Arts & Entertainment
Weekend Movie Reviews: 'I Still Believe,' 'Bloodshot' And More
Britt Robertson and K.J. Apa star as lovers in faith-based drama, "I Still Believe," while Vin Diesel plays a super soldier in "Bloodshot."
This weekend, drama, sci-fi and horror genres dominate the new releases coming to theaters near you.
In the faith-based drama, "I Still Believe," Britt Robertson and K.J. Apa play a pair of lovers whose relationship hangs in the balance when tragedy suddenly strikes in their lives.
Meanwhile, the sci-fi "Bloodshot" comes to life with Vin Diesel as a technologically enhanced soldier questioning his true origins.
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Finally, the horror action-comedy "The Hunt" hits theaters, starring Betty Gilpin and Hilary Swank as two formidable women destined to face off in a fierce battle for supremacy.
Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:
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“I Still Believe” — Britt Robertson, K.J. Apa; directed by Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin
From Andrew and Jon Erwin, the sibling filmmakers of the surprise crossover hit “I Can Only Imagine,” comes their follow-up film, another faith-based drama inspired by the real-life events behind a best-selling Christian pop song.
Based on a memoir by Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp, “I Still Believe” is the tragic love story of the Grammy-nominated music artist and his first wife, Melissa Henning.
In the movie, K.J. Apa plays Jeremy, an aspiring musician attending California’s Calvary Chapel Bible College in 1999. There, he encounters and impresses his idol, Jean-Luc (Nathan Parsons), a popular Christian music artist who invites the young man to his band’s campus concert.
While glancing at the audience from backstage, Jeremy spots Melissa (Britt Robertson) singing along to the music. Feeling awkward at first, Jeremy eventually manages to introduce himself to the young woman, who has rendered him love-struck at first sight.
Their friendship blossoms into romance. But tragedy soon strikes in their lives when Melissa is diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer, setting in motion a poignant story of faith and love in the process.
See it. The magnificent chemistry between Apa and Robertson buoys the screenplay’s shortcomings in character development, plot lines and dialogue.
“Bloodshot” — Vin Diesel, Eiza Gonzalez; directed by David S.F. Wilson
David S.F. Wilson’s feature directorial debut is a film adaptation of the Valiant Comics character named “Bloodshot,” a technologically enhanced super soldier.
The opening sequence includes a rescue mission in which special-ops soldier Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) successfully extracts a hostage in Kenya. Thereafter, he jets offs to the Amalfi Coast in Italy to spend some quality time with his wife (Talulah Riley). Moments later, Ray wakes up in a lab, where he has been brought back to life by technologist Dr. Emil Harting (Guy Pearce).
With his veins filled with microscopic mechanical repair cells, Ray is now called Bloodshot, a super soldier whose body can instantly regenerate and recover from any fatal blows.
Everything is seemingly perfect in Harting’s most-prized creation — that is, until Bloodshot starts questioning his origins and his memories of the past. Will he avenge the death of his wife?
Skip it. While Diesel is utterly convincing in his role, the movie is just too predictable and mostly devoid of suspense and thrill.
“The Hunt” — Betty Gilpin, Hilary Swank; directed by Craig Zobel
Craig Zobel’s horror action-comedy is a story about the survival of the fittest in a very perplexing game that knows no bounds.
At the center of the story are 12 dirty people who suddenly find themselves awake in the middle of nowhere, gagged and totally clueless as to their whereabouts. In due time, we will learn that they were initially drugged at their homes in different parts of the United States and brought over to the wilderness.
Wandering around, they soon discover a wooden crate, which contains a pig and a set of firearms. Then, suddenly, they are being gunned down by unseen snipers. Luckily, one of the hunted survives the killing spree. That special person is our hero, Crystal (Betty Gilpin), who turns the tables on the killers and their leader, the mysterious Athena (Hilary Swank).
Skip it. It’s a gore fest that feels inorganic in its delivery of horror entertainment.
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