Agatha All Along (2024) Mini Series Review

After a rather timid year for Marvel Studios we now have finished the newest TV series on Disney+ with Agatha All Along. I have watched all the episodes and here is my review for the series. The premise of the show sees Agatha escape from Wanda's spell and goes on a journey to recover her power that she lost. 

Main Character

Kathryn Hahn reprises her role of Agtha Harkness from WandaVision and I have mixed feelings about her character and performance. She clearly cares and has a lot of fun in the role and there is some charisma to her. But the character is just really unlikeable, there just isn't many good things about her and yes I know she was a villain but here she is the protagonist and there has to be some good things about her but there just isn't and it is a shame. 

Supporting Characters

The Supporting Cast does much better, We have Joe Locke who plays Teen and he is great, he has a great dynamic with the rest of the cast and he was an interesting character. As the show progresses it becomes clearer that he is a big part of the show and there is more to him that meets the eye. 

Aubrey Plaza Plays Rio and she is fantastic, she is charismatic and charming that you can't help but become entranced in her performance and for me she is the most entertaining part of the show and I kind of wished she had more screen time. 

The rest of the witches Coven are great. Patti LuPone as Lilia is brilliant, especially in her episode 7 which is her standout. Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer & Ali Ahn as Alice are solid additions and they work together well as well. 

Story

The story is okay. I liked the supporting characters stories and their motivations for going on this journey with Agatha. Some of Agatha's story worked but a lot of different and I was just hoping and expecting more. The finale leaves a lot to be desired and it just feels like setting up for future projects instead of giving us a satisfying conclusion to this story. 

Script

The script is okay, there are some chuckle worthy moments and some drama that made me care about some of the characters but it just isn't enough. There isn't much that makes me go wow and it actually is quite forgettable which is a let down. 

Style 

The show has decent cinematography, it does an effective job of selling this show as a show about witches and the occult that they share. But the show does have some pacing issues, I found it quite repetitive around the mid season mark and I think the show could have handled things better. 

Overall

Overall, Agatha All Along is an Above Average Show that while decent does fall a little flat. A great supporting cast and some fun here and there makes it an entertaining watch, but this isn't a show you need to rush to see and it is one of the more forgettable comic book projects of recent memory. 

Rating - 6/10

Ranked - The Venom Films

We seem to be at the end of the Venom solo films, so after this very mundane trilogy here are my rankings from the 3 films starting from worst to the best. 

3. Venom (2018)

The first film in the franchise is the worst in my opinion and that is mainly due to how dull it is. Tom Hardy does a good job as the lead and he does really care about the role but the rest of the cast offered very little. Michelle Williams & Riz Ahmed are so bland and forgettable in their role with a plot that makes no sense and nobody will care about. It is cool to see Venom in all of his glory but we don't see it enough and this film was a big let down for me. 

2. Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

After the financial success of the first film we got the sequel Let There Be Carnage and I think it is slightly better then the first film but it is still a big let down. Again Tom Hardy is good as the lead and still tries his best but the rest of the cast isn't great. The introduction of Carnage should have been great but Woody Harrelson is bad in the role and they even waste the great Stephen Graham. It has some more entertaining action scenes and a slightly better story which is why it is slightly higher in the list but it still isn't a good film. 

1. Venom: The Last Dance (2024)

The third and presumed final film in the franchise is the best film in the trilogy but it still doesn't rise to the lofty heights that it wants to. Eddie & Venom's relationship is great and Hardy nails it in this film, I also liked Rhys Ifans role in the film. This film is more violent and has more fun action that previous films lacked. But the film is really messy with its story and most of the supporting cast are wasted, when you have Chiwetel Ejiofor & Stephen Graham and don't use them well that is really bad. It is a decent film but that is all. 

Overall

Overall, The Venom Franchise will go down as one of the most mediocre trilogies that has ever existed. None of the films are particularly memorable and apart from Tom Hardy's decent performance in all 3 films there is nothing that rises above average and that is a shame and continues to show the shortcomings of Sony's handling of Marvel Properties. 

Venom: The Last Dance (2020) Review

Venom: The Last Dance (2024) Review

With good box office performances but pretty weak acclaim, the Venom films have been interesting over the last few years and now we have the third and possibly last film in the franchise with Venom: The Last Dance and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees Eddie & Venom on the run when they are hunted by an intergalactic hunter and The U.S Government. 

Main Character

Tom Hardy is back as both Eddie Brock & Venom and I really like his performance and the buddy performance that he has captivated here. He is less weird in this film and though they bicker, this is the film where both Eddie & Venom feel like friends and that they have a singular goal and that is a nice change of pace. Hardy adds a lot to the performance and this is probably my favourite performance that he has as the character. 

Supporting Characters

Rhys Ifans plays Martin and he is probably my favourite supporting character in this film. He is an Alien enthusiast that bumps into Eddie on the road with his family and he just came across as pretty likeable and endearing and I actually cared a little about him. 

Unfortunately, the rest of the cast do not do so well. Chiwetel Ejiofor plays General Strickland and he just feels like a really generic character which is such a waste of his talents. He is this typical army guy and he offered very little to this role, especially with the ability of the actor. 

Juno Temple plays Dr Teddy Paine and I really don't like this character. She is introduced into this film and they give her this really weird backstory and tries to make you care about her character and I really didn't. She offers incredibly little and her character isn't given any satisfying conclusion here. 

Stephen Graham reprises his role as Mulligan and he is totally wasted here, this is one of the most talented actors out there and he is just here for exposition and that frustrates me, especially where they set his character up in the previous film. 

Story

The film does a great job in continuing the relationship between Eddie & Venom and this is where the film is at its best. The duo are at there best here but the rest of the story just falls short. The whole reasoning as to why they are on the run doesn't quite make sense and feels like a last minute decision and certain storylines and characters are weak and not given enough time and complexity. The films ending mostly works but I just think it could have been better if certain things happened in the film. 

Script

This film has a good blend of humour and drama but that mostly takes place between the characters of Eddie & Venom. It is inconsistent with the other characters as the majority of humour doesn't work and only a little bit of drama works and that is just strange. 

Style

The film is a comic book film and does embrace that, especially over its last act where we see all these aliens fighting in comic books style. The film is pretty brisk and moves at a fast pace but that has its pros and cons, it makes it an easy watch but it also tries to balance too many things and thus things feel undercooked and are not developed enough. 

Overall

Overall, Venom: The Last Stand is an Above Average Film and in my opinion is the best Venom film. It is messy but is pretty entertaining that at some point is probably worth a watch but it still falls way short of being a great or even good comic book film. 

Rating - 6/10

Joker: Folie a Deux (2024) Review

I loved the first Joker film but I have always thought a sequel was unnecessary and there has been lots of negative responses to Joker: Folie a Deux and I have finally had a chance to see this film and here is my review. The premise of the film sees Arthur Fleck locked up after the events of the previous film and meets someone who gives him a new lease on life. 

Main Character

Joaquin Phoenix reprises his role as Arthur Fleck and he is really trying here. He still clearly has passion for this role and their are elements of this performance that are similar to the first film. But there just isn't that depth that he had in the first film and the character is completely butchered here. There is no development of his character and it feels like he actually goes backwards and it was really disappointing. 

Supporting Characters

Brendan Gleeson plays a Security Guard and he is good in the film. He is really unlikeable but the dynamic between him and Arthur is actually pretty interesting, it's just not a huge part of the film and doesn't really get any resolution. 

Lady Gaga joins the cast as Lee Quinzel and I thought she was pretty weak here. I didn't care for her dynamic with Arthur and the fact that she doesn't fit the role that she was hired to play and the character was weak. It feels like she was just brought in to sing and no care was taken to her character. 

The rest of the cast are given little to work with and some are only in like one scene. The guy playing Harvey Dent did nothing to convince me that he is this iconic comic book character and that was a shame. 

Story

The story doesn't really exist, it is incredibly messy and doesn't take advantage of the fantastic ending from the previous film. It focuses on the relationship between Arthur and Lee and that is really dull so that doesn't help. The first act of the film could have been removed and the film would be better for sure. The ending of the film is also terrible, it comes across as over indulgent and makes no sense and I hated it. 

Script

The script has a few chuckle worthy moments and a few darker moments and that managed to salvage a few moments in the film. But overall the writing for this film and the characters isn't good enough and makes all the characters seem worse and poorly written. 

Style

The film took the bold approach of being a musical and it really doesn't work here. First of all Joaquin Phoenix is a poor singer and it totally goes against the tone of the film. All the intense situations are just broken up by these over the top singing sections which means there was no reason to ever care about anything. The film is way too long as well and really drags making it a pretty dull time at the cinema. 

Overall

Overall, Joker: Folie a Deux is a bad film that is a huge step down from the previous film. The film is boring, dull and offers nothing new to the table. It feels like a cash grab that failed at that even, don't waste your time on this film. 

Rating - 3/10

Joker (2019) Review

In a few hours I am finally going to see Joker sequel, despite its bad reviews so I decided to go back and watch the first film and here is my review for Joker. The premise of the film sees a failed stand up comedian attempt to survive in a poor society that will cause him to lose control. 

Main Character

Joaquin Phoenix plays Arthur Fleck and he is truly amazing here and he was well deserved to win the Oscar for Best Actor for this role. He creates so much sympathy for Arthur that you feel so sorry for him and even slightly root for him in this twisted role. His development and characterisation is fantastic and sees him transform into this iconic character. 

Supporting Characters

Robert De Niro plays Murray Franklin who is a talk show host in Gotham and he is great here. It is really nice to see that when he truly cares and has motivation that De Niro can still deliver really strong performances and he delivers in the scenes that he is in. 

Zazie Beetz plays Sophie who is a neighbour to Arthur and I thought she was good in the film, she doesn't have loads of screen time but her chemistry with Phoenix is great and I really liked how her character impacted the plot. 

Frances Conroy plays Penny Fleck and she is great here, she plays Arthur's mother and the whole thing is a bit of a crazy dynamic and she drives into that and it works. As the film progresses we learn more about her and how she affects Arthur. 

Brett Cullen plays Thomas Wayne and the film does a good job in having his story tie into the main plot and the character of Arthur. It doesn't feel shoehorned in and I thought it was well done with an interesting ending. 

Story

This film details a man who is truly lost and alone, as things get worse for Arthur he starts to go down a really dark path and it is hard to see. We see this evolution from Arthur Fleck to the Joker and I like how it affected all the characters in the film and the city of Gotham as a whole. This films story is really effective and is great. 

Script

The film is really well written, you feel so much for Arthur Fleck and want to see him succeed, just not in the way that he acts. The dramatic dialogue and intentionally not funny dialogue is really well written and fleshes out this character. 

Style

This film nails its style and shows Gotham in real disarray and that links to the personal plight of the main character. The music by Hildur Guðnadóttir is sensational and really fits the character and the difficulties that he is suffering. This films only issue is that it has a slight pacing issue in the 2nd act and I found myself a little bit bored but it does pick back up in the final act. 

Overall

Overall, Joker is a fantastic film that is a true character study. It isn't your traditional comic book film and isn't one for an often re-watch but it is one for an in depth character study and a film abut the true plight of an individual. 

Rating - 9/10

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014) Review

Alongside watching Rings of Power, I thought I would go back and play another element of Middle-Earth lore with the game Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor. It took me a while to do but I have now completed the game and its two DLC expansions and here is my review. The premise of the game sees a Ranger of Gondor and his family killed by the forces of Sauron, upon his resurrection he must team up with a shadowy wraith to get his revenge. 

Characters 

The playable character is Talion and Celebrimbor who are bounded together through the story. Talion is the main protagonist and though he is voiced by the excellent Troy Baker I just found him incredibly bland. There is just no real development for him and his motivations are basic which made me not particularly care about him. 

But Celebrimbor is more interesting voiced by Alastair Duncan he is more harsh and brutal then Talion. He has similar motivations, but it feels more personal due to his past relationship with Sauron and how he really wants to exact his revenge, you get a greater idea of this in The Bright Lord DLC. 

Relatively late in the game we are introduced to The Dwarf Torvin played by Adam Croasdell and I found him an enjoyable companion. You go hunting with him and the banter between him and Talion is some of the more interesting dialogue, his role gets further expanded in one of The DLC Expansions. 

The rest of the cast are incredibly dull, whether it is the one note villains that get no chance to develop or make you truly interested in taking them down. The allies of Talion offer little either and it seems like he dislikes all of them and you wonder why they even want to team up with him. 

I mean Gollum makes an appearance here but it feels cheap and just an excuse to get a well known character into this game who plays a small and largely unimportant role. 

Story

The story is a bit of a mixed bag, I liked how Celebrimbor is bringing out the worst in Talion and forcing him to align himself with Orcs in order to get his revenge on Sauron. It is great seeing your forces grow and be able to take down the opposition and is easily the most enjoyable part of the game. 

But the story lacks complexity and feels quite strange in the way it progresses. The story at its heart is a basic revenge plot and they cover it up with some fancy window dressing in gameplay mechanics and I just didn't care about Talion enough for it rise above its basic narrative. 

Side Content

This game has huge amounts of side content and it deserves a lot of praise for that. The amount of Orc captains that you can take down through the Nemesis system is amazing and shows the hard work that the developers went into to make that happen. Doing Missions to upgrade your weapons were pretty cool too and it was cool to see actual progress. The other smaller missions are fun too and alongside a long challenge mode and two long DLC Expansions, there is plenty to do here. 

Gameplay

The gameplay is really good even though it is basically an Arkham clone and it is really clear that the same people made this game. The main reason it is so good is the nemesis system as you go against and recruit Orc captains to weaken Sauron's army and strengthen yours. The action can get a bit repetitive but it is a lot of fun and trying to manage different scenarios is a welcome challenge. Though the final boss of the main game is really lacklustre and way too easy but the final boss in The Bright Lord DLC just about saves it. 

Graphics

The game has okay graphics, I love the different designs for the Orcs and the fortresses that you have to storm, with the cutscenes being well rendered and good on the eye. But the actual maps that you play on are pretty dull and I understand that they are going for the darker and grittier look but it doesn't quite work for me. 

Overall

Overall, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor is a good game and I enjoyed it. If you are a fan of the lore then I would say give it a go and because of its huge price drop this is a game that is worth playing. 

Rating - 7/10