With modern cinema we are living through a golden age of beautiful, soulful, emotional movies. We're blessed with movies that reach into us, pluck at the very fibres that make us who we are, and show us what we can achieve when we are allowed to dream... and then there are times when things blow up and people get punched so hard they fall out of buildings.
Let's be honest, when stuff blows up, we all feel a little better.
The action genre has always been incredibly popular amongst cinema goers. We love our action stars, from the 80s muscle warriors like Stallone and Schwarzenegger through to the modern day, slick, suit wearing, one man apocalypse that is John Wick. We love it when fists and bullets fly, and this is well represented in box office turnover too. Action movies make big money and money keeps the entire industry afloat.
2024 could be a big year for us and the studios, therefore, as there are some cracking action flicks heading our way.
Here are three of our top picks.
Dune: Part Two
- In cinemas: 1 March 2024
- Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin Butler, Zendaya, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård, Christopher Walken, Javier Bardem, Dave Bautista
- Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
After almost a year of waiting, a year of delays, we will finally get the second part of Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi masterpiece this spring.
Based on the classic series of novels by Frank Herbert and directly following on from the first film, Dune: Part Two will continue the story of Paul Atreides, his conflict with the Harkonnens, the feud with the Galactic Emperor, and his possible destiny to become leader of the free people of the planet Arrakis.
It's all very grand, very ambitious and no doubt will lead to a possible (read, probable) third and final instalment.
Villeneuve's directorial chops are well-respected already, so there is almost no doubt this will be an amazing spectacle and a perfect companion to the first film. The cast is beyond A list, the cinematography looks to be as stunning, and once again he has decided to keep the film's tone in-keeping with the books – heavy, dense, and unforgiving. There'll be no hand-holding or lengthy exposition pieces here.
Dune was my personal fave movie of 2020 and to say I am excited for this one would be an understatement. As a lifelong fan of the novels, the prospect of a huge budget Hollywood franchise was daunting, but in Villeneuve we have been rewarded... and now it is finally time to go again!
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- In cinemas: 24 May 2024
- Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, Charlee Fraser, Tom Burke, Daniel Webber
- Directed by: George Miller
Limited CGI, 150 physical "war rig" vehicles constructed and maintained, a long, difficult shoot in the unrelenting Namibian desert, and a central cast that quite simply hated each other could have lead to a disastrous return to the Mad Max franchise for George Miller. However, Mad Max: Fury Road wasn't... it found a very eager audience and remains an outstanding piece of cinema.
Move forward nine years and here we go again.
This time we get a new cast, a heavier reliance on computer effects, and a prologue story following the character of Furiosa (with Anna Taylor-Joy taking over from Charlize Theron). Plus, the second instalment in the revised Mad Max franchise promises to be bigger, bolder, and even more explosive.
With Miller back at the helm, there is no doubt that the lore and world building of the previous movies will be intact and there once again seems to be a big emphasis on script work that takes minimalism as a defining feature.
Fingers crossed not too much is lost in the transition from physical effects and location-based work to more CGI, composition and green screen. Either way, this May we can expect nothing but carnage.
Deadpool 3
- In cinemas: 26 July 2024
- Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Garner, Rob Delaney
- Directed by: Shawn Levy
Possibly the most eagerly-anticipated movie ever? It's driven by arguably the most loved man in Hollywood, who has even managed to bring Wolverine out of his self-imposed retirement. I mean, seriously, this simply cannot be anything but a huge hit.
After the huge success of the first two Deadpool movies, it was only a matter of time before the third instalment hit our screens. We seemingly can't get enough of a character that has found an absolutely massive fan base since the 2016 original, and made Ryan Reynolds possibly the biggest movie star on the planet right now.
The full original cast is back with the addition of the brilliant Emma Corrin, Jennifer Garner and some new actor called.. Hugh Jackman??
Yes! The Wolverine is back on our screens in what promises to be the biggest and most ambitious in the franchise to date, Expect bad language, gratuitous violence, nudity, fourth wall-breaking meta comedy, and all kinds of multiverse shenanigans.
Will Marvel use this as a gateway to bring the X-Men to the MCU, and will we finally see the new Fantastic 4? Who knows? But then, who cares?.. we get to see Reynolds and Jackman share a screen after years of insults and inside jokes.
Book tickets early for this one.
