eoinej-538-114803 Reviews

Abducted (I) (2014)

Brilliant movie on low budget

[7/10 · 30 April 2014]

Don't listen to rubbish views on this film. Suspend the low budget and imagine if the Taken budget had been available to these guys. The drama of the story is brilliant. I loved the English guy in America concept. The comeuppance of the low-life traffickers was welcome. The ending for the "good guys" is refreshingly realistic. It is raw and lacks the Hollywood gloss but so what?

Some may feel the family element is a little old fashioned but no more than the genre popularised by Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis. Somebody will make a brilliant movie out of this story one day... If they dare!!

Ripper Street (2012–2016)

Rule Brittania

[8/10 · 31 December 2012]

British drama knocks Coppers into a cocked hat (helmet??). I love Tom Weston-Jones and the Irish ruggedness is very appealing, but for quality acting and set believability, despite the slickness, Ripper Street sets the new standard in period TV detective series.

I thought the break in Boardwalk Empire would leave me nothing to watch, but this new BBC series absolutely does the business if, like me, you like the genre. For me,despite his talent, Matthew Macfadyen has struggled to dispense with the Spooks mantle which has likely served rather albatross- like for some time (even the M&S adverts failed in this respect). That is over. It will be scriptwriters and production teams that determine the continued success of this series. And I haven't even mentioned the wealth of other talent on display here....... enjoy!

Chicago Fire (2012– )

Best since 24 (for me)

[9/10 · 25 November 2012]

Flashpoint showed the way but this delivers! Call it corny, call it contrived, I don't care. Teamwork , loyalty, unadulterated action, sub- plots... you name it -- it's all there.. This is definitely an outstanding North American TV series. (I exclude Sopranos psychology - it does not promise this, and as for The Wire? not even close. The Shield? this was a different league.) I loved 24 but, let me tell you, there's a feel good factor here that 24 could never deliver. I don't care about reality, and I can forgive the PC attempts. However, with these guys, there's still hope for the world. And on a serious note, for me, any positive promotion for fire-fighters is worth the time. Backdraft, Ladder 49, even the UK with London's Burning. For me this does the business. Watch it!...