THE GOLDFINGER 15

★★★★★ OUT NOW CINEMAS

Twenty-plus years after facing off in Infernal Affairs, Hong Kong superstars Tony Leung and Andy Lau return as implacable adversaries in this white-collar crime epic from writer/director Felix Chong (Affairs’ co-scripter). Set in HK during the 1970s and 80s, it adheres to a familiar rise-and-fall template, following the chairman (Leung) of a conglomerate as he’s investigated by an anti-corruption officer (Lau) in the wake of a stock-market collapse. There are shades of Scorsese’s Wolf of Wall Street in the impressively choreographed displays of hedonism, but the storytelling proves overly frenetic.

SILENT NIGHT TBC

★★★★★ OUT NOW SKY CINEMA/NOW

Hong Kong action maestro John Woo’s first Holly-movie since 2003’s Paycheck is a shoot-’em-up sans dialogue (bar a spot of police radio). Electrician Brian’s (Joel Kinnaman) son is killed by gangbangers who also put a bullet in his throat, leaving him, literally, speechless. Woo ladles on the maudlin sentiment before Brian turns from sad dad into buff punisher, with a little help from YouTube (no, really). It takes its time setting things up, but when our hero starts dispatching gang members over the course of one bloody Christmas Eve, it becomes a grimly entertaining gunfest. NIGEL PIZEY

THE BOOK OF CLARENCE TBC

He’s not the Messiah…

★★★★★ OUT 19 JANUARY CINEMAS

The Hollywood Biblical epic was always ripe for parody - and so it came to pass in the classic likes of Monty Python’s Life of Brian. Four decades on, writer/director Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) has another stab at pricking the genre’s pomposity, with amusing but muddled results.

It’s certainly great fun watching Jerusalem deadbeat Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield) try to dodge a gambling debt by attempting to become Jesus’ 13th apostle, and when that fails, setting out his stall as a messianic miracle-worker. It’s clear, meanwhile, that Samuel is having a ball himself crafting a hip new spin on Roman Judea: one in which Shisha pipes turn their users into floating stoners and a chariot race occurs on the same Matera thoroughfare seen in No Time to Die.

But around halfway, anarchic gusto gives way to po-faced reverence as Clarence gains both a conscience and, confusingly, preternatural powers. A Da Vinci-esque Last Supper is milked for laughs, while a mass crucifixion is played bloodily straight – a puzzling tonal blend that calls into question the cohesion of the film’s intentions.

Stanfield, on double duty as both Clarence and his straitlaced disciple twin Thomas, is a charismatic lead in a cast that boasts more than one enjoyable cameo. Yet you can’t help feeling that Samuel’s laudable ambition to give his mischievous comedy a deeper resonance was too heavy a cross to bear.

THE VERDICT An inclusive riposte to Gospel truth that ultimately loses the courage of its satirical convictions.

FOREVER YOUNG TBC

★★★★★ OUT 26 JANUARY CINEMAS

Ageing novelist Robyn (Diana Quick) is full of regret, so when she’s offered a serum that will return her to being 20 again, she jumps at the chance. Issues arise, however, when Robyn’s rewind begins to impact on her relationship with husband Oscar (LotR’s Bernard Hill), who is more philosophical than his wife (now played by Amy Tyger) about growing old. What could have been a twee sci-fi morality tale instead emerges as an elegant meditation on morality, thanks to writer/director Henk Pretorius’ poignant, pointed script and sterling performances, particularly from Hill.

PADRE PIO 15

★★★★★ OUT 26 JANUARY CINEMAS

Controversial filmmaker Abel Ferrara casts controversial actor Shia LaBeouf in this unconventional biopic about revered Italian priest Padre Pio, which makes for challenging but ultimately unrewarding viewing. It’s set in the aftermath of World War One; as young soldiers return home, LaBeouf’s Pio experiences torturous visions that force him to confront past sins. The spectacle of LaBeouf self-flagellating over previous behaviour is certain to raise eyebrows, but the rest of the film simply isn’t interesting enough to keep this from being a punishing watch, in every sense. MATT LOOKER