Play Dirty

2025 Amazon MGM Studios

Rated: R

Length: 2 hr 5min

Action ~ Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosa Salazar, Keegan-Michael Key, Chukwudi Iwuji, Nat Wolff, Gretchen Mol, Thomas Jane, and Tony Shalhoub.

Even Robbers Get Robbed

THE BOOK:

The Hunter: A Parker Novel Paperback – September 1, 2008 by Richard Stark (Originally Published in 1962)

The Parker Novels are a collection of 24 novels written by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name Richard Stark between 1962 and 2008. The first book in the series, The Hunter was written in 1962 and was the inspiration for the 1967 movie Point Blank starring Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn and Carroll O’Connor.

FROM AMAZON:

Where it all begins: The first book in the action-packed classic crime series that’s the basis for the forthcoming film Play Dirty!

Richard Stark’s Parker novels are the hardest of hard-boiled, classic crime novels where the heists are huge, the body counts are high, and the bad guys usually win. The Parker novels have been a huge influence on countless writers and filmmakers, including Quentin Tarantino, Stephen King, George Pelecanos, Colson Whitehead, Lucy Sante, John Banville, and many more. Their stripped-down language and hard-as-nails amorality create an unforgettable world where the next score could be the big one, but your next mistake could also be your last. There’s nothing else like them.

The Hunter is where it all begin. It opens with Parker’s woman shooting him just above the belt and leaving him for dead. She and his partner torch the house, with Parker in it, and take the money he had helped them steal. It all went down just the way they’d planned, except for one thing: Parker didn’t die. From there, our ruthless antihero roars into New York City, seeking revenge on the woman who betrayed him and on the man who took his money, stealing and scamming his way to redemption.

THE MOVIE:

Professional thief Parker (Mark Wahlberg) and his partner Philly (Clifton Collins Jr.) orchestrate a daring heist at a racetrack, but the operation unravels due to a betrayal by their getaway driver, Zen (Rosa Salazar). When Philly is killed during the fallout, Parker vows revenge and begins tracking down those responsible. As he delves deeper, Parker discovers that Zen was once an elite operative in the professional death squad of South American dictator President De La Paz, whose corrupt regime oppresses her homeland and orchestrates high-stakes thefts to fund its tyranny. Zen is revealed to be connected intimately to De La Paz’s plans involving a priceless United Nations artifact known as the Lady of Arintero. Despite his thirst for vengeance, Parker initially works with Zen, using her knowledge and connections to navigate the dangerous criminal and political landscape as they plan their next heist.

As Parker assembles a ragtag crew—including the unpredictable Zen, Ed and Brenda Mackey (Peter Stormare and Brooklyn Decker), and fixer Stan Devers (David Spade)—the group embarks on a high-stakes double heist filled with shifting allegiances and escalating violence. Parker’s trust in Zen is uneasy and transactional; while he relies on her expertise and insights to outsmart the Outfit crime syndicate and the dictator’s forces, he constantly keeps his ultimate goal in mind, to avenge Philly’s death caused by Zen’s betrayal. Their complicated dynamic adds a charged tension to the team, as Parker balances using Zen’s skills while suppressing his growing desire for retribution.

The heist unfolds through elaborate cons, tense chases, and explosive confrontations, with Zen’s insider knowledge proving vital in countering De La Paz’s plans to steal and sell off the treasure, which would devastate her war-torn country. Parker’s strategy is to play along with Zen’s heist ambitions just long enough to secure the artifact and the money, while preparing to settle the old score with her personally. The film culminates in a dramatic showdown where Parker confronts Zen with the promise of either forgiveness or vengeance, underscoring the murky moral ground the characters inhabit and the complex mix of betrayal, loyalty, and survival that drives the story.

BOBBY’S TAKE:

I am a huge Mark Wahlberg fan and one of my favorites is Spenser Confidential. Play Dirty reminded me of Mark Wahlberg’s Spenser. There were also shades of Uncharted and The Italian Job as well. The beginning reminded me of an old James Bond movie where there was an action scene in the beginning and then it went to the opening credits in animation, having set up the story. It is one of those movies that splits the audience, there are those who love it and those who don’t:

Some people love Play Dirty because it’s a fun, action-packed ride filled with fast-paced heists, snappy dialogue, and wild twists. The movie delivers plenty of chaotic, stylized violence and memorable moments set in a gritty yet vibrant world. Mark Wahlberg’s Parker, along with LaKeith Stanfield’s Grofield and Rosa Salazar’s Zen, provide likable performances, and Shane Black’s trademark dark humor and energetic direction give it a nostalgic feel that appeals especially to fans of retro crime thrillers. The clever twists and the unpredictable story keeps you engaged and entertained, making it a satisfying choice if you are looking for a rebellious, no-holds-barred action-comedy.

On the flip side, some people hate it because the movie can feel overly complicated and confusing, with too many characters and double-crosses that don’t always make sense. The plot comes off as messy and drawn-out, making it hard to care about the characters or what happens to them. Mark Wahlberg’s performance is sometimes seen as too serious and flat, lacking charisma or emotional depth to truly connect with the audience. Critics also point out that the humor is inconsistent and few jokes land, which is a letdown in what’s supposed to be an action-comedy. Some find the storyline superficial and the movie lacking soul, feeling like it tries too hard but doesn’t quite deliver the excitement or engagement expected from the genre.

The character Parker from the book was intentionally all business, with no conscience and no remorse and little emotion. Shane Black is a fan of the Parker books and took his inspiration for this movie from all the novels but based it on the first novel’s story. He wanted to modernize Parker and round him out, give him some depth and emotion, make him more than just a hard core criminal with no soul. So I think that Shane and Mark succeeded in that. I thought it was good, witty, tons of action and double crossing. Here’s what I think, give it a go. Turn everything off and just get lost in the movie, don’t try to think about it too much, or dissect the plot. Just enjoy the ride!

I forgot to mention Mark Cuban, he has a cameo in the movie and is taken out by Mark Wahlberg. That is a good scene!

Turn off the lights and devices,

Make some popcorn,

grab a beverage,

and Stream This Movie

on Amazon Prime!

Spenser Confidential

Uncharted

28 Years Later

2025 Sony Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 55min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Post-Apocalyptic ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Starring: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Alfie Williams, and Ralph Fiennes.

Time Didn’t Heal Anything….

28 Years Later plunges viewers back into the bleak aftermath of the Rage Virus outbreak, delivering an intense blend of survival horror, emotional depth, and chilling philosophy. Streaming on Netflix, Danny Boyle’s latest horror chapter explores human fragility and monstrous transformation nearly three decades after the initial pandemic.

The story centers on a fortified community on the island of Lindisfarne, cut off from the mainland by a causeway. Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) prepares his son Spike (Alfie Williams in his Feature Film Debut) for a coming-of-age hunting ritual, teaching him to hunt infected with bow and arrow. Their precarious existence shatters when Spike’s mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), falls mysteriously ill. Spike escapes to the mainland with her, determined to find Dr. Ian Kelson (Ralph Fiennes), a reclusive doctor known for his troubling fixation on death.

The infected are more terrifying and evolved, exemplified by Samson, an Alpha infected with increased strength and cunning who leads vicious packs of infecteds. The film’s hunting sequences are taut and brutal, focusing on survival amid fast, relentless infected terrorizing the once-familiar landscape.

Dr. Kelson embodies the film’s somber philosophical heart. Living among the dead, he has constructed a sinister Bone Temple: a towering, macabre monument made from collected skulls and bones, including those of infected victims and fallen survivors. This shrine serves as a memento mori, a reminder of death’s permanence and humanity’s mortality. Kelson’s obsession with the Bone Temple reflects his struggle to find meaning in devastation, a fixation cloaked in ritual and melancholia.

The film opens with a 2002 scene featuring young Jimmy Crystal, a boy fleeing the initial chaos of the Rage outbreak alongside his father, a priest. His father gifts him a crucifix necklace and speaks of judgment day, embedding faith and destiny into the boy’s psyche. The movie’s closing scenes reveal Jimmy as an adult and charismatic cult leader, Sir Jimmy Crystal, whose followers share his name and mimic his appearance. This powerful connection between the innocent boy at the start and the manipulative cult figure at the end deepens the film’s exploration of trauma, faith, and power in a broken world. Sir Jimmy Crystal was reportedly inspired by the controversial British TV personality and charity fundraiser Jimmy Savile, who, after his death in 2011, was revealed to have been a prolific sexual predator.

Throughout, 28 Years Later weaves harrowing survival with emotional storytelling, including the pregnant infected woman who gives birth amid chaos, a stark metaphor for hope and life’s persistence. The dire truths of illness, betrayal, and loss underscore Spike’s journey from boyhood into brutal adulthood, navigating a savage world where faith itself is weaponized.

28 Years Later and its sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple were filmed back-to-back during the summer of 2024, allowing for a seamless continuation of the story with consistent casting and tone. The Bone Temple, directed by Nia DaCosta with a screenplay by Alex Garland, is set to release on January 16, 2026. The sequel picks up where the first film leaves off, deepening the story of Spike’s induction into Sir Jimmy Crystal’s violent cult and Dr. Kelson’s dark discoveries. Cillian Murphy reprises his role from the original 28 Days Later as Jim, making a pivotal return in the ending of The Bone Temple, which sets up the highly anticipated third film in the trilogy, which is still in development.

Why stream: With a gripping storyline, fearsome new infected, and haunting meditations on death and belief through Dr. Kelson’s Bone Temple and Jimmy’s rise, 28 Years Later offers a fresh, profound evolution of Boyle’s groundbreaking horror saga. And if you’ve come this far on the journey, watching 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, you have to watch this one!

28 Days Later

28 Weeks Later

28 Weeks Later

2007 20th Century Fox

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 39min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Post-Apocalyptic ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Directed by: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

Starring: Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Harold Perrineau, Imogen Poots and Idris Elba.

The Days Turn Into Weeks….

Following the events of 28 Days Later we are introduced to Don (Robert Carlyle) and his wife Alice (Catherine McCormack) who are hiding out in a farmhouse with an older couple and a young woman. Just as in the first movie, they are running low on food and supplies, and spend their time fortifying the farmhouse against the infected. suddenly there is pounding on the door and a young boy screams to be let in. They begrudgingly comply but soon realize that he is being chased by a horde of the infected. They soon overrun the farmhouse and Don and Alice get trapped upstairs with the young boy. As they go into another bedroom to escape there is already an infected in the room and has come between Alice and the child on one side and Don just inside the bathroom. Realizing that Alice and the child are doomed, Don self-preservation kicks in he escapes out onto the roof, down onto the ground and makes a run for the boat in the river, leaving Alice to her fate.

28 weeks later, the Rage Virus outbreak has largely ended due to the starvation of the infected. NATO forces, led by the U.S. military, have taken control of London and established a heavily guarded “safe zone” called District One on the Isle of Dogs. Survivors, including Don and Alice’s children Tammy (Imogen Poots) and Andy (Mackintosh Muggleton)who were abroad during the outbreak, are allowed to return and live under military protection. Don manages one of the apartment buildings in the safe zone, but lies to his children about abandoning their mother.

Tammy and Andy sneak out of District One to visit their old family home in hopes of retrieving personal items. There, Andy discovers Alice alive but in a delirious state. Military personnel capture Alice and bring her back to the safe zone where she is quarantined and tested by Medical Officer Scarlet (Rose Byrne). She is found to be an asymptomatic carrier of the Rage Virus, she carries the virus without symptoms but can infect others through her blood or saliva. Don secretly visits Alice, pleading for forgiveness. After a kiss, Don is infected and goes on a brutal rampage, killing Alice and sparking a rapid outbreak within the safe zone.

Scarlet rescues Tammy and Andy, believing the children may hold genetic immunity that could lead to a cure. As the infection spreads, Military Commander Stone (Idris Elba) orders mass executions in a desperate attempt to contain it. Sergeant Doyle(Jeremy Renner) refuses to comply and helps the small group, including Tammy, Andy, Scarlet, and another survivor, Sam, flee. They survive the chaos and firebombing of District One, though Don pursues them relentlessly.

In the dramatic finale, Tammy, Andy, and Scarlet reach Wembley Stadium, where helicopter pilot Flynn reluctantly flies them across the English Channel to France. However, Andy’s status as an asymptomatic carrier means the virus has now spread beyond Britain, a chilling revelation as infected emerge in Paris near the Eiffel Tower.

28 Weeks Later delivers a gripping mix of family drama and relentless horror, painting a bleak picture of survival and human frailty amid the breakdown of society. It was interesting to go back and see Rose Byrne, Jeremy Renner, Imogen Poots and Idris Elba 18 years ago. Just out of curiosity I went back and looked at what were their first movies:

Rose Byrne ~ Dallas Doll (1994). This was her 17th movie.
Jeremy Renner ~ National Lampoon’s Senior Trip (1995). This was his 12th movie.
Imogen Poots ~ V For Vendetta ~ (2005). This was her 2nd movie!
Idris Alba ~ Beautiful Mother (1999). This was his 8th Movie.

It is just as terrifying and horrific as the first with a Family’s drama over coping with the outbreak thrown in and it leaves us guessing as to what happens next, 28 years Later. And that’s what we are watching on Netflix tonight. Be back tomorrow with a review of 28 Years Later!

28 Days Later

28 Years Later

28 Days Later

2002 Fox Searchlight Pictures

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 53min

Drama ~ Horror ~ Post-Apocalyptic ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Directed by: Danny Boyle

Starring: Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, Christopher Eccleston, Megan Burns, and Brendan Gleeson.

The Days Are Numbered….

28 Days Later throws viewers into a hauntingly familiar yet utterly transformed world where a devastating “Rage” virus outbreak has brought civilization to its knees. The story begins with Jim (Cillian Murphy), a bike courier who wakes up in an abandoned hospital after a coma, only to find London eerily deserted and plagued by violent infected creatures. As he steps out into this nightmarish reality, Jim embarks on a tense journey to survive and understand the chaos that has consumed the country, meeting other survivors along the way who each bring their own fears and agendas to the fragile group.

What drives the movie beyond standard zombie thrills is its focus on the evolving dynamics between characters who are pushed to their limits. Jim’s transformation from helpless wanderer to protective leader is matched by the struggles of those around him, exposing themes of trust, morality, and desperation in a world where society’s rules no longer apply. The film explores not just the physical horrors of the infected but also the psychological challenges of facing an uncertain future while grappling with loss, betrayal, and the instinct to survive at all costs.

Danny Boyle’s direction masterfully blends high-intensity action with quieter, emotionally resonant moments that capture the vulnerability and resilience of humanity. The chilling visuals of deserted London streets, punctuated by sudden bursts of violence, create an atmosphere of constant suspense. Alongside gripping performances, especially from Cillian Murphy as Jim, the film’s pacing keeps audiences on edge, delivering scares that feel earned rather than gratuitous.

As the first film in the 28 Days Later franchise, this entry sets a powerful tone that the sequels 28 Weeks Later and the upcoming 28 Years Later build upon, expanding the story of a society struggling to rebuild after collapse. For viewers planning to dive into the whole trilogy, this original remains a must-watch for its raw emotion, innovative take on the infected genre, and unrelenting suspense that still resonates years later.

Before I could watch 28 Years Later , which is streaming on Netflix, I had to go back and watch the original 28 Days Later last night on AMC+. Tonight I am watching the sequel 28 Weeks Later , also on AMC+, then Monday night I’ll watch 28 Years Later on Netflix. See you tomorrow with a review on 28 Weeks Later !

28 Weeks Later

28 Years Later

Arcadian

2024 RLJE Films

Rated: R

Length: 1 hr 32min

Action ~ Drama ~ Horror ~ Sci-Fi ~ Thriller

Directed by: Benjamin Brewer

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Jaeden Martell and Maxwell Jenkins.

Family Is Stronger Than Fear

Arcadian drops us deep into a world where every night is a fight for survival, and every day is a fragile respite from the terrors that lurk outside. Paul, played by Nicolas Cage,, hunkers down with his twin teenage sons, Joseph (Jaeden Martell) and Thomas (Maxwell Jenkins), on an isolated farmhouse, their lives strictly organized around a nightly lockdown to keep out mysterious, predatory creatures. The film wastes no time throwing viewers into this tense routine, where every sunset brings dread and the comfort of family is tested by the constant threat from just beyond the barricaded doors.

Thomas, outgoing and impulsive, often pushes the boundaries of their father’s rules, sneaking away for brief encounters with Charlotte, a resourceful neighbor from the next farm. Meanwhile, Joseph plays by the rules and quietly studies their world, even daring to trap one of the nocturnal creatures in hopes of understanding it better. Arcadian skillfully builds drama by focusing on these sibling differences, revealing how each boy handles fear, isolation, and the flickering hope for connection in a world that’s lost its sense of safety.

A single brash decision shatters their carefully curated routine, plunging the family into a series of harrowing confrontations. As the threats evolve and old alliances fracture, the tension ratchets up, leaving Paul and his sons struggling not only against the monsters outside, but also against their own insecurities and doubts. Arcadian is less about explaining what caused the apocalypse and more about exploring how these survivors cope, adapt, and search for meaning and hope—even when the world grows darker with each passing night.

Arcadian drops you into a tense, post-apocalyptic world where survival means daylight refuge and nightly battles against terrifying creatures. Nicolas Cage quietly anchors the story of a father trying to keep his twin sons safe as the monsters evolve new ways to attack. With sharp creature design and sibling drama at its core, Arcadian offers a fresh take on the creature feature genre that fans of atmospheric horror won’t want to miss. Perfect for viewers who crave suspense and a story about family fighting to hold onto hope in a dark, dangerous world. Well worth a watch!