Wednesday, March 23, 2016

The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: A BLAST OF RECENT DVD / BLU-RAY RELEASES Part 1


The 'Not-So-Critical' Critic: 
on A BLAST OF RECENT DVD / BLU-RAY RELEASES Part 1

EXTRACTION (2015, 83 minutes, R)


 The Quick of It -
The first in this series of action releases is a Bruce Willis feature, that doesn’t really ‘feature’ the man we know as McClane.  Kellan Lutz plays Harry Turner, son to Leonard Turner (Willis), who tries to follow his father’s footsteps as a field agent in the CIA but just can’t seem to get past the vetting process.  It is the powerful and beautiful presence of Gina Carano (she was in DEADPOOL as Angel Dust) that steals the show.  The story has merit, the dialogue could have been worse, and the action and final sequence of events makes it worth a watch.

Grade: B-


DIABLO (2015, 90 minutes, R)

 
The Quick of It -
It’s hard to imagine Clint Eastwood’s son not playing in a Western at some point.  Scott Eastwood definitely has the looks to be just as charismatic on film as his father.  But do not jump too fast.  DIABLO is not your average gunslinging extravaganza.  The story will walk you down that familiar dusty trail, but before you know it, the world gets flipped upside down.  This being the director’s second feature length film, and second teaming with Scott, you can trust Lawrence Roeck has a future in the industry.  I continue to recommend this to everyone who will listen; believing the film did not receive enough marketing support to justify a fair chance to even know it exists.

Grade: B+


MI-5 (2015, 104 minutes, R)


The Quick of It -
We get to see Jon Snow know something… sorry… he is forever doomed in this industry.  Kit Harrington is an MI5 agent who must track down an escaped terrorist.  The story seems convoluted and the pacing is slow.  This is one of the weaker recent releases and is only good for the action.  The slow points drag everything down as some people seem way too serious and carries the strong flavor of a Brit TV drama without trying.

Grade: C-

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