See It or Skip It: “Drop,” “Warfare,” and “The Amateur” Reviewed

This week on “See It or Skip It” our fearless film crew — Patrick Beatty, Richard Bonaduce, and Rebecca Frost — dive headfirst into a slate of cinematic showstoppers.

From the pulse-pounding thrills of “Drop” & “Warfare”, to the spy games of “The Amateur”, and the music magic of “The Ballad of Wallis Island”, there’s no shortage of spectacle. Plus, a sit-down with the entire cast of “Wallis Island” to spill behind-the-scenes secrets and unexpected heart behind the story. Whether you’re craving chaos, charm, or a reason to hit the theater while avoiding the “A Minecraft Movie” chaos, this week’s episode has it all.

Drop (R)

In “Drop”, date night turns into a waking nightmare when a widowed mother’s first attempt at moving on spirals into terror as anonymous, threatening messages hijack her evening. Tension rises over wine and suspicions are raised when she’s left to wonder: is her charming dinner date a dream — or something far more dangerous?

All three critics enjoyed the movie but to varying degrees. Richard feels the third act undid a lot of the momentum of the story, while Rebecca and Patrick enjoyed the film for its leaning into the absurdness. All agree this is a fun suspense thriller anyone can enjoy at the movies.

See It or Skip It? See It

The Amateur (R)

“The Amateur” follows a CIA codebreaker thrust into the shadows when his wife is killed in a London terror attack. With seemingly no help from the law, he steps outside the lines of protocol— and into a world of personal vengeance, calculated risk, and deadly consequences.

Richard really enjoyed this Spy Revenge story and while it’s a story he’s seen done before, he enjoyed the way “The Amateur” utilized its main character. Patrick feels it did not do enough to justify the IMAX screen admission price, and felt the previous month’s “Black Bag” spy thriller was superior to “The Amateur”. Rebecca noted how often the film utilized computer screens in a way that felt like a 90s throwback.

See It or Skip It? Richard says See It, Patrick & Rebecca say Skip It

Warfare (R)

“Warfare” from A24 drops you into the heart of Ramadi, Iraq, where a platoon of Navy SEALs faces a mission as harrowing as it is tragic. Told through fractured memories of battlefield bonds, this visceral war drama captures the chaos, sacrifice, and brotherhood forged in the fire of combat.

Rebecca admires the sound design, but feels the story doesn’t have enough meat on the bones to warrant its ticket price, while Patrick feels the sound design does give the film a need to be seen with the best sound possible. Both agree that the story is lacking, however, praise the technical aspects overall.

See It or Skip It? Rebecca Says Skip It, Patrick Says See It

The Ballad of Wallis Island (PG-13)

“The Ballad of Wallis Island” centers around Charles (Tim Key), a quirky lottery winner turned island recluse, who’s obsessing over a dream of reuniting his favorite band, the legendary McGwyer Mortimer (played by Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan), to perform for one night only at Wallis Island.

Both Richard and Patrick loved the film, its feel-good messages, and warm story. Richard comments on how the film is a character-based story that is told well and the characters feel real and well-developed.

See It or Skip It: See It