Capsule reviews for Oct. 26

Burning

This haunting multilayered mystery from Korean filmmaker Lee Chang-dong (Poetry) is carefully constructed and cumulatively powerful as it confidently juggles disparate genre elements without sacrificing character depth or compelling romantic drama. When she goes to Africa for a vacation, working-class girl Haemi (Jun Jong-seo) asks an eager neighbor (Yoo Ah-in) to watch her cat. Yet when she returns with a superficial new boyfriend (Steven Yeun) and a new attitude, jealousy ensues and manifests itself in unexpected ways. The stylish film, which might work just as well on stage, is deliberately paced yet rewards patience with some clever and deeply felt twists to keep moviegoers guessing. (Not rated, 148 minutes).

Don’t Go

You won’t gain much insight into the parental grief or guilt associated with losing a child from this drama that transitions awkwardly into a tastelessly lurid thriller in the final act. It centers on an American author (Stephen Dorff) who moves to Ireland with his wife (Melissa George) in the aftermath of a tragedy that is gradually revealed through flashbacks. Meanwhile, a recurring dream makes him wonder if he can somehow reconnect with his daughter from beyond the grave. Despite some haunting imagery and committed portrayals, the film never establishes an emotional foothold before detaching itself completely with a series of arbitrary plot twists. (Not rated, 91 minutes).

Johnny English Strikes Again

Rowan Atkinson reprises his third or fourth best character in this uninspired sequel, which feels like a compilation of rejected ideas from the first two entries in this James Bond spoof franchise. This time, bumbling MI7 agent Johnny is called back into action by the Prime Minister (Emma Thompson) after the British intelligence service is victimized by a cyber attack, exposing top-secret information. Our hero’s investigation includes various pratfalls, of course, a few of which are mildly amusing thanks to Atkinson’s charisma. However, even amid a pleasant array of exotic European locales, it grows tiresome pretty quickly, rendering the fate of the world rather inconsequential. (Rated PG, 88 minutes).

Life and Nothing More

Sharply observed and quietly powerful, this intimate glimpse into a cycle of juvenile delinquency and socioeconomic despair among single-parent black families achieves a gut-wrenching emotional resonance. It follows a soft-spoken Florida teenager (Andrew Bleechington) who’s become a repeat offender in the juvenile court system, in part because of a broken home life. That frustrates his exasperated mother (Regina Williams) as she struggles to make ends meet while cautiously entering a new relationship. The film’s evocative visual style and expressive performances by novice actors add to the authenticity of this sincere yet heartbreaking drama, which serves as a reminder about inequality, consequences, and responsible parenting. (Not rated, 114 minutes).

London Fields

Some fans of the pulpy Martin Amis novel have called it unfilmable, and this messy big-screen adaptation confirms those suspicions. The unreliable narrator is a suicidal writer (Billy Bob Thornton) struggling with his new femme-fatale murder mystery until he meets an alluring young muse (Amber Heard) who seduces and manipulates all the men around her, including a detective (Theo James) and a sleazy nightclub owner (Jim Sturgess). As the hopelessly muddled film toggles between fact and fiction, it becomes pretentious and incoherent, leaving little room for emotional investment. Despite some stylish visuals, it squanders an ensemble cast that includes Johnny Depp and Cara Delevingne. (Rated R, 118 minutes).

Viper Club

More admirable for its effort than its execution, this earnest drama confronts the very topical issue of journalists on the front lines being held for ransom. More specifically, it follows Helen (Susan Sarandon), an emergency-room nurse whose son (Julian Morris) has been kidnapped by terrorists in the Middle East. Helen pleads with government officials and the FBI, whose emotional detachment and procedural red tape become frustrating. So she meets a fellow mother (Edie Falco) who’s part of an underground group willing to employ more forceful, non-bureaucratic methods. The English-language debut of director Maryam Keshavarz (Circumstance) benefits from Sarandon’s impassioned performance, but ultimately succumbs to melodramatic contrivances. (Rated R, 109 minutes).