I thought that as a series finale after only a second season, they did very well tying up loose ends without causing the wrap-up to feel rushed. Most shows I've seen that have been canceled either fail to have closure because the story is unfinished, or have been canceled early to be given a budget to wrap the season, but most still feel rushed. They couldn't have pulled off being able to tie up so many loose ends in any unfinished story, let alone with one with the inherent complexities that come with the intricately interwoven threads of time travel without having planned as well as they did. This is a reactionary comment to watching the two-part finale, being so surprised since thinking that another story was left unfinished, and thrilled that the story didn't end with episode 10, then to feel so satisfied with how the pieces fit into place, questions answered well, and the decisions the characters made in context to their circumstances showing some of the best, and worst, qualities of humanity. Nicely done!
It is sad to lose another quality show, and an educational one as well. As a kid I wasn't thinking anything about the fact that I was learning something while watching Schoolhouse Rock between Saturday morning cartoons, but when I was in school I found that I already knew the preamble to the constitution, the Gettysburg Address, and other historical events, and even knew that 3 is a magic number when I encountered them in class and didn't have to study for what I had learned through short cartoons years before (a few years ago I ordered the DVD set for a girlfriend's daughter and another copy for myself that I can see sitting on a shelf right now). Anyway, I really enjoy a show that can teach without teaching, with characters who make us feel, while being able to make us believe in the best in people. Goodbye not-so-old friend, and thanks for the journey.
The trailer suggests something very generic, the film itself is anything but. There is a real sense of unease that is gradually built in the first half of the film, but it is all done through character interaction rather than attempts to scare, with awkward conversations and hints of unspoken histories that make this film intriguing. Edgerton seems intent on subverting every genre cliché you would expect to see, with the result that the audience is never quite sure where the film will ultimately go. And in an age of generic slash and stalk horror films, it is great to have a film that relies on ambiguity and uncertainty to create tension. The performances are all great, especially from Bateman. whose character embodies the gradual subversion that the film is playing on. There are a couple of nods to the genre with some well timed jumps, but they feel oddly superfluous. It is a shame then that the ending doesn't quite have the same tone of ambiguity and uncertainty the preceded it - it is not a complete misstep as it drive home the themes the film has been exploring, but there is finality and certainty offered at the end that feels unnecessary to emphasise a point. Still, this is well worth a look and Edgerton is now an interesting director to watch out for as well as an actor.
Theory
I think Ben's target is the Bar from S05E22: Mirror Image of the original Quantum Leap project.
In the series finale episode, Al left him at the Bar to figure out what's happening and why the Bar was weird… as per Sam's explanation to him. After that, they never met again.
So, officially, Sam's was marked as 'lost in time' and 'never went home'. But Ben and Al's daughter probably have a theory where to start their search, and that is the Bar, the last known location Al saw Sam.
The only question is, was not that why the Quantum Leap project was restarted? To find and rescue Sam? If so, don't they have a record of Sam's last known location?
It is starting to appear, as of Episode 3, that Al hid the information about the Bar from the records, and years later his daughter figured it out and she convinced Ben to do it her way -- reach the Bar and start their search from there.
This is an interesting twist. Why? If Quantum Leap 2.0, or at least Ben, learns that they can leap whenever and wherever the Leaper wants, it can open up a whole new different plot for this sequel. Instead of it being 'random', they can start adding stories about a real attempt to change the past … and Ben will struggle between following the orders of the Pentagon or fighting back.
It will also open an opportunity to explore what the "Mirror Image" series finale episode hinted at, there are other Leapers.
With that knowledge about Leapers actually controlling their leaps, would it not be amiss if the Pentagon doesn't make use of the opportunity [to start a Temporal (Cold) War]?
Then we have Ben, and his team, trying to correct or stop them?
So this movie premiered in Poland today and I just got home from the theater. I have two things to say: this is hands down the best installment in the Thor trilogy and it also definitely ranks somewhere in the top 5 MCU movies for me.
This movie was a wild ride from start to finish. The story was a ton of fun and so many things happened along the way, keeping you engaged at all times. While I do love slow movies that allow their scenes to breathe, the crazy pace of this one worked in its favor. There wasn't as much action as I had expected, but we did get some cool fights and general destruction. In the typical Marvel fashion, there were a lot of jokes and most of them were really, really hilarious. Some of the MCU movies try way too hard to be funny and I end up feeling annoyed at how many quips they cram in there, but in Ragnarok, the humor definitely worked. My personal favorites were the "Get help" scene, Thor's story about Loki turning into a snake and Bruce falling onto the Rainbow Bridge (especially Fenrir's reaction). Those had me laughing uncontrollably. And on the other end of the spectrum, there was quite a lot of emotional weight to both Odin's demise and the fall of Asgard. The movie struck a good balance between the two, keeping things exciting and light-hearted most of the time, but not being afraid to go a little deeper when the situation called for it.
As for the acting, Chris Hemsworth seemed to be really enjoying himself and while I'd often found Thor to be the blandest Avenger in the past, he had a lot more personality and charisma to him here. He was extremely likable and funny, but he was also the hero you rooted for throughout the movie. Cate Blanchett didn't get to do much as Hela, to my disappointment. She looked incredible and she did the best she could with what she was given, but in the end, the Goddess of Death didn't do much in terms of breaking the tradition of one-dimensional, evil-for-the-sake-of-it MCU villains. But she did at least seem to relish and enjoy her evilness. Tessa Thompson stole the movie for me. She was amazing as Valkyrie. She had wonderful chemistry with Thor and I like the idea of the two of them together, she's a much better love interest for him than Jane, but she was by no means reduced to that role here (thankfully!). She was a fully-fledged character with her own arc and personality. She was brash, badass and absolutely deadly in a fight while still having a more vulnerable, softer side and dealing with horrible trauma. She reminded me of Jessica Jones in that way. Watching her go from a drunken scavenger back to a mighty warrior ready to fight for her home and her king was a pleasure. I absolutely loved her and I hope to see more of her in the future MCU movies. Tom Hiddleston delivered as always, Mark Ruffalo was a great addition and Bruce's partnership with Thor was fantastic, and the supporting cast was also very good.
The soundtrack. Man, the soundtrack. 11/10, totally buying it. One of the best I've heard in a while.
The cinematography was gorgeous. So many colors, so many beautiful shots (the one with the Valkyries bathed in light riding towards Hela who was surrounded by darker colors? Holy shit, that looked like a baroque painting. Absolutely stunning). It was a pleasure to watch. The special effects were simply outstanding as well. Fenris/Fenrir was magnificent and let's just say I want ten angry, giant wolves immediately.
I had high hopes for this movie. The first Thor was pretty good, the second was meh (perfectly adequate, but painfully forgettable), but there was a lot of hype around this one and I really wanted it to be great. And it was! I had a blast watching it and I'd definitely see it again. Every standalone hero trilogy in the MCU so far has had at least one fantastic installment. Iron Man had the first one. Captain America had The Winter Soldier. Now, Ragnarok joins the circle. I'm very happy that it turned out as well as it did.
