Fluke_Skywalker

I was never a big 'Clone Wars' fan while it aired. For one, I hate 3D/CGI animation with a passion. But I have cherry picked select, highly regarded episodes over the years, and that's worked out better than tuning in every week.

I got an itch for something Star Wars related that I haven't seen before, so I perused various online reviews and 'The Lawless' sounded interesting. And it was. Kinda.

I don't share the breathless fawning that so many reviewers do, but I do think that this is a solid enough episode, and it's easy to see why Prequel fans would eat it up.

The scope of this story really needed a two-parter, and what we get feels a little rushed and thin as a result. But the action is good, and the animation is top notch aside from the uncanny valley faces of the characters.

All in all I would give this a slight recommend to casual fans and to kids and young adults who may just be getting into Star Wars.

Today we often hear the phrase "They don't make 'em like that anymore," and that is certainly true about "Timeline". The difference here is that it's both a compliment and a criticism.

Released in 2003, but still carrying a whiff of the late 90's, most of the contemporary cynicism and other tiresome tropes are mostly missing. Whatever I think about the ultimate outcome here, I did appreciate that it's just trying to be an entertaining, agenda-free action/adventure story. Notice that I said "trying to be", because it's only entertaining in fits and starts and it falls well short of the potential of its premise.

For me the highlight is Gerard Butler. His is the most interesting character, and his charming performance helps carry a lot of the dramatic water here. The rest of the cast is likable enough, and that goes a long way in helping to choke down some of the movie's many flat moments.

I've read the Michael Crichton novel that it's somewhat loosely based on, and while the book isn't a classic by any means, it's definitely better than the film.

If you grew up in the 80's/90's like I did, you experienced the Gold Age of the martial arts action movie. Sometimes the hero was a cop, others a special forces soldier. But they were always out for justice (quite literally, in the case of the now portly and indifferent Steven Seagal). But the most memorable trope was the good guy in a karate tournament of some kind. Often one with life or death stakes.

The king of this sub-genre was undoubtedly Jean-Claude Van Damme. The physically gifted and charismatic Van Damme became a huge star in the early to mid 90's thanks in no small part to classics like "Bloodsport" and "Kickboxer", which followed this formula to a "T".

Today Gen-Xers are nostalgic for the kinds of movies, music and shows that they grew up with, and that's where the crowd funded "The Last Kumite" comes in.

It certainly checks off most of the genre boxes, but it's not done quite as skillfully as the movies that inspired it. While the production values are fine for what it aspires to be, and the great Stan Bush lead soundtrack wouldn't be out of place in a classic karate move, the acting is subpar, with star Mathis Landwehr having the charisma of a box of raisins and the martial arts on display weak and unexciting. Even the various 80's/90's karate movie stars here can't lift the material.

If you are a fan of the genre and you can adjust your expectations to fit the sort of homage that the movie tries rather earnestly to be, you just might get enough enjoyment out of this movie to make it worth your 1 hr. And 45 minutes.