Welcome to this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2025 – your indispensable guide to what to watch at the cinema, on streaming, and on disc. Each week, the movie industry serves up a bunch of new titles for your consideration, and Movie Reviews 2025 sifts through them and let’s you know what’s worth your time and what’s fine to skip.
This week you’ll find reviews for biographical drama, Swiped; comic book movie, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires; twisted sports horror, Him; slasher sequel, The Strangers: Chapter 2; and classic ‘90s family fantasy, Casper. Yep, Casper is back in time for the spooky season (and in time to celebrate its 30th anniversary), and it’s playing on the big screen!
Plus, the big release this week is the Leonardo DiCaprio epic, One Battle After Another. The early buzz on this one has been very encouraging, so let’s see how it shapes up.
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Now streaming…
Swiped (2025)
First up this week, in Swiped the year is 2012 and Whitney Wolfe is an entrepreneur working for start-up company, Cardify. Whitney is a smart, go-getter, who wants to be a success and is ready to bring ideas to the table.
During a meeting discussing a new dating app, Whitney suggests the name, Tinder. She then sets out to make it popular with college students by doing some heavy promotional work.
Once the app becomes a hit, Cardify is no more and Tinder becomes the company name. As co-founder, Whitney remains on board as the app racks up over a million users and sends the company into the big leagues.
But things soon begin to go sour when Whitney finds herself harassed by a colleague and forced out of the company. Unable to share her side of the story, due to a Non-Disclosure Agreement, Whitney’s life begins to fall apart.
Directed and co-written by Rachel Lee Goldenberg, and starring Lily James, Ben Schnetzer, Jackson White, and Dan Stevens, Swiped is a biographical drama about Whitney Wolfe-Herd, the co-founder of Tinder, and founder and CEO of Bumble. The movie is new to Hulu in the US, Disney+ everywhere else, and is a so-so bio-pic which has some positives, but struggles to hit the heights it’s aiming for.
The problem? It’s not as dynamic as it needs to be, it runs too long, and from time-to-time it loses momentum.
Swiped has some interesting moments, especially when dealing with sexism and toxic masculinity, but it feels a bit stuffy, a touch drawn out, and all just a tad aimless. This is something which isn’t helped by a collection of end credit disclaimers which point out Whitney Wolfe-Herd had nothing to do with the film, and “some of the characters, businesses, places, incidents, timelines, relationships, and dialogue have been fictionalised for purposes of dramatization.”
Sure, all films are dramatized, but these messages leave you questioning how much of the story is actually real and how much has been inflated for the purpose of entertainment? This in turn robs the movie of some of its impact, stopping it from being as good as it could be.
Highlights of Swiped include the aforementioned discussions on inappropriate behaviour in the workplace, as well as commentary on how dating apps (and pretty much anything internet related) can quickly descend into a forum for d*ck pics.
Lily James is also very good (no surprise there) and the soundtrack is fun. So there’s enough in the movie to keep things ticking along.
But this isn’t the most exciting film, nor the most impactful. It’s fine in places, but it’s doubtful Swiped will stay with you past the end credits, which is ultimately a shame.
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On disc…
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (2025)
Over to disc now, for the animated fantasy film, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires. Conceived as a sort-of ‘Elseworlds’ story, the movie reimagines the Batman mythology via the ancient Aztecs, with a new take on the Dark Knight as well as a new take on a number of classic Bat-villains (Two-Face, Joker, Poison Ivy, Catwoman).
In the movie, explorer Captain Hernán Cortés arrives at an Aztec village in search of the legendary Tenochtitlán, which he believes will provide him great wealth. However, despite being welcomed by the village’s leader, Chief Toltecatzin, Cortés wipes out everyone except young, Yohualli Coatl.
Determined to defeat Cortés, Yohualli trains in the art of combat to become a fearless warrior. Inspired by the bat god, Yohualli dons a ‘bat-man’ costume and sets out to take down his new enemy.
Directed by Juan Meza-León, and featuring a voice cast which includes Jay Hernandez, and Raymond Cruz, it’s pretty clear from the premise set out above this isn’t a Batman story featuring Bruce Wayne. In fact, Bruce is nowhere to be seen in Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, and there’s no Gotham City, nor is there a Batmobile.
Instead we get a new version of Batman, a new setting, and a new perspective on the classic origin story. The aim here is to take the basic framework, give it a new dimension, and hopefully bring some entertainment along the way.
Does it work? Sadly not as well as it should.
While this new Batman looks cool, and the Aztec angle offers something fresh on what is now a well-worn character, the film is somewhat lacking. The movie takes too long to get going; doesn’t really know where to go once the basic plot points are put in place; and never lives up to its potential.
It takes a good 30 mins for Yohualli Coatl to start acting like Batman, and then a further 15 minutes before he dons the costume. That’s half the runtime of this 90-minute movie just setting up the hero.
OK, so there are plenty of comic book movies where it takes a while for the main character to become the recognisable hero we all know and love, but considering the sheer amount of Bat-films that now exist in the world, the time for Bat-origin stories is long past. This film would be much stronger if it started with an established Batman and covered the origin via a few quick flashbacks.
But nope, it starts at the beginning, allows the origin story to take up far too much of the movie, and this gets in the way of the action – which incidentally isn’t half bad. The action sequences are few and far between, but they are decent when they happen.
At times, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires has shades of The Phantom and Black Panther about it, and this is where the film demonstrates the most potential. If it could just delve further into this aspect, it would be onto a winner, but sadly, it doesn’t.
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires isn’t terrible, but it is frustrating. There’s some good ideas in here, the character designs are strong, and expanding the Bat-mythology with new styles and cultures is something which should be encouraged, but unfortunately this film just misses the mark.
If you’re a die-hard Bat-fan you’ll no doubt want to check out Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, but don’t expect it to become a new favourite. As for everyone else, there are better Batman movies to watch.
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires is available on 4K and Blu-ray. If physical media isn’t your thing, the movie is also available on digital download.
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In cinemas…
Casper (1995)
Over to the cinema now for a delightful ’90s movie which is making its return to the big screen for two reasons: 1.) we are now in the spooky season, and 2.) the film is celebrating its 30th anniversary. The movie is of course the supernatural family fantasy, Casper!
Based on the Harvey Comics character of the same name, and directed by Brad Silberling, Casper stars Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Eric Idle, and Cathy Moriarty. The film follows the story of bereaved paranormal therapist, Dr. James Harvey, and his teenage daughter Kat, who move to a haunted mansion.
The mansion is owned by the greedy Carrigan Crittenden and is home to four ghosts. The first three – Stinkie, Stretch, and Fatso – are somewhat playful characters, who like causing chaos; while the fourth, Casper, is a good-natured spirit who longs for a friend.
During the course of the movie, Kat and Casper get to know each other and become pals. However, lurking in the background is Carrigan, who believes there is valuable treasure hidden inside the mansion, and cares nothing about putting Kat and Casper in danger to get what she wants.
With an excellent cast, plenty of gags, and dazzling special effects, which were fairly revolutionary at the time of release, Casper is an absolutely delightful movie. One which has stood the test of time for thirty years and will continue to stand strong for thirty more.
The key to the movie’s success is the aforementioned cast/gags/effects, but there’s also plenty of heart at the centre of the tale. This isn’t just a film interested in grabbing the audience’s attention with flashy imagery or a high joke rate, it’s a picture which has a fair amount of emotional substance.
At the core of Casper is a story about loss and grief. Kat and her father have lost someone very dear to them (Kat’s mother), while Casper has also lost someone very important – although he’s not quite aware of who this is to begin with.
As the story unspools, the film provides details about Casper’s backstory and tugs at the heartstrings accordingly. However, it is done in a way which is carefully handled and suitable for audiences of all ages.
Similar to Hocus Pocus, Casper is one of those magical movies which hits the sweet spot. It works for kids, it entertains adults too, and is generally a lovely film.
Casper is back in UK cinemas for a very limited time (around a week), so if you want to see it on the big screen take the opportunity while you can for some pre-Halloween fun. Alternatively, if you can’t quite get to a cinema in time, Casper is being released on 4K disc (including a Limited Edition Steelbook) on October 13th.
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In cinemas…
Him (2025)
In Him, Cam Cade has the potential to be the greatest football star of all time. However, after Cam is hurt in a bizarre, unprovoked attack he is left with a brain injury.
It appears as if Cam’s dreams could be at an end. That is until he is contacted by former quarterback legend, Isaiah White who offers him the opportunity to stay at his secluded training compound.
Here Cam will undergo an intense regime to get him back on track. If Cam is willing to do whatever it takes, he could have the world at his feet.
Directed by Justin Tipping, Him is a mystery horror starring Tyriq Withers, Marlon Wayans, and Julia Fox. The film is currently playing in US cinemas, will arrive in the UK from Friday 3rd October, and is a curious little picture but not quite the horror it strives to be.
Weird and twisted, Him certainly brings something to the screen, and it looks good, but unfortunately there’s not much to recommend outside of the visuals. The narrative is messy, the intentions not always clear, and the end result underwhelming.
There are attempts at satire, and there’s some commentary on the lengths and sacrifices it takes to make it big, but other than this, Him is largely jarring and pointless. It’s also a bit of a slog.
The highlight of Him? Marlon Wayans putting in a solid performance as Isaiah White.
This is one of those occasions where it’s a great performance in a not-so great film. It’s a shame the rest of the movie is a case of style over substance, but hey, sometimes these things just don’t work out.
Him is visually appealing, but that’s all it is. I can see one or two people dressing up as Cam for Halloween (muscles, fake blood, tighty whities, etc), but few will be raving about the movie.
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In cinemas…
The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025)
And from the unsatisfactory to the bloody awful with this next movie, The Strangers: Chapter 2. Directed by Renny Harlin, and starring Madelaine Petsch, this is the second entry in a three-part reboot of The Strangers movie series.
If you can’t quite recall (because you erased this information from your mind), all three films were shot back-to-back a couple of years ago, but they are being released separately. Chapter 1 came out last year, Chapter 2 is now playing in UK and US cinemas, and Chapter 3 will be winging its way to the big screen in 2026 (that’s if Lionsgate Films don’t scrap the whole thing altogether).
Anyway, this second and rather tedious instalment picks up directly after the first movie with Maya Lucas in hospital having survived a home invasion. However, instead of getting some much needed TLC, she is once again attacked by masked strangers, who chase her here, there, and everywhere.
They chase Maya around a hospital, through a stable, and across a forest. They also manage to chase away any goodwill left in this series, which is already running on empty.
How anyone is expected to care is beyond me. One of these films would be bad enough, but forcing three on the public just seems unforgivable.
With The Strangers: Chapter 2 there’s simply no excitement, no originality, and no story. This is 90-minutes of pure filler, more likely to have audiences nodding off into their popcorn than to scare or terrify.
In fact, things get so bad with this chapter, that halfway through the film a wild boar pops up to have a go at Maya, presumably to inject some fresh blood into proceedings. But even an ill-tempered pig can’t save this film, because it’s beyond saving.
I do hope Madelaine Petsch was paid a decent wage for appearing in this drivel. If not, maybe we could start a whip-round, because she deserves something for being tied to these dreadful films.
Anyway, The Strangers: Chapter 2 is abysmal bollocks. Avoid.
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In cinemas…
One Battle After Another (2025)
And finally, in One Battle After Another, Pat Calhoun and Perfidia Beverly Hills are members of a far-left revolutionary group known as the French 75. When Perfidia gives birth to a baby girl named Charlene, Pat tries to convince her to settle down as a family.
However, Pat’s words come to nothing and Perfidia abandons the pair to continue her revolutionary work. But when a job goes badly, Perfidia is caught, and in order to avoid jail time she betrays the French 75.
Fast-forward 16 years and Pat and a teenage Charlene are now in hiding, living under the names Bob and Willa Ferguson. Over the years, Bob has become overprotective of Willa, and has strict instructions about where she goes and who she’s with.
But unbeknown to Willa, Bob isn’t her biological father; that responsibility lies with a military officer named Lockjaw who had a sexual encounter with Perfidia. But Lockjaw is not the fatherly type, nor a good human being, and he is currently trying to gain membership to an exclusive society of white supremacists, who will refuse him entry if they find out about his mixed-race daughter.
Keen to keep the truth about his daughter under wraps, Lockjaw sets out to hunt down Bob and Willa. He plans to eliminate Willa so he can move forward with his life.
Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti. The movie is an action thriller inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel, Vineland, and if you’re wondering if you should check it out, then yes, yes you should.
Well written, smartly directed, and boasting an excellent cast, with scene-stealing performances from DiCaprio and Penn, One Battle After Another is a ruddy good film. Engaging, captivating, and at times very funny, the movie gets off on the right foot and remains there for its fairly hefty 162-minute runtime.
A runtime which doesn’t feel too long, too drawn out, or too bloated. Anderson balances his film perfectly, to keep interest levels up, and at no point does it lose momentum.
As highlighted, DiCaprio and Penn are marvellous in the film, with the former playing Bob and the latter taking on the part of Lockjaw. Both are fathers to Willa (in the grand scheme of things) but only one has the ability to be a dad.
Their role in the picture is to find Willa. One wants to protect her, one doesn’t, and there’s plenty of mileage from the hunt.
There’s also plenty of opportunity for DiCaprio to deliver some laughs. There are a number of chuckles to be had during a scene in which Bob has to recite a telephone password he simply can’t recall, and DiCaprio plays it with perfection.
Anyone who has ever rung up a company, and failed to pass through security because they can’t remember the name of their wife’s, best friend’s childhood dog will sympathise. OK, so Bob is a former member of a revolutionary group while you and I are just trying to query the gas bill, but it’s the same thing.
And it’s moments like this which ground the more fantastical elements of One Battle After Another. Secret societies, gun shots, and car chases might take up plenty of the screen time, but there are moments which help to keep things on a smaller scale and this stops the film becoming farcical.
With some topical commentary on immigration, some superb cinematography, and a strong story about what it really means to be a father, One Battle After Another is a complete triumph. Paul Thomas Anderson has delivered a brilliant picture, which never fails to entertain.
There have been a few underwhelming offerings this week, but One Battle After Another isn’t one of them. If you get the opportunity, go see it.
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Movie of the Week
Over to Movie of the Week and this week the esteemed title goes to One Battle After Another. The movie is a captivating picture, as well as another great entry in Leonardo DiCaprio’s portfolio.
And with this in mind, if you like this Leo movie you might also like:
- Romeo + Juliet (1996) – Baz Luhrmann directs DiCaprio in this lively retelling of the classic William Shakespeare play.
- Catch Me if You Can (2002) – Steven Spielberg is on director duties for this crime caper where DiCaprio plays con artist Frank Abagnale.
- The Revenant (2015) – DiCaprio and director Alejandro G. Iñáritu team up for this epic Western which bagged Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Actor.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for this week, but coming soon there’s supernatural horror in Good Boy; British drama in Steve; and thrills and suspense in The Woman in Cabin 10. Plus, Channing Tatum takes the lead in comedy-drama, Roofman.
All of this and much, much more will be with you soon.
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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