The story circles back on itself and tells a tale not unlike the Russell Crowe-led version. We are introduced to Lucius (Paul Mescal) an honourable man very much in love with his wife. When the Romans attack his province he and his wife turn out to be warriors and travel to the coast to ward off the boat-bound invaders. The attack is led by Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal).

During the battle, Lucius suffers a horrible loss and vows revenge on Marcus Acacius. He is captured and transported to Rome where he becomes a slave fighting for his freedom in the Gladiator trade. The conniving Macrinus (Denzel Washington) buys Lucius and sets into motion a series of events that will define the future of the empire.

Amidst the running commentary of how power and privilege can corrupt completely, we get a simplified take on who is good and who is evil. There is little subtext to the story and director Ridley Scott expands the action to make up for the shortfall. That action arrives quickly and never lets up until the film’s end. It’s a thrill ride for sure but one a little lacking in depth.
Rob Hudson
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Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.

With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, with Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington, Gladiator II will be released in Aussie cinemas November 14!
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“Alien: Romulus” takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Civil War”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), Aileen Wu. Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead,” “Don’t Breathe”) directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (“Don’t Breathe 2”) based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

“Alien: Romulus” is produced by Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”), who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant”, Michael Pruss (“Boston Strangler”), and Walter Hill (“Alien”), with Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon (“Charlie’s Angels”), Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), and Tom Moran (“Unstoppable”) se ving as executive producers.
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The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

The film stars Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”), David Jonsson (“Agatha Christie’s Murder is Easy”), Archie Renaux (“Shadow and Bone”), Isabela Merced (“The Last of Us”), Spike Fearn (“Aftersun”), Aileen Wu. Fede Alvarez (“Evil Dead,” “Don’t Breathe”) directs from a screenplay he wrote with frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues (“Don’t Breathe 2”) based on characters created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett.

“Alien: Romulus” is produced by Ridley Scott (“Napoleon”), who directed the original “Alien” and produced and directed the series’ entries “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” Michael Pruss (“Boston Strangler”), and Walter Hill (“Alien”), with Fede Alvarez, Elizabeth Cantillon (“Charlie’s Angels”), Brent O’Connor (“Bullet Train”), and Tom Moran (“Unstopable”) serving as executive producers.
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Scott and writer David Scarpa have chosen to focus more on the relationship between Napoleon (Joaquin Phoenix) and his wife Josephine (Vanessa Kirby). Theirs was a dysfunctional union not helped in the least by the temper of the times and Napoleon’s odd nature and habits. Scott’s forcefulness with action sequences is also reduced and this seems an odd choice.

One battle scene however is very effective and it is based on what is generally considered one of his greatest victories called the Battle of Austerlitz. The visuals are stunning and the carnage overwhelming and even though great artistic license was taken with the facts, it’s still the high point of the film action-wise. Elsewhere the colours and actions of the hostilities are strangely muted.

There are so many contradictory views and opinions about the life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte that it would be impossible to do more than scratch the surface with a normal-length film. Focusing on limited aspects of his life may make sense on paper but up on the big screen the lack of engagement engendered by this approach is slightly maddening and does a disservice to one of history’s great eccentrics.
Rob Hudson
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Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.

Napoleon will be released in Australian cinemas November 23!
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Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the chequered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar®-winner Joaquin Phoenix.

Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.

Napoleon will be released in Australian Cinemas November 23!
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Napoleon is a spectacle-filled action epic that details the checkered rise and fall of the iconic French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, played by Oscar®-winner Joaquin Phoenix.

Against a stunning backdrop of large-scale filmmaking orchestrated by legendary director Ridley Scott, the film captures Bonaparte’s relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his one true love, Josephine, showcasing his visionary military and political tactics against some of the most dynamic practical battle sequences ever filmed.

From acclaimed director Ridley Scott, Napoleon is exclusively in cinemas November 23.
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Matt Damon is Sir Jean de Carrouges, a knight who marries Marguerite (Jodie Comer) to shore up his flagging finances. She soon bears witness to being sexually assaulted by Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) and sets into motion a conflict between the two former friends that ends in a duel with deadly consequences.

Splitting the film into three distinct chapters allow you the viewer to make up your own mind about the events that have occurred and highlights how male and female perspective can sway opinion. It also shows how hard the times were for women in the fourteenth century. Director Ridley Scott doesn’t hold back with the brutality and the final fight scene is very graphic in its savagery.

Male pride is shown to be the toxic entity that it is while the harshness shown towards women at that time is also engrained in the storytelling. The film feels like it’s from another time with its expansive sets and elaborate scenarios. After experiencing more than a few smaller and more personal films that are filling the cinemas at the moment, it’s great to have a big bold tale blazing from the silver screen.
Rob Hudson
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Michael Fassbender does double duty this time out and his android character poses most of the film’s questions on life and the meaning of. Non existentialists need not fear for those with less interest in large degrees of depth, there is still plenty of inventive gore and enough scare tactics to keep most audience members on edge.

Picking up where Prometheus left off, Alien: Covenant works well as a stand alone film as it doesn’t add all that much to the alien mythology. Most audiences will already have a large degree of familiarity with the ongoing storyline so that helps to streamline things this time out.

Atmospheric, creepy and dark, Alien: Covenant is not easy viewing (for those that don’t like horror) but it does provide a right old fright night for those that do.

Rob Hudson
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