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James Dyer

James Dyer's reviews only count toward the Tomatometer® when published at Tomatometer-approved publication(s).
Biography:

Empire film critic.

Publications:

Reviews

Movies TV Shows
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) 91% 3/5 EDIT “Fellowes’ dewy-eyed swansong isn’t likely to make many Film Of The Year lists, but it still does Downton proud, closing the book on his Faragian utopia of stiff upper lips and British brio in a way that would do Cousin Violet proud.” – Empire Magazine Sep 10, 2025 Full Review Star Trek: Section 31 (2025) 23% 2/5 EDIT “Less a Star Trek movie than a middling pilot episode setting up a series that will never come, Section 31 makes for a disheartening send-off for a once great character.” – Empire Magazine Jan 23, 2025 Full Review Carry-On (2024) 88% 4/5 EDIT “Die Hard karaoke this may be, but it delivers — and eclipses at least two of John McClane’s outings in the process. Look forward to future eye-rolling debates as to whether it qualifies as a Christmas movie.” – Empire Magazine Dec 24, 2024 Full Review Heretic (2024) 90% 4/5 EDIT “An incredibly tense, tightly contained bottle horror, showcasing a genuinely chilling turn from Hugh Grant. You’ll never watch Notting Hill the same way again.” – Empire Magazine Nov 6, 2024 Full Review The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (2024) 97% 4/5 EDIT “A heartfelt digital eulogy for an unconventional but extremely human life.” – Empire Magazine Oct 29, 2024 Full Review Smile 2 (2024) 86% 3/5 EDIT “Creepy and clever but rarely surprising... ” – Empire Magazine Oct 18, 2024 Full Review Rebel Ridge (2024) 95% 4/5 EDIT “Firmly establishing Aaron Pierre’s credentials as a thinking man’s Rambo, Rebel Ridge might not be particularly groundbreaking, but this Netflix-and-kill thriller is an undeniably fun night in.” – Empire Magazine Sep 9, 2024 Full Review Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) 33% 2/5 EDIT “Despite a charismatic turn from Momoa and some fun frenemy banter, this is a disappointing send-off that sees the DCEU go out with a squelch rather than a splash. Fin.” – Empire Magazine Dec 21, 2023 Full Review Candy Cane Lane (2023) 45% 3/5 EDIT “A madcap medley of deranged ideas that somehow manage to coalesce into a messy but half-decent Crimbo comedy. Just spare a thought for the far more interesting horror film straining to break through.” – Empire Magazine Nov 30, 2023 Full Review Retribution (2023) 30% 2/5 EDIT “An inoffensive but inessential addition to Neeson’s latter-years thriller canon. Less the bus that couldn’t slow down than the car that couldn’t get started.” – Empire Magazine Oct 27, 2023 Full Review Flora and Son (2023) 93% EDIT “A love story, but not in the way you think. Carney’s latest ballad to the musical arts stays in tune, with a stand-out central performance from Hewson.” – Empire Magazine Sep 25, 2023 Full Review Bird Box Barcelona (2023) 53% 2/5 EDIT “A largely uninspiring re-tread of a superior film, this has some decent moments and enough gnarly deaths to keep horror hounds vaguely entertained until the inevitable arrival of ‘Bird Box Santorini’.” – Empire Magazine Jul 11, 2023 Full Review The Inspection (2022) 88% 3/5 EDIT “The Inspection may be by the book, but the layers of personal detail and emotionally resonant core lend it an authenticity that hits home and hits hard.” – Empire Magazine Feb 14, 2023 Full Review Knock at the Cabin (2023) 67% 4/5 EDIT “A harrowing, economical thriller that will sit with you for days, this is Shyamalan’s best film in years, and a calling card for Bautista in his strongest performance yet.” – Empire Magazine Feb 2, 2023 Full Review Something In The Dirt (2022) 89% 4/5 EDIT “While not quite on a level with The Endless, this is another pocket lint sci-fi from the current masters of such. A welcome sign that Benson and Moorhead haven’t gone fully respectable just yet.” – Empire Magazine Oct 31, 2022 Full Review Prey (2022) 94% 4/5 EDIT “Effortlessly the best Predator movie since the original, Prey proves that, against all expectation, there’s life in the franchise yet, not to mention a thrilling new lead in Amber Midthunder.” – Empire Magazine Aug 3, 2022 Full Review Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) 87% 3/5 EDIT “Soapy it may be, but for those who’ve poshed it up with the Crawleys since the very start, this is an affectionate, escapist hug of a movie — like being wrapped in a doily.” – Empire Magazine Apr 28, 2022 Full Review Freaky (2020) 84% 4/5 EDIT “While not quite on a par with Happy Death Day, Freaky is an ebullient slasher that strikes a perfect balance of comedy and carnage.” – Empire Magazine Jun 28, 2021 Full Review Yes Day (2021) 52% 2/5 EDIT “An inoffensive if unengaging family romp that somehow manages to make the ultimate day of fun feel like a drag.” – Empire Magazine Mar 10, 2021 Full Review The Old Guard (2020) 80% 2/5 EDIT “A disappointingly lifeless take on immortal mayhem. Better than Highlander 3, but not by much.” – Empire Magazine Jul 3, 2020 Full Review Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made (2020) 85% 3/5 EDIT “A frothy fantasy about a boy and his bear that makes up for in style what it lacks in substance.” – Empire Magazine Mar 25, 2020 Full Review The Rhythm Section (2020) 28% 3/5 EDIT “Lively's steely heroine and a propulsive plot ensure you're never bored, but this is a generic thriller from a simpler time, bulked up by a single strong performance.” – Empire Magazine Jan 29, 2020 Full Review Men in Black: International (2019) 23% 3/5 EDIT “Unasked for, unnecessary but unexpectedly enjoyable.” – Empire Magazine Jun 12, 2019 Full Review Brexit (2019) 80% 4/5 EDIT “Given that it airs when the form and fate of Britain's exit from the EU is still up in the air, Brexit comes as a depressing reminder of just how divided our nation currently stands.” – Empire Magazine Jan 7, 2019 Full Review Bumblebee (2018) 91% 4/5 EDIT “An impassioned ode to both the toys and their era, this, at last, is the Transformers movie we've been waiting for.” – Empire Magazine Dec 9, 2018 Full Review
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