Sofia Boutella

News, Reviews & Features
  • Star Trek Beyond

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 21st July 2016

    The things you remember from Star Trek Into Darkness: the theatrical dramatic pause before the shitty Khan reveal; Benedict Cumberbatch doing that weird over-enunciation thing he thinks makes bad dialogue sound better; Kirk kicking the warp core like a broken printer; the bit where Bones basically cures death; Tribbles; the platform game level at the end where Spock channels Super Mario. The things you don't remember from Star Trek Into Darkness: the good stuff, I guess? I don't recall it being a terrible film, quite enjoyable in the moment in fact, but a post-viewing breakdown revealed the story to have as much structural integrity as a piss-soaked newspaper. Star Trek Beyond, however, rights everything that Star Trek Into Darkness put wrong. It may not be as polished or as ambitious as its predecessor, but it is far truer to the core themes of what Trek is all about; crucially, it's a film that looks to the future, not the past.

  • Kingsman: The Secret Service

    Movie Review | Ali Gray | 26th January 2015

    Imagine an alternate universe, one in which producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G Wilson decided to reboot 007 using not the ruthless thuggery of Timothy Dalton or the brutish charm of Sean Connery as the Bond blueprint, instead opting to use the far-fetched, OTT antics of Roger Moore as the template. Ludicrous gadgets. Comic-book acting. Tongue rammed in cheek so deep all dialogue is in danger of being spoken with a lisp. Congratulations! You've just stumbled on the formula that could well have led to the creation of Kingsman: The Secret Service (it could've, if you didn't already know it was based on the book by Mark Millar).

  • StreetDance 2

    Movie Review | Rob | 30th March 2012

    A couple of years back I reviewed Step Up 3D and surprised even myself by awarding it three stars, claiming that it delivered on its promises, namely impressive dance moves and some superb 3D. Yeah, the acting was atrocious and the plot non-existent. But still! DANCING! StreetDance 2 - the follow-up no one asked for to 2010's StreetDance 3D - doesn't get off quite so lightly. The inexcusable choice to make 'Street Dance' one word angers me, and that's only start of the problems.