Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of Movie Reviews 2026 – your action-packed guide to film.
In this week’s edition there’s supernatural shenanigans in found footage horror, Last Stream; and there is one very slow police chase in action-thriller, The Mongoose. Plus, over at the cinema, the story of Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to bring Rocky to the big screen are explored via the biographical drama, I Play Rocky.
And if all that wasn’t enough, on disc Anderson Entertainment have something special in the shape of Captain Scarlet: Super Space Theatre. Three movies, one boxset, and a lot of marvellous marionette mayhem!
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Now streaming…
Last Stream (2026)
First up this week we’re off to Prime Video for the found footage horror movie, Last Stream. Written and directed by Joseph Mazzaferro, and starring Jason Henne and Kamryn Emory, the movie follows two content creators as they explore a seemingly abandoned lake house.
In the movie, Eric and Jay are two streamers who film themselves exploring buildings looking for spooky things. In their latest video they wander around a medical facility that was reportedly at the heart of a series of murders.
The stream is a hit, but their viewership isn’t going up as fast as Jay would like. So, when he gets offered the chance to work with another content creator, with the opportunity to become a bigger streaming star, he takes it.
Teaming up with Becca, Jay begins creating new haunted house content, with staged sequences to increase the scares. But at the scene of their latest shoot, an abandoned lake house, it appears as if Jay and Becca don’t really need to stage anything at all.
The horror genre is filled with found footage films. Some are excellent, some are not.
Last Stream falls into the latter category. There’s nothing new here, and nothing really happens until the final ten minutes.
The lack of originality would be fine if there was plenty of suspense or thrills to keep things going, but they appear to have gone AWOL, leaving a lot of filler and not much else. As for the wait for anything interesting to happen, well it begins to wear thin rather quickly.
The vast majority of Last Stream’s run time is spent on the set-up. As such, the film goes through the motions as the characters explore abandoned properties, explain generic backstory, make comments about hearing noises, and so on.
In short: It’s nothing ground-breaking, nor is it imaginative. It also doesn’t help that Last Stream opens with a sequence which sees Jay exploring a medical facility with another streamer that literally goes nowhere and doesn’t advance the plot.
This whole scene could have been cut from the script as it serves no real purpose. The time spent on this initial location should have been devoted to the lake house investigation instead, to flesh out the strange happenings that (eventually) occur there.
All-in-all, Last Stream is found footage by-the-numbers. A shaky camera here, a fake-out scare there, and that’s about it.
The final ten minutes demonstrates potential, but it doesn’t make up for the slow moving narrative that comes before. As such, Last Stream falls short.
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Now streaming…
The Mongoose (2026)
Sticking with Prime Video for the action-thriller, The Mongoose. Directed by Mark Vanselow, and starring Liam Neeson, Marisa Tomei, Ving Rhames, and Michael Chiklis, the film follows the story of a former Green Beret on the run from the police.
In the movie, Ryan “Fang” Flanagan visits the home of his ex-wife’s abusive boyfriend, Todd, to retrieve some personal items. Things don’t run smoothly, Fang is shot, there’s a fight, and Todd dies in a fall.
Worried he’ll be arrested for murder and suffering from flashbacks to his time in the war in Afghanistan, Fang steals Todd’s car and makes a run for it. The police follow in pursuit, as Fang races across the state in what is described by the media as “a high speed chase.”
But, erm, “high speed” this ain’t. In fact, The Mongoose features some of the most sedate police chases imaginable, along with some questionable acting, and some trite dialogue.
Yep, this is another generic Liam Neeson action flick. It acts big, but it’s utter nonsense.
Despite a decent supporting cast, which includes Tomei, Rhames, and the always brilliant Chiklis, The Mongoose is preposterous drivel. It’s run-of-the-mill Neeson, with little to offer.
Sure, there are flashy cars, helicopters, and even a fighter jet at one point, but it’s all show and no substance. It’s as if all the various components of an action film have been assembled, but without any real thought into why they are here or what’s really going on.
Fang’s motivation feels half cooked; his skills as an ex-Beret are unconvincing; and his ability to drive at speed is laughable. The film also features some of the most useless police officers outside of an ’80s action movie, as well as one of the dumbest moments ever.
At one point, despite the police not being too far behind, Fang finds time to get his car completely resprayed from red to black. It’s the kind of auto service that could only exist in Hollywood or amongst the pages of a bad script.
The Mongoose is rubbish. It’s yet more filler ‘content’ for streaming and really not worth anyone’s time.
Neeson makes good movies, but this isn’t one of them. It’s bargain basement stuff, which is slightly elevated by having some notable names to stick on the poster.
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In cinemas…
I Play Rocky (2026)
Over to the cinema now for the biographical drama, I Play Rocky. Directed by Peter Farrelly, and starring Anthony Ippolito and AnnaSophia Robb, the film centres around the creation and development of the 1976 movie, Rocky, with a specific focus on Sylvester Stallone’s efforts to get the movie off the ground and play the lead role.
The story begins in the early 1970s, with ‘Mike’ Stallone broke and auditioning for acting roles. Struggling to get his foot in the door, Stallone takes any part he can get in order to pay the bills.
After meeting with future wife, Sasha Czack, Stallone is encouraged to use his real name when auditioning for roles, and to begin writing his own scripts to create his own parts. From here Sylvester Stallone begins work on a script about a boxer, partially based around his own experiences.
The script is a hit with film producers, who are keen to get the movie off the ground. However, they are also keen to cast a notable star, rather than allow Sylvester Stallone to take the lead role.
Anyone who has followed the Rocky movies or Stallone’s career over the decades will be familiar with the actor’s rags to riches story. The creation of Rocky and Stallone’s early struggles are well documented, and he’s mentioned his back story in various interviews and conversations in the past.
So, the bones of I Play Rocky are nothing particularly new. However, what makes this film work as well as it does is that Anthony Ippolito is truly excellent as Sylvester Stallone.
In terms of actors embodying roles in bio-pics, Ippolito is one of the best. He looks like a young Stallone, he moves like a young Stallone, and he sounds like a young Stallone.
It’s uncanny. Truly uncanny.
Ippolito is so strong in the role, it’s easy to forget this isn’t the real Sylvester Stallone. He’s proof that de-aging and AI isn’t necessary in movies when you can cast an actor who can really knock things out of the park.
Outside of Anthony Ippolito, I Play Rocky is working from a great story. Stallone’s rise from a ‘nobody’ to a ‘somebody’ is an inspiring tale, and one which ensures this film works as a great companion piece to Rocky.
Rocky was all about the underdog and I Play Rocky is more of the same. The film details the challenges which Stallone faced, in an industry that didn’t believe in him, and this dovetails neatly into Rocky Balboa’s journey to become a headline grabbing boxer when no one thought he could.
I Play Rocky is also funny, as well as heartfelt. Once again, these attributes tie in nicely with the ‘76 film.
I Play Rocky could have been a movie about Stallone’s life, from his early days through to his later years, but instead it wisely zeroes in on this key period in his career. Rocky was a defining moment in Stallone’s story, as well as a beloved picture, and linking the two strengthens both films.
If you adore Rocky, then watching I Play Rocky is a must. And if you go and see I Play Rocky, but for some reason have never watched the original ’76 film, then rent, stream, buy, or borrow it and be sure to take a look.
And heck, what am I saying? “If you go and see I Play Rocky!” No ifs, just go see it!
I Play Rocky is excellent. The film is now playing in cinemas.
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On disc…
Captain Scarlet: Super Space Theatre (2026)
And finally, over to disc for the release of Captain Scarlet: Super Space Theatre. This three-film boxset – from Anderson Entertainment – comes stuffed with goodies, including a trio of feature-length movies of classic television show, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.
For those who can’t quite recall, Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was a British television show which originally aired on ITV between 1967 and 1968. The series was created by Gerry & Sylvia Anderson, and revolved around the titular Scarlet and his ongoing battle with alien beings known as the Mysterons.
The series was a big hit over here in the UK when it was initially broadcast, and experienced a significant revival during the 1990s when the series was re-aired by the BBC. However, in between all that, the series was given a sort-of ‘movie’ reinvention during the 1980s, when attempts were made to repackage the show and pull in US fans as part of the Anderson ‘Super Space Theatre’ brand.
This reinvention was in the form of two feature-length films, which were created by splicing existing episodes together, adding in some new music and special effects, reworking things here and there, and giving everything a polish. The films were then released on VHS and provided audiences with expanded adventures.
And all these years later, the two Super Space Theatre films, Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons and Captain Scarlet: Revenge of the Mysterons From Mars, have been gathered together in one lovely boxset, remastered in HD, and given a few updates. To add to this, a new, third Super Space Theatre movie has also been added to the collection, titled Captain Scarlet: Target: Captain Black.
Now, if you grew up with Captain Scarlet and you fancy revisiting the show via these new movies, you’ll be pleased to know they look and sound glorious. The high-definition restorations are marvellous, and the spirit of wonder and adventure from the series has not been lost.
These are action-packed stories, filled with so much imagination, and clocking in at around 90 minutes they offer plenty of entertainment and spectacle too. The first movie, Captain Scarlet vs. The Mysterons, sets the scene, while the next two films continue the adventure.
Of course, with these films being created by editing episodes together, there are a few pacing issues, but the sheer amount of creativity papers over any wobbles. Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons was one of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson’s best shows, and all these years on it continues to shine.
As mentioned above, the set includes three movies, but it doesn’t just stop there. For video purists and nostalgia junkies, the original VHS captures are also included in the set, along with original trailers and promotional bumpers.
In addition, the set also includes three posters, an information booklet, and a set of lobby cards. All of this is housed in a beautiful outer case, featuring luscious Captain Scarlet artwork.
The Captain Scarlet: Super Space Theatre set is available from all good entertainment stockists, priced at £35, so if you want one, now is the time to snap it up!
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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:
Wicker (2026)
“Wicker is lovely to look at and is very creative. Filmmakers Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson create this truly believable world, out of an unbelievable premise, and it just works.”
Godzilla Minus Zero (2026)
“When Godzilla Minus Zero leans into the action and spectacle, it is truly outstanding. The fight sequences on display rival anything seen in previous Godzilla movies.”
Ali G: Who Iz I? (2026)
“For all intents and purposes this is just a collection of thoughts, ideas, and improvisations bolted together. And when the highlight is a spoof A.I. video featuring Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston, you know this thing is running on empty.”
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Movie of the Week
Onto Movie of the Week which this week goes to I Play Rocky. The movie is a lot of fun, while Anthony Ippolito is excellent as Sylvester Stallone.
And if you like I Play Rocky you may also wish to check out the following:
- Rocky (1976) – John G. Avildsen directs this Oscar-winning classic with Sylvester Stallone as the star.
- The Iron Claw (2023) – Sean Durkin directs, while Zac Efron stars in this bio-pic about the Von Erichs wrestling family.
- The Smashing Machine (2025) – Benny Safdie calls the shots, while Dwayne Johnson stars in this biographical drama about combat sportsman Mark Kerr.
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A look ahead
And that’s all for this week, but before you go rushing off, you may want to take a quick peek into the future. 2027 is inching ever nearer, which means a whole new year of movies is on the horizon.
Want to get the lowdown on what to expect? Then take a look at Coming Soon: The Movies of 2027.
And once you’ve done that, be sure to come back next time for more movie reviews.
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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