Ralph Fiennes

News, Reviews & Features
  • Spectre

    Movie Review | Matt Looker | 21st October 2015

    If Daniel Craig's incarnation of 007 had any agenda over the course of his previous three films, it was to get Bond back to basics, away from the spoofable superspy tropes of volcano lairs and invisible cars. Acting as a prequel series to the franchise sold this idea rather well, presenting us with a simple, bold and brutal spy at the start of his game. The problem is, each Craig film so far has ended with Bond primed and positioned to become the man we see at the start of Dr No, and they have created hidden steps along that journey. As such it has felt like a cheat, like counting down "three, two, one, er... a half, a quarter, an eighth" and so on. But now Spectre really feels like we have finally reached the end of that countdown, and it does so in part by tying all the previous films together into one conclusion. But it also does it by embracing all the embarrassingly awful 007 traditions that this modern Bond had previously shied away from.

  • Ralph Fiennes kissed by cute dog

    Movie News | Neil Alcock | 20th November 2013

    With apologies to the hard-working people who put together the poster for The Invisible Woman, unaware that film bloggers are always fishing for a crap visual gag.

  • Skyfall

    Movie Review | Ali | 13th October 2012

    After the racing start that was Casino Royale, Quantum Of Solace felt like an unscheduled pitstop; Craig stuck in the driving seat, sitting frustrated and static while the Bond engineers frantically retooled his vehicle against the clock. I'm happy to report that Skyfall sees Bond well and truly back on track: a turbo-boosted return to form with all cylinders firing. It's not without its problems, but Skyfall walks that fine line between homage and evolution so confidently, it frequently breaks into a strut.

  • Wrath Of The Titans

    Movie Review | Matt | 30th March 2012

    When you consider the critical shitpanning that was given to Clash Of The Titans upon release, it's hard to understand how a sequel was ever greenlit. Absurd plot points, stilted dialogue and 3D so eye-bleedingly bad it nearly undid all of Avatar's goodwill singlehandedly...and yet here we are again. With the promise of bigger and better monsters - and a new, less anachronistic haircut for Sam Worthington - is this film a vast improvement? Nuh-uh.

  • Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

    Movie Review | Matt | 9th July 2011

    And so it all ends. Goodbye, Gryffindor. So long, Slytherin. Adios ‘Ogwarts. Whatever your feelings about ‘The Boy Who Lived’ and his mostly family friendly foray into a world of wizardry, there’s no denying that this final film marks the end of an inspired (and lucrative) era in British filmmaking. So thank god that it so magnificently lives up to the occasion.

  • Cemetery Junction

    Movie Review | Ali | 16th April 2010

    Ricky Gervais goes serious? Hmm. I love The Office, I love Extras and I love Ricky full stop (it's the laugh). But as his career wheel has started turning and the David Brent act has worn thin, Gervais clearly has his eye on the long game - that means cutting back on comic exasperation and showing himself capable of something with soul. Hence Cemetery Junction, Ricky Gervais and Steven Merchant's first directorial effort; a coming-of-age comedy set in Gervais' home town.

  • Clash Of The Titans

    Movie Review | Matt | 5th April 2010

    The original Clash Of The Titans is one of those movies that many people remember fondly from their childhood and usually this is reason enough to swear off any kind of remake. This time, however, all eyes seem to be on how modern-day special effects can improve upon Ray Harryhausen's impressive (but, let's be honest, dated) efforts. Well, come out of retirement, Ray - your stop motion techniques are still preferable to soulless CGI and needless 3D.