Behind The Curtain

Concise Reviews for Movie Addicts Who Don't Have Time to Waste

Genre: Action

Recent Reviews

Still of Lee Byung-hun, Jung Woo-sung, and Song Kang-ho in ‘The Good, the Bad, the Weird’ (2008)

The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)

Director Kim Jee-won’s ‘Kimchi Western’ tour-de-force that you can follow even without subtitles

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Still Of Gladiator Ii 2024

Gladiator II (2024)

Laughable CGI undercuts the impact, but Denzel Washington saves Gladiator II (though not Rome)

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Still of Joaquin Phoenix and Russell Crowe in ‘Gladiator’ (2000)

Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix make this tale of betrayal and revenge a memorable spectacle

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Still of George Clooney and Brad Pitt in ‘Wolfs’ (2024)

Wolfs (2024)

Lone wolves George Clooney and Brad Pitt in a comedic romp smart enough not to become a mushy buddy movie

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Still of Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook in ‘Predestination’ (2014)

Predestination (2014)

Have a look at this Ethan Hawke, Sarah Snook brain-bender. If you can figure it out, let me know

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Still of Robert Redford and Brad Pitt in ‘Spy Game’ (2001)

Spy Game (2001)

Robert Redford keeps you – and his colleagues – guessing as he races to save protégé Brad Pitt

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Still of Stephanie Hsu, Michele Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan in ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ (2022)

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Buckle up. Michele Yeoh is perfectly cast as the reluctant hero at the chaotic center of countless parallel lives

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Still of Don Johnson and Aaron Pierre in ‘Rebel Ridge’ (2024)

Rebel Ridge (2024)

Jeremy Saulnier proves you can deliver a white-knuckle experience without the overworked gunplay and gore

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Still of Lee Jae-in and Jo Woo-jin in ‘Hard Hit’ (2021)

Hard Hit (2021)

Jo Woo-jin is terrific as the desperate father whose one wrong move could be the end of him and his kids

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Still of Helen Mirren, Sasha Luss, and Luke Evans in ‘Anna’ (2019)

Anna (2019)

Sasha Luss executes with intensity and grace in a fast-paced tale that’s more absorbing than expected

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Still of Lee Byung-hun and Ha Jung-woo in ‘Ashfall’ (2019)

Ashfall (2019)

This disaster extravaganza has the right dose of everything: special effects, high stakes, heroics, betrayal, comedy

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Still of Mary-Louise Parker, Bruce Willis, and John Malkovich in ‘RED 2’ (2013)

RED 2 (2013)

The RED team (well, most) are back in action, but Mary-Louise Parker once again delivers the chuckles

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Recent Quick Takes

A Special Lady (2017)

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A twisty plot, Godfather-reminiscent set pieces, and a gutsy heroine can't make up for the exploitive brutality

Night in Paradise (2020)

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Gangster gets sold out, with bloody results. But Jeon Yeo-been shines as a terminal case with a deadly aim

Meg 2: The Trench (2023)

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It’s not as bad as you’d think. So while it’s a waste of time, it’s your time to waste

The Front Line (2011)

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The vicious battle of Aerok Hill leaves North and South Korean soldiers unable to remember why they even fought

Transfusion (2023)

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Sam Worthington is mired in a plodding plot that wants to be actioner and think piece and winds up being neither

Act of Valor (2012)

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The well staged action sequences can't make us overlook the stilted dialog and cardboard characterizations

Alien Outpost (2014)

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Another tired "advanced beings from outer space invade with WWII-level tactics." OK battle scenes, zero plot

Young Ones (2014)

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In a water-parched future, a refreshingly original and complex story of greed, betrayal, and family loyalty

Killer Elite (2011)

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Statham, Owen, and De Niro in an actioner with mindless entertainment and just enough stakes to care about