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Reviews
The Wheel of Time (2021)
Read Through the Books 3 Times - This is Average with Potential
I am going to be polite about it, but this is a really average adaptation. To its credit, it did pick up at about episode 4. Also, I recognize the challenge of adapting 14, 1000 word books onto the TV screen. That being said here are some of the challenges:
1. Women can be the Dragon Reborn in this "woke" version. This is the antithesis of the premise in the books. The whole point of the matriarchal Aes Sedai was that men was the source was tainted for men, and that the Dragon Reborn was going to be a man, and therefore had to deal with the tainted source. So exactly why was it switched in the TV series to imply women could also be the Dragon Reborn? It undercuts the premise of the matriarchal culture that developed.
2. Keeping with point 1, the absolute fear and power the Aes Sedai wielded was dramatically understated in the TV shows. The books did a fantastic job of showing how much power and fear they actually inspired among the general populace.
3. The characters really weren't charismatic at all. I am not sure who casted the main characters, but there were only a few that acted like they were doing anything but going through the motions.
Some of the good things were:
1. The visuals were dope. It was great to some of the scenes from the book brought to life.
2. The diversity of the actors was cool. Fantasy always seems white washed, but it is literally fantasy, there is nothing that beholds the characters to be majority white. While some of it did seem forced (like, how was there so much diversity in a small village of two rivers) most of it was OK.
3. The energy really picked up in the series, it took until about episode 5 or 6 that I was finally locked in, and was a bit disappointed that it was only an 8 episode season.
The Protector (2018)
So Much Potential...But Fails to Deliver (Netflix Watcher)
I am sure most of the positive reviewers of this show are Turkish, therefore have a vested interest in a positive review. I don't have that. I was just looking for a good action TV show on Netflix and stumbled on this so let me give you a real review.
First of all, this show had great potential. Grounded in Turkish mythology, and as many prior reviewers said, the cinematography, and the showcasing of Instanbul was phenomenal. Truly beautiful city, and the show did it justice. So let's get to the story.
The main problem is the failure of by the writers to do justice to the main character Hakan. Semi-spoilers - literally, every death that occurred in seasons 1 and 2 was due to him. Every single one.
This is how the show went in general:
Loyalist or Zeynep, "Don't be so rash, let's make a plan" to which Hakan responses, "I don't care, I am going anyway" and then a character dies.
Literally, every time.
While in theory this could make for a great character arc, but they really avoid by and large, Hakan ever taking consequences, or other characters giving him consequences for his failure. From his adopted father to the little girl loyalist, Hakan was the cause of their demise.
Finally, let's not talk about the utter ridiciulous decisions Hakan made to give up the shirt, take off the shirt, give up the dagger, etc.
The only two solid consistent actors in the show are Zeynep and Faysal. Really solid. The only problem is they made Zeynep a fan girl of Hakan who wouldn't stand up to his idiotic choices (hence all the necessary deaths of friends). The show honestly would have been better if she was the Protector.
Faysal was a great character, but when they brought in his wife, his gravitas diminished significantly. He lost the authority, undercurrent of menace, and sense of (weirdly) compassion, that he had prior to that. Then he made decisions in season 3 that were simply not in character.
Overall, if you are in Turkey this is probably a show you will celebrate just because of that. But if you are a fan of good writing, good story arcs and solid action within a coherent and rational plot, this is not the show for you.
Revenger (2018)
Bruce Freakin Khan!!!
Man, not having this guy in more movies is a tragedy. He is the best I have seen since Jet Li. The plot is straight forward, not great, but my man's fighting is ridiculous. I have watched it three times just to see the choreography and this guy get down.
Outpost 37 (2014)
Decent Movie Interesting Premise
This was an OK movie to me and I was surprised that it got such low overall score. The premise was unique and grounded (relatively speaking) in the reality of what might occur if a failed alien attack took place.
The acting was OK. There were a few two dimensional characters, but I felt the relationship between the soldiers was on point as well as some of the male bonding hazing.
When one of the soldiers died you really felt the emotion of the team.
The special effects for the budget were pretty good and the ending was solid as was the build up.
I would definitely watch a sequel to the movie.