Film reviews: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone | The Croods | Post Tenebras Lux | Beyond The Hills | Stolen | Jack The Giant Slayer - Film

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By SIOBHAN SYNNOT
Published on 17/03/2013 00:00

SIOBHAN Synnot reviews the rest of this week’s film releases

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (12A)

Star rating: * * *

Steve Carell plays a jaded Vegas illusionist facing a career crisis when he falls out with his partner (Steve Buscemi) and a guerrilla street magician (Jim Carrey) begins stealing his thunder. Fitfully amusing, but does its own disappearing act from your mind as soon as you leave the cinema.

On general release

The Croods (U)

Star rating: * * *

What do you do when a film franchise about cuddly prehistoric mammals appears to have run its course? If you are Fox, you move from the Ice Age to the Neanderthals. Mild 3D animated adventure about a prehistoric family who leave their cave for the big wide world. Voice stars include Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds.

On general release

Post Tenebras Lux (18)

Star rating: * * *

Mexican experimentalist Carlos Reygadas offers a perplexing, plotless plod about a dysfunctional family living in the countryside.

Selected release: Edinburgh Filmhouse and Glasgow Film Theatre from 22 March

Beyond The Hills (12A)

Star rating: * * *

4 Months, 3 Weeks And 2 Days director Cristian Mungiu returns with the anguished retelling of a 2005 news story about a young woman who died during an exorcism in Romania. An undeniably tough watch.

Selected release: Edinburgh Filmhouse from 15 March; Glasgow Film Theatre, from 17 March

Stolen (12A)

Star rating: * *

Nicolas Cage continues his fight to pay off the taxman with a junky thriller where a former thief is prepared to go to any lengths to rescue his kidnapped daughter. Far more fun when it was called Taken.

On general release from Wednesday

Jack the Giant Slayer (12A)

Star rating: * *

X-men’s Bryan Singer rewrites the fairytale with Nicholas Hoult as Jack, while lacklustre CGI work supplies the giants. Bloodless violence and fart jokes suggests this is aimed at kids – but the swearing, and fee-fi-ho-hum plot, are not.

On general release from Friday

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Film reviews: The Incredible Burt Wonderstone | The Croods | Post Tenebras Lux | Beyond The Hills | Stolen | Jack The Giant Slayer

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