Action Reviews and Features | Little White Lies

Genre Action

Two people riding a red and white motorcycle on a crowded city street.
Review

The Bourne Legacy

by Adam Lee Davies

Far from being a lean and exciting action caper, The Bourne Legacy wastes far too much time trying to justify its own existence.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
1
In Retrospect
A man wearing a dark mask and a fur-lined coat stands in a snowy, urban environment at night.
Review

The Dark Knight Rises

by Adam Woodward

Christopher Nolan’s baroque opus is a worthy trilogy closer, both seriously epic and epically serious.

4
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A man in a red superhero costume, looking seriously at the camera with web-like strings crossing in front of him.
Review

The Amazing Spider-Man

by Matt Bochenski

Despite a few comic book movie trappings, The Amazing Spider-Man is a major success story.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
Two men, one sitting and one standing, in a dimly lit room with a lamp and furniture.
Review

The Raid

by Matt Bochenski

Gareth Evans’ deliriously violent Indonesian martial arts flick is the most exciting action movie of the last decade.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
4
In Retrospect
A man wearing a dark robe sits cross-legged on a tatami mat, with a sheathed sword next to him.
Review

Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai

by Adam Woodward

Takashi Miike follows up his blood-pumping samurai blitzkrieg 13 Assassins with this talky and tiresome period drama.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A woman with red curly hair wearing a black dress, standing in a dimly lit environment.
Review

Avengers Assemble

by Adam Lee Davies

Joss Whedon’s Marvel maelstrom is a shiny, caged beast of a film that delivers on its every promise.

3
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect
Female soldier in digital camouflage uniform with serious expression.
Review

Battleship

by David Jenkins

Peter Berg’s blockbusting board game ripoff has more rough edges than a sandpaper Rubik’s Cube.

1
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
Person in black outfit, looking serious while walking past server racks in a data centre.
Review

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

by Matt Bochenski

Twenty minutes of Dubai-based blockbuster gold aside, Ghost Protocol is kind of flat, inert and not all that exciting.

4
Anticipation
3
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A man in a hat and a woman sitting at a bar counter, looking thoughtful.
Review

Cowboys & Aliens

by Adam Woodward

Jon Favreau’s genre mash-up is yet another underwhelming summer brouhaha that fails to up the ante.

4
Anticipation
2
Enjoyment
2
In Retrospect
A close-up shot of a chimpanzee's face, mouth open wide in a roar, surrounded by other chimpanzees on a walkway.
Review

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

by Paul O’Callaghan

This unlikely reboot is a relatively modest B‑movie bolstered by A‑grade technical wizardry.

1
Anticipation
4
Enjoyment
3
In Retrospect