whiterhys-74027 Reviews

Hijack (2023)

A Genuine Thriller

[8/10 · 13 May 2024]

The Hijack of an airline doesn't seem like the subject of a big budget drama but combined with its real time feel it works.

Jim Field Smith the writer is known for left field radio comedies and at times that left field feel comes through - at times this drama is silly but it doesn't mind and doesn't spend the next half and episode explaining why something just happened.

Elba is brilliant, some of the other cast are good with a solid 'Prince' (Moves the story along) by Eve Myles, there are faces from across TV land in here.

There is some empathy thrown in 'We all have kids' as images pop up on passengers phones and there is violence but like it used to be an arm moves there's a noise and somehow then the guy is on the floor.

Is Hijacking back in the mainstream? Well wait for series 2 ...

Coma (2024)

Coma is brilliantly tense and awful at the same time

[7/10 · 14 April 2024]

Coma is a brilliantly tense thriller, over four hours of increasing intensity, there are no loops here just escalations.

It centres around a mild mannered Jason Watkins and a single moment, tormented by just about everything and anyone he snaps and his world unravels. Pretty soon he's sitting uncomfortably in wine bars with petty gangsters and lying to the police.

It is also awful, a great set of core names wondering what they are doing here. It is filmed in Eastern Europe and that doesn't get lost - it simply looks nothing like anywhere in the UK.

Somehow this manages to be enthralling, tense and awful at the same time.

It's 4 hours - it's channel 5 - there are worse things on TV to watch!

The Shepherd (I) (2023)

A rare film which gets almost everything right.

[8/10 · 10 December 2023]

The Shepherd is true to the Forsyth short story, and gets just about everything right.

It a film is heavy on CGI but wears it lightly, the cast play their roles well, the Christmas movie could have been overplayed but isn't and the writers could have tried to answer the mystery but don't.

The film gets median reviews probably because it doesn't confirm, it's not a light watch, it leaves questions un answered - but it is a classic book that deserves this film (I wrote a treatment for this 20 years ago as a student - it's a short linear story that lends it self well to film)

It gets almost everything right apart from Travolta - I just don't get him being in this. Would like to see this team / these studios look for more overlooked materials.

All the Light We Cannot See (2023)

Creative and Enthralling But Missing Something

[7/10 · 9 December 2023]

All The Light We Cannot See is a good mini series, one I'm glad I watched but I'm glad it ended at four episodes.

For me it spurs me to read the book, there must be more to this? The problems with the show are that certain things are comic book like - Lars Eidinger's portrayal was like watching Dr Strangelove - so comic and yet so uncomoftable to watch - and it's in the lush visuals that I wonder if this went wrong - too lush - too aesthetic and - too much soundtrack - too many francophile nods and not enough story.

It's sad but gives hope that one day somebody will make another version which maybe better.

Manhunt (II) (2017–2020)

A drama that is enthralling and disturbing

[7/10 · 27 June 2023]

This drama is both enthralling and disturbing, you will want to watch more but also be disturbed by the content.

Paul Bettany delivers a stand out performance as ted Kandinsky. At times his performance is chilling and but there is also something predictable about it.

The show is paced well looking at different parts of the case. The early episodes are sometimes confused by flipping between two time frames with little obvious visual clues as to which one you are in.

The show is watchable, even enjoyable yet chilling - it is not a thriller and neither is it a documentary but trends a line between the two.

Six Four (2023– )

Watchable & Enjoyable

[7/10 · 9 April 2023]

Watchable drama is the headline for this one. At times there are twists. Scottish politics are thrown in for good measure and it all makes a compellable and consumable drama. Would I want a second series? Probably not, does this reflect the real world? Almost certainly not - but then why do I want a drama to reflect the real world.

The characters are standard the grizzled old timer and maverick, a villain who may hold the key to everything - well I expected him to turn to the camera and cackle. The acting was pretty standard too with no stand out performances.

The cinematography at times is stunning without trying to advertise Scotland. The sound track is a little unexpected and forgettable but doesn't detract from a watchable drama.

Blue Lights (2023– )

Refreshing and Original, Funny and Suspensful

[9/10 · 5 April 2023]

Blue Light is a refreshing take on a hard trodden genre.

It manages to bring characters to life without it being a soap opera, it manages to be funny without a joke writer, it manages to be refreshing in its style and original in all those ways.

There are no stand out performances and neither are there any weak characters, there are no helpers just designed to move the plot along - the cast is good and all are having a good day.

It shouldn't be compared with any other shows, continuity errors should be ignored (or the newspapers who write about them should be) and simply enjoy this refreshing and original show.

Midway (2019)

Midway to an Epic

[6/10 · 29 August 2020]

It's 1941 in Hawaii, in the air above the drone of aircraft breaks the peace ...

It's a story that has been played out before, Pearl Harbour, Medal of Honour (game) so something had to distinguish this telling, the director starts in 1937 Japan and carries on to through the key sea battles of the next few years and the historical context of the battles seems to be there. It's possible there is too much going on to - not in character development but to many important battles with real life figures.

So we have a story, and it's a good one, it ticks all the boxes, it's straight forward with very few twists and turns, we get to know a little of the characters. Sadly the film begins to look like an independent picture after this - the dialogue is stilted, there are too many stereotypes and people trying too hard to act - there is also a gulf between Harrelson and Quaid who make their dialogue sound natural and bring experience, the others - even Evans isn't really that good.

Special effects although expensive look like blue screen special effects - the destroyers appear computer generated.

So the aircraft broke the peace in 1941 and the drone of aircraft over the Pacific continued until the end of the war - this film drones for over two hours - I think it would have worked better given more time as a mini series!

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

Picard is Brilliant

[7/10 · 30 March 2020]

Picard retains the essential elements of Star Trek but sees that TV has changed and so has the world.

It's not woke - but it's not the Original Series either - it's uneasy at times there are scenes which look constrained by Stewart's age - but others which encapsulate his brilliance as an actor and with brilliant diction.

The series is well worth watching for Fans and others.

Intelligence (2020–2023)

Much Potential

[5/10 · 30 March 2020]

Nick Mohammed is a funny guy, David Schwimmer is Ross from Friends. The show sometimes has elements of brilliance and appears on the edge like Green Wing but then the functional and predictable plot lines and characters let it down.

It's like somebody didn't believe in the show enough to let it go - you can read the script - the scripted actions - the scripted jokes - there's little chemistry.

It should comeback for a second series and it shouldn't be afraid to develop!