Blimey, Hypnotic had me proper gripped from the off, like a dodgy pint that sneaks up on you – echoing the mind-melting chases of The Matrix but without that Wachowski wizardry to truly elevate it.
Ben Affleck’s grizzled copper is a right tormented soul, and Alice Braga brings a spark of saucy intrigue that keeps the pulse racing. Robert Rodriguez zips through this 93-minute lark at breakneck speed, no faffing about with drags, just snappy twists that had me second-guessing every shadow.
It’s engaging as you like, a solid 7/10 for sheer escapism, though something’s missing – that elusive spark to turn good into great – and the predictability nips at its heels despite the curveballs. Can’t fathom the dismal ratings; perhaps the critics were hypnotised into gloom?
For a rainy eve’s popcorn fodder, it’s a cheeky winner that left me chuffed. Fancy a reality tweak? Dive in, lads.
