The Banishing, 2020 – ★★
The pacing is sluggish, the scares are tame, and it never finds its own identity.
The pacing is sluggish, the scares are tame, and it never finds its own identity.
Every choice somehow manages to be the worst possible one. The script bends reality just to keep the mess going, and the forced “serious” tone…
The premise does most of the heavy lifting – an AI judge with a 90-minute countdown is genuinely interesting on paper. But once the structure…
Takes its time setting the table, almost too much, but once it clicks the meta angle becomes genuinely fun.
Scrappy, sleazy sci-fi that leans hard on atmosphere and creature effects. The pacing is uneven and the budget shows, but the grimy tone and practical…
A massive step up, with performances that actually carry the weight this time. The tension feels earned, the pacing is sharp, and it finally balances…
Leans hard on that chaotic Nicolas Cage energy, but it feels like a retread without the spark. The pacing drags, the story barely holds together,…
Spins its wheels for most of the runtime, with flat characters and sluggish pacing. Then it finally wakes up with a nasty, bloody finale that…
Exactly the kind of chaotic creature feature it promises. The setup is predictable, but the pacing keeps things moving and the creature work delivers enough…
A sleazy, sun-baked zombie curio that’s more vibes than story. Franco drags his feet, but the eerie island setting and bizarre atmosphere keep it watchable.…
The mystery tips its hand way too early, leaving the rest to coast on a reveal you’ve already solved. The tone has moments, but the…
Lean, no-nonsense thriller that just keeps tightening the screws. The pacing is sharp and the tension builds naturally without overcomplicating things. It’s refreshing to see…
Brings some welcome new angles to a tired brand, even if it doesn’t fully nail them. There’s enough here to build something stronger next time.
Has a clever hook, but the wild tonal swings undercut what could’ve been a sharp, nasty little genre mashup. Frustratingly close to something better.