Re-re-review: The Lengthy Stroll vs Demon Slayer: Infinity Citadel vs Spinal Faucet II
Positive, these aren’t unique properties, nevertheless it’s nonetheless fairly thrilling: a brand new, previously-undone Stephen King adaptation, successful anime movie, and a sequel to a basic cult comedy all vied for dominance in a single weekend. Whereas Demon Slayer undisputedly slayed on the field workplace, in basic Flickchart fashion we’re going to rank these three movies and discover out which was finest.
3. Spinal Faucet II: The Finish Continues
Coming in final is Rob Reiner‘s follow-up to his debut film. Spinal Faucet II: The Finish Continues reunites Reiner as director with the unique trio of Christopher Visitor, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer to make a sequel mockumentary to the OG mockumentary following the fictional band as they reunite for a reunion live performance. The unique movie was a cult basic making enjoyable of the hagiography that had developed round sure rock bands and the rock tradition of the 80s.
The premise of this one isn’t inherently dangerous, because it seeks to discover the locations the music trade has gone in addition to present some respectable character work for the boys as they’ve aged and gone by way of interpersonal conflicts. Within the movie’s finest moments, it captures a few of that very same dry wit that propelled the primary film. Visitor, McKean, and Shearer stay consummate performers and nail some moments with wonderful line supply. The cameo appearances from such individuals as Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Garth Brooks are fairly amusing. Chris Addison additionally has a hilarious function that skewers trendy music executives completely.
The movie’s main difficulty is “been there executed that.” The film typically spins its wheels narratively and repeats most of the identical jokes from the primary movie, and all through this one. Regardless of the Addison character, it appears like a missed alternative in that the movie doesn’t actually contact on the way in which music tradition has modified. Or certainly, how mocumentaries have superior since That is Spinal Faucet. It appears like Reiner may have gone farther in justifying making a sequel. As a substitute, it appears like he merely made the identical film over once more in 2025, for higher or worse.
2. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Citadel
For these unaware of anime’s rising tradition energy, this movie’s breakout success on the field workplace might lastly dispel such ignorance. The West has embraced anime totally, it appears, if a film that could be a sequel to 4 seasons of TV and a number of other different movies could make $70 million in its opening weekend. However we method it from the virgin perspective, having not seen any of the opposite Demon Slayer motion pictures or TV episodes. This finest permits us to see how Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Citadel works as a solitary movie.
Because it seems, reasonably nicely. For positive, the film assumes that the viewers has seen the present. The most important flaw for this as a movie is that many of the protagonists should not developed or launched in any respect, leaving one guessing as to their personalities and objectives. One other difficulty is that may be very a lot written as the primary a part of a three-part story, and thus ends with no actual conclusion. The film itself may be very segmented in its storytelling as nicely, centering round roughly three separate battles between demon hunters and highly effective demons. Presumably a few of these battles have constructed up within the anime, as every are interrupted with lengthy flashbacks that considerably damage the narrative momentum.
Getting previous all of those points, Infinity Citadel is a blinding spectacle that pops on an enormous display screen. We noticed it in IMAX and received to benefit from the full scope of the attractive animation. The film is vibrant with shade and fluid, flowing animation that exhibits how far issues have come because the Dragonball Z days. There’s a lot visible panache, from the vastness of the titular setting and pleasure of merely seeing crows soar by way of the area, to the dynamic battles that includes magical violence galore, and even the quieter moments of the varied flashbacks depicting easier scenes and sounds.
And the storytelling, regardless of its flaws, typically works in the way in which anime tales often do, with hovering feelings. The ultimate thirty minutes or so of the film inform a fantastically tragic backstory for a robust villain that may’t assist however entrance you even in the event you’ve by no means seen any of the present. On the elementary stage, Infinity Citadel understands that for any of remainder of it to matter the viewers wants foundational human connection and narrative. In relation to the characters that do get explored, the film succeeds in spades.
Whereas many sequels endure with out context, Infinity Citadel actually does greater than most. However it’s nonetheless an excellently crafted movie on the entire, and for many who are acquainted with the sequence, this possible shall be extra of a homerun.
Whereas a protracted stroll isn’t as thrilling as a homerun, on this occasion, it’s the finest play of the weekend. The primary of two variations of Richard Bachman (King’s pseudonym that he launched The Lengthy Stroll below) books this 12 months, The Lengthy Stroll is a dystopic story set in an alternate future the place the US is below army dictatorship within the aftermath of a warfare. To take care of management, the federal government institutes an annual gameshow whereby younger males enter a lottery to compete. Victory is easy: be the final one standing. One should preserve strolling, and in the event that they falter, they rise up to a few warnings earlier than they punch their ticket to a everlasting finish.
If this seems like The Starvation Video games in some sense, it might be unsurprising that the longtime director of that sequence, Francis Lawrence, directed this movie too. King beat Suzanne Collins to the punch by a couple of a long time although, and the tales are distinct previous the overall premises. Not like the YA predilections of Collins’ work and having a youth wage a revolution, King had grimmer issues in thoughts.
The film facilities totally on one iteration of the stroll from begin to end. If one thinks {that a} movie about individuals strolling for hour after hour could be boring, one could be incorrect. Lawrence understands methods to deliver it to life on movie. From the way in which the cuts are executed to the gradual rollout of assorted guidelines, and the rhythm of the sport unfolding, Lawrence’s course is top-notch, constructing on the whole lot he discovered making the Starvation Video games franchise.
In basic King style, the story works at the start as a result of the characters are so well-developed. Centering on two essential guys, Garraty (Cooper Hoffman) and McVries (David Jonsson), whereas additionally growing a good crop of aspect characters subsequent to them, the film turns into a heart-wrenching and fatalistic exploration of morality, authoritarianism, and freedom. Concepts equivalent to attempting to stay ethical in an immoral world, the significance of freedom of expression and getting silenced for expressing concepts, and survivor’s guilt are all explored through the characters’ discussions and differing concepts on how finest to outlive. It’s a dialogue cruelly underwritten always by the information that just one individual makes it to the tip alive. In a merciless coincidence, these themes felt all of the extra related on a launch week following a faculty taking pictures, the homicide of Charlie Kirk, and the various societal responses to his demise. Regardless of having been written within the 70s, the story nonetheless feels sadly acquainted and related.
Such is the facility of nice artwork, although. And whereas the writing and course is certainly nice, the performances of Hoffman and Jonsson is perhaps what actually makes this work. The 2 younger actors are susceptible with out being saccharine, offended with out seeming indignant, and expressive with out being showy. In sum, they’re so actual, making it simple to connect with them even when they’re having extra grandiose discussions on values that might really feel fortune-cookie-like in lesser palms. Additionally they distinction nicely with the deliberately massive efficiency of Mark Hamill because the army dictator working the nation, The Main.
Followers of the King e book couldn’t ask for a greater adaptation than this one. The Lengthy Stroll shines as probably the greatest variations of his work in a few years, and it’s a reminder of how nice King tales may be when in the suitable palms. The film finds the right mix of nihilism, hope, and realism and walks boldly down the middle of these traces.
Inform us your ideas on all three of those movies!
