The Sunday Mail
Tinashe Kusema
FILM REVIEW
MARCH madness is upon us, and it promises to be one of the most riveting when it comes to cinema. From animation, action and comedy, the month of March has it all. Below is some of what is in store for movie buffs:
Dune: Part Two
Release date: March 1
THIS is a highly anticipated sequel to “Dune” (2021). It is the second movie of a two-part adaptation of the 1965 novel “Dune” by Frank Herbert. It follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet) as he unites with the Fremen people of the desert planet Arrakis to wage war against House Harkonnen. The film contains the who is who of modern cinema — the likes of Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgå and Dave Bautista. Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux and Souheila Yacoub are also part of it. Early chatter on the web is that the film’s visual effects are awe-inspiring and quite the spectacle. The movie is currently showing at all Ster-Kinekor cinemas around the country.
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Kung Fu Panda 4
Release date: March 8
Jack Black returns as Po. This time, he is tasked with finding a suitable replacement as the Dragon Warrior. An old foe, Tai Lung (Ian McShane), returns, forcing Po to fight battles on three fronts as he searches for his replacement and comes face to face with a new powerful sorceress, The Chameleon (Viola Davis). Lucy Liu (Viper), Seth Rogen (Mantis), Jackie Chan (Monkey), David Cross (Crane) and Angelina Jolie (Tigress), members of the Furious Five, were conspicuous by their absence in the trailer and did not return for this particular instalment. I am curious to see the impact of the addition of voice actors like Viola Davis and Awkwafina (Zhen).
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Ricky Stanicky
Release date: March 7
One of the biggest debate topics currently dominating social media is: Who is the best wrestler to transition into film acting? Opinion is divided between John Cena and Dave Bautista but the public is united in the belief that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the worst of the three. I happen to belong to the Cena camp and “Ricky Stanicky” is one of those movies that show Cena in the best possible light. The film follows three childhood friends Dean (Zac Efron), Wes (Jermaine Fowler) and JT (Andrew Santino), who create a fake friend named Stanicky, and use him to get out of trouble. They carry this lie into adulthood and their respective relationships. One mishap forces them to hire a down-on-his-luck actor “Rock Hard” Rod (Cena) to pose as the said fake friend for a weekend and help preserve their lie. What ensues is a laugh fest as Cena’s Rod does such an excellent job that he forces his way into their lives and work. Cena is by far the best thing about this movie as he steals the show in every single scene.
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Road House
Release date: March 21
It is a miracle that there is no hype surrounding the release of “Road House”. The movie is a remake of the classic “Road House” (1989). Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the most consistent and bankable stars in the game. It also happens to contain the acting debut of former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion Connor McGregor, who, from what I saw in the trailer, will be portraying an embellished version of himself. The film is about a former UFC middleweight fighter who ends up working at a road house in the Florida Keys after his career prospects disappear. He is then forced to act as an enforcer after corrupt individuals threaten the road house he works at. A road house is a small mixed-use premises typically built on or near a major road in a sparsely populated area or an isolated desert region that services passing travellers, providing food, drinks and accommodation to the guests. It also provides fuel and parking space to their vehicles. The film contains a simple plot, spectacular fight scenes and, of course, Jake Gyllenhaal. However, the success or failure of the film will mostly depend on how McGregor fares.
