Drop

DROP is a 2025 mystery thriller film directed by Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day, Freaky), and written by Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach. Producers on the film include Michael Bay, Jason Blum, Brad Fuller, and Cameron Fuller.

A widowed mother's first date in years takes a terrifying turn when she's bombarded with anonymous threatening messages on her phone during their upscale dinner, leaving her questioning if her charming date is behind the harassment.

The cast includes Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson.

DROP made its debut in theaters April 11th, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

The “cat-and-mouse” thriller genre of films has a ton of wiggle room when it comes to screenplay, with the overall idea being to keep viewers hooked and guessing right until the very end. The trailer for DROP enticed me right away but I did have concerns in terms of how they would be able to maintain the appeal for the entire film, and whether or not things would get a bit too wacky by the end. Thankfully you can rest assured because my concerns were put to rest pretty much immediately as DROP proved to be one of the more enjoyable films I have seen in some time.

The film taps into two things that give people anxiety this day and age, our reliance on technology and online dating. Violet is a single mom with more baggage than most people thanks to a traumatic past, but she is finally willing to take a chance by going on a date with Henry, a man she had been talking to online for a few months. Violet’s nerves are put to rest early on as her charming date and restaurant with a breathtaking view point to a promising evening, that is of course until she receives a DROP on her phone that changes everything. What seems like a joke at first turns deadly serious forcing Violet to make decisions that will change her life forever.

I’m not going to lie I was hooked from the jump, and I just loved how the story began to unravel. I apologize for the overuse of the term cat-and-mouse thriller, but it is just the perfect description for DROP. The story is such a whirlwind and it gets more intense by the minute leaving viewers on the edge-of-their-seats. The cast is fantastic and I loved the chemistry between lead actors Meghann Fahy (Violet) and Brandon Sklenar (Henry). Both characters have a certain level of intrigue adding depth to the story, and I really liked the direction of the screenplay. I mentioned my concern as far as the film maintaining interest and providing a satisfying final act, but man did it deliver. DROP is a wild ride from start to finish and everyone involved deserves a ton of credit.

DROP is creative in terms of the screenplay but it also delivers big time from a technical standpoint. The story needs to make Violet seem isolated as her life hangs in the balance and under the control of a mysterious stranger communicating with her via her cell phone, and they did a great job utilizing technical elements like showing some of the messages she was seeing as an on-screen graphic for example. Plus the camera angles are wild as viewers feel like everything is spiraling out of control. I also thought the score/soundtrack was amazing as it blended perfectly with the overall feel of the film. I mean sure the premise is over-the-top in many ways if you want to overthink it, but if you are willing to sit back and just appreciate DROP it will be more than worth your time I guarantee it.

THE VERDICT

A crafty and fast-paced cat-and-mouse thriller that gets the hooks in you early and never lets go, DROP embraces a wild premise delivering an incredibly entertaining experience for viewers. I really enjoyed this movie and can easily recommend it to anyone who is looking for something fresh and exciting. Do yourself a favor and see DROP in theaters.

TED TAKES RATING - 8.3/10

DROP is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.

Warfare

WARFARE is a 2025 war drama film written and directed by Iraq War Veteran Ray Mendoza and Civil War’s Alex Garland. Garland is a very talented director who recently blew audiences away with the war drama CIVIL WAR (our full review here), and this collaboration with Mendoza looks to have audiences in for quite a treat.

A platoon of Navy SEALs embark on a dangerous mission in Ramadi, Iraq, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event.

The cast includes D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Michael Gandolfini, Adain Bradley, Noah Centineo, Evan Holtzman, Henrique Zaga, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton.

WARFARE made its debut in theaters April 11th, courtesy of A24.

I absolutely love a good war drama, whether we are talking PLATOON, BLACK HAWK DOWN, or one of my more recent favorites THE HURT LOCKER, they just suck me right in and the experience sticks with me. The films I mentioned are very intense, and although a big focus is on the gunfire and explosions in the battlefield, they do a fantastic job touching on the emotional toll it has on the men and women fighting to protect our freedom. When the first trailer dropped for WARFARE I simply could not wait for this movie to come out. I will watch anything A24 touches, but this movie just had a unique feel of a special cinematic experience. I had to see this on the biggest screen possible so I made my way to the IMAX for the early release screening, and boy was it worth it.

WARFARE opens with the speakers blaring as this platoon of Navy SEALs bond as they watch the music video for the 2004 hit song Call on Me, by Eric Prydz. It was such a cool way for the film to open as viewers had an opportunity to see these men as human beings; sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, before they embark on a mission that will change their lives forever. Soon after we find ourselves in the streets of Iraq on an eerily quiet night with nothing but sporadic gunshots erupting in the distance.

It is hard to explain how it feels to be watching a movie like this on a giant IMAX screen in complete silence, knowing that it is only a matter of time before the audio in the theater erupts. WARFARE does an incredible job setting the stage for this mission as everything happens in real-time, and by the time the film ends you will feel like you were right there with them.

I was blown away, simple as that. This is the story of a carefully planned mission that took a tragic turn, quickly shifting to a battle of survival. It really didn’t matter if it was a veteran of two tours or a guy experiencing his first action, you saw the fear on the faces of these men as they sacrificed their own well being in an effort to save their brothers. During an explosion, I damn near jumped out of my seat because it was so unexpected and I was just beyond immersed in what was happening on-screen.

WARFARE is incredibly intense and the gunfire will be ringing in your ears long after you leave the theater. I thought the entire cast was nothing short of amazing, with a big shoutout to Will Poulter and Cosmo Jarvis for their performances. Director Alex Garland is a beast behind the camera, and his collaboration with Iraq War veteran Ray Mendoza is a match made in heaven, simple as that. The film ends with a tribute to the men who fought in this battle and it was pure perfection. I can’t wait to see it again.

THE VERDICT

A fast-paced and absolutely bone-chilling war drama from the perspective of the brave men who lived it, WARFARE puts viewers in the streets of Ramadi, Iraq, creating a uniquely immersive experience you won’t soon forget. You need to see this movie on the biggest screen possible in order to fully appreciate the masterpiece that Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza have created. WARFARE is on another level as a war drama film, and this is absolutely a movie I will be adding to my 4K Blu-ray collection. What are you waiting for, go see it!

TED TAKES RATING - 9.8/10

WARFARE is now playing only in theaters. Check out the latest trailer below.