Samaritan

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Comic book hero renditions to film have been big business over the past decade and probably longer as we all know Blade and Spiderman were most likely the largest blockbusters. But there has also been significant growth in smaller lower budget superhero films.

Most recently aired on Prime Video was Sylvester Stallone's adaption of Samaritan and to be completely honest I have no idea about this comic as I had not heard of it before.

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In a short summary without spoilers it is about two twin brothers who are born with super human abilities that are completely matched. One night the town decided to murder them because they are freaks and burns their houses down killing their parents but the kids survive.

One Twin becomes hellbent on revenge and the other is always there to stop him until one creates a hammer and sets a trap and they die in a blazing inferno.

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The back story is pretty crap although it is something a little different to the current superhero back stories so does provide a glitch in the matrix. we fast forward into the future and as it turns out one of them is still alive but was in hiding.

There's a pretty decent plot twist in the film but not one that wasn't picked up early on in the film and you could have guessed it.

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Stallone's performance in this film is pretty decent and the guys been pulling some really good return to cinema films despite not being in his prime anymore.

He is quite the unique actor and being vacant from the spotlight for a few decades now he has managed to remain relevant to an entirely new generation of film viewers. Expendables was a really great rebirth for the star who brought back that classic 80s and 90s high octane action packed genre.

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The way he slots into this film also showcases his skills as an actor as he portrays and older superhero now retired but still with the strength and mass that he once held.

It almost feels as if the story line fits his personal experience in film a once mighty force to be rekoned with going head to head with Arnie and one of them crashing out while the other disappeared. (Arnie went into politics and Stallone went missing from the spotlight for a bit).

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And now he is back trying to find his way amongst a younger more diversified field of actors with bigger budgets and bigger incomes but showcases that he is still the OG and far superior even when people are using what he created (the hammer).

The film isn't a high budget one on par with Marvel and utilizes a lot of older camera tricks which is something Stallone would be comfortable and familiar with. But it seamlessly fits into the film and having Stallone in the movie blends in with the time where CGI was not existent and the weight of a film was solely carried on the shoulders of the actors. A skill modern actors do not have and rely on the enormous set work while Stallone makes this film.

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I really enjoyed this film and I am not sure if it was because I wasn't expecting much from it as it was straight to streaming service or because it was well carried by Stallone.

Either way, if you haven't already checked it out Samaritan is well worth the watch despite its smaller than Marvel or DC budget it still manages to hit the spot. It proves why Stallone is the OG action superhero actor.

Have you seen it? what are your thoughts? let me know in the comments section below.