jamesinswansea Reviews

Quantum Leap (2022–2024)

Missed opportunity to bring back the magic

[3/10 · 12 October 2023]

The new Quantum Leap series has been met with mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. As someone who watched the original series I was looking forward to seeing this.

Some have praised the show's new cast and its attempts to modernize the classic premise, while others have criticized its lack of originality and its failure to capture the magic of the original series.

One of the most noticeable differences between the new and old Quantum Leap is the absence of the iconic theme tune. The original theme tune was a catchy and upbeat piece of music that perfectly captured the tone of the show. The new show's theme tune, on the other hand, is more generic and forgettable. Why would you not update this fantastic series music which made it unique? Would it hurt to get Ben to say "Oh boy" for old time sake!!

Another major difference is the disappearance of the waiting booth. In the original series, the waiting booth was the device that Sam Becketts person he leaped into was held. The new show does not feature a waiting booth at all, and it is unclear how Ben Song (Raymond Lee) is able to leap into a person if this is no longer in the new show??

The acting in the new Quantum Leap series is also a mixed bag. Raymond Lee is a charismatic lead actor, but the supporting cast is generally average and wooden. The show's writing is also uneven, with some episodes being well-written and others being forgettable.

Overall, the new Quantum Leap series is a missed opportunity. The show has lost the charm and originality of the original series, and it fails to capture its magic. The lack of the theme tune and original material has been lost, while the show is not terrible, it is certainly not as good as the original.

If you are a fan of the original Quantum Leap series, I would recommend skipping the new one. It is simply not as good.

Justified: City Primeval (2023)

A Good, Yet Slightly Underwhelming Continuation

[8/10 · 1 October 2023]

Justified: City Primeval is the latest instalment in the acclaimed Justified series, which has garnered a dedicated fanbase over the years. While it certainly delivers on the promise of more of the gritty, crime-riddled world of Raylan Givens, it falls short of the high bar set by its predecessors, primarily due to its somewhat lackluster character development.

The series brings us to Detroit, where Deputy U. S. Marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) once again finds himself embroiled in a web of deceit, corruption, and violence. The storytelling remains as sharp as ever, with well-paced narratives and a dose of dark humour that fans of the original series will appreciate.

One of the standout aspects of Justified: City Primeval is undoubtedly Timothy Olyphant's portrayal of Raylan Givens. His charisma and rugged charm still shine through, and he continues to be the anchor that holds the series together. His interactions with the various criminals, old acquaintances, and newcomers to the show are a joy to watch, providing moments of tension and wit that harken back to the series' glory days.

However, where City Primeval falters is in its supporting characters. Unlike the richly developed characters we've seen in the past, some of the new additions feel one-dimensional and uninspiring. In previous seasons, the show thrived on complex, morally ambiguous characters, but here, they often come across as mere plot devices rather than fully fleshed-out individuals.

The absence of some beloved characters from the earlier seasons is also noticeable and leaves a void that's challenging to fill. Fans who grew attached to characters like Boyd Crowder and Ava Crowder will find the new cast of villains and allies to be somewhat lackluster by comparison.

Despite these character-related shortcomings, Justified: City Primeval still manages to provide a solid dose of entertainment. The writing and dialogue remain sharp, and the tension between Raylan and his adversaries is palpable. The show's gritty, rural atmosphere is as authentic as ever, adding to its unique charm.

In conclusion, Justified: City Primeval is a good addition to the series, but it doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessors. While the return of Raylan Givens and the familiar setting are welcome, the lack of compelling supporting characters makes it fall short of the brilliance that fans of the original Justified series have come to expect.

It's worth watching for die-hard fans of the show, but newcomers may want to start with the earlier seasons to truly appreciate the magic of Harlan County.

Justice League: Warworld (2023)

Utter Rubbish

[3/10 · 3 September 2023]

It is like the department sacked everyone and employed some lame writers and illustrators. The story is all over the place and is incoherent, there is no reason why any of it is going on or what for.

This is the poorest DC movie I have seen and to be honest they are normally excellent, the Flashpoint, Batman and all the Superman animated stuff has excelled. I just hope this is a single misfire and not they way DC is going to go and end up like their movie releases, otherwise they are going to find themselves with a lot less people who will be interested in these types of movies.

Come on DC you can do better.

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Marvel on a slow and steady decline

[1/10 · 17 September 2022]

A terrible movie with far too much comic slap humour and terrible characters in this movie. When I was first watching the film, I thought it was some sort of joke but I was willing to give it a go, the film is watchable just about but it gets even more ridiculous as the film goes on and on and on.

Christian Bale's character as the God Slayer turns out to be nothing more than a child kidnapper which is just weird I was hoping to see Beta Ray bill, but alas he did not show up in this film.

I would not recommend this film compared to the last instalment and just proves that Marvel is now on a decline.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022– )

Much better than discovery

[10/10 · 19 May 2022]

I grew up watching the next gen, DS9 and voyager. I was eager to watch discovery when it was realised. But discovery turned out too be one long boring story focusing on one character.

I am so pleased to say brave new worlds goes back to good old fashioned story telling with each new episode providing great stories. No wokeness just great actors fulfilling great acting parts. Some great nods to the star trek of old keeps the young and older generation interested.

F9: The Fast Saga (2021)

Beyond ridiculous.

[2/10 · 12 February 2022]

Stupid stunts. Unbelievable car chases and cheesy set pieces. This franchise has had its day. Vin diesel may have kept this franchise alive but it's really had its day. The stunts were absurb before but now it's on a different level of ridiculous.

War of the Worlds (2019– )

Suspense over action.

[4/10 · 23 January 2022]

What starts out as a promising take on War of the world's where so many adaptations have failed, falls flat on its face. The acting is fine and it's well directed. However, although the suspense does hold you for a number of episodes, you are always hoping for the Tripods and more action which fails to materialise.

It's a shame as this series had much promise and on a proper budget, could have delivered. But yet again War of the world's does not get the justice it so badly needs.

The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022)

Pointless

[2/10 · 30 December 2021]

The Book of Boba Fett feels like a half an hour long slog. The mandalorian is far superior in story line and in action. The acting is very poor and quite frankly rubbish. Unfortunately the fan boys and girls will literally watch any old rubbish as long as it has star wars attached to it. Miss for me.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

Boring and generic

[2/10 · 26 December 2021]

Marvel was at its peak during the Endgame phase now were at a point where Marvel is trying to produce anything that looks like a super hero into a movie or TV series.

This should have been an exciting film and there is nothing wrong the cast but to be honest this film is a snooze fest. It is so long and drawn out I found myself looking at the time to see when it was actually finished. The main problem with this film is is tries to hard.

Britannia (2017–2021)

Utter trash

[1/10 · 7 November 2019]

If you're a big fan of history like I am then you'll probably enjoy programs such as Vikings or the last Kingdom.

These excellent productions are brilliant in dialogue design and overall great storytelling. Unfortunately Britannia has none of these qualities except maybe In design. The show itself is slow paced, with cringeworthy dialogue and overall all I found it very boring. There's much better historical shows out there are and I would seriously give this one a miss.

DC's Legends of Tomorrow: Their Time Is Now (2016 TV Movie)

Legends of never

[2/10 · 8 April 2016]

OK here is the rub you have a guy who can only be killed a certain way and the world is on the brink of annihilation in the future, what do you do? Well you recruit the worst super heroes of all time that's what. For some reason these guys of mixed super hero ability can not seem just kill one guy and the series is drawn out with incompetent action sequences and terrible story lines. This whole show should have been over in like 3 episodes, but somehow they seem to use every time line to basically mess things up and make matters worse.

The effects are probably the best part of the show with some nifty CGI and sets. There really needs to be more bad characters as everything is focused on one guy and the heroes don't seem to be half bothered about getting the job done as they have so many issues themselves.

Overall the show is watchable just don't expect Flash or Arrow watchable.