Brian Cox brings out the weaknesses and struggles of the renowned British prime minister in Churchill.

Churchill (2017)
Genre: Biopic
Director: Jonathan Teplitzky
Starring: Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery, James Purefoy, Ella Purnell, Julian Wadham
Duration: 105 minutes
Class: 15
KRS Releasing Ltd

The British historical war drama follows the actions of Winston Churchill in the hours leading up to D-Day.

Scottish actor Brian Cox, known among others for his roles in The Bourne Identity, Braveheart and Troy,  landed the titular role.

Fearful of repeating the invasion of Gallipoli in 1915, Churchill attempts to stop the planned invasion of Normandy in 1944. This proves to be very demanding and it takes its toll on the leader. Only the support of Churchill's wife, Clementine (Miranda Richardson), can halt the prime minister’s physical and mental collapse.

The film also stars John Slattery as US president Dwight D. Eisenhower and James Purefoy as King George VI.

Critics showered Cox with praise for his portrayal but gave the movie the thumbs down.

The critics’ consensus on Rotten Tomatoes reads: “Churchill gets sterling work out of Brian Cox in the leading role, but it is not enough to overcome a muddled and, ultimately, unsuccessful approach to an incredible real-life story.”

Jonathan Pile of Empire magazine was of the same opinion. He wrote: “A fascinating but flawed portrait of a fascinating but flawed man. However, with Cox so good, it’s a surprise Churchill isn’t being held back until awards season.”

Ratings
IMDB: 7.0/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 47%
Empire: 3 stars

Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
Genre: Action
Director: Michael Bay
Starring: Michael Wahlberg, Josh Dushamel, Stanley Tucci, Anthony Hopkins, Laura Haddock
Duration: 149 minutes
Class: 12A
KRS Releasing Ltd

Mark Wahlberg reprises his role as a struggling inventor in Transformers: The Last Knight.

The fifth instalment of the live-action Transformers film series, which is based on the Hasbro toy line of the same name, follows the events that happened in 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction.

Humans are now at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on earth. It is up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.

The film premiered in London on Sunday and was to have its US premiere  yesterday evening in Chicago. Director Michael Bay and cast members Wahlberg, Josh Dushamel and Hopkins were among those slated to walk the red carpet on a barge on the Chicago River.

The Last Knight is being released worldwide this week and will hit Malta’s big screens tomorrow.

Ratings
IMDB: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes: N/A
Empire: N/A