A scientist discovers the bodies of three frozen genetically modified Russians buried in the Canadian North. Upon thawing them out he realizes he has unleashed a deadly threat to Western society and must stop them at all costs. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Sturla Gunnarsson

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Adam Beach, Michael Ironside and others

Current release date:  December 6, 2013

Well, well, well, what do we have here? A Malaysian movie about Scandinavian vikings versus an evil Thor, featuring an, international, English speaking cast? Doesn't sound very promising but thing about these low budget genre movies is that they are at least entertaining, no matter how bad and silly stuff gets in it at times.

And yes, this is a pretty silly and bad movie at times. It feels very random with its storytelling and story, that comes across like an epic odyssey, however without all of the epicness. It's very obvious, all throughout, that this movie didn't had a very big budget to spend and all of it got shot indoors, including all of the exterior scenes. It's a cheap looking movie with all of its action, sets and costume design. The costume design and makeup was perhaps the one thing that bothered me the most. This movie features some of the absolute worst wigs you can ever come across. Sure, it all gives the movie a certain style and charm to it but I just can't say that it's a very good or effective style and charm.

Because the story is so random, it's also very hard to ever care about any of the characters or know and understand what is going on exactly. You really just have to go along with things, in order to still enjoy it. And luckily this movie doesn't ever give you any time to think about its story or how bad and silly things are, since it's a movie that keeps the pace high and therefor also never bores. I also have to admit that I, despite of everything, still had a real good time watching this movie.

It's still pretty odd to see some pretty blatant Star Wars references, in a low budget viking movie. Every time that Thor swings his hammer, you hear a lightsaber sound effect and lets just say that someone turns out to be someones father in this and daddy wants them to rule the world together, while raising his fist. It's all not that subtle but then again, there hardly is anything subtle about this movie at all.

This also is one of those modern genre movies that obviously got 'inspired' by Zack Snyder's style of film-making and that of his movie "300" in particular. This for instance means that the fight scenes are as well filled with lots of use of (bad) slow-motion and lots of male characters walking around bare chested, despite some heavy snow. Again, nothing subtle about any of it!

And it's kind of weird but sometimes I really like Dominic Purcell as an actor and sometimes I just can't stand him. Guess it all depends on what type of role he's playing. Seems that he's always at his best when he doesn't have to say too much and can remain mostly in the background, for most part of the movie. But he can't hide himself in this movie though, since he plays is the one and true main character in this. He's incredibly boring and was obviously struggling with how to deliver his lines at times. In other words, he's a terrible lead for this movie and also not quite charismatic enough physically to be a likable enough main hero for this movie.

But oh well, the movie does still bring plenty of entertainment to the screen and this obviously is not a movie to take too seriously or ever think too hard about. You should take it for what it is and you may end up feeling entertained by it, though no one should ever be allowed to claim that this is a great movie as well.

5/10

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A forgotten king, Eirick, is tasked with the impossible odds to defeat Thor, the God of Thunder. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Yusry Abd Halim

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Natassia Malthe, Conan Stevens and others

Current release date: October 4, 2013

An action flick based around the financial crisis? Sure, leave it up to Uwe Boll to come up with a thing like that!

This is an Uwe Boll movie, so lots of people are going to jump on it, regardless of its quality or intentions. But in all fairness and objectivity, is it truly a bad movie? It's a pretty dumb and maybe even borderline offensive movie but it most certainly is far from a terrible movie as well!

It's a pretty ridicules movie but no more than most other low budget genre flicks. The only main downside of the movie is that it's made hard at times to get behind the movie its main character. After all, he goes on a violent streak against bankers, who no doubt all had normal lives outside of their work and a wife and kids back at home. Seems maybe like Uwe Boll has a personal beef against the financial world or perhaps has lost lots of money during the crisis and with this movie he is venting his anger or living his fantasy, of wanting to seriously hurt those who are responsible for the situation, in his eyes and mind. The movie tries to justify things by portraying the bankers as James Bond type of villains but it's not really something that works out very convincing.

Or perhaps you should simply see this movie as a modern exploitation flick, that uses a much talked about and still relevant subject, lots of people can recognize themselves in and have a strong opinion about. And perhaps that's also the best way to look at this movie. Fore if most definitely isn't ever going for a too realistic approach with its story or violence either. You also don't feel that the movie is trying to make a true statement against anything or has a deeper sort of meaning to it.

Another silly thing about the story is that basically every sequences involves something that's related to the financial crisis. Every 'good' character gets hit by the crisis and every 'bad' character makes sure they get hit even harder, once they start to get up again. Seriously, everything about this movie feels heavily exaggerated and there's nothing too realistic or convincing about its main story, which to me is another indication not to take this movie too seriously either.

But in all truth, this movie just never becomes a truly bad one. It actually has a pleasant feel and pace to it. Sure, it doesn't begin violent or action packed and the movie takes its time to set its story and characters up at first but still the movie never drags or becomes a boring one. You also don't feel that the action enters the movie too late. The buildup to it is pretty good and effective, so it never feels like you are watching a slow or boring movie here. So yes, I actually have to say that Uwe Boll did some good things with his directing of this movie, as weird and as improbable that may sound.

I also liked some of the acting. Dominic Purcell perhaps isn't all that great, especially not when he is required to have and show emotions but other actors such as John Heard, Eric Roberts, Edward Furlong and Keith David are pretty good and enjoyable in this.

It's a good enough movie but obviously also nothing more than that. Just give this movie a fair shot. You actually could end up liking it.

6/10

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This movie so desperately wants to be taken seriously but the story however is lacking the right content and isn't as tight or clever as it believes it is.

Besides, the movie feels needlessly messy with its story. Even while there really isn't all that much to its story, in terms of originality and true creativity, it still seems to have a hard time focusing on one thing at the same time. Is the main-story more about Det. Callahan's (Stephen Dorff) past, or is it one that's more about the cases he's currently involved with? Of course in the end it all turns out to be related, which shouldn't turn out to be a surprise to anyone but it still lets the storytelling feel messy and needlessly complicated.

It doesn't help that the movie constantly keeps changing directions. It picks up certain plot lines and drops them, just as fast again. This is also being part of the reason why the movie doesn't feel all that well focused.

It's hard to truly stay involved with this movie really. It doesn't ever grab you, with its story, characters or any of its developments. It just isn't all that interesting to watch, though I still wouldn't call this a horrible movie as well though.

It's a typical crime-thriller-drama, that tells the story from the perspective of a cop, with a sort of shady past. It's all as formulaic as it probably sounds to you right now, which also means that it isn't truly any more- or less worse than the average genre attempt.

The movie still is a well enough made one. I mean, it has a good look to it and it's obvious some serious money got put into it.

This also shows with its cast. Stephen Dorff might not be the biggest draw anymore, he still is a big name and certainly also a good actor. It's still a shame that throughout his career he has played these sort of scruffy characters a bit too many times already. It isn't anything surprising anymore and it makes it come across like he isn't even really trying anymore and continues to play the same character over and over again. Next to Dorff, also the likes of Stephen Lang, Dominic Purcell and James Woods show up in this. They are however part of the supporting cast, so don't expect to be blown away by any of them, or to see an awful lot of them in this movie.

A pretty standard and formulaic genre movie, that however isn't focused enough with both its story and storytelling to also consider this movie to be a watchable and recommendable enough one.

5/10

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Directed by: Uwe Boll

Starring: Dominic Purcell, Ralitsa Paskaleva, Bashar Rahal and others

Current release date: 2013

It's not very hard to see why this movie doesn't work out as well as the original did. It's totally lacking the raw, gritty and bleak atmosphere of the 1971 original, which is for most part due to the fact it changed settings. Instead of the cold and depressing English landscapes, this movie is set in rural, warm Mississippi. It just gives the movie a totally different style and atmosphere to it, making this look and feel as a far more average genre flick.

But that of course is not the only thing the movie is lacking with. The storytelling forms another problem for the movie. Instead of slowly and steadily building up to things, the movie just lets stuff happen. Because things just happen, it doesn't ever feel like the story is being like a slippery slope and its main character never reaches a clear breaking point.

All of this are reasons why this isn't exactly being the most powerful or involving movie to watch. But having said that, I also still need to be honest and conclude that this is far from a bad genre movie. Especially when you aren't familiar with the 1971 Sam Peckinpah movie by the same name, starring Dustin Hoffman, this is still being a pretty good and enjoyable little genre movie.

The story still has some interesting elements to it, though it doesn't exactly ever goes deep with anything. Clearly it's not as much a psychological movie as the original was but that's OK, since the movie does has some other qualities to it with its thriller ingredients. There is still some tension and also mystery to the story and it features some pretty good and interesting characters in it.

It's true perhaps that James Marsden wasn't the best choice for the main lead but again, this is mostly due to it that you keep comparing him to the same character Hoffman played in the 1971 version. The reason why the Hoffman character worked out so well within the context of the movie was because his character not only was a pushover, he also looked like one. When his wife called him a coward you believed she really meant it, while in this movie it only sounds like a tease. Mardsen might look a bit dorky while wearing glasses, he still obviously is in good shape and has a square jaw, making him look nothing like a wimp or pushover. It also makes the transition his character goes through work out as something less effective and just not all that interesting because very little changes within the character.

Luckily it's a movie filled with plenty of other characters, playing a big and important role for the movie. Alexander Skarsgård and James Woods spice things up a little bit more, playing 'villainoush' characters and still help to give the movie and its story some more depth and dimensions.

The movie as it is, is nothing too special but everything in it still works out well enough to consider this a good and watchable enough genre movie. Still terrible as a remake though, of the 1971 Peckinpah classic.

6/10

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