Crime thrillers that blend action and crime are nothing new, but few offer the sci-fi twist that BenDavid Grabinski’s new movie can boast.
It sometimes comes off as a throwback 1990s thriller comedy, full of pop culture references (a ‘Gilmore Girls’ discussion might be the funniest) and needle drops from the era and beyond.
Written and directed by Grabinski, this has a script that moves at a fair clip, throwing a variety of different characters at us, who all provide various levels of entertainment value. Sometimes it all feels a little Tarantino-lite, but it has its own appeal.
Cinematographer Larry Fong helps give this one some visual panache, and if it occasionally leans too hard on certain styles, the movie certainly delivers in a way that fans of directors such as Edgar Wright will appreciate.
It’s the casting that really helps this one –– Vaughn delivers his trademark witty attitude (with an extra version of his character for good measure thanks to the movie’s time travel twist). Marsden is appealing nervy and if González doesn’t always get as much to do, her Alice is still a solid character.
Around them, there is a deep bench of comedy acting talent, including Stephen Root, Ben Schwartz and Jimmy Tatro, who all steal scenes.
Two gangsters and the woman they love try to survive the most dangerous night of their lives. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s one wild ingredient added to the mix: a time machine.
Who is in the cast of ‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’?
(L to R) Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
Opening in theaters on December 20th, ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ marks the third outing for the popular movie franchise spawned by the video game character best known for super speed and collecting rings.
The former is on full display in this new film, which reunites much of the major players from the previous movies, while the idea of the portal rings largely takes a backseat (aside from a couple of key moments).
And this movie offers largely more of the same, albeit with a little more entertainment value from the occasionally stalled second entry.
Will ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ Run Away with Your Praise?
(L to R) Knuckles (Idris Elba), Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
The ‘Sonic’ movies by this point are certainly a known quantity. You have Ben Schwartz providing chatty energy as the lead character. Solid support from the likes of Idris Elba and Colleen O’Shaughnessey as fellow video game-birthed characters Knuckles and Tails respectively (since this is a franchise that employs the strategy of hoovering up characters from previous installments and turning rivals into family). Lots of silly gags. Jim Carrey snacking on the scenery in pure pantomime fashion.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ doesn’t break any of these rules, but it does deploy them effectively, while wrapping in much of the love-can-triumph-over-vengeance themes and making good choices concepts that parents might hope for (even if we’ve seen them many, many times before).
Script and Direction
(L to R) Director Jeff Fowler and Jim Carrey on the set of ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega.
The script from returning writing veterans Pat Casey, Josh Miller and John Whittington is also hewn from familiar rock. We’re re-introduced to Sonic and friends attempting to get in some downtime at a campsite (while also celebrating the anniversary of the spiky hero’s arrival on Earth), only for a powerful new threat (Keanu Reeves’ Shadow the Hedgehog) to put those plans on hold.
It’s full of what you expect from a ‘Sonic’ movie but put together with enough style and fun to make it worthwhile. The dynamics between the various characters are established and there are enough surprising new elements (more on that when we get to the “performances” section) to keep things moving at a decent clip.
(L to R) Director Jeff Fowler and Jim Carrey on the set of ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega.
While there are some expected, slightly mawkish emotional moments along the way, there’s also some welcome undercutting of such easily exploited tropes. The story is never really the most important element –– expect the usual world-threatening McGuffin and a new antagonist with emotional issues.
As director, Jeff Fowler is also well versed in bringing the ‘Sonic’ universe to life, and he’s still on the top of his game here. The human characters (aside from Carrey’s) are mostly shoved to the sidelines (though James Marsden and Tika Sumpter do get a few decent moments) and the focus is on our titular hero.
The effects are still up to a decent, slightly cartoony standard (the days of “ugly sonic” are long behind us) and the action moves along at a solid clip.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey, James Marsden as Tom and Tika Sumpter as Maddie in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
The central combination of Schwartz’s winning motormouth delivery as Sonic and Carrey’s try-anything zaniness can eclipse all else, but there is a solid antagonist this time around.
Ben Schwartz as Sonic
Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
Schwartz has really leaned into the fun as Sonic, and even though he’s only ever in a recording booth for the role, his contribution is clear. You can imagine the sheer number of alternate line-readings for each moment, and the actor delivers both the laughs and the emotional moments effectively.
Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik/Gerald Robotnik
(L to R) Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
If you’ve seen the trailer, you know that the third ‘Sonic’ features double the Jim Carrey. Reports of Ivo Robotnik’s death at the end of the second movie are naturally exaggerated and he’s back. This time, Carrey not only gets to play a new side of the not-so-good Doctor, who we first meet here as a lazy slob binge-watching telenovelas.
But we’re also introduced to his grandfather Gerald, whose story is tied in with Shadow’s, and has some emotional resonance. The gusto with which he throws himself into the dual role is something to watch, and if this is what an actor does when they’re just picking up a paycheck (as he himself recently admitted, then other performers take note!
Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow (Keanu Reeves) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
The main casting coup this time is playing the man who was Neo as the new “villain”, though with the actor’s soulful turns, he’s more than that. Reeves commits to the role of the bitter, vengeful character and works well against Schwartz’s excited energy.
Idris Elba as Knuckles
Knuckles (Idris Elba) in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
While Elba is typically low-key, he’s found a good gear as the echidna warrior, who is always ready for a fight, but is slowly coming to realize that being around Sonic and the rest is good for him.
Supporting Cast
(L to R) Tika Sumpter plays Maddie and James Marsden plays Tom in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America; Inc.
As mentioned, human co-stars James Marsden and Tika Sumpter are certainly moved slightly to the side (though they both have roles to play in the finale). Colleen O’Shaughnessey is an effervescent Tails and there’s a welcome emotional growth even for the likes of Lee Majdoub’s Agent Stone, Robotnik’s loyal sidekick, who here sees some competition in the grandfather character.
Final Thoughts
Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America; Inc.
While it certainly doesn’t re-invent the wheel when it comes to a ‘Sonic’ adventure, it has enough laughs to keep the family engaged.
And, of course, you’re encouraged to stay through the credits for the contractual tease of what might be to come in the future (yes, ‘Sonic 4’ was announced just before the release of this one.)
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’?
Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Knuckles (Idris Elba), and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) reunite against a powerful new adversary, Shadow (Keanu Reeves), a mysterious villain with powers unlike anything they have faced before.
With their abilities outmatched in every way, Team Sonic must seek out an unlikely alliance in hopes of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet.
Who is in the cast of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’?
Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog
Colleen O’Shaughnessey as Miles “Tails” Prower
Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna
Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog
Jim Carrey as Dr. Ivo Robotnik and Professor Gerald Robotnik
(L to R) Jim Carrey as Ivo Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik, Shadow (Keanu Reeves) and Lee Majdoub as Agent Stone in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega of America, Inc.
Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Franchise:
Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’
Preview:
Keanu Reeves is reportedly lending his voice to ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’.
Jeff Fowler once more directed the movie.
‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ will be in theaters on December 20th.
While Paramount touted the success of its ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ franchise at its big CinemaCon presentation last week (and showed a footage snippet of the upcoming third entry –– more on that below), the studio stopped short of announcing who would be voicing Shadow the Hedgehog, a new character (at least in the movies) who will be causing trouble for our hero.
But now, thanks to The John Campea Show (and since confirmed by the trades), the news has leaked that no less an actor than Keanu Reeves will be providing the voice for shadow. With ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ wrapped for a while and post-production already under way, we assume he’s already started in the voice booth or will be reporting for duty shortly.
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What’s the story of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’?
Jim Carrey in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
Nothing has been officially released about the story for the new ‘Sonic’ movie, though we can predict more speedy behavior from the main character and a fresh devious scheme from Robotnik, though the footage shown at CinemaCon shows Jim Carrey’s villain as out of shape and depressed, only to get his groove back when he creates Shadow, described as a dark twin for the titular hero.
How James Marsden’s Tom Wachowski figures in this time remains to be seen, and we’ll also see the return of Sonic’s fellow CG creations Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey). Ben Schwartz, of course, returns to voice Sonic.
Rumors have suggested a potential trip through time and the film’s social media account kicked off the start of shoot with a teaser for Shadow.
Jim Carrey and Knuckles (Idris Elba) in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
Shadow, created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, first appeared in 2001’s ‘Sonic Adventure 2’.
In the games’ canon, he was created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of the series’ antagonist Doctor Robotnik. After witnessing the death of his best friend Maria Robotnik, Shadow initially seeks revenge, but later vows to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger. An antihero, Shadow has good intentions but will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, putting him at odds with Sonic.
From the sounds of it, the movie is tweaking his origin story to bring in more of the movie’s narrative, but we’ll see how it all shakes out.
Who is making ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’?
Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik in ‘Sonic the Hedgehog.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Jeff Fowler is once again directing the third movie, having handled the first two, with the script from regular writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller.
Neal H. Moritz is producing this one, as he has the others.
The ‘Sonic’ universe has so far spawned the three movies and the upcoming TV spin-off featuring the Knuckles character, which kicks off on April 26th.
When will ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ be in theaters?
‘Sonic 3’ will dash into theaters on December 20th.
(L to R) Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega.
The Paramount+ ‘Knuckles’ series has a new trailer.
The ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ spin-off features Idris Elba as the voice of the title character.
‘Knuckles’ starts streaming on April 26th.
With the success of 2020’s ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ and 2022 sequel ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ (a combined box office haul of $725.2 million so far) Paramount is naturally looking to keep the speedy cash train running.
A third ‘Sonic’ movie outing is due in theaters on December 20th (and recently confirmed the return of Jim Carrey as the scheming Dr. Robotnik), but for young fans of the franchise who don’t want to wait that long, there is another ‘Sonic’-based story on its way.
‘Knuckles’, a series for Paramount+ that focuses on the warrior echidna voiced by Idris Elba, has been in the works for a while and has a new trailer online, with a Super Bowl spot to follow at the weekend.
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What’s the story of ‘Knuckles’?
Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.
The new live-action event series follows Knuckles (Elba) on a hilarious and action-packed journey of self-discovery as he agrees to train Wade (Adam Pally) as his protégé and teach him the ways of the Echidna warrior.
We can also see that Knuckles will come under threat from a new set of baddies, who seem bent on stealing his powers.
‘Knuckles’ will take place between the events of the second and third ‘Sonic’ movies.
(L to R) Scott Mescudi as Agent Mason and Ellie Taylor as Agent Willoughby in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.
And returning from the movie cast are Ben Schwartz, who reprises his role as Sonic, as well as special guest star Tika Sumpter, as Maddie. Colleen O’Shaughnessey will also return as a special guest star in her role as Tails.
Who is making ‘Knuckles’?
Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.
The series’ creative team includes the movies’ director Jeff Fowler, who handled the pilot episode and helped transition the film’s signature cinematic animation style to television. Additional directors for the series include Ged Wright, Brandon Trost, Jorma Taccone and Carol Banker.
The series was created for television by John Whittington and showrunner Toby Ascher. Whittington wrote the second movie, serves as head writer and wrote the pilot for the series. Additional writers include Brian Schacter and James Madejski.
When will ‘Knuckles’ be on screens?
All six episodes of ‘Knuckles’ will land on Paramount+ on April 26th.
A still from ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Mac (voiced by Christopher Lloyd) in ‘Knuckles’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Adam Pally as Wade Whipple and Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) in ‘Knuckles’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Stockard Channing as Wendy Whipple, ‘Knuckles’ (voiced by Idris Elba) and Edi Patterson as Wanda Whipple in Knuckles streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Tika Sumpter as Maddie, Tails (voiced by Colleen O’Shaughnessey) and Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) and Daniel Singh as Cattleprod Bounty Hunter in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Knuckles (voiced by Idris Elba) and Rory McCann as The Buyer in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Scott Mescudi as Agent Mason and Ellie Taylor as Agent Willoughby in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Julian Barratt as Jack Sinclair in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Adam Pally as Wade Whipple in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.(L to R) Adam Pally as Wade Whipple, Alice Tregonning as Susie, Cary Elwes as Pistol Pete Whipple and Owen Warren as Pete’s Bowling Partner in ‘Knuckles’, streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Luke Varley/Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.Adam Pally as Wade Whipple in ‘Knuckles,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Sega/Paramount+.
‘Invincible’ Season 2 official trailer unveiled during New York Comic Con
Season 2 trailer teases multi-verse and dimension jumping
Who are the new characters in season 2?
It’s been over two years since the season one finale of ‘Invincible’. Finally, the second season is just around the corner. The first four episodes will air on November 3rd, with four more episodes releasing in early 2024.
The series, created by Robert Kirkman, premiered its first season on March 25, 2021. Before it was adapted into an animated series, ‘Invincible’ was a comic book series published by Image Comics.
The teaser trailer for season 2 was released on July 21, 2023, announcing the premiere date as well as returning and new voice talents. The official trailer was released during Prime Video’s panel at New York Comic Con.
Season 1 left us with Mark and his dad Omni-Man engaged in a brutal battle. The fight resulted in Omni-man fleeing Earth, and Mark Grayson was left clinging to life. Once Mark has healed in a special hospital. He and his mom Debbie went home to resume their lives, telling everyone that Nolan had passed away in an explosion.
In season 2, we’ll be introduced to new characters as Mark/Invincible faces new enemies, as well as his internal fear that he will turn out just like his father, “When I was a kid, I always wanted to be my dad.” says Mark in the trailer. “What if that happens?”
It seems like things will become quite devastating in this season. Toward the end of the trailer, a destroyed city sets the background as Mark appears on a large screen broadcasting a message to the people of Earth, “the more you resist, the worse this gets. And if you think you can stop us, don’t forget – I’m invincible.”
“For some, the pain will never fade.” The battle between Invincible and Omni-Man may be over for the time being, but as new threats arise while Mark tries to rebuild his life. One of the new villains this season is Angstrom Levy, voiced by Sterling K. Brown. Angstrom Levy is from the comics and has the ability to travel to other universes – so it looks like there’ll be some dimension-hopping this season.
Another character from the comics to be introduced in the upcoming season is the Shapesmith, and just as his name suggests, has the ability to shape-shift. He is a Martian and made his first appearance in Invincible issue #18 in 2004.
‘Invincible’ is created by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley. Executive producers for the series are Robert Kirkman, David Alpert, Catherine Winder, Simon Racioppa, Margaret M. Dean, Rogen and Evan Goldberg, with Helen Leigh and Walker as co-executive producers.
Leave it up to Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage to really sink his teeth into the role of Dracula in Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’ In the dark comedy, things get bloody when Dracula’s lifelong assistant and familiar Renfield is tasked with finding food for his master.
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The official synopsis for ‘Renfield’ is below:
“In this modern monster tale of Dracula’s loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.”
There was no better choice than Academy Award-winning actor Nicolas Cage. No stranger to creating unique characters on-screening, his portrayal of Dracula is bigger-than-life, overly dramatic, and perfect in every way. Even though the film is told through the lens of Renfield, Cage’s performance of Dracula steals every scene. Cage channeled Bela Lugosi and Elvis Presley as his inspiration for the iconic vampire, and it worked fantastically.
The character of Renfield has long existed in Dracula’s history before Chris McKay’s iteration. Early films like 1922’s ‘Nosferatu’ and 1931’s ‘Dracula’ have included the character, as well as TV shows such as ‘Young Dracula.’
In Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Renfield is described as a deranged and fanatic servant and familiar to Dracula. He was an inmate at the lunatic asylum overseen by Dr. John Seward. Renfield suffers from delusions that compel him to consume living creatures in hopes of obtaining their life force. Later on, Dracula would send him insects to consume.
In McKay’s movie, we see the story from Renfield’s perspective, who is still a servant and familiar to Dracula, but seeking ways to escape the toxic and co-dependent relationship with his narcissistic boss. His relationship with Rebecca (Awkwafina) adds to his motivation to be freed from Dracula’s grasp. Nicholas Hoult’s performance as Renfield carries the heart of the film, paired with exciting action sequences, which he performs effortlessly.
As an R-rated film, the horror-comedy includes exaggerated gore and violence, such as severed limbs and peeling faces.
The film was released theatrically in the United States on April 17th, 2023. While the movie is already available to rent on digital, some theaters are still showing the film, so be sure to check with Moviefone below for showtimes in your area. ‘Renfield’ has a total runtime of 1 hour and 33 minutes.
You now have the option to purchase ‘Renfield’ on VOD. Services such as Amazon Prime Video, Direct TV, Google Play, Vudu, Microsoft, YouTube, AppleTV, and Redbox allow you to own the movie digitally for $19.99.
Additionally, Peacock subscribers can stream ‘Renfield’ as of June 8, 2023.
DVD and Blu-Ray became available on June 6th, 2023, and will include exclusive bonus features such as:
Hilarious deleted and extended scenes
Alternate takes
Dracula Uncaged – Go inside the mind of a vampire as Dracula himself, Nicolas Cage, reveals the secrets behind turning a classic character into a memorable monster.
Monsters & Men: Behind the Scenes of ‘Renfield’ – An in-depth look at ‘Renfield’s cast, sets, costumes and more as the actors and filmmakers reveal how they modernized a famous terror tale with trailblazing comedy and over-the-top action.
Stage of Rejuvenation – See how special makeup effects bring the undead to life throughout the four stages of Dracula’s incredible transformation.
Flesh & Blood – Exploding heads. Peeling faces, Severed limbs. They’re all part of the macabre movie magic that fuels ‘Renfield’ with inventive action and hilarious horror.
Fighting Dirty – Stunt coordinator Christopher Brewster leads a look at the training, choreography, and careful execution that goes into the film’s spectacular stunts and fight scenes.
The Making of a Deleted Scene: Renfield’s Dance – Nicholas Hoult and choreographer Kathyrn Burns pull back the curtain on constructing an elaborate musical number for a fantasy dance sequence.
In ‘Renfield,’ Dracula’s (Nicolas Cage) lackey, R. M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult), finds a new lease on life in modern-day New Orleans when he receives encouragement from a support group to finally stand up to his creator in hopes of breaking free of his servitude.
Meanwhile, a traffic cop named Rebecca Quincy (Awkwafina) discovers that she is surrounded by corrupt cops as she tries to prove that mob boss Ella Lobo (Shohreh Aghdashloo) and her son Teddy (Ben Schwartz) murdered her father. Renfield and Rebecca soon meet and fall in love, but their relationship becomes complicated when Dracula awakes and starts working with the Lobo crime family. Now, Renfield must stand up against his master before he takes over the world, and help Rebecca bring her father’s killers to justice.
‘Renfield’ is an absolutely entertaining movie, which is both very funny and also very scary, as was intended. Director Chris McKay balances the movie’s two distinct tones very well, while Nicholas Hoult’s strong performance anchors the film. But its Nicolas Cage’s spot-on and over-the-top performance as Dracula that really makes the humor and the horror work so well together.
While the story was created by ‘The Walking Dead’s Robert Kirkman, who knows a thing or two about the horror genre, the screenplay was written by Ryan Ridley, who does a great job creating a new way to tell the Dracula story. Although the character of R. M. Renfield has appeared in several other Dracula movies, this is the first time we’ve seen the classic Vampire character through the lens of his servant, which feels fresh and exciting. Ridley also balances the comedy and the horror well in the script, allowing director Chris McKay to navigate both tones throughout the movie.
In fact, ‘Renfield’ may be the best example of a true horror/comedy since director Sam Raimi’s classic ‘Evil Dead II.’ I’m not a big fan of horror by itself, but when done right and mixed with another genre, it can really work to create something new, as it does here. But it’s the well-written character-driven moments that really elevate the film, especially those between Renfield and Dracula, which seems more like a long marriage than a boss/employee relationship.
McKay began his career in animation and directed the brilliant ‘The Lego Batman Movie,’ before moving on to live-action with the Prime Video movie ‘The Tomorrow War.’ With ‘Renfield,’ McKay proves that he can handle live-action as well as animation, and create a thoughtful and entertaining genre movie with a big name star like Nicolas Cage, while still balancing the film’s distinct tones. McKay also includes some excellent action sequences that are really well shot and choreographed, and add to the excitement of the film.
Renfield has similar powers to Dracula, including super-strength and the ability to move very quickly, but he does not receive them from drinking human blood, instead he gains his strength from eating insects. In the movie, the character carries around a little box of bugs that he can eat when in danger, which allows him to use his powers for a short amount of time.
Nicholas Hoult’s performance as R.M. Renfield is both the anchor and the heart of the movie. We see all the other characters and events through his eyes, and in many ways he is at the emotional core of the film. From the opening frame, Renfield wants to better himself and get out from under Dracula’s clutches, which is why he enrolls in a support group. His relationship with Rebecca is also a motivating force in his desire to change. Through that relationship and Renfield’s actions, we get to see another side of the character, thanks to Hoult’s emotional performance.
Hoult is an excellent actor but is often cast in secondary roles that do not showcase his talents as well as they could, like his role in ‘The Menu,’ for example. But in ‘Renfield’ Hoult is front and center and practically carries the movie’s emotion and narrative on his back. Hoult is wonderful in the role, funny, strange, emotional, and even scary at times, while also authentically performing the action sequences. The actor has great chemistry opposite Cage, and gives one of the best performances of his career so far.
Nicholas Cage was uniquely qualified to portray Dracula, and I can’t think of any other actor that could bring the same level of gravitas and outrageous humor to the role. It’s perfect casting! Cage accesses his own strange public persona to play Dracula, while also channeling both the legendary Bela Lugosi (who played the famous vampire many times) and even a little bit of Elvis Presley to create the odd character.
But creating odd characters is Nicolas Cage’s bread and butter, and the actor does it again here, really “sinking his teeth” into the over-the-top performance and creating something completely different and captivating. You can tell Cage is having fun in every moment and is completely commanding in the role. He also has great onscreen chemistry with both Hoult, and actress Shohreh Aghdashloo.
I’ve always liked actress and comedian Awkwafina’s work, but she was miscast as Rebecca. The actress is just not believable as the only New Orleans police officer that is not corrupt. Obviously, she is a very funny actress and has worked well in comedic roles in movies like ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ and ‘Raya and the Last Dragon.’ But she is also an impressive dramatic actress and was nominated for an Oscar for her work in ‘The Farewell.’
However, in ‘Renfield’ the actress is asked to do both comedy and drama at the same time, and it just doesn’t work. For example, after having a fight with her sister over finding their father’s killer, an obviously dramatic scene, the actress does a funny walk for comedic effect. It makes the scene unintentionally humorous and it doesn’t fit the tone of the rest of the film. The actress makes her scenes with Hoult and their character’s relationship believable, but seems lost throughout the rest of movie.
Ben Schwartz is often cast in comedic roles, and to be honest, his brand of humor usually doesn’t work for me. But in ‘Renfield,’ the actor is perfectly cast as Teddy Lobo, a spoiled mama’s boy who desperately wants to be respected by his mafia family. Schwartz’s particular brand of self-deprecating humor lends itself well to Teddy’s whiney persona and the actor has some very funny moments with both Hoult and particularly Cage.
And while her role is small, Oscar-nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo is great as Teddy’s mom, mob boss Ella Lobo. The actress accesses the correct amount of gravitas and humor for the part, and has some very funny scenes with Cage and Schwartz. In fact, the idea that Dracula would wake up in 2023 and align himself with the mafia is already comedy gold, and the film explores that idea well.
In the end, ‘Renfield’ is a surprisingly entertaining movie that is as funny as it is scary. Director Chris McKay crafts an enjoyable romp, while Nicholas Hoult brings R.M. Renfield to life, and Nicolas Cage takes a big bite out of Dracula.
‘Renfield’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
Nicolas Cage as Count Dracula in director Chris McKay’s ‘Renfield.’
Season 2 of the popular series ‘Die Hart,’ which is cleverly entitled ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter’ will premiere March 31st on The Roku Channel.
What is the plot of ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter?’
Directed by Eric Appel (‘Weird: The Al Yankovic Story’), ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter’ picks up after the events of the first season, which saw actor Kevin Hart (played by the real Kevin Hart) achieve his dream of becoming an action star when his reboot of ‘The Jeffersons’ becomes a box office hit. Now Kevin wants to cement his legacy as the greatest action star of all time.
Kevin’s developed a concept for a revolutionary movie where the action is so unscripted and unexpected that even he won’t know what’s coming next. But Kevin’s myopic dream comes with a blind spot, and he soon finds himself the victim of an evil revenge plot, orchestrated by someone from his past. Now, Kevin must enlist the help of his favorite co-star Jordan King (Nathalie Emmanuel), his over-eager assistant Andre (Ben Schwartz), Andre’s mom Cynthia (Paula Pell), and legendary Hollywood stuntman Mr. 206 (John Cena) if he wants to survive.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Kevin Hart about his work on ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter,’ playing an exaggerated version of himself, becoming an action star, the show’s new characters, working with John Cena and the rest of the cast, the title, and which classic TV series he would like to see given a big screen adaption.
Kevin Hart stars in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview with Kevin Hart.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the challenges of playing an exaggerated version of yourself in this series and were you concerned that some people might think this is the real you?
Kevin Hart: No, I mean this is a fun role to play. The opportunity to play an exaggerated version of yourself can only set the table for you to do things that you wish you could do in real life. You can get away with so much more. So I think I’m very happy with the real version of myself, but I love now having the table and template set up to play this version, and people understand the difference.
MF: In the series, the character of Kevin dreams of being an action star. In real life, is starring in action films something you’ve always dreamed of doing in addition to comedy?
KH: I think the roles and the opportunity attached to them have put me in a space where I can dabble, or have dabbled in action. This here is just taking it to the next level of fun and participation. There’s real movies that are set up to happen later in the year where the action is, I can say, a massive upgrade than what you’ve seen me do in the past. Everything is done with a plan attached to it, right? Nothing is an accident. So in this case, setting the table up for the playful entry into action, and for the playful idea of Kevin wanting the opportunity, only to later expand and show me having it. It’s all thought out. So baby steps, the baby steps of association are what you’re witnessing. Only to eventually see the side that I know is coming, be presented, and be real, and be good. That’s the beauty of being creative. That’s the art and artistry of idea and execution. So I can only hope that the takeaway from this one is really significant and have an immediate understanding that, “Oh yeah, Kevin can do this because we saw him doing it before.”
Kevin Hart stars in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’
MF: In addition to playing Kevin Hart, you also play a new character this season, Doug. What can you tell us about him?
KH: Doug is a stunt man to Kevin, who wants to be an action star. Well, you definitely need a stuntman. In this series, there’s a stance that Kevin has where he doesn’t need a stuntman, and he kind of overlooks, overpowers, overshadows him to the point where he says he doesn’t need him. His stuntman is left with kind of egg on his face because he’s done so much to get him where he got. Just like that, Kevin throws him to the side. So Doug basically goes, “Well, I’m going to get my revenge, and I’m going to make sure that you get yours. I’m going to take you down.” So there’s this thing of Kevin being haunted by his stunt guy. At the same time, trying to figure out the world of what this action thing is, while Natalie is convincing me of another, and John Cena’s doing what he’s doing. So there’s a lot of different directions that Kevin is being pulled into, and rightfully so. It just adds for great comedy and a great foundation for us to expand on.
MF: How did you create Doug’s unusual voice?
KH: Being silly, just being silly and finding something. It was very easy and then marrying myself to it. But yes, it wasn’t a difficult stretch or a difficult thing to pull through. The teeth and the costume, it all helped.
John Cena in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’
MF: What was it like working with Nathalie Emmanuel again and new cast members Ben Schwartz and John Cena?
KH: Great, from top to bottom. We are following the amazing cast that participated in part one, including Josh Hartnett, John Travolta, and Nathalie Emmanuel. Following suit in this season, with Natalie returning, we also have John Cena and Ben Schwartz. You want a very diverse cast, but you want a cast that gives you the opportunity to attack a global landscape. We feel that we check that box with comedy, with action, and with personnel. So we’re very lucky and fortunate to have gotten the participation that we got. They’ve all exceeded our expectations just in performance. They elevated the material, they made it better, and that’s all you can hope for.
MF: Can you talk about collaborating with director Eric Appel on the series?
KH: He’s amazing. Eric and our writer Tripper (Clancy) have done an amazing job in just helping to shape and mold this IP into what it is today. I have a good time doing it, which is why I’m still here, right? Regardless of my landscape and the size of things that are going on, this is a priority and always has been.
(L to R) Nathalie Emmanuel and Kevin Hart in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’
MF: In the first season, your character adapts the classic TV series ‘The Jeffersons’ in to an action movie. What classic television series would you like to see adapted in to a big screen movie?
KH: God, if you want to go and adapt it into a big screen movie, ‘Knight Rider.’ ‘Knight Rider’ could be a movie. I put that in that same space as ‘The A-Team’ and ‘Baywatch,’ of one of the ones that they can take and just have a bigger plot, a bigger twist, a bigger journey, so that it’s not one note. I would say ‘Knight Rider.’
MF: Finally, and obviously, the title of the second season is a spoof on the ‘Die Hard’ sequel, ‘Die Hard 2’ Die Harder.’ Is it safe to say that if there is a third season it will be called ‘Die Hart: With a Vengeance?’
KH: Hart definitely will be in there. We’re not losing the world of ‘Die Hart.’ So yes, you are spot on and we’ll cross that road when we get to it.
(L to R) Kevin Hart and Ben Schwartz in The Roku Channel’s ‘Die Hart 2: Die Harter.’
Sonic (Ben Schwartz) and James Marsden in “Sonic The Hedgehog 2′ from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
The plot of the new film revolves around the return of Dr. Robotnik (Carrey), with his new ally Knuckles (Elba), determined to take over the Earth. Now, Sonic (Schwartz) and his new friend Tails (O’Shaughnessey) must stop them before they succeed in their plans for world domination.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actors Ben Schwartz and James Marsden about their work on ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2.’
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You can read our full interview with Ben Schwartz and James Marsden below, or watch a video of our interviews with Schwartz, Marsden, Lee Madjoub, Tika Sumpter, Natasha Rothwell, Collen O’Shaughnessey, and director Jeff Fowler in the player above.
Moviefone: To begin with Ben, what has Sonic been doing since the last time we saw him?
Ben Schwartz: Oh, my goodness. He has tried to turn himself into a superhero, like a Batman-type figure in the time between beating Robotnik. He’s got a little bit more confidence and he’s like, “You know what? I could do this all by myself.” He starts kind of pushing away from Tom and being like, “I can do this.” Throughout the movie we learn that it’s okay to ask for help. We also learned that you need your friends to get things done.
MF: James, in many ways Tom is like a father figure to Sonic. How has he been dealing with his with Sonic since the events of the last movie?
James Marsden: Yeah, he’s fumbling a little bit here and there. He’s still trying to learn how to be a dad. I think it caught him by surprise that he was going to have to take on that role because in the first movie they were more just pals.
They were sort of equal buddies, and now Tom and Maddie are seeing him act out. Not act out in a bad way, but the normal way that kids would on their way into their teenage years. He’s a unique one in the fact that he’s got all these crazy superpowers. He’s got a good heart, and he wants to do good and help people out. He’s just a little rough around the edges. He’s a diamond in the rough, I think. A shiny piece of coal.
MF: What kind of advice has Tom given to Sonic to try and help him?
JM: Well, I think Sonic has this image in his head of what he wants to be. He’s got the superpowers, and he grew up watching all these movies. He grew up watching ‘Batman’ and all these superhero movies, and he wants to be one of them. I think he’s a little stuck on the idea of being a hero and striking the right pose. Tom sort of redirects him and says, “It’s not about that. It’s about helping other people. It’s about taking responsibility for other people. It’s about knowing when to use your power and when not.”
That’s just something that Tom gently tries to instill in him without crushing his spirit or making him feel shamed or anything like that. It’s just like sort of a parental guidance thing. Hopefully, I think that if you see the film, it starts to settle into his subconscious. He finds himself maybe in situations where he has to be responsible for somebody else, and we see him make the right choices.
Jim Carrey and Knuckles (Idris Elba) in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
MF: Ben, what can you tell us about the movie’s new characters, Tails and Knuckles?
BS: Well, if you are a fan of the video games, the two characters we introduced in this one are fan favorites. Tails is like a sycophant from Sonic’s world that comes in voiced by Colleen (O’Shaughnessey), who’s incredible and great at gadgets. Then we have the nemesis, Knuckles, who is played by Idris Elba and he has this brute strength. To actually see Sonic have someone that can match up and is even stronger than him is so exciting to see.
Also, he’s someone from his home planet, which is even more exciting because the idea is that he feels so detached from that world, and they’re finally coming here, but they’re already at odds with each other. So, it was super fun. Then to get to voice act alongside those two people was a dream come true.
Jim Carrey in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega. Photo Credit: Courtesy Paramount Pictures and Sega of America.
We’ve reached the stage of film promotion for ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ which sees studio Paramount rolling out what it describes as the “final” trailer. And with the movie headed to screens next month, that’s probably true – not counting TV spots and other sneak peeks, of course.
Still, this latest look at the fast-paced sequel offers a lot more detail about the story, which we’d only gotten the basic beats on before.
It opens at the wedding of Rachel (Natasha Rothwell), the sister of Dr. Maddie Wachowski (Tika Sumpter), herself the wife of James Marsden’s Tom. With the Hawaii-set nuptials in full swing, there’s an interruption when Tom’s phone rings (with the ‘Sonic’ game theme as his ringtone for the easter egg hunters).
Turns out Sonic (voiced again by Ben Schwartz) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey) are in real trouble on a frosty mountain and could use a ring-powered portal assist from Tom. Cue an avalanche of snow and two CG critters invading the tropical wedding setting.
The chaos springs from the fact that Dr. Ivo Robotnik (Jim Carrey, once again playing the role with all the gusto he can muster), is back from the planet he was banished to from the end of the first movie and has returned more powerful than ever before – he also looks a lot more like the game’s version of the villain.
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His great new power comes with zero responsibility, so he’s looking to cause major problems on Earth, taking out military hardware and responding cops. And to stop Sonic from interfering with his plan, he’s also brought a new, threatening warrior, Knuckles the Echidna, who has speedy, strong fists and the voice of Idris Elba. Definitely don’t go calling this guy a porcupine.
This new look at the movie offers more of Robotnik’s drones, some extra moments for two-tailed Sonic ally Tails (voiced, for those who recognize her, by the games’ O’Shaughnessey) and Marsden’s Tom.
There’s also fresh footage of Sonic’s attempts to be a Batman-like vigilante crusader known as Blue Justice. Let’s just say that his enthusiasm outweighs his actual abilities –he’s not likely to challenge Bruce Wayne on the crime-fighting front any time soon, but he does smile a lot more.
In addition to the returning likes of Adam Pally and Lee Majdoub, the cast now also includes Shemar Moore, playing Rachel’s intended husband.
Written once more by Pat Casey and Josh Miller (with John Whittington also contributing this time), ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ also sees director Jeff Fowler back calling the shots.
The movie will dash into theaters on April 8th.
And it’s clear that Paramount is pumped up about the spiny hero, since a third movie is already in development, alongside a spin-off TV series for Paramount Plus that will, like the movies, blend live-action and CG to focus on Elba’s Knuckles character.
Sonic is not running away from screens any time soon!
(L to R) Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Sonic (Ben Schwartz) in ‘Sonic The Hedgehog 2’ from Paramount Pictures and Sega.
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