Code 8 (2020) Review

Code 8 (2020) Review 

 This film is one of the most watched on Netflix at the moment so I decided to watch Code 8 and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a superpowered person attempt to raise money for their dying mother by making some questionable decisions.

Main Character

Robbie Amell plays the main character and he does an okay job in the role, he has soem charisma too him and I did care about him in the role. However, his character just isn't particularly interesting, his motivations were pretty bland and they didn't help make him a great lead for this film and just serviceable at best.

Supporting Cast

The main supporting character in this film is Robbie Amell's cousin Stephen Amell who is most known for playing the character of Oliver Queen on Arrow and he does a good job in this film and has the best performance in the film. His character does have shades of his character on Arrow and I am worried that after time he is definitley going to be type cast in that role but he worked for this film and thought his character was the best in the film. The rest of the cast though are really underdeveloped and you aren't given a reason to care, whether its the villains, the crew, the police or even his mother I just didn't care about anybody else and it hurt the film for sure. 

Story

Unfortunatley, this films plot is extremely basic but for me it just feels really rushed. There have been rumours that this film was made to set up a TV Show and it is clear a TV show would have been a better idea as some stories and characters aren't given enough screen time or depth to make you care. Also the end of the film is clearly trying to set something up as none of the characters get an end to their story arcs and it ends incredibly abruptly. 

Script

The script is extremely bland, there is absolutley no memorable dramatic dialogue in it at all and a lack of humour anywhere in this film and possibly embracing it's slightly cheesy style of a film. 

Style

This is easily the best part of the film, the style has some great ideas to it and it feels like this film wastes great potential. The design of the technology and the use of the superpowers is really unique and I liked how it was portrayed, the action scenes were exciting enough and the uses of powers worked and I thought this film introduced it well hopefully with more of this franchise to follow. 

Overall

Overall, this is a below average film, if you are looking for a film to watch to turn your brain off then this could be enjoyable but for me this film has so much wasted potential and if we do get this series in the future I hope it focuses up and improves on this interesting premise. 

Rating - 4/10 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 4 (2011) Review

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 4 (2011) Review

 The next season of The Clone Wars I have watched is the fourth season and here is my review. The premise of the season sees the Jedi attempt to protect there colonies from different elements such as betrayal, treachary and slavery.

Main Character

Anakin Skywalker is the lead character of the season and I felt like his character has some good development this season. He deals with some pretty heavy subject matters that are clear indicators to his darker side, this is the season where this is explored the most and you can see how his morality is challenged and how it is leading to darker things in his future. 

Supporting Characters

Obi-Wan Kenobi is pretty absent from the first half of the season but he comes to the forefront in the 2nd half and he has a really compelling story arc. What I like about his character on the show is that it shows a more morally complex version of the character and that continues this season with the most complex story yet that makes you think if Obi-Wan was truly honest in the later films. Ashoka is once again a crucial part of the show and once again she has a good character, she doesn't have as much development this season but she is a fun character to watch and when she is given the spotlight she does a good job. The show does a great job in making the supporting characters feel more important, Captain Rex, Asajj Ventress & General Grievous are given moments to really shine and it helps them be seen as important characters.

Story

The story has a much better flow and structure to it then the previous seasons, the story arcs are pretty much all interesting and really delve into some deeper themes such as I mentioned slavery which is an intense subject. There are plenty of episodes but as the season goes on you become more and more interested in the plot and how things are progressing leading to a great season finale.

Script

The script has some great dramatic dialogue, it focuses on the hardships of war and the emotional depths that the characters have to go through. However, it lacks the charm that some of the previous seasons had and maybe it would have been nice to see a bit more charm in the show.

Style

The style as mentioned before has a much darker feel to it and it works, the battles feel more brutal and action packed and it makes this show really feel like a war. Also to mention, this season seems to run in the correct order which really hurt the previous seasons so that is a positive for the season. However, this season has 22 episodes and if I am being really critical I wish like 4 episodes from towards the beginning of the season were cut and that would have made it easily the best season of the show yet.

Overall

Overall, this is just about the best season of the show and it sets up some things really well to hopefuly lead to even more better stories.

Rating - 8/10 

Hunters Season 1 (2020) Review

Hunters Season 1 (2020) Review 

 This show was heavily promoted by Amazon when it came out about a month ago and I have now watched the first season of Hunters and here is my review. The premise of the season sees a young Jewish Man in 1977 team up with a group of Nazi hunters in an attempt to kill Nazis that have managed to gain passage to America.

Main Character

Despite all the adverts making it seem like Al Pacino is the main character, he isn't. The main character is Logan Lerman who is a very underrated actor and I thought he did a great job in the role. He is the youngest member of this group and you can see the conflict in him as he is practically a normal kid being thrown into this crazy world. Lerman delivers an emotional performance and you do care about him and you root for him throughout the show. 

Supporting Characters

As mentioned Al Pacino is the main supporting character in the show and I thought he gave a good performance, he is invested in the role and I thought he was a good choice to be seen as a mentor figure to Lerman and thought their dynamic was pretty interesting. Josh Radnor from How I Met Your Mother is on the show and he is a true highlight of the show, he has tonnes of charisma and for me he was the character I most enjoyed watching throughout. He came across as the most likeable character on the show and really added to the show as a whole. I liked the rest of the crew aswell, all of them were very unique and it felt like an odd crew with their different personalities and made the premise more interesting then it actually is. The villains aren't a particular highlight, they are pretty bland and generic, but the group of Hunters are really good and for me I liked there characters enough for that to make up for it. 

Story

The story has some interesting ideas especially with some of the supporting characters' stories being a highlight and making them more interesting. The huge part of the story though is the ending, it does a good job in setting up some of the characters for interesting stories next season and there is a huge twist right at the end which is insane but I am on board and hope there is a huge payoff next season. Though, there is clearly some story arcs that are knowhere near as interesting, the story involving Dylan Baker and the US government is so pointless for the show and I didn't much care about the FBI character and her whole investigation. Also there is another twist at the end and I thought that one comes out of nowhere and it is just there to add something to the finale but it didn't work for me. 

Script

The script has some really good drama in it, you really believe some of the pain that the characters have gone through and you feel quite a bit of sympathy for the characters. There is some humour used in the show and for me it mostly doesn't work, it feels a clash to the serious parts of the script and confused me. 

Style

The shows style has some dark moments in it that make you feel really uncomfortable and sells just how bad the Nazi's were and makes you sympathise with the protagonists easier. Though as mentioned the tone for the show is a bit all over the place and the added use of satire and parody feels really out of place for the show and had me questioning why it is even in there. 

Overall

Overall, this is a good first season for the show, hopefully with the twists at the end of the season we are in for a more interesting second season but this is a good start for this show. 

Rating - 7/10 

Coffee & Kareem (2020) Review

Coffee & Kareem (2020) Review 

 So while we are all stuck at home, Netflix has decided to give us some new content and they recently released the film Coffee & Kareem and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a cop attempt to connect with his hopeful son in law when they get swept up with a conspiracy plot with people trying to kill both of them.

Main Character

Ed Helms is the lead role in the film and he really tries his best in the film, I have always thought he is best as part of a group of great comedic actors such as The Hangover because he is funny and he has some moments in the film that are pretty funny. But there are plenty of moments where he misses the mark completley and because he has nobody to bounce off of it hurts his performance, it also doesn't help that his character is so uninspiring and there aren't really many reasons to care. 

Supporting Characters

Taraji P Henson plays his girlfriend in the film and I thought she was a fun addition to the cast, her character doesn't really have much depth but she is a fun part of the film for sure. I also kind of liked Ronreaco Lee as Orlando Johnson a criminal, I thought he was pretty entertaining and somebody who I actually enjoyed watching in the film. However, we now get to the part I really didn't like in this film, Terrence Little Gardenhigh plays Kareem the kid and he is one of the most annoying characters I have seen in a long time. He is that kid who acts cool but just comes across as annoying and a very frustrating character to watch especially, as you are meant to care about him which you just can't. Betty Gilpin plays a fellow cop and she is so over the top that it becomes incredibly frustrating to watch and she is an annoying character in an annoying film. 

Story

This film has one of the most generic stories of all time, I know that for plenty of people the story for a film like this isn't important but I think it is and this film has nothing. It is such a predictable story and it doesn't do anything you don't expect which hurts the film immensley and means you clock out very early. 

Script

The script does have some funny lines in that I can't deny made me slightly chuckle, though I must stress this will not be remembered as a laugh out loud comedy. Also the dramatic scenes aren't affective at all and don't do anything for the characters or the story. 

Style

The style of the film has a bit of a tonal issue, at times it is a ridiculous but actual action film but then it has spoofs in it from other much better films, so I just wasn't sure what the film was trying to do with it's style. It has generic action scenes and they aren't really that entertaining to give an extra point to a final rating.

Overall

This is just the next in a line of bad movies made by Netflix, they just don't know how to make good films and don't waste your time with this film and watch better films on Netflix that other companies have made. 

Rating - 3/10 

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 3 (2010) Review

Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 3 (2010) Review 

 Continuing on me catching up with The Clone Wars before the new season I have now watched Season 3 of The Clone Wars and here is my review for the season. The premise of the season sees The Jedi attempt The Sepratists from destroying the clone factories on Kamino destroying future generations of Clone troopers. 

Main Character

Anakin Skywalker is again the main character of the season and he had even more development this season, the show does a great job of foreshadowing his future dark turn without going too far with it. He is more deep then the rest of the jedi characters and you can see how even though he is a committed Jedi there is doubt in his mind and that he is morally a bit more flexible then the other characters. 

Supporting Characters

Ashoka has more development as a character this season too, you can tell her and Anakin are becoming more similar as characters and she doesn't have as complex a mind set as Anakin but is slowly getting there. She is clearly maturing as a character and it has been nice to see her going from this slightly annoying character to a wiser more complex character. Obi-Wan and Anakin's friendship again works this season and is an integral part of the show, he doesn't have as much story or depth this season but he is still an enjoyable character and a good part of the show. For the previous two seasons we learned nothing about Asajj Ventress but this season does a much better job with the character. You learn more about her backstory and her motivations and it fleshed her character out quite a bit. Also we are introduced to a new character in Savage Opress and I thought his character was interesting and a different villain then we are used to as a character on this show. 

Story

The 2nd half of the season for me is excellent, there are some fascinating story elements and it does a great job of expanding the world and adding layers to the characters as a whole. However, the first half of the season is an absolute mess, it is not as interesting at all and mostly deals with the political side of the war. Also it is clear the episodes are shown out of order, as there are characters who died in previous seasons back in some episodes and it makes it really hard to follow and work out what time we are in. 

Script

The script has some decent drama to it, there are some darker scenes this season and some darker dramatic moments that adds the depth to the characters. But the humour wasn't as well executed this season and it kind of felt out of place in this darker season of the show.

Style 

As mentioned this is a darker season of the show and I must stress this is not a kids show, it is very dark and really illustrates war very well. You see plenty of characters die and it is very effective and makes you really feel like this is a war. But as mentioned the pacing of the show is prety messy, you have to get through the first half of the season to get to the better parts of the show and some people just won't do that.

Overall

Overall, this is a good season of the show, it takes this show on a darker turn but I just wish there was fewer episodes with higher quality and I wish they were just shown in the correct order as it holds it back. 

Rating - 7/10 

 

Bloodshot (2020) Review

Bloodshot (2020) Review

 With the recent issues with cinemas, this film was made available to watch at home and I have now watched Bloodshot and here is my review for the film. The premise of the film sees a soldier killed in action and ressurected in order to become a super soldier hell bent on revenge. 

Main Character

Vin Diesel is the main character in this film and if you have seen any film with Diesel in then you know what you are getting from his main performance. He is good in the action scenes and very believeable in the role and I know it sounds crazy but I actually think he delivered some good acting moments in the film to try and make his character rise above the average material that he is given. 

Supporting Characters

Lamorne Morris plays the research Wiggins and I think for some people in this film he will be the most annoying part in this film, but I actually found him pretty entertaining to watch and he provided a bit of humour to this pretty drab film. Guy Pearce plays the main scientist in the film but he is the most generic character imaginable, he is a good actor but he literally has nothing to work with in this film and I thought anybody could have played that role. Eiza Gonzalez plays a female ally of Diesel but you learn pretty much nothing about her character and she again is a really generic character. The henchmen in the film are all boring characters and this film completley wastes a great character in Tobby Kebbell. 

Story

The story in the film is probably one of the most bland and generic in recent memory, what doesn't help is that the trailer spoils the majority of the twists and it hurts the enjoyment levels of the film. Though even if you haven't watched the trailer you can guess where this film is going and the film does very little to add anything new as it has all been seen before.

Script

The script is also generic, the dialogue feels very basic and lacking anything memorable whatsoever. The humour isn't consistent and the drama never hits the level required for it to be considered emotional and just a bland script overall.

Style

It cannot be denied that there are some exciting action scenes in this movie, it is entertaining to watch this super soldier go through a group of bad guys. But my negatives for the style is there is a big overuse on slow motion during the majority of action scenes and it feels like we have been transported back to the late 90's which feels out of date for the film.

Overall

Overall, this film is the definition of generic, it had some potential but fails to deliver on it and there are much better action films out there.

Rating - 4/10

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Review

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) Review 

 With Rise Of Skywalker not available to watch at home quite yet this will be the last Star Wars film I review for a little bit and that film is Solo: A Star Wars Story and here is my review for it. The premise of the film sees a young Han Solo start his journey as a smuggler in order to reunite with a former love. 

Main Character

Alden Ehrenreich plays young Han Solo in the film and I personally feel like he does a really good job. He felt like a younger version of Harrison Fords character, he has the charm and the charisma that was required for the character at this stage of his life. He came across as a young smuggler and I thought his relationship with Chewbacca was a great start to build their friendship that we would eventually see culminate. 

Supporting Characters

As mentioned Chewbacca has a more prominent role in this film and I thought it was the best use of Chewbacca in any film before. His relationship with Han was really well treated and develops really well, plus you learn a bit more about his character that makes him an even more interesting character for the later films. Woody Harrelson plays Beckett and I thought his character fit this film very well, you can tell he is a mentor figure to Han and I thought their relationship added some layers to Han's character and he was a fun element to the film. Emilia Clarke plays Han's love interest in the movie and I thought they had good chemistry together and her character has some intrigue to her and I like where her character ends up at the end of the film. Donald Glover plays a young Lando Carrissian and I think he was the perfect choice for this role, I can't imagine anybody playing this role other then Donald Glover and that is a real compliment to him in this film. 

Story 

Now the story of this film for me is the weakest part of the film, it trundles along nicely for the first two acts and as I said I liked Han & Chewie's relationship and there are some decent action scenes but there are just some things bogging it down. Similar to The Last Jedi there is a side story which clearly has a political statement and it doesn't fit the film at all and really feels shoehorned in. But the main issue is that the third act just doesn't fit into the Han Solo character at this point in his life, I won't spoil it but as a Han Solo fan I was dissapointed in the direction that the character is taken. 

Script

The script has some charming humour to it that feels very natural for the character of Han Solo and it helps make the other characters feel more human. But the drama doesn't hit the levels that it clearly wants to and you don't feel as much as you should do. 

Style

The style of the film looks great, the action scenes are very exciting and you cannot deny that this film is entertaining especially when it focuses on what it is good at by creating good action scenes. It is also nice to see some callbacks to previous Han Solo moments which fit the character very well. 

Overall

Overall, this film has had some criticism but I think it is a good film, not the strongest story but an entertaining film that can be worth a watch.

Rating - 7/10