Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding are aboard’ Close Personal Friends’.
Jason Orley is in the director’s chair.
The plot revolves around a celebrity couple.
It feels like we sometimes don’t see enough original movies that cast a bunch of capable people and looks to spin a well-used concept into something fresh.
While much of the movie is being kept quiet ahead of the shoot, but the Reporter has learned that on one couple that meets and befriends a celebrity couple while on a trip to Santa Barbara. Personal lines get crossed, among other things, and awkward hilarity ensues.
Orley co-wrote the story with Isaac Aptaker, with the latter penning the script. Aptaker is producing with Elizabeth Berger, his partner at Walk-Up Company, along with Maximum Effort’s Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau.
Where else can we see Brie Larson and the rest?
Lily Collins attends the red carpet for ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 4. Photo: Valentin Lecron / Netflix.
Larson most recently popped up as the latest member of the sprawling Fak family to be introduced on ‘The Bear’.
Coming up, she has a couple of TV series in development, including ‘Cry Wolf’ (which co-stars Olivia Colman) and a spy thriller that has yet to release its title.
Collins can currently be seen starring in Netflix romantic comedy series ‘Emily in Paris’, which has a fifth season on the way.
She’s also attached to a thriller called ‘Titan’ and has worked on new drama pic ‘Halo of Stars’.
When will ‘Close Personal Friends’ be in theaters?
Even with a shoot scheduled, Amazon MGM is playing this one by ear and has yet to announce a release date or even whether the movie will play in theaters or head straight to Prime Video?
Jack Quaid as “Nate” in ‘Novocaine’ from Paramount Pictures. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
On Netflix July 2nd is ‘The Old Guard 2’, a sequel to the 2020 movie derived from Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernandez’ graphic novel series about immortal warriors who learn that their existence has been discovered even as they find a new member of their kind.
When it arrived in the pandemic-darkened days of 2020, ‘The Old Guard,’ while not perhaps the most exemplary example of graphic novel adaptation to bother screens, at least had some spark and vitality to it, anchored by Charlize Theron strutting about as an immortal warrior who after walking the Earth for several thousand years was using her powers of near invulnerability as a badass who took down terrible people along with a group of similarly powerful colleagues.
It was certainly fun enough, but now here comes the inevitable sequel –– five years later, which is cause for red flags flying from the get-go –– but perhaps it earned the benefit of the doubt, since taking time to make sure a movie is right is always more preferable to rushing a quick cash-in into production.
Sadly, what has emerged is no worthy follow-up to that original release.
Greg Rucka, from whose work (alongside illustrator Leandro Fernandez) the movies are inspired, returns to script the new entry, this time with Sarah L. Walker (‘The Twelve’).
But though you might think Rucka has the same handle on the characters he created as he did last time, this one is unfortunately burdened with even more exposition, as the movie awkwardly tries to expand the story’s universe, but comes up with an idea that only really serves to snip dangling plot threads from the first movie in ugly fashion while also creating some villain motivation.
The story pauses between honestly disappointing action scenes to have characters sit around and talk in boring fashion about what’s happening. And half the people in the movie seem designed to do little other than shoot or stab enemies and then push the plot forward in the laziest fashion.
Perhaps the most egregious fault here is how the film ends, the final scene a giant cliffhanger (with no third movie officially ordered, mind you) and the story left unsatisfying and largely pointless. The intention may have been to drive excitement for another outing, but you’re more likely to come away not bothered what happens next.
Victoria Mahoney, taking over the director’s chair from the original’s Gina Prince-Bythewood, doesn’t exactly cover herself in glory for her second feature directorial outing after 2011’s ‘Yelling to the Sky.’ It’s competent enough work, making use of a few picturesque shooting locations, but the set-pieces all feel similar apart from one or two entertaining stunt moments.
Charlize Theron is seemingly strictly on autopilot this time around –– the odd quip here or there early on quickly jettisoned in favor of less-than-thrilling stone-cold solemnity. Sure, her character has lived for thousands of years and –– spoiler alert for the end of the previous movie –– learned that she’s no longer immortal, but it has also reduced Andy to a hollow version of her previous self. And it’s an issue even Theron’s considerable talents can’t overcome.
KiKi Layne as Nile, the immortal that Andy and her team discovered in the last movie and is now a member of their mercenary force taking down arms dealers and the like, gets in a few decent moments, but like everyone else, once the plot really kicks in, the energy drains out.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, the mortal operative who learned of the immortals’ existence, is largely hanging around providing clues and information via his contacts or trying not to die. He’s less a character, more a plot device.
The same could be said for poor Henry Golding (‘Crazy Rich Asians’), as Tuah, a new immortal we meet who has dedicated his incredibly long life to chronicling the ancient warriors like someone writing a fanzine. He’s saddled with even more exposition and even when he’s called upon to fight, his style is so similar to everyone else’s that it all blends into one.
Spare even more of a thought for Uma Thurman –– if you thought there was the tantalizing prospect of ‘Kill Bill’s Beatrix The Bride” Kiddo taking on Furiosa, then you have to wait until right at the end for a slapdash confrontation. Mostly, Thurman barks orders or delivers her own dollops of exposition with little conviction.
Flavorless and indistinct, this sequel has all the driving passion of a cold lump of concrete. The humor that marked the original has seemingly been surgically extracted, replaced with rote exposition and a dull expansion of the mythology.
Possibly the most famous franchise focused on immortal warriors uses the catchy phrase, “there can only be one.” On the evidence of ‘The Old Guard 2’, perhaps there should only have been one.
jOv2NjAITKJW6bN198n9W2
What’s the story of ‘The Old Guard 2’?
Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world.
With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she’s worked towards for thousands of years.
Andy, Nile (KiKi Layne), Joe (Marwan Kenzari), Nicky (Luca Marinelli) and James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) enlist the help of Tuah (Henry Golding), an old friend who may provide the key to unlocking the mystery behind immortal existence.
Nicole Kidman in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2 receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
Released on Hulu on May 21st with the first two episodes followed by one weekly, the second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ re-introduces us to enigmatic and experimental wellness “expert” Masha Dmitrichenko (Nicole Kidman), who is still finding ways to have her clients deal with their issues –– usually through the liberal application of pharmaceuticals.
Henry Golding in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
Given the chaos that enveloped the first season’s batch of clients, who showed up at a Californian retreat to be greeted by the mysterious Masha (Kidman), you might struggle to believe that anyone would want to subject themselves to her ministrations.
Yet without that suspension of disbelief (and honestly in the word of the wealthy and emotionally desperate, there is plenty of that), Season 2 of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ really wouldn’t exist.
It has a dramatic kin in ‘The White Lotus’ –– sharing the idea of privileged types going through experiences and (sometimes) processing trauma –– and like Mike White’s show for HBO, does rather run the risk of repeating itself.
Script and Direction
Dolly De Leon in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
While Season 1 was mostly based on Liane Moriarty’s source novel, here show bosses David E. Kelley and John-Henry Butterworth branch off on their own storyline, with a similar concept but a brand new setting.
Here, the castle-like mansion of Zauberwald, nestled in breathtaking Alpine scenery is the location for the new retreat that Masha has been curating thanks to her old friend Helena (Olin).
While the frosty locale feels like an even more fitting background for Kidman’s chilly manipulator, the scripts can’t completely get away from the feeling that we’re treading similar ground. True, the issues are slightly different –– while Season 1 had a family mired in grief over the death of a teen, here there two different dysfunctional parent/grown child dynamics, along with a collection of other troubled souls –– but you really know a lot more what to expect this time, and the surprise is not there.
(L to R) King Princess and Maisie Richardson-Sellers in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
It won’t surprise you to learn (though we won’t specify how) that none of the guests are there by accident, but while the trippy sequences still work to some degree, with the highlights including Murray Bartlett’s disgraced children’s TV host talking with sentient versions of his own puppets and a standout sequence exploring the tortured history of Annie Murphy’s Imogen and mother Victoria, played by Christine Baranski, there’s less of a frisson this time.
Jonathan Levine, who was an executive producer and directed all of Season 1, returns for the lion’s share of the episodes, with Anthony Byrne also handling some. The Alpine setting does provide some visual interest, and the stark, strange castle retreat makes for a fun location. The visual language of the drug trips has also expanded in entertaining ways this season.
Cast and Performances
(Lto R) Maisie Richardson-Sellers and Murray Bartlett in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
As with the first season, one of the strongest elements of the new run lies in the casting. Once you get over the idea of anyone willingly putting themselves in Masha’s hands, you can revel in several solid acting turns.
Murray Bartlett is prime among them. Having been on the other side of the retreat coin as the nervy, stressed Armond in ‘The White Lotus’ first season, here he’s still giving excellent energy as Brian, who was effectively cancelled after raging at his staff on camera. Bartlett is so good with this type of character, bringing nuance and depth to him.
Christine Baranski is playing a familiar role as the booze-happy Victoria, but once again her sheer ability to bring something extra to what could be a basic role is a marvel to behold. She makes for a great parent/child pairing with Annie Murphy, who channels real frustration and entitlement as Imogen, her daughter.
Mark Strong in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
In similar fashion, Mark Strong and Henry Golding make for a good pair as billionaire David and troubled son Peter, whose relationship has been fractured by David’s past infidelity to Peter’s mother. They play well off each other, even if their storyline sometimes feels like an off-the-shelf dilemma.
Dolly DeLeon, meanwhile, is another standard as questioning nun Sister Agnes, struggling over past decisions and questioning her faith in not just her Catholic religion.
And, of course, Kidman, who while she’s really just doing a variation on her standard icy power play, still finds sparks of humanity within Masha, especially when the show takes a further dip into her past.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Annie Murphy and Aras Aydin in ‘Nine Perfect Strangers,’ premiering May 21, 2025 on Hulu. Photo: Disney/Reiner Bajo.
The second season of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ cannot entirely escape the feeling of déjà vu despite some fresh twists and turns. Still, the heightened reality works for the most part and the cast bring committed, watchable performances that carry this over the line.
nA84TxrIZI4JJNHp9jWnb4
What’s the plot of ‘Nine Perfect Strangers’ Season 2?
Nicole Kidman returns as the enigmatic healing guru Masha in the second season, based on Liane Moriarty’s bestselling novel.
A new batch of wellness-seekers arrive at a mysterious Alpine resort of looking for transformative paths to betterment and happiness. During their stay, the guests partake in unconventional methods to reach their goals while Masha is forced to confront some past demons… Threatening to destroy both her own personal wellness, and that of her guests.
Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie Smothers in ‘Another Simple Favor’. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.
‘Another Simple Favor’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
Arriving globally on Prime Video on May 1st, ‘Another Simple Favor’ throws us back into the knotty dynamic of mommy vlogger-turned-crime sleuth Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and mysterious, murderous fashion plate Emily Nelson (Blake Lively).
This sequel to the 2018 murder mystery brought to screens by director Paul Feig, looks to amp up the mystery even further, throwing in new family members and some luxurious Italian island locations.
On television, there’s a common trick of sitcoms and other shows usually anchored to one place to goose things up by taking the characters on holiday. ‘The Brady Bunch’ went to Hawaii. ‘Friends’ brought us “The One in Barbados” and the usually hospital-bound ‘Scrubs’ splashed out for a destination wedding in the Bahamas.
‘Another Simple Favor’ tries a similar trick, albeit in movie form (though it is premiering on Prime Video), moving its murder mystery machinations to the picturesque isle of Capri in Italy. But is it enough to elevate everything? That’s a more complicated question, one whose answer is both yes and no.
Script and Direction
Paul Feig attends the Amazon MGM Studios ‘Another Simple Favor’ New York Special Screening on Sunday, April 27, 2025 at Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City. Photo: Prime Video.
Together, they have concocted something that feels as though it has a similar energy to the original movie, while looking to heighten things to an even more absurd degree. Which is saying something, given that the 2018 effort had more turns than a corkscrew.
‘A Simple Favor’ effectively blended its mystery and comedy tones together, and while the follow-up attempts the same trick with some new complications, it mostly manages it, while sometimes tipping too far into ridiculousness.
Still, there are the requisite laughs to be found here, and enough twists to keep you guessing. Once the new main mystery is revealed, it does rather start to deflate, and there is some egregious sequel baiting towards the end.
Feig, returning as director, proves he can adeptly hop between genres, and being let loose in the beautiful island of Capri certainly allows him to up the visual interest of the movie. He also capably manages the new cast recruits while keeping the focus squarely where it should be: the winning, sometimes overly catty dynamic between Kendrick’s Stephanie and Lively’s Emily.
Lively might be the superstar here, but it’s Anna Kendrick who really keeps the movie grounded and funny. As Stephanie, who is awkwardly trying to enjoy her newfound fame following the events of the original film (and capitalize on them by writing a book about the case), Kendrick remains the comic powerhouse of the film, whether she’s effectively narrating the movie through her video channel or trading barbs with Lively’s Emily (or, er, Hope, as she should really be called.)
As for Lively, she’s back in full-on comic-inflected femme fatale mode, as she struts around in outrageous clothing and gets passive-aggressive with Kendrick’s character. She once more makes an impact, whether she’s plotting her next move or proving more of a friend to Stephanie than she might have suspected.
There’s also a healthy vein of vulnerability in both the leads, which makes the characters as relatable in the past, even as the screwball murder mystery is dialed up into ever more frenzied levels of complexity.
Around them, a collection of returning and new performers add extra layers to the story.
Henry Golding is able to let loose more as Sean, Emily’s ex-husband (who had a dalliance with Stephanie in the original), and here is a drunken, sarcastic mess, throwing endless shade at his ex.
Of the newcomers, the highlights are Alex Newell, who steals moments and scenes as Stephanie’s enthusiastic assistant/book tour manager Vicky and Elena Sofia Ricci as Portia Versano, the powerful, calculating mother of Emily’s new fiancé Dante (Michele Morrone), neither of whom show up on google searches, but are clearly very rich and powerful –– it won’t take you long to guess why.
Less present, but still entertaining are Detective Summervile (Bashir Salahuddin, returning from the original) and FBI agent Irene Walker (Taylor Ortega), who help drive the plot while not forgetting to bring the laughs.
The really nutritious additions to the cast are Allison Janney and Elizabeth Perkins, who consume whole sections of scenery playing Emily’s grasping aunt and drunken mother.
‘A Simple Favor’ sometimes coasted on the power of its stars and some fun plot turns, and ‘Another Simple Favor’ falls into a similar trap.
Still, the idyllic countryside helps it feel different enough, and though it can’t quite keep the momentum up towards the end, watching it is not too much of an ask.
LWFFu0g6Cv7YIuZYBPlFj5
What’s the plot of ‘Another Simple Favor’?
Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.
But at long last, the streaming service has announced when it’ll be headed our way, and posted some pictures of the new movie.
And star Charlize Theron has also commented on the return of her character, the long-lived warrior who in the 2020 original, faced her existence coming to light and a threat to her team as a potential new immortal came on the scene.
Here’s what she had to say:
“There’s something for everyone in this movie: Fans who loved the first film, fans who love the original graphic novels — and brand-new fans who are looking for insane action, grounded and relatable characters, gorgeous locations, and a global cast of superstars.”
And this was her statement on the new developments this time around:
“We’re going to meet some brand-new characters,” she teased. “Quyhn is back and her story continues, and we’re all excited to have Uma Thurman and Henry Golding join us as two key new players in the ‘Old Guard’ universe. Andy and her warriors are back with a renewed sense of purpose. The stakes are even higher now that Andy is mortal and can die — but that certainly won’t keep her out of the action.”
Andy (Charlize Theron) and her team of immortal warriors are back, with a renewed sense of purpose in their mission to protect the world. With Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts) still in exile after his betrayal, and Quynh (Veronica Ngô) out for revenge after escaping her underwater prison, Andy grapples with her newfound mortality as a mysterious threat emerges that could jeopardize everything she’s worked towards for thousands of years.
The movies adapt the work of comic book/graphic novel writer Greg Rucka and illustrator Leandro Fernandez, who created the world of Andy and the rest.
Back in 2020, the first movie became a pandemic-era hit, as audiences turned to streaming to increasingly meet their entertainment needs. That one was written by Rucka, with Gina Prince-Bythewood in the director’s chair.
“We ended the first film with some radical changes to the status quo. Andy’s mortality has mysteriously left her, Nile has become immortal and joined the group, and Booker’s been punished for his sins by being sent into exile, which is pretty much the worst thing you can do to people who live for hundreds and hundreds of years.”
And this was Mahoney’s comment:
“My mandate every time we went out the door to scout was, ‘I do not want to visit any locations, routinely seen as an audience member in a number of my favorite films.’ I relentlessly pushed toward the unexpected.”
While Thurman’s character –– beyond the fact she’ll be a key component in the story –– is a mystery for now, we do know Golding is aboard to play Tuah, an enigmatic figure who has been researching the immortals. Golding brought his own personal background to the character, even going as far as helping to name him.
Golding said this of the role:
“When Victoria Mahoney and I had our first Zoom call, we went over the character, and originally we didn’t have a name for him. That came a little bit later because Vic really wanted to know who I was, and how this character could represent parts of my life. In the end, I suggested his character be called Tuah, which in Malaysian means ‘luck.’ ”
When will ‘The Old Guard 2’ arrive on screens?
‘The Old Guard 2’ will land on Netflix globally on July 2nd.
This new movie certainly sees him channeling the tone of those initial efforts, but while that provides plenty of thrills and chuckles to begin with, midway through it seems to decide that is not worth sticking with and becomes something more like ‘The Bridge on the River Kwai’ (though never reaching the quality levels of that).
Does ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ prove to be a fun mission?
Alan Ritchson in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’. Photo: Daniel Smith.
It’s something of a mystery when you have a movie that offers Henry Cavill in particular with the most charismatically entertaining character he’s played in a while (with, unlike in ‘Argylle’, the screentime to fully embrace it) but somehow lose confidence in the jokey tone that is established early on.
True, the subject of war, especially in a real-life context, is one to be taken seriously, but that later gear switch grinds noisily midway through the running time. And yes, there are the real people to be considered (a closing credit sequence includes imagery and potted histories of the personalities after the time of the mission portrayed), but the two tones of the movie simply don’t mesh well enough to make the whole work.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’: Script and Direction
Eiza González in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’. Photo: Daniel Smith.
Ritchie here adapts Damien Lewis (not the actor, different spelling)’s book with the help of Paul Tamasy and Arash Amel, adding his own particular flare to the story of a group of real-life, under-the-radar heroes helped turned the tide of World War II when things were looking their bleakest for the Allied forces.
But, as we’ve said before in this review, the script’s tone takes a dive somewhere around the point that the mission itself starts to go off the rails. It’s as if the characters shrug off their colorful personalities and adopt much blander, generic war movie archetypes instead. Moments of humor do poke through still, and there are obviously moments where the darker tone requires a more serious approach. The movie, though, doesn’t completely recover.
In the director’s chair, Ritchie certainly brings plenty of his usual style to the proceedings, and he frequently gets the best out of his cast in the early going. The movie also looks good, the budget clearly up on the screen in scenes where the team engages with battleships or enters the port that is their main objective.
Yet he still can’t stop his own movie from turning into something that is far less effective in its final third. As the action ramps up (which has its own ticking clock tension, to be sure), the compelling character work fades and some of the interest starts to wane.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’: Performances
Henry Cavill in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’. Photo: Daniel Smith.
This is most certainly Henry Cavill’s film, and when he’s allowed, he jumps in with both feet. His Gus March-Phillips is a wily, snarky sort, well aware of his reputation even as he’s ready to give his life in service of his country. He’s not above stealing cigars from his superiors or mouthing off to Nazis who are pointing guns at him (and why not?) At full power, he’s the charismatic center of the movie.
But he’s ably supported by the ensemble, especially Alan Ritchson as the hulking Anders Lassen. Right there with Cavill’s character, he’s always ready to enjoy his missions, and dishes out violence like a funnier ‘Reacher‘.
Henry Golding has less to do as explosives expert Freddy Alvarez, but he’s handed some fun chunks of scenes, and Golding makes the most of them. Eiza González, meanwhile, has a better character in the early going, but is soon reduced to either being a femme fatale or a damsel in distress.
From the supporting cast, Babs Olusanmokun stands out as the college educated man of letters who has set himself up as king of the mercenaries in the port where the team has to take out U-boat supply chain. It’s a winning performance and Olusanmokun makes it look effortless.
Elsewhere, Til Schweiger is suitably menacing/ridiculous as BDSM-obsessed Nazi commander Heinrich Luhr (one of the characters who feels very Ritchie-fied with his verbal diarrhea) and Cary Elwes is a suitably eyebrow-raising “M”.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’: Final Thoughts
Cary Elwes in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’. Photo: Daniel Smith.
Ritchie’s latest release shows signs of the director warring within himself more than the movie itself is about conflict. It’s as if he started out fully intended to make an engaging romp of an action comedy before a side of him worried about what people would think about the historical accuracy might think.
The result is a compromised effort that rather falls between two stools –– but has enough value to make it worth sticking out. Especially if you like Henry Cavill sticking his tongue out as a he shoots a machine gun.
‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
V305rBPCL1FxeBnyJ2mpW
What’s the story of ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’?
Based upon recently declassified files of the British War Department and inspired by true events, ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’ is an action-comedy that tells the story of the first-ever special forces organization formed during WWII by U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill and a small group of military officials including author Ian Fleming.
The top-secret combat unit, composed of a motley crew of rogues and mavericks, goes on a daring mission against the Nazis using entirely unconventional and utterly “ungentlemanly” fighting techniques. Ultimately their audacious approach changed the course of the war and laid the foundation for the British SAS and modern Black Ops warfare.
Who stars in ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’?
(L to R) Henry Golding as Hu and Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
Launching on Paramount+ February 2nd, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ represents a solid dose of forward momentum for the portrayal of Chinese mythology on screen for more general audiences.
It’s a shame, though, that the film –– which we’d recommend for its entertaining voice cast more than anything in the script itself –– is an entertaining enough romp for younger audiences but seems unlikely to come across as anything other than second tier when truly boundary-pushing animation exists.
Does ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ Earn its Stripes?
(L to R) Henry Golding as Hu and Sandra Oh as Mistral in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
In development for a long time, and handed off between different filmmakers, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ has been on one of those journeys where you have to wonder if something happened to it along the way. It was, at one point, being considered as a theatrical release, but is now arriving direct to streaming.
There is less of a negative aura about such shifts these days, in a time when there are truly superb streaming shows and movies, but it’s tough to discount the idea that the finished product here just doesn’t scream “theatrical release”. The animation, while certainly competent, can be a little jerky with its human characters in particular (one scene, a vision for the main character, is much more aesthetically pleasing) and the storyline, as we’ll dig into, is a reheated offering of something we’ve seen many times before.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Script and Direction
Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
Perhaps the biggest issue with ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ is in its basic structure. Though some stories are trotted out time and again because they’ve proven to work, here you can really feel that the authentic ethnic detailing layered over the exceedingly basic skeleton doesn’t quite cover the seen-it-before aspect at its core.
Adapted from the young adult novel by Laurence Yep by David Magee (an Oscar nominee for his work on ‘Life of Pi’) and Christopher Yost (a veteran of Marvel movies and who you suspect provided much of the quippiness on display here), the script has its moments, but struggles to overcome the notion that you’re watching the 534th take on material that the likes of ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Percy Jackson’ and any number of other, better examples have tackled.
The young target audience, of course, likely won’t mind too much, enjoying the colorful, jokey characters and the rising stakes. But anyone who has seen a movie of this sort will soon find themselves making a mental checklist of what to expect –– the wise mentor (in this case, a grandmother who loses her life to the main villain), the grouchy new guide, the wide-eyed kid who had no idea he possessed magic powers, the goofy sidekick, the noble sidekick, the baddie with an all-purpose idea to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth and rule the darkness that follows, etc., etc.
Directors Raman Hui, Paul Watling and Yong Duk Jhun do manage to give the movie a grounding in Chinese zodiac beliefs and an authentic feeling of being set in San Francisco (though sometimes falling into bland, generic traps such as having main character Tom attend “San Francisco High School”). As mentioned, the animation style is more serviceable than truly impressive and while not everything can be at the ‘Spider-Verse’ level, these days you do wish more movies would try (it’s a reason we enjoyed ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’).
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Performances
(L to R) Sherry Cola as Naomi, Sandra Oh as Mistral, Bowen Yang as Sidney, Henry Golding as Hu and Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
If there’s a real saving grace here, it’s the appealing, funny and emotional performances of the voice cast. Though it seems every film (and TV show; witness ‘The Brothers Sun’) with Chinese characters is contractually obliged to include Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, she does at least give the underwritten villain role some gravitas.
As Tom, the young man who discovers he has a magical legacy, Brendan Soo Hoo is an appealing personality who sparks well off the rest of the cast. Henry Golding, meanwhile, is somewhat saddled with the standard grouchy-yet-heroic character of Hu, the Tiger who takes Tom under his wing –– er, paw? –– when the lad’s grandmother gives her life to protect him. In terms of character design, he’s like a kid-friendly Wolverine, even down to the muttonchops when in human form.
Elsewhere, the basic scripting is helped by a great ensemble that includes the likes of Sandra Oh, Sherry Cola and Bowen Yang, who bring the lines to life and work well against both Golding and Hoo.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’: Final Thoughts
(L to R) Henry Golding as Hu, Sandra Oh as Mistral, Sherry Cola as Naomi and Brandon Soo Hoo as Tom in The ‘Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
Definitely one for the younger crowd, and unlikely to inspire much faith from older audiences, ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ is a mildly diverting animated adventure whose welcome diversity can’t disguise the well-used tropes and narrative at its center.
A fun cast certainly helps, but we’re not sure we see this one launching a franchise any time soon.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.
FLPM7EmfQiOijQkaTneu12
What’s the story of ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’?
Based on the popular children’s book series of the same name by Laurence Yep, the movie follows Chinese-American teenager Tom Lee (Brandon Soo Hoo), whose life changes forever when he discovers he is part of a long lineage of magical protectors known as the Guardians.
With guidance from a mythical tiger named Hu (Henry Golding), Tom trains to take on Loo (Michelle Yeoh), a force that is as powerful as a Guardian but with evil intentions to use magic to destroy humanity. To have a fighting chance against Loo, Tom must reunite all twelve Zodiac animal warriors and master his own newly discovered powers.
(L to R) Diana Lee Inosanto as Horse, Poppy Liu as Snake, Greta Lee as Rabbit, Jo Koy as Rooster, Henry Golding as Hu, Patrick Gallagher as Dog, Deborah S. Craig as Pig, Sherry Cola as Naomi and Sandra Oh as Mistral in ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice,’ streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures/Paramount+.
The poster for animated movie ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ is online.
The animated movie will feature Michelle Yeoh and Sandra Oh.
It’ll land on Paramount+ on February 2nd.
New animated movie ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ has had quite the journey to screens, first picked up as a potential live-action adaptation of Laurence Yep’s 2003 book by Cartoon Network in October 2008, with a script by David Magee (who has some experience with tigers given ‘Life of Pi’).
The project was cancelled after Cartoon Network stopped developing live-action projects, but Paramount picked it up as an animated adventure movie in 2019, and while it was originally targeting a 2022 release, pandemic delays led to a slot for 2024.
Now, though, the movie will premiere on Paramount+.
FLPM7EmfQiOijQkaTneu12
What’s the story of ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’?
The movie follows the story of Tom Lee, who gets drawn into a magical world against his wishes when his eccentric grandmother who he lives with in San Francisco’s Chinatown turns out to be the guardian of the phoenix egg.
When his grandmother perishes in battle and is spirited away in a ghost cart, Tom must apprentice with an unlikely mentor –– a tiger, Mr. Hu –– to learn ancient magic and become the egg’s new protector. They team with an unlikely band of exotic creatures, each representing a different sign of the Chinese zodiac, who can morph into human form while retaining their innate animal characteristics.
Who lends their voices to ‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’?
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ hits Paramount+ on February 2nd. Photo: Paramount+.
‘The Tiger’s Apprentice’ certainly boasts a top-notch cast, led by Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and Henry Golding (who shared the screen with her in the live-action ‘Crazy Rich Asians’).
The new film doesn’t yet have an announced title, but Deadline has learned some information about it; written by the director, it’ll reportedly will revolve around two extraction specialists who must plan an escape path for a high-level female negotiator. And while the subject sounds serious, Ritchie has apparently laced the story with humor.
We also know the main cast: Henry Cavill, Jake Gyllenhaal and Eiza González are all on board to star in the movie, which is set to kick off shooting in Spain this summer.
Here’s what Ritchie had to say about his choices:
“There’s something special that happens when you collaborate with the same partners regularly: you build a shorthand and a trust that lets everybody do their best work. Jake, Henry and Eiza are all astonishingly talented, committed, and engaging actors. This is going to be an action-packed movie that is both intellectually stimulating and physically exhilarating.”
And this is just the latest project that represents Ritchie drawing from the pool of people he’s worked with before. Gyllenhaal, of course, was the lead in war drama ‘The Covenant’, which was in theaters just last month. Cavill and González, meanwhile, are part of the sprawling cast for ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, which also features Alan Ritchson, Cary Elwes, Alex Pettyfer, Henry Golding, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Freddie Fox.
That movie’s screenplay, by Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson (who wrote the original script and pitched it to producer Jerry Bruckheimer back in 2015), Ritchie and Arash Amel, is based on war correspondent and military historian Damien Lewis’ popular book of the same name.
(L to R) Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in film ‘The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,’ directed by Guy Ritchie.
The movie, inspired by real events, will chart British Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s and James Bond creator Ian Fleming’s secret World War II combat organization. The clandestine squad’s unconventional and entirely ‘ungentlemanly’ fighting techniques against the Nazis helped change the course of the war and in part gave birth to the modern Black Ops unit.
Cavill, of course, has a connection with the director that goes even further, since he co-starred in 2015’s ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’.
Also on Ritchie’s schedule? Overseeing post-production on ‘The Gentlemen’ the spin-off TV series from his eponymous 2019 crime caper.
With the new movie at a very early stage, there’s no release date set yet, but the distribution rights are on sale now at the Cannes Film Market (should anyone have a spare few million dollars lying around). ‘The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’, meanwhile, should be out next year.
Still, in 2020, he released what many people saw as a return to his roots, ‘The Gentlemen’, a crime caper set in London stocked with colorful characters. And since March of this year, Netflix has been looking to lock down a TV version with Ritchie involved.
Fast-forward a few months and it’s a reality, the streaming service handing out a straight-to-series order and Ritchie casting Theo James in the lead role.
‘The Gentlemen’, in case you didn’t catch it, follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey), who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
(L to R) Hugh Grant, Jeremy Strong, Henry Golding, Colin Farrell, Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, and Michelle Dockery in Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen.’ Photo courtesy of STX Films.
All we know of the show’s cast so far is James, playing Eddie Halstead, who has inherited his father’s sizeable estate only to discover that it’s sitting on top of a weed empire owned by the legendary Mickey Pearson. Has this straight-up soldier got what it takes to master the dark arts of the British criminal underworld and take control of the entire operation?
No word on whether McConaughey or any of the others could pop up in the series, but we’ll find out soon enough. Ritchie wrote a pilot script with ‘Peaky Blinders’ veteran Matthew Read and is about to start shooting. He’ll direct the first two episodes (setting up the show’s feel) and is an executive producer overseeing the rest.
Ritchie’s TV work is rare, but not unheard of, as he’s adapted his films before – he created and co-wrote ‘Lock, Stock….’, which turned his debut into a show for UK broadcaster Channel 4.
And the director is busy on the big-screen front, too. He has action comedy ‘Operation Fortune: Ruse de guerre’ complete and headed to screens next year, and is attached to develop and direct a new, live action/CG ‘Hercules‘ movie for Disney with Joe and Anthony Russo producing.
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and co-starring Eiza González, the based-on-truth World War II spy thriller will focus on Winston Churchill’s and Bond writer Ian Fleming’s secret combat organization. The clandestine squad’s unconventional and entirely ‘ungentlemanly’ fighting techniques against the Nazis helped change the course of the war and in part gave birth to the modern Black Ops unit.
