Jeff Goldblum’s “Jurassic Park” character had more charisma in his pinky than anyone in “Jurassic World Rebirth.”

Yeah, that’s a problem.

Watching dinosaurs romp across the screen will never get old. It’s why “Rebirth” is the seventh film in the “Jurassic” saga, and likely the start of a new trilogy. We still need characters to care about, and the heroes in “Jurassic World Rebirth” barely qualify.

And you can blame the scribe who set this saga in motion for that state of affairs.

Scarlett Johansson supplies the star power as Zora Bennett, an “extraction” specialist who takes a team into a part of the globe where the remaining dinosaurs roam. The film starts five years after the events of “Jurassic World: Dominion,” and the creatures can only thrive in select climates.

It’s the ultimate “no-go” zone, but that won’t stop the intrepid Zora and friends.

Why risk life and limb on such an extraction? The beasts harbor chemicals that can lead to a crush of life-saving medicines. The trick? Nabbing samples and returning to society in one piece.

The “science” behind “Jurassic World Rebirth” is dumber than a second-tier “Barney & Friends” episode. We can look past that if the story engages us and the characters matter.

Swinggggg, and a miss.

The team includes a dull paleontologist (Jonathan Bailey), the financial guru funding the mission (Rupert Friend) and ship captain Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali).

Hiring a two-time Oscar winner like Ali for such a forgettable part is darn near criminal. Lock them up!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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There’s a villain in the midst, naturally, but the character is so poorly drawn that it barely matters.

A secondary story follows a Latino family that gets shipwrecked early in the film and must scramble for survival. It’s moderately more engaging than the A. plot, mostly because the father figure (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) cares about protecting his brood.

Director Gareth Edwards of “Godzilla” fame knows the prehistoric ropes, but little in his visual toolkit catches us by surprise. We know all the ways dinosaurs sneak up on their prey, rendering even the “startling” moments moot.

Been there, seen better dinosaur sequences. Sorry.

Edwards showed far more flair with both “Rogue One” and “The Creator.” Here, he’s punching the clock. And boy, does it show.

Veteran screenwriter David Koepp (“Jurassic Park,” “Spider-Man,” “Carlito’s Way”) deserves much of the blame. Look past the stupefying science and illogical plotting. Koepp gives us little to savor.

RELATED: HiT REWIND: ‘JURASSIC PARK’

The laugh lines mostly miss. Johansson’s character isn’t even woke enough to be a Mary Sue. She’s Generic Action Hero … just add water. And don’t even think about any possible romance between Zora and her handsome co-stars. 

We can’t have that, can we?

Look all you want, but you won’t find anything resembling a character arc or meaty theme. The morality behind finding a miracle drug gets mentioned a few times. Do you get rich off the discovery or share it with the world?

The ensuing debates are beyond vapid, robbing the story of anything resembling texture.

Why are we here again? Oh, the dinosaur clashes. They’re perfectly fine but nothing can compare to what Steven Spielberg uncorked in the movie that started it all.

So why bother?

The bigger question is why hire the likes of Johansson and Ali when you’ve given them nothing to do but look afraid of CGI dinosaurs created in post?

“Jurassic Park Rebirth” doesn’t come close to sharing any answers.

HiT or Miss: “Jurassic World Rebirth” is a popular franchise stuck on stupid.

The post ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ Finds Dino Franchise on Autopilot appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Arnold Schwarzenegger became a star between “Terminator” (1984) and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991).

So director James Cameron shrewdly turned his killing machine character into an antihero.

Director Gerard Johnstone did something similar with “M3GAN.” The 2023 smash followed a creepy A.I robot who turns on humanity. Chaos ensued, AKA a glorious crush of horror-comedy thrills.

“M3GAN 2.0” recasts the killer ‘bot as humanity’s best defense against an even more lethal threat. The big difference between the franchises?

“Terminator 2” remains one of the best sequels ever made. “M3GAN 2.0” works best as a cautionary tale. Some movies don’t require a second chapter.

The film’s frenetic opening gets us up to speed on the main characters. Gemma (Allison Williams) is publicly tapping the breaks on A.I. advancements. She speaks from experience, naturally.

Her adopted daughter Cady (Violet McGraw) is growing up but misses the initial version of M3GAN who always had her back. We know the feeling.

Heck, the memes alone were priceless.

A nasty prologue reveals a new robot, comandeered by the U.S. Army, that makes drones look primitive by comparison. That’s Amelia (Ivanna Sakhno), a hard-charging bot that quickly goes rogue.

Gemma reluctantly brings M3GAN back to “life,” thinking she’s the only one who can eliminate Amelia.

That plot recap may sound simple, but there’s nothing streamlined about this bloated sequel. Nearly every step of the story is too complicated by half. That forces the main characters to talk out what’s happening and what they hope to do in order to stop Amelia.

If you saw this summer’s “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning,” you’ll recognize this misguided technique.

Show, don’t tell. This isn’t hard, folks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Johnstone, the underrated artist behind “Housebound,” forgets much of what made the first film sparkle. We’ve left horror behind to embrace an action adventure with a dash of sci-fi satire.

Big mistake.

Newer characters make a splash but are quickly diminished. Why lure the great Jemaine Clement to your project, cast as an arrogant Tech Bro, and not give him more to do?

The writer/director has an ear for funny quips, and Williams is a fine foil when the jokes land. A sequence where M3GAN bursts into song goes on too long, but watching Williams play against her robotic scene partner is a hoot.

The original film became a camp touchstone, particularly in LGBTQ+ circles. It’s hard to see the new film repeating that cultural trick. A little camp might have done the sequel good.

At least it wouldn’t require dialogue to explain every last detail to the audience.

“M3GAN 2.0” enters the marketplace at a curious moment. A.I. technology was unsettling two years ago, but it wasn’t ubiquitous. Just try to avoid A.I. today. 

Good luck.

The sequel could have leaned into that fear, doubling down on its horrific potential. Instead, the evolving tech is treated glibly. The focus remains on busy set pieces and pseudo-musings on A.I.’s potential.

Our M3GAN deserves better. So do audiences.

HiT or Miss: “M3GAN 2.0” proves not every genre delight deserves the franchise treatment.

The post ‘M3GAN 2.0’ Does Not Compute appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson character on “Parks & Recreation” mattered on two levels.

His Libertarian screeds countered Leslie Knope’s wide-eyed liberalism. That gave audiences a rare, positive portrayal of a small-government voice.

And, deep down, Ron cared about his friends and co-workers. Deeply.

Now, imagine if Offerman’s GIF machine leaned so far into his anti-government shtick he couldn’t produce a driver’s license during a traffic stop.

That’s where Offerman lands in “Sovereign,” a depressing tale of a true believer at odds with reality. The tragic part? He’s a loving parent to a teen caught up in dad’s mania.

Jerry Kane (Offerman) is a stern father figure trying to raise his son right. That means indoctrinating Joe (an excellent Jacob Tremblay of “Room” fame) into his anti-government mindset. Offerman doesn’t shy away from his character’s extremist views.

It’s the kind of focused turn that makes awards season voters sit upright. And deservedly so.

Jerry makes a nominal living sharing his “sovereign citizen” beliefs. Is it enough to pay his mortgage? He doesn’t care. He insists he doesn’t have to pay anyone for what is rightfully his.

And he’ll spend 20 agonizing minutes explaining why.

That won’t keep the bill collectors at bay or a roof over their heads, but Jerry is always a step or two ahead of his enemies. Or at least he thinks he is.

Meanwhile, Joe looks longingly at his cute neighbor and dreams of attending high school. “Sovereign” is the worst possible advertisement for home schooling.

A secondary story follows a local police chief (Dennis Quaid) welcoming his son (Thomas Mann) onto the force. This father-son connection couldn’t be more different than the main story.

Or is it?

First-time director Christian Swegal leans into Jerry’s fanaticism but refuses to lecture audiences beyond that distorted worldview. Swegal avoids political tells or monologues meant to connect the action – set in the early 2010s – to modern times.

Last year’s Oscar-bait entry “The Order” showed similar restraint until the film’s final seconds.

Martha Plimpton shines as Jerry’s quasi-girlfriend, but the actress needed a bigger presence in the story. We’d also like to learn how Jerry became such a true believer. We learn about his personal pain later in the story, but it hardly explains his fevered approach to the world.

He’s a fully formed monster by the time we first meet him. 

New movie “Sovereign” seeks to humanize the sovereign citizen movement: https://t.co/OaiK3Q13XO

— Dr. Christine Sarteschi, LCSW (@DrSarteschi) June 10, 2025

“Sovereign” opens with events that occur at the end of the film and then circles back to the beginning. We know this story won’t have a rosy finish, but telegraphing it so bluntly is a terrible choice. The film’s “coming of age” component also comes up short.

Filmmakers refuse to tell stories that speak to news ignored by Legacy Media outlets. Imagine movies spun from the “Summer of Love” riots or Antifa, for example.

Inconceivable!

This tale is catnip to Hollywood types. It aligns with their worldview, suggesting fringe players (Qanon! MAGA Gone Wild!) loom large over society. They don’t.

That doesn’t rob “Sovereign” of its haunting power or the tractor pull of Offerman’s performance. He’s a man obsessed and a devoted father all in one.

That duality is more than enough to make “Sovereign” worth a look.

HiT or Miss: “Sovereign” takes Ron Swanson to the woodshed in a harrowing tale of a disturbed dad pushing his son to the edge.

The post ‘Sovereign’ – ‘Parks & Rec’s’ Ron Swanson Gone Wild appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

Horror movies slice and dice a good portion of their casts. Audiences expect nothing less.

Some victims are so annoying, childish or arrogant that crowds cheer on their fate. It’s not cruel, just cathartic. Heck, it’s just a movie.

“Wake Up” leans into that trope, and then some. Like “The Green Inferno” before it, the victims here are rock-ribbed progressives who are far from sympathetic.

It’s hard to know who to root for in this intermittently sharp horror satire, and that’s part of the fun.

Six self-important radicals infiltrate an IKEA-style superstore at closing time. They wear animal masks and hope to damage as much property as possible before dawn.

The chain exploits animals, the rainforest and probably much more, they claim. Their rhetoric is far from streamlined. It’s more about Fighting the Man than a coherent strategy.

And if their antics go viral, even better!

They’re immature but savvy, but they never expected one of the store’s security guards to be on the edge of madness. That’s Kevin (Turlough Convery), whose volatile nature nearly gets him fired as the story opens. Now, he and his older brother Jack (Aidan O’Hare) are all that stand between the store and millions of dollars in damages.

Things could get ugly. And when a confrontation takes a deadly turn, it does. 

Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell, part of the collective known as RKSS, make the most of the unusual setting. The chain store offers fascinating backdrops, impromptu weapons and enough space for Kevin to lurk virtually unnoticed.

And, to the delight of the Mystery Machine’s Fred, there will be traps.

The six radicals are far from heroic, and some are downright cruel. Yet a food fight sequence shows they’re just kids cosplaying activism.

It’s the closest the film comes to humanizing them, and it’s a necessary addition.

“Wake Up” never fleshes out the six radicals, but we get a better sense of Jack and Kevin. That gives the kills a whiff of authenticity. That’s more than enough to push the story forward.

The film’s midsection delivers all the B-movie goods. RKSS stage the kills with precision, and there’s little in the way of storytelling fat to get in the way. Convery’s intense performance elevates the material. He’s relentless, and while he might have been a reasonable soul in another setting he’s lost all sense of decency once the action kicks in.

That’s just how genre fans like it.

162_Wake up•RKSS
(2023) pic.twitter.com/6W1VdEmRq5

— TFAB (@toy_1O) November 24, 2024

The film’s third act isn’t as strong, even though the sense of desperation becomes palpable for the remaining activists.

The screenplay doesn’t go wobbly on either side of the battle. The radicals cling to their beliefs while Kevin’s lust for revenge remains white hot.

The subject matter suggests either a heavy-handed takedown of activists or Capitalism 101. For all the gore and thrills RKSS never takes the bait. That discipline makes “Wake Up” a cut above your average slasher film.

HiT or Miss: “Wake Up” takes a stab at Antifa-like radicals but refuses to lecture horror hounds.

The post ‘Wake Up’ (Literally) Skewers Antifa-like Radicals appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

It’s hard to believe zombies were all but dead before Danny Boyle shocked them back to life.

The director’s “28 Days Later” may have used a “rage virus” to do the trick in 2002, but it was enough to remind us why these ghouls matter.

And boy were those flesh-eating creeps fast.

Now, nearly two decades after that film’s sequel, Boyle is back with “28 Years Later.” The math may be fuzzy, but there’s nothing bland about this gut-wrenching update.

“28 Years Later” is a coming-of-age film about life, death and survival. Oh, and you’ll spend an inordinate amount of time on the edge of your seat.

The film’s prologue pushes the boundaries of horror, even in our “Terrifier” age. You’ve been warned.

From there, we flash forward you-know-how-many-years later. We meet a family living on an island that appears safe from the zombie hordes that decimated England in the first film.

It’s where young Spike (Alfie Williams), his father Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his sickly ma Isla (Jodie Comer) call home.

Island dwellers still depend on the mainland for supplies, and it’s become a rite of passage for teen boys to visit in order to make their first “kill” (and, hopefully, stay alive). “28 Years Later” is aggressively unwoke in that area. The men do the hunting while the women folk stay back and prepare the meals.

Triggering!

RELATED: 7 BEST ZOMBIE MOVIES POST ’28 DAYS LATER’

Spike may be 12, but his Pappy thinks he’s ready to prove his bow hunting prowess. Is anyone prepared to face a horde of rage-filled ghouls, particularly the Alphas who could fend off a small army? That nightmarish tweak to the zombie genre works beautifully under Boyle’s inspired direction.

The dysfunctional family dynamic powers the movie, in between crisply edited battles with the undead. Williams delivers a stellar performance, capturing the fear of youth and a growing sense of responsibility. 

The lad is desperate to find a doctor for his sickly Ma, and when he learns about a mysterious medic on the mainland he becomes obsessed with finding him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“28 Years Later” is sublime and, later, rock solid. The film’s first half captures the culture of post-pandemic living, from the precautions of everyday life to the shift back to a pre-digital age.

Locals live as if it were medieval times, eschewing modernity in the process. Is there another choice? It’s still fascinating to watch, granting the sequel a power we didn’t see coming.

That’s where Spike’s family fits into the narrative. Jamie is a dutiful Dad, but his biological needs confuse and horrify young Spike. Isla appears to have a form of the rage virus, but her bouts of clarity suggest she could be saved before the end credits roll.

Boyle and “28 Days Later” writer Alex Garland find a near-perfect balance between horror and humanity in the first half. Later, the story shifts its focus and loses some of what was expertly established earlier on. It’s still engrossing and, occasionally, terrifying.

The arrival of Ralph Fiennes later in the story lets Spike learn even more hard lessons about adolescence in his nightmarish reality.

Director George A. Romero kickstarted the modern zombie genre, but his films viewed humans as more monstrous than the undead. Boyle and Garland offer something more hopeful without skimping on scares.

That matters.

“28 Years Later” isn’t a cash-grab sequel but an exhilarating extension of a genre-defining original.

Note: The final sequence is jarring, but hardly in a good way. It’s an obvious nod to the next film in the saga, a move as cynical as peak MCU theatrics.

HiT or Miss: “28 Years Later” shows director Danny Boyle still knows how to make us squirm without leaving humanity on the cutting room floor.

The post Why ’28 Years Later’ Is Unlike Most Sequels appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

It’s hard to believe “The Blair Witch Project” stormed Hollywood 26 years ago.

The indie film rode the early Internet wave and became one of the most profitable films in modern times. The movie fueled endless “found footage” copycats, allowing directors to bring their visions to the screen at an uber-low price point.

That’s what the lead character has in mind in “Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project.” The low-budget satire pokes gentle fun at wannabe Spielbergs, mining yuks from the indie film ranks.

It’s frothy and fun until supernatural events swamp the story.

Young, ambitious Chase Bradner (Brennan Keel Cook) wants to make a “found footage” Bigfoot movie, and he’ll do anything to make it happen. That means cutting every corner and engaging in some light subterfuge. The latter comes courtesy of his hard-nosed producer (Dean Cameron of “Summer School” and “Hollywood Palms” fame).

Chase, along with his girlfriend/Assistant Director Natalie (Erika Vetter), find a home in the woods where they can shoot their film.

Naturally, everything that can go wrong does. A major casting coup blows up in their faces. A donor’s bizarre request forces the crew to get creative at the last minute. And the house they’ve chosen to set up shop keeps making weird, ominous sounds.

Hmmm.

“Found Footage” works best as a loving homage to the never-say-die spirit of indie filmmakers. Yes, Chase is deluded about his project and, possibly, his abilities. That won’t stop him from getting the project started. His underlings know little about filmmaking, but their eagerness goes a very long way.

The story lacks belly laughs but the jokes are steady and infectious. Writer/director Max Tzannes has clearly spent time in the indie trenches and hasn’t been burned so badly that he can’t see the comical side to storytelling.

https://t.co/tcBQTV3bry

Maybe pre-order Found Footage: The Patterson Project today and count the days until June 24!

— deancameron (@deancameron) June 13, 2025

Cook anchors the film with his knack for twisting reality to his liking. His scenes with Vetter’s Natalie click because we’ve seen this couple before. Her budding frustration adds texture to the comedic trappings along with a compelling subplot involving a separate crew member.

Cameron plays his producer role as straight as an arrow, an ideal take given the silliness seen elsewhere.

We won’t spoil some of the gags but just know fans of the late, great Alan Rickman are in for an absurdist treat.

FAST FACT: “Found Footage” plays homage to “The Blair Witch Project” with its own faux news site.

“Found Footage” doesn’t overstay its welcome, but a tonal shift in the third act is both effective and a tad disappointing. We want more laughs, at least of the kind served up in the first hour. In their place, the story takes a turn that’s more chilling than expected.

Tzannes never extends the story’s gimmick beyond its humble roots. That leaves an indie film with heart, brains and a well-earned grin from start to finish.

HiT or Miss: “Found Footage: The Making of the Patterson Project” mocks the horror genre, indie filmmaking and anyone who refuses to quit on their dreams.

The post ‘Found Footage’ Takes Affectionate Look at Micro-Indie Filmmaking appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.

You’d think Hollywood studios would have rushed to clone “Top Gun: Maverick” after it crushed the competition in 2022.

Wrong.

It took that film’s director, Joseph Kosinski, to do the honors.

Once again we get an older, battle-tested soul locking horns with a Gen Z rival. He once stood atop his profession, but now he’s desperate for one last chance at redemption.

There’s even a love interest who might just make our hero a better man.

Brad Pitt’s “F1®” echoes the 2022 smash in ways large and small. It’s a shame it comes up short, but what’s left is an example of Hollywood storytelling at its summer movie peak. 

Pitt stars as Sonny Hayes, a veteran racer lured back to the Formula 1 circuit by his pal, Ruben (Javier Barden). Sonny is old school to the core and doesn’t play by the rules.

Shocking, we know.

He also clashes with his new team’s wunderkind (Damson Idris). Joshua Pearce has no time for the old man, though, and Sonny cares more about adrenaline than being part of a team.

You might say he feels the need for speed.

Sonny and Joshua bump heads and egos, and their team struggles to make its mark in the circuit. Ruben could lose his investment as a result, another weight dropped on Sonny’s shoulders.

The racers’ dueling styles slowly fall into a rhythm, and suddenly their team is a threat to the competition.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“F1®” doesn’t offer up a mustache-twirling rival driver, but otherwise it hews close to the Hollywood formula. Lessons will be learned. Races will be won. And Sonny will turn the head of the team’s brainy tech guru (Kerry Condon).

Their courtship gives the film a welcome spark, but at a certain point, the film pushes it to the background. Bad move.

Kosinsky’s flare for crowd-pleasing bits is second to none, and his technical prowess falls into the same category. The film’s editing is as slick as the cars, even during exchanges in the pit. That boosts both the racing scenes and the agreeable blasts of comic relief.

Hans Zimmer’s propulsive score makes everything go down smoothly.

And that’s good because “F1®” has no business being north of two and a half hours long. The story arcs don’t demand all that screen time, and the agreeable screenplay quickly falls back on sports movie cliches.

“F1®” is never dull, though, and there’s always another race to pick up the pace.

Those unfamiliar with Formula One racing will get a partial education in between Pitt’s star-wattage display. The pit crew and racing announcers fill in as many gaps as possible, but some will still scratch their heads.

The early scenes take us into the rarified air of the sport. You can practically smell the burned tires and gasoline. That behind-the-scenes aura fades as the story progresses, another unforced error.

The opening sequence puts us in the car with Pitt, and the visuals stun (especially in the IMAX format). We’re treated to so many competitions, though, that they start to lose their luster.

Less is almost always more.

The same holds true for “F1®.” Trim it down to a tight two hours and you’ve got a near-perfect blast of forgettable summer movie fun. As is, it’s a reminder that “Maverick” blueprint worked for a very good reason in our post-pandemic world.

HiT or Miss: “F1®” offers Brad Pitt at his movie-star peak and a story that takes too long to reach the finish line.

The post Pitt’s ‘F1®’ Goes the Full ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.