Okay, so, a little personal history: Some years ago, I randomly came across the _Alex Rider_ series while browsing the stacks at the library. I listened to the first book on audio, loved it, and reviewed it on Amazon. Some time later, that infamous shopping website recommended the _Maximum Ride_ series to me because of my review. So, I soon checked it out...and loved it! In fact, the third book was so good, it got my adrenaline pumping while reading it on a family vacation! There had been talk of a movie franchise based on the books for a while, and I kept hoping to see a trailer or poster for it at the movies. I'd kind of given up hope until a month or two ago, when the big announcement that a film version had been released on iTunes came up on my Facebook news feed. I soon bought it, and finally got around to watching it yesterday and today.

What did I think? It was good...but, given the nature of the franchise, it could have been better. The acting was great, and the action sequences were wonderful...but, the ending was weird, and I'm not even sure what the final scene was supposed to mean. If there is a celluloid sequel, I hope that clears up whatever was implied there. If you're a fan of Max and crew like I am, you might enjoy this...but, people unfamiliar with the franchise may find some parts of the movie confusing.

Content Concerns:
Sex: One near kiss. 4/5
Nudity: Shirtless guy; Max wears both bare-midriff outfits and tops with slits in the sides that show off her bra throughout. 2/5
Language: One or two misuses of God's name; three or four uses of the d-word; one use of the h-word. 3/5
Violence: Sci-fi action violence abounds; multiple fisticuffs, explosions, etc., that result in the death of at least one character. Though intense, the violence is not bloody or gory, save for one bloody scene where a character is shot. 2/5
Drugs: None. 5/5
Frightening/Intense Scenes: An overall dark mood; scary humanoid monsters with fangs; a child is kidnapped; a man threatens a woman; emotional intensity; there's little in this film that **isn't** intense. 1/5

Score: 3.5/5