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Garth Franklin
Tomatometer-approved critic
Movies reviews only
| Rating | T-Meter | Title | Year | Review |
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Tenet (2020) |
The cast are solid talents, but all struggle to breath life into a film already overstuffed and whittled down to the point of leaving no time for any natural humanity to flow though it. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Sep 14, 2020
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Creed II (2018) |
In spite of the clumsy storyline and more pedestrian approach overall, the shock of Creed II is that it all still works so well. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Nov 30, 2018
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Van Helsing (2004) |
Hugh Jackman may be able to hold his own but not by much. It's not his fault though. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Oct 31, 2018
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Moulin Rouge (2001) |
As is... its still an extremely good movie with visuals and songs performed in a way that certainly make it worth seeing in the cinema. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Oct 29, 2018
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Boy Erased (2018) |
It's an understated film which lingers longer than expected, and that subtle touch should have real resonance for LGBT kids and especially their parents. Cold but certainly commendable. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Sep 28, 2018
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Prometheus (2012) |
Scott's long-awaited return to science fiction is equal parts wondrous, frustrating and flawed. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 31, 2017
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The Dark Knight Rises (2012) |
Begins' grounded comic-inspired origin tale and Dark Knight's masterfully brazen crime saga are closed off with a convoluted but intriguing societal revolution epic. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 31, 2017
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The Cold Light of Day (2012) |
An embarrassment for everyone involved but, thankfully, no-one but the most forgiving of viewers will end up seeing it. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 31, 2017
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Wonder Woman (2017) |
Despite lulls in the overall narrative energy, there are real stakes and sacrifice, along with genuine heart and humor in this welcomely uncluttered tale. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 29, 2017
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) |
It stands out more than some of the more routine films of the MCU, but whereas the first can still fairly fight it out in the top few, this is decidedly more middle of the road. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 24, 2017
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Midnight Special (2016) |
Engrossing small scale but big idea filmmaking. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 12, 2016
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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) |
An ambitious mess, an exhilarating chaos of visual flare and strong drive that's also in desperate need of direction, objectivity, restraint and coherence. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Mar 23, 2016
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The Martian (2015) |
Much like its protagonist, The Martian is a film that's captivating, inventive, resourceful and widely appealing. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Sep 17, 2015
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Drown (2015) |
Francis has got an interesting eye and goal in mind here, it's just the material needed more refinement and stronger structural beats for it to reach its admirably lofty ambitions. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 27, 2015
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Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) |
Though advertised as a darker and more brooding follow-up, the real surprise of Ultron is how much in line with the first film's tone and structural beats this is. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 30, 2015
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Get Hard (2015) |
Instead of carefully and smartly constructing the material on offer, they take the decidedly more amateur approach here of throwing up every gag they can think of on the wall. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 07, 2015
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The Raid 2 (2014) |
It's not a perfect film, but damn its close. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 09, 2014
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Iron Man 3 (2013) |
The real enjoyment here comes when Shane Black's sensibilities take over during the middle hour. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 12, 2013
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Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) |
Handsomely directed, often beautiful, full of impressive action, what it is in desperate search of is a good story - something it never finds. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 12, 2013
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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) |
Repetitive and pointless action scenes fill out an already bloated runtime, but not to the level of indulgence that we saw on 'King Kong'. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Dec 21, 2012
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Jack Reacher (2012) |
An efficient mesh of a 1990s John Grisham-esque thriller procedural with a 1970s vigilante movie. A confident and well-paced crowd pleaser. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Dec 21, 2012
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Skyfall (2012) |
Aptly demonstrates you can have a blockbuster of thematic depth and emotional significance that is still loads of fun. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Nov 03, 2012
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Bel Ami (2012) |
The film is far too concerned with its 'costume' and not nearly enough with its 'drama'. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 06, 2012
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The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) |
Perfectly serviceable in its own right, but frustratingly never reaches beyond the adequate. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 05, 2012
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Battleship (2012) |
This so-called tribute to the Navy is about as welcome as a post-shore leave shipwide outbreak of the clap. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 15, 2012
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Marvel's the Avengers (2012) |
There may be weightier, deeper or richer films this year - but there probably won't be any that are as much fun. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 05, 2012
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Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011) |
Proves that there's still a lot to be said for formulaic action when it's handled with such aplomb. The best in the series thus far. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Dec 08, 2011
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Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) |
Some ambitious and clever stuff going on here gets cut down by some awkward choices, economic limitations, and a mostly wasted group of human actors. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Aug 07, 2011
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) |
The result is still like being urinated upon, but at least this time Michael Bay was considerate enough not to ingest asparagus first - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jun 29, 2011
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Super 8 (2011) |
Ultimately comes apart in its attempts to fuse an earnest and sweet coming-of-age tale with a far less effective sci-fi/horror creature feature - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jun 09, 2011
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X-Men: First Class (2011) |
Smartly scripted, smoothly directed and well-acted. Not just the best film in the series, but the best adaptation of a Marvel comic title yet - Dark Horizons
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| Posted May 30, 2011
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Thor (2011) |
The trickiest of the Avengers line-up to translate to the screen, 'Thor' deserves a lot of praise for getting right something that could have gone wrong so easily. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 22, 2011
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Hunger (2008) |
Not just the toughest film of the year but amongst the toughest ever made. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 05, 2011
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Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) |
While the production design, creatures and many visuals benefit greatly from del Toro's unabashed imagination being allowed to run free, the script is even more enslaved to the mechanically cobbled together conventions of everyday Summer blockbusters. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 05, 2011
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Gone Baby Gone (2007) |
A truly stellar directorial debut by Ben Affleck. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Apr 05, 2011
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Rango (2011) |
A welcome change from formula as it travels on tangents that vary from the crazed to the surreal - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Mar 15, 2011
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Black Death (2010) |
A tedious road trip movie early on turns into a more interesting battle of wills in the second half. Worth a viewing. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Mar 15, 2011
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Vanishing on 7th Street (2010) |
It's a stylish thriller that falls apart under any serious scrutiny, the lack of explanation equally frustrating and compelling at the same time - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Feb 20, 2011
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Unknown (2011) |
The action beats, when they hit, are fine but in the end this is only a serviceable thriller that's easily forgettable. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Feb 20, 2011
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In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007) |
It's not bad enough to warrant burning copies of, rather it'll sit on the back of video store shelves for the rest of its time and that's where it should stay. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Dec 28, 2010
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Let Me In (2010) |
A solid work that may be a needless retread, but one that is respectful and smartly done. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Oct 02, 2010
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Predators (2010) |
The return of some much needed intensity, excitement and darkness to this game of hunter vs. prey - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 11, 2010
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The French Connection (1971) |
A true Hollywood classic. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Constantine (2005) |
An enjoyable revelation. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Hellboy (2004) |
Inventive but derivative, well performed yet slightly hokey, visually lush yet over-stylised. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Crash (2004) |
There is a welcome desire and introspection here that tries to make us as an audience think about the various causes and reasons for racism aside from the easily fall back positions of intolerance and bigotry. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Elektra (2005) |
Some comic properties should just be left on the page. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Superman: The Movie (1978) |
Arguably still the most solid 'origin' and emotion-churning superhero story on the big screen. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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Daredevil (2003) |
Justice may be blind, but the only enjoyment to be had out of this is to be blind drunk. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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X2 (2003) |
This has set the standard very high for this Summer and it will be interesting to see what, if any films, can match its calibre. - Dark Horizons
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| Posted Jul 07, 2010
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