THE FANTASTIC FOUR : FIRST STEPS - Tuesday 29th July 2025

I saw the PG Rated 'THE FANTASTIC FOUR : FIRST STEPS' this week at my local multiplex, and this American action adventure Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics Superhero team The Fantastic Four. It is the 37th film in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and is the first film in Phase Six of the MCU. This is the second reboot of the 'Fantastic Four' franchise, with the first two films coming in 2005 with 'Fantastic Four' and its sequel in 2007 'Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer' both Directed by Tim Story, with the first reboot coming in 2015 with 'Fantastic Four' this time Directed by Josh Trank. Those first three films in the series grossed a total of US$803M at the global Box Office from combined production budgets of about US$350M, although the 2015 offering tanked both commercially and critically, resulting in a planned 2017 sequel being removed from the production schedule. This film is Directed by Matt Shakman in only his second feature film offering following 'Cut Bank' in 2014, although he has Directed numerous episodes of TV series since 2002 right up until 2023. The film was released in the US last week too, has grossed so far US$250M from a US$200M production budget, has generated largely positive critical reviews, and a sequel is already in the works.

We learn early on that this film is set on Earth 828 and it is 1960 when Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), his wife Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), his best friend Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) and Sue's younger brother Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn) begin a mission into outer space, during which they are all exposed to cosmic rays. Upon returning to Earth, they all have new found superpowers with Reed assuming the mantle of Mr. Fantastic and can stretch any part of his body to great lengths. Sue becomes the Invisible Woman and can generate force fields and turn invisible. Ben, as The Thing, whose skin has been transformed into a layer of orange rock, granting him superhuman strength and durability, and Johnny as the Human Torch can control fire and fly. 

Collectively they become the Superhero team known as 'The Fantastic Four'. Four years later, the team have become celebrities and are highly regarded as the world’s protectors, engaging in philanthropic and diplomatic efforts through the Future Foundation, which was established by Sue Storm and which has achieved global demilitarisation and peace. One evening over a family dinner, Reed and Sue reveal to Ben and Johnny that they are expecting a child.

The Silver Surfer (Julia Garner) arrives on Earth and declares that the planet has been marked for destruction by Galactus (Ralph Ineson), a gigantic planet-destroying God-like cosmic being - the sole survivor of a dead universe that existed before the creation of Earth-828. Reed studies the disappearance of other planets to verify this claim, and the team decides to find Galactus before he comes to Earth. 

They track the Silver Surfer's energy signature and use faster-than-light (FTL) travel to reach a new planet. As they arrive, the planet is destroyed by Galactus's ship from the inside out, and the team is captured. Galactus reveals to them that he has a voracious hunger which has driven him to consume planets for millennia. He senses that Reed and Sue's unborn child has enormous cosmic power and would be able to take on Galactus's hunger, which he has grown tired of and wants to be free. Galactus offers to spare Earth in exchange for the child. The very thought of this induces Sue to go into labour. The team naturally refuses and escapes from the ship. They are followed by the Silver Surfer, who destroys their FTL system. They use the gravity from a black hole to delay the Silver Surfer in hot pursuit, and slingshot themselves back to Earth. Sue gives birth to a boy whom she names Franklin, on the way. 

The Four (sorry, now five) return to Earth a month later. Reed speaks of their encounter during a press conference. Their decision to save one child over the billions of other people on Earth leads to a public outcry, with many calling for Franklin to be sacrificed to Galactus. Johnny begins to decipher the Silver Surfer's native language, using his interactions with her, and some deep space transmissions Reed intercepted from her planet, and others that Galactus destroyed. 

As Galactus approaches and protests against the Fantastic Four escalate, Sue takes Franklin to meet with a large crowd of protesters outside their HQ - the Baxter Building. She explains that they will not sacrifice their child, but they will also not give up on the rest of humanity. Using a teleportation system that he has been working on, Reed devises a plan to build large teleportation bridges across Earth so they can transport the entire planet to another solar system where Galactus cannot reach them. Through the Future Foundation, Sue rallies the world's nations into building the bridges in every major city, and in rapid time, while conserving the energy ultimately needed to power them up.

With Galactus arrival imminent, Reed activates the bridges across the globe. As they are almost fully activated, the Silver Surfer returns and begins destroying them. Johnny and Ben stop her from destroying the last bridge in Times Square. He uses her native language to identify her as Shalla-Bal which catches her off-guard. She explains that she chose to become Galactus's herald in exchange for his sparing her world, Zenn-La. Johnny plays transmissions from the planets she helped Galactus destroy, and Shalla-Bal flees. 

Using Franklin as bait, the team plans to lure Galactus to the last bridge and teleport him away instead to a galaxy far far away. But, they only have 37 seconds to do so from when the portal first opens up to when it closes. Sue negotiates with Harvey Elder aka Mole Man (Paul Walter Hauser), a former enemy turned ally of the Fantastic Four, to evacuate the citizens of New York City to his underground city of Subterranea. Galactus makes his way through the city and captures Franklin, avoiding the team's bridge trap. 

Sue uses all of her power to push him towards the portal with a force field while Reed rescues Franklin. Johnny attempts to sacrifice himself to give Galactus a final push into the portal, but is stopped by Shalla-Bal. She pushes Galactus in herself, and the portal closes behind them. Sue dies from her supreme efforts, and is grieved over by Reed where she fell. Reed places Franklin on her chest, and she is revived. As she holds Franklin close, Sue comments to Reed that their son is more powerful than the two of them. The world celebrates their victory. 

Remain in your seat for a mid-credits scene set four years later, which sets the tone for the next time we'll see the Fantastic Four in 'Avengers : Doomsday' set for release in December 2026.

I have to say that I went into 'The Fantastic Four : First Steps' with fairly low expectations given the previous instalments, but came out having been pleasantly surprised. Positively, the fact that Marvel have decided to not go for the traditional origin story but instead have cast this Superhero team as fully formed and globally accepted heroes from the get go is a plus, as is the departure by Marvel to set this film in a futuristic retro 60's style aesthetic. And to this end the costume design, the set design elements, the production values and the music score all compliment each other. This film also has an underlying message of parental love, the ties that bind a family together, the sense of teamwork that exists between the four and the larger global community, and an unwavering feeling of hope and optimism that will conquer even the darkest of days. The principle cast have all been well chosen for what they individually and collectively bring to their roles, and they all seem to bond well as Marvel's 'first family of Superheroes' with each given their own time to shine and contribute to a package that is greater than the sum of its parts. Whilst the plot follows fairly traditional beats, the ending where good thwarts evil against the odds is all too predictable and our team of Superheroes live to fight another day, here Kevin Feige and the guys at Marvel Studios have delivered us probably the best entry in the MCU in recent years, and that's a reassuring turns of events from a studio that had appeared to have lost its way.

'Fantastic Four : First Steps' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CRUELLA : Tuesday 15th June 2021.

'CRUELLA' which I saw at my local multiplex this week is a PG Rated American crime comedy-drama film Directed by Craig Gillespie whose previous film making outings include 'Lars and the Real Girl', 'Million Dollar Arm', 'The Finest Hours' and 'I, Tonya' most recently in 2017. This film is based on the character Cruella de Vil, introduced in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' and specifically on the version from the Walt Disney 1961 animated film 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians'. It is the third live-action film in the '101 Dalmatians' franchise which were '101 Dalmatians' released in 1996 and '102 Dalmatians' released in 2000 both with Glenn Close playing Cruella de Vil. Those first two instalments grossed a total US$505M off the back of production budgets amounting to a combined US$160M. This film was released theatrically and simultaneously available on Disney+ with Premier Access from the end of May, has generated mostly positive Critical Reviews aside from the screenplay, has so far taken US$132M off the back of a production budget of somewhere in the vicinity of US$150M, and Disney announced earlier this month that a sequel is officially in the early stages of development with both Emma's (Stone and Thompson, who play the leads here) having stated that they would like to make a second film. 

The film opens up sometime in the early 1960's and we are introduced to young five year old Estella Miller (Billie Gadsdon) and her mother Catherine (Emily Beecham) at home fashioning clothes out of scraps of material for Estella's dolls. Already it is clear that the young child has an eye for fashion but also a mean streak, so her mother coins the nickname 'Cruella' for her. We then fast forward to Estella aged twelve (Tipper Seifert-Cleveland) and starting at a new school she is already out of sorts with her student cohort for her outlandish fashion sense, outspoken nature, rebellious streak and never say die attitude which gets her into all sorts of trouble with the Headmaster resulting in him blotting her record with black mark upon black mark. Ultimately Catherine is forced to pull Estella out of school before she is expelled, and the pair decide to travel to London to seek a fresh start there. En route, Catherine pulls over at the cliff top mansion of Baroness von Hellman (Emma Thompson) who is hosting a lavish ball. She asks the Baroness for financial assistance, at which Estella witnesses her mother being shoved over the edge of a cliff to her death by three of the Baroness' ferocious Dalmatian dogs. 

Needless to say the young Estella is mortified by what she witnessed and flees the scene, hitching a ride in the back of a garbage truck all the way to London. She gets out of the truck at a fountain at Regent's Park and is later the next morning greeted by two young street urchins - brothers Jasper and Horace Badun (Ziggy Gardner and Joseph MacDonald respectively). After being chased down by a Policeman on the beat the threesome all come together in an abandoned loft in what looks like a condemned building. In an attempt to go unnoticed she dies her unusual half black half white head of hair red. 

We then fast forward ten years and Estella (Emma Stone) remains with Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) and have become very adept grifters, so much so that they are able to eek out a reasonable standard of living for themselves by picking pockets, stealing wallets and sundry items of jewellery from unsuspecting members of the public and shops around the city. All the while Estella works on her fashion skills by designing their disguises. On the occasion of her birthday Jasper and Horace present Estella with a contract of employment at the Liberty department store (a store that she has always aspired to work at), albeit as an entry level cleaner. After numerous attempts to convince her boss that she is more talented than scrubbing floors and cleaning toilets, but failed, one night in a drunken stupor she changes the window dressing of a particular display much to the chagrin of her boss, but also and more importantly, much to the prise of the Baroness who happens to be the owner of the store. Estella as a result lands a much coveted job with the Baroness who is a famous highly regarded albeit very demanding and authoritarian fashion designer. 

In time Estella wins over the confidence of the Baroness, until one day Estella notices the Baroness wearing a necklace and pendant that previously belonged to her mother Catherine, and which she had given her daughter on the night on her death. In fleeing the scene of the crime, the young Estella had dropped the necklace in panic and only noticed she had lost it when she arrived in London. Estella makes a casual enquiry as to the origin of the distinctive necklace, and the Baroness responds that an employee has once stolen it. At that Estella asks Jasper and Horace to help her steal it back. 

Estella, under the auspices of Cruella and now donning her natural half black half white hair colour, crashes one of the Baroness' lavish parties to steal back the necklace. When the Baroness uses a whistle to command her Dalmatians, Estella comes to the realisation that she used the same whistle to direct her dogs to murder Catherine. 

Now fuelled by revenge for her mother's death, Estella taunts the Baroness by appearing at her parties and social gatherings and upstaging her as Cruella in ever increasingly flamboyant outfits, designed with the aid of vintage clothing store owner, Artie (John McCrea). 

Cruella's unpredictable and often outrageous appearances gain publicity through her childhood friend Anita Darling (Kirby Howell-Baptiste) a gossip columnist. However, meanwhile Cruella's egotistical and arrogant behaviour increasingly antagonises Jasper and Horace so much so that they consider going their separate ways. The Baroness in the meantime, fires her lawyer Roger (Kayvan Novak) for failing to stop Cruella. Estella also kidnaps the Baroness' three Dalmatians after one of them accidentally swallows her mother's necklace, then relies on Jasper and Horace to retrieve the necklace when it appears out of the other end of the dog that swallowed it. 

Cruella later on sabotages the latest Spring collection hosted by the Baroness and stages her own show in front of the fountain at Regents Park wearing an outfit supposedly made out of Dalmatian fur. The Baroness in the meantime has come to the conclusion that Estella and Cruella are in fact the same woman. With her heavies in tow, the Baroness infiltrates their loft and when Estella returns from her successful Regents Park gig she is confronted by a tied and bound Jasper and Horace. Estella is tied and bound, and petrol is doused all around the place, with Jasper and Horace both being framed for her untimely death. The Baroness in turn lights a flame and leaves Estella to die in the fire which quickly engulfs the building. Jasper and Horace are both arrested. 

Cruella while presumed dead and reported as such in the press, is in fact rescued by the Baroness' long serving and trusted valet John (Mark Strong). When she comes round in John's modest home he reveals that he found the necklace, cleaned it with bleach, and therein is a key to a box containing Estella's birth records. She discovers that the Baroness is in fact her biological mother, and ordered John to have the baby Estella killed so she could concentrate exclusively on her fashion career. John couldn't bring himself to commit such an act so instead gave the baby to Catherine, one of the Baroness' maids, who raised Estella in secret. Estella is initially angered by Catherine's deception but in time comes to terms with the truth in an effort to complete her vengeance, so taking on the name Cruella permanently.

Cruella breaks Jasper and Horace out of jail using a garbage truck to ram the front entrance to the Police Station where they are being held (straight out of 'The Terminator' 1984), recruiting them and Artie for her final scheme. They sneak into the Baroness' charity gala, where Cruella has previously sent out an identical costume and black and white wig for all female guests to wear on the night under the pretext that it was sent by the Baroness (straight out of 'V for Vendetta' 2005). Cruella (dressed as Estella) standing on the same spot as her mother was thrown over the cliff all those years before, reveals to the Baroness that she is her abandoned daughter. The Baroness feigns remorse for her actions and asks to hug her before pushing her over the cliff top into the raging sea below, unaware her guests had been led outside and had witnessed the whole thing. The Baroness claims that Estella jumped just as the Police arrive. Cruella survives the fall using a parachute built into her clothing and picked up in a row boat by Horace. She discards her Estella disguise before returning to witness the Baroness being arrested, as Cruella.

Having adopted the last name de Vil (inspired by her stolen Panther De Ville car), Cruella inherits Hellman Hall, shortening it to Hell Hall, as its rightful biological heir, and she, Jasper and Horace attend the funeral of Estella as the only mourners in attendance. Stay seated for the mid-credits sequence in which Cruella has delivered to Anita and Roger (now married since he got fired as the Baroness' lawyer) two Dalmatian puppies named Pongo and Perdita. Roger is now writing songs for a living and begins singing the lyrics to 'Cruella de Vil' while tapping away at his piano. 

I have to say that I enjoyed 'Cruella' a whole lot more than I was expecting. For a Disney film this is quite dark in places and wickedly entertaining in the process. Director Craig Gillespie has here fashioned a Disney origin story that we never knew we needed, and delivered the goods in spades. The production values are top notch; the set designs impressive; the make up artistry equally so; and as for the punk era costumes as worn by Cruella and the haute couture outfits as worn by the Baroness, well they are awards worthy in the own right and worth the price of your ticket alone. Both Emma's shine in their roles, underscored by a strong supporting cast and Paul Walter Hauser nails it with his London accent and is about as far removed from 'Richard Jewell' as you can get. For a live action remake of a beloved Disney animated classic this film is right up there with the best of them and as for the running time of two hours fourteen minutes - fear not, it flies by and never leaves you wanting.

'Cruella' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DA 5 BLOODS : Monday 15th June 2020.

In these very trying and testing times for us all that has seen many cinema's, Odeon's, and movie theatres around the world close their doors for the foreseeable future because of the escalating threat of the COVID-19 Coronavirus taking an ever increasing hold on the world at large, many film and television productions halted in their tracks indefinitely, and new film releases pushed back to some future date when some sense of movie going normalcy is expected to resume, I have, needless to say, had to adapt to this new world order. And so with my usual Reviews of the latest cinematic releases being curtailed, instead I will post my Review of the latest release movies showing on Netflix until such time as the regular outing to my local multiplex or independent theatre can be reinstated.

In the last few weeks then, a number of new feature films have landed at Netflix - of which I review as below 'Da 5 Bloods' which went live on the streaming service on 12th June and which I saw from the comfort of my own home on Monday 15th June.

This latest Spike Lee Joint 'DA 5 BLOODS' comes from the acclaimed Director, who also Co-Produces and Co-Writes and was intended to be premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival before the world was gripped by COVID-19. Instead of then being shown at a select number of theatres soon thereafter, Netflix aired it in mid-June, to largely universal critical acclaim and ranking at the No. 1 spot on the streaming service in its first weekend following release. The film cost in the vicinity of US$40M to make - making it one of Spike Lee's most expensive movies.

The film opens up with a montage of images showing civil unrest, police brutality throughout mostly the '60's and '70's with black activists (Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Mohammed Ali) speaking out publicly about racial and cultural discrimination, the role of black soldiers in the Vietnam War and how during both WWII and the Vietnam War black American soldiers were fighting for their freedom. And yet they are still oppressed, still victimised, still discriminated against, still shackled by the white man, and far from free. We then open up to footage of a small squad of five black African American soldiers riding in a helicopter during the Vietnam War. There is the squad leader Norman 'Stormin' Norman' Holloway (Chadwick Boseman), Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.) and Eddie (Norm Lewis) who affectionally call themselves the 'Bloods'. Their helicopter, in a remote part of the jungle, comes under fire by the Viet Cong, who ultimately take down the chopper forcing it to crash land. A fierce fire fight ensues but the Bloods fend off the insurgents killing most of them, while those remaining flee.

Their reasons for being there was to secure a crash site for a downed CIA aeroplane and to recover its cargo of gold bullion intended as a means of payment to the locals for battling the Viet Cong. Sitting on the chest of US gold bars, Norman speaks to his fellow Bloods about the often inhuman treatment of African Americans at the hands of the US Government throughout history, and how this is their collective opportunity to help right some of those wrongs. And so they decide to bury the gold, and return at a not too distant time, to recover it. Subsequently, however, in another Viet Cong attack, Norman is killed and as a result of a US napalm attack on the area any distinguishing landmarks are obliterated rendering their future search practically useless.

We then fast forward almost fifty years to the current day, at Ho Chi Minh City, where we meet Paul, Otis, Melvin and Eddie as they check into their hotel. After renewing lifelong albeit distant relationships, the four go out eating, drinking and clubbing in a very different city to the one they remember the last time they were there serving in the US Army. The next day they hire Vinh (Johnny Tri Nguyen), a local guide who agrees to take them up river to an area where a recent landslide had uncovered the tail of a crashed plane. Armed with this information, they hope to recover the fallen and still missing body of Norman, and to reclaim their stash of gold in the process too.

Otis visits his former Vietnamese girlfriend Tien (Le Y Lan) who has seemingly carved out a successful export business for herself, and she points him in the direction of a Frenchman who may be interested in buying their gold, and helping them realise its monetary value so they can access the funds once they're home. His name is Desroche (Jean Reno). Otis also comes to learn over dinner with Tien, that her daughter Michon (Sandy Huong Pham) is in fact their daughter whom he never knew about. When Paul gets back to the hotel he also discovers that his son David (Jonathan Majors) has secretly followed him, putting more of a strain on their long standing fractured relationship. The Bloods agree, reluctantly, to allow David to join them in their quest, but he will not share in any of the spoils.

Having agreed to a deal with Desroche, the next day Vinh leads the Bloods and David up river to a drop off point. Passing the small river craft of a floating market Paul gets into a very heated argument with a local who tries to sell him a live chicken, and who seemingly won't take no for an answer. The argument quickly escalates out of control, with Paul having to be physically restrained by the others, before the local departs hurling various expletives back. Paul admits that he suffers from PTSD and frequently sees ghosts at night in his dreams. He also blames himself for Norman's death.

Resting up for the night at a riverside hotel, David gets in to a conversation with a French woman - Hedy Bouvier (Melanie Thierry) who four years ago founded an organisation to clear landmines and unexploded bombs from the countryside of Vietnam. She is there with her colleagues Seppo (Jasper Paakkonen) and Simon (Paul Walter Hauser) who both view the American with suspicion and disdain, although David flirts with Hedy.

Vinh drops off the Bloods and tells them that he'll meet them at a designated meeting spot in a few days, and if they're late, no worries, he'll wait for them. During the first night, sleeping out in the open under the stars, Melvin while searching for bug spray uncovers a pistol from Otis's backpack while he is sleeping, and hands it to Paul. The pistol was given to Otis by Tien, and waking Otis and asking him to explain, the group become suspicious of Tien's (and therefore Otis's) motives. Paul hangs on to the pistol. The next day, while taking a break, David walks down a hillside to take a crap. Armed with a toilet roll and a shovel, he begins digging a hole in the ground. His shovel connects with something metallic, and digging it up, reveals a gold bar. Armed with a metal detector, they locate the majority of the gold bars strewn across the hillside and buried just beneath the surface. Norm's body must be close by. When the metal detectors sets off another signal, Paul starts to dig and reveals a buried rifle, and then a set of dog tags still wrapped around the neck of its owner - Norman. The group kneel and pray together for their fallen squad leader.

On the hike out, with each man carrying a stash of gold bars in their back packs, they come to a clearing to rest up. The group start arguing over sharing of the gold with Paul now saying that David should have a fair share. Eddie attempts to quell the argument, and inadvertently steps on a landmine. Both his arms and legs have been blown clean off, and Otis, who is also a medic, rushes to his side, but he quickly bleeds out and is dead within a minute. In the ensuing melee, David steps on a landmine too, but it fails to trigger. At this point, Hedy, Seppo and Simon show up. Paul, hatches a plan to yank David off the landmine with a sudden jolt of a rope tied around his chest, a trick he had seen done successfully during his earlier wartime service. The rescue of David is successful and straightaway afterwards Paul pulls the gun on the three interlopers fearful they will call the authorities and report Eddie's death and their stash of gold bullion. David is forced to tie up Hedy, Seppo and Simon. During the night, Seppo escapes into the undergrowth, and the remaining Bloods confiscate the gun from Paul.

The group make it to the meeting point where Vinh is waiting. Within a short time two trucks drive up with armed gunmen, demanding that the group hand over the gold, which is rightfully theirs, in exchange for releasing Seppo whom they have captured overnight. A fire fight unfolds, and as Seppo flees he steps on a landmine is killed instantly, and David is shot in the leg and incapacitated. The Vietnamese insurgents are all killed off except for one who drives off in a truck to round up his mates and return. The group assume that Desroche has double crossed them, Otis suggests calling Tien for assistance, Paul in turn accuses Tien of setting them up, and Vinh suggests hiding out at a nearby abandoned temple to better protect themselves from the inevitable returning gunmen.

Any trust that Paul had in his little band of brothers is now vanquished as he feels betrayed and let down by everyone, including his own son. He takes his share of the gold and heads out into the jungle alone, determined to make it on his own and not to share his stash of the gold with anyone. As he walks away he lets out a loud wail and recites Psalm 23 Verse 4 from the Lord is my Shepherd. He seemingly becomes increasingly unhinged, ranting to himself as he cuts his way through the undergrowth with a machete, all the while now being actively pursued by four gunmen. He gets bitten by a snake, falls down an embankment and his back pack gets stuck dangling from a bamboo branch hanging well out of his reach. He decides to cut his losses and continues to walk through a riverbed leaving his back pack containing his wealth in gold bars swinging from a branch. Melvin and Otis meanwhile offer Vinh, Hedy and Simon a share of their gold for their trouble.

As Paul rambles onward in his own little world of rage, he has a vision of Norman who reminds him that it was he who in fact shot and killed him, with a single shot to the stomach from his machine gun. But Norman goes on to qualify that he recognises that his shooting was an accident on Paul's part during an ambush from an enemy sniper. The pair embrace as Norman tells him to let go of his anger and his guilt, as Paul sobs. The four gunmen soon after catch up with Paul, and force him to dig his own grave in the soft sand. Paul, now guilt free and seemingly without a care in the world, sings as he digs as the gunmen demand to know where the gold is. Paul refuses to tell them, at which point each gunman opens fire with their semi-automatic weapons and unload on Paul, riddling him with bullets.

Meanwhile, back at the temple Desroche and his gun toting henchmen arrive. He advises Otis that Tien was innocent in all of this, and orders them to hand over the gold. Otis and Hedy carry out a back pack and place it at Desroche's feet. It is revealed to contain rocks, at which point Melvin and Vinh open fire, ultimately dispensing with all the gunmen. Desroche tries to make an exit in a 4WD but the driver is shot through the windscreen and the vehicle upends itself landing on its side. Desroche clambers out armed with a pistol and a hand grenade. He shoots Otis and attempts to finish him off with the grenade which he tosses in Otis' direction. Melvin sees this and jumps on the grenade sacrificing himself. As Desroche stands over an injured Otis pointing a gun at his head, a shot rings out from the temple as David takes down Desroche with a single bullet.

In the final analysis, Vinh helps Otis cash out the gold. Melvin's widow is given his share, and Eddie's share is given to a chapter of the Black Lives Matter organisation. Hedy and Simon donate their shares to her mines and bombs clearing company in Seppo's name. Norman's remains are finally brought home with full military honours to his family. Otis visits Tien and begins to forge a new relationship with his daughter Michon. David reads a letter from Paul, which was given to Otis to give to David in the event of his death. The letter states that while he was far from the perfect father and that David's upbringing was far from loving, he tells him that he will always love him.

Well Spike Lee has done it again with 'Da 5 Bloods'! Here he delivers a film that is both timely and timeless in its portrayal of the plight and the fight of black African Americans for acceptance, recognition and equality - a fight as relevant under the Johnson and Nixon administrations of the '60's and '70's Vietnam War years as it is under the Trump administration fifty years on. This film packs a punch on many levels with Lee never being one to shy away from delving into the racial and cultural discrimination at play in the USA, or voicing his opinions of political leaders or events in history, or interweaving footage from key historical moments to add weight to his storyline. And that punch continues with a standout performance by Delroy Lindo whom some pundits are already lauding for Oscar contention with his portrayal of a man on the edge, suffering from PTSD, battling his own inner demons, and still at war with himself and seemingly all those around him. The supporting cast are all equally strong especially Chadwick Boseman, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr. and Jonathan Majors who all bring an authenticity to their roles and proof positive that good stories about the Vietnam War can still be relevant in 2020. It's a mash up of genres with the full range of emotions and humour that bind men together, violence and gore, and with nods to Francis Ford Coppola, John Huston, Quentin Tarantino, Oliver Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Chuck Norris even and Lee's old alma mater Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. An engrossing relevant film and an entertaining watch even at a two and half hour running time that never leaves you wanting.

'Da 5 Bloods' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

RICHARD JEWELL : Tuesday 25th February 2020.

'RICHARD JEWELL' which I saw earlier this week, is an M Rated American biographical drama film Directed and Produced by Clint Eastwood (who needs no further introduction), written for the screen by Billy Ray, and is based on the 1997 Vanity Fair article 'American Nightmare : The Ballad of Richard Jewell' by Marie Brenner. The project was initially announced in February 2014, when Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill teamed up to Produce and star in the film, Paul Greengrass began negotiations to Direct the film with other Directors considered including David O. Russell, before Clint Eastwood was officially attached in early 2019. DiCaprio and Hill do not star in the film, though they remained as Producers. The film saw its World Premier screening at the American Film Institute Fest in late November last year before going on general release Stateside in mid-December. With a production budget of US$45M the film has so far grossed US$40M turning it into a Box Office bomb! Despite this, 'Richard Jewell' was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of the year, and for her performance, Kathy Bates was recognised as the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as earning nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Eastwood here continues with his real life stories of individuals battling the odds, as seen now with this his sixth biographical drama film in a row with 'J. Edgar', 'Jersey Boys', 'American Sniper', 'Sully' and 'The 15:17 to Paris' coming before, whilst not forgetting both 'Invictus' and 'Bird' previously.

The films opens up in 1986, and a Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) is working as an office supply clerk in a small public law firm, where he befriends attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell). Jewell seems super efficient, observant and deeply committed to his role. In time, he leaves the firm to become a security guard at Piedmont College, hoping to make the step up into law enforcement ultimately, but is let go by the Principal after multiple complaints of acting beyond his jurisdiction and coming on too heavy handed with the students. Jewell moves in with his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) in Atlanta. In the summer of 1996, he lands a job working security at the Atlanta Olympic Games, monitoring Centennial Park - a post games concert venue.

Early in the morning of 27th July 1996, after chasing off a small group of drunk students during an end of day music concert, Jewell notices a suspicious back pack hidden beneath a bench. He reports it to his more senior colleagues who initially are dismissive of his concerns, but then an explosives expert confirms that the suspect package does in fact contain a pipe bomb - the biggest he has seen. The security team, including police officers, FBI agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm), and Jewell's friend Dave Dutchess (Nico Nicotera), are desperately trying to move concert attendees out of potential harms way to form a permitter of one hundred yards away from the bomb when it detonates. Shrapnel in the form of nails explodes in all directions injuring dozens of innocents and killing two. Jewell is heralded as a hero.

At the FBI's Atlanta's office, Shaw and his team quickly arrive at the decision that Jewell, as a white, male, wannabe police officer, fits the common profile of those who have committed similar atrocities, comparing him to others who sought recognition and praise by rescuing those from a dangerous situation they themselves created. One night while drinking alone in a bar, Shaw is approached by journalist Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) of the local Atlanta-Journal Constitution daily newspaper. In exchange for sex, Shaw reveals that Jewell, the hitherto hero, is under FBI suspicion, although he urges Scrugg's not to go public or to reveal her source. The Constitution publishes Scruggs' story on the front page, disclosing the FBI's interest in Jewell as a prime suspect. Scruggs makes particular note of Jewell's physique, the fact he lives with his mother, and work history to reaffirm to herself that he fits the profile. The story quickly hits the headlines worldwide in the press and the broadcast media. 

Jewell is initially ignorant of the changing public views towards him. He is lured to the FBI office by Shaw under the pretext of them needing to film urgently a training video and that they wish to use Jewell's recent experience as a real life example. He initially cooperates but refuses to sign an acknowledgement that he has been read his Miranda rights, and instead phones Watson Bryant for legal advice. Bryant, who has since left the public law firm and is now running his own struggling law business without any clients on the horizon, agrees to represent Jewell and makes him aware he is a prime suspect, and to sign and say nothing.

The FBI searches Bobi's home and confiscates property including police investigative books and a stash of firearms belonging to Jewell, which he says he uses for hunting purposes - this is Georgia after all! Bryant asks Jewell if he has any others secrets he wishes to disclose and he admits that he has not paid his taxes for the past two years and was once arrested for stepping over the limits of his authority. Bryant berates Jewell for being too overly friendly and accommodating with the police officers who have him under suspicion and want to 'fry' him. Jewell admits his ingrained respect for law enforcement makes it hard for him not to show respect, even when the authorities are trying to nail him to the wall. When Bryant is outside being questioned by the gathered throng of media, Shaw and his partner Dan Bennet (Ian Gomez) persuade Jewell to record his voice into a taped telephone call several times repeating the words the bomber called in to the authorities giving a thirty minute warning. When Bryant returns seeing how they coerced Jewell into making the recording he looses it, but the FBI already have the recording, so they don't care about his rantings and ravings. 

Jewell and Bryant confront Scruggs in the full view of the office at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution newspaper, demanding a retraction and an apology, but she stands by the integrity of her reporting, and her right to publish what is in the best interests of the public and the community. Bryant and his long-suffering secretary Nadya (Nina Arianda) time the distance it takes to walk from the bomb site to the the phone booth where the call was made alerting the authorities. They quickly draw the conclusion that it was not possible for someone to phone in the bomb threat and discover the bomb at the time it was found. Scruggs subsequently takes the same steps and comes to the same determination - her story now in tatters! She approaches Shaw with this revelation and he too has already made the same conclusion.

The FBI changes their picture of the bombing to include an accomplice. As their case begins to falter, the FBI link Dutchess to Jewell as a possible homosexual accomplice. Bryant arranges an independent polygraph examination which Jewell passes unequivocally, removing any doubt in Bryant's mind about his innocence. 

Bobi holds an emotional press conference with Bryant, in which she pleas for the investigation to cease so that she and her son can get on with their lives, and some normalcy can be restored after four weeks of evasive media scrutiny and intense FBI investigations have turned their lives upside down. 

Jewell and Bryant meet with Shaw and Bennet at the FBI office. Bryant urges Jewell to say nothing in response to their line of questioning and to let him do the talking. However, after a number of irrelevant questions, including those that have been covered previously, Jewell realises they have not a single shred of evidence against him. When he asks directly if they are ready to charge him, Shaw and Bennet look blankly at each other and their silence convinces him to leave. Jewell states that he used to look up to the FBI as the pinnacle in law enforcement and an organisation he would aspire to, but now he has lost his sense of respect and admiration for law enforcement officers. 

Eighty-eight days after being named 'a person of interest', Jewell is informed by formal letter hand delivered by Agent Shaw to a diner where Jewell and Bryant are eating, that he is no longer under investigation. Bryant first takes receipt of the letter before handing it to Jewell. Shaw makes the closing remark that despite the contents of that letter, he still believes that Jewell is 'as guilty as all hell'. Bryant comforts Jewell as he breaks down out of relief. Some six years later, Jewell is now a police officer in Luthersville, Georgia. One day out of the blue, he is visited by Bryant who tells him that an Eric Rudolph has confessed to the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. They got him! An epilogue states that on 29th August 2007, Jewell passed away at the age of 44 of complications from diabetes and heart failure, and that Bryant married his assistant Nadya and they have two children which Bobi babysits for every Saturday night. 

I went in to see 'Richard Jewell' with mixed expectations - wondering where the disconnect lays between the poor Box Office receipts and the mostly highly critically acclaimed Reviews were. But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by once again Clint Eastwood's efficiency with his story telling and his deft touch behind the camera; the strong performances of Hauser, Rockwell and Bates especially; and the message with which governments and media control the thought processes of the masses as much today as they did almost 25 years ago, all the while chewing up, spitting out and forgetting a fallen hero. As the movie poster says 'The World Will Know his Name and the Truth' and in that respect Eastwood sets the record straight, and ensures that Jewell's name endures as the hero he deserved to be in film that combines Jewell's moments of raw emotion, comedy, bewilderment, anxiety, respect and reckoning that is Hauser's stand out performance.

'Richard Jewell' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a potential five claps.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-