THE LEGO MOVIE 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Prior to its release in 2014, I don't think anyone was expecting The Lego Movie to be as good as it was. I didn't think an animated film based on Lego would work and would only appeal to young children. However, I couldn't have been more wrong and The Lego Movie proved to be a pleasant surprise. It was funny, entertaining and managed to appeal to viewers of all ages, especially those who have played with Lego. It was successful, both with critics and at the box office, leading to two spin-off films, The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie, being released in 2017. While the former proved to be just as good as its predecessor, the latter was a disappointment. Five years after The Lego Movie's release, a much anticipated sequel has been released.

It's been five years since everything was awesome and the citizens are now facing a huge new threat: Lego Duplo invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than it can be rebuilt. The battle to defeat the invaders and restore harmony to the Lego universe will take Emmet (Chris Pratt), Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds, including a strange galaxy where everything is a musical. It will test their courage, creativity and Master Building skills, and reveal just how special they really are.

Making a sequel that lives up to people's expectations can be a challenge, fortunately, The Lego Movie 2 is just as entertaining and enjoyable to watch as its predecessor. It expands on the original’s premise and introduces viewers to new worlds and characters, showing that there’s no limit to someone’s imagination. The sequel has also crafted a timely story that is inventive, funny and can be enjoyed by the whole family. The end of The Lego Movie revealed a twist and that the entire film had been based on a young boy, Finn (Jadon Sand) playing with his father's (Ferrell) Lego pieces. It then ended with his younger sister, Bianca (Brooklynn Prince) wanting to play too, leading to the Lego Duplo characters entering the universe. While The Lego Movie was about Finn forming a closer relationship with his father, in the sequel, we see Finn playing with his sister. At first, he's not happy about this, leading to a divide in their relationship. Anyone who has siblings will be able to relate to these scenes as there's a lot of arguing. Because they can't play without fighting, their mother (Maya Rudolph) tells them to pack away the Lego. This leads to a sense of uncertainty for the Lego characters as it seems like it's coming to an end. 

I found the writing to be quite clever and inventive with words. In the beginning, Emmet is troubled by dreams of a pending 'Armamageddon', which references the children's mother. The 'Systar System' sounds a lot like 'Sister System', which indicates Bianca and the world that she has created. 

The Lego Movie 2 picks up straight where its predecessor ending, with Emmet introducing himself to the Lego Duplo characters, unfortunately, things go wrong, with the Duplo characters taking over the world and turning it into a post-apocalyptic wasteland named Apocalypseburg. For the majority of the film, the Duplo characters are perceived as invaders and as the main villains. After Lucy, Batman, Benny (Charlie Day) and Unikitty (Alison Brie) are kidnapped, Emmet goes out on a rescue mission. 

Most sequels suffer from being predictable as they follow the same narrative path, leading to a boring viewing experience and disappointment. This isn't the case for The Lego Movie 2, which continues the story of its predecessor and, instead of repeating the same narrative, the writers, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Matthew Fogel, manage to keep things interesting by introducing viewers to new characters, such as Queen Watevra Wa-Nabi, whose name is a clever play on the words 'Whatever I wanna be', (Tiffany Haddish) and General Sweet Mayhem (Stephanie Beatriz). Queen Watevra is a shape-shifting alien who is the ruler of the Systar System whose plan is to marry Batman in order to unite the two universes together. Despite Queen Watevra singing a song about how 'not evil' she is, Lucy isn't convinced and tries to come up with a plan to stop her. Meanwhile, during his rescue mission, Emmet meets Rex Dangervest (Pratt), a self-declared galaxy-defending archaeologist, cowboy and raptor trainer. Considering that Emmet and Rex are both voiced by Pratt, the twist involving Rex's character isn't that much of a surprise. While The Lego Movie 2 isn't unpredictable and it's easy to see most of the twists, it is still entertaining and there isn't a dull moment to be found in its 107 minute runtime.

The Lego Movie is remembered for its catchy song, 'Everything Is Awesome', and its sequel features several more songs, including 'Not Evil', which is sung by Queen Watevra, 'Catchy Song' and 'Everything's Not Awesome', a twist on the original song. This songs add to the overall enjoyment of the film and I can imagine children annoying their parents by singing 'Catchy Song' repeatedly. While 'Everything Is Awesome' is an upbeat and optimistic song, 'Everything's Not Awesome' is more of a slow ballad, sung by the Lego characters who believe all hope is lost. However, while it's not a negative, depressing song, it is actually sung with a sense of hope. It is a more realistic song than 'Everything Is Awesome' which ignores the realities of life. 

The Lego Movie 2 features strong voice casting. Pratt returns as Emmet and Rex, who is an amalgamation of other roles played by Pratt, including Star-Lord from Guardians Of The Galaxy, Owen from Jurassic World and Joshua Faraday from the 2016 remake of The Magnificent Seven. The character of Rex makes for great self deprecating humour. Also returning is Banks as Lucy, Brie as Unikitty, Charlie Day as Benny and Nick Offerman as MetalBeard. While Lucy spends most of her screen time trying to rescue her friends, the latter three don't get as much screen time. New additions include Haddish as Queen Watevra and Beatriz as General Sweet Mayhem.

Lego bricks have been available ever since they were first manufactured in 1949, seventy years ago. Because of the technology that is available now, including iPhones, iPads and so many apps, it's a little hard to believe that Lego bricks are still popular now, however, the release of The Lego Movie and its spin-offs and sequel proves that there will always be an appreciation for Lego. There's a lot of fun to be had with The Lego Movie 2 and, while it lacks the fresh quality of the original, it is still a successful sequel.

7/10

  

JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Steven Spielberg is known for directing features that have gone on to become classic films, including Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Jaws, E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and Schindler's List. Jurassic Park, which was released in 1993, is no different. The film focused on the titular theme park created by Dr. John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) and featured cloned dinosaurs. Because of its impressive special effects, gripping and tense action, it was a huge success at the box office, receiving over $914 million and becoming the highest grossing film of 1993. Of course, because of its success, Spielberg released a sequel in 1997 titled The Lost World: Jurassic Park. While it didn't live up to the quality of its predecessor, it still proved to be solid entertainment, with Jeff Goldblum returning as Dr. Ian Malcolm and Julianne Moore giving a supporting role as his girlfriend. It didn't make as much money as Jurassic Park, however, it was still the second highest grossing film of 1997, making over $618 million.  In 2001, a third film was released, Jurassic Park III, which saw the return of Sam Neill as Dr. Alan Grant who helps a divorced couple find their son who has gone missing. This proved to be the weaker film of the three and, 17 years after its release, people still agree it's the worst of the Jurassic films. Because of its less than impressive box office results (it made $368 million) and poor reception from critics, it seemed like that was the end of the Jurassic films. Until 2015, when Jurassic World was released. Set 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, Jurassic World takes place on the same fictional Central American island of Isla Nublar, off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, where a theme park populated with cloned dinosaurs has operated for ten years. The park plunges into chaos when a genetically created dinosaur breaks loose and goes on a rampage across the island. Although the sequel was unnecessary, it impressed both critics and audiences and made over $1 billion after its release in 2015. Three years later, another sequel has been released, however, is it a good follow-up or another disappointment?

It's been four years since theme park and luxury resort Jurassic World was destroyed by dinosaurs out of containment. Isla Nublar now sits abandoned by humans while the surviving dinosaurs fend for themselves in the jungles. When the island's dormant volcano begins roaring to life, Owen (Chris Pratt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) mount a campaign to rescue the remaining dinosaurs from this extinction-level event. Owen is driven to find Blue, his lead raptor who’s still missing in the wild, and Claire has grown a respect for these creatures she now makes her mission. Arriving on the unstable island as lava begins raining down, their expedition uncovers a conspiracy that could return our entire planet to a perilous order not seen since prehistoric times. With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful series in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favourite characters and dinosaurs - along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. 

I wasn't the biggest fan of Jurassic World as I didn't think it was necessary as it offered nothing new to the franchise. People screaming and running away from dinosaurs, it had all been done before in the previous three films. I thought that Jurassic Park III would be the last film but nope, the producers wanted to make money out of the franchise. While the special effects had certainly improved since the release of the first film in 1993, that was the only thing that was impressive. The characters of Claire and Owen weren't as interesting as Neil's Dr. Grant, Goldblum's Dr. Malcolm and Laura Dern's Dr. Ellie Sattler. Despite all of this, Jurassic World still managed to be entertaining at times but there were a few eye-roll moments, especially that scene where Claire tries to run away from a Tyrannosaurus Rex in high heels. Although it wasn’t a perfect sequel, it still managed to be successful at the box office, which lead to yet another sequel.

Because I was less than impressed with Jurassic World, I wasn't interested in seeing its sequel, Fallen Kingdom, however, I watched it recently and I had to say I was pleasantly surprised. Fallen Kingdom manages to be an improvement over its predecessor, however, it still doesn't come close to the quality of the first film. It has a darker and more intense atmosphere and, with the dinosaurs at risk at becoming extinct from an erupting volcano, Claire reunites with Owen in order to save them and take them to a new home. She teams up with Eli Mills (Rafe Spall) as he wants to help her but, surprise suprise, he really wants to make money by using Blue (the velociraptor from the previous film) to create a more advanced dinosaur.

Bayona is known for creating features that stir emotion, including 2012’s disaster drama, The Impossible starring Ewan McGregor, Naomi Watts and a young Tom Holland, and last year’s A Monster Calls, a fantasy that focused on a young, lonely boy who gets visited by a friendly monster. With Fallen Kingdom, he successfully managed to make me feel sympathy for the dinosaurs. A moving scene shows one of the dinosaurs succumbing to the effects of the volcano as Owen and Claire watch from a ship. It’s a sad scene but it made me wonder, should we let them succumb to their fate? Dr. Malcolm, who makes a small cameo, seems to agree as he believes that this is nature’s way of correcting the mistake that Dr. Hammond made in the first film. However, Claire has set up a ‘Dinosaur Protection Group’ and becomes determined to prevent the dinosaurs from becoming extinct.
The special effects are probably one of the most impressive aspects of Fallen Kingdom, especially with the dinosaurs. They all look real, especially the terrifying indoraptor, which was created by combining the DNA of a velociraptor with that of an indominus rex. Most of the intense scenes occur after the indoraptor escapes, especially the scene that shows a small girl trembling in her bed as the indoraptor's claws reach out to grab her. Those looking for dinosaurs chasing and eating people will not be disappointed here.
The ending of Fallen Kingdom hints that a follow-up may be released at it shows Dr. Malcolm explaining that humans may have to co-exist with the dinosaurs. If that is the case, I actually wouldn't mind another sequel being made as the idea of humans and dinosaurs co-existing together is an interesting one as, so far, the films in the Jurassic franchise have been all about people being afraid of dinosaurs and running away from them.
Like Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom isn’t as good as the earlier films in the franchise, however, it’s still fairly entertaining and I’m sure that those who liked the previous film will enjoy this latest instalment.
7/10

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 2 REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

Superhero films are becoming more and more frequent these days. However, that doesn't stop them from being one of the highest grossing films of the year. Despite being released the same year as another Marvel Studios film, X-Men: Days Of Future Past, Guardians Of The Galaxy went on to receive over $773 million at the box office and was the third highest grossing film of 2014. This proves that superhero films are still really popular today. I think that people love seeing their favourite comic books being brought to life on the big screen. However, if it doesn't meet their expectations, the results can be a disaster. Just look at the Fantastic Four films. There has been three films yet all of them were criticised by both critics and fans. Fortunately, Guardians Of The Galaxy didn't follow that same path and, not only did it impress fans, it won over a new audience too. This was because, despite it being a superhero film, it felt different in comparison to similar films such as Fantastic Four and The Avengers. Unlike the two aforementioned films, Guardians never took itself too seriously and made for a highly entertaining watch. The first installment shows how the titular Guardians met and became the team they are now known as today. Now its sequel, which has been released after three years, follows the group on another adventure in space. However, there can be a lot of pressure for a sequel to be as good as its predecessor, does it meet people's expectations?
Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 has one of the best openings to any film I've ever seen. The Guardians are fighting off a large behemoth, however, the film decides to focus on Baby Groot (Vin Diesel) who, despite all the background action, is busy dancing to ELO's 'Mr Blue Sky'. Here, the film sets the audience up for what's to come which is a lot of action and humour. After this, the Guardians receive a prisoner in exchange for killing the behemoth, however, that prisoner is Nebula (Karen Gillian) who is Gamora's (Zoe Saldana) sister. Due to the events of the previous film, their relationship is very strained. After Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper) steals some batteries from the Sovereign race, the Guardians' ship crash lands on a distant plant where Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) meets his father, Ego (Kurt Russell). Despite Gamora's concerns, Quill is ecstatic to finally meet his father. This leads to a tense relationship between the Guardians who believes Ego is using Quill for his own good as he seduces him with his powers.
Apart from the opening, the Guardians spend most of the film separated with Quill, Gamora and Drax (Dave Bautista) on Ego's home planet and Rocket, Baby Groot and Quill's adoptive father, Yondu (Michael Rooker), being held captive by the leader of the Ravagers, Taserface (Chris Sullivan). In the scenes with Quill and his father, we find out why Ego left Quill's mother and gives more background to Quill's character. In the first film, Quill came across as a cocky yet charming pilot, however, we see a softer side to him here. Pratt's portrayal of the leading protagonist proves why he's one of Hollywood's biggest stars working today. Despite appearing in Jurassic World and, most recently, Passengers, Pratt returns to the role of Quill and it's like he never left the role. When the first Guardians film was in production, actors such as Joel Edgerton, Jim Sturgess, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Eddie Redmayne were considered for the part of Quill. However, Pratt won the role and it was a good choice as he fully personifies Quill. I don't think any of the aforementioned actors would've been right for this role.
One of the biggest themes in this film is family. It is played throughout the film as we see Gamora and Nebula making amends. Despite being raised by Yondo, Quill believes that, because they're biologically related, his true father is Ego. However, the film shows that family doesn't necessarily  mean the people who are your blood relatives, it can mean the people who love you unconditionally. It's a message that works in this film as we see the Guardians become closer.
After its release in 2014, the first Guardians film went on to receive two Academy Award nominations including Best Achievement in Visual Effects which is unsurprising considering that the visual effects were one of the most impressive aspects of the film. The same can be said for the sequel as it's just as visually stunning as its predecessor. The visual effects department team have clearly put a lot of effort into making this a film that stands out in term of its overall look. Compared to the first Guardians film, this sequel features a lot more brighter colours and a fresh, unique look. This is a film that deserves to be seen on the big screen as the visuals may lose their impact once released on DVD and watched on a smaller screen.
Guardian's soundtrack was a big highlight of the film as it featured classic and well-known songs which made the scenes a lot more entertaining to watch. Quill, as a character, can be defined by his love of music which he plays on his Walkman, which he owned as a child and kept with him when he was taken into space. His love for music hasn't changed here with songs such as Fleetwood Mac's 'The Chain' and Jay and the Americans' 'Come a Little Bit Closer' making appearances throughout the film.
Performances-wise, the standouts are Pratt as Quill and Saldana as Gamora, who is portrayed as a fierce and strong-minded individual. Despite her concerns about Quill and his relationship with his father, she knows her relationship with Nebula is more important. In the first film, Drax was seen as a angry individual who wanted revenge for the death of his wife and child. However, because of Bautista's performance, we see he has a funny side too which is shown in the banter between the Guardians. Cooper's voice is unrecognisable as the foul-mouthed Rocket who isn't afraid to speak his mind. Newcomers include Russell who, like Pratt's Quill, brings a certain charm to his role as Ego and Pom Klementieff as Mantis who looks after Ego and can reveal the feelings of others by touching them.
Before Guardians Vol. 2's release, director James Gunn announced that there was going to be an extra five scenes that were going to be shown during and after the credits. However, these scenes are mainly there to set up the upcoming Marvel Studios film, Thor: Ragnarok, which is being released later this year.
For those who enjoyed the first Guardians, you will not be disappointed here. It's just as entertaining as its predecessor and features a lot of the humour that made its predecessor so popular. For those new to the superhero genre, you should find lots to enjoy here, whether it's the characters, visuals or high-energy narrative. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 beat my initial expectations and I honestly can't wait for the release of Vol. 3.
7.5/10

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

When Guardians Of The Galaxy was first released in 2014, it was a huge success. It was different in comparison to any other superhero film that had been released previously and the humour that featured made it a highly entertaining motion picture. Kick-Ass was one of the first films to combine the superhero genre with comedy. It was a combination that worked well, thus leading to films like Guardians Of The Galaxy and Deadpool that also featured humour. While Guardians Of The Galaxy works well as a comedy, it is also full of action that never fails to thrill.

Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the object of an unrelenting bounty hunt after stealing a mysterious orb coveted by Ronan (Lee Pace), a powerful villain with ambitions that threaten the entire universe. To evade the ever-persistent Ronan, Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of disparate misfits - Rocket (voice of Bradley Cooper), a gun-toting raccoon, Groot (voice of Vin Diesel), a tree-like humanoid, the deadly and enigmatic Gamora (Zoe Saldana) and the revenge-driven Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). But when Quill discovers the true power of the orb and the menace it poses to the cosmos, he must do his best to rally his ragtag rivals for a last, desperate stand - with the galaxy's fate in the balance.

I have to admit, when I first watched Guardians Of The Galaxy, I wasn't a huge fan. I found Pratt, as the main protagonist, a bit irritating. However, since then, I have re-watched it and I enjoyed it more than I did the first time. I can understand why it has become one of the most successful superhero films and why it's popular among both critics and audiences alike. The humour works really well, the majority of which comes from Pratt. Before Guardians, Pratt was best known for appearing in the sitcom series, Parks and Recreation. He handles the comedy really well, however, he is also a great superhero, which is shown in the thrilling action sequences. Because of Guardians, and other roles in films such as Jurassic World and Passengers, Pratt is one of the most well-known actors working today. Cooper is surprisingly funny as the foul-mouthed raccoon and has plenty of one-liners throughout. However, he also has a softer side which is shown in the film's final climax. Another strong performance comes from Saldana as Gamora who is almost unrecognisable underneath the green make-up. This is the third franchise Saldana has appeared in (the others being Avatar and Star Trek) and this role further proves why she's one of the most versatile actresses working today. She makes Gamora her own and a strong heroine. Diesel not only voiced Groot but also provided the motion-capture of the character as well. Despite saying the same line, 'I am Groot' repeatedly, Diesel still makes him a charming and heart-warming character. He also proves to be useful in many of the fight sequences and uses his ability to grow his branch-like arms to defeat enemies. As the main villain of the film, Pace gives a solid portrayal and, through certain actions, makes Ronan truly despicable. He has a very sick and twisted view of what morality is; strength is virtue and weakness is sin and that is what he lives by, and he is very scary because of his beliefs, which are real to him. Other recognisable names include: Karen Gillian in her first role post-Doctor Who as Gamora's sister, Nebula; John C. Reilly as Rhomann Dey; Glenn Close as Irani Rael and Benico del Toro as Taneleer Tivan. Overall, Guardians Of The Galaxy features a star-studded cast who are all solid in their roles.

Because its main setting is in outer space, Guardians works effectively well as a science-fiction film. Most superhero films are based on Earth and can lead to a predictable plot that involves the villain destroying the city. However, being set in space, the whole universe is in danger because of Ronan's evil plans. The special effects are really impressive too making it a visually stunning film. The titular galaxy is truly brought to life through this special effects. It's no surprise the visual effects were nominated for an Academy Award in 2015.

With so many superhero films being released, it must have been an incredibly daunting task for director and co-writer, James Gunn, to create a film that is unlike anything we have seen before. Fortunately, he mostly succeeds. It has a unique setting, entertaining characters and is very funny. The narrative, however, does feel quite formulaic. We have the superheros who must do what it takes to stop the villain from destroying the universe. It's been done plenty of times in previous superhero films but the non-stop action still makes it enjoyable all the same. 

In the opening of the film, we see Quill as a child and we learn he has a fondness for music and is given a walkman by his dying mother. This leads to popular songs being featured including Blue Swede's 'Hooked On A Feeling', Rupert Homes' 'Escape (The Pina Colada Song)' and The Jackson 5's 'I Want You Back'. These make the scenes even more entertaining than they already were. 

After receiving critical acclaim after its release, Guardians Of The Galaxy went on to become the fourth highest grossing film of 2014, making over $773 million at the box office. 

Despite its incredible success and popularity among critics and audiences, I doubt Guardians Of The Galaxy will appeal to everyone. There will be those who think it's overrated. However, fans of comedy and superhero films, especially those produced by Marvel Studios, should find lots to enjoy here. 

While I know Guardians Of The Galaxy is a really good film, I don't love it as much as other people do. However, I am hoping that the two upcoming sequels will improve on their predecessor and change my opinion.

Guardians Of The Galaxy is funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.

7/10

PASSENGERS REVIEW

*MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*

​Passengers was my highly anticipated film this year. It features my favourite actress, Jennifer Lawrence, as one of the lead characters and is a combination of some of my favourite genres all in one film including sci-fi, drama, thriller and romance. Safe to say, I had high hopes for this film.

Before watching Passengers, I discovered Jon Spaihts' original script. After reading it, I can understand why it was on the blacklist which is a list of the most liked scripts. Spaihts succeeds in creating two likeable characters and a compelling space adventure that is full of tension with a sprinkle of romance and humour. I pictured both Lawrence and Chris Pratt in the two lead roles and knew that director Morten Tyldum made the right choice in casting them as their characters. Speaking of Tyldum, he manages to bring Spaihts' script to life and turn it into a really entertaining film. Of course, there are a few flaws but what film doesn't have flaws?

Lawrence and Pratt star in an exciting sci fi-thriller about two passengers, Jim Preston (Pratt) and Aurora Lane (Lawrence) who are on a 120-year journey, aboard a spaceship called the Avalon, to another planet, Homestead II, when their hibernation pods wake them 90 years too early. Jim Preston and Aurora are forced to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction as the ship teeters on the brink of collapse, with the lives of thousands of passengers in jeopardy.

The first 15-20 minutes of Passengers focuses on Jim, as he is the first to wake up early, and we see him battling loneliness and depression for a year. His only company is an android bartender, Arthur (Michael Sheen). This leads to Jim making a life changing decision. Many critics have been giving Passengers negative reviews and, to be honest, I can understand why. This is because of the choice that Jim makes and it may change the audience's opinion of him. While I don't condone his actions, I didn't hate him for what he did as I've never been a position like his where I'm entirely alone. Many people do crazy things when trapped in a depressing mindset. This is what makes Passengers so thought-provoking as I did wonder what I would do if I was trapped alone on a spaceship.

This where Aurora comes in and, because she and Jim are the only two passengers awake, a friendship develops which soon turns into a romance. This is where Passengers is at its most entertaining as there's clearly chemistry between the pair. In a montage, we see them get closer as they dance, watch films and go on a date together. Passengers is worth watching for their performances. In my opinion, I didn't really like Pratt's previous roles, including Owen in Jurassic World and Peter Quill in Guardians Of The Galaxy, as, to me, he came across as a bit irritating. However, I thought his performance as Jim was solid as, apart from the one action he makes, he's a generally likeable character who is prepared to do anything to save Aurora and the other passengers when the Avalon goes down. Lawrence is mesmerising as Aurora and, like most of her previous roles, portrays her as a strong individual. She's not afraid to stand up for herself and, like Jim, risks her life to save others. Another performance worth mentioning is Sheen as Arthur who is an android bartender and serves Jim and Aurora. He brings humour to his role as he doesn't always say the right thing but is fun to watch. Laurence Fishburne makes an short but memorable appearance as Gus Mancuso, the captain of the Avalon, in the film's climax.

Speaking of which, I really enjoyed the climax. When the Avalon begins to shut down, it's up to Jim and Aurora to try and fix the ship. It's thrilling, full of tension and, although I knew what was going to happen, I was still on the edge of my seat.

The setting and design of the Avalon is really impressive. When Jim is walking around the ship near the beginning of the film, I was in awe of how stunning it looked. In a way, it made me wish I was there just so I could explore the ship.

The visual effects are amazing. With a sci-fi film, the effects have look realistic and, fortunately, the computer generated imagery is some of the best I've seen. The scene where Jim and Aurora fly outside the Avalon is one of my favourites as it felt like I was out in space with them.

If I'm being honest, I think judging a film entirely on one character's decision isn't right. There's so much to enjoy about Passengers and I highly recommend giving it a watch and making your own opinion of this film. Like I mentioned earlier, this was my highly anticipated film and it didn't disappoint.

8/10