Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 39 minutes, Director – Scott Cooper

A teacher (Keri Russell) begins to investigate an isolated student (Jeremy T. Thomas) when his classwork becomes increasingly dark, reminding her of familial abuse in her past.

There’s a lot of director Scott Cooper’s Antlers which is concerned with the re-emergence of the past. Over the course of the 99 minute run-time we see a handful of characters face the demons, sometimes literally, which have held them back for times ranging from weeks to years. Predominantly we focus on quiet twelve-year-old Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas). An isolated student whose increasingly dark classwork begins to concern his new teacher Julia (Keri Russell). Julia has moved back to the quiet Oregon town in which she grew up, living with her sheriff brother Paul (Jesse Plemons). Lucas’ work reminds her of the abuse she suffered from her father as a child. Occasional hints and beats throw back to this demonstrating the trauma that she went through in the exact same walls in which she finds herself living again now. She feels trapped in by them, much like Lucas does in the darkened room that he’s confined to. Crouched in the opposite corner to a door with the same number of locks that would take a ‘funny-not-funny’ amount of time to unlock in a comedic context, he scribbles by the light of his torch while an unseen figure crashes, scratches and roars all around him.

Particularly when dwelling on the ideas and themes of abuse Antlers often feels more like an emotional drama rather than focusing on the darkness of the horror. The overall tone feels slightly muddled, only truly choosing one – the horror – when it comes to the third act. The horror certainly seems to fit the piece better, however when the emotional elements are almost completely dropped in exchange there’s a slightly odd feeling overall. Different to that which has been lying over the film beforehand, slightly preventing the viewer from forming a proper connection with the piece and the characters within it. Characters who we jump back and forth between as they deal with their pasts or myths and fables of the past – an early scene in the school sets this up by discussing just what stories are – each almost telling a different story, or one pausing the main narrative to sidetrack to them not quite observing the main narrative, so that the film begins to feel somewhat lengthy.

Over time the film gradually builds up characters, trying to add more detail to some side characters who pop up every now and then. Plemons sheriff is one figure who the writers attempt to give more prominence to, however he feels underserved and therefore the actor has little to deal with when he is on screen. It gets to the point where the core antagonistic force even feels underserved and with little screen time. To the point where the titular reference of the film almost feels like a spoiler due to how late into the run-time it appears – although even after this we don’t see much development or action from the titular CG antlers. Instead we get further mystery and flashbacks to look at Lucas’ past and his family relationship – it appears that he almost lives alone, aside from the potential creatures on the upper floor, although it’s only known that his mother passed away a number of years ago.

Things tangle and twist and manage to build up the rough, if not completely detailed, plot of the film. However, with seemingly so many elements, most of which feel underdeveloped, there’s little room for engagement and connection with the film, leaving the viewer stuck outside of it, feeling fairly distanced. Even as the horror takes more centre stage and a barrier is slightly removed it’s still difficult to properly feel a part of the unfolding events as the scares don’t really add up to much and it all feels to have been done a little too late in the piece. While being emotionally rooted in various pasts and fables, Antlers spends little time properly creating scares and progressing the narrative in the present.

Part emotional drama, part dark horror. There’s a confliction of tones within Antlers, not helped by the confliction of characters and underdeveloped focuses which removes from the main horror force which should be more towards the centre of the piece.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 2 hours 17 minutes, Director – Stephen Chbosky

When another student takes his life, Evan Hansen (Ben Platt) finds himself forging a friendship to console the grieving family (Kaitlyn Dever, Amy Adams, Danny Pino) when Connor is found with one of Evan’s therapy letters to himself.

The feature adaptation for Tony award winning Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen has largely plugged the award winning stage production in its marketing, and particularly the fact that it’s a musical with its seemingly fan-favourite opening number. However, sitting down to watch the film it seems apparent that over the course of the over two hour run-time that a number of the songs have been cut out in the adaptation. Generally the film doesn’t overly feel like a complete musical – particularly with the rather static feel of almost every song. While not bursting into a dance number isn’t a bad thing you do begin to want more action in the songs instead of people simply sitting or standing for three or four minutes while staring at each other and singing. It particularly removes something from a number of the third act encounters where the songs begin to feel longer and with much less impact, partly down to the stationary nature in which they come across.

The near lack of songs also perhaps makes the actions of the titular character (Ben Platt – in makeup that seems to age him up more than it does make him look like a teenager, not helped by the fact that the lighting often glaringly defines the makeup) more unforgivable. Initially alongside his only friend, Jared (Nik Dodani), Evan fakes a number of emails to make it seem as if he had a strong friendship with distant student Connor (Colton Ryan). This is after Connor takes his life and is found with a therapy letter Evan wrote to himself earlier that day before a second altercation with Connor, whose mother (Amy Adams) and step-father (Danny Pino) now want to know about their son and his friendship with this stranger.

It’s clear that what Evan’s doing is wrong, he even knows it himself. However, over time it feels as if this element of the film is glossed away. Things are generally watchable, even if not all of the elements completely balance well together, during the first hour. However, as things move on into the second hour it feels as if the narrative itself gets lost in exchange for throwing various different points and elements down the hole which has already been dug in the hope of making it deeper. It causes the run-time of a long film to be pushed and loses any form of connection for the viewer as Evan becomes even more of an unforgiveable character – particularly as his relationship with Connor’s grieving sister (Kaitlyn Dever in a quiet yet strong performance considering what she’s been given) grows from his too-awkward-to-approach attitude at the start of the film. Somehow managing to further echo a number of teen/ high-school movie clichés which are scattered throughout a number of the earlier scenes where the film feels slightly unsure of its initial tone.

The film occasionally shows glimpses of the bereaved family grieving and their different ways of coping, alongside the arguments that emerge from it. However, they seem so brief that they almost come across as underdeveloped and another attempt to create another layer of drama within the narrative. A narrative which is filled with various hints and glimpses that don’t really carry much further. Yet, for a film busy with such glimpses and moments Dear Evan Hansen manages to feel somewhat empty with ideas.

Things continue to dive deeper down the hole that has been dug in a repetitious spiral to the point where it’s hard to possibly reconnect with the film again. When taking into consideration the lack of repercussions or reprimanding, aside from some brief personal dealings, faced by Evan things feel particularly odd. As if his awkwardness and anxiety are being used as the reasoning for everything that has happened to him. This weight is largely felt in the second hour of the piece as the main point is ‘look how far everything has gone’. Turning a not-as-bad-as-you-might-think film, even if not everything properly clicks with the viewer in its state of slight imbalance, into something of complete disconnect with the central character and the events that he dishonestly forces himself into. For a film that has advertised itself as one for the outsider in all of us it certainly manages to shut its central figure out from the audience with both his actions and the way that the film generally treats and handles him.

While starting off on watchable, if slightly wobbly, ground Dear Evan Hansen soon dives into a deep hole that’s hard for it’s central character to get out of. Becoming as repetitive and static as its few lengthy musical numbers.

Cert – 12, Run-time – 2 hours 36 minutes, Director – Denis Villeneuve

Ducal heir Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) finds his visions of the future becoming true with increasing frequency as his family arrives on the much fought over desert planet of Arrakis, holding the universe’s most expensive and sought after substance, Spice.

There’s a slight surprise when the title ‘Dune: Part One’ appears on screen at the start of Denis Villeneuve’s latest. It’s not because this is only an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel – it’s been stated many times that this will be at least a two parter – but the fact that the lettering is so small when compered to the size of the screen. In many ways it reflects the film as a whole. While undeniably grand in scale with its awe-inspiring visuals, Dune never feels overinflated or as if it’s grabbing for your attention. Dune is unashamedly itself.

It allows for the vast landscapes of the desert planet of Arrakis to speak for themselves. Pouring over the viewer and bringing them into the futuristic world that has been visually carved out. Each shot, region and detail helps to expand this world and simply creates an even more impressive cinematic spectacle which explodes, sometimes literally, onto the big screen. What has been achieved visually makes Dune a rarity of a cinema experience. A feat close to that of getting away with bagpipes on another planet thousands of years in the future. There’s a striking impact which keeps the viewer in place over the course of the gradual build-up that acts as much of the film’s somewhat loose narrative.

We follow house Atreides her Paul (Timothée Chalamet) as he travels to Arrakis where his father (Oscar Isaac) is to take charge. It’s a time of great change for the planet, which has been much fought over and craved for the Spice which can be found on it. Spice is held highly as perhaps the most expensive substance in the universe thanks to its ability to held with space travel. It also makes the sandworm filled planet a must have for Stellan Skarsgård’s little-seen Baron Harkonnen. It’s after arriving on Arrakis that strange, almost painful, visions of the future that Paul has been having begin to become reality with increasing frequency. It builds up to an event that will shake the Atreides family, including Paul’s mother Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), and cause Paul to drastically change – perhaps a bit too suddenly? – whether he likes and knows it or not.

In the build-up to this event there’s not much in the way of story. The planet is explored and there are certainly some visually stunning moments. From the expansive confines of the palace which the family reside in to some eye-widening sandworm action in the heights of the sand dunes there’s plenty to keep you engaged and entertained throughout. Moments which aren’t just visually engaging but also sound fantastic, truly capturing the atmosphere of the world which has been created and bringing you deeper into another layer of authenticity and believability which has been sculpted by the entire creative team behind the film. There’s no denying Dune’s chances in at least technical categories come awards season. The budget has clearly been used to great effect, however it’s also in the smaller details where there’s great effect. There’s something quite effective about the way protective suits worn by the characters during moments of combat surge red when hit and killed, perhaps landing more of an impact than the sight of blood would in this futuristic realm.

When it comes to more core elements and happenings in relation to the building narrative some points feel somewhat glossed over. Particularly the first appearance of Javier Bardem’s Stilgar – a leader of Arrakis inhabitants the Fremen. There’s a lot placed into this film, and it does mean that some elements are covered almost too quickly, yet there’s still the scale and appeal of the piece, which particularly helps when considering the fact that there seems to be little dialogue over the two and a half hour plus course of the film. You’re captivated by what’s happening on-screen, helped by the look and style of the piece. Everything builds up and continues to escalate and escalate towards a rather thrilling climax. And then the film continues.

It feels slightly weird to still be kept in the film, with a slightly slower pace, after what you thought was going to be the end. Perhaps this just me, but personally it did feel as if the ending was being built up towards and then the narrative progresses, albeit to the logical conclusion for this first half of the story. It’s certainly not that the film outstays its welcome, you definitely don’t feel the two and a half hour run-time. It’s more a case that it feels slightly odd remaining a part of it as it builds up momentum again in a much shorter space of time as the actual ending is built up towards.

Again, maybe this is all just me thinking that things began to slightly retract away from the five star spectacle that the film initially held. Perhaps on a rewatch I might see the film as just that all the way through. It certainly starts as one. Things just don’t completely recover after perhaps too much build-up and eventual release. But with a film of this magnitude and impact, perhaps it was bound to happen at some point?

One of the best cinematic spectacles for a long time, Dune effectively uses the big screen to express its grand-scale locations and stunning effects. Bringing you in for a story that while sometimes slightly rushed builds up pace to a point that on a first watch is perhaps eventually almost too far?

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 47 minutes, Director – Tom McGrath

Distant brothers Tim (James Marsden) and Ted (Alec Baldwin) are transformed into their younger selves to investigate the actions of the mysterious principal (Jeff Goldblum) of a new advanced, high-tech school.

2017’s The Boss Baby was a film with plenty of obviousness. However, it was a success and therefore a sequel has arrived. But, in terms of this sequel perhaps the most obvious thing is the fact that, when looking at the credits, of course Gary Barlow wrote the main song Together We Stand. There are certainly still elements of predictability within Family Business, and indeed not every joke lands, but with even one chuckle it has more of a success rate than the original film.

Brothers Tim (James Marsden) and Ted (Alec Baldwin) have grown up and apart since we last saw them. Tim is happily a stay-at-home dad to his two daughters, Tabitha (Ariana Greenblatt) and baby Tina (Amy Sedaris), while Ted is fittingly the billionaire CEO of a major business. In many ways Tabitha is growing up to be more like her uncle, formal and pushing forward with serious matters. It contrasts with what is branded as her own father’s ‘active imagination’. “I think it’s time we both grow up. I look forward to greeting you at the breakfast table” she states in the manner of a business email exchange rather than a child being put to bed.

Her behaviour is perhaps an effect of the school she attends. A new high-tech school developing advanced, competitive minds run by energetic, yet mysterious, headteacher Dr. Erwin Armstrong (Jeff Goldblum). On seeing Armstrong’s character design, like a tall, bubbly sheep which has been partly shaved to make the knitted jumper it’s wearing, the thought does arise that he doesn’t overly match Goldblum’s mystical tones. It’s a thought that comes to mind a couple of times when the character appears on-screen, gradually fading as more is learned about him and you simply embrace the fact that Jeff Goldblum is a part of this film. Nonetheless he runs a tight ship which Ted and Tim investigate after discovering that Tina is in fact able to talk and ‘in the family business’ by working for Babycorp, who are themselves looking into Armstrong and just what’s happening inside the school. Thus, after agreeing to take on the mission, the brothers set aside their differences to transform into their younger selves for 48 hours so they can feed back.

Unlike the first film Ted is much less in the spotlight here. There’s much less reference to his pretentious nature and those of which there is manages to raise a mild chuckle on one or two occasions. While the relationship between the brothers is certainly a focus for the film the narrative feels tighter and much more about the mission at hand, and indeed Tabitha. Tim’s younger self watches her excel in class while being made fun of by other, jealous, students attempting to spoil her performance at the upcoming Christmas pageant. Overall the film doesn’t feel as lazy as the 2017 feature. While it might not be anything overly brilliant it’s certainly not dreadful and makes for watchable, mildly amusing content. Providing enough chuckles and exhales of amusement along the way, particularly from Gandalf like Wizard alarm clock Wizzie (James McGrath), to avoid all the humour being a miss.

Initially you’re caught off guard by this and begin to think that it might just be for the time we see Tim as an adult, before he and his sibling ‘shrink’. However, as things continue you’re able to properly settling into them and simply become able to enjoy the film and get slightly caught up with its flow. Things might seem slightly slotted and taped together at times, mostly for when linking from scene to scene, or rather location to location, but there’s still some amusement to be found. The laughs might not be in abundance, although there are still some scattered throughout, but generally as The Boss Baby 2: Family Business expands itself and dwells on more than just the one-note gags of the first film, exploring the family dynamic at the centre of this film and the narrative in general, a fairly likeable course is set out that provides enough amusement for the run-time and makes for a pleasant enough watch.

Expanding both in terms of character and narrative from the first film The Boss Baby 2: Family Business strikes thanks to feeling generally less lazy and, even if slightly, more detailed. Providing fine amusement, and one or two chuckles along the way, for the duration of the run-time.

Cert – 18, Run-time – 1 hour 45 minutes, Director – David Gordon Green

The residents of Haddonfield unite to finally take down Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney/ Nick Castle) after he survives a fire in Laurie Strode’s (Jamie Lee Curtis) home, while she recovers in hospital believing him to be dead.

Back in 2001 to truly show the ridiculous lengths that it had stretched to the Friday The 13th franchise came up with, arguably the worst film in the series, Jason X. Not only launching the silent killer into space but also turning him into a literal machine, kitted out with full shining silver armour, the kind you only find in cheap early-2000s sci-fi flicks. While Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney/ Nick Castle) doesn’t get the same treatment, after surviving being trapped in a fire-flooded basement, in Halloween Kills he certainly feels almost frustratingly indestructible. Although, perhaps this is because there’s not much around him that can possibly kill him as he seemingly attempts to make his way back to his childhood home – killing everyone in every house and park along the way. It becomes apparent that almost every character we spend more than five minutes with, preparing to do battle with the masked figure in the dead of night, is being set up to die because of their own ineptitude. Almost every character in this film is an idiot.

As we barely see Jamie Lee Curtis’ staggeringly underused Laurie Strode spend most of her small amount of screen time in a hospital bed – recovering from the events of the previous film, this one picking up immediately after – or shouting at the growing mob in the corridors, the residents of Haddonfield prepare to end the terror of Michael Myers once and for all. Led by previous victims or people who have encountered him, particularly Anthony Michael Hall taking on the role of Tommy Doyle, there are plenty of scenes focusing on the escalating numbers and anger of the mob.

Strode’s daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), also play bigger roles in this sequel as they try to prevent Laurie from discovering that Michael is in fact still alive, while assisting the mob or going out on their own missions. If the last film was about trauma this one is about generational trauma. It’s stated at one point that Michael “has infected my family, he’s infected your family; with grief and fear for 40 years”. However, amongst the other points and themes that the film is juggling many ideas simply get drowned out and never really have as much effect as they would perhaps like. This is amongst various flashbacks to moments in Michael Myers’ past (Airon Armstrong taking on duties for the 1978 figure) – to show just how many people are still hurt from his actions 40 years prior and just how much stronger he becomes every time he is knocked down – and of course killings in the present (2018) day. There’s a lot crammed in to Halloween Kills and it certainly feels busy on a number of occasions.

Many scenes come with plenty of build-up just to get to one short burst of summarised dialogue. It generally feels as if the film could be made much shorter by just having characters get to the point more quickly. It would also perhaps help boost some of the film’s tension and mean that certain points have more room to breathe instead of having to wait for crowds of people to run through multiple hospital corridors for a not overly effective conclusion where the outcome can be seen by the viewer a fair while before it’s finally delivered.

Amongst everything that the film brings up it’s sometimes hard not to question whether the film is trying to be a parody of the slasher genre. Certainly certain actions and indeed killings begin to stray towards laughter territory rather than that of fear – and for some audience members, at one point myself included, this clearly becomes the case. It comes from the truly stupid decisions of a number of characters, none of whom we form a connection with, partly due to their own idiocy when confronting the armed figure of Michael Myers and also the general lack of screen-time that anyone gets. This all comes after initial killings which almost seem to dwell too much on the justifiably 18 rated gore and violence of the film. Not that this is generally a negative, but certainly as it seems to almost be emotionless in depiction during the first couple of instances and there’s a lack of response from the viewer it almost feels as if the film dwells on such moments for just a bit too long.

In a number of ways, for both plotting, themes, character, etc Halloween Kills feels a rather different film from the one that came before it. The feeling of a bridge film – before Halloween Ends comes out to complete what is currently a trilogy of sequels to the 1978 original – isn’t quite present throughout, although it does make an appearance at the very end, as is perhaps to be expected from a bridge film. Generally the structure, tone and feel of this second film fluctuates throughout. At times feeling like a gore-dwelling slasher, at others something of a parody of the genre; due to plenty of frustrating character decisions. The film is very busy and manages to both rush and stagger through its various themes with not a great deal of response – aside from occasional bafflement and slight irritation – from the viewer. Hopefully it’s just juggling all the elements so that we can get a smoother, more consistent final showdown (properly featuring and using Laurie Strode) when Halloween Ends.

While building up to having its moments Halloween Kills knocks itself down with inconsistent, not always properly established, tones that only lead to further frustration for the viewer who’s already dealing with the many baffling decisions of the multiple characters throughout the film.

Cert – 18, Run-time – 2 hours 33 minutes, Director – Ridley Scott

A pair of knights (Matt Damon, Adam Driver) find themselves competing in a duel to the death after one accuses the other of raping his wife (Jodie Comer), who will burn at the stake if her husband loses.

Amongst the effectively bloody battles of 14th Century medieval France Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s screenplay (the first joint script for the latter duo since their Oscar winning turn for 1997’s Good Will Hunting) for The Last Duel bubbles beneath with the slight memory based drama (each writer tackles a different stage/ memory in the narrative) largely for the two parties involved in the titular duel. There hasn’t been a duel to the death in France for many years, however when his wife Marguerite (Jodie Comer) claims to have been raped by Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), knight Jean de Carrouges challenges the man he believed to have been his closest friend to prove his protests of innocence wrong. We see the events play out from the perspectives of the three main parties, all building up to the duel – which also acts as our dramatic introduction to the film – where Marguerite could find herself burned alive for providing false witness if her husband loses.

As the film travels across its lines it shifts from simply being about the responses and changing behaviours of the two central figures over the course of the film’s events and begins to delve into the gender politics of the time. The belief that women were property to provide men with an heir – it’s claimed that “rape is not a crime against a woman, it is a property crime against her husband”. There are certainly some interesting points as the film begins to touch upon such subject matter, and there’s particularly potential for the final strand focusing on Comer’s character, however it feels that after what has come beforehand that her strand – which should really be the most pivotal – feels somewhat underwritten. Even as the film finally turns to focus on her Marguerite feels like the support in her own truthful take on events. The feeling of the film becoming more basic and less detailed certainly begins to settle in as the three takes on the tragic event come together in the fateful duel.

It’s testament to the film that you don’t really feel the two and a half hour run-time and largely this comes from the interest created within Driver and Damon’s own segments. The relationships that twist and turn around them as they put across their own worries and arguments, particularly as their friendship is already on uneven ground before de Carrouges leaves his wife alone at home – although believing her to be with his cold mother (Harriet Walker) and servants. Director Ridley Scott does a good job of piecing things together throughout the narrative, showing the different perspectives while still reminding us of how other characters appear to have ‘perceived’ the events. This even goes for those of whom we don’t see the viewpoint of – such as Ben Affleck’s Pierre d’Alençon, a close ally of Le Gris with a high sex-drive who seems both oddly fitting for the film and yet somewhat out of place with his levels of comic relief; either way Affleck’s clearly having a great deal of fun playing the character.

Scott’s direction also helps to capture the atmosphere and visual flair of plenty of scenes. The detail that has gone into the sets and costume design of the piece demonstrates the high budget of the film. It helps to engage you within the world and the unfolding events – particularly within the first two strands, and it’s perhaps what helps keep you somewhat in place during the point which should really be Comer’s time to shine. We do get some brief yet engaging courtroom style drama, and by the time we finally get to the big battle it’s well done, yet you can’t help but feel that things would be heightened if Comer’s character truly had more room rather than still having her story told through those around her, and what begins to feel like their words and actions over hers. The drama still generally works and keeps you in place, it just feels as if it shifts and not quite to the right place to allow the character who should be the central focus to be just that.

There’s plenty to like about the detail of The Last Duel. Both visually and within the course that it takes throughout the narrative. Helped by Ridley Scott’s direction there are a handful of themes to pass through over the two and a half hour course – which isn’t overly felt – and most of them are dealt with rather well. While the first two perspectives are well dealt with and detailed when it comes to the relationships that build up to the titular duel you can’t help but feel that the third strand is somewhat pushed back and not as detailed as it could be, particularly when it comes to truly giving material for Jodie Comer to shine with. The final fight still works, and the drama still has effect, just not in the way you would perhaps hope.

The detail, themes and drama of The Last Duel are generally well held, particularly when it comes to the relationships and conversations in the build up to the duel for the two central figures. It’s just a shame that Jodie Comer’s underdeveloped pivotal character doesn’t ever completely come to the fore.

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 47 minutes, Directors – Sarah Smith, Jean-Philippe Vine, Octavio E. Rodriguez

After spending too long at school as the only person without a B*Bot, Barney (Jack Dylan Grazer) finally gets his own (Zach Galifianakis), only to discover it damaged and not properly programmed to be his best friend.

A panicked, frustrated tech director exclaims “it’s like Mad Max meets Sesame Street livestreaming” as he watches one of his company’s products cause havoc in the streets of a small American town. In a number of ways this line of dialogue is perhaps one of the best ways to pitch Ron’s Gone Wrong – the debut feature from Locksmith Animation. Capturing the chaotic charm that comes from titular B*Bot Ron (Zach Galifianakis) as he learns how to be lonely schoolkid Barney’s (Jack Dylan Grazer) best friend out of the box. He should come with this ability already, however after being damaged and bought cheaply – Barney’s dad (Ed Helms) and grandmother (a delightfully surprising reveal in the credits, a Bulgarian-accented Olivia Colman) can’t afford a brand-new one in the Bubble store; a disproportionate Apple store meets McDonalds soft play – Ron comes without the code that the B*Bots of every other kid at Barney’s school comes with.

Therefore it’s up to Barney (or as Ron initially calls him Absalom), with his wall of post-it notes in the chicken coop in the back garden, to teach Ron how to be his best friend. All in the hope that he’ll finally be able to survive middle school. There’s a rather charming connection that grows between the two, much of it helped by Galifianakis’ voice performance. After 2019’s Missing Link the actor has perhaps begun to find something of a home voicing charmingly hilarious characters. He brings to life Ron’s glitches and robotic innocence as he strives to try and please Barney and achieve his goal of being his best friend, first of all learning how to be a friend.

However, as Ron’s glitches and breaks against coding become more noticeable as he roams the streets putting up poster friend requests for his owner word gets back to the high-ranking officials of the Bubble company. While creator Marc (Justice Smith) is fascinated at how this has been achieved and the connection that the pair have, actually becoming friends as was the intended use for the B*Bot, fellow owner Andrew (Rob Delaney) is worried about how the havoc Ron creates will affect sales, income and the views of other stakeholders. In his mind Ron must be destroyed in the nearest Bubble crusher as soon as possible. As Andrew begins to play more of a role in the narrative it’s clear that there are comments being made about social media and privacy. Just how much we rely on technology and digital media today – it’s clear to see why there have been a number of comparisons between this and earlier 2021 release The Mitchells Vs The Machines.

As the tech company begins to play more of a role, and Ron’s lack of coding begins to impact other B*Bots near him, with not best results for Barney’s fellow students, there begins to be more to wrap up in the third act. It slightly extends the run-time of the film, which would perhaps be better suited towards the 90 minute mark. The laughs, while still present, do slightly die down as the narrative attempts to wrap up each of its various arcs, which it manages to do rather well if sometimes shifting into more generic fashion. The film doesn’t exactly lose steam, but it does feel as if we’ve seen some of its second half – particularly third act – elements before as laughs do begin to fade away to focus on the plot. Yet, there’s still something enjoyable to be found here for all ages. An entertaining, consistently funny; mostly within the first half, look into the relationship between the boy and his best friend out of the box. There’s enough charm within that central pairing, much of it down to the frequent laughs from titular voice performance, to carry things through and make for an interesting and enjoyable debut venture from Locksmith Animation, who have certainly put more than a firm foot into the door as a new voice in mainstream animation.

While the third act begins to feel somewhat lengthy with its more generic leanings, there’s plenty of laughs and charm within the characters of Ron’s Gone Wrong to make it delightfully worthwhile.

Cert – 15, Run-time – 1 hour 37 minutes, Director – Andy Serkis

While trying to live with each other’s differences Venom and reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) must take on the murderous force of serial-killer Cletus Kasady, and new symbiote Carnage (Woody Harrelson).

Venom: Let There Be Carnage is a film of many unexpected surprises. In fact, that itself may be one of the unexpected surprises. Back in 2018 Venom worked in its third act after embracing its ridiculousness and having fun with its events. From the off the sequel runs with this by being a full-on buddy comedy between the titular symbiote and reporter Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy), whose body he still inhabits. The two bicker about rules and what can and can’t be eaten. Eddie feeds Venom on a diet of chocolate and chicken – except for two specific ones, Sonny and Cher, which Venom insists “are best friends” – however, the alien craves more. The heads, or even full bodies, of criminals who the pair put a stop to.

As Venom clutters Eddie’s apartment while making breakfast to a destructive, rumbling rendition of Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off I found myself marvelling at the fact that this could perhaps be one of the best films of the year. A five star film that embraced a buddy comedy, bordering on rom-com, nature with laugh-out-loud hysterical results. It’s certainly an odd feeling to have had, but the entertainment factor is undeniably there within Venom 2. All thanks to the fact that screenwriter Kelly Marcel appears to have pinpointed the dynamic between the central pairing, had fun with it and ran. The same goes for director Andy Serkis and the cast and crew, particularly Tom Hardy. Even Woody Harrelson (and his wig) as the main antagonist of the piece appears to have understood the tone of the film and what he should be aiming for. Chewing up the scenery whenever he gets the opportunity.

Harrelson plays imprisoned serial-killer Cletus Kasady, intent on escaping to reunite with super-powered fiancé Frances Barrison (AKA Shriek, AKA an underused Naomie Harris). When, after an encounter with Hardy’s Brock, Kasady becomes connected to his own murderous symbiote, Carnage, he manages to free himself with the intent to destroy Brock and Venom before moving on to more around him. It’s around this point that more seriousness appears. Of course, it’s present within the somewhat intense and dark-bordering action, however this begins to take over as the core tone. Particularly as we reach the third act the action becomes the dominant factor, which while not being a bad thing does mean the initial tone that brings you into the film in the first place is pushed aside and barely referenced for much of the rest of the run-time; where the seriousness occasionally feels out of place in comparison to what has come before it.

Admittedly, it is nice to see a third act where the stakes aren’t to the extent of city-shattering, world-ending peril. It’s simply a not-always-friendly, neighbourhood not-quite spider-man trying to stop a villain (albeit one with advanced symbiote assisted superpowers) from leading on to further gradual death and destruction. With this in mind it helps that the film is a relatively short 97 minutes (the 2018 film was 112 minutes), both allowing for things to pass by quickly and not feel overlong and also slightly boost the initial comedy feel of the piece. The fights have their moments, although the CG still isn’t always best – The Telegraph’s Robbie Collin’s statement in regards to the first film that Venom “looks like someone drizzled with Creme Egg filling onto a bin bag” still stands – but the feeling that they verge on going on for slightly too long is certainly present in the film’s latter stages. As if Carnage hasn’t been fully developed amongst everything else and therefore his full potential and range of threatening abilities still needs to be scanned through.

Luckily, by the end Let There Be Carnage manages to step back up and remember its original comedic tone and style. Just about leading towards an ending with that same buddy-comedy-cum-rom-com feel. It feels aware of its nature, and certainly embraces the ridiculousness of its premise and scenarios on many occasions throughout the film. Making for a very enjoyable, highly funny first half where the cast and crew clearly understand what they’re making. It’s more in the second half as the more standard comic-book fights of perhaps a few years ago come into play where things slightly drop. However, there’s enough oddly hilarious bickering flatmate bromance between Hardy’s characters to carry things through and not want to entirely call the whole thing off.

While slightly dipping for the action of the third act there’s a lot to like about the frequently funny humour and central dynamic of Venom: Let There Be Carnage and the way that the cast and crew embrace its ridiculousness, particularly in the first half.