The reboot of the Luc Besson-scripted TRANSPORTER series labours too much in a cliched revenge narrative to be as simple and entertaining as its predecessor.
Room
Despite compelling lead performances from Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay, ROOM squashes Emma Donoghue’s rich novel into a generic, awards-baiting prison of its own.
Z for Zachariah
Z FOR ZACHARIAH takes a welcomely melodramatic approach to the post-apocalyptic survival tale, with impressive performances from a small cast.
Christmas Evil
CHRISTMAS EVIL may not connect the psychological dots in its Santa-obssessed anti-hero, but has enough dark surprises to entertain regardless.
The Bélier Family
Eric Lartigau’s crowdpleasing family dramedy is an uncomfortably bland and trope-filled tale of living with disability.
The Good Dinosaur
THE GOOD DINOSAUR is a wonderful installment in the Pixar canon, balancing vivid landscapes with the studio’s undiminished knack for characterisation and plotting.
Cat Sick Blues
With an ill-considered view of online and rape cultures, CAT SICK BLUES is a moronic slog that sunders its ability to entertain as a slasher or engage as a horror allegory.
In the Heart of the Sea
IN THE HEART OF THE SEA is the latest in Ron Howard’s ongoing series of dull historical retreads, turning the voyage that inspired MOBY-DICK into an uninvolving survival drama.
Fantastic Four
Putting the hubbub of its theatrical release to one side leaves FANTASTIC FOUR a malformed curio, and a stark reminder of how drunk on franchise fervour we’ve become.
Library Wars: The Last Mission
LIBRARY WARS: THE LAST MISSION takes a scattershot approach to a near-future manga series on free speech and censorship, finding impressive action sequences but little else.