Have You Been Watching...? Zombie Repellant (2025)

 

In the clearly over-saturated field of zombie movies, finding one that genuinely does something different is becoming increasingly difficult. New Zealand Son Films throws this horror comedy into the mix and...well, let's take a look.

Considering it's New Zealand name, the company is a US one the movie is set in the USA telling the tale of Chad (Taylor Long, from a glut of low budget indie movies) and his fiancee Liz (Jada Kreuger from a other range of low budget movies co-starring Taylor Long), who are eloping to Laz Vegas when their truck breaks down outside a small middle-of-nowhere town. So far so typical horror-movie set-up trope. However, the townspeople are very strange and the town is holding a dark secret, which Chad and Liz will find out sooner than they think, and result in them fighting for survival amongst a zombie horde. The movie is written by Californian Sean King, of a number of low-budget movies starring Jada Kreuger and Taylor Long...oh!) But that's OK, what self-respecting director doesn't have a repertory of actors they like to use? Whatever you do, do NOT be put off by the low budget nature of this movie. Yes, the make up and effects might not be the greatest, but by the time the true nature of the movie is revealed, that will make perfect sense.

Billed as a "horror-comedy", it's neither scary enough for horror or silly enough for comedy, but what it does do is tread that middle line extremely well. The cast are great in their roles and they are all clearly having a great time. This infectious good nature flows into the viewer, and I found myself enjoying the film as much as they did. The script is smart enough to play with the viewer as well as our hapless couple, and when the true nature of the movie is revealed I was genuinely surprised. I did not see it coming at all. Once the pieces fall into place, it elevates this movie above many other low budget Zombie flicks.

Clocking in at a mere 77 minutes, it's just over and hour and a quarter of cliches, zombies, creepy townspeople, deep secrets and overall an enjoyable time. Just keep an open mind! You've probably got this far and still wondering why the film is called Zombie Repellant. There is a reason, but I won't spoil it for you!

Year: 2025

Availability: Amazon Prime

Rating: 7/10

Have You Been Watching...? The Electric State (2025)

 

Netflix's "The Electric State," directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, is an interesting journey through a dystopic 1990s America. Based on the works of Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag (which also includes Amazon Prime's Tales From The Loop), the film follows Michelle, portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown, as she traverses a dystopian landscape with a robot named Cosmo, seeking her missing brother. Along the way, they meet and  join forces with Keats (Chris Pratt), a smuggler who specializes in items from the "forbidden zone".

The movie takes place in an alternate 1990s. Robotics have become commonplace, but once robots become sentient, it leads to war between human and machine. A war that humans eventually win, and robots are banned. Surviving robots exist in a sealed off territory. This is not a spoiler, it's all revealed in the first few minutes to set the scene for what follows.

The film's production design effectively captures an alternate '90s ambiance, blending nostalgia with technology. This juxtaposition creates a setting that is both familiar but intriguingly different. However, while the visual aspects are commendable, the plot really struggles. Although ambitious, it often feels derivative, echoing themes and storylines from other (and unfortunately , better) movies without offering new and fresh takes.

The ever watchable Millie Bobby Brown as Michelle brings an earnestness to her role, portraying determination and vulnerability. However the equally watchable Chris Pratt's portrayal of Keats, lacks depth, with little to no character development (including a very strange comment towards the end that results in a total WTF moment). It sadly feels like a "knock-off" version of his Guardians of the Galaxy role Peter Quill. The supporting cast, including Stanley Tucci as the antagonist Ethan Skate, delivers competent performances but again, no character development.

The film looks great, the visuals and robot designs are interesting, but on occasion one wonders what that said robot would be used for in the first place.

All this is well and good, but when the film starts to hit the deeper themes of it's dystopia, it almost seems like a second thought. There are social issues here that would and should, have been developed further but they take second place to the action. This just comes across as a missed opportunity. I get the feeling that this movie isn't aimed at the market for this deep social discussion.

"The Electric State" is a film that has a wonderful visual imagination but fails in delivering a compelling and original story. The works upon which it is based offer a more bleak perspective, but the movie ultimately struggles to leave a lasting impact. 

Rating: 6/10

Year: 2025

Availability: streaming now on Netflix

Have You Been Watching...? The Gorge (2025)

 

I had high hopes for The Gorge, Apple's new sci-fi/horror thriller, but unfortunately, it fell flat in almost every conceivable and disappointing way. 

The premise had potential—a thrilling adventure set against a stunning, treacherous landscape—but the execution was so lackluster that it left me questioning why I even bothered to watch it in the first place.

First and foremost, the characters were utterly forgettable. Anna Taylor-Joy is a wonderful actor but she is so wasted in this. Her character, an esteemed assassin no less, is a strong force to be reckoned with, until she ends up meeting Miles Teller as Levi, another esteemed assassin and she becomes some kind of of lovesick teen. Our main heroes lack depth, and their motivations felt forced and unconvincing. I found it impossible to connect with or care about their journey, which made the entire film feel like a tedious slog. Their characters are given some background but it doesn't come in to play at all in a way that drives the story.  The dialogue was equally uninspired, filled with clichés and embarrassing exchanges that made me cringe more than once. Screen legend Sigourney Weaver (whom I adore) appears in a few brief scenes, and I'm left wondering why she even got involved in the first place.

Our story is that two world renowned assassins are posted to observation towers either side of a large mist-filled Gorge in some undisclosed location. Neither really knows why they are there other than to stop whatever is in the Gorge from getting out. To this extent, they are kitted out with the latest weaponry and kit. They must remain at their stations for one year and must not communicate with each other. This goes awry when Taylor-Joy's Drasa decides to contact Levi via writing on an art pad. This, in turn, leads to a strange relationship and peril as the pair find themselves at the bottom of the Gorge and it's horrifying secrets.

The pacing was another major issue with this movie. The first hour dragged on endlessly, with long, drawn-out scenes that added nothing to the plot or character development. By the time the action finally picked up, I was already too bored to care. 

Visually, *The Gorge* was a mixed bag. While the natural scenery was undeniably beautiful, some of the CGI and special effects were distractingly bad. Others were great and there are some unusual and horrifying monster designs but there were moments where the green screen was so obvious that it completely took me out of the experience. For a film that relies so heavily on its setting, this was a major letdown.

Lastly, the ending was a complete letdown. Without giving too much away, it felt rushed and unsatisfying, as if the writers had no idea how to wrap up the story. It left me feeling frustrated and cheated, as though I had wasted my time on a film that couldn’t even deliver a coherent conclusion. There are so many potholes. Zip lines can now hold the weight of a jeep? Why have one person in a position such as guardian of the abyss when the monsters can pretty much gain access anytime they want? They only check in once a month, so of the monsters DID get over the edge, there's be no one to find out for a long time and given the reason why the monsters exist, this is sloppy at best. It's like someone came up with this great hook for the film, but hadn't thought out the practicalities. It's sometimes easy to switch off and enjoy the flick, but not when there's so many things to question.

In short, The Gorge is a textbook example of wasted potential. Viewers have drawn parallels with The Last of Us, but unlike that miniseries, The Gorge is a dull, poorly executed film that fails to deliver on its promises. Go in with low expectations and you won't be too disappointed.

Have You Been Watching...? Nosferatu (2024)

Robert Eggers' Nosferatu is a masterclass in atmospheric storytelling, weaving a tale that is both hauntingly beautiful and profoundly chilling. Eggers has reimagined the classic 1922 silent film with prefect attention to the source material, period detail and psychological depth, creating a cinematic experience that feels both timeless and fresh.

The film's visual aesthetic is breathtaking, with cinematography that captures the eerie, shadow-drenched set-pieces and claustrophobic interiors, pulling the audience into the gothic world of obsession and horror. The deliberate slow pacing builds an almost unbearable tension, punctuated by moments of blatant terror and poignant melancholy.

The performances are nothing short of extraordinary. The cast, led by an Nicholas Holt as a naive Thomas Hutter and Bill Skasgaard as the truly unforgettable titular vampire, imbues each character with complexity and emotion, elevating the story beyond its horror roots into the realm of tragedy. Aaron Taylor-Johnson provides the outsiders view of the proceedings and a goes through the mill on this. The film’s haunting score further amplifies the dread, acting as an integral character in this dark symphony.

Nosferatu is more than just a horror film; it’s a profound exploration of humanity’s deepest fears and desires, executed with master craftsmanship. It is a stunning achievement and lingers with you long after the credits roll 

 

Year: 2024

Rating 9/10

Availability: in cinemas now

Have You Been Watching?...Werewolves (2024)

 

I do like horror and action flicks and werewolves tend to get overlooked in this genre compared to the other "classics" such as ghosts and vampires. Werewolves, directed and produced by Stephen C Miller (Escape Plan 2, Margaux) has an intriguing plot and appears to do what it says on the tin. It even just proudly calls itself Werewolves, just in case you miss the point. A lot of the lycanthrope based stories can be cheesy at best, but this one? Well, it makes you want the full moon to set early. Sorry, Supermoon.

The premise teases potential: a supermoon triggers a global werewolf pandemic, and humanity braces for a repeat performance a year later. This isn't a spoiler, on screen text explains all this at the beginning. Which is a shame, that sound like the plot for a great movie!. However, one year in, enter Frank Grillo as Wesley Marshall, a molecular biologist with the physique of an action hero—because who says you can't pipette samples and bench press 300 pounds simultaneously?

Grillo (MCU, Warrior) known for his tough-guy charm, does his best to inject life into the role. However, even his rugged charisma can't outmuscle a script that seems to have been penned during a particularly uninspired lunar cycle. Characters make bizarre decisions and I found myself yelling "What?" and "Why?" at the screen far too many times. I wished by the end I could take a silver bullet and put this movie out of my misery.

 

The film's reliance on practical effects is commendable in an era dominated by CGI and the transformations are excellent, definitely one of them movies highlights. Sadly, with direction that mistakes lens flares for atmosphere, the visual experience is more distracting than immersive. 

Plot-wise, Werewolves meanders through a chaotic narrative, where little to nothing makes any sense. The pacing lurches, leaving viewers checking their watches more than their pulse rates. The previous Supermoon transformations are not really explored. The rest of the world is ignored (surely Australia would have been through the experience before the good ol' USA but that's not even touched upon?) 

In the end, Werewolves is a missed opportunity, failing to deliver the campy fun or genuine thrills that its concept promises. Even die-hard fans of the genre might find themselves howling—not at the moon, but at the sheer disappointment.

Year: 2024

Rating: 2 out of 10 (One star for Grillo and the other for the transformations)

Availability: 

Have You Been Watching...? Hundreds of Beavers (2024)

Sometimes along comes a movie that is so off-the-wall and unhinged that it just makes me happy. Hundreds of Beavers is just that.  It's an ambitious and highly creative film that stands out with its unique blend of slapstick humor, silent film-style storytelling, and surreal visuals. Directed by Mike Cheslik, this black-and-white feature brings back the charm of classic comedies like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, but with a whimsical twist.

The plot revolves around a down-and-out fur trapper (Ryland Brickson Cole Tews) who, after losing his business, embarks on an increasingly absurd quest to capture a hundred beavers in order to win the hand of the lady he's fallen in love with, as a directive of her father. The film's genius lies in its simple premise, which slowly escalates into a chaotic adventure full of exaggerated physical comedy and inventive set pieces. Without any dialogue, the movie relies on strong visual gags and expressive performances to convey its story, and it succeeds brilliantly.

The film's aesthetic is deliberately old-school, with grainy textures and exaggerated facial expressions. The homage to the silent movie era is a refreshing break from dialogue-heavy films, proving that pure visual storytelling can be as engaging and entertaining as ever. The beavers themselves, portrayed by actors in furry suits and oversized heads, add to the surreal charm of the movie, creating a playful and unpredictable atmosphere.

What makes Hundred of Beavers stand out is its dedication to its style and humor. It’s quirky, bold, always ridiculous, but never dull. The pacing is quick, ensuring that the audience is constantly entertained, and the variety of slapstick set-ups keeps the laughs coming.

Hundred of Beavers is a delightful and offbeat comedy that pays tribute to silent-era filmmaking while embracing its own quirky identity. It’s perfect for audiences looking for something different, whimsical, and rooted in the joy of visual comedy.

Year: 2024

Rating: 10/10

Availability: digital streaming, DVD and Blu Ray

Have You Been Watching...? Nightsleeper (2023)

 

Night Sleeper is a BBC limited series set mostly on an overnight 'sleeper' train from Scotland to London. The series plays out in real time, almost. It stars Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders, Skins) as Joseph Roag, a police officer with a secret and Alexandra Roach (No Offence, Sanditon) as Abby Aysgarth, acting "Technical Director" of the National Cyber Security Centre. It is these two characters that lead the drama.

Night Sleeper had all the makings of a gripping drama, but unfortunately, it fell short of expectations. The show suffered from pacing issues right from the start, with sluggish storytelling that made it difficult to stay engaged. The plot, which promised a high-stakes thriller on a sleeper train, was bogged down by unnecessary subplots and flat character development.

Written by Nick Leather (CBBC's Rocket Island), the script lacked the punch needed for a series like this, often relying on clichés and predictable twists that were more frustrating than thrilling. The characters themselves felt underdeveloped, making it hard to invest emotionally in their fates. Some performances were solid, such as David Threlfall (Shameless) as "Pev", in a role not far removed from his well known role as Frank Gallagher , but others felt wooden, and the dialogue often seemed forced, further undermining the tension the show was trying to build.

Visually, Night Sleeper had moments of atmospheric tension, but even that couldn't save the overall experience. The CGI looks poor indeed, and removes the viewer from the drama instantly. What could have been an edge-of-your-seat thriller ended up feeling more like a long, uneventful journey with little payoff at the end. In the crowded landscape of British dramas, Night Sleeper unfortunately fails to stand out.

I really want to like this, but it turned out to be overlong and padded with unnecessary moments. I wanted to give up after episode 2, but wanted to give it a chance. Sadly, it was a chance the series squandered.

Year: 2024

Rating 4/10

Availability: currently streaming on BBCiplayer

Have You Been Watching...? Generation Z (2024)

 

Channel 4's "Dead Set" created a bar for TV zombie serials that was very high indeed. So it was with great anticipation I sat down to watch “Generation Z”, the channel's latest Zombie series written, produced and directed by acclaimed film-maker Ben Wheatley. He did the movie of JG Ballard's "High Rise": great! And the movie "The Meg 2: The Trench": not so great! How would Generation Z play out?

The 6 part series aims to deliver an edgy, hyper-modern take on the concerns and lives of today’s young adults. It's title can be read as 'zombie generation' or as the current generation of young people 'Gen Z'. What it ultimately serves up is an exaggerated caricature of Gen Z culture that feels like it was put together by a committee of 'oldies' trying to guess what “the kids” are into these days. The show attempts to tackle complex themes like mental health, social media addiction, and identity politics but does so with a shallowness that renders every serious topic trivial. Topics such as County Lines are touched upon and skimmed over like a stone in a lake, barely addressing that very real social problem. It's supposed to be "satirical" in that the older generation suddenly becomes powerful and begin picking off the younger ones, but that's what zombies do, isn't it? 

The writing is especially disappointing—filled with cringey, outdated slang and meme references that feel stale by the time they hit the screen. Dialogue is often contrived, and the characters, instead of being the nuanced, multidimensional people this generation deserves, are flat stereotypes: the "influencer with no depth," the "activist with no real convictions," the "overworked student," and so on. Each seems designed to represent a hashtag more than a person. It's also wildly inconsistent. We are told that the virus will kill young people if infected and we see one go through this, but then another gets infected with zero side effects at all. Towards the end of the series it becomes less about the zombies and becomes a bit of a Mad Max style revenge tale. There's so much going on, there just isn't time to spend on anything of substance.

Plotting and pacing are all over the place. For instance, in the midst of the army rounding up people and oldies eating younger folk, the students find their geography A levels are back on in school. I think this was meant to be funny, but it's such a stupid thing to do that it takes the viewer out of the moment and reminds them why they can't forgive this awful programme.

Visually, the show leans on gimmicky editing techniques that do more to distract than enhance. It’s as if the directors watched a few viral videos and decided this must be the dominant Gen Z aesthetic—ignoring that an actual TV series has a different pacing and visual language. It then has strange 80s style home video graphics throughout, which jars with the 'modern' approach. There's a lot of running around The Woods which wastes an opportunity to do a real zombie show in a modern town and rehashes the old zombie movie cliche of....running around in the woods.

Casting television legends such as Sue Johnson, Robert Lyndsey and Anita Dobson and then lumbering them with this flat, bland dialogue seems a waste of their talents, and as for casting a bunch of teenagers who are clearly way older than the roles they play hark back to the days of Beverly Hills 90210. 

The real tragedy of “Generation Z” is that it squanders an opportunity to tell meaningful stories about a complex, misunderstood generation. I almost felt as if the poor plot, script, acting and production WAS the satire. That Wheatley and Channel 4 had pulled some kind of social experiment trick on its audience that would be revealed as the series climaxed. I wish it had, but I was to be disappointed.

Generation Z is one of the biggest disappointments and one of the worst serials I have ever watched. There is genuinely nothing to enjoy here, except perhaps, the much-hyped demise of a cockapoo. Dead Set, Shaun of the Dead even Cockneys v Zombies have shown how good modern satire can work within the Zombie story setting. 

I wanted to give up on this series after episode 2, but in order to give a genuine review of the series I felt obliged to watch it all. 

Rating: 2/10

Year: 2024

No of episodes: 6

Availability: currently broadcasting on Channel 4 Sundays and Mondays or streaming on Channel 4 on Demand

Have You Been Watching...? Zombie Night (2013)

  

Syfy/Asylum studio movies can be a bit "hit and miss". Apparently the studio have never made a loss on any of their flicks. Yes, they are cheap with lousy effects, but sometimes they have a charm that encourages a level of forgiveness for trying to achieve something. Zombie Night, a SyFy movie from 2013, is not one of those.

Someone, somewhere thought it would be a good idea to put 80s icons such as Alan Ruck (Ferris Bueller's Day Off), Daryl Hannah (Splash) and Anthony Michael Hall (Weird Science and The Dead Zone TV series) together in a film about zombies that exist for one night only, and then handed the production over to some people who should never be let near a film again.

I was not expecting much, but that bar has never been so low. Our story begins out of nowhere with zombies suddenly appearing out of the ground, which is fun, but the scene itself is prolonged and our cast running about doing absolutely nothing to get away. It's embarrassing for them.

This is a problem throughout the film. Set pieces take place and the cast make increasingly poor and illogical decisions simply to put them into further jeopardy and pad out this abomination of a movie. I don't think I've ever watched a film shouting "They deserve to die!" at the screen. 

Sometimes, I will say a script could do with another polish, another point of view, but this one needs something poured on it and set on fire, then put in a bin to make sure the fire doesn't go out.

Hall, Hannah and Ruck do the best with their characters, and they are so good, but I just felt sorry for the cast having to read these lines and act these scenes with some kind of conviction. There's an elderly lady who just moans and whines, a neighbour who joins the group for reasons of plot, cries and moans, a little bit who moans. There's more moaning from the cast of characters than all the zombies put together.

Even the Zombie "rules" only come into play when it suits. A character get bitten and turns into a zombie. Other characters get bitten and absolutely nothing happens, or they take forever to turn, when it suits the story. Sometimes the zombies are slow, other times they're so quick the cast can't react. It is just so inconsistent it takes the pleasure away. Daft decisions include characters mistaking the yellow flashing of a construction crew lights for...., wait for it...., the blue and red flashing of police lights. They even go into a GREENHOUSE to get away from the zombies. Then there's a whole "thing" about trying to get past some vines in a tunnel which ends up taking no effort whatsoever.

I like to say something positive about a production even if it is terrible. So, in this flick, there ARE some decent zombie effects. That's it. Nothing more. It's a horrendous film and should be consigned to the bargain basement of Doom. Save yourselves. Avoid this. It's just under 90 minutes of my life I'm never going to get back. I've wasted them on this travesty.

Rating: 0/10

Year: 2013

Availability: I won't tell you. I don't want you to seek it out. It's out there, that's all you need to know...

Have You Been Watching...? Uglies (2024)

Uglies is a 2024 Netflix movie based on  the book by Scott Westerfield. It stars Joey King (The Conjuring), Keith Powers (Straight Outta Compton) and Laverne Cox (Orange is the New Black).  It's a new "teen/Young Adult" flick, and like it's contemporaries such as Divergent/Maze Runner/Twilight/Hunger Games etc al, it is intended to launch a new series of movies.

The story is set in an undisclosed dystopian future after some unexplained catastrophe and the world has decided that people  who are pretty have ended world division. No one gets picked on for their looks or background. Once a resident reaches the age of 16, they move from their sterile Boarding School existence, to a glamorous new life in the "City", having undergone a plastic surgery style transformation to make them pretty and vacuous , for  some reason.  Once this transformation takes place, the person loses all sight of who they were and their previous beliefs etc

It's all very vague. There's some discussion about a powerful orchid that has given mankind some kind of unlimited power supply as well. 

Our story centres on Tally Youngblood (King), whose friend reaches the ripe old age of 16 and undergoes the prettification. She then loses.contact with her friend and when she inexplicably breaks into the city, finds her friend doesn't care about her anymore. So she promptly makes a brand new best friend.

In true teen movie style, not everyone likes this new status quo and there is a rebellion forming run by an enigmatic young person called David in a place called "the Smoke" but is actually a forest. David, for some other reason of plot, falls in love with our Tally and together they try to bring down the bad guys of the piece, who have not just been making people pretty and vacuous, but also mindless soldiers. 

Apparently there are four books in this series, and our movie gives every indication that intends to follow suit. I hope this doesn't happen as this movie is a mess. Tally is a rebel for no real reason. There is little to no background for this character. There is some attempt to make her a flawed hero, but even this is a weak excuse to cause unnecessary, and quickly redundant, conflict. There is no clue as to her motivation. So her friend isn't bothered about her anymore so she stalks him? Security in The City is so weak I'm surprised the Uglies haven't overrun it almost by accident.

For a movie that is an allegory for the pointlessness of fake beauty, the film is just as guilty. For a bunch of "uglies", none of them actually are. The characters have the bare cliched bones of motivation.  The rebellion hide in a forest but the baddies cannot locate them without a little inside help, despite their advanced technology. The pretties are led by Dr Cable (Cox) who, again has no motivation other than "power". If this was the case, then why wait til the uglies are 16 to begin the transformation? Nothing about this film makes sense. Do the pretties not contact their families after they move to The City? Does no one bother about their loved one that much that it takes Tally to make enquiries? This is attempted to be addressed by the fact the Transformed no longer care about their pasts, but comes across and clumsy and lazy writing because the plot holes are so big any halfwit would be able to see the flaws.

I had never heard of the Uglies franchise before this film landed on Netflix, and I suspect this is because I am not part of its intended audience, but a good story should appeal to all, or have something to appeal to a wider audience. This movie doesn't. It's a shame as the mostly young cast do well with what they have been given, but the adult characters are just written as "generic adult". David's parents are integral to the story but are painted in only two dimensions, the same with Dr Cable, who just swans about trying to be enigmatic and important, but comes across as if they are just bored to be there. 

It would be no spoiler to reveal the movie is set up for a sequel, but even if the sequel did build upon this weak mess of a part one, it would be too little too late, and on the strength of this first instalment, it looks like the franchise has been killed stone dead.

Rating: 2/10

Year: 2024

Availability: streaming on Netflix

Have You Been Watching...? Damsel (2024)

 

Mille Bobby Brown (aka Elle “Eleven” from Stranger Things) is a great actor. I loved her in Stranger Things, I love the Enola Holmes movies and she is a great role model for young women. She is in control of her career and executive produces movies she appears in, including this one, Damsel.

The movie is a Netflix production and is a subversive retelling of the traditional damsel in distress trope. In this case, our Damsel, Elodie, is the daughter of the lord of the unnamed country they reside in. The weather is cold, the population are freezing, food is scarce and they must do something to help their people. The answer?: marry Elodie off to the handsome prince of another, richer, country. Elodie reluctantly agrees, and the family head off to meet her would-be suitor with younger sister and step-mother in tow.

Unbeknownst to Elodie and her family, the Royal Family of Well-To-Do-Land “Aurea” have a secret, and it means danger for Elodie. Owing to pact made with a dragon generations before, Elodie finds herself fighting for her life in a labyrinthine network of caves, stalked at every turn by a molten lava-breathing dragon.

Being a Millie Bobby Brown movie, our heroine is a fierce, strong and independent woman who doesn’t need to rely on any man to keep her safe. This is a quality Prince Rich-Boy and his folks hadn’t counted on. There are some nice twists on the usual fairy-tale/fantasy tropes as the story progresses. Elodie, it transpires, is not the only one being lied to, and the step-mother plays against type by being not only genuinely lovely, but kind and caring.

The special effects are great, the Dragon is beautifully realised with a design that makes it really stand out. There are a number of well realised set-pieces utilising CGI, but it becomes wearisome the more we see it. The music for the movie is from renowned composer Hans Zimmer, and his style is ever present, which is a good thing. Casting is also great. Brown is her usual self in Elodie, Ray Winstone plays against type as a weak Lord, Angela Bassett is just lovely as the Step-mother (although the constant referring to her as “Step-mother” diminishes her role). Our dragon is voiced by Shohreh Aghdashloo, and American-Iranian actress, known widely as Chrisjen Avasarala on The Expanse TV series. She imbues the character with a creepiness and compassion which adds so much to what could have been a by-the-numbers role. Love, Simon actor Nick Robinson plays Prince Henry of Aurea and is woefully underused, but this isn’t his story so its understandable. House of Cards star Robin Wright plays Henry’s mother Queen Isabelle, and if this movie was a panto, you’d “boo” every time she appears. She’s definitely the dominant character in that Royal Family as her husband the king (Milo Twomey) barely has a word in the whole film.

The script is where the movie falls down. Characterisation beyond Elodie is next-to-non-existant. The plot barely makes any sense. Who made the pact between the dragon and Royals? Why is it even there? The Dragon has no issue leaving the cave so why doesn’t it just pop out one day and blast the city away? The whole "getting girls into the cave for the Dragon" just seems an elaborate plan for no real pay-off. Surely word would have gotten around from other countries that women keep marrying the Prince and disappearing! Something happens in the film between Isabelle and Elodie’s sister Floria (Brooke Carter) that makes the whole scheme pointless. Why didn’t they just do that from the outset?

Overall, the movie isn’t terrible and is a decent enough fantasy flick, if you're not expecting anything too much. It’s probably a bit too scary for young viewers, though

Year: 2024

Rating: 6/10

Availability: at the time of writing, streaming on Netflix

Have You Been Watching...? Slotherhouse (2023)

 

The comedy horror is a tough act to pull off. For every “Gremlins”, there’s a “Slaughterhouse Rulez”, for every “It Follows”, there’s a “The Stairs”. Some low budget horror movies come up with a witty premise but then squander it with poor acting, effects and script. They fail to make the most of their premise. Cocaine Bear is a case in point. It could have been totally hilarious.

Slotherhouse (yes, it’s a play on the word “slaughterhouse” so you get where this is going from the outset) is a case of “it knows exactly what it is and plays on it”.

Set in a sorority house, Emily Young wants to be elected President. However, mean girl and reigning Queen Bee wants to remain president and has no intention of losing her crown to Emily. Trying to increase her social standing, she adopts a sloth from an exotic pet collector, who had previously collected it from its home in the Panama Rainforest.  The cute little critter starts winning over the girls and Emily becomes a favourite to win. However, in between the scheming and shenanigans of sorority politics, all is not well with our little sloth, who has been named “Alpha”. Unbeknownst to Emily, Alpha has already done away with a large crocodile and the exotic pet owner. Alpha now moves on to the girls of the Sorority house.

I don’t want to spoil things for you, but just sit back and enjoy this one. In increasingly insane and creative ways, Alpha sets about dispatching the girls. Alpha also seems to settle into 21^st century life very well which culminates in the utterly bonkers sight of a sloth taking a selfie with it’s next victim.

This movie is HILARIOUS from start to finish. It's so refreshing to see a movie be this bananas and not shy away from the ridiculousness of its premise. Alpha is as cute as a button, but even cuter when it becomes a psychotic teddy bear with razor sharp claws. One of the characters even comments that its like a cute Chucky (referencing the Childs Play franchise about a killer doll).  Just wallow and enjoy the spectacle.

The story is by Bradley Fowler and Cady Lanigan, both writers and actors who make appearances in the movie, and directed by Matthew Goodhue (who has directed and written a number of short movies). I’m not familiar with any of their previous works, but if this is evidence of what they are capable of, then they should do well in the future. 

The cast is headed by Lisa Ambalavanar (Emily) an English actress known for Teen Scifi series “Titans” and afternoon medical soap “Doctors” no less! Other names you might recognise are Sydney Craven as Brianna. She is another English actress known for teen werewolf drama Wolfblood and Evening market soap “Eastenders". Stefan Kapicic plays Oliver and he is best known to me as the voice of Collossus in Deadpool 1&2, and rounding off the more familiar faces is Tiuff Stevenson, from BBC comedies Gameface and White Gold. They, and the rest of the cast, are so tuned into this bizarre movie that none come across as simply playing this for the pay cheque, they are totally believable and having a great time!

This movie deserves to be one of those Halloween classics that gets put on every year. It truly is the perfect mix of horror and humour. You'll enjoy this one! (I hope)

 

Year; 2023

Rating 7/10

Availability, streaming on the isual platforms

Have You Been Watching...? Project Gemini (2023)

Picture this. It’s the dawn of 2023. The morning after the night before. I’m hunting on the apps for a sci-fi movie. I’m in the mood for aliens, spaceships, planets…the works! Every Time I see one that appeals, I’ve seen it before. I want something new. I stumble across Project Gemini… The trailer looked good, so do the effects, so I take the leap…

It turns out Project Gemini is a Russian production (not a problem, I didn’t mind “Attraction” and its sequel “Invasion” from a couple of years ago), and the main cast are also Russian, but speaking English with American accents. Further research indicates this is not quite true, the movie was allegedly filmed in English, then re-dubbed which is why the voices don’t seem to match. How true this is, I have no idea.

The plot of Project Gemini “borrows” heavily from a lot of mainstream popular sci-fi movies. You will find the Alien franchise’s shadow hangs heavy over the production, including the prequel “Prometheus”, but there are a number of great ideas in this movie, it just somehow doesn’t manage to pull them off. Warning: Spoilers aplenty coming up.

In the near future, a virus is wiping out plant life on planet Earth, causing serious problems for the population. Everyone pins their hopes on an expedition to terraform another planet. All of this I relayed in the exposition-laden introduction to the film. The godsend technology that allows this turns out to have been an alien sphere found in a cave that is approximately 4 billion years old. In an instant, it’s believed to have terraformed the Earth and they believe that the sphere can do it again on another world.

A crack team of bland, characterless astronauts are assembled to deliver the payload on a recently discovered world imaginatively called “Tess”. En route to the new world, the sphere somehow activates and releases a lifeform which damages the ship as it is in mid-wormhole (or something). The ship exits the wormhole in an uncharted area of space. Unaware of their stowaway, the crew decide to land on the new planet and continue the mission anyway.

As the movie unfolds we are “treated” to flashbacks, which confuse matters even more, yet still add no characterisation to the crew. In true “alien” style, there are a number of quite literally pointless deaths. There’s also the standard crew member that gets infected by the alien (despite this not happening to anyone else). The alien itself is a clear Xenomorph rip-off. It all turns out in a bizarre twist that is signposted from the opening scenes, that the ship has not travelled in space, but 4 billion years into the past. Yes, the sphere they want to create the new world, is the same sphere that spawned life on earth. What any of this has to do with a Xenomorph killing everyone is anyone’s guess.

The script, the action and the acting is very poor. What saves this movie is the effects and sets. The caves were apparently filmed in Kazakhstan, and it makes a lovely exotic and alien set-piece. What IS outstanding, is the special effects work. It is truly staggering and it seems the effects and the rest of the movie are two different films jammed together. The CGI is wonderful to watch. The downside being that one wishes the effects were married to a much better film in the studio scenes.

I love films that want to “have a go” and create something good that can give the megastudios a run for their money. This could easily have been one of them. Maybe it’s a “lost in translation” script, could a subtitled version work better? We will never know.  This just isn’t the film to do the CGI justice. It’s a tidy 100 mins long, so it’s not a massive chunk of time to waste if you want to give the film a go yourself. 

Trust me, the spoilers above are only part of the revelations of the film, so its not ruined if you’ve read this far.

YEAR: 2022

RATING: 3/10

AVAILABILITY: currently available to rent or buy from the usual online retailers.

 

Have You Been Watching...? Black Crab (2022)

 

Black Crab (or Svart Krabba in its original language) is a Swedish action movie currently at the time of writing, available on Netflix. It has some good pedigree, not least it’s lead actor, Noomi Rapace, whom English language movie-goers will recognise as Dr Elizabeth Shaw from Alien prequel “Prometheus”, as well as appearing in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and all three movies in the “Girl with a dragon tattoo” series. It also features Aliette Opheim from Icelandic mystery thriller “Katla” (also available on Netflix) and Norwegian actor Jakob Oftebro (whom I was pleasantly surprised to see, while researching, that he starred in a movie called Max Manus!). The movie’s director is Adam Berg, who along with producing Amazon Prime’s Tales from the Loop series, appears to have directed numerous pop videos.

The trailer and promotion for this movie is what drew me. An apocalyptic movie, involving a rag-tag team on a mission to save the day. Now, maybe I’m sick and twisted, but I do love a good apocalypse movie. I like a bit of spectacle and the world falling to bits.

This is not that kind of movie. The story opens up with Rapace’s character, Caroline Edh, in a car, in a tunnel with her young daughter, when what appears to be a marauding terrorist incident takes place. Edh remains in the rear of the car, with the daughter, when one of the gunmen smashes the window and it all goes dark.

Fast forward what is clearly a number of years, but Edh still looks the same. She is hauled from a train by soldiers and ordered to some military compound.  She is escorted by a captain, Nylund, who makes a stop in a village of sorts, and exits the vehicle. For some reason Edh gets out and into a fight with the population, resulting in her stealing the car and making for the compound without Nylund. There she is informed she and a small group are to transport a package across a frozen “Archiepelago”. Edh is told that her daughter has been found in a refugee camp and she can be reunited with her once the mission is complete.

I found myself with more and more questions as the film went on. Why choose Edh? What’s her speciality that makes her an ideal candidate to join the group on the ice? Was she a champion ice skater before the war? (I’ve since read a review that says she’s a speed skater). Oh yes, there appears to be a war. The enemy is never made explicit. Who are they? Why have they waged war? Unfortunately, it seems to be a story for story’s sake. Equally unfortunately, none of it makes any sense whatsoever. After watching numerous escapades on the ice, and yes like any other quest movie, some of them die on the way, the story then takes a bizarre turn. After receiving some news she’d rather not have received, Edh makes a decision that makes the whole story pointless.

I felt very disappointed and underwhelmed by the story’s conclusion. With a running time of almost 2 hours, it’s hard not to feel frustrated. It’s not all awful though. The CGI is very good on occasions and some of the gore is rather good too. I also liked the music, by a group calling themselves “dead people”. However, it’s too little to save this movie and I would not recommend it. The movie didn’t thrill me and I couldn’t have cared less for the characters (I was going to say I didn’t warm to them, but that sounded a cheap joke!).

Year – 2022

Availability – Netflix (various language and subtitle options)

HYBW movie rating – 4/10

Have You Been Watching...? There's Something In The Barn (2023)

At Christmas time, there's something naughty and mischievous about watching a Christmas themed horror/monster movie. As a boy I adored the Gremlins movies. Recently, I quite enjoyed the Adam Scott starring "Krampus" movie and the Norwegian entry "Rare Exports: A Christmas Story". This new entry "There's something in the barn" is as close to Gremlins as you will get for the time being.

The movie centers around the Norwegian myth of Barn elves, little elves that will look after you as long as you;re good to them and follow their rules (yes, there are rules too!) These include no bright lights and no loud music. So, into our story come the Nordheim family. They're American of Norwegian descent, and so, when one of the family dies they are left their house in Gudbrandsdalen. Arriving at Christmastime, it doesn't take long for the loud Americans to fall foul of the rules of the barn elves, which then leads to all out war!

Martin Starr (Roger Harrington in the MCU movies) takes on the role of Bill Nordheim, the dad of the family and enthusiastic for the family's move there. Amrita Acharia (from ITV's Good Karma Hospital) plays the mother, Carol with Zoe Winther-Hansen and Townes Bunner as the kids Nora and Lucas respectively. Lucas finds out about the barn elf quite early on and does his best to abide by the rules, but his family don't believe him at all. Henriette Steenstrup, a Norwegian actress probably best known abroad for the Netflix series Ragnarok, is an absolute scene stealer in her role as the local police officer. 

In true Gremlins style, the horror is probably a little too adult for the little ones and there is a good amount of gore in this movie Fortunately, there is also a great amount of comedy, not just from the war against the elves, but from the culture clash of the brash Americans and the reserved Norwegians.

We have been missing this kind of quirky Christmas horror for a while. Setting the movie in Norway is a masterstroke, not least because of the folklore, but because the scenery and the snow covered locations are just wonderful , and it's nice to see a movie set somewhere different.  The movie is directed by Magnus Martens, who genre fans may know from Fear the Walking Dead and it's written by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown, who has written previous Norwegian movies about their folklore, so the pedigree for this movie is good!

The cast do their best with the material, but this ain't Shakespeare. We are in it for the Elves and they don't disappoint. So strap yours"elves"  in and get ready for a very enjoyable riot! 

Year: 2022

Rating 8/10

Availability: from online digital retailers

Have You Been Watching...? Rebel Moon - Part 1: A Child Of Fire (2023)

 

On a recent flight, I'd read in a magazine that writer and director Zack Snyder (Justice League) had pitched the idea of his Rebel Moon movies as “Game of Thrones in Space”. Now, I quite liked Game of Thrones, but the idea of investing so much time into another franchise didn’t appeal, but I’ve liked his other work and wanted to give this new Sci-Fi adventure a go. The script for the movie was co-written by Snyder with Kurt Johnstad ("300") and Shay Hatten (Army of the Dead, John Wick 3) and directed by Snyder. 

As it’s a relatively new movie so I will try not to be too spoiler-ific.

Our story opens with a narration explaining how there is a Motherworld, and when it’s King and Queen are assassinated, a prince regent steals the throne while everyone else is bickering. A revolution begins, and the empire (oops!) tries to stamp it out. Our story then moves to a small farming village on the planet Veldt. It is visited by a group from the Empire in their Dreadnaught ship The Kings Gaze, under the command of General Atticus Noble (Ed Skrein from Deadpool and Tau) wanting grain to feed their army as they hunt the revolutionaries. One thing leads to another and our hero, Kora (Sofia Boutella from Kingsman The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) who is secretly an ex-member of the empire, sets off to create an army capable of protecting the village from the Empire.

It's very much a space saga, but Game of Thrones it is not. In fact, plot wise, it’s less Star Wars and more Battle Beyond The Stars. I fail to understand why a Dreadnaught ship arrives and threatens a simple village, when there is a whole city called Providence on Veldt which would make more sense. Despite all the tech on show in the movie, everyone and everything is dirty. There are no bright whites and sleek lines in this universe. Even Star Wars had a mixture of the two, but by the end of this one, I’m fed up of the dirt and grime.

Much must be said of the universe building in this movie. Great strides are made with diversity and a mix of accents giving real credence to different cultures, although the less said of Charlie Hunnam’s (as Kai) dreadful Northern Irish accent. I can't understand why he didn’t just use his natural Geordie accent.

Kora's ragtag bunch of revolutionaries are gathered together much too quickly and with little backstory provided to any, it’s hard to feel anything for them. The only characters that feel developed with genuine motivation are Kora and Noble, and bizarrely, Kora’s fellow villager Gunnar (Michiel Huisman from World War Z and the Haunting of Hill House). The others just feel like they’re along for the ride and each are introduced in various little scenarios. Some of these don’t even make a lot of sense, particularly Tarak (Staz Nair from Game of Thrones and Supergirl), he has a special ability, but I had to go online to understand why this was a thing in the movie. Maybe it’ll be apparent in part two. Given the clear drive to be a new Star Wars type saga, the lack of a robot crewmember is apparent, especially as a prime candidate “Jimmy” is introduced early on, voice by Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins. Other unanswered questions include why they think a small army can take on the dreadnaught ship? Even if they did win, they’re fighting an empire who would just send another.

Unfortunately, it’s so formulaic that it feels like there is nothing new here. Yes, it’s nice to see a new Sci Fi big budget movie, but it just makes me want to watch Star Wars. Maybe things will change in Part 2, but this leads to another disappointment. We know from the outset that this is part one, so we expect a cliffhanger and plots not to be resolved by the end. This robs the viewer of any sense of peril for our band of heroes.

Further reading indicates there will be more sequels. While the name Rebel Moon sounds cool, what happens after the moon is “liberated”? Will there be more moons to liberate? I think the beginnings of something good are here, but I wonder if it will become something more, with its own identity.

Snyder has also commented that there is a more adult orientated “R” rated extended version to come out later. This could be the road forward for this franchise. Even in its Netflix edited form, its hard to tell who the movie is aimed at. It’s too formulaic for discerning sci-fi fans and too adult for children (there is one particular scene where the baddies discussing deflowering a young woman which is unpleasant but definitely shows us how bad the baddies are, and there are moments of bad language).

Overall, the movie is not a bad watch and enjoyable enough as a yarn. I certainly want to see part two.

Year: 2023

Availability: Streaming on Netflix at the time of writing

Rating 7/10

Have You Been Watching...? Leave The World Behind (2023)

 

Leave The World Behind is a 2023 disaster movie from Netflix, with a “Big Name” cast including Oscar-winners Julia Roberts (Erin Brokovich, Pretty Woman) and Maherasha Ali (Moonlight, The 4400) and Oscar-Nominee Ethan Hawke (Gattaca, Boyhood, Training Day) and co-starring Myha’la (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies) and the legendary Kevin Bacon (Tremors, Footloose). It's based on a 2020 thriller novel by Rumaan Alam. As you will know by now, I do like my disaster movies, so this was a definite go-to upon release. The movie is already one of Netflix’s highest performers at the time of writing, but also one of the most controversial with a very low appreciation rating in review sites such as Rotten Tomatoes. Is it as bad as some people are saying? Can the movie live up to the hype? Read on, dear reader….

The plot begins straight-forwardly enough. Roberts and Hawke portray middle-aged married couple Amanda and Clay Sanford who, with their two children Rose and Archie, go on a spur-of-the-moment getaway to a rental house in Long Island, New York. The reason for this break isn’t really given, other than, as Amanda states before the titles, she hates people. Rose, the youngest of the two children, is addicted to the old 90s sitcom “Friends”, and this plays an unusually large role in the film so you know it’s going to mean something at some point. Archie is a stereotypical young teenage male with little time for his sibling. The house they stay in is a sleek, modern affair with a pool which backs onto woods populated by deer and conveniently near a beach. So far, so idyllic.

The family spend a nice day at the beach when a large oil tanker comes aground. Heading back to the house, they find the TV and wifi no longer work. With no internet, Rose is about to miss the series finale of Friends, which is distressing her, even thought its already older than she probably is. Matters get more complicated when a man claiming to be the house owner (Ali, playing George H Scott)) arrives with his daughter, wanting to stay the night as a blackout has caused getting to his own home more complicated. Amanda is instantly suspicious while Clay seems more accommodating. More layers are piled onto the plot as it begins to appear Amanda doesn’t like the Scotts as they are black. Is Amanda racist? It certainly adds an uncomfortable aspect to an already uncomfortable situation. Amanda later receives messages on her phone claiming hackers have caused the blackout but before she can tell anyone, the messages vanish. Seeking more information, George ventures to a friends house only to find the remains of a crashed aircraft and before his eyes, another plunges into the beach.

As more and more unsettling situations arise, relationships are formed and relationships are strained. Clues are found but there is doubt as to whether they can be relied upon. At times of extreme crisis, who can be trusted entirely?

This, then, leads to the controversial finale, which I will not spoil for you. The novel the movie is based on ends with the discovery of a bunker and some hope for the families. The movie’s ending has the “possibility” of similar hope, but the final moments allows the viewer to determine what is more important to whom? Is everyone able to sing off the same hymn sheet at such times? The viewer doesn’t receive all the answers and some is left to interpretation. This works for some movies and not so well for others. I feel the latter applies here. It’s a lengthy movie but to be rewarded with no definitive answer feels more like a cop-put than a planned ending. Sometimes, when I watch a movie, I want to see the story, not given about 98% and having to make the rest up myself. I watch movies and TV to be entertained.

The movie is NOT bad, it just doesn’t do enough to warrant a glowing review. The cast ARE great and immensely watchable. The direction is solid from Sam Esmail (although he did the screenplay too so can take some responsibility for naff ending). One of the major downsides to the movie is the overuse of pop music as at times, it feels like a non-stop pop video. This is mostly apparent at the beginning but calms down as the movie progresses.

With a run-time of 141 minutes, it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome and there is still plenty to entertain. However, with the absolute final moments, I can understand the poor reviews.

Year: 2023

Availability: Streaming on Netflix

Rating: 7/10

Have You Been Watching...? Aftershock

I came across Aftershock while rooting through a few streaming services looking for something I’d never seen before. Aftershock was described as “disaster horror” (not a category I’d come across) so thought I’d give it a try.

Set in Chile, the movie tells the tale of an American tourist called “Gringo” played by horror star Eli Roth. He is visiting his pal and that pal’s friends, one of whom is called “Pollo” (Spanish for Chicken). For the first 30 minutes of the film, I have to be honest, nothing happens. We get to see Gringo and his pals party, sightsee, get drunk, flirt (badly) and have a great time. We are further introduced to a group of girls also on holiday. One of whom is called Kylie. I find the cast difficult to write about as even by the end of the movie I still don’t know who they are. They have some soapy drama in the background about one of them not being able to drink alcohol, but then drinks anyway, to the chagrin of her sister. So far so boring.

Then, eventually, an earthquake hits. Spectacularly so. They’re in an underground disco, so bits of roof come down, equipment and running partygoers squash people. It’s all a bit grisly, especially when something happens to the only cast member who comes across as any way a "kind" human being. Even that takes a turn for the comedic and I found myself laughing during the chaos. Intentional or not on the part of the director, I don’t know, but it was VERY funny. Escaping the venue at the cost of another unimportant disposable castmember’s life in another example of hilarious death, I realise this is like watching disaster-porn. I’m watching it, eagerly awaiting the next horrid death in a comedy fashion. I don’t have to wait long. The earthquake scenes and falling building effects are very good indeed. As our group realise the peril they are in (there’s a tsunami coming, but they all seem to forget about that), things take a turn for the worse when a prison collapses and the prisoners escape. It’s around this point I realise I don’t care for what happens to this group. The movie shifts a gear into Mad Max/Escape from New York territory as the prisoners are ALL bad (m’kay). There’s a grim sequence set in a graveyard which reduces or cast further and is unnecessarily over-violent. It seems very clear the movie has no real plot and is just a series of “incidents” to either make you laugh out loud or grimace in disgust. Eventually the movie grinds to halt with one of the most pointless reveals ever. It literally just does NOT make any sense whatsoever.

Eli Roth has made a number of decent horror movies as director and producer, including Cabin Fever, and he co-wrote this endeavour. Unfortunately it is weak. Very weak. It has the look and feel of a cheap bargain basket DVD.

The movie DOES pick up after the earthquake hits, but by then I’m bored out of my mind and I contemplated switching it off several times, thinking I must have got it wrong. However, it becomes a generic runaround from "bad guys with no motives other than being bad" and instantly forgettable.

Year: 2012

Availability: Streaming on itvX at the time of writing.

Rating: 2/10

 

Have You Been Watching...? Star Wars: Obi Wan Kenobi

 

When Disney obtained the rights to Star Wars, the legendary sci-fi property that formed such a HUGE part of my (and many others’) childhood, I was worried. I didn’t want it becoming Star Wars: Hannah Montana or suchlike. However, Disney have proved to be more than capable of churning out great Star Wars content. The Mandalorian is a work of art, and I adore the series completely but when Obi-Wan Kenobi was announced, I was unsure. Was this even a Star Wars story I needed or wanted to see?

The limited series brings Ewan McGregor back as Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi master who introduced Luke Skywalker to “The Force”. McGregor, you may recall, played the role in the prequel movie trilogy. It also brings back Haydn Christensen as Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Others returning to the movie roles include Jimmy Smits as Senator Bail Organa and Joel Edgerton as Owen Lars, and of course, James Earl Jones and Ian MacDiarmid. The series also introduces a wealth of new characters and talent including Moses Ingram as Reva Sevander, an imperial agent on the hunt for Obi-Wan with a secret few could see coming, and Vivien Lyra Blair as Princess Leia Organa. Yes, we have a younger incarnation of everyone’s favourite space princess as a 10 year old. My goodness, she is absolutely brilliant, both at this whole acting malarkey and in channelling a young Carrie Fisher’s sassiness in the part. She is a joy to watch and her relationship with the older Kenobi is one of the highlights, maybe even THE highlight of the whole series. It certainly adds more credibility and poignancy to Carrie Fisher’s message to him through R2-D2 in A New Hope.

As this is a relatively new series, I won’t give much of the plot away here, but the focus of the series is Reeva’s hunt for the last of the Jedi, particularly Obi-Wan Kenobi and she is singularly focussed on the task. This results in the abduction of a young Princess Leia and a rescue mission by Kenobi and his friends.

The internet has been ablaze with commentators and their thoughts on how well the series fits with established continuity as set by the movie saga. I am on the side that there is nothing in the series than causes friction with anything established in the movies. As is now expected from these Disney Star Wars adventures, there is plenty of money on the screen. The effects are spectacular, the sets are truly magnificent for a TV show, and the music, provided by a returning John Williams after Ludwig Goransson scored the Mandalorian and Boba Fett serials, is appropriately epic.

It's an enjoyable ride of a series, and poor young Leia does get put through the wringer a bit, but you can clearly see how what she experiences influences the older Leia we all know and love. The relationship between Kenobi and his young padawan Anakin gets some exploration too and adds new dimensions to Darth Vader that we never knew was possible.  We are also introduced to a number of side characters, such as Haja Estree and Taka Durith, the latter of which is now one of my favourite characters in the Star Wars universe.

So ignore some of the stories you might see on the internet about the show and/or it’s cast. Approach this series with an open mind and I’m sure you will enjoy it. If you can avoid spoilers too, it will make it even better. By the time this is published, you might have heard every spoiler going about Obi-Wan Kenobi, but even armed with the knowledge, you will stall have a good time with this show. As a 6 part limited series, I was not sure what kind of story it would tell, or how they would do it. A lot of thought has gone into this series and it shows. The production team and writers have done a fantastic job in bringing this untold chapter in our heroes’ lives to us. As I stated above, I wasn’t sure if it was a story I wanted or needed, but it turns out I did, on both counts.

Year: 2022

Episode count: 6

Season count: 1 (so far!!)

Availability: Streaming on Disney+

 

Have You Been Watching...? Doctor Who: The Daleks In Colour (2023)

 

Doctor Who, that familiar TV series with the time-travelling Police box TARDIS and its quirky alien pilot The Doctor, turned 60 years old in 2023. To celebrate, the BBC broadcast a re-edited and re-jigged version of its seminal 1963 adventure The Daleks. The Daleks themselves, alien mutants in miniature individual “battle-tanks", were to become an iconic adversary to the Doctor and it made sense for this adventure to be the first to undergo such a transformation. Plodding along at 7x25 minute black & white weekly episodes, the story is now condensed to a mere 75 minutes, and now it’s in colour for the very first time.

Until now, the only way to see this story in colour was via the 1965 heavily adapted movie version starring Peter Cushing, as the genial grandfather Dr Who, which runs for only 5 minutes more than our new TV edit. This one features the original TARDIS crew of William Hartnell as The Doctor, Guinness World Record holder William Russell as Ian Chesterton, Jaqueline Hill as Barbara Wright and Carole Ann Ford as Susan.

If you are completely new to the concept of Dr Who, then this may not be the best jumping on point as literally nothing is explained about our lead characters. In context, the series was heavily serialised in the sixties, with every episode leading on to the next so there would be no need to explain at this point, which would have been episodes 5-11 of the original run.

This new special edition opens with a new version of the classic theme tune, which sounds slightly faster and with new additional sound effects and a technicolour hue. The story then begins in true Wizard of Oz style with a short black and white scene before developing into colour. The story itself is basic enough, The Doctor and the crew come across a technologically advanced city on an alien world, occupied by the Daleks who are at war with the peaceful Thal race. The war ended hundreds of years previously following the detonation of a neutron bomb. In the intervening years, the Daleks have mutated and reside in their metal casings, while the blonde Thals have become peaceful farmers. On the verge of starvation due to their crops failing, the Thals are trying to get help from the Daleks, hoping they too have evolved into peaceful beings. Spoilers - They haven’t (hey, it’s been out there for 60 years – it’s not really a spoiler).

The Doctor we see in this adventure, is not the same as the one we have grown to know. He doesn’t want the teachers around and is sneaky and manipulative. The circumstances he creates to get to view the city is the whole driving point of our plot, and people die because of the decisions he has made. The two teachers have no choice in their situation. It all leads to very strange and somewhat uncomfortable situation. It will be a while before The Doctor mellows to his new companions.

The work on this project is fascinating, and there are pros and cons to this experiment. The source material is 60 years old. It wasn’t the best material from the outset, but the cleaning and colouring has worked very well. It’s not sharp and glaring or in high-definition, but it does have an almost “dream-like” sheen on the image. The colour choices are bright and bold, and it’s clear why this story was the one given the colourisation treatment. The crew behind the scenes have gone for a very sixties style suitable to the time it was made. Long term fans can moan that the Tardis console is, in fact, green in real life and the floor wasn’t blue, but that takes away from the sheer joy of this project. The episodes have been given a very modern “editing” style, with fast shots and flashbacks. Sometimes, these don’t quite work as well as they’d hope and it only feels like minutes ago since we saw the clip that’s being “flashed back” to. The musical score and sounds have been re-done, seemingly with modern TV sensibilities, resulting in it being quite overbearing at times, and drowning out the actual speech. Some effects have been updated, so now the original Daleks do indeed fire laser beams.

It's a very strange experience, especially if you are already well familiar with the original version. Apparently, the whole idea was to re-cut the episodes as a “modern” episode would do it. In this respect, then the experiment is a success! The lengthy script from Terry Nation (Blake's 7, Survivors) has been chopped right back and pretty much all of the padding removed making it rattle along at a lightning pace, very reminiscent of modern episodes. 

There are hints that this may be the first of many re-versions of old Dr Who Black and White episodes. Hopefully, this one can be seen as a starting-off point, learning what works and what didn’t and lessons can be learned, but overall, this is a wonderful new addition to Doctor Who productions and an extra-special treat for the anniversary.

Year: 2023

Availability: BBCiplayer from 23^rd November 2023

Rating: 7/10