Jack Ryan Season 1 (2018) Review

A New Jack Ryan film has just come out and I feel like in order to get the best experience out of it, that I would go back and watch the show that came first. Over the last couple of days, I have watched the first season of Jack Ryan and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a CIA Analyst thrown into the world of the front line as he has to take on a dangerous threat. 

Main Character

John Krasinski plays the Titular Character and he does a great job in the role. He adds plenty of depth to the role of Ryan and I really wanted to root for him in this role. There is a lot of charm and charisma to him and he was certainly a great choice as Ryan. 

Supporting Characters

Wendell Pierce plays James Greer and I liked his character and the relationship that he has with Ryan. It starts off as you expect but I liked how it develops and you clearly see a mutual respect being built there. 

Abbie Cornish is Cathy Mueller and she is the love interest and I liked her in this role. Her and Krasinski have excellent chemistry and their scenes together adds more depth to Jack Ryan. Though her role in the main story feels a bit of a stretch. 

Ali Suliman plays the villain here and I thought he was a pretty good bad guy. Okay, he is somewhat your traditional Muslim villain. But the show does give him some character development that makes him a more interesting character. 

Dina Shihabi plays Hanin and they give her plenty of development and she was good in her role. She is a strong character and I thought she filled her role really well. 

Story

The story is interesting, learning more about Ryan throughout is well done and this is a good character study. I am a fan of investigatory shows and this show did a really good job of connecting the dots and making you guess along with the characters. But, upon the ending of the show, I do think that it became a bit paint by numbers and predictable which is a shame considering it was interesting throughout and there is a storyline here, that I have no idea why it was included as it leads to absolutely nothing. 

Script

The script is really good, it has some strong writing and a really good balance between drama and humour. These characters and situation are interesting and the writing rises it above some of the basic ideas. I also liked how the foreign characters spoke their own language to each other which is something we just don't see much.  

Style

The style of the film is pretty cool. There are some decent action scenes and it travels around the globe well keeping locations interesting. However, I do think there are some pacing issues with the show and I think by focusing the story a bit more, those middle episodes could have been a bit better.

Overall 

Overall, Jack Ryan Season 1 is a great season of television. It has good performances and an engaging enough tale to keep you interested and is worth a watch. 

Rating - 8/10

The Boys Season 5 (2026) Review

For 7 Years, The Boys has been one of the best shows going and has kept up a high quality of seasons. We now have Season 5 which is the final season of the show and there is a lot of pressure for it to nail the landing. Today saw the finale of the season and I made sure to watch it this morning so here is my review for the fifth and final season of The Boys. The premise of the season sees Homelander attempt to become immortal, while The Boys attempt to finish their virus in order to take him down. 

Main Character

Antony Starr plays Homelander and he is still one of the greatest characters on television. Starr absolutely nails it and the character is at his most deranged and I just think this is a performance that deserves all the credit in the world. 

Karl Urban plays Billy Butcher and he is also so much fun in his role. He really is dealing with a crisis in terms of what is right and wrong but he still has the diabolical charm that the character has always had and it really works. 

Supporting Characters

I think only a few of the supporting characters were really given the time to shine and one of my favourites is Chace Crawford as The Deep. He has always been a great character but I really do think that they developed his character well and Crawford is just so good in the role. 

It is really hard to join a show in the final season but I really liked Daveed Diggs as Oh Father! He is a new character but has so much charisma and adds much needed energy to the show which is real credit to Diggs. 

However, some of the characters aren't as good. Jensen Ackles is back as Soldier Boy and I feel like he was such a let down here. I really just didn't like the writing for the character and there are so many issues with his role in the season. I don't blame Ackles but I wish he was given more interesting stuff to do this season. 

Characters such as Firecracker, Sage and Starlight are super underutilised this season and it feels like because there is so much to get through that some of the characters and their arcs are put on the back burner which is a big shame. 

Story

The story has some good stuff, I really liked the two main characters arcs and I thought they were well handled. There are some good conclusions to a lot of the characters stories and I was overall satisfied with the finale of the show, though it wasn't perfect. But the overall story of the show drags a lot and a lot of feels like build up towards future spin-offs instead of giving us the final seasons story that we deserve. I feel like the show promised so much but ultimately fell short and felt quite mundane by the end. 

Script

The script is okay, it has good dramatic monents and I still liked a lot of the humour that was here. However, I think the humour was overused and some of it was incredibly lazy. Especially, Soldier Boy had such repetitive humour that it just made me shrug. 

Style

The style of the show still has the blood and guts that it has always had and it just makes the show stand out to others of similar genres. But it does feel too small in scale for a final season and I just wish the show had a bigger budget to give the ending we really needed. Also the pacing of the middle episodes of the show is poor and just feels like they were hereto set up the future spin-off show Vought Rising. 

Overall

Overall, the fifth and final season of The Boys is above average and it is a big disappointment. It isn't terrible but it easily the worst season the show and doesn't give fans the worthwhile final season that they deserve. 

Rating - 6/10

Remarkably Bright Creatures (2026) Review

This film sees to have been very popular since its release on Netflix 10 days ago, so I found the time to watch Remarkably Bright Creatures and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a widower trying to move on with her life, when two connections give her a chance of possible happiness. 

Main Character

Sally Field plays Tova Sullivan and this is genuinely up there with her best work ever. She is incredible in this film, there is so much emotion radiating off of her and you will truly connect with her performance. I think it is probably too early to talk about Oscar Nominations but I truly hope this performance will be up for discussion. 

Supporting Characters

Lewis Pullman plays Cameron Cassmore and he was also great in the role. Pullman is doing some great work recently and this is just another great performance. The best part of this film for me is the chemistry between him and Field and it really works. 

Colm Meaney plays Ethan Mack and he is a good addition to the cast. He is just a fun part of the film and I really liked how he worked with all the other characters and it really made him feel like the hub of the film. 

For the 3rd time in his career Alfred Molina plays an Octopus, this time called Marcellus and I really liked how he was used. He would occasionally add narration and I just thought his voice was perfect for the role and it just made me care about him more. 

Story

The story is filled with emotion and truly heartfelt moments. I ended up really caring about the characters and the situation that they are in, you want to see them be happy but there is a lot to get through to get there. The only issue is that this film is pretty formulaic and by the numbers, you can predict the ending early on and it takes very little risks. 

Script

The script is fantastic, there is so much love and care put into the dialogue and making these people feel real. There are laughs when needed and times where it gets emotional and that makes it a really great experience. 

Style

The film looks good and does a good job of making the area and location feel like an extra character and something that is important for the story being told. But the pacing is a little bit off, I think if they had trimmed the film by 10/15 minutes it would have been better and been a better overall experience. 

Overall

Overall, Remarkably Bright Creatures is a great film that encapsulates grief and hope and is such a great watch. This is not a film about an Octopus, it is so much more and I think you would be doing a disservice if you didn't see this film. 

Rating - 8/10

Injustice 2 (2017/2018) Review

After playing Injustice: Gods Among us, it was only natural that I moved onto the sequel Injustice 2. I played through the game and all of its content, so here is my review for Injustice 2. The premise of the game, sees Batman trying to rebuild the world after the regime, when a new villain attacks it forces former enemies to work together to stop his plan.

Characters

The late Kevin Conroy is back to play Bruce Wayne/Batman and I am at least glad that his character feels just like I would expect and lets face it Conroy could play the role in his sleep. He is Batman and it comes across well here. 

There are some other characters I liked, the main ones being Supergirl, Blue Beetle and Firestorm. It is nice for some of the smaller characters getting chapters in the story and I liked their inclusion here. 

However, Superman is still a bad guy here and because of the lack of a multiverse story that is all we get here. It just feels wrong to see a Superman who is so evil and I just can't help but feel like this is just a fad that needs to end, other companies have done it better such as The Boys with Homelander. 

But the biggest betrayal of a character is Wonder Woman, she is straight up homicidal and it makes her the true villain of the game in my opinion and easily the most dislikeable character which is a shame when she should be a hero. 

I mean at least we get an actual villain in this game with Braniac but he is pretty dull and it is pretty clear that he isn't the main crux of the story and is just being used as a plot device for the grudge between Batman and Superman. 

Story

The story is okay, as I mentioned above it is cool that different people get chapters such as Harley Quinn, Catwoman and Black Adam, it adds more variety to the game. It is also cool to somewhat see the heroes work together this time instead of against each other.

But the story is just really bland, as I said, though Brainac is the main villain it doesn't mean that he is interesting or even that important to the plot. I mean depending on your choices, there are 3 Batman chapters which is just way too many even for the most popular character. Also the ending is very abrupt and just feels like an excuse for a sequel/DLC which we haven't actually ever seen. 

Side Activities

This game has a lot of content. The STAR Labs from the first game are gone, replaced with a mobile game like multiverse mode with different towers and ways of playing. I am impressed with how much content is here and also the gear like system is incredibly detailed. 

However, this content is dangerous in terms of how much it takes from mobile gaming and loot boxes, it feels pretty lifeless and gets repetitive. Also, I wish the gear linked to the look of the characters, it feels like you can't get the exact look you want because you need the best gear to give you a chance of winning. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is still good. It is very fluid and I love the combos that feel really unique to the characters. Every character plays differently and that is a real compliment for those that made the game. However, there is an issue with just how much damage is done by some of these combos and it can feel pretty cheap. This is encapsulated by Braniac who is the cheapest boss I have ever played against and can literally take your health bar in 3 hits, it isn't challenging but just frustrating. There also seems to be less interest in the level transitions, object using and clashes which I all enjoyed in the first game. 

Style

The best part of this game is the style. It feels much grander then the previous game and I think the level design is so much better with some pretty awesome locations. Having the characters interact before each fight was also a great addition and makes these characters feel real and like they know each other. 

Overall

Overall, Injustice 2 is an above average game. It is 1 step forward, 1 step back with this game. Where it improves in some areas, it is worse in others. It is an okay fighting game but I am still waiting for a great DC Fighting game. 

Rating - 6/10

The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026) Review

Ever since his first appearance in 2016, I have been a huge fan of Jon Bernthal's depiction of Frank Castle/The Punisher. Ever since the Netflix shows went to Disney, we have seen the character remain as violent and dark as ever. Now we get a Special Presentation: Punisher One Last Kill and I watched it this morning and here is my review. The premise of the film sees Frank looking for purpose, when his past actions come back to haunt him and forces him to make a choice of his future as The Punisher. 

Main Character 

As mentioned above, Jon Bernthal is back as Frank Castle and he is just amazing in the role. You can just tell how much he loves this role and how much respect he has for the source material. There is so much emotion provided here and this is easily the best action he has ever done. 

Supporting Characters

Judith Light plays Ma Gnucci and even though she doesn't have a lot of screen time she leaves an impact on the show. Yes, she is clearly a villain and someone that Frank would be against but you do feel her pain and anger for the actions that Frank has done and that is handled really well. 

Jason R. Moore is back as Curtis and he is fleeting here but also effective. He is the inner voice for Frank and trying to aid him in his journey as The Punisher. I liked how the character was used, especially for the small screen time. 

There are other smaller roles here and they are really well handled and just added life into this short Special Presentation. There is also a small cameo that I wasn't expecting that added plenty to the story being told. 

Story

There was actually more emotion and drama in this story then I expected. The first act really focuses on Franks journey and how he really feels like he might be at the end of it, these scenes are slow but really heartfelt and feel real. Then we transition into some of the best action you will see and I just love seeing Castle go through all these bad guys. Unfortunately, because of the length of the movie and the fact its basically setting up future content, it doesn't quite have the meat on it that it really could and the ending doesn't quite feel complete and just again for setting up the future of The Punisher. 

Script

This is the script with the biggest contribution from Bernthal and I think that is clear to see as it really nails all the drama that is on show. I mean The Punisher has always been a dark character and that continues here and it is just nailed on. 

Style

It is truly hard to see how this is made by Disney. This is easily the most violent thing that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen and it is done in all its glory. The action scenes are amazing and the fact they didn't nerf the character makes it even more delightful. But again, the pacing isn't that great and that is mainly due to its shorter runtime so by the time you really get into it, it is over which is a shame. 

Overall

Overall, The Punisher: One Last Kill is a great Special Presentation. It has all the hallmarks of The Punisher with some of the best action you will see. I truly believed that if this was a 90 minute movie then it would be perfect. I am really hoping that this is going to lead to a new series or a film as we just need more of this. 

Rating - 8/10

Citadel Season 2 (2026) Review

3 Years ago, the first season of Citadel was released on Amazon Prime and it was billed as the most expensive show in history. After a mundane response, we finally have a second season of the show and I have watched all of the episodes, so here is my review. The premise of the show sees the characters from the first season split up as they are force to come out of hiding to try and stop a global threat. 

Main Character 

Richard Madden is back and this time he has his memories and is straight up Mason Kane here. Madden really tries and elevates the writing that his character receives and I credit him for doing good work. However, his character is way less interesting this season and it feels like the show wanted us to care less about him which kind of just comes out of nowhere and is a real shame. 

Supporting Characters

Stanley Tucci reprises his role as Bernard Orlick an he is given way more to do this season. He is obviously great and is easily the best character of the show. Tucci owns every scene that he is in and I am glad that his character was used more this season. 

Matt Berry is brought in as Frank Sharpe and I just love Matt Berry. He adds a lot of humour and charm to the show and though he kind of feels out of place, I think it works and I am glad that he was here. 

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is back as Nadia Sinh and unfortunately she is given barely anything to do. The show would be no different if she wasn't in it and I just feel like she sleep walked through this performance and didn't really show much care. 

The villains here are some of the weakest you will ever see in a show. All of them are super generic and offer incredibly little, the show seems to not overly care about them and just needs somebody for the supposed good guys to go against. 

Story

The story is easily the worst part of the show. This plot is even more generic and basic then the first season, you have literally seen everything from this show before. But this season has stories that just make no sense and it really feels like they go for shock value over concise and good storytelling. The ending falls really flat and doesn't have me excited if there is a future for this franchise. 

Script

The script is fine. There are some decent character drama and funny scenes but as a whole it just falls flat. The writing for a lot of the characters falls flat and there is way more going on this season and they don't seem to know how to balance it at all. 

Style

The best part of the show might be the pacing, despite its flaws, I felt like this was a pretty easy watch and dropping all the episodes all at once this time will probably help with viewership. But it is clear, that they dropped a lot of the budget and the show is nowhere near as grand as the first season, also a lot of the actions scenes are poorly filmed and just end up being incredibly choppy and hard to track. 

Overall

Overall, Citadel Season 2 is a Below Average Show. I didn't think much of the first season but this is a big step down even from that. I would say this show isn't worth the time unless you love Stanley Tucci but even then, you can see him in better things. 

Rating - 4/10

Mortal Kombat 2 (2026) Review

For many years now I have been a big fan of the Mortal Kombat franchise playing all the most recent games and having watched all of the previous films. So I was very excited to see the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat and I did that today so here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees the forces of Earthrealm compete in Mortal Kombat against their enemies Outworld in hopes of saving the world. 

Main Character

Adeline Rudloph plays Kitana and she is the character with the most depth in the film. We really follow her journey as she struggles with what side she is on and how she wants revenge against her father. Its a good character and one that is performed well. 

Karl Urban takes on the most anticipated role of Johnny Cage and I thought he fit into the role really well. He just fit this older action star who is past his prime but called into action and Urban really delivers. 

Supporting Characters

Martyn Ford plays Shao Khan and this is the quintessential interpretation of the character. He is an intimidating and evil villain that just oozes charisma. I just love what they did with him and it felt like the character came straight from the game. 

Tati Gabrielle plays Jade and she has one of the more interesting stories throughout the film. She is really conflicted between Shao Kahn and Kitana and I thought it was done pretty well for a film that mainly just focuses on fighting. 

However, I still feel like the characters from the first film don't really stand out. Except for Kano who even though its a smaller role, really stands out. Like Sonya, Jax and even Liu Kang have moments but I just felt with so many characters being in the film, the newer characters were handled better. 

Story

The story of this film isn't the greatest. However, it isn't all bad. First of all I am glad that there is actually a tournament this time and it is handled pretty well. Also the character development for a few of the characters is pretty good and something I wasn't expecting. But as a whole there just isn't much to rave about here. It's a very basic story and just feels like an excuse to get these characters fighting, a couple of characters are brought in for the third act and it just feels like they are rammed into the film for fan service sake. 

Script

I mean the script had me laughing quite a bit. The one liners are pretty cheesy but they are just in line with Mortal Kombat, Kano and Johnny Cage really carried this aspect. There is some drama and it is somewhat done well, but lets face it, this isn't the priority and it just doesn't have enough care to full give it credit. 

Style

Easily the best part of the film is the action sequences and the fights. They are vastly improved from the previous film and I just loved each one for how much like the games they felt and big credit has to go to everyone for this. Okay, there is some dodgy CGI but I love how the locations are ripped straight from the games and it just feels like it is made more by people who truly love the franchise. 

Overall

Overall, Mortal Kombat 2 is a good film that is much better then the previous one. I am glad they made the improvements needed, I mean it isn't perfect but for a fan of this franchise this was a step in the right direction and for me this is the best Mortal Kombat film ever put on the big screen. 

Rating - 7/10