Capsule reviews for April 9

Held

Part hostage thriller, part abusive-relationship drama, and part smart-technology cautionary tale, this twisty saga doesn’t explore any of those avenues with much depth or sincerity. Trying to repair their rocky marriage, Emma (Jill Awbrey) and Henry (Bart Johnson) retreat to a remote rental house on their anniversary. But any attempts at intimacy are upended when the couple discovers the house is being controlled by external forces with sinister motives. Written by newcomer Awbrey, the tightly wound film generates mild tension during its deliberately paced buildup, then following a big reveal, squanders its premise by settling for a lackluster payoff that leaves more questions than answers. (Not rated, 94 minutes).

Hollow Point

The title carries unintentional pertinence for this aggressively formulaic revenge thriller that scrapes the bottom of the barrel even by low-budget B-movie standards. It follows college professor Nolan (Dilan Jay) whose family is killed in a violent gang attack. Yet when he seeks vengeance on his own, the perpetrator (Jay Mohr) — named Trigger, for crying out loud — escapes custody and uses connections to frame Nolan for attempted murder. While in prison, he connects with a hitman (Luke Goss) more seasoned in eliminating bad guys. Between the uninspired fight sequences, the wooden dialogue, the amateurish performances, and the haphazard direction, it’s a laughable compilation of genre cliches. (Not rated, 89 minutes).

Moffie

Contrasting brutal violence with tender compassion, this historical drama resonates with emotional complexity and thematic relevance. During the height of Apartheid in South Africa in the early 1980s, military service was compulsory for young white men. Nicholas (Kai Luke Brummer) is a closeted gay teenager sent to boot camp along the Angolan border, where he struggles to conceal his sexuality amid an intolerant atmosphere of bigotry and toxic masculinity, all while fighting for a racist cause. While it covers familiar narrative territory, the film benefits from Brummer’s committed portrayal along with director Oliver Hermanus’ vivid sense of time and place — building a cumulative potency. (Not rated, 104 minutes).

My True Fairytale

Inspired by tragedy in his own life, rookie director D. Mitry’s bittersweet guardian-angel drama is a well-intentioned attempt to combine his cathartic journey with artistic passion. Yet it also lacks the subtlety and focus necessary to earn its tears. After a car accident, a teenager (Emma Kennedy) pledges to fulfill her dream of becoming a superhero, which in her case means healing the fractured families of friends and neighbors, including her own relationship with her estranged father (Darri Ingolfsson). The film’s convoluted attempt to find hope amid the heartbreak suffers from calculated emotional payoffs, while the treacly reliance on self-help chestnuts feels more pretentious than profound. (Not rated, 86 minutes).

Slalom

The audacity of this highly charged French drama doesn’t yield the psychological depth or moral complexity its subject matter mandates. It centers on Lyz (Noee Abita), a teenage skiing prodigy at an elite training academy under the auspices of a demanding coach (Jeremie Renier). When their relationship takes a troubling turn, Lyz plunges into an emotional tailspin just as she’s reaching her competitive peak. Rookie director Charlene Favier knows the sport and stylishly captures the alpine scenery. Yet despite some intriguing character dynamics and solid performances, the muddled screenplay lacks the narrative dexterity to navigate its broader slippery slope, leaving frustrated moviegoers in the cold. (Not rated, 92 minutes).

The Tunnel

Hollywood cliches are translated into Norwegian for this ambitious disaster movie that takes inspiration from dubious Scandinavian highway infrastructure, re-enacts the worst-case scenario, and throws in some half-hearted human melodrama. Specifically, a tanker truck crashes inside a long tunnel in the snowy mountains on Christmas Eve. When a gas leak causes an explosion, numerous vehicles and passengers become trapped in thick smoke, prompting a rescue worker (Thorbjorn Harr) to search for his missing teenage daughter (Ylva Fuglerud). The harrowing accident and its immediate aftermath is visually striking and dramatically gripping, although the lack of emotional depth causes that urgency to dwindle amid a gloomy haze. (Not rated, 104 minutes).