Relay/Afterburn Something To Watch Tonight

Relay

A fixer who specializes in brokering lucrative deals between corrupt corporations and individuals threatening to expose them breaks his own rules for the sake of a new client.

🟢🟢🟢🟢

• Very strong opening.
• Solid direction with several standout moments, directed by David Mackenzie.
• Riz Ahmed is quite good in his role, conveying a strong inner tension.
• There is a plot twist I did not expect. I thought it was heading somewhere else.
• It has moments of real tension, which is exactly what you want from this kind of thriller.
• It gives off 1970s thriller vibes while also feeling fresh. I liked that.
• What it tries to show is interesting: a man trying to remain invisible in a world of hyper-transparency.
• New York is used like a kaleidoscope of loneliness.

🔴🔴🔴🔴

• The pacing is a bit slow, which may put some people off.
• The last twenty minutes disappointed me a bit. It feels like the film loses its identity.
• A simplistic explanation is given that undermines what has been built up, no spoilers.
• The ending feels somewhat rushed.
• Lily James does not work for me when her character takes on a more romantic tone.
• It slightly loses its balance as a film when it shifts toward more mainstream action.

After Burn

Ten years after a solar flare wiped out technology across the world, former soldier Jake wanders through a dangerous new world and works as a treasure hunter. He takes on a job to find the once-famous Mona Lisa for a powerful client.

🟢🟢🟢🟢

• One or two nicely choreographed fight scenes.
• A good scene with Kurylenko.
• Post-apocalyptic settings always fascinate me.
• An interesting initial idea, I will give it that.
• Plenty of intense action if you are a fan of this type of movie.

🔴🔴🔴🔴

• Some performances are indefensible.
• Bargain-bin script with no real beginning, middle, or end.
• Not engaging enough to keep you invested.
• Predictable finale.
• Packed with genre clichés that become tiring after a while.
• Samuel L. Jackson is purely decorative.
• These movies suit Dave Bautista, but he does not convince me of anything more 🤷‍♂️.
• The digital effects, probably due to budget, do not convince and feel rushed.
• Poor cinematography.