The Importance of Sound in Film.

The Importance of Sound in Film

Film has been around since the late 1890’s, The Lumiere Bothers invented a device which they called the Cinématographe, and in 1894 The Lumiere Brothers made a 48 second short film which would eventually lead into the industry that film has become today. However, from 1894 until 1927 the films that were made were silent films and this era was known as the silent era. In 1927 an important film was released, this film would be The Jazz Singer and this was the first film that had successful synchronized sound and while there had been previous attempts to make films with sound, these films were unsuccessful in trying to make a film with synchronized sound. Since The Jazz Singer was released every Hollywood distributed film has had sound, and this is because these are the films which audiences demanded. Sound is an accessory in which audiences takes for granted for the most part and this is due to the fact that sound when done well goes unnoticed. So, just how important is sound in cinema?

Sound mainly goes unnoticed to the average media consumer and this is why many people don’t notice sound because of this, there are mainly two types of sound. The first type of sound would be Diegetic sound; this form of sound is sound which is visible onscreen or the source of the sound is present onscreen if it presented onscreen. Examples of Diegetic sound would include characters talking to one another onscreen, this is present in many different films that have characters talking to one another. Diegetic sound also includes sounds that objects make while they are visible onscreen. An example of this would be if a character flips a coin or picks up a book or something along those lines. The final aspect of diegetic sound would be music, but if this only counts if the music is being played onscreen. An example would be in the 2014 Whiplash with Miles Teller playing the drums because the sound coming from the character playing the drums. These are primarily the main examples of diegetic sound; however, this is not the only form of sound which is presented to audiences during a film because there is also non-diegetic sound.  

However, there is another form which would be non-diegetic sound, this is sound which is not present onscreen, the source of the sound is unknown to us because we can’t see it. This could be something like sound effects which are added for dramatic purposes but there is nothing onscreen making the sound. Another example would be music which is not conducted by a character onscreen, this could be the musical score for the film, the score that has been composed especially for the film. The final aspect would be narration, where someone is making a commentary about the action onscreen. This could be Morgan Freeman’s narration at the beginning and at the end of Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds. This tells you what is about to happen at the beginning of the film and then also what has happened at the end of the film. However, do be careful here because people often can get confused because while Morgan Freeman’s narration is non-diegetic this is because he is not a character in the film. You can get diegetic narration and this is where one of the characters from the film who is often the main protagonist in the narrative. An example would be the narrator in the film Fightclub, as the main character is narrating the events which has happened to and explaining what has happened in great detail. This is something often confused because not many people know and understand the difference between them.

These are the two main sectors when it comes to understanding sound, these are some of the basic elements of sound and it is important to understand what is diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound, and this is because people don’t really understand the difference between these types of sound, so you’re probably reading this post and you are now thinking that sound is quite complicated to understand. Your right sound is more complicated when looking at sound from an analysis perspective. However, while sound mostly goes unnoticed by people there are some occasions where sound is noticed by people, and this is because of a couple of reasons.

While there are many variations of sound, and these elements of sound have been part of filmmaking since the beginning in 1927. As stated in the first paragraph sound is often unnoticed by the average person, but there are a few occasions where sound is noticed. An example that is can often be used in cinema is music and more specifically a soundtrack by a famous artist which we recognise from outside the film. Soundtracks are an excellent example of when audience notices sound, an example would be the famous band Queen. Queen had many excellent soundtracks and during the 1980’s when Freddie Mercury was the lead, he had this distinctive and powerful voice when singing the lyrics and the backing track that coexists alongside the lyrics. Queen are a band that have a very distinctive pitch and timbre and this what makes the band unique. Queen has also had their soundtracks used in a number of different films, a more recent example of their music being used in films would be the 2016 Suicide Squad directed by David Ayer. Suicide Squad uses various tracks from the band and because of their distinctive sound, audiences instantly recognise when the soundtrack starts to play and therefore we as an audience notice the sound because there is this sense of familiarity with the track. This is something which is not just limited to one band, take for example Guns ‘N’ Roses in the Terminator films, you could name any band that has their tracks in a film and this would count because if like a band’s music then an audience member will recognise the soundtrack.

Soundtracks are the main factor when noticing sound in a film, but there are some more examples when sound is noticeable to the audience when watching a film. Another example of when we notice sound design would be when there is poor sound design. Poor sound design is hardly ever put in big budget Hollywood films because the filmmakers have taken their time to make sure that the technical aspects of the film. Poor sound design could be anything from terrible sound effects or poor sound quality during the runtime, a lot of the films that have poor sound would be films like Jurassic Shark from 2012 and directed by Brett Kelly. The sound in this film has been distorted and there are elements of the sound design which you can hear echoes from the backgrounds of the film. This is a good example of poor sound design and this is when audiences notice the sound from a film, this is because the poor quality recording is very distinctive compared to the Hollywood films which have excellent sound. Another time when audiences notice sound is when the sound is not synchronised with the images that have appeared. This doesn’t happen in many films but a good example would be YouTube videos, sometimes when you watch a video on YouTube there can be some videos where the sound is not synchronised with the visuals that appears onscreen. These are examples of the poor sound design and this is something which as an audience would notice because the sound is either poor quality and terrible synchronisation.

Audiences often notice when sound design is of poor quality and when the sound is not synchronised with the visuals and there is another occasion when an audience notices sound, the sound can be noticed through the sound editing. Another example of when an audience notices sound wold be the J-cut, a J-cut is an editing technique which is used in some films and this is basically when the sound from the next scene overlaps with the current scene. This happens in many different films and this would include the first film with sound, The Jazz Singer and directors such as Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick use this editing technique, this usage of the J-cut so that the audience can get immersed into the next sequence of the film and this is the main reason why a director would use this technique because the director wants the audience to focus on the next scene. This is the other time that the audiences notice sound because the director has made the sound so that the audience can hear it more and focus on the sound more than the visual elements that are onscreen at that current time. The importance of sound in film and this is important because good sound quality is something which is guaranteed in most films because an audience doesn’t just watch a film but they also listen to the sound as well and this is something which many people don’t understand, sound is a tool which is used so that an audience is emerged into the world of the film.

Sound is an amazing aspect to film that not many people notice and this might be because people pay more attention to the visual elements that are being presented. There is one thing that sound is incredibly good at that not many people think about. Sound is very good at evoking an emotional response from an audience. But how does sound evoke an emotional response in audience members. There is one main reason why sound evokes an emotional response, and this would be the musical score that is used in films. A score is a piece of music which has been made by a composer and it can be made for many different reasons. There are many famous composers from Hans Zimmer and John Williams to Alan Slivestri and Cliff Martinez. These composers all have one job to make sure that the emotive language is communicated to the audience, it is sort of like the filmmakers are manipulating you into feeling for the characters. An example could be John Williams, he is one of the most iconic composers in Hollywood, he has done everything from Indiana Jones films to all of the Star Wars films. Take the score from Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the introduction to the character of Rey.

The character of Rey is introduced to the audience without her saying a word of dialogue but from the sequence the audience understands everything about the character and while the visual elements show the audience that she is isolated on Jakku. While the visual elements of the film are showing these themes about the character, the score uses the timbre and pitch to feel for the character of Rey because she is isolated and has nobody in her life. This shows that a score can make the audience feel emotion towards a character because while the images show the same thing, it wouldn’t be quite as effective without the score. However, a score is not just used to communicate themes such as isolation and sadness, the score can also make the audience feel happiness and a sense of joy. This usually happens when the main character achieves something or they have overcome the odds and defeated the antagonist. This happens in the majority of the films that are released by Hollywood, the scores in this films have an uplifting pitch with calm sounds and this is a signifier to the audience that the main protagonists quest has come to the end and they have succeeded in their mission. Again take the ending to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the entire film relies on finding Luke Skywalker because he is the only person that can bring balance to the focus and restore equilibrium against the first order. When the ending of the film is playing the score isn’t as intense as other moments in the film and the tone has changed completely, from when the rebellion is fighting the first order and trying to take down Star Killer Base. The score is in the background and when the audience sees Luke Skywalker onscreen the score is stating that Rey has completed her quest and that she has found Luke after he has been in hiding for many years. Different scores communicate different themes throughout the runtime of the films and this is the main thing to remember when watching a film because often the score is being used alongside the images to evoke an emotional response whether this be a positive emotion or a negative emotion towards a character, a score is a very important aspect to a film.

Sound is amazing when looking at it from a critical mind, so just how important is sound in film? Sound is quite important and while it doesn’t define the images that an audience sees onscreen, the images don’t define the sound either. Both these aspects of sound unify together to give audiences pleasure from watching the media that they are watching. Films have come a very long way from when they started, and the biggest advancement would be sound. Sound is something which shouldn’t be unappreciated either because it can be used to add depth to the images that an audience is seeing and this is the main thing to remember when talking about sound. Sound is very good for making audience feel an emotion but mainly goes unnoticed for many reasons. This is mostly a good thing because it shows that the filmmakers who have put effort into the sound have done enough so that people don’t notice it and by itself sound is an art form which expresses many different things.  

Top 10 Comic Book films.

Top 10 comic book films

In one of the last blog posts, Top 10 Hollywood action films there was a sentence that stated that Superhero films were excluded from the list because while they can technically be considered a genre in themselves, the concept was to make a list about pure action films. This blog post will explore the finest that the superhero film has to offer and will be looking at the top 10 superhero films. For this list a film must have a superhero or comic book character(s) and graphic novel adaptations will also be able to be a contender on this list as long as there has been a live-action adaptation of some form of comic book or graphic novel attached to the film. The films on this list will include all the incarnations of the characters and will look at the characters, action, narrative, direction, special effects and finally acting. The reviews of the critics and box office success do not count to the places on this list.

10. Dredd (Pete Travis, 2012).

In 1995 there was Judge Dredd a film which starred Sylvester Stallone, while the film was not an awful film it is just a bad film, it did have issues and seemed to have an over reliance on clichés. In 2012 there was a remake of this film, and from that we got Dredd. Dredd is directed by Pete Travis and stars Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey, the film is set in the future in a city which is called Mega City One, the city is infected with crime which comes from one building owned by a criminal known as mama. The main characters Judge Dredd and Cassandra a trainee enter the building to take down the crime organisation. Dredd is a film which has some hyper-violent action sequences which are filmed in slow motion which makes the action very easy to follow and understand and alongside this the action is edited in so that you can register the action long enough. This film is like the Raid because the narrative is the main characters locked inside a building and they must fight their way out of the building. The performances by the cast are very good, and Karl Urban is someone who has taken time to learn about the character and he makes for very convincing Judge Dredd, and Olivia Thirlby is very good in her role and while she is not quite experienced as Urban she doesn’t let the film down. There are a few criticisms with this film is that Dredd doesn’t really explore the characters enough and with a bigger budget maybe could have explored the characters in greater depth and give more of a backstory on these characters such as Cassandra and her psychic abilities and understand how Mama became the person that she is because the film just says that the character is the antagonist in the situation and that is all. The second thing would be that while the film is meant to be violent and gory with the action it can sometimes be unnecessary with the level of violence and this can spoil the film slightly. However, this is comic book film which is much better than the first attempt, it is well-directed and well-acted with some good action sequence and this film should get more attention because this is a good action film and a good comic book film and well worth watching.  

9. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Guillermo Del Toro).

It is hard to make a sequel which people will like, but there are some sequels which are much better than other the original, an example would be the ninth entry on this list Hellboy II: The Golden Army. The first film was a good film, the action was great and the special effects and practical effects are amazing in this film because Guillermo Del Toro is a skilled director who can combine CGI and practical effects in one seem less shot and this is what an excellent director does. This film stars Ron Perlman, Selma Blair and Doug Jones and the film is about the mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the rebellious creatures. This film is better than the first film for mainly three reasons, the first reason would be that the effects are brilliant and while the first film had great effects, the extra budget in this film makes the effect look amazing in this film. The second reason would be that the action sequences are excellent, Del Toro makes some brilliant action sequences with the action being easy to follow and some excellent fight sequences. The Third reason would be that the film seems to have a much better script and a narrative supports the action better than the other film. This is an excellent film and is underrated compared to the other comic book films and more people should watch this film. There is a lot to discuss with this film and a review of this film will be put up on this blog because this film deserves a review. This is a film which is excellent from the beginning to end and it doesn’t feel like two hours which is the best compliment that you can give a film.

8. X-Men: Days of Future Past (Bryan Singer, 2014).

X-Men: Days of Future Past is a sequel to X-Men: First Class which is a prequel to the original trilogy. This film sees Bryan Singer once again direct this film franchise, this film is which takes place in two time periods, the one-time zone is in the future where the mutants and humans are in a war against sentinels and the mutants are being wiped out because they are seen as a threat to everyone. Eventually, the X-Men send Wolverine back to 1973 to stop Mystique from killing Dr. Bolivar Trask and then stop the humans from making the mutant killing machines. This film stars Hugh Jackman, Peter Stewart, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. The X-Men series has had some bad entries but this is a film which is incredible to watch, the action sequences are well filmed and edited together very well because the action is easy and clear to understand. The film is well-directed, Bryan Singer is a very talented director and knows and understands how to get great performances from the actors which he has been given. All the acting in this film is excellent and it is hard to point out an actor who stands out in this film because everyone is excellent. This film has some of the best special effects that has ever been put on film, the CGI has been rendered to a very high standard and has been well incorporated into the live-action elements. This film has the sequence with Quicksilver, this sequence is an excellent example with the special effects and camerawork and this is probably the best sequence in the entire film because of how the filmmakers made the sequence and the fact that they managed to film it in slow-motion. The reason why this film ranks at number eight on this list would be because there is a massive plot hole with the narrative and while it is addressed in the Rogue cut of the film the standard version and this is why the film is in this position.  

7. Iron Man (John Favreau, 2008).

This is the film which started the who Marvel Cinematic Universe, Iron Man was released in 2008 and was directed by Jon Favreau and stars Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges. The film is about Tony Stark who is a billionaire and while he is on tour and showing his weapons to the military service he is captured by a terrorist group. Stark decides to make a metal suit and escape from captivity to make it home, from this he decides to make a weaponized suit to take out evil forces with the suit. This is a film which is excellent for many different reasons, the first aspect would be that the character development and character arcs are excellent in this film. Tony Stark goes from this billionaire who is a little bit cocky and maybe takes life for granted and then he understands more and starts to appreciate life more after he is kidnapped he makes the Iron Man suit and begins to help other people and make choices which he feels responsible for what is going on in other parts of the world. The acting is excellent and Downey’s performance throughout this film is excellent because when you watch the film you believe that the character is a real person and he has transferred the character well from the source material to the film itself. The action is good and while the action is simple and basic it works well for the film, the film has some good action sequences but there is nothing in this film which is ground breaking but the action is fine and if you want a pure action film then you won’t get it here. Iron Man is an excellent superhero origin film which is excellent and not many people talk about this film compared to other films from the cinematic universe because of how many films they release and people should go back and watch this film and talk about more because this is good entertaining film to watch.

6. Sin City (Robert Rodriguez, 2005).

Sin City is based on a graphic novel which was written by Frank Miller, the person behind the graphic novel for 300 and the graphic novel to Batman: The Dark Knight returns part 1&2. The film was released in 2005 and directed by Robert Rodriguez the director responsible for other films such as Machete and Desperado, and the film also has a directing credit for Frank Miller as well. The film explores the dark and miserable town, Basin City, and tells the story of three different people, all caught up in violent corruption. This is a film which is often forgotten when talking about comic book and graphic novels because many people forget that this is based on the graphic novel series by Frank Miller. The first thing is that the film looks like the filmmakers have taken the images from the graphic novel and then put it onscreen. The film is shot in monochrome with some colours explored like in the graphic novel with the odd Yellow, Blue and Red appearing onscreen. Up until this film was released no film particularly looked like this onscreen with the only other film coming close would be Schindler’s list, but that film didn’t have CGI like this. The film is mainly filmed using CGI but because the film is shot in monochrome the CGI looks amazing and still holds up even 12 years after release. This film has some excellent performances from everyone involved especially Jessica Alba who is good but has had some bad roles in the past but in this film she is good. Bruce Willis is also very good in this film as the character of Hartigan, he has the most character development and you sympathise more with his character compared to the other characters which are featured in this film. This film is unique and because of this the film is ranked at number six on this list because of how unique this film is, and more people should watch this film because it deserves more attention than it gets.  

5. Captain America: Civil War (The Russo Brothers, 2016).

The second entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe on this list and this won’t be the last entry on the list. Captain America; Civil War is directed by Joe and Anthony Russo and picks up the story of the Avengers after the events of Age of Ultron. Civil War sees the avengers divided over political subjects, the avengers are introduced to a new piece of legalisation called the Sokovia Accords, this is a piece of written legalisation which controls the actions of the avengers and they are controlled by the United Nations. The avengers are divided over this because Stark wants the avengers to stay together but understands that they need limitations because this will mean that they have control. However, Steve Rogers thinks that the people behind the Accords have political agendas which change over time and that they might need to go somewhere that the need to go but the people won’t allow them and vice versa. The film set up both sides of the argument are done really well and you can understand why both sides have their opinions and why they are divided on such matters. The narrative is excellent because the film doesn’t show you just the one side and the filmmakers want you to choose which side to pick. This is excellent screenwriting because the film gets you to sympathise with both characters and their opinions. The action sequences are good; the action has been choreographed very well, the only problem would be that the action that doesn’t involve much CGI is quite shaky and at times can be hard to follow, but the action that does have CGI is filmed so that it is easy to follow. Overall, Captain America: Civil War is a good marvel film there are many things to like such as some of the action, all of the acting is excellent throughout the film and there are some excellent sequences, but there are some issues that this film has and there could be some better ways to film the action.    

4. Guardians of the Galaxy (James Gunn, 2014).

The third and final entry from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Guardians of the Galaxy is based on a comic book series which hardly anyone knew about. Guardians of the Galaxy is directed by James Gunn and stars Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel and Dave Bautista. The film follows a group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe. This is a film which is of an unknown comic book property but Marvel decided to make this film because they thought that the film would be good. Guardians of the Galaxy is a film which is brilliant because it doesn’t take itself too serious, the comedy elements in this film are amazing there isn’t one joke that doesn’t work in the script. The comedy elements are excellent in this film because James Gunn is a talented comedy writer and the film capitalises on the writing, and Gunn is also a director which knows how to take the script and then put the best jokes onscreen. This film is an excellent film because there are so many elements which work about this film, the action sequences are well filmed and entertaining to watch as well as some entertaining comedic elements and this is what is good excellent action comedy director does. The performances in this film are excellent from everyone, but the main performance to focus on in this film would be Dave Bautista. Considering that he has gone from a professional wrestler to becoming an acting is amazing, and when you look at how many roles The Rock had to do before he became good actor, Bautista is brilliant in this film and he is good as Drax. The special effects are also excellent from start to finish, the CGI is excellent because of the high standard but also they have managed to use a mixture of CGI and practical effects and this is something which can be shown.   

3.  V for Vendetta (James McTeigue, 2005).  

V for Vendetta enters this list on number three on this list, there were many comic book and graphic novel films, but for this list the idea was to consider films which don’t get enough attention and to expose the films which should have more attention. V for Vendetta is one of those film which once again doesn’t get enough attention. This is a film which is directed by James McTeigue and stars Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman and John Hurt, the film is set in a future British tyranny, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow it with the help of a young woman. This is a film which is excellent and the first thing is that the cinematography is a great in this film. This film looks amazing and the visuals are good the cinematography makes this film look good. The directing is good, and this shows with the performances. Hugo Weaving as V seems to understand and know communicate emotion of the character and while the backstory of the character isn’t exposed as much as it could be but the moments when the audience is meant to feel emotions for the character. V is one of the best characters that has ever been put to film, the character is clearly and easily understood and he has some motivations that are easy to understand, and you know why he wants to blow up the parliament building. Evey is played by Natalie Portman and she is also good in this film, this is one of the best performances from her and considering she had done the Star Wars prequel films before this film came out, her performance in this is much better than those films and she might be as good here as she was in Leon: The Professional.

2. Superman (Richard Donner, 1978).

This entry might be a very predictable entry on this list, but Superman is one of the best comic book films that has ever been made. Superman is directed by Richard Donner and stars Christopher Reeves, Gene Hackman and Marlon Brando and the film is about an alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero. This is one of the best superhero films that has ever been made because of four main reasons, the first reason would be that the directing is excellent and Donner is a director who understands how to get good performances from the cast of any film. Donner is one of the best directors to have ever existed and he should get more attention but he seems to have been forgotten by many people even though he directed excellent films like the Lethal Weapon film franchise and The Goonies. Everything about this film is flawless, with perfect acting, direction and a very good narrative which keeps us entertained for the entire run time of the film. The film is a film which will be remembered as film which will be put into many archives because this is a film which is a statement to the superhero film and without this film we wouldn’t have had other superhero films like the current wave of superhero films, this is the film which is amazing and shows how that there are many good things about this film and it shows that the filmmakers cared about the film and how they wanted make this film.

1. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008).

This is number one, and like the last entry this might be predictable to put on this list and predictable to put this film at number one, this film is at number one because this is about as close as it gets to perfect and it is one of best sequels ever made. The Dark Knight is directed by Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart. The Dark Knight is a sequel to Batman Begins, The Dark Knight takes place just after the events of the first film and when the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, the caped crusader must come to terms with one of the greatest psychological tests of his ability to fight injustice. There is very little wrong with this film, and the only issue with this film would be that the hand-to-hand action sequences are tightly framed and sometimes it can be hard to understand. However, this is a small issue with this film because everything else about this film is perfect. The performances in this film are outstanding, and it has been send by others before but Heath Ledger as The Joker is outstanding in this film. The level of method acting in this film is incredible, and the method acting has given Ledger a great performance because of the intense preparations that he went through for the role. The film has some excellent effects and the usage of practical effects is excellent in this film and it is good to see a director like Nolan use these practical effects over CGI. The Dark Knight is an example of the best comic book film because of every aspect of the film itself, and there is so much care and attention in this film. This is the best comic book film ever made and no film has ever come close since and it will be long time before this film is knocked off because no comic book film has had this much care and passion. 

Top 10 worst Hollywood action films

Top 10 worst Hollywood action films

The action film is one of the hardest genres to get right because the director and the cast have to focus on making the action sequences very easy to follow and make the action look impactful as well. There are many great examples of action films but for every Terminator 2: Judgement Day, John Wick or Mad Max: Fury Road there are a lot of action films which are great but while those examples were covered on a post yesterday in a blog post, today this post will cover the action films which are not the best but the worst examples in the genre. These are action films which have terrible narratives, terrible action sequences alongside bad directing and editing. This list will exclude superhero films because the worst superhero films will be covered in a separate list because superhero films standalone and this is a list which focus on pure action films and not films which have comic book characters and storylines. Also like the list that was published yesterday there can only be one entry per franchise.

10. Terminator Genisys (Alan Taylor, 2015).

The first two entries in the terminator films are well directed and have great action sequences and after the second film, James Cameron stepped away from the franchise went downhill. The third entry while passable was nowhere need the standard of the first two films. After this there was Terminator Salvation which didn’t have many redeemable qualities. However, the studios decided to make another entry into the franchise, the latest entry would be Terminator Genisys. Terminator Genisys is directed by Alan Taylor and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney and Jason Clarke. This film has a very confusing narrative that makes it very hard to follow, Kyle Reese is sent back to 1984 to find out that Sarah Connor is the character from the second film because the timeline has changed. The film re-writes the narratives of the original film and the sequel Judgement Day. Then for no reason the film jumps to 2017 and the rest of the film takes place in this time zone instead. The script is awfully written and the script hasn’t had enough attention to make sure that there weren’t any plot holes with the narrative. The acting is bad and when looking at the director and the cast because the director has done multiple Game of thrones episodes and Emilia Clarke has been Game of Thrones. However, the worst aspect by far would be that the action is terrible, the action is very difficult to follow with the hand-to-hand combat sequences are very difficult to follow because of the editing and cuts between the action and this might be because neither Schwarzenegger and Jason Clarke can’t do stunts and this shows during the action. This is poor entry into the Terminator Franchise and the studios should give the rights back to Cameron so that we can finally get a sequel to Terminator 2: Judgement Day and make a decent film that keeps the audience entertained, and the reason for this would be because we deserve better than Terminator Genisys.

9. Taken 3 (Olivier Megaton, 2015).

Like the previous entry this is to cash in a box office successful franchise, Taken and Taken 2 were very successful at the box office. The first Taken film is a mediocre action film which has some interesting elements but the action at time is quite difficult to follow at times. But Taken 2 has some really bad action sequences but due to the box office success the film, 20^th Century Fox decided that they should make a sequel because of the low risk and high profit films. Taken 3 is directed by Olivier Megaton who is not a competent action director, he has made other films such as Transporter 3 and Colombiana, this is by far the worst example of his directing style. The action sequences are some of the worst ever to be put on film because Megaton likes to use this quick cut editing style to make the action seem more impactful. An example would be when Neeson’s character goes on the run, there is a sequence which sees the character jump a fence, the sequence uses fourteen cuts in two seconds and this is simply too fast for the human brain to focus on what is going on during the action sequence. The other issue is that the action sequences are not very well thought out when they are being filmed because Megaton has no idea about establishing the characters and the geography of the characters and this is what separates a bad action film from a good action film. Megaton is director that didn’t put much effort when making Taken 3 and if you would like to watch a film where the main character is framed for murder and must go on the run then you would be better off watching The Fugitive because this is a watered down version of that film. Taken

8. G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra (Steven Sommers, 2009)

G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra is a film which tries to capitalise on the carton series which came out in 90’s. G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra is directed by Steven Sommers and stars Dennis Quaid, Christopher Eccleston, Channing Tatum and Sienna Miller. The film is about an elite military unit comprised of special operatives known as G.I. Joe, operating out of The Pit, takes on an evil organization led by a notorious arms dealer. The film is a very bad example of an action film, the first thing is that the performances are very bad in this film because it seems like the actors and director couldn’t care about this film. The acting is quite bad, however one of the worst aspect of this film would be that the CGI is terrible, there are two reasons for this, the first reason would be that the CGI has this artificial look to it and this means that the CGI seems fake and you understand that the special effects are just are bunch of computers programming images onscreen. The second reason would be that the people who render these effects haven’t blended them into the live-action elements very well. However, the worst thing about this film by far would be the action sequences, the action sequences are bad, they aren’t that had to follow but there is no geography established between any of the characters and in one sequence in France there are couple of security guards appear, they appear out of nowhere and then Storm Shadow uses his Ninja Stars at them and he with them before they appear onscreen. But besides this the action feels bland and dull, this is because what is put onscreen doesn’t look very well shot or directed and the action doesn’t break any new ground. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra is not the worst action film but there could have been more effort put into the film because the film that we received wasn’t very good. The only good points in this film would be Dennis Quaid and the over the top performance that is delivered by Christopher Eccleston. These are the only two things to like about this film.  

7. The Transporter Refueled (Camille Delamarre, 2015).

The first trilogy of the Transporter series are films which are passable, the first-two films in the series are mindless action films which are well done, and while the third film is not the greatest the film has Jason Statham. However, 20^th Century Fox decided to reboot the franchise in 2015 and therefore they released The Transporter Refueled was directed by Camille Delamarre, and the film stars Ed Skrein and Ray Stevenson. The film takes place in the south of France, former special-ops mercenary Frank Martin enters into a game of chess with a femme-fatale and her three sidekicks who are looking for revenge against a sinister Russian kingpin. The director Camille Delamarre is mainly an editor who has edited films such as Transporter 3, Taken 2 and Colombiana and has only one another directing credit and that would be Brick Mansion that came out a couple of years ago. Transporter Refueled is a poor example of the genre, the main issue would be that the script has not been written with much care and attention with the film having characters which are very one dimensional and the characters make poor decisions that would get killed in the real world. The second issue would be that Ed Skrein is not Jason Statham and this shows because the director and editor have to edit around the actors that are involved in the action sequences. The editing is something which is poorly done in this film because the director doesn’t show us what the characters are doing at any one time during the action sequences. This is can be seen in the final fight sequence, there is this quick cuts which cuts away from the action and the actors are not hitting each other or the filmmakers are making the impacts of the hits much firmer than what happened on set. The Transporter Refueled is a film which is terrible, if you thought that Transporter 3 was a bad film this is film which is much worse than that film. The only good aspect to this film would be that Ray Stevenson is the only good thing about this film, but even considering that he is wasted in this film because the rest of the film is terrible.

6. Hitman: Agent 47 (Aleksander Bach, 2015).

Hitman: Agent 47 is the second attempt to trying to make another film about the Hitman character on the big screen. Hitman: Agent 47 is directed by Aleksander Bach and the film stars Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware and Zachary Quinto. The film is about the assassin agent 47 who teams up with a woman named Katia to help her find her father and uncover the mysteries of her ancestry, while agent 47 tries to take down an evil organisation known as the Syndicate. The first film was critically panned for having a confusing narrative which was hard to follow and the film had too many villains in the narrative. This is the second attempt to make a good film and the creative team behind this film have failed to make a good Hitman film. There are many reason that this film fails because of several different factors, the first would be the script, 20^th century fox decided to get screenwriter Skip Woods, the man responsible for the script in the original in the first film. This new version of the Hitman film has a poor script because none of the characters get much development, an example would be the subway fight between agent 47 and John Smith. The script doesn’t give the audience strong character development and therefore the audience doesn’t care if the characters survive during the action sequences. The action sequences are also quite poorly filmed, an example would be the first action sequence that takes place in the film, the filmmakers just decide that the character should aim a weapon at any angle and this is so the shots look good and this is not what makes a great action film.

5. 2 Fast 2 Furious (John Singleton, 2003).

2 Fast 2 Furious is a sequel to The Fast and The Furious and is yet another sequel to a very successful film just like Taken 3. 2 Fast 2 Furious is directed by John Singleton and stars Paul Walker and also Tyrese Gibson. The film sees Paul Walker’s character return to the franchise in Miami after the events of the first film. The former cop Brian O'Conner is called upon to bust a dangerous criminal and he recruits the help of a former childhood friend and street racer who has a chance to redeem himself, and take down a drug dealer. This is a film which has terrible cinematography, the cinematography and the camera that the production crew decided to use a camera which is of low quality and this is something which makes the film look terrible from the start to the end of the film. This is film which is very uncomfortable to watch because the film crew didn’t care about the aesthetic of the film and this shows in the overall film itself. The film is just unpleasant to watch from start to finish and this is not only due to the aesthetic of the film, but because the CGI is very poor and the artists who render the films special effects have done a very poor job or the special effects have been rushed to make sure that the film was completed on time so that the studio could make money. The film is not the worst film on the list, the action is very easy to follow and Paul Walker is quite good in this film. But the reason why the film ranks in the middle is because of the aesthetics of the film and the visuals. This is an uncomfortable film to watch because of the visual elements and while the other films listed before a worse, they have been well shot and don’t have poor technical aspects, and because of this the film would ranks here because of the visuals.

4. A Good Day to Die hard (John Moore, 2013).

Every aspect of this film is poor, this is a film which should have never have been made because they shouldn’t have made this sequel and stuck with four films, but it seems like that 20^th Century Fox don’t care about putting out quality action films because this is there fourth entry on this list. Die Hard 4.0 or Live Free or Die Hard was a passable and entertaining action film but where that film had some good sequences and an entertaining plot. This film is not entertaining at all; this film is horrible from start to finish because there are many things to pick holes with about this film. The first thing is that all the characters are terrible, and this includes McLane as a character, he is not the same character as the one in the original film and he is a complete asshole who doesn’t care for human life, and this is not the same character as the first film because he cared about the people. But he is no better than the antagonists in the film and that means you don’t care about the survival of the main protagonist and this is basic screenwriting you must make the character someone who sympathetic and that you can support even when they make questionable decisions. This film gives us characters which make stupid choices that effect other people and put people endanger and this just includes the main character. The action sequences have been edited by an ape because the action is bad, hard to follow and very badly filmed and shot choices show that the director is an incompetent person and he shouldn’t be allowed to direct any more films. The script is also terrible, it was written by Skip Woods who makes his second mention on this post, the script writer doesn’t understand the concept of how to write characters and how to develop them and Die Hard 5 suffers greatly from this for that reason.

3. Hot Pursuit (Anne Fletcher, 2015).  

From a bad sequel to a very bad film in general, Hot Pursuit is an insult of a film, Hot Pursuit is about an uptight and by-the-book cop tries to protect the outgoing widow of a drug boss as they race through Texas pursued by crooked cops and murderous gunmen. This is quite a good premise but the final product is terrible for many different reasons, the first reason would be that the lead characters are both terrible. Reese Witherspoon has been in some excellent films such as Walk the Line and Sofia Vergara is actresses has had some interesting roles like in Machete Kills and Wild Card. However, in this film they are both uncomfortable to watch throughout the run time in the film because they make jokes which are unfunny. The jokes are either about shoes, clothes or personal issues and this film makes jokes about these areas and jokes about these topics are not funny because they just decide to make these random jokes. This film is also terrible with the pacing and can’t decide whether it wants to be an action film like the buddy cop action film of the 1980’s or whether it wants to be a spoof film about that genre. The action is completely terrible with no structure and no build the action just occurs from nowhere and this is what makes a terrible action film. Hot Pursuit is a film which is waste of time and this is film that nobody should watch, the film is uncomfortable to watch from beginning to end. There is nothing redeemable about this film because there is nothing to like about this film from this film, this is a film that has already been forgotten and this is good thing because this is a film which deserves to be forgotten and not remembered.

2. Getaway (Courtney Solomon, 2013).

Not to be confused with the Sam Peckinpah classic which is an excellent film, this film Getaway is directed by Courtney Solomon and stars Ethan Hawke, Selena Gomez and Jon Voight. The film has a very confusing plot to follow and this but one issue with the film, but the film follows the character of Brent Magna who must save his kidnapped wife from an antagonist which is known as the voice. This is a film which is like watching a police pursuit as a film and this film is 90 minutes, so the film is basically a 90-minute car chase and that is all this film is. The film follows the main character and another character known as the kid played by Selena Gomez, they are both sent on a quest to help the antagonist achieve his goals. The narrative is very limited and this makes it weak and this can’t carry the run time of one hour and thirty minutes. The only thing which is a positive about this film would be that Ethan Hawke tries to make the most of this film and Jon Voight is quite interesting as the antagonist but the filmmakers don’t capitalise on these talented individuals. This film could have been a mindless action film which you could watch and switch your brain off to watch but this film is basically two characters in a car playing a series games at the antagonists demands and this is terrible film, and people should stay away from watching this film because the film is not really a film but more a series of clips taken from other films car chase sequence and then edited together to make it look like a film and this is all this film will be. Like the previous entry this film came out in 2013 and nobody ever talks about this film at all and this is something which is good, this film is better to be forgotten because there are better examples of films like this and while it is not great Need for Speed is a much better film compared to this film.

1. Transformers: Age of Extinction (Michael Bay, 2014).

Constructing this list was hard because of which Transformers film to put on here, apart from the first film in the franchise is not great but the film is a passable, but the other films are all terrible. Possibly the worst out film out of the series would be Transformers: Age of Extinction. Transformers: Age of Extinction is directed by Michael Bay and stars Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Peltz and Stanley Tucci. The film takes place five years after the events of Dark of the Moon, and the Transformers are being hunted by the government agency because they agencies think they did the damage to Chicago, even though they are hunting the wrong Transformers because the Deception and not the Autobots. This film is bad for many different reasons; the first reason would be that all the action that doesn’t evolve any CGI is very poorly filmed and you can’t understand what is happening onscreen and this is because of Bay’s directing style because he likes motion in all kinds of shots the camera is constantly shaking. The second aspect is that the film has a terrible plot and storyline which has many plot holes and inconsistencies with the other films in the franchise. The third reason would be that this film is a bad action film would be that the acting is behind believable and there is not one strong performance in this film, although Mark Wahlberg is fine in this film and probably gives the best performance in this film but that is not saying much compared to the other performances in this film. The final reason that this film is bad is that this film is too long and it is not an entertaining to watch, the film is near three hour run time and the action is above all boring to watch and doesn’t look good onscreen. This film is at the number one spot because of the box office success this film had, with the film making over $1 billion and this is because people just go and see the film because of the trailers and because of this film’s success we are going to get another three sequels to this awful film, and hopefully Bay doesn’t direct anymore after The last Knight because we should get better films than the ones we are getting from Bay.

Top 10 Hollywood action films

Top 10 Hollywood action films

There are many good films and Hollywood makes some good films, the action genre is possibly the hardest genre to make because while people think the genre is mindless for the explosions and the fight sequences the people who work on action films put countless hours of time and maximum effort to make sure that the final product is best that it can be. The action film can be done with the results being poor, but this list will focus on the action films which are excellent examples within the genre. For this list each film will be judged on the acting, characters, narrative, direction and the action sequences with in the films, and for this list if there will only be one entry per franchise. This list will exclude the superhero films because they deserve to have a list of their own and that list will be published on the blog in the next couple of days.

10. The Matrix

The Matrix might be a very predictable entry to have on this list, The Matrix is an excellent example of an action film. The action sequences are brilliant because of many different reasons, the editing is excellent making the action very easy to follow and alongside excellent camerawork there are some excellent action sequences like the ending fight between Neo and agent Smith. This final action sequence is great with some tight choreography and some excellent camerawork which shows that directors understood how to make the action look excellent onscreen. The narrative is something which is quite complex and therefore it keeps your attention, and this is something which a great action film does, the narrative brings up interesting themes and concepts which will keep you entertained for the runtime. The reason why this film is quite high on this list because while the film explores excellent philosophy and concepts the characters aren’t developed as much as they could be and this is because the film focuses more on the real world and the matrix itself and not on the characters and developing the characters and this is what the film suffers from the most.  

9. Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation

Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation is the fifth installment in the Mission Impossible series and the filmmakers have managed to make this film the best entry in the franchise so far. The action sequences are some of the best in the series, the first sequence is incredible with Tom Cruise on the side of an aeroplane. The other action sequences have a level of intensity that has not been shown in other action films. The action is great in this film, but alongside the action sequences the narrative is strong to carry this two-hour film. The direction from Christopher McQuarrie is solid, he understands how to put an action film together and understands how to put the action together. The reason that this film is at the number nine on this list is because there is little development from the minor characters and the villain which is probably means that the villain will be in the sequel. The film could have more development from the minor characters and this is why the film is high on this list for that reason.

8. John Wick

John Wick is another entry from Keanu Reeves who knows how to make an entertaining action film and this is film which has excellent action with some excellent gun work and hand-to-hand combat sequences that this film keeps you entertained for the entire runtime of the film. This film has some great acting from Keanu Reeves and this film is driven by the emotions of the main character. The direction is excellent for a directional debut with the director understanding how to shoot and edit the action sequence together. The characters are well established in this film and the character of John Wick is excellent. John Wick is an excellent example of an action film; this is a film that deserves eighth place on this list. The film has some good action but there are issues with this film that prevent the film from being placed higher on the list, and this is strong film but those small issues that were discussed in the review article and hopefully the sequel is just as good as this film.

7. Die Hard

Die Hard is a film which might be cliché to put on this list, the reason that this film gets so much praise is because the film is excellent from start to finish. The action is good but not as solid compared to the previous entries on this list. The reason why this film is a better action film than the other films is because of the narrative and themes alongside the direction. The narrative is excellent because the film is about the isolation of the main protagonist and that he is forced into action when the terrorists. The main character is excellent in the way that the character is written and the performance from Bruce Willis. However, the best character in this film is Hans Gruber played by the late Alan Rickman, he is an example of an excellent villain with clear motivations and some excellent interactions between the characters. John McTiernan is someone who can direct action and makes the action sequences easy to follow. This is an excellent example of how the action film should be made and this is the standard bearer for all the current action films, the action genre wouldn’t be where it is today without this film and it as simple as that and while there were action films before this one, this is the film which changed genre.

6. Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad Max: Fury Road was released in 2015 and a return of the franchise since the last entry and this film saw George Miller return to direct with a new cast. This is a film which has some excellent action sequences and the action never stops and the action always keeps the audiences entertained and this is because of the action and how it is edited together. The stunt work is excellent and is such a high standard of what can be done when effort is put into action sequences. Mad Max: Fury Road is a return to form to the action films which were released in 80’s and 90’s. However, the film has a narrative which is the weakest element to this film and there is not much other than Max and Furiosa try to get a bunch of female characters away from an evil dictator and this is the plot. The film mainly focuses on the action and the stunt work, and this is something which refers back to the films from the 80’s and 90’s, this is a film which people should watch because of the excellent quality of the action sequences.   

5. Minority Report

This is an underrated film; this is a film which is directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Tom Cruise. This is a film which nobody talks about, it never gets any attention but this is one of the best films that Spielberg has ever made and also one of the best films that Tom Cruise has ever starred in. This film has everything, from the futuristic world which has been lived in and used to some excellent action set pieces which use some clever techniques. There are many things to like about this film, the cinematography is excellent with some excellent visuals. The narrative is strong, the future is has found a way to prevented crime by uses people who can predict the future, the main character finds out that a minority of people have what is called a minority report and when the main character is told that he is going to kill someone he must go on the run to find out if he has a minority report. The characters are well written with the main protagonist having flaws and he has this humanity that allows us to sympathise with the character. This is an excellent film, and next week on this blog there will be a review of this film were the review will look at this film in detail. 

4. The Bourne Ultimatum

Critics will probably disagree with this choice but The Bourne Ultimatum is the best Bourne film to have been released and this is because of several different reasons. This film has fantastic action sequences and the hand-to-hand combat sequence is amazing because of the camerawork and the editing. The Bourne films are the only films that can use the shaky camera technique effectively, and this is because of the directing from English director Paul Greengrass and he understands how to use shaky cam in a unique method and this means that the action is directed very well and this is the best action film to have been released within the last decade. The acting is excellent from all of the cast and this is because everything is communicated through physical emotive language and facial expressions and this is a physical form of acting which not many action films do in the current era of the action films.

3. Aliens

Aliens is the sequel to the classic horror film Alien, this film was directed by James Cameron who has been responsible for the first-two Terminator films and has gone on to direct other films. Aliens is more of an action film compared to the original, the action has been well directed and there are some memberable moments in the action sequences. There are many other things to like about this film such as it is well directed, and the special effects are excellent and they have held up very well compared to other films from this time period. This film has some issues with pacing but other than this the film is an example of what an action science fiction should be like. This film is very good, this filmed increased the stakes of the original film but the film stands on its own as separate entry into the franchise and this is what a sequel should do when it is released.  

2. Raiders of the Lost Arc

Raiders of the Lost Arc is the second film directed by Steven Spielberg and this film Spielberg teams up with Harrison Ford. Raiders of the Lost Arc is the first film in the Indiana Jones franchise. This is a film which is near perfect and if it wasn’t for the number one entry beginning released this film would be number one. Raiders of the Lost Arc is an action adventure film which has done everything excellent this is when filmmakers are given total control. Considering Spielberg doesn’t often make action films, Spielberg knows how to make an entertaining action film and knows how to direct action. Harrison Ford is excellent as the main character Indiana Jones and he knows how to act and also perform a stunt and this can be seen in the film. Raiders of the Lost Arc is an excellent example of a film and it comes into second place on this list, and this would mean that we got another three Indiana Jones films.

1. Terminator 2: Judgement Day

This is the top choice on this list, Terminator 2: Judgement Day was released in 1991 and directed by James Cameron and saw the return of Arnold Schwenegger and Linda Hamilton. The first film is quite limited by the technology of time, the second film had more in every aspect. The special effects are much better than the original and the narrative shows the character arc of Sarah Connor from the character in the first film, and in this film she becomes a character who is hardened. Everything about Terminator 2: Judgement Day is excellent, the film has brilliant acting, directing and the action sequences are well shot and well-choreographed action sequence. However, the best thing about this film would be the script because of how the characters have been written. The arc that Sarah Connor and also the T-800 played by Arnold Schwenegger, the character has been written to have flaws and this is because the character has to listen to John Connor. However, the T-1000 is not restricted by John Connor and this is something which is very interesting about this film. This film is excellent and is the closest film to being perfect and this is why the film is the at the top of this list because it is the best action film that has ever been made and it will stay at the top of this list for a long time.

The Equalizer- Film Review

The Equalizer- film Review

The Equalizer is directed by Antoine Fuqua and stars Denzel Washington, Chloe Grace Moretz and Marton Csokas. The film is about Robert McCall played by Washington who is an ex-special forces soldier who lives alone, and he befriend a young woman named Teri played by Moretz, but when she is assaulted by a member of the Russian Mafia, McCall takes the law into his own hands a get equal and kill the people involved. This film is very similar to John Wick in some aspects such as ex solider or hitman who is forced out of retirement out for one last mission because an event that has occurred, and the main character with a particular set of skills and we get to see them kill some antagonists. The Equalizer is particularly interesting because it is based on BBC television show that was on air on the 1970’s and this film has a lot to discuss with this film.

The first aspect of this film is that the performances are excellent, Washington is excellent as the main character Robert McCall. Washington is excellent in every film and his performance in this film makes the audience understand that this is a character who is very isolated, the character lives alone and that he reads a lot of books and that the character has OCD. This is character which the audience can invest because he is a character who has a shady past but he knows when he should do the correct thing. Chloe Grace Moretz is also excellent in this film, she is an actress which is good in most of her roles, she portrays a character which is young but she understands that the world is dark and dangerous place and all she is trying to is survive each day. Chloe Grace Moretz is very good because the audience can emphasize with her character, and her character is easier to sympathise with compared to McCall because the filmmakers have made sure that is a character everyone can understand. Marton Csokas plays the antagonist in this film, he plays Teddy a character employed by the Mafia to kill McCall, and while he has had small roles in other films such as The Bourne Supremacy, in this film the way he portrays his character is excellent, the audience can understand that this is character that is just doing his job. All the performances in this film are excellent and there is not one performance that lets this film down and this is by far one of the strongest aspects of the film.

Another strong aspect of this film would be that the action is good, the action is clear and easy to follow with the editing that makes this possible. Fuqua is a director that knowns how to make an action sequence easy to follow but very entertaining to watch at the same time. The action sequences are not edited like other action films and this means that the audience can understand what is happening and the audience has enough time to register what the characters are doing. One of the best action sequences in this film would be the first action sequence that is shown, the action is shot in slow motion and it is filmed to show where the antagonists are from the protagonist perspective and this is something which has been directed so that it is easier to follow. The action is like the first Mission: Impossible film and this is because during the action sequences the main protagonist doesn’t use a gun during the action sequences and this is because this gives the main protagonist more of a challenge and this is done well. The action is good, and while it is always clear and understandable while being entertaining the films action sequences are nothing special and the action doesn’t stand out compared to other action films within the genre and this is only a small complaint about the action sequence and this is could have done better.

The direction is excellent and this is where Fuqua stands out compared to other director, he can make competently put together films, every film has been filmed and directed very well and an example of this would be that he understands where to place his camera while making an action sequence and this is something that an experienced director understands when making an action film. Another aspect of his film that stands out compared to other films is the sounds, when Fuqua directs an action sequence he takes the sound and empathizes the sound which makes the impact of every hit and kick more intense and more impactful, this is something which not many other directors do, but Fuqua is very talented when it comes to making action films. There are some other good things about this film, an example would be that the cinematography is excellent there is not one bad looking shot in this film because everything about the technical aspects of this film is excellent. The film explores the relationship between McCall and Teri very well, and this is something which is explored in great detail so that the audience understands why McCall goes after the Russian Mafia.

However, there are some negative aspects about this film and the first thing is that the script is not very well written, during the second act McCall finds the person that is responsible for attacking Teri. McCall enters the area and we get an action sequence and the main character kills the antagonist but the film carries on, and this is where the audience get introduced to another antagonist and it seems to be more confusing. Unlike John Wick where the antagonists are established this film decides to introduce someone else. There are more issues such as the pacing is not exactly the strongest because there is some action that happens but then the main character doesn’t get involved in anymore action until the finale of the film. They could have added more action to the film and this would have meant that the pacing would have been more natural. But the biggest issue with this film would be that it is unclear why the main character gets involved in the action, they develop the relationship between McCall and Teri but the relationship is not developed enough and therefore the audience doesn’t understand why he get involved.

Conclusion

While not the strongest Fuqua film, this film does provide some entertaining action sequence and the characters are given enough time to develop, the main issue that The Equalizer has is that the script brings issues and because of this some of the character motivations aren’t very clear to understand and this is something which could have been addressed, but this is a fun two-hour entertaining action thriller and is definitely worth the watch of you have the spare time.

Rating: 7/10.