the narrative—placing the blame squarely on Daredevil and Karen Page.

Meanwhile, Matt and Karen are trying to track down those same individuals to secure their testimonies and clear their names. But with both of them now labelled as terrorists—and the Anti-Vigilante Task Force actively rounding up heroes and vigilantes—the pressure is mounting. Matt, in particular, is feeling it. You can see the strain as he tries to protect the people around him while everything closes in.

What really stood out in this episode is how much it leans into what worked best before. The storytelling feels tighter, and the visual language is much closer to the tone fans loved from the Netflix series—just elevated with a bigger budget. You can see where that extra investment is going.

There are some really nice creative touches here too. One of my favourites—returning from Season 1—is the use of a dolly zoom when Matt sharpens his senses to focus in on specific sounds. In this episode, it’s used again to great effect, and paired with subtle aspect ratio changes, it creates a genuinely striking moment.

The fight sequences are another highlight—visceral, cleanly shot, and easy to follow. You’re never lost in the action, which makes every hit feel that much more impactful.

Another improvement is how the show is handling its supporting cast. Characters like BB and the psychiatrist are getting more focus, helping to flesh out the world beyond just Matt and Fisk. It gives the story more depth—and if anything, it raises the stakes. Expanding the spotlight like this often means not everyone is making it out alive.

If this first episode is anything to go by, Season 2 is already on much stronger footing—and I’m very interested to see where it goes next.

(trailer review) - Spider-Man: Brand New Day

 

People can be funny. It is like they know what they want, but at the same time, do they know what they need? There has been all this talk about this new Spider-Man movie having too many characters (usually villains), and in this trailer, we see perhaps 3–5 antagonists. But this has happened before and we have not had an issue, so why now? A lot of it comes down to execution, if I am honest. In the past, Sony messed it up every single time by trying to do too much. But with the help of Marvel and the MCU, you can do a lot and still make it work if you have great writing, story, and pacing. Spider-Man has a huge rogues’ gallery, and even in the cartoons, you would often see multiple enemies in a single episode. It was not always just Green Goblin, Venom, or Doctor Octopus—there were many. This trailer, or at least the MCU’s approach, seems to embrace that. Having now seen it, are people still complaining? I have not seen anything to suggest that, and honestly, how could you? This trailer looks absolutely spectacular.

The trailer starts with Peter hanging upside down, similar to Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen in Into the Spider-Verse, watching MJ and Ned celebrate getting into MIT. Downtrodden and missing his friends, Peter pulls down his mask and drops off the side of a building. We get a great shot of his face under the mask, blinking and breathing, before he starts rehearsing what he will say—how he is Peter Parker and, because of everything that happened, they do not remember him. We then see quick moments: Peter spotting Ned in what looks like a coffee shop, sitting alone washing his suit, and Spider-Man receiving the keys to the city. From there, things escalate. Peter runs across a rooftop, pulling down his mask to fight crime, only to be thrown into a car by an explosion and then hit by a van. That is where we see the Punisher, leading to a brief clash before Spider-Man stops him. There is also a party scene where MJ is talking to another guy while Peter watches from a distance. Then Peter, clearly unwell, asks, "What is happening to me?" before collapsing and waking up trapped in webbing. Peter seeks out Bruce Banner, who warns that DNA mutation could be dangerous. Keith David’s narration follows, explaining that spiders have three life cycles, with vulnerable stages in between. As this plays out, we see Spider-Man undergoing scans, becoming ultra-sensitive to sound, losing focus during normal tasks, and visiting Aunt May’s grave. There are more explosions and a mysterious moment hinting at some form of mind control. We also see Scorpion in action, more of the Punisher, and a brief moment between Spider-Man and MJ. As the score builds, the trailer delivers an incredible montage: Spider-Man trying to stop an armoured truck and getting slammed into a bus, swinging with a civilian in his arm, dodging Boomerang’s attacks, avoiding Tarantula on a boat, and even what looks like a fight against the Hand. The trailer ends on a lighter note with a funny moment between Ned, MJ, and Peter. For a teaser, it gives us a strong sense of direction, hinting at a fresh story that could involve mutation and the Man-Spider. It is dark and brooding in places, but still full of colour and humour. This genuinely feels like the start of a great new trilogy.

(trailer review) - Dune: Part 3

 

How incredible does this look? I watched this trailer twice… well, I got near to the end, rewound a bit to catch something, and then watched it through again—because I said to myself, “Why does that face look familiar? Who is that? Wait a minute… isn’t that Robert? Wait, that is Robert Pattinson! I didn’t know (or likely forgot) he was in this!” Although this franchise has already delivered two great films (and a TV show I haven’t watched), and I’m aware there’s much more to the story, the storytelling and directing from Denis Villeneuve is doing its best to carry the weight of everything that comes after to "conclude" the story. That’s based on what I’ve learned—not read—but even so, while I was intrigued by the trailer and excited by that reveal, it didn’t quite land for me. The franchise is starting to feel a little long in the tooth. It’s like I already know what to expect at this point: great music and score, great acting, great storytelling, and bold, immersive cinematography and visuals that feel completely real. But aside from introducing new characters, what is this trailer really giving us beyond being a teaser? Maybe I just want more than a teaser trailer—which is probably a testament to how excited I am for the franchise.

The trailer opens with Chani in the arms of Paul as they discuss their pregnancy and potential names for the baby—Leto, if it’s a boy, is a nice tribute to Paul’s father. There’s some imagery that might suggest Leto’s ring in a scene, followed shortly by a group being led by Paul as he says, “War feeds on itself.” We then see images of battle: a tower firing on attackers, preceded by shots of bodies on the ground—charred, or perhaps frozen and stiffened in some kind of solidified liquid. The next shot shows a long, diamond-shaped ship flying into space toward a massive structure, giving a real sense of scale. Over this, Paul speaks to his mother, asking for advice—a moment that’s echoed later when he wonders what his father would have done, admitting that the more he fights, the more his enemies rise against him. We get a glimpse of Robert Patinson as Feyd-Rau followed by two groups of men facing off—one possibly led by Stilgar. Then comes the line from his mother: “Your father never started a war.” More stunning shots of large-scale battles follow, along with a brief look at Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia and the unexpected return of Duncan Idaho, training or fighting with Paul. Princess Irulan appears, walking with clear determination—likely driven by vengeance. Feyd-Rautha is seen again among what looks like the Fremen, and there’s a brilliant shot of Chani, ready for battle with a fierce, warrior-like expression. But the standout moment is Paul ascending the steps before addressing thousands upon thousands of followers. The scale is immense, and as he declares, “I am not afraid to die, but I must not die… yet,” it just feels epic—simply epic. I think I’m most excited to return to this world and be immersed in its lore again. While this is only a teaser trailer, I need a bit more substance to fully enjoy it. Maybe I’m asking for too much—I just need to be patient and wait. The music is already playing in my head.