Jim_Screechy

Well! I just finished watching this and was completely taken by surprise by something I didn't think I would enjoy at all.

I'd never heard of this movie, not seen trailers and had no preconceptions about it. It unfolded into one of my favourite films of 2024. Having watched Gozilla 1.0 yesterday I think I'm on a roll.

Dev Patal really does a great job with his debut direction and as a action star I was blown away by his ability. There has been some great work on the fight choreography, but physically he's quite dynamic and the on-screen presence he's displayed in the past really comes to the fore.

The screenplay doesn't really offer anything new, but it does deliver it with a slice of fresh lemon, an unfamiliar and intriguing backdrop, and in a powerfully effective manner. That is not to say there are not some issue with the how things are potrayed. I found his personal journey and that of the political and corporate exploitation the movie portrays lacking cohesion, particually in through first and second parts of the movie. There really needed some tightening up here as it makes the story somewhat irratic and even a little difficult to digest. I found myself replaying parts in my head whiles things unfolded as my brain searched for anchors of consistency to hold the story-line together, and this is never a good thing. There needed to be a more substatial bond between the various aspects of the story to bind the theme together more effectively.

Additionally though Patels Character has a mamoth awakening and progression through the timeline, the other characters much less so. Even though we are on a couple of occasions lead to believe they might, it never happens at all. Certainly there was ample opportunity to have more substance and development with at least a few of the lesser roles, but sadly this didn't materialise. What we have is a very one dimensional film in relation to the players on the chessboard. Having said this, it wasn't so much of a distraction that it interfered with my enjoyment of the movie, but in reflection and in writing this. It does stand out as quite a significant shortcoming.

The movie is a little long and I if I had to guess I'd wager some of what wasn't cut, was done in favour of some of what should have been cut, which may very well be why the lack of character development is noticable.

All that said the movie was still very enjoyable and is certainly one I'll watch again, which is always a good sign. I can imagine there will be some John Wick comparisons and this is a tribute to how well the movie does some of the fight scenes, but there is a lot more going on here.

Great acting and directional debut from Dev Patal, and in fact the whole cast gives a solid delivery. I think Patel will learn from this one and up-game with coming endevours, but a word in his ear on the notes I've made would have gone a long way to making this an epic production instead of just a really good one.

Still I'm giving it 8/10 because that is how much I enjoyed it when I watched it.

I mean, I'm not even sure why Im writing this nearly ten years past the release date, but I'm idle with time on my hands (hence why I experienced the misfortune of finding his on Prime).

The movie has an enticing plot but unfortunately what ends up happening is a ridiculous account of the main characters failings in using his newly found powers. Worse! He does this continually with more calamitous results as the movie progresses, even though he has the power to reset poor choices and return things to how they were originally. In fact he does this early on in the movie a couple of times, though later it's as though he's moronic enough to have forgotten this essential 'Get out of jail free' card.

It's ridiculous and not funny because the situations that arise as a consequence of his poor wording, attention to detail, and little forethought lead to crigeworthy situations instead of humerous circumstances. By the time you get half way through the film its all you can do to stop yourself throwing the remote at the screen in frustration.

Ah well. Peg is good and so is Beckinsale, in fact the whole cast is pretty convincing with the roles they're given. The meterial is just tripe, sadly.

There are now new concepts here and no one is winning any Oscars.

It's a plotline so threadbare even the homeless won't wear it, but its fun, lighthearted and entertaining. For the most part it's well written and well acted. Snoop Dogg does a great job with the meterial and delivery and he brings much of the content to life with his character and expression.

Yes, there is a lot of profanity, it's Snoop Dogg for Christ sake! What did you expect. Omar Epps is pretty good too, probably one of his better supporting roles to date. The rest of the cast are pretty forgettable though they all deal with the content sufficently well.

If your sensitive about profanity DON'T WATCH IT! It's not for worse if you can't handle kids dropping MF like an OG.

Once again the Writer-Director combination fails to deliver a fulfilling production. Bringing a story to life on film, even a well written, interesting one is a whole different skill from concieving and thrashing it out on paper, and yet again I think this is the downfall of 'this' along with so many movies that employ this notion. Jesse Eisenberg or anyone else, for god sake next time get someone else to direct.

The film isn't terrible, it starts out with a pretty interesting premise of a disconnected family; a self absorbed son, a mother similarly obsessed with her work and fairly shallow with anything else, and a husband on the periphery without much of an emontional connection to either.

Problems arise because although aspects of the film whicih develop are interesting, it simply isnt enough to provide any real depth. What you get is 20 minutes of story and 70 minutes of elongated scenes and useless filler that add nothing, and really should have been cut in editing. You could fast forward through 70 minutes and miss absolutely nothing.

I've seen too many reviewers fail to properly appropriae the strengths and weaknesses of movies they rate and critique, and often the actors bare the brunt of criticism due to the reviewers ineptitude, so let me be clear; Julianne Moore really brings her 'A' game here. She's totally convincing in her dipiction of this character, and in fact the whole cast does an exceptional job with the material.

This movie really needed... probably a little adapatation in the screenplay to bring it to life, and an independant director to see the vision the story held and the skill to develop it into what was possible.

I watched this from start to finish without being drawn into the story at any point.

I think John Washington is miscast here, I had the same exact experience when i watched Tenet... found myself very disconnected as I he didn't seem to make a proper connection with the role he was portraying.

That is not to say the film isn't without issues. They have been fairly well documented by other reviewers so I'll not labour the points here.

My main issue is with the lack of emotional involvment with the characters. The film measures zero on the emtional richter scale, but more, the screenplay just doesn't manage to get you excited or involved with anything that is unfolding. Additionally, the characters seem to have little connection to each other. In fact it is only at the end of the movie that Joshua and Alphie seem to have any tangible emotional cohesion.

Contrast this with The Golden Child 1986 where Eddie Murphy plays Chandler Jarrell and the connection he makes to The Golden Child played by J. L. Reate. Here you can see what a great connection is established on screen and the massive difference in outcome it produces. Both films have two similar sets of pairings in almost identical scenarios with a stark contrast in outcome.

Anyway, for me the film was a big dissapointment, I can't say John David Washington was the cause of this since the Movie has many other problematic aspects, but the ones I've mentioned were particularly significant for me.

5/10 sadly.

The movie primarily explores the comedy aspects that exist between the dichotomy of traditional and contemporary attitudes in society. The trio are continually placed in situations where they are out of sync with modern attitudes and social inclinations. This leads to some interesting developments that leaves them exposed and despised.

The writing uses this discrepancy as an easy target for a focal point of the screenplay, but in truth it doesn't really work well, which is a shame because the three leads really have some great on-screen chemistry. There are some good laughs and well written lines delivered expertly, but the move doesn't fit together well.

Bill Burr's character 'Jack' as the main lead experiences the brunt of this backlash and its painful to watch some of the developments that unfold because of adherences to established attitudes which seem to grate against every other character drowning in the Koolaid of modern platitudes. He succombs to much of the pressue from his wife and her contemporaries, and eventually bows to the social flux of woke inductance... something I imagine fans of his (of which I am one) WILL NOT LIKE! As a bastion of resistance to much of this modern day socio-political postering, the film depicts a brutal demolision of what many regard as an icon to the resistance of woke madness... RIP

That said, the film is pretty funny in places, but I felt oppressed by the theme of the film and unable to relax into a zone comfortable enough to enjoy it. Shame really as it's quite well written, acted and directed.

This isn't one of those films where your hero wins, he's beaten into submission by modern attitudes and matromonial pressure, so be wanrned.

Anyway just my two cents, though personally I would recommend you see it since it's quite possible you may enjoy it more than I did.

Aaron Eckhart is good and given the material at hand, delivers a performance difficult to criticise.

The rest of the cast ranges from bad to atrocious with many over acted deliveries and poor interpretation. I suspect the direction is at fault much of the time here, but the result is a hammy production that never has you anything more than superficially engaged.

There isn't anything interesting or exciting enough to grip you, and the film falls well short and anything remotely entertaining.

The plot is a simple premise but poorly done with overly long sequences, poor script and bad editing.

As usual there are the influenced reviews giving it high scores that can be largely ignored, but my honest advice is to simply miss this one. Chances are you won't enjoy it much (if at all) and if you do make it to the end, you'll probably realise it wasn't worth the investment in time.

This was an intersting film which starts of slowly and builds some interesting scientific and emitional momentum as the screenplay progressess. I'm a little late on the review delivery only having heard of, and seen this movie today, but it intrigued me enough to write this review regardless.

Overall it delivers, but as many have said (ive subsequently read a couple dozen reviews) it does fall short and leave you a little wanting, whilst lacking any real depth and fulfilment.

I found the main reason for this is its lack of focus. The film delves into the topic of the Mandela effect its consequences and particulars, then begins to vere off into parallel universe theory, multiverse theory, the universe is a simulation and a bunch of other hyperthetical possibilites. I think this is a mistake because whilst jugling these concepts and trying link them into some cohesive hypothesis and blend them into the story line, the prime phenomenon of the movie title is lost in this noise.

I think the film would have been better served, dealing more distinctly with the Mandela effect, tying that into the storyline plotwise, and emotionally developing the screenplay from that perspective. Since the possibilities for the cause of the Mandela effect (if indeed there really is such a pheonomenon) are probably endless, whats the point in listing them and dealing with them here anyway. Just focus on the story your trying to tell and forget the particulars that, here anyway, are not really relevant.

Aside from this, I found our protagonists wife 'Claire' immensely annoying and particularly unsupportive, a totally unlikeable character. In one scene after their daughters death, she pleads and demands that her husband share his the topic of his considerations, since clearly he's deeply pensive about something. When he does, she becomes hysterical and berrates him, whinning and moaning about his inability to deal with reality etc. Well! She demanded he tell her, then she has a meltdown when he does, its rediculous. She does this throughout the film and it really becomes tiresome as you progress through the movie.

Yes the movie does lack somewhat in its delivery, but overall I still found it an enjoyable watch. This is one of those movies I'd say isn't for everyone, and you'll probably find out within the first twenty minutes which category your in.

The trailer for this was intriguing, and I like Jai Courtney and Giancarlo Esposito so gave it a tentative shot. It wasn't for me, and though some people with less discerning requirements for stories to make sense and the books of acceptability to balance nicely against reality, I'd had my fill at just half way through.

In fairness the story drags a lot, and as many have mentioned, there is a lot of padding which really detracts from the tightness and impact of the story in general, but additionally there is a lot of stupid stuff that happens, which points to lazy or incompetent writing. For me this was far more off putting. 'Plot holes' if you like, but a phenomenon I like to coin casually as 'the banana skin effect' is in serious play here. That is, If you need to slow someone up in a chase or have someone stumble for some reason, don't bother going through the trouble of creating a believable scenario, just stick a banana skin on the floor.

This happens throughout the series but culminated in my departure when the FBI agent Abassi - a prior drug user who has been in rehab and still attends addiction meetings (seriously) gets taken down by cops and found in possession of drugs, cocaine. Yep that's right! She loses the rights for child visitation she was seeking but there are no consequences to her FBI career; not fired, no reprimand, not even mentioned let alone an investigation. Anyway, as I've said, this sort of thing happens throughout the series, so you catch my drift.

As a consequence of this poor screenplay it makes the characters and seem somewhat cartoonish and the actors in the series, some of whom have some considerable capability and reputation, look a inept. To be fair, they do a good job with the material, such as it is, but its hard to portray a convincing account of a character that's written by morons.

The experience was ultimately more frustrating for me than fulfilling. Perhaps it if was shorter, 4 or 5 episodes would have been sufficient, I may have made it to the end, but in fairness I'm uncertain that without tackling the ineptitude of the writers this would have possible. 4\10 is the fairest score I can give it.

Looking for something new to watch in Netflix - as you do, I came across this in my 'Continue watching' stream. Odd I thought, I don't remember this, but hit the replay from beginning since a refresher made more sense that continuing from something I don't remember watching.

Well, it all slowly came back to me and I realised why I dumped it the first time round. The only thing more surprising than the high ratings are the lower ratings where it took people several episodes or god forbid seasons to figure out this is rubbish. Too much stupidity in the story for me to deal with. Example - the middle aged husband having an affair is doing it like a novice but acting like Casanova. In one scene, they are having a town meeting in the local school; he texts his 'Side-chick' that he'll be out in five minutes. She skulks off and meets him not even outside the school grounds just around the corner of the front entrance of the building! The same place where his son was earlier smoking a joint. They just get straight into it like its the most private place in the world! What! In another scene the kids get spooked in the forest and all of them bolt, but the big brother leaves his much younger brother behind to fend for himself, but then askes the his friend (who's father recently died) 'where's my brother, *facepalm. Seriously this happens.

This big brother is constantly slapping his little sibling around the head even in the presence of his parents... repeatedly! The parents say nothing. Difficult for me to swallow that level of bad parenting when having it paraded as normal family interaction.

Anyway stuff like this happens constantly throughout the show. Its like its been written by someone who doesn't really understand human interaction and behaviour or is too lazy to flesh out a decent plot, I don't know which.

Still the biggest issue is that it is ultimately boring. The screenplay meanders along with mostly irrelevancies only occasionally really capturing anything of interest.

I got the distinct impression this is a show made for teenagers, since it isn't really adult digestible. It's not terrible but if you're over twenty five, give it a miss.

A Good film, but an unsatiated experience.

18 November 2017 - 29 out of 35 users found this review helpful.

This is one of those films which goes round in your head for hours or days after you've watched it. I wouldn't at all be surprised if it achieves cult status with debates on its merits and shortfalls continuing endlessly among fans.

I often felt like it was on the brink of something exceptional, but that never quite manages to break through to that accolade and even though it certainly swept me away in places, I came away not fully satisfied.

Without question it is a very powerful film and there is much to love here. It's great work. The cast is superb. Jon Bernthal who plays Sam 'slam dunks' this role like he does every one, and really was a perfect choice for this part. Actually, the whole cast is superb. Christopher Abbott does a similarly excellent portrayal with the chillingly edgy and psychotic Elwood.

Its a deep and rich story, well constructed and thick with the intricacies of real life and complex relationships. There's no glossing over the plot with thin filmed convenience or casual coincidence, it as detailed story that unfolds well and delivers how a good thriller should.

The characters all have well constructed identities that give the film excellent realism. Bernthal's character has more meat on its bones than an Angus steak. Great care has been taken to give him a fully laden persona with all the dimension of real life, and I think actually this may be one of the films failings. There's so much meat on the carcass the film never really gets round to addressing all the choice cuts available. At the end your left wondering about delicious untasted morsels left as carrion for the mystical Hollywood scavengers.

The film is well directed well and well structured, but the pacing is slow, and consistently so. I think this is another of its failings, a small one, but still noticable. I say this because with a film with so much to depict, accelerating the pace in places would serve to heighten excitement in areas that could have been more engaging while more comprehensively enhancing certain aspects of the story. Having said that, what the film does expertly is create a suspense filled ambiance throughout, and that goes a long way to compensating for the issues I have picked at.

I liked it a lot but didn't love it. It was just too consistently low key, and everything somehow felt mildly underdone. I will definitely watch it again though, and actually think I will enjoy it more the second time.

I do recommend it, as it is still a pretty good film.

I came across this one by accident and wrongly assumed it would be some sort of Sci-Fi movie. I read the reviews beforehand and of course realised I'd got the genre all wrong. Despite many reviewers saying the movie failed to deliver and had comedic shortcomings, I watched it anyway.

Well to be fair, it wasn't that bad. It had an interesting plot and so-so delivery but I made it to the end being mildly entertained throughout. That said, I still don't recommend it since it doesn't really deliver as an entertainment piece and if I'm really honest, I only really maintained interest because the lead role of the Russian mafia boss Irina - played by Iva Babic, is so easy on the eye... to be fair, she's quite stunning and I found it difficult to tear my eyes away from the screen with her occupying so much of it.

I think I laughed out loud once, and though the movie is light-hearted and quite humourous, it isn't really funny. It simply falls short in the delivery and for a two hour film its a serious oversight in execution.

I think 4/10 is a fair score for something that has very little comedic value and a sub par level of entertainment value.

Give it a miss.

At the start of this movie we're given the definition of the word Sisu, which essentially means determination take to the next level.

The movie is pretty graphic in the way it displays violence and I found it simultaneously gritty and disturbing, so isn't for the faint hearted. It's quite a good story though I think much more could have been done to enhance the tension and suspense which are sadly lacking. Additionally the investment in characters was not exploited and the movie felt a little thin and unsubstantial in execution.

Allow me to explain. The focus is primarily on the protagonist and his plight and purpose. Even though other characters are featured, we're given very meagre insight into them and their perspective. Their involvement in the unfolding story is scant at best. As an example, there is a group of women who are only utilised to further elaborate on our protagonists objective. We can guess they've had a pretty hard time given the condition they are in and the little regard their captors have for them, but that's about it. The opportunity to use them as an anchor for emotional involvement in the screenplay is never really taken, and this is the same with much of the other characters. They are all one dimensional participants in a story that seems to have only one avenue as its sole point of focus. This narrow field of vision leaves the movie wanting.

The film is well shot and I loved the camera and location shots. The acting is all top notch and the direction is on point. In fact there isn't too much to pick apart, though as the story goes, it's a very simple one and there is no attempt to sell you anything else.

The other issue with the movie is the exaggerated nature of the violence, particularly regarding the level of physical punishment our protagonist manages to receive without any apparent lasting impairment. This is a little ridiculous. There are much more effective ways to portray challenging fights and gruelling physical encounters while keeping it realistic. Here realism has largely been disregarded in favour of the dramatic, and the result is a production that sits very firmly in the realms of fantasy.

That said, I still found the movie enjoyable, and though I can't say I was engrossed in the story, I did find it entertaining, and after all, isn't that ultimately the point of a movie.

I think 7/10 is a fair score.

I mean... I'm just blown away by this one. Christ, Guy Richie doesn't always come good, but boy when he hit's, he hits you like a truck!

This is simply one of the best movies I have probably seen in the last Five years. There are a few films I will watch over and over and over. Shooter, the Shawshank Redemption, Heat, Aliens, Pulp fiction, I'm sure you have yours... my 'go to' movies when I want to watch something enjoyable that never gets old and always delivers. Well there's another added to the list today.

There's nothing I can add that hasn't already been said, but to sum up I'll add a brief reiteration. This film has all the depth, character, and dimension, action and passion blended into a meaningful tale of human spirit and honour. Its violent and brutal. It's war, hatred and cruelty, but it tugs at the stings of emotions like newborn grips your finger.

Loved it. I think this is probably the only 10/10 I have ever given a movie, but rather than go into details, I'll simply say 'I've nothing to fault here'.

Enjoy.

Welcome back Mr Richie.

For a long time I've more or less tolerated J'Lo's acting career, and for this reason I can (sort of) understand the reviews that give it 1, 2 or even 3 out of ten. After all, who does this big bottomed dancer, come award winning singer & producer, think she is... branching into acting having dated then married one of Hollywoods sweethearts (Yes Afleck) by seducing him with her popularity and ample derriere! We're not having any of it!

Well! Here she gives a spectacular performance, and that's pretty much all there is too it.

Even more so, I just loved this movie. I was entertained from beginning to end, so much so that the thought of criticising it or even having notions of critiquing never registered in my mind at all!... well at least till the unappreciative bratty American teenager scenes occurred which furrowed my brow somewhat. Jesus!

That said, the movie was thoroughly enjoyable and only now when it's finished and I'm reflecting do have pause to really sum it up objectively, and well... it's still thoroughly worth every one of the 8 points I've given it.

J'Lo is simply fantastic, she gives a powerful immersed performance from beginning to end, I mean she just delivers here. In fact the whole cast is pretty much on point.

The screenplay, the script are both pretty solid. Yes the debrief in the beginning and some of the joining scenes are a bit hammy, but nothing that can't be given a little latitude for a movie of this nature. Lets face it, it's a well worn story that we've all seen before, but the delivery is excellent, it's well paced, well balanced and gripping.

The direction really excels here as well; kudos to a good job in really bringing this one to life. In the early scenes J'Lo is sniping some bad boys, and the effects, cuts, and animation, not to mention the sound, is spectacular. I had the volume up on my surround and it just kicked life into this scene to another level. Actually I wanted to see more of these effects in the movie, but they were scaled back somewhat in the remainder of the movie.

Ok is anyone going to be winning any Oscars for this one? Probably not, but does it deliver? Christ yes. It does exactly what it says on the tin and if you don't believe me, then watch it. I've seen too many movies undeserving of sub 5/10 scores and idiots with an ace to grind giving them. I try to give an honest account, even if the film isn't my 'cup of tea'

This one is great entertainment, and I give it a solid thumbs up.

This one was OK though beware if your not prepared to give it some considerable latitude in how it's laid out.

As clearly stated in the opening credits, 'it's based on the BOOK "Damage" by Josephine Hart" and NOT the movie 'Damage' which was ALSO based on the book by Josephine Hart. So the people with reviews stating this is some kind of rip-off, as though someone tainted their claim to rights on entertainment propriety need to get a grip.

That said, I liked this one enough to watch all four episodes and though the adaptation needed strengthening in quite a few places, it was certainly entertaining enough to watch... if you could get past the shortcomings.

There is a lot of good production here. The leading cast is great, the sex scenes are powerful and... enticing, script is pretty good. Direction is a little wanting in places and well, the screenplay... read on.

I have read a few reviews from people who hated it, found it unpalatable or just plain ludicrous, and I totally get it. It's difficult to get past the context of a Father cheating with the girlfriend or fiancé of his son, and given the environment, setting, and circumstance portrayed here, I don't believe the series pulls this off with anything near the degree of acceptability required for this to work.

The Girlfriend Anna played by Charlie Murphy, isn't captivating, gorgeous or beautiful. She's nice, yes, even sexy, but not stunning by any measure. She doesn't seem to be particularly alluring, and if getting William - the father played by Richard Armitage, to put an olive in her mouth on the first meeting is her 'playbook' she has some serious shortcomings as a temptress. In fact there is very little to her character other than this over exaggerated allure. Why this leaves William so spellbound is a bit of a mystery, and is somewhat problematic since given his portfolio has to have had some familiarity with 'female availability.

She has no intellectual or conversational qualities to speak of, no loveable quirks or qualities, nor does she seem to display any favourable characteristics beside those of a sexual nature. Actually they don't really do much outside love-making at all. Their conversational history reads like a recipe for a quickie after an online encounter... every time. There is nothing to their conversation outside their sexually driven connection.

He, on the other hand is an esteemed surgeon with a wife who even at twenty years the senior of the girlfriend, is arguably more physically emotionally and intellectually appealing. William meanwhile, acts like an adolescent schoolboy with a girl crush for most of the series. He's a fit, good looking, very accomplished wealthy man, and given the prestige and sex appeal that tend to accompany such individuals, it's hard to fathom the level of ineptitude and emotional immaturity he displays. It's difficult to get past these character shortcomings given the circumstances of the whole series revolves around his sexual and emotional entrapment.

A lot of foolish things happen here, and it's more or less ok since you can generally get away with this in a drama, but you need a firm footing on which to stand if you're going to start shaking the scaffolding, and here it's put together with bubble gum and sticky tape.

Charlie Murphy does a great job with the material, but her character is the very epitome of one-dimensional... and in truth all the characters are. There is no chemistry or depth between any of the characters at all. William and his wife, the children to the parents, every relationships seems superficial, so it's difficult to grasp anything more than the flimsy narrative we're given as foundation.

I actually laughed out loud a couple of times with the ridiculousness of what unfolded, but ultimately it's not terrible. It's more like a badly written romance novel that you expectedly have to fill in the gaps for. If you can do that, you'll be fine. For the more discerning amongst you, give it a miss as you'll probably hate it.

I think the real problem with this one is it is too short. I'm inclined to think much of the substance that acted like good filler in the cracks had to be left out from overrunning, and this is the result. It doesn't stand well as is and should have been another two episodes in length to work properly. That's an educated guess, because they've done too good a job with the good aspects to be that incompetent with the issues I've highlighted.

The Diplomat is a very interesting political drama. It's very well conceded and executed. The story line is somewhat farfetched but very well conceived, intricate, and developed. It's great writing, and nice to finally encounter a production were the lazy have been totally banished from the process. This is a carefully constructed series of events, situations and progression that engages from the get go. It's clear to see a lot of planning and painstaking work has gone into this one, so credit where due. Production quality, scenes, direction, cast... pretty much everything is on point.

However, good as it is, it does have a few issues and though these don't generally detract from the quality of the series, they do raise issues of their own, some of which I found a little problematic.

The first it panders to too many modern attitudes and social contermporary biases. Its a little annoying - The 'strong powerful and independant woman' (who has largely dismissed her husband) is chosen for US to UK ambassodor. Nearly all the influencial positions are held by women aside fom Denison who is black, and all the white men are useless incompentent and self serving... it's textbook Disney stuff being parroted by Netflix. Once again the American impression of the English walking around in grey pin stripe suits, bowler hats, and umbrellas comes into play, 'sigh'

Secondly the speed of the dialogue and the rapid, almost cryptic exchanges that often take place between the characters. There is a lot happening very quickly and unfortunately much of what unfolds is lost in this ridiculous psudo speech the series seems to lean on. It's dialogue only used in hollywood and contains exchanges you'd never really hear in real life. It makes the conversations problematic to follow as you mentally decrypt them, leaving you a half-step behind as you battle in earnest to keep up. It is a little taxing, and probably detracts from the enjoyment more than anything else; particularly as it happens with pretty much all the characters, though with some its exaggerated with quirks that have been detailed for reasons I can't fathom. For example, the very 'British' English spoken by some of the English characters is almost Shakespearian in its comparison to contemporary English, certainly more like 'Old English'. I mean who wrote the lines and delivery profile for Foreign Secretary Dennison? What is this Othello? His totally understated mannerisms help little to convey any understanding of his character or the monologues that spew continually from his lips. Its easier to understand an episode from 'Prime Ministers Question Time' that one of Dennison's exchanges.

The episodes, and the series in general feels not so much rushed as running on fast forward. I understand with a series like this there is a desire, even a requirement to ensure each episode has a lot of impact, tension, drama and events, but sometimes I'm just finding it difficult to keep up with the constant flow of unfolding palaver. In fact re-watching some episodes or scenes will surely be a requirement with this series, so just as well it's on Netflix. Missing a dialogue exchange, or one small aspect of development in a sequence of events, can seriously hamper your understanding of the story's complicated structure and leave you blindsided in escalating progression of enactment.

The feeling of too much happening in each episode really pervades here. I get the impression that perhaps it was scheduled for a ten or twelve episode run that had to be shaved to eight for the purposes of financial, investment or commercial viability. Whatever the reason, the episodes and the series in general suffers from it... Not immensely, but noticeably. At any rate, the condensation of screenplay into such a short series is somewhat detrimental to overall outcome.

I wonder if the desire for drama has overshadowed the need for logic and moderation. I mean Yes it is fantastically written but does everything need to be quite so farfetched. It's a little like a going out with a drama queen; everything's an event... except perhaps the Wylers' marriage which has as much dimension as a sheet of A4 paper.

This is the biggest joke of the series in my estimation. They're getting a divorce! Really! Why? Because he's a conniving manipulator with notions of grandeur and world domination? Ridiculous! It's made clear they were previously a power couple and she facilitated his diplomatic and career efforts from the outset. She's always known who and what he is... so it can't be a shock he has aspirations of his own now, and even though he's certainly a Maverick she knows his capabilities and seems to handle him as much as he tests her. There is absolutely no question she is an exceptionally capable woman, and her understanding of how he functions is nothing short of clairvoyant. There isn't any real bitterness or tangible animosity between them, and if anything the communication displayed between them as a couple is nothing short of spectacular. They are both physically appealing, intimate, passionate, and communicative. And are still having sex for Christ sake! Good Sex too it would seem. Even when giving the opportunity he doesn't cheat, something of which she is well aware, and he clearly loves her.

Half the married people I know would give a right arm (some a leg too) for a marriage this good. This is way more than a little ridiculous. They have shown nothing here that reflects the desire, attitude or necessity for divorce at all... What, because he's tried to manipulate her into becoming the VICE PRESIDENT of the United States of America? Are you kidding me! Half the global female population is fighting for a man like this and the other half is praying! The whole notion is preposterous. It's just written in the script and were expected to buy it. Nonsense.

Anyway, the series has clearly laid the groundwork for her to have at least a liaison with our Foreign Secretary Dennison in Season 2, so perhaps this is part of the logic in attempting to put the marriage on an unsteady foundation, but the slight of hand is clumsy.

There is a similar problem with the Prime minister's ultimately responsibility for the naval attack. It works as a cliff-hanger or a mind-blowing plot twist, but contradicts much of his earlier behaviour in prior episodes. I think the series is already good enough without gimmicky plot points that smell like cheap wine.

ANYWAY that's my two pence. I'd better wrap this up as this is already twice as long as I intended. As I said I enjoyed it, but will be watching it again (could that be their intention) just to ensure I know whose who, and what's what before Season two.

A firm 7/10 for me but as its so enjoyable, despite the drawbacks I'm giving it 8.

I clicked this since it came up as a suggestion from Netflix. I'm only surprised it took people three seasons to realise it would descend into foolishness... in fact I'm even more surprised people lasted through the first season at all, since the show is so questionable on so many fronts.

I did manage to get through the first three episodes before it became obvious the shortcomings would be too much to stomach.

There are two main issues with the show, and they are issues which tend to plague lazy writers of the film, TV and viewing industry in general.

The first is the idiotic decisions people make. This largely comes from writers taking the easy way out and choosing a simple but unbelievable path for character actions rather than investing the time and effort to come up with a plausible alternative. Its what I tend to call the 'Banana peel manoeuvre' i.e you have a chase happening and need a reason why the career criminal can't catch a one legged house wife... plant a banana peel, problem solved.

The second issue is again due to inept writing. The screenplay relies on the characters hoarding information and keeping everything secret for the plot to advance. This is another one of Hollywood's 'go to' procedures for creating tension and suspense.

It can work well sometimes when used appropriately, but here its used with every character interacting with almost every other character. Eg. The Cop keeps everything from his wife, his colleagues, his resurrected wife, the health care doctor who's housing these zombies... just about everyone.

But every other character does it with each other as well. So what we end up with is a bunch of people involved with the same weird occurrence, all of them skulking around more tight-lipped than an high level international espionage agent. It's ridiculous. The whole story and the scenarios that arise revolve around these secrets being kept.

Because this method is used much of the intrigue falls apart since it is artificially based on this form of information stemming which quite frankly goes against human nature.

I live twenty yards from a cemetery and trust me! If even one dead person came up from a grave was found walking around naked, the whole town would know before breakfast. I'm not even sure why you'd want to keep such a thing secret. Our protagonist decided on secrecy even before realising one of the resurrected individuals was his dead wife for Christ sake! What! Why?

It's a bit of a shame because this series had a lot of promise, with a totally different perspective on the normal the Zombie genre.

For me, these issues were warning signs, and I gave up after ep3, and was only surprised to find so many people had laboured through TWO SEASONS! What!

Anyway 3/10.

The headline names made me watch this one, and though it started out with a reasonably interesting premise, It became clear that the poor script and weak plot were not going to do anything remotely passable for anything entertaining.

It doesn't really go anywhere, and nothing much is done with the off-beat concept that's brandished in the beginning.

The story is very weak and I'm only surprised more wasn't done to wrest if from the vestiges of what can barely be considered mediocrity. By this I mean, there is nothing interesting about what happens nor does the story attempt to engage in anything which could be considered remotely interesting.

The script is "Meh" Here we have people engaged in what I often call 'Hollywood talk' where they speak to each other in sentences and style that we only ever see in movies, but doesn't amount to a hill of beans or bare any resemblance to verbal exchanges in real life.

The unfortunate consequences of the poor story and script mean there is nothing substantial to latch on to here, and despite the direction and performances being first rate (for the most part) they can't instil any excitement into what unfolds on screen.

This is one of those movies I would categorize as - A bunch of stuff happens then the movie ends - but nothing therein makes it an enjoyable entertainment piece.

It's not terrible, but its more something I'd have on in the background while training in my home gym or cooking in the kitchen. Definitely not something to sit down on the sofa and indulge in with a tub of popcorn and good company.

I think 3/10 is a fair score, maybe 4/10 at a push.

I sat down to watch this one and enjoyed it for the first half hour. I'd not heard of this movie so had high hopes for a fulfilling viewing experience given what I'd seen up to that point had been pretty solid... aside from a seriously questionable decision from the production hair stylist for our leading character.

Things then got so bizarre with an incredulous plot twist, that a black hole appeared and swallowed up the all common sense, sound reasoning, and logical progression that normal film making enjoys.

I called it a day after 45 minutes for fear of disappearing into the abyss of infinite absurdity.

3/10 for the first 30 minutes 0/10 for everything after.

Ten years after this release I'm reviewing this movie... go figure.

At close to two hours this is quite a long film since the character progression and ultimate outcome are wispy thin developments that go nowhere. It sort of made me feel cheated for watching something I had for the most part, enjoyed and had high expectations for.

Generally 'Going back in Time' films address some aspect of life that needs to be addressed or changed. If offers the opportunity for resolution of some sort which the screenplay then provides. This isn't really the case here, and although I'm not opposed to the different approach taken to the execution normally chosen, there was a lack of progression here that sort of expresses.... an exercise in futility. That said I did enjoy the film for the most part.

It was very well acted and directed. The period authenticity, the relationship of friendship and deep bonding between the girls in their youth, especially given the actress who plays the Camile -Noémie Lvovsky is considerably older than the actresses who play her peers, is very well done and powerfully portrayed.

Some aspects of the film didn't work for me. I can understand why she feels so strongly for the boyfriend of her youth, since for her, there are twenty four years of marriage and love to relate to, but his feelings for her are implausible. He's just met her and they've barely had any interaction yet he speaks of maddening love and desire. The love he speaks of, so deep like magnetic bonds that compare to planetary gravitation is inexplicable. This really needed to be demonstrated rather than told. It's a similar experience with the Physics teacher she becomes attached to at the drop of a hat for apparently no reason; what! When! Why? There is a lot of 'fluff' in the film that should have been abandoned in favour of emphasising these aspects of the movie.

Ultimately the time travel aspect of the film isn't really explored as anything more than an elaborate flashback, and this causes the movie to fall somewhat with any sort of real development or conclusion. If your going to go through the trouble of 'a time journey back to the past', for god sake do something with it.

That said, I still enjoyed the movie and think 7/10 may be a little high for what it delivers, but the aspects of the film that 'were' good, were very good.

I'm not sure what some of the reviewers here are smoking, but this film is a typical example of why you can't always trust people to pass fair comment. Yes, there are some films that understandably create a palpable divide in opinion, but I don't think this is one of them.

Its a pretty solid thriller, action movie that I really enjoyed. True, the plot is not particularly original... more of a variation on a well worn theme, but the execution and production are pretty solid, and the performances are well delivered and worth some merit. Ok it's not going to be winning any Oscars, but as an entertainment action piece it holds its ground as well as any worth of the 7/10 I've awarded it.

Grillo is pretty gritty here, reminiscent of Mel Gibson's performance in "Parker" and does a great job with the material. Once again he's shown capability outside his more familiar casting type. Direction, pacing, screenplay... all round respectable and well... as I've said Solid. Not much to dissect here to be honest, so no point in giving a long winding review and labour the points I've already made.

Anyway, glad I watched it, and if this review helps you give it a fair shake and a watch, so be it. I just don't get reviewers with an axe to grind that help no one.

Five couples swap partners for 3 weeks essentially living as married couples while doing so. Without the sexual activity for the most part, though some couples do get tactilely intimate.

Obviously this disrupts the various relationships and the outcome is pretty predictable. I wouldn't necessarily call it toxic since all it is doing is exposing the nature of human interaction on a very personal level. True, some people consider this a societal low, but realistically its really only exposing human nature in a very blatant manner, stripping away the the underpinnings of intimate relationships for all to see.

Actually I think it's quite a healthy way to explore the realities of serious romantic partnerships; especially since so much of what constitutes healthy pair bonding is really undisclosed misinformation with honesty and truth buried under pretence, façade and fluff.

Having said this, I'm not sure it's for everyone. If you don't want to colour your notions of love and romance, or explore the reality of what exists under the covers of perceived romance, then give this a miss. Even though it isn't uncouth, dirty or 'for the most part' tasteless, it is pretty raw in places with notions of love and compatibility unearthed for the reality of complexity that actually exists between the various couples.

I liked it, no real surprises, and exactly what you'd expect from a modern reality series. In fact given what's on offer, its actually a pretty good production.

The plot is fantastic, the performances range from good to superb, the direction is Good. I really enjoyed it. So why only 7/10 Well the script though good needs some tightening up in places, but the screenplay is were this movie really lets down the production. The plot is quite an intricate tale of intrigue, romance, deception, misdirection and drama. To do this well is difficult, and to do it convincingly requires a very tight screenplay with details of logic, procedure, and continuity dealt with exceptionally. Though there are not so much 'holes' in the plot, it creaks and groans at the seams here and there where the bonds of the story are not quite so tight.

Very strong performances all round though. Sebastian Stan who plays Max is good but not quite up to the requirements of this role. He is given an awful lot to do in this production, with a range of demands on his capabilities that slightly outweighs his deliverable repertoire. He handles some aspects excellently while others not quite so well. Given the script has some limitations in areas of his involvement, it is difficult to say if this is due entirely to his shortcomings, but certainly these are areas of weakness the movie displays.

Julianne Moore gives a good performance, but still doesn't seem quite as engaged as she's really needs to be to bring off this one with the engrossment needed for a stellar accolade. Particularly as her role really does place great demands on the delivery for her character. Brianna Middleton - Sandra, Justice Smith - Tom, John Lithgow - Richard Hobbes are fantastic, and the minor cast also do valid service to the requirements of the roles they hold.

You may find parts of the film dragging as I did, and irrespective of how much I was enjoying the movie, this is an aspect that really shouldn't be present in a film of this calibre... that is, given it is offering so much. The failings should have been dealt with and eradicated long before production as without doubt, minor changes in this one could have brought it up easily to a 9/10.

The length is about right for a film of this genre, and I was pretty much immersed, from beginning to end (aside from the issues I've already highlighted).

Anyway, Its probably still the best movie I've seen this year and a pleasant surprise given what's been available so far.

Definitely recommended viewing.

7/10 from me.

Seeing the same writer and director for a movie is almost always an instant guarantee that the film is going to suck, and this film is a testament to that.

I think this is going to be one of those films for the most part you will either like or hate.

If your quite critical about your Sci-fi movies, and like tidy stories with logical plots that focus and deal competently with the themes at hand... then this movie is not for you. You'll pick holes in it from start to finish and even though you may enjoy some aspects, it will ultimately fail to impress and/or entertain you. It may even aggravate you.

If on the other hand your not too caught up on the sensibilities of Sci-fi and you can give a lot of slack to something you find intriguing and less neatly tailored, particularly if your a special effects junkie, you may just like this one.

Its a great concept but fails in the execution primarily because of poor writing, and the shortcomings are vast. Where to even begin. The mother being the revered soldier from the prior war, and the daughter being the chief researcher/scientist who uses her mothers mental footprint for the AI matrix is a disaster. It's ham fisted and fails on so many levels because its not properly implemented. The insane director and his manic laugh and grimacing attempts at humour will grate on your nerves from beginning to end. The premise used for the the escape - the war ends so the company dumps the AI combat robot concept for a Domesticated AI robot alternative. The inept researchers who seem totally out of their depth and act like they got dragged off the street and told to put lab coats on to fill in like cast extras. Weird exposition and aspects of the story that go nowhere. Terrible meaningless dialogue.

There is so much of this film that should have ended up on the cutting room floor. Most of the movie is irrelevant filler that detracts from the film.

The CGI is pretty damn good and for the most part I enjoyed the fight sequences, but it was like a dichotomy of action and random screenplay that curdled the end product.

The story here is, a company is developing AI and the neural framework they are using comes from a mother whose daughter is head researcher in the project. The AI is clearly sentient, but there are emotional issues for obvious reasons, so the daughter needs to reconcile her love and feelings of loss for her mother, but protect and free her from the tyranny of the director and company.

Given the criticism your probably wondering why I gave it such a decent score. Actually I think 6 is fair, just think how good it could have bene if it had been done well.