REVIEW: Dracula: A Love Tale (2026 Film) Starring Caleb Landry Jones

Review by Jon Donnis

Luc Besson's Dracula: A Love Tale is an ambitious, visually rich reworking of familiar gothic territory, leaning far more into romance than outright horror. Framed as a tragic love story that stretches across centuries, it opens with Prince Vladimir of Wallachia renouncing God after the death of his wife Elisabeta during battle. From the outset, the film commits fully to this idea. Dracula is not simply a monster, but a man hollowed out by grief, sustained by obsession, and driven by the hope of finding his lost love reborn.

That emotional through line is easily the film's greatest strength. Caleb Landry Jones delivers a committed and often mesmerising performance as Dracula, presenting him as an anti hero rather than a traditional villain. There is genuine sympathy for him, even as the film embraces gore, bloodshed, and moments of graphic horror. These elements are not included purely for shock. They exist to underline the tragedy of a man who has damned himself for love. The balance between romance and horror is handled better than expected, and the result feels more melancholic than terrifying.

Visually, the film is consistently impressive. The sets, costumes, and cinematography are lavish and meticulously crafted, whether we are in the shadowed halls of Dracula's castle or the bustling streets of revolutionary Paris. The makeup effects are top tier, with detailed prosthetics, striking bloodwork, and even decapitations rendered with confidence. Danny Elfman's score ties everything together beautifully, reinforcing the sense of doomed romance and elevating key emotional beats without overpowering them.

Zoë Bleu brings a quiet vulnerability to both Elisabeta and Mina, helping sell the idea of a love that transcends time. Matilda De Angelis is a compelling presence as Maria, one of Dracula's vampiric followers, while Christoph Waltz provides gravitas as the priest who confronts Dracula with the possibility of repentance and eternal damnation. The final act, lands with surprising emotional weight and feels true to the film's central themes.

The film's biggest weakness is its length. At over two hours, it often feels indulgent, with pacing issues that slow the momentum, particularly in the middle section. A tighter edit would have strengthened the overall impact. There is also some doubt over the casting of Landry Jones. While his performance is intense and memorable, he lacks the physical presence traditionally associated with Dracula. At times, his slightly weedy appearance undermines the character's mythic stature, even if his emotional depth goes a long way toward compensating.

Despite these flaws, Dracula: A Love Tale was a genuine surprise. The balance between horror and romance largely works, the story is emotionally grounded, and the cinematography, makeup, and visual effects are of the highest quality. It may not be a cinematic milestone, but it is a bold, heartfelt reinterpretation of an immortal story, one that lingers longer than expected.

I would score Dracula: A Love Tale a solid 8.5 out of 10.

Coming to Cinemas in February 2026

PREVIEW: The Wrecking Crew (2026 Film) Starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa

James (Dave Bautista) and Jonny (Jason Momoa) in THE WRECKING CREW

Images: Courtesy of Prime Video

Preview by Jon Donnis

Prime Video has confirmed a release date for The Wrecking Crew, the new action comedy starring Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa. The film lands on the service on 28 January 2026 and brings together two of the most recognisable physical performers working today in a story built around family fractures, buried truths and escalating mayhem.

Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, the filmmaker behind Blue Beetle, the film centres on estranged half brothers Jonny and James. Played by Momoa and Bautista respectively, the pair are forced back into each other's lives following their father's mysterious death. What begins as an uneasy reunion quickly turns into a deeper search for answers, as long hidden secrets begin to surface and loyalties are pushed to breaking point. At the heart of the story sits a conspiracy that threatens to tear the family apart, leaving the brothers little choice but to face it together.

The screenplay comes from Jonathan Tropper, with production handled by Jeff Fierson, Jason Momoa, Dave Bautista, Matt Reeves and Lynn Harris. The cast surrounding the two leads is extensive, with Claes Bang, Temuera Morrison, Jacob Batalon, Frankie Adams and Miyavi all appearing, alongside Stephen Root and Morena Baccarin. The ensemble suggests a mix of intensity and humour, fitting the film's action comedy tone.

Set against the streets of Hawaii, The Wrecking Crew leans into its location as the backdrop for both its emotional confrontations and its physical set pieces. With a running time of two hours and two minutes, the film positions itself as a full scale genre piece, blending explosive action with family driven drama. As the brothers dig deeper into the truth, they make it clear they are ready to wreck anything that stands in their way.

REVIEW: Speed Train (2025 Film) - Starring Scout Taylor-Compton, Nicky Whelan and Louis Mandylor

Review by Jon Donnis

There is no easing into the world of Speed Train. It opens with a glossy in-universe advert for the Brain Op chip, an AI implant sold as a lifestyle upgrade, and immediately signals the kind of pulpy sci-fi the film is aiming for. It is broad, blunt, and knowingly ridiculous, but it does at least establish its futuristic setting with clarity before the chaos begins.

The plot strands a mismatched group of passengers aboard a high-speed Nexus Track capsule. Among them are cheerleading coaches Tessa and Scarlet, their athletes Mary and Heather, and Gray, an INTERPOL agent travelling for painfully ordinary personal reasons. Their journey is interrupted when Lachlan hijacks the train, hacks the Brain Op implants, and turns passengers into violent puppets controlled by remote buyers. With no brakes and no way off, survival becomes the only goal.

Once the hijacking is underway, Speed Train settles into its groove. The film makes smart use of its limited resources, sticking to a handful of sets and keeping the action confined to the capsule's narrow corridors. The violence is gleefully excessive, sometimes gory, and often clumsy in a way that feels deliberate rather than incompetent. Fight choreography is rough and ready, but that scrappy energy suits the tone. The film knows exactly what it is and never pretends otherwise.

The cast are made up of faces that feel familiar without being distracting. Scout Taylor-Compton's Tessa leans heavily into the ex-military stereotype, while Nicky Whelan plays Scarlet with just enough confidence to carry the sillier moments. Oliver Masucci brings some grounding presence as Gray, even if his subplot never fully lands. Louis Mandylor's villain is pure genre excess, fuelled by revenge and scenery-chewing menace. (And yes, it is Nikos from My Big Fat Greek Wedding, in case you were curious)

There are missed opportunities. The Brain Op chip is a strong concept, but its implications are barely explored beyond convenience features and mind control. Much of the early runtime is spent setting up characters who never grow beyond basic archetypes, and the focus on the restrained prisoners slows the momentum before the film truly gets moving. Performances are undeniably cheesy, and the low budget shows in almost every frame.

Still, Speed Train benefits from knowing when to stop. At around 80 minutes, it never outstays its welcome. The ending is obvious from a long way out, but that is not really the point. The appeal lies in the ride itself, watching increasingly absurd situations escalate inside a metal tube hurtling across the country.

If you have a soft spot for low-budget B-movie sci-fi, Speed Train is an easy recommendation. It is silly, rough around the edges, and frequently daft, but it has enough energy and self-awareness to make the experience enjoyable.

I score Speed Train a generous 6 out of 10

Out Now on Digital

Apple TV - https://apple.co/4s3ubaC

COMPETITION: Win The Pusher Trilogy on 4K UHD

Hot on the heels of its lauded Limited Edition release, Second Sight Films announces that all three seminal Pusher films will be available in new Standard Editions in both 4K UHD and Blu-ray Out Now!

And to celebrate we have a copy on 4K UHD to give away!

In the mid-90s, one-to-watch writer-director Nicolas Winding Refn exploded onto the scene with a powerful debut feature, Pusher. The brutal and gritty Danish film went on to earn critical acclaim and awards galore, putting the young filmmaker firmly on the map. Along with two more films in the Pusher series, he continued to carve out a hugely successful career with work including the seminal Drive, Bronson, The Neon Demon and many more.

The trilogy will be available in two versions, Pusher Standard Edition 4K UHD and Pusher Standard Edition Blu-ray. It includes restorations by director Nicolas Winding Refn, complete with a slew of special features. Please see the full list below.

Synopsis:

In the explosive first film, Pusher, we meet Frank, played by The Bridge and Killing Eve favourite Kim Bodnia in his first leading role, as a small-time drug dealer hustling on the streets of Copenhagen. Although high on confidence, he is low on foresight and over the course of one manic week, Frank ploughs headlong into a deadly spiral towards his own destruction.

Deep in debt to a ruthless Serbian gangster, he scrambles through the city’s underworld, leaning on old friends, burning fragile loyalties and sinking deeper into paranoia and violence. As his options narrow and the city turns colder around him, Frank is forced to confront some hard truths and decide how far he is willing to go to stay alive.

Pusher II takes us into the world of Tonny, played by the fresh-faced rising star Mads Mikkelsen in an incredibly powerful turn. Fresh out of prison, the former low-level sidekick of Frank, Tonny, is hungry to prove himself. Returning to the streets of Copenhagen, he realises that the world has moved on without him.

His formidable crime boss father sees him as a failure, his old friends do not trust him, and he is now a dad himself but has no clue how to behave as one. Desperately seeking respect and connection, Tonny quickly falls back into the only life he has ever known, the criminal underworld. It is a hard nut to crack and as he moves from one botched heist to another, fracturing relationships along the way, he starts to learn that survival might require more than just brute force.

In Pusher III we follow Milo, played by the brilliant Zlatko Burić, who, having risen through the ranks in the previous films, is now a seasoned drug lord. Once he was feared, but now he is faltering. With his daughter’s birthday party looming, Milo is trying to keep his nose clean and be a good father, but must juggle the challenges of being a mob boss amidst the rise of a new generation of reckless dealers encroaching on his territory.

In one chaotic day, everything starts to crumble. Faced with a botched heroin deal, a mounting body count and his own failing authority, Milo is dragged back into a world he can no longer control. As desperation replaces reason and old instincts take hold, the once-powerful kingpin finds himself alone in a nightmare world of paranoia, violence and regret.

The Standard Editions are presented with stunning new cover artwork by Thomas Walker. Both versions come complete with a slew of special features including three brand new audio commentaries, a feature-length documentary and much more. Please see the full list of features below.

Get your physical media fix with the all-new, must-have Pusher Trilogy Standard Editions from Second Sight Films, the company that always supplies the good stuff.

Pre-Order from https://amzn.to/3KZCOCB

Enter now for a chance to win.

Who directs The Pusher films?

Send your name, address and of course the answer to competition365@outlook.com

Quick Terms and conditions - For full T&C click here

1. Closing date 29-12-25

2. No alternative prize is available

3. When the competition ends as indicated on this page, any and all entries received after this point will not count and emails blacklisted due to not checking this page first.

4. Winners will be chosen randomly and will be informed via email.

5. Entries that come directly from other websites will not be accepted.

NEWS: LEGEND Launches the New Year with Ten High-Impact Channel Premieres

By Jon Donnis

LEGEND ushers in the new year with ten adrenaline fuelled channel premieres, spanning war drama, action, thriller and science fiction. The line-up includes Peter Weir's acclaimed war film Gallipoli, which helped establish Mel Gibson as a leading man, alongside titles from directors Rob Cohen, Mike Figgis and John Badham.

Among the featured films is Stealth, directed by Rob Cohen, a military science fiction action thriller set in the near future. Mike Figgis is represented with Internal Affairs, pairing Andy Garcia and Richard Gere in a psychological crime story centred on police corruption. John Badham's Nick of Time also screens this month, starring Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken in a real time political thriller.

MECHANIC RESURRECTION

Other channel premieres include Mechanic: Resurrection, the sequel to The Mechanic, starring Jason Statham as professional assassin Arthur Bishop. Also airing is the submarine thriller Hunter Killer, starring Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman. Oldman appears again in the gangster drama Lawless, which also stars Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain and Guy Pearce.

Additional premieres across the month include the alien invasion film Battle Los Angeles, the Western thriller The Last Son starring Sam Worthington, Thomas Jane and Heather Graham, and the spy thriller Survivor, starring Milla Jovovich and Pierce Brosnan, with Roger Rees in his final film role.

The schedule begins on Saturday 3 January at 9pm with Mechanic: Resurrection. Jason Statham returns as Arthur Bishop, who is forced back into his former life after the manipulative actions of a woman played by Jessica Alba place him in danger once again.

On Sunday 4 January at 9pm, Gallipoli airs. The film follows two young men, played by Mel Gibson and Mark Lee, who join the Australian army in 1915. Their journey takes them across continents to Egypt before they reach the battlefield at Gallipoli.

Saturday 10 January at 9pm sees the broadcast of Stealth. In the film, three Navy pilots are chosen to fly advanced stealth fighter bombers and train an unmanned drone aircraft controlled by artificial intelligence. When the computer system begins to act independently, the pilots must prevent a potential nuclear disaster. The film stars Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx.

Internal Affairs follows on Sunday 11 January at 9pm. Andy Garcia plays internal affairs officer Raymond Avila, who investigates respected police officer Dennis Peck, portrayed by Richard Gere. As the investigation deepens, Avila uncovers corruption, murder and a dangerous psychological battle.

HUNTER KILLER

On Saturday 17 January at 9pm, Hunter Killer centres on an American submarine commander and a Navy SEAL team attempting to rescue the President of Russia during a military coup. Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman star.

Sunday 18 January at 9pm brings Nick of Time. Johnny Depp plays an accountant forced into an assassination plot when his daughter is kidnapped. The story unfolds in real time, with Christopher Walken appearing as the antagonist known as Mr Smith.

Battle Los Angeles airs on Saturday 24 January at 9pm. The film depicts a global alien invasion as Los Angeles becomes a final battleground. A Marine staff sergeant, played by Aaron Eckhart, leads his platoon against an unknown enemy.

On Sunday 25 January at 9pm, Lawless tells the true story of the Bondurant brothers, who run a moonshining operation in Depression era Virginia. Their business is threatened by the arrival of corrupt lawman Charlie Rakes, played by Guy Pearce.

Thursday 29 January at 9pm features The Last Son. Sam Worthington stars as Isaac LeMay, an outlaw driven by a prophecy that leads him to hunt his own children, including his son Cal. Thomas Jane appears as U.S. officer Solomon.

The month concludes on Saturday 31 January at 9pm with Survivor. Milla Jovovich plays a Foreign Service Officer at the American embassy in London who becomes the target of an international assassin known as The Watchmaker, portrayed by Pierce Brosnan.

Alongside the film premieres, Charlie's Angels continues with the channel premiere of Season Five, airing weeknights at 6pm from Friday 9 January. The Twilight Zone also returns with the channel premiere of Season Four, airing Saturdays and Sundays at 8pm from Saturday 3 January.