REVIEW: Project Hail Mary (2026 Film) - Starring Ryan Gosling

Review by Jon Donnis

Project Hail Mary arrives as a rousing interstellar science fiction adventure, with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller pulling out all the stops to deliver something that feels both vast in scale and surprisingly human at its core. From the outset, it is clearly a big budget Hollywood epic, with its ambition and visual scope evident in every frame.

The story follows Ryland Grace, played by Ryan Gosling, who wakes aboard a spacecraft with no memory of who he is or how he got there. As his recollection slowly returns, the film builds its central mystery around a dying sun and a dangerous microorganism known as Astrophage. The unfolding narrative, split between his mission and his past on Earth, gives the film a steady sense of momentum while allowing the science driven elements to take centre stage.

Gosling's performance is a major strength throughout. His self deprecating charm and sharp comic timing bring a welcome lightness to what could have been a far more rigid and technical story. That balance of humour, heart, and suspense is where the film thrives, with his presence carrying the emotional weight and keeping the audience engaged even during its more complex moments.

Visually, the film is staggering in scale. The design embraces a sense of organic construction that helps ground the more outlandish ideas. There is a risk that something this large could overshadow its characters, yet the film manages to hold onto its human element. Even at its most unusual, there is a sense of authenticity that keeps everything consistently engaging.

The unexpected friendship that develops along the way adds another layer, giving the story warmth and a sense of connection that elevates it beyond a straightforward survival narrative. It reinforces the film's central idea that even in the most extreme circumstances, companionship can make the impossible feel achievable.

That said, the film is not without its issues. At times, it feels like it is trying too hard to be a feelgood experience, pushing its emotional beats more than necessary. Its running time of 156 minutes also begins to show, with pacing that can feel slow in places and moments that linger longer than they should.

Even with those drawbacks, Project Hail Mary remains a beautifully strange and monumentally entertaining science fiction epic. It may not be the most original concept, but it is well made, looks impressive, and benefits greatly from a strong central performance.

It earns a very strong 9 out of 10.

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REVIEW: Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead (2026 Film) - Starring Marco Ilsø, James Cosmo, Caroline Goodall, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina and Billy Barratt

Review by Jon Donnis

Zoran Lisinac and Domagoj Mazuran's Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead arrives with a clear sense of ambition. Set in a distant future shaped by catastrophe, it drops us into a fragmented world where civilisation clings to scattered islands and survival hinges on obedience to unseen powers. It is the kind of premise that immediately invites comparison to other dystopian science fiction, yet the film still manages to carve out its own identity through atmosphere and visual confidence.

The setting does much of the heavy lifting. Three centuries after the so called Great Flood, the Earth feels both alien and eerily familiar. The ever present electrical storm that splits the ocean is not just a backdrop but a constant threat, looming over every decision the characters make. Argos, the fortified sanctuary ruled by the Founders, has a cold, almost mythic quality to it. There is a sense of history here, even if not all of it is fully explored, and that gives the film a strong foundation.

Visually, the film is striking. Shot in Croatia, the landscapes are used to impressive effect, giving the world a raw and windswept beauty that suits the tone perfectly. The cinematography often lingers just long enough to let the scale of the setting sink in. The storm itself is particularly well realised. The CGI never tips into distraction, instead blending naturally with the practical elements to create something that feels genuinely threatening rather than artificial.

Marco Ilsø leads the film as Neb, a rebellious figure driven by both defiance and curiosity. He carries the central thread well enough, especially in the quieter moments where the character's internal conflict begins to surface. Ivana Dudić's Ana complements him, bringing a grounded presence to what could easily have become a purely plot driven partnership. Around them, there is a solid supporting cast, with James Cosmo lending gravitas as Neb's grandfather and Caroline Goodall adding a sharp edge to the authority of Argos.

Where the film falters slightly is in its balance. For all the effort poured into building this world, the characters themselves do not always receive the same depth of attention. There are glimpses of richer backstories and emotional stakes, but they are often brushed aside in favour of pushing the narrative forward. As a result, some of the more dramatic moments lack the full weight they could have carried.

The pacing also reflects this imbalance. At around 100 minutes, the film moves quickly, sometimes too quickly. There is a lot happening, from world building to action sequences to revelations about the storm and the Founders. It creates an engaging ride, but it also leaves the impression that the story might have benefited from more breathing room. A longer runtime, or even a split into multiple parts, could have allowed the ideas to develop more naturally.

In terms of originality, the film sits in an interesting position. It borrows familiar elements from the dystopian genre, from authoritarian elites to a chosen figure challenging the system. None of these ideas are new on their own, and the film does not always disguise its influences. However, the way these pieces are assembled, combined with the distinct visual style, keeps it from feeling overly derivative.

The ending stands out as one of the film's stronger elements. It closes the immediate story while clearly pointing towards a larger narrative still to come. There is a sense that this is only the beginning, and that the world has far more to reveal. It leaves the audience with enough curiosity to want to follow wherever the story goes next.

Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead is not without its flaws, but it remains an enjoyable and often impressive piece of science fiction. It succeeds in drawing viewers into its world, even if it does not fully explore every corner of it. With stronger character development and a little more space to breathe, it could have reached a higher level. As it stands, it is a solid and engaging film that hints at even greater potential.

I score Storm Rider: Legend of Hammerhead a 7.5 out of 10.

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REVIEW: Redux Redux (2026 Film) - Starring Michaela McManus

Review by Jon Donnis

Redux Redux arrives with a high concept and the nerve to see it through. Written and directed by Kevin and Matthew McManus, this 2026 American science fiction thriller hinges on a brutal, intimate idea. A mother discovers a way to cross parallel universes and uses it for one purpose. To hunt down and repeatedly kill the man who murdered her daughter.

Michaela McManus takes on the role of Irene Kelly with a performance that does most of the heavy lifting. Irene has turned grief into routine. In universe after universe she tracks Neville, a seemingly ordinary restaurant cook who is anything but, and executes him with cold determination. The repetition is the point. Each jump is another attempt to claw back control in a cosmos that took everything from her.

The film's multiverse mechanics are present, but wisely kept from overwhelming the human story. Irene's machine allows her to slip between realities, though the technical detail is sketched rather than laboured over. The focus stays on what that power does to a person. In one world she saves a teenage runaway, Mia, from becoming Neville's next victim. That rescue shifts the film's centre of gravity. What begins as a revenge thriller slowly becomes something more reflective, even tender.

Stella Marcus gives Mia a wary resilience that plays beautifully against Irene's brittle intensity. Their uneasy alliance grows in fits and starts. There are gunfights, narrow escapes and a tense detour involving smugglers who want something far darker than cash in exchange for help. Yet the most compelling moments come when the action quietens and the two sit with their shared trauma. The sci fi tone holds best not when the film tries to outline the rules of its technology, but when these characters find a strange comfort in one another's pain.

Jeremy Holm's Neville is chilling precisely because he is not exaggerated. He feels plausible. That plausibility gives weight to Irene's obsession and keeps the stakes grounded even as the story hops across realities. A later turn into a universe where events unfolded very differently adds a reflective edge, without tipping into sentimentality or easy answers. The McManus brothers show real ambition here. They are interested less in spectacle and more in the emotional cost of endless second chances.

Visually, Redux Redux does show its indie roots. The scale is modest and some of the effects carry the faint roughness of a low budget production. Sets are sparse, locations limited. Yet there is a certain charm in that restraint. The stripped back aesthetic suits a story that is fundamentally about isolation. Paul Koch's agile synth score adds texture and momentum, lending the film a propulsive energy that belies its means.

There are moments where the script brushes up against exposition that feels slightly on the nose. A few exchanges about how the machine works lack the elegance found elsewhere. Still, these are minor stumbles in a film that largely trusts its audience. It is a clever and ambitious take on the multiverse, one that keeps its attention on the heart of the matter rather than getting lost in cosmic minutiae.

Above all, Redux Redux is character driven. Its approach to revenge is surprisingly humane. It asks whether vengeance, even across infinite worlds, can ever truly heal anything. McManus carries the film with a performance that is fierce, wounded and ultimately moving.

For an indie production, this feels remarkably assured. I wish Hollywood would put this kind of thought and effort into its big budget releases. As it stands, Redux Redux is one of the strongest independent releases of 2026 so far. I would comfortably give it a 9 out of 10.

Out Now on Digital

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REVIEW: The Bride! (2026 Film) - Starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale

Review by Jon Donnis

Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride! is not a quiet reinterpretation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein myth. It is loud, strange, ambitious and often chaotic, a Gothic romance that jumps between horror, crime drama, social satire and something closer to dreamlike fantasy. Inspired by the 1935 film Bride of Frankenstein and Shelley's original novel, the film pushes the story into unexpected territory. It opens with Mary Shelley herself speaking from the afterlife, determined to tell a story she never managed to write while alive. From there the narrative leaps into 1936 Chicago, where possession, mob violence and scientific resurrection quickly collide.

The plot centres on Ida, a woman murdered by the henchmen of mob boss Lupino, only to be dug up and revived through experimental reanimation by scientist Dr. Cornelia Euphronius at the request of Frankenstein's monster. The monster, who soon earns the nickname Frank, hopes she will become his companion. Ida awakens with no memory of her life, though flashes of knowledge spill out in strange bursts. Frank convinces her that she is his lost bride. What follows is a bizarre road story across America, as the pair drift from Chicago to New York, leaving bodies behind them while discovering an awkward kind of companionship.

Jessie Buckley dominates the film from the moment she appears. Her performance is huge, fearless and completely committed, shifting between Ida, the reborn Bride and the ghostly presence of Mary Shelley herself. Buckley devours every scene with a kind of theatrical intensity that suits the film's strange tone. Christian Bale matches her with a surprisingly tender take on the monster, playing Frank less as a creature of rage and more as a lonely figure desperate for connection. Their chemistry is unusual but compelling, and it anchors a film that often threatens to spin off in several directions at once.

Gyllenhaal's direction leans heavily into visual spectacle. The film is packed with striking imagery, bold costume design and elaborate set pieces that blur the line between Gothic horror and surreal fantasy. Some sequences, such as the nightclub dance that spirals into a trance like frenzy, are mesmerising to watch. The film constantly shifts genre and mood, mixing gangster storylines with monster movie mythology and moments of dark humour. At its best, this wild mashup of influences gives The Bride! a distinctive energy that feels refreshingly unpredictable.

That same ambition also creates problems. The film tries to juggle so many ideas that it occasionally loses its footing. The pacing becomes uneven, jumping from one concept to another without always giving them room to breathe. Certain stylistic choices feel excessive, particularly the heavy use of handheld camerawork which can become visually exhausting. The tone also drifts in and out of focus, with scenes of Gothic romance sitting awkwardly beside sudden bursts of violence or social commentary.

The running time of two hours and six minutes does not help matters. While the performances remain strong throughout, the story begins to feel overstuffed as it moves toward its conclusion. By the final stretch the narrative pushes toward an ending that feels forced, as if the film struggles to tie together the many threads it introduced earlier. It is not disastrous, but it does underline the sense that the film is reaching beyond what it can comfortably hold.

Even with its flaws, The Bride! remains an intriguing piece of work. Beneath the madness sits a clear theme of empowerment and identity, reframing the Frankenstein myth through a different lens. Gyllenhaal's film is chaotic, bold and defiantly strange. It does not always succeed, yet it is rarely dull, and the performances from Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale alone make the journey worthwhile.

The Bride! is ultimately an imperfect but fascinating film. It reaches high, sometimes stumbles, yet more often than not it lands on something memorable. For all its tonal chaos and structural issues, the film hits more than it misses.

Score: 7 out of 10.

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REVIEW: Shelter (2026 film) - Starring Jason Statham

Review by Jon Donnis

Ric Roman Waugh's Shelter arrives with a premise that feels immediately recognisable. A former assassin in hiding, a shadowy agency that refuses to let him disappear, and a young innocent caught in the middle. It is territory that action cinema has explored many times before. What keeps Shelter engaging is not the originality of the idea, but the confidence of the execution and the presence of Jason Statham at the centre of it all.

Statham plays Michael Mason, a former operative of an elite government kill team known as the Black Kites. Having turned his back on the agency, Mason now lives alone on a small island off the coast of Scotland, (apparently filmed in Ireland) keeping his distance from the world and from the violent life he once led. His quiet routine is broken when Jessie, a young girl grieving the death of her mother, becomes stranded on the island during a storm. When Mason ventures to the mainland to buy supplies for her, his presence is noticed by his former handler Manafort, who quickly sets events in motion that drag Mason back into a conflict he had hoped to escape.

The Scottish (really Ireland) setting gives the film a welcome sense of atmosphere. Windswept coastlines, isolated farms and dimly lit rural roads create a backdrop that suits the film's tone of quiet tension. Waugh uses these locations well, giving the story a grounded feel that contrasts nicely with the bursts of violence that erupt throughout the film.

As expected, the action is where Shelter finds most of its energy. The film delivers several intense driving sequences and some particularly brutal hand to hand fights that allow Statham to do what he does best. The confrontations feel physical and immediate, with punches landing heavily and fights unfolding in tight spaces that heighten the sense of danger. Fans of Statham's particular brand of action will recognise the rhythm straight away. The film hits the familiar marks but does so with enough confidence to remain entertaining.

Much of the film's emotional weight comes from the relationship between Mason and Jessie. Bodhi Rae Breathnach gives a strong performance as the young girl who slowly breaks through Mason's guarded exterior. Their scenes together give the story a bit of warmth and prevent the film from becoming a simple sequence of chases and fights. Statham, often cast as the silent professional, finds a convincing balance between hardened killer and reluctant protector. The chemistry between the two works surprisingly well and becomes one of the film's stronger elements.

The supporting cast also contributes solid performances. Bill Nighy brings a quiet menace to Manafort, Mason's former handler who refuses to let his rogue operative disappear. Daniel Mays adds some welcome personality as Mason's friend Arthur Booth, while Naomi Ackie's Roberta provides a glimpse into the cold bureaucracy behind the operation. None of these characters are particularly complex, but the actors give them enough presence to keep the story moving.

Despite its strengths, Shelter never fully escapes the feeling that it is following a well worn path. The central concept is very familiar and the plot developments rarely surprise. Many of the twists can be seen coming well in advance, which removes some of the tension from the story. Viewers who have seen a few films in this genre will likely recognise the structure long before the final act arrives.

The opening half hour also moves at a slightly slower pace than it needs to. The early scenes of Mason's isolated life establish the character and the setting, but they linger a little too long before the main conflict begins. Once the action properly starts the film finds its rhythm, though the initial stretch may test the patience of some viewers.

Fortunately, Shelter keeps its running time to a sensible one hour and forty five minutes. The film moves briskly once the chase begins and avoids overstaying its welcome. By the time Mason confronts the people who want him eliminated, the story has built enough momentum to carry it through to a satisfying conclusion.

Shelter does not attempt to reinvent the action thriller, and in truth it never really tries to. Instead it focuses on delivering a solid, straightforward piece of entertainment built around a dependable action star, a striking Scottish backdrop and a handful of well staged set pieces. The result is a film that may be predictable, but is rarely dull.

In the end, Shelter stands as a perfectly decent action film. The story may feel familiar and the early pacing is a little slow, but the performances and the action keep it consistently watchable. Jason Statham once again proves why he remains one of the most reliable leads in this genre.

I enjoyed it, and I would happily watch it again. Shelter earns a strong 8.5 out of 10.

Out Now on Apple TV - https://apple.co/4l4ehtK

REVIEW: "Wuthering Heights" (2026 Film) - Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi

Review by Jon Donnis

Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights is not the kind of period romance you put on for comfort. It opens with a public hanging and a crowd whipped into a strange, almost ecstatic state, and from that moment the tone is set. This is a grim, sweaty, openly sexual world where love is tangled up with humiliation and cruelty. Any expectation of a gentle literary adaptation quickly disappears into the mud of the Yorkshire moors.

Set in eighteenth century England, the story follows Catherine Earnshaw, known as Cathy, and the orphan boy her father brings home from Liverpool. He is presented to her as a kind of pet, a cruel little joke that says everything about the household. Cathy names him Heathcliff after her dead brother and the two grow inseparable. Their bond is fierce and protective, formed in opposition to an alcoholic, abrasive father and a house that seems to be slowly rotting from the inside out. When Heathcliff takes the blame for them being out late and is whipped, leaving permanent scars across his back, the film makes clear that pain and devotion will always sit side by side for these two.

Years later Wuthering Heights has fallen into disrepair, dragged down by gambling and drink. Cathy sees an escape in their wealthy neighbour Edgar Linton, a textile merchant with money and status. She believes that courting him might lift them all out of misery and somehow pull Heathcliff into high society too. Heathcliff, now reduced to a lowly servant, watches this plan with jealousy and quiet rage. Fennell leans hard into the erotic and the transgressive here, filling the edges of the house and the barns with furtive encounters and overheard moments that make the whole place feel feverish.

Cathy's time recovering at Thrushcross Grange leads to Edgar's proposal, which she accepts. When she returns home dressed in finery, Heathcliff keeps his distance. In a tearful confession to Nelly, Cathy admits she truly loves Heathcliff but feels it would degrade her to marry someone so poor. Heathcliff overhears only the worst of it and rides away, heartbroken, before she can speak of how deeply their souls are entwined. It is one of the film's strongest passages, powered by regret and missed words rather than spectacle.

Five years later he returns transformed, well groomed and mysteriously wealthy. Instead of reconciliation, he brings bitterness. He buys Wuthering Heights from Cathy's father, begins an intense sexual affair with Cathy, and toys with the idea of marrying Edgar's ward Isabella out of spite. From there the drama spirals into revenge, jealousy and self destruction. Marriages become weapons. Affairs turn vicious. Cathy locks herself away and starves. Letters are burned. Illness and miscarriage follow. By the time Heathcliff arrives too late to say goodbye to her dying body, the film has tipped fully into tragedy.

There is no denying how gorgeous the production is. The costumes, the design of the houses, and the windswept moors are beautifully realised. Every frame looks carefully composed. The performances are equally committed. Margot Robbie gives Cathy a reckless, volatile edge, while Jacob Elordi plays Heathcliff with a brooding intensity that suits the character's simmering resentment. Hong Chau provides a steadier presence as Nelly, observing the chaos with quiet concern. Visually and atmospherically, it is often breathtaking.

Yet for all that craft, the film feels oddly distant from its own characters. The emotions are big, the scenes explicit and provocative, but depth is sometimes lacking. Motivations blur together and plot turns arrive without much weight behind them. At two hours and fifteen minutes, it also feels long. There are stretches where the story simply drifts, relying on handsome close ups and moody cinematography rather than momentum. It gives the impression that style is being used to cover gaps in character and narrative.

What remains is a bold but uneven experience. This take on Wuthering Heights is sexy, toxic and melodramatic, full of lust and revenge, and undeniably striking to watch. At the same time, it lacks the consistency and emotional richness needed to truly land. You admire it more than you love it.

Wuthering Heights goes on a bit, and while you can clearly see where the budget has gone, the end result feels average rather than exceptional. It is likely to appeal most to those already fond of the story.

I score Wuthering Heights a 6 out of 10.

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REVIEW: Greenland 2: Migration (2026 Film) - Starring Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin

Review by Jon Donnis

Greenland 2 Migration picks up five years after the Clarke comet ended the world, and it wastes little time reminding you how fragile what remains of humanity really is. Ric Roman Waugh returns to direct, and the tone is immediately familiar. This is not a film obsessed with scale for its own sake. It is far more interested in how people endure, what they cling to, and what they are willing to lose to protect those closest to them.

The story follows the Garrity family as survivors in an underground Greenland bunker, now living with the consequences of a planet locked into violent tectonic shifts, electromagnetic storms and radioactive fallout. When their refuge collapses and a tsunami wipes out most of the remaining community, the film pivots into a grim migration across a shattered Europe. Liverpool, London, Dover, Calais and finally the ruins near the Clarke impact site form a bleak road movie through a continent barely holding together. The journey structure is familiar, and at times the script does lean into expected beats, but the emotional throughline keeps it grounded.

Gerard Butler and Morena Baccarin carry the film with believable, restrained performances. Butler's John Garrity feels worn down by years of survival and quiet sacrifice, while Baccarin's Allison has grown into a leader shaped by loss rather than bravado. Their chemistry sells the idea of a family that has endured the unendurable. Roman Griffin Davis steps into the role of Nathan with confidence, and the character's desire to prove himself adds tension without tipping into melodrama. Amber Rose Revah's Dr Amina brings warmth and intelligence to the early part of the journey, making her fate hit harder than expected.

Where the film really succeeds is in its set pieces. The destruction of the Greenland facility, the chaos in Liverpool, and the military front lines near the crater are sharply staged and often genuinely tense. The effects work is mostly solid, especially when depicting environmental instability rather than outright explosions. A few CGI moments feel rushed and slightly undercooked, but they rarely derail the momentum. Waugh also hints at a developing world order, with militarised safe zones and whispered rumours on survivor networks, which gives the setting a sense of history rather than randomness.

Emotionally, the film earns its ending. The idea that the impact crater itself has become a place of healing, free from ash and storms, is handled with sincerity rather than spectacle. John's final moments are simple and effective, focused on protection and legacy rather than grand speeches. It is a quietly hopeful note in a genre that often mistakes nihilism for realism.

At just over 90 minutes, Greenland 2 Migration is tightly edited and refreshingly lean. There is very little wasted time, and the pacing keeps the stakes high without exhausting the audience. While the narrative can feel formulaic in places, and a handful of effects shots could have used more polish, the film's heart is in the right place.

Greenland 2 Migration turns out to be a surprisingly strong sequel to a film many people had half forgotten. Strong lead performances, well judged action, and a focus on moral integrity over empty spectacle push it comfortably over the line. I enjoyed it and would give Greenland 2 Migration a solid 7.5 out of 10.

Out Now in Cinemas