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jamesthealchemist
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Hijack (2023)
Usual Dribble
After one episode it's clear that the only redeeming factor is Idris. As for the rest of the plot, it's absurd completely and utterly impossible. I hope that Idris is being paid alot of money otherwise why would he tie himself to a lame show like this. Sure it has the titillation factor, lots of drama, lots of no what happens next. Historically we know what happens. The plot is typical Hollywood scripted nonsense. For those who enjoy a mindless shallow plot then this is for them. And in this day and age it's the way most shows are done. No need to have any depth, facts or anything else that might be of real entertainment.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
What Rings?
Tolkien would turn in his grave. Not only is this so far from his story, they have embellished it with the usual Hollywood style scripts and time wasting plots. I can't accept it being nowhere the Appendices of the 2nd Age. Those who are not fussed about Tolkien, his writing, or the immense depth to his stories can watch it in ignorant bliss. Yes I am a fan of the books if you cant tell.
So where to start, the map is wrong. During the 1st Age there existed a huge land mass to the East of Ered Luin. This was not included, which I can accept. Harfoots or Hobbits did not enter Middle Earth until midway through the 3rd Age. I was able to forgive that until I saw Galadriel sailing off to the Undying lands. I knew she would have to turn back however when she jumped overboard I laughed and laughed. What was she going to do, swim all the way back to Middle Earth? It was ludicrous. As to humans, they had fought with the Elves against Morgoth and were given the Isle of Numenor to dwell on and Sauron was with them. Instead we see hints that Sauron is skulking around like some spirit. And whenever main characters meet the plot has some sort of pathetic time wasting script, usually where the characters do not like each other. An example is Elrond and Durin. It made me gag. For anyone half serious about the books and has respect for Tolkien would turn this rubbish off.
Blindspot (2015)
Hilarious stuff
This show is so funny and we get such a laught out of it. From the seriously bad acting to the huge gunfights and their awesome facials. Wellers face is the funniest.
Lets start with the acting. It's got the standard hollywood scripting where all the major stars get to have a say, in a circle so that no one misses out.
Next the gunfight. Its important that there are lots of bullet and that everyone knows kungfu.
Seriously this is a terrible show so clicked and so scripted it's not funny. Plenty of other better things to watch.
Ad Astra (2019)
Truly awful
This movie is just awful. From the bad background music, the ridiculous plots, the pathetic acting to the absurd physics. Was it trying to be a 2001? One can only hope not. So let's start with the background music. It was annoying and distracting.and added nothing to the movie. Plots, space pirates on the Moon and no way to protect astronauts against pirates? A space force that had to drive buggies to get to another space port. Now let's go to the launch of the Mars ship to Neptune. Why were there sparks before launch? Well hopefully we will never know. The daddy issues out at Neptune go nowhere.
Save 2 hours of your life and pass this one by.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)
A truly dreadful film
This film sadly has evey cliche possible. From plots gone wrong to trying to do too much. It uses a typical Disney/Hollywood formula. As the film kicks off we are subjected to tired old dialogue, characters that are only half real and a story that beggars belief. A Jedi was trained in a single day, ready to face the task of beating Snoke. We then have all the fuss and bother of going to get a hacker only to have him turn on the team. The jokes were few and far between and the furry creatures just ridiculous. And then when Finn is about to save the whole of the rebellion the woman that loves him decides that he should live and the rest die. And at the very end the rebellion consists of 20 people scurrying to safety. Nor do we see how Rae escapes Snokes ship. She just gets away. Upon sending out a distress call, no one comes to the aid of the rebellion and why would they? Once again we had Yoda wrecking things just like in episode 3 when he should have let Anakin die along with Obi Wan and save the Republic. But no we have to have stupid irrational stores along with bad acting. The only redeeming part and it was very small was Lukes story of a tortured teacher. The rest just rubbish.
24: Legacy (2016)
Truly Awful
This is a truly awful show. Using the same old tired formula it will only work for the die-hard 24 followers of old. The acting is ordinary at best, the plot predictable and nothing like the show of old. Its only redeeming factor is that it is actually quite funny so long as you don't take it as the serious show it wants to be.
Olympus Has Fallen (2013)
Suspend all belief
I don't often do reviews however this one really deserves feedback and it has to be scathing as the film is poor. The plot is so typical of this sort of film. Its a sort of Die Hard done terribly. The death of his wife, at the start of the film, is to set up the fact that the President, later puts all his friends ahead of not only national security but the fate of the millions of US citizens. The President is captured in the most outrageous way, held captive and all the demands of the terrorists are met. There is no way this happens in real life or even comes close. The command center appeared to receive all its info from news footage is it reels from one disaster to the next. The only surprising part was that the Presidents son actually manages to escape on queue. I do applaud the film for not dragging out the final fight as done in so may other films. I do feel that the main actor did a credible job in the limited role he had. If you are going to watch this, do it for the comedy and please leave all your belief at the opening credits.
Argo (2012)
Based on the Truth?
I am severely disappointed in this film for the main reason that we see US movie makers twisting the truth so that they come out looking like heroes. And I am not alone in this. The UK and French governments were quite rightly upset by the movie saying that their embassies had refused to help out the Americans in trouble. The UK embassy took the refugees in at great risk and kept them there until the Iranian guard was getting suspicious. Ben Affleck claims he had the refugees refused because he wanted them to appear to be isolated would be funny if it wasn't so clear that he actually wanted it to be the US who really saved them. At least the movie makers did have the Canadian embassy involved as it had been at the time. The movie should have said at the start that the facts had been changed in the name of drama. Movie makers have a responsibility when making movies based on the truth to let people know what really occurred. When they don't they are actually guilty of trying to change history and worse people believe what they see on the screen. And lastly seeing the guards at the airport chasing the jet in order to try and stop it was absurd. Why didn't they simply shoot at it or have the Iranian air-force force the jet to land. A joke of a movie so far removed from what actually happened and to say its 'based on the truth' really shows just how far the truth gets abused.
Lockout (2012)
Sadly Average
It is never hard to put a little extra effort into Science Fiction films and yet they never seem to bother. In one scene we see the International Space Station which would have long been decommissioned by the time this movie took place. And then later in the final moments, no one ever falls off a space station, even one coming out of orbit. As to the script itself it was highly predictable except for a couple of small points. One was where one of the stars decided to sacrifice them self and the traitor was in fact not the usual suspect. This is why it received 5/10 and not 4. To all you producers etc if you plan on doing a Sci Fi movie in space please do some research.