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Dark

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Vampire Owl: We are the true people of the dark and stays further in darkness.

Vampire Bat: Darkness has been our ally for many centuries.

Vampire Owl: There is no light that has taken away our darkness.

Vampire Bat: We have traditionally been against the spreading of light.

Vampire Owl: Light has created more scope for evil as humans can see in it.

Vampire Bat: Yet, humans are blind to goodness and honesty.

Vampire Owl: These had ceased to be considered qualities of humans long ago.

Vampire Bat: Well, evil has always been easy to find among humans.

Vampire Owl: There is a famous quote attributed to Dr. Frankenstein related to the same.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has no quotes relevant to us. We should only refer to Uncle Dracula for interesting and useful quotes.

[Gets a chicken curry puffs and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: Vignesh (Ajay Karthi) is a rationalist who tries to live life in his way, just arrived in Chennai from Bangalore for a few months for his work. Despite his family’s attempt to interfere, he decides not to stay with his uncle living in the city, and looks for a place to live near his office, even though he can also take the work from home option if necessary. While facing many problems due to his bachelor status, high rent and temporary nature of stay, he comes across a two-storied house offered at an unusually low rent by an elderly landlord who lives in the ground floor, Karunakaran (K. Bhagyaraj). Despite the owner’s warnings that the house has a terrible reputation due to three youngsters committing suicide there, Vignesh decides to take the option, believing in his faith in rationalism over everything else. There he also meets Karunakaran’s young daughter Priyadharshini (Anchana Nethrun) who does not show an interest in talking to him, and the father also shows no interest in introducing her as he is only bothered about having someone stay in the house for some time.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: While Karunkaran finds this three-month stay of Vignesh as an option to have people believe that there is no problem with the house, as different people had run away from the rented upper floor complaining about ghosts or some terrifying presence which haunted them. The whole neighborhood had considered the area to be a haunted one, but Karunakaran assures him that he had seen no ghosts there despite being always around, and still tells him that he can leave – the rationalist in Vignesh still decides to stay and even opt for more of work from home option. But soon Vignesh experiences sleep paralysis, terrible hallucinations and bizarre apparitions, and comes to know that one tenant there had killed the other two and set himself on fire, as he see burned people and moving shadows all around. The television gets switched on by itself and keeps playing the same song and the same books keep falling down the shelf and more follows. Now, he wonders if he remains sane, but further feels that he might in grave danger – can he escape from this terror?

The defence of Dark :: The movie focuses the most on psychological tension, and the same also helps in adding further to the overall red herrings, which finally ends in that effective twist. There is also no meaningless romance or humour added here that would have devastated the mood as we consider the fact that the movie is based on mood rather than anything else. The background score and some quick appearances of scary visuals keep us going, and keep the genre going with its classic values. The movie never really extends its stay either as less than two hours make its existence right within the time-period in which we have the attention. The premise was too good, and the first scene had really caught our attention, followed by a second level of terror, making us wonder how well the world can be determined from there. We can feel the possible eternity of horror with the early shock and scares being provided. There is that feeling when something terrifying is to jump out of darkness and create that memorable experience.

The claws of flaw :: The movie could have been more direct and the confusion that it creates in between blurring reality and thoughts, and connecting them with horror, does not work that well at all times. It often gets down to the familiar haunted-house formulas with the random strange noises, forced nightmare sequences and a tragic past which does not use the best advantage. The pace keeps varying, with some moments feeling rather strange, and often not suitable to go through the flow otherwise. The police investigation is also not given that much of a focus despite that being the source of information about the past. One still keeps wondering why a perfect closure was not given for the tale, and the ghost just seems to have been unleashed and left so to act too strange, even though there were many direct methods for the creature to unleash itself and do its work. A few better moments from the distant past could have also served well. This kind of movies should have always had the power of a detailed past, but the same is not served here – the twist also comes in a little too smooth manner.

The performers of the soul :: Ajay Karthi has us going through the horrifying journey with him, as he carries the full weight of the film. He shows a certain amount of physical and mental deterioration from the confident rationalist to a man caught in a supernatural web from where escape seems almost impossible – the change from a confident professional young man into an insomniac pushed to the edge of hopelessness and sanity is shown naturally. The pain of going from one extreme to the other is nicely reflected through his performance. Anchana Nethrun brings the surprise here, as she becomes the centre of a tragedy as much as going through the core of horror. Her performance shows some vulnerability and a certain amount of melancholy as the tragic history of the house slowly comes to light. The emotions work strongly whenever she is around, as the abiding sadness keeps creeping in. At the same time, Bhagyaraj brings the strength of a veteran older generation to the horror narrative, while serving on the realistic side. Natarajan Subramaniam brings the feeling of enquiry to the same.

How it finishes :: This happened to a surprise good horror that came out of nowhere, as we did not even know about the release of such a movie – yet, it falls short of where it should have reached in the end. The movie feels ambitious and could have been something like Demonte Colony with sequels as an expansion could serve really well, or at least move on the Pechi mode. The strong and emotional performances along with the quick shocks in the darkness almost got it there, but in the end, had it limited in scope. The pace problems with some predictability, and the limits of setting, without that much focus on the psychological side by the end, has us asking for more. The scary side surely had some fine initial push, especially with those moments in the beginning. With better focus on the world and by spreading the evil, this can still gain more through some well-made sequels. The attempt at divergence and experimentation that comes though are to be appreciated here, and other movie industries also need more attempts at horror.

Release date: 3 July 2026
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed by: Kalyan K Jegan
Starring: Ajay Karthi, Anchana Nethrun, Natarajan Subramanian, K Bhagyaraj

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Salmokji

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Vampire Owl: I once knew a smart vampire with this name.

Vampire Bat: This is not a name for any kind of vampire.

Vampire Owl: But vampires can take on any suitable name as desired.

Vampire Bat: You should know that some names are more suitable than others.

Vampire Owl: Our realm takes all names with respect.

Vampire Bat: You can’t name a vampire as a mosquito just because both drinks blood.

Vampire Owl: I do not see a connection between the two cases.

Vampire Bat: Well, vampires make the best connections.

Vampire Owl: I know that Dr. Frankenstein makes even better connections.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein lacks connection in his head. Even Uncle Dracula knows the same.

[Gets a wonder cake and three cups of black tea].

What is the movie about? :: In a digital street-view mapping company, the people-in-charge finds out that some area in the footage they are using to be blurred, right at the edge of the foggy and deserted area near Salmokji Reservoir. Facing a deadline which needs quick resolution, Producer Han Su-in (Kim Hye-yoon) volunteers to lead a field crew to the reservoir to re-shoot the coordinates and remove the glitch from their map, as her senior was not able to do so. Su-in reaches the place with a small production unit, including her junior colleague Woo Gyo-sil (Jang Da-ah) and camera crew members Director Choi (Kim Jun-han) and Assistant Director Min (Kim Young-sung). As they try to mount the 360-degree cameras to their vehicle, the weather does not seem to be that good for their work. There are also some strange optical distortions, and the vehicle’s navigation system is also not working that well. There are some strange frequencies which bring some murmurs, captured in their devices too, while some of their equipment goes missing.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Su-in’s support and former boyfriend, Yoon Gi-tae (Lee Jong-won) drives out into the countryside to deliver new equipment and help the confused team, after she made a call to the Head Office. As Gi-tae reaches Salmokji, he finds out that it is too late for a shoot as total darkness has enveloped the area, and with the crew’s communications not working, it would not be easy to find them – they would still need to complete the shoot by early morning so that the same can be uploaded before office hours begin. Meanwhile, the strange reservoir begins to work on the team’s vulnerabilities, bringing some confusing and at times terrifying acoustic hallucinations of drowning victims, and the voices of their loved and deceased ones also come into the picture. They try to leave the area, but the map only keeps leading them to the same place, and they wonder if the strange woman whom they saw on the way with stones had something to do with all of these. Can they escape what seems to be a force of nature or will they be killed?

The defence of Salmokji: Whispering Water :: The darkness used in the strange abandoned area nicely works, and the use of the water and its related evil presence keeps the movie going strong with that touch of fear – the same is amplified with the sound effects which works so well; the moments of throwing the stone to the other side and it coming back in another form quickly caught our attention. Then, the first appearance of the thing out of water and the police scenes remain memorable. The climax is unexpected and nicely brings the horror back, and even nicely sets the world for a possible sequel. As this is supposed to be based on real urban legends based on a reservoir and water, things only get more interesting, as we consider the history behind the same. Unlike those found-footage movies which managed to get more attention than they deserved, the devices including the cameras and videos are used in the best manner without getting overdone or standing in the way of the overall mood. Some shots seem to be done to maximize the effect even with minimum special effects.

The claws of flaw :: Despite the scares being present, we do feel that some of them are just forced, and serves more or less as the quick jump scares which come out of nowhere just for the sake of being there. The characters are not that detailed, and most of them do not feel that smart when we look at them from a distance. A lot of background surely goes missing around here. The supernatural entity along with the mythology in which it stands, as well as whatever folklore or urban legend it is based on, remains mostly unexplored, which leaves the movie with an incomplete feeling. One would feel that some kind of exploration related to the same will be around in the last moments, but the same is not there to be found. We have kept looking for the same throughout the movie, and by the end, we get so close, but we see things going the unexplained way again. Sometimes, the camera also goes strong, and not that interesting to follow. A few more moments that goes back to the folklore with a flashback would have served well too.

The performers of the soul :: Kim Hye-yoon remains strong at the core of the movie, with an emotional side that works well with her. She does not go with the typical horror scream-queen tropes, and instead goes for calmness and exhaustion that follows. Her depiction of a certain emotional overload facing hallucinations works really well. She would make a fine part of a usual horror movie as well. Lee Jong-won’s support is to be noted, as he remains the sanest character who makes more smart decisions than any other. Jang Da-ah seemingly brings the less experienced younger member to life, and there is also a certain amount humour that goes on with a certain cuteness factor; she is also someone we hope to see surviving. Kim Jun-han as Woo Gyo-sil brings some more horror with a different character that comes into the picture with some mystery behind his actions. There is always something about this character who goes multi-faced. Kim Young-sung as Song Gyeong-tae had something to add as a strong character too.

How it finishes :: The movie goes through a smooth Korean folk horror journey even though it does not bring anything that grand or divergent in character. There are moments that make it stand apart from other horror movies, and it surely has enough scares to make an impact despite the idea being not that refined to make the best impact. The performances being good surely supports the cause here too. The reservoir here is not just a spooky set piece, as it is successfully transformed into an ancient presence that brings unlimited horror, even though not that much explained or unleashed as one would have wanted it to be. This would have been Korean horror’s most effective slow burn folk-horror with a little bit more attention, but we do not see that much of an effort here. But we know that we get enough dose of scares around here, and there is a certain amount of satisfaction related its divergence. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video among those other horror movies of the year, some of which are not even worth being categorized into that genre, and is surely worth some attention.

Release date: 17 April 2026
Running time: 95 minutes
Directed by: Lee Sang-min
Starring: Kim Hye-yoon, Lee Jong-won, Kim Jun-han, Kim Young-sung, Oh Dong-min, Yoon Jae-chan, and Jang Da-ah

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Jester 2

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Vampire Owl: It is time we appoint a Vampire Jester in the court.

Vampire Bat: The times of vampire entertainers are over in our world.

Vampire Owl: You think that Uncle Dracula would not need one to keep him not so serious?

Vampire Bat: I think that you are talking about the Vampire Clown.

Vampire Owl: I object to that usage because they call Dr. Frankenstein by that name.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has always been a clown of science.

Vampire Owl: You know the greatness of the scientist Frankenstein soon enough.

Vampire Bat: Please keep the castle out of strange pseudo-science and related experiments.

Vampire Owl: I would have liked the castle to have all the credit for great experiments.

Vampire Bat: There is no greatness in fake experiments which bring nothing useful.

[Gets a parippu vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: A Halloween night begins, and a terrifying mute figure wearing a scary clownish mask and an orange suit is shown to kill a man at night in the streets after showing him a magic trick, and this happened after he had caused the death of a young man at a costume party after a little performance. This man of illusions and magic tricks, the Jester (Michael Sheffield) keeps walking through the streets, seemingly look for more victims. At the same time, a lone teenager Max (Kaitlyn Trentham) decides to get out of her home to walk through the streets wearing an oversized top hat and a hand-stitched magician’s tailcoat, staying close to the mood of the season and following a trick and treat model. Max has always been a social outcast, bullied all the time by the friends who study with her, and she is also not really liked by her mother and sister, both of them considering her to be too weird and not mentally grown up enough for her age. Her only place of refuge is an antique magic shop managed by Willie (Dingani Beza) who has served as her mentor, also teaching her some tricks of illusion in the process.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As she sits at a diner all alone at night, on the opposite seat, the Jester arrives to sit in a friendly manner. As he takes out a deck of vintage playing cards, and tries to go through his usual activity, Max recognizes the idea of the illusion, and as taught by Willie, she brings a counter-trick, and beats him in his own game. The Jester finds theatrical routine falling apart and deeply enraged by a teenager beating him, slams his hand on the table and leaves as she wonders about what just happened. She finds out that the Jester is a supernatural entity who has turned the entire neighborhood into a location where he is going to perform through a night of blood and gore. He stalks local residents, and darkness has become his ally, with Halloween masks an added advantage. Max witnesses one of his acts of brutality as she goes with him as he had invited him to go to a home for trick and treating. She understands that this is something supernatural.

And what more is to follow here as horror makes more claims in the Halloween night? :: She tries to escape from him, but ends up in a strange place under the control of the Jester where he explains that he needs her to join him and perform tricks instead of him as she had beaten him in his own game of illusions. Only then, he can claim souls this time, and she has to lead the way. She instantly disagrees to the same, but then learns about the consequences which would lead both her souls to eternal torment as a result of a pact which he had made with an evil entity whose existence goes a long way back. She partially agrees to help him by leading him to the people who bullied him earlier and provide him with their souls. But when she reaches one of such victims, finds herself unable to have the Jester murder him. But with time running out and the Jester determined to claim souls and with her own life at stake, she has to find an alternative, as her family is also targeted by the evil entity of Halloween. Can she escape from this situation which seems to be inescapable from all known angles?

The defence of The Jester 2 :: The movie stands tall with Michael Sheffield’s work as the Jester at its strongest. His silent theatrics in the orange suit and scary mask give him a genuinely striking visual presence reminding one of tricksters and evil clowns. Kaitlyn Trentham also nicely blends in here as the girl who seeks for a better situation in life, and at least to be considered a person of importance. She will make a big impression as a scream queen with more horror movies. The Halloween mood also brings the aesthetic with street carnivals, people in the classic costumes, neon-lit small town and spookiness never leaves, as the visual score remains high. Instead of remaining just a mindless slasher, the attempt to weave in an emotional core about loneliness can be seen, and the Jester is also more than what meets the eye. The magic and illusions getting into murders also have our attention, as the usual random murders are no longer at the main focus. The twisted world keeps us feeling that there is something about it than what meets the eye.

The claws of flaw :: The movie seems to have a certain amount of confusion about what kind of an entity Jester really is, as we find him as many different things at once, and in the end, he is taken apart rather too easily despite being such a creature of evil and darkness set in a world of chaos and illusions – he could have been a force of nature from the abyss of evil like no other. The Jester could have been that kind of a creature bigger than all evil clowns as we have seen in It or Terrifier. The lack of pace also brings some worry in between. The presence of uneven CGI along with those visual tricks keeping itself cheap might be because of a lower budget – much more could have surely been achieved. The dramatic side with the mother-daughter could have been stronger with more moments, and sisterhood elements also deserved something better than what we had around here as just a quick scene and references. The mentoring with the magic and some stylish illusions would have also made a classic background.

How it finishes :: There was always a lot of scope with this kind of a premise, and we had hoped for more. Yet, this remains interesting throughout its run, even when things slow down a bit. The Jester 2 rests mostly on the strength of its visuals with the atmosphere and some nice tricks, along with the performances from those who plat the protagonist and the antagonist. We can hope that the ritualistic purpose of the creature gets expanded on another day with one more sequel, or a prequel from a long way back, as this is one concept that can keep the horror strong. Facing a seemingly unstoppable force from the depths of unknown will always have our attention. A future sequel with a bigger budget can bring something to remember for a long time. For now, it is available in both Amazon Prime Video and Jio Hotstar, making sure that we have nicer slasher from two of the best OTT platforms available in India. After all, these are the kind of platforms which we use more due to special offers which come from mobile phone recharges and other sources.

Release date: 17 October 2025
Running time: 90 minutes
Directed by: Colin Krawchuk
Starring: Michael Sheffield, Kaitlyn Trentham, Dingani Beza, Jessica Ambuehl

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Runner

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Vampire Owl: We have always been referred to as night runners by humans.

Vampire Bat: That is a title reserved for the creatures of spirit world.

Vampire Owl: I have heard humans calling us by that name.

Vampire Bat: It is because you haunted houses like evil ghosts.

Vampire Owl: That was like a few hundred years ago.

Vampire Bat: You should have known that they write it down in detail.

Vampire Owl: Well, humans no longer read or write anything by themselves these days.

Vampire Bat: They will still get the details from their own Artificial Intelligence.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein has said that Artificial Intelligence was transferred from shadow world to humans.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein knows no shadow. I have heard that he is even writing a book named “Frank’s Shadow’s of Infinity”.

[Gets a sambar vada and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Maia (Gal Gadot) is a prosecutor who deals with some of the most sensational cases, thus becoming almost a celebrity in the same. She also serves as single mother to her diabetic son Noah (Rory Wilmot) as they live in London going through a happy life. On the day she is supposed to appear in court for the trial of a notorious crime boss, the health and figure conscious Maia goes for a run after dropping off her son in the school campus, not walking him to the building. As she keeps running, she receives a call coming from Noah’s phone from an anonymous person who declares himself as an employee of the dreaded crime lord. He tells her that Noah is with him, and orders her to go according to his instructions so that the boy does not succumb to his diabetes-related problems. He also lets her know that he has hacked her phone, revealing details of her hidden folders and her semi-naked private pictures which she found there to make her believe – he tracks her each step as she is supposed to keep the mobile phone with her, which leaves her unable to call or talk to others for help.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The Caller (Damian Lewis) shows her a trashcan from where she is able to find a gun which she is to use to murder the key witness in the case of the crime lord. As the witness is under police guard, only she can have access to the man in him room which is at an undisclosed hotel set in an area which only a few people know about. Facing the death of his son in one hour and with the Caller having not only her semi-nude private photos, but also other private details from a complicated troublesome past which could destroy her reputation, she has to act and run fast as she can, as there could be restrictions on her path ahead during the busy hours. As she tries to contact Ted (Alfred Enoch) who works with her and has shown a certain romantic interest in her after snatching someone else’s phone, he reveals that he had hacked his phone too, and she understands that she is helpless and completely in control of the unknown man who holds her hostage while her son has gone into coma and faces death with only a few minutes remaining.

And what more can happen here with a child’s life and a woman’s reputation at stake? :: The Caller intends to take the easiest path to murder the man in safe security and at the same time also destroy the life and reputation of the woman who played a major role in having the crime lord in peril. It is revealed that he had hacked the two mobile phones a long time ago, and has this one perfectly planned leading to a perfect murder, knowing Maia’s history of being orphaned and divorced, as well as her mental problems and medicines which she has been taking for mental health. With her mother murdering her father, he considers her to be someone who has a history of violence and brutality in blood along with that mental illness, making her the perfect choice to commit this murder. As she is disturbed by him talking about her disturbed past, mental problems and semi-naked private photos, she is struck by a car on the road, and awakens some minutes later in an ambulance, understanding that she is a lot behind with time. Now, she has to run faster than ever by taking the best shortcuts in the city to even stand a chance to make it – she is not supposed to use any transportation, talk to anyone or draw attention to herself. Can she race against all odds with the injury and reach the location to murder the man?

The defence of The Runner :: The movie lasts for less than one and half hours which makes this one a perfect quick journey through a classic run through London. The charm of the visuals of one of the classic combinations of the ancient and modern has us interested as much as the thrills of the terror with a terrifying killer knowing everything about you while keeping your most loved one hostage – the running is nicely managed throughout the movie which is all about the same and happening within the Aristotelian classical unities. As this follows one main storyline and action, with no subplot, with everything taking place within a single 24-hour day and confined to a single physical location of London city, this is a classic journey which is past-paced while moving through a single small world. The feelings of the protagonist is nicely felt, and Gal Gadot is a perfect choice for this role, as she delivers another thriller outside the big action thrillers like Red Notice and Fast and Furious series or the Wonder Woman and the rest of the Justice League world. Gal Gadot running through a city with unparalleled determination is a sight that we will remember for long.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not hesitate to show itself as a cliché or a deviation from previous movies at times. Gal Gadot who handles the physically demanding nature of this sprint could have also had some big stylish sequences at high pace which would be above the ordinary, but we see it kept ordinary and simple, below the huge situation that we have around here with a high-profile case and a dreaded crime lord involved. There could have also been more life-threatening moments to go with the same with the protagonist taking so many more unexpected risks. Some of the effects used to make the running feel tiring, hectic and tensed do not work that well, as camera focusing on her from different angles including bird’s eye, from the floor and third-person chasing her would have been stylish – maybe the protagonist could have jumped on the roofs, gone through windows, taking some strange paths through less taken paths; all of these could have been added here and there. The final moments are not that strong too, and the solution here seems rather easy and quickly achieved without that huge tension in the end which we had awaited.

How it finishes :: The film’s biggest asset is its pace going under that one and half hour of time which is often a minimum for most movies, and it goes through a fast and furious journey through the streets and transit systems of London despite the struggle that comes by the end. Gal Gadot brings some classic physical stamina to a role that requires continuous sprinting and some near-perfect movies along with those emotions that need to be displayed in between. It is more or less like an adrenaline-fueled workout run that can keep one extra-healthy if done every day without failure or those injuries. The movie’s inability to bring that tension in the end and the easy solutions are not what we had in mind considering lives and privacy at sake. As the final act abandons its gained momentum for those strange twist revelations, what it had accumulated do not stand that strong. But we enjoy the tension, and the short run-time has us always in focus. As this released directly to Amazon Prime Video, this makes a fine weekend watch on the OTT with the entertainment going at the right pace.

Release date: 2 September 2026
Running time: 84 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
Starring: Gal Gadot, Damian Lewis, Rory Wilmot, Alfred Enoch

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

They Will Kill You

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Vampire Owl: They used to say these words about us related to killings.

Vampire Bat: They do this at a time when humans are the real killers.

Vampire Owl: I still wonder why they are not extinct yet.

Vampire Bat: Evil always finds a way to survive and destroy others.

Vampire Owl: For them, death leads to afterlife and not to the undead status, so they will.

Vampire Bat: Yes, we do not accept evil humans as vampire anymore.

Vampire Owl: Have you seen any good human in the last few years.

Vampire Bat: You know that I do not meet humans anymore. Too much evil around them.

Vampire Owl: All the evil overlords have always been human.

Vampire Bat: Well, humans have always been good with black magic and the chaos nodes which channel their powers.

[Gets a mango burfi and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Asia Reaves (Zazie Beetz) is coming out of a troubled past which involved a lot of time being spent in prison after she shot her abusive father. Coming out of her troubled past, she goes searching for her sister Maria Reaves (Myha’la) who was taken away by the same abusive father, and arrives at the Virgil, a huge high-rise building in New York City, posing as the new maid appointed by the special extra rich people who choose to live there. She had gathered information anything anyone last knew about Maria was that she had taken a job was a maid there, and people who take the work is never really seen outside. Lily Woodhouse (Patricia Arquette) tells Asia that the building is more than one hundred years old, and she expects her to do good work for the wealthy and elite which leaves no room for mistake. She is also given a well-arranged beautiful room to stay for the day. She meets Lilly’s husband Ray Woodhouse (Paterson Joseph) who leaves a message “They Will Kill You” on the mirror of her bathroom, but she misses the same as she moves directly into the shower and fog on the mirror erases the same.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Asia notes that there are some strange sounds coming from within the walks, and while she is sleeping, a masked man attacks her, and while trying to fight back, both of them get knocked out. Soon, a few other masked people also come in from the ventilation shafts and secret passages in the room. But she wakes up and manages to fight back. They are surprised to find Asia armed and highly skilled at defending herself, managing to kill all of the assailants despite being outnumbered, thrown around and beaten up. Asia gets out of the room only to find Lily and she demands the location of Maria, who is known to work as a maid at the Virgil. But Lilly only laughs at her while Asia’s attackers resurrect, forcing her to run from them to hide herself in a room, only to find out that the windows of the building cannot be broken, and later to be stabbed by a little boy on her back. She then seeks refuge in the building’s vents, clueless about what is happening around her.

And what more happens here as something more terrifying awaits at each turn? :: Asia who manages to survive against the chasing Sharon Vanderbilt (Heather Graham) despite almost being at the receiving end of the blows, and is saved from others by Ray who explains that the Virgil is a dedicated temple to Satan, and the residents have been granted immortality by performing human sacrifices by capturing and ritually killing the young women looking for jobs as maids. He guides them through the vents and above the room of lust with naked people going through orgies of sexual activities, as Ray tells them about the other deadly sins being openly practiced within the building to please Satan. Sharon who whose head was destroyed by Asia’s shotgun had her eyeballs following them though, and they find Maria only to understand that she does not wish to leave the place at all. She tells them that she had dedicated her life as a maid there and knows what goes on there, making her a part of the Satanic pact. Asia knocks her out and tries to leave only to be hunted by the Satanists. Can the sisters make it out alive?

The defence of They Will Kill You :: The situation which is darkly comedic, but with a stylish approach to action and violence, with fights very much interesting at all times – there is nothing much that one can expect here more than what we see on the screen here. Zazie Beetz whom we know the best from Deadpool 2 is a perfect scream queen survivor fighter here too, as she goes through the fights and maintains that emotional weight, as she balances her feelings with survivalist action – the first fight in the room is too good with style and fun as she excels right there, with those unexpected moves and sets the tone really well for what is to follow in the movie later; there is even a nice, funny side to that battle. The environment really works in favour of the movie too, as the eerie, isolated luxury high-rise building provides a claustrophobic atmosphere which leaves one with no chance to escape and no help to be taken from outside. The use of Satanism also works in its favour like in Psycho Killer, as the terror feels like having some other-worldly influence as escape seems more and more difficult.

Positives and negatives :: The movie’s situation nicely resembles the sequel to Ready or Not which released this year with its own sisters in trouble to due to a group of families hunting them within a closed space in a luxury land property instead of this luxury building rising high. The Satanic presence was also around in that movie, and the similarities still point out the differences, with this one not being that serious, and the humour here is surely stronger with more focus on horror, while the earlier movie felt more serious and further emotional about sisterhood. The movie’s brutality might not be acceptable to everyone, but there is a certain amount of balance maintained there too. The shift between the genre can also feel strange at times. The style also takes over a little bit too much, and some elements of possible horror seems to be left unattended as the terrifying seriousness is not set as the most significant thing here. Myha’la and Heather Graham also deserved more fights here, but they are very good when they go through the same.

How it finishes :: This might be one of the most fun-filled survival horror thrillers that you might ever see in a long time, as the way in which it serves the purpose has to be appreciated. One would feel that some smaller moments could have been taken differently, but that would go unnoticed unless the viewer is digging a lot deeper. We note that this one became an entertaining watch like not many others could accomplish with similar situations. The social message about the rich hunting the poor is also there, and we see how evil has its roots in the influential sides, maintaining its terror really well. The action here is too good, and the surprise provided by the first fight in the room scores higher than ever, with another big fight in the darkness and the final battle making impact too. If you are looking for an inventive, gory, survival-based thrill ride with big action, this is the one entertainer that you are looking for, and the same can be accessed through Jio Hotstar, with Zazie Beetz stealing the show so well.

Release date: 27 March 2026
Running time: 94 minutes
Directed by: Kirill Sokolov
Starring: Zazie Beetz, Myha’la, Paterson Joseph, Tom Felton, Heather Graham, Patricia Arquette

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Calendar Killer

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Vampire Owl: I was once called the Calendar Vampire.

Vampire Bat: It is quite an absurd name for a vampire.

Vampire Owl: I am an owl who has a calendar collection. So, that works.

Vampire Bat: What does a centuries-old vampire who lost track of time do with a calendar?

Vampire Owl: I am aware of the passage of time and dates.

Vampire Bat: I would always doubt your awareness.

Vampire Owl: Is it because I admire the work of Dr. Frankenstein?

Vampire Bat: What Mr. Frankenstein is doing is more like the lack of work.

Vampire Owl: I would appreciate Frankenstein the scientist all the time.

Vampire Bat: As someone who keeps killing dead people through experiments.

[Gets a sweet samosa and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: Jules Tannenberg (Sabin Tambrea) works at a telephone helpline service which has the limited duty of talking to people walking home alone, especially women, and help them to go on and make sure that they reach home or their immediate destination safely. He is someone who was only recently widowed, after his wife committed suicide and had also lost two of his three children at the same wretched hour. He has successfully completely a good number of walks through phone with possible victims, saving many from harassment. One day, he gets distressed call from Klara Vernet (Luise Heyer) who seems to be in a lot of panic. Klara tells him that she was targeted by a psychotic murderer known only by the media-provided pseudonym, Calendar Killer. This particular killer who had risen to a celebrity status through social media and new channels is known to mark his victims’ death dates in advance on the walls of their homes with a horrifying ultimatum, “Him or You” which means that one among the husband and wife will be murdered, unless one partner kills the other.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Jules attempts to keep her calm and guide her through phone, he suspects that there is domestic violence involved, and more details about her is revealed. She tells him that her husband Martin Vernet (Friedrich Mücke), a high-ranking state official has been subjecting her to years of domestic violence, some of them psychological in nature, which has led her already struggling mental health to get worse. Klara was running away from him as Martin had tied her up in the middle of a secret club and punished her in front of everyone else on the day of their wedding anniversary. She had left her six-year-old daughter Amelie (Romy Miesner) with a young babysitter named Vigo (Shadi Eck) and was afraid that she would loss custody of her daughter as her declining mental health had led to her being admitted to psychiatric institutions. Now with a killer also on her back and with her husband refusing to believe that there is a psychopath, she has no hope – but can this hope be revived through that phone call or will the killer take a life?

The defence of The Calendar Killer :: The run-time of a little above one and half hours is very much favourable to the movie which keeps the pace going. The cold and wintery aesthetic paired with the midnight deadline facing murder or death, creates some genuine suspense in the first half, as there is uncertainty, haunting and some surprise waiting to arrive for the viewer. The camera work by Christian Huck plays a big role in making the whole thing captivating – the settings and darkness had become allies of the movie from the early stages itself, and we are aware that there is something unexpected and sinister not just with the psychopathic killer, but also about other people. The scenes in the club comes as big revealing moments about the characters and that becomes the first surprise delivered. The final twist related to the murder is quite a big surprise for the audience who might not have guessed that multiple shocks were coming that way as people seem to be someone else in unexpected masks. The strong emotional performance of the leading lady adds to the overall quality of the movie and keeps us further interested in the proceedings.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does seem to lose its way at times, seemingly deviating from its most important elements. The focus which should have been on the psycho killer often wanders here and there as if never sure about which direction it should be heading. We can see a number of far-fetched coincidences which seems to be forced into the proceedings and then there are those illogical character choices which keeps the movie further confused. The exaggerations are also there, and we wonder if the leading protagonist is really crazy due to some of her choices and actions. Then there is the attempt to balance a usual serial killer with a psychopath on the hunt with a serious domestic abuse trauma narrative, which gives both sides some struggle. The exaggeration of domestic struggle flashback into the intentionally weakened psycho killer tale will have the audience in peril on many occasions in between, and if it was not for the performance of the lady in the lead, would have never connected well like we have here. Then there are also some characters that never gets the due.

The performers of the soul :: Luise Heyer clearly leads the way and plays the victim to a state of near-perfection. The excels in those moments of sadness and pain, and shows the pain of being under a dominant and influential partner who takes advantage of her. At the same time, she shows the determination that such a character gains when facing even bigger trouble, and fights herself to keep her soul instead of having her revenge. The emotional weight of the terrified, exhausted mother stays at full strength with her – we can feel her anguish at her present and the past as flashback works even better. At the same time, Sabin Tambrea comes up with a dual-layered performance which shows a higher level of calibre. There is a certain emotional side to him and the journey through multiple layers has our attention. Martin Vernet’s work also brings a certain impact as we never see the performance getting any weaker. Rainer Bock also remains solid throughout the run-time. Andreas Döhler also has a memorable quick role here.

How it finishes :: The movie in based on a German novel, Sebastian Fitzek’s Der Heimweg, and any comparison to the same can only be done by those who have actually read it. This psychological thriller makes the most of its small runtime and claustrophobic premise even while maintaining a little too many flaws than one would want it to have. The message about domestic violence keeps struggling and often pulls the psychopath down with, but in the end, it manages to come out strong enough to make the whole thing better. The final surprise saves the movie despite the ending just happening with ease. Anchored by Luise Heyer’s memorable vulnerability and emotional side as well as Sabin Tambrea’s surprise strength that takes a divergent path, the film nicely uses the real-time tension against a bleak and wintery setting. The usual phone-helpline narrative with a twist keeps this unsettling world interesting for us. The struggles in between can be often forgotten as the world holds together. The movie is available on Amazon Prime Video to take your free time.

Release date: 16 January 2025
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: Adolfo J Kolmerer
Starring: Luise Heyer, Sabin Tambrea, Friedrich Mücke, Rainer Bock, Andreas Döhler, and Romy Miesner

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Beast Race

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Vampire Owl: I think that they are talking about the races held by werewolves.

Vampire Bat: Werewolves are not the only official beasts in the world.

Vampire Owl: Humans call us beasts, but they are mistaken.

Vampire Bat: For some humans, beast is a positive thing.

Vampire Owl: I heard that demons and witches unleash beasts.

Vampire Bat: Those are just rumours spread to scare people around.

Vampire Owl: You think that even shadow demons don’t have beasts?

Vampire Bat: The shadow demons are beasts themselves.

Vampire Owl: They are also immortal, aren’t they?

Vampire Bat: We know that demons are forever, towards infinity.

[Gets an onion uthappam and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Many years have passed, and Rio de Janeiro tries to survive with some grand transformation occurring in the area after the disappearance of the sea around it. With the whole world feeling the effect of strange natural phenomenon, the city becomes an entity separate from any kind of universal brotherhood or globalization. The climate change and disasters have changed the division between the rich and the poor, making it even worse for the latter, with no resources and no way of living. The wealthy elites who control everything and go on with their days in luxury, while the poor struggle to survive in the slums and their known world which have turned into wasteland areas. To control the people from rioting, the rich and the influential bring back Brazil’s traditional illegal animal lottery which was present in one way or the other in different formats, and transforms it into a deadly, high-stakes sport called the Beast Race. This game replaces animals with humans wearing animal tattoos and masks, and are called by the names of the creatures whom they choose to represent.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In the game, the runners who take on animal alter-egos like Pig, Horse, Lion, Bull, Eagle, Cat etc have to race through lethal obstacle courses across four elimination stages set in urban or rural areas and maybe even forests. The ultimate winner earns a grand fortune along with the fame and respect. But every runner must offer a loved one as human collateral to enter the, and if the runner loses or dies, their collateral is condemned to the mysterious, dreaded place called Coast of Hell where they are experimented on, unless being bought by one of the elite wealthy people to be one of their slaves, but that comes at a very high price. The game is managed by Abu (Rodrigo Santoro), a former champion runner who won the race so many times and with relative ease that he went on to become the game’s mastermind, and holds a high status among the elite class who treat the runners as their disposable playable characters in the running game. He gets to make many decisions which are even frowned upon by the rich and the influential.

And what more to follow here in a world of races with lives at stake and a revolution in waiting? :: Mano (Matheus Abreu) is the biggest opponent of the idea of this game, as he leads a rebel enclave in a zone. He keeps fighting against the games by taking out racers who attempt to take the easy path through his territory as the race usually takes place around the perimeter area. Mano’s plans for revolution against elite class and the game is shattered when the boyfriend of his younger sister, Dalva (Thainá Duarte), secretly enters the race and is forced to offer her up as his human collateral. This means that Mano needs to replace the weak boyfriend who seems like someone who could lose in the initial rounds – he does the same, and takes the alter-ego of the Cat. Nadine (Isis Valverde) takes over as his player, guiding him as his eyes, as she joins in for the first time. She is also determined to take control from the usual winners and emerge as the new leading player by making her runner win, as she herself was a slave who was bought by an elite class man and used for his pleasure until reaching this level. As Nadine and Mano work hard to prove a point, will there be a change in a world of hopelessness?

The defence of Beast Race :: The apocalyptic world here has been built with a difference, and the dystopian touch also has our attention. The parkour moves through what seems to be more or less dangerous obstacle courses across apocalyptic environments makes this creative and highly entertaining. The world has been nicely built and we see the environment undergoing the needed variations for the world after the apocalyptic situation. There is a lot of action around, and we do enjoy the same, especially with some nail-biting finishes during the game. Matheus Abreu as Mano makes an impressive journey as the runner despite the beginning stages not seeming to do that much. The most notable character is Isis Valverde as Nadine, one of the most solid performances in a movie of this genre; the kind of character that we should see in Hollywood movies too – she might be the best thing about this movie, as we see her coming out of nowhere. Rodrigo Santoro as Abu becomes one of the smartest villains you might ever see. Thainá Duarte also has her moments around here.

Positives and negatives :: There are many classic moments which this movie could have had, but it often hesitates to take the extra risk and does not fully work on the rebellion against the rich and the influential – maybe the same is kept for a possible sequel in the future. A number of characters feel side-lined, and the final big rebellion never really arrives. The romantic side arrives late, but works when it makes an impact related to the need for revolution from a shared post. That earlier setting for the rebellion goes unanswered, leaving the climax feeling more like an unfinished pilot for a developing franchise rather than one movie which starts and ends with itself. Some of the ideas of the movie feels only partially unexplored as there is no further development of a few elements which decides the seriousness and danger of the movie. The true nature of the Coast of Hell is never really revealed and the much broader politics controlling the game are left unresolved, as we keep wondering about how slaves come up in the ranks in a world which deprives even the common citizens of their rights.

How it finishes :: Those who watched The Running Man are sure to be interested in this one, and there is a certain amount of divergence related to this one too. This also serves as the Latin American version of The Hunger Games, even though that much of a huge fight and talk about rebellion is not around. This is also one movie which makes us feel why we cannot have such a movie in regional film industries of India too, as the end of the world could exist with divergence in all parts of the world, and could develop divergent dystopias. The movie here does the best during its high-octane parkour sequences and survival races, anchored by strong environment and surprising performances which rise in level later. The movie’s success in creating an entertaining, dystopian and post-apocalyptic spectacle that pushes the boundaries makes us interested. This was actually discovered surprisingly on Amazon Prime Video, and it is available in multiple languages including English and Hindi. You should give this one a try if you have loved this kind of worlds and survival games.

Release date: 17 March 2026
Running time: 124 minutes
Directed by: Fernando Meirelles, Rodrigo Pesavento, Ernesto Solis
Starring: Matheus Abreu, Rodrigo Santoro, Isis Valverde, Bruno Gagliasso, Seu Jorge, Grazi Massafera, Leandro Firmino, Silvero Pereira, João Guilherme, Anitta

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Supergirl

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Vampire Owl: I have heard some strange things about this movie.

Vampire Bat: The trailer itself was rather strange for a superhero movie.

Vampire Owl: I was wondering if this was really a superhero or a girl calling herself super.

Vampire Bat: There is nothing super about humans or their alien friends.

Vampire Owl: Yes, you are talking about chaos and destruction caused by them.

Vampire Bat: Devastation, explosion, annihilation, end of the world, everything awaits.

Vampire Owl: It is great that they have remained without their immortality.

Vampire Bat: Still, there is no shortage of infinite hopelessness in them.

Vampire Owl: I see no point in any alien trying save the humans.

Vampire Bat: You should know that vampire elders voted for human extinction three million nine thousand eight hundred and eighty-seven times in history.

[Gets a sambar vada and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Zor-El (David Krumholtz) who was a leading scientist in the planet of Krypton along with his wife Alura In-Ze (Emily Beecham) and a number of people who had chosen to follow him, had moved to Argo City in the centre of the planet, during an event which destabilized the core of the planet leading to its destruction. A forcefield around city and its surroundings, going some distance down, had saved it from the explosion of the core. But it is discovered that the separation of Argo City from the planet had exposed a mineral known as Kryptonite which is slowly killing the citizens through a certain kind of radiation which affected their cells. After Alura dies due toto Kryptonite poisoning, Zor-El decides to send their daughter Kara (Milly Alcock) to Earth with their pet dog. As she reaches Earth, she meets her cousin Kal-El (David Corenswet) who was sent to the planet before the explosion of their planet’s core. After a series of events, Kara decides to go on with her life partying on planets with red suns where she can get drunk unlike Earth with yellow sun which heals her and takes her dog Krypto with her.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As she parties in celebration of her twenty third birthday, she stops at the planet Holzherr. There she finds Ruthye (Eve Ridley) who is the last survivor of her family who were murdered by Krem (Matthias Schoenaerts), the leader of a merciless bandit group known as the Brigands who haunts the galaxy as space pirates and human traffickers. Ruthye who is assisted by Kara to retrieve her family sword follows her and requests her assistance so that she can kill the man responsible and have her vengeance, but the Kryptonian is not interested at all. Krem who follows them takes Kara’s ship to escape from the planet as his spacecraft was destroyed by Ruthye’s parents. He shoots Krypto with a poisonous dart when he tries to stop them and the dog is left with only three days to live. Kara decides to go after Krem to get the antidote which only their race possesses, and is forced to keep Ruthye as her companion in the journey. They find an alien mercenary and bounty hunter named Lobo (Jason Momoa) who is also chasing the bandits – can they complete their mission in time?

The defence of Supergirl :: There is always something about a superhero movie which has a vulnerable superhero, whether it is with the psychological side and physical side as the person tries to get through different kinds of trouble in life. The idea of having the superhuman go on a journey of self-discovery surely works, and the funny side also comes effective at times. The action is surely interesting, even though not on that huge a scale – the fight in the flight and the final battle do have the power to keep things interesting though. But the interplanetary journeys work well, like it did in Thor: Ragnarok, and does not make her feel like the miserable Captain Marvel who gets more irritating and is more alien than anyone from another planet could be. The fact that there is not that much of the irritating dog in this movie keeps things better. The movie moving from Metropolis cityscapes to an intergalactic revenge quest across alien worlds has the divergence that we have been looking for, but has been missing in this particular universe. The world-building surely has taken some skill, and we see that the same has been given a lot of attention. Then we feel that a new movie with both the super people is going to be grand.

The claws of flaw :: The movie struggles to keep the superhero model alive on a lot of occasions as there might be an identity crisis coming in here and there. One keep wondering if the main character had that much of a trauma to be irritating to the people around her, and the dog even becomes another name for irritation. If it had any more screen-time in a superhero movie about humans, aliens and different plants, that would be seriously disturbing, but this one escapes the same by a few minutes. The struggle related to balancing the dark themes of vengeance, trauma and heavy drinking) which comes against the silliness and the comic book action can be seen around. Some of the settings of the movie also shows some weaker designs of not much of an interest. A number of characters are not seen like having much of a development to think about. Then there are the first few minutes of the movie which does seem to make it interesting at all; this was another one of those films which we wonder if we can finish or have a positive opinion about, after we watch the beginning with the girl and the dog.

The performers of the soul :: Milly Alcock, seems to handle a different kind of Supergirl really well, even though never the kind we wanted or expected in this universe – we had a feeling what to expect from the Superman movie for sure. She is surely fun, even when the character does not walk the path needed for such a character as we would think about. But it is still a lot better than having a too-powerful and no physical or psychological weakness psycho-hero in the form of Captain Marvel. There is surely some fine development of her character despite that dumb beginning to the flick. She surely fits in as this version of Supergirl, and we see her doing so well in the middle part of the movie. The world’s most super irritating dog is also there, and as it is not there for the full run after that character being paralyzed, we can safely go with the humans now. Jason Momoa also makes a fine impact here even though we would have always loved him more as the Aquaman ruling the oceans with Amber Heard by his side as Mera. Eve Ridley as Ruthye Marye Knoll also brings some additional fun around here. Matthias Schoenaerts as the villain remains effective too.

How it finishes :: Despite the movie not becoming a success, and going rather too low with the box-office collections, one has to feel that it is not of such low level. It might not have that superheroic quality as one would expect and there is no doubt about it. But it is still better than Superman which released earlier, and seems to have more work done around here. This one is indeed ambitious, non-traditional comic book adaptation that gets into a darker sci-fi territory, and the feeling of danger is surely more and realistic than in Marvel, which used too much of the funny side as it made its superheroes, especially Thor, feel like a buffoon. This movie here might not be a universal crowd-pleaser and has surely fallen a long way from the status of a commercial blockbuster, But Milly Alcock’s performance in the second half of the movie and the central dynamic with the new-found partner traveler offer a fresh look here. Yet, one would think that if the earlier universe had continued with its existing strength, the world would have survived better, or at least if a parallel universe was unlocked before this one.

Release date: 26 June 2026
Running time: 108 minutes
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Milly Alcock, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, Emily Beecham, David Corenswet, Jason Momoa

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

A Working Man

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Vampire Owl: We are all working all the time, you know.

Vampire Bat: Everybody including Uncle Dracula knows that you do no work at all.

Vampire Owl: I work at my own office within my room.

Vampire Bat: You know that there is no business firms allowed in the Dracula Castle.

Vampire Owl: This is just me showing my skills making blood milk shake and blood cake.

Vampire Bat: Do you even know the sugar levels of vampires of the castle?

Vampire Owl: It is approved by Dr. Frankenstein and his medical company.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein has never been a real doctor who can do that.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein has presented and published a research paper on vampire blood sugar and was appreciated for the same by different universities.

Vampire Bat: I have heard that they were promised infinite amount of money just to accept the abstract and let him present it.

[Gets a paneer samosa and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Levon Cade (Jason Statham) is a retired Royal Marines Officer, now working as a construction foreman in Chicago, leaving the United Kingdom after his service and settling down in the United States as his American wife had committed suicide, and his father-in-law Jordan Roth (Richard Heap) who had settled down in the same city does not allow him to see his only daughter Merry Cade (Isla Gie) as he is known to suffer from PTSD and has been struggling to gain custody of his daughter. Levon maintains a close friendship with the family who employs him at the construction site – Joe Garcia (Michael Pena), his wife, Carla Garcia (Noemi Gonzalez) and their daughter, Jenny Garcia (Arianna Rivas), as they consider him as one of their own. One night, while Jenny is out at a bar, enjoying with her friends, she is kidnapped by two Russian traffickers who randomly choose their victims from the night club, the ruthless mercenaries known by the names Viper (Emmett J Scanlan) and Artemis (Eve Mauro).

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Joe and Carla report the case of their missing daughter to the police, but they are unable to find any leads, and do not seem to keep this anywhere close to priority. Desperate to find their daughter, the parents who know about Levon’s military past, offer him money to find Jenny, but he refuses to do anything about it, as he feels that his past was responsible for the death of his wife and hostility of his father-in-law who has always been a pacifist. But after consulting his former friend and comrade in arms in the military Gunny Lefferty (David Harbour), decides to what he does his best and follow his heart, as he had once promised Jenny to watch and protect her, making sure that no harm would come upon her. As he decides to use his best skills for the purpose, follows the bartender who was there at the time when Jenny went missing, and finds connection to Russian mafia which has been involved in human trafficking in the past. He finds out that the situation is more complicated than he thought. Can he find more clues and reach Jenny before time runs out?

The defence of A Working Man :: Watching this movie, one feels that this is a movie well set for Jason Statham to come up with all the action, and the same is asserted again and again as the movie progresses and gets close to the end. The action sequences are excellent and staying within the willing suspension of disbelief limits. It was best seen with that beginning fight scene and it just gets bigger in the final scenes as there is a lot to be done. We see something to root for the protagonist every moment as the film progresses – there is also an emotional touch to the main character, and we connect to the same with the feelings rightly felt. There is also that feeling of nostalgia that runs through in the movie reminding us those other earlier movies that we have seen before. The stylish and immensely evil Russian mobsters to a biker gang leader sitting on a literal throne in a basement with his black-wearing people, the variety of villains that make quite some impact. The visuals are quite nice, with different settings nicely used for the situation.

The claws of flaw :: The movie feels like a Taken-inspired weaker version with search for one woman who has taken by drug traffickers often forced into prostitution, as even the less appreciated Malayalam movie Karam doing better than this particular one. Yet, one feels that the danger is not that much felt here with the kidnapped woman, as she seems to be too comfortable with the same even when in so much of a terrifying situation as part of her captivity. For some reason, we do not see facing that much of a terror, and she seems to be more military-trained than even the main protagonist – this is where the other movies dealing with the same premise dealt with the situations much better. Even the search for the woman seems to be lagging, as the pace comes down. Then those fast cuts and shaky camera work during the quick action makes things feel rather strange, and leaves a lot to be desired. The title of the movie is also never really justified as the construction work never really gets the attention again.

The performers of the soul :: Jason Statham once again does what he does best as he has a strong physical presence, charm, as well as nice fight scenes including hand-to-hand combat and some shooting to go with it. Starting with a construction site fight and finishing after a full set of climax battle sequences keep us satisfied. It is once again asserted that he is the man for this kind of a job, after Liam Neeson did the same multiple times with his one series of movies starting with saving his daughter from human traffickers. Being a part of The Mechanic and one among of Hobbs and Shaw battling in Fast and Furious series had made us hope for him even in Hitman: Agent 47 which would have been perfect for him. After John Wick and friends in a chaotic murder spree universe, he remains seemingly best choice for this kind of worlds. Arianna Rivas as Jenny Garcia does not get much except for those last moments when there seems to be a fight forced on her – in a movie focused on her kidnapping, she is just not shown enough. Then the antagonists seem balanced, rightly there to be menacing enough.

How it finishes :: This remains an interesting movie, even though nothing much new in its content, and reminds us of many other movies in the past. The movie gains the advantage from Jason Statham as the main character, and even when there is not much to raise the level in the narrative, the man takes the movie straight up to another level. But we cannot help feeling that he could have done more if the search was better arranged and if the danger was really felt except for the kidnapped not shown much after being kidnapped except for the end, and due to the hero quickly going through the villains without that much of a difficulty as one should be having when facing a mafia, The emotional side with daughter works, but not with the kidnapped one as we rarely feel that she is in trouble, and yet we feel that the poor mafia members are really in bigger trouble – this is something which should not have happened in a movie like this which does not go over the line with its action. Well, the fight scenes work really well, and keeps us interested, and we are thrilled to see the happenings on the screen; often that much is enough for the genre, but not for a second watch on any day.

Release date: 28 March 2025
Running time: 116 minutes
Directed by: David Ayer
Starring: Jason Statham, David Harbour, Michael Peña, Jason Flemyng, Arianna Rivas

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Devil’s Mouth

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Vampire Owl: At least the devil is doing better than the humans these days, I think.

Vampire Bat: Maybe the devil should go to Earth and leave hell for the humans.

Vampire Owl: Isn’t it where most of the humans are going sooner or later?

Vampire Bat: I am expecting the angels of heaven to be very lonely.

Vampire Owl: Do you think that there will be space in hell for this many humans?

Vampire Bat: Hell is infinite and eternal, and with separate circles.

Vampire Owl: So, it is the same as what Dr. Frankenstein had discovered.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein is a man of infinite circles of nonsense.

Vampire Owl: When did infinity start coming in circles of Frankenstein?

Vampire Bat: He has always needed them as he would be going to hell as a human too.

[Gets a paneer paratha and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: Five friends from the United States, Sara (Kathryn Newton), Max (Lala Condor), Greg (Gavin Casalegno), Adrienne (Tommi Rose) and James (Nico Hiraga) are on a trip to South Asia, now visiting the beaches and going through underwater journeys in Thailand. As they are enjoying the open tropical waters off the coast, they do not realize that Sara is diving in the water, and as they ask for the boat to be moved to the land as Max feels that she is in the shower. Left alone, Sara is swarmed, and stung by aggressive jellyfish in all parts of her body, rescued later, but is left in pain. Max is supposed to be the one in control of the trip and also the one who said that everyone was aboard before the boat was taken forward, which leads to some tension, but Sara and Max are back together as best friends in no time. The friends are back together, and as they continue to feel that something is in the saltwater of ocean due to seeing dead fish and turtles cast ashore on beaches, they sign up for a guided swim through a fresh water remote cave system known as The Devil’s Mouth.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: This early incident leaving Sara as damsel in distress does manage to keep a rift between them right before they enter The Devil’s Mouth cave network, and despite Sara trying to keep up with the excited team against her pain and in spite of Max trying to tip the guide to take better care of her friend, there is some disagreement. While Sara asks for the easy way through the tunnel without that much of it submerged in water, Max who has always been the leader opts to go for the highly submerged red route, and Sara, despite her fears, agrees to the same. The team is led through a path which had its water level only somewhat come down from being fully submerged in a previous storm. They go through different caves which are interconnected through passages flooded with water, some of them even having salt water from the nearby ocean. But they soon find one of the divers who went before them dead, and within minutes finds themselves hunted by a shark which seems to have come in from the ocean during the flooding with nowhere to go as the tunnel lost its connection with the saltwater. Now, can they survive the creature sensing blood all around?

The defence of The Devil’s Mouth :: With the tide rising and oxygen levels dropping inside the cave system, the friends left on the isolated rock shelves where the shark cannot reach, do not find it to be a long-term option, but have nowhere to go in the maze-like chambers – this is perfectly shown here with each scene, and we have an environment which is so well created and maintained with danger all around the corner. The cave diving horror and shark survival are combined nicely here, as the subterranean setting makes it a different battle against the creature. The tight underwater struggles, internal disagreements, secrets and grievances within themselves, all add to the further tension here. The movie is also never really that long, and this length feels perfect for the total run-time. The signs of the same was established early enough, and that too in open water, with the attack of the jelly fish as much as being left alone in the middle of the sea – these are also basically the kind of horror which are scary enough even without huge fangs.

Positives and negatives :: The movie’s caves are among the best that you might ever see, and when you put a shark in there, it is just glorious. One then remembers that some fine foreshadowing has always been there, and all would lead to just disaster. The final moments when the protagonist lures the shark with herself as a bait is among the best of the movie, and when the characters try to escape from the shark at a ledge, and when they move through tight tunnels, we are all kept in the highest level of tension. We see that the situation places us in a world from where escape is almost impossible by logic with water all around, and the shark being able to thrive in both freshwater and saltwater settings. This also means that there is less visibility, and we can keep feeling the need to have more light around – keeping on looking at the darkness is not the best thing we can do around here. There is some repetition here and there with what the characters are doing, even though the same remains enjoyable.

The performers of the soul :: Here, we have Kathryn Newton once again doing what she does the best, and that is to survive against all odds, as she already did in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, and had managed to get out of that Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania level which was rather lower in comparison to where she stands now as a grand scream queen in the making – she seems to be surviving everything in a convincing manner, and here, she remains a lovable character, and it is her for whom we keep rooting for, as she knew that something bad was going to happen all the time, and in her senses, tries to avoid the worst, even though she has to finally give in to her friends. She is the survivor whom we would all love to have, maybe in a sequel to The Shallows. She is one young actress who seems to be bringing a certain amount of completeness. Lana Condor whom we would best recognize from Alita: Battle Angel, Pretty Lethal and X-Men: Apocalypse, also comes up with a memorable role, and it is another work that we are going to remember here. Tommi Rose also has some work that we will remember. Nico Hiraga as James might be one selfish character which is done well. Then, Gavin Casalegno also comes up with the needed.

How it finishes :: It can be seen that the movie maintains a certain amount of balance around here with a shark attacking in a flooded cave with nowhere to go – the horror gets more of the strength here with the same, while tensions also run related to the past among the characters. We have already seen the sharks and friends running strong in 47 Meters Down, Deep Blue Sea, Killer Whale and more, but this one takes a divergent and interesting approach with the same. Anchored by strong performances from Kathryn Newton and Lana Condor, the movie also focuses on the deteriorating, toxic friendship and further focuses on the terrifying situation rather than the shark. The predictability does not push this aquatic survival flick that much down, as the tension never leaves us and the lovely leading character always have us rooting for us, with the empathy right there to be taken home. I would consider this to be a surprise charm as one of the best shark movies in some time, and its release on Amazon Prime Video has left the same accessible to more of us who choose OTT over the theatres.

Release date: 29 July 2026
Running time: 104 minutes
Directed by: Jeff Wadlow
Starring: Kathryn Newton, Lana Condor, Gavin Casalegno, Nico Hiraga, Tommi Rose

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Masters of the Universe

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Vampire Owl: Aren’t we the true masters of the universe?

Vampire Bat: I do not think that they are talking about the vampire universe.

Vampire Owl: Every universe requires its own masters.

Vampire Bat: We already have Uncle Dracula here.

Vampire Owl: Yes, even Vampire Elders are there, but they are all symbolic heads.

Vampire Bat: So, you consider us as the true masters.

Vampire Owl: Well, this is the only working universe, isn’t it?

Vampire Bat: The only true universe with relevance, yes.

Vampire Owl: And the only realm without the pure human evil.

Vampire Bat: The human evil has already reached our borders. There is not much of magic left that seems to stop it.

[Gets a thattu dosa and three cups of Munnar tea].

What is the movie about? :: Adam (Nicholas Galitzine) works in human resources, while keeping on searching for a certain sword and lives with his only friend Hussein (Christian Vunipola) in Oklahoma City. People think that him keeping on searching for a sword and telling everyone a specific story about his escape from another planet are parts of his nerd madness which he always had since he was a kid. The search for the sword would affect both his work and social life, as he even tells the same story when on a date. Obsessed with finding the sword due to his memories about being part of another strange world in which he lived as the prince and had come to Earth with a magic sword, Adam receives an anonymous tip in the form of a text message that the sword is located and he reclaims it at a comic store, running away with it. But the next day, he is arrested for stealing the sword, but the police car is stopped in transit on the highway when a strange creature attacks them and halts the traffic. The ape-like creature turns out to be Beast Man (Gary Martin) who had come from another world and chases Adam.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As Adam keeps running, a woman in white comes to the scene, identifying herself as his childhood friend, Teela (Camila Mendes). She tells him that the sword had given her a signal when it was claimed and raised to the sky, seemingly provided the same signal to many others of their planet far away. In this planet named Eternia which was once ruled by Adam’s parents King Randor (James Purefoy) and Queen Marlena (Charlotte Riley), no longer maintains that peace and prosperity after being taken over by Skeletor (Jared Leto), his sidekick Evil-Lyn (Alison Brie) and a number of other evil minions. This loss after being defeated by a cyborg and weapons expert of Skeletor, Trap Jaw (Sam C Wilson) had also left the commander-in-chief of the army of Eterna, Man-At-Arms a.k.a. Duncan (Idris Elba) to severe depression and alcoholism, much to the dismay of his daughter Teela. After training so many people of the planet to defend the evil forces, he along with many others had fallen into disarray after Skeletor took over and unleashed chaos.

And what more can happen in this world of chaos and destruction unleashed by forces of evil? :: It was the Sorceress (Morena Baccarin) who sent Adam to Earth to save him and the sword from Skeletor, and as it was the original home planet of the queen a long distance away from Eternia, safety was guaranteed, but as a child, he had lost the sword only to be found now, triggering alarms all around the universe. Adam and Teela manage to outrun the Beast Man and escape in their spaceship in front of shocked humans who could do nothing but stare. Back home, the resistance forces against Skeletor who are not imprisoned by Teela leaving her defence outpost and bringing a strange man with the sword, imprisons her and Adam along with an alcoholic Duncan and a former combat robot reprogrammed as a cleaning robot, Roboto (Kristen Wiig). But they escape with the help of the robot and keeps the sword with them while the defenders of the resistance are either killed or captured by Skeletor’s forces. As they try to escape them and come face to face against Trap Jaw, it seems to be the end for them, but can they find a way to defeat him and his shooters against all odds?

The defence of Masters of the Universe :: The movie has some stunning visuals with the setting in a beautiful planet. The world is too good with the fantasy model buildings and the environment which makes it feel like a colourful paradise. Nicholas Galitzine makes a fine impact as the protagonist, while Idris Elba brings the fun. But the best impact is made by Camila Mendes as Teela, who remains a stunner in those action sequences with her movement and style, as the only one true character who is a born-fighter continuing to be so at all times. Jared Leto as Skeletor is a villain to remember, and gets the screen-time he missed as the Joker in Suicide Squad. Morena Baccarin who gets back after The Wrecking Crew gets less screen time even as such a significant character. Alison Brie as Evil-Lyn works nicely too as one never sees any evil this cute and strong in magic. The humour in the movie also remains so much fun, and the elements taken from cartoon are nicely placed here without too much darkness ever coming into picture. Adora a.k.a. She-Ra played by Lauren Saliu shown during mid-credits also keeps us interested as the one scene itself seems to bring lot of hope for a possible sequel about which we are still not that sure.

Positives and negatives :: This is a feeling of nostalgia, and as we had the cartoon of the same name running in Malayalam in this part of the world, there is no other superhero who had this much of an influence on us as children. We had to return home early from school and then we would successfully watch this one. In the case of the movie, people might find that this is a little bit too cartoonish and as more for the children, but those would be the people who forgot how they grew up watching this, and if Avengers, Justice League and team could be taken as full action, this could be too. The supporting characters here could have had some more time, while cutting some time from the moments spent on Earth. The final fight is lovely to watch, even though the moments back on Earth coming in between do not impress much. The quality of the computer-generated imagery losses some quality at times, but remains stable and stylish for most of the time. Use of more magic could have made the world look more charming, and even more shown as part of an exploration like in Avatar, as the design here never far behind.

How it finishes :: The lack of some seriousness might be the reason why it had the same effect as John Carter at the box-office, but one cannot forget the fact that it was one fine movie, and one of the best of that year. We can blame the strange movie-watching habits of the biggest markets of the movie which did not even make Pacific Rim a super-hit, but Asia serves that title well. All these movies surely did well in this part of the world, and one keeps wondering if a better trailer could have meant better result for the movie at the box-office. I would surely love to see its sequel with the lady superhero, but one has to wonder if the same would happen when the total collection is considered. But this is sure to do well on Amazon Prime Video, and that should also mean something to everyone. For now, this is a charming adventure and entertainer which does not have a dull moment once the scenes shift to the far away planet. The beautiful spectacle of a world with a classic adventure with battles to remember is not something that we can always see with this much charm. People can find cartoon-faults, but I find this to be something I should have watched on the big screen with all of its big screen splendour.

Release date: 5 June 2026
Running time: 140 minutes
Directed by: Travis Knight
Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Kristen Wiig, Jared Leto, Idris Elba

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Yakuza League

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Vampire Owl: I am pretty sure that Batman has always been your relative.

Vampire Bat: I do not know how a man’s masked personality relates to me.

Vampire Owl: Every life is a mask, isn’t it? People take so many forms.

Vampire Bat: Humans are never true to the society or even to themselves.

Vampire Owl: We know that humans are evil, so there is no surprise at all.

Vampire Bat: The Vampire Elders were so shocked that they banned the humans.

Vampire Owl: So, Uncle Dracula was never the first one to ban them.

Vampire Bat: He only extended the ban for humans which was already established.

Vampire Owl: I hope that Dr. Frankenstein is not banned anymore.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein will not even be accepted.

[Gets an ulli vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Batman (Koichi Yamadera) has come back home after being sent to feudal Japan through a time displacement machine called the Quake Engine. After all of Gotham City’s top criminals who also reach there became feudal lords, he had stopped the villains from altering history and brought them back to Gotham City in the present. But it seems that he would have no time to rest in his own world with something strange occurring around the city. He is surprised to see that the Justice League is no longer there and he cannot find Japan in its location either. He also finds that yakuza are raining from the sky above. He finds out that they belong to Hinomoto, a different Japan from a parallel universe which has placed itself in the sky of the city. He is able to see an interdimensional rift above Gotham City which seems to be part of a plan to invade Earth. As only the people who previously time-traveled can see this particular rift, the others call it a yakuza tornado, a storm which carries them to Gotham City – they deny the other-worldly elements of the same.

And what more is to follow in a world facing imminent destruction through timelines? :: Before he can process this new reality, Batman understands that there is more to this than what meets the eye. Batman and Robin (Yuki Kaji) travel through the rift to Hinomoto, while the other members of the Bat family Nightwing (Daisuke Ono), Red Hood (Akira Ishida), and Red Robin (Yuki Kaji) stay behind to fight the yakuza who have fallen into the city through the tornado. The Bat family are soon ambushed by some more yakuza fighters who are part of the Hagane yakuza clan who took over Hinomoto. They are surprised to find out that the first three big yakuza members who come against them are Zeshika the Emerald Ray (Ayane Sakura), a version of Green Lantern, Asha the Aqua Dragon (Akio Otsuka), an alternate version of Aquaman and Bari the Fleet-Footed (Kengo Kawanishi), a Japanese version of the Flash. The Bat family struggles in the fight with them, but with additional help from the Daiana the Eagle Goddess (Saori Hayami), an alternate Wonder Woman who is the member of an opposing Yakuza clan called Amazone, they manage to escape.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: After leading them safely to the Amazone base, with the help of Harley Quinn (Rie Kugimiya) from Batman’s timeline, Daiana explains the rising power of of the Hagane clan at Hinomoto from the time when the area consisted solely of yakuza families fighting each ither. After a clan leader Deio Domuzu (Kenta Miyake), an alternate version of Doomsday, was killed by Kuraku (Takaya Kamikawa), the new leader and an alternate Superman, the Amazone is the only opposing group left, and they have decided to keep their code of honour and respect. Harley Quinn had escaped with Joker (Wataru Takagi) after hearing about the strange incidents happening in Gotham City. After being ambushed on the way back, Batman is saved by Joker who didn’t want anyone else to kill the bat other than him, but Robin is captured. During the fight, it is revealed that the mastermind behind all of these is Ra’s al Ghul (Kazuhiro Yamaji) who had found the Quake Engine and upgraded it into a Four-Dimensional Origami System, and used it to manipulate certain parts of Earth’s history, creating Hinomoto with the new rulers. With all members of Justice League except Wonder Woman going against him, can Batman stop the new villain intending to capture Earth with the help of Wonder Woman and Harley Queen?

The defence of Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League :: The art style used here is so interesting as the movie nicely blends the 3D and hand-sketched 2D animation together. There are also the segments that change styles which will have our attention, and when each character is introduced in a different form, it catches our attention, for the Japanese versions of Green Lantern is the best, and that of Aquaman, Wonder Woman and Superman – all feel like made with some smart thoughts as our interest in parallel worlds grow further. This idea of having the most powerful Justice League superheroes on one side and Batman only with Wonder Woman to help him, is more of a terrifying situation for fans of the universe, as Harley Quinn helping Wonder Woman at times and Joker only caring about Batman not getting killed would not mean they can save the world. Well, we know the powers of Superman, Green Lantern, Aquaman and Flash, and so this situation is one of the biggest dangers that the world can have. It is the advantage of the tale, and it is nicely told with a Japanese touch, with everything nicely coming together in the end. The character design is so well matched by the grand action.

The claws of flaw :: There is no tight narrative coherence around here as the movie keeps going through the action which is sometimes too quick and a little bit overdone for some characters without superpowers. The change to the main Justice League characters is not always that interesting when we look closer. The display of power seems a little too much for our interest and quickly going through here and there. There is the explanation of Superman’s power a little too much even for the new version, and instead we are left with less understanding of what has really happened in this universe as the earlier movie release too long ago, and this would feel like a standalone for even the people who watched that one; a recap would have done the universe better especially as the length is not that much already. To make this shorter run-time possible, the movie seems to have gone through some quickened edits too, as we shift the shifts happening at a better speed. One would also feel that the Japanese version might have been the better suited mode for this particular movie.

How it finishes :: The movie does embrace its own existence, as it remains a high-octane return to those classic cartoon adventure, anime tropes and manga aesthetics, as there is more Japanese about this particular superhero journey than American. The comic book nostalgia is nicely reflected here as we take a closer look. The best of multi-stylistic animation comes up with a visual feast that keeps shifting between different versions, none of them deviating from the purpose. The high-level comics superhero battles and the tale of parallel universes go on making an impact. I have always preferred DC’s model over that of Marvel, whose classic superhero power was ruined by the new group of superheroes with the one exception being Thunderbolts, and even DC had itself coming down from Man of Steel by a weakened by a new Superman. Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League above others embrace the pure joy of Batman going against all odds from start to finish – he is the underdog again, but he stands tall. We see him proving himself not only as Gotham’s Dark Knight, but also the best of a Japanese underworld even when facing the superpowered or the overpowered juggernauts of destruction.

Release date: 18 March 2025
Running time: 89 minutes
Directed by: Junpei Mizusaki, Shinji Takagi
Starring: Koichi Yamadera, Daisuke Ono, Akira Ishida, Kengo Kawanishi, Yuki Kaji, Hōchū Ōtsuka, Masaki Terasoma, Wataru Takagi, Rie Kugimiya, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Romi Park, Akio Otsuka, Ayane Sakura, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Takaya Kamikawa

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Eenie Meanie

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Vampire Owl: This sounds like a nice name which we can use for a new vampire.

Vampire Bat: How can a vampire be called by such a name in our realm?

Vampire Owl: It is still better than being called Vampire Owl I and Vampire Owl II.

Vampire Bat: So, there is a second vampire who is an owl?

Vampire Owl: We have to be ready for all possibilities in a world of chaos.

Vampire Bat: A world of chaos can only use a chaotic name.

Vampire Owl: That would scare legends like Dr. Frankenstein away.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein already have a scary name for himself.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein is a name given to legends these days.

Vampire Bat: Uncle Dracula has been fed up with that name for some time due to those illegal and ridiculous experiments involving lightning, which have caused power shortage in the castle.

[Gets a gobi masala dosa and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Edie Meaney (Samara Weaving) had a troubled past which included being pulled over by police while driving her drunk parents who had drugs in their possession, and had ended up crashing the car. Then, as she was aged fourteen, with her mother dead and father paralyzed after the accident which was meant to save them from being arrested, had to go through a series of abusive foster homes, and was almost sold to sexual slavery, but was saved by John (Karl Glusman), a young criminal with whom she had also fallen in love, and stayed together for about fifteen years. Edie and John had carried out multiple robberies for the ruthless mob boss Nico (Andy Garcia), who had nicknamed her “Eenie Meanie”. She was known for her driving skills which had helped them a lot during the most complicated situations, something which had made her the favourite driver of the group, and her getaways have been iconic. Even her rival driver Perm (Marshawn Lynch) had a high opinion about her.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In the present, Edie has left her life as a getaway driver a long way behind, and had finally found the emotional courage to break up with John. As she works at a bank to support herself in going to college and get a degree, she becomes stuck at the bank counter during a robbery and is hit on the head to be knocked out. At the hospital, she finds out that she is pregnant with the child of John. Even though there are many advice for her to mind her own business, Edie goes and visits John, who is being interrogated by Nico’s men, and after surprising them, reluctantly uses her driving skills to save him. John had kidnapped Nico’s card counter man Leo (Randall Park) for a certain activity, and as he takes them out of the hiding place, ends up killing him much to the dismay of Edie. Once again pulled into the criminal world, this time being pregnant, she gets a call of Nico and him as well as his right-hand man George (Mike O’Malley) provides her with an offer.

And what more is to happen here as one man would dictate the terms? :: This offer would involve stealing a car containing three million dollars in cash, which is to serve as the prize for an upcoming poker tournament at a casino in the state. Only this could cover their losses due to the death of the man and this would be the one thing that could keep John alive at least for now. After getting a new car with the amount provided by Nico, they go and see Chaperone (Jermaine Fowler) as instructed, but he finds John to be liability who slows down both Edie and the mission, but she remains adamant that he is an integral part of the mission, and it is not just because he had helped him a lot in the past when she had no hope. She asserts that he also has the same kind of skills within him, and has helped a lot with the earlier missions, and that leaves the doubts behind for the time being for them. With some help from casino staff, the Dodge Charger which is to be given as the prize with three million inside is replaced with an identical model which is ready to drive as soon as the cash is loaded into it. But can Edie manage to take it out when everyone’s watching?

The defence of Eenie Meanie :: The movie rest on the shoulders of Samara Weaving, without doubt – her style, dialogues, charisma, dry humour and screen presence, all rises all the way above the whole movie, and rarely do we such a work which feels better than the film itself, and as we remember her performance in Ready or Not, we do feel here that she has always been ready, and eternally ready to shine in action movies. Whenever the movie gets weaker due to its lack of anything special, she becomes the one special ingredient. Elle Graham who plays her younger version had also made an early impact. Then, it can be seen that the heist and getaway driving sequences are nicely shot. During these moments, the high-speed thrills look polished and fast-paced. The humour works at times, and we see some elevation here and there. The second half shows a clear upgrade from the dumb beginning moments, and all the memorable moments are right there. Andy Garcia remains solid as the crime boss. Then the movie has its good looks.

The claws of flaw :: The movie feels elongated with not that much of a content to stretch it to the final run-time which it has achieved. Karl Glusman is playing a strange man who is good for nothing, and the main character for a past, remains attached to the person, and one cannot stop being bothered about it – there are not many things absurd than this which seems to cause everything that happens in the movie. One can only wonder if such a step will be taken by a smart modern woman in any case, as there is always limit to everything. The movie also seems to try too many things, some of them unnecessary – there is a pregnancy storyline, family estrangement and a number of unnecessary characters, which leaves the main heist plot feeling rushed and most of the things seem to wait till the end, even when there were so many opportunities to keep planning and talk about the same in between. There was much to be done to add right towards the action and even humour, and the emotional side just goes not useful at all. Some of the scenes including the first meeting of the two former lovers stay ridiculous.

How it finishes :: The movie maintains the brainless fun mode pretty well, but the slow progress does not help the same too much. The tale also does not seem to add anything too interesting in its narrative, and holds back with its action which arrives too late. The final moments do come up with what it was required to do, but it feels rushed, after all those talks in between. There is some poetic justice delivered right there. Then there is Samara Weaving who makes this feel so much better, and as she shoulders this, the quality itself feels very much improved. There is always hope when she is around, and we see the level of the movie elevated, and this much she achieves with that strange character that takes decisions against her own ideas and plans. The ending stays closer to reality, and most of it was something we waited to see happen. There are many thoughts about how this one could be improved. We would expect a more fast-paced full action thriller with a nicely planned heist, but that much is not reached. This one serves as an entertainer in Jio Hotstar which we can watch for time-pass.

Release date: 22 August 2025
Running time: 106 minutes
Directed by: Shawn Simmons
Starring: Samara Weaving, Karl Glusman, Jermaine Fowler, Marshawn Lynch, Steve Zahn, Andy Garcia, Randall Park, Mike O’Malley

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Ice Road: Vengeance

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Vampire Owl: I have always thought about creating an ice road in the realm.

Vampire Bat: An ice road would not be that smooth a path for vehicles.

Vampire Owl: We just hover over the ice with our vampire levitating skills.

Vampire Bat: In that case, you can ask the vampire sorcerers to create a magical path.

Vampire Owl: No, too many magical witches on the way who could devastate the path.

Vampire Bat: Well, all the magic does not belong to one particular group.

Vampire Owl: Yes, like Dr. Frankenstein uses that magic of science.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein will never know true science.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein’s science is beyond all vampire limits.

Vampire Bat: We will know more about the same when Uncle Dracula addresses one of the great vampire gatherings again and make declarations.

[Gets a fortune cookie and three cups of taro tea].

What is the movie about? :: Mike McCann (Liam Neeson) a seasoned ice-road trucker, is going through a certain amount of survivor’s guilt after the death of his younger brother, Gurty McCann who (Marcus Thomas). Despite the best efforts of his psychologist, he is not able to find anything positive in life. After some days, to honour Gurty’s last wish, Mike decides to travel to Nepal so that he can scatter his ashes on the top of Mount Everest. As he reaches there, there is something going in a village further away from Kathmandu, in Kodari. There, local people keep opposing the construction of a huge hydroelectric dam that would affect the access of water supply from the river, which is the biggest dream and grand project of the nation’s leading industrialist Rudra Yash (Mahesh Jadu). Rudra is determined to make this happen one way or the other, and decides to kill the members of the family who refused to send the lands to them – Vijay Rai (Saksham Sharma), the youngest member of the family is chased by goons through the town.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: While standing in front of protests, Vijay understands that his grandfather was murdered by Rudra’s henchmen by pushing his bus off the huge cliff using a truck killing so many other passengers, thus making it look like an accident, as nobody else was around. Mikes finds his guide to travel to the top of Everest as some guy named Dani, but later realizes that it is Dhani Yangchen (Fan Bingbing), half-Nepali and half-Malaysian who had reached the top of the mountain many times. They join a group of passengers aboard a bus known as Kiwi Express which goes through the Road to the Sky, a narrow, high-altitude mountain pass. An American professor who had recently delivered a talk in the nearby university, Evan Myers (Bernard Curry), and his daughter Starr Myers (Grace O’Sullivan) also get into the bus along with a few others. But soon, Vijay is attacked by two strangers with guns and they knock out the boy while hijacking the bus, asking the driver to go through another route so that they can take him to a location according to their plan. Now, can the bus be saved?

The defence of Ice Road: Vengeance :: All the action at Kathmandu around the Himalayas makes sure that a visually unique and stunning background is achieved, and there are moments with this landscape which makes the situation even better. The visuals keep us hoping for such a journey through Himalayas or any other snow-covered mountains, especially as we rarely see any snow around. The quick pace of the movie makes sure that we are always in an action thriller, even those dialogues seem to support the same. Almost everyone among the cast seems to be fully powered for action, and there is something about their fight for survival which keeps us wishing them the best against all odds. Different types of people coming together to save themselves and defeat the villains never gets less interesting. There is a certain amount of humour and the emotional side is also there up to an extent. The nostalgic, old-school formula which reminds us of those 1980s and 1990s action flicks working so well here keeps us more interested. In the end, it is all about saving a village, and that matters here.

Positives and negatives :: The movie nicely makes use of the available elements from its cast to the visual world that surrounds everyone. It might not become the perfect action thriller without those huge action sequences, but we always have enough. Even with a message about nature and conservation of environment ready to come to the front, it never does the same, and leaving with the same does not happen at all. There are also moments when the movie feels like going the silly way, but with some willing suspension of disbelief, the same is handled well. Even though this one remains visually stunning, the Computer Generated Imagery is not used to the best advantage. The journey through ice road is rather less in this one too. The ending scene is lovely, but it seems a little bit forced. The action just before that was grand, but could have been quicker in execution, and the danger in the end should have given a riskier feeling, especially with a group with rich and powerful people with control over police chasing the people in the bus. Yet, the thrills remain there and the fights continue to be effective.

The performers of the soul :: Liam Neeson once again does the job, and like in Taken, A Walk Among the Tombstones, The Grey and Non-stop, goes through the difficult times to make it better. Nobody does it better than him when playing an aged hero with a past which has more tales to tell than people can think about. Fan Bingbing as the mountain guide Dhani Yangchen is a strong lady lead who can hold her own side in the narrative, and there are some fine fight scenes for her to excel. Amelia Bishop also plays a mercenary villain who gets a lot of action for herself. Grace O’Sullivan’s character is also played well as the significance of this one is also there at all times. Bernard Curry’s work is short-lived as the character is the first one to be killed. Marcus Thomas as Gurty McCann makes some presence through the flashbacks which come to the screen at times. Mahesh Jadu plays an antagonist who is menacing enough, Monish Anand’s supportive villain also has his moments. Geoff Morrell’s character adds some initial fun too. Saksham Sharma as Vijay Rai manages the role just as expected.

How it finishes :: Ice Road: Vengeance is one of those fine entertaining action thrillers which never losses its strength during its journey with a run-time just a little bit less than two hours. This is that kind of a movie which leaves us the feeling of a natural thriller, as it feels close to life due to never overdoing it and the situation related to dam construction and destruction of home and nature remaining even closer to life. There is no extra effort, but we are glad about what we see around. The 70-plus-year-old Liam Neeson trying to climb the Himalayas and also beating up people with a certain amount of struggle still makes it believable while staying on to be a highly entertaining watch which has shots which we will remember. As the movie also has everyone fighting for lives, there is a certain amount of balance here too. As most of us have not watched the previous movie, we cannot really compare this to the first movie, but this is surely that kind of a movie which should have released in the theatres here in style as there is a specific touch that could attract the audience around here.

Release date: June 27, 2025
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Jonathan Hensleigh
Starring: Liam Neeson, Fan Bingbing, Marcus Thomas, Bernard Curry, Geoff Morrell, Mahesh Jadu, Amelia Bishop, Salim Fayad, Saksham Sharma, Grace O’Sullivan, Monish Anand, Shivantha Wijesinha, Rosie Traynor, Seth Kannof, CJ. Bloomfield, Luke Clayson, Sahil Saluja, Anna-Mai Hoek

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

The Bhootnii

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Vampire Owl: Bollywood continues to have its ghosts, I see.

Vampire Bat: There are rarely the kind of ghosts that we accept among us.

Vampire Owl: Yet, even in human world, ghosts are real.

Vampire Bat: Let their ghosts be theirs and ours be as we need.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein once researched on a new ghost realm.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein can research on nothing that really exists.

Vampire Owl: Frankenstein can do anything when provided the scientific equipment.

Vampire Bat: The only thing he can get is a ban from Uncle Dracula.

Vampire Owl: Scientists like him will rise again with new paranormal inventions.

Vampire Bat: Pseudo-scientists who claim to create life from lightning are not included.

[Gets a set of idli and three cups of Vagamon tea].

What is the movie about? :: In the campus of St. Vincent College, there is a particular strange tree known as the “Virgin Tree,” which is believed to grant true love to everyone who prays under it on a Valentine’s Day. But on the day of Holika Dahan, a student mysteriously dies, and people say that it is claimed by an evil spirit and that the tree as well as the area around it remains haunted. Shantanu (Sunny Singh) who is heartbroken after a recent breakup, creates a mess around the Virgin Tree, asking for true love while threatening to give up his life. He does not know if there was a result to his prayers, but the truth is that his earnest plea awakens Mohabbat (Mouni Roy), a vengeful and obsessive spirit bound to the tree. As Mohabbat’s obsession grows, she begins to haunt anyone who has a chance of coming between her and Shantanu, as she takes a human form in front of him, making him fall for her. Sahil (Sahil Arora) and Nasir (Aasif Khan) are his two best friends who are surprised that he is having a new girlfriend all of a sudden.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Shantanu’s longtime friend Ananya (Palak Tiwari) comes back to the campus after a programme and tries to help him get better after the earlier heartbreak, but quickly becomes a target for the spirit who understands that she has always been in love with him despite never accepting the same. As strange things continue to happen in the campus, and a few days after protests erupting in relation to a student’s suicide, the management is forced to find a solution, and they call a former student who has been dealing with similar problems all around India, a para-physicist Krishna Tripathi known only by the name Baba (Sanjay Dutt). He reaches the campus, and while seeing the protests against the tree, understands that the problem is not with the tree doing anything, but with some evil presence tied to the tree wandering around on campus. As the spirit begins to set an example with Ananya whom it captures with its never-ending vines, can she and other students be saved in time by Baba?

The defence of The Bhootnii :: The movie has some good humour all around, and the same works above most of the other horror comedy works with only a few exceptions in Bollywood that manage to raise the level. The performers also seem to be good with the humour and the leading ladies also with the romantic side added to the comic side. Sanjay Dutt remains a towering figure of the same, as he is the one name among the cast which we who watch only the big movies of Bollywood can recognize with ease. As Mouni Roy plays that demonic presence with conviction and Palak Tiwari becomes the cutest romantic interest around, we feel the danger and the need to do something soon for the characters, as scares take over from the humour. The setting of the college is really good, and the atmosphere has been nicely built around here. Except for the tree, the institution looks lovely as much as lively. There is a certain amount of Gothic-like beauty in here which makes one feel both the horror and romance suitable for this particular world. Then, the final moments leading to the end is nice with a twist which leaves us with a fine feeling.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not keep away from being silly, and this particular silliness would keep the audience wonder if it is going the wrong way. There are moments when we feel that this is not going to end well, and some of the jokes get nowhere. Despite setting the horror, humour and romance mood well in the beginning, there is a struggle right after the first dance song, and then the situation gets better only when Sanjay Dutt faces the ghost for the first time and leads an escape – there is quite some time in there between the beginning and this, which is one-fourth of this, when things seem to be less interesting. Some of the special effects could have also used some more attention. The “true love” idea does not work at all, as we keep feeling that the same is far-fetched element in this one. The idea of love being misunderstood as friendship is also a little bit too old for this age. Considering the loss of pace in between, it is only safe to say that the movie could have indeed been a shorter one.

The performers of the soul :: Sanjay Dutt as Baba is the character who has to save everyone, and he plays the strong slayer of ghosts well, and reminds us of those whom we have been seeing in Hollywood, but this time with an emotional twist. There is no problem with him playing this particular character, as it suits his looks and the efforts here are surely working. Sunny Singh as Shantanu remains stable in a role where he has to be the campus lover affected by a ghost, and that also works well for him. Mouni Roy does a fine job as the spirit, and she manages to show the multiple sides of the ghostly presence with beauty, charm, terror and even a little amount of humour, as there is that stunning appearance that makes an impression every few minutes after the first introduction. This is the first movie I am seeing her around in a big role, and this is a memorable one indeed. I am also seeing Palak Tiwari for the first time in a movie, and she scores with a certain amount of cuteness and humour added with romance or even when facing the horror. One has to say that she suits well for this role, and she is indeed an actress who deserves more big roles as most of the other Bollywood actresses would overdo this one, but she maintains grace.

How it finishes :: While watching the movie, I could not stop wondering if this could be a sequel to Adi Kapyare Kootamani, a Malayalam movie with so much humour and a little bit of horror coming up in the final few moments, and there is no shortage of trees and search for true love there either. But we know that such a sequel could be a lot better with the fine ending maintained there. Back to this one, it works more as the comedy and less as the horror flick, something which we have seen throughout the Bollywood attempts at the same, from Stree, Munjya, Thamma and even those sequels of Bhool Bhulaiyya which might have lost the focus. Some of the horror elements of these movies were also unintentional horror in one way or the other. As far as our movie here is concerned, it is that horror comedy with romance that tries better than other movies of the same genre which do not have a franchise to go with it. With some stunning visuals and classic moments of humour established through one-liners and somewhat good scares, this one catches our attention despite somewhat losing its way in between.

Release date: 1 May 2025
Running time: 130 minutes
Directed by: Sidhaant Sachdev
Starring: Sanjay Dutt, Sunny Singh, Mouni Roy, Palak Tiwari, Aasif Khan, Sahil Arora, Meherzan Mazda

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

<<< Click here to go to the most awaited sequel of the year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.