By Dave B.

In The Mummy (2017, currently on HBO), Tom Cruise plays Nick Morton, a corrupt U.S. soldier who smuggles valuable artifacts out of Iraq. On one such mission, he discovers the hidden tomb of a long-forgotten Egyptian princess, Ahmanet, who was mummified alive and buried far from her homeland for her heinous crimes. When she is released from her sarcophagus after a harrowing plane crash, Ahmanet chooses Morton to be the vessel of Set, the Egyptian god of death, forcing Morton to battle an army of the undead in order to prevent the world from succumbing to darkness, and in the process, save his own soul.

by Dave B.

In Tomb Raider (2018, currently on HBO) Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) is a quasi-rebellious young woman unable to confront the near certainty that her father, who has been missing for seven years, is dead. Instead of accepting her inheritance as the heir of a multi-billion dollar corporate empire, she works as a delivery courier. Her life is flipped upside down when she visits her abandoned childhood home and discovers her father’s secret chamber that contains clues to his last whereabouts. Lara embarks on an adventure to find the truth about her father’s fate and finds herself ensnared in a conspiracy that could wipe out humanity.

By Dave B.

In Rampage (2018, currently on HBO) Dwayne Johnson plays a primatologist who’s best friend, an albino gorilla named George, becomes infected with a bioengineered pathogen that dramatically increases his strength, size, speed, and regenerative abilities. The world soon discovers that George isn’t alone in his transformation as a wolf and a crocodile, who have also been infected, begin terrorizing the nation. When the evil corporation responsible for the creation of the pathogen decides to take control of their unintended creations, all hell descends on Chicago and a giant monster rampage ensues. 

By Dave B.

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018, currently on HBO) takes place 10 years after the original movie. Jake Pentecost (John Boyega), son of the world-famous Kaiju killer and heroic martyr, Stacker Pentecost (played brilliantly in the first film by Idris Elba), is a washed-out former Yeager pilot who steals for a living. When fate places him in the path of orphan prodigy Amara Namani, Jake finds himself back in the Yeager program. When hybrid Kaiju/Yeagers begin spontaneous attacks all over the world, Jake and Amara find themselves as the last line of defense in a new war against the Kaiju menace. 

By Dave B.

Wow. Just…wow. The Veil (2017, currently on Netflix) is DEFINITELY going on my Worst of 2018 list. The story had promise: A warrior from an aggressive empire is left for dead by his comrades. He’s miraculously brought back to health and is found by a pacifist tribe who he teaches to defend themselves against his former masters. As he teaches the tribe to defend itself, it’s members grow more aggressive and decide to take the fight to their enemy, leading to a showdown between the rogue warrior and the emperor he’s sworn to serve.

By Dave B.

​In Stake Land II (2017, currently on Netflix), the safe haven of New Eden is overrun by an alliance of vampires and the Brotherhood, led by an intelligent vampire known as Mother, who can control other vampires with her mind and is worshipped by the Brotherhood as an undead goddess. Martin, the protagonist from the original Stake Land, sets out on a mission to find his mentor, Mister, for help avenging himself upon Mother and the Brotherhood.

By Dave B.

​Operation Mekong (2016, currently on Netflix) is a Chinese action movie (loosely based on a true story) that’s centered on an elite counter-narcotics police unit. After Chinese civilians are executed aboard a cargo vessel on the Mekong River in the lawless Golden Triangle area (where Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar border each other) the unit is dispatched to capture the local cartel leader and his top lieutenants so that they can be put on trial in China. The team uses an array of advanced technology, tactics, and disguises in their attempt to infiltrate and dismantle the cartel.

By Dave B.

​Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016, currently on Amazon Prime), sequel to 2012s surprisingly engaging “Jack Reacher”, follows Reacher (Tom Cruise) as he tries to save his phone pal, Maj. Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders) from a bland conspiracy involving a defense contractor and a corrupt army officer. Throw into the mix Reacher’s potential daughter Samantha (Danika Yarosh), and we wind up with an extremely predictable action movie.

By Dave B.

​The Raid: Redemption (2011, currently on Netflix) is an Indonesian action movie about an elite police squad that's tasked with clearing out an apartment complex that has been taken over by a criminal gang. The operation runs smoothly until an act of mercy causes the squad to be attacked by nearly every criminal resident in the complex. If the police are to survive, they must fight their way through hordes of armed thugs, all hellbent on their eradication.

By Dave B.

Illang: The Wolf Brigade (Netflix) is a Korean-language action film that takes place in 2029 on the eve of the reunification of North and South Korea. The peninsula finds itself besieged by sanctions imposed by China, Japan, Russia, and the United States as the four powers engage in a regional war. South Korea is beset by terrorists who oppose reunification with the North and, while blending in with ordinary protesters, frequently attack security forces. The government has created an elite force, the Wolf Brigade, to restore order. However, the Brigade is caught in a labyrinthine plot orchestrated by a rival security agency. Will they be able to fight their way out of it and protect their country? Or will their brute force tactics be overwhelmed by a plan that’s been years in the making?