Where's My Popcorn?

OVERALL

I saw this movie at a midnight showing, ready to laugh. I really enjoyed the first Rush Hour, and I even liked the second one. But wow. This movie was actually kind of sad to watch. Chris Tucker wasn't funny at all, and Jackie Chan actually looked... old. It's like director Brett Ratner was trying to make the first movie all over again, without realizing the jokes aren't as funny the second time around.

PRO vs. NO

PRO: I have to say, the cab driver who loved American things was a little funny. Just a little.

NO: Everything else. The jokes all fell flat, the action scenes didn't work, and the jokes about Chinese were just... not just racist, but kind of mean. Maybe it was just me. Oh, and the Mi and Yu jokes... wow... just horrible.

SEVEN WORD FINISH
"How do you say surrender in Chinese?"

FINAL BELL
-- 0.5 out of 5 -- Ugh.... UGH!

WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION?:
Do not watch this movie. Ever. Go see Shanghai Knights instead. A much better film.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293564/

OVERALL
I walked into this movie with low expectations, and got exactly what I was looking for. A few twists here and there, but overall this movie really REALLY reminded me of George A. Romero's "Land of the Dead", which came out a few years earlier. Zombies - check. Highly protected vehicle - check. Characters you know are going to die - check.

Not looking to spoil anything, but amidst some very cool scenes the ending of this movie left me scratching my head, thinking what the heck they were going to do next... if anything. The set-up on top of set-up pointed to a great ending, but... go watch the movie and find out for yourself.

PRO vs. NO

PRO: Once again, Milla Jovovich was the highlight of the movie. If anything, watch this movie to see how the character progresses from the first two, movies I also recommend, but ONLY if you know what to expect -- zombie shoot-em-ups. Also, the scene with the crows was pretty damn cool.

NO: The movie seemed kind of short. I would have liked to learn more about certain characters before they died. Also, as cool as the ending was, it made you wonder how they can follow it up.

SIX WORD FINISH
"Good thing we like a challenge."

FINAL BELL
-- 3.5 out of 5, leaning towards 4 out of 5 -- A pretty cool movie that could have been just a bit better, with a head-scratching, but awesome, ending.

WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION?:
A good stand-alone movie, but having watch the first two movies you get a bit more out of it. You don't have to be a fan of the video game in order to enjoy the movie. Go see it, and bring plenty of popcorn.

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0432021/

OVERALL
The Rock does Disney. In his first movie being billed as "Dwayne Johnson", the hulking actor does a pretty good kid's movie, surrounded by a good supporting cast.

Going into the movie, I thought the kid, played by Madison Pettis, was going to be rather annoying. But she ended up being one of the highlights of the movie. Not there simply to sit, smile, bat her eyes and say something cute every once in awhile, she was actually a good actress. Which really made her character stand out.

Which really made the movie enjoyable. Well, as enjoyable as it could be.

I have to admit that I am a wrestling fan and knew Dwayne Johnson when he was The Rock (a.k.a "The People's Champion") in WWF/WWE, being the most charismatic man in wrestling. Ever. He would step into a ring and the fans would chant "ROCKY" for five minutes straight. All he would have to do is arch an eyebrow. That's it. Johnson was very charismatic in this movie, and proved he could act. Well, for a Disney movie.

PRO vs. NO

PRO: I have to say that I really enjoyed the relationship between the main character and his daughter's ballet teacher. It did not progress really quickly throughout the movie, and the relationship was where it probably should be by movie's end.

NO: I had no real problems with this movie, as it was exactly what I expected.

FIVE WORD FINISH
"Is Spike wearing a tutu?"

FINAL BELL
-- 3.5 out of 5 -- It's what you expect, and an enjoyable movie for kids.

WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION?:
Sure, why not? If you want a good kid's movie with some decent characters and a good storyline, then you should give this one a chance.

IMDB:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0492956/