Before we dive into this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2025, let me just take a moment to remind you every month you can indulge in an extra helping of film fun. You see, as well as the regular edition of Movie Reviews 2025, there is also a monthly Special.
And do you know what? Some months there are multiple Specials!
If you wish to play catch up, you can check out the Movie Reviews Specials that have been released so far. The Specials include: ‘00s Thrillers, the 1990 Box Office Top Five, the Fantastic Four, Bridget Jones, and ‘70s Spielberg.
Got it? Good!
Now onto this week’s bumper edition of Movie Reviews 2025 which includes reviews for Black Bag, In the Lost Lands, Last Breath, Flow, and Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna. Plus Deep Blue Sea arrives on limited edition 4K, and Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White heigh-hos its way into cinemas.
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In cinemas…
Black Bag (2025)
First up this week is the spy thriller, Black Bag. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, the movie stars Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan, and follows the story of a British intelligence officer investigating the leak of top secret software.
In the movie, intelligence officer George Woodhouse is given one week to uncover information about the leak of a highly sensitive program codenamed Severus. George has narrowed the list of suspects down to five candidates, including his wife, Kathryn.
Calling everyone together for a dinner party, George begins his investigation, attempting to whittle down his suspects. Over the coming days he inches nearer to the truth, but will George be able to plug the leak before it is too late?
With a simple premise, a tight script, and a stellar cast (Fassbender! Blanchett! Harris!), Black Bag is a smart, intriguing, and highly effective thriller which is part whodunnit, part crime caper. The film sets out its stall very quickly, establishes all the key characters and suspects, then starts twisting the tale to create suspense and tension.
Every once in a while the film chucks in a few hints about who could have leaked Severus, before changing direction to keep the story flowing. All the while, George retains a laser-like focus in order to get to the bottom of the situation and for the most part it is all very enjoyable to watch.
At the centre of the drama is Michael Fassbender as George, and as to be expected he is excellent in the role, channeling a touch of Michael Caine in his performance. Blanchett is equally as marvellous (again, as expected), and there is a great chemistry between the two leads.
Add to this there is some slick direction from Soderbergh, some strong cinematography, and a favourable running time. Sure, Black Bag doesn’t move particularly fast, and it won’t be for everyone, but if the spy genre is your thing then Black Bag is for you.
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In cinemas…
In the Lost Lands (2025)
Up next is the dark fantasy film, In the Lost Lands. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, and based on the short story of the same name by George R. R. Martin, the film stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista and follows a witch and a hunter as they team up in search of a shapeshifter.
In the movie, following a disastrous war, the world has gone to hell. All that remains is one populated city, which is surrounded by wasteland known as the Lost Lands.
One of the survivors of the war is a witch named Gray Alys. One day, she is approached by a queen who wishes to hire her services to track down a shapeshifter.
After taking on the job, Gray Alys partners with an expert hunter named Boyce. They travel into the Lost Lands in search of the queen’s prize.
But will Gray Alys and Boyce succeed or will they find themselves out of their depth in the Lost Lands? And more importantly, will any sane person be able to stomach more than 20 minutes of this absolute drivel?
With a terrible script, trite dialogue, some truly awful acting, and piss-poor special effects, In the Lost Lands is easily one of the worst films of the year so far. It has no redeeming qualities (none at all), and is both thunderously boring and painfully slow.
Paul W. S. Anderson’s direction is laughably bad, while the whole thing looks as if it was filmed specifically for The Sci-Fi Channel circa 1997. In fact, it’s doubtful this would have even made it onto The Sci-Fi Channel back in ‘97 and would have probably ended up in the VHS bargain bin at Woolies.
Everyone involved in In The Lost Lands acts as if they are delivering Shakespeare, when the best they can offer is Shitspeare, and even the ever-reliable Dave Bautista struggles. It’s not his fault, it’s a simple case of working with too much green-screen, no budget, and uninspiring direction.
The whole movie is devoid of energy and atmosphere, it all feels incredibly derivative and tiresome, and it’s very dated. In the Lost Lands is utter shite and a complete waste of time and money.
Should you give it the time of day? Not on your nelly!
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On disc…
Deep Blue Sea (1999)
New to limited edition Blu-ray and 4K this week, courtesy of Arrow, is ‘90s action-thriller, Deep Blue Sea. Directed by Renny Harlin, the movie stars Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane, Samuel L. Jackson, and LL Cool J, and tells the story of an underwater facility under attack from genetically engineered sharks.
In the film, Dr. Susan McCallister and Dr. Jim Whitlock are on the verge of an important break through. Operating from a sea-based facility known as Aquatica, the pair lead a team conducting research on mako sharks.
The aim of the research is to provide a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. The team are close to providing some promising results, when one of the sharks escapes the facility and comes close to attacking civilians.
The shark is contained, but worried about safety at the facility, corporate executive Russell Franklin is sent to investigate. Unfortunately, shortly after Franklin arrives, the sharks turn on the team and begin to destroy the research facility in a coordinated attack.
OK, so let’s make one thing clear: Deep Blue Sea is the best shark movie after Jaws. If Steven Spielberg’s horror-thriller is the No.1 shark film (and it is), Deep Blue Sea is a solid No.2.
The film has action, suspense, horror, drama, a surprise death scene (not to be spoiled here), and plenty of spectacle! Plus, it also boasts LL Cool J and a talking parrot!!
Jeez, what more could you want? Perhaps some sharks?
Well, Deep Blue Sea has plenty of sharks too. Three in fact, and unlike many modern shark movies, which seem to show a couple of brief flashes of a CGI fin and nothing more, Deep Blue Sea serves up lots of toothy scenes, with good ol’ fashioned animatronics paving the way.
Highlights of the film include a helicopter rescue which goes disastrously wrong; a claustrophobic sequence involving an oven; and THAT surprising death scene. Plus, in a fun nod to the Jaws movie series, the sharks in Deep Blue Sea are defeated in similar ways to how the sharks are bumped off in the first three Jaws films, albeit in reverse order.
And if all that wasn’t enough, there’s some great underwater scenes as the survivors of Aquatica attempt to escape their sinking surroundings. It’s not just sharks that are an issue, the whole facility is flooded, adding an extra layer of danger.
The end result is a movie with plenty of bite and some great special effects. It’s relentless nonsense of the highest order, and a great ‘90s blockbuster!
Should you wish to grab a copy of Deep Blue Sea on Blu-ray or 4K, the film is currently available from all good entertainment retailers priced £29.99 for the 4K or £24.99 for the Blu-ray. Irrespective of which edition you opt for, the discs come loaded with extras including a brand new 4K restoration approved by director Renny Harlin, three audio commentaries, featurettes, a visual essay, interview, deleted scenes and more.
In addition, the set includes a 60-page collector’s book, as well as a double-sided poster, and postcards. To top things off, the case includes a reversible sleeve with original and newly commissioned artwork by Luke Preece.
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In cinemas…
Last Breath (2025)
Sticking with the underwater theme for this next movie, the survival thriller, Last Breath. Directed and co-written by Alex Parkinson, and based on Parkinson’s book of the same name, which he co-wrote with Richard da Costa, Last Breath tells the real-life story of a mission to rescue a diver who becomes stranded after an accident.
In the movie, Chris Lemons, Duncan Allcock, and David Yuasa are divers who work on gas pipelines in the North Sea. On their latest job, they are spending 28 days situated 300 ft under the sea, in order to replace a pipe.
During the course of the job, something goes wrong, Chris’s umbilical cord snaps, and he becomes trapped in the water. With an extremely limited air supply, and darkness all around him, Chris’s chances of survival become slim.
If the above premise sounds very familiar, it is because the accident and rescue mission which forms the backbone of this film has been told before. Prior to this movie version of Last Breath, a British documentary was released in 2019 which covered the same subject.
However, whether you are already familiar with the story or not, 2025’s Last Breath is worth your time. This is a tense, claustrophobic picture, with some great underwater photography and strong performances from the central cast which includes Woody Harrelson, Simu Liu, and Finn Cole.
More importantly, this isn’t some glossy, Hollywood, macho action picture, it is instead a carefully constructed tale which retains a sense of realism. While this is very much a feature film, it is partially shot like a documentary, which helps to convey the real-world sense of danger.
As noted above, the cast are excellent, especially Woody Harrelson and Simu Liu. They are recognisable names and faces, and their presence in the film could easily outshine the drama, yet this simply isn’t the case.
The actors add a sense of gravitas to proceedings and slot in nicely. Finn Cole is also great in the role of Chris Lemons, and together they form a strong ensemble.
Chuck in good staging, great lighting, and an emotive music score from Paul Leonard-Morgan, and Last Breath is solid stuff. If you wish to check it out, the film is currently playing in UK cinemas.
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Now streaming…
Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna (2025)
And now onto something different.
On October 21st 2021, at the Bonanza Creek Ranch in New Mexico, two people were shot with a single bullet. The incident happened on the set of the Western, Rust, which was mid-production when a live round from a prop gun was discharged while filming a scene.
Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was killed during the incident, while director Joel Souza was injured after the bullet passed through Halyna’s body and into his. Actor Alec Baldwin pulled the trigger.
Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna is a documentary film which looks to explore the finer details of this tragedy, through 90-minutes of discussion. Directed by Rachel Mason, the doc includes input from Halyna’s colleagues on Rust, along with some on-set footage, including video tape captured shortly after the gun went off.
The main thrust of Last Take is to detail what happened, what went wrong, and where the blame might lie. Could a lack of on-set safety precautions be responsible for the shooting incident, could it have been human error, or could it have been something else?
Actor Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and assistant director David Halls become a key focus of the investigation, with the documentary featuring their responses and reactions. Police interviews, on-set photos, and additional commentary provide further details, fleshing out the information previously covered by the media.
It’s a story you may already be familiar with as the tragic incident was widely reported in the news back in 2021, so the basics about the case are already public knowledge. Last Take attempts to add a little more depth with input from cast, crew, and external commentators.
Is it worth your time? I’m not entirely sure.
While Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna is at times interesting to watch, there is a sense that despite all the conversations and backstage footage, someone is getting lost in the mix, and that someone is Halyna Hutchins. When all is said and done, and the case is explored, Halyna’s life seems to be a minor part of the documentary.
There’s also the feeling there is a great deal of insincerity from some of the cast and crew. Is the documentary really giving the inside story, or is it providing a platform for some people to just have five minutes of fame?
Ultimately, while this documentary does provide some answers, it feels a touch empty in places. A life was lost, but this is perhaps not where the documentary places its full attention and it arguably gives too many people a voice.
Anyway, should you wish to take a look for yourself, Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna is now streaming on Disney+.
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In cinemas…
Flow (2024)
Slinking its way into UK cinemas this week is the Oscar-winning Latvian animated movie, Flow. The film – directed by Gints Zilbalodis – follows the story of a black-grey cat as it traverses the landscape, encountering various animals along the way.
Is there much more to it than that? Well, there’s a flood, the absence of humans, and the general sense something has happened to alter the world.
Flow is dialogue free, with a certain level of ambiguity to proceedings, but the general idea appears to be humans are gone and animals remain. Domestic pets and wildlife are forced to coexist, with the black-grey cat befriending a Labrador, a secretary bird, a lemur, and a capybara, as the world goes to pot.
All the way through the film there is a sense of melancholy regarding the situation and this does tend to shape the picture. While the cat does make friends, it’s difficult not to feel sadness as it fends for itself, and if there are no more humans, this may mean an uncertain future for this domesticated feline.
However, there are bright, happier spots in all the sadness, along with touches of humour too, and there’s also plenty of beauty. While the animation does drift back-and-forth between ‘delightful cartoon’ and ‘PlayStation cut-scene’, it is rather magical stuff regardless, with lots of emotive moments.
If you’re an animation lover you will want to take a look. This is not your standard animated film and those after a spot of whimsy should appreciate what’s on offer.
Earlier this month, Flow picked up the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and while I believe the award should have gone to The Wild Robot, there’s no denying Flow does attempt something different. This is presumably what caught the Academy’s eye, and it may catch your eye too.
Flow has taken a while to arrive in UK cinemas, but it’s finally here. The film is a ‘U’, runs to just under 90-minutes, and with its lack of dialogue it could prove to be a relaxing experience for those wishing to simply let it wash over you.
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In cinemas…
Snow White (2025)
And finally, now playing in UK and US cinemas is Disney’s live-action remake of 1937’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Simply titled Snow White, the Marc Webb-directed film stars Rachel Zegler, Gal Gadot, and Andrew Burnap, and tells the story of a kind-hearted young woman who finds herself under threat from her wicked stepmother.
In the movie, Snow White lives in a kingdom with her vain and evil stepmother, the Queen. The Queen treats Snow White badly, and is far more interested in her own life, including her own appearance.
One day, the Queen speaks to her Magic Mirror for some self-affirmation, but discovers to her horror that she is no longer considered to be the fairest in the land. Instead, Snow White is the most beautiful, which displeases the Queen greatly.
More than a little cheesed off, the Queen orders a huntsman to kill Snow White. However, when the huntsman warns Snow White of the Queen’s plan, Snow White flees into the forest and tries her best to steer clear of the Queen.
Now, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 88-years, chances are you are more than familiar with Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And even if you have never watched the classic Disney animated film, you will have at least seen a version of Snow White, read a Snow White book, or heard the story in some form or another.
So, with all this in mind, the question quickly becomes: Do you need to see this latest iteration? Well, ultimately that is up to you, but if you do head to the cinema to watch Snow White this weekend then you are likely to have ruddy good time.
While there is one aspect of the film which doesn’t quite work, namely the odd decision to use CGI dwarfs, Snow White is fab. It’s miles better than the recent Disney remakes, it fleshes out the Snow White story very well, and it’s gosh darn likeable.
The reason recent Disney remakes have been poor or awful is because the Mouse House has taken many of its top titles, which are already five star films, and has added unnecessary changes when turning them into live-action. And if you’ve got a film like The Little Mermaid or Aladdin which is already perfect, you simply can’t improve on it.
However, while the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a good movie, it is a film which has room for improvement. The animated picture was released in the 1930s, is very much a 1930s film, and as such it is a bit patchy when it comes to characterisation and depth.
Yet this new take on the story is significantly different. It bolsters the human characters, adds more weight to the tale, throws in a whole heap of new songs, and generally gives everything a polish.
Snow White is not only as good as the original, it’s arguably better. If you like the classic film I simply can’t see why you wouldn’t love this new one.
Rachel Zegler is an absolute delight in the title role, and transforms Snow White into a living, breathing heroine. The animated version was a paper thin Princess, who existed in a time before Disney honed the formula, whereas this one has heart and soul.
Another improvement can be found in Andrew Burnap’s Robin Hood-style bandit, Jonathan. This is a new character for the movie, who essentially replaces the wishy-washy Prince from the original film, and he’s equally as delightful.
And then to add to this there is Gal Gadot, who appears to be having a ball camping it up as the evil Queen. Gadot completely understands the pantomime nature of the villain, hams it up to the max, and delivers a foe who does exactly what she needs to do, and nothing less.
As noted above, the only element of Snow White which doesn’t quite cut the mustard are the dwarfs. Rather than employ actors, the film uses CGI and the results vary wildly.
Dopey is cute, and Doc is fine, but the rest are either scary or forgettable. Why Disney made this choice over using actual living actors is beyond me.
I presume Disney didn’t want to be drawn into some kind of political correctness debate so opted for the computer generated nonsense instead. But this seems like a mistake, as it is the one thing in the film which stands out like a sore thumb and actually draws attention to the situation.
However, dwarf issues aside, Snow White is great. Similar to 2015’s Cinderella remake it works because it finds ways to improve the overall experience rather than ruin it.
If you’ve previously been left weary from all the crap Disney remakes, know that I totally hear you and agree, they are usually rubbish. However, this isn’t the case with Snow White and it is actually a triumph rather than a tragedy.
Snow White is great fun for the whole family, and whether you’re familiar with the story or not, you’ll be easily won over by its charms and will come out smiling. So, take the kids, grab some treats, and enjoy.
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Movie of the Week
So, there are plenty of movies to tickle your pickle this week, but which film earns the illustrious title of Movie of the Week? Well, Deep Blue Sea is always a film to return to, if you simply want daft action and thrills, but Movie of the Week this week goes to Snow White.
Some Disney remakes have been an absolute waste of time, but this one isn’t. Snow White fleshes out the story in an enjoyable way and provides fun viewing for audiences of all ages.
And should you like Snow White, then you may wish to check out:
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) – The original animated Disney movie which won the hearts of audiences and kick-started a whole run of cartoon classics.
- Beauty and the Beast (2017) – Likeable live-action remake about a beautiful girl who falls in love with a beast.
- Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997) – A dark take on the Snow White story starring Sigourney Weaver.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s it for another edition of Movie Reviews 2025. But don’t worry, there will be more in just a few days.
But before we get to all that, here’s what’s on the horizon in the coming weeks…
Jack Black and Jason Momoa star in A Minecraft Movie; there’s mystery and horror in Until Dawn; and Nicole Kidman leads the way in Holland. Plus, classic Sandra Bullock rom-com, While You Were Sleeping turns 30, and Dark Night of the Scarecrow comes to disc.
Alex
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Thank you for taking the time to read Movie Reviews 2025 on It’s A Stampede!. For more reviews, check out the recommended reads below.
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