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Excessively bloody, occasionally spasmodic, B-movie-esque in every bit of dialogue. In other words, the best thing ever created in the film or TV world on the subject of the legendary eternal tournament. Liu Kang has already enjoyed the main role enough (and still remains at the forefront of the main band), so it's only right that others have received attention, especially in a story that respects the basic mythology while also being able to deviate functionally. Uninitiated viewers will have a spectacle that doesn't pull punches, while fans get fond winks and nudges every five minutes, in the bloodiest moments quoting everything from the classic first installment to the newest additions – simply a balanced and fast-paced ride that delivers exactly what the long, cheesy title promises. Next time, however, I wouldn't be afraid to look into a completely different time period; Kung Lao in particular would be a great fit for a film.

Thanks to being set in a convincingly dirty environment, Liam Hemsworth's muscle mass, and the fantastic pace where one attraction is swapped out for another, the adventures of the hero with the super tough name Tyler Rake landed in terms of mood one or two classes more higher than the much praised and often compared John Wick. The combination of mercenaries, the desperate fates of children of soldiers of fortune, and the action-packed aspects polished to the last cut compensate for the fact that this does not offer (nor does it seek to offer) anything new to the classical screenplay.

Secondhand Embarrassment: The Series. There are many moments in each episode when the main character behaves like a total loser, making a fool of himself both in his dialogue and physical mishaps. Unfortunately, there are even more moments when he is willing to throw any number of friends under the bus just for a fleeting encounter with an attractive passerby. The series confirmed that I enjoy Stephen Merchant's physical acting, but I spent just as much time wanting to kill his character Stuart as I did pitying him.

Season 1 – 50% – A disappointment that will bug me for a long time. While I consider the source material to be the best non-superhero comic series ever, the adaptation has no goal, presents mythological twists carelessly, and doesn't explain the key system, depicting it as one big coincidence. In the source material, the key appeared and I could get excited about the tension and potential. In the adaptation, the episode begins, Bode finds the key, one of the siblings tries out its properties in the most predictable way, the enemy makes empty threats, and we then do it all over again the next time. The kids, the main guides to the new world, who had won me over possibly on the first page, are surprisingly often unappealing here, incomprehensibly above everything, even in moments when their lives are literally at stake, the actors are inept at key moments, and in the end, I don't even want to root for them. Taking into account the pleasantly non-forced high school atmosphere and very well-cast Dodge, I don't feel like showing a raised "Aloha!" towards Keyhouse. But then, even for a moment, I admit that I've been waiting for the final project for years, only to get through an average story cut out from the current CW, which voluntarily lets the majestic potential flow somewhere into nothing, and I'm really disappointed, no exaggeration. The increased number of incomprehensible decisions in decisive situations finally make me bitterly wave away the Locke family. Season 2 – 40% – For a long time, it seems like relationships will play the main role, and hopefully, that the unobjectionable teen layer will prevail, but as time goes by it turns into an even worse experience than the last time. Magical moments are destroyed by routine twists expected well in advance, and the special effects can't save everything. The characters are sadly watered down and there's no one to root for. Nina is still an unsupportive mom whose main occupation is to look sad and date a mysterious stranger, Bode still incomprehensibly trusts every new arrival, Tyler is a toxic figure who in every episode forces his partner into something she repeatedly refuses. Even the over-the-top villain Eden, who would be a love-to-hate favorite in any other show, is only there for the count. And the potential is still so close. However, I no longer understand who the target audience should be. For kids, it's a pretty dark spectacle with death and unpleasant motifs, while adults longing for tension will fall asleep during the high school drama and children's games. And I'm still waiting for that beautiful comic series full of vibrant characters to materialize.

When I say that I enjoy exploring this world, it is still a bit of an understatement. I would love to run into every corner of the city and discover its laws and relationships between different quarters. And I haven't even mentioned the abyss itself. Every level, every new creature, every encounter, everything ignited my imagination at full throttle with that marvelous quality that diminishes with each passing year, when I eagerly await new events and can't even guess what and who awaits me on the next floor. However, it's not primarily about adventure, and not even about collecting treasures or conquering new places. Surprisingly, it's increasingly about loss, self-discovery, and occasionally about matters more serious than seriousness itself. The series contains a lot of torment, which almost destroys me psychologically, and this tormenting, torturing, and humiliating of the main characters and subsequent bitter tears have been perhaps a bit too much for a moderate share of episodes. However, without exaggeration, it is a unique phenomenon that surprises both the viewers who can completely devour everything in the genre and even those who either don't know how or don't want to choose from the offerings of the late 1990s.

Season 1 – 60% – An appealing prologue that is unnecessarily harmed by being split into episodes. If it had taken the form of a pilot film, I would have been more forgiving, but this way the three episodes wistfully reminisce and wait around for the pivotal showdown. It ended on a high note and gives a taste of what's to come next, but the feeling of being shortchanged by labeling these incomplete two hours as a standalone season and promising a continuation over a year later only slowly subsided. Season 2 – 85% – Impressive blending of genres and the number of important characters. Perfection is still one step away, still frugal with crucial moments, but when the battles become intense and the most suspenseful moments leave the audience in anticipation of what may happen, I have to praise Sam Deats. There is still a decent amount of potential, as well as storylines for the main heroes to explore. Season 3 – 75% – The plot remains stagnant, the characters go in circles, and they are more focused on exploring locations rather than progressing. Intrigues and plans take up so much space that they become excessive, and I found myself sitting, counting the individual episodes, waiting for a twist, and enjoying the excellent animation as always. Then came the last two episodes, which are undoubtedly the best in the entire series and possibly one of the best in the action genre. After such a dose of pure enthusiasm, I was left in awe, and I am still somewhat undecided regarding the final rating. The wait was truly worth it, so I am rating it more than forgivingly, but next time, I would prefer more meaningful use of time. After three seasons, the continuous waiting was more than enough. Season 4 – 75% – I could copy and paste almost the same thing I wrote about the third season a few lines below it. The plot remains stagnant, less important characters are given space for contemplative monologues, and the viewer hesitates and wonders how this slow-paced journey will turn into an action-packed inferno. However, even small confrontations during the journey indicate the enduring potential of the brand, and in the penultimate episode, The Endings, it finally arrives. The best action, the most imaginative choreography, the most emotional motivation, and chaos in which I would gladly get lost a hundred times. I have probably never seen anything more explosive in the animated genre. Thanks to that, the aftermath of the battles between demons, vampires, Belmont, and Sypha will remain somewhat positive, overshadowing the fact that there could have been even more possibilities.

Season 1 – 80% – Hailee Steinfeld was born to play both cheeky and vulnerable roles at the same time. Thanks to her, I easily overcome the apparent eccentricity in the form of a modern and deliberately inappropriate soundtrack or contemporary language. Behind every smile, Emily hides genuine emotion, and the seemingly repetitive carousel of relationships ends up being addictively presented in a unique way. Maybe you can hear rustling of paper in the dialogue when it tries to combine poetry with slang, and maybe Jane Krakowski is surprisingly inaccurately cast as a period housewife, but this quirky and ultimately kind-hearted household has won me over so naturally that I will eagerly await the continuation more than I ever anticipated. Season 2 – 80% – At first, disappointment because it follows the same lines as before with inevitable letdowns and a firmly established mood from which Emily cannot deviate when adhering to historically documented facts. But what can I say, the perfect interplay of editing, where in the final seconds of intense scenes at the end of each episode, the least expected rhythm sounds and goosebumps appear on my skin, simply never gets old. It's just a shame that some characters are present out of obligation, and the central storyline with Samuel Bowles sometimes takes crucial turns from strange corners. Because of the visual or acting chemistry, both historical and contemporary series could learn a lesson from it. Season 3 – 70% – How to reach a happy ending when history cannot be overturned? Alena Smith and company try to proceed with caution, but it is no longer possible without incorporating completely different (and unfortunately sometimes quite incompatible) storylines. It is unprecedented how many specials one short season can absorb. However, it must also be said that all of them sooner or later cross the line (sanitarium, future, hell), and I can only see character development with a blind eye. However, the weakest season is not due to bold creative decisions, but rather Austin. From an unstable young man, he becomes an annoying egotist who literally ruins the mood not only for the family but also for me in every scene. The long-term storyline of the Dickinson family crisis is not what I want to watch when saying goodbye to the series, mainly because of him. But what can I say, the contrast between modernity and classicism works once again, and it is all thanks to one person. If anyone other than Hailee were to play the role of Emily, the rating would be significantly lower. However, for her, it is an acting tour de force where she can portray vulnerable, bold, or just honest moments with a single gesture or glance. Thanks to her, I will remember the poetic era with a smile on my face.

Purely teenage series are almost no longer produced. In order for something to be created in this genre, it is necessary to add either a detective storyline or an important social issue of the day. Looking for Alaska does not need any of this. It contains burning questions, but it was not created because of them. It was created for the same reason as the previous adaptations of John Green's works – because it is a fantastic story and a fantastic book about the vulnerability of adolescence. The adaptation does not change the essence, does not change the personalities of the characters, does not forget the most essential quotes, one of which repeatedly hits me directly in the heart and clouds my vision ("If people were rain, I was drizzle and she was a hurricane"). It even surpasses the source material in the moment when it reduces part of it to the necessary minimum, because the book later revolved in constant cycles from which, due to the nature of the situation, there was no way out. The transformation of the boy into a man is even more readable, more nostalgic, and more hopeless in a romantic sense. The main heroine is simply precious, and anyone can be captivated by her, whether their ideal type of girl is like her or completely opposite. Kristine Froseth carries her inscrutability, fiery nature, and almost unbearable qualities, and the viewer wants to forgive her almost anything in the role of Alaska. I got completely lost in this "foreign" memory, especially because the soundtrack perfectly corresponds to the extra strong musical side of the 2000s, in which the story takes place. And although I may not have found my Great Perhaps in Creek (and I've always been more inclined towards the heroes in Paper Towns), I felt exactly as if I had experienced both the good and the bad in it, and my heart was breaking.

Cameron Crowe hasn't bitten off just one big mouthful, but maybe three at the same time. I tried in vain to understand the situation as the screenplay spewed forth old loves, new loves, the army, interpersonal communication, satellites, billionaires, mental traumas, Hawaiian myths, and local traditions. However, somehow this disparate jumble comes together in the last act and is skillfully stitched together thanks to excellent casting, led by Bradley Cooper. I want to take Aloha as a message that even the biggest life confusion can be successfully and happily fixed, and because of that, the individual successful scenes (a silent conversation, a glance through glass) are true gems that I can't resist. 70% surprisingly rounded up, not just due to the strong antipathy from the surrounding reviewers.

Despite the clumsy dialogue, the completely far-fetched plot, and the only very shy attempts at livening the situation up a bit, The Spirit has something to offer in its naivety and carefully crafted visual side, far beyond the imaginary limits of Sin City. My beloved Frank Miller handles the screenwriting and directing chair like the clumsiest elephant in a china shop, yet I can't find it in myself to be angry at him. Perhaps because this alley was blind from the first drop of the clapper, yet lovingly finished.