Action Archives - From | The | Balcony

The Commuter (2018)

Bill Clark — Thu, 11 Jan 2018 17:34:52 +0000

The Liam-Neeson-caught-in-a-pickle formula is basically its own sub-genre at this point. It’s been quite the surprising and profitable turn for Neeson, who spent his early career in dramas and light-as-a-feather comedies. Now a proven action star, he’s back once again in The Commuter, his third collaboration with director Jaume Collet-Serra… Continue reading

The post The Commuter (2018) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)

Bill Clark — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 01:11:12 +0000

Kingsman: The Secret Service emerged as one of the biggest surprises of 2015; an astute and self-aware roast of the spy movie genre (read: Bond movies) that delivered almost incomprehensible carnage with sly wit and likeable characters. Easier said than done. Most importantly, it didn’t take itself remotely seriously and,… Continue reading

The post Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Dunkirk (2017)

Bill Clark — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:47:19 +0000

It’s been an amazing run of excellence for writer/director Christopher Nolan. Undoubtedly one of the twenty-first century’s most accomplished and groundbreaking auteurs, few can compete with his ability to deliver stunning visuals and thought-provoking, challenging narratives. Unfortunately, Dunkirk only delivers on the visuals, and that’s simply not enough if you’re… Continue reading

The post Dunkirk (2017) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Deepwater Horizon (2016)

Bill Clark — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 18:23:25 +0000

It’s hard to believe it’s been over six years since the Deepwater Horizon blowout and subsequent oil spill, the worst in U.S. history as 210 million gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico. While many likely have vivid recollections of the underwater camera showing oil pouring out of the well,… Continue reading

The post Deepwater Horizon (2016) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Bill Clark — Thu, 22 Sep 2016 16:47:09 +0000

The return of the Western continues with this incarnation of The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the 1960 John Sturges classic, which was a remake of the 1954 Akira Kurosawa film, Seven Samurai. As one might expect, we’re treading familiar territory here. This time around, director Antoine Fuqua (Shooter, Training Day)… Continue reading

The post The Magnificent Seven (2016) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Free State of Jones (2016)

Bill Clark — Thu, 23 Jun 2016 22:13:10 +0000

Free State of Jones features a handful of moderately powerful moments that don’t add up to a powerful overall experience. Writer/director Gary Ross’s screenplay bites off more than it can chew, resulting in a frustrating narrative structure that softens the most potent material and injects confusion at inopportune times. Newton Knight’s… Continue reading

The post Free State of Jones (2016) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Deadpool (2016)

Bill Clark — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 14:52:42 +0000

Deadpool is just the swift kick to the junk the superhero genre – one that has taken itself entirely too seriously for far too long and gotten away with it – needs. Profane, hyper-violent, and never hesitant to take things a step or two beyond overkill, the film is an interesting and… Continue reading

The post Deadpool (2016) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016)

Bill Clark — Thu, 14 Jan 2016 21:16:49 +0000

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi embodies about what you’d expect out of a marriage between the political firestorm that is Benghazi and Michael Bay, the action director everyone seems to love to hate, despite the fact his films make hundreds of millions of dollars. What will surprise most… Continue reading

The post 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

Spectre (2015)

Bill Clark — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 02:02:49 +0000

With Spectre, the James Bond series has once again reached a crossroads. The decision can really be simplified down to this: do we want to continue this dark, gritty charade or actually have some fun again? Spectre, despite its lush locales and trademark superb action set pieces, is a mostly… Continue reading

The post Spectre (2015) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.

San Andreas (2015)

Bill Clark — Fri, 29 May 2015 13:03:53 +0000

Save the dog-in-peril, there is nary a disaster movie cliché that goes unturned in San Andreas. It promises large-scale destruction, and that’s exactly what it delivers. Sandwiched among the visual effects showcases are sketchy dialogue and laughably generic character types, but director Brad Peyton and screenwriter Carlton Cuse are much more… Continue reading

The post San Andreas (2015) appeared first on From | The | Balcony.