It’s finally here, folks. The summer blockbuster season has arrived!
It officially kicks off this week with the release of Marvel’s latest action-adventure film, Thunderbolts*. It might only be early May, which means it’s technically still spring (and will be until late June), but if Hollywood says it’s summer then it’s summer!
Best thing to do is to just grab some popcorn and run with it. Although, you may want to pick up a large tub, as the summer season goes on for a while.
Anyway, it all begins with Thunderbolts*, and then more big blockbusters will pop up over the coming weeks. Expect some huge movies from now until September, featuring the likes of Tom Cruise, Jackie Chan, Scarlett Johansson, and Smurfette.
Of course, until Smurfette arrives (in July, via the latest iteration of the Smurfs), you’ll have to make do with your weekly crop of movie reviews. Speaking of which…
In this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2025 you’ll find reviews for Havoc, Exterritorial, The Woman in the Yard, The House of the Devil, and The Outlaw Josey Wales. Plus there’s a review for Thunderbolts*, which has now been mentioned three times in this intro so it had best be ruddy good!
—
Now streaming…
Havoc (2025)
First up this week is the Tom Hardy action thriller, Havoc. Available to stream on Netflix, this movie is brand new for 2025, but did you know it was actually shot way back in 2021?
Reshoots, scheduling delays, and the Hollywood strikes are reportedly to blame for the huge gap between the production and the release of this film (as well as the huge gap between you and your Tom Hardy fix), but it is here now should you wish to indulge. Although if you do indulge, be aware Havoc falls into the Netflix category of ‘decent at times, but no one will remember what it was all about in six months’’.
Directed by Gareth Evans, and starring the aforementioned Hardy, alongside a cast that includes Jessie Mei Li, Timothy Olyphant, and Forest Whitaker, Havoc follows the story of homicide detective Patrick Walker, as he gets caught up in… erm… some crime-related… erm… thing.
There’s drugs, a gangland killing, a corrupt mayor, and lots of violence. Oh, and a death by spear gun!
Look, it’s not really a film where the story matters. All you really need to know is that Patrick is a tough cop, as well as a lousy father, and the narrative takes place over Christmas.
Outside of this, the film is filled with clichés, lots of SHOUTING (mostly from Hardy), and plenty of immediacy. Everything needs to happen NOW(!!), and if it doesn’t happen NOW (!!!) there WILL BE MORE SHOUTING!
On the plus side, Havoc is watchable enough, it looks great, and the action is both vibrant and quite graphic. The film opens with a fairly energetic sequence involving a car chase, and ends with some (not so) carefully tossed white goods.
Havoc also features stunning cinematography courtesy of Matt Flannery, which includes some absolutely exquisite shots of the cityscape. It’s all very cinematic and at times looks like a Batman film (minus Batman, of course).
Ultimately, Havoc is fine enough as a crime picture, so yeah, watch it if you desire, but the story is wishy-washy and disposable, so take it with a pinch of salt. That said, it’s better than some of the rubbish on Netflix.
Ordinarily a film like Havoc would come and go because it’s middling stuff, but it is slightly elevated because of that damn fine cinematography. Sometimes the little details matter.
—
Now streaming…
Exterritorial (2025)
Sticking with Netflix action thrillers for this next movie – the German film, Exterritorial. Directed by Christian Zübert, the movie stars Jeanne Goursaud, Dougray Scott, and Lera Abova, and focuses on a ex-special forces operative searching for her missing son.
In the film, Sara Wulf is on a visit to the US Consulate in Frankfurt with her son, Josh, when he suddenly disappears while she is grabbing a coffee. Getting rather frantic, Sara searches for Josh, but she is told by the Consulate officials he never entered the building.
Under the firm belief Josh has been kidnapped and she is being lied to, Sara goes in search of her missing son. She refuses to give up until he is found.
With an intriguing (if not original) premise, as well as a solid lead performance from Jeanne Goursaud as Sara, Exterritorial is a decent and likeable action thriller. Nothing to get too excited about, but perfectly fine to have one eye on while you’re shovelling spaghetti hoops into your gob at teatime.
The central mystery keeps things ticking along nicely, with a few twists here and there to maintain momentum. It is fairly meat-and-potatoes stuff, but it moves forward without too many problems.
As an action film it could do with a bit more action, and certainly more spectacle, but the fight choreography is good, with a great punch-up two-thirds of the way through the film. Director Christian Zübert needs to push things a bit more, but it is still acceptable stuff.
So, all-in-all, fine, watchable, and entertaining. Once again, you’ll forget it in six months, but if you simply want something to keep you occupied for a couple of hours, Exterritorial is now streaming on Netflix.
—
Now streaming…
The Woman in the Yard (2025)
Onto horror now and in The Woman in the Yard, Ramona is a recently widowed mother of two who lives in a remote house in the US. After losing her husband in a car accident, which resulted in Ramona sustaining an injury, she struggles to get her life back together, struggles to pay the bills, and struggles to get up in the morning.
One day, while having breakfast with her children, a mysterious woman dressed in black appears in Ramona’s front yard. After being approached by Ramona, the woman seems to know details about her life, and refuses to leave the property.
As Ramona returns to the house, she tells her children to ignore the woman. However, as the hours pass by, the woman remains in the yard and refuses to leave.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, and starring Danielle Deadwyler, Peyton Jackson, Estella Kahiha, and Okwui Okpokwasili, The Woman in the Yard is a so-so psychological horror which is about death, grief, and depression. The titular woman in the yard is essentially a metaphor for Ramona’s mental state – an imposing figure that refuses to go away – and the movie is about how she handles this presence in her life.
Problem is, while the film starts off fine, and the metaphor is received loud and clear, The Woman in the Yard has nowhere to go once it has delivered the set-up. The woman in black turns up, her presence engulfs the family, and that’s about it.
There are a few moments which stand out, including a particularly poignant ending, but there needs to be a bit more to make this work. The film has bags of potential, it just doesn’t seem to know how to use it, and ultimately that’s a huge shame.
Where the film works best is in the atmosphere, in the setting, and in Danielle Deadwyler’s lead performance. The mysterious woman in black is also suitably creepy, so the film does have its merits.
But there’s not much more to add. The whole thing would work fine as a ten or twenty minute short, but as a feature film clocking in at 87 minutes there’s just not enough story.
Of course, some may disagree, and perhaps the film will connect with those who need it most. Should you wish to take a look for yourself, The Woman in the Yard is now available to rent or buy on digital video-on-demand platforms.
—
On disc…
The House of the Devil (2009)
Sticking with horror but moving onto disc for this next film, which is the 2009 Satanic chiller, The House of the Devil. Written, directed, and edited by Ti West, the film stars Jocelin Donahue, Greta Gerwig, Tom Noonan, and Mary Woronov, and tells the story of a college student who becomes caught up in a dire situation when she agrees to a babysitting job.
In the film, broke college student Samantha Hughes takes on a babysitting job to make some quick cash. When she arrives at the house of Mr. and Mrs. Ulman, she discovers she has been hired to take care of an elderly woman and not a child.
Desperate for the money, Samantha reluctantly agrees to go ahead and prepares to spend the next few hours keeping watch. But as Samantha soon discovers, this job is just the beginning of a terrifying night.
Released in 2009, but set during the early ‘80s, The House of the Devil is an atmospheric horror which plays very much like a lost film from the past. Director Ti West conjures up a picture which could easily sit alongside the likes of Halloween (1978), The Changeling (1980), or Friday the 13th (1980), and if you’re a ‘70s/‘80s horror junkie this film is for you.
From the opening sequence, which introduces Samantha and establishes her as a decent person, through to the moment she puts in a call about the babysitting job, there is a sense of unease about what will transpire. West wastes no time on unsettling the audience, and it becomes clear Samantha is in imminent danger.
I won’t spoil what that danger is, but it doesn’t play out until much later in the picture. Between the set-up and the pay-off, West then uses the majority of the movie to increase the tension and suspense.
He even injects a ‘get-out’ scene, in which this whole unfolding nightmare could end if Samantha simply makes another choice. She takes the babysitting gig because she needs money for an apartment, but her friend’s dad could easily help out with the cash.
Samantha doesn’t take this option, does the babysitting job instead, and her fate is sealed. West even hammers home this unfortunate decision when Samantha utters the haunting phrase: “This one night changes everything for me.”
What’s great about The House of the Devil is not just how unnerving the film is first time around, but how much it stands up to repeat viewings. Little comments and background details are dotted throughout the picture, which add a bit more depth to the horror when caught on a second watch.
For example, Mr. Ulman having the number for a college payphone, or his subtle insistence that Samantha orders a pizza (she is told about a delivery number twice and given extra money on top of her babysitting fee), are all things which can be missed on first viewing. But catch them second time around and it becomes clear Samantha is being guided into her downfall.
Add to all this a great little cast, which includes top notch performances from Jocelin Donahue and Tom Noonan, plus a short but memorable supporting role for Barbie director, Greta Gerwig, and The House of the Devil is a brilliant film. It isn’t a flashy horror filled with blood and guts, but it sure has a way to get under the skin.
Should you wish to grab a copy of The House of the Devil on Blu-ray the film is currently available from Second Sight in two versions: Regular edition and limited edition. The regular edition costs £17.99, while the limited edition set is £34.99.
Both releases include a HD copy of the film; two audio commentaries; a collection of new interviews with key cast and crew, including writer/director Ti West and lead actress Jocelin Donahue; a ‘making of’ featurette; plus deleted scenes and a trailer.
The limited edition release includes a 70-page book featuring new essays about the film, as well as a behind the scenes gallery, six art cards, and a rigid slipcase.
—
On disc…
The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
Also available on disc, but this time as a 4K UHD release, is classic ‘70s Western, The Outlaw Joesy Wales. Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, the movie is based on a book by Forrest Carter, and follows the story of the titular Josey, who finds himself on the run and fighting for survival.
In the film, when Josey’s wife and child are brutally murdered by pro-Union paramilitaries, he seeks revenge and joins a group of Confederates during the American Civil War. Flash forward to the end of the war, and his group are given the opportunity to surrender with a promised amnesty.
Josey refuses to surrender, which is ultimately for the best, as his peers are betrayed and killed. However, he is branded an outlaw and after he flees he is hounded by bounty hunters.
With a fantastic performance and excellent direction from Eastwood; a compelling story that includes some commentary on the Civil War; and a cast which includes John Vernon, Bill McKinney, Woodrow Parfrey, and Sondra Locke, The Outlaw Josey Wales is a great Western. The film is action-packed, expertly constructed, and it features some damn fine shots from Bruce Surtees.
When directing his films, Eastwood regularly surrounds himself with top notch cinematographers, and Surtees does him proud. The Outlaw Josey Wales is gorgeous to look at, and Eastwood has never looked cooler.
The film is also up there as one of the best examples from the Western genre. Eastwood starred in plenty of Westerns during his younger years, many of them ranging from good to excellent, and The Outlaw Josey Wales is certainly a notable entry.
If you’re an Eastwood fan, this is one to add to the collection.
Want even more Eastwood? Then now is the time to dive right in.
The Outlaw Josey Wales is amongst a collection of Clint Eastwood movies receiving a 4K UHD release this year in honour of Eastwood’s 95th birthday. Other titles include Dirty Harry, which is out at the moment; The Man with No Name Trilogy, which is due out this summer; and Pale Rider, which features in this month’s Clint Eastwood-focused edition of Movie Reviews Special.
—
In cinemas…
Thunderbolts* (2025)
And finally, now playing in UK and US cinemas is the Marvel superhero movie, Thunderbolts*. Directed by Jake Schreier, the film is the 36th entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; stars Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Lewis Pullman, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus; and focuses on a team of antiheroes who band together against a common foe.
In the movie, Yelena Belova (Black Widow), John Walker (U.S. Agent), Ava Star (Ghost), and Alexei Shostakov (Red Guardian), join forces to bring down corrupt CIA director Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Along the way they cross paths with Bucky Barnes, meet new hero ‘Bob’, and have to take on mysterious villain, the Void.
Bringing together characters from various Marvel projects (U.S. Agent from Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Ghost from Ant-Man and the Wasp, etc), Thunderbolts* is a team-up movie which effectively begins to tie-up some loose ends. Due to its expansive nature (and all those Disney+ shows), the MCU is currently filled with an overabundance of plot threads and characters, and Thunderbolts* has the task of rounding some of them up.
The result is an entertaining action adventure film with surprising depth, where the sort-of-bad-guys-and-gals become the sort-of-good-guys-and-gals. They’re not villains, but they’re not quite heroes, and a sizeable section of the movie sees them operate somewhere in the middle to become a better version of themselves.
But this isn’t some whacky Guardians of the Galaxy-style romp, Thunderbolts* is a much darker affair. In fact, this is arguably Marvel Studios’ darkest movie to date.
Don’t worry, there are laughs, and there are some heartfelt hero sequences too, but there is also an impactful story about tragedy, about loneliness and trauma, as well as an exploration into mental health.
And this is where the film really excels. When Thunderbolts* zeroes in on the darkness that dwells within, specifically during the magnificent third act, the movie truly triumphs!
With this picture being an ensemble piece, the film could easily fall apart if the key players don’t shine. The great thing is, pretty much every member brings something to the table, with Yelena the standout star.
It’s odd to think Florence Pugh’s Yelena is a fairly recent addition to the MCU, having only appeared in Black Widow (2021) and the Hawkeye TV series, because she feels as if she’s always been there. This is largely down to a continually great performance from Pugh which makes her character so damn likeable.
The same goes for David Harbour’s Red Guardian, who is also a brilliant figure in the MCU. In this film, Harbour gets some of the wittiest lines, he makes the most of it, and gets to deliver some zingers.
Meanwhile, Wyatt Russell’s U.S. Agent goes on a much-needed journey of self-reflection; Lewis Pullman’s ‘Bob’ proves to be an interesting and an important player in the story; and Julia Louis-Dreyfus has an absolute ball playing Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. And then there’s Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes who is as cool as ever, and even gets a Terminator 2-inspired scene that is just missing a Guns N’ Roses backing track to make it sing.
The only member of Thunderbolts* who feels a little short-changed is Hannah John-Kamen’s Ghost who doesn’t have as much of a screen presence as everyone else. This isn’t John-Kamen’s fault, she’s great in what she does, she just doesn’t get the same opportunity as the others.
With Thunderbolts*, director Jake Schreier delivers an impressive and important stepping stone in the MCU. If you’re of the opinion some of the recent Marvel Studios movies have felt a little light and inconsequential, then Thunderbolts* should make you happy.
In terms of the MCU timeline, this film exists in a world without Avengers, and it uses this to its advantage. It takes the universe into new territory, and helps to prepare the audience for the super-team’s eventual return next year.
But more importantly, Thunderbolts* stands on its own as a strong comic book movie. It might devote some of its time to mopping up all the spare parts of the MCU, but it utilises this vital piece of maintenance to its fullest.
—
Movie of the Week
It’s time for Movie of the Week, and after careful consideration the top pick this time around goes to Thunderbolts*. With a likeable cast of characters, plenty of action, and a great deal of heart too, there is much to enjoy with this latest Marvel offering (and as always, if you give it a watch, stick around until the very end credit scene).
And if you like Thunderbolts* you may also like:
- Black Widow (2021) – Marvel superhero film detailing the early days of the super spy.
- Robot & Frank (2012) – Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier’s comedy-drama about an ex-con and his robot companion.
- The Suicide Squad (2021) – DC Comics action sequel about a rag-tag group of criminals who band together to take down an alien starfish.
—
Forthcoming attractions
And that’s it for yet another week, but coming soon there’s more death-related shenanigans in horror movie, Final Destination Bloodlines; more death-defying stunts for Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning; and generally more blood, guts, and death in the Blu-ray release of Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. Plus, Disney’s live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch is on its way, which is largely free from death.
Oh, and if you want more movie review goodness (and of course, YOU DO), don’t forget this month’s edition of Movie Reviews Special is out now. It’s all about Clint Eastwood and features reviews for films from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘00s, and ‘10s!
Alex
—
—
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.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment