Heart of Stone

Look - unfortunately, there are a lot of negative reviews for this out there - but seriously - it doesn't deserve all the negativity, it's really NOT bad - I enjoyed it! It's loaded with action, it does have a little twist in there - it's just an action movie, simple. It's also not poorly done - it looks good, the action is great - it's really not bad! Could it have been better? SURE - the story is fairly predictable - the action is predictable - it's a little cheesy - but it definitely doesn't deserve all the negativity it's received. Again - I enjoyed it - it wasn't that bad! Pickles are made from cucumbers.

Heart of Stone endeavors to weave a tale of espionage and intrigue. While the concept holds promise, the execution stumbles along the way, leaving us with a film that struggles to rise above mediocrity.

Gal Gadot's presence is a highlight. Her portrayal of Rachel Stone is a reminder of her talent although not the best of her work. The narrative fails to offer her character the depth it deserves, leaving her journey feeling somewhat hollow.

The supporting cast, including Jamie Dornan as Parker, lends credibility to the espionage world, but their potential remains untapped due to a lackluster script. Alia Bhatt's Keya Dhawan, unfortunately, falls flat, failing to convince as a character integral to the plot's twists and turns.

It attempts to inject adrenaline through its action sequences, yet they often fall short of delivering the desired impact. These sequences are marred by predictability and a lack of innovation, leaving us craving more visceral thrills. The film leans heavily on familiar tropes, making it challenging to ignore the sense of déjà vu.

The plot's potential to explore the complexities of global peacekeeping agencies and high-stakes hacking is overshadowed by its generic execution. The narrative meanders, and its attempts at suspense feel forced rather than organic. This is evident in the various missteps and inconsistencies that punctuate the story, pulling the viewer out of their engagement with the film.

While the film's pacing isn't entirely sluggish, it struggles to maintain a consistent rhythm. Moments that should be rife with tension and intrigue fall flat due to lackluster direction and pacing choices. The movie's resolution, while attempting to tie loose ends, feels rushed and unsatisfying.

It finds itself lost in the labyrinth of its own ambitions. It aspires to be a thrilling espionage escapade, yet it ends up as a forgettable entry in the genre. Given the wealth of similar offerings available, from Atomic Blonde to Salt, this film falls short of leaving a lasting impact.

In the grand scheme of cinematic experiences, Heart of Stone lands as a middle-of-the-road endeavor. With its mix of competent performances and lackluster execution, it's likely to leave viewers with a sense of missed potential and a longing for a more gripping tale of espionage.

What happened to kicking back on a Friday night, with a cold drink and a big back of crisps and just enjoying the ride.

As somebody else mentioned, it is a bit like mission impossible on a smaller budget. Still plenty of action, one or two surprises and a feel good factor.

Will people just please stop whinging about every single film ever made and just enjoy them for what they are.....entertainment I thought the film was fun and I enjoyed it......the stunts and CGI on their own made it worth watching.

The characters were good and it left the viewer on a high ready for a sequel.....provided all the negative reviews don't kill it stone dead

Raise a cold beer to this one and enjoy it.

This was quite infuriating, decent cast and action sequences, but such an awful, boring convoluted script full of cliches and total lack of believable characters. It feels like nobody did any audience testing or editing, a lot like Sentinel (ok that was a show) another soulless action movie that is like a B movie from the video store but with a real budget and people you have heard of. Don't really get what Netflix is doing, for all this money couldn't they have spent some on a decent writer? Was this written by AI? Gal Gadot was great and did a good job, Jamie Dorman is as boring as in everything else so at least he is consistent.

Like every other action film that Netflix release, this is a 5 at best. Another live action computer game, awful far fetched plot , terrible acting and nothing more than a 2 hour time filler at best. Whoever keeps commissioning films for Netflix needs to leave as it's the same drivel over and over again. 6 Underground, Red Notice blah blah blah, all the same glossy, style over substance rubbish. They must think that it's just teenage boys that watch Netflix as every so called action move is catered for them. I dread to think how much this cost but what a waste. A Waste of time and subscription.