Latest news with #TheLastWitchHunter
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Netflix just got this fantasy action movie with Vin Diesel and Elijah Wood — and it's not even in the 'so bad it's good' category
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Netflix's latest addition is a dark fantasy action movie starring Vin Diesel that, on paper, sounds like it'll be a riot. As of today (June 16), Breck Eisner's "The Last Witch Hunter" is now available on the streaming service. This 2015 action flick pits Diesel's sword-swinging supernatural hunter against nefarious sorcerers. Sounds like a recipe for campy fun, right? Unfortunately.... It's anything but Even as a big fantasy guy myself, this is one new-to-Netflix watch I'd urge you to find something else to stream — and it turns out I'm not alone on that front, either. If you were waiting to stream "The Last Witch Hunter" on Netflix, you can find a little more info about the movie, and why I (and plenty of other viewers) would suggest you steer clear. "The Last Witch Hunter" introduces us to Kaulder (Vin Diesel), a powerful warrior cursed with immortality moments before he slayed the all-powerful Witch Queen hundreds of years ago. Working with "The Axes and Cross," Kaulder has kept humanity safe from supernatural forces, hunting down rogue witches who violate the fragile peace between the witches and the human race and keeping their powers in check. When a modern coven hatches a deadly plan to resurrect their queen, Kaulder and a few close allies look to be humanity's only chance at survival. In addition to Vin Diesel, "The Last Witch Hunter" also stars Michael Caine, Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie. Put simply, "The Last Witch Hunter" is a dreary watch. I'm no stranger to going against the grain when it comes to the fantasy genre — I went to bat for the "Warcraft" movie when it came to Netflix — but I don't think the movie that made it to our screens is worth shouting about. A lot of the problem is simply that I just don't buy Vin Diesel in the lead role; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not feel like his kind of movie. While the visual effects aren't bad (compared to some of today's watches), and the fights might occasionally thrill, it's just not very entertaining stuff. A lot of the problem is simply that I just don't buy Vin Diesel in the lead role; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not feel like his kind of movie. I can't even really see it landing as a guilty pleasure; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not veer into "so bad its good" territory. It's a self-serious, "edgy" mishmash of fantasy tropes and action, and a poorly written, plodding one at that. It's the kind of movie that wants you to think it is cool... but doesn't come off that way whatsoever. In other words, it's the movie equivalent of that dodgy "Shadow the Hedgehog" PS2 game. As I mentioned above, this isn't exactly a unique stance on the film, either. At the time of writing, "The Last Witch Hunter" holds a measly 18% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This isn't a situation where critics and viewers differ wildly, either; that 44% score on the Popcornmeter is indicative of a mixed reception, at best. As a sample of what people have to say about "The Last Witch Hunter," take Guy Lodge's review at Variety, who summed the movie up as a "limp, lame-brained occult thriller" and said it was "too drab to succeed even as defiantly unvirtuous trash." The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave the movie a one-star rating, calling it "dismal and dull" and positing Diesel and co.'s witch-hunting flick measures up unfavorably to Paramount's shlocky fairytale effort, "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters". And, reviewing at Entertainment Weekly, Kyle Anderson described the movie as "an unfortunately heavy-handed, humorless, self-serious" affair, adding: "It should be crazy fun on paper — Vin Diesel murders witches with a flaming sword! — but the only thing The Last Witch Hunter will successfully eradicate is insomnia." Unless you're desperate for some swords-and-sorcery fun (and you've already watched the far superior "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves"), I'd suggest you avoid streaming "The Last Witch Hunter" on Netflix. If that means you're now in need of some new streaming suggestions for your next movie night, check out our round-up of the best movies on Netflix for tons of top recommendations. 7 new to Netflix shows and movies to stream this week Netflix's new mind-bending mystery thriller gets first trailer Netflix is losing this swoonworthy romantic drama very soon


Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix just got this fantasy action movie with Vin Diesel and Elijah Wood — but it's no 'Lord of the Rings'
Netflix's latest addition is a dark fantasy action movie starring Vin Diesel that, on paper, sounds like it'll be a riot. As of today (June 16), Breck Eisner's "The Last Witch Hunter" is now available on the streaming service. This 2015 action flick pits Diesel's sword-swinging supernatural hunter against nefarious sorcerers. Sounds like a recipe for campy fun, right? Unfortunately.... It's anything but Even as a big fantasy guy myself, this is one new-to-Netflix watch I'd urge you to find something else to stream — and it turns out I'm not alone on that front, either. If you were waiting to stream "The Last Witch Hunter" on Netflix, you can find a little more info about the movie, and why I (and plenty of other viewers) would suggest you steer clear. "The Last Witch Hunter" introduces us to Kaulder (Vin Diesel), a powerful warrior cursed with immortality moments before he slayed the all-powerful Witch Queen hundreds of years ago. Working with "The Axes and Cross," Kaulder has kept humanity safe from supernatural forces, hunting down rogue witches who violate the fragile peace between the witches and the human race and keeping their powers in check. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. When a modern coven hatches a deadly plan to resurrect their queen, Kaulder and a few close allies look to be humanity's only chance at survival. In addition to Vin Diesel, "The Last Witch Hunter" also stars Michael Caine, Elijah Wood and Rose Leslie. Put simply, "The Last Witch Hunter" is a dreary watch. I'm no stranger to going against the grain when it comes to the fantasy genre — I went to bat for the "Warcraft" movie when it came to Netflix — but I don't think the movie that made it to our screens is worth shouting about. A lot of the problem is simply that I just don't buy Vin Diesel in the lead role; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not feel like his kind of movie. While the visual effects aren't bad (compared to some of today's watches), and the fights might occasionally thrill, it's just not very entertaining stuff. A lot of the problem is simply that I just don't buy Vin Diesel in the lead role; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not feel like his kind of movie. I can't even really see it landing as a guilty pleasure; "The Last Witch Hunter" does not veer into "so bad its good" territory. It's a self-serious, "edgy" mishmash of fantasy tropes and action, and a poorly written, plodding one at that. It's the kind of movie that wants you to think it is cool... but doesn't come off that way whatsoever. In other words, it's the movie equivalent of that dodgy "Shadow the Hedgehog" PS2 game. As I mentioned above, this isn't exactly a unique stance on the film, either. At the time of writing, "The Last Witch Hunter" holds a measly 18% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This isn't a situation where critics and viewers differ wildly, either; that 44% score on the Popcornmeter is indicative of a mixed reception, at best. As a sample of what people have to say about "The Last Witch Hunter," take Guy Lodge's review at Variety, who summed the movie up as a "limp, lame-brained occult thriller" and said it was "too drab to succeed even as defiantly unvirtuous trash." The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave the movie a one-star rating, calling it "dismal and dull" and positing Diesel and co.'s witch-hunting flick measures up unfavorably to Paramount's shlocky fairytale effort, "Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters". And, reviewing at Entertainment Weekly, Kyle Anderson described the movie as "an unfortunately heavy-handed, humorless, self-serious" affair, adding: "It should be crazy fun on paper — Vin Diesel murders witches with a flaming sword! — but the only thing The Last Witch Hunter will successfully eradicate is insomnia." Unless you're desperate for some swords-and-sorcery fun (and you've already watched the far superior "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves"), I'd suggest you avoid streaming "The Last Witch Hunter" on Netflix. If that means you're now in need of some new streaming suggestions for your next movie night, check out our round-up of the best movies on Netflix for tons of top recommendations.


Digital Trends
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
3 action movies on Amazon Prime Video you need to watch in May 2025
Table of Contents Table of Contents The Last Witch Hunter (2015) Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) Looking to watch a cool action movie? There are three action movies on Amazon Prime Video to watch in May 2025. One is a biographical action drama, one is available for free even if you don't have an Amazon Prime subscription, and one is part of a massive franchise with one of the biggest action movie stars of this generation. Learn about these three movies and what makes them worth watching. Bookmark them for viewing when you have time and watch these badass characters do the heavy lifting. Recommended Videos Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+. The Last Witch Hunter (2015) Vin Diesel stars in this fantasy action movie that's based on the Dungeons & Dragons campaigns of the character Melkor the Witch-Hunter. Kaulder (Diesel) in The Last Witch Hunter is immortal and on a mission to save the world from a fast-spreading plague. Despite receiving largely negative reviews, The Last Witch Hunter reportedly has a sequel in the works anyway. It performed well at the box office because who can resist Diesel in a cape as an angry knight-turned-witch cursed with eternal life? Watch and make a judgment call for yourself. Stream The Last Witch Hunter on Amazon Prime Video. Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (2016) It's not the best-reviewed Tom Cruise action flick, but the actor was still praised for his performance in Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, as were the fantastic action sequences. It's the plot that was met with criticism. Plot? Who needs a plot? It's all about the action, and Cruise never fails to deliver in this department. A sequel to Jack Reacher, based on the Lee Child novel and character, Never Go Back follows Reacher (Cruise) on the run with Army Major Susan Turner (Cobie Smulders), who has been framed. Together, the pair uncover a conspiracy while fighting to clear Susan's name. Fun fact: Child makes a blink-and-you'll-miss-him cameo in the film as a TSA agent. Stream Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on Amazon Prime Video. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) Jason Lee portrays martial arts icon Bruce Lee in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, a biographical action drama about his life and career as a martial artist. Following his move from Hong Kong to the U.S., his career as a martial arts teacher, and his break into movies and TV, the film also touches on topics of racism. Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story was dedicated to Bruce Lee's son Brandon Lee, who tragically died weeks before the movie was released. Paying homage to the talented martial artist who starred in one of the best action movies ever, Enter the Dragon, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a fitting tribute to the multi-talented man who tragically died too soon. The film, not surprisingly, was a massive commercial success when it was originally released, and it remains just as entertaining today. Stream Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story on Amazon Prime Video.