Digital Trends 2025 Film Power Rankings

2025 Cinema Highlights

Blockbuster Megastars

• Superman: Ultimate Rise – soaring action and dramatic heroics.
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps – an explosive superhero team adventure.

Indie Gems That Captivated Audiences

• The Life of Chuck – a heartfelt character study with subtle humor.
• Eddington – an independent film that blends poignant drama with creative storytelling.

Where to Find Our 2025 Rankings

Explore our in‑depth reviews for every film released this year. Below, discover what has emerged as the year’s best movie so far.

21. Flight Risk (2025)

Flight Risk: A B‑Movie Thriller

Plot Summary

• Deputy U.S. Marshal Michelle Dockery travels with fugitive Topher Grace to secure testimony against a notorious mobster.
• They are unaware that the pilot, Mark Wahlberg, has been hired as an assassin to eliminate the mobster.

Character Highlights

• Michelle Dockery – Determined marshal leading the mission.
• Topher Grace – Fugitive seeking courtroom justice.
• Mark Wahlberg – Pilot with a covert agenda to kill the mobster.

Critical Reception

Reviewers have dubbed Flight Risk a “rinky‑dink B‑movie howler,” saying it does not reach the “delirious heights of bad taste” some might secretly enjoy from this questionable pairing.

20. Captain America: Brave New World (2025)

Marvel Studios Review: Captain America: Brave New World

Overall Rating

1.5 / 5 Stars

Plot Highlights

• Sam Wilson assumes the Captain America role
• Uncovers a global conspiracy targeting the U.S. President
• Friends include Isaiah Bradley, a key character

Critical Feedback

Brave New World is marred by regular, almost casual ineptitude.

• Environments feel as immersive as a digital golf course
• Special effects appear shockingly sketchy
• Driving scenes suffer from distracting camera quivers on the dashboard
• For a blockbuster of this cost, looking this shoddy is unacceptable

Final Thoughts

The film presents a bold new direction for the Captain America franchise but fails to meet the high standards expected from a Marvel Studios blockbuster.

19. The Electric State (2025)

Review: The Electric State

Score: 2/5 stars

Setting & Plot

• A 1990s America disrupted by a robot uprising
• Teenager Millie Bobby Brown travels with a mysterious robot to locate her missing brother
• She teams up with smuggler Chris Pratt and a community of sentient machines to rescue him

Critical Takeaway

“The film is a bold and timely undertaking, but don’t go into this film expecting the next hit franchise. Whatever great story the filmmakers intended to tell seems buried beneath a pile of awkward jokes, one-dimensional characters, and expositional dialogue.”

Full Review

Read the complete analysis for The Electric State.

18. Until Dawn (2025)

Sony Pictures’ Take on Until Dawn Reviewed

Plot Overview

Director David F. Sandberg transforms the eponymous video game into a twisted adventure. The story centers on Ella Rubin, who teams up with a group of friends to locate her missing sister. Their journey leads them to a haunted house that spews a horde of relentless killers. Every time a character meets their demise, the timeline rewinds, creating a loop that never progresses beyond the same night.

Review Highlights

• Score: 2/5 stars – The film fails to honor the legacy of horror classics.
• The movie falls into a chaotic stream of horror-esque moments.
• There is no cohesive thread to tie the disparate scenes together.
• The narrative feels like a random series of events rather than a structured storyline.

Takeaway

Ultimately, Until Dawn delivers a disjointed experience that never quite captures the horror spirit it aims to emulate.

17. Last Breath (2025)

Last Breath – a Dive into Survival

Film Overview

Directed by Alex Parkinson, Last Breath builds upon its 2019 documentary, following a crew of deep‑sea divers who must save their teammate, Finn Cole, after he gets stranded at the ocean’s abyss.

Critical Takeaway

• Runtime: 93 minutes – a brisk pace but one that could benefit from more twists.
• Engagement: The film stays gripping from scene to scene, yet feels confined by Parkinson’s strict adherence to factual detail.
• Historical Integrity: The director’s intent to preserve accuracy sometimes limits the narrative’s potential for drama.

Feel the Pulse

“With only 93 minutes, Last Breath could use more complications. It’s fairly gripping from moment to moment, but also hemmed in by its own sense of historical integrity — by the dogged way Parkinson sticks to the factual outline of a situation that’s a few escalations shy of a truly ripping yarn.”

Ready to dive deeper?

Explore the full review for Last Breath and discover the layers that make this film a pulse‑pounding study of underwater survival.

16. Jurassic World Rebirth (2025)

Jurassic World Rebirth Review

Director Gareth Edwards orchestrates a fresh chapter in the Jurassic World saga, centering on a sneaky ops squad helmed by Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson).

Plot Twist

• Zora leads a covert stealth team on a secluded island.
• The mission? Secure dinosaur DNA samples to forge a lifesaving drug.
• Unforeseen hazard: fight off mutant dinos abandoned by former Jurassic World scientists.

Critical Take

The sequel slips from towering expectations, showing repeat story beats, a few shallow characters, and a chunky script. Yet, it still delivers satisfying entertainment with fresh cast talent, adrenaline‑packed action, chilling suspense, and stunning visuals.

Final Verdict

Score: 3/5 stars. While not a dazzling successor, Jurassic World Rebirth retains the series’ core thrills, offering an engaging visual and action experience that can entice fans seeking a quick, intriguing dinosaur romp.

15. Eddington (2025)

“Eddington” – A24’s Avalanche of Satire

Ari Aster returns with a film that feels like a 2020 fever dream, weaving a political comedy around a town that no longer exists. The narrative follows the sheriff‑turned‑candidate, Joaquin Phoenix, as he battles the incumbent mayor, Pedro Pascal, while grappling with social justice activists, extremist factions, and his own family ties.

Visual Splendor and Gripping Character Study

• Stunning cinematography that captures the town’s bleak atmosphere
• Intimate character portraits that highlight Phoenix’s emotional depth
• Dynamic mise‑œuvre that underscores the film’s cynical satire

Satiric Windows into 2020’s America

While “Eddington” may not eclipse Aster’s earlier masterpiece, it remains a cinematic tour de force that deserves a wide audience. The film succeeds in:

• Visual brilliance that charms the viewer
• Character depth that keeps the drama engaging
• Outrageous satire that uproots the era’s absurdities

Score: 3/5 stars

“Eddington” is a high‑stakes blend of visual poise, personal drama, and razor‑sharp social commentary. It invites the audience into a town that refuses to stay on the same page, delivering a lecture on the political theater of 2020 that is as entertaining as it is unsettling.

14. Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)

Happy Gilmore 2: Adam Sandler Returns to the Green

Rating: 3/5 stars

After a lengthy hiatus, Adam Sandler’s golfer Happy Gilmore reemerges to support his daughter’s ballet aspirations. Filled with slapstick and bold laughs, the sequel pairs Happy with Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald) to defend the future of the sport.

Review Highlights

• Unconventional humor delivers an entertaining, if not flawless, comedy romp.
• The film revisits the original style with fresh twists, earning its place as a worthy sequel.

Discover the full analysis of Happy Gilmore 2 in our complete review.

13. Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning (2025)

Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning

Score: 3.5/5 stars

In the latest pulse‑pounding entry for Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise), Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning follows the IMF team as they scramble against time to neutralize the Entity before a malevolent AI can trigger a nuclear apocalypse.

Our Take

“This action‑packed blockbuster delivers plenty of incredible stunts, suspenseful action, poignant moments, and electric performances.”

Read the full review for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning below.

12. Final Destination Bloodlines (2025)

Final Destination Bloodlines: A New Chapter of Death

Premise

In the sixth installment of the Final Destination series, Bloodlines follows Kaitlyn Santa Juana, a college sophomore obsessed with vivid visions of a skyscraper’s collapse. Her supernatural nightmares are intertwined with her grandmother’s dying warnings: Death is coming for them.

Review Highlights

• By Final Destination standards, the film is both smart and fun.
• The term smart does not refer to an A24 or Neon meditation on patriarchal generational trauma.
• Gunmetal sagas of gore and splatter are delivered with unapologetic gusto.

Takeaway

While the series could probe deeper themes, Bloodlines settles comfortably into the classic splatterfest genre, offering a brisk, gore‑laden experience that satisfies the appetite for visceral thrills.

Full Review

For a comprehensive breakdown, read the entire review of Final Destination Bloodlines.

12. F1 (2025)

F1 (2024) – A High‑Octane Revival

Director Joseph Kosinski turns to speed and redemption

Brad Pitt roams the open road in F1, dialing back into Formula One after a career‑shattering crash. He mentors a fresh talent, Damson Idris, racing toward stardom.

Key Takeaways

• Performance – Pitt’s charismatic presence anchors the story.
• Visuals – Stills and sequences deliver a rush of color and motion.
• Emotion – The film balances grading moments of triumph and struggle.

Review Snapshot

While the narrative may find its footing later in the plot, F1 compensates with a flair of stirring visual drama and memorable characters, earning a solid 3.5/5 stars.

Read the full review for F1.

11. Mickey 17 (2025)

Review Snapshot: Mickey 17

• Studio: Warner Bros Pictures
• Score: 4/5 stars

Premise Overview

Adapted from Edward Ashton’s novel, the film follows Robert Pattinson as an “Expendable” on a perilous colonization mission to an ice planet. Each death triggers a clone resurrection, creating a loop that examines identity and sacrifice.

Critical Insight

Takeaway: “While the film struggles to juggle its many moving parts, it functions incredibly well as it presents an insightful and wildly entertaining film touching upon several relevant issues.”

Explore Further

For a deeper dive, read the full review.

10. Thunderbolts* (2025)

Thunderbolts Review

Rating: 4/5 stars

• Yelena Belova – Florence Pugh
• Bucky Barnes – Sebastian Stan
• John Walker – Wyatt Russell
• Ghost – Hannah John-Kamen
• Red Guardian – David Harbour

Marvel Studios’ latest blockbuster, directed by Jake Schreier, draws the ensemble of Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, John Walker, Ghost and Red Guardian into a high‑stakes battle against a rogue CIA director, played by Julia Louis‑Dreyfus, who unleashes the formidable Sentry, portrayed by Lewis Pullman, on the group.

While the film delivers a robust combination of action sequences and witty moments, its real strength lies in its character‑driven narrative and its thoughtful examination of mental health. The result is a darker, more grounded superhero experience than most, reinforcing Marvel’s consistent return to form within the Multiverse Saga.

Read the full review for Thunderbolts*.

9. 28 Years Later (2025)

Review of 28 Years Later

Score: 4/5 stars

Plot Overview

In the sequel to the original zombie epic, 28 Years Later follows a boy named Alfie (Alfie Williams) who lives in a remote, quarantined community in Britain. Decades after the Rage virus outbreak, Alfie must traverse a perilous, zombie-infested landscape to seek medical help for his mother, played by Jodie Comer.

Creative Team

• Director: Danny Boyle
• Writer: Alex Garland
• Main Cast: Alfie Williams, Jodie Comer

Critical Take

“Despite the film’s long journey to cinemas, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland’s sequel is a worthy addition. With stunning visuals, strong performances, and tense action, 28 Years Later delivers an engaging zombie adventure that, while not flawless, elevates the 28 Days Later franchise.

What to Expect

In this thrilling sequel, horror fans will encounter breathtaking settings, top-tier acting, and gripping action scenes that confirm the story’s continued relevance. Though the film is not without its shortcomings, it retains the essence of the original and surpasses expectations with its zombie twist.

8. The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025)

The Fantastic Four: First Steps – An Alternate Universe Unveiled

Marvel Studios presents “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”, scoring an impressive 4 out of 5 stars. Set against a reality devoid of the Avengers, the film follows the star‑power ensemble—Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss‑Bachrach</b—as they unite to shield the planet from the devouring menace Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and prepare for the arrival of their family’s newest member.