The Old Guard review - serious silliness

★★★ THE OLD GUARD Serious silliness

Netflix immortality action flick is predictable but pleasurable, thanks to a winning cast

It’s hard to take The Old Guard seriously — it’s an action film about thousand-year-old immortal warriors. Pulpy flashbacks and fake blood abounds. But The Old Guard doesn’t need to be serious or even memorable: it’s a fun, feel-good film, a rare commodity these days.

Artemis Fowl review - flash bang nothing

★★★ ARTEMIS FOWL A poor adaptation of a magical world

A poor adaptation of a magical world

It’s taken over 18 years for Artemis Fowl to reach the big screen, with Miramax originally buying the rights in 2001. Finally, Disney have brought the world’s youngest criminal mastermind to life, but was it worth the wait? Well, the fact it’s appearing on streaming service Disney+ rather than waiting for a cinematic release probably answers that question.

Blu-ray: The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse

★★★★ THE THOUSAND EYES OF DR MABUSE A Weimar supervillain reborn in Cold War Berlin for Fritz Lang's archaic, prophetic farewell

A Weimar supervillain reborn in Cold War Berlin for Fritz Lang's archaic, prophetic farewell

The Thousand Eyes of Dr Mabuse (1960) was Fritz Lang’s final film, resurrecting his Weimar villain in Cold War Berlin and forming a satisfying circle with his career’s German first half, which included Metropolis and M.

John Grisham: Camino Winds review - morality tale with a light touch

★★★ JOHN GRISHAM: CAMINO WINDS Morality tale with a light touch

Grisham’s latest thriller is a playful and topical take on the thriller formula

John Grisham is a brand, in the sense that the reader relies on some sense of what the product is going to be. He is well up in the millions of sales, along with other writers under the “thriller/mystery” umbrella – Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, Ken Follett and Harlan Coben, to name but four. Still, as eagerly as his fans may await their yearly fix, he always manages to surprise.

Defending Jacob, Apple TV+ review - does murder run in the family?

★★★★ DEFENDING JACOB, APPLE TV+ Does murder run in the family?

Chris Evans and Michelle Dockery impress in adaptation of hit novel

Since it debuted in November last year, Apple TV+ has barely made a dent in a market largely shaped by Netflix, but this eight-part adaptation of William Landay’s bestselling novel is a decisive step in the right direction.

The Whistlers review – a smart, self-aware noir concerning a crooked cop

★★★★ THE WHISTLERS  Playful and cunningly crafted neo-noir 

Playful and cunningly crafted neo-noir is a delight from start to finish

Romanian filmmaker Corneliu Porumboiu has made a career crafting perceptive and cerebral examinations of his native country. From his 2006 debut 12:08 to Bucharest to The Treasure, they were cerebral films that powerfully embodied the Romanian New Wave. 

Van der Valk, ITV review - can the Dutch detective make a successful comeback?

★★★ VAN DER VALK, ITV Can the Dutch detective make a comeback?

Marc Warren reincarnates the Amsterdam investigator after a 30-year absence

Between 1972-1992 five series of Van der Valk were made for ITV, starring Barry Foster as the eponymous Amsterdam detective. Nearly 30 years later comes this reincarnation with Marc Warren in the title role, no doubt hoping to find a regular home in the juicy two-hour Sunday night slot.

Gangs of London, Sky Atlantic review - bloody terrifying

★★★★ GANGS OF LONDON, SKY ATLANTIC Bloody terrifying

Gripping and brutal crime epic gets off to an explosive start

You might consider equipping yourself with a shotgun and kevlar body armour before you start watching Gangs of London (Sky Atlantic), because this is a bruising, hair-raising ride. Created by Gareth Evans and Matt Flannery, it began with the televisual equivalent of being thrown from a fast-moving vehicle, as we saw a terrified man dangling on a rope over the edge of a high-rise building.