The Boys Season 1 (2019) Review

The second season of The Boys hits Amazon this Friday so I decided I had to watch the first season of the show and now I have and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a group of vigilantes attempt to take down a group of superheroes who abuse their powers. 

Main Character

Karl Urban is a great actor and he plays the main character here and he is fantastic. He is the leader of The Boys and he has a grudge against people with superpowers and the show does a great job of telling you enough about him without spilling all the beans straight away. Also he is so charming and charismatic, when he is on screen he owns it and is honestly so great and a ton of fun to watch. Anthony Starr plays Homelander, the leader of the superheroes and he is amazing here, imagine Superman who didn't grow up on Kansas and has some mental issues and you get Homelander. Again he owns the screen and he fits this role perfectly, he is so interesting and I can't see how anybody else could ever play the role. 

Supporting Characters

Jack Quaid playing Hughie and Erin Moriarty as Starlight are the new members of their respective groups and I thought they worked well. You can tell how they want to be accepted into the two groups even though they have some ideological issues with them. They have good chemistry together also and I thought they were a nice part of the show, especially when this show deals with very mature topics. The rest of the members of the superheroes and boys are really interesting, I don't want to get into the characters too much as finding out stuff about them is one of the best things here. 

Story

The story is great, in shows or films that deal with opposing sides,the better ones attempt to show the motivations of both sides and balance them and I thought this show did that really well. The characters are interesting and the depth to them is what makes them so fascinating. Also the way that the show portrays the superheroes is great as in pop culture they are such a huge part of society and the way they are presented is so interesting. However, literally my only crticism for this show is that there are a few characters that have individual story arcs and they don't really flow that well with the rest of the show and actually disappear at a point, which makes you question why it was there, though the ending bit of the season is amazing. 

Script

The script is really good, the dialogue just feels really quick and natural to these characters. Urban in particular comes up with some amazing lines and it makes him so entertaining to watch. This show is funny but in terms of dark comedy, so if that is up your street then this is a show for you. Also the drama is great, it hits when it needs to and adds so much intensity and conflict. 

Style

The style is brilliant, this show is brutal. The action scenes are so intense and yeah a lot of people die here and usually in pretty hardcore ways that are totally gruesome. It is so fun watching these normal guys go against basically gods and it actually comes across as pretty believable. The show has 8 episodes and it flows really nicely and is paced really well making this an easy and fun watch. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic show. If you are having superhero fatigue then this is a show you must watch as it does some really unique things, that will keep you watching. If you have access to Amazon Prime then make sure you watch this show as it is definitely a must watch. 

Rating - 9/10 

 The New Mutants (2020) Review

This film was meant to hit cinemas in 2017 but delay after delay has meant that this film has finally hit the cinema in 2020, when apart from Tenet there is nothing else out so I guess people might actually watch it. I have now watched it and here is my review for The New Mutants. The premise of the film sees a group of young mutants in a hospital, when they realise something is something sinister is going on. 

Main Character

Blu Hunt plays Danielle Moonstar and she is set up as the main character here. I thought she was fine, she does the best she can with the character, despite the fact that the writing isn't that great. She has good chemistry with the others in the film but there is just nothing particularly remarkable about her and the film doesn't give you a great reason to get invested in her story here. 

Supporting Characters

The main supporting characters are played by Maisie Williams and Anya Taylor-Joy and I thought they both did good jobs here, they are good actresses and they show it off here, especially Taylor-Joy who is the best character here for me. The rest of the mutants are fine too and the doctor played by Alice Braga does a fine job even if you know where the story is going with her. The issue is that there are some interesting things to do with the characters but the film doesn't take the time or effort to really explain these things and again it makes it hard for you to care because the film just gives you no reason to with it's lacklustre writing. 

Story

The idea of a group of mutants being stuck in a hospital is interesting, especially when it comes to their power sets and the way they are presented. It is at its best when it looks at how their powers affect them on an emotional level and how it led them to be in the hospital. The issue is that it doesn't give you enough time with the characters and really the characters have really similar backstories that it makes you think that they couldn't be bothered to come up with more then one backstory. Also the ending of the film is really abrupt, it's like the last action scene takes place and then the film ends, leaving you let down. 

Script

The script here has some moments, I mean especially with the horrors that the characters face. I mean Taylor-Joy's character has some really interesting moments here that you just want to know more about and don't. The intrigue is there and the film does a decent job of ramping the tension, but this film suffers from the obviously generic way the script is presented. You know how this film is going to go from the beginning to end and that makes it feel like a let down, with some pretty lacklustre dialogue. 

Style

The style of the film as mentioned above does a good job in ramping up tension and intrigue. I am not usually a horror film fan, but this film actually uses its horror elements well and makes it quite scary. It also doesn't rely on jump scares which is usually the reason I hate horror films so it deserves credit for that. But this film's first real 30 mins is dull and slow, which makes it a bit boring and a slog, which for a film that is 90 mins long that is quite a long time. Also there is a bit of a clash between the horror and superhero elements of the film and this does make for a clash of styles at time. 

Overall

Overall, this is an average film that will probably be forgotten about in the memory very quickly. This film had so much potential but fell short and isn't worth the time really. 

Rating - 5/10

Chadwick Boseman passes away from Colon Cancer aged 43 - why this is a tragic loss for Hollywood

Some really sad news came out last night that Black Panther himself Chadwick Boseman passed away last night aged 43 from Colon Cancer. It has been revealed that he suffered from this illness for 4 years and filmed some of his roles with it and that shows his character and determination to be the best he can be. He also clearly didn't want this to be public knowledge as it seems apart from his family nobody else in the film community knew of his illness. I am going to look at some of the things to remember him for and what this means for the future. 

Watch 42

This was the first film I ever saw with Boseman in, it sees him play Jackie Robinson, the first black person to play Major League Baseball which obviously makes it an important role. Boseman did a fantastic job in this role and the film is really good highlight of just how great an actor he is, so find this film and give it a watch. 

His role as Black Panther changed the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Easily Boseman's biggest role was as King T'challa AKA Black Panther in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When he turns up in Captain America: Civil War, he adds so much to that movie and his interactions with the other heroes is great and shows how natural a fit he was in this universe. Then we got to Black Panther, a film that culturally changed the landscape of Cinema, made over a billion dollars and got nominated for 7 Oscars, winning three of them. It is a unique and great film in this universe and it really did a great job in showing how good Boseman did in the role. 

He didn't actually have that many roles

Unfortunately, it seems Boseman actually didn't appear in that much of note in his career, he played iconic roles such as Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Black Panther and did a great job in all of them. But it seems he tried to pick his roles carefully and this meant that we were robbed of seeing him in more films, and now we won't get the chance to see him in more. 

Black Panther should not be recast, at least not for a while

Obviously. Boseman's biggest role was as Black Panther and he was set to reprise his role in the sequel, which obviously won't happen. My hope is that he is not recast in the role as I can't imagine anybody else in the part and it feels wrong. It feels like when Heath Ledger passed away and The Joker was left on the sidelines for 6 years, I kind of hope that happens here. Maybe if they promoted Shuri played by Letitia Wright to take the mantle, I would be okay with that, but Marvel has so many projects that maybe Black Panther 2 should be pushed way back. 

Overall

Overall, Chadwick Boseman was a great actor and seeimingly a really great person and it is truly sad that he has passed away, especially at a young age of 43. But his roles and films will live on and it is clear how much the character of Black Panther changed things in society and that shows just how great that he was. 

 X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) Review

So next on my list of X-Men films to watch was the end of the so called First Class trilogy Apocalypse and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees the X-Men go up against the first ever mutant Apocalypse who has a group of mutants with him including Magneto. 

Main Character

This film struggles to really establish a main character here which I will talk more about in the review, but I have decided on a couple of them for the purpose of the review. Michael Fassbender plays Magneto once again and he acts rings around everybody else in this film. He has the emotion here, you really care about his character and feel sympathy for him, throughout this whole trilogy Magneto has been the most interesting character and this film he is given even more depth and it really makes him the character you attach to. James McAvoy is also back as Charles Xavier and he is good in the role, he continues his development from the previous film and it is nice to see him in the mentor role that we expect of him at this point. It is a bit of a shame though that he isn't actually in this film that much and feels like a bit of an afterthought at times. 

Supporting Characters

Evan Peters is back as Quicksilver and he is actually given more to do here. He was a real highlight from Days Of Future Past and he is just as great here and just adds a lot here and actually has a bit of a character arc which is nice to see. Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler all do good jobs in their roles. Out of the new characters here they are the best and even though the film struggles to actually develop their characters they do their best with the role. Then we get to the rest of the cast, Oscar Issac plays Apocalypse and even though he is a great actor, I just didn't care about his character at all. You can tell he is trying, but he isn't given anything to work with, he is just a generic bad guy who wants to destroy the world and when you compare him to his comic book version it feels like a missed opportunity. I have liked Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique in the previous two films, but she is just annoying in this one. Her character has gone miles backwards from the previous film and it is just clear that she didn't want to sit in a make up chair which hurt her character in the end. Something similar happens with Nicholas Hoult as Beast here, I gave his character the benefit of the doubt in the previous film but here it also feels like he can't be bothered with the costume/makeup and again it hurts the character. But then there are those characters such as Storm, Angel and Psylocke who are just wasted and not given any time to shine. 

Story

Really the story isn't particularly interesting, but I am going to give it some positive thoughts due to how well it deals with Magnetos personal journey and story which is really interesting and makes you really care about him. But really the film is all over the place, it tries to introduce lots of new characters and it struggles to balance it, I mean Apocalypse doesn't do anything for over an hour which is pretty unacceptable. I mean then you get to his grand plan which is so boring and mundane that it doesn't bring you in and enough and cause you to truly get invested. Also there is a really jarring part of the film, I won't go into spoilers but it feels really out of place and literally like it is just here just to include a cameo that is good but not worth the effort. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some good dramatic dialogue and scenes here for sure, also there are a couple of nice bits of humour but not enough to make this film better. There aren't really any scenes of dialogue that stand out, and the way the film is written makes it feel like the film jumps all over the place and a bit hard to follow. 

Style

The style of the film is actually a big positive for me, the action scenes are great. They are over the top and exciting, they showcase the characters powers well and makes it feel really high scale that some of the other films don't. Also even though the story struggles, the film is actually paced quite well and the nearly 2 hours 30 mins runtime flies by quite quickly and actually makes this quite an easy watch.

Overall

Overall, I think this is a good X-Men film. It does many things right but also does many things wrong. If you want to watch a fun action film the Apocalypse might be worth a watch but if you aren't a fan of the X-Men, this isn't going to change your mind. 

Rating - 7/10

 Predictions: Supergirl Season 6 

So I just finished the 5th season of the DC show Supergirl, and with the show having a more abrupt finale due tot the pandemic, it left things pretty up in the air and set fine for the 6th season. Though it is up in the air when it will air not just to Covid 19 but the fact that Melissa Benoit who plays Supergirl is pregnant, but when it does happen these are some of the things I think might happen in Season 6. 

Lex Luthor will be defeated early on

In an interview recently, Jon Cryer who plays Lex Luthor was surprised that in the current format of the show that he wasn't defeated at the end of season 5. So that tells me that they might have already filmed his downfall and I would expect Luthor to be defeated early on in Season 6. What this mean for the character could be that he has a smaller role and occasionally show up on this show and the new Superman and Lois show as he feels a natural fit there. 

Braniac 5 will survive

At the end of the season it very much looked like that Brainiac 5 would die, but I think this is clearly a red herring. Supergirl is not a show known for killing off its characters and I don't expect that to change anytime soon. I actually think Braniac 5 has to survive because I think his character will play an important role in the future of the show which I will get into later. 

Kara and William will become a couple

It is a positive for this show, that despite having a female lead, the show has not often put her into a pointless romance that made her seem weaker. But after Crisis on Infinite Earths it was clear that they were setting up a romance between Kara and William and I am actually fine with that. In the new timeline I thought they had good chemistry together and I actually thought William was quite a likeable character. 

Leviathan will still be the main villain led by a mysterious leader

In season 5 of the show the shadowy group Leviathan was revealed to be the main antagonist and honestly, them and their plan was pretty boring. Though, delayed it was clear at the end of the season Leviathan wasn't defeated and I think they will be the main antagonists again for the upcoming season. Throughout Season 5 we are told of a female elder that leads the group but are never introduced to them, so I am expecting this woman to be the main villain of Season 6.

Braniac will be teased as an upcoming villain

I have always believed that when Brainac 5 and the Legion Of Superheroes were introduced in Season 3 that this would eventually build to the more well known Villain Braniac becoming a main villain and maybe the final villain of Supergirl. I know the character was recently used on Krypton, but with that show cancelled it opens the character up to make his mark on this show. 

Overall

Overall, I wasn't a fan of the 5th season of Supergirl, but I believe that there is potential for a better 6th season which will hopefully focus more and get back to the interesting story elements of season 4.  

 Predictions: Stargirl Season 2

So Stargirl's first season came and went recently in the UK and with it being one of the DC shows that has confirmed to be getting a season 2 so I thought I would make a few predictions for what I think might happen in the shows second season. 

Starman will be revealed to be from another world

At the end of the first season we see the return of Starman, who we were told and shown to be killed at the beginning of the season. So how is he alive here, the easiest option would be just to say he didn't die, but then the question would be what has he been doing for 10 years. So I actually think this isn't the same version of Starman, we saw at the end of Crisis On Infinite Earths that Stargirl takes place on Earth 2 in the Arrowverse. I think this version of Starman could be from a different Earth, even Earth Prime and will be revealed to be a villain here. 

This show will be part of the Arrowverse Crossover

So we saw Stargirl have a small cameo in Crisis On Infinite Earths but I think the crossover will be much larger in the second season. I think eventually the CW in the US will want a 7 night crossover and this show being added will add to that. I think this links to my first point, if Starman is from Earth Prime then that could link to why Stargirl and the JLA could head there and meet characters such as The Flash and Supergirl. 

Wildcat will go on her own as a vigilante

One of the most interesting parts of the finale was that Wildcat killed Brainwave. Yes Brainwave was a villain, but it was interesting seeing this teenage girl murder a supervillain in cold blood. We have seen that Stargirl and Pat believe in justice without death and I think this will come to clash with Yelonda and force her to go on her own. 

The Shade will attempt to recruit a new ISA with the villains children 

At the end of season 1, we see a villain sat in the headquarters of the ISA claiming that he didn't agree with Icicle's grand plan. But it is clear he has a direct plan that counteracts with Icicle's and I think it will involve the original villains children. We have seen that in this show, the majority of the children of the villains have the gifts of their parents, he could recruit Icicle's son, The Fiddlers Son, Sportsmaster and Tigress's daughter and Dragon Kings Daughter to his team for his own goals. 

We will see a new member of the JSA

We saw a few members of the JSA in the first season of the show, but it was clear that this was a large group so why can't there be more options for recruitment here. The three that stuck out the most to me were The Flash, Green Lantern and Doctor Fate, I think due to The Flash and Green Lantern being used in other shows Doctor Fate is the most likely. Seeing a new Doctor Fate could be really interesting and it would be great to add magic to this show. 

Eclipso will be the main villain of the season

Yes, The Shade might be the main villain on the face of it, but i believe another villain will be the one that the JSA have to take down and that is Eclipso. At the end of Season 1, we saw Dragon Kings Daughter Cindy come across a diamond which she called Eclipso. In the comics Eclipso is capable of huge destruction and I suspect we will see that here.

Overall, I liked the first season of Stargirl, though it has many things it can improve on and I hope the second season achieves this. 

 Supergirl Season 5 (2019) Review

After a longer runtime then usual due to the pandemic and the crisis on infinite earths crossover I have finished the 5th season of Supergirl and here is my review for the show. The premise of the season sees Supergirl attempt to stop an ancient organisation called Leviathan, while Jonn Jonzz has to deal with the return of his long lost brother.

Main Character

Melissa Benoit is back as Supergirl this season and I have just never fully cared about her performance as the character as she is just a bit cheesy and dull, but she is fine and really comes across as a superhero. She has grown into the role well and their are elements of her performance I like and I actually thought her normal identity was more interesting but they don't give it enough time to get the chance to breath and develop. 

Supporting Characters

The show has plenty of characters to try and balance this season and doesn't always do a great job of it, the main one being David Harewood as Jonn Jonzz AKA The Martian Manhunter. The first half od the season does a great job with the character as he has a real personal story, and Harewood delivers a really strong dramatic performance. But then he is just forgotten about for the second half of the season. Braniac 5 played by Jesse Rath has the opposite problem, he doesn't really have much to do in the first half of the season, but after the Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover he gets an interesting new story that fleshes out the character and puts him on a different course then he was in the beginning of the season. But lets get to the show stealer of the show, again he doesn't do anything till after the crossover but Jon Cryer is back as Lex Luthor and he steals every scene that he is in. His character is just so well written and it makes him possibly the most complex villain that there has been in this whole universe. But there are also some weaker characters, Katie McGrath is back as Lena Luthor and they showed promise for the character at the end of last season but they follow it up poorly and take a potentially interesting character and turn her into a bland character. Chyler Leigh as Alex has probably been the most important supporting character but I thought this was the season where the show doesn't give her much to do and actually at times her character actually came off as quite annoying. I thought Nicole Maines as Dreamer was a really important character last season, but this season basically forgets about her for the majority and it is such a let down, there is one episode where she stands out but it doesn't make up for the weak use of her character. The main villains of the season are a group called Leviathan but they are so generic and dull that it really hurts the season as a whole. 

Story

The story has some good individual arcs to it, the highlight being Martian Manhunters in the first half of the season, Brainiac 5's and Lex Luthors from the second half. They are done well, especially seeing Luthor plot and scheme as it adds more complexity to the plot, But due to the Coronavirus, the majority of these plots aren't finished to a satisfying degree and it left me disappointed, even though I am sure they will try and make up for it in the 6th season. They do have an interesting concept of technology versus nature but they miss the mark which doesn't help with the villains being ultimately forgettable and a huge let down.

Script

The script is a mixed bag, the writing for some of the characters is done well, but then the others are done poorly. There is some good drama here again mainly to do with the characters I mentioned that are treated right, but then there is some poor drama too that feels forced and the majority of the humour didn't quite work unless it involved Lex Luthor. 

Style

The style of the show has some exciting action scenes, this show is possibly the show that involves the biggest action scenes and the spectacle usually works, even though sometimes the CGI doesn't quite hit the levels they want to. Also the fact that there are 19 episodes is just too many, but also at the same time due to the pandemic it actually feels like an unfulfilling ending which is quite ironic.

Overall

Overall, this is once again a pretty average season of this show. After enjoying the 4th season of the show I was hoping for a great follow up but it doesn't achieve that and unless you are already a fan of this show this won't do much for you.

Rating - 5/10      

 Tenet (2020) Review

So the day has finally come, 5 months after seeing my last film in the cinema, I have returned to watch the new blockbuster Tenet and here is my review for this film. The premise of the film sees a man have to travel the world in an effort to stop World War 3, but he is only armed with a word - Tenet and he has no idea what he is getting in to.

Main Character

John David Washington plays The Protagonist here, no seriously that is his characters name. He is really great here, he gives a really strong performance, we follow this guy all over the world on a journey and you will care about him and really want to see him succeed. He has plenty of charisma here and swagger that you buy him as a leading man straight away and will see much more of him in the future. 

Supporting Characters

Robert Pattinson has had a good week, after the brilliant first trailer for The Batman and now his fantastic performance here. He has so much charisma too, the partnership with him and Washington is the real highlight of this film, they are great together and it is great to see two younger actors thriving in this large blockbuster. Elizabeth Debicki has a large role and I think this is the best I have seen her, her character has the real emotion here, you care about her and want to see her personal story resolved in a positive way. Kenneth Branagh plays the villain, and just like Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit he is playing a Russian and I do think his accent is pretty decent. He does a good job in coming across as the aggressive and intense bad guy and adds to this film very nicely. Himesh Patel and Aaron Taylor Johnson also do good jobs in there smaller roles. 

Story

Now this is the part of the review that will be really short as I knew pretty much nothing about the plot and that is the way you have to watch this movie. The story is really interesting in different ways that I will not get into, but the film is also really convoluted, most of it makes sense but it is sometimes a film that is quite hard to follow. I think this films plot will be better when you watch this film on its second watch-through. 

Script

The character dialogue for the script is really well done. The relationships between them is handled well and you do care about the characters and the perils that they are put into. But some of the dialogue that explains the plot didn't really work for me, I mean there was never a part of the film where they dumb the plot down even a little bit and that can again make it hard follow. 

Style

The style of the film is fantastic, this is a film that was born to be watched on the cinema screen, don't watch this on a tablet or phone or even your TV, if you can go and appreciate it on the big screen. The action scenes are brilliant, they flow incredibly well and the unique story element allows them to get creative and add excitement. Also this film is 2 hours 30 mins long but I was never bored once, the pacing is great and even though this film is long and a tiring watch it is never dull or too slow. 

Overall

Overall, this is a great Christopher Nolan film, though I thought it was more in the Interstellar bracket of quality then Inception. However, I think on repeat viewings this film could be better and better, even raising the ranking higher so I would implore if you are a film fan and can, go and see this film and support the cinemas as it is worth a watch. 

Rating - 8/10

 Final Impressions - Arrow

So I have done some first impressions for new shows, so I thought it was fair to give some final impressions on a show I have watched since the beginning in Arrow, which recently finish its Eighth and final season and this is what the show will be most remembered for to me. 

Launched a whole DC TV Universe

Easily the biggest achievement of this show is that it has launched a whole universe under its name with characters such as The Flash, Supergirl and Black Lightning. For a show that started off very gritty and realistic, to spawn this over the top super powered universe is something you would never see coming. 

Showed a Hero okay with killing

In pretty much all superhero stuff, our main hero is against killing and if they ever do it, it affects them deeply. But this show made Oliver Queen incredibly calm with killing his enemies, it is never his first option but he is okay with it and that is an interesting dynamic. It shows the development of the hero and how his methods compare to the villains sometimes blurs the lines of morality. 

Made John Diggle a comic book character and hopefully a Green Lantern

John Diggle was an original character created for this show and was introduced in the first episode as Oliver Queen's bodyguard. This leads Diggle to working with Oliver in his mission and it leads to a great bromance, since this Diggle has become an official part of DC comics and after the season finale of Arrow it seems he could become the Green Lantern of Earth Prime in the future. 

Showrunners listened to fans about romance

Oliver Queen has had many romances during his time as The Green Arrow but most of them didn't stick mainly because fans of the show didn't think they had chemistry, particularly, Laurel and Oliver in the first season of the show. After a bit of time fans campaigned for Oliver and Felicity Smoak to become a couple and then eventually the show delivered this and while it hasn't been smooth sailing, credit has to be that they listened to the fans. 

Had some of the best action scenes in any TV Show

For me the real highlight of Arrow has always been the action scenes involved. It is brutal and well choreographed to fit the actors and characters that they are playing. It stands above the majority of other TV shows and even some films on how impressive it is. 

The show made Oliver Queen to similar to Batman

Onto some things the show didn't do so well, is that the show ended up making the Green Arrow way too much like Batman. At the start of the 2nd season Oliver vows to stop killing just like Batman, which felt like the unique element of the show was gone. Then in season 3 the show adapted the League of Assassins story line with Oliver taking the place of Bruce Wayne. I mean these things are fine, it is just it makes it feel to close to Batman and makes sure the show feels less gritty and less unique to itself.

The show went to far towards superpowers

Yes I mean this show does exist in the same world as The Flash and Supergirl so I get it can't be as gritty and dark as it was before but the show just goes too far the other way. Like season 4 focuses on Magic and the final season on the multiverse so it just feels so different to where the first season started, where Queen goes around taking down criminals. 

Should have ended a few seasons ago

I think my main complaint with the show is the simple fact that it goes on for too long. Take Breaking Bad for example, an amazing show but knew when the story was finished and it had to end, this show didn't know that moment. From the very beginning they said they knew how and when they wanted to end finishing with the 5 year flashback story. But that finishes in season 5 and the show carries on for 3 more seasons which in my opinion are some of the weaker seasons. 

Overall

Overall, Arrow will go down as an important show, it even spun out a whole universe and gave us plenty of other shows. It has some great seasons and some weaker seasons but overall, Arrow is still a show I overall enjoyed and look forward to re-watching it all.   

 Stargirl Season 1 (2020) Review

So after the even that was DC Fandome on Saturday it has been a busy weekend for DC as in the UK they just dropped the first season of the show Stargirl on Amazon Prime and I have now watched it all and here is my review for it. The premise of the show a teenage girl get the powers of former hero Starman to form a new group called The Justice Society Of America in order to stop The Injustice Society Of America. 

Main Character

Brec Bassinger plays the title character and I thought she did a really good job. Yes at times she is the annoying teenage girl but once you get past this she is likeable in the lead role and you do root for her. Her relationship with her stepfather Pat is really touching and you do care about it, plus she is also really entertaining to watch in the action scenes. 

Supporting Characters

Luke Wilson plays Pat and I must admit it took a while for me to like him, but eventually I did. He is just a really nice guy and as I said the relationship between him and Bassinger's character is the emotional highlight of the series and the thing that you grasp onto, it also helps he uses a huge robot in the action scenes. This show focuses on younger members of the well known comic book group The JSA and it is a bit of a mixed bag, I liked young Wildcat and Hourman, I thought they had good emotional arcs and were the more interesting members of the team. But the younger Doctor Midnight annoyed me and was so over the top, also the rest of Bassinger's family didn't offer much to me and the last few episodes give them much more to do then necessary. There is a large group of villains here and they are mostly fine, Though I was wondering why I didn't think Icicle was a good villain and that is because Brainwave is the more interesting villain by far, it's just he isn't used as much which is a disappointment. 

Story

The story if fine, as I said above the relationship between Bassinger and Luke Wilson's characters is the emotional crux and the relationship that you care about. Also it is pretty cool seeing a new JSA get recruited and what their abilities are. But the overall plot isn't that interesting, there is the overall family drama which was a bit dull and even though this show gets bonus points for not focusing on the high school drama that much but it is still here. Also the Injustice Society's main goal is basically something ripped off from the 5th season of Supergirl, so it does feel like some weak storytelling. Some of the villains are really wasted too and this show forces characters to be stupid when they need to be but it is really noticeable here. 

Script

The script actually does a good job with its emotion, you care about the characters and they do a great job in making you care about the majority of the personal relationships. But this is a show that mostly focuses on a family friendly audience so it has the cringe worthy humour that doesn't exactly pay off and work. 

Style 

The style has a bit of a mixed bag, I liked the fact that even though this show is set in a small town the powers are out in full force. Seeing the different powers is great and the action scenes are well handled and well filmed and the costumes look fine, if not maybe a little cheap. But the CGI is a mixed bag, it is great for the giant robot called Stripe but then terrible when it comes to one of the fully CGI villains that looks like something from a PS3 game. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average first season. It does a good job in establishing a base for the show and I hope it can improve in the future, as at its current state it isn't converting anybody that doesn't watch the DC shows. 

Rating - 6/10

 Deadpool (2016) Review

So my next film I am reviewing is that of Deadpool, now technically this isn't an X-Men film but they are present here and if i need an excuse to watch this film then I will happily take it and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a wisecracking mercenary gain powers but ugly looks as he aims to track down the man who did it to him and the woman he loves. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds has always loved the character of Deadpool and after the poor excuse of the character in X-Men Origins Wolverine he wanted the chance to give this character the justice he deserved and boy did he do that. He is so good in this film that for every role he does after this he will always be remembered as Deadpool, he is hilarious and nails all the one liners here. His chemistry with the other actors is great and he just nails the role so well that honestly I can't imagine anybody playing this role other then Reynolds. 

Supporting Characters

Morena Baccarin plays his love interest in the film and she is great, their chemistry together is fantastic and a real highlight here. The film spends plenty of time on this romance so it had to work and it really does for me and makes them a fun couple to root for here. As I said some of the X-Men are here and Colossus is here and this is the best he has ever been, he is much more like his comic book counterpart and it really works. His dynamic with Deadpool is really fun and the fact he is totally CGI is great and makes him standout to the rest of the characters. Also shoutout to Negasonic Teenage Warhead who is a really fun character here and again I liked how her character was used in this film. Ed Skrein plays the villain Ajax and he isn't the most interesting villain but his deadpan persona works opposite Deadpool, because of everything going on his character works for this film and you do want to see Deadpool get his hands on him. Gina Carano, TJ Miller and Karan Soni are also fun in there smaller roles. 

Story

The story is surprisingly well done, it is a pretty simple revenge film but it really works for the film that is on show here. The flashback scenes also add depth to the story and the romance that we are meant to be supporting throughout. Having Deadpool breaking the 4th wall was such a great decision and allowed the story to make fun of itself while also making itself interesting and fun. 

Script

The script is really good, obviously, Deadpool makes jokes all the time and the majority really hit and add so much humour. There isn't really a character like Deadpool and this films script embraces that to its upmost which really makes the film standout. Also the drama when done is actually done well, and as I said make you cares about the relationships on display. 

Style 

The style is off the walls crazy, this film had to be Rated R, we need the vulgar language and brutal action scenes as that really helps make the film feel different to other superhero films. The action scenes are all really well filmed and brutal, with a variety of weapons and unique kills, which keeps the film engaging. But the pacing of the film has a bit of an issue, mainly in the first half of the film, we spend the majority of time in the flashback story and while it is fine, you just miss Deadpool and want to go back to that and maybe either have a few less flashbacks or spread them out a bit more. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic unique fun film. There isn't really a character or film like Deadpool and if you like more mature action comedies then this is a must see. 

Rating - 9/10

 The Suicide Squad (2021) - All the confirmed members of Task Force X

So the last of the big DC Fandome reveals was that of The Suicide Squad and though we didn't get a proper trailer for this film we did learn some new details and more importantly we learnt who the characters and members of Task Force X will be. Now I am going to look at the characters, what actors will be portraying them and I mean some of them how likely they are to die, I mean we have been told not to get to attached. 

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller

Let's start with the returning cast, first off is Viola Davis who will be once again playing Amanda Waller. She will be the one who sets up Task Force X and I am not sure how large her role will be in this film so it is likely she makes it out alive. 

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag

Another one back from the first film, Kinnaman will play the leader of Task Force X, I do wonder if this film will address his relationship with Enchantress or whether this is a fresh start for the character. He is seen wearing a bright yellow shirt in the mini clip so maybe this is a different version of this character. I think he has a decent chance to make it out alive but could be sacrificed in the final act.

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn

The most popular member of Task Force X, Robbie is fantastic as Harley Quinn and it is exciting to see her on screen with these large personalities. I wasn't a huge fan of Birds Of Prey but I think with the right film Robbie can be given the time to shine here. She has no chance of dying as DC see Harley Quinn as a blockbuster character. 

Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang

The last of the returning cast, Courtney was a real highlight of the first Suicide Squad film so I am happy he is returning and I am excited to see how he fits into this group. I think it is also unlikely that he dies in this film. 

Idris Elba as Bloodsport

Rumours have been swelling for months who Idris Elba would be playing in this movie, characters from Bronze Tiger to Vigilante were rumoured but it has been confirmed he will be playing Bloodsport. In the comics, Bloodsport is basically obsessed with war so that could make an interesting character alongside the others here. With an actor as large as Elba I doubt he will be killed off as DC might see future for him to be in a sequel. 

John Cena as Peacemaker

Former wrestler John Cena has been growing his Hollywood career and now he is set to play Peacemaker or as he describes it a bad Captain America. Basically Peacemaker is a guy who goes about murdering dictators and tyrants but a mental illness sees him kill anybody on his way to achieving that. For some reason I actually think Peacemaker isn't going to survive this movie and if I was going to guess if any of the main characters were going to die then he would be the one. 

David Dastmalchian as Polka Dot Man

Now onto a quite outlandish character which will be David Dastmalchian as Polka Dot Man. His ability is that he can turn polka dots on his costume into weapons. I mean this shows this film will be more unique then the first film and for that I actually think he has a chance of making it out of this film alive. 

Michael Rooker as Savant 

Michael Rooker has been a part of many James Gunn projects so it is not surprising to see him here as the character Savant. I don't know much about the character but it seems he is basically a more brutal Batman who doesn't care about innocent people. I believe that Rooker won't be alive for long here, director Gunn has killed him off before and I feel like he is an easy choice to have his head exploded. 

Flula Borg as Javelin

Another obscure DC villain, Javelin was an athlete that turned to crime using Javelin weapons which is again absurd. I mean there isn't much known about the character here so I think it is about 50/50 whether Javelin makes it out of the film alive. 

Daniela Melchoir as Ratcatcher 2

Usually a male in the comics, Daniela Melchoir will play a female version of Ratcatcher and it seems like she is the 2nd version of the character in this universe. I mean a character who can control rats is about as absurd as you get so once again I am not sure what James Gunn has planned for this character, but it is a pretty unique power. 

King Shark

The highlight of the panel is that King Shark will be in this film in all of his CGI glory. We have seen on The Flash TV show how well King Shark can be done on a smaller budget so imagine how great he will look on the big screen. Steve Agee will play the motion capture but the voice hasn't been confirmed and it has been heavily rumoured that the great Taika Waittiti will be voicing the character which would be a great choice and there is pretty much no chance he will be killed off here. 

Mayling Ng as Mongal 

Mongal is one of the characters with actual superpowers here so that will be interesting to see. Mongal is a Superman villain and she has super speed and strength so that will be entertaining to see in this film. Again she is one of those characters that I am just not sure they will make it out alive, but with her power-set it seems likely she could live. 

Peter Capaldi as The Thinker

Exciting news for Doctor Who fans as Peter Capaldi will be playing The Thinker in this film. We saw The Thinker as the main villain of the fourth season of The Flash and it will be interesting to see him used here. Again with his powers using the Thinking Cap makes it seem like he would survive. 

Alicia Braga as Solsoria

Another seemingly gender swapped character is Solsoria, in the comics she is obsessed with joining the Justice League despite being a lowly mercenary. I wonder if they will keep the Justice League connection here but either way I think she is one of the characters who won't make it out of here. 

Pete Davidson as Blackguard

Pete Davidson has been a well known figure for a few years now and I have to admit I really liked the King of Staten Island, so I am excited to see him here as Blackguard. Blackguard is a Booster Gold villain so if that film ever gets made it would be interesting to see if he was used, so for that reason I give him a slightly better chance at surviving. 

Nathan Fillion as TDK 

This is an interesting one as I have looked TDK isn't really a character in the DC universe but fans have theorised he has detachable arms which could be cool to see. Having Fillion play him is a big coup though I'm not sure he is getting out of here alive. 

Sean Gunn as Weasel

Brother to director James Gunn, Sean played Kraglin in The Guardians Of The Galaxy films and also did the motion capture for Rocket Raccoon so it sin't too surprising to see him here. It also seems like this will be a motion capture role as Weasel, who literally is a big looking Weasel so I mean who knows what is going to happen there. 

Overall

Overall, this is a weird set of characters with the majority being unknowns, which is exciting as it gives James Gun plenty of freedom with what he wants to do with them. Don't expect all these characters to have large roles as some of theme see there heads exploded off but lets hope they all at least get a little bit of time to shine here. 

 Justice League: The Snyder Cut Limited Series (2021) Trailer Review

So now the next trailer from DC Fandome is that for Zack Snyder's Justice League, so I am going to look at the biggest parts of the trailer and really how much different this version looks compared to the original movie. 

This will be a 4 part Series instead of a film

There have been rumblings that instead of being a 4 hour movie that this film would be split into hour long episodes and it was confirmed that it will be presented as 4 hour long episodes for this cut of Justice League. I mean this gives the cut a chance to achieve everything Snyder wants and also delve more into the characters especially the new ones like Cyborg and The Flash. 

Darkseid is in this trailer

One of the biggest things people have been excited for is seeing Darkseid and he is the first thing we see here and, honestly he looks fine but it is clear the CGI isn't finished yet and hopefully with another year it will look perfect then. Also I am curious how much he will actually be in this film, as it is clear Steppenwolf still plays a large role here so I do wonder if this will be nothing more then a cameo, or will Darkseid be the big villain they have to take down. 

Steppenwolf has a new design

In the original cut of Justice League Steppenwolf was a really dull villain with a terrible design. In this trailer the design certainly looks better with a more metallic look, I mean he could still be a dull character but at least he will look cooler this time. 

We will see more of Cyborg and The Flash

In the trailer we see Victor Stone playing American Football before he becomes Cyborg and we see Barry Allen saving Iris West as an early version of The Flash. I thought the original cut did a good job with these characters, but the chance to see them more fleshed out can make them even better and really make them memorable. 

The Knightmare scenes from Batman V Superman will return

When Bruce Wayne had a dream of a future where Darkseid and Superman had taken over the world, it felt out of place and was never addressed in the theatrical cut of Justice League. We only see one shot in the trailer but it sees Parademons and The Justice League sign destroyed which is clearly a follow up and actually might make sense with this cut of the movie. 

Silas Stone is killed 

One big change that we see here, which is also a bit of a spoiler is that Cyborgs father is killed in this cut of the movie by the Mother Box. In the theatrical cut we saw how their relationship affected Cyborg so it will be interesting to see how this version of the movie treats it. 

Superman has his black suit

For a long time people have wanted to see Superman in his comic book Black suit. Now in this film we will see it and it looks really good, I mean we have no idea how he gets it but hopefully that is as interesting as the rest of the show looks. 

This looks completely different to the movie

I enjoyed The Justice League film for what it was, a fun over the top action film but it is clear that this is not that. This trailer shows this series will be its own thing and that Snyder had his own vision for the film and it will be great to see it. 

Overall

Overall, I think this cut of the movie looks really interesting and this trailer achieves so much with literally having a few lines of Dialogue. I hope that we get to see Zack Snyder's true version of the film and lets hope it hits the level that this trailer shows. 

 The Batman (2021) Trailer Review

So DC Fandome hit last night and it truly delivered, there are a few trailers I need to talk about this morning but I wanted to start with the one that interested me the most and that is next years The Batman starring Robert Pattinson in the lead role.

This is going to be a smaller more personal film

Batman has had plenty of iterations over the years but all of them have dealt with huge scales in their films such as Gotham being destroyed or the world ending. But we have seen that when the character goes more personal such as The Dark Knight it makes the film more interesting and this looks even more small scale and personal. Watching Batman attempt to stop a serial killer is going to be fascinating and if done right could provide a real character study.

This is the darkest and grittiest version of Gotham City

We have seen some dark versions of Gotham City, but this looks the darkest yet. The world looks grim and dark with not much happiness and it adds to the real serious feeling of this film and how this film will show Batman. 

Pattinson looks amazing as Batman, and is brutal

I must admit when Robert Pattinson was cast as Batman I was sceptical, but wow does he look the part here. The suit looks fantastic and really fits the feeling of a Batman at the early stages of his career and then there is that scene with the thug where he goes mental on him. That one action scene was fantastic and shows how intense his Batman will be and I am all here for that. 

Catwoman is that early stage of her career 

We see Zoe Kravitz here as Selina Kyle breaking into a safe and having a clash with Batman, she doesn't have a costume yet so it is safe to say she is new to this city. Seeing a rookie Batman and rookie Catwoman could be an interesting proposal and add to their complex relationship. 

We are going to get a more serious Riddler

This trailer makes it clear that The Riddler played by Paul Dano will be the main villain here and I think that is great. I mean for me Jim Carrey didn't do the character justice in Batman Forever so it will be cool to see a new version of the character. Hopefully this film keeps the essence of the character but makes him way more serious here. 

We might finally get a detective Batman

In the comics Batman is known as The Worlds Greatest Detective but when it comes to the films we have seen little of this apart from a few scenes here or there. With him hunting a serial killer I am really hoping to see Batman do some detective work here and just show how smart he is alongside his brutality. 

Batman has an interesting relationship with The GCPD

We know that this film takes place pretty early in Batman's career but it is clear that he has some sort of relationship with the Gotham City Police Department. We see Gordon invite him to a crime scene at the beginning of the trailer but then later we see Batman fighting and clashing with officers, This provides an interesting dynamic and sees that maybe the police is conflicted about Batman. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic trailer. If you weren't excited for this film then this trailer must have changed your mind and I cannot wait to watch this film.  

 Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) Trailer Review

Tonight is the DC Fandome event and the first trailer has hit the internet and it is for their next film Wonder Woman 1984 and here are my thoughts on it. 

The Cheetah design is really good

Ever since Kristen Wiig was cast as Barbara Minerva aka Cheetah I was concerned as she is mainly a comedic actor but this trailer got me on board. She seems good in her normal form but I was still worried about the Cheetah design but this trailer gives us our first look and I have to say it looks really good. We see Diana and Cheetah fighting and it just looks great, they really do a great job in showing this human being who has been granted the powers of a cheetah and I am looking forward to seeing more when the film comes out in October. 

Steve Trevor and Diana have swapped roles in this film

In the first film we saw Steve Trevor helping Diana adapt to the normal world and now with his supposed Resurrection it seems Diana will have to do the same for him. With the film taking place in the 1980's the film will see Diana helping Steve get used to the 80's and even though I am not a fan of him being resurrected I think these will be a fun thing in the film.

We will see more of Diana as a child on Themyscira 

 It is interesting to see that in the trailer we will see more of Diana's time on her home Themyscira with her fellow Amazons. It is safe to assume that all of the stuff to do with the island will be in flashbacks and it could give her more backstory and I like the amazons so the more we see of them the better. 

Maxwell Lord will be the real main villain

Even though Cheetah is clearly the main physical threat, I think that Maxwell Lord played by the excellent Pedro Pascal will be the real villain here. It seems that he is the one behind Steve Trevor's Resurrection and Cheetah's powers so it will be interesting to see what his endgame exactly is. 

Overall, this is a great trailer which has me more excited for this movie and I am hopeful that this can be a worthy sequel to a great Comic Book Movie.  

 Little Birds Season 1 (2020) Review

This show recently hit Sky and I have watched the first season of their new show Little Birds and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a woman who is the daughter of a rich weapons dealer go to Tangier to marry a rich man, who is hiding a secret from her. 

Main Character

Juno Temple plays Lucy the lead character and she is just functional. She does a good job of playing the bit more crazy irrational girl and when she really focuses on that it does work and she does a fine job of that. But her character just doesn't do much to make her that likeable, you never really care about her and the show does a poor job of making you understand her point of view. 

Supporting Characters

David Costabile who I mainly know from Breaking Bad plays her father and he is the best part of this show, unfortunately, he just isn't in the show that much. When he is on screen he is the one you pay attention to but yeah I just wish he had been used more. The rest of the cast did nothing for me, her husband Hugo was really weak and his character was extremley dull. Also the character of Cherifa is so over the top and honestly she did nothing for me or her plot point. The rest of the cast also feels really over acted and none of them interested me. 

Story

The story is all over the place here, I mean there isn't really a story here, especially for the first few episodes it feels like it doesn't know what to do. There also so many plot points on show and some of them aren't even completed and it makes you wonder why the hell they were even here, they introduce a mildly interesting plot point, but it wastes it and rushes it which is a let down.  

Script

The script is also really poor, the dialogue feels cheesy and over the top and for me it just doesn't work. The drama never hits the point that it should and the attempts at humour fall flat on its face, it also doesn't help that they wrote too many plots here which means none of them succeed. 

Style

The style of the show has some highlights, seeing Tangier is pretty cool and makes this feel a more unique style of show. Also the way it is shot and music that is used makes this better then it should be, but it also makes this show come across as style over substance. The style takes over from the storytelling at times and this show feels slow and that even though it is only 6 episodes it feels like the length of 10 episodes. 

Overall

Overall, this is a poor show. It aims for a more stylish show instead of one with an interesting story and interesting characters and I would avoid this show.

Rating - 3/10

 I Am Not Okay With This Cancelled By Netflix - Why it is a shame

Some disappointing news came out last night that the Netflix show I Am Not Okay With This has been cancelled due to to the coronavirus outbreak and why after what I thought was a fantastic first season it is such a shame that we won't have a follow up season, with the show setting itself up very well for one. 

It is actually a fun and interesting High School show

For years now the idea of high school shows has become an overpopulated genre with mostly drab and dull affairs but I thought this show did it really well. It looks at important things for teenagers while mixing in mystery and superpowers I mean who wouldn't want that. 

The Finale set up a fascinating second season 

The finale for this show was really good, it showed Sydney embracing her powers and killing the bully at school, she then got met by a mysterious shadowy figure who clearly would explain more about her powers and whether her Father had powers too. 

This might not be the end for the show

When announcing that this show had been cancelled the reason was put heavily on the coronavirus pandemic, but it has also been reported that the scripts for the second season have been completely written. Which with a bit of hope, when this pandemic eventually ends, if there is enough fanfare then this show could still have a future. 

Overall

Overall, it is a sad day that this show has been cancelled as I think it had plenty of potential but I have a slim bit of hope that it could be revamped one day, though still watch the first season of this show as it is still really good and really quick to get through.  

 The One And Only Ivan (2020) Review

So far Disney+ has had few exclusives to its name but today the film The One And Only Ivan came to the streaming service and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a gorilla try and help him and his animal friends to get out of the life of performing and into the wildlife. 

Main Character

Sam Rockwell voices Ivan and I thought he did a really good job here. His voice really complimented the role well, his soft spoken nature for a gorilla really does work in an interesting way. You also care about Ivan and really want him to succeed, he is just really likeable and a nice lead character. 

Supporting Characters

Bryan Cranston plays the person in charge of the show and he is really good here too. It would have been really easy to portray him as a pure villain but the film does a better job with that and he is actually quite likeable, despite the fact he is clearly taking advantage of the animals you can tell he does care about them and the film does a good job in portraying that. The film also has some great actors in voice roles such as Angelina Jolie, Danny Devito & Helen Mirren which adds to the legitimacy of the film and they all do good in their roles. 

Story

The story has some good emotion to it, you care about these animals and want to see them happy. Though this film does something really clever, most films to do with animal captivity make the one in charge an evil brute of a man but this film doesn't do that and adds more character to Cranston which makes this feel a more interesting story. Though this film doesn't always convey that well, it seems a bit rushed, I am not sure if that is just to do with the length of the film but Ivan changes his motivations incredibly quickly without much explanation. 

Script

The script has some okay emotional moments and humour, I think it is mostly made better due to the quality of actors involved. It does some interesting things with the drama but mostly it feels like your typical Disney script that doesn't go as far as it could and a little bit of childish humour for the kids who watch this film.

Style

The style of the animals is very good, Ivan himself looks fantastic and really fits the screen incredibly well. But this film struggles due to its length, with it only being 90 mins long it rushes certain aspects of the plot and even wastes a few of the characters in terms of development. 

Overall

Overall, I liked this film. I think this is an easy watch and good for families to watch, not one to rush to see but it is one I think people will enjoy. 

Rating - 7/10

 

 The Rhythm Section (2020) Review

So this film came out earlier this year and I missed it but now I have had the chance to watch The Rhythm Section and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a woman seeking revenge against people who orchestrated a plane crash that killed her family. 

Main Character

Blake Lively plays the lead character here and she is fine. She does a decent job in the action sequences and there were times were you felt for her character, but there just isn't enough there. You don't learn enough about her character to really care and there is nothing particularly interesting about her as our lead character here. 

Supporting Characters

Jude Law plays her mentor in the film and I thought he did a good job here, the best part of this film is easily watching Law train Lively and he plays the role well. But like Lively I thought there was more that could have been done with his character but this film just doesn't have the time or effort to go through with it. Sterling K Brown is a good actor but I have no idea what his character was about here, he is a pretty charismatic guy but that is not on display here and it just feels like he is wasted and a bit bland. The rest of the cast doesn't have anything to offer really and just feel like people for Lively to go after. 

Story

The story is good when it shows the training element. I like how Law and lively interact and seeing the training is interesting and the best part of the film. But my god this story is convoluted and it is hard to follow, again the fact that you don't care about Lively makes it difficult for you to get emotionally invested and care about the emotionally hitting parts of the film. Also the end of the film feels really rushed, it seems to breeze by and by the time you can take stock on what has happened the film is over. 

Script

The script is really dull, there is nothing stand out about it at all. The dialogue is bland, there is no humour and the drama doesn't do enough to get you invested in the characters or the plot, which as mentioned is written poorly and makes it hard to follow. 

Style

The style has some decent action scenes in it, one in particular is really good and it is just a shame the rest can't stand up to it. It is just a shame that with action films such as John Wick and Extraction with fantastic action this is just another by the numbers action film that has nothing that stands out. Also the pacing of the film isn't great, as I said before the ending feels really rushed and didn't work for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average action film that don't stand out. I honestly feel like this film would have been better as a TV series but unfortunately it is a by the numbers dull film that isn't worth watching. 

Rating - 4/10

 Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton confirmed to be playing Batman in The Flash Movie - What does this mean for The DCEU?

So I just watched The Rhythm Section but it was pretty dull so I wanted to talk about something that is actually interesting and really crazy. I mean the rumour of Michael Keaton reprising the role as Batman for The Flash Movie has now been confirmed by the films director, but in even more crazy news is that after reading the script Ben Affleck has agreed to play Batman too in this film and I was wondering what this news means for not only this film but future DC films. 

This film will embrace the multiverse

We have seen in The Flash TV Show how fun it can be to embrace the multiverse and see different characters in different lives and jobs and this film will do it too. With two actors playing Batman it is clear they will come from different worlds and that can bring some fun interactions and possibly lead to more of this in future projects. 

The Flash and Batman get to continue there development 

I know Justice League got some well deserved criticism but one thing I really enjoyed was the mentor relationship between Affleck's Batman and Ezra Miller's Flash and I am glad to see that continue and really progress in this film and maybe even before. 

Will we see more of Ben Affleck in the DCEU

For a few years now we have heard that Ben Affleck was done with the character of Batman, but it is encouraging that he agreed to take this role after reading the script. It could mean that if the scripts are still good then Affleck might be up for playing the character for longer times ahead. 

Could this lead to a crossover between the film and TV universe

Recently during The Crisis On Infinite Earths Crossover we saw Ezra Millers Flash and Grant Gustins Flash meet up in The Speed Force, proving that these two exist in the same multiverse which means that as slim as it is who knows maybe we will see more of these types of crossovers in the future. 

Overall

Overall, this is exciting news and also has me more interested in The Flash movie. I am excited to see Affleck and Keaton back as Batman and wonder what their future could be in the universe. 

 Lovecraft Country - First Impressions

This show made its way to us on Monday and I have now watched the first episode of Lovecraft Country and here are my first impressions of it. Though there will be spoilers for the first episode of this show. 

This show has a large budget

This show is made by HBO the same people behind shows such as The Sopranos and Game Of Thrones so it is no surprise that this show has a large budget and uses it effectively. It deals with horror elements and shows some creatures here thats design are really interesting and they feel scary which is the point and hopefully as the episodes go on we will see even more impressive visual feats. 

This show blends history, sci-fi and horror really well

The show is set in the 1950's and with the cast being predominantly Black it deals with how racism was and it does it very effectively. But it also has this subject embroiled with the horror and I thought the two of them blended very well and made for an interesting style of show. 

It has an interesting mystery

The plot of the show sees a man looking for his father, which sounds simple but it is presented well. There is a clear mystery as to why his father went missing and link this with the creatures and the people they come across at the end of the episode it just leads to more questions which could lead to a great mystery. 

Overall

Overall, I loved this first episode of Lovecraft Country, it is super interesting and gives you enough to keep you interested but not too much so you keep watching to find out more. If the rest of the show is as good as the first episode then this has the potential to be a great show. 

 Arrow Season 8 (2019) Review

So after 8 years we have finally come to the end of the DC show that started a huge universe of its own Arrow and here is my review for the 8th and final season of the show. The premise of the season sees Oliver Queen have to work with The Monitor in an attempt to stop the upcoming Crisis. 

Main Character

Stephen Amell has become known for playing the role of Oliver Queen/The Green Arrow and he does a great job in his last outing as the character. He gives a really emotional and dramatic performance as he struggles with the crisis that is coming and how he plays into it. I have always liked how this character has moved with the times, in a world with aliens and speedsters he acknowledges it and becomes a better character for it. It is also clear to see the development that his character has gone through from the first episode to the last one and it shows a really well crafted and well developed character. 

Supporting Characters

David Ramsay as John Diggle is really the only other character who has been on the show since day one and really he has developed just aswell as Oliver. There friendship and brotherhood is on full display this season and again seeing how the character's friendship has grown since day one has been a really great watch and it continues here. Katie Cassidy as the Earth 2 version of Laurel Lance has had a good character arc since her introduction in season 5 of the show and it kind of comes full circle here and shows just how much of an interesting character she has become here. Katherine McNamara playing an older version of Mia Queen is much better this season then she was in Season 7, they do something interesting with her character and seeing her story arc is an interesting watch. But I also feel like certain characters that have been at the forefront of previous seasons are pushed to the side this season, such as Rene Ramirez and Dinah Drake played by Rick Gonzalez and Juliana Harkavy, they get very little to do here as the show focuses on other elements of its story. 

Story

The story is interesting, I think what this season does well in terms of its story is highlighting the journey that the characters have been on and showing how the past has shaped them into the characters that they are in this final season. Also most of the characters get satisfying endings, though it is clear that there are future plans for some of these characters in terms of there journeys in this universe. But this shows story feels unbalanced and just very different, the show feels more in line with The Flash and Supergirl in terms of its more science fiction elements and kind of loses the grit rough edge the show previously had. Also this show lacks a big bad and feels like a big build up to the Crisis, so when that is over the show feels a bit lost in what exactly it wants to do in it's last few episodes even though the finale is pretty satisfying. 

Script

The script here is a mixed bag, the drama really works. I think because of this being the last season it allows the actors and actresses to put more emotion into the story and make you care more about the characters. Though with being a bit grim, it does feel the little bit of charm is missing that has been there in previous seasons and that is a bit of a missed chance.

Style

I have always said that Arrow has some of the best action scenes in any TV show or film out there and this continues this season. The combat is fantastic and is filmed brilliantly, it just feels so forceful and gritty and shows just how good the performers and filmmakers are at showing action scenes. Though this film has a bit of a struggle with its pacing, luckily it is only ten episodes but with the crisis being such an important part it feels like that takes up so much of the focus that it takes away from its own individual story. 

Overall

Overall, this is an above average final season of Arrow. It struggles in having to focus to much on the crisis crossover, but it still has some good things and as I said finishes this show in an appropriate way for the characters. If you are a fan of this show it should be seen and I think new fans should get into this show as there are some real highlights during the 8 season run.

Rating - 6/10