Matt Maytum

The clarity, dynamism and sheer scale of the action is near enough unparalleled, and it’s hard to argue you don’t get your money’s worth. Still, Cameron is going to have to think outside the (Pandora’s) box and change the game for any future installments.

Director Joachim Rønning (the surprisingly decent fifth Pirates Of The Caribbean) is a safe pair of hands. He doesn’t deliver any massive surprises but confidently marshals an entertaining instalment that sits comfortably alongside its predecessors.

While The End Continues obviously won’t be talked about in such hallowed terms in four decades’ time, it thankfully doesn’t sully its own reputation, and it sure is pleasant to be back in the company of the band again.

It’s not the sort of family film you’ll wax lyrical about, but there’s enough colorful, chaotic, kid-friendly fun to amply entertain.

A solid performance by Quasem and an impressively gruesome early leg-munch aren’t enough to earn Something in the Water anything close to a recommendation. Avoid like a fin in a bay.

It never feels particularly different to what you’ve seen before, and doesn’t push any boundaries visually or narratively in the way its DWA stablemate Puss in Boots: The Last Wish did.

Writer/director duo Sam and Andy Zuchero take an admirably big swing with their feature debut Love Me, but it never engages emotionally in the way this kind of material needs to.

Ultimately, though, the combination of handsome visuals and assemblage of sketchy moments leave it feeling more like a museum piece, offering impressions over a gratifying narrative experience.

A vaguely promising premise is squandered in a convoluted neo-noir set-up.

Despite a typically strong performance from Blunt - and a fun, if one-note, Evans - neither the rise nor the inevitable fall ever feel all that compelling. It lacks the sheer audaciousness of the similarly structured The Wolf of Wall Street, and doesn’t come close to the energy of The Big Short, which whipped up furious indignation while being massively entertaining at the same time.

Despite a handful of high points and Raimi flourishes, Strange’s second solo film rarely feels like the best possible outcome of this confluence of director and character.

Spielberg lovingly restages the classic musical – but while the songs still soar, it feels more indulgent than essential.

Sharp social commentary and slick genre trappings make for thought-provoking entertainment, even if it never entirely hooks you.

An intriguing concept is executed frustratingly poorly. On the Shyamalan spectrum, it’s more The Happening than Unbreakable.

As much as Oygen pulls you along in the moment, it doesn’t leave you with anything that’ll particularly linger.

Coming 2 America has arrived at just the right time: its eminent watchability and pleasing lack of drama (things never get too dangerous or dicey) mean it should go down well as a cheering antidote to stressful times. But it's hard to imagine anyone opting to watch it over the original in years to come. Ultimately, it’s more fawning subject than rightful heir.

A spirited and likeable Christmas musical that boasts terrific songs and looks the part, Jingle Jangle covers a threadbare story with just enough tinsel.

Robert Pattinson delivers another film-stealing supporting turn.

Pete Davidson lacks the charm to make an insufferable protagonist likeable.

A solid sequel that hits the right notes and entertains without ever being quite as satisfying or essential as the original.

A so-so Christmas romance undercut by some baffling choices, musically and narratively. A wasted opportunity.

An uninspired and unnecessary sequel that won’t leave you spellbound. There’s neither enough Maleficent or genuine magic to make it worth a revisit.

Two immensely enjoyable central performances and some of the best race sequences yet filmed fuel an otherwise standard sports movie.

The ’toon still rules when it comes to heart, but this shot-for-shot remake is an impressively mounted, visually breathtaking nostalgia rush.

Impressive VFX and bursts of action can’t mask the fact that this is a tonally confused start for a sci-fi franchise hopeful, made up of scrap parts you’ve seen put to better use elsewhere.

Shyamalan concludes his secret trilogy with a film easier to admire than love. McAvoy is terrific again, but Glass doesn’t quite live up to the lofty heights of Unbreakable and Split.

A so-so sequel enlivened by a few inspired moments. Ralph and Vanellope are still good company, but this concept might have worked better as a series of shorts.

The latest Halloween installment is fun while it lasts, but unlike its predecessor, it’s not a classic for the ages.

A solid espionage thriller that’s lifted by its charismatic leads, Red Sparrow commits to the brutality of its subject matter, meaning it’s never easy viewing.

All the signs pointed to a hit chiller: great cast, a director with fantastic form and a celebrated Jo Nesbø novel to draw from. So it’s a huge shame, then, that The Snowman is a bit grey and slushy when it should have been cool and crisp.

Fun, fleeting entertainment if you’re after more of the same, but fails to carve out any fresh ground.

This solid if unspectacular finish to the Apes trilogy features an A-game Andy Serkis and incredible VFX, but its darker excesses threaten to suffocate at times.

By now you know exactly what to expect from a Transformers film: undeniably epic action spectacle at the cost of character, logic or genuine drama. Predictably formulaic.

It’s the most staggeringly detailed and impressively realised sci-fi location since James Cameron welcomed audiences to Pandora, and one of the few recent blockbusters to benefit from the 3D treatment.

A handful of sparky leads can’t help this superhero reboot find an appropriate tone. No no, Power Rangers.

As sci-fi, it feels like a professionally produced hybrid that lacks its own identity. As a romance, it never fully earns your investment.

It never quite comes alive, but what disappoints most is the acting: McGregor coasts on his natural charm, but Jennifer Connelly (as Levov’s trophy wife) and Dakota Fanning (as his unruly daughter) are wildly OTT.

After a visceral opening battle, endless speeches dull good intentions, and the characters lack depth.

Justin Lin proves a safe pair of hands at the helm of the Enterprise. Powered by a spirited sense of adventure and a nice teamwork dynamic, it’s fun, but not essential, summer viewing.

The biggest X-Men movie yet doesn’t scrimp on carnage, but lacks the heft of Singer’s previous instalments.

While Batman v Superman has no trouble quickening the pulse, it’s less effective when it comes to making you care.

Given the weighty themes of Moby Dick, In The Heart Of The Sea doesn't have a lot going on behind the outward action. The composite parts are in fine working order; it's the sum that's slightly lacking.

As Peter Pan should be one of the ultimate wish-fulfilment heroes for kids, it’s baffling to see how he’s been appropriated for such an awfully middling adventure.

Amy Schumer is a force to be reckoned with – but despite some belly laughs Trainwreck doesn’t quite transcend the romcom formula like the best of the genre.

If you loved Pitch Perfect you’ll find plenty to enjoy here because it’s pretty much exactly the same film, but there’s enough wit and warmth that it feels like a worthwhile sequel.

Laughs are few and far between in a comedy that proves the combo of talented performers and an intriguing concept are no guarantee of success. Dispiriting stuff.

Like its title character, Chappie is stunning to behold and easy to like, but it’s still some way from fully developed.

Dakota Johnson is a revelation in an adaptation that’s better than it should have been. But with the sex scenes and the drama lacking the required heat, it’s ultimately unsatisfying.