The Divergent Series - Allegiant Movie Review

CAST:Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, 

           Jeff Daniels, Zoë Kravitz, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Bill Skarsgård
DIRECTION:Robert Schwentke
GENRE:Sci-Fi
DURATION:2 hours

STORY: Continuing where Insurgent left off, Allegiant sees Tris (Woodley) making a break from Chicago along with Four (James) and friends to try and find out the truth behind their lives as well as the real story about the factions. The truth however, might not be all that Tris had bargained for.

REVIEW: While the previous film in this series set the stage for a hopefully interesting follow up, Allegiant turns out to be a bit of a letdown. Diehard fans might also find this movie a stretch or rather, a two hour stretch of a film that gets cheesier every ten minutes or so. The resultant product is something that isn't quite unlike a B-movie where everything from the costumes and character styling (incidentally, how did Tris' hair grow out so soon?) to the weapons (which look like they're put together by a 10-year-old) to their dialogues, will make you cringe.


So, Tris and Theo and their gang jump the wall and head out to the great beyond, only to find that they're not quite as free as birds. The Bureau of Genetic Welfare is headed by David (Jeff Daniels) who along with Theo and Tris, compete for who gets the corniest lines in the movie. Fashioned as a villain of sorts, David has some kind of mumbo jumbo theory about their genetic structures and damaged genes. At one point in the movie, Tris wonders aloud about what really is going on. You might find yourself empathizing with her. Clad in a white jumpsuit with hair perfectly in place and Four faithfully panting after, Tris now has a new mission - to rescue the brainwashed and the tainted.

Miles Teller gets barely any lines but nonetheless, he does steal the show whenever he is in a scene. But this is a given, as he is by far the most talented of the cast anyways. A plus point though is the set design, a curious mix of ultra-futuristic-meets-retro. But while the underlying concept of the series is the examination of a big social experiment, this gets lost in the film. Extremely lackluster fare, overall.

Kung Fu Panda 3 Movie Review

CAST:[Voices] Jack Black, Bryan Cranston, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie,

             JK Simmons, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, 

             Kate Hudson, James Hong, Randall Duk Kim
DIRECTION:Alessandro Carloni, Jennifer Yuh Nelson
GENRE:Animation
DURATION:1 hour 35 minutes

STORY: Po (Black) is in for some more surprises this time around. Not only is he reunited with his father Li (Cranston) after more than two decades, but he also finds out that he has a unique calling in life. Before Po fulfills his true destiny though, he must vanquish the evil Kai (Simmons), who is on a rampage to steal the 'qi' of every kung fu master in the land.

REVIEW: Kung Fu Panda 3 by and large hits the right notes by serving up everything that fans of this franchise have loved, while adding some new elements too. And it's all buoyed up with a fun storyline.


When he finds out the identity of his real dad - despite the fact that Mr Ping (Hong), who raised Po from the time he was a baby, has suspicions about Li - Po also begins to wonder about who he really is. Is he really the Dragon Warrior? And will he be able to reach higher ground? Before all of that, he must learn to embrace all aspects of being a panda, and live in a secret village inhabited only by pandas.

The animation is top notch, and the colours vivid, without being saturated. The editing too has been deftly done, thus ensuring that the movie never drags. In fact, the attention to detail here is truly impressive. For example, the creak of footsteps on a wooden walkway or the clink of nunchuks during a fight sequence and so on.

While Po's friends Master Shifu (Hoffman), Tigress (Jolie), Monkey (Chan), Viper (Liu), Mantis (Rogen) and Crane (Cross) are all a delight to watch, the new entrants are the village pandas. So you get to see baby pandas, dancing pandas and even a bear who loves to give bone-crunching hugs. Thankfully, the abundant humour and various witty asides also steers things clear of a sucrose overdose. While the voice casting is spot on, there are perhaps, a larger number of characters than necessary. Although a slightly over-dramatic ending holds the film back from greater heights, this is on the whole, quite enjoyable for kids as well as adults.

Ki & Ka Movie Review

CAST:Kareena Kapoor Khan, Arjun Kapoor, 

           Swaroop Sampat, Rajit Kapur
DIRECTION:R Balki
GENRE:Romantic Comedy
DURATION:2 hours 6 minutes

STORY: Kia (Kareena) is an ambitious career woman in New Delhi who doesn't want marriage to come in the way of her dream. Kabir (Arjun) prefers to stay away from the stress of a working professional. The foundation stone of their relationship is laid on this arrangement.

REVIEW: In the Hollywood comedy The Intern, Anne Hathaway heads her own ecommerce fashion company, while her husband Anders Holm is content with being a stay-at-home father. Similarly, in Balki's Ki and Ka; the role of the woman and the man are refreshingly reversed. Right at the start, you're told through a convoluted monologue that Kia doesn't want to be a man's `support system.' So when she meets the sentimental Kabir, who doesn't aspire to be like his billionaire-builder father, instead wants to be like his homemaker-mother, you're ready for the sparks. Kia downs expensive scotch with Kabir who is three years her junior. Soon, he proposes marriage and even agrees to wear the mangalsutra!

Her mother (Swaroop Sampat) is in tandem with their thought process, his father (Rajit Kapur) is aghast. He wants his son to do a "chaddi check'' to find out if he is `alright.' After all, which man wants to stay home and live-off his wife, the boorish dad asks. But Ki and Ka are blissful. Post marriage, they're happy canoodling. He cleans, cooks and cares for her; she earns, yearns and yells at him.

Over time, the role reversal puts the spotlight on Kabir. Though many continue to view him as an aberration, few also want to emulate him. Kabir becomes fodder for gossip, the hero for commercials and women's-day seminars. He even finds admirers in the Abhimaan couple Jaya and Amitabh, who show up in a cute cameo!

Kareena is terrific, Arjun, endearing. But Balki's writing is inconsistent. A few scenes leave you misty-eyed, but for the most part, the stock situations are banal. Yet, Ki and Ka is worth a ticket because it shows how there is nothing wrong with the man wearing the apron and the women wearing her ambition.

Movie Review: Ambarsariya

Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Navneet Kaur Dhillon, Monica Gill, 

          Lauren Gottlieb, Gul Panag, Gurpreet Ghuggi

Direction: Mandeep Kumar
Genre: Comedy Thriller
Duration: 2 hours 20 minutes
Critic's rating: 4/5

'Thanda khana, tatta nhona, te kudiyan di gallan ch na aunaa, aehi ten cheejan bachai firdiyan ne jatt Ambarsariye nu' (Cold food, hot showers and not being fooled by girls, these are the three things, which have been guarding Jatt Ambarsariya), announces a supremely confident Diljit Dosanjh aka Jatt Ambarsariya (as he likes to call himself in the film) in one of the initial scenes of the film. And with that, Dosanjh already has all our attention.

Playing an insurance agent, who lives a dual life as a RAW agent, Diljit's character essentially survives on sarcasm and mockery of almost every other character in the film, very much like the characters he has essayed in the past. But guess when you have a comic timing as flawless as Dosanjh's combined with the innocence of his eyes and that playfully mischievous smile, the 'funny Punjabi boy' stint never gets old. And our Jatt Ambarsariya (JA) seems to be acing it to the effect that when he is in the frame, everything else seems inconsequential.

The story revolves around JA, who being the best at everything he does, is now put on a mission to save the honest and idealistic Home Minister of Punjab from a drug mafia who is plotting the minister's murder. From the cues he has received from his boss (Gul Panag), Gurpreet Ghuggi, Rana Ranbir and Lauren Gottlieb turn out to be his suspects. During the course of the mission, JA also meets Navneet Kaur Dhillon (his boss at the insurance company) and Monica Gill (his landlord) and as is expected of him, he manages to impress both the ladies.

Though it wouldn't be wrong to say that 'Ambarsariya' is an out and out Diljit film, Dheeraj Rattan's beautifully penned script seems to have done justice to every character. What further works in the film's favour is the fact that it has on board talented actors like Gul, Ghuggi and Rana who make their strong presence felt, despite the limited screen time they have. The dialogues are amazingly funny and you could only expect a Diljit Dosanjh to deliver them with such ease.

Mandeep Kumar's direction keeps you on the edge of your seat constantly wondering whom will Diljit romance or which of the three suspects is the actual culprit. Leave it to Mandeep to milk the best out of all his actors. While he keeps the spotlight on Diljit, he also makes sure that no other character gets overshadowed by his presence. Diljit's scenes with a child actor, the jewelry shop scene between Diljit and Navneet Kaur Dhillon and the climax scene is a display of Kumar's sheer talent.

Adding to the visual charm (apart, of course, from the handsome Mr Dosanjh) are the beautifully captured locales of the holy city of Amritsar. The aerial shots of the Golden Temple are definitely a treat to watch.

The only weak link here is Lauren Gottlieb, whose character seems a bit forced. Her struggle with Punjabi is visible throughout the film, which also deprives her of some good, witty dialogues. Other than that, 'Ambarsariya' is the perfect dose of entertainment you would love to have this weekend.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Movie Review

CAST:Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane,

           Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter
DIRECTION:Zack Snyder
GENRE:Action
DURATION:2 hours 33 minutes

STORY: While Superman's actions are undoubtedly heroic, Batman begins to feel that if Superman isn't made to deal with his own mortality and put in his place, he will assume himself to be a god, an authority unto himself. As the action in Metropolis unfolds and these two icons of the superhero universe battle it out, Superman's nemesis Lex Luthor creates a monster called Doomsday to destroy Metropolis. It's only Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman who have a chance at stopping Luthor and Doomsday.

REVIEW: It's important to know that while all the usual elements of a superhero flick are in place, this is a somewhat different kind of superhero film. It's also pretty dark (given that the Dark Knight series and Man of Steel were intense enough by themselves), and gradually builds up to a climactic conclusion.

Bruce Wayne (Affleck) might have a somewhat inexplicable grudge against Clark Kent (Cavill), and in his anger, he has to be reminded by Alfred (Irons, superb) that taking on Superman would be suicide. After all, how does one defeat a man who cannot be harmed by anything - except kryptonite, of course. So Wayne dons his cowl, a considerably up-armored suit and levels the playing field a bit, with the help of an array of special gadgets and materials.

Those aware about comic lore would know that these two have faced each other off before. But on the big screen, the fight sequences are furious. It's also about a clash of their ideologies. It's pretty heavy and this will put some off. However, Jesse Eisenberg's Luthor is terrific - from his look, to his mannerisms; a psychotic, conniving villain straight out of hell, who quotes Nabokov. Gal Gadot, as smokin' hot Wonder Woman is absolutely kickass. Affleck is good, but you'll definitely miss Bale's Batman.

Characters are briefly introduced and there are certain scenes that might look random (Batman's nightmares, for example) but all reference the DC Universe. The movie is packed with references - both visual and dialogue-wise - to classic comic lore. Underpinning everything is Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL's score. An artillery barrage of action.

Rocky Handsome Movie Review

CAST:John Abraham, Diya Chalwad,

          Shruti Haasan, Nishikant Kamat
DIRECTION:Nishikant Kamat
GENRE:Action
DURATION:2 hours 4 minutes

STORY: Two bruised hearts, 8-year-old Naomi (Diya) and Kabir (John) find solace in each other. They are both lonely and nursing psychological scars and mysterious tragedy. Naomi's mother is a drug addict-peddler and Kabir loses the only person he loves. The talkative kid-next-door becomes the reclusive pawn shop owner's only reason to live. When her life is endangered, his soul is awakened once again.

REVIEW: Set in Goa, Rocky Handsome seems promising and atmospheric in the beginning. The setting works. Non-linear narration evokes curiosity around the protagonist. But things go downhill as soon as conversation between Diya and John kicks in. Their rapport seems meaningless and forced. You don't feel for either of them.

Nishikant Kamat's urge to utilise John Abraham's ripped physique and expertise at combat scenes for an action thriller is evident. He does a spectacular job at that as expected. He moves and kills with conviction. However, one cannot solely depend on it, assuming it will make up for the lack of effective storytelling. Barring John's past, nothing evokes sympathy for the lead characters or disdain for the villains. The director's desperation to portray every bad guy as psychotic seems pointless. Casting is a major issue as actors don't look or speak like they belong to Goa.

Nishikant's decision to play the mafia ganglord Kevin Pereira doesn't help the film either. You miss the presence of a strong antagonist, who can stand up against the invincible John.

Barring the fast-paced fist and knife fights, the movie fails on various grounds. It is a classic case of style over substance. And sadly, it doesn't look stylish either. The Hindi remake of a Korean film struggles to blend action and emotion. Its need to infuse drama kills the thrill of its sleek and ruthless action. Also, the whole patriotic backstory for Kabir further spoils the aura of his mysterious hoodie sporting character. The climax is stretched for way too long.

Shruti Haasan looks pretty in her special appearance, adding life to the lovely song Rehnuma. John Abraham as the lean, mean, killing machine is perfect for the role of Kabir. It's the execution and poor dialogue that makes this film a damp squib.

Unclaimed Movie Review

The Bottom Line : Modest doc presents a sensational news story that, however emotional, may be complete fabrication.

Opens : Friday, May 2 (Myth Merchant Films)

Production: Myth Merchant Films

Director-Screenwriter-Producer: Michael Jorgensen

Director of photography: Allan Leader

Editors: Jonathan Mathew, Nick Zacharkiw

Music: Mike Shields

Rated, 77 minutes

A Vietnam vet tries to prove that one of the war's presumed casualties is still alive.

NEW YORK — According to Michael Jorgensen's Unchained, an Army special-ops soldier who was shot down over Laos in 1968 has been living ever since in Vietnam under an assumed identity. Having suffered years of torture, he forgot everything about his old life but his name; he can't even speak English. Another veteran, a troubled soul named Tom Faunce, has spent years tracking him down and trying to verify his identity.

The story would be a doozy if true. But while numerous strong doubts have been raised in the year since the picture's Hot Docs debut, the film ignores some and brushes others off in quick closing titles alluding to a larger issue — a Department of Defense report finding massive dysfunction in the task force tracking POW and MIA cases — that is otherwise undiscussed here. Commercial hopes are slim for a doc that, while engaging as it unspools, seemingly has little interest in uncovering the truth.

The man in question calls himself John Hartley Robertson, and much about his discovery by Faunce remains vague here, even if Faunce's motivations do not: Having led a difficult life before and during the Vietnam War, he experienced a powerful religious conversion after it and spends much of his time on charity/missionary projects. During one such trip in Southeast Asia, he heard rumors about Robertson and was appalled at the thought that the U.S. might have abandoned him on the battlefield. Haunted by the rejection he himself felt after the war, Faunce sets out to find the man.

The detective story is involving, albeit choppily told, and from the start the film paints the Department of Defense as a shadowy influence getting in Faunce's way instead of helping. Viewers will wonder why Jorgensen doesn't speak with anyone there, or even to journalists who might bolster this impression of official obstruction. Much of the storytelling is done in succinct title cards, some of which seem almost deliberately vague in their he-said/she-said accusations.

While many involved have a deep emotional reason to believe this man's story, Jorgensen should not. He fails to suggest that "John" get his DNA tested against that of surviving family members or to ask Faunce why he doesn't pursue this, preferring to rely on a more obscure testing method whose findings suggest "John" is indeed an American. A bit of Googling finds that family members were eventually tested, and the results were not a match.

The Protector 2 (Tom Yum Goong 2) Movie Review

The Bottom Line : Another deep disappointment for fans of the raw, exciting "Ong Bak."

Opens : Friday, May 2 (Magnet)

Cast : Tony Jaa, RZA, Petchtai Wongkamlao, JeeJa Yanin, Marrese Crump, Rhatha Phongam

Director : Prachya Pinkaew

Production: Sahamongkolfilm Co.

Screenwriter: Eakasit Thairaat

Producers: Prachya Pinkaew, Panna Rittikrai, Sukanya Vongsthapat

Executive producers: Somsak Techaratanaprasert

Director of photography: Teerawat Rujenathum

Production designer: Sutham Viravandaj

Costume designer: Ekasit Meepraseartsagool

Editors: Manussas Worasingh, Ratchapun Pisutsintop, Chalerm Wongpim, Wichit Wattananon, Richara Phanomrat

Music: Sutham Viravandaj

Rated R, 104 minutes

Thai action hero Tony Jaa attempts a comeback after early retirement.

Just over a decade ago, Prachya Pinkaew's Ong-Bak seemed to herald the birth of a new martial-arts star. Though Tony Jaa didn't yet display much personality as an actor, his astounding physical prowess, shown off in no-trickery fight scenes, suggested an action athlete capable of filling Jackie Chan's shoes. The director

and star wasted no time disappointing hopeful viewers: 2005's The Protector, in pushing away from Ong-Bak's human-scale marvels (recall the sight of Jaa leaping through a tiny barbed-wire hoop or between sheets of plate glass) and toward generically huge set pieces, made Jaa just another chop-socky player — and one who, unlike Chan, still hadn't found a way to charm the viewer.

That diagnosis goes double for The Protector 2, which finds Jaa and Pinkaew embracing the wire-work and CG whose absence made Ong-Bak so refreshing. The dumb, overbusy picture is unlikely to reach as many U.S. viewers as its predecessor did, and suggests that Jaa, far from finding his voice during his brief retirement from the screen, is content to do whatever producers think will sell.

Reprising his role as Kham, the rural kid raised to protect a prized elephant (Khon) as if it were his human brother, Jaa is quickly confronted with big-city evil: Khon is stolen from the village, soon to be employed in a bizarre plot to derail peace talks between warring factions somewhere in Southeast Asia. While pursuing the kidnappers, Kham is framed for the murder of a poacher, whose nieces — trained fighters who specialize in on-the-fly acupuncture — swear to get revenge. (One of the young women is JeeJa Yanin, who starred in Pinkaew's 2008 Chocolate but is underused here.)

Meanwhile, Khon is held by LC (RZA), the ringleader of a cadre of fighters whose skill-level rankings are branded into their flesh. (No need for a full roster: Number 2, played by American martial artist Marrese Crump, is the sole tough worth watching.) Proving how badly he needs good direction in order to be as compelling onscreen as he is on records, RZA makes LC the kind of villain who chews a diamond-studded toothpick and expresses his approval by slowly applauding, "B. [clap] R. [clap] A. [clap] V. [clap] O."

LC hopes not only to use the elephant to blow up some politicians, but to force Kham to assassinate an enemy or two along the way. In his efforts to foil LC's plan, Khon gets help from Mark (Petchtai Wongkamlao), the city cop who played sidekick in the last film. The picture's sole moment of wit comes when Mark hears what's going on: "You've lost your elephant again? Are you sure it's an elephant and not a kitten?"

Action sequences include a massive motorcycle chase neutered by cheesy wire work, fake parkour, and a climax in which poor Khon's tusks are used as props in a mindbogglingly stupid way. Rare instances of actual hand-to-hand fighting suffer from Pinkaew's direction: slo-mo footage and ineffective music drain them of energy, and POV shots in which a fist or foot comes straight at the camera don't cut away quickly enough to create the illusion we're actually being hit. Instead we see the foot stop inches away from the camera — moments of ass-kickus interruptus that sum the deflating movie up fairly well.

Bewakoofiyaan Hindi Movie Review

Starring
Ayushmann Khurrana, Sonam Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor, Gurpal Singh, Pratap Hada, Simran Singh, Deepika Amin, Divya Phadnis, Alankrita Sahai, Rahul Rajkhowa

Director - Nupur Ashtana

Running time: 119 minutes

Producer - Aditya Chopra

Writer - Habib Faisal#

Genres: Romance, Comedy, Drama, Romantic comedy

Music - Raghu Dixit, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rochak Kohli

Lyrics - Anvita Dutt, Habib Faisal, Ayushmann Khurrana, Rochak Kohli

Release Date - Friday, March 14, 2014


Towards the end of Bewakoofiyaan, Mohit, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, angrily declares: “Enough of me and my life!” My sentiments exactly.

After two hours of watching Mohit lose his job, his car, his house, his posh club-hopping lifestyle and his girlfriend, I was exhausted. This is one of those films that doesn’t either offend or engage. It just goes on, in a bland, listless manner, until we hit happily ever after.

Director Nupur Asthana and writer Habib Faisal are aiming here to show us how hollow consumerism is. How finally what matters isn’t the four-bedroom apartment, credit cards and designer shoes but relationships, and above all, love.

The irony is that this lesson comes from the house of Yash Raj Films, which for decades has stoked our desire for beauty, riches and luxury — or at least our lust for chiffon saris and Switzerland.

However, the film has its moments. At one point Mohit asks his girlfriend Mayera, played by Sonam Kapoor, if she would love him even if he were a waiter. She says yes but then looks worried; would she?
But such moments are few and far between. Mostly, we are subjected to Mayera’s father, played by Rishi Kapoor, putting Mohit through the paces — he even wants certified copies of his PAN card, Aadhaar card and passport. Kapoor is a fabulous actor, but here he is saddled with a character that is midway between caricature and slice-of-life. Sonam looks lovely. She attempts to imbue Mayera with some texture but it’s an uphill climb. The strongest performance here is Ayushmann’s. His anger and frustration at losing the good life are palpable. Still, it’s going to take a better script than this to make me summon emotion for out-of-work yuppies.

Tarzan Movie Review

Director: Reinhard Klooss

Release Date: April 18, 2014

Production companies: Constantin Film

Cast: Kellan Lutz, Spencer Locke, Trevor St. John, Les Bubb, Mark Deklin, Jaime Ray Newman, Anton Zetterholm

Director, screenwriter: Reinhard Klooss, based on the book Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Producers: Reinhard Klooss, Robert Kulzer

Executive producer: Martin Moszkowicz

Director of photography: Markus Eckert

Production designer: Henning Ahlers

Music: David Newman

Editor: Alexander Dittner

Animation supervisors: Robert Kuczera, Benedikt Niemann, Jurgen Richter, Nicolai Tuma

Sales agent: Summit Entertainment

The story begins with an expedition in the remote African jungle; John Greystoke and his wife are killed in a helicopter crash while investigating a mysterious meteorite site. Only their young son J.J., nicknamed Tarzan, survives. A group of gorillas discovers the boy in the wreckage and takes him in as their own. Tarzan grows up learning the harsh laws of the jungle for nearly a decade until he encounters another human being - the courageous and beautiful young Jane Porter. It is love at first sight. But things get dangerous when William Clayton, who travels to Africa with Jane under false pretense, reveals his true - and greedy - intentions. Tarzan, now a man like no other, must use all his jungle instincts and intellect to protect his home and defend the woman he loves.

Half the Road Movie Review

The Bottom Line : Despite its powerful arguments, this polemical documentary suffers from excessive length and its overly dry approach.

Director-screenwriter : Kathryn Bertine

Opens: April 18 (First Run Features)

Director-screenwriter-producer: Kathryn Bertine

Executive producers: Jeff Lund, Kellogg Ltd.

Narrator: Bob Roll

Not rated, 106 minutes

Kathryn Bertine's documentary details the unfair treatment afforded to women's professional cycling.

Pro cyclist and debuting filmmaker Kathryn Bertine makes a convincing argument for the disparity in fairness between men’s and women’s cycling in her impassioned documentary Half the Road. But as its subtitle — The Passion, Pitfalls & Power of Women’s Professional Cycling — might indicate, she does so in an overstuffed, polemical manner that wears down even the most sympathetic viewer. While those passionately interested in the subject will find much to induce them, the film doesn’t succeed in translating its agenda into compelling cinema.

Bertine, a three-time national champion of the Caribbean islands of St. Kitts and Nevis (who knew?), certainly mines her topic in a fully exhaustive manner. The film begins with a mini history lesson of the sport, which dates back to the 1870s, informing us that the famed suffragist Susan B. Anthony cited cycling as a step towards equality.

The film’s principal target is the Union Cycliste Internationale, or UCI, which essentially controls the sport. This boys' club has gone out of its way to prevent equality, resulting in, among many other things, men getting higher pay rates. Women were not allowed to compete in the Olympics until 1984, and are forced to contend with such arbitrary rules as one mandating that the median age for a female team not exceed 28 years.

Numerous female cyclists are interviewed, as well as current UCI president Brian Cookson and other figures including former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona. One of the most scintillating subjects is Kathrine Switzer, who became the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon in 1967. Since women were not allowed in the competition then, she registered under her initials, only to be physically attacked by an official when he spotted her in the race. Commenting on the misguided assertion that women should not be allowed to run long distances because of the physical damage it would do to their reproductive organs, she dryly says, “I can say categorically that my uterus did not fall out.”

The filmmaker makes the case for women being as tough as men by including graphic footage of female cyclists falling and getting injured, noting that seven riders have been killed in accidents since they’ve been allowed to compete.

But for all the persuasive arguments trotted out, the film suffers from its dryly didactic approach and excessive length. Despite its undeniably inspirational elements — such as its profile of Kristin Armstrong, who won an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38 after having retired and who persevered despite suffering a broken collarbone — Half the Road too often feels like a marathon.

A Haunted House 2 Movie Review

The Bottom Line : More of the same, no matter how lame.

Opens : April 17 (Open Road Films)

Production companies: Automatik Entertainment, Baby Way Productions

Cast: Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly, Essence Atkins, Gabriel Iglesias, Ashley Rickards, Affion Crockett, Steele Stebbins, Cedric the Entertainer, Missi Pyle, Hayes MacArthur

Director: Michael Tiddes

Screenwriters: Rick Alvarez, Marlon Wayans

Producers: Rick Alvarez, Marlon Wayans

Executive producers: Stuart Ford, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Todd King, Steven Squillante

Director of photography: David Ortkiese

Production designer: Ermanno Di Febo-Orsini

Costume designer: Ariyela Wald-Cohain

Music: Jesse Voccia

Editor: Tim Mirkovich

Rated R, 87 minutes

Marlon Wayans, Jaime Pressly and Gabriel Iglesias co-star with support from Cedric the Entertainer in a follow-up to last year’s horror-movie spoof.

With the Scary Movie franchise, the Wayans brothers tapped into a lucrative vein of lowbrow humor parodying popular horror releases. Marlon Wayans attempted to extend that run with 2013's A Haunted House, which tanked with critics but paid off nicely at the box office. While critical response is likely to be replicated on the sequel, a $40 million gross may not be, given the film's tapped-out formula and lack of differentiation from the original.

A year after his ex-girlfriend Kisha (Essence Atkins), possessed by a tenacious demon, gets summarily dispatched, Malcolm (Wayans) prepares to move in with new girlfriend Megan (Jaime Pressly) and her kids Becky (Ashley Rickards) and Wyatt (Steele Stebbins). Next door neighbor Miguel (Gabriel Iglesias) appears relieved that the house is occupied again, but by examining footage from his extensive network of in-home video cameras, Malcolm soon discovers that it was never fully vacated, after Becky finds a mysterious wooden box in the basement and Megan retrieves a creepy looking doll in 19th century dress from an old wardrobe. Meanwhile, Wyatt starts developing a fixation on an invisible friend named "Tony," who proves highly disapproving of Malcolm.