In the end, The Phantom remains mediocre, with flat cinematography and crude dialogue.

It's a waste of classic material. Rent "The Incredibles" and see what should have been.

It's all clichéd, of course, and has been since "The Exorcist" but it's still effective, perhaps more so with anyone who, like our hero cop, comes from the world of scented smoke and altar boys.

A dreary, overlong and occasionally laughable classical epic about the great Macedonian world conqueror, it's guilty of a sin that no Stone film has ever committed: It's boring.

Nicolas Cageologists will be sad to hear that he's entirely too normal in National Treasure -- he's mildly funny but doesn't make any of the kooky dramatic choices (needless accents, ranting about the orifices of Greek gods) that made his other Bruckheimer performances so much fun to watch.

What's really offensive, to Hawaiians and mainlanders alike, is that after more than 50 years Hollywood can't make a better Hawaii movie than Elvis did. At least he could sing.

Feels more TV movie-of-the-week than Oscar contender.

Armed with a cliche-ridden script and a gaggle of unconvincing performers, the result comes off more like an Ernest Hemingway letter to the Penthouse Forum than a revival of Hollywood magic.

The creators of Jupiter Ascending spent $175 million on special effects and 25 cents on a story. Audiences do not get their money's worth.

It all adds up to a sequel that is, against all odds, not a total waste of your serial-killer dollar.

The charming thing about Anacondas is that it neither takes itself too seriously nor is it steeped in postmodern irony.

The story of a dead man (Keaton) who comes back to life as a snowman to befriend his troubled son (Cross) is played for laughs and tears despite its very creepy undertones. [11 Dec 1998, p.31]

Coincidental plot puts kiss of death on apathetic film. [29 Apr 1991, p.D05]

The one unforgivable crime committed in this remake is the lack of the original's most famous line of dialogue: "Klaatu barada nikto." Would it have been so tough to squeeze that in somewhere?

Something of an unforgettable experience.

To be fair, there are moments when the film seems better than, finally, it is.

You might be better off reading the book and imagining Nolte as Socrates.

The action scenes and plot points frequently defy logic, the apparent assumption being that it's just comic-book stuff and doesn't really need to make sense.

See it for Belle. See it for the parkour. And for the wonderfully magical spectacle of a man flying.

If this Dracula can kill hundreds of enemies by himself — and he can, and does, in several dull and protracted battle scenes — then where's the suspense? If he's become a monster for noble reasons, then where's the dark conflict?

In the films at least, there's something so naked about the Potter/Percy story parallels that's it's hard not to sit there as a viewer and get distracted playing connect the dots.

It's earnest but shallow, and condescends to the youth market it's obviously designed for. [05 Mar 1993]

Theron makes Libby a bristling, emotionally crippled live wire, her anger, guilt, and distrust bubbling to the surface with the slightest provocation. She's neither quite as fascinating nor nearly as despicable a character as "Gone Girl"'s Amazing Amy, but director Gilles Paquet-Brenner is no David Fincher.

At its best during the anachronistic nightclub scenes and anytime prolonged dancing is on screen. It's mostly music video stuff, but the young actors are likable enough, and the film works up just enough momentum to give it some significance.

Is ``Consenting Adults'' a joke? The question bobs to the surface like a dead catfish about halfway through the Alan J. Pakula suspense melodrama. A barely plausible but engaging premise collapses, crushing credibility like a mouse. [17 Oct 1992, p.C14]

It all passes quickly, as far as that goes, but when it’s over it passes entirely. And something that sells for a premium price ought to linger.

In many places it's genuinely, absurdly funny--crass, sleazy and morally questionable, yes, but still funny.

Has enough kicks and verve to keep the winter blues at bay, at least for a little while.