Showing posts with label LANCE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label LANCE. Show all posts

Saturday, 14 November 2015

Arrow Season Four: Haunted

"I'm back!"
Laurel comes clean with the rest of Team Arrow after Sara goes on a rampage so Oliver contacts an old friend, John Constantine (Matt Ryan), for help in saving Sara's soul.

Arrow sure stepped into the realm of magic in a big way with the guest appearance of Constantine and he did not disappoint. I didn't see the short lived Constantine series but everyone praised Ryan's performance and I can see why because he is faithful to his comic counterpart in personality, humour, the way he acts around the rest of the characters and how he comes across as a selfless guy with the way he helped Team Arrow but you can just tell he has a murky past. I'm glad however that they didn't waste too much time on Constantine's backstory they just tied him in nicely to the present and flashback storylines. The Flashbacks really improved this episode because thanks to Constantine we have a better understanding of what the bad guys are up to and we had a nice treasure hunt with him and Oliver. Then there was the present story line and that trip to the "other side" Constantine, Oliver and Laurel took was really cool (and again increases the supernatural element of the show) with them fighting the souls of the deceased League members and those gory, zombie - looking hands that where holding Sara. The let downs for this story line however was that overall Constantine really wasn't in it that much and I think that could have been improved by trimming down some of the scenes with Sara hunting Thea and capturing her; I mean honestly that went on for way too long! Then there was the fact that Sara's reunion with her family could have been a lot more better and had more emotional impact; she didn't even say anything to anybody and it was only mentioned by Quentin and Laurel how she was coping with just coming back. Laurel however was a bit better this episode (even though she doesn't seem to care people are dead because she brought Sara back) with the way she stood up to Oliver for when he used the Pit on Thea.

Don't let go Laurel!
As for everything else I really enjoyed the team up with Quentin and Diggle because they where two characters that haven't had much interaction with each other. I liked that Diggle didn't trust Quentin at first because of his ties to HIVE but was willing to let that slide for the greater good and I liked how Quentin saved Diggle from the guards by pretending to arrest him. Quentin also got some info out of Darhk which revealed the truth about Diggle's brother and I wonder how this will affect him in future episodes. Two subplots that felt out of place was firstly the ones with Oliver's mayor campaign because that really was there just to introduce a new character and Felicity and Curtis scenes trying to solve Ray's message. They where alright but in the light of having a major guest star like Constantine every other subplot should have been on hold or really trimmed down like the Sara hunting for Thea so that he could have had way more screen time. However at least Felicity now knows that Ray is alive and I hope that becomes the big focus for next episode or the one after because I am tried it just being these small subplots.

"If only my last tattoo was this painless"
Overall a great introduction to Constantine in the Arrow/Flash universe and I really hope that the character appears more on both shows or even Legends of Tomorrow.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Constantine guest appearance/improved island Flashbacks
                   Magic has now been more heavily introduced/rescuing Sara's soul scenes
                   Quentin and Diggle team up

Let - Downs: Sara's reunion with her family wasn't as impactful as it should have been
                      Some subplot and scenes took too much screen time away from Constatine

The great screenshots of these episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;





Thursday, 15 January 2015

Arrow Season Two: Time of Death

"Time for you to die!"
The episode begins with two thieves being guided through a robbery by William Tockman AKA Clock King (Robert Knepper) however even though they get what they came for one of the thieves kills a guard meanwhile at the Arrowcave Oliver, Sara and Diggle are comparing war scars making Felicity feeling left out and Oliver wants to throw a welcome home party for Sara. In a Flashback the group sees a plane but it is shot down and in the present Clock King kills the thief who messed up while at the party Laurel is notably absent. Quentin and Arrow later investigate the body of the thief and Quentin says he stole a skeleton key earlier, in a Flashback the group find the pilot of the plane gravely injured so Slade and Oliver go to find medical supplies. In the present Arrow and Black Canary show up at a robbery however it is done by Clock King who uses this as an opportunity to hack Felicity systems and escape however they where able to get a blood sample. Arrow and Black Canary go to Clock King's sister's address (after finding out he and his sister are both suffering from a fatal illness) however it is another hack and their computers are destroyed this time, Felicity later admits to Diggle she feels inadequate now Sara is here but Diggle reassures her she is invaluable.

"Let's finally bury the hatchet"
The Lance Family hold a dinner with Oliver (as a way to mend things between Sara and Laurel and Quentin wants to get back together with Dinah) however Dinah admits she is in another relationship and Laurel storms out after realizing Oliver and Sara are together. This is the last straw for Oliver who says Laurel needs to do a better job taking reasonability for her actions and that he is done caring about her. Arrow, Black Canary, Diggle and Felicity all go to stop Clock King and Felicity is able to knock him out by exploding his phone despite being shot in the shoulder, Oliver later reassures her that she will always be "his" girl on the team. Sara later takes a job at The Verdant and has a moment with Laurel who admits she was wrong and even goes to AA with Quentin. In a Flashback the pilot dies but not before giving Sara a picture of her daughter who is Sin. The episode ends with Oliver going home and finding Moira in a meeting with someone who turns out to be Slade Wilson.

"So where are yours two costumes?"
We got another villain from the comics the episode and that is the Clock King and those who have read my Flash review know I really like Robert Knepper as him. The guy is really similar to his comic counterpart and Knepper really portrays him as being borderline psychotic but that is because the guy has almost nothing to lose because of his disease. They also create a lot of sympathy for his character because of the disease and his sister that you almost wish that he got away with the robbery. However what was really great about him was that he was more of an intellectual opponent against Team Arrow this time who outsmarted them twice and was more of an enemy for Felicity this time. Speaking of Felicity I am glad that she was one of the main focuses this episode and that it dealt with her personal conflict of being inadequate now that Sara is here. This could have been made out to be really silly of being jealous but no, the dialogue she had with Diggle and Oliver really made it feel relevant. Plus I like that she is the one to take down Clock King because she really needs an arch - nemesis of her own sometime.

If he was able to hack Team Arrow's systems then you think he got their address?
We also got some great moments with the Lance Family again and I just thought I'd say I am really glad that Quentin is now on friendly terms with Oliver and the Queen Family now because him being a constant ass to them and Tommy annoyed me last season but he is a way better character now. However Laurel of course had to spoil parts of it again with her damn outbursts but I am really glad now that Oliver has finally had enough with her. Liked the scene when he told her so because it was one of the few times we see Oliver crack and I never liked how in season one he was so obsessed with Laurel sometimes. Luckily it looks like Laurel is finally, finally to getting out of the drinks and drugs which is about time but I didn't like the reconciliation between Laurel and Sara because that whole "I was on the boat with you" dialogue and the rest that followed sounded like a load of crap. Lastly for a quick mention I like that we got some more origin on Sin but those Flashbacks but like last episode felt really unnecessary.

"Surprise boy"
Overall I really liked the villain in this episode but it was a shame it didn't focus on him more but at least he was on The Flash after this. Oh yeah I didn't expect to see Slade at the Queen Manor but I can't wait to see how Oliver will handle it next episode.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlights: Clock King was a strong villain
                   Felicity felt more involved this episode
                   Did like the moments with the Lance Family except with Laurel

Let - Downs: Laurel again
                      Didn't like the Flashbacks


The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 


http://screencapped.net/               

Arrow Season Two: Heir to the Demon

The second daughter to the Demon
The episode begins with Nyssa al Ghul (Katrina Law) taking out airport security because her credentials issued an A.R.G.U.S alert meanwhile at Queen Consolidated Moira is preparing to run for Mayor and Felicity tells Walter that Tempest (the old organization connected with The Undertaking and Moira) is making withdrawals from the bank. Oliver sees Laurel at the hospital, Quentin and Dinah are also there and Laurel tells Quentin that she saw Sara, later Oliver finds Sara at the Arrowcave and wants her to stay for her family but Sara says the League are still after her. In a Flashback six years ago Sara is visiting her family after get time off from college but texts Oliver, in the present Sara and Quentin meet up briefly but when Sara leaves Nyssa shows up wanting her to return to the League and even though she still refuses the two kiss, Arrow watches from a distance. Nyssa and Sara meet up again later because Sara wishes for Ra's al Ghul to release her from the League but Nyssa says that may be impossible. Diggle later finds out Laurel was actually poisoned and Dinah is kidnapped at the hospital by Nyssa and Arrow and Black Canary fail to stop her, they both then tell Quentin about this.

"Ever thought of getting a car? You can equip it with lots of gadgets!"
In a Flashback Quentin and Laurel have just found out the Queen's Gambit has sunk and Moira shows up later to tell them Sara was on the boat, in the present Team Arrow runs into a dead end tracking the poison but Nyssa calls and says she wants Sara in exchange for Dinah. Oliver notices something off with Felicity who replies that she has found out something about Thea which shocks Oliver at Moira's campaign event but he keeps it to himself, later he finds out Sara has taken more of the poison with her to confront Nyssa. Quentin and Sara confront Nyssa and Sara poisons herself however Arrow shows up and saves her after a brief fight with Nyssa, this compels Nyssa to release her from the League. Later Oliver tells Moira that the two of them are now done, having been told by Felicity that Thea is Malcolm's daughter meanwhile Quentin and Dinah are overjoyed Sara is back however Laurel (incorrectly/unfairly) blames Sara for every bad thing in their family and demands her to leave. The episode ends with Slade telling Sebastian that he will deal with Moira and Sara and Oliver kissing passionately.

Really thought Sara was dead for good at this moment
Looks like the League is back and we have the arrival of a major character from it, it might not be Ra's al Ghul but one of his daughters. At first I thought it would be Talia because she is the most well known of his daughters however having Nyssa instead is better because Talia is more associated with Batman. Nyssa really made a strong debut; kicking a lot of ass and being a awesome archer and having a great costume to match. She is willing to do whatever it took to get Sara back, poisoning her sister and kidnapping her mother, and I kind of wish we got a bit more history on their relationship. This would have made for better Flashbacks than what we got this episode because it just felt unnecessary because it was basically no new information. However despite that I always like seeing the League and we had a great show down between Nyssa and Arrow.

"Your not the only one who can do this"
It was also again good seeing Walter and that Felicity was involved again in an effort to find out the truth of Moira's lies. She had a great confrontation with Moira and I don't really blame her for telling Oliver the truth about Thea and that was just one more lie that Oliver just could not take. I wonder if he will see or treat Thea any different now that he now she is Malcolm's daughter but he is done with Moira now in any case. We also got to see Moira starting to run for Mayor now and like I said last review I am interested to see more because it is something new for her character and she finally gets to do something that is good for the city.

Why couldn't we just have a nice reunion
As for everything else I did like the drama between the Lance family and that they where all together but it was ruined at the end by Laurel. This might sound cheesy but I wouldn't have mind at the end that the Lance family, including Laurel, embraced each other now that their family is whole again but it did go that way. I just hated Laurel's sudden hostility towards Sara and blaming her for every bad thing that has happened because every bad thing is really her fault and of course she was drinking at the end again. I have read some reviews saying that her anger was justified this time but I don't see it that way and it just makes me continue to hate her. Plus I while I said the Flashbacks where not needed it was nice seeing the Lance Family as they where six years ago but again except for Laurel because she was just like in the present she was a bitch in the Flashbacks. Lastly I don't like that Sara and Oliver got together at the end because even though I am not a fan of any of the couplings, Oliver/Felicity is better than any of the ones we have had so far.

"Get over here and give your speech Oliver!"
Overall this was a great episode but the ending, Laurel and Flashbacks where at let down.

SCORE: 7/10

Highlight: Strong debut for Nyssa
                  Moira and Oliver conflict
                  The Lance family (except for Laurel)

Let - Downs: Laurel ruined the ending like she ruins everything now
                      Flashbacks


The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 



Tuesday, 13 January 2015

Arrow Season Two: Crucible

Now that is a creepy mask!
The episode begins with Felicity covering for Oliver who is busy as Arrow stopping an arms shipment to the Glades, when he does arrive at the party he agrees to work with Sebastian and sponsor a "Guns for Cash" event in the wake of a mob boss called The Mayor taking over the Glades. Laurel is also there and seen abusing drink (*shaking head*) and is later watched by Black Canary who is then tied up by Arrow (Felicity having told him earlier that she is following Laurel). Black Canary escapes but not before Arrow realizes it was Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), Laurel's supposedly deceased sister. Oliver tells Diggle and Felicity that he knew she didn't die on the Queen's Gambit but saw her die a year later, Sara is then talks to Sin about seeing her dad and sister. Laurel then abuses drink in front of her boss and is pulled over for drink driving (*shaking head again*) which prompts Quentin to warn her about addiction however she doesn't listen. Sara then visits Oliver to ask him not to tell her family she is alive and then Quentin shows up (Sara hides) and asks Oliver for help with Laurel, in a flashback Oliver is shot by the pirates but is helped by another prisoner Anatoly Knyazev (David Nykl).

Bet you thought it couldn't get worse than Fyers
Oliver tries to talk to Laurel about her recent troubles but again she does not listen and we have a Flashback and Oliver is questioned about the skeletons. The Mayor attacks the "Guns for Cash" event where Sin is injured and Oliver, Sebastian, Thea and Roy where all there however Felicity manages to get his location after this. Arrow and Black Canary team up to take the Mayor down but Arrow has to talk her out of killing him, later Oliver and Sebastian decide to work together to help Starling City. Oliver then meets Sara at the hospital and even though she doesn't want to reveal she is alive to her family she agrees to work with him, while this is happening Quentin is at his AA meeting and Laurel is seen abusing drugs with drink (*bloody hell*). The episode ends with a Flashback and Oliver finds out Sara is alive on the Amazo and in the present the Mayor is brought before a skull - masked man named Brother Blood (revealed to be Sebastian) who injects him with a green substance but dies.

"Now this is a change from my staff"
We got quite the reveal that Sebastian is one of the antagonists of the season called Brother Blood, when I first watched this it was quite the surprise because I didn't expect it; Sebastian seemed like such a good guy! His mask was pretty damn cool if I say so myself and I like the way he uses a voice filter to make himself sound more menacing. I don't know what he injected the Mayor with but it seems like death wasn't what he was hoping for but since Sebastian is obviously a major character this season I'm sure we will find out more in time. For those who don't know Brother Blood is a minor villain in the comics some I'm glad a less known one is having the spotlight in live action.

"I got the guns now where is my cash?"
I didn't really care that much for the other antagonist, The Mayor, since he was just the villain of the week however at least we got to see Arrow and Black Canary team up (I just like team ups!). Again I was surprised to find Black Canary was Sara because apart from supposed to being dead Laurel is Black Canary in the comics (her mother also is but I doubt she will be in live action). Of course since she was already in previous episodes I thought it was someone new who would train Laurel at first but anyway I glad we got her identity now and the Flashbacks are getting better and interesting now that she will be apart from them. I can't wait to see what happens which makes Oliver thinks that she died again after the sinking of Queen's Gambit?

Shouldn't a secret meeting be at night?
As for everything else in this episodes I liked how Sebastian and Oliver want to work together to help Starling City (of course at the end it is revealed they both have duel identities lol) and Roy, Thea and Sin got some good scenes together. However what really ruined this for me was the direction that Laurel is going in now and that is being a drink and drug abuser; hated this decision the second I saw it because we had to go through this with Thea in season one and now again? I know she has recently been through a lot but why did it have to be drink and drugs? Are they trying to make build sympathy for her because honestly I don't feel that to anyone who does drink and drugs and it just makes her out to be an incredibly weak character. Plus her stupid attitude with her father and Oliver doesn't help because if she keeps ignoring them (Did she admit to Quentin last episode she got Tommy killed for being too stubborn?) it is going to take her ages to get over this; after seeing her not do much in season one and now seeing what the writers are doing with her she is unworthy of ever being Black Canary.

"Now this is a change from my bow"
Overall we had some great reveals in this but it is the weakest episode so far largely thanks to that b***h Laurel.

SCORE: 6/10

Highlights: Arrow and Black Canary team up
                   Sara Lance back and the Flashbacks
                   Sebastian as Brother Blood

Let - Downs: Laurel really ruined this
                      Didn't care for the Mayor

The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 



Monday, 8 December 2014

Arrow Season One: Pilot

So now that I have finished reviewing Revolution Season One I have decided to review Arrow just like I said. Like Revolution I know I am behind but I don't care since I am reviewing these because I enjoy it and if I start now I can be up to date for season four lol. Also like Revolution these reviews will go in depth in the story, the score in the end will be determined by how much I enjoyed the plot and what the characters did in it and again like Revolution even though I have seen all episodes I will act as if it is my first time watching them and remember what my first time reaction was when I first watched it.

The episode begins with a hooded man spotting a ship from an island and he uses a bow and arrow to create a signal fire and he is then rescued. The news report that follows reveals that this hooded man is Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) a young billionaire who has been missing and presumed dead for five years along with his father when their boat sank. He is taken home by his mother Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) and his greeted by his younger sister Thea (Willa Holland) and Moira husband Walter Steele (Colin Salmon). Meanwhile Oliver's old girlfriend Laurel Lance (Katie Cassidy), an attorney, is trying to find evidence against corrupt millionaire Adam Hunt but is shocked when she hears the news that Oliver is still alive.

You know the Green Arrow in the comics actually has hair and beard like this
Later, after having dinner with his best friend Tommy Merlyn (Colin Donnell), Oliver has a Flashback to the day the boat sank and his girlfriend Sara Lance was dragged under. The next morning Tommy takes Oliver out to look at how Starling City has changed and then he tires to reconcile with Laurel but she is still angry with him for bringing her sister on the Queen's Gambit. Oliver and Tommy are kidnapped by masked men who want to know if his father told him anything before he died. Since Tommy is knocked out Oliver is able to fight both of the masked men then wait for the police, he even lies to Detective Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) that it was a hooded man who saved them.

Oliver hasn't driven for 5 years, don't hog the car Tommy
Oliver is then given a bodyguard, John Diggle (David Ramsey), however he manages to give him the slip and spends the day turning an abandoned Queen factory in to a base of operations and practises his archery. At night he dons his costume and threatens Adam Hunt to give his money to the victims after taking out his body guards, Hunt later tells this to Quentin but he is sceptical. That night Tommy holds a party for Oliver (Oliver already chose this place opposite Hunt's office) at a club but Oliver is disappointed by his sister's drunkenness and confiscates her drugs. Laurel then arrives and apologises however Oliver remains distant which causes her to storm off.


Time for the super epic entrance
After knocking out Diggle, Oliver heads over to Hunt's office but is wounded by stray gunfire but manages to escape before the police arrive. Quentin goes to the party, suspicious that it is opposite Hunt's office, but Oliver lies his was out of it. The next day Hunt's money is transferred to his victims and Oliver has a flashback to when his father committed suicide on the life raft so he could live, he is later sees the island in the distance. The episode ends with revealing that Tommy and Laurel slept together while Oliver was away and that Moira was the one who arranged Oliver's kidnapping by the masked men.

"Shipwrecked and my dad committed suicide......I'm sure the worst is behind me"   
With Marvel dominating films DC had to get their characters into live action some other way, so why not dominate a form of entertainment Marvel hasn't touched yet; a TV series. Before I watched this I was unsure if a TV series would be as could as a film for a superhero because of their less budget but Arrow does a really great job for it's first episode.

This city deserves a hero
Firstly I think we have a really great lead cast as Oliver Queen, I admit I haven't seen Stephen Amell in anything else before this but I was really impressed with him. His portrayal as Oliver is really intense and brooding and its good that we got a Flashback to how he used to be. Also something I am going to enjoy watching is how he is going to juggle his life as a vigilante and a billionaire playboy because he already dodged some suspicion and I'm sure it won't be the last time. When he is Arrow he does kick a lot of ass and I am really impressed with the costume because it focuses a lot more on stealth than I would have thought. I think that is how they are going to go when Oliver is Arrow, more sneaking up on his targets for now and using darkness.

"If Batman can have a Batcave then I can have an Arrowcave"
As for the other characters since this episode is a more Oliver centred episode it is hard to judge them right now but I really do like them all and they have been cast really well. A stand out was Diggle because I can't wait to see if he will eventually find out that Oliver is the vigilante since he basically has to be around him 24/7. As for his family his mother defiantly seems like an interesting character and from what we have seen at the end is involved in something shady as for his sister she's alright but is a tad annoying like when she was drunk and using drugs, I just hope a lot of run time isn't used to deal with her teenage problems because it looked like the start of it in this episode. I really like Tommy, he is probably going to be the fun billionaire in contrast to how Oliver is now. As for the Lance family they are alright; I like Quentin but I just don't know if I like Laurel because I just get the feeling she is going to be in almost every episode but either be not that important or the annoying character in it. Also really like seeing Colin Salmon in this, he has always been a great actor!
  
Deathstroke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Two other things that stood out was the action that was one of the high points in this episode; I haven't really seen anyone use a bow as their primary weapon that much (besides Hawkeye from Avengers) but Oliver was really great with it. The two fights he had with Hunt's guards was cool; it wasn't too over the top and it didn't show Oliver as all invincible because he did get injured and almost captured during the second one. I also really liked the use of Flashbacks in this like Revolution because I guess it is a bit of a break from the main story and I am sure we will find out lots of answers in them; like how Oliver got so good with a bow or why is Deathstroke's mask on the island.

"So what do you think the murder weapon was?"
As for what I didn't like if I am honest I really found my self comparing this too much too Batman even though I didn't want to however it is hard not to because to since the stories are similar. I think maybe this show got a little too much inspiration from Christopher Nolan's Batman; Oliver disappearing and coming back as a vigilante is like Bruce Wayne, Quentin might end up being the Jim Gordon and Laurel is like Rachael Dawes. Maybe that's why I don't like Laurel because I hated Rachael from Batman because she was only in it for the sake of having a love interest but so unimportant that the film still could have worked if she wasn't in it. Also despite this only being the Pilot I have already got the feeling that this is going to be really grounded and realistic just like the Batman films and removes anything with powers or supernatural elements. Since this is just the Pilot I hope that isn't the case and the villains in this are not reduced to cheap, grounded copies of their comic book counterparts (I would also really like them to have proper costumes too).

Now that is one freaky mask
Overall this was a solid start to the Arrow series with its superb cast (especially Oliver and Diggle), some awesome action scenes and a great take on the Arrow comic. There was also quite a lot of hints to future villains and characters in this such as Deathstroke (that was really in your face), Merlyn and Black Canary, three great characters that I really hope are used. Unlike The Flash this has been out for ages and I know more about the Arrow so I don't mind spotting the references and pointing them out.

SCORE: 8/10

Highlights: Stephen Amell as Oliver Queeen and the rest of the cast as well
                   Great action scenes when Oliver is Arrow
                   The use of Flashbacks to tell of Oliver's time on the island

Let - Downs: Feels like it will be too grounded
                      Don't like Laurel much


The great screenshots of the episodes where provided by the great site Screencapped. You can look for yourself from the link below;
 
 


http://screencapped.net/