Change Your Image
charliegrindrod
Reviews
Mortal Engines (2018)
Out of Fuel
Mortal Engines is a bad adaptation of an otherwise imaginative book by Philip Reeve. Hester Shaw goes from a strong female lead that isn't made for looks but rather character, to a straight up Mary Sue that Hollywood toned down massively. Her scar isn't horrible, as it just looks like a light cut on her face. It's barely faithful to how it's described in the book. Tom's character looks more 21 than 15, and he's just annoying rather than a bit of a sweetheart with a knack for adventure. There's no Guild Marks to be found, Valentine is a generic villain, and there's no real reason for London to have a super-weapon seeing how large and powerful it already is. Shrike is actually decent, but for some reason he gets killed, despite the fact that Shrike IS ALIVE IN ALL OF THE BOOKS. The final act is a direct ripoff of Star Wars, where there's rebel fighters laying siege against a powerful enemies' super-weapon, and a moment where the antagonist reveals something to the one of the protagonists: they are their father. The visual effects and designs of the cities are actually very impressive and the score by Junkie XL is actually really cinematic. Some of the acting is okay, but Hugo Weaving and Stephen Lang definitely stand out.
Overall, it has faithfulness to the book but not enough to justify its existence which makes it a cliché sci-fi fantasy story that isn't much of a recommendation to a large demographic. Just stick to the book.
RWBY: Volume 3 (2016)
A GREAT WAY TO END A BEGINNING
Without a doubt, this is arguably the best season in RWBY. It's got heart, charm, emotional resonance, and most of all, a thrilling end to a beginning saga.