This episode is one of the best of the season, the writing and tension superb. There is not a single extraneous or wasted scene or moment, and the focus on the story unfolding remaining very sharp.
The salvage mission on the the Anubis by now feels familiar, but I'm glad it's the crew of the Rocinante doing the blowing up rather than running. What they uncover of course are more questions, and almost few answers.
The moment the crew of the Rocinante and Miller meet up in the Blue Falcon, in search of Lionel Polanski, is one of the high points of this season, and one that still thrills me although I think I've seen this episode three times at this writing.
Somehow, and there's a little voice that is telling me this, they will be together for a minute.
One has to feel some type of way for Miller. His heartbreak at finding his answers is heart wrenching. This is some major turning point for Miller. I'm not certain what is coming for him, but Julie Mao will be for him, what the Cant is for the crew of the Rocinante, and maybe for the whole solar system. Either way, this looks like kismet. Never mind the whole, "touch me again and there'll be another body on the floor," bit. It looks like kismet.
One of the things to appreciate with the season winding down, is how it has used detail and visual textures to build a convincing world and story. The little clues we've been getting are beginning to add up.
Listen, I am really digging Amos. He's the last of the Rocinante crew that I've gotten attached to, but I am really digging him.
From last episode’s eye popping escapes, and amping up story wise, we come to this lovely little point in the tale.
Although it lacks the action of the previous episode, it provides this clever counterpoint theme around Miller’s lack of drinking and Holden’s hunt for a cup of coffee, which is perfectly expressed on Holden’s face during the final moments.
Our wider view grows of “The Butcher of Anderson Station” and what does and doesn’t lie in wait at Tycho Station grows, as does the newly minted crew of the Rocinante’s loyalties and clearly democratic structure. For now at any rate.
I do think Miller’s haircut is ridiculous, and his hat foolish, but there’s something dogged and admirable about his character regardless of his jaded anti-hero leanings. His now blatant adoration of Julie Mao is making him a better man already as is evident with his laying off the drink, and he’s on her trail still, getting closer and closer. Dangerously close, I’d say.
I continue to adore Holden’s stubbly jawbone, and crinkly laugh lines. Amos and Alex, I am also digging, and Naomi’s still so damn mysterious as any self-respecting woman should be, that it’s hard not to cheer and gasp at their twists and turns of fate. Despite last episode’s shocking kill off of Shed, I doubt we will lose any more of the survivors from the Cant, at least not this season. This is clearly the core group of antagonists.
All in all this episode tautly advances the story without ever slipping into exposition for it’s own sake. It maintains a tight focus on the next layer of the story, while the flashback elements are perfectly integrated, making it perfectly clear that our rag-tag band of survivors (get it!?) are nowhere near out of the woods yet.
This show gets better and better.
Intense and so damn good!
Episode focuses on space combat, but unlike other shows that make it feel cold and detached, Expanse moves the battle back to the audience to fully experience the confusion, fear and thinking on your feet that is often lacking. We get to see the commanders try to take control of an uncontrollable and unpredicatble situation, trying to stay alive while knowing they will probably die. Our team from the Canterbury constantly on the edge of death as they try to navigate a space they don't belong in, and facing the reality that war and conflict always has casualties (and those include your friends). We also get the duty and commitment to ideaology that is part of military service, even when you might not agree with the decisions you are to impliment.
Visually it reminds me of water battles (like submarines or oldship canon battles) with close quarter attack, pieces of ships getting blown to pieces, while the desperate crew running, trying to survive: a visual frenzy. Also we get reflect neon blues and reds in the main deck (again a reminder of cold ward submarine battle scenes).
The battle is wall to wall in the episode. Kudos to the writing for mixing great action sequences and plot, with action sequences that have purpose and not just eye candy, that are actually needed to move the plot along.
The ship attacking the Martin Military Vessel is the same one that blew up the Cantebury. Someone is trying to frame Mars and start a war, but why? Do they know something about Phoebe Station? Is this whole thing a coverup?
At the same time, we get glimpses of the Miller going further down the rabbit hole of the missing Miss Mao investigation that just keeps getting more and more complicated with no end in sight. Plots within plots.
This is the second time that the Mormons have been mentioned. Could they be setting up something for a bigger payoff in the story?
Loved: the scene where Martian commander describes the paradise he imagines earth to be as his uncle desbribed it and wonders why anyone (looking at you Holden) would ever leave it behind. His anger and frustration of Earther's destroying their planet. How they've dreamed of the day they could terra-form mars into another earth. Another piece of heaven. To be protected. To be preserved, not squandered like Earth.
Great sequences when the tream tries to cross bridge in the ship amongst a rainstorm of gunfire, as they work against time to save themselves before the ship it's destroyed. And then taking a small Martian ship and blasting their way out of the large carrier. So freaking badass!
Overall: intense battle that would rival any Star Wars or BSG combat scene. On top of that great writing to support the amazing visuals!
Let me start this off by saying that this sequel did not feel outside of what we remember.
Blade Runner 2049 maintains the mood and feel of its predecessor. The visuals, the sound... the dystopian future, it's all there.
| FIRST THOUGHT |
I love writing reviews, it comes somewhat naturally to me after watching something that I learn to feel passionate about.
This movie taught me to be passionate.
But... it's really hard for me to express judgment. And I'm going to explain why:
Actually, it's very simple. This was a 3 hours movie. Of these 3 hours, 2 were simply... air. Now, don't get me wrong, that isn't always negative, like in this case. It was refreshing air, but still... it doesn't (at first glance) hold anything on the plot.
Because of this, the viewer (me at least), is left with a lot of questions, the picture doesn't explain itself. Also; as a side note - you most definitely need to watch the first one. The great majority of the runtime is inexplicably useless.
The longer it goes, the longer it begins to add new stuff, and then some, then it seems somehow related to what's actually going on, but right after it deviates the actual story on an ideal from the characters involved, that at a certain point, evaporates. I'm really conflicted about this because it looks to me like the screenwriters and director wanted to leave all of this to theory and the fans.
Why is this confusing? Because it's a very strange mixture of linear narrative and non-linear narrative. One is focussed on one objective, the other starts a bunch of other objectives and then it simply dies. No explanation was given, no closure was given.
And this is aggravated by the fact that it's a 3 hours movie, of which 1 hour of the actual story is spread and mixed amongst 2 hours of absolutely nothing. VISUALLY IMPRESSIVE NOTHING. A VERY INTERESTING BUNCH OF LITERAL VOID.
This is actually the only thing I did not like about the movie. Which, again, if you are like me and enjoy movies that aren't patently explaining themselves, it's not a bad thing. I just feel like it could've been much more interesting if they explained somehow what happened to all the side characters, or just cut them out.
|STORY & ACTORS |
Aside from what I've mentioned before, the more "linear" part of the story is actually not that bad. It's nothing impressive. A part of what I said earlier connects to the fact that this movie constantly keeps juggling between what is real and what is not. Be it by robots, or actual reality that the characters are living. So it came out pretty obvious that the movie would have a twist at some point, somewhere. I will admit that I did not get it until the very end, so, don't be discouraged.
Ryan Gosling was great, also because he as an actor was perfect for his role. Being so that he has this way of being and looking conflicted, and so it portrayed really well on the protagonist.
Harrison Ford had less value to this movie than he did in the last Star Wars.
Jared Leto's character is a mystery to me, but he did a phenomenal job talking random shit.
All of the other actors, Jared Leto included, were there to push the story forward (or to add random bullshit) and that's it. They did a fantastic job, but unfortunately, as mentioned above, at first glance it looks like they don't mean shit.
| CINEMATOGRAPHY |
The movie is visually pleasing, it's bliss for people with OCD. It's perfectly round and at the same time perfectly square. It keeps smooth lines combining great color combinations in the palette, and utilizing great solid colors at the same time.
As I said before it holds perfectly a spot near its predecessor, the mood and feel are almost identical. (Having watched the first one only an hour before going to the theater to watch this one)
I have to say, this one looks A LOT, like A FUCKING GIGAZILLION LOT more gruesome and splatter than the first one. The fighting scenes are brutal, they do not go into dramatic effects, they just are what they should be. A punch in the face, exploding heads and blood.
There is no doubt that this movie looks fucking amazing.
It sounds amazing as well. It has a collection of deep, pure sounds. There is not a lot of music, but when there is it's powerful and present and it makes you wake up and amaze. Same goes for the special audio effects: I have watched it in ATMOS and I have to admit, they did not utilize it at all, except for one scene later in the movie, but the way it goes from absolute silence to seat trembling sensations it's really amazing. The sounds were so powerful I could literally see the movie screen shake and the subwoofer hit made the whole room shake.
I would also like to add that in the Italian version, you can clearly see that they used "incorrect" words grammatically, they used a lot of anglicisms, I guess they've done that to express how language is evolving? It's actually current of our generation, I see a lot of people adapting English words in Italian, so I was very impressed by that.
| FINAL THOUGHT |
I feel like everyone needs to understand, before watching this movie, that you need a time, a mood and a place perfectly fit to sit for a 3 hours movie that it's going to feel like a 6-hour long journey into colors, shapes, and absolute "living" silence.
This is NOT a Marvel movie, there is action, well-done action, but it's not about action. You need to sit, relax and don't think about time, because, trust me, it's going to fuck you.
Please like my comment if you enjoyed my review, it makes me really happy.
Note that all of this is driven by my personal opinion. If you think I wasn't objective in some of the parts of what I've written, you're welcome to make me notice where.
On Twitter, I review the entire world -> @WiseMMO
In some way, this might be the best episode of the first season, and the most convincing expression so far of the show's thesis in how technology can amplify our worst impulses as a human being, or at least make us arrive at the inevitable faster. The tech is believable and only just slightly exaggerated from the present to give chills, the integration into everyday life is seamless, and the way it is used to advance a familiarly grueling story like distrust and paranoia in a relationship is just great. But again, one stumbling block, and the clearest example of why people often compare this show unfavorably to The Twilight Zone: the humans in that relationship. I feel the disturbing horror and discomfort of their disintegration, but never the keen sense of loss. I don't know whether it's the nuance in writing or the performances (but highly suspecting the former), but the way the couple is presented, I never get a handle of them as complex people, which is crucial for a story like this. The husband especially just becomes this rage, jealous, overbearing from the get-go; I don't expect characters to be sympathetic, but some empathy beyond what the situations are doing to them would be nice. So, still prefer "The National Anthem" out of the first season.
THE BETTER: ‘BLADE RUNNER’
WRITING: 90
ACTING: 100
LOOK: 100
SOUND: 100
FEEL: 90
NOVELTY: 100
ENJOYMENT: 95
RE-WATCHABILITY: 100
INTRIGUE: 85
EXPECTATIONS: 100
THE GOOD:
Vangelis is the perfect choice for composing music for a film such as Blade Runner. The unnerving, futuristic synth score is not only characteristically 80s, but also recognizably sci-fi.
I love the almost Burton’s Gotham-esque futuristic production design, a mix of the dark and gritty and the technologically advanced and flashy. Ridley Scott brings the rain, the smoke and the grime alive just as well, as he does in Alien and combines that with a sci-fi look quite unlike anything we’ve seen before or since.
A testament to just how much talent has been poured over the visual effects comes from the facts that they look amazing even today. The flying cars, the flashing lights, and the vast city landscape - they all look incredible.
What sets Blade Runner apart from most other great (and less great) science fiction film is the slow pace, the contemplative tone and the philosophical dialogue, that delves deep into questions of humanity, primal emotions and the value of memories and experiences. Friends of booming explosions and exhilarating action will be bored, but those craving for deeper layers of storytelling will find loads to love.
Rutger Hauer might very well be one of the best science fiction baddies of all time. In many ways, he is just a version of the very typical 80s film baddie (think Hans Gruber or the Terminator) but in other ways, he is a fascinating, compelling and haunting character who deserves to be credited for the chilling performance alone.
The tension in the plot is underlying and comes from the fact that we cannot know for sure who is a replicant and who is not, even though there is a test to find that out. However, what if the test isn’t completely reliable? What if the replicants are advanced enough to pass?
There are many similarities in direction and style between Blade Runner and Scott’s previous blockbuster Alien. He allows his vision to fully play out in both instances, even if the claustrophobic and actively tense from Alien has been switched out for the slower, flashier and more layered tone in Blade Runner.
Even the action scenes, which appear sparingly, have a strangely dreamy and philosophical quality to them, which goes together with the rest of the film neatly.
Isn’t it inherently creepy, how in certain situations, the replicants’ eyes glow ominously? They are the creepiest androids ever.
All performances are restricted, but surprisingly nuanced. There is a subtlety in Harrison Ford’s performance not usually seen from him, while Sean Young and Daryl Hannah bring sexual tension to the mix. This might very well be Ford’s all-time greatest performance, even if it’s not his most iconic one.
The climactic chase between Deckard might not be the most exciting chase sequence put to film, but it feels like a natural continuation to the long build-up that precedes it and it’s marvellously acted and directed. It’s one of these sequences that will remain legendary purely thanks to its different elements working so well in tandem. The last sequence is almost a horror show, which stands in stark contrast with the rest of the film while feeling like a natural part of it.
THE BAD:
There’s a long build-up that mostly seems to move the plot nowhere and barely adds to the wider backstory of the characters involved in the story. That makes the middle part of the film slightly less compelling as the opening and the third act.
I would have wished for more replicant-scenes, actually, and slightly swifter plot development. However, these are minor faults, mind you.
THE UGLY:
It would have been frustrating to work with such inefficient computers back in 2019 as this film suggests, don’t you think?
VERDICT:
Ridley Scott’s philosophical science fiction film is a refreshing piece of contemplative cinema that has stood the test of time better than most of its peers.
96% = = :white_check_mark::white_check_mark: = BETTER
Solid film. Slightly outdone by Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but still great. We get to explore the relationships between Spock and Kirk & McCoy, see some Vulcan culture, and watch Christopher Lloyd play a Klingon! (To be honest, I couldn't help but visualize Doc Brown from Back to the Future (1985) delivering his lines. Even though this film came first, it was inevitable—and amusing.)
With the gang assembled, Kirk sets off on a personal mission to find his old friend again—the title tells us as much—but he ends up getting a lot more to deal with than he expects. Typical Star Trek? Yes. What we as viewers wanted to see? Definitely. (I'm harping again on how Star Trek: The Motion Picture wasn't as much of a true Star Trek production as its immediate sequels were. I might keep that up all the way to Generations.) Scotty, Uhura, and Chekov pull some lovable tricks along the way, and it's just great.
There's much less reuse of footage from previous films here. The main musical theme is distinct, but still feels like Star Trek, thanks to the work of returning composer James Horner (who also composed for the previous film). Look for the occasional odd cut here or there—sometimes it appears characters are repeating motions they just made in the previous camera angle—but technically this production is very impressive, and feels like a real stepping stone on the way to the effects we get to enjoy in the later TV series.
What in the actual f*ck.
I'm a reasonable man, I realize I've been crapping on D&D even more than usual this season but I really do have to give them props for doing exactly what they set out to do. They hoped to subvert our expectations and they did just wonderfully in that regards.
We expected all of that buildup over the years to actually amount to something that at the very least passes for a presentable series finale but instead, we got an incoherent, steaming pile of shit. Expectations subverted!
We expected all of that character development to actually result in a beautiful pay-off that respects the journey of self-discovery each and every one of our beloved characters went through to get to where they are now but instead, we got a painful, disrespectful cycle of character regression. Expectations subverted!
We expected the final season of this show to keep us at the edge of our seats with thrilling writing that didn't subvert our expectations for the sake of subverting our expectations via low-quality shock value-seeking writing, but to introduce plot twists that make sense within the overall narrative of the story but instead, we got CW-level predictable, cringe material. Expectations subverted!
I get it. I really do. GRRM let them down by not getting the books ready in time and so they had to improvise away from his influence, but this? This? For a long while, Game of Thrones lived up to the slogan of its parent network, it wasn't just TV, it was something different, something unique and now to have to see it come to this... it's nothing short of disappointing.
On the bright side though, at least this episode didn't suck completely. The acting, score and cinematography were all on point, so I guess it's nice that I didn't walk out of it having appreciated absolutely nothing about it.
So why do I even bother anymore? I honestly could not tell you, though it's probably a mixture of masochism and a faint sliver of hope that they won't flush our collective investment into this series down the drain by the end of it, just one more episode dammit.
