“Life finds a way.” Much like the film industry finds a way to keep repackaging the same thing over and over again.

Jurassic World: Rebirth is the seventh film in the franchise. A franchise that started 32 years ago, with a piece of cinema that created a lasting legacy.

When the franchise refreshed itself with the Jurassic World trilogy, it started out okay, but went downhill quickly. The hybrid dinosaurs were fascinating, though.

Jurassic World: Rebirth is set five years after Jurassic World: Dominion. And while the world has become accustomed to the presence of dinosaurs, most of the world has become inhospitable to the de-extinct animals. Only those residing in areas around the equator can survive, and these areas are marked as off-limits to human travel. But it wouldn’t be a Jurassic movie without someone breaking the rules.

Enter Martin Krebs (Rupert Friend). The evidently bad, big pharma guy, wants to retrieve dinosaur DNA so he can create the cure for heart disease – which he will then sell to the highest bidder. To do this, he hires ex-military covert operative Zora (Scarlett Johansson) and dinosaur expert Dr. Jonathan Lumis (Jonathan Bailey). Zora then pulls together some friends to help – including Duncan Kinkaid (Mahershala Ali‌).

So off they set on their mission to Île Saint-Hubert, formerly an InGen research facility, to hunt down the three dinosaurs whose DNA they need: a Mosasaurus, a Titanosaurus, and a Quetzalcoatlus. And if normal dinosaurs weren’t bad enough, this particular island was also home to many mutated dinosaurs.

But what makes things even more tense? A child in peril. So of course, the film introduces the Delgado family, who just so happened to be stranded in the ocean not far off the island. After a chaotic rescue mission and a run-in with a Mosasaurus, they now have their sample, but are down a few members, and their boat.

The family and the crew get separated and remain so for the majority of the film. We bounce between the two plots, each dealing with their own problems, and dinosaurs. The youngest Delgado even befriends a very cute, very marketable baby Aquilops.

The film has some great action moments, and the dinosaurs continue to look great on the big screen. But all of it’s so predictable. The big thrills aren’t as engaging when you already know who’s making it off the island and who isn’t. The plot armour is palpable. But I still enjoyed watching a curious T-rex chase people down a river, even if it didn’t get to eat anyone.

The film has a solid cast. Johansson, Bailey and Ali bring heart to their one dimensional characters – and they all look so good doing it (Jonathan Bailey in his little glasses is an icon). But the acting could only carry the film so much.

The crew and the Delgado family reunite for the final showdown against a pack of hybrid/mutant raptors and the apex mutation – the Distortus Rex. Compared to the previous Jurassic World movies, the ‘final boss’ dinosaur felt undercooked. The survivors had already faced many terrifying creatures, so there wasn’t enough time to let D-Rex shine. While it’s supposed to be horrifying, I simply felt bad for the goofy looking dinosaur with the goofy name.

Overall, it wasn’t bad – it just wasn’t the rebirth I was hoping for. I understand why so many people wanted an R-rated Jurassic film – simply because it would’ve given us something new. But instead, what we got was a family friendly popcorn flick that sits somewhere between a tribute and a regurgitation.

But despite its pitfalls, I commend it for being the first Jurassic World movie that even tried to capture some of the Spielberg magic. *Insert Jurassic Park theme song here*

The post Jurassic World: Rebirth (Universal Pictures – 2025) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

PC gamers rejoice! Last year The Last of Us Part II Remastered dropped on PS5 giving fans more content and a new game mode. And now, Part II of this cult classic is finally available on PC. 

I was sceptical, considering the numerous issues players faced with The Last of Us Part I PC port in 2023. It launched with a myriad of issues, riddled with bugs and performance issues that took some time to fix. 

But this time, developers Naughty Dog brought on Nixxes Software to join Iron Galaxy for the PC port. I had all my fingers and toes crossed that this meant I was in for some smooth sailing – performance wise, at least. 

The Last of Us (Part I) leads players on a perilous journey across a post-apocalyptic United States as Joel and Ellie. The hardened survivor and the young girl – who may hold the cure – form a bond as they navigate their terrifying world. 

Part II shows life four years later, taking a darker, and somewhat controversial direction. It delves into the cycle of revenge and the moral complexities of a world where everyone is struggling to survive. 

As a PC gamer myself, I was thrilled simply being able to experience The Last of Us Part II. And I was even more delighted when the port ran rather well. It worked solidly across performance and fidelity options and the game only crashed once in my entire run through. It wasn’t perfect, but it was good enough for me. 

If you’re comparing the remaster for PS5 to PC you might find slight differences in the minor details. But overall, the PC remaster holds its own. The Last of Us Part II features a wide range of environments, from claustrophobic interiors to expansive landscapes. The enhancements made to these landscapes may seem small, but did have a positive impact – especially with draw distance. 

The PC coloration is bright with solid rendering, resulting in sharper, more detailed characters. This helped further enhance the (spectacular) performance by Ashley Johnson as Ellie. 

The remaster includes three lost levels, each introduced by Game Director, Neil Druckman, and other fun extras to explore. You can also delve into some guitar free play to strum some tunes. 

But the most exciting addition is No Return – a roguelike play that lets you fight your way through a series of randomised combat encounters. Being narrative-heavy, replayability of the actual game is quite low, unless you wish to relive the trauma. But this new gameplay option gives those who have finished their campaign a chance to itch that clicker-killing scratch. Unlike it’s name, it’s the reason I will be returning to the game.

Despite the controversy this game (and now the HBO show) has faced, The Last of Us Part II is a gripping tale of revenge with edge-of-your-seat scenes and terrifying combat. While the PS5 remaster felt more like a patch update with bonus content, it paved the path for the PC release. And it was a pretty solid PC release at that. 

The post The Last of Us Part II Remastered (PC) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

First dates can be the worst. And Drop takes this statement to the extreme.

This pulpy popcorn thriller uses modern technology to create a suspenseful hostage situation. Violet (Meghann Fahy) is a widowed single mother who is hesitantly returning to the dating scene. She is reluctant to leave her son in the care of her snarky sister.

But after some urging, she sets out on her first date with a photographer she met online, Henry (Brandon Sklenar). Shortly after arriving at an uber fancy, skyscraper restaurant, Violet starts to receive ‘digi-drops’ (this film’s airdrop equivalent).

What starts as a potential dumb prank, quickly unravels into a nightmare, when it’s revealed a masked man is inside Violet’s home, ready to kill her sister and son. Violet must follow the instructions sent to her, and she can not tell anyone, especially not her date Henry.

In all honesty, I thought this film was going to be terrible. Some tech horror that demonises online dating or feels totally out of touch with the digital world. But man, did this movie surprise me. Jillian Jacobs & Chris Roach’s script is spectacular, giving our stars Fahy and Skelnar something to really bite into. Their conversations are riddled with genuine moments and up-to-date references.

It makes you root for them, and their blooming relationship – which makes everything that’s about to happen so much more intense.

Violet does her best, given the situation, and Henry? Well Henry is the most patient man ever. Honestly anyone else would’ve left the date halfway through this movie. But the instructions Violet must follow get more and more dire as the night progresses. And she must sift her way through red herrings to uncover who the person behind the digi-drops could be. It’s all a bit Hitchcockian.

What I didn’t expect from this film was to genuinely, whole-heartedly laugh. The use of current memes (Brittany Broski you will always be famous), and the hilarious waiter were delightfully comical. It was perfectly balanced with the horror, making it utterly enjoyable even in its most tense moments.

I feel a lot of recent films, especially of the thriller genre, have struggled with their own identity. But Drop is surprisingly sincere in its purpose and execution – even if it is a bit silly. The concept of this film as a whole is absolutely nuts. But it’s crazy what a good script, crisp editing and great actors can do.

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I don’t know what it is with action films, but they love the dead wife trope. It’s a catalyst, an overused plot device, all to spur on the otherwise average male protagonist.

And this is what happens in The Amateur. Charles Heller (Rami Malek) is a CIA decoder, whose wife is killed in a London terrorist attack. But when he takes this to his superiors, they refuse to help. Charles must take matters into his own hands, and yep, you guessed it, go on a crazy revenge mission to hunt down his wife’s killers.

Charles is a rather meek character, who Malek brings a certain twitchy, wide-eyed behaviour to.

He’s not your usual action hero type, and it was quite refreshing to watch. After training with Col. Robert Henderson (Laurence Fishburne) he finds he’s not cut out for close combat. But Charles is smart. He quickly realises that he doesn’t have to fight his enemies, and the corrupt CIA members on his tail, he just has to outsmart them.

Despite a glossy exterior, the film struggles with its narrative. Time moves fluidly, which makes transitions between scenes and locations easy to follow, but gives you whiplash when someone mentions the passage of time. Charles moves from interaction to interaction with no space for filler.

At the end of the film I couldn’t tell you if it took place over a few weeks or a few years.

This pacing meant that we didn’t see much of the going on’s behind each ‘kill’. By the time Charles has his target in his grasp, it’s already too late for them. While it does suck you into the narrow focus, and growing insanity of his character, it took away from the mystery. Things pan out for him as expected every time. Outside of Charles, there isn’t enough time for the host of other characters. He can tell everyone again and again how much his wife mattered, but all we see of her is brief hallucinations.

Laurence Fishburn being featured on the poster, meant I expected a lot more of him. While his character was hot on Charles’ heels, we didn’t get to dig deeper into his character any deeper. There simply wasn’t time for any deep internal reflection from anyone.

But the award for most underutilised actor in a movie goes to Jon Bernthal. I had no clue he was going to be in this film, and I was elated when he first appeared on screen. But after his first act appearance, I was waiting for him to show up again. And I kept waiting. And waiting. Until the third act, where we get a measly three minute monologue. I don’t fault Bernthal. He did his best with what he had. But the script, or post-production (or both), did him dirty.

There are a handful of moments that make this film worthy of a watch. But the trailer does this film a disservice by showing off one of the best scenes (maybe don’t watch the trailer). The ending is rather underwhelming. It doesn’t go out with a bang, rather a fizzle. It might be enough for Charles, but it may leave cinema goers feeling a unsatisfied.

This isn’t an action-packed blockbuster. The Amateur is nuanced and tentative, much like its protagonist. I still rather enjoyed ‘nerdy Jason Bourne’, but I won’t be itching for a rewatch anytime soon.

The post The Amateur (20th Century Studios – 2025) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

‘Rich-people-suck’ cinema returns with A24’s Death of a Unicorn.

Since it’s premiere at the SXSW Film Festival, this absurdist horror/comedy has received mixed reviews.

But I had an absolute blast with this creature feature.

Death of a Unicorn features Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as exactly who you expect them to be – the hard-working father and Gen-Z daughter duo. From the start, we see there’s a distance between them, due largely to the death of Ridley’s (Ortega) mother. But Elliot (Rudd) is on the cusp of signing a deal with his millionaire boss, Odell Leopold (Richard E. Grant). To seal the deal, Elliot and Ridley must present a united front on a weekend retreat at his boss’s estate.

All preparation is thrown out the window, when on their way they hit a baby unicorn.

In the essence of time, Elliot bludgeons the foal and stuffs it in the boot. However, it’s not that simple to keep a magical creature – and it’s powers – hidden. Upon uncovering the unicorn’s healing properties, the Leopold’s realise they can exploit this to their advantage. And when the foal’s parents come to rescue their baby, Eliott, Ridley and the Leopold’s find themselves in a battle for survival.

The film’s typecasting works in its favour. Instead of spending time introducing the Leopold’s, we know exactly who they are at a glance. From trophy-wife Belinda (Téa Leoni) to son Shephard (Will Poulter) – who fits the overly spoilt, finance bro persona.

And this works as a great juxtaposition to the liberal art student with a moral compass that is Ridley. While Jenna Ortega does fall into her usual cool girl role, she truly does deliver every time. There are some fleeting moments of genuine emotional depth, and she nails each one.

The comedy in this movie was spot-on for me, but I can see how it could fall flat for others. Ridley’s sneaky vaping, Shephard’s ever-changing hobbies and other titbits made each character more enjoyable. But my absolute favourite person in the film was Griff the butler (Anthony Carrigan). He truly understood the phrase ‘there are no small parts,’ creating a whole character from one liners and facial expressions.

To be completely honest, I had no clue this was a horror going in. So I was completely gobsmacked to see a unicorn pulling someone’s entrails from their body. The unicorns weren’t the most terrifying of creatures – the CGI and design were a bit funky – but it added to the absurd vibes of the film. Plus, there were some great Jurassic-Park-eque scenes to really get the blood pumping.

Sometimes you really need to just turn your brain off while watching a movie, and this film was great for that. It doesn’t try to be subtle or smart – it’s pure dumb fun. So if you want to see rich people getting absolutely clobbered by unicorns, this is your film.

The post Death of a Unicorn (A24 – 2025) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Have you ever wanted to see two nepo babies brawl to the death?

Well, now’s your chance. After a string of horrors, filmmaking duo Dan Berk and Robert Olsen take on an action comedy with Novocaine. And they still bring the gore.

Novocaine follows Nathan Caine, banker by day, loner gamer by night. But he has a secret. Nathan has a genetic abnormality that prevents him from feeling pain. When his co-worker – and crush – is kidnapped during a bank robbery, he decides to be a hero and embarks on an insane rescue mission.

The first act plays out like a rom-com, with a Chappel Roan needle-drop and all. A coffee spill accident in the staff room leads to lunch, which then leads to a proper date. And while there was solid chemistry, their interactions made me visibly cringe.

You see, the love interest, Sherry (Amber Midthunder), is a cool, edgy girl with a troubled past. A Gen Z Manic Pixie Dream Girl. Despite some slight character development, and the film explicitly saying she isn’t a damsel in distress, that’s still what she boils down to. A piece of the plot simply there to push Nathan to shed his shy guy skin and become the hero.

So with his new-found confidence, Nathan charges head-first into chaos when she gets taken by bank robbers. He must tackle a series of misfortunes, and the increasing-in-level bad guys that come his way, and get back his girl.

Take away the genetic condition and Nathan is a character we have seen many times before. The awkward loner turns wannabe hero is something that Jack Quaid is already familiar with thanks to his role in The Boys. He brings a loveable charm to Nathan and his screen presence holds this film together.

But where this movie gets my high praise is the fight scenes. Berk and Olsen go completely over the top, creating some spectacularly hilarious and gory moments. If you’re squeamish, this really isn’t the movie for you. Trust me, you’ll never want to look at a deep fryer ever again. But it’s these scenes that make the movie so much fun. With video-game-esque henchmen, a Home Alone style booby-trapped house and an epic final boss battle.

The final boss is played by none other than Ray Nicholson – following in his father’s footsteps with a psychotic smile. Our two nepo babies deliver a bloody performance, with some extreme graphic abuse that has you covering your eyes.

Novocaine is straight up silly. Whether that’s a good or bad thing, you decide. I like that it didn’t take itself seriously, but one can only suspend their disbelief so far. Overall, it’s a comically gory joyride running on the fumes of an incredibly thin plot.

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When Bong Joon Ho returns off the back of his 3 Oscar win with a satirical Sci-Fi featuring not one but multiple Robert Pattinsons – you bet you’re bottom dollar that I am sat.

Bong Joon Ho is a master at tonal shifts and sociopolitical commentary. I was first introduced to him through studying The Host at university. But I truly fell in love with his work through watching Okja.

Like Bong Joon Ho’s other English-speaking films, I had a feeling this movie was going to be incredibly zany and unexpected.

And that it was.

Mickey 17 follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), a down-on-his-luck nobody, struggling on an overpopulated earth. With loan sharks on his heels, he signs up to be an ‘expendable’ on a spaceship heading to a new planet.

An expandable is what it says on the tin. A person who can be killed over and over, thanks to the problematic science of cloning. When Mickey 17 is believed to be dead, Mickey 18 is printed and now you’ve got two Mickeys – an offence punishable by death.

We get a solid exposition dump on the world’s political climate and scientific advancements before the title card finally flashes 20 minutes into the film. But by that point you’re already so enamoured by the charming absurdness of the film that you feel ready for anything to be thrown at you.

But what gets thrown at you for the next two hours is a jumble of ideas that don’t quite land.

This quirky Sci-Fi leans heavily on its characters to deliver its message.

Mark Ruffalo does his best Donald Trump impression as Kenneth Marshall, the expedition leader and egomaniacal politician. Instead of Bong Joon Ho’s go-to Tilda Swinton, we get a delightful performance from Toni Colette as Ylfa, Marshall’s wife. The couple are over-the-top cartoony villians, and literal colonisers.

As the antagonists of the film, they are set on building a ‘pure’ new world and must eradicate the existing creatures on the planet. But these big fluffy armadillo creatures aren’t cruel or stupid. In fact, they’re the sole reason Mickey 17 even survived.

Now, let’s talk about Mickey. Robert Pattinson is one of the actors I will defend with my dying breath – and I won’t accept any Twilight slander. Mickey feels fitting for an actor who has spent the past decade proving his range across blockbusters and indie films alike.

Each iteration of Mickey is slightly different, allowing Pattinson to give multiple outstanding performances. He pulls off playing Mickey 17 and 18 with ease. It genuinely had me wondering if someone could win an Oscar for Best Lead and Best Supporting Actor in the same film.

Having two Mickey’s at once might be a serious problem – but it’s great for Mickey’s girlfriend Nasha (Naomi Ackie). But there’s a slight love triangle introduced here that did nothing but muddle the plot.

And this wasn’t the only thing that felt a bit under-developed.

I’m a big Steven Yeun fan, and I was expecting to see something great from him in this film, considering he was third in billing. But sadly, he doesn’t get enough screentime. He’s a jerk in this film, and the reason Mickey is in so much trouble, yet this movie isn’t big enough for another villain. He has his own minor side plot but then gets left behind while the film wraps up without him.

This film gets a bit lost in its own absurdity. Its core message might be loud and clear, but the story itself has too many loose ends and unexplored points.

It’s a love or hate kinda movie. A potential future cult classic. Someone on Letterboxd perfectly dubbed it a ‘Lemony Snicket Sci-Fi’.

This movie has too much going on to fit into its 2 hour and 17 minute runtime. But even with its pitfalls, I still commend Bong Joon Ho for creating cinema that feels totally unique.

It’s a delightfully funny, chaotically messy sci-fi with a wilhelm scream cherry on top. What more could you want?

The post Mickey 17 (Warner Bros. – 2025) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Companion is a fresh new addition to the horror / SciFi genre, garnished with deliciously dark comedy.

If you have managed to not see a single thing about this film yet, I implore you to close this review and go into the movie cold. (This is your spoiler warning).

But if you have seen the trailer or read the synopsis, then you’ll already know what’s coming. But trust me, this knowledge doesn’t take away from the fun to be had.

The film opens on an awkward meet-cute between Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid). It’s a fumbling love at first site.

Next thing we know, the two lovebirds are on their way to a getaway with Josh’s friends. Iris is uncertain, aware that his friends treat her differently.

But what starts as a normal getaway quickly unravels when Iris ends up with blood on her hands.

And then suddenly the love of her life has her tied to a chair and the bomb is dropped. She’s a robot, more specifically, a companion robot bought and controlled by Josh. Their meet-cute was simply programming, as are her feelings for him. And Iris herself in the middle of a scheme she was unaware of.

His once-endearing nickname for her – ‘Beep Boop’ – now both extremely comedic and a slap to the face.

This film is a blast, as we watch Iris fight for survival and unravel her own identity.

The characters in this film add moments of joy and tension. Alongside the unravelling of Iris and Josh’s relationship, we see the inner workings of the relationship between Eli (Harvey Guillen) and Patricks (Lukas Gage). They’re more than just background characters, and their moments of tenderness make you question the ethics of human / robot relationships.

Sadly, the only other female character, Kat (Megan Suri), isn’t fully formed. She despises Iris and doesn’t really seem to like her friends all that much either. While not necessarily plot important, it was a bit of a let-down to have one member of the small cast not have as much material to work with.

But this movie is where Sophie Thatcher shines.  The new scream-queen has found her horror calling and she’s truly a spectacle in this film. The not-quite-human walk and the microexpressions add nuance to Iris. Every movement builds the character and makes you feel completely enamoured by her.

Jack Quaid and Lukas Gage are the other stars of this film. Both with a handful of horrors under their belt, they delivered performances equal parts terrifying and hilarious.

The humour in this film is a perfect balance to the darkness. From Iris changing her language settings, to finding out her namesake – there were plenty of chuckles in the theatre. It’s camp, it’s fun. It’s Ex Machina for the less serious.

There are probably more faults with this movie. It’s not a new plot in the slightest. But the pink hue and new-age comedy shine through. I went in with high expectations and walked out perfectly satiated.

So while this film should probably be 4 stars, I’m rating with my heart.

My Sophie-Thatcher-kicking-ass loving heart.

The post Companion (Warner Bros. – 2025) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

I went into Babygirl simply knowing that it was an A24 film classified as an erotic thriller. No trailers or online clips were watched beforehand to clue me in to what I was about to watch.

But I know I love a thriller. And A24.

Babygirl, written and directed by Halina Reijn, did its circuit around the film festivals before its theatrical release. Nicole Kidman even picked up some awards along the way.

The film follows Romy (Nicole Kidman), who is the CEO of a major tech company, wife and mother. She puts both her family and career on the line when she falls into the arms of a much younger intern.

And usually, films go beyond their synopsis. Babygirl does not.

The film starts with Romy having unfulfilling sex with her husband (Antonio Banderas). She slinks out of bed and only climaxes after watching dom/sub porn.

So she has her kinks, who doesn’t.

At work, she keeps bumping into the attractive young intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson). After he kisses her at work, the two spiral into a hesitant and chaotic relationship.

The film definitely ticks the ‘erotic’ box. We are in the front-row seat as Romy and Samuel’s sexual relationship develops. Samuel sees and understands Romy’s desires, easily sliding into the dominant role. Romy is more hesitant, struggling to shed the CEO skin despite her carnal need to submit to him.

Their scenes together are intimate, yet awkward as they fumble around the power imbalance. Kidman and Dickinson’s performances are commendable, creating an unfiltered, raw presenation of the sexual experience. They break into laughter at the absurdity of their actions and share moments of embarrassment and playfulness. They truly carry the film and the whole time I was thinking they must’ve had a damn good intimacy coach.

My problem with the film was that not much else happens. We’re aware that Samuel holds the power. With one phone call he could end her entire career and destroy her family. But there isn’t a single moment where we feel he might actually do so. He doesn’t have a backstory, or much motivation towards ruining her. He’s simply a tool of her desire.

I hoped that meant we would delve deeper into Romy’s psyche. Understand how her own desire could be her downfall. How her past, only alluded to with a few throwaway comments, could play into why she feels the way she does. But we only get the faintest of glimpses at her internal workings. The few abstract scenes of her beauty rituals and therapy seemed as if they would lead somewhere, but ultimately go nowhere.

Now, not everything needs to be handed to an audience on a silver platter. You could unpack the film as an exploration of female desire and shame. You could reflect on the gender dynamics in both sex and the workplace. But it didn’t feel like the film wanted to do any of that.

Even as things finally get out of control and we reach the films climax nothing serious actually happens. It’s superficial, almost comical.

The film was surprisingly tame, too self-conscious to really go anywhere, and definitely didn’t reach ‘thriller’ territory for me. I kept hoping for some absurd plot twist to revive the story, but sadly all we got were more sex scenes. Kidman’s stellar performance brought some life to the lacklustre script but couldn’t make up for the lack of plot.

But hey, if you’ve ever wondered what it would look like if A24 made Fifty Shades of Grey, this might be the movie for you.

The post Babygirl (A24 – 2024) Review appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Wicked has been the talk of the town since it was announced back in 2016.

From casting decisions, to off-screen romance, to touching press tours.

And now in 2024, we finally get to see Wicked on the big screen. Well, at least part one.

The film is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical. The musical was based on the 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire – which was inspired by The Wizard of Oz movie, which was based on another book (it’s confusing I know).

And with so much source material and already adoring fans, Wicked had some big ruby slippers to fill.

As a prequel to the events of The Wizard of Oz, the story sets out to explore how the Wicked Witch of the West came to be, well… wicked.

In this first installment, we get to watch an unlikely friendship bloom between the pink-clad, popular Galinda (Ariana Grande) and the green-skinned outcast Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo).

They meet at Shiz University, where Galinda has come in hopes of becoming a sorceress, and Elphaba has come to look after her younger sister.

After becoming roommates, it takes time for them to break through their initial disdain for each other. And what comes out of it is a beautiful friendship.

Many people have been torn over the decision to make this adaptation into a two-part musical – considering this first installment has the same run-time as the entire Broadway show.

But as soon as the film began, I understood why this choice was made.

Director Jon M. Chu used this extra time to inject the world with impressive detail. The costume and set design helped create a spectacular visual world.

I truly felt like I was exploring Oz for the first time, and it was nice to be able to stop and smell the tulips.

This extra time also allows us to explore the central characters more in-depth. We get to understand the rich history of this world, from the different towns and people, to the plight of animals in Oz.

The movie didn’t feel rushed, nor drag too long. Each musical number was allowed to breathe, letting the actors fully give their all to each performance.

They made each song their own, with adlibs and unique character quirks that set them apart from past versions of their characters.

The performances of the main cast were spectacular. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo’s bond has been palpable in their press tours. The true connection between these two actors is reflected beautifully on screen. The emotions were so genuine and it made me cry way too much.

Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum are big names in pretty expected roles. Madame Morrible and The Wizard of Oz are big characters, yet they were both so… average?

It’s intentional that the reveal of the Wizard is underwhelming, but seeing Goldblum just play his same old self just didn’t cut it this time.

However, it just solidified the fact that our two main stars are the very heart of this film.

But Jonathan Bailey does get an honourable mention for playing the role of pretty-boy love interest Fiyero perfectly.

Making a true-to-the-source adaptation can go either way, especially when it’s a musical. But Jon M. Chu along with our leading ladies managed to inject so much magic into this film.

I loved it way more than I thought I would and am joining the masses in eagerly awaiting part two.

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