Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024) Review

9 years after the release of Mad Max: Fury Road we finally have the release of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, unfortunately it has been suffering at the box office but I managed to watch it last night and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees the origin of Furiosa and how she would grow into the character we meet in Fury Road. 

Main Character

Anya Taylor Joy takes over the role of Furiosa and I thought she encapsulated the role perfectly. I truly believed that she was a younger version of Charlize Theron's interpretation of the character. It does take a while to introduce her in the film and she doesn't have too many lines here but similar to Tom Hardy's performance as Max she gives a very physical performance which just works. Also credit to Alyla Browne who plays the even younger version of the character for the first hour and she she does a great job too. 

Supporting Characters

But the star of this show has to be Chris Hemsworth playing the villain Dementus. He absolutely owns every scene that he is in and is this over the top Australian leader who is oozing charisma and charm and Hemsworth is clearly having a load of fun and he gives one of his best performances here. 

We get Immortan Joe back here, though he is played by a different actor called Lachy Hulme but you wouldn't realise that from the film. It is cool seeing a younger version of the character and you do realise why he has all the devoted troops to his cause. 

But the rest of the cast aren't particularly great. Tom Burke plays Jack and he is incredibly dull, he is kind of introduced as a companion of Furiosa but he adds nothing to the film and this guy delivers his lines in super boring fashion and I did not care about him at all. 

Story

The story is really good, I criticised Mad Max: Fury Road for its lack of story but this film is totally different and tells a really engaging story where we grow to really care and support Furiosa even if we didn't know her from a previous film. This is clearly a revenge tale and it does slightly take its time but I appreciate how Furiosa develops and becomes an interesting character. 

Script

The script is okay and I would say that it is better then the previous film especially when Hemsworth is just monologuing and giving these great moments. But the film lacks true dramatic moments and moments that will make a viewer care. 

Style 

The film once again looks fantastic, the visuals are some of the best you will see in any film out there. The action scenes are good and do their job effectively, though they do feel like they have been lessened and aren't anywhere near as grand and crazy as Fury Road. The film also has some slight pacing issues in its first act which means it takes a while to get going. 

Overall

Overall, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is a good film and serves the character of Furiosa well. If you are a fan of that character and this universe then you will like this film. I would say go support this film as it needs to be doing better at the box office as I wouldn't mind seeing more stories in the Mad Max universe in the future. 

Rating - 7/10

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) Review

In preparation for watch Furiosa, I went back and rewatched Mad Max: Fury Road which serves as the film that introduced the character to the big screen and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a drifter and rebel attempt to escape from a tyrant and his crazed forces. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy plays Max and he is exactly what this film requires. He is incredibly gruff and is a man of few words but he delivers a really physical performance here and it works for Fury Road. They give him somewhat a story arc that kind of gets forgotten about but Hardy does the best with the material he is given. 

But the real main character here us Furiosa played by Charlize Theron, she is easily the most interesting character here and the film really puts her at the forefront of the film and she was great to follow. Despite the off screen issues with Hardy & Theron it didn't affect their performances and Theron is great here. 

Supporting Characters

Nicholas Hoult plays Nux who is a worshiper of the villain of the film and he is totally unhinged in the film and Hoult gives a great performance. His character does have a good enough story arc and I just really liked the effort he put into the character. 

Hugh Keays-Byrne plays Immortan Joe who is the main villain of the film and I just liked this character. He is menacing and it is just the way he is presented that it made him feel like a big threat to the heroes and someone who would have this following from a cult. 

There are a bunch of female characters on the run from Joe and they all get some time to shine which was nice to see. Zoey Kravitz & Rosie Huntington-Whiteley are the ones who get the most to work with and they did a good job. 

Story

The story is fascinating, it is basically an extended chase sequence and that sounds really dull but it really works. The characters are always on edge and you feel like they are on edge and the story progresses really well with this. Though, I mean there is no denying that there is a lack of meat on the story and I kind of wish Max had been fleshed out a little bit more to make me care about him a bit more. 

Script

The script is okay, it is a bit unhinged like the film itself. There is some good dialogue involving Furiosa but Max has few words which is fine for the film. But this film isn't really about the script so I feel like dialogue in particular was a bit of an afterthought. 

Style

The style of the film is where this film truly flourishes, everything is high octane and looks insane. It is hard to explain the crazy things that happens in these epic chase sequences. Great action sequences that really benefit from the lack of CGI and focus on practical effects and boy does it rise the level of this film. 

Overall

Overall, Mad Max: Fury Road is a great action film. It has some of the best action scenes of all time and if that is all you are looking for then you must see this film. It slightly lacks in some other areas but it is a great watch for sure. 

Rating - 8/10

The Fall Guy (2024) Review

So even though it has been out for a bit of time I have finally found the time to watch The Fall Guy and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a failed stuntman sent to find the big movie star of his ex lovers film. 

Main Character

Ryan Gosling has been on quite a role lately and he plays Colt Seavers and he is just great here. He basically plays himself and is clearly having a great time with it, Colt is a fun character and Gosling oozes charisma and charm throughout the film. His character does have a story arc and it kind of works but Gosling takes everything he has and just makes it work. 

Supporting Characters

Emily Blunt plays Jody Moreno and is the main love interest and she is great too. The chemistry between herself and Gosling is amazing and it makes every scene they have together really entertaining and Blunt adds a lot to it. 

Winston Duke plays Dan Tucker and is basically Gosling's Stunt Boss and he was really funny here. He is constantly quoting films and it just gave me a chuckle with how many he chucked in here and Duke has the natural charisma that just makes it work. 

Aaron Taylor-Johnson plays Tom Ryder who is the film star that goes missing and he is entertaining when on screen though he doesn't really have too much to do but he feels like a natural part of the film. 

The one performance that annoyed me was Hannah Waddingham as Gail Meyer, she is a talented actress but she as really annoying here and not for the right reasons. It seemed like she saw everyone else having a great time and thought she would raise it even higher and become even more of a parody then this film actually is. 

Story

The story is fun, it is a good love story between Gosling & Blunts character and their chemistry together makes it easy to care about them and really believe in their dynamic. But the rest of the film kind of falls flat, there is no meat to the story and it becomes a bit too convoluted and like they were writing the film as they were shooting it as the film's last act just doesn't quite work. 

Script

The dialogue in the script is quick and sharp, it makes these characters seem more interesting and helps build the relationship between the two main characters and fun references to other works. But the film again lacks the drama and has quite a few different twists which doesn't really make sense and kind of over complicates this film. 

Style

The film looks great, it really puts the spotlight on the role of the Stunt performer and it does prove that these guys deserve way more credit for the work they do. The action scenes are absurd and over the top but there is no denying that they were very fun. But this films pacing is all over the place, it takes too long to get going and then goes on way too long. The 2nd act is strong but the 1st and 3rd don't live up to those levels. 

Overall

Overall, The Fall Guy is a good film. It is just an exciting film that showcases the unsung heroes of film and even though it isn't overly memorable it was a fun time at the cinema and I think if you get the chance and enjoy fun action films then maybe give it a chance. 

Rating - 7/10

Baby Reindeer (2024) Mini Series Review

So it has taken me a while to get around and watch what is probably the most talked about show in the world Baby Reindeer. Over the bank holiday weekend, I decided to sit down and watch this series and it was tough but I managed to get through it and here is my review for Baby Reindeer. The premise of the show is based on a true story and sees a man who is down on his luck start to get stalked and the impact that it has on both of them. 

Main Character

There has been quite a bit of controversy about Richard Gadd who plays Donny and is the writer and producer of this show as well. But I am not going to look at that and just study him on his performance and he is truly brilliant in this show. I truly felt sorry for Donny and Gadd managed to encapsulate that really well. But their was some underlaying issues with Donny that actually makes him quite unlikeable and made him a more rounded character. The final 10/15 mins of Episode 6 is some of the best acting you will see in anything and he deserves real credit for it. 

Supporting Characters

There has also been massive controversy about Martha played by Jessica Gunning and the real life implications but she is also great. She comes across as this crazy lady that is stalking Donny and you feel that way but she also has moments where you do feel sorry for her despite the crazy things that she is doing and has done. 

Nava Mau plays Donny's love interest Teri and she is really good. They have good chemistry together and she feels like a realistic part of this show and how she reacts to finding out about Martha and the whole situation and I think she was good. 

The rest of the cast also do fantastic jobs despite being less important parts. Tom Goodman-Hill as Darren & Mark Lewis Jones as Gerry were the best with one really unnerving performance and one hilarious performance. 

Story

The story is incredibly difficult to sit through as it really deals with some serious subject matter. It is fascinating though and it really kept my attention to see the twists and turns would be taken next and how it would deal with its really difficult subject matter and it deals with it really well and makes it hit you. I did have a slight problem with the ending though, I understand what they were going for but it felt a bit cheesy and it didn't give me the validation that I think the show should have. 

Script

The show is really well written. Donny's aspiration is to be a top comedian so the show has to deal with comedy well and it does, especially when Donny delivers poor performances but has some pretty decent comedy in other circumstances. The drama is obviously heavy and it is handled well with some great monologues and narrating from Donny. 

Style

The show has a very grim and dark style that fits the overall feel of the show. I mentioned earlier that it is a hard watch and I know the show was going for that and they did a good job with it. But this isn't a show that that I would watch all at once, have breaks to realise the real issues that are being shown. The pacing isn't that great and sometimes the issues gets a little repetitive but it doesn't take too much away from the show. 

Overall

Overall, Baby Reindeer is a great show. If you can deal with the really heavy subject matter then I would say give it a watch, but if you get triggered easily then I would skip this one as it can be hard to watch. But Overall, I really appreciate what Baby Reindeer gave as a show. 

Rating - 8/10

Mass Effect 3 (2012) Review

It has finally happened that I have finished playing the Mass Effect trilogy and after two really good games we will have to see if the trilogy can finish it off in style and here is my review for Mass Effect 3. The premise of the game sees The Reapers finally invade the galaxy, Shepard must recruit the other species to work together to ensure they stand a chance against the greatest threat of all time. 

Characters 

For the final time, we get to play as Commander Shepard and once again I am a Male Shepard voiced by the excellent Mark Meer and he absolutely nails it in this game. You really feel the wear and tear that goes on this character as he has to deal with this war. He has great emotional moments and quick humour that makes this a legendary character that encapsulates this overall franchise. 

This game has an insanely large cast bringing characters back from the previous two games and they are all pretty much the same as they have been but a lot have them have way less time to shine here which sucks. One character that gets plenty of time is Liara T'soni played by Ali Hillis, she is back as a full time squad member this time around and she is a great character that sees progression here. She was my romance choice and I think she is one of the most fleshed out romances of the franchise. 

Brandon Keener is back as Garrus Vakarian and once again he is awesome, he is just such a cool character and I really like how they show how the war affects people through him. He is a bit more ruthless with his thinking and is dealing with the greater responsibility that he is given. 

Ash Sroka is also back as Tali and her story is actually quite similar to Garrus. She is given more responsibility in her government and she really struggles with it and isn't sure exactly what the best way to help her people is. She is once again a great character and even though she isn't introduced till later there is still plenty of time for her. 

There's some new squad mates in this game. Starting with James Vega played by Freddie Prinze Jnr and I must say I enjoyed having him around more in this playthrough then I have previously. He is quite charming and I like his relationship with Shepard, he is probably the best Alliance squad member that we have had in the franchise. EDI played by Tricia Helfer gets a body this time and joins the squad and similar to James I enjoyed her more here, she has a dark sense of humour and her development is really clear and I thought it was well handled. Ike Amadi plays Javik the last Prothean, he was originally DLC but in the Legendary edition he is in the game proper and he is fantastic. He is a very angry and violent character that also has a clear development over the course of the game. 

One last character to mention is The Illusive Man played by Martin Sheen, I forgot to mention how amazing a character he was in the previous game so I am going to mention it here and say that I love this character and the performance of Sheen. They make some questionable character decisions with him here but Sheen still delivers an effective performance. 

Story

The story is a real mixed bag. I love the feeling of this game and the tone of just how massive this war is and how it totally affects everybody in the galaxy. I also really liked how the two big storylines involve the Genophage & The Quarian/Geth war which are two things that have been talked about since the first game. However, it is the last act of storytelling is where it falls off a cliff. Turning Cerberus into moustache twirling villains was a real mistake and the ending just falls incredibly flat which is such a shame for this amazing franchise. 

Side Content 

This game has lots of side content and for the most part it is very good. This is where you meet the majority of characters from previous games including squad mates from Mass Effect 2 such as Jack, Grunt & Samara. There are some annoying mini games where you cna collect objects to help the war effort, but these aren't essential and can be skipped. The 3 DLC's Leviathan, Omega & The Citadel are all brilliant and worthwhile editions that are now a part of the game due to Legendary Edition. 

Gameplay 

From a pure gameplay perspective this is the best game so far in the franchise. Shepard is way more athletic and he can move a lot better which allows you to execute different moves. There is also a way better melee weapon which sometimes encourages play that gets you close to the enemy. The dialogue is also at its best and characters usually have something to say and actually interact with each other which is a big upgrade on the previous games. However, this game tries to limit how much fun you can have to play. For example, they add weight to the weapons which means you are incredibly limited to what weapons you can use as it affects your power use which I need being a Biotic. 

Graphics

The game looks beautiful, the new weapons and armour really adds plenty to the game. The vast battlefields that shows the destruction by The Reapers is realised really well for the majority of the game. The character models also look great and I really enjoyed the look of the universe that is plagued by war. 

Overall

Overall, Mass Effect 3 is a great finish to the Mass Effect trilogy, it just falls a little short of expectations. I had a great time playing a game and think it still has plenty of merit despite its poor ending. 

Rating - 8/10

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024) Review

Probably one of the most anticipated films of the year sees the fourth film in the new Planet of the Apes franchise as we get Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes and I saw it yesterday and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film is set hundreds of years after the previous films event and sees an ape go on a journey to try and rescue his clan. 

Main Character

Owen Teague plays Noa who is the main Ape here and I thought he was fantastic. It was big shoes to fill after the great work of Andy Serkis as Caesar but I thought Teague knocked it out of the park. You see him really learning and having to step out of his comfort scene in order to help the other apes and forge his own personality. There is a clear character development and Noa's journey is easily the most interesting part of this film. 

Supporting Characters

Freya Allen plays Mae and I thought she did a good job in the film. I do think there were issues with her character and the way she was written but Allen did good work with the material. She had good chemistry with Teague and I thought she was decent. 

Peter Macon plays Raka and I thought he was an enjoyable character. He was mainly used as an exposition dump but he managed to do it in a fun way and again I thought Noa & Raka had good chemistry together and his charm was a welcome addition. 

Kevin Durand plays Proximus and is an awesome villain here. He isn't really in the film enough but he is so charismatic and intimidating in all the scenes that he is in. Durand absolutely nails it and feels like this cult leader really has control and is actually pretty scary. 

The rest of the apes are all really cool too. The apes that are part of Noa's clan are really fun and the chemistry between Noa and his two friends is one of the best in the film and I feel like the film missed an opportunity to keep them together more. There is also a villain ape that was awesome too and a real threat in all of the action scenes. 

Story

The story of Noa and the apes is really good. Noa goes on this journey as a reluctant hero and I really thought his development was well handled. I also liked the villains psychology and how they use Caesar's beliefs in order to push their own agenda which I really liked. But this film has an issue with the whole human story, it is confused about how much it really wants to push the human story and trying to make it overshadow the ape story. It doesn't make much sense and it was less interesting and it makes me kind of wish there were no humans in this film and the focus was fully on the apes. 

Script

The script is okay, I thought the drama was sometimes conveyed well and there was actually a few chuckle worthy moments which I enjoyed. But this film doesn't have too many stand out emotional moments that rise it above and this film has like 15 mins that is just a huge exposition drop about the previous films and it just wasn't handled very well at all. 

Style

This film looks amazing, the CGI for the Apes has improved so much and the apes looks life like and it really helps in making you care about the apes on screen. The settings are great too and the film just is beautifully shot and looks fantastic. But this film has a real problem with its pacing, the final act is really good but it is a bit of a a slog to get there and I feel like the film would have been better had it cut a good 10 mins off of it and sped up the second act. 

Overall

Overall, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is a good film and an enjoyable addition to the franchise. It falls a bit short of previous films of the franchise but it was a good watch and I think fans of the franchise will enjoy it and it is even a good launching pad for people who are new to the franchise. 

Rating - 7/10

The Idea of You (2024) Review

The Idea of You has been one of the most popular films this week and with being available on Amazon Prime, I decided to sit down today and watch the film and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a 40 year old woman unexpectedly end up in a relationship with a 24 year old lead singer of a world famous boy band. 

Main Character 

Anne Hathaway is a great actress and plays the lead character Solene here and I thought she did a really great job in this film and really added a lot to this film. Hathaway adds to the real emotion of her character and takes this one dimensional person and turns her into an interesting character that you actually can care about. 

Supporting Characters 

Nicholas Galitzine plays Hayes who is the love interest in the film and I actually thought he did a really good job too. He was a charming young man and I really saw the depth of his character and that he truly cared about Solene in the film. Hathaway & him had great chemistry in the film and I genuinely felt like these were two people who cared about each other. 

The rest of the cast don't really offer a lot because the film doesn't really care about them. Ella Rubin as the daughter Izzy & Reid Scott plays the ex husband Daniel and they are both okay but the film doesn't give enough reason to care about them or give them much to work with. 

Story

The story is interesting and I think the chemistry of the two main leads made this story a lot better and easier to understand and follow. It also briefly looks at how something like this affects others but doesn't go far enough with it. I do wonder what the response to this film would be if the genders were reversed of the two characters but it wasn't an issue to me. However, this film is pretty predictable and at times pretty cheesy. It holds the film back and makes it feel like one of those romance films that you see released all the time which is a shame and the ending totally nails this. 

Script

This script is similar to the story in terms that it has promise but ultimately gives into the basic nature of romantic films. There is some dramatic moments that are good and some funny moments but it overall falls a bit flat and again feels pretty cliché. 

Style 

The film looks decent in terms of how it is presented, there isn't really anything special about it but it just comes across as a nice looking film. But this film has serious pacing issues, it goes on for way longer then it should and really drags. It doesn't give some interesting ideas the weight it needs and focuses on silly parts of the relationship. 

Overall

Overall, The Idea of You is an okay film. The two main characters have really good chemistry but the film is let down by just being quite formulaic and not really adding anything new to the genre. 

Rating - 6/10

Mass Effect 2 (2010) Review

After playing through the first Mass Effect game, I knew I had to get started on Mass Effect 2 and mainly because of my enjoyment of this franchise, I have completed Mass Effect 2 and here is my review for the game. The premise of the game sees the return of Commander Shepard where he must recruit a team to take down The Collectors who are the agents of The Reapers. 

Characters

Once again I played as a Male Shepard who is voiced by Mark Meer and I loved playing as his character. He is just a great lead character and even though I played as the paragon character I still enjoyed the Whitty banter and the heroic nature of Shepard. 

There are a huge amount of characters in this game, there are 12 squad mates and other characters so I obviously won't be able to talk about them all but just know that pretty much every new and returning characters are great (apart from Jacob Taylor who sucked)

Miranda Lawon is Shepards new second in command played by Yvonne Strahovski and she was a great character. She is obviously meant to be the attractive female character but there are real layers to her character and you see the complexity to Miranda and why she is so interesting. 

Garrus Vakarian makes his return voiced by Brandon Keener and he is excellent here. He is so much better in this game and you really feel the chemistry between Garrus & Shepard and their banter is one of the most enjoyable parts of the game. Garrus is way more hardcore here but there is a story reason for it and it really fits his character. 

Tali also makes her return played by Ash Sroka and she is also so much better in this game and much more fleshed out. She comes across as less naïve and more adult and I liked how she is more confident in her ability and that her relationship with Shepard has developed. 

Mordin, Grunt, Jack, Thane, Samara, Kasumi & Zaeed are also really fleshed out characters with distinct personality and these are some of the best squad mates in any game possible. 

Story

The story is amazing in this game and I think that is because of the stakes that are put on it and that the game constantly reminds the player of the threat of The Collectors. As I said before, the characters are fantastic and their unique personalities makes this a way more interesting group of people compared the previous game. The final mission is possibly the greatest final mission in video game history and utilises all of the characters so well and makes the tension feel massive and that you want to keep all of the characters alive. 

Side Content

This game has fantastic side content. There are a bunch of loyalty missions that further expand all of the characters and makes you truly care about them and their personal issues. My favourite ones being Garrus, Tali & Miranda. There are other lesser important side missions and they are fun and probably overall better then the previous game. 

Gameplay

This is probably the part of the game that is most improved from the previous game and the action flows so much better then the previous game. There are so many different weapons and they feel really different and unique that makes gameplay enjoyable every time. 

Graphics

Just like the first game, I played the legendary edition of Mass Effect 2 so the graphics were vastly improved from the original game but even then the game looked better then the first Mass Effect game and the planets were way more unique and showed the different cultures that populated this universe. 

Overall

Overall, Mass Effect 2 is an epic game and a huge improvement of the first game. This is one of my favourite games ever and I just love this universe and the cast of characters that are introduced here that really improve this game. 

Rating - 10/10

The Acolyte (2024) Trailer Review

With Star Wars Day being last Saturday, we received a trailer for the upcoming TV show The Acolyte and I have realised that I haven't really spoken much about this show so I thought I would analyse the trailer and give it a review. 

A Jedi is killed

The show starts off with a Jedi being murdered. This usually wouldn't be a particularly monumental thing but because this show is set during a golden age of the Jedi where this doesn't really happen and this is clearly the catalyst for the show. 

The Jedi seem to be locking up prisoners

This trailer shows a seen where Lee Jung-Jae's Jedi is walking amongst a group of criminals that have been locked up by The Jedi. This is something that we have never really seen before, the Jedi have been peace keepers but to see them locking people up maybe questions certain morals. 

The main villain is a former Jedi

In the trailer it is revealed that Amandla Stenberg's character is the former apprentice of Jung-Jae. We have seen that she is the clear villain of the show and I hope they do a good job explaining why she left the Jedi. I do fear that this could be simple redemption story for her which we have probably seen a bit too much in Star Wars now. 

Is Jodie Turner Smith linked to The Nightsisters?

We see brief glimpses of Jodie Turner Smith's character and she seems to be more of a witch then either a Jedi or Sith. It seems like she has connection to Stenberg & Jung-Jae's characters and it remains to be seen whether she is good or bad. I have theorised that maybe she has connection to The Nightsisteers and that as the show goes on she might become more antagonistic. 

Who is the real villain? 

At the end of the trailer, we are shown a mystery Sith and it seems like they will be the main villain of this show and clearly has enough power to take on multiple jedi's. We have seen fan theories affect other recent shows when fans have different ideas but I do wonder if this means one of the older Sith's such as Darth Bane are reintroduced into Canon or are we getting a new threat to the larger Star Wars world. 

Overall

Overall, this trailer was okay. It shows enough to have me intrigued but this show doesn't quite have that Star Wars polish that I want it to have. I am really hoping that it hits it out of the park but I am not overly convinced.

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire (2024) Review

It happens every year and we have finally reached May 4th aka Star Wars Day and Disney decided today to release the follow up to the successful Tales of the Jedi with a new show Star Wars Tales of the Empire and I have watched it this morning and this is my review of the show. The premise of the show documents the journey's of Morgan Elsbeth & Barriss Offee and how their lives were affected by different events. 

Main Character 

The first 3 episodes of the show documents the journey of Morgan Elsbeth with Diana Lee Inosanto reprising her role from The Mandalorian & Ahsoka and she is great. It shows how she became the character that we met in those shows. She does a really effective job of showing the anger and the devotion that she has to her new mission, her character was great in live action and it continues here. 

The latter 3 episodes focus on Barriss Offee who is once again voiced by Meredith Salenger. The show picks up after she was expelled from the Jedi Order in The Clone Wars. Salenger does a good job, we still see the inner turmoil of her character and that even though she was against the Jedi, she might not be fully on board with the Empire and it is just nice to get some follow up on her which people have been asking for years. 

Supporting Characters

To be honest this show is all about the two main characters and doesn't have too much time for the rest of the cast but everyone does a good job. Probably the main one is The Fourth Sister who has a good story with Barriss and gives some more character to this pretty dull character so that was good to see. 

It was also nice to see cameos from characters from the Star Wars universe such as General Grievous, Thrawn & The Grand Inquisitor. They all offer something to the stories and it was just nice to see them make a return here. 

Story

The stories are good. Seeing how Morgan Elsbeth went from surviving on Dathomir to become a Magistrate is well realised and it does set up future events in Ahsoka which is appreciated. I also enjoyed seeing Barriss journey to becoming an Inquisitor and how it showed her different viewpoints of the galaxy. But, there is no doubt that there is something missing here, it just isn't as interesting as I wanted it to be. Morgan's story doesn't do enough to tell us more stuff about her, it probably would have come across better if we had seen it before Ahsoka was released and we knew what happened to her. Barriss story does feel a little bit like missed potential and I think maybe they could have had 6 episodes just on that and it would have been better and the ending is incredibly abrupt and doesn't quite work like I think Disney thought it would. 

Script

The script is okay, this show is incredibly mature and dark and that does work and I am glad that this show goes with that tone and the lack of humour isn't an issue. The issue is that none of the drama really nails the mark fully, similar to the story I think Disney expected more and it just fell a bit flat at crucial times. 

Style

The animation looks fantastic. We have seen with other animated Star Wars shows that the animation has got better and better and this is up there with the best yet. The character models look fantastic and the action flows incredibly well and feels very smooth. But the pacing is where the issue is, with us only having 3 episodes each with these lesser known characters, plenty is left out and it feels a bit janky especially with Morgan Elsbeth which made it hard to really get invested in it. 

Overall

Overall, Star Wars: Tales of The Empire is a good show that has some merit to it and will entertain fans of the franchise. But it doesn't hit the landing as much as it should and feels like a slight let down in that way but it is still a decent watch. 

Rating - 7/10

Final Impressions - Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Introduced in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Clone Force 99 AKA The Bad Batch were a real highlight and with the addition of the recently returning Echo it was announced that they would be getting their own show which would be set between the events of Revenge of The Sith & A New Hope and see how the crew dealt with the formation of The Empire & Order 66. Today saw the 47th and final episode of the show and it was a fantastic finale which ended the show on a fantastic note. As a big fan, I wanted to give my feelings on the show and my final impressions now that we are finished with it, there will be spoilers for all of the seasons of the show. 

It took time for me to care about Omega

Omega is the twin sister of Boba Fett, she is introduced as an unaltered clone of Jango Fett that worked on Kamino. With the creation of The Empire, she escapes Kamino with The Bad Batch as the villains attempt to track her down for a reason that we later learn. She came across as a bit whiny and annoying in the first few episodes but eventually through the strength of Michelle Ang's voice acting and the writing for her character I grew to really care about her and her relationship with the rest of the team.

The Rise of The Empire is fascinating to watch

A large theme of this show, especially with its first two seasons is the rise of the Empire and how that differs from The Galactic Republic, with it being gradual changes. We see the slight change of armour, the clones being discontinued and the recruitment of outside soldiers. You really get a grasp of how huge The Empire is and how quickly they took over the galaxy and put their martial law in order. 

Crosshair is easily the best character of the show

In a shocking turn of events, Crosshair betrayed The Bad Batch in the first episode of the show and remained loyal to The Empire. From there, he goes through an amazing plot line, he attempts to track down Clone Force 99 while training the new recruits in the first season. He then reveals that his inhibitor chip was removed and he is really loyal to the Empire. However, the second season really made him question his loyalty to the cause and makes him question his worth. He does end up betraying The Empire and seeing him re-join the team with his physical issues added another dynamic. Some would argue that he deserved a bad ending due to the evil things that he did, but this is Star Wars and he truly gets redemption for his actions. 

Too Much Filler

My biggest criticism of this show has always been the huge amount of filler episodes that see The Bad Batch doing a job with very little links to the main story. This issue was improved on in the 3rd season as the character who gave them all these side missions Cid was removed from the show. It wasn't that they weren't entertaining it was just that there were too many and they were usually in a row and it made it feel a bit repetitive. 

The Guest Characters are the best & worst part of the show

It is great to see how many characters from Star Wars Lore are included in this show and expands there characters and story. Highlights such as a younger Fennec Shand, Cad Bane & Assaj Ventress, however, people become so engaged by those characters that it took away from The Bad Batch and the story that they are on.

Tech's death is one of the great Star Wars moments

For me, the biggest moment of Star Wars: The Bad Batch is during the finale of season 2 we see the death of one of the members Tech. It is super sad and truly emotional, he was the best developed character over the season which made his death so much harder and the way it was made, truly made it a special Star Wars moment. The fact that he stays dead made it a gut-wrenching moment and one that truly felt earned and might have even been the turning point for this show in terms of quality. 

We get the introduction of Project Necromancer

When he was resurrected in The Rise of Skywalker, everybody was confused in how exactly Emperor Palpatine returned. Since then we have had some explanation, in The Mandalorian Season 3 we see plenty of focus on cloning and even a mention of Project Necromancer. Now in The Bad Batch, we see the projects origins as Dr Hemlock works directly with The Emperor and it is made clear that this is all linking towards the cloning that we would see in later projects in terms of the timeline. 

We get a happy ending

Probably the biggest surprise of the show is that we get a happy ending. The team take down Hemlock and destroy Project Necromancer and end up living a happy life away from conflict. We see that Hunter, Omega, Crosshair & Wrecker live 10 years together where they grow old and it was just such a nice ending, considering I was really worried that some of the members wouldn't make it out alive. 

Are future projects teased? 

Even though this is a really satisfying ending it does make me question whether this is the end of all of these characters or whether we will see more. We see an older Omega go off to join the Rebellion and maybe we could get her own show? We never see what comes of Rex & Echo's clone faction & how Wolfe ends up joining them and what happened to Commander Cody after he left The Empire in Season 2. I think we will see another show based on Clones and I am all here for it. 

Overall

Overall, Star Wars Bad Batch is a show that had some rough patches but got better with every season ending with a truly fantastic season and a finale that deserves all the praise. I think fans of Star Wars who maybe don't watch the animated stuff will end up loving this show and I think it was a great success. 

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3 (2024) Review

After 15 episodes, we have now made it to the series finale of Star Wars: The Bad Batch. It was announced that this season would be the final one of the show which added much hype to it. I watched the finale this morning and here is my review for the 3rd and final season of The Bad Batch. The premise of the season sees Hunter & Wrecker attempting to find Omega, while Omega and Crosshair try to escape their fate on Mount Tantiss. 

Main Character

Even though she has been a crucial part of this show over the entire thing, Omega really steps forward this season and has easily become the main character of this show. She is captured by the Empire and seeing how she handles it does an effective job of showing her character progression from the first episode to the last. Michelle Ang plays her really well and she has grown with the character on the screen and it has been a delight to be seen. 

Supporting Characters

Crosshair has been my favourite character over the entire show and I was disappointed that he wasn't used enough last season but he has tonnes of screen time and an amazing story throughout. We see the pain from him over the actions he made in previous seasons. He starts his redemption arc and he has great chemistry with Omega as they try to survive under the reign of the Empire. 

Hunter & Wrecker are great too, they have always had great chemistry together and they continue here. They don't have the most in depth character development but they are entertaining and combine with the other members of the group so well. 

Echo isn't on screen as much this season but he does play a major role when he is with the rest of the crew, he especially plays a vital role in the last few episodes of the series and he is really well handled and it is great to see him flourishing. 

I have to see how amazing Dee Bradley Baker is, he has voiced all of the clones since the Clone Wars Movie and he has done an amazing job in the role and he makes all the clones have a distinct personality and makes us really care about him. 

Credit has to also go to Jimmi Simpson who voices Dr Hemlock, he was a fantastic villain for this show and the voice acting made him super creepy and unnerving and I loved hearing this guy talk and everything that he does. 

Story

The story is really well handled and for me this is the best season of the show in terms of its focus on the main plot. It is quite simple but it really works, all of the clones get stories and progression throughout. Crosshair & Omega particularly shine and seeing them share so much screen time together is a joy. The finale really nails it and I am so glad that this show did a great job and wrapped everything up perfectly with a worthwhile ending. 

Script

The show is really well written, it has the emotion and is actually is pretty dark. It isn't a kids show and the slightly childish nature of the previous seasons is completely gone and replaced by higher stakes darker stories. The charm is still there though and there is some nice moments between the group. 

Style

The show looks fantastic. The animation has progressed so much and looks beautiful with all the characters and planets looking fantastic. The action scenes are well done too and really put the character in some more peril then before. My only complaint is that there are a few too many episodes and too many guest characters that sometimes takes away from The Bad Batch. 

Overall 

Overall. Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3 is the best season of the show and is easily the most focused and handles its characters very well. As a Star Wars fan, it has become a must watch and I give them credit to ending the show now at its peak. 

Rating - 9/10