FUZE Doesn't Quite Ignite

FUZE (Blu-ray)

2025 / 97 min

Sony 

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Fuze was directed by David Mackenzie, the guy behind Hell of High Water and Relay. Since those were among the best movies in the years they were released, my expectations were naturally a bit elevated. However, this one is comparatively disappointing, never rising above the level of passable time killer.

It’s got a good premise, though. In an urban London neighborhood, an unexploded bomb is discovered at a construction site, supposedly buried since World War II. The entire region is evacuated and the power is shut down, while an Army bomb squad led by Major Will Tranter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) are brought in to try and defuse it.

Concurrently, a four-man crew of thieves sneak their way into the same area to perform a daring bank heist. Somewhat implausibly, the bomb was planted there as a distraction in order for these guys to get in, steal the cash & jewels, and get out. How they managed to sneak a giant explosive device into town and make it look like it’s been buried for years - without being noticed - is something the narrative chooses not to disclose. That’s a missed opportunity, in my opinion. How they accomplished such a feat would've made things more interesting.

"Of course I know what I'm doing. I'm wearing the hat, aren't I?"

Despite efforts to remain stealthy, the crew is eventually detected by police and the chase is on. Though managing to elude capture, the robbers run into more complications - and a double-cross - while trying to fence the jewels. Much of the film’s second half is a series of sequences created to set-up plot twists and character revelations during the climax.

But throughout the story, we’re never really invested in these characters, since nothing is revealed about any of them until after everything has transpired. By then, it's too little, too late, resulting in a movie that ends with a whimper rather than a bang. Still, Fuze is certainly watchable. It’s got a good cast (including Theo James and Sam Worthington) and a handful of taut action scenes. And like all good heist thrillers, the sequences depicting the robbery itself are engaging. From a technical standpoint, it’s slickly assembled and fast-paced.

It’s just that I expected a little more from MacKenzie, who’s previously shown a knack for combining plausible action, a compelling story and dynamic characters. While he doesn’t exactly drop the ball here, it’s kind of a shame Fuze ends up being the kind of movie we simply watch and forget about.

Catnip Reviews: PAST MIDNIGHT, MUTANT GENESIS and EVIL DEAD (2013)

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

PAST MIDNIGHT (Blu-ray) - This one has kind of an interesting history, in that the original screenplay underwent significant (and uncredited) rewrites by none other than Quentin Tarantino (before anyone knew who he was). While you can kinda see his unique touches here and there, this is mostly the kind of direct-to-video thriller that shared shelf space with lots of similar ones back in the day. Rutger Hauer, playing somewhat against type, is Ben, a parolee who just spent 15 years in prison for murdering his wife. However, his case worker, Laura (Natasha Richardson), becomes increasingly convinced of his innocence. She also ends up falling in love with him, despite warnings from friends that this is a bad idea. In more ways than one, as it turns out. Past Midnight is a sporadically entertaining but ultimately unremarkable mystery-thriller that gets a bit of a boost from its two leads (though both have obviously done far better work before and since) and a few steamy love scenes. More or less forgotten after all the Blockbuster stores closed up shop, the film is no lost classic, but certainly fitting for inclusion in Alliance Entertainment’s ongoing Retro VHS series. (1991/100 min/Alliance Entertainment).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼

MUTANT GENESIS (DVD) - Maybe you’re like me and consider Terminator Salvation to be the worst film in the franchise. Now imagine a much cheaper film that appears to be primarily inspired by that one…with a little Transformers thrown in for bad measure. Mutant Genesis is a shamelessly derivative Chinese knock-off that takes place in a post-apocalyptic future after a malevolent AI has decided to wipe out all of humankind. A small band of resistance soldiers, as well as an enigmatic female asskicker, decide to fight back. But a complete lack of originality is the least of this movie’s problems. Not only do the hyper-edited action sequences defy all sense of plausibility, they’re largely rendered with laughable CGI that wouldn’t have passed muster 30 years ago. And amid all this largely cartoony pew-pew-pew action is a charming scene where a robot hangs a pregnant woman and yanks the dying baby from her womb. What the hell? While even rip-offs can be fun in the right hands, this one makes your typical mockbuster from Asylum look like the work of James Cameron. (2024/95 min/Cleopatra Entertainment).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺

EVIL DEAD (Blu-ray) - In 2013, Fede Alvarez’ Evil Dead joined a very short list of horror remakes that managed to top the original, and I’m assuming it’s being reissued to coincide with the release of the franchise’s most recent entry, Evil Dead Burn. A decade-and-change later, this film still plays like the kind of movie Sam Raimi would have made back in 1981 if he had the financial resources of a major studio at his disposal. The plot’s more-or-less the same…several twenty-somethings venture to a cabin in the woods and one of them comes across the Book of the Dead, which raises unholy demons if one were to foolishly recite the words. Of course, someone does. Once the mayhem begins, we’re too busy fastening our seatbelts to care about any character’s well-being, which is ultimately Evil Dead’s greatest virtue. It may not always be scary, but it moves at a lightning pace, a virtual symphony of truly disturbing, visceral scenes, thrown at us so unrelentingly that it becomes more of a thrill-ride than an actual movie. Onscreen carnage aside, Evil Dead is simply better than the film which inspired it…better direction, better FX, better dialogue & much better performances (even though the characters are still pretty bland). In addition to a few bonus features, this reissue includes both the theatrical and unrated versions. . (2013/97 min/Sony).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼

Power Powers ABANDON SHIP!

ABANDON SHIP! aka Seven Waves Away (4K UHD)

1957 / 101 min

Sony

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😸

To be perfectly honest, I had no idea this movie even existed until just recently. Considering my lifelong predilection for disaster-based films, I’m kinda surprised that I hadn’t at least heard of it. Oh well…better late than never, because while Abandon Ship isn’t quite a disaster film, it’s a gripping tale of survival that had me pondering what I would do in a similar predicament.

Disaster certainly sets up the scenario, though. An ocean liner, the S.S. Crescent Star, strikes an old mine left over from World War II and sinks. Unfortunately, this is depicted immediately following the opening credits as a montage of fire and raging water, not even showing the ship going down and thus avoiding any expensive special effects. But my initial disappointment over the lack of spectacle dissipated as the story unfolded.

A couple of dozen survivors manage to make it to a lifeboat, which is only designed and equipped to support nine. After the captain dies, Executive Officer Alec Holmes (Tyrone Power) takes command. Almost immediately, he’s forced to deal with a dangerously overfilled boat, injured passengers, challenges to his authority and, most ominously, the realization that no distress signal was sent prior to the sinking. Worse yet, there isn’t nearly enough food or water to sustain everyone for very long. This ultimately forces Holmes to make the terrible decision of who to save and who to let perish.

The passengers learn that Holmes' previous command was the S.S. Poseidon.

I suppose comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock’s Lifeboat are inevitable. But while that film is a superior technical achievement, it does occasionally get bogged down by melodrama. Conversely, Abandon Ship! achieves a darker tone. Aside from establishing an existing relationship between Holmes and ship’s nurse Julie White (Mai Zetterling), the narrative focuses almost exclusively on the crisis at hand, with Holmes acting alone and resorting to using a gun to force selected people off the boat. Abandoning the idea of trying to save everyone so that at least some stand a chance for survival is both logical and appalling.

To be honest, I never thought a “movie star” like Power had it in him to convey such a moral quandary, but Nightmare Alley notwithstanding, this could be the best (or at least the most underrated) performance of his career. Holmes’ character transformation is ultimately the crux of the entire film and Power pulls it off quite well. Though few of the other characters are as engaging, the story effectively establishes that some of those tossed from the boat absolutely do not deserve to die, leading to some gut-wrenching moments.

Somewhat forgotten over the years, Abandon Ship! is a survival thriller worth checking out. What it lacks in visual panache is compensated by a compelling story that raises some discussion-worthy questions. I’m not sure why Sony chose to forego any Blu-ray or DVD release and go straight to 4K with this one, but the disc does boast excellent picture and sound quality.

EXTRA KIBBLES

DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL CUTS - The latter is a couple of minutes longer.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By film scholar Jason A. Ney

DIGITAL COPY

Rage-Watching WHY WE FIGHT

WHY WE FIGHT (Blu-ray)

2006 / 99 min

Sony

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Stinky the Destroyer😼

Whether you saw this film 20 years ago or are just catching it for the first time, Why We Fight is an infuriating experience, no matter what side of the argument you’re on. It’s a far cry from the similarly-titled rah-rah films by Frank Capra.

The film is a documentary about the Military Industrial Complex, as coined by president Dwight D. Eisenhower during his farewell address in 1961. He ominously warned of the U.S. military (and its government) gaining unchecked global power by essentially turning armed conflict into something that not-only feeds the political machine, it mostly benefits the major corporations and manufacturers that build the weapons. And that’s exactly what happened.

Featuring interviews with analysts, politicians, authors, technicians, military personnel and everyday folks personally affected by global events, Why We Fight wastes no time asserting that every U.S. military engagement since 1960 has been driven by profit, power, and most significantly, public relations that paint America as liberators. We’re also presented with plenty of damning historical evidence, from Vietnam to Iraq. Being that my current trust in our government hovers just below zero, what I mostly felt while watching the film was rage…but not surprise. One only has to take a look at our current administration to know that absolutely nothing has changed (though the powers-that-be are unquestionably dumber).

This guy fights because Firefly was canceled.

As a scathing editorial, Why We Fight preaches to the choir. For anyone already critical of military spending and motives for going to war, this movie simply fans the flames. But as a documentary, it is definitely subjective. The film offers no opposing viewpoints or data that argues the contrary. The closest it comes to that is during an interview with a pilot who bombed Baghdad. His obvious enthusiasm in discussing the mission - which actually killed a lot of civilians - is kind of unnerving (though some may want to fist-bump the guy). Other than that, those who believe questioning or criticizing our government is tantamount to communism will rage-watch this for a different reason. 

But wherever you plant your flag (hopefully it’s not in the bed of a pick-up), at least Why We Fight isn’t boring…the worst sin a documentary (or any movie, really) can commit. I’d rather walk away feeling enraged than nothing at all.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTES - The Characters; Audience Q&A.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - by writer-director Eugene Jarecki & Col Lawrence Wilkerson.

DELETED SCENES

Revisiting THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD in 4K

THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD (4K UHD)

1958 / 88 min

Sony

Available at MovieZyng.com

Review by Mr. Paws😺

About a decade ago, I had the pleasure of reviewing a humble little B-picture called Queen Crab. The movie wasn’t any good, but I was charmed by its titular monster, rendered in good ol’ fashioned stop-motion animation. It was also a sad reminder that the process is largely a lost art these days (with only Laika Studios consistently carrying the torch).  

Even as a kid and thrilling to the likes of Mysterious Island & Earth vs. the Flying Saucers, I never thought stop-motion animation was all that convincing, but still appreciated the enormous effort it took to create such special effects. And convincing or not, they looked wonderful. To movie lovers of a certain age, they still do. 

The legendary Ray Harryhausen didn’t invent stop-motion (or, “Dynamation,” as his brand was known), but he was its rock star. Even today, you’d be hard pressed to name another special effects artist whose name was just as vital to a film’s creative success as the director and cast. In some cases, his wonderful work was the only reason to watch the film…such as The 7th Voyage of Sinbad. 

One could debate forever over what movies feature Harryhausen’s best work, but this one features a lot of his most iconic creations…the malevolent cyclops, the giant dragon, the vengeful flying Rocs, and of course, those resurrected swordfighting skeletons that provided nightmare fuel for a generation of kids (and they’re still kinda creepy looking). 

Not to nitpick, but does that skeleton actually need a shield?

The movie itself is standard ‘50s-era fantasy fluff with silly dialogue and forgettable performances (Kerwin Matthews as Sinbad makes a bland action hero), but who cares? For the time, it was an astounding technical achievement, with thrilling action, gorgeous production & costume design and - the icing on the cake - a rousing score by the great Bernard Hermann, which ranks among his all-time best.

It’s all brought back to vibrant life with this new 4K release, featuring an excellent video transfer that improves on the comparatively lame Blu-ray edition (also included in this set). Even better is the DTS-HD Master Audio track, which is well mixed, particularly regarding the score. But aside from a digital copy, there are no new bonus features. Though there’s a lot of stuff of considerable historical interest (especially for Harryhausen fans), it’s all carried over from previous releases.

I had a childhood friend who loved this Sinbad stuff, and while we’ve since lost touch, I can’t help but think about how much he’d enjoy a release like this (even if he’s outgrown it). The 7th Voyage of Sinbad’s inherent technical charms would probably be lost on those weaned on Jurassic Park, but for the generation(s) who grew up thrilling to Harryhausen’s groundbreaking creations, it’s a nostalgic blast. 

EXTRA KIBBLES

4K, BLU-RAY & DIGITAL COPIES

THE HARRYHAUSEN CHRONICLES - An hour-long retrospective documentary that’s previously been included on many other Harryhausen-related releases, but is always worth revisiting.

FEATURETTES - In Remembering The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Ray Harryhausen recalls his efforts to get the film made; The Harryhausen Legacy features several filmmakers and effects arts who were influenced by Ray’s work; The Music of Bernard Herrmann looks at the legendary composer; A Look Behind the Voyage is very old short film about Harryhausen that plays like a distilled version of the Harryhausen Chronicles feature; Ray Harryhausen - Interviewed by John Landis.

“THIS IS DYNAMATION” is a promotional film touting the special effects. 

MUSIC VIDEO - “Sinbad May Have Been Bad, But He’s Been Good to Me” was a song used to promote the movies. Silly but catchy. 

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By Ray Harryhausen, Phil Tippet, Randall William Cook, Steven Smith, Arnold Kunert.

PHOTO GALLERY

TRAILER

THE POOP SCOOP: Under the Radar Edition

UPCOMING KIBBLES THAT MAKE US PURR!

READY OR NOT 2: HERE I COME on Digital Now and Blu-ray & DVD June 16 from Searchlight Pictures. This action‑packed, darkly comedic horror sequel expands the Ready or Not mythology with another lethal game of hide‑and‑seek. Still reeling from her brutal escape from the Le Domas family, Grace is thrust into an even more unhinged bloodbath when she becomes prey once again – this time hunted alongside her estranged sister by four rival families, each ruthlessly vying for absolute power and control of the High Seat of the Council. In Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, Samara Weaving returns as "Grace" alongside an all‑star cast including Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Nestor Carbonell, with David Cronenberg, and Elijah Wood. 

THE 7TH VOYAGE OF SINBAD on 4K + Blu-ray July 7 from Sony. The legendary Sinbad (Kerwin Mathews) sets off on a dangerous journey to the mysterious Island of Colossus to break the spell cast over his beloved princess (Kathryn Grant) by a diabolical magician (Torin Thatcher). Before he can save her, Sinbad must battle an awesome collection of mythical monsters: the man-eating Cyclops, a saber-wielding skeleton, a ferocious two-headed bird called the Roc and a fire-breathing dragon, all animated by the stunning visual effects mastery of Ray Harryhausen. This release also includes a large selection of bonus material.

A MAN CALLED ROCCA on Blu-ray July 14 from Kino Lorber. We here at Free Kittens have just recently discovered the wonderful world of classic French thrillers, so when another great one comes along on Blu-ray, we gotta meow it out loud! In this cold-blooded crime tale, a man named Roberto La Rocca (Jean-Paul Belmondo) goes to Marseille to help his friend Xavier (Pierre Vaneck), who has been imprisoned after a frame-up by his associate. Unflappably cool, Rocca sets out for some good old-fashioned revenge—and his own piece of the action. Teaming the newly-minted superstar Belmondo (Breathless), debuting director Jean Becker (One Deadly Summer) and a source novel by José Giovanni (Le trou, Classe tous risques), 1961's A Man Named Rocca is a noir gem riding the crest of the radical French New Wave. A decade later, Giovanni would go on to direct his own adaptation, La scoumoune a.k.a Hit Man, starring Belmondo in the same role. This release includes an all new audio commentary. 

DEEP WATER Coming to Blu-ray July 14 from Magenta Light Studios. Of course you’re ready for another shark movie directed by Renny Harlin (Deep Blue Sea). Well, so are we. In this one, a group of international passengers en route from Los Angeles to Shanghai are forced to make an emergency landing in shark-infested waters. Now they must work together in hopes to overcome the frenzy of sharks drawn to the wreckage. Starring Aaron Eckhart, Ben Kingsley, Angus Sampson, Lucy Barrett, and Molly Belle Wright. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ERASER Coming to 4K & Digital June 16 from Warner Bros. As exciting as it is entertaining, Eraser is unstoppable. This release also includes a selection of all new bonus features.

HOPPERS on Digital NOW and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD June 2 from Disney/Pixar. This release also includes numerous bonus featurettes, deleted scenes and a blooper reel.

 

CRIME 101 on Blu-ray, 4K and DVD June 30 from Alliance Entertainment. Set against the sun-bleached grit of Los Angeles, Crime 101 weaves the tale of an elusive jewel thief (Chris Hemsworth) whose heists have mystified police.

NIRVANA, THE BAND, THE SHOW, THE MOVIE on Blu-ray May 26 from NEON/Decal. In this indie sci-fi comedy, Lifelong friends Matt and Jay once again try to book a gig at a legendary venue when they accidentally travel back in time to 2008. 

THEY WILL KILL YOU on Digital April 28 and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD June 30 from Warner Bros. Director Kirill Sokolov unleashes a blood-soaked, high-octane horror-action-comedy in which a young woman must survive the night at the Virgil, a demonic cult’s mysterious and twisted death-trap of a lair.

 

GINGER SNAPS on 4K + Blu-ray + Digital May 19 from Lionsgate. Ginger Snaps is the story of death-fixated teenage sisters Ginger and Brigitte, who are attacked one night by a creature drawn to Ginger’s first menstrual period. 

George A. Romero’s DAY OF THE DEAD on 4K + Blu-ray June 16 from Shout Factory. In This highly anticipated four-disc release features new 4K restoration, as well as hours of new and vintage bonus material.

The Original 28 DAYS LATER Coming to 4K UHD September 1 from Sony. Is there still a glimmer of hope for humanity — or has the deadly "rage" virus found its way to foreign shores and infected the entire planet?

THE BRIDE! On Digital Now and Blu-ray, 4K & DVD May 19 from Warner Bros. This is a bold, iconoclastic take on one of the world’s most compelling stories. 

SPEED RACER on 4K UHD May 19 from Warner Bros. Based on the classic series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, the live action Speed Racer is newly remastered and includes new bonus content. 

FALLOUT SEASON 2 on Blu-ray, 4K & DVD May 19 from Amazon MGM Studios. While Fallout Season 1 took us through the dangerous remains of Los Angeles, Season 2 picks up after the epic finale and takes us on a journey through the “Mojave Wasteland.”.

ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER 4K Collector SteelBook Coming June 2 from Warner Bros. The collectible steelbook will include a Blu-ray bonus disc with special features created by Paul Thomas Anderson along with a 24-page booklet with behind-the-scenes photos. 

STRANGER THINGS: THE COMPLETE SERIES Coming to 4K and Blu-ray July 26 from Arrow Video. PRE-ORDER HERE!

Catnip Reviews: 28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE, ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES and SEND HELP

Snack-sized opinions from the frisky felines at Free Kittens…

28 YEARS LATER: THE BONE TEMPLE (Blu-ray) - Picking up where last year’s 28 Years Later left off, The Bone Temple doesn’t simply continue the same story. Though Ralph Fiennes and Alfie Williams return in their roles, this one goes in a different narrative direction and introduces who might be the most menacing and hateful antagonist in the entire franchise, played with gleeful aplomb by Jack O’Connell. And while this is certainly the goriest chapter yet, it’s also the most emotionally affecting, largely due to Fiennes’ excellent performance. If nothing else, you haven’t lived until you’ve seen one of Britain’s most respected actors parading around as Satan while lip-synching Iron Maiden’s “The Number of the Beast.” A thrilling, brutal film, it also manages to be both heartwarming and heartbreaking. While the door is enticingly left open for a sequel, The Bone Temple’s underwhelming box office performance might have dashed those plans. If it does end up being the final film, at least the series ends on a high note. This Blu-ray release comes with some interesting behind-the-scenes featurettes, an audio commentary by director Nia DaCosta and (surprise!) a blooper reel. (2026/109 min/Sony).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼😼

ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES Limited Edition (4H UHD) - How great was the late Alan Rickman? Sure, he was a big part of what made such films as Die Hard and Galaxy Quest modern classics, but the strongest testament to his talent might be his performance in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. For those who weren’t around back then, this film felt more like a corporate decision than a creative one, hastily assembled to capitalize on the tremendous audience goodwill afforded Kevin Costner after Dances with Wolves. Slickly assembled, Robin Hood boasts the best production design and big-name cast money can buy, and even throws in the prerequisite Oscar-baiting power ballad. It made millions, of course, but 35 years later, Rickman’s scene-stealing, turbo-charged performance as the Sheriff of Nottingham remains the only memorable aspect of the entire film and the main reason for revisiting it today. This limited edition release from Arrow Video serves up good 4K UHD transfers of both the theatrical and extended cuts, as well as a big batch of bonus features, including a multipart documentary. (1991/143 min/Arrow Video).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😺😺😺

SEND HELP (4K + Blu-ray) - While director Sam Raimi isn’t as prolific as most of us would like, he certainly brings his own unique panache to the films he does end up doing, even those where he’s essentially a director-for-hire. That being said, Send Help is his best film in years. This wildly constructed survivor thriller is chock-full of tension, black comedy, gruesome violence and relevant social commentary. It’s all built around a gonzo performance by Rachel McAdams, a socially awkward (and slightly looney) corporate employee to gets stranded on an island with her shallow, narcissistic boss (Dylan O’Brien) and uses the situation to turn the tables on him. The film runs a little longer than necessary, but it’s got a couple of nifty twists during the climax that we don’t see coming. This 4K/Blu-ray combo pack includes several making-of featurettes, a collection of bloopers and over an hour of deleted/extended scenes. (2026/113 min/20th Century Studios).

KITTY CONSENSUS: 😼😼😼😼