vk movie review

• Tickets & Showtimes
• Trending on RT

• Best Movies/TV
• Fan Favorites
• Movies by Genre
• TV by Genre
• Past Winners

Best Movies 2021

The Best Movies category awards the best-reviewed film regardless of their release, whether they went straight to streaming or swung onto the silver screen. Spider-Man: No Way Home became the mega-cultural event that would entice moviegoers back into theaters, and it lived up to the hype for critics, as well. It was a music-filled year with In the Heights , West Side Story , and Summer of Soul . On the heavy side, some big tomatoes for Pig and a career-best Nicolas Cage, Jane Campion’s first-in-11-years The Power of the Dog , and A Quiet Place Part II , everyone’s collective exhalation through horror. Meanwhile, Raya and the Last Dragon , The Mitchells vs the Machines , and Coda brought representative, progressive ingredients to family storytelling.

The order reflects Tomatometer scores (as of December 31, 2021) after adjustment from our ranking formula, which compensates for variation in the number of reviews when comparing movies or TV shows.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) 93%

In the Heights (2021) 94%

Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) 99%

Pig (2021) 97%

The Power of the Dog (2021) 94%

CODA (2021) 94%

Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) 93%

West Side Story (2021) 92%

A Quiet Place Part II (2021) 91%

The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021) 97%

The Suicide Squad (2021) 90%

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) 91%

Shiva Baby (2020) 97%

The Velvet Underground (2021) 98%

The Truffle Hunters (2020) 97%

Quo vadis, aida (2020) 100%.

Luca (2021) 91%

Slalom (2020) 100%

Drive My Car (2021) 97%

Coded Bias (2020) 100%

The Sparks Brothers (2021) 95%

Parallel Mothers (2021) 96%

The Lost Daughter (2021) 94%

Mayor (2020) 100%

Two of Us (2019) 98%

Mass (2021) 95%

Luzzu (2021) 98%

Changing the Game (2019) 100%

Acasa, My Home (2020) 100%

Sabaya (2021) 100%

More golden tomato awards 2021.

Best Wide Release Movies 2021

Best Limited Release Movies 2021

Best Streaming Movies 2021

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

Fallout : What It Gets Right, and What It Gets Wrong

April 12, 2024

CinemaCon 2024: Day 3 – Disney Previews Deadpool & Wolverine , Moana 2 , Alien: Romulus , and More

April 11, 2024

Renewed and Cancelled TV Shows 2024

TV Premiere Dates 2024

Top Headlines

• Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch –
• Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year –
• Best TV Shows of 2024: Best New Series to Watch Now –

Movie Reviews

Tv/streaming, collections, great movies, chaz's journal, contributors, black widow.

Now streaming on:

There’s an added poignancy to the year-plus delay of Marvel’s “Black Widow,” finally ending July 9th when the film will be in theaters and available for a premium charge on Disney+. And there’s a palpable sense that this story would have felt a little delayed even in May 2020. After all, why did Thor, Captain America, and Iron Man get three standalone films before Natasha Romanoff got one? Fans complained long before the pandemic that it felt like Black Widow was getting pushed aside, only given her own adventure after the end of her story in “ Avengers: Endgame .” Director  Cate Shortland ’s movie confirms that Black Widow could have carried her own flick ages ago. There’s enough character, back story, and intrigue in her world for a whole series. A lot of movies in 2021 have felt a bit different because of their existence in a post-COVID world, but for all of these reasons, “Black Widow” feels distinctly like a pre-COVID product, a dip into the history of one of Marvel’s most popular characters that’s truly better so very late than never.

The best aspects of “Black Widow” echo the ‘70s spy movie tone of one of the best films in the MCU, “ Captain America: The Winter Soldier .” Director Shortland and writer Eric Pearson (an MCU vet behind both “ Avengers: Infinity War ” and “ Endgame ,” along with Thor, Spider-Man, Ant-Man films and the ABC TV shows) unabashedly pull from beloved action and espionage classics with elements that echo the Bourne films, “ Mission: Impossible ,” “The Manchurian Candidate,” and, most of all, James Bond (a clip from 007 even plays on a television in the film). And yet “Black Widow” incorporates all of these spy-action greats into something that feels alive and original on its own terms, thanks largely to tight action choreography by Shortland and a great cast that centers four very engaging performances from Scarlett Johansson , David Harbour , Rachel Weisz , and, most of all, Florence Pugh .

“ F9 ” may have a lock on the word “family” this season but it’s also the main theme of “Black Widow.” Natasha Romanoff is on the run from one makeshift family when she’s thrust back into the arms of another. The film opens with a scene right out of “The Americans” as it’s revealed that a young Natasha and her sister Yelena (played as an adult by Pugh) had a brief life in Ohio under parental figures Alexei (Harbour) and Melina (Weisz). They seemed like a normal family, but ‘mom’ and ‘dad’ were really Russian spies, and the girls were only being prepped for their coming induction in a super soldier program back in the homeland. After an explosive opening, the credits for “Black Widow” reveal that Natasha and Yelena were turned from average girls to killing machines, separated when Romanoff murdered the head of the program, Dreykov ( Ray Winstone ), and destroyed his Red Room. Or did she?

Jump ahead to just after “ Captain America: Civil War ,” when Natasha is on the run from her own government, underground after violating the Sokovia Accords. While she’s off the grid, she receives a package from Yelena, who is suffering through her own forced exile after discovering a substance that releases the Widows from their chemical subjugation. It’s very intentionally a reversal of the super-soldier serum concept that drove the action of projects like “The Falcon vs. the Winter Soldier.” Wherein Bucky Barnes stories often centered on vials that could make ordinary men into killing machines, “Black Widow” centers on vials that can turn killing machines back into ordinary women. Yelena sends a case of the vials to her sister, knowing it will bring her to a safe house in Budapest. From there, they are forced to break Alexei, aka The Red Guardian, out of prison and eventually reunite with the Black Widow who really made them, Melina.

Like a lot of the MCU, “Black Widow” is a bit thin in the villain department—new ads have highlighted the inclusion of the Taskmaster, a killing machine who can mimic its enemy’s fighting skills, and those scenes do stand out in terms of action, but parts of the film lack the urgency that would have been provided by a stronger enemy. Having said that, Shortland knows how to keep “Black Widow” more sleek than a lot of other MCU directors. It’s a more driven film than we often get from the MCU, deftly moving from one action set piece to another, only losing its momentum in a couple scenes—an extended family reunion and one of the talkiest showdown scenes in history in the third act (although one almost wonders if Shortland and Pearson aren’t parodying the Bond films again here with their legacy of monologuing bad guys). It’s not often the case in the MCU, but the pace is an asset here as “Black Widow” tells a relatively simple story with significantly less fat than a lot of other superhero flicks. It makes sense that a no-nonsense killing machine like Black Widow should have a no-nonsense installment, but it’s nice to see it actually happened.

That’s not to say there aren’t a few diversions for character and some interesting playing around with themes. There's a fun duality to "Black Widow" that should make returns to other projects in this universe more engaging. It purposefully echoes themes of covert government programs from projects like "Winter Soldier," revealing that the Americans don't have the market cornered, and it also deepens Natasha's life-long battle between being a lone wolf and needing a pack with which to run. Much was written about how "WandaVision" made previous MCU projects richer and there are elements of "Black Widow" that should do the same not only for Johannson's previous projects but for Pugh's going forward. It's a standalone film that doesn't just exist in a vacuum but enhances the films in which Black Widow stood with others. 

On that note, hardcore fans of Romanoff may be unhappy how much spotlight she cedes here to the other members of her family, particularly Red Guardian and Yelena, but both actors are good enough that complaints shouldn't land. Harbour’s take on Russia’s version of Captain America is a clever one, finding just the right balance of humor and bravado—countering his performance here to his one in this week’s “No Sudden Move” reveals a significant range for an actor who feels like he’s on the verge of a remarkable decade of work. However, the film really belongs to Pugh, who nails every single line reading in a project that’s clearly designed to hand the baton off from Johannson to Pugh, who will appear in Disney+’s “Hawkeye,” in much the same way that Captain America’s shield went from Steve Rogers to Sam Wilson. Pugh proves more than up for the challenge, finding just the right shades of strength and vulnerability. It’s a top tier MCU performance and the film’s MVP. 

As with a lot of the MCU, the third act here gets a little cluttered and repetitive but then the film recovers with a remarkable final action sequence that sends characters and debris hurtling through the sky (an MCU staple but Shortland’s choreography makes it feel urgent again). It’s ultimately a film that works on its own terms, a long-delayed enriching of the story of a beloved character that will make her ultimate sacrifice in “Avengers: Endgame” feel even more powerful in hindsight. Every blockbuster this Summer is being touted as the sign that the world is back to normal—“Black Widow” is more a reminder of what fans loved before it shifted off its axis.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

Now playing

Lousy Carter

Clint worthington.

Arthur the King

The Truth vs. Alex Jones

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

Matt zoller seitz.

The Listener

Film credits.

Black Widow (2021)

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence/action, some language and thematic material.

133 minutes

Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow

Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova / Crimson Widow

David Harbour as Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian

Rachel Weisz as Melina Vostokoff / Iron Maiden

O.T. Fagbenle as Mason

William Hurt as Thaddeus 'Thunderbolt' Ross

Ray Winstone as Dreykov / The Handler

• Cate Shortland

Writer (based on the Marvel comics by)

Writer (story by).

• Jac Schaeffer
• Eric Pearson

Cinematographer

• Gabriel Beristain
• Leigh Folsom Boyd
• Lorne Balfe

Latest blog posts

Until It’s Too Late: Bertrand Bonello on The Beast

O.J. Simpson Dies: The Rise & Fall of A Superstar

Which Cannes Film Will Win the Palme d’Or? Let’s Rank Their Chances

Second Sight Drops 4K Releases for Excellent Films by Brandon Cronenberg, Jeremy Saulnier, and Alexandre Aja

• Andhra Pradesh
• Lok Sabha Elections 2024
• South Shots
• In The News
• Dakshin Dialogues

• Opinion & Analysis

• Health & Wellness
• Community & Culture

• Home » Movies » Live Malayalam Movie Review

‘Live’ movie review: Taking sensationalism by online news head on; but falling slightly short

Directed by VK Prakash, Live is a socially relevant film that also delves into the area of cyber crimes and yellow journalism.

Published:Aug 10, 2023

A poster of VK Prakash's 'Live'. (Supplied)

Live (Malayalam)

• Cast: Mamta Mohandas, Priya Prakash Varrier, Soubin Shahir, Shine Tom Chacko, and Anjali Krishna
• Director: VK Prakash
• Producer: Darrpan Bangejja, Films 24
• Music: Alphons Joseph
• Runtime: 2 hours 5 minutes
• Cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, and Revathy
• Director: Maneesh Sharma
• Producer: Aditya Chopra
• Music: Pritam Chakraborty
• Runtime: 2 hours 35 minutes

The new Malayalam movie Live  has many layers, but at its heart, it deals with the issue of sensational news reporting by TV channels. 

Directed by VK Prakash,  Live  is a socially relevant film that also delves into the area of cyber crimes. YouTube channels that propagate yellow journalism also are highlighted in the movie. 

TRP ratings and live news that have a single-day shelf life and how these affect the lives of people are some of the issues craftily covered by Live . The movie is critical of new-age media that cooks up news stories without verification. 

Setting the storyline

Live’s  screenplay is written by S Suresh Babu, who has previously written scripts for critically-acclaimed  movies like Oruthee  (2022). Live is also VK Prakash’s second team-up with Suresh Babu after Oruthee . 

Live  starts with the introduction of Dr Amala Sriram (Mamta Mohandas), a well-known paediatric surgeon, who is being targetted by an unknown person who is sending her obscene photos. She is married to Sriram (Soubin Shahir) who is a businessman. Their relationship is a strained one as both of them have different points of view towards society. 

While Sriram is focused on making money, Amala is interested in service. She works in a government hospital in Kochi. Then comes Anna (Priya Prakash Varrier), who is aspiring to be a doctor. She has the backing of Amala, who is helping her study and clear the entrance exams. 

Also Read: ‘Malli Pelli’ is an honest story about Pavitra and me: VK Naresh

The conflict.

Poster of the Malayalam movie ‘Live’. (Supplied)

An untoward incident that happens in Anna’s life takes the story forward. Anna is wrongly accused as being a member of a prostitution racket and is taken to police custody. Media glares and trials that happen after this incident are quite similar to what we see in the present world. 

Amala is the person is supporting Anna and her grandfather (whom Anna lives with) throughout this incident. Amala’s friend Nikhila (Reshmi Soman), a fellow doctor and friend in the media, is also helping Anna.  

The plot primarily focuses on fake news that is published by online media, without verification, for views. How Anna, Amala, and their friends face the fake media industry forms the crux of the movie. 

Also read: ‘Yash 19’ rumours continue, Rishab Shetty announces Kerady Studios

Characterisation.

‘Live’ is a women-centric movie. (Supplied)

While Anna is not strong, Amala is a powerful character. She is ready to fight against cyber crimes and fake news. She even says that it’s not heroism but heroinism when it’s done by a woman. These two lead female characters are mirrors of society following the advent of online media. 

Shine Tom Chacko as Chief Editor Sam John Vakathanam is a well-crafted character. He bears the characteristics of almost every editor that we see on national news channels. Unfortunately, his flashback of how he became a journalist — going from a driver to a chief editor — is pure filmy and unrealistic. 

While the movie primarily revolves around the two female leads, Soubin Shahir’s Sriram gets prominence at the end of the movie. But then arises the question: Are his “heroic acts” really necessary in this women-centric movie? 

Also read: Second-look poster of Mammootty-Jyothika starrer ‘Kaathal’

The performance.

Mamta Mohandas as Dr Amala in ‘Live’. (Supplied)

Priya Varrier was impressive as a teenager and she was given a good role to play. Mamta Mohandas was also good, but unfortunately not extraordinary. 

Shine Tom Chacko as the chief editor was well played, however, some of his scenes with Mamta Mohandas in the train could have been conceived better. 

Soubin Shahir didn’t have much to do, so his was a decent performance given the circumstances. The role of Dr Nikhila was a good one for Reshmi Soman.

Critical of media

Live  is surely a critic of the media, mainly online media, which is interested in clicks and subscriptions. The movie even dares to question a huge media house in Kerala, which is considered to be popular for its integrity.  

How the media influences people and society is the main theme of the movie. Living in the age of WhatsApp forwards and unverified news on social media, this movie is relatable and current. 

Also Read: Cult classic ‘Antha’ joins league of multiple re-releases

Since the movie focuses mainly on criticising the media and fake news, the flashback story of Anna and even Sam John didn’t make much of an impact.

But for the fact that the movie was a sincere effort to showcase yellow journalism and its after-effects on the common people, the script would have been better had the climax been more realistic. 

The final take

Live  is a good effort by the filmmakers to showcase the dark side of online news.

(Views expressed are personal)

Tags:  

• Entertainment
• Malayalam cinema
• Movie review

Recommended For You

‘Sureshanteyum Sumalathayudeyum Hridayahariyaya Pranayakadha’ trailer promises laughs

Apr 13, 2024

Amar Singh Chamkila review: Imtiaz Ali returns back with a bang

Amid rift with PVR-INOX, ‘Varshangalkku Shesham’ and ‘Aavesham’ doing well at Kerala BO

Apr 12, 2024

Netizens hail Nivin Pauly’s performance in ‘Varshangalkku Shesham’

Jai Ganesh review: Unni Mukundan’s thriller, based on social issues, is worth watching

Latest news.

It’s Modi or ED for BJP rivals, says KCR

Kerala mother’s tears of joy as the community rallies to raise ₹34 crore to save son from execution

Leaders across political parties condemn attack on AP CM Jagan

Vote from home: K’taka BJP agent with ECI officials irks Cong

CBI case against second-biggest electoral bond donor MEIL

The man behind Bournvita losing its ‘health drink’ tag warns that biscuits, ketchup are next!

It is either Modi or ED for political rivals of BJP, fumes KCR

Stone flung at Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy during YSRCP bus yatra in Vijayawada, leaves him injured

Bjp worker accompanies eci officials during vote from home drive: karnataka congress candidate files complaint.

CBI books MEIL — second biggest electoral bond donor — for corruption in ₹315 crore NISP project

Mutton trumps Manipur

DMK hurt sentiments by insulting Sanatan Dharma: Amit Shah

Kerala circular for Thrissur Pooram celebration irks temple panels

Andhra girl, rescued from early marriage, tops intermediate exam

Gopi Thotakura to become first Indian space tourist

Strangely, no Telugu film has impressed OTT audience this week

Oruthee Movie Review: Navya Nair, Vinayakan dominate in VK Prakash's tense, empowering drama

Rating: ( 3.5 / 5).

Navya Nair attends a lot of phone calls throughout VK Prakash’s new film Oruthee , based on an actual event. So many calls that I’ve lost count. Most of them are anxiety-inducing. A few bear good news. Then there is the third, the empowering kind, from an unlikely ally whose life becomes intertwined with hers. Director: VK Prakash Cast: Navya Nair, Vinayakan, Santhosh Keezhattoor

Oruthee is primarily the story of an intense ordeal that Radhamani (Navya) goes through. Eventually, it also becomes the story of an empathetic, stoic, and tough-as-nails cop (a brilliant Vinayakan dominating every scene he is in). The film opens with the latter. His involvement in Radhamani’s life comes at a very crucial juncture. This development also makes it a movie about two characters empowering each other. But let me first tell you about Navya’s terrific, well-timed comeback in what I would call one of VKP’s finest films.

A striking image from Oruthee has Radhamani’s back profile framed against a group of high rise apartments on the other side of the water body separating her home from them. It symbolises, in my mind, her impending battle with some powerful, influential forces. A ferry conductor like herself cannot take them on alone. After all, this is not a mass film where the woman spews fiery dialogues and single-handedly overpowers anyone who dared to mess with her.

But then, the vulnerable Radhamani gradually evolves into a woman who discovers reservoirs of strength deep within her. In three days, she goes through so much that by the time the film nears its conclusion, she musters enough courage to take on anyone, no matter how high their pedestals. When Vinayakan enters the picture and shakes things up -- in multiple applause-worthy scenes -- the film becomes much more fun.

It all starts with Radhamani’s daughter getting admitted for food poisoning, an opportunity to bring up the purity of food products that claim to be trustworthy. When hospital expenses begin to mount, she has to think of a fast solution. Meanwhile, her husband (Saiju Kurup) is nursing a fracture after an accident at his workplace in Dubai. He was her initial cause of concern, later overshadowed by her daughter’s situation. When a solution presents itself, things don’t turn out as easy as they initially seemed. This time, the purity of another product from a ‘trustworthy’ brand is suspected. “We have been in the business 75 years,” repeats a shady jewellery shop manager when she seeks compensation. 

VKP takes enough time to acquaint us with Radhamani’s personality in the film’s early portions. One might ask if the set-up needs that much time. How else would we know of Radhamani’s capabilities? Through the course of Oruthee, her face runs the gamut of emotions from worry to helplessness to frustration to anger.

If not for the intrusive background score, songs, or the occasional logic-devoid cinematic elements, one would’ve mistaken Oruthee for a documentary. Now it almost looks like one, considering how VKP and cinematographer Jimshi Khalid chose to shoot the daily routines of a working mother and her lower-middle-class lifestyle. Most notable is the handheld approach adopted to capture the urgent aspects of Radhamani’s life, sometimes with the appropriate use of silence.

 And Navya makes the nerve-wracking routines of Radhamani look so organic. These scenes recalled Will Smith’s multi-tasking from The Pursuit of Happyness . One minute, Radhamani is looking for something, the next, she is looking for something else. Now combine that with five other tasks. One particular moment recalled a day when my mother went through a similar ordeal. I asked myself how I would react if I were in her place. I would’ve probably collapsed under the overwhelming heaviness.   Perhaps Navya’s real-life experience of motherhood came in handy here. (One chase scene involving Radhamani and her son brought to mind the father and son from Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves .) You know that expression about some actors living their characters? That’s what you get here. I didn’t notice a single false note in Navya’s performance, except for a very minor detail. But it’s not that important because you are so caught up in this woman’s plight that you are more concerned about whether Radhamani would get what she wants.

Oruthee works because it has enough of the ingredient required for cinematic drama: The protagonist needs something, but one or more obstacles are in the way. Recently, Unni Mukundan dealt with multiple hindrances in Meppadiyan . Oruthee is relatively zippier, and I’m willing to overlook the minor flaws because the struggles of the protagonist is riveting.  

Related Stories

VK Video: shows, films, series 12+

Watch everything and more‪‬, v kontakte ooo.

• 4.4 • 141 Ratings

iPhone Screenshots

Description.

Watch movies, cartoons, TV series and shows online on any device. Enjoy premieres and blockbusters from movie theaters and online platforms right on your device! Discover entertainment without limits with VK Video. There, you’ll find online TV programs, new releases of films and TV series, educational and entertaining videos, cartoons for kids, exclusive content and sports broadcasts. Watch everything and more: • Regular headline premieres of Russian and foreign films, which are released on our platform before anywhere else • TV series that revolutionized the industry and became lasting classics, as well as trending new releases from different genres worthy of discovering • New episodes of your favorite shows • Sports broadcasts of current competitions • Family films and educational cartoons for kids • An extensive amount of original content • Your favorite TV channels online and live streams. Features for comfortable viewing: • Play premieres and blockbusters on any device! Start watching your favorite show on the VK Video app and continue watching it on your Smart TV or computer. • If you need to watch films on mute, simply turn on subtitles. • Watch TV series online without a subscription in background mode while taking care of other things. Background play works even when your phone’s screen is locked. • Smart search finds movies with synonyms and corrects typos for you. The VK Video showcase has thousands of videos, where you’re sure to find content that’s suited to you. Choose your interests out of the many topics so you can watch just what you like and what’s right for you! The personal feed is updated every day. Install the app and enjoy watching content. It has something for everyone: • Cartoons for kids • Films • TV channels • Sports broadcasts • Live streams • Shows • TV series online without a subscription • Videos from bloggers Do you have a talent for producing or directing? Start creating videos and upload them to your profile! Watch your favorite videos and send interesting content to your friends. On VK Video, you’ll have access to films, cartoons for kids, TV channels, new videos, live streams, sports broadcasts and TV series online without a subscription.

Version 1.28

We checked the code and fixed a few things here and there, resulting in a new version that’s more stable. Update the app to check it out.

Ratings and Reviews

141 Ratings

Need Chinese please

Hello I’m form china ,l want to have Chinese ,I can’t understand English and Russian please 🙏🙏🙏

iPad please

We need version for iPad

Arabic language

It is possible to add Arabic language to the application

App Privacy

The developer, V Kontakte OOO , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Contact Info
• Identifiers

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• User Content

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Search History
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Belarusian, Kazakh, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Uzbek

• App Support
• Privacy Policy

Movie Reviews

Unhinged yet uplifting, 'poor things' is an un-family-friendly 'barbie'.

Justin Chang

In Poor Things , Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a woman created as part of a back-from-the-dead mad science experiment. Atsushi Nishijima/Searchlight Pictures hide caption

In Poor Things , Emma Stone stars as Bella Baxter, a woman created as part of a back-from-the-dead mad science experiment.

Poor Things is a little Alice in Wonderland , a little Wizard of Oz , a little Marquis de Sade and a whole lot of Frankenstein . It also has a lot in common with some of Yorgos Lanthimos' earlier films, like The Favourite and Dogtooth : transgressive sex, sadistic power games and grisly violence.

But if the movie is brutal, it's also extravagantly beautiful, extremely funny and, by the end, strangely touching, even uplifting. This may be Lanthimos' most unhinged movie, but it also has a joyous exuberance that I haven't felt in much of his earlier work.

The story, loosely adapted from a 1992 novel by the Scottish writer Alasdair Gray, follows a most unusual character named Bella Baxter, played by a mesmerizing Emma Stone . When we first meet Bella in 19th-century London, she looks like an adult woman but has the awkward gait, unformed speech and anarchic spirit of a very young child.

As we learn early on, she's the product of a back-from-the-dead mad science experiment, in which she was implanted with the brain of the child she was carrying at the time of her death. Bella, in other words, is both her mother and her daughter — and, in a weird way, neither.

Under the watchful eye of her creator — that's Willem Dafoe as the sweetly deranged scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter — Bella develops rapidly. Before long, she's walking and talking more or less like a grown-up, though her inventively tortured speech patterns remain one of the best running gags in Tony McNamara's script.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'the favourite': sou smart, sou wicked, sou witty, sou gououd.

Inevitably, Bella discovers sex, first exploring her own adult body with childlike curiosity, and then having a passionate fling with a rogue named Duncan Wedderburn — a hilariously over-the-top Mark Ruffalo . When they have sex for the first time, the movie, which until now has mostly been filmed in black-and-white, explodes into wild, rapturous color.

Like an especially bawdy riff on Voltaire's Candide , Poor Things becomes the story of Bella's sexual odyssey. Ever since the movie's Venice Film Festival premiere, much of the reaction has focused on its many frenzied sex scenes, in which the bodies of Stone and Ruffalo, among others, are on abundant display. But the movie is after something more than mere titillation; much of the time, it emphasizes the absurdity rather than the ecstasy of sex.

Before long, Bella grows bored — and disillusioned. She learns that men are mostly horrible, and that the world is full of suffering and poverty. Soon, she begins making new friends, reading Emerson and nourishing her mind. At one point, while they're on a European boat cruise, Duncan becomes jealous, accusing Bella of spending too much time with two other travelers, who are having an engrossing intellectual debate. Bella responds, as she often does, by referring to herself in the third person: "These two are fighting and ideas are banging around in Bella's head and heart like lights in a storm."

If Bella's baroque dialogue makes Poor Things a lot of fun to listen to, the film is also gorgeous to look at. Lanthimos has never been afraid of anachronism, and here he embraces it head-on. His production designers, Shona Heath and James Price, have dreamed up a futuristic, candy-colored vision of the 19th century, where people movers soar over city streets and chimneys belch green smoke into a dark purple sky.

This almost Steampunk fantasy version of Victoriana, often shot with fish-eye lenses by the gifted cinematographer Robbie Ryan, suggests just how radically strange the world must look to Bella's eyes. And Jerskin Fendrix's dissonant, unruly score feels like something piped in directly from Bella's subconscious.

Pop Culture

The secret to barbie's enduring appeal she can fend for herself.

Some admirers of Poor Things have argued that it's a feminist work, in which Bella's erotic awakening becomes the key to her liberation. The movie's detractors have dismissed it as just a superficially empowering girlboss narrative. I'm hardly the only one to have noticed that it's basically the un-family-friendly version of Barbie , in which a woman's childlike naiveté becomes a surprisingly effective weapon against the patriarchy. I guess that makes Ruffalo's greasy-haired Duncan a Ken, though you might say the same for the men played by Ramy Youssef , Jerrod Carmichael and Christopher Abbott , all of whom try, in their own ways, to manipulate Bella's destiny.

But Bella won't be controlled, and she's much too brilliant a character to be reduced to a symbol or archetype. Stone gives a great, audacious performance; her Bella can be ignorant, selfish, impulsive and cruel, but also fiercely intelligent, witty, thoughtful and kind. Lanthimos has seldom expressed much affection for his characters, but he clearly loves this one to pieces. He's made a movie that, even at its most outlandish, has its heart in the right place, even if its brains are not.

• Coming Soon Theaters • Online
• Advanced Search
• Collections Top 500
• Recommendations Movies • TV Shows
• Search by Name
• Popular Top 500
• My TV Shows
• My Calendar
• Coming Soon Premieres

Movie's ratings

• Cast & Crew

Sign up and you will see here friends impressions of the movie.

Friends comments and ratings, movies by fascination pictures.

Trending movies

The best website for movie search and thoughts sharing with friends

• Browser extension

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Trivia & Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

Movies / TV

No results found.

• What's the Tomatometer®?
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Netflix streaming
• Prime Video
• Most popular streaming movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• Civil War Link to Civil War
• Monkey Man Link to Monkey Man
• The First Omen Link to The First Omen

New TV Tonight

• Fallout: Season 1
• Chucky: Season 3
• Baby Reindeer: Season 1
• Mr Bates vs The Post Office: Season 1
• Franklin: Season 1
• Dora: Season 1
• Good Times: Season 1
• Beacon 23: Season 2

Most Popular TV on RT

• Ripley: Season 1
• 3 Body Problem: Season 1
• Parasyte: The Grey: Season 1
• Shōgun: Season 1
• Sugar: Season 1
• We Were the Lucky Ones: Season 1
• X-Men '97: Season 1
• A Gentleman in Moscow: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• Fallout Link to Fallout
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now

25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

Fallout : What It Gets Right, and What It Gets Wrong

CinemaCon 2024: Day 3 – Disney Previews Deadpool & Wolverine , Moana 2 , Alien: Romulus , and More

• Trending on RT
• Play Movie Trivia
• New on Streaming
• CinemaCon 2024

2005, Horror, 1h 35m

What to know

Critics Consensus

Featuring lots of guts and gore, Hostel is a wildly entertaining corpse-filled journey -- assuming one is entertained by corpses, guts, and gore, that is. Read critic reviews

You might also like

Where to watch hostel.

Rent Hostel on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, or buy it on Prime Video, Fandango at Home, Apple TV.

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified..

AMCTheatres.com or AMC App New

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

Theater box office or somewhere else

By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.

You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.

Hostel videos, hostel   photos.

Best friends Josh (Derek Richardson) and Paxton (Jay Hernandez) decide to spend the summer after college graduation on an all-out backpacking trip across Europe. While stopping in Amsterdam to indulge their tastes for drugs and sex, they meet Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson), a like-minded traveler from Iceland. When the three bachelors set off to investigate enticing rumors of a Slovakian hostel in a city populated by lusty women, they find themselves drawn unwittingly into a deadly game.

Rating: R (Drug Use|Brutal Torture and Violence|Language|Strong Sexual Content)

Genre: Horror

Original Language: English

Director: Eli Roth

Producer: Eli Roth , Mike Fleiss

Writer: Eli Roth

Release Date (Theaters): Jan 6, 2006  wide

Release Date (Streaming): Apr 16, 2012

Box Office (Gross USA): $47.3M

Runtime: 1h 35m

Distributor: Lionsgate Films

Production Co: Hostel LLC, Raw Nerve, International Production Company

Sound Mix: SDDS, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby SRD

Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Jay Hernandez

Derek Richardson

Eythor Gudjonsson

Barbara Nedeljakova

Jana Kaderabkova

The Dutch Businessman

Jennifer Lim

Lubomir Silhavecky

Screenwriter

Mike Fleiss

Nathan Barr

Original Music

Milan Chadima

Cinematographer

George Folsey Jr.

Film Editing

Franco-Giacomo Carbone

Production Design

Costume Design

Art Director

Karel Vanásek

Set Decoration

News & Interviews for Hostel

I Know Who Killed Me , Norbit , Daddy Day Camp Lead Razzie Noms

Eli Roth, Michael Dougherty On Board for Heroes: Origins

RT-UK’s What to Watch at the Edinburgh Film Festival

Critic Reviews for Hostel

Audience reviews for hostel.

The gore often borders on tasteless, however the film's plot and performances really resolute towards a genuinely enjoyable film. Not your run of the mill horror picture in the fact that it sort of satirical of the xenophobia rife amongst the younger generation. Whilst some could view it as stereotype, its more a poke of fun, and fun the film is. Not one to watch with your parents, the film isn't just flooded with blood but also sex and nudity, oh and strong language. The direction is solid and steady, but the film is very slow to start. Worth a watch if you're a true gore-hound.

Eli Roth knows it's horror. It's knowledge on the genre is undeniable but as craftsman he still leaves a lot to be desirable. That knowledge helped a lot on the inception of Hostel: the premise is original, having a bunch of pricks as protagonists was spot-on, treating Europe as a shady place is somewhat questionable but the beating on american culture and consumerism pays of later on. It's just a shame that the script and dialogues are so poor and drag on for too long. Come on, this is a typical old school video nasty flick, brought to modern audiences with all the best tool availables (Greg Nicotero anyone?), then why the hell have you backed of on the gore so much? Horror fans have flocked to see this one given the awesome promotion it had, sick and twisted posters and frightening premise but all that has kinda been thrown out of the window. The torture scenes work for some extent, because they are tense and leave some to your imagination. The ambiance is well handled and the desperation palpable but we can't really connect too well with these characters all that much. Fortunently, it drops some very dark and twisted humor after the nastiness is introduced that saves the movie to some extent. The material is there, but it's not handled well. Hostel could've easily been a subversive take on the genre, criticizing it by showing too much nastiness, even by horror fans standards but also, with a polished plot, make it's good ideas work much better and making it's message come across. Like so, it doesn't stand above the rest of the lot.

Hostel is a film often related to Saw. Other than both being torture porn films, there's not a whole lot they have in common. This film also often brought up as being one of the "worst" horror films of recent year, in being ammoral and gory. The gore is standard for this sort of film, I'd say... What is more disturbing is the concept of monetizing and creating a system around the torture of innocent people, and even then this idea could have been delivered a bit better I think. The plot is interesting and the film kept me watching. The first half and second half of the film are quite distinct from one another, but they're obviously part of the same story and film flows well.

After the initial shock wears off, you wonder what shocked you in the first place. Entertaining, predictable, gory, and sadistic.

Movie & TV guides

Play Daily Tomato Movie Trivia

Discover What to Watch

Rotten Tomatoes Podcasts

• Cast & crew

Elite soldiers trained for cult and supernatural situations find themselves in a battle to the death with an unknown evil force. Elite soldiers trained for cult and supernatural situations find themselves in a battle to the death with an unknown evil force. Elite soldiers trained for cult and supernatural situations find themselves in a battle to the death with an unknown evil force.

• James Bushe
• Scott Power
• John Abdel-Malak
• John Gilbert

• Vk Undermarshall …
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews

• United Kingdom
• VK (Vatican Knights)
• Fascination Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• £1,300 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 15 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

‘Madame Web’ Review: Any Way You Spin It, Dakota Johnson’s Marvel Entry Feels Superfluous

Sony digs deep into the Spider-Man archives to find a fringe character with ill-defined powers and nothing especially interesting to do.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

• ‘Challengers’ Review: Zendaya and Company Smash the Sports-Movie Mold in Luca Guadagnino’s Tennis Scorcher 2 days ago
• Digging Into the Cannes Lineup, Sight Unseen: Heavy on English Movies and Light on Women 2 days ago
• Cannes Film Festival Reveals Lineup: Coppola, Cronenberg, Lanthimos, Schrader and Donald Trump Portrait ‘The Apprentice’ in Competition 3 days ago

When I was a kid, my mom steered us toward toys that looked like G.I. Joe or Transformers action figures, but weren’t. Their faces were wack, the joints all wrong, such that the limbs didn’t move right, or else they popped out altogether. Sure, these off-brand imitations cost less than the real thing — that made a difference on my meager allowance — but no amount of imagination could turn my busted GoBots into Optimus Prime.

Popular on Variety

Even with an actor as clever as Dakota Johnson (who seems to suspect she could be caught in the next “Catwoman,” covering her bets with eccentric line readings), “Madame Web” was never going to touch the relatively high-concept, Disney-made “Avengers” movies. The script is confusing, the action stale and the visual effects cheap. A recurring device that places Cassie at the center of what looks like a giant plasma ball, surrounded by static tendrils, is downright embarrassing. But guess what? Tickets still cost just as much as they would for a more canonical Marvel movie. So why settle for the knockoff?

Betrayed by expedition sponsor Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), Constance dies in the jungle, but not before being bitten by one of the elusive spiders, who passes its powers on to her unborn daughter. Now, I know this is a comic book movie, but if you break down the plot, it sounds a lot more like Greek mythology: Cassie (short for Cassandra) grows up an orphan in New York, unlocking her future-forecasting abilities after a near-death experience at age 30. Unlike with her namesake, people tend to believe her.

Ezekiel also lives in Manhattan, obsessing over a recurring vision of his own (he stole a spider and got a slightly different set of hazily defined powers for his trouble). The monomaniacal bore has but one goal, and that’s to stop the three young women he sees killing him from carrying out that prophecy. Before Ezekiel can break their necks on a train, Cassie anticipates the attack and saves their lives. Ezekiel’s would-be victims are just teenagers — Julia Cornwall ( Sydney Sweeney ), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced) and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) — but they possess the potential to become Spider-Women, and he’s threatened by that.

Frankly, the world already seems a little overcrowded with arachnid-related superheroes, what with the seemingly infinite swarm of variations introduced by Sony’s recent “Spider-Verse” movies. Instead of clarifying all that confusion, Clarkson’s movie (co-written with three others) merely widens the web, teasing a future vigilante trio, plus whatever Cassie’s supposed to be by the end.

Future crossover potential aside, Clarkson’s approach feels like a throwback to the kind of unimaginative superhero movies Hollywood produced before Marvel got its act together over at Disney. But this was made at another studio altogether. Even when shooting on location, the movie feels like a backlot stunt show. While the ambulance-driving scenes are decent, taking advantage of a certain practical quality, VFX-heavy interactions with Ezekiel (whom the girls call “ceiling guy” because he crawls upside down) look laughably unconvincing. Even his costume is an embarrassment, though the mask does serves to cover Rahim’s mouth — it’s a shame to hide the gifted French actor, though his lips never seem to be in sync with what he’s saying, suggesting the performance didn’t go as planned.

By contrast, Johnson and Sweeney bring an endearing irreverence to their characters that could be read as camp, if needed. There are signs (loose ends, really) that “Madame Web” wanted to be more ambitious and eccentric than it turned out. One can imagine a version where the character was romantically interested in fellow paramedic — and future uncle — Ben (Adam Scott), which might have strengthened her connection to you-know-who.

Reviewed at AMC The Grove 14, Los Angeles, Feb. 12, 2024. MPA Rating: PG-13. Running time: 116 MIN.

• Production: A Sony release of a Columbia Pictures presentation, in association with Marvel, of a Di Bonaventura Pictures production, in association with TSG Entertainment. Producer: Lorenzo di Bonaventura. Executive producers: Adam Merims, SJ Clarkson, Claire Parker.
• Crew: Director: SJ Clarkson. Screenplay: Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker & SJ Clarkson; story: Karem Sanga, Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless, based on the Marvel Comics. Camera: Mauro Fiore. Editor: Leigh Folsom Boyd. Music: Johan Söderqvist.
• With: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O'Connor, Tahar Rahim, Mike Epps, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott.

More From Our Brands

‘snl’: ryan gosling, emily blunt channel taylor swift for farewell to ken, meet the bentley flying spur speed, robb report’s 2024 car of the year runner up, coyotes’ name, logo to remain in phoenix while team relocates, be tough on dirt but gentle on your body with the best soaps for sensitive skin, snl video: kate mckinnon returns to manhandle ryan gosling during another steamy alien abduction, verify it's you, please log in.

VK Movie Reviews

Your source of twice weekly movie reviews (and other awesome stuff)

Thursday 17 April 2014

Review no. 1 - phonebooth.

Thursday 28 March 2013