Hello and welcome to the latest edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your web-slinging guide to film.
This week you join Movie Reviews 2026 as we reach the end of July, which brings us to yet another big summer blockbuster! The blockbuster season is still going strong, and the latest stop on the road to summer fun is at the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a new adventure with Spidey.
The film is Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But you already know this as Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios (co-producers on the movie) have been promoting the heck out of this film for the last few weeks, and you’ve probably already got your tickets booked.
Will it live up to the promotional hype? You can find out below.
Also this week you’ll find reviews for comedy, 72 Hours; and Spanish thriller, The Truthers. Plus, survival picture, Deep Water surfaces on disc.
Speaking of which…
—
On disc…
Deep Water (2026)
First up this week is the action survival thriller, Deep Water. Directed by Renny Harlin, and starring Aaron Eckhart and Ben Kingsley, the movie focuses on the survivors of a plane crash who find themselves in shark infested waters.
In the movie, a routine flight from LA to Shanghai experiences a devastating detour, when a fire starts in the cargo hold and sends the plane into the ocean. Many perish in the crash, but those who survive find themselves in a new fight for their lives when sharks begin circling the wreckage.
With blood in the water, and passengers being picked off in quick succession, it’s up to First Officer Ben to save the day. But can he keep everyone alive long enough for a rescue team to find the downed aircraft?
Released in US cinemas back in May, Deep Water completely skipped the big screen experience for us Brits, arriving on disc and video-on-demand platforms in July instead. Now, this is usually a telling sign, which suggests this film is a complete clunker, but it’s actually not as bad as you might think.
Oh, it’s nothing amazing, so don’t get too excited, and it’s doubtful Deep Water will suddenly find a second wind on disc, but as sort of disaster B-movie fluff, it’s certainly serviceable. Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Deep Blue Sea) is a solid director; the special effects aren’t bad; and if you like films that involve a.) plane crashes, and b.) sharks, you’ll be pleased this film combines the two.
There’s also a rather enjoyable sequence in which a shark manages to cause further problems by inadvertently pulling a rescue vehicle out of the sky. It’s absolute nonsense, but with a film like this (and from Harlin), you come to expect it.
Where the movie falls down is largely in two areas. The first of which is that it’s a bit slow.
This is a 100-ish-minute movie, and it could easily be an 80 to 90-minute picture instead with a bit of trimming. It simply takes far too long to get to the actual crash.
The second problem with Deep Water is that it all feels a little dated. Had Deep Water been released in the 1990s, this sort of thing might have seemed fairly fresh and/or appealing amongst the blockbusters of the day, but in 2026, it offers nothing new.
A plane crashes, sharks attack, and that’s it. There’s really not much more on offer.
Aaron Eckhart is also rather bland as the leading man. Is he believable as the First Officer of a plane? Absolutely. But is he believable as an action star? Absolutely not.
Ultimately, Deep Water is OK for what it is, but anyone approaching the film needs to lower their expectations. This movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel and this is a rather significant sticking point when all is said and done.
In an age where top drawer movies are struggling to get audiences to pay attention, something like this is always going to flounder. Deep Water is fine as background noise, and may even plug a gap on a dull Saturday afternoon, but it’s not going to win over the masses.
Anyway, should you wish to take a look, Deep Water is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. The former is priced around £9.99, the latter around £14.99.
—
Now streaming…
72 Hours (2026)
Over to streaming now, where middle-aged creative executive, Joe Nixon is on the brink of losing a much sought-after promotion. He is struggling to land a youth-focused client, and this is something which concerns his boss, who believes Joe is out of touch with the younger demographic.
Keen to prove he can still cut it, Joe asks for 72 hours to turn things around. He then heads off on a weekend bachelor party, with four young strangers, to convince his boss he’s still got it.
Directed by Tim Story, and starring Kevin Hart, Teyana Taylor, Mason Gooding, Marcello Hernández, Ben Marshall, and Kam Patterson, 72 Hours is a comedy which has occasional chuckles but no major belly laughs. A large chunk of the humour is positioned around the idea that Kevin Hart’s Joe is over the hill, and this wears thin after a while.
Especially when you take a look at the so-called youths of the movie, who are all knocking 30. It’s not like Joe is hanging with a bunch of 18-year-olds, they aren’t too dissimilar in age, so there’s only so much mileage you can get from this set up.
Now that said, there is some fun to be had with 72 Hours. Scenes involving an attempted arrested, an allergic reaction, and a limo brawl are all comical, as is a brief sequence involving Andy Garcia, and the end credit outtakes bring out a few titters too.
Kevin Hart also gives it his all. He tries his best to make the material funnier than it is, and this doesn’t go unnoticed.
The end result is a watchable comedy with enough gags to keep things ticking along. It’s not ground-breaking stuff, nor is it a laugh riot, but it’s alright.
—
Now streaming…
The Truthers (2026)
Continuing with streaming for this next film, the Spanish thriller, The Truthers (aka Los creyentes). Directed by Roger Gual, and starring Stéphanie Magnin and Jose Coronado, the film revolves around a young woman who comes to suspect her father of murder.
In the movie, Ruth is unexpectedly called back home when her mother suddenly dies. The police believe Ruth’s mother passed away in an accident, but Ruth isn’t so sure.
Since returning to her family home, Ruth begins to suspect her father, Martín, was involved. Martín doesn’t seem himself, he spends far too much time locked away in the upstairs bedroom, and some of the things he says regarding the death make no sense.
Did he do it? Ruth aims to find out.
If you’re a fan of slow burning crime thrillers which you can watch from the comfort of your own sofa, then you may wish to point your attention towards The Truthers. This small-scale picture is pretty decent stuff, and if you want a mystery to wrap your head around, this will be right up your street.
Did Ruth’s mother die under suspicious circumstances and was Martín involved? And what the heck does all this have to do with a missing boy who has vanished from the area, prompting various searches and news reports?
Obviously no answers are given here in this review, but all of the above is enough to provide the basis for a compelling picture. The central mystery regarding Ruth’s father is interesting, while the disappearance of a local lad adds a little wrinkle to the story and throws further suspicion into the tale.
The resolution – again, not mentioned here – may not be quite what you expect, but it is well handled. It also ties in rather worryingly with the state of the world right now, offering a frightening, contemporary slant to the narrative.
Similar to Deep Water, the film isn’t problem free though, and the big sticking point is the pacing. The Truthers is a touch too sedate for its own good, and the story could easily be told in a slightly quicker, slightly shorter time frame.
You could watch The Truthers on Netflix’s 1.5 speed setting and it wouldn’t be a major issue. Scenes would be snappier, the dialogue delivered quicker, and no major problems would occur.
However, pacing aside, this is a good little thriller. The lead performances from Stéphanie Magnin and Jose Coronado all cut the mustard; the cinematography from Juana Jiménez is beautiful; and the picture has some interesting things to say about conspiracy theories and radicalisation.
Should you wish to take a look, The Truthers is now streaming on Netflix.
—
In cinemas…
Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026)
And finally, now playing in cinemas worldwide is the superhero sequel, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, Mark Ruffalo, and Sadie Sink, the movie sees Peter Parker go through a significant evolution as he transitions into the next stage of his life.
Picking up four years after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker is very much focused on his role as Spider-Man. So much so, he has dedicated his life to being New York’s chief superhero, losing all sense of a social life in the process.
But Peter’s wall-crawling career takes an unexpected turn when he begins to undergo a strange transformation. And to make matters worse, a new threat has begun to emerge, jeopardising the lives of everyone in the city.
If you’re a fan of the Spider-Man movie series (and who isn’t?) you’ll be aware we’ve reached Tom Holland’s seventh appearance in the MCU. Brand New Day is his fourth solo Spidey film, but the seventh time in the suit overall, when taking into account two Avengers movies, and a Captain Americapicture.
So, not only does Holland maintain the title for the actor to have played Spider-Man the most on film, but more importantly he chose to come back for this latest outing. Prior to this picture, Holland had completed his contract, and Peter Parker was given a potential exit out of the MCU, should he have decided to bow out.
The fact he didn’t swing off into the sunset is encouraging. This suggests Holland wanted to continue in the role in order to push Peter Parker in a new direction, and give audiences something they hadn’t seen with his Spidey before.
And do you know what? He’s not only achieved it, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an excellent Spider-Man movie, worthy of his continued involvement.
If you’ve lost track of some of the more recent MCU movie output, because there are too many films and TV shows to watch, be sure to see this one. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a captivating, entertaining, and more mature Spidey film and certainly worth a couple hours of your time.
It retains all of the ingredients which have kept the series a crowd pleaser, yet this time around it takes a step up in terms of tone and approach. There’s depth, plenty of character work, and the general feeling that we are entering a new era of Spider-Man stories.
What makes this picture work as well as it does is that it picks up where we last left off, and deals with the choice that Peter made to ensure everyone forgot his secret identity. Doctor Strange’s spell from No Way Home isn’t quickly overlooked or ignored, it becomes the catalyst for Peter’s journey moving forward and forms the backbone of this new tale.
In the years since we last saw him, Peter has changed. He’s become hyper-focused on his work, he’s become stronger, and bulkier, and his defences are up.
He has very few ties to the real world, and the few connections he does have include police detective Jean DeWolff, and Frank Castle aka the Punisher. Neither of which are friends, they’re work colleagues at best.
This is a Peter who has put his teen years and school days behind him and is now an adult, making his way in the world, starting afresh. Yet he still can’t let go of the past, and thoughts of Aunt May, MJ, and Ned still consume his mind.
At the same time, he’s going through changes, which are taking place on a physical level. He’s no longer just a man bitten by a spider, he’s a becoming more spider-like and it scares him.
So, there is pain, there is anguish, there is a transition into adulthood, and there’s a bit of body horror too. There’s a lot going on, and this is just what’s happening to Peter.
But outside of this there’s the inclusion of a number of comic book characters, including Hulk, the Hand, the aforementioned Punisher, and a couple of other surprises too. There are also a number of villains to contend with, including the Scorpion, as well as a new foe threatening the city.
And if all this wasn’t enough, the film serves up some dazzling visuals, including some great POV shots, and plenty of web-slinging and web-swinging. Oh, and there are moments that tug on the heartstrings too, ensuring this Spidey film packs an emotional punch like its predecessor.
All of the above could be too much, or too difficult to balance, and yet director Destin Daniel Cretton does not drop the ball. He keeps everything running smoothly, and everything hitting the right stride at the right time, to ensure this is one of the strongest Spidey films to date.
It goes without saying that Tom Holland is an amazing Spider-Man, but he really nails things in this latest chapter. The part calls for a real maturity this time around, on a level we’ve not quite seen before, and not only does this allow him to transition into a new stage of Spidey stories, but it also allows him to transition into a new stage in his career in non-Spidey films.
Although, do expect plenty more Spider-Man films to come. Brand New Day is clearly the beginning of a new series of adventures and it is exciting to see what comes next.
Outside of Holland there are solid performances from Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, and Mark Ruffalo, who all reprise roles from previous MCU films. And there’s a great turn from Sadie Sink too, who takes on a mystery role in the film, which dovetails into Peter’s story and also helps to push the MCU in an interesting new direction.
However, above all of this I have to come back to Peter’s journey, which really is the lynchpin of this entire picture. Despite all of the heroes, the allies, the villains, the mystery, and the visuals, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is really all about Peter and helping him move through grief and trauma.
It’s something we have seen in Spider-Man movies before, whether it was the death of Uncle Ben or Gwen Stacy, but we’ve never had a whole film dedicated to the emotional stakes of being Spider-Man quite like this. As such, this film really does impress in unexpected ways and makes Spider-Man: Brand New Day one of the stronger films of this summer season.
Well done.
While the inclusion of various Marvel heroes and villains, as well as a more comic book accurate costume, could easily suggest Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a lighter affair than what we’ve seen before, this is far from the case. What we have this time around is a Spidey film which is aging up with its audience and presenting a more compelling take on the character.
Whether you’ve lost touch a bit with the MCU or not, this is an entry to dive right into. Familiarise yourself with what came before in No Way Home, and then continue Peter’s journey with this insightful sequel.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is going to do very well at the box office. And it ruddy well deserves to.
—
Recent Releases
Not quite done yet? Want more movies? The above suggestions aren’t enough?! Well, here’s what’s also doing the rounds:
23 000 Lives (2026)
“With strong direction from Markus Goller, as well as a superb cast, including a stellar performance from Louis Hofmann (Dark, Centre of My World), 23 000 Lives is a compelling movie. It looks at the difficulties of performing a kind act, especially in the often hostile world we live in, and the importance of sticking to your principles.”
The Odyssey (2026)
“The Odyssey could have easily become an overblown production, or a journey to the screen which could have proved too much for Odysseus himself, and yet it’s actually one of the best movies of the summer.”
Heartstopper Forever (2026)
“Heartstopper has had a good run, and remains a shinning jewel in the Netflix crown. This movie isn’t the show at its best, but it’s not the worst either.”
—
Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which will come as no major surprise that it’s going to Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Spidey, the Hulk, the Punisher… it’s what summer blockbusters are all about.
And if you like big Spidey movies, then you may also like:
- Spider-Man (2002) – Sam Raimi directs this first major Spider-Man movie with Tobey Maguire as Spidey and Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin.
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) – The world of Spider-Man is opened up significantly in this animated tale which sees Miles Morales join forces with various Spider-folk from across the multiverse.
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) – Tom Holland’s Spider-Man comes face to face with various classic foes, including Doctor Octopus, Electro, and the Sandman, in this epic Spider-Man film from Jon Watts.
—
Forthcoming attractions
That’s it for this week, but the summer blockbuster season keeps on trucking with some deadly dinosaurs in The End of Oak Street. Plus, get set for plenty of horror courtesy of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, and Ice Cream Man.
Alex
__
__
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.
It's A Stampede! 
Leave a comment