The plot involves Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) banding together the latest iteration of his Expendables Special Forces team, under the guide of government agent Marsh (Andy Garcia), to stop some stolen nuclear devices from being activated. His right-hand man Lee Christmas (Jason Statham) joins up with old regulars Gunner (Dolph Lundgren) and Toll Road (Randy Couture). Along for the ride are new recruits Easy Day (50 Cent), Galan (Jacob Scipio) and Lash (Levy Tran), with Lee’s on again-off again girlfriend Gina (Megan Fox) also in tow.

No-one goes into these films expecting Oscar-worthy scripts, but the dialogue this time around is especially wooden and has no natural flow to it whatsoever. We know these people can act because we’ve seen it before, but ‘The Expendables 4’ seems to have been mapped out with no consideration for what’s come before, a complete lack of character development and a basic misunderstanding of what a classic 80s action film was all about.

The cast do what they can with the poor material laid out in front of them. Sylvester Stallone is in it more than I expected, but it’s still woefully underusing him and his talents. Jason Statham must be exhausted because he’s carrying this entire film on his back, but even he can’t work miracles in these trying circumstances. Megan Fox is a decent actress when she has the right material (‘Jennifer’s Body’ is an absolute classic and she is brilliant in that), and I’ve been a fan of her work in the past. She is obviously a siren, and dutifully portrays this in the film. But her character is so thinly put-together it’s absurd. She will no doubt get stick for this film, but a better writing team can easily make her character useful, and not just the seemingly obligatory eye-candy.

Dolph Lundgren’s character has historically been wasted in this franchise as an inside-joke that no one asked for. His comic relief is awful, and that’s no fault of his own. It’s completely down to the awful writing he has had to endure. Lundgren is a good actor – give him better material for the love of God. An absolute waste of a talent. Andy Garcia chews up the scenery, 50 Cent offers nothing of real substance and Levy Tran is completely wasted as Lash. However there are some positives. Randy Couture is still solid and Tony Jaa steals the film as Decha, a former ally of Barney who helps Lee out mid-film. Iko Uwais is always a joy to watch onscreen, and Jacob Scipio does a fantastic job playing Galan (who is meant to be Antonio Banderas’ character’s son). Banderas was meant to reprise his role of Galgo in this movie, but scheduling conflicts prevented it. So, (in the only good move the writers made with this entire film), they repurposed the character to be his son. Scipio does a remarkable job channelling Banderas trademark charisma.

How it took four writers to come up with this story is beyond me, but we have Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, Max Adams and Spenser Cohen to thank for this mess. Not forgetting Scott Waugh’s poor direction which frequently opts for close-up action when a wider shot would have been far more satisfying to see the impressive set-pieces play out in. The fight between Jason Statham and Iko Uwais was great, as was any scene featuring Tony Jaa, but its impact was always affected by the way the sequences were put together, from its cinematography right down to its editing. Thankfully this isn’t ‘Taken 2’ levels of bad epilepsy-inducing action, but it also doesn’t hit its (very easy attainable) marks. Do the basics right and you win half the battle.

‘The Expendables 4’ is a massive missed opportunity and a complete waste of a chapter. Especially when we’ve had 3 very enjoyable movies already. And with the cast aging out soon, it seems like this is even more wasted time to deliver action fans a good, all-star ensemble. It was a long gap of almost 10 years between ‘The Expendables 3’ and this ‘Expend4bles’ mess, so we are running out of time. So please hire better writers and a proper action director if we are to get one more round with these characters. There is a market for this if anyone is willing to actually invest the proper time and attention this franchise needs. The fans deserve a much better finale than this.

Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Megan Fox, Randy Couture, 50 Cent, Dolph Lundgren, Andy Garcia, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Levy Tran, Jacob Scipio Director: Scott Waugh Writer: Kurt Wimmer, Tad Daggerhart, Max Adams, Spenser Cohen Certificate: 15 Duration: 103 mins Released by: Lionsgate Release date: 22^nd September 2023

The post ‘Expend4bles’ review appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Alongside the launch a new live-action teaser trailer featuring actress, Megan Fox, ‘becoming her true self’ was also released. The actress has previously revealed her love of Black Desert during interviews. A full live-action trailer is expected in the near future.

Watch the Black Desert PS4 teaser starring Megan Fox below:

More than 20 million people have experienced Black Desert across PC, Xbox One and mobile. Now PS4 players can get in on the action and skill-based combat, along with a variety of life skills, stunning visuals and the incredible character creator. PS4 Pro players are in for an extra treat with support for 4K resolution.

Players can choose from six classes including the Warrior, Ranger, Sorceress, Berserker, Wizard, and Witch, with additional classes planned for rollout in the future. In addition to the mechanics and character classes, players expressed great enthusiasm for the in-game GM events that took place during the Open Beta, including fishing and PvP battles to an amazing fireworks-filled finale.

Watch the Black Desert for PlayStation 4 – official launch trailer below:

Pearl Abyss also announced that PlayStation 4 content creators and streamers can now apply for the Black Desert Partner Program, which is a unique opportunity to work together with the game’s community team for support in growing their channel.

To celebrate the launch, Pearl Abyss organized a launch party for fans at Gamescom 2019 in Cologne, Germany, on 21st August, 2019. More than 600 attendees experienced endless food, drinks, and fun, as well as a chance to mingle with the development team. A roadmap for future content updates to the PS4 version was also unveiled which included:

• New classes
• Awakening
• Absolute Skills
• New region Valencia
• New region Kamasylvia
• Node War & Siege War
• World Bosses
• The Dark Rift
• Adventure Log

Check out the official Black Desert website for more information.

The post Black Desert launches on PS4 with Megan Fox starring in live-action teaser appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Full of cracking action, lots of humour and some very impressive special effects, this second Turtles adventure is a joy to watch and really captures the essence of the characters – something that makes these latest big screen adventures very palatable.

The tone these films adopt lends itself to some great humour and spectacle. It’s something that appeals to both the original fans of the 90s cartoon and movies, along with ardent followers of the Turtles more recent iterations. Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo are physically portrayed through motion-capture in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows by Pete Ploszek, Jeremy Howard, Alan Ritchson and Noel Fisher respectively. Their performance shouldn’t go unsung, even though the film is CGI heavy – they all do their characters real justice.

The human side of the supporting actors all hand in their usual, reliable shifts too. Megan Fox simply smoulders onscreen and her comic timing is spot-on. After the last battle (the events of the first film), Vernon has now agreed to be the public face of the Turtles heroism, allowing them to stay unnoticed in the shadows. Being the saviour of New York City creates some funny moments and Will Arnett steals all of his scenes here.

If there are disappointments, they come in the form of Shredder, who really doesn’t get to do much at all this film. Brian Tee is a good actor so hopefully he can be used better in a third movie. Elsewhere, Stephen Amell makes for a good Casey Jones but the script forces him into a rushed would-be relationship with April O’Neil instead of properly building up to any romance with due diligence. Again, this is no fault of the actor – just something the script rushed through.

Throw in acting talent like Laura Linney and the brilliant Tyler Perry, along with comedy crime-duo Gary Anthony Williams and WWE star Sheamus as the hilariously stupid Bebop and Rocksteady, and you have a very fun blockbuster that does the Turtles legacy justice. The action is brilliant, especially an initial car chase through the city, and the story develops nicely. Seeing Kraang being just as whiney and irksome as he is in the cartoons is also a joy to watch on the big screen. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is a great summer blockbuster for the family and guarantees a fun night out at the movies.

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Cast: Megan Fox, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard, Pete Ploszek, Alan Ritchson, Tyler Perry, Will Arnett, Laura Linney, Stephen Amell, Brian Tee, Stephen Farrelly (Sheamus), Gary Anthony Williams, Tony Shalhoub, Brad Garrett Director: Dave Green Writer: Josh Appelbaum, André Nemec, Kevin Eastman & Peter Laird (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters) Released By: Paramount Certificate: 12A Duration: 112 mins Release Date: 30th May 2016

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows review appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The heroes in a half-shell return for more Turtle-powered fun on 30th May.

Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to cinemas this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell).

After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world.

As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.

Check out the new featurettes and clips below:

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[brid video=”39157″ player=”531″ title=”TMNT Out of the Shadows Featurette Stephen Amell Paramount Pictures International”]

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Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael all return to theatres this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell) in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows.

The film hits cinemas nationwide on 30th May.

After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world.

As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.

Check out the latest clip below:

[brid video=”38328″ player=”531″ title=”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Clip”Take Out the Trash” Paramount Pictures UK”]

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ‘Take Out The Trash’ in new sequel clip appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael return to cinemas this summer to battle bigger, badder villains, alongside April O’Neil (Megan Fox), Vern Fenwick (Will Arnett), and a newcomer: the hockey-masked vigilante Casey Jones (Stephen Amell).

After supervillain Shredder escapes custody, he joins forces with mad scientist Baxter Stockman (Tyler Perry) and two dimwitted henchmen, Bebop (Gary Anthony Williams) and Rocksteady (WWE Superstar Stephen “Sheamus” Farrelly), to unleash a diabolical plan to take over the world.

As the Turtles prepare to take on Shredder and his new crew, they find themselves facing an even greater evil with similar intentions: the notorious Krang.

Check out the new trailer below:

[brid video=”36481″ player=”531″ title=”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Trailer #3 Paramount Pictures UK”]

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows debuts new trailer appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The live-action sequel stars Alan Ritchson, Megan Fox, Laura Linney, Stephen Amell, William Fichtner, Noel Fisher, Will Arnett, Tony Shalhoub, Tyler Perry, Johnny Knoxville and Brian Tee. The film is directed by Dave Green and written by Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec.

The plot details for the movie are being kept firmly under wraps but judging from the new teaser the Turtles will be fending off a new threat in their city.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows arrives in UK cinemas on 3rd June 2016. Check out the new teaser below:

[brid video=”27264″ player=”531″ title=”Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Out of the Shadows Big Game Spot Paramount Pictures UK”]

The post Teaser debuts for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The sequel reunites the Turtles with Megan Fox as reporter April O’Neil, William Fichtner as the villainous Eric Sacks and Will Arnett as hapless camera-man Vernon Fenwick.

This time around there is some serious star-power joining the cast. Laura Linney, Stephen Amell, Tyler Perry and Alessandra Ambrosio all feature as Johnny Knoxville (Leonardo), Jeremy Howard (Donatello), Alan Ritchson (Raphael) and Noel Fisher (Michelangelo) square up against the evil Shredder (Brian Tee).

The trailer looks just as action-packed as the first film, with the Turtle van making a huge statement along with the appearances of Gary Anthony Williams as Bebop and Stephen Farrelly (better know as WWE Superstar Sheamus) as Rocksteady!

Check out the trailer below!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows is released in the UK on June 3 2016.

The post First look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sequel appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The movie stars Megan Fox, Will Arnett, William Fichtner and Whoopi Goldberg and features the voices of Johnny Knoxville, Noel Fisher, Tony Shalhoub, Jeremy Howard and Alan Ritchson.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is the first big-screen outing for the comic book icons since 2007′s CGI release TMNT and the much-loved 90’s movies.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is released on 17th October 2014.

The post ‘Living’ Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles posters unveiled appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The posters contain the hand of each of the turtles holding a different weapon. The character posters come hot on the heels of the recently released teaser trailer.

For the latest big screen outing Megan Fox leads the cast as April O’Neil with Alan Ritchson, Noel Fisher, Jeremy Howard and Pete Ploszek voicing the four turtles. The film also stars Will Arnett, William Fichtner and Danny Woodburn.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is due for release in UK cinemas on 17th October. Check out the teaser character posters and the teaser trailer below:

The post Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles teaser posters appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

The first still is of the gorgeous Megan Fox as reporter April O’Neil. The teaser trailer features a first proper look at the Ninja Turtles in action as well as Shredder, played by William Fichtner.

Check out the trailer!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles opens in cinemas on 17th October 2014.

The post First glimpse at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles appeared first on Entertainment Focus.

This Is Forty, the ‘sort-of ’ sequel to Knocked Up, is penned by comedy golden boy Judd Apatow. It’s a more rewarding watch than its predecessor thanks to a more involving storyline that doesn’t rely on gross-out humour. It instead focuses on the intricacies and daily struggles of married life.

Seth Rogen and Katherine Heigl don’t appear in This Is Forty but their characters are mentioned, as do many other secondary characters from Knocked Up. This time around, we focus our attention to Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann’s characters Pete and Debbie.

The film resists the temptation to create needless drama for the sake of it. This is a comedy that’s happy to peculate on its own simplicity and by extension this means that This Is Forty becomes a far more engaging watch. The comedy stems from everyday situations and problems we all face – trying to deal with financial situations, hold a family together, keep an air of mystery in relationships etc.

Paul Rudd has fast become Hollywood’s go-to guy for romantic comedy and is excellent in This Is Forty. The popular Clueless star shares a brilliant chemistry with Leslie Mann and the two easily convince as a married couple looking to reignite that spark. This is Mann’s best role to date too – she is handed a far bigger role In This Is Forty that tests her range a lot more.

The supporting cast are all great with Albert Brooks and John Lithgow the picks of the bunch as Pete and Debbie’s respective Dads. Chris O ’Dowd, Apatow regular Jason Segel, Michael Ian Black and Melissa McCarthy all hand in noteworthy performances as well. Iris and Maude Apatow (Judd and Leslie’s kids) do a fine job as squabbling sisters too.

The luscious Megan Fox is brilliant in the film and proves the haters wrong with a very savvy performance. She also bounces off the delightfully off-beat and hilarious Charlyne Yi really well as shop assistants who hate each other. Having now pitched her tent to the Apatow stable will hopefully mean Fox gets a better class of role offered to her in the future. She clearly has talent to go with the looks as This Is Forty and the criminally underrated Jennifer’s Body has proved.

This Is Forty is a great comedy that has a lot to offer audiences. With hilarious set-pieces, an amazing comedic cast and some genuine heart, it’s a delightful return to form for Judd Apatow. You’ll love the gags, the situation comedy and the general vibe but you’ll stay for the heart.

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