Movie Reviews

By Allison C., Grade 10

Adrenaline fueled through the "Uncharted"

If you like movies that are like Indiana Jones (starring Harrison Ford) and/or National Treasure
(starring Nicolas Cage), then I think you will enjoy this new movie. It is an action filled
adventure named ‘Uncharted’, released in 2022 and directed by Ruben Fleischer. I think video
gamers would really enjoy this movie. It is more immersive than playing it on your PlayStation
or on your PC. Some very famous actors include Tom Holland who plays Nathan Drake and
Mark Wahlberg who plays Victor Sullivan. Victor goes by the name “Sully”. Both are tough and
independent men. I mean they don’t trust each other so they don't help each other. Obviously,
it is another trust issue, but if they want to make it alive, they are going to need to learn how to
trust one another. The journey is dangerous, but the rewards outweigh the risks. Nathan has
one more objective, to finish what his brother (Sam Drake) started and to follow the clues that
his brother left him to find the lost treasure. This movie is really a solid action, tough guy kind of
movie. I have never played the video games but, honestly, you don’t have to be a gamer to
understand the plot and sit back to enjoy the adventure. The movie timeline and characters are
meant to take you along on the journey, so you are not lost thinking what happened. That is
how I felt about this movie. Yet, the theme about trust is questioned several times until the very
end of this movie. Perhaps that is what made this movie more attractive through the very end.
To be honest, it was that trust factor that got me interested, like most movies I watch. I highly
recommend you watch it too and if you like these types of movies, I have another
recommendation for you. Go watch “Tomb Raider”, Lara Croft played by Alicia Vikander in the
2018 film. It is another action filled adventure with fearless personality and warrior skills.

Uncharted

Beyond the desert sands, a new story emerges in "Dune"

I think fans of sci-fi will like this movie. “Dune” was released in 2021 and directed by Denis
Villeneuve. Timothée Chalamet played Paul Atreides in this movie. The story journeys to a
world with endless dunes and sandworms. The desert planet known as Arrakis was once 97%
covered in water until some catastrophic event changed the whole planet’s landscape into all
deserts. Monstrous sandworms now live and consume all living things in the desert. The family
of Atreides was sent to Arrakis to oversee the mining operations. Unfortunately, Paul’s father
gets brutally killed by unwelcome visitors. Paul and his mother barely escaped with their lives
but lived to fight another day. Not to say this movie is like Star Wars, but Arrakis could have
been a planet in a galaxy far, far away, just without droids. Paul was born with psychic abilities
like his mother, which gave him visions of some prophecy involving the fate of Arrakis. If you get
a chance to watch Timothée in other movies, such as “Wonka” - one of my other favorite
movies, you can appreciate his depth and level of acting in the characters he plays. The one
scene you should rewatch is when Paul is tested by this old mysterious woman. It is a test that
tells you about someone, a test of humanity. In other words, do they react-run away from pain,
or can they control that pain and endure it? In my view, Paul is gifted with powers and the test
was based on good intentions to prove himself worthy of such powers. He is a good person and
a test of pain had to be done to show it. I thought that was one of the most important scenes
from the movie. I invite you to watch “Dune” and decide for yourself. To all “Dune” fans, you’ll
be excited to know Dune: Part 2 was already released in March 2024.

Dune

Desperate for Survival, Head North to 'Greenland'

If you want to watch movies that can get you to the edge of your seat, then you should watch
“Greenland”, released in July 2020 and directed by Ric Roman Waugh. This movie has
stunning visual effects and plays with your fear factor. People would do anything, even hurt
other people, because it is a life or death situation. It's our survival instincts that pushes us to
do things past our limits. “Greenland” is a story about John Garrity and his family (wife and
daughter) who are chosen by the government to join a safe underground bunker, in hopes to
survive a comet crash that would kill all the humans living on the surface of the planet. John is
a structural engineer whose talent would be useful after an apocalypse. The bunker is located
in Greenland but to get there would mean having to get through the chaos from every other
person not chosen. This really gave me mixed feelings since everyone should have a chance
for survival but only the selected few will survive and it was picked by the government. I
probably would be angry too but I know it is only a movie. I mean no one can be expected to
remain calm but all hopes go to John and his family to make it. The one scene that I will never
forget was when the mother, with her daughter, had waved down a passing car. Someone
stopped to help but once the driver noticed the daughter had a colored wristband to board an
airplane, he kicked the mother out of the car and kidnapped the daughter. That is a mother’s
worst nightmare. Lesson learned, don’t get into a car with strangers. That was one of the
scariest moments for me. If you like thrills, I highly recommend you watch this movie.

Greenland