Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard
THE SEQUEL to 2017’s The Hitman’s Bodyguard, the film follows bodyguard Michael Bryce and hit man Darius Kincaid on another life-threatening mission. Still unlicensed and under scrutiny, Bryce is forced into action by Darius’ volatile wife. Soon, all three are in over their heads when a madman’s sinister plot threatens to leave Europe in total chaos. Directed by Patrick Hughes, the movie stars Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, Morgan Freeman, Richard E. Grant, and Frank Grillo. The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeFore writes, “Screenwriters Tom O’Connor, Phillip Murphy and Brandon Murphy display no interest in how credible characters — even cartoonishly exaggerated comic ones — might really behave under circumstances like these, which wouldn’t be so bad if the movie were funnier. But its occasional laughs drown in a sea of action-comedy tropes that have been stale for decades. These actors deserve much better, and so do their fans.” Review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives the movie a score of 26% and the audience score is 79%.
MTRCB Rating: R-16
Turning Red
MEI LEE is a dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her mother, Ming, is very protective — an unfortunate reality for the teenager. The twist? Whenever Mei gets too excited, she turns into a giant red panda. Directed by Domee Shi, the animated film features the voices of Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Addie Chandler. The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde writes, “For all of its unforgettable films, Pixar has justifiably taken heat for its lack of women in the director’s chair, and Turning Red acts as an object example of the universal but relatable storytelling that comes from offering a female perspective in family-friendly comedy.” Review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer gives the movie a score of 93%.
MTRCB Rating: G