Star Wars The Bad Batch: Entombed

Summary

The Bad Batch crossover into the new National Treasure series and become treasure hunters.

My, my we are in a bad pattern of episodes with these last two, both of which have been the very definition of filler, and whilst last weeks’ at least gave Tech some nice hero moments this one is even worse and marches into tedious territory quickly.

I think my main issue with this episode is that it didn’t feel like Star Wars to me, treasure hunting is at the core of many great franchises but in my mind never Star Wars, I suppose that is why the sequel trilogy that was very MacGuffin searching heavy was so bad.

Also this was a very Omega heavy episode, and many of you who have read my other reviews know my thoughts on her, whenever she is the primary focus of an episode you know you are in for a bad time and or filler. Honestly, when you compare this episode to the Crosshair/Commander Cody one from a few weeks ago it is night and day.

I am also fairly bored already of the new pirate character, they will never replace Hondo and I question why they are even bothering to try.

Overall, an even worse episode than last week’s filler-fest.

1.5/5

Pros.

It is watchable

Hunter’s reactions were quite funny

Cons.

The new pirate character is deeply bland

Omega is as annoying as ever

It doesn’t feel like Star Wars

It is boring

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Faster

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Bad Batch get involved in riot racing.

This was a filler episode, no ifs ands or buts about it. Nothing even remotely interesting happened here, and even the tease of finding out more about Sid’s backstory fails to move me as she is already a pretty dull character and I would rather know more about Cody or Rex when it came to supporting characters.

The racing plot line was as dull as they come, but it was nice to see Ben Schwartz voice the cocky racing droid that then almost immediately gets smashed. Schwartz brought some fun to what was otherwise an incredibly dry episode.

The only thing I liked about this episode was that again it gave Tech a moment to shine, I am glad of this as other than once earlier in the second season he really hasn’t had many heroic moments and has been somewhat of a forgotten member of the gang, so it is nice to see him having these moments.

Overall, a dull episode that is probably best skipped.

2.5/5

Pros.

Schwartz

Tech having more moments to shine

It is very watchable

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: The Solitary Clone

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Crosshair continues on his journey as the Empire’s killing machine and Commander Cody makes a return.

I thought this was the best episode of The Bad Batch yet, there was something so mature and dark about this episode that I really enjoyed, it played with the idea of disillusionment and clinging on to belief simply for the sake of believing. I thought Commander Cody and Crosshair really played off each other well both on and off the battlefield, and I think bringing back Cody was a stroke of genius. I think it is highly likely the show will bring him back in the future and that is a good thing, I think this second season is building towards Crosshair defecting from the Empire and re-joining his old team.

On top of all this the action in this episode is fantastic, far, far better than what the show has been putting out in the past and it also really highlights Crosshairs specific set of skills, the trick shot he does to take out the commander droid is a sight to behold and really gives him a moment to shine.

Overall, one of the best episodes of the show yet, only let down by its short length.

Pros.

The focus on Crosshair

Showing off Crosshair’s skills

Commander Cody

The thing this episode sets up for later in the season

The return of more Clone Wars characters

Cons.

It was too short

4.5/5

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Ruins Of War

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Clone Force 99 battle to get off world.

I thought that this second part of the season opener really delivered on what the first set up, we got far more action which was nice to see and also a greater sense of goings on in the Galaxy at that time and off Imperial intrigue.

I liked that this episode gave Tech a heroic arc, as often he is the forgotten about or overlooked member of the group usually only appearing to offer a Deus Ex Machina escape when things seem dire. I thought seeing him try to fight off the clones whilst being wounded was a nice little bit of character progression for him.

The one thing I didn’t like about this episode which will be very familiar to those of you who read my first season reviews for this show is how Omega and Echo interact. The whole thing of Omega trying to prove her worth and then making things worse and needing to be rescued isn’t endearing it is irritating. In many senses the show would be a lot better off without Omega, but Star Wars just has to have that adult child bonding these days so she sticks around.

Overall, a good episode that really delivered on the action front.

4/5

Pros.

The action

The ending

The wider world tease and Imperial intrigue

Giving Tech his moment in the sun

Cons.

The forced in Echo/Omega plot line and the cheap forced emotion of it

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Star Wars The Bad Batch: Spoils Of War

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Clone Force 99 are back with a mission that sees them return to the base of the infamous Count Dooku.

I enjoyed this episode through a nostalgic lens as it showed us Dooku’s castle from Clone Wars in a way it had never really been presented to us before and we saw new depths and layers to it.

I also liked the fact the Clones are talking about doing more and joining in more formally with the Rebellions efforts, I think in many senses this is the show setting things up for later in the season, but it is an interesting tease as it could go in so many different ways and could end up in a return of some of our favourite characters.

My criticism of this episode would come from the fact that it was a little slow, the action side of things definitely favours the part two of this two parter, but that is not to say that this episode is boring as things do happen just not as many as you would like.

Overall, a solid start to the season that opens a number of interesting doors.

3/5

Pros.

Talking about being involved in the wider Rebellion and teasing things to come

The return to Dooku’s castle

It is good to see the characters back in action

Cons.

It is a little slow at times and the action is a thin

There is some pacing issues with the episode as the relatively short runtime turns into a slog

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Memento: Finally Tattoos Serve A Purpose

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A man’s, played by Guy Pearce, quest for vengeance is disturbed by his amnesia and inability to form new memories.

Ah this takes me back to a beautiful time before Christopher Nolan thought he was the saviour of cinema and before his ego eclipsed the sun causing us all to live in darkness. Despite what some of my long time readers might think, I did used to enjoy Nolan’s films I think Interstellar is a brilliant film on a lot of levels, but the way he behaved in the pandemic with Tenet really did sour me on him. Anyway, my personal ramblings aside this is a great film, not quite Interstellar good, but certainly in the top half of Nolan’s filmography.

I particularly enjoyed how this film plays with its narrative and tries to do something new with it, for the time this film released in this was really quite revolutionary. Moreover, the mystery that it all leads to is very satisfying and well-constructed, I found myself having my expectations played with and challenged at multiple different turns.

My issue with this film as with a lot of Nolan’s work is the mixture of extreme pacing issues and a sense of smugness that pervades the work and taints it. Much like James Cameron Nolan seems to struggle to keep his films succinct and instead has them outstay their welcome, and that is not to say the ending of this film is bad, rather than there are a number of slow moments towards the end of the first act and throughout the second, it is in these moments the film lost me slightly.

Overall, definitely a good film, but one that comes to symbolise a lot of later issues with Nolan as a filmmaker.

4/5

Pros.

It does something different

A compelling mystery

It subverts your expectations in a way that doesn’t feel insulting

Guy Pearce is a good lead

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The Devil’s Hour Season Overview: Life Repeated

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A kidnapping takes a turn for the strange when false memories and alternative timelines begin to intersect.

This show was the first in a long time that I binged all in one go, that speaks for itself in many ways. I thought this show was both clever and intriguing from the off, clearly there is more than meets the eye within the goings on but very much like the first season of Westworld this show gives more questions than answers, which is how you would want it to be especially considering it has been renewed for two more seasons.

I enjoyed the direction the show went in, despite it ending up in being more of a science fiction show than a horror show, which giving the title I was expecting. There are some good scares and supernatural moments, but the show later explains this all away in the final episode wherein the science fiction elements are firmly placed front and centre.

Overall, a terrific first season filled with promise.

Pros.

The acting

The original plot

It takes a lot of turns and you never quite know where it is heading

A number of good scares too

What it sets up for the second season

Cons.

It does lose more of its horror elements as the show progresses

4.5/5

Rick And Morty: A Rick In King Mortur’s Mort

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Morty becomes a Knight Of The Sun

This was a particularly weak episode of Rick And Morty, I wouldn’t say it was the worst episode of the series so far, but certainly it is up there.

There is very little to be entertained by coming from this episode, the knight plot line gives way to a lot of quickly tiresome fantasy jokes, with Rick not liking the Knights and thinking them lame because they aren’t in his usual science fiction wheelhouse, all fairly predictable stuff.

The joke of the Knights cutting off their genitals becomes repetitive quickly and the threat that Morty might be forced to do that do never really feels like it will materialise as we all know that Rick will save him as such this episode has no stakes.

The emotional through line of Morty rejecting Rick and how that affects him is an interesting proposition, however, the episode really doesn’t capitalise on it in an interesting way.

Overall, clearly a filler episode.

2/5

Pros.

It is watchable

A few funny jokes

Cons.

The storytelling is lazy

The plot lacks any stakes

The majority of the jokes become quickly repetitive

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Rick And Morty: Ricktional Mortpoon’s Rickmas Mortcation

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

It is Christmas time in the Smith household and Rick builds a robot version of himself to try and give the Smith’s the perfect Christmas.

I think this may have been the best episode of this season simply because of the emotional work it does with Rick’s character and the significance of the ending wherein Rick finally lets Morty in, which in terms of character arcs across the wider show is incredibly important and shows just how much Rick is changing as a character.

I really liked Robot Rick and thought that he had a number of funny lines, but also showed us a very different side of Rick than we normally do one that we all know is there but never see, this is important as towards the end of the episode Robot Rick says he is just behaving as the real Rick would have done which again further softens Rick’s character.

Moreover, I am very excited for the dark turn teased for the next season as it shows a proper return to building the cannon of the show rather than just jokily shutting it down like they did in the Dinosaur episode.

My one criticism of this episode is that they waste the return of the President, voiced by Keith David, and give him a fairly pointless role commenting on the decaying state of modern Hollywood franchises and as a very minor antagonist to the central duo.

Overall, the final five minutes of the episode make the whole season.

4.5/5

Pros.

The emotions

The character growth

What it sets up for next season

The reality of owning a lightsaber

Cons.

It wastes the return of the President

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Avatar The Way Of The Water: Nothing Short Of Torture

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

We return to Pandora for far too long and see the testament of one man’s ego.

I am calling this now Avatar 2 won’t make anywhere near the same amount of box office as the first film, mainly because this is infinitely worse as a film. It never needed to exist and that comes through in technicolour here. It is the sort of film that will be talked about on release weekend and then immediately forgotten about next week.

The film is on for way too long, and spends far too long exploring the world and spending a tedious amount of time with the new kids, all of whom have as much personality as a plastic bag, honestly the second act wherein nothing happens at all is basically torturous and the sort of thing I imagine even Guantanamo would say is cruel and unusual.

They bring back Stephen Lang’s character from the first film, for reasons, and normally I am a big fan of Lang but here he is given nothing to do. He has a very basic alpha male rivalry with Sam Worthington’s character, and a new son to contend with. Again the relationships and inter character drama is nothing new and show that as a writer James Cameron is way past his heyday even with other writers helping to boost things up.

The only people who are praising this film are people who are impressed by it from a technical approach, and in this regard I think this film is nothing much to be impressed by. The CGI looks about as good as some recent videogame cutscenes, and the use of 3D reminds you how glad you are that that gimmick died off last decade.

Finally the environmental message is just as ham-fisted as it was last time around.

Overall, a testament to why creatives can’t be given unlimited creative control. Let’s hope the 3^rd film is the last.

1/5

Pros.

The water effects are pretty neat

Cons.

It doesn’t need to exist

It is way too long

The story is terrible

They waste Stephen Lang

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