Spoiler-Free Review of “The Mother” on Netflix: J.Lo Stars in Netflix’s Latest Female Assassin Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“You don’t know how bad this gets…”

The Mother premiered on Netflix on May 12th 2023. The action thriller film stars Jennifer Lopez, Omari Hardwick, Lucy Paez, and Joseph Fiennes. It runs for an hour and fifty-seven minutes.

After years of hiding from her enemies, a female assassin re-emerges when her daughter’s life is threatened.

Here is the trailer:

The Mother has lots of action-packed moments featuring a bad-ass performance by Jennifer Lopez, but does it do enough to earn a a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Starts off with a bang.

A lot of these films can give the audience way too much backstory and set-up so I was really excited when The Mother got right into things with intense action and some solid fight scenes. The pacing was decent overall and I think there was a good enough balance between the action and the heartwarming moments to make this an entertaining movie from start to finish.

J.Lo is bad-ass!

Similar to Allison Janney in Netflix’s thriller, Lou, Jennifer Lopez really put forth a valiant effort here with a believable performance. She did a lot of her own stunt training and I was honestly impressed by how well she executed everything in this movie. She was the BEST part of the movie by far and elevated it in a lot of ways.

The Cons:

Plays it safe…

This movie followed a by the numbers formula without ever straying off course. Sure, it was entertaining, but it needed a little bit more of an edge to set it apart. A lot of things were really predictable and I think if it had stepped away from its comfort zone just a little bit, it might have packed more of a punch.

That being said, this film fit the bill for a Netflix movie of the week. I think it would actually make a fantastic double feature alongside Jennifer Lopez’s 2002 thriller, Enough.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

If you enjoy films like Lou and Enough, there’s plenty to like in this film. Jennifer Lopez gives it her all with lots of action to keep viewers satisfied.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Mother in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

It was only supposed to be temporary…but when Olivia Crewe accepts a new position that seems too good to be true, she soon discovers that twelve other girls previously had the same job as her. Only none of them lasted for more than thirty days. No notice. Nothing…right before they mysteriously disappeared without a trace.

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Night Agent” on Netflix: Non-Stop Action Thrill Ride!

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“You reached the wrong number…”

The Night Agent premiered on Netflix on March 23rd 2023 with ten episodes available to stream now. The action-thriller series stars Gabriel Basso, Luciane Buchanan, Hong Chau, Sarah Desjardins, Eve Harlow, Fola Evans-Akingbola, and D.B. Woodside. Each episode runs for approximately 48-55 minutes.

An FBI agent answers an emergency line that rarely rings when a woman calls in distress as he quickly finds himself involved in a deadly conspiracy.

Here is the trailer:

The Night Agent is the perfect show for fans of 24 and Homeland, making this an addicting and consuming watch. Does it live up to the hype? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Starts off with a bang…

Literally! And it never slows down at all. It’s not easy to nail a premiere episode and yet this series did so with perfection. There was so much action in it and it never lost momentum as the episodes continued. Wow!

This is not my usual type of series, but once I started, I couldn’t stop watching it. It really reels you in and monopolizes your time in the best way possible!

Each episode did just enough at the end to make your head spin with fantastic twists and reveals, great chemistry between characters, and plenty of shocking moments filled with entertaining action.

What else could I ask for?

Fantastic characters to root for!

Our main leads were incredible. I really liked both of them and enjoyed the dynamic between them. It took a little while for us to unpack their layers, but we did get to that point, which I appreciated.

The supporting characters were great too since there were plenty of sub-plots in this one. I loved the villains and I even found myself rooting for characters that seemed slightly unnecessary or annoying in the beginning. Every single character played a pivotal role and added to this series.

The Cons:

Forced dialogue at first…

Even though there was plenty of action and thrilling moments to enjoy right away, it took me a little while to appreciate everything else going on. I think this was mostly because some of the initial dialogue felt a little too scripted and forced. The actors did the best with what they were given and this greatly improved as the episodes continued, but I did notice it.

This wasn’t a major con and it never impacted my watch. I think the series was just finding its way and luckily it got there!

So am I in or out?

I’m in 1000 percent!!!!!!

The Night Agent is one of the most well-paced and exciting shows I have watched in a long time, making it a binge-watcher’s dream and then some!

My favorite series of the year so far!

I’m so excited that this series has already been confirmed for season two and I can’t to see what’s next for The Night Agent!

I highly recommend this series even if it doesn’t seem like your type of show. It’s worth it so I’d give it a chance!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Night Agent in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

A VACATION TO DIE FOR…

When sisters, Nina and Gemma are vacationing in Hawaii with their friends, they get invited to an exclusive party on a private island that seems too good to be true. There’s only one rule…they can’t miss their ferry at midnight or they’ll have to wait until morning to leave the island. Only they didn’t realize that breaking this rule meant they would be hunted down on the island one by one.

Who will make it off the island alive?

I hope you enjoy my new island thriller!

Blood Rose Island is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Blackout” (2022) on Netflix: Josh Duhamel can’t remember who he is…

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Do you remember how you got here?”

Blackout premiered on October 12th 2022 on Netflix. The action-thriller film stars Josh Duhamel, Abbie Cornish, and Nick Nolte. It runs for approximately an hour and twenty-two minutes.

A man wakes up in a Mexican hospital with no memory of how he got there, now hunted down by a dangerous drug cartel as he tries to piece together which side he is actually on.

Here is the trailer:

Blackout attempts to channel the films of the Bourne franchise with a familiar plot and flashy action. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Josh Duhamel is a fun lead.

He’s the main reason why I tuned into this movie and he was the best part of it. I find him captivating in everything, including the Nacho Fries commercials for Taco Bell. I thought he was bad-ass in this film and elevated a generic script as much as he could.

Plenty of action.

If you’re looking for lots of action and fight scenes, you’re in the right place. This film kind of felt like a mashup between The Bourne Identity and pretty much any Liam Neeson movie (in terms of the action at least). The film is on the shorter side and the pacing keeps things moving enough to keep you invested until the end.

The Cons:

Images courtesy of Netflix

The dialogue is really really bad.

I didn’t have high expectations for this film at all, but wow was the dialogue atrocious. I started laughing several times and not in a good way. I’m all for a mindless action flick, but this film could have been so much better if it would have put in just a little bit of effort in this department.

So am I in or out?

Images courtesy of Netflix

I’m 50/50 on this one…

I’m in for Josh Duhamel and some of the fight scenes were decent, but this film didn’t have enough edge or substance to make it that memorable. If you’re looking for a quick watch, you’ll find enough to enjoy, but I would recommend managing your expectations.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Blackout in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now! I hope you enjoy!

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Last Seen Alive” on Netflix: Modern take on “The Vanishing” has its moments

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Tell me where she is…”

Last Seen Alive originally premiered in June 2022, but released in the US on Netflix on October 1st 2022. The action thriller film stars Gerard Butler, Jaimie Alexander, Russell Hornsby, and Ethan Embry. It runs for approximately an hour and thirty-five minutes.

After Will’s wife goes missing at a gas station, he takes the law into his own hands to track her down before it’s too late.

Here is the trailer:

Last Seen Alive has a great cast with some really intense moments built in. Is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

My kind of thriller…

This movie definitely channeled The Vanishing in a lot of ways. The premise was really similar and it had a darker tone that I really liked. Even though this film was far from perfect, it fit very nicely into that “movie of the week” category with lots of action and a mystery that kept you on the hook in a good way.

Fast-paced plot with a really solid opening.

This film didn’t waste too much time with unnecessary fluff or set-up. There were some flashbacks thrown in to reveal a little bit more about the relationship between Will and Lisa, but this never impacted the pacing in a negative way. Everything moved really quickly with lots of action and that opening was really chilling in the best way possible!

Sure, this movie took some ridiculous turns after that, but as long as you manage your expectations, you’ll still enjoy the ride.

The Cons:

Far-fetched at times…

I’m not sure that this film really did its research on police procedures and a lot of things just seemed really outrageous. I’m all for letting Gerard Butler cause some serious damage, but there were some moments that were really out there…

As long as you just go with it, you’ll still enjoy the film, however.

I also found Lisa’s parents to be really odd characters. The dialogue was awkward and forced. It might have been better to leave them out of the film all together because I’m not sure that they added anything to it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

Far from perfect, but still an intense thrill ride with plenty of action and a simple formula that worked. If you enjoy films like The Vanishing, you’ll find lots to like with this one.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Last Seen Alive in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

READ IF YOU DARE…

Dash and Seek is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Fall” (2022) in Theaters: Suspenseful Survival Thriller

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“If you’re scared of dying, don’t be afraid to live…”

Fall (2022) released in theaters on August 12th 2022. The adventure thriller film stars Grace (Fulton) Currey, Virginia Gardner, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and Mason Gooding. It runs for an hour and forty-seven minutes.

One year after a tragic accident, Becky agrees to climb a 2000 foot abandoned radio tower with her best friend Hunter, but when they wind up stranded at the very top, they need to work together to find a way to survive.

Here is the trailer:

Fall is extremely intense with plenty of edge-of-your-seat moments that will worsen anyone’s fear of heights that much more. Is it worthy of YOUR next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Nail-biting moments throughout!

I am not a huge fan of heights, but wow I don’t even think I can get on a small step ladder after this one. This movie was so intense and brutal! My heart was pounding the entire time. The movie reminded me a lot of The Ledge (which I also really enjoyed and is now streaming on Hulu), but the radio tower environment made it a unique watch. If you enjoy survival thrillers, you’re in the right place.

Characters to root for.

Becky and Hunter were both really likable characters. The film mostly focused on them, but it did bring up the past a little bit and some emotional baggage. I never thought it took away from the core of the film, however. Sometimes films can force these interactions and flashbacks, but this film kept the pacing going without skipping a beat.

The Cons:

Somewhat unbelievable…

I don’t really have many cons for this movie. I did find it a little suspicious that there was a “no trespassing” sign, but no mentions that this tower could be extremely unstable? I guess common sense would tell someone not to climb this tower, but then we wouldn’t have this amazing and intense movie.

So am I in or out?

I’m in!!!

A brutal and intense watch worth your time!

If you’re looking for a good thriller, you should absolutely check this movie out. I also highly recommend watching The Ledge on Hulu. After seeing both movies, I’ll be staying on the ground for quite a while…

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Fall (2022) in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “The Tourist” on HBO Max: Memento style action-thriller has its moments

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“It’s what you do now that counts…”

The Tourist released on HBO Max on March 3rd 2022 with all six episodes available to stream now. The action-thriller show stars Jamie Dornan, Shalom Brune-Franklin, Danielle Macdonald and Damon Herriman. Each episode runs for approximately 56-58 minutes.

A man wakes up in the Australian Outback with amnesia as he quickly realizes that someone is trying to kill him.

Here is the trailer:

The Tourist has lots of intense moments and twists to keep you entertained, but is it worthy of your next watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Decent action scenes…

Each episode does just enough to lure you in for more. There are some really great fight scenes, explosions, and more to satisfy action fans. Jamie Dornan plays his character well and shows us plenty of layers. Fans of Reacher and Memento will most likely enjoy this one.

Twists to keep you coming back for more.

I really enjoyed the twists in this one. The end of the first episode pulled me in for more and I had to know what was going to happen next. The show does a good job of revealing bits and pieces along the way. We don’t know who to trust and we’re just as clueless as our main character in a lot of ways.

The Cons:

Slow moving at times…

The episodes are on the long side and there is a lot of unnecessary fluff that gets in the way. At times this show really dragged for me, but each episode managed to redeem itself with something intense to bring you back in. I just wanted a faster pace overall.

The ending was not really what I expected either but I’m sure there will be mixed feelings on it.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

The Tourist has a cool premise with lots of action and twists to keep you coming back for more. There were some pacing issues but I think there is plenty to enjoy with this one, especially if you like action-thrillers.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on The Tourist in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

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Spoiler-Free Review of “Kate” on Netflix: Mary Elizabeth Winstead is a Bad-Ass Queen

**This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!**

“Take control over your own life…”

Kate premiered on Netflix on September 10th 2021. The action thriller film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Woody Harrelson, and Miku Martineau. It runs for approximately an hour and forty-five minutes.

An assassin based in Japan learns that she has been poisoned and only has 24 hours left to live, as she attempts to take revenge on her enemies while protecting an innocent girl caught in the crossfire.

Here is the trailer:

Kate follows an action formula we have seen many times before, but it does have the talented Mary Elizabeth Winstead leading the way. Does this film do enough to earn a watch? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is the best part of the movie.

I am already a huge fan of hers, but wow does she deliver in this film! She is so convincing and bad-ass. I rooted for her the entire time and she could give any other assassin a run for their money. She does not hold anything back, but she also reveals some heartfelt moments as well which made me connect to her character a lot. More please!

Plenty of flashy action to go around.

If you are looking for lots of fight scenes, you are in the right place. I loved the touch of pop music thrown in which channeled The CW’s Kung Fu in a lot of ways. The use of vibrant colors also helped make these scenes really stand out. Mary Elizabeth Winstead certainly got a workout in!

The Cons:

Not super original…

I’ve seen this type of movie before and much like Maggie Q’s recent The Protege, the plot is just kind of okay, which is kind of frustrating because it wastes the talent of these two actresses. Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Kate is a great character and she is ruthless with her kills, but I’ve seen this type of movie before and it doesn’t really do anything new or unique. It lacks some of the outrageous humor from Crank, but it does have some heartwarming moments thrown in with the unlikely friendship formed.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is fantastic and deserves a watch. If you are looking for a quick action thriller, you will find plenty to enjoy. I just wanted a little bit more substance from the movie because the character and performance overshadowed the plot.

Overall, this was a fun watch and I would recommend it if you like revenge action thrillers.

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts and theories on Kate in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

PLAY BY THE RULES…STAY ALIVE…

A harmless night of fun turns deadly for six college friends but the game has only just begun. Take a mystery thrill ride right from your own living room. Dash and Seek is out now!

Play if you dare…

Dash and Seek is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

Spoiler-Free Review of “Gunpowder Milkshake” on Netflix: Girl Power to the Extreme

*This is a spoiler-free review so feel free to read on!*

“When they need someone to clean up their mess, they send me…”

Gunpowder Milkshake is an action thriller film that premiered on July 14th 2021. It is currently available to stream on Netflix. The film stars Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh, and Angela Bassett. It runs for an hour and fifty-four minutes.

The film follows two assassins who happen to be mother and daughter. After being separated many years ago, the two reunite to help protect an eight year old girl from a dangerous group of men.

Here is the trailer:

Gunpowder Milkshake looks like a dream at first glance. The cast is out of this world and it immediately gives us a noir-Tarantino-John Wick-esque vibe which seems like it should be a lot of fun. However, imitation is not always a sign of flattery. Does its attempt to channel this film style get in the way of pure greatness? Let’s find out…

The Pros:

All star cast.

If I wanted a group of female assassins to protect me, I would be more than thrilled if these ladies showed up. The cast was honestly the best part of the movie. These ladies kicked some ass and showed a lot of style and flair along the way. I wanted to explore some of the supporting characters more, but I loved each and every one of them and I thought that even the actress who played the young girl was truly talented.

Dream team right here!

Plenty of action to go around.

If you are looking for mindless violence and plenty of fight scenes, you are in the right place. The film delivers in this category. While some of the fight scenes early on were a little bit too rehearsed and choreographed for my liking, the later scenes made up for this.

The Cons:

Took a while to get going…

When I’m in the mood for a lot of action and violence, I don’t want the pace of the movie to feel slow. For me, this film took a while to get going. Sure, there was plenty of action in the first half of the movie, but the overall plot and pacing just felt slow and unsure of itself.

Once we got to the second half of the movie, I was all in, but I don’t want to have to wait an hour to get there…

Lost some originality points.

I’m all for a movie channeling the vibe of another work, but this film felt like a tired imitation of John Wick and Kill Bill at some points. The slow motion scenes with loud music behind them were almost excruciating to watch. They just didn’t really work here in my opinion.

Once we got to the second half of the film, I noticed that they stopped doing them so much, which really made a difference.

Having a cast of female leads should be empowering and inspiring. There were moments of this throughout the film, but I also thought they deserved a lot more and I also wanted some more humor worked into the film so it didn’t take itself too seriously. Nobody starring Bob Odenkirk was pure perfection for me and I think this film should have taken a page out of its book to understand that you don’t need to mash up popular film styles and gimmicks to make a film entertaining.

So am I in or out?

I’m in about 75 percent…

The film was entertaining and I really adored the cast. It took a while to get going, but once it did, I was invested. I think if the film had made a few tweaks and abandoned its gimmicks and slow motion scenes, it would have been a lot better, but if you are looking for a fun action thriller, you’ll get that here.

I recommend watching Nobody first; however, if you haven’t already, which was absolutely incredible!

I hope you enjoyed the review and feel free to post your own thoughts on Gunpowder Milkshake in the comments section below. Thanks so much for reading and happy viewing!

Best,

Amy Koto, TV Fanatic Girl

DON’T TAKE THE JOB…

My supernatural thriller Girl Number Thirteen is out now! I hope you enjoy!

Girl Number Thirteen is available here!

**If you enjoyed this blog, I would love it if you would click the follow button on your way out to subscribe. Thanks for your support!

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