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Here's a look at the new movies I saw this week.

Chappie
Starring: Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver, Yo-Landi, and Ninja
Synopsis: Filmmaker Neil Blomkamp has carved out a niche for himself by making unique sci-fi films. His debut feature, “District 9,” drew legions of fans and earned a Best Picture nomination. It raised a number of interesting social and political themes — whether on purpose or by accident — and looked like something unique and original. He’s continued to try and fill that pattern — first with “Elysium,” which bowed during the summer of 2013 and now with “Chappie.” His latest film, which opened on March 6, is ambitious. It has a name cast and a seemingly high-minded premise — police in South Africa using robots to reduce the crime rate. But in reality, the film is a series of uninteresting vignettes about teaching a robot to behave coupled around some ridiculous action sequences. It has colorful, but uninteresting characters and the promise of the premise fizzles in the execution. I was not a fan of Blomkamp’s earlier films, but I respected his craft and attempts to make original sci-fi stories grounded in a realistic, grimy future. With “Chappie,” I expected more of the same. But that isn’t the case. The realistic, grimy future is there, but the narrative is a lot of hot air, some of which feels recycled from other entries in the same genre. There’s not much to latch onto here. The beginning and ending of the film are about lavish action sequences, while the middle section languishes in an attempt to build story around one-dimensional characters. Fans of Die-Antwood will likely be happy to see their heroes on the screen, but as actors Ninja and Yo-Landi appear out of their depth. It probably doesn’t help to be acting opposite a robot, or the robotic presence of Weaver, Patel and Jackman. There are some good actors in the film, but none are given much to work with here. Worse yet, it feels unclear what the film wants to say about artificial intelligence — or if it wants to say anything at all. Blomkamp has said before he’s not trying to make political or social statements with his films, but he tackles a lot of high-minded subjects. When you do that without any real point, you end up with an expensive, uninteresting film like “Chappie.” The bones of an interesting idea are here, but “Chappie” is betrayed by some lackluster execution.
Rating: R for violence, language and brief nudity. Enter with caution.
Verdict: One star out of four.

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Starring: Dev Patel, Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Richard Gere, and Bill Nighy

Synopsis: Four years ago "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" was a charming little dramedy about aging British retirees finding their second act in India. Patel was the upstart hotel manager, and the residents — played affably by Smith, Dench and Nighy, among others — was warm and entertaining. It was a sweet little film that told a complete story. It didn't need a follow up. But it was successful, so here we're back with another little film. This follows pretty much the same blueprint. Sonny (Patel) is trying to expand his hotel empire, and travels to America with Mrs. Donnelly (Smith) to get an infusion of funding. When they return to India, Sonny is getting ready for his wedding and trying to impress the American inspector (Gere), while the rest of the residents continue their stories. This is a fine film. It's not as good as the original, and has some dry spots, but it also has some beautiful moments. Smith and Dench are the highlights here, with their incredible acting ability. I think Smith could even earn a Best Supporting Actress nomination for some of the beautiful scenes she has in the film. Gere adds a nice little twist, and the film does a nice job of continuing the narratives begun in the original. This is a fun, if unnecessary, follow up to the original.

Rating: PG for  some language and suggestive comments.

Verdict: Two stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:

Friday, March 13 — "Cinderella," "Run All Night"

Friday, March 20 — "Insurgent," "The Gunman"

Friday, March 27 — "Home," "Get Hard"