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chrishealey-98230
Reviews
The Walking Dead: Diverged (2021)
Zombie's Socially distancing!!!
Good to see the zombie's being socially aware and keeping 2 meters apart....other than that.....meh.....pretty boring tbh....and what was with the "wall attack"? Not sure I understand that little scene!! Skip straight to "Here's Negan"....now that is quality TWD episode!!-)
Beckett (2021)
Oh dear!!
Caught this on Netflix (from the interesting looking trailer) and boy was that a mistake....the trailer being the only "slightly tense" moment in the entire film and even that ended in an implausible outcome....so, if we stay with that scene....shot in the arm and pursued up a mountain (whilst bleeding out in 38 degrees heat btw) he manages to reach the peak without being caught or shot....and boy is it high....dizzyingly high.....cue, First Blood stunt...dive from the top into treetops and drop down to your escape....nope....frantically search around for an escape (whilst acting really badly) and then kinda half jump into a bush about 10 feet down this sheer cliff face and cut to next scene...jogging through a green, grassy valley....wtf....he must have been 1000 feet up a cliff and escaped with a 10 foot jump into a bush and then managed to traverse all the way down to the valley floor (unseen by either us or his pursuers).....I mentally switched off after that as the sight of Washington bumbling and stumbling around the Greek country side under and overacting in equal measures with implausible event after implausible event had me staring wide eyed at the screen.... I'm sure Washington is a better actor and needs a better vehicle but neither this nor Tenet were it....poor acting, poor script, poor direction...nice scenery though!!!
Midsommar (2019)
Bit Boring!!!!
So, so, so disappointed with this. Hereditary was a film, like many have said on here, that stays with you long after the credits roll...albeit, the first hour was incredible, unnerving, unsettling....then it descended into all out weirdness but, still, overall a great piece of film making. Midsommar, on the other hand, not so much!!! I waited months to see this and even watched the trailer several times just to psyche myself for the full 2 and a half hour run time which, I thought, would contain stunning visuals, visceral violence not before seen on film, amazing cinematography, atmospheric chills (a la Wicker Man, The Innocents) and an absorbing soundtrack which would further unnerve me and have me on the edge of my seat.....absolutely none of these aforementioned traits were apparent and I was left totally let down and disappointed with the whole thing. Unexplained missing people, suicidal pensioners should have been a massive red light to these reasonably educated younger persons but, "No"....crack on and it'll all be alright in the end!!!! How wrong they and we were.....Nothing is right in the end....and I mean nothing.....I can appreciate good visuals and I do think the initial "pensioners throwing themselves over a cliff" build up worked well and did include a sense of dread but, what follows is just plain nuts....then....nothing...just poor decision after poor decision. Ironically, as soon as the film finished (badly) I turned on the TV and there was an advertisement for the original Wicker Man at weekend....just the 30 second ad beat the 2 hr 27min complete film I had just watched.....swerve this and re-watch that again....now that is a film that builds dread using stunning visuals and music...often imitated but, still not beaten....albeit Ari had a go.....nice try but, no cigar.....
The Walking Dead: The Calm Before (2019)
I was wrong....last week!!!
I wrote a review on ep14 last week and vented some frustration as to the direction that this beloved series was heading.....I am man enough to admit (following ep 15) that I was wrong(ish). This is the kind of creeping dread that we, as fans, look for. I realise the program has to echo the graphic comics and there has to be licence to move in and out of the parameters but, beyond that, this episode built and built the tension from the get go and didn't let up until the payoff which, even though I knew it was coming was a mix of shock, horror, emotion and exhilaration all at the same time and that has to be "hats off" to the director, cinematography because that whole scene from the long shot of the spikes on the hill was incredible....music, editing, effects....for fans of this show, that's what we've been looking for...a return to this kind of quality tv. In my humble opinion, TWD should switch to 10 ep's per series and fill the entirety with episodes of this calibre....as heart breaking as it was for long time fans, it's what we crave to see every week...alas, syndication will dictate otherwise and we'll have filler episodes but, taking us on this emotional rollercoaster like ep 15 will win back the naysayers.....my one and only criticism of the episode was that I think Siddique's emotional speech (as good as it was) should have come at the start of ep 16 and more flashback time should have been given to the last stand of some of our long term, beloved characters as I think that was handled a little abruptly and not satisfactory....unless it's expanded upon next week! I think the episode would have had more resonance if it had ended on Henry's spike...just saying!! That said, I can't wait for the Storm and even S10 and the Whisperer war...bring it on...Winter is definitely coming.....with kick ass Carol and Dead Eye Daryl!!!!!!
The Walking Dead: Scars (2019)
I seriously don't know what is happening here!!!!
I was compelled to write my only TWD review for an episode back in S8 where I almost....almost gave up on it after binge watching from S1 E1 for over 2 months to mid S8 where I lost the plot (not unlike the show did)....the show used to grip me and had me coming back for more on a daily basis....I actually looked forward to getting on my running machine every night and catching up on Rick, Shane, Carol, Daryl, Michonne, Glenn, Maggie, Herschel et al.....I was able to watch it back to back right up until Ricks exit episode and then I am having to wait (like everyone else) for my weekly fix. Alas, I found myself, last night, wanting it to end so I could watch something else....not bothered about Michonne anymore...indifferent to Daryl....non-plussed about Judith. I am so disappointed with how things are panning out. The show has lost its creepy, looming dread and zombies are now (a little like the original Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno show where he changed to the Hulk twice an episode) only showing up for the required 2 appearances to be despatched lazily and uninvolving. So disappointed with last night....the flashbacks were confusing and the "Children of the Corn/Oliver Twist Fagin" type scenario was so unconvincing...>Daryl and Michonne have survived 10 years in ZA and then allow themselves to be caught by some kids....and the whole scene of the kids coming at Michonne with swords and knives....I'm sorry but, the choreography there was appallingly bad.....even to the point where I actually thought Dania's acting was poor and forced......I could go on but, it pains me and I don't want to be negative again about a show I love(d) and will stick with but, I am hanging on in there.....and, without mobile phones etc, how did Michonne just stumble upon Daryl's group in the middle of the Atlanta backwoods...lazy lazy lazy writing...."hop on the cart/hybrid horse drawn thing" which, btw, looked ridiculous.....what happened to tense, creepy, horror, dread? It seems we are left with a cross between Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven....and, finally, the Whisperers!!!! the build up was so promising and the first few episodes gave us that creepy feel back but now!!!! It's not as if there are massive set pieces that require massive budgets (unless the cast are now soaking up all the cash) but, the 2 who crept up on the Kingdom at the end of last nights episode did just look like cheap Halloween masks made from the same mould and not scary at all!!!!! and still confused as to how they can move around with just a mask on... I thought (from back in the good ole days) you had to have the odour, smell, guts, innards to blend in...not just a Halloween mask!!!!! I am on the verge!!!!!
The Walking Dead: Honor (2018)
Don't really know where to start.....but, it pains me to write this!!
I was late to the table for Walking Dead. I tried to get into it 3-4 times whilst working out on a running machine. I finally made it to the end of S1 Ep1 and then I was hooked with each show and it's accompanying cliffhanger. Original characters in unique, new situations...life and death (and then life again). I have watched this show back to back episodes for the last 2 months whilst running, working out and I have been gripped, exhilarated, happy, sad, emotional but always eager to get to the next episode. That is, until midway through S7 until now (S8 Ep9). I always check on IMDB for reviews so I knew a change was coming from S7 onwards but, oh my, I had no idea to what depths the storytelling, scripts, action, characters, direction would be taking. Don't get me wrong, I kinda like Negan (partly because I do think whilst JDM is a fine actor, he is hamming it up a little, but he can be incredibly sinister) but, the contempt for which the writers are holding the loyal fans is unbelievable. I only write reviews on IMDB when it's either incredibly good (Cobra Kai) or really really bad (some Bruce Willis, Frank Grillo movie I can't even remember now)....so, I'm here to vent my frustration at how betrayed I feel having stood by these characters for 7 seasons and what/where they have now become. I'm fairly sure the fine actors that they are (Andrew, Norman et al) are as frustrated as the rest of us when they see this mess of a show. Gone are the days of tense build up, cliffhangers, realistic human reactions to situations we can only have nightmares about.....sacrifice, reaching into your darkest soul to make decisions to protect family and friends against the wave of epidemic proportions......real episodic TV which left you wanting to get to the next one. Having watched it back to back over 2 months, the diminishing quality of the series is more identifiable.....Only 3 days before I was watching Rick against unimaginable odds and at the point of giving up after trying so hard to overcome everything for his "family" to (cut forward 3 days) running around like something out of TJ Hooker or the very worst 80's prime time tv. Talk about forcing the actual Walking Dead on us....they are now a secondary issue....I literally am watching S8 knowing that S( has better reviews....it's like watching Halloweens 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 H20, Regurgitated, Re-imagined 1,2 & 3 to get to the new Re-make.....a necessary evil and a season that could very well just not exist. I am watching and smirking at how ridiculous this has all become. It's insulting and upsetting that we've invested so much into these characters lives and well being that we're having to believe that Carol is some kind of SAS combat veteran and one woman killing machine....cue spin off Rambo type film series.....honestly, Carol was one of the characters I rooted for....felt for...sympathised with but now.....I can't relate to her at all...such a shame. It's as though S1-7 have been erased and this mish mash of a season is a spin off.....I don't even want to go into some of the ridiculous situations that this season has had us try to accept....Negan/Rick fight, Carls death sceneeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, Carol and Morgan's Kingdom assault, gun battles (don't even go there), Shiva's death, stupid talking community leaders, bad bad bad decision making, close up face shots (seriously wtf??), no walkers attracted to enormous explosions, Eugene's dilemma, Gregory, Maggies scowl, Michonne gone weak, Rosita story arc etc etc etc.....not to mention the all out mass confusion of where anyone is, how they're getting from A to B so quickly and unhindered, guns and ammunition that comes and goes, the trash people who just come and go, characters who could once never miss a walker now can't shoot for s**t and hit a Saviour....I could go on....and it does really pain me to stick the commando knife into a show that really gripped me for 7 seasons but, I can only hope I get through S8 and S9 lives up to the early, rave reviews.....hopefully!!!!
Reprisal (2018)
No no no no no....Messrs Willis and Grillo....what were you thinking?
Admittedly, actors are drawn to scripts with no real idea how their craft will manifest itself on the finished product but, omg, at some point through this mess of a film should 2 seasoned actors say to themselves (or each other) "this sucks....maybe we should up our game and salvage a little price" but, alas, no.
Tough to know where to start but, the whole hokey "we need to cut back our expenditure" conversation over breakfast sets the tone....the gruff Bruce Willis only has to say "morning" to his neighbour but, doesn't look at him and instead glares at the ground as if to say, these 2 neighbours don't get on (yet they do...they are buddies, friends) so, why have Willis glaring as if he may have something to do with what's about to unfold....misdirect maybe or just overacting? you be the judge.
The actual robbery itself.....apart from shooting the security guard (for no other reason than to tell us that this guy is evil and merciless....why would he do that....why not disarm him and tie him up?) phone jammer, tactical outfit, little post it notes instead of speaking, military grade lock all looked good but then it all goods really bad....the editing is appalling....wtf....I don't even know what happened to the bank robber....he was there then he was gone and Grillo and his colleague are covered in Red powder from exploding bags of cash....I understand they ended up as decoys but, give us a clue and edit the thing a little more helpfully...
Then we have the whole clichéd "can't sleep, violent bank robber, must catch him myself" storyline.....need I say more?
Willis's first basement meeting with the flip chart etc.....really really made no sense whatsoever....was the director trying to make us feel like he had something to do with it...cos that's how it came across...another misdirect maybe but Bruces's acting was terrible....and what about this exotic lock....we are made to believe it is a plot point but, then....nothing!!!!!
And then...Grillo manages to locate bad guys lair and, instead of phoning the cops right there and then....goes to investigate and confirms he is bad guy....so, obviously then proceeds to follow him right to his next job...a meticulously planned (cos we saw the montage) security van heist that goes spectacularly wrong....why all the planning and measuring etc? It couldn't have gone more wrong for bad guy.....and when oh when will Americal cops be trained sufficiently to enable at least one of them to hit the target...a bad guy!!!!???
Then the whole "sneak into hospital, kill an FBI agent in a room...then have time to call Grillo's character, then kill the injured lady (who had sizeable trauma to her head from the security van heist but, looked ok to me and didn't really have sufficient trauma to spend a night in hospital anyway other than to go and get herself killed by psycho killer"....no hospital staff alerted to this strange man with a gun and silencer killing 2 people and making phone calls.....come on!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The conclusion to this entire mess has to be the worst shootout in cinema history....none of it makes sense....it actually reminded me of the old "Police Squad" Leslie Nielson shootout where they were behind 2 trash cans about 3 feet apart...and still couldn't hit anyone....and if I saw any more clichéd cops getting out of their cars and trying to walk into automatic weapon gunfire....and ultimately getting dead...I swear down.....ridiculous....oh, and to even try to make the bad guy look like Robert de Niro in Heat was outrageous...bordering on pathetic....he gives away the location of the kidnapped family to the undercover cops.....they find them but, don't think to let Grill know who has an earpiece in...wtf???? how about that little plot hole? he then has to tackle to professional hitman thinking that if he kills him he'll never know where his family are....who, by this time are now safe in an ambulance and being treated by the incredibly overacting Bruce Willis...and no-one wants that now do they!!! Bruce then goes all into action mode running while cocking a shotgun.....only for Grillo to stand off and as if to say "we need more action" have Willis off bad guy whilst he falls over a balcony to a grisly demise. Cue, soft, sweet music....bad guy is dead!!!!
Then the payoff....Grillo ends up a cop 6 months later!!!! Why??? cos he did everything a cop wouldn't do? makes no sense.
to conclude.....I rarely post on here....the last post (and in fact my first) was to congratulate "Cobra Kai" on being a class production and a breath of fresh air in the over populated arena of mini series...so, happy to heap praise where earned....but this......this made me so mad.....I love Bruce (although some of his latter years outings have been very very misjudged) and I love the up and coming Frank Grillo....Wheelman was one of my favourite films of last year...but, poor film making is inexcusable....lazy writing, shocking editing, plot holes, sub plots that lead no where (bad guys father..suffering dementia with a army background and warehouse......so so poor)....and asking the audience to suspend far too much belief.....I am personally insulted at how crap the whole effort was....alas, as I mentioned at the top...may Bruce and Frank didn't know how bad the resulting effort was going to be but, my my.....it is BAD!!!! sorry guys!-(
Cobra Kai (2018)
William Zabka is a revelation in a top cast with this classy update and sequel to the original Karate Kid
Wow....just finished watching the 1st series and it prompted me to sign up to IMDB just to write a review of this amazing series. I noted (in William Zabka's quotes) that the original audience for the 1st film are all now parents and that makes him smile....I am that demographic....I watched the film many, many times as a teenager and it is a seminal classic of good versus evil....or so I thought. I'm not sure where to start on the Cobra Kai series....is it mixed feelings and ambiguity of who is right and who is wrong all these years later. Impossible not to feel for Johnny Lawrence with a subtle, nuanced and often funny portrayal from Zabka who, it turns out, is a fantastic actor with multi layers to his craft and comic timing to match any of the best. He's almost a caricature but, he plays it with heart and soul and (as I'm sure is the intention) leaves you feeling sorry for him and totally reviewing how you thought the original film worked....I knew I loved the original but, I'm gonna go straight back and watch it again for the first time in 20 years.....the whole thing is a joy and moves along at pace with drama, comedy and a massive nod back to the 80's. This had me smiling and laughing out loud with too many references to Karate Kid to mention but, all in a measured and fun way. Ralph is great too....again, playing it down but, still full of the spirit and verve of the original Danny....my loyalties to the 2 protagonists were forever switching (and still are)...I'm still not sure who was bad, good or indifferent but, that's the intent and that's what great TV is about. talk about a season finale too...wow....all the main locations from the original re-visited with a sprinkling of cameo appearances from the big characters.....and whilst I'm not sure I'm giving anything away...the final 20 seconds had the hairs up on the back of my neck.....can't wait for season 2.....Go Johnny...no....Danny.....no....Kyler.....hell, I don't know who I'm rooting for just that it's a joy....Strike First, Strike Hard...No Mercy......there is no pain in this dojo!!!!!!