I do not aim with my hand. He who aims with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I aim with my eye. I do not shoot with my hand. He who shoots with his hand has forgotten the face of his father. I shoot with my mind. I do not kill with my gun. He who kills with his gun has forgotten the face of his father. I kill with my heart." Before I begin the review, I'd just like to point out that I have not read the Stephen King novels on which this film is based. I have read up on some of the overall context of the novels, but have not delved deep enough to know the characters or locations at all well. Thus, I am entering this fantasy world completely blind. In this respect, the approach has both pros and cons. The pros being I have no standard to base the movie on, and the cons being that it has the heavy duty of introducing me to his primary characters and guiding me and many other viewers into a new lore - something that can never be considered lightly. Indeed, the question remained how this was to be attempted successfully when the film is only an hour and a half.
The story, the characters and the spectacle are all cohesive, that's fair enough, and the world is easily accessible. However, there are a few detractions. The fast nature of the film, whilst it does get a chance to establish characters, the audience never gets a chance to appreciate most of them, apart from Roland and Jake. Even, Walter, the big bad of the film, is so one-dimensional, that it's hard to feel anything emotions at all towards him. The supporting characters are equally cast aside, and barely acknowledge, which means that this world doesn't seem tangible enough or empathetic enough to be believed. Roland is a great character, with a well-defined past and purpose, and Jake is given heroic and emotional stature in the film, even allowing us a moment of grief as he realises Walter killed his mother. But, other than that, even the main characters falter, as most of the film concentrates on their journey rather than their choices and actions. Speaking of action, the film has lots of it - well-directed and exciting, the final battle between Roland, the Skins and Walter was a superb set-piece and gave the ending the impact that it needed, but, generally-speaking, it's not so different from most action flicks - a few cool flips and tricks, followed by the hero saving the day - it was too predictable and unimaginative to seem in any way powerful. Again, the attack on the camp on Mid-world was well-executed and the Gunslinger trick that Roland used to save Jake was a brilliant moment, but it had already been spoiled by the trailer. Meaning that everything amazing that happens in the film has already been pre-conceived by the audience before it has even begun. The directing, in contrast, was well done, and I particularly enjoyed the landscape shots in the desert and across Mid-world, it gave the sense of an alien planet. The special effects were not overwhelming as well, although the guardian at the Keystone Earth portal was a bit disorientating as there was not much explanation for all the monsters and beings that dwelt in this new lore. The script was a bit lacklustre and amateurish, although I did enjoy the Gunslinger Creed, which was most-probably lifted from King's novel. It has a potent ring and message to it. Other than that, characters lack empathy and depth, meaning that when most of them died, the audience had no recollection to the importance of their role in the story - they were effectively dispensable anyway. Because of the short screen time, the script did not provide any exposition to Gunslinger history, Walter's sorcery, the Dark Tower or Jake's life with his father. Overall, it felt rushed and resulted in an incomplete story that had captured my interest, but not my heart. On an incredibly positive note, the acting was top notch. All the cast involved gave admirable performances, the three main characters in particular. Tom Taylor shows great promise as an actor, giving us a heartfelt performance and one that is full of flare and versatility. I can see him taking on more roles of this calibre. Idris Elba is a safe option for an action hero, and his prominent presence in all his scenes owes to his charismatic ability to capture the audience in his emotional expressions. Unfortunately, he didn't get much to work with. Matthew McConaughey, despite having been written as a villain with barely any features whatsoever, gave his performance his all - balancing between psychotic demon and cunning genius. His scene with Jake's mother was particularly terrifying, and McConaughey never fails to add his own touch of menace into the mix. Whether Stephen King appreciates this adaption of his beloved novel series is by the by. Seriously, it has a lot of potential, but it seems the filmmakers weren't brave enough to steer away from the Hollywood formula, and resulted in a rehash of pretty much most fantasy films that have been produced in the lifetime of entertainment. The ideas are all there, but it needs substance and at least an ounce of emotion to make it seem real or captivating. Because everything seems half-hearted and unfulfilling, you can't help but feel this was just a regular moneymaker, where the edges were disregarded in order to make it durable. A risk needed to be taken, and unfortunately, despite the actors' best efforts, the film falls back into a recycling formula that has been regurgitated more times than Friends has been broadcast on E4. 6.5/10
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Hey listen, you know, if we're all bored over here, wouldn't the common denominator be you?" In what is a clever premise and dark denouement, perhaps suffers because of its over-complicated plot. However, this does not deter the writers from including some wonderfully meaningful jibes at their main characters and continuing to expand on the complex personalities. Morty takes the limelight this time as his detoxed body takes control of his love life in unexpected fashion. It's clear that this is the perspective of Morty that doesn't climb to the surface very often - overconfident, passionate and downright weird. In contrast, detoxed Rick loses his unpredictability and becomes a shadow of himself - someone with barely the guts to question his Morty. A change for the ages indeed, and one that is sometimes steeped in twisted, dark humour.
Following a rather raucous adventure, Rick and Morty decide to give rest and relaxation a chance, and make use of an alien spa. They are offered the use of a detox chamber, which unfortunately results in - with brilliant irony - the trashing of the personalities that we adore about our two main characters. We recognise clearly that these personalities are their darkest sides, but these flaws are the quirks of these characters - this is why we watch them. Banished to a trash heap full of detoxicated junk and monsters, this version of Rick and Morty are forced to defend themselves and attempt to contact the safe versions. In the real world, Rick and Morty seem oblivious to their change of characters and continue with their lives accordingly. Hilariously, this leads Morty on a love rampage in which he seduces women and becomes the head of a stockbrokers - despite his age. If we'd been given more time to appreciate this version, it might not have felt so rushed. Instead, it's coupled with new Rick's attempts to save their other selves. This results in a battle between versions in the real world - one that is seemingly incredulous. I did appreciate the body-swapping abilities that both Rick's incorporate into the battle and shows how capable the character is of messing with himself. The best part, as always, is the show's darkest moments. When detoxed Rick rejigs an aerial to transform everyone into detoxed versions of themselves, the ensuing chaos has some brilliant moments of comedy - particularly the goings-on inside a local church. Seeing a detoxed Morty was pretty helpless - he resembled more slime than himself - it was sad to think that he hadn't returned to his body for a long time before Rick rediscovered his true body, in a new apartment financed by his new job as a stockbroker. The main lesson to learn from this, perhaps, is that even though Morty's lack of confidence was ostracised in the detox process, Jessica still didn't fall for him - well, who would with that goofy obsession with organic food. However, when it's revealed that Jessica helped Rick locate Morty in the last moments of the episode, perhaps there's an inkling of something to come. This episode stumbles slightly because it loses its main thread somewhere in the middle, but it has some great ideas and dark moments, continuing the trend of Season 3. It's clear that the writers are preparing something for Morty's character, as he appears to be suffering a mental transformation with the amount he's being influenced on Rick's adventures. This new side to Morty is bloody terrifying and could be a foreshadowing of things to come - could Rick be facing the wrath of his own grandson? 8.5/10 When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies. Compared with the rest of Season 7, the plot progression of this finale was pretty slow, but this only ensures that we get a full taste of the mayhem that ensues inside. The Dragon and the Wolf is a very dramatic season finale, jam-packed with twits, revelations and one of the tensest scenes in the show's history. Apart from some deception involving Cersei, however, this was a generally more satisfying than shocking finale, but the spectacular final scene does direct us towards a more hectic final season in the future, one that will be defined simply by the living fighting the dead. In summary, the future looks dark and devastating.
The King's Landing scenes were brilliant, laying out the tension beforehand as Daenerys' mighty army surrounds the capitol. We've never seen so many main character congregating in one place before, and it's incredibly exciting to see Cersei surrounded by her enemies. The use of the Dragonpit as the meeting place is a masterstroke and has symbolic resonance in that it brought about the demise and reputation of the Targaryen Dynasty - perhaps a wound that Queen Cersei wants to add salt to. But, when Daenerys arrives late on her massive dragon, it's a massive slap in the face, proving that the Dragon Queen certainly has talent for entrances. Internal conflicts ensue, and there's a lot of superb interactions between characters. Bronn and Pod are reunited and get a chance to enjoy a drink together. The Hound and the Mountain face off in the Dragonpit and Euron gets a chance to jibe at his nephew, Theon, informing him that he still has Yara captured. The all-important moment though is the demonstration with the wight. Jeremy Podeswa does well to show this scene, and it turns out to be more intense and convincing than I first thought. It's great to see Cersei genuinely frightened by something for once - whether she's plotting with or against her former enemies, you can't help feeling she's been convinced of the threat. Jon, as usual, points out the importance of the meeting and states that the war between them is pointless when the dead are coming south. It's interesting to note that Daenerys does not mention the death of her dragon - this could be because she feels she'll lose her pride in front of the person she most despises, or simply because it wouldn't strike much hope in anyone's heart. When Cersei refuses, it's up to Tyrion to change her mind. Possibly the best conversation of the season goes to the Lannister siblings as they confess, unreservedly, their animosity towards one another. Lena Headey and Peter Dinklage should be commended for their performances in the scene as they emulate how the characters feel for each other. Tyrion informs his sister that whilst he did harbour hatred for her and his father, he would never have harmed her children - he loved them. That's a poignant moment for his character, because despite everything - all the lies and the hatred that the Lannister built up around them - Tyrion never once questioned his sister's flaws. The fact that Cersei doesn't order Ser Gregor to cut him down there is proof enough that family still trumps everything else in her life, and even though Tyrion is a monster to her, she still couldn't murder him. In the North, we have possibly one of the most satisfying developments since Ramsay was eaten by his own dogs, or even back to when Joffrey was poisoned at his own wedding. Either way, Littlefinger's demise has all the hallmarks of being pivotal in Game of Thrones' history of deaths. It was clear in the last episode that Sansa and Arya had difficulties - that has always been clear since the first episode. But, when you've got a brother, who's all-seeing and all-knowing, it's not very difficult to discover the truth. Though Littlefinger still attempts to push the sisters against each other, Sansa is now in the know. The twist is incredibly unexpected and Aidan Gillen's transformation is instant. He's always been known as a slimy worm, always choosing his path carefully, for the sake of his own survival and the enjoyment of seeing others fall. Now, to see all his bad deeds and all his questionable decisions thrown back in his face, there's nothing more pleasing. Arya may have slit his throat, but it was ultimately all three Stark siblings that passed the sentence as they ended the life of someone who was more dangerous alive than dead - and he was the first person to play the game of thrones. Back in King's Landing, it at first seems as though Cersei has agreed to cooperate and intends to send troops north to help battle the White Walkers and their dead. But, under further consideration, Cersei reveals to Jaime that she intends to do nothing other than continue to thwart her enemies. Apparently, Euron's exit from the Dragonpit meeting was pre-arranged, and he was already sailing to Essos to pick up the Golden Company. Naturally, Jaime is pissed off, seeing as his sister has fallen into utter madness. Once again, Cersei is given the option to kill a sibling as Jaime decides to leave the capitol anyway. But, as is the makeup of her character, she can't kill a member of her family. The atmospheric shot of Jaime leaving on horseback is stylishly shot, and leads us into a beautifully haunting montage of snowfall at King's Landing. Jeremy Podeswa has really outdone himself here. Possibly the largest revelation of the episode comes from Jon and Daenerys as their relationship swells to unimaginable boundaries. In Wintefell, as Sam and Bran discuss their findings concerning Jon's heritage, the King in the North himself has grown to more than like the Dragon Queen. As they travel on a boat to White Harbour, Tyrion's face says it all. We are given a much-needed explanation on the true ties of Jon Snow, and a flashback to Rhaegar and Lyanna's marriage is evidence enough for Jon's strong claim to the Iron Throne. But, whilst reinforcing the information we are already aware of, we are equally disturbed by the fact that Daenerys and Jon are consummating their love for each other, even though they are Aunt and Nephew. Whilst their sudden attraction for one another can easily be explained in the events leading up to this moment - especially their time on Dragonstone - the consequences of their love-making could be fully revealed when they return to Winterfell. Needless to say, despite everything else, the biggest was yet to come. At Eastwatch, Tormund and Beric await the inevitable at the so-called end of the world. In spectacular fashion, as is expected on this show, the Night King has arrived with his army, and his newly-revived dragon - Viserion. Seeing the Wall - the incredible structure that has been monumental in protecting the realms of men, and has been featured in pretty much every episode of the show since it began - fall is heartbreaking. Whether Tormund and Beric survive this relentless onslaught from Viserion's fire is hard to tell, but the end result is quite obvious - the Night King has broken the spell placed on the Wall thousands of years ago, simply by melting it. More than a highlight of the episode, this is the show-defining moment that everyone has been waiting for. Nothing could be more unprecedented than this, even in this unpredictable show. To conclude, whilst Season 7 has opted to speed things up in all corners of the world, the sentiment and style of its execution is unchanged. All the main characters are still in danger (even more danger now really), and all the conflicts continue to bubble up within each of the key players. I haven't mentioned Theon much, who has finally regained his composure and willpower to try and save his sister - this is another great development that is overshadowed by the sheer enormity of the events already happening. The character moments may be few and far between, but the writers continue to show that they care about them, and they care about their journey to the endgame. Season 4 and Season 6 are still better in my opinion, but Season 7 will forever be remembered as the season that brought us the ice dragon, and the first proper battles involving dragons. Here's to more of those next year (I hope). 9.5/10 You must remember. This country has a past as well as a future." The calm, delightful and dignified British series returns for a second season, continuing to tell the story of a charismatic monarch who was perhaps the definition of unconventional. Already, in the season premiere, the production can be described as lavish, with money well spent on beautiful costumes and sets. If there's one thing to count on with this show is that there's no reluctance to dress the place up. Everything looks historically genuine and the cast look as though they're actually wandering the flamboyant corridors of Buckingham Palace in the 19th century.
The plot of the first episode is simplistic, concentrating on Victoria's life immediately after her daughter's birth. In attempts to protect her from stress, her husband decides to conceal the bad news about events in Afghanistan from Her Majesty. Inevitably, this results in Victoria feeling deceived as she is much happier to be informed of everything, including the movements of her army, especially considering that she is a soldier's daughter as the title references. The ambush that occurred in Afghanistan is perhaps short-changed in the story, but at least its impact on the country is identified. Victoria is truly a caring person, and her kind gesture and commendation of the lone survivor demonstrates her kindness. Elsewhere, all the supporting characters get their own interlocking storylines, all equally pale. Mrs. Skerret and Francatelli's relationship is especially frustrating and was never interesting in my eyes in the first season. The fact that they have been forced back together because of cooking troubles at the palace is unjustified. Prince Ernest returns to England, giving Albert a chance to fence again and for him to receive marital advice. Ernest continues to show his charm as he interacts with the Duchess of Sutherland, Harriet. Prime Minister Robert Peel is also getting some stick from parliament for the humiliation Britain suffered for the defeat in Afghanistan. One of the strongest aspects of the show, alongside its sets, costumes and music, is its cast. Jenna Coleman has truly captured the elegance and quirkiness of Victoria. She deftly dealt with the moments of comedy in the script with exquisite precision, and her loss of temper is down to a tee. Peter Bowles is wonderfully open-minded as the Duke of Wellington and offers a contrasting role to the Prime Minister. A new addition to the show, Dame Diana Ring, offers her acting supremacy - following her astounding exodus from Game of Thrones - and she steals every scene as is to be expected. In contrast, sometimes I do struggle to understand Tom Hughes, simply because he lacks variety in his voice. An often majestic, often candid episode of Victoria, just like the attitudes of its characters, but the grandiose of its sets and superb camerawork give it a fine quality. Director Lisa James Larsson makes good use of the money to depict haunting imagery of the slaughter in Afghanistan - even if the images are brief. Its fast-pace sometimes stalls its progression, but there's no doubt that the drama persists and Daisy Goodwin continues to translate Victoria's tumultuous time as monarch of Britain on screen. Her compelling speech at the launching of HMS Trafalgar was evidence enough of their strong connection with British history. And that's the most important thing - just like the brilliant The Crown on Netflix - as long as the show is steeped in British class and tradition, it can't go wrong. 7.5/10 Akko is your last chance for your dream." This show is finally succeeding in incorporating the emotional resonance that is so needs to emulate its messages. As Akko appears to be quickly ploughing through her discoveries for the seven words, she joins fellow characters on heartfelt adventures into rediscovery that help to redefine her character as someone who is determined, caring and ultimately resilient. Her patience and caution may still need a bit of work, but by the twenty-first episode of the show, she has finally learnt that hardest lessons of her life about gaining experience before action.
The first episode of this part seeks to cover the character of Constanze. Whilst she has a certain lovable quality, her true appreciation comes for her talent in construction. The episode successfully establishes the newly-founded relationship between Akko and Constanze, one where they understand each other to the hilt, but its story falters in some areas. The Wild Hunt is not very well fleshed out, meaning that it's difficult to understand how it works and what aim there is in dealing with ghosts. The fact that Akko and Constanze fight and clear up ghosts from a flying ship makes it all seem a bit ridiculous. Whilst Croix's machinations appear to be reaching new heights of malevolence, her interference at this point, doesn't have much impact. The true masterstroke of this part is Diana Cavendish's involvement, easily my favourite character. Her double-episode at the Cavendish mansion makes for a brilliant overarching story in which we not only get a chance to understand Diana's past a little bit better, but Akko and Andrew get a chance to work together, setting up what appears to be a perfectly understandable romantic relationship. Diana's past, as it would be expected, is actually quite sad. She has lost both her parents, and has effectively been the patriarch of the family since then, balancing her education with her position as head of the family and consistently dealing with her problematic aunt and cousins. The premise and reasons for Diana's return to home may be far-fetched, but the story that unfurls is one with great ambition. Plus, we get to see Diana's weakness, in that she is not completely infallible. It takes the joint efforts of Akko and Diana to thwart the meddlesome aunt. The fact that Diana decides to return to Luna Nova after establishing herself as the definite leader of the family makes Akko's resolve seem more meaningful, and that's important for the integrity of this show. The final episode of this part goes further into the lore of the show. Now with only two words left to unlock the Grand Triskelion, Akko appears to be on the verge of reaching her aim. The episode does well to further explain the relationship between Chariot and Croix, one in which we come to understand that Croix's resentment is founded in her jealousy for not acquiring the Shiny Rod. Deftly, this episode succeeds in gaining emotional resonance in that Professor Ursula (aka Shiny Chariot) attempts to protect Akko, her resolve based on the compliments that Akko has stated for her idol - Chariot herself. The moment they share at the end is incredibly poignant and one that could finally compel Ursula to reveal her true identity to the young student. Whatever Croix is planning, it appears to be taking shape. The opening involving Andrew and his friend certainly points to troubling times ahead. Indeed the show has managed to balance character development while also pulling in the final strings for the incoming ending. Hopefully we'll get more exposition concerning Chariot and Croix's earlier lives and what finally drove them from being friends to the current enemies that they are. I also notice that Akko appears to be spending less and less time with her closest friends, Lotte and Sucy, which could be catastrophic as she will need her friends to inject some caution into her life. Stanship Take Off! - 7.5/10 Cavendish - 8/10 Intellect and Sensibility - 8/10 Discipline - 8.5/10 Mama's coming and she cares about your titties." It has been common knowledge from the start of Rick and Morty that Jerry is a character that struggles to fit in with his often eccentric, often open-minded family. His pathetic lifestyle and work ethic have always been the butt of the joke. Just looking back to M. Night Shaym-Aliens, you can understand why Rick considers him to be a bit of an idiot. His complete lack of perception when it comes to seeing malfunctioning code is laughable. Nevertheless, this characteristic makes him invaluable to the cast of this wonderful show. He is a consistent and well-nourished source of instant comedy, thus the writers naturally decided that this would be a "Rick and Jerry episode!".
Indeed, the Whirly Dirly Conspiracy is very 'whirly dirly'. Subconsciously, I imagine Rick is trying to show Jerry a bit of kindness as he was partly (or mostly) responsible for ostracising Jerry from the family. He takes him to a rich theme park which has an immortality field, a nice touch on a science-fiction standpoint, but one that provides a lot of dark comedy later on. As Rick and Jerry start bonding over a drink at the bar, it all seems quite quaint and tranquil, and you may start to wonder whether the two characters will actually start to understand one another. Of course not. That wouldn't be right. Unfortunately, Jerry is embroiled in an assassination attempt with the local staff at the restaurant. They've discovered a blip in the immortality field at the top of the Whirly-Dirly ride, where they can kill Rick. This is of course easier said than done, and you can see Jerry contemplating the thought of killing his father-in-law, just as they were about to bond. Naturally, things get out of hand, and Rick soon discovers Jerry's deceit. It's difficult to see what might be going through Rick's head at this point, as he used to seeing Jerry as the submissive person, not any way inclined or brave enough to attack him. Rick turns unusually angry - I mean properly angry. But, Jerry finds a newfound freedom to belittle Rick when his father-in-law's synapses are rendered useless. It may be short-lived, but Jerry is given a chance to have revenge on all the insults that Rick has ever sent his way - naturally he's terrible at rebuttal, but what else can we expect from him. The masterstroke of the episode, however, comes from the dream-state that Jerry experiences while traveling through a wormhole. Simply through rather vivid imagery, we are given a collage of insanity at how Jerry sees Rick in his deluded and rather untempered mind. Despite his prolonged animosity towards Rick, we get some wonderful character development for someone we thought would be out of the picture by now. Back on Earth, Summer has been having some trouble with her boyfriend. I didn't realise she was so obsessed with vanity, but she decides to use her grandfather's size-changing machine to increase the size of her breasts. She accidentally resizes her entire body into a giant. The consequences are left for Morty and their mother to solve. Possibly the funniest parts of the episode, I was particularly tickled by the customer service joke as Beth unwittingly allows the internal operators of the machine to escape. But, it's Morty who much watch closely as he seems to be heading into darker ways. What he does to Ethan, Summer's boyfriend, is perhaps not the worst he could have done, but you can't help feeling that Morty is developing some anger issues, a side-effect of his continued association with Rick. A brilliant episode to reintroduce Jerry and continue to set out the unbalanced relationships between the Smith family members. It consistently amazes me how this show can meld both hilarious comedy and dark emotional resonance together in one episode. Morty shouting at his neighbour for interrupting his conversation with his mother, put together with a young boy accidentally killing his sister after the immortality field was disabled. This is a delicate skill that the writers have possessed since the show began and it never fails. 9/10 Death is the enemy. The first enemy, and the last. The enemy always wins, but we still need to fight him." A groundbreaking episode that continues to show why Game of Thrones is one of the best shows to ever be created. This could all be down to pure spectacle, but there's greater importance in the writing as we make final preparations for the final battle against the Long Night. Whilst most of Season 7 has been fast-paced, the opening half-hour of Beyond the Wall gives us a chance to breathe a sigh as we await the oncoming storm and what could possibly be the most dangerous mission any character has attempted before.
The opening shot of the map and fireplace at Dragonstone is beautiful, giving us symbolism for the events ahead. Having just left the Wall, Jon and his group are now in the barren lands of the far North, with one mission: to capture a wight and take it to King's Landing to prove that the threat in the North is real. It's almost a suicide mission, considering they're entering the lands of the Night King and his army. But, it still must be done. We have a number of conversations between the key characters in the group. Jon and Jorah's contemplation of Jeor Mormont has the most significance, as Jorah completely relinquishes his birthright to Longclaw, as he believes his father made the right choice. Gendry may not completely understand Beric's perspective on selling him to the Red Woman, but he's content enough to know that they're both on the same side when it comes to the great battle. Tormund gets another chance to point out his pining for Brienne of Tarth and the Hound's priceless reaction gives us something to laugh about. However, the Hound causes a lot of problems as the episode unfolds. The first is related to a wight bear. As an audience, we've never seen many beasts controlled by the White Walkers, apart from horses, and this is a surprising new addition. In the mirky, blizzard-filled landscape, Jon and his men attempt to kill the creature with fire, but this of course doesn't sit well with the Hound. Inadvertently, this leads to Thoros' lethal injury as he tries to stop the bear from attacking the Hound, leaving his stomach and chest completely charred. It's amazing that he still manages to go on. It's important to note that despite the fact that they haven't encountered the army of the dead yet, they've already suffered casualties. Indeed, the true test comes when they ambush a group of wights with a White Walker. After Jon succeeds in killing the Walker, the dead it converted at destroyed with it - conveniently leaving one left for them to capture, but he turns out to be a noisy bugger. Unfortunately, the main army hears the creature's cries, and the group are soon to be ambushed. Jon sends Gendry back to the Wall to send a message to Daenerys. Meanwhile, there's a meaningful conversation between Tyrion and Daenerys at Dragonstone. Tyrion is still worried about the decisions that Daenerys has made concerning the Tarlys and what other terrible things she might try to accomplish. Nevertheless, he convinces her that when they execute this plan at King's Landing, with their dominant army and three dragons, they will be safe. That is to say, from Cersei. On receiving the message from Eastwatch, however, Daenerys decides to be impulsive again, as she realises that Jon could be the greatest asset she had, and he's now in complete danger in the North. This time, she takes all three dragons with her, and Tyrion is left to contemplate his own worst fears, alone at Dragonstone. At Winterfell, the Stark sisters are at each other's throats, as Littlefinger's letter has struck a dark cord in Arya's mind. Whilst I believe she's knows Littlefinger's cunning side, she's still trying to test Sansa, with a few threats of her own. The exchange on the battlements where their father used to stand was very well written, and hits hard with nostalgia as we recall the first episode of the series. Since then, the sisters have been in entirely different scenarios, but both in mortal danger. You do question whether Arya is going too far with her accusations, as we know Sansa has been through a lot of trauma, some she will never forget. But, the final scene as Arya reveals the horde of faces she's been keeping and informing Sansa of her assassin-like skill does beg the question of whether Sansa will see this as support or a threat. She's going to need all the support she can get, now that Brienne is heading to King's Landing, presumably for the wight demonstration. The significant moments of the episode come thick and fast towards the end, however, as Jon and his men are briefly trapped in the centre of a lake, awaiting support from their allies. Sadly, Thoros suffers badly from his wounds and dies overnight, prompting Beric to burn him at the hands of the Lord of Light, the God he so honourably served for his life. But time is short, and as the lake freezes over in an embarrassing realisation by the Hound, who makes the second mistake he's made in one episode, the wight army attack, and the group of remaining six mortals seem hopelessly lost. There's a nail-biting moment when it seems Tormund is about to be mercilessly killed, but he is desperately returned to the centre. There's a wonderful shot of Jon standing helplessly on the top of the crag, as the wights surround their small band, and all seems lost. But, in a very un-Game of Thrones manner, Daenerys arrives to save them in another fire-infested display, and pretty much burns the entire army - if only she'd stayed a little longer, she might have dispatched the Night King and his fellow Walkers too, but we realise why that's not a good idea. Questions are asked during the episode as to why the Night King waits, and doesn't attack the group of men and be done with it, and the answer is plain and simple. He uses these brave men to capture a dragon. Whether the Night King has greensight like Bran or not is questionable, but he's definitely an intelligent being, with a calculating mind, and it seems this entire plot may have been turned on its head so that the Night King could capture a dragon, the final piece of the puzzle in which to take down the Wall. With dragonfire, perhaps the Wall is completely vulnerable. Anyhow, in typical emotional fashion for this show, Daenerys loses a dragon, and we sadly see its hopeless corpse slip below the surface of the lake, and its siblings whining hopelessly above. Before the Night King can cause more damage, Jon demands Daenerys to leave immediately and leave him behind. As this is so far the longest episode of the show, of course, the drama doesn't end there. Now alone, amongst the lands of the dead, Jon could be in dire trouble. It all seems useless when the wights spot him again, but we as the viewers are in for another surprise. Benjen, the last senior Stark remaining in the world, arrives to give his nephew one last chance to escape. And escape he does, back to Eastwatch and safe and sound in the warmth - well as warm as it can get. Whilst we know that Jon's story is not over yet, it still pains us to see him weak and battered on his bed as Davos pulls away the clothes that have frozen onto his body in the time he spent north. But, there's a warming effect as Daenerys arrives to console him. Now, their relationship has been brewing for quite some time, and despite the fact that we know that they are family, these two very important characters have no idea. Thus, the handholding, and their emotional agreement to help each other seems innocent enough, but you can tell that their are some affectionate hints underneath the words. The consequences of the mad adventure are clear as daylight in the final scene, as the Night King revives the fallen dragon (Vyserion) with his own power - this creature is now the greatest weapon that White Walkers have ever wielded and could be the final nail in the coffin of every character in Westeros and beyond. After all, there's nothing stopping the Night King from reaching Essos now. Indeed, Littlefinger's convoluted plot at Winterfell may seem pitiful compared to the danger coming from beyond the Wall, but there's a semblance of animosity that thrives between the Stark sisters that needs to be erased. No Jaime and Cersei this week, but we are already aware of the problems that they share now that Daenerys has pretty much eradicated her foot-soldiers. I'm not sure whether we'll get a conclusion to the Night King's plans next week, but we'll certainly be seeing a big confrontation nonetheless as it all kicks off in King's Landing. Breathtaking is the only word to describe it. Beyond the Wall may not outdo the series greatest episodes: I'm looking at The Rains of Castamere, Battle of the Bastards and The Children, but it's testament to the scale and impact of the series that it still has the capacity to shock and scare in the most imaginative ways. A lot of people may be criticising the pacing of this series, but if you take into account the time passages for each scene, it can all be justified. Daenerys' arrival may be deemed convenient on a story level, but it is far from impossible. I certainly can't wait to see how this elaborate scheme pans out, and how quickly it will take for the Night King to strike the wall. 10/10 Things are never boring with you around." As we're introduced to a new main character, things already feel different in this show. The eminent witch, Croix, brings about a new age at Luna Nova where the students don't need to rely on the Sorcerer's Stone any longer, but have an endless supply of magic through Croix's new inventions. Naturally, this seems like an invasive and unconventional way to start your teaching career in the Academy, and a number of fellow teachers seem just a little bit perturbed by the changes - Professor Ursula more than most. Indeed, this episode sets up a new rivalry - one in which Akko could finally be told the truth about Chariot. Croix herself is a fascinating character, and one so caught up in her own mystery, can easily be seen as the villain of the show - someone who is manipulating magic in order to gain allies. Her manipulation of Akko in Chariot of Fire was particularly malevolent as she finds out all about Chariot's so-called Shiny Rod.
Whilst Akko may finally be finding a way into the good books of the Academy, her temperament has not improved. In fact, it's detrimental to the progression of the story. As she continues to find the 'seven words' that unlock the Shiny Rod, she never ceases to amaze me how impatient, self-centered and unappreciative she is of the world around her. Her close friends Suzy and Lotte often joke about her character flaws, but when it's this obvious, it's not that funny. Her complete lack of perception even puts her in danger as she willingly allows Professor Croix to analyse the Shiny Rod - although in this respect she could be perhaps forgiven. Regardless of Akko, Chariot of Fire is definitive for one reason - it introduces the true Shiny Chariot, as she attempts to save the one student who has taken a liking in her, and the one who has the greatest potential to wield the Shiny Rod in the future. Her great powers are demonstrated as she faces off against Croix's menacing stone legions that attempt to repel her from the top of the tower, where Akko is being kept for analysis. The enmity between the two characters is clear, but what yet isn't clear is their history and how it came about they went in practically opposing directions. The interesting part of their early lives is that whilst Croix was the child prodigy in the past, Chariot was the one who forever stood side by side with natural magic. Pohjola's Ordeal is a throwaway episode, in its truest sense. Whilst it does set up the fourth word to be spoken to unlock the Rod, it does nothing else either to develop its characters or entertain its audience. I struggle to understand Akko's luck in being able to concoct a cure for the ailment that befell Suzy, Lotte and her family. Her capabilities as a cock seem to vastly outweigh her capabilities as a witch, and yet that doesn't seem like a very meaningful trait for her character. Despite everything that she does in saving her friends, she still comes out the other end as someone without the consideration for patience or seriousness. Indeed, despite being a slight back story to Lotte's life, the story is a wild gamble that goes horribly incoherent by the middle section, to the point where I question whether it is the same show. Perhaps one to avoid, especially considering it has no standing within the overarching plot. The fourth episode of the season, however, has more significance. Akko and Amanda seem to be brewing a friendship for the ages, as they head out in search of the Holy Grail, something that Akko believes to have some hidden connection to the Shiny Rod. The episode is clever in that it balances a number of stories all at once; introducing us to Louis, an up jumped son of a rich politician who learns the meaning of justice, reintroducing Andrew, the handsome boy who has grown affection for Akko in their previous adventures, and gives Amanda a chance to understand why leaving Luna Nova would be such a wasted opportunity in her life. The episode is jam-packed full of action, and even gives us a glimpse inside the prestigious all-boys school as we learn about its traditions and history. However, I must point out the choice of costumes during the supposed witch trial, as it does hold racial connotations as parodies of the KKK. Needless to say, the episode ends on a positive note, and a newly-formed friendship. A disjointed opening to Season 2, but not without immense potential. As we move away from the classroom more and more, we start to understand and appreciate the larger world at hand, one which is filled with more looming adventures for Akko and her friends. I would like to see more content for Diana Cavendish, however, as we see how she adapts to the form of magical power that Croix has introduced. Her family's mention in the fourth episode perhaps indicated trouble ahead, but I anxiously await its arrival shortly. 1. New Age Magic - 7.5/10 2. Chariot of Fire - 8/10 3. Pohjola's Ordeal - 5.5/10 4. Amanda O'Neill and the Holy Grail - 8/10 Rick says good and bad are artificial constructs." There's always a sense of impending darkness with Rick and Morty. Just when rick finds himself revealing his emotional side, and confesses his deep affection for his family, there's a major turnabout and we're reminded that Rick is possibly the most selfish character in existence...and the funniest. Vindicators 3 is know exception as its title suggest a Guardians of the Galaxy parody, and is a self-confessed take on Saw. Unfortunately, the story suffers from trying to introduce too many new characters, each with their own outlandish agenda and quirky personality, but the adventure itself is a another successful jaunt in the twisted mind of Rick Sanchez, and the consequences of his often unconventional actions.
The loyalty card makes a return in which Morty declares his right to one in every ten adventures. His suggestion of joining the Vindicators perhaps doesn't go according to plan, as he soon learns that they went adventuring without him for their second mission, and Rick seems to be causing trouble at every turn. It's always struck me how brutally honest Rick can be about his feelings, and yet seem so disconnected from them at the same time. In the earlier sections of the episode, his character keeps the story afloat with some wonderful insults once again as we are gradually introduced to the Vindicators team. Vance Maximus seems to be the stereotypical heroic figure, but with an almost pedophiliac nature - hence why his limelight is short lived for the episode. Supernova doesn't get enough screen time in my opinion, and as such, her absolute power is not explained. I liked the fact that Alan Rails seemed to be the consistent butt of the joke as Rick ridiculed his ghost train. Million Ants, funnily enough, appeared to have the most development as it is revealed he's involved in an affair with Supernova. Crocubot is barely mentioned. It may be possible that the Vindicators' stories were just simple overshadowed by Rick's drunken rampage. Indeed, Rick was the highlight of the episode, as he should be - a mad scientist so in love with himself that the only element of the Vindicators that he liked was the only member who laughed at his jokes. In effect, he sets up an entire Saw-based experiment to slaughter the Vindicators and then place Noob Noob on a pedestal - much to Morty's bewilderment. It frustrates Morty even more when Rick questions why Logic is singing about someone called Noob Noob. The Vindicators have practically been eradicated for no reason whatsoever, other than for the amusement of Rick in his drunken state. The overall mission to stop Worldender may have been quickly shunted aside, but the dark side to the episode is that Rick so easily orchestrated this psychotic trap and even involved himself and his grandchild in its implementation. Jokes aside, the writers have certainly painstakingly ensured that this season is its darkest. It seems every decision Rick has made so far has resulted in close contact with death. On the topic of Rick's character, it's always great to see him returning to old locations and old friends. Gearhead makes a return in Rick's celebratory party for Noob Noob. As he makes an important appearance in the after credits it makes me wonder what the writers are preparing for the upcoming overarching storylines. Seeing as we still haven't heard anything else of Tammy and new Phoenix Person. Understandably, Jerry's circumcision from the family seems to be the main topic of the season, but I can't help seeing something bigger on the move concerning the mountain of enemies that Rick has made along the line of adventures. This was an exciting romp with a great, dark twist in the middle, but its supporting characters didn't live up to their names. 8/10 I'm tired of reading about the achievements of better men." We've known for a while that things would be moving at incomprehensible speeds in Season 7, but Eastwatch has taken that speed to a new level. This isn't a problem though, because if we revisit the very first episode of the series, back to when things seem quieter and safer, then you'll notice that Jaime and Cersei in the space of less than one episode travelled from King's Landing all the way to Winterfell. Other characters it takes almost a season to cross the continent. When you understand the geography of Game of Thrones, you don't really need to be reminded of the distances, and when a story needs to be told, it needn't be elongated to unnecessary stretches of dialogue or travelling - you'd lose the drama and the excitement of the imminent war against the army of the dead.
Eastwatch gives us a lot to ponder in terms of developments. Most of all it sets up one of the most dangerous missions any character has attempted on the show. But let's start with the aftermath of the Loot Train Attack. As always Daenerys is showing two sides to her personality by sparing the lives of the Lannister soldiers, but demanding they bend the knee simultaneously. Interestingly, Randyll Tarly continues to support Cersei despite betraying his previous House, the Tyrells. Bravely, Dickon also disobeys his conqueror and joins his father. Despite the fact that Tyrion is Hand to the Queen, he can't persuade Daenerys to choose some other punishment for the Tarlys. In fiery fashion, they are both burnt to death just like most of their soldiers. This sets up another significant arc in which Daenerys' advisors start to question wether she is becoming like her father. Varys in particular is reminded of the terrible things that happened to the people who disobeyed the Mad King. Will they be able to find the confidence to inform her of their worries though? Jon seems to have made himself at home at Dragonstone. The mining of Dragonglass seems to be going well, and despite his refusal to bend the knee, his relationship with Daenerys is thriving. There's clearly some affection between them, especially in that moment when the Mother of Dragons notices Drogon allowing Jon to stroke him. But there's not much time for further bonding as Jon receives word from his brother, Bran, that the White Walkers are almost upon Eastwatch. This leads to a massive conference in which Tyrion suggests that they try to convince his sister of the northern threat by giving her one soldier from the army of the dead. After persuasion, Daenerys agrees and allows Davos and Tyrion to travel to King's Landing to inform Jaime of their plan. The fast-paced storytelling seems unfitting for Game of Thrones, but it somehow also seems perfect for this episode, as we're only setting up the places for one big event in the impending future. All we get a few surprises along the way as Davos is reunited with Gendry, a blacksmith who has not spent this entire time rowing, but working for the family that has persecuted him. His eagerness to get away is grounded in his feeling of usefulness, and I'm sure that his warhammer will come in handy at some point during his service to the Seven Kingdoms. Simultaneously, we have a very tense meeting between brothers Tyrion and Jaime, and the latter feels scorned. Their reunion is ill-advised, but this could be the last chance to convince Cersei of the ultimate danger - the White Walkers. It's time for Jaime to take matters into his own hand and start opposing Cersei. That would've been easier if Cersei hadn't now become pregnant. Typical. It seems the more Jaime attempts to make the right decision, something else significant comes along to put him right back into Cersei's control. If he's not careful, he may find himself becoming her servant and unconditionally doing her bidding. Back in Oldtown, Sam is still trying to convince the other maesters that the threat in the North is real. The Archmaester does seem to have a soft spot for Sam, but being a rational and scientific person, he needs absolute proof before he can believe something completely. We get another hint at Jon's true lineage as Gilly reads from an extract of a book Sam is forced to copy, but Sam's too angry to listen and unfortunately impulsively decides to leave the Citadel before he can learn anything further. This was a very good performance from John Bradley in my opinion, as he provides one of the funniest lines the show has ever given. The tragedy, I suppose, is that he doesn't know what's happened to his father and brother. In the North, we seem to be dealing with something completely different. Littlefinger is clearly up to no good and is now pitting sister against sister. I'm not entirely sure what the scroll states, but I can guess that it is related to Sansa attempting to acquire the role of Queen in the North, leading Arya to believe that she's trying to steal Jon's position. Hopefully, Arya will come to her senses, confront Sansa and beg to kill Littlefinger immediately. In truth, he is more dangerous than valuable to be kept alive and he should've been dispatched a while ago. Nevertheless, knowing Sansa's flaws, things may go the opposite way and Arya could be looking at betrayal. Above all else, Eastwatch sets up an alliance unlike anything the show has seen before. After leaving Dragonstone, Jon, now joined by Gendry and Jorah Mormont, as well as Davos, are travelling to the easternmost castle on the Wall to join Tormund and capture a wight. But, upon arrival, Tormund reveals that a group of three men arrived just south of the Wall and are attempting join the fight against the dead. It's great to see so many factions of characters in one room, Tormund from the Wildlings, Jon from the North, Gendry from King's Landing, Jorah from Daenerys, Beric and Thoros from the Brotherhood and the Hound once loyal to the Lannisters. Each one has been slandered in some way by the developments of the War of the Five Kings and each has a purpose in fighting the White Walkers. I couldn't think of a better group of characters to face the dangers ahead. Jon comes to his senses, and realises that they are all allies and they set off beyond the Wall to complete the mission. If the show can keep up this incredible momentum, we could be looking at some massive episodes to follow. It's sad to think that only two episodes remain this season, but the pieces have been set for a superb conclusion. Some big questions remain though. Will Arya and Sansa be able to put aside their differences and serve Littlefinger justice once and for all? Where will Sam go now and how will he serve his friend, Jon? Can Cersei be convinced once Jon and his new allies have captured a wight and shown it at King's Landing? Will the maesters finally be convinced of the threat? Will Tyrion be able to help Daenerys complete her goal to take the Iron Throne in spite of the threat from the North? Will Bronn finally be repaid, and receive his castle? 8.5/10 |
AuthorA very passionate Welsh nerd... Archives
October 2017
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