Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen - Part 2

10. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

For decades war films had taken the form of heroic tales of exciting, virtuous adventures and flattering depictions of easily-identifiable goodguys. It wasn't until the 1980's and 90's that Hollywood took a grittier and more realistic approach to portraying warfare for a mass audience. Perhaps due to the unpopularity of the particular conflict they depicted, Vietnam War movies like The Deer Hunter (1978), Platoon (1986), and Born on the Fourth of July (1989) led the way. The Second World War didn't receive the tragic, “hell on earth” treatment until movies like Saving Private Ryan came along. Simply speaking, this movie was a game-changer amongst war films. The unflinching violence, the brutal subjective camera, and the sometimes ambiguous morality of it all are now genre tropes. But back in the day, this was shocking stuff. Today the film is still held up by outstanding set design, a moving John Williams score, and some spot-on acting, especially from Tom Hanks. Well done, soldier.

9. Paths of Glory (1957)

Paths of Glory may be one of Stanley Kubrick's more underrated films, but upon watching it is clear that it stands abreast of the rest of his great work. Maybe its status as an early anti-war film which brought it a great amount of controversy in its time is the reason why it doesn't have the attention it deserves today. In any case, it serves as a great example of how institutionalized nationalism and patriotism can become a ravenous, self-destructive force. In this example, it takes the form of a witch hunt: three seemingly random French troops are being court-martialed for cowardice after their regiment failed to capture the heavily fortified “Ant Hill” in what was basically a suicide charge. Kirk Douglas gives a most impassioned performance as Colonel Dax, the officer who has chosen to defend the three. Throughout the film are great examples of Kubrick's eye for framing and camera movement: too many to list here. Just watch it, you'll see what I'm talking about.

8. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

This is an epic movie. This should be one of the fist movies that comes to mind when you hear the term “epic movie”. Not only does it have outstanding production designs, stunning cinematography, an iconic theme song, and an impressive scope, but it also has real drama in which you can't help but feel invested. Peter O'Toole does an impeccable job of portraying a man dealing with several different struggles at once: to liberate Arabia from Ottoman rule, to learn how to be a proper leader, to unite the Arab tribes into one cohesive nation, to find his own identity, to cope with the war's bloody violence, and to determine his true allegiance. Suffice it to say, T.E. Lawrence is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in movie history. If you're even a slight fan of old movies, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not watching this classic.

7. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

Face it: you're probably humming that theme song to yourself already. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is one of the most iconic movies ever made. And it's certainly one of the coolest. Words can barely describe the amount of satisfaction and just straight up fun one can have from watching this legendary film. The final entry of Sergio Leone's grand Dollars Trilogy, this flick finds Clint Eastwood playing the Man With No Name in a race to find buried Confederate gold. One problem: he has to team up with his slimy, rotten yet resourceful former partner in crime, Tuco. Played expertly by Eli Wallach, Tuco steals every scene he's in; he's one of those bad guys you love to hate. Rounding out the titular trio is Lee Van Cleef as the ruthless bounty hunter Angel Eyes. Add to this Ennio Moricone's classic score and Leone's oh-so-stylish direction, and it's no wonder why so many people consider this the best western ever made. It's certainly got my vote.

6. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

Come to think of it, this might just be the oldest feature length film I've ever seen. Despite the old-school acting style on display, it doesn't always feel like it. For its time, All Quiet on the Western Front showcased sophisticated camerawork and set piece battle scenes. They really went all in, possibly making this the first epic war movie ever made. The novel All Quiet on the Western Front just happens to be one of my favourite books and I can say that this film is very faithful in recreating the story of a group of young men who are forever changed by their experiences in WWI. It's an intense movie that doesn't shy away from distressing subjects. It's a film that has aged well, hauntingly relevant for all generations.

5. The Godfather (1972)

Mhm. Sorry to be predictable, but The Godfather really is one of the best ever. There's no denying it. It's got fabulous direction, a timeless score, outstanding performances, and a deep, tragic plot. Everybody who watches movies at all knows about it and holds it in high esteem. So why didn't I rank it at #1? Well simply put, there's a few moments in it that I think are boring. Yeah, I said it. There are a handful of boring scenes in this movie: it seemed the part with Michael in Sicily just would not end! Despite this, The Godfather is an excellent piece of cinematic history. It's just that the next time I watch it I'll make sure to have the skip button handy.

4. Taxi Driver (1976)

King Missile rejoice: I strongly believe that Taxi Driver is Martin Scorsese's strongest work. His direction with this effort is just astounding. The camerawork is so intuitive and organic, panning and following items just as a person's eyes would. (Scorsese also makes one of the greatest director cameo appearances ever in one memorable scene.) New York City's authentic 1970's dirt and sleaze just seems to permeate the screen and engulf the viewer into the film's grimy and corrupt environment. Travis Bickle, portrayed impeccably by Robert De Niro, is one of the most fascinating movie characters of all time. This depressed, lonely, paraniod Vietnam veteran insomniac is so interesting and unpredictable, you can't help but wonder what he's thinking. And that theme song: classic. In short, if you haven't seen Taxi Driver before, then do it. The whole thing is like a feel-good movie gone horribly wrong: it's the anti-feel-good movie.

3. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)

Stanley Kubrick sure does make a lot of movies about war, which is great because I like watching movies about war. Paths of Glory depicted war as unjust. Full Metal Jacket depicted war as insane. And Dr. Strangelove depicts war as a farce. With the threat of nuclear warfare hanging in the balance, the stakes have never dared to have been so high for a comedy before or since. What's cool about the world of comedy is that there's very few subjects that are taboo. Sometimes the world throws some scary stuff at you, and sometimes the only reasonable thing to do is laugh about it, which is exactly what Dr. Strangelove sets out to do. The film's got an array of memorable characters – the jingoistic Gen. Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott), the exasperated President Merkin Muffley (Peter Sellers), the mad scientist title character (also Sellers), the cowboy bomber pilot Maj. Kong (Slim Pickens), the delusional nationalist Gen. Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden), and the absurdly polite Capt. Lionel Mandrake – all portrayed excellently, bringing on home a manic energy rarely seen in Kubrick's works. Combine this with some iconic set design, some memorable lines, and the director's signature camera techniques and sense of irony and you've got what I think is the greatest comedy movie ever made. And as long as nuclear warfare is just a button-press away, Dr. Strangelove will remain just as relevant as ever.

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)

If you like movies that have a lot of dialogue, then you'll absolutely love Pulp Fiction. This movie's dialogue is so intricate and so natural and so engaging and so memorable, you'll find yourself quoting it for the rest of your life. This film's screenplay – eclectic, episodic, engaging, out of order, and delightfully awkward – very much deserved its Academy Award. It's a very original film without a single dull moment and it certainly stands out amongst all other films before or since. Pulp Fiction, a film about one (well, technically two) day(s) in the life of a bunch of LA lowlifes who espouse their philosophical beliefs to each other, is a fun movie to watch over and over again. This is largely thanks to its abundance of engaging characters. The cynical Vincent Vega (John Travolta), the hot mess Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), the defiant tough guy Butch (Bruce Willis), mob boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), and the cool Winston Wolfe (Harvey Keitel) all are really neat folks to follow. But by far the best is Jules Winnfield played by Samuel L. Jackson. This talkative, easily-excitable, badass motherf----- is one of the most entertaining movie characters of his generation. His story of redemption is the capstone on this treasure of a film. Go watch it now.

1. Apocalypse Now (1979)

I sure do watch a lot of war films, and without a doubt Apocalypse Now is the very best of them. While it's a movie that doesn't focus too much on actual combat, it does provide an epic journey through war's morality and psychology. Epic: that's the perfect word to describe this film. A hybrid of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and Homer's Odyssey, Apocalypse Now's scenes each feel like a struggle against the forces of insanity and pure evil. You can practically feel the weight of each and every bullet fired, and each line spoken feels as if it's leading to something big. Martin Sheen – as Capt. Willard – and Marlon Brando – as Col. Kurtz – each take their characters to extraordinarily dark places in haunting performances viewers won't soon forget. Director Francis Ford Coppola gives it his all on this gorgeous-looking film, lending it a psychedelic, dreamy, myth-like feel. Watching a movie like this will definitely make one understand the mindset of the US soldiers in Vietnam who went to great lengths to remind themselves of home and distract themselves from their loneliness and anxiety. Because as poor Kurtz came to understand, war tends to reveal truths about just how close to the abyss one's soul can wander. One of the film's many unforgettable lines sums this up perfectly: “The horror... the horror.” And this is what makes Apocalypse Now the greatest movie I've ever seen.

Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen - Part 1

I love writing about movies, both from a critical and a personal perspective. Reviewing movies is a fun and engaging way to talk about and appraise both our culture's artistic expression and the worthiness of the various methods by which we entertain ourselves. There are some movies that do both those jobs so conspicuously well, that I think they are worth a mention. And so for the next two weeks or so I'm counting down the Top 20 Best Movies I've Ever Seen. The rules are simple, these films need to have been theatrically released and I need to have seen them. And just so you know, I'm going to try to judge this list as objectively as I can. So don't go thinking that this is the list of my top 20 favourite movies. That one will probably come later some time.

Honourable Mentions: Koyaanisqatsi (1982), Seven (1995), Der Untergang (2005), Sicario (2015)

20. A Christmas Carol (AKA Scrooge)(1951)

Ah, Christmas movies... Who doesn't love to kick back and watch a good X-mas flick every December? And this timeless gem is one I watch every year. Even though it may seem archaic by today's movie making standards, that only seems to add to the overall “old-ness” of the film's setting. The tone perfectly – albeit somewhat retroactively – complements the story and theme of this very much Industrial Era film. I remember reading the book A Christmas Carol in elementary school and upon rewatching this film afterwards, I saw just how faithful it was to Charles Dickens's original tale. And I believe the few changes that were made in the film were for the better. The scoring is classic, and it enhances the mood quite nicely. I find this most evident in the scenes depicting the Cratchit family. They'll get you right in the feelies, they will. And lastly, who could forget the fantastic performance of Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge? In all the iterations I've seen of this story, no one pulls off the transition from bitter, grumpy old man to jovial good guy better than Mr. Sim. If there's any one film that can brighten your cold winter day and put you in the Christmas spirit, then this is it, my friends.

19. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

I remember in my grade 7 drama class my teacher showed us this film, instructing us to pay extra attention to the acting, the choreography, the drama, and the story-telling. It was the first time I recall ever watching a movie with a critical eye. And Master and Commander was a fine film to learn from. Aside from being an engaging and epic thrill with edge-of-your-seat action scenes, it has some exceptional production design and interesting characters. I love how the movie balances its focused portrayal of Napoleonic naval warfare and the relationships between characters: in particular, Russel Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey and his friend Dr. Stephen Maturin played by Paul Bettany. It's one of those films that achieves the perfect balance between story, action, and characterization. Huzzah!

18. The Revenant (2015)

Alejandro Inarritu's two most recent films – Birdman (2014) and The Revenant – have found widespread mainstream success. While the two aren't all that different in style, I believe that the Revenant is the superior of the two. This one has a more interesting setting and is just all-round more entertaining. I enjoy a good western every now and then and the Revenant has got to be the most visceral yet also the most beautiful of the ones I've seen. Each shot looks like a work of art. I've already written a review on this movie, so the only thing different I can say is try watching this movie alone some time. Take in the atmosphere, the spectacle. It's quite an experience.

17. Casino Royale (2006)

No, not the one with Woody Allen. This is the one with Texas Hold 'Em, son. If you're familiar with my blog then you probably already know that Casino Royale is my preferred Bond film. In fact I'd list it as a strong candidate for best action movie of this generation. It successfully mixes an intense, gritty (yet coherently edited, thank you) feel with the patented wit and style that Bond films are known for. I particularly love how the tone is set with the stylish opening scene and the brilliant opening credits set to hard rock music. The smart dialogue and shining performances – from the likes of Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench, and Mads Mikkelsen – will pretty much obligate you to rewatch it again and again.

16. Interstellar (2014)

Christopher Nolan has made some pretty remarkable films over the past decade an a half, but this one must be his most fascinating. How can you not love a science fiction movie that takes itself so seriously, tries very hard to be scientifically plausible, and yet sets up fantastic new worlds to explore and dire problems to solve? This type of expressive imagination is the very stuff that movies were invented for, as early as 1902's La Voyage dans la Lune. Interstellar is one of those films in which everything seems to come together perfectly: the commendable acting, the seamless special effects, masterful directing, and of course the amazing Hans Zimmer soundtrack. By the time it's over, you may be surprised to find out that it's almost three hours long. Partly because it eschews most of the long philosophical debates of other Nolan films, and partly because it's so cool, Interstellar's viewers will experience a bit of time dilation themselves.

15. The Departed (2006)

For this entry I could simply recite the lyrics to King Missile's “Martin Scorsese”, but he really does make such excellent movies. In the Departed, you'll find a great crime thriller in which the tension just builds unrelentingly as the plot thickens again and again. Featuring first-rate performances from pretty much every one of the ensemble cast members (Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Nicholson just to name a few), this film has the type of drama that you really care about without a doubt for any of the characters' intentions or motivations. As Scorsese himself has said, “This is the first movie I've done with a plot.” And that ending! The movie has a triple-twist ending in rapid succession, one that you won't see coming but will surely leave you satisfied. So get watchin'.

14. Das Leben der Anderen (AKA The Lives of Others) (2006)

I first saw Das Leben der Anderen in my Soviet Union history class a few years ago. I thought it was cool. For those of you who don't know, The Lives of Others is about a Stasi agent in 1984 who runs a surveillance operation on a suspected dissident playwright who increasingly makes the agent second guess his political and moral beliefs. Unlike most spy movies which are all about action and suspense, this one sticks to realism and is more focused on drama, making it a unique entry in the spy genre of films. Its gripping opening scene alone is enough to get you hooked for the next two hours. The historical accuracy of the film's setting and organizations is quite stunning, even going so far as to use real-life locations such as the former Stasi headquarters building. The Lives of Others also boasts terrific acting, a powerful visual style, brief moments of dark humour, clever subtlety (plot-wise), and one of the greatest and most touching endings to any movie I've ever seen. If you haven't heard of it, I would highly recommend checking it out.

13. No Country For Old Men (2007)

It seems that people love to sing the praises of the Coen Brothers' films, but for me they seem to be hit and miss. I liked The Big Lebowski (1998), but Hail, Caesar (2015) didn't do it and I just didn't get Fargo (1996). But No Country for Old Men is a film that I immediately understood. A modern neo-western thriller set in Texas in 1980, the film is loaded with deep themes typically found in most other Coen Brothers flicks. The narration, conspicuous absence of music, and impressive cinematography all work together to establish a powerful mood which is bleak and foreboding. Combine this with the standout performances of Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem and you've got an endlessly watchable gem of a film.

12. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

And here we have a Stanley Kubrick classic, one of my favourite films ever: Full Metal Jacket. What can I say about this film that hasn't already been said? It's a Vietnam War film in the style of both a drama and a black satire with loads of irony. It's comparable to Kubrick's earlier work, Dr. Stangelove (1964), but much more harsh and violent. In this film he explores the psychological effects of militarism and warfare on the individual. Full Metal Jacket depicts warfare as a grotesque machine infused with sexual frustration and child-like naivete, ultimately making it insane, much like some of its participants as portrayed here by Vincent D'Onofrio. The film's other performances are excellent, especially Lee Ermey as the foul-mouthed GySgt Hartman. It may not be the most original war movie ever made, but it sure looks pretty with Kubrick's trademark direction and it has by far the most gripping boot camp scenes of any war movie.

11. Zodiac (2007)

David Fincher is my favourite director. He has made a bunch of great movies, but if I had to pick just one as his very best it would be Zodiac. It's the first of his films that really feels complete, where his methods and style have fully matured (digital cameras, practical lighting, etc.). This is evident when you compare the film to Fincher's first serial killer movie Seven (1995), which is still really good by the way. Here Fincher uses his distinctive visual style to emphasize both the paranoia and anxiety that gripped the San Francisco bay area during the Zodiac Killer's reign of terror and also to portray the passing of time as the case frustratingly drags on and on. I actually have read the book this movie is based on and from what I recall this film is extremely faithful to its source material. It sticks to the real-life facts and accounts, even those that contradicted each other, the main source of frustration to our main characters played handily by Mark Ruffalo, Robert Downey Jr., and Jake Gyllenhaal. Lastly, Zodiac's display of highly detailed set design and seamless CG backgrounds make for an extremely accurate and convincing period drama. Overall, Zodiac is a film whose tone and subject matter perfectly matches its director's artistic sensibilities. A true masterpiece.

Stay tuned next week for the top 10!

Movie Review Repost - Fury (2014)

Continuing this week's theme of remembrance (my Hacksaw Ridge review was posted earlier this week), I thought it might be cool to repost my original review of Fury. That movie was pretty cool. I watched it again last year and I still liked it. My thoughts of it now are basically the same as before. Here's hoping that next years's big WWII movie, Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk, will match the caliber of its recent brethren.

   This week the heavy barrage of homework let up enough for me to liberate my movie theatre seat and watch Fury, a Second World War movie about American tankers. Does it succeed at becoming an instant classic or does this behemoth end up running out of gas? Let's find out!

   Fury follows the crew of the titular M4 tank who are a part of the 66^th Armoured Regiment, advancing deep into Nazi Germany in April 1945. Their assistant driver is killed and replaced by Norman, a typist who isn't prepared to take part in combat at all. Fury benefits from a strong first half which raises a lot of ethical issues. There's also a few calm scenes for character development, one of which (the apartment scene) felt a little too long. But I have to mention, this has got to be one of the grimmest movies I've ever seen. The imagery you'll see, especially in the first half-hour, is extremely rough, even for a war film.

   Unfortunately the film does sort of fall apart in the last action scene, which is so over-dramatized that it more closely resembles a cheesy video game than a badass war film. It's also riddled with questionable tactical decisions by both sides. Like why are the Germans attacking in waves? Why did they wait so long to use the rocket launchers? Is the middle of a firefight really the best time to have your troops stand in formation while you give a rousing speech? Why didn't the tankers stock up their machine gun ammo inside the tank? And most of all, why are the tankers so committed to this mission? It's importance isn't built up or explained very well like it was in Saving Private Ryan. The film also has kind of an abrupt ending without much resolution.

   At least the acting is pretty good. Brad Pitt is pretty much always good, just as he is here as Sergeant Wardaddy. Wardaddy is an interesting character; he's definitely battle-hardened but he still privately feels sadness and regret. It's a pity we don't get to learn that much about him. Shia LeBoeuf is decent as gunner “Bible” Swan, even though his character is kind of one-note. Logan Lerman does a fine job at portraying Norman. The anxiety this main character feels really comes through as it's through his view that we see the war.

   As far as I can tell, this movie's events are portrayed pretty accurately (except for the opening text crawl that says that Germany turned to total war only in April 1945. Sigh...). But one of Fury's main strengths comes from its production value. Everything looks amazing: the sets, the uniforms, and, of course, the tanks. Plus, you can actually see it! There's no stupid shaky cam or at least a very limitedly-shaky one. (Isn't it sad that I have to praise a movie for not having that issue?)

   Also I gotta say, Fury is pretty daring in that it shows US troops committing atrocities. That's pretty rare for an American WWII movie. In addition, this film refreshingly contains absolutely zero US flags.

   In short, Fury is a violent, testosterone-filled experience definitely not for all ages. Though it isn't as good as Saving Private Ryan (its story, characters, and realism aren't quite as strong), it has intense action scenes and it more than delivers on the “horrors of war”.

Rating: three and a half stars out of five.

Movie Review - Hacksaw Ridge

   Happy Remembrance Day, and what better way to observe it by seeing a nice movie about a real life dude who served his country and his God proud during the Second World War.

   Hacksaw Ridge is about Desmond Doss, a young pacifist who still wants to be able to contribute to the war effort. He tries enlisting in the army with the hopes that he will become a medic, but runs into trouble when he refuses to touch a weapon due to his religious convictions. This movie's plot could somewhat-accurately be described as a blend of the boot camps of Captain America: First Avenger and Full Metal Jacket plus the Vietnam battle scene of Forrest Gump. It's a great story of a man staying true to his beliefs. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll get scared. There's even a decent romance. This movie's got everything! Well, almost: I think it might've benefited even from just a short scene at the end where Desmond sees his family again.

   But this can be forgiven in light of Hacksaw Ridge's in-freaking-tense battle scenes. Up close, dirty, loud, gritty, and extremely violent, the battle scenes here are some of the most intense I've seen since Passchendaele (2008) or even Saving Private Ryan (1998). Well done, Mel Gibson. This is helped by the impeccable special effects and direction, recreating all the gory nastiness. Take note, this is not a film for the squeamish.

   Hacksaw Ridge also boasts some exceptional acting. Andrew Garfield as Desmond Doss is amazing. He does a great job depicting a humble hero struggling to do what he knows is right against all kinds of adversity. Hugo Weaving is good as Doss's alcoholic, shell-shocked veteran father. Even Vince Vaughn, whom I normally don't care much for, is good here! He plays the zero-tolerance, hard-as-nails Sergeant Howell leading his men through both boot camp and Okinawa. There's also a bunch of likable side characters, each portrayed handily.

   Thinking about this film beyond the surface level raises some questions. Like, “does this count as a faith-based movie?” While the main character is a very religious person who prays and reads the Bible a lot, the movie doesn't exactly shove his faith right down your throat like a lot of other religious movies do nowadays. I'd call this more of a tale of virtue/morality. Another question one might wonder is: “is this a pro-war film?” It kind of is, which is a rare thing nowadays. Although the battle scenes are depicted as bloody and terrifying, they are still very exciting, even heroic. Plus the whole movie is about a guy trying to serve in the army (saving soldiers lives) after enlisting – even though in real life Desmond Doss was drafted. At least Gibson chose to not drown his audience in a sea of US flags.

   In conclusion, Hacksaw Ridge is a brilliant film with a strong theme and stronger performances. It feels complete. It's the best war film I've seen in recent years, even better than 2014's American Sniper. If you like war movies or if you like feel-good movies that have lots of carnage and bloodshed then this is definitely one you should check out.

Grade: four-and-a-half out of five.

Movie Review - Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

   I didn't know a thing about Jack Reacher: Never Go Back going in. I didn't even know it was a sequel to something until about one day before buying the ticket. All I knew was what I saw in the trailer: that it had Tom Cruise in it and that he apparently punches the lights out of pretty much everyone he encounters. Seriously, watch that trailer; he really does nothing but knock everyone out. Kind of hilarious, really. It's as if the trailer is a spoof of mystery-action movies or something. But am I here to review trailers or movies? Stay focused, Tony.

   Thankfully, Never Go Back is a film that one can understand without having to watch its prequel. This movie follows the freelance military investigator Jack Reacher who, along with his colleague Major Susan Turner, is on the run in the US after being framed for espionage. But Jack also has his hands full taking care of a little (possible) family matter. It's an adventure that involves occasionally funny lines, but it also involves characters arguing at the drop of a hat at the littlest, most inconsequential things just like YouTube comments. The actual mystery that's uncovered is not very interesting with a total “no duh” conclusion, which is surprising given that this film is actually based directly on one of the books. And lastly, the whole thing is very uneven in a tonal/emotional sense, especially given how the movie – in particular, the final subplot – ends. The ending tries going for this big emotional, tug-at-your-heartstrings moment which the movie doesn't really earn at all. Speaking of which, who is Candice Dayton? How does she know Jack? And why did she choose Jack to file (spoiler) suit against him?

   One thing Jack Reacher 2 does have going for it is its likeable main cast. Tom Cruise, who at this point is I think trying to beat Roger Moore in the race for most leading roles in a spy film, is fun as always. Cobie Smulders is still just a little wooden at times, but you can tell she's trying and she does have good chemistry with Cruise. And then there's Danika Yarosh. She does an alright job. It's just too bad her character swings back and forth from being really smart to really dumb between scenes. The rest of the cast is unremarkable, and the villains are pretty stock for an action film.

   The action scenes are decent; they're edited competently enough. However, the rest of the film has some mildly choppy editing at times: e.g. cutting at certain points where there could have just been one uninterrupted shot. Also, while this movie isn't too effects-heavy, the effects it does have are well done.

   In conclusion, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back is a wholly unnecessary sequel with a formulaic plot and an overall generic feel. It's forgettable. Only a few decent action scenes and the main cast's likeability are what saves this film from “dead on arrival” status. And for those thinking that this franchise has a future ahead of it, I'd recommend employing the advice found in this movie's title.

Grade: two-and-a-half out of five.