FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED







Alien Outbreak
UK certificate 18
81 mins



Genre : Sci-Fi/Horror

Contents Advisory : Strong Gore/Violence/Suicide References

Directed by : Neil Rowe

Starring : Katherine Drake/Ritchie Crane/Philip Alexander Baker

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In a small rural community, local police officers Zoe and Patrick begin their shift as normal but soon, strange events unfold. Residents begin behaving erratically, and suicidal panic spreads amongst the township they are trying to protect. Zoe and Patrick realise alien machines are taking hold, cutting their small group of survivors off from the outside world. Can the determined humans band together to save their community, and all mankind, from extinction?

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Not as bad as some critics have made out...The performances from unknown actors were fine, and are complimented by decent enough Special and Visual effects.
However it could have benefited from a larger budget as it is a tad average storyline, edting and sound values. That said the musical score was in keeping with the effects and script.
One for Sci-fi addicts

5/10

FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED




Island Zero
UK certificate 15
102 mins



Genre : Horror/Mystery/Sci-Fi/Thriller

Contents Advisory : Strong Gore

Directed by : Josh Gerritsen

Starring : Laila Robins/Adam Wade McLaughlin/Teri Reeves

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A fishing community on a remote Maine island finds itself suddenly cut off from the rest of the world after the ferry stops coming. When people start to vanish, the terrified survivors realize that someone - or something - is hunting them.

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A good idea somewhat hampered by a low budget.
The performances where fine as was the cinematography, but it has got to be said storyline would have benefited from better visual effects.
So all in all not a bad effort if a tad average.

5.5/10

FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED






Deep Blue Sea 3
UK certificate 15
96 mins



Genre : Action/Horror/Sci-Fi

Contents Advisory : Strong Language/Threat/Gore

Directed by : John Pogue

Starring : Tania Raymonde/Nathanie Buzolic/Emerson Brooks

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Dr. Emma Collins and her team are spending their third summer on the island of Little Happy studying the effect of climate change on the great white sharks who come to the nearby nursery every year to give birth. Along with the last two inhabitants of this former fishing village, their peaceful life is disrupted when a "scientific" team led by her ex-boyfriend and marine biologist Richard show up looking for three bull sharks who we soon learn aren't just any bull sharks.

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Better than the second in the franchise and entertaining enough, but otherwise a tad average.
Cinematography was good particularity the under water scenes and is complimented by decent enough special effects.
All in all a bit tame..

5/10






Radioactive
UK certificate 12
105 mins



Genre : Biography/Drama/Romance

Contents Advisory : Upsetting Scenes/Moderate Injury Detail/Language/Sex

Directed by : Marjane Satrapi

Starring : Rosamund Pike/Yvette Feuer/Mirjam Novak

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Tells the story of Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie and her extraordinary scientific discoveries — through the prism of her marriage to husband Pierre — and the seismic and transformative effects their discovery of radium had on the 20th century.

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This film was a disappointment because of a rather drab story telling of Curie and her achiements.
The performances were fine considering the average script.
One I think for die hard Drama fans..

6/10

FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED




Mortal
UK certificate 15
100 mins



Genre : Action/Adventure/Fantasy

Contents Advisory : Brief Strong Violence

Directed by : André Øvredal

Starring : Nat Wolff/Priyanka Bose/Iben Akerlie

Special Note : Norwegian Language film with English sub-titles...Some Dialogue in English

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While hiding in the wilderness of western Norway, Eric accidentally kills a teenager in an inexplicable way and is subsequently arrested. Before being interrogated, he meets Christine, a young psychologist trying to figure out what really happened. She believes Eric and feels sympathy with him. Soon the American embassy shows up wanting Eric extradited, but he manages to flee with Christine. On the run, with both Norwegian and American authorities after him, Eric finally discovers who, or what, he really is.

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This movie is not like the Marvel Studious superheros...It is a story well told and based on ancient Norwegian mythology. The performances were fine as was the storyline and cinematography .
The special and visual effects are, well though out, but to a budget.
All in all an interesting slow burn saga.

6.5/10






Solitary
UK certificate 15
90 mins



Genre : Sci-Fi

Contents Advisory : Strong Violence/Threat

Directed by : Luke Armstrong

Starring : Johnny Sachon/Lottie Tolhurst/Michael Condron

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A man wakes up inside a room to discover he's a prisoner sent into space to form Earth's first colony, and worse - his cell mate Alana is hell bent on destroying everything

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A b grade movie on a tight budget will not suit everyone.
The performances were ok considering the mediocre script, but the visuals were fine.
One I think for die hard Sci-Fi fans

5.5/10

FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED





Backdraft 2
UK certificate 15
97 mins



Genre : Action/Crime/Drama/Thriller

Contents Advisory : Strong Language/Violence

Directed by : Gonzalo López-Gallego

Starring : Joe Anderson/William Baldwin/Donald Sutherland

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Years after the original Backdraft, Sean, son of the late Steve "Bull" McCaffrey, is assigned to investigate a deadly fire only to realize it is something much more sinister.

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Not as good as the original 1991 movie starring Kurt Russell, but nonetheless engaging enough.
What lets it down is an uneven script and direction both of which could have been better.
The special and visual effects are good as is the musical score...
All in all not a bad effort.

6/10

FILMS ON DVD REVIEWED




The Hunt
UK certificate 15
86 mins



Genre : Action/Horror/Thriller

Contents Advisory : Strong Bloody Violence/Gory Images/Language

Directed by : Craig Zobel

Starring : Betty Gilpin/Hilary Swank/Ike Barinholtz

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Twelve strangers wake up in a clearing. They don't know where they are—or how they got there. In the shadow of a dark internet conspiracy theory, ruthless elitists gather at a remote location to hunt humans for sport. But their master plan is about to be derailed when one of the hunted turns the tables on her pursuers.

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I must admit this film was better than I had expected...with lashes of dark humor and bloody violence.
Top performances by the principles complimenting a good storline and script.
The special and visual effects were excellent to.

7/10






Blizzard of Souls aka The Rifleman
UK certificate 15
104 mins



Genre : Drama/History/War

Contents Advisory : Strong Violence/Injury Detail

Directed by : Dzintars Dreibergs

Starring : Oto Brantevics/Raimonds Celms/Martins Vilsons

Special note : A Latvian Production with Dubbed or Sub-titles in a choice of Languages.

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The love story of sixteen-year-old Arturs is interrupted by the First World War. After losing his mother and his home, he finds some consolation in joining the army, because this is the first time national battalions are allowed in the Russian Empire. But war is nothing like Arturs imagined – no glory, no fairness. It is brutal and painful. Arturs is now completely alone as war takes the lives of his father and brother. Also, no progress is made in the promised quick resolution of the war and timely return home. Within the notion that only he alone cares about returning home and that his homeland is just a playground for other nations, Arturs finds strength for the final battle and eventually returns home to start everything from scratch, just like his newly born country.

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A surprisingly good movie of the creation of the Latvian state from the aftermath of World War 1.
The battle scenes are well choreographed with excellent special effects.
All this is complemented by top draw cinematography and musical score.
My copy of the DVD came with Dubbed English which was fine, noting however that the music sometimes over powered the dialogue.
Drama,War fans should like this film, oh there is some romance as well.

8/10