Wonder Man (2026) Review

Amongst all these massive projects that Marvel Studios are releasing, I think that this show fell a bit under the radar. But today, I got the chance to watch all of the episodes of Wonder Man and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees two down on their luck actors faced with the chance to get the roles of a lifetime. 

Main Character

Yahya Abdul-Mateen plays Simon Williams and he is fantastic in his performance. This is probably the best I have ever seen him, there is a real depth and nuance to this character. He isn't perfect and has plenty of flaws but you do root for him and you really want to see him succeed and this is one of the great television performances you will see all year. 

Supporting Characters

Not to be overshadowed is the great Sir Ben Kingsley who reprises his role as Trevor Slattery and he gives so much humanity and development to this character. He is amazing and the relationship between Simon and Trevor is what carries the show and Kingsley really commits to giving a wonderful performance. 

To be honest, the rest of the cast aren't as important and feel like afterthoughts compared to our two main characters. But the main ones are X Mayo who plays their agent and is a lot of energy on screen that works well with them. The other being Arian Moayed who reprises his role as Agent Cleary, he is probably a bit more sinister but he fits the character well. 

Story

The story of Trevor and Simon is so well handled that it is one of the best stories amongst the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. The relationship between the two of them is so well done and feels like something that you really want to root for. The only slight issue with the show is that the other elements of the story don't work quite as well, especially the stuff to do with Damage Control. Also the ending is pretty abrupt and seems to be setting up future seasons of the show. 

Script

The show is really well written. There is a fantastic balance between humour and drama and it just makes these characters feel well written and well realised. The writing is quick when it needs to be and slows it down when it needs to and it is just so good. 

Style

The style of this show is interesting, there are barely any superhero moments or action scenes but I was never bored and was fully engaged with what was going on and that is down to the shorter episodes having great pacing. 

Overall

Overall, Wonder Man is a Fantastic Show and a true success for Marvel Studios. This isn't your typical superhero show and if you love Hollywood then this is a must watch. Give it a go and I am sure you will love it like I did. 

Rating - 9/10

28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (2026) Review

After 28 Years Later was released last year, we knew that a sequel was set to come out the following year. That film came out earlier this month and now I have found the time to watch the sequel The Bone Temple. After watching the film, here is my review. The premise of the film sees Spike facing the problem with the gang that he met at the end of the last film, while Dr Kelson attempts to find out a discovery that could save the world. 

Main Character

Ralph Fiennes reprises his role as Dr Kenson and he is so much fun in this film. He gets way more to do and that shows off more of his personality and he is easily the most charming part of the film.

Jack O'Connell as Jimmy also has way more screen time in the film and he gives a wacky and deranged performance that he rises above and makes the most out of, too make a pretty memorable character. 

Supporting Characters

Alfie Williams reprises his role as Spike and he actually has way less to do in this film but he still gives a strong performance. He is really stuck amongst this group of bad people and you really want to see him get away from the situation and he is still a great young actor. 

We get to see way more of the Alpha, who has a name now of Samson and his story arc is really important. The dynamic between him and Kenson was the highlight of the film and it was really cool seeing some new dynamic towards the infected. 

However, the rest of the cast are pretty dull. This pretty much is the rest of the Jimmy gang, the main one is played by Erin Kellyman who was in Solo & Falcon & Winter Soldier but her character offers very little and the development felt really rushed. 

Story

The story is decent, it really focuses on these two different things and both are handled well. The relationship between Kenson & Sampson was well done and it provided some lighter notes in this dark film. Also seeing the misdeeds of the Jimmy Gang shows how humanity can also be just as dangerous as the infected. But, similar to 28 Years Later the story is a bit all over the place and doesn't feel overly connected until the last 15 mins which are pretty good. Also, this is another major cliffhanger ending which is just their to set up future films. 

Script

The script is really well written. There are so many good character moments in the film and we see real development with these people and how they impact the world. There is more humour here that had me chuckling mixed with some well done emotional work. 

Style

The film does look really good and has some wonderful cinematography. Also, some of the stranger camera techniques are gone and I am happy to see that as it made the film feel more realistic. I guess, my main problem is that pacing and the fact that the two stories don't really come together till really late in the film. 

Overall

Overall, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a good film and an improvement on 28 Years Later. I think if you are a fan of the Zombie genre and this franchise then this is a film to watch.

Rating - 7/10

Steal (2026) Review

In January, we usually get new shows that are meant to grip us to the numerous streaming services on offer. Prime Video have their offering in Steal, a show that has Game of Thrones Alumni Sophie Turner in the lead and I have watched all 6 episodes and here is my review of the show. The premise of the show sees a financial robbery involved in a heist which changes the lives of the majority involved. 

Main Character

As mentioned, Sophie Turner plays Zara and I thought she was great in the role. She plays the character of Zara really well and I thought there was quite a lot of depth to the character and isn't necessarily the nicest person in the world but Turner does make you care and this is one of her better roles for sure. 

Supporting Characters

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd plays DCI Rhys Kovac and he is the detective that is put on the case and again I think he does a really good job in the role. He has his own personal demons and it contrasts really well with Zara and makes them two interesting characters. 

Archie Madekwe plays Luke and he is the best friend of Zara. He really sells the shock of the situation that he is and the fallout from the heist and he does a great job of playing this role. He is a pretty unlikeable character, but I thought that was what the show was going for. 

To be honest, they are the main characters and they have way more screen time then anyone else. But everybody does a great job in the acting department and offers plenty to the show. 

Story

The show has a pretty good story, the first episode in particularly is one of the most intense and gripping episodes of television that I have seen in a long time. It has twists and turns, with well performed and written beats. However, I did think the show did struggle to keep the pace and twists going throughout and led to a slightly disappointing ending that left me asking if that was it and I was probably just expecting more. 

Script 

The script is pretty well written, it had some real intensity to it and characters that are really damaged but not in a silly over the top way. Though, as mentioned above, I do think the writing of the ending wasn't particularly satisfying and felt a bit out of left field. 

Style

The show has a great style to it. It really conveys tension well and builds suspense, especially in that first episode that I think was pretty perfect and had me hooked. It kept me invested throughout and I thought the overall pacing was good. 

Overall

Overall, Steal was a great show and I had a really fun time watching this. It isn't perfect but is just a really easy watch that keep me invested throughout and if you have the time, you should watch it too. 

Rating - 8/10

28 Years Later (2025) Review

I am finally going to see 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple next week, so I thought I should at least find the time to watch the previous film in the franchise and the lead up to the new film in 28 Years Later. So I watched the film today and here is my review. The premise of the film is set in a world where humans are dealing with living with the infected, however a father and son go on an expedition that will change both their lives. 

Main Character

Alfie Williams plays Spike and this young man has a real bright future as he is excellent in this film and really is the one who carries the film. He has emotional range and gives a performance that really makes you care about him and want to see him succeed. 

Supporting Characters

Aaron Taylor Johnson plays his Father Jamie and he is really good. I really like the dynamic between them for the first part of the film. He is a good dad and he does want to see his kid succeed despite some tough love. It is just a shame that he disappears for the majority of the 2nd and all of the 3rd act of the film. 

Jodie Comer plays Spike's Mum Isla and she is also great in the film. She clearly has her problems and you really see how she is suffering and how the humans are struggling alongside the infected. But similar to Johnson, she isn't really in the first act of the film and is thrust into a leading role in the final act. 

Ralph Fiennes plays Dr. Kelson and he is great on this smaller but important role. He isn't in the film a huge amount but he does shine and shows his real acting quality to provide an interesting character that does stand out. 

Story

A real problem for this film is the story that is put on screen. It feels like a Frankenstein of a film and that there were two major ideas presented and instead of picking one, they just decided to mash them together. I really enjoyed seeing Williams and Taylor Johnson on their hunt but I found the journey of Williams and Comer to be more boring and it really killed this film in terms of its pacing. Also, I can't fail to mention how ridiculous the ending is and how offensive it comes across being something that just seems to be there for shock value instead of something with actual depth. 

Script

There was a few dramatic scenes that were well acted and well written. I cared about Spike and his personal journey throughout the film but that was mainly down to his acting. There is no doubt, that it doesn't always work and some scenes feel contrived and misses the mark, mixed with some really poor storytelling in the film. 

Style

The film has some great shots here, it looks great and really fit the feel of the franchise. It has some exciting action scenes and did keep you on the edge of your seat and that is mainly all in the first act. There are some strange editing choices and ways of portraying the action and it made it feel quite jarring at times. Also, as mentioned above, the pacing is all over the place and that is due to the story which feels all over the place. 

Overall

Overall, 28 Years Later is an Above Average Film that has some decent acting but is let down with its lacklustre storytelling and its only okay instead of being a great film that it had the potential to be. 

Rating - 6/10

 Lynley (2026) Review

At the start of every year, it seems like the BBC always release a police or crime show that is a relatively quick and easy watch. This year, we have a remake of Lynley and I have watched all of the 4 episodes and here is my review for the show. The premise of the show sees a detective move to Norfolk and attempt to use his unique skills in order to solve crimes. 

Main Character

Leo Suter plays DI Thomas Lynley and he is just fine in the role. He does have a real physical presence and he is very believable in his role. It is just that he is quite bland and there isn't much to make me care about him or his work. He has flashes but overall, I think he lacks the proper charisma and that just makes him an okay lead instead of someone who is really memorable. 

Supporting Characters

Sofia Barclay plays Barbara Havers and she is also fine in her role. She is clearly a determined detective and Barclay does a decent job. However, I think some of the writing for the character made her quite annoying at times and made her come across as a bit whiny. 

Daniel Mays plays DCI Brian Niles and he is good here, he is the biggest name on the show and I thought he did a pretty good job as the firm police captain. It is probably not his best work but he adds some star power here. 

Because of the nature of this series, there are only a few characters that are in more then one episode but most of the characters are well acted if lacking a little bit of substance. 

Story

The story of this show, doesn't really have much of a through line. Every episode sees the detectives on a new case which has no connection to the previous one. They are all pretty well handled and done, but I can't help but feel like it gets a bit repetitive and every episode feels very similar to the last. The couple of stories that take place over the 4 episodes don't really go anywhere and are maybe set up fr possible future episodes. 

Script

The script is decent and shows a lot of promise. The drama is certainly there in the cases and they feel pretty brutal. There is plenty going on in each episode and it did feel like one of the writers watched a lot of Midsomar Murders as it feels very similar. There is some decent banter from Lynley and Havers but it isn't on show enough and I feel like, if this show gets another chance then I hope this is shown more. 

Style

The show has a pretty dark style to it. It is dark, gritty and violent and that really does work for this detective show. It keeps you guessing throughout the episodes and in terms of reveals it does give that short term high of trying to work things out. However, each episode is 90 mins long and sometimes they really do drag and as I said above it can get quite repetitive with the way things go. 

Overall

Overall, Lynley is an Average show that shows some potential but overall falls flat. If you are a fan of shows like Midsomar Murders then you might like this, but it does very little to stand out and is overall a forgettable experience. 

Rating - 5/10