Dear England (2026) Review

I am a huge football fan, some would say I am obsessed with it. With the World Cup starting next week it feels appropriate that this show has made its way to the BBC. Originally, a stage play we now have a miniseries of Dear England and I watched all 4 of the episodes and here is my review for it. The premise of the show follows the story of Gareth Southgate as he becomes the new England manager, he fights his own demons to try and improve the results for the players and the nation. 

Main Character

Joseph Fiennes plays Gareth Southgate and this is an incredible performance. There were times where I literally thought it was Southgate on screen, he encapsulates this person incredibly well and it added more layers to the story of Southgate. I felt plenty of sympathy for him and Fiennes really knocks it out of the park here. 

Supporting Characters

Jodie Whittaker plays Pippa Grange and she is also really good in her role. It was actually smaller then I originally expected but she has a really important role and is a perfect foil for Southgate. Whittaker and Fiennes have excellent chemistry and work really well together. 

Daniel Ryan plays Steve Holland and I actually thought he was really good. He was assistant manager to Southgate and I actually think the show really understood the relationship between the two of them and handled it well. 

Harry Kane is probably the player that is focused on the most and he is played by Will Antenbring and I thought he probably did the best part as one of the real life players. He does a good job in the role and actually feels like Kane and does the best job. 

Overall, the players are certainly a mixed bag with some of them being well realised, with some being poorly realised and then some being completely ignored which was a bit of a shame. 

Story

The story is well handled throughout. It really shows the journey that Southgate and some of the players went on over the 8 year period that they worked together. It shows just how much was needed to repair England's reputation over that time period. But I really do think there could have been more meat to the story, a lot of things happen and aren't really given the time to develop. There could have been more time to explore certain things that would have made this really interesting. 

Script

The script is pretty good, especially when dealing with the drama. It is a pretty serious show and I thought there was some excellent writing that really made me feel things when watching it. However, the same can't be said for some of the humour, it makes these people feel like caricatures at times and not real people which is a shame. 

Style

The show is paced pretty well and I never really found myself bored. It has to get through a lot over the 4 episodes and I think it did the best job it could have done. However, I wasn't a fan of the way they showed the games, a mixture between real footage and the actors made it confusing and quite jarring, I think they should have stuck to one or the other. 

Overall

Overall, Dear England is a good show that is a must for Football fans but can also be entertaining for anyone. I don't think it is perfect and has issues but this was a good watch and with it only being 4 episodes is one that is probably worth a go. 

Rating - 7/10

Jack Ryan Season 3 (2022) Review

I am slowly but surely getting through the Jack Ryan show and after a bit of a break, I have now finished the third season of the show and here is my review for the 3rd season of Jack Ryan. The premise of the season sees Jack go on the run as he attempts to stop a shadow organisation start World War 3. 

Main Character

John Krasinski is back again as Jack Ryan and he is just really good in this role. He just fits the role and it just feels incredibly natural for him. I wouldn't say that there are loads of character development but I feel like that was done in previous seasons and it is fun to just see him now as this action hero. 

Supporting Characters

Wendell Pierce is back as James Greer and it is nice to see him be his more confident self here after his journey through the 2nd season. He is great in the role and it is nice to see him just get a bit more of his own stuff to do. 

Michael Kelly is back as Mike and he is again a fun addition to the show. He isn't given anywhere near as much to do this season but he is good and I just liked the fact that he is back for the season. 

Betty Gabriel plays Ryans new boss Elizabeth Wright and by the end of the season I did like her character. It took a bit of time for me to warm up to her but she gets more likeable as the season goes on. 

James Cosmo plays Luka and he is easily the best character in the season. He has a really interesting character arc and I just thought that the show gave him plenty of depth and really shed a different light on him. 

Story

The story is okay, I did like how the show made it clear that it isn't a simple US versus Russia story and there is more layers to it. It has plenty going on and for the most part it keeps the energy going. The issue is that it does become a bit too complicated and I thought the ending of the season was again a bit too easy and like everything is wrapped up in a bow, similar to the previous seasons of the show. 

Script

The script is okay, it does nail some drama and makes you care about some of the characters and the situation they are put in. But it does nothing to stand out, also something I noticed early was that unlike previous seasons, characters wouldn't speak their native language to each other but all spoke English. It feels lazy and like it has less care then the previous seasons on this front. 

Style

There are some great action scenes in the show and I loved the Europe location, especially Prague which is focused on really well. Though the pacing isn't particularly good, I found it dragged a little bit and got stuck focusing on too many story arcs. 

Overall

Overall, Jack Ryan Season 3 is a good show that is an improvement on the previous season. It has better action and better characters so makes it a pretty watchable experience. 

Rating - 7/10

Backrooms (2026) Review

I feel like every time I watch a Horror film, I have to state that it is my least favourite genre of films so that doesn't help when watching these films. But Backrooms has been very popular, so I took my preconceived notions and threw them away in order to watch and review the film. The premise of the film sees a furniture salesman come across a different dimension where things aren't what he expects. 

Main Character

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Clark and he is great in the film. His character is really struggling and you just feel that coming off of Ejiofor. He gives a strong performance and he does drag up the content with his really strong performance. 

Supporting Characters

Renate Reinsve plays Mary who is Clark's Therapist and she is good in the role. The scenes with both of them together is the best part of the film. She has her own arc and though it isn't as clear or developed it has some merits to it. 

There aren't really any other characters of note in the film. We are introduced to your traditional horror movie cliché characters that offer very little. 

Story

The story does an okay job at the personal stories for Clark and Mary which are raised by the performances. There is also plenty of intrigue and the film does a good job of keeping you guessing. But it is a bit dull and you kind of have to come up with your own interpretation. I thought there was more explanation that could have been offered but maybe that is being saved for future content. 

Script

The script is okay. There is some really good dialogue between Clarke and Mary and as I said above, these are the best scenes in the film. But the film is just lacking real depth to its storytelling and real development of the characters. 

Style

The film really takes its time to build the tension and I can't deny that it had me on edge. I think a big part of that is the fact is the excellent sound design and score, it really is unique and I thought it just added to the creepy factor. However, there is a thin line between taking your time and just being boring and there is definitely time when this film is just boring and too slow. Also, the film uses some found footage style but it just didn't work for me and made it feel like a cheap gimmick which I thought had died years ago. 

Overall

Overall, Backrooms is an Above Average film. It is an okay horror film with good lead performances and great sound but it falls foul of most horror movie tropes and it didn't do enough for me to really stand out. 

Rating - 6/10

Spider-Noir (2026) Review

After Nicolas Cage played a Version of Spider-Man in Into The Spider-verse, I thought it was a one off but out of nowhere last year it was announced that Cage would again be playing a version of Spider-Man in live action for Amazon. That show has finally come out and I have watched all the episodes of Spider-Noir and here is my review of it. The premise of the show Follows an out of luck private investigator who gets new work, which leads him into some dark places and a return to his old life. 

Main Character

As I mentioned above, Nicolas Cage takes on the role of Ben Reilly here and he is fantastic and I love his performance. There is enough of the Cage feel about it but it never feels like a caricature, Ben is a deep character and Cage really sells that. He is definitely not as squeaky clean as other heroes but I love that and it made him way more interesting. 

Supporting Characters

Lamorne Morris plays Robbie Robertson and I really enjoyed his character. He has wonderful chemistry with Cage and I just really like their friendship. His own narrative is interesting enough but he is at his best when with Cage. 

Li Jun Li plays Cat Hardy and she was a good character. She has plenty of complexity to her and it is interesting to see whether we are supposed to root for her or not. 

Karen Rodriguez plays Janet Ruiz who is basically Ben Reilly's assistant but there is more to her then that and I thought she did a great job. Again she has great chemistry with Cage and some of the best scenes in the show are just Ben, Robbie and Janet talking because of the quality acting and writing. 

Brendan Gleeson plays Silvermane and he is exactly what you expect but he is clearly having a blast in the role. He was perfect for the role and I found him pretty entertaining and again is just another actor with great chemistry with Cage. 

Everyone in this show does a great job and credit to all the performers. 

Story

The story is good. I really liked Ben Reillys character development and how he is struggling about whether he should actually be The Spider. I also liked how he is connect to the villains and how they come up with a plausible reason for him and the other characters to have powers. It does feel low level in terms of stakes but I think by focusing on the characters it does enough to make it interesting. 

Script

The script is excellent. There is so much excellent dialogue here and the balance between humour and drama is on point. Cage obviously adds his unique twist to everything but I like it and I just thought the writing was really good. 

Style

Now you can watch Spider-Noir in two different ways, either in colour or in Black and White. I decided to watch it in Black and White and I thought it added so much to the show. The cinematography is excellent and by giving this option it adds a uniqueness to this show. Also the action scenes really deliver and are a lot of fun. 

Overall

Overall, Spider-Noir is an Epic show with a truly special experience offered. This is some of Nicolas Cage best ever work and I think this will go down as a truly special comic book show that has a big cult audience. This will be up there for best shows of the year and I am so happy that it delivered. 

Rating - 10/10

007 First Light (2026) Review

Over the last few days, the gaming world has been taken over by the new James Bond game 007 First Light. I don't get the chance to buy and play new games all that often but I made sure that I picked up this game and lets just say I have played a lot of it since the release. So here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees a young James Bond recruited by MI6 to take part in a new programme as he grows to become the ultimate super spy. 

Characters

Patrick Gibson takes on the iconic role of James Bond and I thought he was fantastic here. He just feels like a young James Bond, the tropes of the character ae there, but there is also some weaknesses due to his experience and youth. It is a great coming of age story and Gibson really excels here. 

Lennie James plays John Greenway and he adds some star power here. At first it felt like a generic grumpy mentor but as the game progresses, we learn more about him and his relationship with Bond is well realised and well developed.

The iconic characters from the films are here in M, Q and Monneypenny and I liked these depictions and their relationships with Bond. In particular, I really liked Q and having that older depiction with a younger Bond just really worked for me.

The villains are fine and there are a lot of them, they aren't amazing but did enough here to keep me interested. You get your bond girls as well and they vary in interest with a character called Isola who is the most interesting and the dynamic between her and Bond is pretty cool. 

Story 

As mentioned above, this is very much an origin story for James Bond and it handles it so well. It takes its time in telling its story and that made me really care about Bond and wanting to see him succeed. It has the twists and turns expected from a Bond film and even though it is sort of safe, I really enjoyed it and it is everything I wanted from this game. 

Side Activities

This game has some side content in the Tacsim missions. These are basically challenge scenarios, where you have to unlock outfits, gadgets and weapons. These are fun and provide you with different challenges to take part in away from the story mode. 

However, there just isn't enough of them. It feels like new missions will be added as DLC, but I definitely think there could have been more, I mean there aren't currently any driving challenges which feels like a missed opportunity. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is fantastic. The mix of stealth. hand to hand combat and gunplay is so satisfying and there are so many things to learn for this game. This game is hard and I died a lot, so you need to combine all of these things in order to thrive in First Light. 

Style

This game looks beautiful. All the game models look fantastic and the environments are totally breath-taking and make this game feel so huge. Travelling the globe as Bond was the right call and using the environment as weapons made it even better. 

Overall

Overall, 007 First Light is a fantastic game that really shows that single player story based games can really deliver and still have a huge place in gaming. I loved my time in First Light and I can't wait to play it again and find different ways to complete the missions. 

Rating - 9/10

Jack Ryan Season 2 (2019) Review

I continue my watch of the Amazon Prime show Jack Ryan ahead of watching the new film released in the franchise. Today, I finished the 2nd season of the show and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Jack uncover a mystery in Venezuela and when he arrives an action causes him to dig deeper. 

Main Character

John Krasinski is back as the titular character and I just really like him here. The character has definitely progressed from the first season. This is more action hero then Analyst which does feel like a natural progression and it is cool to see him as a more intense character. 

Supporting Characters

Wendell Pierce is back as as James Greer and he is great. He gets his own personal arc and it is handled pretty well and I still think the chemistry between him and Ryan is one of the better part of the show. 

Michael Kelly plays Mike November and he is an awesome addition to the cast. He is basically the third musketeer of the CIA here and I love this addition and just feel like he works so well with both Pierce and Krasinski. 

Noomi Rapace plays Harriet and she offered literally nothing to the show. They try and sell her as this mysterious character where you don't know anything about her allegiance but she is just really bland. The chemistry between her and Krasinski isn't great and her character fizzles out of the overall show.

The villains are incredibly generic and just feel like stereotypes that you would expect from a show with a little bit less care. 

Story

Easily the worst part of the show is the story this season. It is so different to the previous season that it kind of feels like a different show. Everything is super predictable and we spend way too much time with characters that don't really matter. Also the ending is super obvious and doesn't really make much sense, making it even more infuriating then the previous season. 

Script

The script is okay, there is way more drama to this season and it works pretty well when it comes to Jack Ryan. Also the little bits of banter are still there and they are a nice touch. But the drama with a lot of the other characters doesn't hit as well and feels like they are pretty bland. 

Style

There are some really great action sequences in this season and it feels really violent, potentially more violent then the first season. Despite having issues with other areas of the show, I actually thought the pacing was pretty good and I was never bored watching the show. 

Overall

Overall, Jack Ryan Season 2 is an Above Average Show. It is a big step down from the first season but it is still pretty enjoyable. It does enough to get by, but I am hoping for a real return to form for the third season. 

Rating - 6/10

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

It has been 7 years since a Star Wars Film was released, so I was so excited to see a new Star Wars film at the cinema. I am also a pretty big fan of The Mandalorian, so yeah I really was looking forward to seeing Mandalorian & Grogu and I did that last night, so here is my review. The premise of the film sees Mando & Grogu look to rescue a Hutt in order to get more information on the position of the Imperial Warlords. 

Main Character

Pedro Pascal once again voices Mando and he is great. I just love how is voice fits the character and makes him feel like this cool bounty hunter who still has goodness to him. I also want to give credit to his two stunt doubles who do the majority of the time in the suit and add so much to the character. 

But lets face it, the star of the show is Grogu. That little green creature has taken over Star Wars and he does get some real moments to shine in this film. I wouldn't say their dynamic is developed, but it continues to be strong from the series. 

Supporting Characters

Jeremy Allen White voices Rotta The Hutt, who we haven't seen since The Clone Wars. I did like his character and I thought they did a decent job of developing him and separating him from the other Hutts that we have seen in the franchise. 

Sigourney Weaver plays Colonel Ward and though it is a smaller role, I thought she fit it really well. Getting a big name like Weaver adds plenty of pressure and for when she is on screen, I liked her performance. 

As a Star Wars Rebels Fan, I was buzzing to see Zeb in Live Action and he is still voiced by Steve Blum. I liked his dynamic with Mando and how he actually had a bit more to do then I expected which was a nice surprise. 

Also, seeing Embo make his live action debut was exciting and again, though he doesn't have lots of time on screen. He owns his minutes and is a nice opposite to Mando as a potential rival for the film. 

Story

The story feels very much in line with The Mandalorian show. It sees our two protagonists go on a quest which leads them to get into plenty of trouble. I liked the story and mainly it was nice to see Mando not really go after The Empire directly too much. It was something a bit different and gave our two leads a time to shine. However, I do think the film is very low stake compared to what the show had become and I king of wish there had been a bit more depth to the characters and maybe more for the fans of the show to really sink their teeth into. 

Script

The Script is okay, there are some pretty funny moments and some good banter between the characters. I just think the drama falls a bit flat, sometimes it feels like the film doesn't hit the emotional heights that it should considering the positions that the characters are in and their connection that we have seen over the last few years. 

Style

The style is good. It is nice to just see a film that is so unapologetically Star Wars and it has all the awesome action to match that. Some really great action and locations which again makes it stand out amongst other Star Wars films. But, I do think there is a bit too much CGI and I wish some of the creatures had been a bit more practical. Also the pacing at times does tend to drag and I think it could have shaved 10/15 mins off of it. 

Overall

Overall, Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is a good film that is just a really fun time at the cinema. It does everything I expected and I think the fact I am a big fan of the show is making me enjoy it more then some might. It has some issues, but overall I liked it and found it to be a fun chapter in these characters stories. 

Rating - 7/10