Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2025. Now, before we go any further, have you watched anything good at the cinema lately?
Well, I do hope you’ve been making the most out of all the big movie releases this summer. After a busy few months, the blockbuster season is winding down, but you can still catch plenty of tentpole films on the big screen right now.
And if you want a guide to what to watch, then be sure to take a look the recent edition of Movie Reviews Special. From Thunderbolts* through to Nobody 2 all the hits (and misses) can be found in this Special, with a handy set of ratings to help steer you toward entertainment success!
Meanwhile, for those looking for an alternative to all those big summer blockbusters you can cast your eyes over this week’s latest releases. However, do be warned, we are now in the end-of-the-summer dumping ground, so proceed with caution.
Films being thrust into the spotlight this week include Night Always Comes, The Life of Chuck, Eddington, Red Sonja, and The Map That Leads to You.
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Now streaming…
Night Always Comes (2025)
First up this week is the crime thriller, Night Always Comes. Directed by Benjamin Caron, and based on a book by Willy Vlautin, the movie stars Vanessa Kirby, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Zack Gottsagen, and Stephan James, and follows the story of a woman desperate to raise funds to secure a house.
In the movie, Lynette is struggling. She works a couple of day jobs; hooks up with a guy to earn some money on the side; and is doing her best to make ends meet.
To make matters worse, Lynette is on the verge of being evicted from her house where lives with her young brother, Kenny, as well as their deadbeat mother, Doreen. Unless Lynette can come up with $25,000 by 9am the next day, her family will be out on the street, and Kenny will be put into care.
Backed into a corner, Lynette sets out to get the money any way she can, getting caught up in illegal activities along the way. But with the clock ticking, problems mounting up, and Lynette digging herself into an increasingly troublesome hole she may never escape from, will she at least be able to get the money in time?
OK, so there are a few things to know about Night Always Comes. First and foremost, Vanessa Kirby gives a great performance.
If you recently caught The Fantastic Four: First Steps at the cinema, you loved Kirby as the Invisible Woman, and you want to see the actress in another strong role, then take a look at Night Always Comes. Kirby excels as Lynette, with this whole movie built around her captivating performance.
The next thing to know is Night Always Comes looks great. This is a slick-looking film, with stunning cinematography from Damián García, which really captures the essence of the dark and dangerous world that Lynette exists in.
And thirdly, this film starts off well and has some decent moments throughout. Director Benjamin Caron creates solid foundations, then gives Lynette plenty of room to tie herself up in knots in an attempt to get out of her financial situation.
So, some good stuff. Some good stuff indeed.
I am often quite critical of the endless trash or mediocre movies on Netflix, but this isn’t one of them. Night Always Comes isn’t perfect, and it does have a couple of issues (which I’ll get to in a moment), but it has the bones of something interesting and it certainly attempts to flesh things out.
Put simply: You could do a lot worse than casting your eyes over this film. Do it for Kirby’s performance alone.
OK, now onto the not-so good stuff and where Night Always Comes struggles is in the pacing, the length, and the conclusion. All of these elements hold the film back, and it’s a shame.
There are dips in the pace throughout. One minute it seems like Night Always Comes is onto a straight run, with some captivating storytelling, and then after a few scenes it sort of loses momentum, almost in the blink of an eye.
It’s never enough momentum to derail the entire picture, but certainly enough to slow things down to a crawl. It’s as if a big scene ends and suddenly the film has to pick itself back up and figure out how to do it all again.
This is then amplified by the overall length of the film, which at just under two-hours feels too long. When the momentum dips, you can’t help but take a glance at your watch, to see how long is left on the run-time.
What would help greatly is a bit of editing. A few quick cuts here and there would quicken things and create more of a sense of urgency. An on screen clock pops up every once in a while to remind audiences of Lynette’s time limit, but this doesn’t really impact the suspense or tension and if anything it just reminds the audience we still have a way to go until we reach the finish line.
Speaking of which, the climax feels all very anticlimactic. Kirby does a grand job of selling the emotional weight at the end of the story, which is further enhanced by a solid final scene with Jennifer Jason Leigh playing Lynette’s mother, but after all the build-up the conclusion lacks the impact it needs.
So even if you have enjoyed the majority of what has come before, you can’t help but feel the film needs a stronger finish. Thematically the conclusion makes sense, but it just doesn’t feel as satisfying as it should.
Ultimately, there are things that work in Night Always Comes and there are things that don’t. Thankfully the film gets more right than it gets wrong, and as noted above, this is a lot better than plenty of the dross usually served up by Netflix.
Take a look for Kirby and see how you get on. You may stick with it, you may not, but there is something here which is likeable and intriguing.
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In cinemas…
The Life of Chuck (2025)
Over to the cinema now for the fantasy drama, The Life of Chuck. Written and directed by Mike Flanagan, and based on the Stephen King novella of the same name, the film stars Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill, and follows the story of Charles “Chuck” Krantz.
Presented in reverse order, the film begins with Chuck’s imminent death in Act III, before jumping back nine months for Act II. From here the picture slides into Chuck’s childhood and teen years for Act I, detailing his relationship with his grandparents.
Along the way, the film gives an account of who Chuck is, how his life panned out, and what is important to him. Additional details are also provided through ongoing narration, courtesy of Nick Offerman, to paint a more rounded picture.
Does it work? Erm… not as well as it thinks it does, no.
The Life of Chuck has occasional moments that hit the right emotional beats, and the performances from the cast are spot on, but it’s all a bit long-winded and dull for its own good. In typical Flanagan fashion there’s too much exposition (way too much), and when all is said and done you’re left asking the question: What was the point?
The opening act is decent, and is arguably the strongest segment of the movie. The Life of Chuckopens with the suggestion the end of the world is nigh, and this is an interesting way to begin the story.
An element of mystery is injected into proceedings, curiosity levels are raised, and for a while you want to know more. But unfortunately, what follows this opening act simply doesn’t live up to the initial set-up.
The second act doesn’t really go anywhere, and largely seems to exist to showcase an extensive dance routine with Tom Hiddleston, while the third act goes on, and on, and on. So much so, as I type these words right now I’m not certain it has even finished yet.
I stopped watching the film hours ago, but maybe that third act is still playing somewhere? The only thing I know for sure is that it isn’t still playing in my mind.
More of a patchwork piece than a satisfying whole, The Life of Chuck is hit and miss, with more misses than hits.
Mike Flanagan manages to capture the voice of Stephen King, and the film is not without some charm, but it runs out of steam. It’s an interesting idea, but that’s all it is.
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In cinemas…
Eddington (2025)
Sticking with the cinema for a moment, and new to UK cinemas this week is Ari Aster’s latest picture, Eddington. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Emma Stone, and Austin Butler, and focuses on a mayoral contest between two town officials in New Mexico.
Set in 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film centres its story around Sheriff Joe Cross and Mayor Ted Garcia. Both have different beliefs about the pandemic, causing them to butt heads in public places.
Keen to take better control of the situation in his town, Sheriff Cross decides to run for Mayor to replace Garcia. But as his campaign gets underway, and the madness of the pandemic begins to create distractions (civil unrest, conspiracy theories, etc), Cross employs dirty tactics to smear Garcia and win the battle.
With plenty of social and political commentary, strong performances from Phoenix and Pascal, and a dark tone in keeping with Ari Aster’s signature style, Eddington is an absorbing movie. It won’t be for everyone, and some may come away feeling a little nonplussed, but for those who get into this picture there’s much to latch onto.
The film manages to recapture the look and feel (and craziness) of the pandemic, and demonstrates how damaging and disruptive it was. From disagreements about masks, to protests in the streets, and a rise in conspiracy theories, Eddington covers all the main beats, showcases the impact it has on a small town in the US, and explains how it became the catalyst for wider political change.
Then, while all this plays out, there are the events of the mayoral campaign which create more immediate problems and hostility between the lead characters. Sheriff Cross decides to force his way into office, any way he can, and goes to great lengths to achieve his objective.
Aster ties all of his material together with moments of satire and dashes of black comedy. At times the film becomes such a whirlwind it’s difficult to imagine any of this could be in any way realistic, and then you remind yourself the pandemic was filled with chaotic, unbelievable moments.
Eddington is very much a reflection of this. It’s bonkers, but in truth, it’s only magnifying the madness that was/is already there.
To reiterate, Eddington won’t win everyone over, and some might find it a slog. At around two-and-a-half-hours you will certainly require a comfy seat if you are to sink into the story.
But for those who connect with what’s on offer, this is a well-constructed drama. Aster has a knack for exploring dark underbellies, and there’s plenty of darkness in here.
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Now streaming…
Red Sonja (2025)
Across to video-on-demand now for the long-awaited arrival of the sword-and-sorcery yarn, Red Sonja. Long awaited because a new live-action Red Sonja movie has been in the works since 2008, and after a few false starts and some redevelopment, it’s finally here.
Although, even when this film did eventually go into production it’s still taken an age to materialise. Filming on Red Sonja started in August 2022, and for those who don’t currently have access to a calendar, it’s now August 2025.
That’s three years for those keeping track. Three bloody years!
So, has the three-year wait been worth it? Erm… no, not really.
This is middling stuff at best, and not something to get in any way excited about. However, the important thing to note is that Red Sonja is not the total dumpster fire it could be.
Director M. J. Bassett delivers a straight-to-video affair, but it’s at least a watchable straight-to-video affair. You may only watch it once, but once is better than nothing.
In terms of the story, when Sonja was a child her home was invaded and her people slaughtered. As an adult she travels the land searching for any survivors, and this puts her on a collision course with Emperor Dragan.
Dragan captures Sonja and makes her take part in his arena games. He’s also in possession of part of a special book which belonged to Sonja’s tribe and can give him great power.
Dragan wants to obtain the other half of the book, while Sonja wants Dragan gone. From here swords are swung, a cyclops is released, and Sonja walks around in a skimpy silver bikini.
On the plus side, the special effects are decent, the staging isn’t bad, and Matilda Lutz is passable in the title role. She is joined on screen by the likes of Robert Sheehan, Luca Pasqualino, and Michael Bisping, so there are some familiar faces amongst the cast too.
On the down side, some of the acting is ropey, the plot feels dated, and the world lacks grandeur. There is also the sense this whole thing could and should have been turned into a TV movie during the ‘00s.
Ultimately, those who really want to watch Red Sonja now have the chance to buy it via VOD platforms this month, or on DVD in September. Meanwhile, those who couldn’t care less about the film can continue to ignore it safe in the knowledge they aren’t missing anything groundbreaking.
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Now streaming…
The Map That Leads to You (2025)
And finally, in The Map That Leads to You, Heather is a post-graduate from the US on a train to Barcelona with her friends. During the journey, she crosses paths with Jack, who is travelling around Europe.
The two hit it off, Jack tags along with Heather, and they get to know each other better. As Heather’s friends head back home, Heather and Jack stick together and enjoy experiencing the sights of Spain.
As the days pass, the pair grow closer. But with each passing day, Heather has to face up to the reality that she will soon be heading back to New York without him.
Directed by Lasse Hallström, and based on the book of the same name by J.P. Monninger, The Map That Leads to You stars Madelyn Cline and KJ Apa. The film is a romantic drama which is delightful to look at, thanks to some stunning shots of Spain, but is occasionally pretentious, and for the most part quite dull.
The basic plot is girl meets boy, they hit it off over their shared love of Ernest Hemingway (because that’s what turns people on, right?) and then they have a whirlwind romance. A few deep conversations follow, there’s some plinky-plonky music, a bit of drama over a flight, and some turbulent times ahead.
Watchable? Yes. Enjoyable? Well, that’s debatable.
The Map That Leads to You falls into the trap many modern streaming titles fall into, in that it is a fairly sedate, fairly generic picture. It isn’t necessarily bad, but it’s not particularly good either.
As with many, many films of this ilk it is simply moving wallpaper to be watched while doom scrolling. If that’s what you want, then stick it on and scroll away!
Anyway, should you wish to take a look, The Map That Leads to You is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week now, and this week the prestigious title goes to Ari Aster’s Eddington. Not a film which will work for everyone, but it is a genre-mixing picture which offers something different from all the summer blockbusters that have been doing the rounds lately.
And if you like Eddington then you might also like:
- Beau Is Afraid (2023) – Ari Aster and Joaquin Phoenix team up for this surrealist tragicomedy about a paranoid man on an odyssey to get to his mother’s house.
- The Sisters Brothers (2018) – Joaquin and John C. Reilly play notorious assassins in this Western from Jacques Audiard.
- Materialists (2025) – Pedro Pascal stars alongside Dakota Johnson and Chris Evans for this romantic drama-comedy from Celine Song.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for another week, but coming soon we are promised lashings of black comedy in the long-delayed super hero splatter movie, The Toxic Avenger. Plus, we’re heading into the spooky season with The Conjuring: Last Rites, as well as Him, and The Strangers – Chapter 2.
And, if horror isn’t your thing, then maybe mockumentary sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will suit you better. Expect chuckles a-plenty with Nigel Tufnel, Derek Smalls, and David St. Hubbins.
With all this and much, much more you’d be insane in the membrane not to come back for another helping of Movie Reviews 2025.
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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