Enys Men (2023)
56%RT Audience Score: 29%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Enys Men is a film that will leave you feeling like you’ve just woken up from a fever dream, with its haunting imagery and surreal atmosphere. While it may not be for everyone, those who are willing to delve into its psychological depths will be rewarded with a unique and entrancing experience. Filmmaker Mark Jenkin takes us on a journey through the blurred lines between past and present, life and death, and the natural and supernatural, leaving us questioning the very meaning of our existence. Enys Men is a poetic audiovisual abstraction that will linger in your mind long after the credits roll.
Enys Men is like a fever dream that you can’t quite shake off, but in a good way. It’s a trippy, moody, and atmospheric film that will leave you feeling a little bit haunted. While it may not be for everyone, if you’re in the mood for something a little different and don’t mind a slow burn, then Enys Men is definitely worth checking out. Just be prepared to feel a little bit uneasy afterwards.
Production Company(ies)
Film4, Foreign Language, Psychological
Distributor
NEON
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Cornwall, England, United Kingdom
MPAA / Certificate
NR
Year of Release
2023
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:1.33 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 31m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United Kingdom
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 31, 2023 Limited
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
horror, British coast, wildlife volunteer, madness, reality, nightmare, Mark Jenkin, Denzil Monk, written by Mark Jenkin, Mary Woodvine, John Woodvine, Edward Rowe, Callum Mitchell, Flo Crowe, Joe Gray, NEON, $103.6K, limited release, C-, 2.5/5, 3.5/4, 3/5, reviewed by Adam Graham, Michael O’Sullivan, Sheila O’Malley, Richard Whittaker, Robert Abele, Caryn James, Alton Williams, Dennis Harvey, Morgan Rojas, Jonathan DeHaan, Christian Valentin, Sara Clements, retro aesthetic, abstract visuals, psychological drama, folk horror, internal psychological drama, Wicker Man, poetic audiovisual abstraction, vintage quality, experimental film, enigmatic, unsettling
Worldwide gross: NA
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): NA
US/Canada gross: NA
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $5,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $5,000,000
Production budget ranking: 1,821
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $2,692,500
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
John Woodvine – The Preacher
Edward Rowe – The Boatman
Callum Mitchell – Self
Flo Crowe – The Girl
Joe Gray – The Miner
Director: Mark Jenkin
Producer: Denzil Monk
Writer: Mark Jenkin
Director(s)
Mark Jenkin
Writer(s)
Mark Jenkin
Producer(s)
Denzil Monk
Film Festivals
Cannes
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (77) | Top Critics (28) | Fresh (60) | Rotten (17)
The tedious folk horror tale Enys Men is a case of plenty of folk but no horror.
April 6, 2023 | Rating: C-
Adam Graham
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
It’s a fever dream in which the past and present are confused, along with plant and animal, the living and the dead, and, ultimately, the meaning of this troubled vision.
April 4, 2023 | Rating: 2.5/5
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
I was riveted by every moment of this haunting weird film. “Enys Men” made me legitimately uneasy.
March 31, 2023 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sheila O’Malley
RogerEbert.com
TOP CRITIC
While Enys Men may play with the trappings and symbolism of folk horror, it’s ultimately more of an internal psychological drama.
March 31, 2023 | Rating: 3/5
Richard Whittaker
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
It feels like a throwback to “Wicker Man”-era folk-tinged freakouts — confounding enough to not be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those ready for a pot of its brew, plenty transporting and tingling.
March 31, 2023
Robert Abele
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Elusive yet entrancing.
March 30, 2023
Caryn James
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
If you’re willing to meet the movie where it is, then you can come away with a lot of pure craft and artistry with odd imagery that will make a lasting impression on you.
April 7, 2023
Alton Williams
Battle Royale With Cheese
A kind of poetic audiovisual abstraction…
April 4, 2023
Dennis Harvey
48 Hills
Filmmaker Mark Jenkin takes us on a visceral trip through the cerebral cortex in this psychological horror-art film hybrid.
April 4, 2023 | Rating: 3/5
Morgan Rojas
Cinemacy
A moody, kinda creepy, open for interpretation story with a picturesque, vintage quality that’s more of a vibe than anything else.
April 4, 2023 | Rating: 5.5/10
Jonathan DeHaan
Nightmare on Film Street
This low-key recalibration of ‘70s-style phantasmagoric unease makes for an undeniably unique addition to this year’s experimental film pantheon.
April 4, 2023
Christian Valentin
Spectrum Culture
Enys Men feels like a recent discovery pulled out of a dust-covered box that sat in a storage unit for five decades. Authentically ‘70s in visual style and experimental essence. An abstract structural work that’s enigmatic and unsettling.
April 4, 2023
Sara Clements
Pajiba…
Plot
A wildlife volunteer on an uninhabited island off the British coast descends into madness in Enys Men, a horror film that explores the blurred lines between reality and nightmare.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels doesn’t provide any goofy or funny comments about the film Enys Men, but it does mention that the lead actress is Mary Woodvine.
Mark-Jenkin.jpg
56%
The Corruptor (1998)
56%RT Audience Score: 43%
Awards & Nominations: 1 nomination
This uninspiring cop thriller doesn’t measure up to Chow Yun-Fat’s Hong Kong work
The Corruptor is like a bad cop movie that’s trying too hard to be cool. It’s got all the cliches you can think of, but none of the charm. Chow Yun-Fat is wasted in this Hollywood vehicle that doesn’t do justice to his talents. The story is trite and the messages are mixed, making it hard to root for anyone. If you want to see Yun-Fat at his best, go back to his Hong Kong films. Trust me, you won’t regret it.
Production Company(ies)
Bold Films, Blumhouse Productions, Right of Way Films,
Distributor
New Line Cinema
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Chinatown, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality
Year of Release
1999
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 50m
-
Language(s):English, Cantonese
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Mar 12, 1999 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 28, 2013
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Chow Yun-Fat, Mark Wahlberg, Ric Young, Jon Kit Lee, Elizabeth Lindsey, Byron Mann, directed by James Foley, written by Robert Pucci, action, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Owen Gleiberman, Michael Atkinson, Tom Maurstad, Tom Keogh, Gene Seymour, James Berardinelli, CSM Staff, Jeanne Aufmuth, James Rocchi, Chuck Rudolph, Jim Chastain, Michael Dequina, R rating, police procedural, corruption, bribery, gangs, New York City, Chinatown, martial arts, Detective Nick Chen, colleague Danny Wallace, bad guys, police forces, law, bloodshed, producer Dan Halsted, released March 12, 1999, runtime 1h 50m, distributor New Line Cinema, sound mix SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround
Worldwide gross: $24,493,601
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $43,966,697
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,395
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,794,623
US/Canada gross: $15,164,492
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $27,220,686
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,303
US/Canada opening weekend: $5,765,300
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $10,348,874
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 943
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $44,875,697
Production budget ranking: 870
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $24,165,563
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$25,074,563
ROI to date (est.): -36%
ROI ranking: 1,605
Mark Wahlberg – Danny Wallace
Ric Young – Henry Lee
Jon Kit Lee – Jack
Elizabeth Lindsey – Louise Deng
Byron Mann – Bobby Vu
Director – James Foley
Producer – Dan Halsted
Writer – Robert Pucci
Director(s)
James Foley
Writer(s)
Robert Pucci
Producer(s)
Dan Halsted
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 nomination
Academy Awards
All Critics (48) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (23) | Rotten (25)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s rote baloney, trotting out every dead-stupid cop-movie cliche in the book and doing it colorlessly.
January 1, 2000
Michael Atkinson
Mr. Showbiz
TOP CRITIC
Take away all the flash and dazzle, and what you’re left with in The Corruptor is a police procedural.
January 1, 2000
Tom Maurstad
Dallas Morning News
TOP CRITIC
A half-hearted photograph of the real thing.
January 1, 2000
Tom Keogh
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
James Foley directs with lean, mean stylishness and the charismatic Yun-Fat finally gets a Hollywood vehicle worthy of his talents.
January 1, 2000
Gene Seymour
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
The trite story has plenty of distasteful moments.
March 21, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
CSM Staff
Christian Science Monitor
May 14, 2003 | Rating: 3/4
Jeanne Aufmuth
Palo Alto Weekly
November 7, 2002 | Rating: 3.5/5
James Rocchi
Netflix
A memo to Chow Yun-Fat: Get back to Hong Kong on the double!
April 20, 2001 | Rating: short
Chuck Rudolph
Matinee Magazine
The bad messages this film sends out clearly outweigh the positive ones.
March 12, 2001
Jim Chastain
Norman Transcript
For some reason, American filmmakers have yet to figure out how to properly use Chow Yun-Fat.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com…
Plot
Nick Chen is one of New York City’s most martial police officers and the first Chinese-born immigrant on the force. Chen’s job is to keep the peace in Chinatown from a turf war that has broken out between the Triads and the ruthless, and dangerous Fukienese Dragons. Chen teams up with Danny Wallace, who is terribly unaware of this situation. When the Tongs boldly attempt to bribe Wallace, Chen is forced to keep his faithfulness.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Ric Young plays the character Henry Lee in The Corruptor.
James-Foley.jpg
56%
John Carpenter’s Vampires (1998)
56%RT Audience Score: 47%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 6 nominations
Nothing but one showdown after another
John Carpenter’s Vampires may not be the most critically acclaimed movie out there, but it’s still a fun ride for those who love a good dose of gore and machismo. With James Woods as the gruff and tough vampire slayer Jack Crow, the movie delivers plenty of over-the-top action and snarky one-liners. Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for suspense or plot, but who needs that when you have a bunch of badass vampire hunters taking on the undead with stakes and guns? So grab some popcorn, turn off your brain, and enjoy the bloody mayhem.
Production Company(ies)
Ashton Productions, The Mirisch Corporation,
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Historic Plaza Hotel – 230 Plaza Park, Las Vegas, New Mexico, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong vampire violence and gore, language and sexuality
Year of Release
1998
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital DTS
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 44m
-
Language(s):English, Latin
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 15, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2002
Genre(s)
Horror/Action
Keyword(s)
starring James Woods, Daniel Baldwin, Sheryl Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Tim Guinee, Maximilian Schell, directed by John Carpenter, written by John Steakley, Don Jakoby, horror, action, western, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Paul Tatara, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Nick Schager, Roger Ebert, Marc Savlov, James Berardinelli, Eddie Harrison, David Nusair, Sean Mulvihill, Matt Brunson, MPAA rating R, produced by Sandy King, vampire, Catholic Church, undead, New Mexico desert, Jan Valek, vampire kingpin, Jack Crow, vampire slayer, stakes, bloodsuckers’ hearts, roadside motel, incredible powers, Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Dolby Digital, DTS, Surround, Scope (2.35:1)
Worldwide gross: $20,308,772
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $37,269,460
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,466
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 4,064,281
US/Canada gross: $20,308,772
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $37,269,460
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,193
US/Canada opening weekend: $9,106,497
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $16,711,706
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 740
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $20,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $36,702,820
Production budget ranking: 1,020
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $19,764,469
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$19,197,828
ROI to date (est.): -34%
ROI ranking: 1,593
Daniel Baldwin – Montoya
Sheryl Lee – Katrina
Thomas Ian Griffith – Jan Valek
Tim Guinee – Father Adam Guiteau
Maximilian Schell – Cardinal Alba
Sandy King – Producer
John Carpenter – Director
John Steakley, Don Jakoby – Writers
Director(s)
John Carpenter
Writer(s)
John Steakley, Don Jakoby
Producer(s)
Sandy King
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (30)
So, John Carpenter’s Vampires stinks, and “Paul Tatara’s Review of John Carpenter’s Vampires” won’t be a review so much as it’ll be a check list for posturing teenage boys.
February 9, 2018
Paul Tatara
CNN.com
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: C-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A suspense-free snark-fest desperate to turn its protagonist – vampire slayer Jack Crow (James Woods) – into a Snake Plisskin-style icon of supernatural-badass cool.
June 5, 2011 | Rating: C-
Nick Schager
Lessons of Darkness
TOP CRITIC
The movie has a certain mordant humor, and some macho dialogue that’s funny… But the movie is not scary, and the plot is just one gory showdown after another.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2.5/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
…the action is hard and fast, and there’s an elegiac, weary mood that makes this film stand out from the horror crowd…
June 11, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Eddie Harrison
film-authority.com
…fares best in its over-the-top yet completely captivating first act…
December 30, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Vampires is unmistakably the work of Carpenter, full of gory action and gruff characters.
October 8, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Sean Mulvihill
FanboyNation.com
The picture isn’t anything special, but by the standards of late-career Carpenter, it’ll have to do.
September 28, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
Vampires is a mixed bag. It’s clear that John Carpenter is still having fun whilst making this movie. And John Carpenter having fun is something the world generally benefits from.
January 27, 2019
Ed Travis
Cinapse
This is Carpenter in prime form. Easily his most violent film, it features iconoclast heroes with a streak of misogyny and unrepentant machismo, which provides a perverse comic book irony. These guys are emissaries of the Vatican…
August 26, 2017
Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand…
Plot
A bunch of vampire hunters aided by the Vatican are asked to hunt down a master vampire and his goons of vampires who are ripping and tearing humans apart. While the leader of the vampire hunter does the slaying and takes orders from the Vatican as his parents were killed by vampires and he was raised by the Church, the Church has an agenda of their own regarding a centuries-old cross from falling into the hands of the master vampire.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Nothing goofy or funny or odd is mentioned about the film in the Fresh Kernels summary.
John-Carpenter.jpg
56%
Two Girls and a Guy (1998)
56%RT Audience Score: 41%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Two Girls and a Guy has an intriguing premise and a talented trio of leads, but doesn’t do quite enough with any of them to make the end result truly worth a watch
Two Girls and a Guy” is a movie that’s like a drunken dorm room conversation, but with better lighting and a fancier setting. The film follows the story of two girls and a guy (duh) as they navigate their way through a love triangle that’s as messy as a plate of spaghetti. While the performances are solid, the writing feels a bit undercooked and the plot meanders like a lost puppy. But hey, at least we get to watch Robert Downey Jr. act out sexual situations in luxurious digs for two weeks, right? Overall, it’s a decent serio-comedy that’s worth a watch if you’re in the mood for some salacious subversion.
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures,
Distributor
20th Century Fox, Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
NC-17
Year of Release
1999
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 32m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 24, 1998 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 5, 2001
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Robert Downey Jr., Heather Graham, Natasha Gregson Wagner, directed by James Toback, written by James Toback, drama, $2.0M box office, R rating, reviewed by Anthony Quinn, Owen Gleiberman, Michael O’Sullivan, Rita Kempley, David Edelstein, Todd McCarthy, Michael Dwyer, Antonia Quirke, Kevin Carr, Felix Gonzalez Jr., Sandra Contreras, Les Diaboliques, love, lust, commitment, narcissistic, arrogant actor, musician, New York City, Soho, brownstone, deception, relationships, honesty, fidelity, dark comedy, dramedy, stage play, real-time, Robert Downey Jr.’s complex performance, Heather Graham and Natasha Gregson Wagner’s impressive chemistry, underwritten, meandering, intriguing premise, talented trio of leads, not worth a watch
Worldwide gross: $2,057,193
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,692,719
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,261
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 402,696
US/Canada gross: $2,057,193
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,692,719
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,891
US/Canada opening weekend: $649,423
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $1,165,732
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,260
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $1,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $1,795,028
Production budget ranking: 2,038
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $966,623
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $931,068
ROI to date (est.): 34%
ROI ranking: 1,228
Heather Graham – Carla Bennett
Natasha Gregson Wagner – Louise “Lou” Johnson
Angel David – Tommy
Frederique van der Wal – Carol
James Toback – Director
Chris Hanley – Producer
Edward R. Pressman – Producer
James Toback – Writer
Director(s)
James Toback
Writer(s)
James Toback
Producer(s)
Chris Hanley, Edward R. Pressman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (62) | Top Critics (23) | Fresh (31) | Rotten (31)
While Toback tosses out the occasionally smart line, the film as a whole feels underwritten and meandering.
April 1, 2019
Anthony Quinn
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
The young actresses Graham and Wagner here create two characters who feel whole, distinct and weighty.
February 12, 2008
Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
An edgy, gabby, salaciously subversive sex farce.
February 12, 2008
Rita Kempley
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
You gotta admire a director who can come up with a way to hang out in such luxurious digs for two weeks, acting out sexual situations with three of the dishiest young actors in the business.
February 12, 2008
David Edelstein
Slate
TOP CRITIC
A lively, if slender, perpetuation of the battle between the sexes on a modern battleground.
February 12, 2008
Todd McCarthy
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Downey Jr delivers one of his most complex performances.
April 2, 2019
Michael Dwyer
Irish Times
Tobak is fascinated with Downey, and spends most of the time following him about, like someone with a crush.
April 1, 2019
Antonia Quirke
Independent on Sunday
There’s a lot of vapid discussions about sexuality and fidelity that sound like a late-night drunken dorm room conversation.
June 27, 2011 | Rating: 1/5
Kevin Carr
7M Pictures
As a serio-comedy, it only half succeeds. The laughs are well earned, but the attempts at serious romantic analysis fall short of poignancy.
November 10, 2009
Felix Gonzalez Jr.
DVD Review
Built around a fearless performance by the protean Robert Downey Jr., this deliberately provocative story of deception and sexuality packs a punch that’s undermined by the director’s indulgence.
February 12, 2008 | Rating: 2/4
Sandra Contreras
TV Guide
July 23, 2005 | Rating: 3/5
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com…
Plot
Two girls, Carla and Lou meet on the street outside a loft waiting for their boyfriends. In a short time, they find out that they’re waiting for the same guy – young actor Blake, who said that he loves only her to both of them but was actually leading double life for a few months already. Angry, they break into his loft and when he returns, a round of accusations and explanations begins.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Robert Downey Jr. stars as a two-timing actor in Two Girls and a Guy.
James-Toback.jpg
56%
Alien Resurrection (1997)
56%RT Audience Score: 39%
Awards & Nominations: 7 wins & 21 nominations
Last Action Hero has most of the right ingredients for a big-budget action spoof, but its scattershot tone and uneven structure only add up to a confused, chaotic mess
Last Action Hero is like a pizza with all the toppings – it’s got action, satire, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. While some critics may say it’s a bit of a mess, I say it’s a deliciously fun ride. The movie pokes fun at all the classic action movie tropes, while still delivering plenty of explosions and one-liners. Plus, who doesn’t love a good meta moment? Last Action Hero may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s definitely worth a watch for any action movie fan looking for a good time.
Production Company(ies)
Charles K. Feldman Group Warner Bros.,
Distributor
Columbia Tristar, Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sci-fi violence and gore, some grotesque images, and for language
Year of Release
1997
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 11m
-
Language(s):English, Spanish
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1993 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 7, 1997
Genre(s)
Action/Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien, Charles Dance, F Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Frank McRae, directed by John McTiernan, written by Zak Penn, Adam Leff, Shane Black, David Arnott, action, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Adam Mars-Jones, Tom Hibbert, James Berardinelli, Tony Black, Allison Rose, Alex Maidy, Mike Massie, Quentin Curtis, PG-13, magic ticket, Jack Slater, Benedict, John Practice, Lt Dekker, Frank, produced by John McTiernan, Stephen J Roth, Columbia Tristar, Columbia Pictures
Worldwide gross: $161,376,069
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $300,818,042
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 501
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 32,804,585
US/Canada gross: $47,795,658
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $89,094,971
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 806
US/Canada opening weekend: $16,474,092
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $30,709,040
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 444
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $75,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $139,806,065
Production budget ranking: 245
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $75,285,566
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,726,411
ROI to date (est.): 40%
ROI ranking: 1,198
Austin O’Brien – Danny Madigan
Charles Dance – Benedict
F. Murray Abraham – John Practice
Art Carney – Frank
Frank McRae – Lt. Dekker
Director(s)
John McTiernan
Writer(s)
Zak Penn, Adam Leff, Shane Black, David Arnott
Producer(s)
John McTiernan, Stephen J. Roth
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
7 wins & 21 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (31)
It’s nothing new that the makers of Last Action Hero don’t have a clear notion of what separates movies from life, but the makers of the other summer blockbusters aren’t any better versed in reality…
June 2, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Last Action Hero loses control of itself.
November 8, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
The director has to boost the realism of his staging in a rather self-defeating manner. It begins to look, not that he’s having it both ways, trading on what he mocks, but that he has painted himself into a corner.
November 14, 2017
Adam Mars-Jones
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: D
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
This is an attempt to be both a high-octane actionfest and a satire on such films, the result of which is the weirdest concoction: the metaphysical blockbuster.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
Tom Hibbert
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The pulse-pounding, sizzling pull of a Die Hard is absent.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Last Action Hero hasnt quite yet become one of those cult movies we venerate and, yknow maybe we should. It does have, within its bones, just a little bit of magic.
April 12, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation
There are a few men who could take in the role of Jack Slater, but Schwarzenegger embodies the physical and mental acumen of a last action hero.
May 19, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
I am happy to say that not only does Last Action Hero hold up well almost twenty years later but it remains one of the most underrated movie concepts of all time.
May 4, 2021
Alex Maidy
JoBlo’s Movie Network
Every action film trope is satirized, every manly catchphrase is mocked, and the overuse of senseless violence and random explosions is parodied to no end.
September 14, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
It’s turned out to be a beef- chicken-anchovy-and-jam sandwich: the ingredients cancel each other out, and become indigestible. By offering us everything, they’ve given us next to nothing.
December 6, 2017
Quentin Curtis
Independent on Sunday
The divergent puzzle pieces do not often fit together terribly well, in spite of their potential.
October 9, 2014 | Rating: 4/10
J.C. Maçek III
PopMatters…
Plot
The saga continues 200 years after Ripley sacrificed herself for the sake of humanity. Her erstwhile employers long gone, this time it is the military that resurrects the one-woman killing machine through genetic cloning to extract the alien from within her, but during the process her DNA is fused with the queen and then the aliens escape. Now Ripley must decide where her allegiance lies.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
NA
John-McTiernan.jpg
56%
The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
56%RT Audience Score: 35%
Awards & Nominations: NA
Solid performances and a steady directorial hand help The Preacher’s Wife offer some reliably heartwarming – albeit fairly predictable – holiday cheer
The Preacher’s Wife is a classic Christmas movie that will warm your heart and make you believe in miracles. Sure, it’s a bit cheesy and saccharine, but that’s part of its charm. Denzel Washington shines as the angel sent to help a struggling preacher, and Whitney Houston’s voice is as beautiful as ever. The supporting cast is also fantastic, adding humor and heart to the story. It’s the perfect movie to watch with your family during the holidays, and you’ll be singing “Joy to the World” for days afterwards.
Production Company(ies)
Réalisation d’art cinématographique
Distributor
Buena Vista Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Portland, Maine, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG for brief mild language
Year of Release
1996
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 4m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 13, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 13, 2004
Genre(s)
Fantasy
Keyword(s)
starring Denzel Washington, Whitney Houston, Courtney B Vance, Gregory Hines, Justin Pierre Edmund, Jenifer Lewis, directed by Penny Marshall, written by Nat Mauldin, Allan Scott, produced by Samuel Goldwyn Jr., fantasy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Lisa Schwarzbaum, Esther Iverem, Peter Stack, Liam Lacey, Kevin Thomas, Susan Stark, Dana Harris, Peggy Fernandez, Brian Orndorf, Matt Brunson, James Plath, Heather Boerner, PG, holiday movie, Christmas movie, gospel music, angel, midlife crisis, marital insecurity, faith, African American cast, heartwarming, sentimental, amusing, serious, Scrooge-like, old-fashioned Hollywood, corny, saccharine, chestnut, mistletoe, warm, predictable, reliable, steady directorial hand
Worldwide gross: $48,102,795
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $91,815,994
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,059
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 10,012,649
US/Canada gross: $48,102,795
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $91,815,994
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 793
US/Canada opening weekend: $7,649,752
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,601,430
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 805
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $40,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $76,349,820
Production budget ranking: 548
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $41,114,378
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$25,648,205
ROI to date (est.): -22%
ROI ranking: 1,511
Whitney Houston – Julia Biggs
Courtney B. Vance – Reverend Henry Biggs
Gregory Hines – Joe Hamilton
Justin Pierre Edmund – Jeremiah Biggs
Jenifer Lewis – Margueritte Coleman
Director(s)
Penny Marshall
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Samuel Goldwyn Jr.
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (45) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (27) | Rotten (18)
September 7, 2011 | Rating: A-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
There are many good reasons for going to see The Preacher’s Wife.
September 24, 2002
Esther Iverem
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
The Preacher’s Wife qualifies as old-fashioned Hollywood movie making at its corniest and most saccharine. But the mostly African American cast puts an engaging spin on the chestnut, and it works beautifully.
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 3/4
Peter Stack
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
For a movie that might have offered a new twist of the mistletoe, The Preacher’s Wife delivers the Scrooge-like acceptable market minimum.
April 12, 2002 | Rating: 2.5/4
Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
TOP CRITIC
The Preacher’s Wife is one Christmas picture that actually is in the spirit of the season. It’s warm, sentimental, amusing yet serious, bringing fantasy to bear upon the painfully real.
February 14, 2001 | Rating: 4/5
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Penny Marshall’s remake of The Bishop’s Wife is very uneven — sometimes sweet or soulful, often stiff.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
While the movie has heartwarming stamped all over it, the plot stacks the deck against this light comedy with a dark undercurrent of marital insecurity, failure of leadership and testing one’s faith.
November 6, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Dana Harris
Newhouse News Service
One flash of Washington’s warm, genuine smile is enough to hook anyone. There is a sincerity, a gentleness and a kindness that comes across no matter what role he plays and this one lets those qualities shine.
February 23, 2019 | Rating: B
Peggy Fernandez
Santa Cruz Sentinel
Has a big heart, but no sense of pace and conflict to sustain the viewing experience for an unnerving two hours.
February 18, 2013 | Rating: C
Brian Orndorf
Blu-ray.com
While the sheer force of Washington’s charisma keeps his otherwise monotonous character watchable, the same can’t be said for the late Houston, woefully flat in a malnourished role.
September 13, 2012 | Rating: 2/4
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing
The music, the chemistry between Houston and Washington, and minor characters that make us smile make this film worth watching-especially around Christmas, when this is set.
August 6, 2012 | Rating: 7/10
James Plath
Movie Metropolis
Denzel’s Christmas angel meets Whitney’s voice.
December 18, 2010 | Rating: 4/5
Heather Boerner
Common Sense Media…
Plot
Good natured Reverend Henry Biggs finds that his marriage to choir mistress Julia is flagging, due to his constant absence caring for the deprived neighborhood they live in. On top of all this, his church is coming under threat from property developer Joe Hamilton. In desperation, Rev. Biggs prays to God for help – and help arrives in the form of an angel named Dudley. However, Dudley’s arrival seems to cause even more trouble…
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels mentions Denzel Washington’s “warm, genuine smile” and “sincerity, gentleness, and kindness” in their review of The Preacher’s Wife.
Penny-Marshall.jpg
56%
Waterworld (1995)
56%RT Audience Score: 43%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 9 nominations total
Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones
Waterworld is the perfect movie to watch when you want to see Kevin Costner be a total buzzkill and the world be completely underwater. But don’t worry, the action scenes are pretty cool and the sets are impressive. Just don’t expect to feel anything emotionally, because this movie has no soul. Overall, it’s a fun ride if you don’t take it too seriously.
Production Company(ies)
Svensk Filmindustri
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Waipi’o Valley, Hawaii, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some intense scenes of action violence, brief nudity and language
Year of Release
1995
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:DTSDTS-Stereo
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 16m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 28, 1995 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 4, 2008
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Tina Majorino, Michael Jeter, Gerard Murphy, directed by Kevin Reynolds, written by Peter Rader, David Twohy, action, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Anton Bitel, Dolores Barclay, David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Mick LaSalle, Kenneth Turan, Sheila Reid, Tony Black, Mal Vincent, PG-13, Universal Pictures, Charles Gordon, John Davis, Kevin Costner, Mark Isham, James Newton Howard, post-apocalyptic, underwater, gills, Mariner, Helen, Enola, Smokers, Dryland, polar ice caps, artificial island, sci-fi, epic, production design, action sequences, score work, charm, intrigue, loose editing, repetition, slowness, mythology, disconnected, far-fetched, silly, unique, fascinating, enjoyable, entertaining, captivating, creative
Worldwide gross: $264,218,220
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $519,548,099
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 273
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 56,657,372
US/Canada gross: $88,246,220
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $173,523,824
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 439
US/Canada opening weekend: $21,171,780
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $41,631,338
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 292
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $175,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $344,112,974
Production budget ranking: 11
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $185,304,836
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$9,869,711
ROI to date (est.): -2%
ROI ranking: 1,405
Dennis Hopper – Deacon
Jeanne Tripplehorn – Helen
Tina Majorino – Enola
Michael Jeter – Old Gregor
Gerard Murphy – Nord
Director(s)
Kevin Reynolds
Writer(s)
Peter Rader, David Twohy
Producer(s)
Charles Gordon, John Davis, Kevin Costner
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
6 wins & 9 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (64) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (29) | Rotten (35)
That Costner’s antihero should be so fundamentally dislikable is entirely acceptable – after all, the Mariner’s arc makes him an eternal outsider… – but that he should also be deadly dull is less so
January 21, 2019
Anton Bitel
Little White Lies
TOP CRITIC
Costner… is totally humorless and as dreary as the landscape he travels. And the uninspired and often inane dialogue in Peter Rader and David Twohy’s script doesn’t help.
June 12, 2018
Dolores Barclay
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
Waterworld is a pretty damn good summer movie. There, I’ve said it…it’s a breezy, clever entertainment with stirring effects.
February 16, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
It’s a genuine vault at greatness that misses the mark — but survives.
June 18, 2002 | Rating: 2/4
Mick LaSalle
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
A moderately successful guy’s movie with both weak and strong elements where lots of things are brilliantly blown up and few things make any kind of sense.
February 13, 2001 | Rating: 3/5
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
This should be called “What in the World.”
May 13, 2022
Sheila Reid
Women in the Life
Waterworld has the epic scale, the grandeur, the towering oceanic shots, the boisterous (if sometimes misjudged) score and the vast, expensive sets. It just has no soul.
March 24, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation
There are hints that the editing ran amok in an all-out effort to reduce the running time to the present two hours.
March 1, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
…kicks off with an exciting action sequence set aboard a man-made atoll that’s certainly a breathtaking marvel of production design…
August 1, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
Prophetic, cautionary and agenda-driven. It’s also epic and a damned entertaining ride, all two hours and 15 minutes of it.
April 8, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Roger Moore
Movie Nation
My Kevin Costner gettin’ all Mad Max on a turbo jet-ski beats your Eddie Murphy goin’ through the motions.
May 12, 2020 | Rating: 3/5
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)…
Plot
The polar ice caps have melted, and the earth is covered by water. The remaining people travel the seas, in search of survival. Several different societies exist. The Mariner falls from his customary and solitary existence into having to care for a woman and a young girl while being pursued by the evil forces of the Deacon.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Kevin Costner as the Mariner, a loner with gills who reluctantly befriends two survivors in a post-apocalyptic world.
Kevin-Reynolds.jpg
56%
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)
56%RT Audience Score: 49%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
20 nominations total
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is ambitious and visually striking, but the overwrought tone and lack of scares make for a tonally inconsistent experience
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein” is a movie that’s as misshapen as its central creature, but that’s what makes it a beautiful monstrosity. Sure, De Niro’s casting as the creature is a bit distracting, but it’s still entertaining to watch him work hard to suggest a misunderstood loner. And let’s not forget the fire and lightning and blood and amniotic fluid that make this movie a feverishly ambitious work. Overall, it’s a sumptuous adaptation that’s worth watching, even if it’s a bit uneven.
Production Company(ies)
House Productions, Trustees of the Imperial War Museum, London Wing Nut Films,
Distributor
TriStar Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Swiss Alps, Switzerland
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for horrific images
Year of Release
1994
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby SR
-
Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 3m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 4, 1994 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 31, 1999
Genre(s)
Horror
Keyword(s)
starring Robert De Niro, Kenneth Branagh, Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm, directed by Kenneth Branagh, written by Steph Lady, Frank Darabont, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, John Veitch, James V Hart, horror, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, Rocco T Thompson, Gene Siskel, Kenneth Turan, Angie Errigo, Variety Staff, Anthony Arrigo, James Kendrick, Matt Brunson, Rob Aldam, Mal Vincent, MPAA rating R, Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, sea captain, experiments, brilliant scientist, creature, body parts, life, destructive, abandoned, normal life, fiance, lonely, demands, revenge, bride, gruesome terror, visually striking, overwrought tone, tonally inconsistent experience
Worldwide gross: $112,006,296
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $226,602,780
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 627
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 24,711,317
US/Canada gross: $22,006,296
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $44,521,496
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,125
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,212,889
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $22,685,080
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 594
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $45,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $91,040,642
Production budget ranking: 454
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $49,025,386
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $86,536,752
ROI to date (est.): 62%
ROI ranking: 1,093
Kenneth Branagh – Victor Frankenstein
Tom Hulce – Henry Clerval
Helena Bonham Carter – Elizabeth
Aidan Quinn – Capt. Robert Walton
Ian Holm – Baron Frankenstein
Director(s)
Kenneth Branagh
Writer(s)
Steph Lady, Frank Darabont
Producer(s)
Francis Ford Coppola, John Veitch, James V. Hart
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
20 nominations total
Academy Awards
Oscar Nominees
All Critics (52) | Top Critics (15) | Fresh (22) | Rotten (30)
It’s too bad that the filmmakers couldn’t include women in their reverence with the sort of understanding that Mary Shelley showed toward men.
June 6, 2022 | Rating: 1/4
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
A film as misshapen and compelling as its central creature, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is a beautiful monstrosity in 4K.
April 7, 2022
Rocco T. Thompson
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Branagh’s version is too respectful and ultimately, well, lifeless.
November 27, 2019 | Rating: 2/4
Gene Siskel
Chicago Tribune
TOP CRITIC
They’re calling it “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein,” but, with apologies to the former rock group, “Frankie Goes to Hollywood” is more like it.
November 27, 2019
Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Sumptuous to look at, with some decent performances…
November 27, 2019 | Rating: 3/5
Angie Errigo
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Kenneth Branagh has indeed created a monster, but not the kind he originally envisioned.
June 20, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
The movie may be uneven, but Arrow’s release is gorgeous.
July 9, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Anthony Arrigo
Dread Central
Flamboyant, melodramatic, full of sound and fury and fire and lightning and blood and amniotic fluid, Kenneth Branagh’s film is a feverishly ambitious work
May 24, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk
Kenneth Branagh’s caffeinated take on the tale survives crucial miscasting in a significant role.
May 6, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
An entertaining literary adaptation.
March 23, 2022
Rob Aldam
Backseat Mafia
De Niro’s casting as the creature is distracting. Although he works hard to suggest a misunderstood loner, we can never forget that it’s De Niro under all that latex.
February 25, 2022 | Rating: 2.5/4
Mal Vincent
The Virginian-Pilot
In attempting to keep faith with the original novel, Branagh concentrates too much on design and content, and loses the heart and soul of the story in the process.
November 27, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
Tom Hutchinson
Radio Times…
Plot
In 1794, in the Arctic Sea, Captain Robert Walton is a man obsessed to reach the North Pole, pushing his crew to exhaustion. When his ship hits an iceberg, it is stranded in the ice. Out of the blue, Captain Walton and his men overhear a dreadful cry and they see a stranger coming to the ship. He introduces himself as Victor Frankenstein and he tells the Captain the story of his life since he was a little boy in Geneva. Victor is a barilliant student, and in love with his stepsister Elizabeth, an orphan that was raised by his father Baron Victor von Frankenstein. In 1793, Victor moves to Ingolstadt to study at the university, and he promises to get married to Elizabeth. At the university, Victor befriends Henry Clerval, who becomes his best friend. Victor gets close to Professor Waldman and decides to create life to cheat death, but Waldman advises him that he should not try this experiment, since the result would be an abomination. When Waldman dies, Victor steals his notes and tries to create life. He succeeds and gives life to a strong Creature, composed of parts of deceased people. However, he realizes that his experiment is a mistake and he abandons the Creature, expecting that it will die alone. However the Creature survives and learns how to read and write, but he is a monster rejected by society and his own creator. The Creature decides to seek revenge from Victor by killing everyone he loves.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Fresh Kernels mentions that Robert De Niro’s casting as the creature in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is distracting, as audiences can never forget that it’s De Niro under all that latex.
Kenneth-Branagh.jpg
56%
Last Action Hero (1993)
56%RT Audience Score: 47%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 16 nominations
Last Action Hero has most of the right ingredients for a big-budget action spoof, but its scattershot tone and uneven structure only add up to a confused, chaotic mess
Last Action Hero is like a pizza with all the toppings – it’s got action, satire, and Arnold Schwarzenegger. While some critics may say it’s a bit of a mess, I say it’s a deliciously fun ride. The movie pokes fun at all the classic action movie tropes, while still delivering plenty of explosions and one-liners. Plus, who doesn’t love a good meta moment? Last Action Hero may not be a cinematic masterpiece, but it’s definitely worth a watch for any action movie fan looking for a good time.
Production Company(ies)
Lionsgate Media Rights Capital, T-Street
Distributor
Columbia Tristar, Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
28824 Cliffside Dr., Malibu, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for strong action sequences
Year of Release
1993
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:2h 11m
-
Language(s):English
-
Country of origin:United States
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 18, 1993 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 7, 1997
Genre(s)
Action/Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien, Charles Dance, F Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Frank McRae, directed by John McTiernan, written by Zak Penn, Adam Leff, Shane Black, David Arnott, action, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jonathan Rosenbaum, David Ansen, Owen Gleiberman, Adam Mars-Jones, Tom Hibbert, James Berardinelli, Tony Black, Allison Rose, Alex Maidy, Mike Massie, Quentin Curtis, PG-13, magic ticket, Jack Slater, Benedict, John Practice, Lt Dekker, Frank, produced by John McTiernan, Stephen J Roth, Columbia Tristar, Columbia Pictures
Worldwide gross: $137,298,489
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $285,203,998
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 529
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 31,101,854
US/Canada gross: $50,016,394
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $103,896,814
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 724
US/Canada opening weekend: $15,338,241
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $31,861,441
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 418
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $85,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $176,566,691
Production budget ranking: 165
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $95,081,163
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $13,556,144
ROI to date (est.): 5%
ROI ranking: 1,375
Austin O’Brien – Danny Madigan
Charles Dance – Benedict
F. Murray Abraham – John Practice
Art Carney – Frank
Frank McRae – Lt. Dekker
Director(s)
John McTiernan
Writer(s)
Zak Penn, Adam Leff, Shane Black, David Arnott
Producer(s)
John McTiernan, Stephen J. Roth
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 16 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (51) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (20) | Rotten (31)
It’s nothing new that the makers of Last Action Hero don’t have a clear notion of what separates movies from life, but the makers of the other summer blockbusters aren’t any better versed in reality…
June 2, 2022 | Rating: 2/4
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Last Action Hero loses control of itself.
November 8, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
The director has to boost the realism of his staging in a rather self-defeating manner. It begins to look, not that he’s having it both ways, trading on what he mocks, but that he has painted himself into a corner.
November 14, 2017
Adam Mars-Jones
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: D
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
This is an attempt to be both a high-octane actionfest and a satire on such films, the result of which is the weirdest concoction: the metaphysical blockbuster.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 3/5
Tom Hibbert
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
The pulse-pounding, sizzling pull of a Die Hard is absent.
January 1, 2000 | Rating: 2/4
James Berardinelli
ReelViews
TOP CRITIC
Last Action Hero hasnt quite yet become one of those cult movies we venerate and, yknow maybe we should. It does have, within its bones, just a little bit of magic.
April 12, 2022 | Rating: 3.5/5
Tony Black
Cultural Conversation
There are a few men who could take in the role of Jack Slater, but Schwarzenegger embodies the physical and mental acumen of a last action hero.
May 19, 2021 | Rating: 3.5/5
Allison Rose
FlickDirect
I am happy to say that not only does Last Action Hero hold up well almost twenty years later but it remains one of the most underrated movie concepts of all time.
May 4, 2021
Alex Maidy
JoBlo’s Movie Network
Every action film trope is satirized, every manly catchphrase is mocked, and the overuse of senseless violence and random explosions is parodied to no end.
September 14, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
It’s turned out to be a beef- chicken-anchovy-and-jam sandwich: the ingredients cancel each other out, and become indigestible. By offering us everything, they’ve given us next to nothing.
December 6, 2017
Quentin Curtis
Independent on Sunday
The divergent puzzle pieces do not often fit together terribly well, in spite of their potential.
October 9, 2014 | Rating: 4/10
J.C. Maçek III
PopMatters…
Plot
Young Danny Madigan is a huge fan of Jack Slater, a larger-than-life action hero played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. When his best friend, Nick the projectionist, gives him a magic ticket to the newest Jack Slater movie, Danny is transported into Slater’s world, his number one hero where the good guys always win. It’s a dream come true for Danny, but things take a turn for the worse when one of Slater’s enemies, Benedict the hit man, gets ahold of the ticket and ends up in Danny’s world. Slater and Danny must join forces and travel back and stop him at all costs before it’ll be the end of Jack Slater.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny comments were found in the Fresh Kernels review for Last Action Hero.
John-McTiernan.jpg
56%
Octopussy (1983)
56%RT Audience Score: 47%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 3 nominations
Despite a couple of electrifying action sequences, Octopussy is a formulaic, anachronistic Bond outing
Octopussy” is the 13th James Bond movie and it’s a mixed bag of reviews. Some critics say it’s one of the best, while others say it’s the worst. Personally, I think it’s like a rollercoaster ride – it has its ups and downs. The action sequences are exciting, but the characterizations are flat. The story unfolds like a true mystery, but it’s still plagued by the naffness that was prevalent in the Bond series around the time of Moore. Overall, it’s an easy film to hate, but it works perfectly as a piece of entertainment. Just don’t expect it to be the best Bond movie ever made.
Production Company(ies)
AOI Promotion Fuji Television, Network GAGA.
Distributor
CBS/Fox, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Monsoon Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
MPAA / Certificate
PG
Year of Release
1983
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Surround 7.1
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:2h 10m
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Language(s):English, Russian, German, Spanish, Hindi
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 10, 1983 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 4, 2007
Genre(s)
Action
Keyword(s)
starring Roger Moore, Maud Adams, Louis Jourdan, Kristina Wayborn, Kabir Bedi, Steven Berkoff, directed by John Glen, written by Ian Fleming, George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, Michael G Wilson, action, PG, James Bond, spy, thriller, formulaic, anachronistic, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Bob Thomas, Gary Arnold, Dave Kehr, Variety Staff, Richard Corliss, Ian Nathan, Matt Brunson, Jake Tropila, Mike Massie, Kelechi Ehenulo, PJ Nabarro, David Hogan, producer Albert R Broccoli, MPAA rating, CBS/Fox, MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc., Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Dolby Stereo, Surround, Scope (2.35:1), James Bond 007, India, Germany, jewelry smugglers, Soviet General Orlov, gadgetmeister Q, tongue and cheek, nuclear weapon, female antagonist, lead female villain, mystery, realistic focus, animal spectacles, Tarzan noise, clown, gorilla outfit, revenge, nightmarish scheme, entrancing beauty, military plot, palaces of India, speeding circus train, mid-air battle, high-flying jet, Agent 007
Worldwide gross: $67,917,094
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $207,751,602
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 670
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 22,655,573
US/Canada gross: $67,893,619
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $207,751,602
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 330
US/Canada opening weekend: $8,902,564
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,241,469
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 506
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $27,500,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $84,148,837
Production budget ranking: 497
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $45,314,148
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $78,288,617
ROI to date (est.): 60%
ROI ranking: 1,098
Maud Adams – Octopussy
Louis Jourdan – Kamal
Kristina Wayborn – Magda
Kabir Bedi – Gobinda
Steven Berkoff – Orlov
Director – John Glen
Producer – Albert R. Broccoli
Writers – Ian Fleming, George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Director(s)
John Glen
Writer(s)
Ian Fleming, George MacDonald Fraser, Richard Maibaum, Michael G. Wilson
Producer(s)
Albert R. Broccoli
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 3 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (49) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (21) | Rotten (28)
“Octopussy” is the 13th of the James Bond movies, and it is one of the best.
October 17, 2018
Bob Thomas
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
It’s a pleasure to report that the James Bond company is confidently back on the beam.
October 6, 2015
Gary Arnold
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
Glen’s willingness to give the action sequences a certain weight and seriousness produces some genuinely exciting moments, yet his work is everywhere undermined by the flatness of the characterizations and the uncertain architecture of the plot.
October 13, 2008
Dave Kehr
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Film’s high points are the spectaccular aerial stuntwork marking both the pre-credits teaser and extremely dangerous-looking climax.
October 13, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Bond had degenerated into a male model, and something of a genial anachronism.
October 13, 2008
Richard Corliss
TIME Magazine
TOP CRITIC
One for the die hards. The saving grace here is a knowing sense of humour so lacking in its predecessor, For Your Eyes Only.
October 13, 2008 | Rating: 3/5
Ian Nathan
Empire Magazine
TOP CRITIC
I’ve seen the Bond movies countless times over the decades, and this title above all is the one that fluctuates the most from one viewing to the next.
September 25, 2021 | Rating: 3/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
It’s an easy film to hate (and often paints a big target on its back encouraging you to do so), but it works perfectly as a piece of entertainment, where the good ultimately outweighs the bad.
October 14, 2020
Jake Tropila
Film Inquiry
For the first time in the series, the story unfolds like a true mystery, instead of merely having some eccentric billionaire devising a plot to take over the world.
September 6, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Out of all the Roger Moore films as Bond, this one is easily the worse for me.
July 16, 2020 | Rating: 2/5
Kelechi Ehenulo
Confessions From A Geek Mind
The naffness that was prevalent in the Bond series around the time of Moore still abounds here.
October 31, 2019 | Rating: 2/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
The very worst Roger Moore Bond Film, and one to avoid unless you really have to watch every single film in a marathon, like myself, sadly…
January 27, 2019 | Rating: 1/5
David Hogan
hoganreviews.co.uk…
Plot
James Bond’s next mission sends him to the circus. A British Agent was murdered and found holding onto a priceless Fabergé egg. Kamal Kahn buys the egg at an auction, but Bond becomes suspicious when Kahn meets up with Russian General Orlov. Bond soon finds out that Kahn’s and Orlov’s plan is to blow-up a nuclear device on a U.S. Air Force Base. Bond teams up with a circus group, which are headed by the beautiful Octopussy, who is also close friend of Kahn.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny comment about the film Octopussy on Fresh Kernels.
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