The Fall Season 2 (2014) Review

So The Fall is still one of the most watched shows on Netflix and after being heavily invested by the first season I have now finished the second season of the show and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Paul Spector return to Belfast where Stella attempts to find out the identity of The Belfast Strangler. 

Main Character

Gillian Anderson was great in the first season of this show and you see that she is even better here. I mentioned in my first review how she was pretty much devoid of emotion and that is still kind of the case here but her character has developed and really been hit by this case. She is still a really strong character but there is just more depth this season and even more reasons given to really care about the character. Jamie Dornan really excels in his role as Paul Spector, you just can't help but feel uncomfortable by just looking at the guy , he is slimy and disgusting that you just want to see him get caught. But the more you watch the show and the dynamic between our two main characters develop it becomes fascinating that maybe they aren't so different and that is something the show does really well. 

Supporting Characters

John Lynch is back as Jim Burns and he does a really good job too, he is just very powerful in his performance. He isn't given as much screentime but what he is given he delivers really well and gives a memorable performance. Everybody else also does a good job, most of the supporting characters are given slightly less to do due to the show focusing so much on the two main characters but everybody does really well in their roles. Actually, Aisling Franciosi as Katie is much better this season, you just see how Spector has messed with her mind and totally controls her and it shows a different side to his character. 

Story

The story takes the right approach that it pretty much gets rid of the side plots and everything is connected to the investigation. Seeing the manhunt feels really authentic, in that it isn't always over the top thrills and that is what I really like about this show, it feels gritty and real. Also the stuff to do with Dornan's character is just as interesting this season for different reasons and it all culminates with a fantastic finale with a really great ending that sets up its final season. 

Script

The script is really good, there are some really interesting conversations and dynamic going in this season. The writing is top notch to keep you interested throughout but not giving you everything too early and making you want more. This show is as dramatic as it can be and it does a great job of showing just how big the investigation is getting. 

Style

The show still takes the methodical approach to its style but that is the right choice. Its slower pace makes everything fell real and so when the pace does pick up, which it does it adds to the intensity. The show is still brutal, maybe not to the degrees of the the first season but it still does enough in that department. It has an extra episode but it still feels the correct length and doesn't drag at all. 

Overall

Overall, I loved the second season of The Fall. It pretty much improves upon everything from the first season and by focusing on its two main character really nails it and makes this show a must watch. 

Rating - 10/10

Unhinged (2020) Review 

This film was actually one of the first that hit cinemas after the lockdown and now over a month later I have had a chance to watch Unhinged and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a man target a woman after coming across her on an intersection. 

Main Character

Russell Crowe plays the main character here and I thought he was very good here. It is a very physical performance, his body language tells a story in itself and you see this man become more and more unstable as the film progresses. He maybe grunts a bit too much but his intensity adds so much to the film and he is easily the best thing here. 

Supporting Characters

Caren Pistorious plays the woman he is after and I thought she did a pretty decent job in her role. Even though at times she is pretty rude, you do successfully feel sorry for her and don't want to see Crowe do these terrible things to her. I also thought the actor who played her son did a good job too and I actually bought into their dynamic and thought it worked well. But everybody else in the film didn't do much for me, they were just there and added very little or nothing at all 

Story

The story is intense and the best thing I will say about it is that it never really stops moving, it moves at a really fast paced and you can't really take a minute away and am excited by what Crowe's character is going to do next. But this film doesn't really work in what it wants to achieve, the poster itself says that Crowe's character could happen to anybody and that is just absurd. Something happens at the beginning of the film and it sets Crowe away from your average person and also this film is just really illogical and stupid at times. 

Script

The script only works because of Crowe and Pistorious, the dialogue is pretty bad but their performances work and actually it rises the script up a bit. But as I mentioned above the film is illogical and just plain stupid. It makes some of the characters seem like idiots and avoid doing certain things just to keep the plot running. 

Style

The style of the film builds its tension well, you are just waiting for what Crowe is going to do next and what situation the characters are going to be put into next. There are some good action scenes too that will keep you invested. The film is short, clocking in under 90 mins but for a film like this that works and anything longer would have made it feel like more of a drag. But you're watching this film thinking it is some sort of add against road rage like it was designed specifically for that and let's face it the fact that certain things don't happen like the police getting involved earlier is just absurd and does take you out of the film. 

Overall

Overall, I actually had quite a fun time with this film. If you want to spend a little bit of time time turning your mind off and watch a gripping film then you could do worse then Unhinged. But this one isn't going to be particularly memorable and only really a one time watch. 

Rating - 6/10

Ratched Season 1 (2020) Review

This show hit Netflix last week and I have managed to finish the first season of the One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest Prequel Ratched and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Doctor Mildred Ratchet begin work at a leading psychiatric hospital, where she actually has darker intentions. 

Main Character

Sarah Paulson plays Ratched and I thought she did a really good job here. She speaks very softly and that is actually more unnerving then her going around screaming everywhere, so I thought that made her an interesting person in this show. She is easily the most interesting thing about this show and that is mainly due to the charisma that Paulson oozes on screen. But, I had some issues with the character. When you are playing a version of an established character it is important to at least pretend like you care about that but that isn't here, Paulson just plays herself and her character is literally nothing like the version in the film and that hurt my viewing, and some of the things they do with the character just didn't work for me. 

Supporting Characters

Jon Jon Briones plays the main doctor of the facility and I thought he did a good job in his role, the show surrounds this character in mystery and it makes him pretty interesting and Briones adds a lot to his character. It is just the show never goes far enough with it, it skids around it and doesn't give you enough to fully get yourself interested and feels like it sweeps the leg out from under the character. Judy Davis also does a good job as Nurse Bucket and I think her performance rose above the character and managed to make her slightly memorable. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast just didn't grip me, Finn Wittrock plays the main bad guy and he just didn't captivate me, it is clear he is meant to be playing this crazy guy but I never actually thought he acted that crazy which made it hard to buy this personality that he was going for. Cynthia Nixon plays a companion to Ratched and their whole thing just didn't quite work for me, it just wasn't developed enough for me and when it started up it just seemed to come out of nowhere and felt it was put in here for other more political reasons. Corey Stoll, Vincent D'onofrio and Sharon Stone all have roles here and they are all fine but their characters are just so generic and it does feel like they are wasted and any actor could have played them and they could have saved some money there. 

Story

The story is fine, some of the things that go on in the mental hospital are interesting and it is just funny how some people thought illnesses were treated back then. Also seeing Paulson's characters plan is well executed at least in the first few episodes, she seems calculated and pretty ruthless which makes sense and then the show basically forgets about it. The majority of all the supporting plots are uninteresting and aren't really given much to work with, I mean the plot involving Stone and Brandon Flynn from 13 Reasons Why doesn't really add anything to the show and you wonder why it is being shown when it seems to end in an earlier episode. It just seems unfocused and even though the ending is decent, I just wonder if they could have cut a few stories and really focus up the plot. 

Script

The script is okay, it builds the tension quite well and Paulson delivers her lines really well to add mystery and intrigue to her character and the plot overall. But overall, the drama and humour never hits the level that is required and it doesn't quite have the complexity that the original film had. 

Style

The style of the show has some pretty violent and over the top horror which mostly worked for me and the tension was built pretty well in the hospital with some well paced scenes. Also there are times where I thought colour was used well to convey actions and emotions but then there are times where I think it was done pretty poorly. It seems showrunner Ryan Murphy who is known for his over the top style fell asleep in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest and decided just to make the facility and world incredibly vibrant and over the top which slaps the film in the face and feels like it doesn't pay an attention to it at all.   

Overall

Overall, this show disappointed me, I just don't really understand why this character and world needed a prequel. It is just very average and not memorable at all, their are just so many shows that are average at the moment and again for me Ratched isn't worth the 8 hours to watch it. 

Rating - 5/10 

Secret Society Of Second Born Royals (2020) Review

Let's face it Disney+ does not have many exclusives, if it wasn't for The Mandalorian, it probably wouldn't be worth it but today there is a new film out called Secret Society Of Second Born Royals and I have watched it and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a group of 2nd born royal family members find out they have super powers and must train to control them. 

Main Character

Relatively unknown Peyton Elizabeth Lee plays the lead here and I didn't like her character at all in this film. Her character was just really annoying, she just comes across as very pretentious and above everybody else, if somebody disagrees with her she just storms off and acts very childish. They do nothing to make her interesting and make her stand out, we are meant to buy her as this leader of this group but she does nothing to deserve that and there is nothing about this character to attach yourself too. 

Supporting Characters

There are a few okay performances here, Elodie Young who played Elektra in Daredevil does an okay job and if her character had been given more to do then maybe she could have risen this film up. Skylar Astin also does a fun job as the teacher of the group and provides a quirky but sometimes over the top which doesn't quite work. But my god the rest of the cast add nothing, the rest of the kids who make up the team are so generic, every stereotype that you can imagine is here and it goes exactly how you think and none of them can rise above and some of them are just really bad. 

Story

The story had potential, but the issue is that there isn't an original bone in this films body, you have literally seen everything here and you have seen it done much better pretty much everywhere else. The training isn't particularly interesting and the villains plot and motivation is so dull and paint by numbers. The twists and turns are laughably bad even though the film thinks it is really clever and my god this film sequel baits so hard and it does not deserve it at all and I really hope there are no more films in this franchise. 

Script

The script is also really bad, it makes the characters irritating and makes you not care about them at all. This film sets up a semi interesting world and does nothing with it, it just feels like the normal world which was a big waste of time. The drama is cringe and the drama isn't there to make you care at all. 

Style

The style of them film has one or two okay action scenes that make you hate this film a little less then the rest of it. But then you see the CGI and realise this film doesn't have a budget for what it wants to do and it ends up looking really bad, also why did they pick powers we have seen before, just watch an X-Men film even the worse ones are better then this film. 

Overall

Overall, this is an awful waste of time, if Disney wanted to create a franchise here they have failed miserably. Disney need to up their content on Disney+ or else it will literally just be Star Wars and Marvel keeping there streaming service alive, so avoid this film at all cost. 

Rating - 2/10

Enola Holmes (2020) Review

So a few months ago we heard that this film was coming to Netflix and today was that day and here is my review for Enola Holmes. The premise of the film sees Sherlock Holmes teen sister have to go on her own investigation when her mum goes missing. 

Main Character

Millie Bobby Brown of Stranger Things fame plays Enola Holmes and honestly I thought she was the best part of this film. She is really charming, charismatic and fun to watch, she actually has a nice arc throughout the film and she is just a good lead character. You see that she has been poorly treated and it makes you care about her and want to see her one up her brothers as they annoy her throughout the film and treat her poorly. If we get more of these films I think she has a chance to really build an interesting character here. 

Supporting Characters

Sam Claflin plays her older brother called Mycroft and I thought he did a decent job, yes his character is pretty generic and you know he is going to be an antagonist but he does a good job in the role and seems to be enjoying himself here in the role. Now Henry Cavill is a great actor and he plays Sherlock Holmes here and I just thought it wasn't the right fit, it's not that he is bad, it is just that he doesn't fit the character and it feels like he is miscast and his character is pretty poorly written, especially, with how he ends up. Helena Bonham Carter plays her mother and she doesn't do much in this film, it just seems that she is a terrible mother and it makes you wonder if Enola would be better without her. Also there is this love interest here and it didn't work, I just wish this film didn't have a love interest as tgis felt like a forced part of the film. 

Story

The story when it comes to Enola is well done. her character is interesting and the development is there. You see how smart and capable she is and it allows you to take her seriously as a protagonist. But then the rest of the plot happens, her relationship with her brothers isn't explored enough, the search for her mother is forgotten about and then there is this dull political story involving the love interest and none of it is interesting. The film tries to have twists and turns but they make no sense and you are literally given no reason to care about any of it, apart from Enola herself. 

Script

The script is fine, with Enola herself having some good dialogue that just makes her very likeable, also I liked how she worked out the clues and I thought that was pretty well written. But then the drama isn't there and it honestly feels like they were writing 4 films in one, the script is too unfocused and makes it difficult to focus and get invested into anything. 

Style

The style of the film is entertaining, Enola does her best Deadpool impression by breaking the fourth wall alot here and I actually thought it worked, you don't see it much and I liked its usage here, even though it is never quite explained why she does it. But the pacing of the film is poor and as I mentioned the film is pretty unfocused which leads the ending to feel rushed and wonder what has happened. 

Overall

Overall, this is a pretty average film, but surprisingly I actually want to see a sequel. I like the character of Enola Holmes and I think with a more focused film the sequel could be much better. But this film isn't really worth your time unless you are bored and have a few hours spare. 

Rating - 5/10

The Fall Season 1 (2013) Review

So for a few weeks I have seen this show be one of the highest watched shows on Netflix in the UK, so I thought it was time I jumped in and watched The Fall and today I watched the first season of the show and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a policewoman go on the hunt for a serial killer with both of them having unique complexity. 

Main Character

Gillian Anderson of X-Files fame plays the lead here and I thought she was really good, I found it interesting how she is a policewoman but you can tell she is very cold and somewhat emotionless. She is meant to be our hero here and you are rooting for her but it makes it more difficult and more complex that she seems to not really care about anybody else in this show. Jamie Dornan is an actor that shouldn't be remembered for his role in 50 Shades of Grey but he is great here and shows what he can do when written really well. You learn very early on that he does terrible things but you can't help but feel very drawn to him. He is a very complex character and as you see him progress it makes you more interested by his motivations and what exactly he has planned next. 

Supporting Characters

The supporting cast is all really good too, John Lynch plays the Police Captain and I thought he did a great job, he just seems like a good captain and the dynamic between him and Anderson is an interesting part of the show. Niamh McGready plays Anderson's second and I thought she did a good job, their characters are so different and there contrasting personalities makes for an interesting dynamic.  The rest of the characters are great with some guys who has been on Game Of Thrones so you know they have high quality, I don't want to go into too much depth because it is difficult to talk to them without spoiling the plot but everybody here acts fantastically. 

Story

The story is great, this show does a really good job of showing the manhunt from two different points of view, you learn more about the hunter and prey which I thought was a really good decision. Usually shows like this don't give us enough detail about the antagonist but this show does a good job of it and portrays two really interesting characters. However, here comes my one issue with the show and it is simply that there are a couple of side story arcs that don't have much to do with the two leads and it feels out of place here and made me wonder why it was here at all. 

Script

The script is really good, the dialogue just feels really real. Nothing is really over embellished and over the top and feels very real why being very dramatic. There are a few bits of humour, mainly from Anderson's deadpan nature which works well. 

Style

The style of the show is great, it is super interesting and keeps you second guessing throughout. Even though the is a show where you know more then the main character it works because you are seeing the show from a few different perspectives. Also it is only 5 episodes which means it does a good job of never getting boring and it feels about the right amount. 

Overall

Overall, this is a fantastic first season of this tense show. It does a great job with its main story and its characters and the style will have you invested and hooked, it's not too long so give this one a watch and hopefully the next two seasons are of such a high quality. 

Rating - 9/10 

 

 The Devil All The Time (2020) Review

So I am a few days late but I have now watched Netflix's new big film The Devil All The Time and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young man attempting to protect the ones he loved by going after sinister characters in his town. 

Main Character

Even though he doesn't turn up in this film till the 45 minute mark, Tom Holland is the main character here and he is fantastic. This is a really mature performance, his character is going through a crisis for the majority of the film and you sympathise with him as he attempts to stay good but protect those close to him. Holland is still a young actor and the future for him is huge and hopefully he can be a leading man for years and years to come. 

Supporting Characters

Robert Pattinson is a busy man at the moment, with Tenet and The Batman but he plays a preacher here and he is fantastic too. He has a different accent and he does it so well here, he is such a slimy person and just by looking at him you can see something is up with him and he plays this role so well, when you consider he is usually the leading man. Bill Skarsgard plays Holland's father here and he does a good job too, you can see where Holland gets his personality from and the two characters journeys really mirror each other and fit the tone of the film really well. Sebastian Stan plays a crooked cop and he is great, he is a charismatic guy and he fits the role well. Credit to Jason Clarke, Harry Melling & Riley Keough who also all do great jobs in their respective roles. 

Story

The story is interesting for sure, seeing the different characters and their stories are a highlight and made better by the great performances. This films story is all about crisis, mainly in faith and the film does a great job of portraying that and make some really interesting and characters and this film has a really great ending. But, sometimes I think maybe the film should have focused on a few less stories, it is clearly trying to be a film like Pulp Fiction that wants to have everything connect and it does an okay job and not great job at it. 

Script

The script for me was okay, The drama is here and the film is as dark as it gets which considering the subject matter, that is fine for me. But for a film that lies on its drama there weren't really any moments where the drama hits the highest level and is memorable and that is a let down. Also this films storytelling device of narration feels cheap and lazy and like we need our hands held throughout the plot.

Style

The style fits its film very well, everything is dry and looks like a place you would never want to visit. It shows the worst of the worst and the way the film is made really highlights what the film was going for. But I also felt this film was a little long in the teeth, mainly the first act, which took a bit to get going, if this had been sped up a little bit this film would be a much higher level in the final rating. 

Overall

Overall, this is another good film for Netflix with a great cast that fails to hit the highest levels. I think if you like character driven well acted films then you will enjoy this film and it is a good watch. 

Rating - 7/10

 Away Season 1 (2020) Review

This show made its way to Netflix a few weeks ago and during a busy time I have managed to finish the first season of Away and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees a group of international astronauts sent on the first mission to Mars who are led by an American Astronaut who is leaving her husband and daughter behind on Earth. 

Main Character

Hilary Swank plays Emma Green, the main character here and Swank does her best, but the character is just so dull. It is funny, I feel like we haven't seen Swank in anything in ages so it was good to see her here and I thought she did a decent job here in terms of giving a performance that fit a leader of a space mission. But the issue is that you just don't care about her character, she makes some real questionable decisions and it makes you think that she is actually bad for the crew. 

Supporting Characters

This show has a big cast and caring about the characters is crucial and unfortunately the show mostly fails here. In terms of characters the highlight was the characters of Lu and Misha played by Vivian Wu and Mark Ivanir, they start off as your stereotypical foreign antagonist but then as you get to see them they develop and they became the most interesting characters of the show and the ones that I actually cared about. The other two members of the crew Kwesi and Ram are fine, they are good enough but I didn't care about them as much plus there are some stories involving them that hurt the show in my opinion. Then we get to the characters back on Earth and wow this part of the show is easily the worst part, Josh Charles plays Matt, Swanks husband and boy this guy is incredibly wooden, I swear no matter what he comes across he has the same look on his face and acts the exact same way. No development, no reason to care and it takes up way too much of the shows screen time. Then we get to their daughter who was incredibly annoying, you are meant to really care about this girl but I just wanted her off the screen and focusing more on the things going on in space.

Story

The story is where the big issue comes in here, seeing this crew of people travelling to Mars from many different backgrounds should have been fascinating but it just wasn't. The characters are written okay individually, but I never really bought there friendships that were building even though these people were spending so much time together I never felt they truly bonded. The the stuff on Earth is such a drag, it is here for you to care about the characters because Swank cares but you just don't, there was so much potential here if it focused on the different nations and there motivations. But it decides to focus on her family and there dull and generic lifestyle which is poorly acted. Also the episodes pretty much all function the same, something on the ship fails and the crew have to fix it, with usually an argument at some point, rinse and repeat for 10 hours and it becomes very noticeable. 

Script

The script is okay, there was actually some well written dialogue that helped the actors flesh out the characters and their backstories. But for me there is just nothing that totally stands out also as I mentioned the writing for the different episodes is uninspiring and feels very repetitive. 

Style

This show has a big budget and at times it is visually stunning, space looks amazing and really impressive when it is on show here. There is one particular section that is so intense and jaw dropping that it makes you wonder what is coming next, the issue is that this happens too early on and nothing ever comes close to topping it and the budget just disappears. The pacing of the show doesn't work either, due to the issues with episode structure I mentioned and way too much time focused on Earth instead of the ship where the more interesting things happen. 

Overall

Overall, this is a missed opportunity. Space shows should be great but this show is unmemorable and below average which means I wouldn't spend your time on this one here. 

Rating - 4/10 

 

 Des (2020) Mini Series Review

So this show has taken over The UK this week and I have just watched the three part mini series called Des and here is my review for it. The premise of the show is based on the true story of a serial killer who is arrested when human remains are found in his drains. 

Main Character

David Tennant plays Des and just give this guy all the awards now as he is truly amazing here. He totally throws himself into this performance and it comes across as chilling and mesmerizing, you just can't take your eyes off of him and are super interesting. When telling a real story about a serial killer there is a line that needs to be kept, you don't want to make him too fascinating and you don't want to make him too boring and Tennant nails this. He just seems so normal and that is what makes it so creepy and it really leads to this incredibly memorable performance. 

Supporting Characters

Daniel Mays has had an interesting 2020 from Code 4040 to White Lines to his role as the main police officer in this show and he is fantastic here. He is so good that I actually wasn't sure he was capable of this performance he is that good here, he gives a very dramatic performance and seeing this guy tracking the case makes you want to root for him and see him succeed. Jason Watkins who is a big British actor plays Des' biographer and he is very good too, his relationship with Des is really interesting to watch. It is very unnerving and disturbing but you see how they need each other and it brings out the interesting part of Des's story that the other police officers can't get. The rest of the cast are also great, it's full of great British talent that will hopefully have a long future and get more great work like this.  

Story

The story is really interesting, this is based on a true story which is what really makes this horrific but for me it is the fact that Des doesn't stand out particularly, he seems a normal guy who was pretty intelligent but he was capable of true horrors. The investigation is gripping and intense, mix that with the interesting scenes with the biographer it feels like a complex story that we are seeing from different angles. Also the courtroom scenes in the final episode are a highlight keeping you on your toes throughout.  

Script

The script is great, there are twists and turns throughout and it keeps you interested throughout. The characters are written in a complex manner and the debates are really interesting which culmiate in some intense scenes. It just comes across as a really clever show that does a good job in adding the intrigue and tension. 

Style

The style is gripping and tense, some people might call it slow at times but I never felt that. It dragged me in and made me really interested and wanting to see this guy get taken down while learning more about him. This show also knew that 3 episodes was enough and the fact that it is shorter in length works and means there is very little downtime on the show. 

Overall

Overall, this is just one of those shows that sucked me in and had me fascinated, it is one of the best of the year and if you are a fan of intense stories based on true events then you owe it to yourself to watch this one, and once again David Tenant is amazing here.  

Rating - 10/10

 Psychopath with Piers Morgan (2019) Review

I have seen that plenty of people have been catching up with this documentary so I thought I would give a watch of the TV Film from last year Psychopath with Piers Morgan. The premise of the documentary sees Morgan meet a man who is believed to be a Psychopath and find out more about him. 

First onto Piers Morgan and I am not a huge fan of this guy, I usually find him arrogant and obnoxious but fair play to him I thought he did a really good job as the interviewer. He asks tough questions and you can tell that he is trying to keep up with his subject and it is an interesting watch. 

This guy he is interviewing called Paris Bennett is a very complex individual, he committed a horrendous act when he was younger and it interesting to see a glimpse of how his mind works and how he justifies and attempts to connect his ideals with Piers Morgan.  

You also feel sorry for his mother, who is watching the interview, you can tell how much the whole situation has affected her and how she really struggles in dealing with her sons issues. But then you get to the investigators who feel campy and over the top, they feel like they have to make a big song and dance about everything like they know that they are on TV. 

The issue is here is that we only get 45 minutes of programming here and the majority is just the interview between Morgan and Bennett, which is interesting enough but it feels like there is so much more that could be done here. This could have been a mini series focusing on more of Bennett's personality and really analysing his psychotic tendencies, it just leaves you wanting to know more and feeling like you didn't get enough information. 

Overall, this film has an interesting idea and seeing this interview is quite compelling but it feels like it short changes you and that there is a bigger story to tell which leaves it an okay but unsatisfying experience. 

Rating - 5/10 

 I'm Thinking Of Ending Things (2020) Review

This film hit Netflix a few days ago and has got the internet talking so I thought I would watch I'm Thinking Of Ending Things and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young woman travel to her new boyfriends parents farm where she comes across some interesting things. 

Main Character

Jessie Buckley is the character we are meant to follow here and she does a really good job. The strength of this film is the acting and she makes it easy to follow here, she is clearly uncomfortable throughout the film and isn't exactly sure what is going on which makes her easy to follow as the viewer clearly isn't meant to know what is exactly going on. I'm not going into detail about her character or exactly the performance as it does play into the plot but her performance is really interesting to watch. 

Supporting Characters

Jesse Plemons who I know for his run as Todd in Breaking Bad plays her boyfriend and he also does a really good job, it is just a strong performance. Again I can't really go into too much detail but he gives a great performance and again his acting is one of the most interesting parts of the film. David Thewlis and Toni Collette play his parents and they are both great and fit the quality actors that they are. 

Story

Okay, this is where the review gets complicated. If you have watched this film then you know why, basically this film has an underlying narrative that is hard to follow. I pretty much had no clue what was going on for portions of this movie, but then when I finished watching the film I realised that actually the film has an interesting story, it just isn't presented pretty well. Lets face it everyone will google this film after and that is when you really realise what is going on, it is just a shame that it wasn't particularly shown that well. 

Script

The script is also not that great for me, there was no dialogue that stood out for me and again similar to the plot the script is over-complicated and at times is again hard to follow. I think there is something great here, it is just hidden by an over indulgent story. 

Style

This film does a good job of building an eerie setting, you can tell that Buckley's character is uncomfortable and confused and the style of the film does a great job of that. The film also does a fine job of keeping the longer scenes engaging enough when they could have easily been sleep inducing. But this film does have a slower pace and I would argue that it doesn't exactly do a great job of structuring its story which hurts the overall experience, it could have been a 90 minute movie and nobody would have complained. This is one of those films that art house film fans will love, it looks nice and has long dialogue scenes, but that doesn't always do it for me. 

Overall

Overall, this is an average experience. It is a film that over reaches and tries to be really clever and for me fell flat, it is held up by the fantastic acting but I would say unless you are a huge film fan this is one you can skip. 

 Young Wallander Season 1 (2020) Review

This show hit Netflix on Thursday and with it having only 6 episodes I thought I would give it a watch, I mean I got distracted by playing the new Avengers Game on my PS4 but here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees a young cop come across his first investigation which changes his look on his life. 

Main Character

Adam Palsson who is about the only thing Swedish about this show, which I will go into more later plays Wallander here and he does an alright job, I know very little about the character in the books so I am just judging him on his performance here. He is a likeable enough guy in the lead and you will end up rooting for him in his investigation. But there is just nothing special about him here, honestly he is just a police officer and I just didn't find anything to truly hook myself onto him. I think it is mostly the scenes that involve his personal relationships that I didn't quite care for and it were the weaker elements of the show. 

Supporting Characters 

Now we get into the cast, which are not Swedish at all, first of all is Richard Dillane who plays Wallander's boss and I thought he was good here. He is a good boss, tough when he needs to be but willing to support his staff when necessary and I think that comes across well, he is just a cool mentor for Wallander and their dynamic investigating the crime is the highlight here. The rest of the cast didn't do much for me, their is a romance here, and I guess it is okay I just never got invested into it because it is totally rushed and feels like it was just thrown in here because every show needs a romance. The villains aren't given much time for you to care and when the motivations are revealed it isn't that interesting and it is more that we don't actually learn enough. Also Wallander has a friend that he seemingly cares about, until he forgets about him for the second half of the season. 

Story

The story is interesting as you see the cops attempt to work out a murder which takes place at the beginning of the show, the show takes twists and turns that mostly work well and will keep you watching and invested in the plot. It is just that there are some parts of the plot that didn't quite work for me and they mainly involve Wallander's personal life, I understand why they are here but they didn't do much for me and mostly get forgotten about towards the end of the season. Also the ending just straight up sucks, it totally screws over Wallander as a character and makes you wonder why you supported him throughout this show. 

Script

The script does a good job with its twists, for a show like this that is crucial, as it keeps you watching for the six episodes. But none of the dialogue really stands out at all, there is no humour and the drama just never hits the really high levels. 

Style

This show does a good job in intriguong you as these people go though investigating different people and places and I must admit I wasn't sure where it was going with it's story and that is down to how it is filmed. This show has a methodical pace, it works at times and doesn't work at others, mainly it feels like you can go a whole episode without the pace picking up at all and it does come across as more slow then methodical. Also the cast is just a bit strange, it really emphasises the different cultures in Sweden yet a pretty much all British cast slaps that notion in the face and I wish more Swedish actors could have been used. 

Overall

Overall, this is an average show that I expect will be forgotten by next week. If Netflix were aiming for a new franchise here I don't think this is it and unless you haven't got anything to watch, I would avoid this show. 

Rating - 5/10 

X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) Review

Finally, I have made it the final film in my X-Men review series and it is Dark Phoenix and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees after an accident on a mission in space Jean Grey is infused with an alien force and takes on a new destructive personality. 

Main Character

Sophie Turner plays Jean Grey here like she did in Apocalypse but I found her performance much weaker here. The issue is that we never have time to spend with Jean as a character, we are introduced to her in the previous film and then she turns so quickly here that we learn so little here that it makes it hard to care about her. Turner also doesn't add that much to the performance which also doesn't help with the character, though maybe with a stronger script she would have had a better chance. James McAvoy is back as Xavier and I thought he was good here, I actually like how they treat his character, he is seen more harshly and you really see a different side to him here that we have never seen in previous films. I mean this is his weakest performance as the character but he gives enough to be satisfied. 

Supporting Characters

Michael Fassbender as Magneto has been my favourite part of these newer X-Men films and he does try here and again similar to McAvoy I give him credit for that and it is enough for some praise but his character is so dull and actually pointless here. After Apocalypse for me his character arc was finished but they have to force him in here even though it actually doesn't make any sense. Now onto the rest of the cast and just how boring they are, Jennifer Lawrence is back for a small role as Mystique and she just doesn't even try here, you can tell she wasn't interested in being in the film but signed a contract. Same could be said about Nicholas Hoult as Beast who also is performing half hearted and really his character makes some decisions that don't really make any sense for him and it just screws the character over. Tye Sheridan plays Cyclops and he should have been a really important part of this film due to his relationship with Jean but he is so wasted here. He has no charisma or charm here at all and the issue is that you don't buy into there relationship at all due to the fact that we never actually see it on screen for long enough. Also if you came here to see more of Storm and Nightcrawler from the previous film then you are out of luck as they do nothing interesting here and don't get me started on Quicksilver who is ignored completely and he might as well have not been a part of the movie at all. Jessica Chastain plays a villain here and she is so generic, this is a really boring and wooden performance for a character that has nothing memorable about them at all. 

Story

First things with the story is just pretty much ignore everything from the previous films as they are never addressed and this film actually contradicts things from those films which is just crazy. This film doesn't have a clue what it is trying to tell with its story, it doesn't give us enough time or effort to care about Jean Grey as a character making it hard to root for her in any way. It feels like there is a film missing here between Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, the characters don't get developed here and it feels like that the film rushes the characters arcs so you feel lost and confused as to exactly what you should be interested in. Also why is this film set 10 years after Apocalypse, it is unnecessary and actually makes no sense with the actors looking no different in 10 years which also takes you out of the film or at least it did with me.

Script

This script is bad, there isn't one bit of memorable dialogue at all, I literally watched the film and I cannot remember any particular lines from the film. The characters, especially Jean Grey are written so poorly that you are given no reason to care, except maybe for Xavier and Magneto because we have seen more of them as characters. 

Style

Now the one thing this film will get credit for is the action scenes, they are actually really good here. They are exciting and well filmed and do a good job of showcasing the different powers that are in screen, it also shows Jeans powers better then The Last Stand did. But this films pacing is just weird, for a nearly 2 hour film it feels like a 90 minute movie. It ignores character development and intrigue to focus on action and exciting this which really holds it back. Also what the hell happened to those awesome costumes at the end of Apocalypse, the X-Men costumes here look awful and cheap similar to First Class but even worse that they should never been seen. 

Overall

This film is just really bad, even for big X-Men fans this isn't worth a watch and I would advise that you don't put any time or effort into this film. When Disney eventually reboot the X-Men I hope they stay away from the Dark Phoenix story as it seems to not work well on the big screen. 

Rating - 3/10  

 The Flash Season 6 (2019) Review

After a long delay I have now managed to finish the 6th season of The Flash and even though the production of the show had to shut down due to Covid 19 they got a pretty complete show and here is my review for it. The premise of the season sees Barry attempt to prepare the team for the upcoming Crisis while a new villain arises aiming to take over the city. 

Main Character

Grant Gustin has played the character of Barry Allen for 7 years now and he has done a great job, but I thought this was one of his weaker turn outs as the character. He is still good and provides a lot to the character but I just think it is the way he is written. He spends a lot of the season moping and brooding and I would rather that be saved for Arrow, this show and character has always had dark elements to it but it has always been hopeful but I feel like this season went away from that more then usual. 

Supporting Characters

Tom Cavanagh has played many different versions of the character Harrison Wells and have normally done a good job at it, he plays Nash Wells this season a multiverse archaeologist and I ended up liking this character. He starts off as a bit of a weak character but he grows throughout the season and actually has a nice arc that makes him an entertaining character by the end. Danielle Panabaker gets a chance to play Frost more this season and she does a good job in the role, her character is interesting and really does a good job in separating the characters Caitlin and Frost which I think the show struggled with in previous seasons. But the rest of the cast struggled for me, Candice Patton as Iris has been a strong character in previous seasons, though not always given the best writing and she struggles with that this season. Patton does her best but the character's arc isn't interesting and it is hard to talk about it without spoilers but I wasn't a huge fan of the direction they take her character. Carlos Valdes as Cisco has been one of the most likeable characters on this show but for some reason I found him annoying this season, he again goes a darker route with the character and it seems like the majority of scenes he is in, he is angry with somebody. I also wasn't a fan of Joe's and Ralph's story arcs as they felt like an afterthought and just shoved in there, also the villains of the season were just really dull and among the most lacklustre that the show have had. 

Story

The story, is much stronger during the first half of the show. It deals with Barry trying to prepare the team and it is interesting in the different ways he goes by this and how the characters develop, also the villain before Crisis is the better one of the two villains but he gets his legs swept from under him. Similar to Arrow, this show struggles in a post Crisis world, it has to focus on the changes made by the crossover that it finds it difficult to focus on its story and kind of becomes muddled. Also the ending is a bit abrupt, it is difficult because of Covid 19 but it still does feel like this season is incomplete. 

Script

The script of this show has usually been quite strong but again it is a weaker point of the show. The humour isn't as funny and the drama isn't emotional, it has its moments when it shows the quality of the show and the characters but these are few and far compared to previous seasons.

Style

The style of the show has usually had impressive visuals and this show still has some, though not as much as usual. It is cool seeing The Flash run through Central City stopping bad guys and the different power sets of villains is well handled. But there are some that look poor, mainly Elongated Man's powers which has always looked bad and does still here, but we won't have to see it for much longer due to real life implications. Also the pacing of the show struggles because of the Crisis crossover and the Covid 19 pandemic, it feels like the story needs a few more episodes to get the story across but fails at this. 

Overall

Overall, I actually think this is the weakest season of The Flash and like other shows in this universe it struggles with dealing with the Crisis crossover and really only true fans of the show will be still watching.

Rating - 5/10  

 Deadpool 2 (2018) Review

So I have almost finished the X-Men films and the next film is Deadpool 2 and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees Deadpool and a team of mutants have to save a young mutant from the time traveller Cable. 

Main Character

Ryan Reynolds is back as the 4th wall breaking Deadpool and what more is there to say except that he was born to play this character and he is once again fantastic here. He is still hilarious here and the references are all still here mixed with the R Rated language. It is funny that he actually has a character arc here, there is an emotional journey he goes on here and I thought he did a really good job with it and it helped flesh out the character. 

Supporting Cast

There is a huge supporting cast here and that shows, Zazie Beetz plays the character of Domino and I thought she was great here. She comes into the film quite late but she is fun to watch and the way they show off her powers is really great and unique and is a real highlight. Josh Brolin is no stranger to comic book roles with Thanos and Jonah Hex and he now plays Cable here and I thought he did a good job. He is very clearly the dark and more serious contrast to Deadpool and it works here, you are given a reason to care about his character and his motivations and he adds plenty to the action scenes. The rest of the cast also do good jobs in their roles but the film lessens all of them, like Vanessa played by Morena Baccarin, we really got invested by their romance in the first film but even though it plays a part here it feels like her character gets short changed. The same could be said for characters like Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Blind Al, who have less screen time and you just wish there could have been more time with them, especially Negasonic Teenage Warhead. 

Story

The story is decent, the emotion of Deadpool's character works here and it does make you care about his character and feel like he has actually grown as a person by the end. Also the individual arcs in the film are all entertaining individually, it is just how they balance that is an issue. This film does suffer from what a lot of sequels do, that they have to raise the stakes and add much more to the film an this film does that. But there is so much going on here that elements of the film that were great in the first film fall to the wayside and aren't given the love that they deserve. 

Script

The script has the fun and laughs that the first film had with all the references and 4th wall breaks that you can muster. The drama is just as good if not better here and does a better job in telling a fully fleshed out dramatic story. Though here, I felt like the film had some lazy writing, addressing it as lazy doesn't hide the fact that it is indeed lazy writing. 

Style

The style of the film has some great action scenes in it, the violence is still here and the unique power sets of the characters allows for some fun sequences. The film flows nicely and you aren't ever bored which is a good thing considering how many plot points there are. There is one poor CGI fight but I am willing to accept it as it is a small part of the film. 

Overall

Overall, this is a good sequel. It keeps the humour and feeling of the first film which is a good thing, but it does struggle to balance the load of the sequel which hurts it but overall this is a worthy sequel.

Rating - 7/10

 Two Weeks To Live Season 1 (2020) Review

It has been a busy week for Maisie Williams with The New Mutants hitting cinema and now her new TV show Two Weeks To Live making its way way to Sky and here is my review for it. The premise of the show sees a young girl set out on a mission to avenge her fathers death.

Main Character

So as I mentioned Maisie Williams plays the main character and she does an okay job here. She does have some moments where she is a fun character and you care about her but we just don't see it enough and really I blame the writing for her character. She is just so naive and it is so unbelievable that somebody who has been trained so much would know so little about the world is unbelievable. Also, she just can't rise above the poor dialogue, which is there quite a bit and she doesn't always do a good job with it even though I think any actress would have struggled here. 

Supporting Characters

I mean there are quite a few of weaker supporting characters but I will mention the ones I thought did an okay job here. Sian Clifford as Williams mum was fine and I actually thought they worked pretty well together and the dynamic was okay, I mean nothing special but you take what you can here. Sean Pertwee has a smaller role here and he is fantastic, he is so awesome here and has the best interactions with Williams in the whole show, it is just a shame that he is barely here. Now onto the weaker elements of the cast, Taheen Modak and Mawaan Rizwan plays two brothers dragged into the mess and they are truly terrible, these guys have no chemistry together and their comedic timing is just not there. The show tries to make you care about them and you just really don't. Great actor Jason Flemyng plays a crooked cop and I usually like him but he was pretty bland here and I thought he could have been played by almost anybody. 

Story

 The story here is all over the place, imagine the first season of the Amazon show Hanna but it's in England and is a comedy and isn't funny and that is what you have here. Every twist and turn you see coming from a mile away and it is as cliche as possible, everything that happens here you have seen somewhere else and seen much better. 

Script

Easily the weak part of this show is the wrting, it is so bland and generic. Whether that is the characters or the story there is nothing original and nothing to really keep you watching or be interested in a future season. There are a couple of laughs but not enough for a comedy and not enough drama to make it a drama so who knows what they were truly going for. 

Style

The style of the show does actually have some okay action, especially in the 2nd episode where it is actually well done. But the show peaks at that point and never hits this height again also thank goodness it is only 6 episodes and 30 mins long each but that doesn't give the plot time to breath and develop naturally. 

Overall

Overall, this is another poor Sky show. It does nothing to drag you in and is just another generic show and I hope Williams can get back on track and start making good things. 

Rating - 3/10

 

 Logan (2017) Review

So even though I have watched The New Mutants, I still have a few X-Men films left to watch and the next one is the film Logan and here is my review for it. The premise of the film is set in the future and sees an older Wolverine looking after Charles Xavier when a young mutant comes into their lives and force them on the run. 

Main Character

Hugh Jackman has become famous for playing the role of Logan/Wolverine and in his final appearance in the role he gives his best performance to date. The fact he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for his performance here was an injustice as he truly deserved it for a mammoth truly emotional performance. We see a Logan worn down and fed up of life, he struggles throughout the movie and it really feels like the world has caught up with him and he is actually in danger, which has been something X-Men films have struggled with. Also this film having a more mature adult feeling means we finally get to see Jackman go full berserker Wolverine and it is fabulous and absolutely brutal. 

Supporting Characters

Sir Patrick Stewart is back one last time as Charles Xavier and similar to Jackman he is brilliant here. The father figure and strong character is gone, replaced with a weak and damaged man that has gone through a lot. The dynamic between Charles and Logan is fascinating here, as it really feels like the roles have reversed and that Logan has to look after Charles which is great to see. Dafne Keen makes her film debut as X-23 and she is fantastic, she has hardly any dialogue but you can't help but care about her and I really bought into her relationship with Logan and where it grows. The dynamic between these characters is really the thing that carries the movie and you really care about these characters and it really drives this movie. Stephen Merchant, Boyd Holbrook and Richard E Grant also all do good jobs in their smaller roles here. 

Story

Now even though this film has characters from the X-Men universe, this couldn't be further away from an X-Men film. It really focuses on the characters and the damage that has occurred to them over their lives and why they need to go on living for this young girl. As I mentioned above, the relationships between the characters and the friendship is what gives this movie weight and plenty of heart. It is a tragic story but a really well told one that fits the characters perfectly. 

Script

The script is really great, this world is so gritty and there is drama galore. The more mature writing fits the film perfectly and really shows where the characters are, especially Xavier when you consider what he has been like in the previous films. There are also little drops of humour too which is nice to see and ensures Wolverine still has those moments even if they aren't always meant to be funny. 

Style

The style is brilliant, this world they created for the film fits so well, it is dark, dirty and gritty and it really feels like the end of days for the mutants. The R rating for this film was the right choice, the action is brutal and violent and it adds to this films story and the way it is presented. It is such an emotional ride that is paced really well and keeps you interested throughout. 

Overall

Overall, this is a brilliant film, whether you are an X-Men, Wolverine or just film fan then you owe it to yourself to watch this movie. It is an emotional roller coaster and by focusing on it's character give a story and journey that you won't forget. 

Rating - 10/10