Film Review: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

Finally got round to seeing Sin City 2 (had to wait this long because I have been busy at work) and I just had to write a review for it as soon as I could. This will contain some SPOILERS for the film and those who haven't read the graphic novel.

Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is the nine year waited sequel and is once again directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez and is split in to separate stories where the characters interact with each other across them.

Just Another Saturday Night: This is the opening to the film and is based of one of the Sin City short stories based on the same name. It stars Marv (Mickey Rourke) who tries to recall how he ended in a car wreck just outside of the Projects.

The Long Bad Night: An original story for the film which stars Joseph Gordon Levitt as Johnny, a cocky young gambler who has recently arrived in Basin City. He decides to enter in a very dangerous game of poker with Senator Roarke (Powers Booth) who does not take kindly to losing.

A Dame to Kill For: The main story of the film which stars Josh Brolin as Dwight McCarthy a photographer who wishes to forget his incredibly violent past. However he soon gets a call from his former lover Ava Lord (Eva Green) and is soon thrown back in a world he wanted to leave behind.

Nancy's Last Dance: Another original story which stars Jessica Alba as Nancy Callahan who is still dealing with the loss of John Hartigan (Bruce Willis) and wishes to have her revenge against Senator Roarke whose son terrorized her and Hartigan four years ago.


Just like the first Sin City this film is a near perfect adaption to the graphic novel but what really surprised me was the two original short stories. When I first read about this I wasn't too sure how much I would like it because I much prefer when adaptions follow their source material but when it doesn't it has to be just as good. An example of it done right is Game of Thrones; the majority of is straight out of the book while original stuff for the show is short and doesn't take away from the main plot e.g. the subplots with original character Ros, torture of Theon, Stannis going to Bravos for a loan etc. However examples of when it is done wrong is The Walking Dead (whole episodes are given over to long and boring original material and there are some dramatic changes to characters) and the ending to Watchmen (rest of the film is great but I really, really wished they kept the ending from the graphic novel).

So is The Long Bad Night and Nancy's Last Dance just as good as the Sin City graphic novel stories? The answer is yes! Nancy's Last Dance didn't have too much to worry about any way because it is a sequel to That Yellow Bastard but The Long Bad Night almost stole this entire film, for me it ties with A Dame to Kill For. The main reason for this is Joseph Gordon Levitt as Johnny; I admit I haven't seen much of him in other works (I know him best from Dark Knight Rises) but he was witty, charismatic and an all round well thought out original character who truly belonged in this film.

We also have many returning characters such as Marv, who is like the figure head for Sin City at this point and should be in every film, Nancy, Gail, Hartigan etc., however we also have several re casts as well with the characters Manute and Miho. Normally really do not like re casting characters in film and TV series however for Sin City 2 I will make an exception because for Miho, Devon Aoki was pregnant and couldn't act and Jamie Chung gave a great performance. As for Manute, Michael Clarke Duncan unfortunately died before production however Dennis Haysbert was a perfect choice for re cast because he is just a imposing and menacing for the role. We also have Josh Brolin for a re casted Dwight and he was great as the character too, he really looked like pre - facial surgery Dwight! I am also glad that Powers Booth returns as Senator Roarke because, as I mentioned in my review of the first film, he was underused but he is back as the main villain for two stories and I a glad for that.

However a stand out performance (just as good as Joseph Gordon Levitt) was Eva Green as Ava Lord. I have seen Eva Green in quite a few roles but this has got to be my favourite because she was just so sexy in this role. She also had no problems with a lot of sex and nudity (unlike Jessica Alba who is the stripper who doesn't strip) which is a plus for this role because anyone who read the graphic novels know that Ava uses sex as her main weapon. She is also manipulate and deadly, so hats off to Eva Green for her performance.

As for Jessica Alba I have always been unsure if she was the right choice for Nancy and that is because I didn't think she was committed enough for the role. I am not trying to be sexist in constantly saying she should "take it off" and not all films have to have nudity but in this 18 film full of violence, swearing and nudity and she is cast as a stripper, I just wished she showed more skin (her dancing was a lot better though). Eva Green seemed to have no problem with it so I just wish Jessica Alba didn't, however I must admit that the last part of her story really makes up for it. She undergoes a badass transformation and kicks some ass so they gave her that much at least.

Personally I really liked this film so much that I am not sure what I can criticize it for but if I had to not pick it would probably be that it is a lot more fast paced and rushed than I would have thought. An example of this is the subplot with Mort and Bob; that was over and done with so fast that it was a shame because in the graphic novel their investigation is in a lot more detail.

Overall this film is a perfect squeal to a great graphic novel adaption but it was a shame that we had to wait so long for it. I have read that this film has received mixed reviews so far because of the poor marketing and long wait but I think everything about this is just great and is an awesome watch. Fans of the first film will enjoy this and I really hope there is a third film based on Hell and Back!

SCORE: 9/10

Film Review: Sin City

Think the last time I did a film review was X men days of future past, so it has been quite a while. I thought I'd review the first Sin City because even though the second one has just been released I am a bit busy with a new job so I won't be able to see it for a few days. Since this was released in 2005 I will talk about spoiler scenes as much a I want because anyone reading this has bound to have seen it by now, so you HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Sin City is adapted from Franks Millers graphic novel series of the same name and I have got all of the books and it is my favourite graphic novels. Besides from Frank Miller this film is also directed by Robert Rodriguez and with Quentin Tarantino as a special guest director. Now have been a massive fan of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino for many years with some of my favourite of their films being Kill Bill and Desperado. These two know how to make a really damn good watch; they don't shy away from including a lot of violence but even scenes were its just talking between characters can be really gripping

The story of Sin City is split in to four stories, each one separate from the other but characters do cross over between the four.

The Customer is always right: Staring Josh Hartnett as The Salesman/Colonel and Marley Shelton as The Customer. This is segment is only five minutes and serves as the into to the film.

That Yellow Bastard: Staring Bruce Willis as John Hartigan; an honest, aging cop on the verge of retirement who wants to put away Roark Junior (Nick Stahl), a serial child rapist and killer, for good. Junior however is the son of the powerful Senator Roark and the Roark family basically rules Basin City. However when Junior kidnaps his latest victim, Nancy Callanhan (Makenize Vega/Jessica Alba), Hartigan stops at nothing to put a stop to Junior in a story that spans right years.

The Hard Goodbye: After a one night stand, street smart thug Marv (Mickey Rourke) awakens to find Goldie (Jamie King) dead besides him. Because she is the only women to ever show him kindness Marv makes it his mission to hunt down those responsible but soon finds out he may have bitten off more than he can chew when all of Basin City is against him.

The Big Fat Kill: When his girlfriend Shelly (Brittany Murphy) is suffering at the hands of her abusive ex Jackie Boy (Benicio Tel Toro), Dwight decides to step in. However Jackie Boy soon makes the mistake of entering Old Town; a section of Basin City controlled by the prostitutes who work there and who cannot tolerate two things; to those who don't play by their rules and cops. Dwight teams up with his old friends in Old Town to put a stop to Jackie boy but he just can't shake the feeling that something is awfully wrong.........

What I really liked about Sin City when I first watched it was how faithful it is to the original material, it is probably the best adaption of a graphic novel to the big screen. It even perfectly copies moments of the from the graphic novel in the film e.g. Marv swimming through the sewer, Lucille (Carla Gugino) reaching for her gun, Dwight jumping through the window etc. It is not so much that I am watching a film, more so that I am watching a motion comic.

All this is helped of course by the heavy film noir style which was what the graphic novel novels was heavily influenced by in the first place. This means the use of colours such as the whole film done in black and white with the exception of important colours like blood, Kevin's (Elijah Wood) glasses and the Yellow Bastard's skin to name a few, it also has stark, black backgrounds, heavily contrast white. Also it barely changes any of the words used from the graphic novel such as its sometimes strange metaphors and they keep all the character narration as well. All this gives the film high marks in my book because it is like I am watching the graphic novel down shot for shot and I always think it is a let down in most adaptions when they change to much for film (I really liked Watchmen for example but I didn't like that the ending was so different, may do review on this)

We also have some great casting choices for all of the roles here, with the stand out being Mickey Rourke as Marv. He was the perfect choice here, they did a lot of makeup on him so he really looked like Marv, and his voice was great for the narration as well, he was also really imposing/menacing when he wanted to be but still be a likeable character. It would take me long to go over the others so a top three other stand outs for where Elijah Wood as Kevin and Benicio Tel Toro as Jackie Boy (Especially Benicio Tel Toro, he kills it as Jackie Boy!) and also Nick Stahl as Junior. The rest where all great, even minor characters and ones he don't have much screen time as the other; would have liked to have seen more of Rutger Hauer and Powers Boothe.

However two that I have to mention, and not in a good way, are Bruce Willis as John Hartigan and Jessica Alba as Nancy Callanhan. First off I really liked Bruce Willis, I am glad he is Hartigan but I wished they gave him some make up to make him look more like a sixty year old (sixty eight after time skip!), he was a great choice but they made Mickey Rourke and Benicio Tel Toro look more like their characters. As for Jessica Alba I think she was a real miss cast in this because, aside from not looking much like Nancy from the graphic novel, she wasn't sexy enough for the role in my opinion. It annoyed me that in they made the Kadie's strip club seem PG - 13 because Nancy wasn't topless in any of it (she is in the graphic novel). We have some great women roles in this film e.g. Devon Aoki as Miho, Rosario Dawson as Gail and Carla Gugino as Lucille, especially Carla Gugino because she wasn't afraid to have that great nude shot where she grabs for the revolver. All in all just think Jessica Alba could have been more committed as a stripper and her overall acting as Nanacy could have been better. (I hear she is better in Sin City 2 though)

This film is also a great and fun watch because, thanks to its directors, it doesn't hold back on any of the violence. This isn't a film for the younger audience because we have got limbs flying about all over the place her lol, it is even interesting that they have kept most of the blood white like in the graphic novel also. Quentin Tarantino is also has credit for one of my favourite scenes in the film which was Dwight and the almost decapitated body of Jackie Boy having the conversation in the car. It was really smart that whenever Jackie lifted his head his voice gets higher because of the damaged vocal cords, they don't do that in the graphic novel but it was really cool to see. Shame they cut out a lot of the dialogue between them.

Overall this is the best is one of my favourite films of all time and the best graphic novel adaption ever. It does a perfect job of bring this gritty, dangerous , bleak fictional city to life for the big screen. I can't really choose a favourite segment because the are all just so damn good.

SCORE: 9/10

Can't wait for Sin City 2!


Revolution Season Two Episodes 1 – 9, Thoughts So Far and why I like it this series so much

I am now back with some more reviews but I have decided to do something a bit different today and do an overview Revolution Season Two episodes 1 – 9 as a whole and how much I have liked it so far. I have decided to do this for two reasons; Revolution is one of my favourite TV series currently airing right now I can not get enough of it and secondly it is because here in the UK I think the series is back on Saturday and I wanted to do this quick review before then.

Also because I will be discussing the characters and events in season two so far there will be MAJOR SPOILERS, I will be going really in depth in them.

So as always I will start off with a quick summary of the story; it has been six months after the events of season one finale and Randall had successfully launched nuclear missiles at the Monroe Republic and The Georgia Federation, destroying their capital cities and removing the two new superpowers. Miles, Rachael and Aaron have taken shelter in the small town of Willoughby, Texas with Rachael’s father Gene Porter (Stephen Collins), the town doctor. Charlie meanwhile has decided to leave the group and wander the Plains Nations while Neville and his son Jason are trying to find any news of his wife in numerous refugee camps. While everyone copes with the consequences of the events six months ago a large group calling themselves The Patriots have arrived in several places across America and claim to be remnants of the United States government that have come to restore order and take back the country.

One of the reasons why I like this new plot so much is because it borrows from a famous conspiracy theory that a secret organization will one day destroy the world and then rebuild it the way they want and that is exactly who The Patriots are. Randall admitted working for them before killing himself so we know they dropped the bombs whether or not they knew what the nanites would do and intentionally shut off the power is something that is yet to be revealed. Even though however I really miss the Monroe Republic these Patriots are shady enough that I want to know more about them. Speaking of the nanites we delve deeper in to their working then in the previous season because now they seem to have developed think beyond their programming. As a child representation says to Aaron in the ninth episode ‘He woke them up’ I for one am very interested to see what this new A.I. can do and what it is fully capable of.

Now on to the characters and I will start off with the recurring ones starting off with Miles and Monroe. Like in the first season I have no complaints about Miles he is a badass character and a great leader for the series and I hope he will continue to be so. As for Monroe, though he was a great antagonist in the first season, this season he sides with the good guys and tries to redeem himself to them. I really like this with Monroe because he is now a guy who has completely lost everything now and has become a sympathetic character and it is great to see him and Miles working together now instead of trying to kill each other.

As for Rachael in my last review you will recall that I did not like her that much and that is still the case here. Her back story and her involvement with the Blackout could make great character I admit that, I just really wished they get rid of the smug look she always wears, her always right attitude and her detached personality. For example she finds out her father is cooperating with the Patriots and she acts like it that is even more wrong then him killing or raping someone and she then goes to kill him with a mixer of poison chemicals (Miles stopped her though). I mean for Gods sake Rachael you did not even ask him why he is working for then or how much he is loyal to them. Gene even asks her ‘Haven’t you ever done something bad for the right reasons’ and that is a good point. Rachel worked on the nanites which, when released, kind of caused the deaths of millions then she turned the power back on for Randall to fire the missiles, indirectly causing the deaths of thousands and it was all because she thought she was doing the right thing and did not care what anyone else thought. Sorry for ranting on so much about her but unlike Andrea on the Walking Dead she had the potential to be a good character if they just dialled her down a bit.

Now for my favourite character which is Aaron, some have disliked his character arc in this season because he seems to have control of the nanites and can make them heal wounds and burn people alive, I for one like this development. I want to know more about the nanites and what they can do and I like that they have given the power to Aaron because his character struggles with his usefulness in this new world while this new power might mean that he has more worth than he realises. However those who dislike this arc might rejoice now because the powers seem to leave him in episode nine either forever or temporary. I want it to be only temporary because as I just said I am very like and am very interested in this development of Aaron and the nanites.

Next I want to go in to three characters who I feel have not had much development in this season as they should have had; Charlie, Neville and Jason. Charlie’s character in the first season was great because he had to rescue her brother and then avenge him and we get to see her develop from a sheltered girl of her tiny village to a rebel fighter. In this season however she does not contribute much to the story at all and feels out of place with the fight against the Patriots, the only notable thing she has done so far is bring Monroe to Miles that is it. It is shame and I hope that this changes when the series returns. As for Neville and Jason I think their role in infiltrating the Patriots is great because we get to see more Patriot activity outside of Texas and Neville is one hell of a good manipulator. However I don’t think this part of the season has been given much screen time or progress; a lot of things have happened in Texas, lots of events and happenings but I don’t feel that much has happened when the episode changes to Neville and Jason.

Now I want to discuss two new characters that have been great additions to the series; Gene Porter and Dr. Calvin Horn (Zeljiko Ivanek). Gene is a great character and it is interesting to see him struggling with is involvement with the Patriots and helping out his family. He dislikes what the Patriots are doing but he owes them a lot, as I mentioned above he has seen and done terrible things for them but it has all been for good reasons. I want to know whose side he will decide to take in the end.

Next is a Patriot doctor and advisor Calvin Horn who has come to Texas to investigate the strange behaviour in the nanites recently and is quick to notice that Aaron is the cause. I like it when he showed up because it proves that the Patriots are more aware of the nanites and what they have been doing than we might have thought and that they obviously want to control them. Why and how is still unknown but it is possible that, like the Monroe Republic before them, they want to be the ones who control all the power.

Back to Horn though the thing I really like about him is that he is not just some Patriot lackey who is just following orders, the reason he wants Aaron and his powers so bad is because he has a tumour in his brain. In the end he did not care much for Patriots plans and only wanted the nanites healing powers to live. He had a great back story and his acting is so well done that it is a shame that he is only in it for a couple of episodes (four I think), but he goes down hard by first causing the death of Aaron’s new girlfriend and indirectly causing Aaron to lose his powers.

Overall episodes one to nine of this season have been great so far, introducing interesting new characters and a great new replacement group for the Monroe Republic. I am not going to give these episodes a score out of ten; I will wait until I see the rest of the season.

Now I would just like to address the rather disturbing news that I have heard in these past few months that Revolution has had a break and that is that NBC is unsure about renewing it for a third season. That would be the most stupid decision that could possibly make and I will give you the reasons why;

It has a strong fan base: I am following Revolution on Twitter and on Facebook and I am confident in saying that this show has a MASSIVE fan base (including myself). I read the comments people put up on those social sites and it seems to me that they will have a thing or two to say if it is cancelled after season 2.

It is something really different: Besides being a great sci fi and adventure/action series it is really something unique. I mean if they get rid of this what are they going to replace it with; a family or friends comedy set in a big American city? There are only about a hundred of those airing already!!

There is still room for more: Luckily Revolution get over twice as much episodes in one season then most shows have; it has over twenty while most have between ten and twelve (Game of Thrones and Falling Skies for example). However I am unsure if they can resolve everything with just this season, I really think they need at least two more seasons that would be perfect. Even if they only have just a third season and it is really good than I think I can be happy with that (it will end with over sixty episodes).

Thos are just are few arguments about why it should have a third season even though I am sure there are lots more. Now I just want to say why I like this show so much and why it is one of my favourites.

One of the first things I liked about it while I was watching season one was that despite it being a post apocalyptic show, humanity has not been completely screwed. Let’s take the Walking Dead for example; great show and comic book however it annoys me sometimes with how easily man has fallen to the apocalypse. Sure they fight zombies in that so it is not a very fair comparison but at least in Revolution we get to see a world were people has managed to rebuild.

Second is a continuation of the first and that is how interesting this new world is and what a great job they did at bringing it to life. It is fifteen years after the Blackout and there are numerous republics to replace the old America; Monroe, Georgia and the Plains Nation for example. So during season one when they were travelling all across the country to get Danny back and restore the power I just loved seeing how the world has changed and it was one of the biggest highlights of the series. Also of course we now have the awakened nanites so it is going to be interesting to see what more they can do.

Another is the awesome fight scenes that they have had in both seasons. It is always a mix of sword fighting and shootouts and both have always been on the edge of your seat brutal.

Lastly are the characters they have created for the season and I think they have done a good job of making every one of them unique. Take Miles for example; the leader type who is one of the good guys but has probably killed more people than any bomb! But despite that you can always say he just tries to do the right thing in his own violent way and that he is a character with a lot of inner conflicts. Then there are the rest of the superb cast like Charlie, Aaron and Neville to name but a few.

However it is not even the main characters but even the minor characters that have influenced this show a lot. Maggie in season one for example had a really sad death scene which started to cause a change in Charlie that I think as shaped her in to the person she is in season two. Then there is Charlie’s dad Ben who dies in the first episode of season one but who is still so important to the story that he appears in a lot of major flashbacks later. Even I will say that Ben Matheson is one of my favourite characters and I wished Rachael was killed off in stead of him and that is mostly because Rachael only cares about herself, cheated on him numerous times and is the most unlike able character in the show. However since I can not change what they have done I hope something comes up in season two that involves work he had done and we see him in more flashbacks.

There you have it, my review for season two so far, why it should continue and why I like it so much. I may have ranted on for ages but this is one of my favourite shows and I just like it so much. I can not wait for it to continue here in the UK, I have no idea what happens after episode nine of season two even though it is past that in the US (I have not even read about it).

TV Series Review: Game of Thrones Season Two

Now my loyal followers I shall now review Game of Thrones Season Two! This will contain MAJOR spoilers so it is advisable that you watch season one first or at the very least the book Clash of Kings that season two is based on.

Season two continues right after the events of season one; Ned Stark has been executed, the Lannisters have seized the power of the Iron Throne and Robb Stark has risen in rebellion. Meanwhile the recently deceased former King Robert Baratheon’s younger brothers Stannis and Renly have raised forces of their own and both claim to be the rightful heir to the throne. Renly (Gethin Anthony) is beloved by the people and has the entire power of the South behind him while Stannis (Stephen Dillane)is a seasoned commander and is assisted by a powerful sorceress from the East; Melisandre (Carice van Houten). However Balon Greyjoy (Patrick Malahide) ruler of the Iron Islands has declared the Iron Island’s independence form the Seven Kingdoms and starts warring in the North. Thus begins the War of the Five Kings.

I will start off by saying that Clash of Kings is a personal favourite of mine because it is the start of a major war between the great houses and once again is adapted brilliantly. Like the first book and season this one does not show the major battles (Except near the end which I will go into later), no, what George RR Martin does instead is show the strategies and schemes behind them but this time we are introduce to the horrors of war on the common folk. Even though some stuff has been dialled down from the book (like major rape and torture scenes) the still include a lot of stuff which I will go in to now. Also this series delves in to magic more than the first one did, I will just mention Shadow Babies and say that was one cool scene!

King’s Landing will always be my favourite setting in the books and the TV series maybe that is because it is where most of the scheming takes place and it is the seat of power.  We also have the subplot in Winterfell which are a major factor in why the second book is one of my favourites and that has a lot to do with Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) and the Ironborn. I won’t spoil anything but I will say we get some damn great scenes with Theon and how he struggles with his loyalties. We also have Arya Stark and her journey to get home and even though I always thought that too much time was devoted to her (in the book and the series) it is with her that we see the effects on war and the brutally of soldiers and their leaders.

We also of course have the scenes with Jon Snow in the far North and Daenerys in Essos but if I am honest I have never been invested in their stories as much as the others. I know they both have a big fan base but I guess I just prefer to be where the major events are happening in the areas of King’s Landing and Winterfell; I just never got excited seeing Jon hiking in the mountains and I don’t care much for the Night’s Watch.

Also (and I know I might get some hate) but I have never liked Daenerys in the book or in the series and you might have already suspected this since I barely talked about her story in my last review. I know she has dragons but I just hate her damn superior attitude, I know she thinks she is the rightful Queen but she doesn’t do anything to prove it except relying on others and her dragons. Heck I admit I liked and felt a lot sorrier for her brother than I even did her.

Once again the cast of characters do a great job in this and we have some flawless new additions, my favourite being my favourite character in the whole story; Stannis. I have always been a massive supporter of Stannis in his fight for the throne and I think he is a really well written character. He is of course joined with another favourite of mine Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), I enjoyed reading his chapters and his scenes in the series are no different.

Now I will go in to a bit more detail on episode nine of the series, the Battle of Blackwater, so expect major spoilers. This is the battle between Stannis’s navy and the merger forces that are guarding King’s Landing. Even though it is not has long or massive as it is in the books (even though a whole episode is given to it which was a good move) I never expected it to be in the TV adaptation. I knew they could not have included all of it but what we still have is one of the best battles I have ever seen from a TV series or a film; it is violent and the fighting is so well done. Like in the books Tyrion is the one who leads and inspire the men to fight but what came as a surprise was the interaction between the Hound and Bronn (Jerome Flynn). I don’t think they talk to each other at all in the books but he they have some great scenes together whether it was the bar scene before the fighting or the fighting itself; they were great.

Overall this is probably my favourite season so far only let down by the uninteresting subplot of Jon and Daenerys but they do get better….

SCORE: 8/10

Film Review: Highlander

My first film review since Psycho and since I will be a bit busy over Christmas I wanted to end this year on a high note. So I thought what better way to do that then review one of my most all time favourite films of all time; Highlander.

The film stars Christopher Lambert as Connor Macleod, born in Scotland in the year 1518 and in the year 1536 is mortally wounded in battle by the warrior Kurgan (Clancy Brown), however he does not die and instead fully recovers from his injuries. Driven from his village he eventually becomes a blacksmith and settles down with a woman named Heather (Beatie Edney). One day a mysterious man appears named Juan Sanchez Villa – Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery) who explains to Conner what he really is; an Immortal just like him, Kurgan and many others. Connor can not age and can not die (Besides from having his head chopped off) and must eventually battle with all of the other Immortals to obtain the Prize, because there can be only one! This story takes over the course of centauries and ends up in New York 1885 where Connor must fight Kurgan in a final epic showdown.

I immediately liked this story after only the first few minutes and that is because I am a massive fan of the old mid nineties to late nineties adventure films (like Conan, Jason and the Argonauts, Brave heart etc). They just don’t make them like this anymore maybe because they really rely too much of computer special effects nowadays or because their locations don’t look as epic, it is hard to explain but nothing modern can compare to them.

I admit I am getting a little off topic here so back to the film; what I really like about the structure this film is how it cuts to flashbacks every now and again to tell another part of Connor’s story but it does not upset the flow of the film at all because it is all relevant.

Of course however one of my favourite things about this film is the awesome sword fights that they have in it. That is another thing about modern adventure films; their sword fighting is all about over the top moves and jumping about. In Highlander it looks a lot more authentic and realistic, it is really on the edge of your seat stuff, I mean the final duel between Connor and Kurgan is something I will never forget.

As for the cast I can not think of any other actors who would have been better at the roles. Christopher Lambert gives a stellar performance as Connor Macleod and he really makes you feel for the character as you watch the events of his incredibly long life. This is one of my favourite Sean Connery roles as the tutor Ramirez but who could forget Clancy Brown as the villainous Kurgan; the guy his menacing, psychotic and intimidating, it is hard to believe that anyone can beat him. Then of course you have a really good supporting cast from Connor’s first wife Heather to his modern love interest Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart).

Other stuff I would like to mention is the great use of establishing shots during the flashbacks in Scotland. They really capture the beauty of its country side; one of my favourite scenes of the film is Connor’s training montage which has some epic shots. Then there is the music delivered by my favourite band Queen and did a fantastic job at it. I mean come one who could not get sad during the scene when Connor’s marriage with Heather is flashing by and they play Who Wants to Live Forever, you would have to be made out of stone.

Overall I really recommend this film to anyone who likes adventure fantasy films because it is simply one of the best but then again I think everyone should check out this film. It is a prime example of adventure fantasy film at its best which the modern era of today is severally lacking.

SCORE: 10/10

Here is a quick run down of the Highlander sequels, I did not want to do separate reviews on all of them but I did not want to leave them.

Highlander 2: The Quickening: The worst one of the sequels because they add sci – fi to the plot and it fails at every turn. You might have already heard bad things about this film and they are mostly all right and it is a shame. However it is not completely unwatchable; I myself still watch it when I want to watch all Highlanders in order and some of the fight scenes are OK but I will not blame you for skipping this one. SCORE: 2/10

Highlander 3: The Sorcerer: Now this is a true squeal to the first Highlander and the makers must have wanted that to be obvious because they completely disregard the events of the second film. However it is not all perfect because some parts feel like a copy of the first film, and I wished they could have had more sword fighting. But this is really good because it includes some great music (especially during the sword repairing montage), great sword fights when they get down to it and I found the villain Kane (Mario Van Peebles) to be a really cool antagonist. SCORE: 6/10

Higher: Endgame: Easily the best of all of the Highlander series because I feel that out of all them, this one returns as close to it’s roots and tries to recapture the essence of the first film. This film does not star Connor however instead it focuses on Duncan Macleod (Adrian Paul) the star character from the TV series. This film has a lot of really great moments, from the really great fight scenes, the wide range of cast and the great use of flashbacks that really does remind me of the first film. However because this film is about the star of the TV series there is a lot of references to it so those who have not seen it might find some points hard to follow and even though I really like Duncan as the main character it does get to me that Connor is a secondary character in this one. I do highly recommend this squeal for all of the Highlander fans. SCORE 8/10 

TV Series Review: The Walking Dead Season Three

Finally it is time for my review of The Walking Dead season three, after this I will be up to date on the series and will wait until season four is finished to do another review on it.

This season takes place after the winter (based on Lori’s pregnancy almost nine months after the conclusion of season two) and is based on the prison arc of the graphic novel. The prison arc was one of the longest settings in the comic and also one of the most iconic. During this season the group not only have to deal with the undead but also the threat of other humans, in particular the near by town of Woodberry run by a man who calls himself the Governor (David Morrissey). This season also brings back the character of Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker) and introduces fan favourites from the comics Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman).

I will start by saying that this season was a major improvement over season two since not only does it focuses on a popular arc in the comics it all so stick more closely to the source material on several occasions it also introduces another threat to the group besides zombies and that is another group of humans. Because of this and probably because there was not that much of it in season two this one has a lot more action in it but it does not sacrifice character development in the slightest.

If there is anything I disliked is that we have more insight and time in the town of Woodberry than we did in the comics, they used original material for this and I have to say that a lot of it I did not like. Not that I am saying that it was all bad it was just that if it was not about the Governor I just wanted it to go back to the group at the prison. My opinion might be affect because Andrea is at Woodberry and those who have read my previous reviews know how I feel about that useless character.

The prison however was something I always enjoyed watching; from the old inmates who where staying there to the breaking down of Rick’s mental state was all superb.

Now as for the new cast I will say first that David Morrissey was great as the Governor, sure he looked nothing like him but he was really menacing when he needed to be. I have heard complaints that they dialled down some of the truly gruesome acts (e.g. raping and mutilating) of the Governor and I have to admit they are right however I blame the writers for this because I am sure David Morrissey would have nailed whatever scene they gave him. Another one I really liked was Tyreese because not only did Chad L. Coleman look exactly like him but he is just how he was in the comics. He is one of my favourite characters from the comics and I cannot find a single fault in the TV adaptation. As for Michonne however while I do really like her in this she it a lot quieter and withdrawn in this; in the comics she is more open and I guess cheerful with the other characters. She does get better in later episodes but it was annoying to begin with.

Some more characters that I also have mixed feelings about were the old inmates at the prison that Rick and the group find locked up. On one hand I really liked the character from the comics and Nick Gomez as the murdering Tomas and Markice Moore as Andrew where really great as their roles however I was slightly let down by the characters of Axel (Lew Temple) and Oscar (Vincent Ward). Don’t get me wrong their portrayals where great but it was how their characters where treated; Axel in the comics struggles with trying to prove himself to the group even though he was a prisoner and he does, he becomes a major help to the group. In this season he does do that as well but he does not get as much interaction and much screen time as I would have liked and is killed off just way too early for my liking. The same goes for Oscar, an original character who plays a similar, I really thought he would be a great character for the series yet they just go a head and kill him off. 

Now just like my last review I want to talk a bit about the previous cast members;

Firstly there is the character T – Dog (IronE Singleton) someone I have not mentioned before and that was because he was a minor character who with barely any character development. Sure there is the feeling that he is trying to prove his worth to the group but that is never really built upon. However in an episode in this season, which is also the one he dies in, he really stands out for once and trying to convince Rick about trusting the prisoners and saving Carol from zombies. Just when was becoming really interesting they go a head and get rid of him which I have to say was a shame.

Next is the character of Lori and I have to say that even though I knew she would eventually die I was completely taken by surprise at how they did it. She sacrifices her life at so her daughter could live and her death has an emotional impact on the group (especially Rick and this begins his mental break down, which I have to say is one of the highlights of the series).

Now it is the character of Andrea worst adaptation of a comic character to film/television I have ever seen. Her story does not improve in this series at all; she is at Woodberry and becomes involved with the Governor while being conflicted about stay with him or going back to the old group and it was just utter rubbish. It takes her so damn long to make up her mind and a lot of unnecessary screen time but the good thing is this eventually leads to her death. That is right; she may be a major character in the comics but the TV writers messed her up so bad that they thought it would be better to get rid of her and I say good riddance.

Finally the return of Merle was also another highlight of this season, during the first one he might have been a one dimensional racist but he is a lot more developed now and one hell of a good character. Along with Daryl he is one of the best zombie killers in the series and his death and reanimation was just so well done. He tired to take out the Governor all by himself and he was just so badass in the episode and Norman Reedus gave a great performance when he had to put the zombie Merle down.

All in all this has got to be one of the best seasons of The Walking Dead let down slightly by the waste of good characters, some scenes in Woodberry involving Andrea that I did not like at all and the disappointing finale with the lacklustre attack on the prison by the people pf Woodberry. I have gone on longer than I thought with this review but with good reason because despite what I have mentioned above this season was damn good with adapting one of the best parts of the comics. I think this one was better than season one and season two.

SCORE: 8/10

TV Series Review: The Walking Dead Season One

Now for another review of one of my favourite series currently airing; The Walking Dead. This will be a review of just season one and there may be more SPOILERS in the one then any of my previous reviews.

The series is about a cop named Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) who gets shot and ends up in a coma for a couple of months, when he wakes up he finds the world has been taken over by zombies and most of humanity has been killed or turned. This season is mainly about the search for his family while trying to survive in this extremely hostile world.

The main characters for this include Rick Grimes, his best friend and former cop partner Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal), his wife Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) and his son Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs). There are a lot of supporting characters as well such as Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun), Andrea (Laurie Holden), Dale Horvath (Jeffrey DeMunn) and two original characters for the series; Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) and Merle Dixon (Michael Rooker). This season consists of only six episodes which I admit I found to be disappointing.

 

Overall the story is a very good one, I have read the Walking Dead comic books and I know it focuses on character develop and how they are dealing with this constant survival as much as it does with zombie. However there is something about the story that I know has been criticized by some fans and I am two minds about; they deviate a lot from the comic books.

This bold move does give fans of the comic something to watch that they do not know about and that is always good but sometimes it goes so much away from the source material that it can be an annoyance. For example Rick and Glenn in the comics go back to Atlanta to raid a gun store but in the series it makes that experience an entire episode by including a run in with an annoying Hispanic gang. I just did not like that change at all and also near they end they donate another episode to a visit to the CDC which was interesting but again I found it an unnecessary deviation from the source material.

 

For the characters they are cast really well with stand outs going to Rick and Shane and the interaction between those two; the affair that Shane has with Rick’s wife is expanded in the series and that I think was a good move. The other characters do a really good job as well, a lot of people will find the character of Lori to be unpopular and an annoying bitch but she is very much like this in the comics any way so I did not mind.

However a complete miscast in this has to be Laurie Holden as Andrea, in the comics Andrea is supposed to be in her mid to late twenties yet they give the part to someone around forty which would not have mattered except in this series she definitely looks it. Not only that but Andrea in the comics is supposed to be a clerk at a law firm who over time becomes an expert survivalist with a gun but in the series they decide to stick her with a gun straight away and she pretends to be such an expert with it from the beginning even though she has no experience what so ever. Not to mention she is so damn stuck up and hostile towards anyone who thinks she might a little helpless.

A great addition to the cast is the character Daryl Dixon, the first scene I saw him in I knew he was going to be a fan favourite and time has proved me right. He is a born hunter and survivalist who, unlike Andrea, knows how to deal with the situation because he already has years of necessary experience. He is reckless but he is also very useful and someone you want on your side fighting zombies, he is a something new not from the comics that I do not mind being in the series. I hope his character is around for a very, very, very, very long time.  

The music in this goes very well with the story especially the series main/opening theme which has become one of my favourites. The settings are really nice as well but are limited to only Atlanta and its surrounding forest area. However the amount of detail that goes in to the make up of zombies and trying to make the city look has destroyed as possible is truly impressive.

Overall this is one of my favourite series airing right now and I recommend the first season to any one who wants to get in to the zombie genre. It does however suffer slightly from a few annoy characters, only six episodes and original story lines that I felt where just unnecessary when they could have stick closer to the comics.

 SCORE: 7/10

References:

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