Check out our favourite films of 2021 below:

10. The Suicide Squad

James Gunn made his return to the big screen with the wild and crazy supervillain rollercoaster of a movie with The Suicide Squad. And this was pure comic book pulp at its best. R-rated and totally over-the-top, Gunn was like a kid in a candy store as he took his favourite most despicable, and sometimes useless DC supervillains, and threw them into a do or die mission to save the world. The Suicide Squad was loud and in-your-face cinematic fun and audiences were sure to get a kick out of it.

9. Jungle Cruise

Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt took a trip into the Amazon jungle and this was one wild ride down the river! With terrific swashbuckling flair and moments of spot-on humour, Jungle Cruise was an enjoyable watch through and through. Johnson and Blunt had perfect chemistry together and you couldn’t help but fall in love with these two fantastic characters. Frank and Lilly were a terrific match on-screen and they certainly got involved in one hell of rush that was blockbuster fun at its best.

8. West Side Story

When you want that special feeling of the movies you only need to turn to movie legend Steven Spielberg and he delivered a stunning cinematic event to the big screen with West Side Story. Big, bold, colourful and bright, West Side Story was an incredible piece of cinema that was brought to life with the power of the famed stage show and translated onto the canvas of the movie screen like never before. This was a story to escape into and it truly got you in your groove thanks to a wonderful combination of performance, choreography and music, and made the movie theatre a very magical place once more.

7. Land

Filmmaker and performer Robin Wright took audiences out into the grand wilds of a still uncharted America in Land, and this film presented an intimate and meditative picture of life, love and loss. And it was sure to touch your soul. Using images and performance over dialogue and words, Wright showcased the feral beauty of a still untamed landscape and the consequences that happen when one encroaches on it. As her character Edee Holzer learn to live with the landscape she soon became one with it and a beautiful story of rebirth and renewal unfolded before the audience. Land was an absolute beauty of a picture and for those who witnessed it, it was certain to stay with them.

6. I Care A Lot

Rosamund Pike brought a cold, calculating and truely psychopathic quality to shady legal guardian Marla Grayson in the sharply original dramatic thriller I Care A Lot….and this one certainly cut deep. Frame by frame, minute by minute you had no idea where this crazy thriller was going to turn to next and as it moved quicker and quicker the tension only ramped up and the shocking final moment hit with the force of a 367 Magnum! This was cinematic originality as I’ve never seen before and I was hooked from the very first moment.

5. Spider-Man: No Way Home

The Multiverse has arrived and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man jumped headfirst into the web-spinning fun of it all with Spider-Man: No Way Home. And there were plenty of ‘Oh My God’ moments in this superhero extravaganza! Packing together action and narrative all in one, long time Marvel fans were treated to some very cool treats thanks to director Jon Watts unique narrative and this was a cinematic experience that truly fed the fanboy or fangirl in all of us. Audiences of all ages were sure to love what was delivered in Spider-Man: No Way Home and the result was pure fun at the movies.

4. Cruella

Fashionistas beware because Emma Stone was about to smash the catwalk with the high energy, rock edge of Cruella. Stepping into the devilishly decadent couture stylings of the infamous Cruella de Vil, Stone showcased the origins behind the madness and mania of one of Walt Disney Pictures greatest ever villains and Cruella was one wild time out at the movies. Feeding off the rebel, rock n’roll energy of the 1970s, Cruella was a hell of a lot of fiendish fun and there were plenty of bold moments to make you sit up and say WOW! Gorgeous to look at, and entertaining through and through you certainly weren’t going to forget the rush of Cruella and the devil was certainly given her due.

3. Wrath of Man

Tough guy director Guy Ritchie returned to the big screen with a vengeance with an action film of pure Old Testament vengeance with Wrath of Man. And this one hit with the strength of an M4 on full auto! Jason Statham was in pure beast mode as the mysterious ‘H’, a security cash truck driver who was not all he claimed to be and who had one hell of a grudge to settle. And the result was pure chaos. Wrath of Man was packed full of testosterone and kept you guessing the whole way through and it was a great pleasure to see Ritchie and Statham back together and the result was a piece of classic action cinema. Wrath of Man was not for the faint of heart, but damn did it hit hard.

2. The Last Duel

Maestro filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott took audiences back to the steel and fire of the Middle Ages with The Last Duel, an extraordinary historical story of truth and justice and this was a cinematic event for the ages. Telling the true story of the quest of the Lady Marguerite de Carrouges (Jodie Comer) for divine justice and the battle that her husband Sir Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) would fight with his sworn enemy Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), this was a once in a lifetime cinematic event. Damon, Driver and Ben Affleck were all truly exceptional in their parts, but the success of this movie belongs to Jodie Comer who gave a fiery and passionate performance and would not quit until she saw justice done. Bold and mighty, The Last Duel was an impressive and powerful watch and is far and away one of the best films I can claim to have ever seen.

1. No Time To Die

After a long wait, we finally saw the swan song from Daniel Craig as he once again donned a tuxedo and stepped into an Aston Martin for his final performance as secret agent 007 James Bond in No Time To Die. And this blockbuster cinematic event was nothing short of extraordinary. Operatic and dashing, No Time To Die was a film of pure energy and character and had the flavour of the ultimate Bond film as Bond raced against the clock to save the world from a dangerous and unhinged new villain. Craig was in his element as Bond and brought a complete full circle to his performance as the debonair spy in this energetic and pulse-pounding action thriller and damn was it a fine watch. No Time To Die was a fantastic experience in the cinema and audiences sure got their adrenaline fix with this one. It was just magnificent on every single level and a very worthy choice for the best film of the year.

The post SpicyPulp’s Top 10 Films of 2021 appeared first on SpicyPulp.

A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard named H (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

In Wrath of Man noted writer-director Guy Ritchie applies his unique brand of filmmaking to an intense and dark story of bloody revenge. As a filmmaker who is all business, and deeply devoted to his craft, Ritchie brings everything to the table with Wrath of Man and he anties up in good form. Taking inspiration from 2004 French film Le Convoyeur, Ritchie reshapes the narrative into Wrath of Man, a no-holds-barred dark-noir revenge, action thriller that delivers one hell of a punch and hits with the force of an M4 on full auto. Blending together a group of dangerous villains, and a compelling story, Ritchie never eases off the tension with this one, and re-teaming with long time friend and collaborator Jason Statham results in one hell of an intense watch.

Ritchie makes Wrath of Man his darkest and most brutal film to date and he uses his own unique film stylings and the length and breadth of the film noir genre to help him accomplish it. This film is film noir that cuts right to the bone, and with a narrative that features bad men doing bad things, Ritchie is able to take things right to the edge. Cinematographer Alan Stewart gives the film it’s own unique swagger and cool, while composer Christopher Benstead’s dark and moody score builds out the atmosphere that guides H’s deadly hand as he exacts his brutal plan for vengeance.

Jason Statham got his start with Guy Ritchie’s cult classic gangster film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrells, and both men have come a long way since its 1998 release. Now regarded as one of Hollywood’s biggest action stars, it’s excellent timing to see Statham re-teaming with Ritchie for Wrath of Man and these two old pals don’t waste a second with this one. As H, a mysterious and highly-skilled stranger, Statham oozes brooding cool as this dangerous and calculating individual and when he starts to go to work, the bodies soon pile up, and his ultimate agenda reveals itself piece by bloody piece.

Ritchie knows how to use Statham in the best way possible and he lets him work his brutal magic as the mysterious H. And this is a character who will scare and enthral you all at the same time. Wrath of Man is Statham’s darkest film to date and he brings this unhinged and stalking animal predator quality to H as he goes through the motions of hunting down those he holds responsible for a great tragedy in his life and the results will have audiences hooked. Statham is the ultimate anti-hero in Wrath of Man and he gives a seriously intense performance with material that works for him in all the right places.

Providing a great measure of support within Wrath of Man is an eclectic group of supporting characters who all have their moments to shine. There’s Holt McCallany as the affable, working stiff Bullet who has the run of the depot and all of its inner workings. Josh Hartnett changes things up as the cocky and loud-mouth Boy Sweat Dave, who isn’t as tough as he pretends to be and quickly ends up on H’s shit list. And then there’s Niamh Algar as the tough-talking and capable Dana, the only woman working in the depot and who quickly earns the respect and admiration of H. Ritchie lets all of these performers shine in their roles and each as their role to play in this dark and twisting narrative.

Facing off against Statham’s mysterious H are a crew of technically proficient and dangerous armed robbers lead by the calculating Jackson (Jeffery Donovan) who has his eyes set on the cash truck business. Donovan’s Jackson brings a keen sense for strategy and tactics to the table and it’s a role he excels in. But while Donovan’s Jackson might be the brains behind the operation it’s Scott Eastwood’s Jan who is the trigger man. And he’s one dangerous foe to contend with. Best described as a cold and calculating psychopath with a hair-trigger temper and itchy trigger finger, Eastwood excels as this full-on bad guy who is the real impulse of his particular crew and he’s a hell of a lot of fun to watch up on screen because of it.

Ritchie and his team crank up the action with Wrath of Man and this is one film that goes downrange with plenty of spent led. A combination of sophisticated action set-pieces and in-your-face-violence marks Wrath of Man out as something different in our current cinema age and when the bullets start flying prepare for your adrenaline to spike. Ritchie again uses action as narrative and when we see H behind the barrel of a G-36 the results are explosive and deafening all at the same time. Ritchie wastes no time in seriously cranking this one all the way up and the action is delivered with the director’s trademark intensity that results in one hell of a show.

In terms of its thematic quality, the idea of vengeance, a visceral and in-your-face vengeance is thoroughly explored as are the inner workings of different sets of the criminal underclass. Ritchie also explores the ideas of villain vs villain instead of the usual hero vs villain motif and I must say that this narrative exploration makes it that much more interesting as a narrative presentation. We view the entire length of H’s vengeance throughout this movie, and it’s interesting to see the emotional impact that it has upon this cold and distant character through the interactions and relationships held between fathers and sons, and Wrath of Man is a film that certainly has an effect on audiences who watch it.

Wrath of Man is a revenge film with a capital R and this film delivers an uncompromising dose of gritty action that will make you sit up and take notice. You won’t find a more badass film to watch this year than this one.

Image: Studio Canal

The post ‘Wrath of Man’ – Review appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Watch the all-new trailer for Wrath of Man now:

Here’s the official synopsis:

A mysterious and wild-eyed new cash truck security guard named H (Jason Statham) surprises his coworkers during a heist in which he unexpectedly unleashes precision skills. The crew is left wondering who he is and where he came from. Soon, the marksman’s ultimate motive becomes clear as he takes dramatic and irrevocable steps to settle a score.

Ritchie and Statham go old school with the action here in Wrath of Man, and this is a back to basics action piece that brings to life that classic no-holds-barred action of the late 1970s, and audiences who are seeking a rush will be in for all kinds of fun with this one.

Set to a dark and moody remix of Johnny Cash’s famed ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ the first trailer for Wrath of Man goes for it with everything that it’s got and promises an intense ride with plenty of turns and twists. Ritchie by all accounts has had a blast going to work again with Statham, and these two really have created something intriguing, with action that goes right for the jugular.

Ritchie has also assembled a cracking supporting cast for Wrath of Man which includes Holt McCallany, Jeffrey Donovan, Josh Hartnett, Laz Alonzo, Raúl Castillo and Scott Eastwood as the film’s lead bag guy and the target of H’s fury.

Wrath of Man is shaping up to be the perfect action vehicles for film fans who have been wishing for a rush, and after the long-dry spell of COVID-19 I can think of no better film to get audiences back out into cinemas for an experience that is sure to get them amped up as Statham cracks skulls and takes names.

Get ready for a hard-boiled serving of explosive action cinema when Wrath of Man arrives in cinemas on April 29.

Image: Studio Canal

The post Jason Statham brings explosive action to ‘Wrath of Man’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.