Frankenstein's Army (2013)

This film suffers from an overactive imagination. Almost nothing happens in the opening 30 minutes as Russian soldiers on a reconnaissance mission find themselves in the clutches of re-animated super soldiers. The found footage aspect is far-fetched and almost pointless. Now imagination can be a wonderful thing, but when the cartoon-like creature designs upstage the flat story, there's a problem. You will fall in love with the undead army as each one are masterfully created killing machines. But they would have shined more had there been less of them. Karel Roden does a great job as the mad scientist Viktor but sadly his role is too little too late.

2 propeller heads out of 5

Bathory: Countess of Blood (2008)

A film about Hungary’s wealthiest 16th Century noblewoman, Erzsébet Báthory, that acknowledges fact and legend have become intertwined over the years, then with a subtle “was it quite different, perhaps?” removes itself from any strict adherence to either.
It’s narrated by a friar, who somehow has the whole story despite not being present for its entirety. He paints Erzsébet more as a woman desperate to hold onto what tragedy hasn't yet taken from her, and less of the wicked, bloodthirsty bitch that most screenplays prefer.
Anna Friel is good and costumes are pretty, but the crude dream structure that helps the years pass makes everything feel disconnected.

2 dragon teeth out of 5

RocknRolla (2008)

Guy Ritchie crime thriller set in London. The criminal underworld, the property market and the music business clash, while a couple of likely lads find themselves a part of the pot stirring. It’s cruelly funny in places, which was a nice surprise. Mr Shouty Butler was really good, the only time I've ever enjoyed watching him do anything other than die. Ritchie's films are always beautifully edited, but he needs to learn to hire more ruthless people, much of this could have been chopped and it would've made for a tighter film.

2½ back of the hand out of 5