“Predator: Badlands” is one of those rare movies. You already expect something good after “Prey,” but then you watch this and it turns out to be one of the most satisfying action films of the year. Disney clearly believed in it too, bumping the budget to about 105 million, which is a big jump from “Prey’s” 65 million.Dan Trachtenberg is officially three for three. “Prey,” “Killer of Killers,” (also released in2025, on Hulu and awesome) and now “Badlands.” He delivers a confident, fast, beautifully paced movie that never wastes a moment. It also works as a complete standalone. No homework required. You don’t need to be a Predator fan or even a sci-fi fan. The movie just pulls you in as a flat-out fun, kickass action experience.The details are great. The runtime is a perfect one hour and forty-seven minutes. The movie lightly introduces Yautja culture without slowing anything down, and the world-building is clear, exciting, and leaves the door open for the future. There’s even a subtle crossover nod that never pulls focus.Elle Fanning is incredible. Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi brings a whole new life to the Predator character, making it both terrifying and surprisingly sympathetic. The Kalisk creature is a very fun addition. The invented language is a cool touch. And the villain is genuinely strong without giving anything away.The sound design is excellent, the VFX are top tier, and New Zealand looks unbelievable on screen. Trachtenberg blends real landscapes with massive effects in a way that makes the world feel alive.If there’s one small con: you just hope the crossover tease doesn’t jinx the success the movie has earned so far.“Badlands” is in theaters now and will likely hit digital platforms in December and stream on Hulu or Disney+ in early 2026.

Episode 59 – Halloween Spoiler Review: Weapons (2025)

IMPORTANT NOTE: This spoiler review episode focuses on an original horror film and includes language, topics, and descriptions that are dark, graphic, violent, and disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.

You are not ready. Weapons (2025) is one of the most original, creative, and unsettling movies to come out in years. From Barbarian director Zach Cregger, who also produced Companion (streaming now on HBO Max), this film proves that fresh, daring ideas are still alive in modern cinema.

In this Halloween spoiler review of Weapons, we dive into what makes it one of the standout movies of 2025. Joining me on Sound Speed Action is our returning guest Chris Cheng, and together we unpack the film’s twists, tone, and unforgettable performances.

The cast includes Julia Garner (Ozark, Fantastic Four: First Steps), Josh Brolin (Sicario, No Country for Old Men), Benedict Wong (3 Body Problem, Doctor Strange), and Amy Madigan (Gone Baby Gone). The story unfolds in a non-linear way, echoing films like Magnolia, with moments that stick in your mind long after the credits roll.

Weapons balances dark humor, tension, and originality in a way few modern movies do. It’s unpredictable, visually striking, and a reminder that the genre still has room for surprises.

🎃 Weapons is streaming on HBO Max and available to rent or buy on all major platforms.

We’ve got more movie podcasts, spoiler reviews, and film discussions coming your way. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or drop a comment. It really helps the show grow.

Thanks for listening, and happy Halloween from Sound Speed Action!

Episode 58 - Special Episode: Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Jurassic Park is one of those franchises that I absolutely love, where Spielberg helped define the summer blockbuster movie season. The first two especially are amazing. Jurassic Park III was a flop. Jurassic World and Fallen Kingdom were chapters that brought new life and characters into the franchise. Dominion was overstuffed but had fun visuals and brought back all the characters we love from this series. Three years later we are now caught up with this one... and I am so confused by it.

You have Gareth Edwards directing. You can see his work in Rogue One, The Creator, Godzilla (2014), and Monsters (2010). The man is amazing with visual effects and knows how to work quickly and economically. Disney loves him, and I understand why. You also have David Koepp, the OG writer of Jurassic Park. You also have a rock star cast with Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, and Rupert Friend. This should have been amazing.

From an audience and review point of view, there was consensus in the reactions, and yet… this is one of the most globally successful movies of the year! I am so confused and have so many questions. The mysterious box office of Jurassic World Rebirth. This one is still bugging me and I need answers.

Jurassic World Rebirth is playing in theaters now. It is also available to rent and buy on all platforms. There is no streaming date for Peacock yet, but my guess based on its theatrical release date is that late October to early November is a safe bet.

We’ve got more episodes, reviews, and recommendations coming your way. If you’re enjoying the show, please leave a review, it really helps the podcast.

Thanks for listening. I’m really curious about your thoughts on this one if you check it out.

Episode 57 - SPOILER Review: Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

Just when it was starting to look pretty bleak for comic movies (over saturation, becoming extremely dark, forgettable stories, visual effects suffering from unsustainable output stretching visual FX artists too thin), it looks like studios are getting the message. First "Superman" from DC/Warner Brothers and now for today's episode we see how Marvel/Disney with "Fantastic Four: First Steps" has done an about face and put a "fantastic" crowd-pleaser of movie to die-hard comic-fans and popcorn moviegoers alike.

For today's episode our friend of the podcast, Ali-Reza Beheshti, returns and we both get into how this movie completely surprised us. A beautifully shot, wonderfully paced, thrill ride of a movie. There was a part that was a little bit of a "stretch" but the movie still was so much fun that you can almost completely let this detail go. Almost. Michael Giacchino returns as Marvel's go-to Composer but here he really crafts something epic and unique on par with John Williams music from classics such as Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park.

This one must be seen in the theaters. It will make you a believer in comic-book movies again. There is still life in this category of movies. Here is to hoping the studios continue to space these movies out enough to keep the creativity, anticipation, and quality going!

"Fantastic Four: First Steps" is playing in theaters now.

We’ve got more episodes, reviews, and recommendations coming your way. If you’re enjoying the show, please leave a review, it really helps the podcast.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy the movie.

Episode 56 – Review: The Accountant 2 (2025)

Back in 2016, Ben Affleck surprised a lot of people with "The Accountant", a sleek, mysterious action thriller where he played Christian Wolff, a math savant with deadly skills. That film, written by Ozark series creator Bill Dubuque, had an incredible cast (John Lithgow, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal, Anna Kendrick, Jean Smart) and a vibe that stuck with people. For years, a sequel was teased, and now, nearly a decade later, it’s finally here.

The Accountant 2 makes the rare move of actually improving on the original. Director Gavin O’Connor returns, and Affleck is back as Wolff, joined again by Cynthia Addai Robinson and Jon Bernthal. Newcomer Daniela Pineda (playing Lena) is a total standout. One change this time around: the character of Justine (Christian’s mysterious associate) is now played by Allison Robinson, taking over voice and on screen duties from Allison Wright. And it works.

While the first movie had a haunting score by Mark Isham, this sequel switches gears with a fresh and impressive score by Bryce Dessner. The vibe is a little different, but it still pulls you into Wolff’s world.

There’s a planned third film to complete the trilogy, and both O’Connor and Affleck have hinted at wanting Anna Kendrick back for that one. Fingers crossed.

"The Accountant 2" is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

We’ve got more episodes, reviews, and recommendations coming your way. If you’re enjoying the show, please leave a review, it really helps the podcast.

Thanks for listening, and enjoy the movie.

Correction: In the audio, the character of Lena is mistakenly said to be played by Daniela Melchior. The role is actually played by Daniela Pineda.

SPOILER WARNING for the latest podcast episode of "Sound Speed Action": Dead Reckoning came out two years ago, but The Final Reckoning just hit theaters a week ago. If you haven’t seen it yet, pause this episode and come back, because we’re diving deep into both films.

The final chapter of our Mission: Impossible recap covers Dead Reckoning (2023) and The Final Reckoning (2025).

It’s wild to think this series has been running nearly 30 years. This two-part climax, although not always even, aims to tie things up and will likely leave fans divided.

Though the films share villains, Gabriel (mysterious and cartoonish) and the all-knowing Entity, they feel completely different in tone. What is going on with these villains?

Both movies bring stunning set pieces: the runaway train finale in Dead Reckoning is a franchise standout, and the submarine sequence in The Final Reckoning kicks things off with serious intensity.

We get standout new characters: Grace (Hayley Atwell, whose arc around “the choice every IMF member faces” is a great addition), Paris (Pom Klementieff, who steals scenes), Briggs (Shea Whigham), and Dega (Greg Tarzan Davis). Returning favorites include Luther (Ving Rhames, whose appearances remain inconsistent), Benji (Simon Pegg, better than ever), and Kittredge (Henry Czerny), finally back.

Lorne Balfe returns with a strong score for Dead Reckoning after Fallout. He was set to score Final Reckoning, but was replaced by protégés Max Aruj and Alfie Godfrey. Whether their work holds up is still debatable.

Christopher McQuarrie directs both films while navigating COVID, strikes, and more. Not everything lands. Some of the retconning is rough, but he has earned the right to bring it home.

Dead Reckoning is streaming on Prime Video and Paramount+. The Final Reckoning is in theaters now.

2018’s “Mission Impossible: Fallout” is the focus of today’s episode of Sound Speed Action, and the question is not just whether it’s the best in the series—but is it one of the greatest action epics ever made?

It took six movies for the franchise (and two for director Christopher McQuarrie and Cruise) to find their groove, and this is the moment it all clicks. The action! The cast! The music! Even the dramatic and comedic beats land. And this movie fully leans into Ethan Hunt as the ultimate good guy—someone who won’t accept the idea that saving one life means losing millions.

It also has the best “light the fuse” intro of the series and the strongest callback to MI:1. For the first time, we get not just a returning villain, but two bad guys.

Of course, it’s still got some classic MI flaws: the villains still want to destroy the world to save it (seriously, we’re still doing that?). Ilsa Faust is a total badass but seems way too quick to risk it all for Ethan (everyone falls for this guy instantly?). And the Syndicate, Apostles, John Lark—it’s not always clear who’s who or what group is working with which.

Also, that helicopter chase? Cool… but it runs long.

Even with all that, this movie is a blast. The action set pieces (HALO jump, bathroom fight, BMW vs motorcycle, and more) are constant thrills. And the more we learn about Ethan’s ethos, the more charged those moments feel.

This is Mission: Impossible at its peak.

Streaming now on Paramount+. Also available to rent or buy.

“Sound Speed Action” is back with the newest episode in our countdown to Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Now we’re entering Christopher McQuarrie mode with the next film: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015).

Writer and veteran Hollywood script doctor Christopher McQuarrie directs his first Mission Impossible and assembles a great team behind the camera to inject more energy into this thrill ride. Joe Kraemer delivers a pulsing orchestral score straight out of the original TV series. Eddie Hamilton joins as the wizard editor (Top Gun: Maverick, Kingsman), keeping everything moving at a fun clip.

We talk about what we really enjoyed. Cruise is great, but Simon Pegg’s Benji really steps up and commands his scenes. Rebecca Ferguson’s debut as MI6 agent Ilsa Faust is superb—she elevates the movie with charisma and badassery. Sean Harris is fun as our super creepy villain, though it’s tough to get too excited since the bar for villains hasn’t been set very high. Alec Baldwin as Hunley is fantastic, and McQuarrie uses him brilliantly as a way for the franchise to poke fun at itself (“Sir, Hunt is the living manifestation of destiny—and he has made you his mission”). The Vienna Opera House sequence is a unique thrill.

Some odd choices pop up—the snakeskin shirt (you’ll know it when you see it), and a bad CGI car flip. But honestly, there’s not much to knock.

McQuarrie’s been hyped up a lot on this show already, and now that we’re here at his first Mission as director… what do you think? Enough action for you? We haven’t even begun yet.

Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation is available to stream now on Prime Video and Paramount Plus. It’s also available to rent and buy now on all platforms.

We’re back with a new episode of Sound Speed Action as we continue our countdown to Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. Up next is what feels like an amazing reset for the series — Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011).

This is where the franchise really starts to take off. The quality of action and entertainment jumps several levels in this installment. You get the brilliant work of director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant) as well as the first steps of writer Christopher McQuarrie stepping into the Mission world (be on the lookout for more from him soon…), making this an explosive (if sometimes uneven) hit of a movie!

The cast brings a lot of fun: Cruise returns as Ethan Hunt, raising both his action and comedy game. Simon Pegg’s Benji is no longer just the computer guy behind the desk — he’s out in the field as a great agent, delivering some fantastic moments. That includes hilarious scenes alongside Cruise and newcomer Jeremy Renner. On the podcast, we debate whether Renner fully fits the mold of these films — what do you think? Paula Patton as Agent Carter (not that Marvel Agent Carter) kicks ass and is a blast to watch as part of the IMF team. Even the smaller roles are memorable, including Tom Wilkinson as the IMF Secretary, Léa Seydoux as assassin Sabine Moreau, and Ving Rhames (he’s in it for only 39 seconds, but listen for a great bit about what Rhames pulled off in this movie).

Of course, the movie has its flaws: a pretty thin villain character (okay, maybe these movies really aren’t about their villains…) and a major tonal shift once the action moves to India.

But ultimately, this chapter reignites the series with a much-needed burst of energy, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling new era for the back half of the franchise. Let’s go! We’ll be back soon with more to share — enjoy this one, and let us know your thoughts.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is available to stream now on Prime Video and Paramount Plus. It’s also available to rent or buy on all major platforms.

For this episode of Sound Speed Action, we're continuing our countdown to Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning. We’re joined by returning guest and friend of the pod, Chris Cheng, to break down the franchise’s third installment — Mission Impossible III (2006).

It’s a movie of firsts: JJ Abrams (of Lost and Alias fame) makes his feature film directorial debut, Simon Pegg arrives as tech whiz Benji, and it’s the only Mission film ever co-produced with China. Oh — and it dropped right in the middle of the Tom Cruise Turbulence Era: the Oprah couch jump, the Matt Lauer meltdown, the Paramount fallout, and an infamous episode of South Park.

Our conversation starts with the highs, but quickly uncovers some shared frustrations:

* Abrams overindulging in his signature moves (lens flares, violin overload, blown-out colors, endless close-ups)

* Wasting powerhouse talents like Philip Seymour Hoffman and Michelle Monaghan

* Failing to make the part of the movie that is in China a meaningful, fun, colorful, vibrant part and character of the story

* Skipping the iconic “light the fuse” title sequence

* A very long rooftop scene of “I need you to trust me” (you’ll know it when you see it)

* The fulcrum scene that really tests your ability to suspend your disbelief

Still, the movie isn’t without its charms:

* The mystery box tool of “the rabbits foot” here is mysterious and fun

* New characters played by Keri Russell, Maggie Q, Billy Crudup, and Laurence Fishburne

* Set piece standouts like the Vatican heist and Davian’s bridge escape

* Philip Seymour Hoffman channeling straight menace in one of the creepiest villain performances of the series (but we have some issues with this too…)

This entry in the franchise is a very divisive one. It marks the halfway point for us in this franchise countdown. But get ready and hold onto your butts because this latter half of the franchise consistently kicks things up a few gears. Back with more soon!

Mission Impossible III is streaming now on Prime Video and Paramount+. It’s also available to rent or buy on all major platforms.