STACK NZ Oct #78

REVIEWS DVD & BD

A little Hart and a big Johnson CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

Lord of the abs THE LEGEND OF TARZAN

Release Date: 19/10/16

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Release Date: 19/10/16

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Dwayne as rock hard CIA agent Bob Stone? Yeah, predictable casting. But add a fanny pack plus a love of unicorns and Molly Ringwald? That’s just part of the fun of Central Intelligence , which starts with Bob – or Robbie Weirdicht as he was then – as a chubby, bullied kid. Meanwhile, Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) was the guy most likely to succeed. Anyway, 20 years later Calvin’s an accountant, and we know Bob’s situation. With a school reunion impending, the two meet, and Calvin’s yawn-worthy life is about to go all Rubik’s Cube. Bob

If Edgar Rice Burroughs had a dollar for every movie based on his creation Tarzan then, um, he’d still be dead (and long may he rest in peace). Seriously though, they number over 50, yet this latest one still adds to the impressive legacy and legend – and boy is it adventure- packed! The bloke formerly known as Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) now lives in London with Jane (Margot Robbie) under his birth name of John Clayton III. All’s rather fine and decidedly dandy, until an old enemy demands a swap – diamonds needed to keep Belgium’s

needs a numbers guy for a case, but there aren’t just bad guys after him. Johnson’s a lovable lug who makes any flick better. Teaming him with Hart was genius, and Central Intelligence is a darn good action comedy. But not Sixteen Candles good, duh! Amy Flower

economy afloat in exchange for Tarzan. King Leopold subsequently issues an invite for the couple to visit the Congo, which they decline. But when a US envoy reveals he suspects Congolese slavery, it’s time for Tarzan and Jane to revisit their swinging old hangout . AF

DVD&BD

Two worlds. One destiny WARCRAFT: THE BEGINNING

Be afraid of the dark LIGHTS OUT

Release Date: 05/10/16

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Release Date: 26/10/16

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Transforming Blizzard Entertainment’s massively popular MMORPG into a movie was always going to be a challenge, and director Duncan Jones ( Moon ) has done a solid job with a tough gig, setting the action in a recognisable fantasy realm to give non-gamers an entry point. Despite all the lore craft, the story is a simple tale of light versus darkness. Warrior orcs enter the human realm through a magic portal, intent on claiming it as their new home. Unless a peace can be struck with a rebellious orc chieftain, the world will be overrun by the

Swedish director David F. Sandberg has turned his simple but scary YouTube video into a feature (produced by The Conjuring 's James Wan), and it's a pretty impressive debut that doesn't rely solely on the jump- scare premise of the viral short. There are shades of The Babadook in this tale of a depressed mother (Maria Bello), a frightened young boy (Gabriel Bateman), and a sinister black apparition that's only visible in the darkness – and creeps closer whenever the lights are flicked on and off. The dysfunctional family dynamic

horde waiting on the other side of the gate. The world of Warcraft is brought to vivid life through cutting edge CGI and motion-capture; Jones has lavished incredible detail on the orcs’ appearance and culture, and the film is at its best whenever these brutish warriors are on the screen. SH

adds depth to this brisk frightener, as does the intriguing backstory surrounding the entity's existence. Bello and Teresa Palmer are solid as the estranged mother and daughter, and the suspense and shocks sustained throughout. One to watch with the lights blazing . SH

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