The Walking Dead - Season 4: Review (Mild Spoilers)

The Walking Dead has recently been a very bitter-sweet experience for me. Every week I anticipated watching the newest episode, and it's frequently (and disappointingly) rather anti-climactic. Following the frankly boring conclusion to Season 3, I hoped that Season 4 would refill me with hope for this gradually declining series, and although I don't know if I could go that far, it's certainly an improvement. 

Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln)

The season begins with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his 'family' living in the prison following the previous events which brought many new faces into the picture. The Governor (David Morrissey) is now nothing but a bad memory, and things are finally beginning to look up for the group. Things don't remain idyllic for long however, as a plague sweeps the prison and consumes a few of the new members, forcing Rick and Hershel (Scott Wilson) to take action by segregating certain individuals. Things then escalate and it seems as if The Governor is still a very dangerous presence in their world, and events boil over (SPOILERS) once the prison is over-thrown in the mid-season finale. 

The second half of Season 4 plays out similarly to something like Pulp Fiction, as smaller groups of people are each given an episode which tracks their respective situations. It's nice for the show to not remain focused on the monotonous location of the prison, but this is also where I began to lose interest. It's entertaining when watching Rick, Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) survive in their own small group, but when an entire episode focuses on much more boring characters, it almost feels as if an entire week has gone to waste. There were a few occasions when the predictability of events became almost comical. If a dark house played a role, it was almost certain that a zombie would leap out and almost kill a character before being brutally dispatched. 

A few twists and hints at the 'bigger picture' made this season feel much more engaging overall than the previous one. With characters no longer being confined to the prison, many new stragglers are introduced, each with their own morality and outlook on the crumbling world. Glenn (Steven Yeun) comes across a group with a man called Eugene (Josh McDermitt), who supposedly knows the cure to the world-wide virus. A utopia called 'Terminus' is also heavily mentioned, but it almost sounds a little too good to be true. These sub-plots were interesting but, not surprisingly, far from concluded.

Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus)

That was my main issue with Season 4 and The Walking Dead as a whole: it didn't answer a lot of questions posed. The sanctuary of Terminus is largely left as a cliff-hanger for next season, which is exciting, but leaves you feeling empty once the credits roll. The story of Eugene is also far from ending, which is more irritating than engaging. That's not to say a few endings aren't reached throughout season 4, as some of my favourite characters in the show are now dead, but as a whole it didn't really progress the story quite as much as I would have liked. 

Verdict
Season 4 The Walking Dead definitely isn't as bad as the previous instalment, but it's far from perfect. The mid-season finale is much more enjoyable than the eventual finale, but both are entertaining at the very least. If you haven't watched the show up till now, I doubt that this will do anything to bring you in, but for fans there are more than a couple episodes which stand out as some of the best yet. I'll definitely continue watching The Walking Dead, but Season 5 really needs to be incredible if I'm going to still be watching in a few years. 

"Terminus: those who arrive...survive."

The Problem With TMNT

By now, a lot of people are probably familiar with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Originating in 1984, the franchise tells the story of four humanoid turtles who fight crime thanks to their human characteristics and martial arts knowledge. Since then, many iterations and cartoons have been produced revolving around the 'heroes-in-a-half-shell', and so it seemed almost inevitable that Hollywood would at some point decide to bring them back into public attention. I don't think however, that anybody could have predicted this. 

The latest rendition of this popular brand is set to be produced by Michael Bay, the same Michael Bay responsible for the average-at-best Transformers movies. He is in no way the worst director around, but the decision to place Michael Bay at the helm of this beloved franchise was met with dubiousness at the very least. Then, after months upon months of worrying information being released about the movie, a trailer was finally released...and people's worries seemed to be fuelled even more. 

Now, before I talk about the negatives of this (which are plentiful), I'd like to say that it doesn't look like the worst movie ever made. In fact, with a little altering of some of the CGI and possibly the removal of Megan Fox, TMNT could be a decent film. I don't have a problem with Megan Fox personally, but it's inarguable that she lacks very much talent when it concerns making movies. The real problem though, is the fact that this film is even being made. Why is it that Hollywood deems it necessary to re-boot and re-make every single nostalgic piece of media? The answer is of course: money. 

I don't even have an issue with the origin-story of the turtles not remaining consistent. I used to watch cartoons based upon them, but never to the degree of some. This is why I don't personally have a huge problem with the plot of the film, but more the principle of it. It's a perfect example of large corporations resuscitating old brands just to squeeze a few more ounces of profit out of them, and it's becoming a little bit too repetitive. This is why the huge backlash following the trailer shouldn't come as a surprise; if something isn't broke, don't fix it. 

Obviously I don't expect my opinion to change anything, and I know this just seems like a rant, but it just saddens me that this film will probably make a ludicrous amount of money which will no doubt go directly towards a sequel. I don't want the movie to fail because it might be bad, or even because Michael Bay is involved; I just doubt I will watch it because it would mean showing that re-booting franchises is an OK thing to do, which is often not the case. 

300: Rise of an Empire: Review

The original 300 is a strange film for me, because I always seem to catch small glimpses of it rather than the entire movie. I've seen large segments from the middle and end of the movie, but never sat down and watched it in its entirety. Because of this, I can't really compare that movie to this sequel, but from what I have seen, the original is yet again the preferable option. 

300: Rise of an Empire tells the story of a Greek army led by Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton), as they try to defeat another hoard of Persians. The antagonists this time however are under the rule of a brutally cruel woman called Artemisia (Eva Green), who literally takes no prisoners. The film isn't exactly a sequel to it's predecessor however, as it begins quite some time prior to 300 and ends quite some time afterwards. It's almost an accompanying film to a much more beloved one.

Themistokles (Sullivan Stapleton)

From the very first scenes, it becomes clear that Rise of an Empire is over-the-top. The extreme amounts of blood featured are almost comical, and its blatantly CGI appearance makes it difficult to become properly invested in any sort of dramatic story lines the film throws at you. I have no problem with excessive gore in movies, providing it is suitable and isn't present just for the sake of it. When the screen isn't covered in fake blood though, the well-choreographed fight scenes are fairly enjoyable and generally nice to look at due to the contrasting choice of colours. 

Unfortunately however, the entertaining fights are the movie's only real strong-points. Incredibly forced sexual scenes don't really add anything to the film as a whole, and seem to only be included to distract from the monotonous plot. The main protagonist of Themistokles isn't given much of a back-story, and his character is barely developed throughout the entire course of the movie. In fact, I was much more interested in the antagonist Artemisia, even though her history was also limited at best. The film also wraps up incredibly quickly, with no real conclusion actually being reached. 

Verdict

Overall, 300: Rise of an Empire is just a largely forgettable movie. The fight scenes are enjoyable, but that's where the entertainment stops. Forced sex scenes and 'emotional' sub-plots just make things feel awkward, and I can't really find any reason to recommend the movie...aside from the inclusion of 'War Pigs' by Black Sabbath in the credits. 

"I would rather die on my feet...

than live on my knees."

Non-Stop: Review

The first thing you should know is to not watch the trailer for Non-Stop. It has become the most frequently committed sin of modern movies, but the trailer for this film in particular gives away so much of the plot that the only thing you're left wondering turns out to be the least impressive part of the film: who the killer is. Practically every plot-twist is revealed in the two-minute trailer, so try to steer clear of it. 

Non-Stop tells the story of an air marshal by the name of Bill Marks (Liam Neeson). Bill has suffered numerous family issues throughout his years, and the film opens to him downing a strong bottle of whiskey to rid him of his woes. After a short introduction to the passengers of the plane which simply involves Bill walking through an airport, everybody boards the non-stop flight from New York to London and prepares for a boring, normal flight. Obviously, this isn't the case, as Bill begins receiving text messages demanding $150,000,000 and is informed that for every 20 minutes the money isn't transferred, somebody will die. This sets up for a race-against-time movie which was, for the most part, entertaining. 

Bill Marks (Liam Neeson)

The film creates a sense of helplessness very well. Within the opening sequences where the passengers are shown, everybody is presented to be a potential suspect, and this keeps the film consistently interesting and intriguing. Could it be the friendly flight attendant? Or the sinister-looking police officer? Until it is finally revealed, I had no real clue as to who was committing the murders, which meant that I was completely invested in the movie - just as you begin to have an idea, somebody else is killed off which completely throws your suspicions. 

But in this also laid Non-Stop's downfall. I won't spoil anything, but the film begins to take a very unique and interesting direction with some of the early victims, which is then completely thrown aside in favour of a, frankly, more boring storyline. The entire movie I was hoping for the twist to be far more surprising than it eventually was, and I'd be adamant in saying that the 80 minute build-up was far more engaging than the final 20 minutes in which most of the action takes place. It should come as no surprise though, that Liam Neeson is as enjoyable to watch as ever, and plays the part of a disgruntled air marshal very successfully. 

Verdict
Non-Stop could have been so much more than it is. That's not to say that it isn't entertaining, but the closing moments of the film are so unbelievably outrageous that it completely takes you out of the experience. I'd recommend it to anybody who's either a fan of Liam Neeson or hostage movies, but it's far from a 'must-see'. 

"How do you kill somebody in a crowded plane

and get away with it?"

House of Cards (Season 2): Review

Frank's back. Netflix-exclusive series House of Cards returned in February of this year, and what a season it is. Following the events of season 1, Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey) is now Vice President of the United States, alongside a comparatively weaker President Garrett Walker (Michael Gill). The loose-ends left over from his previous career as Deputy Whip need to be tied up, and the groundwork needs to be laid so that Frank can continue ascending...with the end goal being the presidency itself. 

Francis Underwood (Kevin Spacey)

Many new players are introduced to the dangerous game of chess this season, such as Frank's replacement Jackie Sharp (Molly Parker) and his new shady lawyer Seth Grayson (Derek Cecil). None of these roles are included merely for the sake of it though, as everybody has a crucial part to play in the Underwood's sinister game. I say Underwoods instead of simply Underwood, because Frank's wife Claire (Robin Wright) plays a much larger part in the grand scheme of things, often being just as ruthless as the main man himself. Within the first few episodes, Claire tells a woman that she will let her baby "wither and die" inside of her if it becomes necessary, instantly positioning herself as a dangerous person to confront. 

My main criticism of the first season of House of Cards was that due to the context of the programme huge, mind-blowing twists were not possible. The very first episode alone disproves this and then some. I don't think I have seen an opener quite as effective in a very long time, and it instantly brings you back into this world of deceit and murderous consequence. It's truly commendable how the episode plays out, because it sacrifices some key story elements from season 1 in order to quickly establish this as a new chapter in the Underwood story. The Frank seen previously is a mere kitten compared to the blood-thirsty monster shown on screen in season 2, and each episode is all the better for it. Season 1 took quite some time to gather momentum, but these new instalments are scarily rapid in grabbing you by the throat and rarely letting go. 

Claire Underwood (Robin Wright)

But none of this rapid storytelling would be possible if it weren't for the free structure in which they are released. Identical to the previous episodes, all of season 2 is available right now on Netflix so that they can be viewed at your own chosen pace - a style which fits the series perfectly. Episode 1 continues immediately on from the previous season, and is appropriately titled 'Chapter 14' rather than Chapter 1, meaning that the required character introductions are thankfully out the way. Every single episode is packed with twists and turns which simply could not have happened previously. 

I have no real qualms with this instalment of House of Cards aside from I now have to wait until next year to continue watching. It improves on every fault I held with the previous season, and exceeds every expectation I had. Yes, the many new characters mean even more sub-plots, but this is no bad thing, it just means that your full attention is required. 

Verdict

House of Cards Season 2 is easily one of the best things I have seen since the incredible Breaking Bad concluded last year. If the quality continues to climb at the rate it has so far, then I can definitely see it joining my most beloved programmes I've seen. Roll on 2015. 

"Power is better than money for as long as it lasts...

...but it never lasts."

The Lego Movie: Review

Lego played a big part in my childhood. Receiving a new Lego set was the pinnacle of excitement for me as a child, whether it be Star Wars or Harry Potter, I played with it for hours upon hours. So when I heard that The Lego Movie was being made, I hoped that it would assert the same nostalgia as Toy Story evokes nowadays. Thankfully, it does. 

The Lego Movie revolves around a stereotypical builder by the name of Emmet (Chris Pratt), who one day breaks the monotony of his life by discovering the 'piece of resistance'; an object which will defeat the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrel). All of this is foretold by a godly figure called Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman), who gathers a team compiled of many heroes such as Batman (Will Arnett), an adventurous girl named Wyldstyle (Elizabeth Banks) & a 1970s astronaut figure (Charlie Day). Constantly on the tail of the group is a bi-polar police officer played by Liam Neeson, who is wholly loyal to Lord Business. 

Emmet (Chris Pratt)

In case it isn't clear, there's a lot of celebrities featured in The Lego Movie, all of whom present their characters in an incredibly entertaining fashion. It's often argued that animation movies should hire 'real' voice-actors to play roles, but I genuinely think that The Lego Movie would be considerably worsened if people like Morgan Freeman didn't participate. From start-to-finish, the cast make the on-screen action all the more enjoyable to watch, and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The Lego Movie is also just a fun movie to watch. Although it's highly likely that the majority, if not everything was produced through CGI, within the world of the movie it is all Lego. Even the ocean is made with thousands of individual pieces of Lego, which just makes it a very fun film to take in, and draws you in even more. I'd imagine the fight-scenes within the film took a very long time to produce, as every explosion and gunshot is created entirely out of the globally-recognised pieces of plastic. 

Vitruvius (Morgan Freeman)

Similar to the many great films Pixar have produced over the years, the humour in The Lego Movie appeals to both children and adults. I found myself laughing consistently thoughout, some times far more than in any comedy I have watched recently. There's not as many jokes which appeal exclusively to adults which may be found in movies like Toy Story, but the humour definitely isn't dumbed-down for the sake of the main audience. I'd easily recommend it to anybody and be surprised if they didn't find something to like. 

The only major issue I held with The Lego Movie was the twist towards the end. Without spoiling anything, it will either undermine the movie for you or make it even more enjoyable. I personally found it to do a bit of both, and actually result in a slightly emotional scene, but some may argue that it detracts from the film as a whole. 

Verdict
The Lego Movie is an incredibly entertaining movie which will mostly appeal to those who played with Lego as a child, but I'd imagine everybody will find something to love. The many celebrity cameos do nothing but add to the experience, and the twist towards the end is, although a bit jarring, generally entertaining. I'd happily sit through The Lego Movie again, just to take-in the unique animation and frequently enjoyable script. 

"You are the most interesting, most talented and most extraordinary 

person in the universe."