Action
Action Movie reviews
The Pirates! Band of Misfits Review
Pirate Captain (voice of Hugh Grant) and his misfit crew, are on a mission…to win the ultimate pirate title: “Pirate of the Year.” More determined than ever to defeat his rivals, the Captain realizes he might not have what it takes to win the coveted award. However, things change when a young scientist, Charles Darwin, informs the Captain that his beloved parrot is really a dodo bird, and the last remaining one at that. Darwin convinces the Captain to take the bird to London and show the Queen, where he will receive reward money for the bird; which should be enough to win “Pirate of the Year.” Little did the Captain know that Darwin and the Queen have their own agenda, one that does not bode well for this hapless, carefree Captain. The Pirates!Band of Misfits is an appropriate movie for kids ages 8 and up.
Rating: 1 buckets out of 5
Release Date: April 27, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG
Best Age Group: 8+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Moderate
Talking Points:
I was not a big fan of this movie, however there was one redeeming quality which was highlighted at the end of the film; the value of friendship and forgiveness. Captain Pirate thought he wanted fame and fortune, though he came to realize that’s not what makes you happy.
The animation and 3D effects were very well done.
I read that the director was asked if this was a kids’ movie; he responded by saying, “we make films just for people.” I felt the film wasn’t geared toward a target audience. There weren’t any cute, fun-loving characters for youngsters, while I think kids ages 10 and up will find it strange and boring.
Sexual Content: Mild
- One character wears low cut shirts and form-fitting outfits.
- One of the pirates is a women, disguised as a man. She has a crush on Pirate Captain.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There was a lot of slapstick, silly violence throughout the film.
- The Queen was cruel and evil.
- Charles Darwin gets tarred and feathered.
- We see a giant whale spitting out a pirate.
- There’s a sword fight scene between the Queen, and several other characters.
- Pirate Captain is almost beheaded by the Queen. This scene may scare young kids.
Crude and Profane Language: Mild
- We hear phrases such as, “hell’s barnacles,” and “banana butt.”
Drug and Alcohol Content: Moderate
- Character’s are shown drinking beer and wine in many scenes.
- We see Pirate Captain drunk after a night at a pub.
As I previously stated this was not a cute, fun animated film for kids. Parents need to be aware of some moderate violence. The film is appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.
Men in Black III Review
Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back; still wearing black! However in this third installment of the Men in Black series, Agent J travels back in time to the 1960‘s. His goal is to stop Boris the Animal, an evil, scary- looking alien, from killing the young, naive Agent K (Josh Brolin), and to save the future of the world. Men in Black 3 is a fun, entertaining movie with a 1960’s flare.
Rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: November 30, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 11+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
Will Kids Like It? Yes
Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back; still wearing black! However in this third installment of the Men in Black series, Agent J travels back in time to the 1960‘s. His goal is to stop Boris the Animal, an evil, scary- looking alien, from killing the young, naive Agent K (Josh Brolin), and to save the future of the world. Men in Black 3 is a fun, entertaining movie with a 1960’s flare.
Talking Points:
Agent J (Will Smith) and Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) are great characters. They’re devoted to each other as partners and friends.
There are some subtle messages woven through the film. One character says, “The bitterest truth is always better than the sweetest lies. Another says, “The most destructive force in the universe is regret.”
I read that this is one of the few movie series that’s directed by the same person; Barry Sonnenfeld. Having them go back in time added a unique twist to the series.
Since they went back in time, it was interesting to see the moon launch in the 60’s. Kids may like that.
Having not seen the first two movies in the series, I was a little confused by the storyline.
Sexual Content: Mild
- A woman wears a low-cut form fitting dress.
Violent Content: Excessive
- Boris the Animal may scare young kids, with his horrific face and awful teeth . He has a creepy spider which evolves from the palm of his hand. We see him torment many people as he continuously throws spikes into their bodies and heads.
- Agents J and K are involved in violence as well, with many gun shots and ray guns blasting throughout the film.
- We see a creatures head flattened from being hit so hard with a frying pan.
- We see Agent K kill a villain.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- “Sh-t,” “d-mn,” “h–l,” and “a–,” are said several times each. “B–tard,” is also said once.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Character’s drink mixed drinks and champagne.
Overall Men in Black 3 is a fun, entertaining movie, however parents need to be aware of the moderate profanity and excessive violence throughout the film. Depending on the child, I recommend this film for kids ages 11 and up.
Man on a Ledge Review
I was on the edge of my seat as Nick Cassidy was on the edge of a ledge, 25 stories high. Nick Cassidy (Sam Worthington), an ex cop, was on the ledge of a New York City high rise only to prove a point…he was innocent. Nick was framed for the theft of a rare diamond and was sent to prison; where he eventually escaped. He then wanted to attract the world’s attention and claim his innocence by threatening to jump. With the help of NYPD hostage negotiator (Elizabeth Banks) and his loyal brother, Nick anxiously awaited, on the ledge of the 25th floor, to see if his intricate plan would work; to reveal the identity of the real criminal. Man On A Ledge was an exciting, suspenseful movie, one the family would enjoy!
Rating: 4 1/2 buckets
Release Date: May 29, 2012
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 10+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Moderate
Crude or Profane Language: Modeate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
See a clip of my review here, along with “One for the Money.”
Talking Points:
I did not want to see this movie, but I ended up loving it. Not only were there likable characters, but it was an intense, fun movie as well… and did I mention eye candy? Sam Worthington, who played the man on the ledge, is now one of my new favorite actors!
People in the theater loved the movie. I interviewed kids and parents who all said they loved it.
There were some intense moments as he was on the ledge, I was scared he was going to fall. If you’re scared of heights, this may not be the movie for you.
Sexual Content: Mild
- We saw a character in her bra and undies, as her boyfriend was zipping up her outfit.
- There were sexual references, one character made a comment about the best sex she ever had.
- Couples kiss.
- Women wore low cut revealing shirts; showing cleavage.
Violent Content: Moderate
- There were several brawls and punches amongst the characters. We saw some injured characters with blood and cuts on their face, after a fist fight.
- Many gunshots were fired, and character’s held at gunpoint.
- It was frightening at times watching this man 25 stories above the ground.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- The movie was so intense that I may have missed a couple words, but I do remember the f-word was used once, and the h-word, and s-word were used a few times.
- One character said, “stick your d-word in the door…”
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters were shown drinking alcohol at a bar, and in a hotel room.
Overall this was a fantastic, exciting movie. Considering that this was a PG13, action movie, there was some violence, and some intense moments, but not too much. Depending on your child, I would recommend this for kids (especially boys), ages 10 and up.
Knowing Review
The movie starts in 1959. As part of a dedication ceremony for a new elementary school, a group of students are asked to draw pictures to be stored in a time capsule. Most of the kids draw pictures of what they thought the world would look like in 50 years, except for one mysterious girl, whose paper is covered with rows of numbers. Then 50 years later a new generation of students opens the capsule, and a boy named Caleb gets the sheet with all the numbers. Caleb’s father(Nicholas Cage), discovers that the numbers are dates of disasters, and the number of victims, from the past 50 years. At the end of the list there are 3 disasters that are left to occur, all within the next few days few days. So Caleb’s father takes it upon himself to try prevent the destructions.
Rating: One out of five buckets
Release Date: July 7, 2009
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 18+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Excessive
Talking Points:
It has a clever premise.
The previews are deceiving. A lot people thought the movie would be like “National Treasure” from watching previews, but it’s not at all!!!!!! It’s really not a kids movie.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Comments on whether someone is gay.
- A male character is seen in the shower, only his upper body is revealed.
Violent Content: Excessive
- It’s very scary, silent, slightly menacing people, are haunting Caleb throughout the movie by following him, and whispering strange things to him, very creepy.
- There is a plane crash and subway crash, which are disturbing to watch.
Crude or Profane Language: Moderate
- “A–s,” d–n” and “sh-t” are used.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Excessive
- There is drinking throughout the film.
Overall it’s a very scary, creepy, unpleasant movie, with no redeeming elements.
John Carter Review
A fun, interesting, imaginative adventure….that’s what John Carter is. John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), was a former military captain in the Civil War, who had not yet recovered from the horrific events from the war. Extremely tired and weary, Carter was mysteriously transported to an exotic planet called Barsoom (Mars). In this new world, Carter found himself reluctantly getting involved in a conflict amongst the inhabitants of the planet. With the world on the brink of collapse, Carter had to decide if he was ready to fight again; however this time he was in a new world, with a new cause. Based on Edgar Rice Burroughs classic novels, this is a Disney film for boys who like to see a lot of good fighting and adventure.
Rating: 4 out of 5 buckets
Release Date: June 5, 2102
MPAA Rating: PG13
Best Age Group: 12+
Sexual Content: Mild
Violent Content: Excessive
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
See a clip of my review here, along with A Thousand Words!
Talking Points:
With director Andrew Stanton, known for Finding Nemo and Wall-E, the 3-D affects were very well done and very believable.
There were some nice messages in the film about believing in a cause, and fighting for what’s right. There were other messages of good vs. evil, friendship, love and loyalty, which were all portrayed throughout the film. John Carter, was a noble, heroic character.This could spark some great parent/child conversation.
Taylor Kitsch, the actor who played John Carter, is also known for the part of Tim Riggins in the Friday Night Light’s TV drama. He did a wonderful job, as did the Lynn Collins, the lead actress who played Princess Dejah, (Carter’s love interest in the film). Having said that, I felt that the character development was poorly established, especially with the villain. He wasn’t very memorable, as with most villains in action movies.
While there was a lot of great action and adventure, the film took some time to get into it, though you needed the background information, before all the adventure.
I interviewed parents, and kids (boys ages 10 to 12) in the theater, who all loved the movie. They thought it was exciting and adventurous. The mother of a 10 year old said the violence was not disturbing for her child. My 12 and 14 year-old son’s liked it as well.
Sexual Content: Mild
- Character’s kiss.
- Women wear low-cut and revealing outfits.
Violent Content: Excessive
- Character’s were in battles with sword fights, gun fights, fist fights; you name they used it!
- The villain in the film had a ray gun, which disintegrated people. He constantly used this weapon.
- Carter beheaded another character.
- In an arena setting, there was a battle with John Carter against two large white apes. It was disgusting when Carter emerged from the apes carcass; covered with blue blood.
Crude or Profane Language: Mild
- “H–l, and “d–n” are said a few times.
Drugs and Alcohol Content: Mild
- Characters are shown drinking alcohol in one scene.
Overall, this was a well done film with amazing special affects, and a great storyline. However, parents need to be aware of the excessive violence throughout the film. Depending on your child, I recommend this for kids ages 12 and up.