Category: Adventure

The Gorge

2025   Apple TV+

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  2 hr  7min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Horror ~ Romance ~ Sci-Fi

Directed by:   Scott Derrickson

Starring:  Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Sigourney Weaver.

They’re Not Keeping You Out, They’re Keeping Them In.

Two elite snipers, Levi (Miles Teller) and Drasa (Anya Taylor-Joy), are deployed by rival powers to isolated guard towers on opposite rims of a secretive, heavily-fortified gorge. Their assignment is cryptic: defend the gorge for a full year, forbidden from communicating with each other or the outside world. Both come with heavy personal burdens, Levi battles PTSD, while Drasa is haunted by her father’s death, yet they quickly realize their mission offers few answers and even fewer reassurances about what they are actually protecting.

Despite strict protocols, the prolonged solitude and relentless vigilance foster a connection between the two adversaries. Through clever, silent exchanges and eventually bold gestures—such as a zipline crossing for an in-person dinner—their relationship grows from wary rivalry to deep affection, sustained across the chasm that separates them. This budding romance is interwoven with moments of tension and shared danger, as they fend off unidentified threats emerging from the depths and slowly begin to peel back the layers of secrecy around their mission.

Events escalate dramatically when a failed return trip leaves Levi stranded in the gorge, prompting Drasa to launch a desperate rescue. Forced to descend into the unknown, they face hostile and bewildering challenges, all while realizing that the nature of their assignment and the true interests behind it are far more sinister than either had imagined. Their struggle to survive and uncover the truth tests, not only their combat skills, but the trust and bond they have forged in the shadow of the gorge.

I went into this one without knowing anything about it, didn’t even see the trailer. Which is exactly how I think you should watch it, the less you know the better the experience I believe. Well I did know that Anna Taylor-Joy was in it, probably the deciding factor in watching it. I am a fan, there is something about Anna that is very captivating. I first saw Anna in Split and Glass, but it was her performance in The Northman and The Menu that really got my attention. And I have to say that she does not disappoint in this one, in fact I’d have to say she absolutely killed in this role.

Miles Teller I am not that familiar with, I did some research and have seen him in The Divergent movies with Jennifer Lawrence but I don’t really remember him, just his face looked familiar. I did see him in Only The Brave, I love that movie…..great true story and a well done movie with Josh Brolin. I liked him in this one and thought he did a great job. The chemistry between Miles and Anna was infectious, it felt real. I thought it was a good story, a great Romance, and a captivating Sci-Fi adventure full of Horror and action. It was good to see Sigourney Weaver again doing what she does best as well.

I liked it, I will watch it again and I highly recommend it.

Turn off the lights, crank the audio, turn off the phone,

Grab a beverage, Make some popcorn and Stream this movie

On Apple TV+

The Northman

Only The Brave

Uncharted

2022   Sony Pictures

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  1 hr  56min

Action ~ Adventure

Directed by:  Ruben Fleischer

Starring:  Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg, Sophia Ali, Tati Gabrielle and Antonio Banderas.

Fortune Favors The Bold

FROM SONY PICTURES:

Street-smart Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor “Sully” Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan and lost 500 years ago by the House of Moncada. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world’s oldest mysteries, they stand to find $5 billion in treasure and perhaps even Nate’s long-lost brother…but only if they can learn to work together.

FROM SONY PLAYSTATION:

From award-winning developer Naughty Dog, the UNCHARTED series is a cinematic action-adventure experience uncovering historical mysteries while traveling through varied and stunningly rendered environments. Join Nathan Drake and Chloe Frazer across the globe as they confront warmongers and mercenaries, unite with former colleagues, uncover forgotten histories and tackle their deepest fears to forge their legacy.

Nathan Drake

A renowned man of adventure – and mystery – Nathan Drake is a roguish explorer who’s perpetually lured by the irresistible promise of adventure, fortune and glory. Although his past is far more complicated than his carefree approach to the world (and his own safety) implies, he’s an undeniably dynamic adventurer capable of immense greatness, no matter what challenge he faces. However, is Nathan able to make peace with his past and determine what he’s willing to sacrifice in order to find happiness in his future?

Chloe Frazer

If you need someone who can talk, shoot, act or drive her way out of a sticky situation, the notorious and charismatic treasure-hunter Chloe Frazer is the one to call.

Renowned for her resourcefulness while under pressure and vast archeological knowledge, she’s an intelligent survivor who’s unafraid to acknowledge her limits. Although Chloe is remarkably pragmatic and resilient in the face of danger, she must conquer her greatest challenge: confronting her past to forge her legacy.

Victor Sullivan

Nathan Drake’s partner, oldest friend, and father figure, Victor “Sully” Sullivan is a seasoned explorer who’s well-connected in the illicit antiquities trade. Although he’s a consummate conman, Sully becomes progressively kinder and more compassionate throughout his adventures. When he’s not hatching plans for the next adventure, he’s known for cracking jokes, reminiscing on his romantic exploits (we’ll take his word for it) and protecting his loved ones.

THE REVIEW:

I have seen this quite a few times since it came out. I re-watched as it just showed up on Amazon Prime so I could review it. I have never seen the PlayStation Games that this movie is based upon, so I can’t judge it from that perspective. Judging it on it’s own merits, I think it is a fun Action Adventure Movie in the same vein as The Indiana Jones Movies. It reminds me of Red Notice with Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot.

Honestly it falls right into that category with Indiana Jones, Red Notice, The Lost City, National Treasure, Jumanji, Tomb Raider and Romancing The Stone. I liked Tom Holland as Drake, again I can’t compare him to the game version of Drake. I liked Mark Wahlberg as Sully and I really liked Sophia Ali as Chloe. Antonio Banderas was a good evil Rich kid shutting out his father over money. Tati Gabrielle as Jo Braddock was well done, this was her movie debut and I really liked her in this. Have to look for her in the future.

The way the movie ends it completely sets itself up for a sequel involving Sam, Nathan’s brother. And there are two more scenes as the credits start rolling. If you quit watching when the credits roll, you’ll miss them. The other one shows Nathan and Sully dealing with another Treasure Hunter over a mysterious map. Another Adventure? That scene ends with a complete cliff hanger…Who did they run into?

There is officially a sequel in the works and word has it that Sony intends for Uncharted to be a Movie Franchise. There is an Uncharted 2 in the works and as of right now the script is in development. The biggest obstacle to seeing the sequel anytime soon is that Tom Holland is currently filming Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and then he has another Spiderman Movie to film before he can film the sequel. So it might be a couple of years yet before we get to see it, but it is coming.

I would recommend this if you haven’t seen it, it is a great action adventure movie full of Treasure hunting. I’m a fan now and I look forward to seeing the rest of the franchise. Bring on the sequel and the popcorn!

Red Notice

The Lost City

The Old Guard 2

2025   Netflix

Rated:  R

Length:  1 hr  45min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Thriller

Directed by:  Victoria Mahoney

Starring:  Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Veronica Ngô, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Henry Golding and Uma Thurman.

Eternity Has A Price

The Old Guard Movies are based on the 2017 series of Comic Book Graphic Novels written by Greg Rucka  and illustrated by Leandro Fernandez:

  1. The Old Guard Vol. 1: Opening Fire 

  2. The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Vol. 1 

  3. The Old Guard Vol. 2: Force Multiplied 

It follows the story of a group of Immortal Mercenaries led by Andy (Andromache of Scythia) who have lived together for centuries, having found each other because of their unique abilities. Not only can their bodies and minds regenerate and heal themselves, they also have the ability to sense and find their own kind in the mortal world.  They use their unexplained regenerative healing abilities and mercenary skills learned through centuries of battle to protect the world and fight for causes they deem worthy, after having been sought out by those can afford their price.

At the end of The Old Guard we see Andy, Joe and Nicky come to a decision about Booker. They have to punish him for his treasonous actions against the group. He had betrayed their location to Copley’s boss, a Pharmaceutical Executive named Steven Merrick. Booker has become weary of being immortal having spent countless centuries dying and then regenerating. He wants nothing more but to be mortal and die. He is convinced that Merrick can identify what makes them immortal, in his search to market and profit from it, undo it and end his suffering. But it backfires when Andy and Nile storm Merrick’s headquarters in London, kill Merrick and free Joe and Nicky.

They sentence Booker to a hundred years of solitude in the world outside the group. Banished from contact with any immortals, he turns to alcohol and spends his days in Pairs, France drunk to kill the time. The very last scene of The Old Guard, six months after being banished, we see Booker stumble back to his apartment to find the door unlocked and open. He cautiously enters with his gun drawn and discovers a woman wearing a red robe, pouring herself a glass of water. “Booker’, she says “It’s nice to finally meet you.” It is Quynh…freed from the Iron Coffin somewhere in the sea that Andy tried to find for 500 years and failed to find.

Which leads us to The Old Guard 2. The very first scene of The Old Guard 2, we see a trawler with a crane on a very rough sea somewhere. It is hoisting up something from the depths of the ocean as a very anxious woman looks on. As the object comes out of the water, we see it is an Iron Coffin like the one Quynh was imprisoned in some 500 years ago. As the woman looks on the workers remove the Iron face of the coffin, and Quynh’s face emerges gasping for air. The woman is Discord (Uma Thurman), the world’s first Immortal. She has come to find Quynh and release her back into the world, knowing that Quynh’s vengeance for Andy’s betrayal will help her find the Old Guard.

Discord has lost her immortality, and plans to use Nile to regain her immortality. She believes Nile is a destroyer capable of removing another immortal’s Immortality just by injuring them. She wants to use Quynh to find them, and Nile to injure them so she can gain all of their immortality. The Old Guard 2 then moves on from the Ocean scene where Discord has freed Quynh and shifts to Croatia, where Andy, Joe, Nicky, Nile and the newly recruited Copley are storming a gun smuggler’s mansion. Copley works for The Old Guard now, finding them missions where their talents can do the most good. They kill the Gun Smuggler in a CIA sanctioned operation Copley help set up, but quickly discover that he was just a pawn.

The Croatian scene is full of action as they storm the Mansion and includes our first bit of humor as Joe loses his thumb in a fight, but grabs it, shoves it back on as it heals, and gives a thumbs up to Nicky. It also includes one heck of a car chase. And then 16 minutes into the movie we see the exact same scene from the end of The Old Guard, of Booker entering his apartment to find Quynh. And that’s where the race and chase begins. Andy, Booker, Nicky, Joe, Nile and Copley are on the hunt to figure out who, what and where Discord is and what her end goal is. And Discord is on the hunt to find them and trap them so she can get their immortality.

I was really looking forward to this, having really liked the first one. And I did like it BUT I do have some observations and questions:

  1. It felt different, it was a little off is the best way I can put it. It was funny in the beginning and the action was great, but the flavor was off if I can put it that way.
  2. Charlize, Nikki and the rest of the group were as good as the first, but it felt a little disjointed as it went on.
  3. There was a completely different Director for this one than the first and I think it shows. I don’t know if that has to do with Victoria Mahoney‘s Directorial job on this or if it was just a different style than Gina Prince-Bythewood, who directed the first one. On that level I think The Old Guard was better, felt more coherent story and scene wise.
  4. Uma Thurman as Discord seemed a little one dimensional to me, you really didn’t get a good sense of the character she was playing, again I don’t know if maybe that has to do with direction. And the fight scene at the end with Andy and Discord was less than spectacular. I feel given Charlize, Uma and the characters it should have been way more dramatic. Was it the directing?
  5. How come Discord was able to find Quynh and release her from her watery torture but Andy couldn’t find her after 500 years of trying?
  6. And once again we are left with a cliffhanger……completely sets itself up for another movie with nothing but questions in your head……..The biggest one being will we see a third movie and when? How long will we have to wait this time? And will there be ANOTHER Director? Who?

I did some research and Victoria Mahoney, who directed this one said she is absolutely hands-off for another one. She put projects on hold to direct this one and her schedule is now booked for years to come. Is that a good thing for the third movie if there is one? Beyond that there is only speculation, Netflix seems to have a wait-and-see-how-this-one-does attitude about a third movie. Greg Rucka, the Author of the books, has stated that he always envisioned the movies as a trilogy.

So I guess we shall have to wait and see. Was The Old Guard 2 worth the wait? I think it was, I like the story and am a big fan of the first one. I just think that they should have thought this through and made all three back to back with minimal time between releases. The way this story goes they belong together, they are not much good to watch independently without having the background of the story and how it has progressed.

So I think if you are interested you have to watch The Old Guard and The Old Guard 2 back to back, or at least fairly close together. Give it a go and tell me what you think.

The Old Guard

The Old Guard

2020  Netflix

Rated:  R

Length:  2 hr  5min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Thriller

Directed by:  Gina Prince-Bythewood

Starring:  Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Harry Melling, Veronica Ngo and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Forever is Harder Than It Looks

The Old Guard is based on the 2017 series of Comic Book Graphic Novels written by Greg Rucka  and illustrated by Leandro Fernandez:

  1. The Old Guard Vol. 1: Opening Fire 

  2. The Old Guard: Tales Through Time Vol. 1 

  3. The Old Guard Vol. 2: Force Multiplied 

It follows the story of a group of Immortal Mercenaries led by Andy (Andromache of Scythia) who have lived together for centuries, having found each other because of their unique abilities. Not only can their bodies and minds regenerate and heal themselves, they also have the ability to sense and find their own kind in the mortal world.  They use their unexplained regenerative healing abilities and mercenary skills learned through centuries of battle to protect the world and fight for causes they deem worthy, after having been sought out by those can afford their price.

Andromache of Scythia aka Andy (Charlize Theron), Yusuf al-Kaysani aka Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicolò di Genoa aka Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and Sebastian Le Livre aka Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) have accepted a mission from a previous client named Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) to rescue a group of kidnapped girls in Sudan. In doing so they have also broken one of their cardinal rules, never to work for the same employer twice. As they enter into their mission to rescue the girls they realize that it was all a ruse, set up to expose and document their immortality by filming them being ambushed and shot to death. They die, regenerate, come back to life and kill their attackers and realize they have been set up. They retreat back to their hideout but before they get there, they all have the same vision but each have their own details that they share with each other.

There is a newly killed and regenerated Immortal, they share the different details they all received in their visions and decipher where she is.  Andy, being the oldest, heads out to retrieve her and help her into the fold of her new life and immortality. The others head back to base to research who, what and where the responsible party is that set them up. And what follows is the adventure of Andy trying to convince the newbie who she has become and that she is one of them now, and The Old Guard and it’s newest member figuring out who has come to do them harm, and the battle to fight them and maintain their anonymity as Immortal Mercenaries.

As we go through the journey with The Old Guard and their newest member Nile Freeman (KiKi Layne), there are flashbacks to their past history and how they all met and came together. We learn of the existence of other immortals throughout history and how Andy was alone for thousands of years before she met another immortal Quynh (Veronica Ngo). I won’t go into too much more history so as not to spoil anything, but I mention Quynh because she figures pretty prominently in the movie towards the end. Except for a few flashbacks,  we don’t see her until the end and that leads us to The Old Guard 2.

According to The Author Greg Rucka,

“The series follows a group of soldiers who have been given the gift of immortality. Led by Andromache of Scythia (whom her comrades call Andy) they ply their trade for those who can find and afford their services. But in the 21st century, immortality is a hard secret to keep, and they learn that there are many fates worse than death.”

“The Old Guard was named after the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, which was formed in 1784. I wanted the story to be an adventure about invincible characters, but I decided to make them immortal, comparing them to Looney Tunes cartoon characters who are not sidelined by injuries. Halfway through the process of creating The Old Guard, I realized it was an attempt to rationalize the necessity of death after his father’s recent passing.”

“I always envisioned the movies as a trilogy. There is a complete three-part story that can be told. God willing, if it’s a success, Netflix comes back and says, ‘Hey, let’s do it again.’ There’s more to tell, and there are questions that we want to answer.”

I saw this when it first came out in the beginning of the pandemic and I really liked it. I loved the story, the fantasy of immortal beings trying to help humanity with their gift. And I really liked Charlize Theron in this, I can’t imagine anyone else playing Andy. I was an instant fan of the story, Andy’s character, Charlize and the rest of the Old Guard and the actors who played them. I watched it again last night before I watch The Old Guard 2 so I could refamiliarize myself and review it. I still like it, I think it is a great story and a great action thriller.

But the one thing I didn’t like is how it sets itself up in the end for a definitive sequel. It was obviously meant to be followed by a sequel, kind of like a weekly show. It left you hanging without resolution of the full story. I remember thinking, “I sure hope there is another one…I really like it but now I have unanswered questions. I am not really fond of movies like that, especially ones that make you wait forever for the sequel. In this case it was five years before The Old Guard 2 came out yesterday. Too long…. was it worth the wait? What happens to Andy? What happens to Booker? And what about Quynh?

Stay tuned Dear Reader,

for the next review coming your way is

THE OLD GUARD 2!

***EXCLUSIVE*****THE OLD GUARD – Charlize Theron (“Andy”); Kiki Layne (“Nile”) in “The Old Guard.” Cr. KEVIN BAKER/NETFLIX © 2020

The Old Guard 2

The Electric State

2025   Netflix

Rated:  PG-13

Length:  2 hr  8min

Action ~ Adventure ~ Sci-Fi

Directed by:  Anthony and Joe Russo

Starring:  Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito and Stanley Tucci.

“Rage with the Machines.”

THE BOOK:

The Electric State  A Graphic Novel by Simon Stålenhag   2018

In late 1997, a runaway teenager and her small yellow toy robot travel west through a strange American landscape where the ruins of gigantic battle drones litter the countryside, along with the discarded trash of a high-tech consumerist society addicted to a virtual-reality system. As they approach the edge of the continent, the world outside the car window seems to unravel at an ever faster pace, as if somewhere beyond the horizon, the hollow core of civilization has finally caved in.

THE MOVIE (Netflix Tudum):

In the world of The Electric State, the ’90s look a little different. Sure, plaid flannel shirts and grunge black eyeliner are still in, but a catastrophic war between humans and robots has left the world scarred and divided. With robots banished to a remote wasteland, an uneasy peace has been reached — but it may not last for long.

The Electric State tells the story of Michelle ( Millie Bobby Brown), a young woman traveling with a sweet but mysterious robot. The pair reluctantly team up with eccentric drifter Keats (Chris Pratt), and set out on a cross-country road trip to find Michelle’s younger brother. Along the way, they have to navigate an electrified, retro-futuristic US landscape with eerie similarities to our own time.

The Electric State is an explosive adaptation of Simon Stålenhag’s 2018 graphic novel of the same name about a young girl and her small yellow toy robot who travel west through a high-tech wasteland. The Russos’ version takes the story concept and runs with it, expanding the world while remaining true to the emotional threads Stålenhag weaved into his work.

“I’m blown away by the movie,” Stålenhag told Netflix. “It was an amazing experience watching things that I have drawn come to life this way. What resonated most with me was the emotional core of the movie, which is the need for family. Even though the movie has changed genre from the book a bit, that main core is still the same and has been expanded on beautifully.”

The Russos and writers Markus and McFeely were in communication with Stålenhag throughout the film’s development, and he was pleased to see the creative liberties they took to make the film stand on its own. “They asked me questions about the timeline and backstory, but it’s their work,” he said. “They’re the best in the world at what they do, and to see them work on a project that comes from me, it’s beyond satisfying, surreal. I am so positively surprised by the end result.”

THE REVIEW:

I didn’t know that the movie was based upon a book until after I watched the movie. I included a lot of information about that because I think I would have had a better appreciation of the movie if I had known that going in. After the fact, looking at the illustrations of the book, the movie does a great job of bringing those illustrations and the book to life. I love Millie Bobby Brown and I think she was good in this, but I don’t think the movie would have survived with another actress. Chris Pratt was good as well but I think the stars were Millie, Cosmo and Devyn Dalton. Devyn Dalton is the Motion Capture actress that played Cosmo.

I appreciated all the robot characters, they started to grow on me. Herman (Anthony Mackie), Mr. Peanut (Woody Harrelson), Popfly (Brian Cox) and Penny Pal (Jenny Slate) were my favorites, after Cosmo of course. Yes, they started to feel like human beings to me. They drew me in to their struggle to be accepted. Robots co-existing side by side with Humans. And to quote Millie in the end, “We are going to do it right this time.” I liked it, but if you don’t like Robots and Sci-Fi, you’re gonna think it was dumb.

Again, take a look at the book the movie was based on, you’ll appreciate it more.