Omniplex Carrickfergus

• 2017
• US
• 116 min
• 15

• Directed by: Seth Gordon
• Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Alexandra Daddario, Zac Efron, Priyanka Chopra, Kelly Rohrbach, Ilfenesh Hadera

Mitch (Johnson) is a devoted life-saver who reluctantly recruits Matt (Efron), a disgraced champion who’s only doing it as a kind of community service. Plenty of good jokes, but minor characters almost drowning doesn’t make for good cinema, and the relentless formulaism makes it long outstay its welcome.

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• 2017
• US
• 90 min
• U

• Directed by: Pierre Coffin, Kyle Balda
• Cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Trey Parker, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier, Nev Scharrel, Steve Coogan, Julie Andrews, Jenny Slate, Pierre Coffin

Gru (Carell) and new wife and fellow agent Lucy (Wiig) are ensconced with their adorable adopted daughters when supervillain Balthazar Bratt (Parker) decides to take revenge on Hollywood for neglecting him. It’s all a bit familiar but it skilfully balances kid and adult appeal with its madcap approach and embarrassment of mischievous energy.

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• 2017
• US
• 110 min
• 15

• Directed by: Alex Kurtzman
• Cast: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, Marwan Kenzari, Russell Crowe

US soldier Nick Morton (Cruise) is collecting artefacts in the Middle East when he accidentally releases the murderous, mummified Ahmanet (Boutella). Boutella’s much the best thing in this first of Universal’s monster movie revamp series, Dark Universe. Based on this turgid and not at all scary effort, more like Dull Universe.

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• 2017
• US
• 129 min
• 12A

• Directed by: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
• Cast: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom

Captain Jack (Depp) and friends are on a mission to obtain the trident of Poseidon before ghoulish Captain Salazar (Bardem) can get his hands on it. A partial return to form for the franchise, with Bardem vigorous as Jack’s nemesis and a winning performance from Scodelario as an astronomer. It’s all too crowded but it manages to stay afloat.

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• 2016
• Canada / South Korea
• 91 min
• PG

• Directed by: Aaron Woodley
• Cast: Jace Norman, Jessica Biel, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Stewart

Spark (Norman) is a young monkey who decides to get revenge on evil General Zhong (Peterson), who destroyed his planet. The impressive voice cast can’t help this dull, clunky and unoriginal tale to deliver on its title.

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• 2017
• US
• 148 min
• 12A

• Directed by: Michael Bay
• Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Laura Haddock, Anthony Hopkins

It turns out that the Transformers shape human history, as Oxford lecturer Viviane (Haddock), butch inventor Cade (Wahlberg) and an English Earl (Hopkins) charge about from action sequence to action sequence. Wahlberg and Haddock have zero chemistry and it’s a deadening pile-up of CGI carnage, grating quips and joyless pummelling.

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• 2017
• US
• 133 min
• 12A

• Directed by: Patty Jenkins
• Cast: Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright

Diana (Gadot) is a princess of the Amazons, who rescues WW1 pilot / secret agent interest Steve (Pine) and resolves to end the war. Stylish and exciting, with a top cast, touches of real humour and tragedy, and spiffing action sequences, anchored by a strong and highly likeable performance from Gadot.

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• 88%

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