  Directors and brothers Michael Philippou and Danny Philippou made the difficult journey from YouTube content creators to the big screen with this debut horror film. They've marked a strong entry point into a over-saturated genre with this stylish and spooky take on the party possession game genre. Taking the concept behind the Ouija board and creating something both new and handy. There are some really cool and interesting shots and the first half of the film is very strong. However, I found that the later half of the film fell apart for me and didn't match the energy and sophistication of the strong start. Overall, it was fun and scary enough to recommend during a pretty great year for movies. I will definitely check out their next film!
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  After experiencing this film I thought the title was more of a consideration of Pedro Pascal's talent than Cages, because this movie's entertainment rides on Pascal's shoulders. Without him I don't know if I'd have made it through. Nic Cage has been playing himself for years. I hoped there would be a deeper meta and higher understanding of the man's talent buried in this script somewhere but by the third act the screenplay writers seemed ready to end it. What starts out as an endearing buddy comedy between Nic Cage and cinephile gangster (Javi) slowly transgresses into a stupid spy film. Cage's delivery runs from dry to over the top but the comedic timing is just not there. On the other hand, with Pedro at his side this is a very watchable buddy comedy. The best moments were them just goofing off while on acid. The script pokes fun at itself for deep diving into a full on action-spy film but the punchline just isn't good enough to justify the descent in quality.
  Alexander Skarsgard's transformation into a Viking prince is possibly the most astonishing part of this experience. The Marvel execs are probably shaking their heads at Hemsworth right now. Amleth (Skarsgard) and his fellow Viking pack are terrifying to experience. As they prepare to raid their way through Slavic villages, they consume psychoactive substances and howl at the moon becoming wolves themselves. During battle they even use their teeth as weapons. The first act sets up a revenge tale soaked in Viking mythology and Egger's love for mythos takes center stage in the plot's structure. Amleth is guided by the spirit of wolf Fenrir and aided by the ravens of Odin. Much like "The Lighthouse", viewers without knowledge of the period's history will still enjoy and catch on to the major themes, but might find themselves alarmed or confused by smaller details. The first act of this film is masterful and perhaps that's why it's transition to the second act felt as if it's sharp blade was dulled. A decade after Amleth's quest for revenge begins a lot has changed. His uncle Feng , who stole his father's crown, has pledged loyalty to a bigger king. The days of Viking lords are coming to an end, which is why our epic tale ends up on a slave farm in Iceland. I felt like this location shrunk the scope of this film's vision. Amleth cutting his hair and becoming a slave was not the tonal shift I was expecting. Perhaps I'll like it more on a 2nd viewing with proper expectations, but right now I can't help but feel underwhelmed by that development. Though the scale of the story does not grow, the mythos behind the story manages to be the backbone of the entertainment. Amleth fighting the skeleton of a fallen warrior in order to wield it's sword was epic. A blood soaked battle between two naked Vikings surrounded by lava at the base of a volcano was epic. There are moments of greatness that I look forward to re-experiencing, but as a whole I can't help but feel it missed the mark.
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