Into the Badlands is a very underrated show that didn't get the recognition it deserved when it was on. It's an action packed thriller that keeps you entertained throughout the entire series and one of the better martial arts series I've ever seen! It's about a boy with supernatural powers in a post-apocalyptic world that's territories are divided by barons. It's one of the rare shows where each seasons gets better and better. The story just draws you into their world and gets you hooked. The fight scenes, led by Daniel Wu, are the biggest highlight of the show though...the choreography is just beautiful. If your a martial arts fan or a fan of action then give this show a try. You won't be disappointed.
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Rob133129 September 2022
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I'm currently watching season 3 on Prime and this series keeps on being captivating and highly entertaining. Nick Frost brings lightheartedness to an otherwise dark and bloody piece of art. There is no clear good or bad, but instead every character evolves, changes and fights with their own demons. Clearly great attention was given to the look & feel with beautiful fights that are like bloody dances with colourful and mesmerising backgrounds and beautiful people. Of course it's over the top, but that is what creates a world on its own, a world like in a fairy tale as gruesome as they were before Disney took the edge out of them. I love this series and am sad it was not continued.
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djmotiv17 November 2015I get that people want this to be entirely believable and that aspects, such as the lack of guns in a world where other machines exist, appears to be hard to fathom - but think of all the other movies that have unbelievable components - such as why does Obe Wan wear a raggedy robe in a time when they can fly through space? He could still wear a robe, but did it have to look like a potato sack? How can Batman really compete with Superman, seriously?
Anyway the mix of martial arts with supernatural and post- apocalyptic themes would make most people think this is a horrible combination for a TV series ... but not if you are a fan of old Chinese martial arts movies.
The fight scenes in this movie are incredible considering it is made for television. The acting isn't absolutely stunning, but acting never was in many of those Chinese movies and it was never meant to be. The main characters Danny Wu and Martin Csokas both do a satisfactory job in their roles. Emily Beecham's portrayal of the Widow has grown on me and she looks really impressive in some of the fight scenes.
Some of the supporting actors, particularly the fighters, I admit leave a little to be desired acting wise, but generally ... you don't want them to do much more than lose.
I believe if you over think the reality of this TV series, you may miss some of the good aspects of it, but admittedly this type of show isn't for everyone.
Having just watched the first season, I loved the finale and am eagerly looking forward to seeing more. -
muamba_eats_toast13 May 2019One of my favourite shows of all time I can't believe they're getting rid of it as it goes from strength to strength. The last season ended perfectly to set up for a game changing 4th season that I absolutely need to see. I pray somebody saves this great program.
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The love child of Mad Max and Ip Man mixed with an old school Western. This show is nothing like anything else, but there's something for everyone.
I'm not really a fan of steam punk, but this is very well done. High production value and slick choreography. -
roberthughes-7801210 April 2019I love this show. The story is gripping and thrilling to watch unfold. But what's really amazing is the art of the show. The filming, choreography, wardrobes, lighting, music, everything is stunning. The fight scenes are always a highlight, always suspenseful, always beautiful to watch... Well, except the gore that inevitably happens but you still cannot tear your eyes from it. Sparring and dancing are merged into one. Words cannot do the filming justice, you just have to experience it.
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Gretel100617 November 2015Absolutely amazing! I am just blown away by the storyline, the fighting, the beauty, the colors, and the creativity.
I saw one reviewer wrote about it being too unbelievable and that the actors look too perfect. I don't think that person quite understands the whole concept. The series is supposed to be like that. The colors are supposed to be incongruous to the depravity of the time and supposed to dazzle the eye.
I think the acting is great! I think that some of the actors, like the Barron and his son, are supposed to be over the top just like the colors are. I thoroughly enjoyed the premier episode and in fact, watched it a second time. I am mesmerized by it all.
Update after watching season 1: My affinity for the show only grew. I felt connected with the characters and naturally am concerned about their futures. As the season went on the stories of the "villians" were more flushed out which gave some insight into their reasonings and made them more relatable.
I am looking forward for season 2. -
repojack5 December 2015If you loved Bruce Lee, the old TV series Kung Fu, The Matrix, Kill Bill, Road Warrior, The Raid: Redemption and untold others I'm probably forgetting, then you'll love the genre mashup that is "Into the Badlands." I thought the ads were boring and redundant during episodes of The Walking Dead, but after seeing the first two episodes, it's pure, epic TV. Oh, and best of all, given the times, they banned guns in this futuristic post-apocalyptic society so everybody is highly trained with knives and swords. Yeah, the story is a bit vague and simple, but with with an Asian in the lead role, cinema-level fight scenes, what's not to love?
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thetalich15 May 2019If you are here for the action, you are at the right place ! Just don't judge it by writing and acting. They did that very bad. The main story is decent. With tons of plot holes. It's predictable af but trust me, the directors are going to show you some good scenes. The whole world is just amazing ! They've build up some great sets, and then you can see them destroy it. The character development is ok, I guess. But the acting is just on high level horrible. Just like my grammar ! There is this character M.K who is just the worst thing in the show. Bad character and really bad acting from the actor. Same goes to Tilda. These two characters and actors are just terrible. You can see Daniel Wu who don't really know how to express a feeling ( mostly anger ) , but the guy has an awesome character. Sunny is such a badass ! Big exception are Marton, Nick Frost, Babou and Lorraine Toussaint. Maybe with some good writing ( story, diallogues and character development ) and some better castings, this show would've been perfect. And btw, the intro and the theme song are awesome ! My boy Mike Shinoda made the theme song. He did a really good job. Directing - 9/10 Set/Picture - 10/10 Costumography - 10/10 Music - 8/10 Acting - 4/10 Writing - 5/10 Casting - 4/10
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s32761697 December 2015You know the moment you start watching that some series are going to attract something of a cult following. My suspicion is, Into the Badlands, is one such series.
Into the Badlands takes already interesting elements from 19th century Southern USA, cyberpunk, Gung (Kung) Fu and Samurai/Western action series, mystical and medieval epics and drops the whole fruit salad of seemingly incompatible concepts, into the creative blender.
The resulting series is an elaborate and flamboyant cocktail, that works in spite of itself. The primary reason it works, is all these cultural icons are familiar. The futuristic setting is something of an anachronism, reminiscent of any 19th century Southern plantation. Lurid splendor and vice, gained from the oppressive toil of poppy field workers called cogs(cogs in a wheel), who are little better than slaves.
Sitting alongside this, is a little Mad Max-ian magic in terms of machines and vehicles that populate this world. Technology, resurrected from a whispered past that has seemingly been and gone but is not entirely forgotten.
That familiarity contrasts another, the transplanted martial arts arena, reminiscent of classic films like Enter the Dragon, mixed with a dash of Gladiator, a little mysticism and any medieval epic you care to name.
The result is a highly imaginative, visually luxurious, mesmerizing watch, thats instantly engaging and very enjoyable. Provided, that is, you don't over think things and accept this creative work for what it is. I have been addicted from episode one and plan to keep watching. Eight out of ten from me. -
rstySp00n12 January 2021I like the idea, don't overthink the fact that there are no firearms left for some reason. But the acting is horrible and over the top, I found myself just scrolling towards the fight scenes and skipping the bad story.
Also it's like you see the same actor die 1000 times, so many people die in this show that you start to reconize them. Like: "Hey that dude died last episode also, and now he's dead again!"
If you want a show just to kill some lockdown time it's nice, but don't expect too much of it.
8 out of 10 is way too high. -
Supermanfan-132 November 2020Into the Badlands is a very underrated show that didn't get the recognition it deserved. It's an action packed thriller that keeps you entertained throughout the entire series and one of the better martial arts series I've ever seen! The fight scenes are the biggest highlight of the show though, the choreography is just beautiful.
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A_Different_Drummer14 December 2015Whether or not this is your cup of tea depends on your expectations.
If you are a Mad Max junkie, you are going to be in heaven.
If you like Kung Fu and WuShu then you are going to have to patiently sit through some so-so melodrama to get to the fight scenes. Which are pretty good. (Don't laugh -- an entire generation did this with Carradine's KUNG FU in the 70s)
If you like BOTH a solid story AND martial arts (like Forbidden Kingdom, for example, one of the best films of that genre) you may be disappointed.
If you remember the superb work that Gough and Milar did with Smallville (the first few seasons were polished gems, arguably the best work ever done with the DC franchise) you will be very very very disappointed.
So, bottom line, you get from the party what you bring to the party. -
*spoiler*
Last episode messed up entire show in my opinion. The fight with Quinn, his master plan and everything related to it just seemed illogical, undeveloped and the tragedy that came from it just seemed more tragic because the circumstances leading to it were very annoying.
HOW MANY TIMES DOES QUINN NEED TO COME BACK UP FROM A FATAL WOUND BEFORE SUNNY FINALLY CHECKS HE IS DEAD FOR CERTAIN ?!?!?!?
Well, we will never know, because Veil is the one who made sure he died, together with her.
I could get on-board that she had to die in the last episode, but in a more thoughtful way, other than killing herself to kill a guy who should've been dead 3 times by that point.
I've followed this show from the moment it came out. Even though most of fight scenes in season 2 were beyond fantasy, that was never a problem for me, as I have embraced that world and everything it had to offer.
I would've rated this show 8-9 BEFORE the last episode, however, after watching it, it gets no more than a 5 from me.
Such a shame, really.... -
birdie30697 April 2019I love this show. Don't see why they have to stop at Season 3 and keep the audience in suspense. It has a combination of martial arts, love and journey for peace together all for the one cause for peace. I would encourage more promotion and continuation of more seasons. I give it a ten star all the way around.
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I rarely watch shows like this, but from the first episode I was hooked! I just watched the season finale and already can't wait for the next season. AMC would be crazy not to renew this show, it has GREAT potential! This was an excellent substitute for The Walking Dead. I have to say Into the Badlands is tied with TWD as my favorite!
I love all of the characters including the bad guys! Sunny steals the show as a lethal killer with a heart of gold. Quite often you can't make up your mind whether you like Quinn or hate him and the same goes for the Baroness, one minute she is a witch, the next you can't help but sympathize with her. Veil, MK, Jade, and all the rest do a great job in their parts. Overall a really well written show.
AMC PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL THIS SHOW!! We want more!!! -
clockworksatan8 December 2015In this current climate of book and comic book adaptations, we're getting used to seeing well-loved characters and stories being brought to life (with admittedly varying results) on the big and small screens. While this is all fine and good, it's a little sad to think that there's been very little in the way of completely original movies or TV shows in recent times.
Thankfully, shows like 'Enter the Badlands' come along every now and then to remind us that there are still some wildly creative and ambitious folks out there in the industry that are intent on unleashing their creations on an unsuspecting public. And it would appear that 'Enter the Badlands' came completely out of the blue as, despite being on many geek TV/comic/gaming forums and groups, I'd not heard a single thing about the show until one of my colleagues at work started raving about it and how amazing it was.
After watching the opening scene on the first episode, I had to pick up my jaw from the floor. Not only was this one of the prettiest, most visually arresting shows I'd ever seen, it was clearly going to be incredibly entertaining. It opens, you see, with one of the finest fight scenes I've ever seen on a TV show - if you think along the lines of the sublime sword-based fight scenes in 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon', that should give you some idea of what the opening brawl of 'Enter the Badlands' is like, but with some eye- watering, bone-crunching and bloody slaughtering of bad guys added into the mix.
But this show isn't all about the fighting. Well, OK, it is really but thankfully it's backed up with an intriguing plot and some excellent acting performances. It's difficult to wade into the story without giving too much away, but the show appears to be set in a post-apocalyptic world (I think?) and in an indeterminate part of the world that is ruled over by five 'barons' who are in a power struggle over the regional resources. That's about all I want to give away in terms of plot!
I've only watched the first three episodes so far, but I'm absolutely convinced that this is definitely one of the best new TV shows I've seen since... Well, Marvel's Daredevil, to be honest! But at least that in itself should speak volumes about the quality of this show.
I can't wait to see more!! -
If you are a teenager who only cares about action, or if you are too bored that you wana be entertained with something, this is your series. But, if you have been watching many series, probably you´ll notice that this series is far from a great one. It has too many flaws in its storyline and action scenes. It almost seems like that its crew are writing each episode´s story, one night before filming it!
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doug-boshoff4 December 2015All I can say is WOW! This show might not be for everyone - it has some of the best martial arts fighting scenes I've seen and it is really violent. In a way, the show resembles a sort of Game of Thrones / Vikings hybrid - but totally different! The acting is just spot on and the story is very intriguing. I cannot wait to see more! I've only watched 3 episodes and I really wish I could binge watch the rest. The 1st season only has 6 episodes which is a major bummer. The trailer for this show doesn't do it justice. The pace of the show is perfect and I never felt the need to skip scenes, which I often do with long, drawn out shows.
I don't write reviews very often, but this show deserved one! -
Great show, One of my favorites.
Into the Badlands is a Science Fiction adventure. Like "Crouching Tiger," it has strong Martial art elements that makes this a unique television show. The combat special effects are fantastic; I have never seen combat effects quite this good on television before. Badllands also has dystopian SciFi elements reminiscent of Mad Max, making this a show that has strong appeal to both SciFi and action fans alike.
Emily Beecham as "The Widow" and Daniel Wu as "Sonny" are larger than life.
If you like SciFi, Far-East Mystery, and Action, this show is for you. -
Harun_Karali16 November 2015Strong start to the season. The story is fluent and is already starting to build a steady pace. It's nice to see that producers found some good writers for a show. Sunny is a Clipper. A lethal killing machine, He is loyal to one of the five barons, his duty is to protect and serve. But he finds himself at a crossroad when a token of his past returns to his life, He must decide between his duties and his instincts. What was interesting was the show decided to focus on the fort, Only showing us a glimpse of the nightmare that is the badlands.
I want to mention this isn't a show that everyone will enjoy, It is pretty gruesome, It depends on your palate, Personally I enjoyed it.
Grade: B+ -
stefanozucchelli17 July 2022A really scenografic serie with amazing fight scenes. It is a pity that it was canceled after three season.
At one point the plot became quite confused with an excess of characters that appeared even for a few minutes per episode and then reappear three episodes later doing something else. -
shadden6620 May 2018Dialogue was just getting too lame. Loved the first couple seasons but it has gone right down the crapper this season. Widow ALMOST made me hang on, her and her daughter are the only interesting characters anymore imo. Sunny and the rest are just unbearable to watch anymore.
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kasialexander14 December 2015This is a fantastic new series, and definitely binge-worthy!! Love the low-tech aspects-old weapons, swords, etc. Keep it coming! The detail on the costuming is amazing. Loved the leatherwork. The only thing missing is mail - that would work great with the period pieces and the swordplay. I found the characters to be well developed and relatable, with a good blend of traits that you both love and hate in each character. Keeps you wondering who's going to turn out to be good guys and bad guys. Great element to the plot! The location scenes were beautiful and appropriate, loved the mansions that looked like old Southern plantation settings. It worked great with Quinn's poppy plantation. It was refreshing to see the polyamorous aspects of the story, with Quinn's partners learning to deal with each other. Sad to see there was only one more episode this season. Hope it continues for another season (or twenty)!
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worksmart-5850617 March 2021Need more of Badlands AND more shows like it! Utter brilliance start to finish. Warrior is similar...Netflix...pay attention!!