Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Movie Reviews 2026, where the focus this week is all about what you can watch at home. From Netflix to Prime Video and even a nostalgic DVD release, the focus is on small screen entertainment.
So, what’s on the agenda today? Well, Alan Ritchson and Dennis Quaid star in sci-fi actioner, War Machine; Luke Evans and Milla Jovovich front sci-fi survival-horror, Worldbreaker; and Lili Reinhart leads dark thriller, Clickbait.
And if all that sounds a little heavy, there’s ‘80s animated escapism via The Care Bears Movie. Although, this one includes an evil spirit, so it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
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Now streaming…
War Machine (2026)
First up this week it’s over to Netflix for the sci-fi action movie, War Machine. Directed and co-written by Patrick Hughes, and starring Alan Ritchson, Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, and Jai Courtney, the movie follows the story of a troop of soldiers who encounter an extraterrestrial war machine.
In the movie, it has been two years since an unnamed staff sergeant lost his brother in Afghanistan. Keen to get back to work, he attends the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program (RASP), with the aim of joining the 75th Ranger Regiment.
Given the number ‘81’, he excels in every task, obstacle, and feat of endurance. 81’s determination to succeed is impressive, however, what’s not so impressive is his inability to bond with any of his team mates.
This concerns his superiors, as it is an essential part of being the ‘best of the best’, so for his final exercise 81 is sent on a simulated mission in the forest, where he is to lead a team, destroy a classified aircraft, and rescue its pilot. But while the mission is fairly straightforward, 81 and his team encounter an unexpected obstacle.
They mistake an alien war machine, which falls from the sky amongst an asteroid, as the aircraft they are seeking. And once they attempt to destroy it, the machine fights back.
If you’re hoping for something insightful or even particularly imaginative, you certainly won’t find it in War Machine. The B-movie style plot is very much a case of human vs. machine, and there’s not much else going on.
However, while there isn’t a great deal to latch onto in the story department, War Machine isn’t without charm. Ritchson is solid as 81; the titular war machine is brought to the screen rather well; and the amount of action in the picture is fairly high.
It takes a good half-an-hour to really get going, and some of 81’s early combat training could easily be trimmed, but as streaming action flicks go this one’s fine. It’s the sort of thing you would have picked up randomly in Blockbuster one Saturday night in the ‘90s, when the film you wanted was out on loan, and you would have found it perfectly serviceable for a bit of late evening viewing.
Don’t expect to be bowled over, but if you want to watch a bunch of soldiers battling a seemingly unstoppable machine with futuristic technology then you’ll be pleased with what’s on offer. Plus, brutal sci-fi battle scenes are always fun to watch, right?
If War Machine proves popular enough on streaming, expect more to follow, as there is certainly scope for a sequel. But for now, should you wish to take a look this movie, War Machine is streaming on Netflix.
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Now streaming…
Worldbreaker (2025)
Over to Prime Video now for the sci-fi survival-horror, Worldbreaker. Directed by Brad Anderson, the film stars Luke Evans, Milla Jovovich, and Billie Boullet, and follows the story of a family’s attempts to survive in a world overrun by monsters.
In the movie, society has crumbled and the world has gone to Hell. Creatures known as ‘breakers’ wander the Earth, destroying humanity in their wake, with men in particular at risk from being bitten and transformed in hybrids – monstrous beasts that work for the breakers.
Attempting to survive in this nightmarish reality are Willa and her father. The pair are living on a remote island, where Willa is learning how to take care of herself, should she ever be alone.
After a year of living together with no one else on the island, a young girl appears. Her arrival puts the pair at risk.
If ever there was a film loaded with potential, it’s Worldbreaker. From the emergence of the breakers, to the fall of society, and the developing relationship between father and daughter, this film is crammed with ideas and threads to tug on.
Sure, it’s a survival picture and one we’ve seen countless times before, but there are some decent ideas in here, as well as great performances from Evans and Boullet. So, on paper, yep, this has plenty of material in its arsenal to be something great.
It’s just a shame then that none of the potential is completely acted on. Instead, Worldbreaker is very much a collection of undercooked ideas and plot teases, which are stitched together to form a meandering picture which sadly never goes anywhere.
Father and daughter escape to an island, they live off the land, their lives are at risk, and that’s about it. Milla Jovovich drops by to top and tail the film, playing a supposedly bad-ass mother, but she doesn’t really do anything, and there’s not much more going on.
In short: Worldbreakers feels like a 90-minute set up for something else. By the time the story moves into a position where things might happen, the credits roll and it’s all over.
Considerable adjustments to the script, including a lot of editing, would have helped Worldbreakerimmensely. Strip this thing back to the bare bones, remove some of the waffling, and inject more action and this could be a great film.
But as it stands it’s a bit of a disappointment. It’s watchable, and the relationship between Evans and Boullet gives it plenty of heart, but it should and could be much better.
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On disc…
The Care Bears Movie (1985)
And now for something completely different. It’s the animated children’s film, The Care Bears Movie, which is making its way onto DVD later this month.
Directed by Arna Selznick, and originally released in 1985, The Care Bears Movie sees the titular bears tasked with befriending two orphans, while simultaneously having to help out a young boy who is heading down the wrong path. The boy is a magician’s assistant, who falls under the influence of an evil spirit, and if the bears don’t step in to save him he’ll be lost forever.
Thankfully, the Care Bears are skilled at aiding youngsters, and take this kind of thing in their stride. They are also helped out by a new set of cuddly critters, who ensure good triumphs over evil and everything is alright in the end.
Now, back when this movie was first released it proved quite successful at the box office, taking $34 million from a budget of $2 million. It no doubt helped to shift a lot of Care Bear merchandise too, because this whole thing is very much like one giant advert for the toys.
Anyway, that was then, but this is now. Does The Care Bears Movie offer anything of value more than 40 years later? Erm… no, not really.
Those who grew up watching The Care Bears Movie and who have a nostalgic fondness for the film might find this to be a fun trip down memory lane, but for everyone else it’s going to be tedious stuff. The cutesy songs are awful (the title track by Carole King is particularly dire); the voice cast feel like everyone is on auto pilot; and the story drags on despite this only being a 75 minute movie.
The best thing about the picture is the evil spirit who lives in a book. The rest is hard work.
Anyway, should you have a hankering for The Care Bears Movie, the film lands on DVD on March 30th. Use this knowledge however you see fit.
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Now streaming…
Clickbait (2025)
And finally, available to rent or buy on digital platforms is the psychological thriller, Clickbait (aka American Sweatshop). Directed by Uta Briesewitz and starring Lili Reinhart, the film follows the story of a young woman who works at a company which approves or deletes graphic, violent, sexual, or otherwise problematic online content.
In the movie, Daisy’s job is to watch a succession of videos which have been flagged up by social media users and deemed inappropriate. Some of the videos are questionable, but not necessarily unfit for human viewing, while others are beyond disturbing.
As Daisy deals with the videos, approving or deleting on a daily basis, she finds herself getting caught up with one video in particular. There’s something about it which gets under her skin, and she is keen to track down the person involved in making it.
Clickbait is a curious film, and one which certainly has a few interesting things to say about online content. There are a couple of moments in the movie when one of the team leaders at Daisy’s company has to explain what should and shouldn’t be deleted, and the criteria is often open to interpretation.
So, if nothing else, the film offers a few insights into what goes on behind the scenes when it comes to ‘censoring’ the internet. If you think things are pretty bad as it is, Clickbait is here to make it clear there are far worse things you could be seeing if there was no filter whatsoever.
The movie also opens up a dialogue about how awful it is for the censors who are tasked with dealing with dreadful and disgusting content. These are regular folk, who have to witness things no one should have to see, and they often have to contend with office politics and mandates from higher ups, which also get in the way.
So, there is something here which gives Clickbait a bit of depth. It’s also worth noting that former Riverdale star, Lili Reinhart gives a good turn as Daisy.
But for all the parts that work, Clickbait doesn’t quite pack the punch it needs to. The pacing is a bit off, the main plot thread involving Daisy is not as strong as it needs to be, and the further things move along the more momentum is lost.
Clickbait can be praised for trying something different and original, and Reinhart continues to prove she’s a great actress, but it doesn’t quite tick all the boxes. Ultimately this makes it an acquired taste, which may work for those who are keen on the premise, but perhaps not work for everyone else.
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Recent Releases
Not quite done yet? Want more movies? The above suggestions aren’t enough?! Well, here’s what’s also doing the rounds:
Hoppers (2026)
“Hoppers is imaginative, delightful stuff, which provides plenty of escapism, while also delivering a powerful message. The idea that humans and animals need to co-exist is an important one, and the film understands this and delivers it in a meaningful way.”
The Bluff (2026)
“A few tweaks to the script could have turned The Bluff into more of a sword-swaggering romp, but it’s fine for what it is. If all you are after is a couple of hours in front of the TV with a formidable action heroine and some scurvy sea dogs, then The Bluff should cater accordingly.”
The Bride! (2026)
“Like Frankenstein himself, The Bride feels like a patchwork of ideas, rather than a complete picture. There are a number of elements in here which could have been utilised better to make a stronger film, but alas that’s not what’s on offer. “
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week now, and let’s be honest, it’s not the greatest week for film, is it? But out of the selection above, the title that takes the top spot is War Machine.
The visuals effects are decent and the action is brutal. It’s perfectly serviceable for an evening in front of the box with a takeaway.
And if you like War Machine you might also like:
- Starship Troopers (1997) – Paul Verhoeven directs this action-packed sci-fi romp about a group of soldiers tackling alien invaders.
- Edge of Tomorrow (2014) – Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt lead this sci-fi action film about a PR Officer-turned-soldier who finds himself stuck in a time loop while battling an alien invasion.
- Predator (1987) – Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in this iconic action sci-fi horror about a paramilitary rescue team who stumble across the ultimate hunter in the Central American rainforest.
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Forthcoming attractions
And that’s your lot for yet another week, but coming soon Project Hail Mary, Ready of Not 2: Here I Come, and The Magic Faraway Tree. Plus, in the not-too distant future, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach are back for animated sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
Alex
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this edition of Movie Reviews 2026. For more posts be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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