With amazing lines like “make my monster grow” and enough throwbacks to the original show to make any fan dizzy this is a delight.
A group of high-school kids, who are infused with unique superpowers, harness their abilities in order to save the world.
Honestly, I haven't seen much of the original the series, I know the terminology and some of the characters, the iconic song - but not the plots. There are some blatantly obvious references to the original show, which is nice for die hard fans - there’s even a couple of cameos. The acting quality varies with RJ Cyler and Bill Hader being standouts. Elizabeth Banks, while clearly having fun doesn’t seem to understand Rita and never quite commits to any one style of performance. Dacre Montgomery seems a bit two-dimensional, Ludi Lin is forgettable, but Becky G. and Naomi Scott easily hold their own.
The plot is good for an action movie, the opening 30 minutes is quite dark and the tonal change is noticeable. It’s almost as if Lionsgate saw the footage and said “too dark, this was a kids series!” The rest of the film focuses on the comedic aspects as well as some cool battle scenes. The screen writers do seem to forget about one of the character’s being autistic, as his characteristics that put him on the spectrum quickly disappear when it’s inconvenient for the plot.
Overall fans of the original can rest assured the franchise is in good hands, the CGI is great, the new suits are a little clunky, but the action sequences are awesome. The cast is a little mixed, but really it’s just a good sold pop-corn flick.
3.5 Stars
Review by Benjamin Maio Mackay
Screening courtesy of Roadshow Entertainment
Comments