sakini Reviews

Vanquish (2021)

Some kids got a camera and After Effexts

[1/10 · 27 May 2021]

And here we have the worst movie of 2021. Everything screams AMATEUR, it´s cheap, it´s dumb, it´s badly acted, written and made. It looks really ugly, "actors" play like the worst planks of wood, there are no people in the backround where they should be, sound is bad - I have to stop or I never will. Ruby Rose left Batwoman for movie roles like this?

Batwoman: What Happened to Kate Kane? (2021) Season 2, Episode 1

Just wow

[1/10 · 19 January 2021]

After the controversial first season, everyone was nervously waiting what comes - and it did not disappoint. We got a far better actress which can emote. We also got much less money for production, and it shows. The main focus is emotions all around, acting is crippled, writing horrendous (and don´t come at me with "try it yourself to write a show", or I will - and it will better than this), we have the most pathetic/cheap Batmobile in history, and the most interesting and useful person (fake Bruce) which would be interesting to see through the show, was unceremoniously eliminated in round one. This is sadly one of the most miserable shows in today television, and a stain on DC history. If this gets a third season, it will be the final sign that armageddon is coming.

Warrior Nun (2020–2022)

Too much sauce on a too small steak

[4/10 · 3 July 2020]

Oh my, this show has so much potential, but... There are some interesting characters, the idea is great, but all is watered down by poor screenwriting, and the usual evil of our time - things happening because they are needed to happen. Let´s forget all those box ticking and small pickings, which are absolutely unneeded and serve nothing. Maybe we can also forget that this show is primarily targeted at very young teenagers, and some aspects are monumentally naive. But still, those dialogues, and how persons behave, this is painful. Nuns are swearing like hell, this whole organization has massive problems with discipline, loyalty seems to mean nothing. Alba Baptista seems to be pretty good, she is a natural and likeable, and I like her style, but she got some really inconsistent role and dumb dialoques. For a young girl in her life situation, she is far too (over)confident from the start, constantly disrespectful, and overall periodically not the best person (deal? until literally any other option presents itself - deal). Toya Turner also seems to be capable, but her role is so flat, this unstoppable bang bang hardcore amazon is simply not interesting after a while. The show has so much potential, some moments are extremely atmospheric, and combined with great music, but they are too few and stretched far from one another by boredom or soap opera. I´m really split with this one, I hope it will get better but don´t know if I can hold through. I would not be happy, if this show would be like so many similarly themed (and typically bland and forgetable) Hollywood movies, but this one went too far to the other side.

Batwoman (2019–2022)

Nothing left to suck out

[2/10 · 11 October 2019]

Aaah, this is not a direct hit in the black. I agree that this is by far the best looking CW series for now, but it feels completely bloodless and empty. Zero drama, zero pressure, the viewer has to strain his focus with all power he has, the story is the same as ever. Too much trying too hard, no charisma from anyone, things happen just because they have to. When they lack a powerful, charismatic hero, they should at least have a mighty villain, but Alice looks like she starved for a year, and is dressed like a complete fool. The worst was the "catfight" between our lightweit villainess and even more lightweight heroine - there is a reason why heavy weight fighting is the most popular, it simply looks good when two masses collide. This two women bring no imposing mass to the ring, and it looks like children taking a school fight too far. It´s absolutely laughable, at least they should have tried to make it look like there is power behind the punches. It´s the same in the fight with the goons, it is sooo visible as they let her lead them around. This show lacks anything a viewer would appreciate, it will probably hold on for some seasons, and maybe become a tiny bit better, but all around it´s not worth the time.

3Below: Tales of Arcadia (2018–2019)

A surprise with heart

[10/10 · 22 December 2018]

It´s not common today to find a really well rounded animated series, which makes sense and is able to capture even adult minds. 3Below is one of the rare cases, it´s so easy to watch the next episode, and the next, and the next.... The animation is very eye-friendly, rather simple but of high quality, with pleasing colors. Great voice acting, simple but strong story line with more than a few surprises. The characters are very well written, they have depth and are really relatable, even smaller side characters are often interesting (the blank bot "parents" are so much overblown, but at the same time really hillarious) and when something happens there is a real reason behind it. This show continues in the good tradition of Trollhunter, and for me it´s even better then it´s predecessor. A truly nice and entertaining piece to watch.

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020)

A missed chance

[2/10 · 20 December 2018]

Well, you have to know a thing, when you want to criticise it. I watched the whole series, and it´s not that "crazy bad" like many people suggest. But it´s not something glorious either. The idea of the story, this "technology vs magic" narrative, has potencial which was not used. The writing is lazy and simplistic, everything happens too fast and easily, like in many others contemporary series. The animation lacks any charm, it´s rather primitive and doesn´t match the serious tone of the series (but what would someone expect today, when animators have it so easy through modern techology). I liked the voice acting, it´s well done, but the inconsistence in characters is disturbing. There are generally two groups: those who have to be complex, always struggling with deep emotions (exclusively women), and shallow running gags without any depth (almost exclusively men). Characters from the first group are not developed enough, and those from the other group have no capability to be something more. Men are generally either simple villains, or imbeciles. The most promising and interesting character in the whole series (which did not get much space) is the main villain, who seems to be some sort of highly intelligent, all-knowing dark boss, and should get much more space in the future (if there will be any). And Adora, she is interesting and the only "good" character that is not annoying and developes through the series. This series, if made in real quality and much better written, would have some potencial, the modernized story line has much room for action and character development, but the all-round lazy working style produced only another mediocre show, not even for children, more for children that never grew up, hopeless romantics who want to stay in their happy fantasy. It´s dull, mostly boring, full with clichés, and doesn´t look well. Maybe if the creators try hard, they could lift it up, it´s not hopeless.