Reviews

I was pleasantly surprised and rather taken with this one. It is a crime drama series based on the works of Canadian writer Giles Blunt, that circles around a troubled, yet apparently driven and brilliant John Cardinal.

Billy Campbell starring as the eponymous John Cardinal, and Karine Vanasse as Lise Delorme portray a pair of cops, who start out as unlikely partners and become the go-to guys for strange and bizarre cases.

I have to say that the makeup of Series 1 (as well as 2) does bear some resemblance to works like "True Detectives" and "Bosch", but what struck me most was the eerie absence of action. In its entirety it resembles more the fine art of crime drama I am used from the Scandinavian directors/writers. And it does serve the show really well.

The main protagonists are depicted as "normal people", with all their problems, demons and flaws, who just happen to be cops. I know that the recent overuse of 'broken' protagonists lead to some nasty blackouts recently (I point out the 2nd season of True Detectives), but here it lends some real credibility to the characters. You can really relate to what they are going through. This, paired with really interesting cases, which are still bizarre, but not too outlandish, gives the entire show a "je ne sais quoi" I have been missing in some other shows. Also, the fact that each season has more of a 'British' length, ie. 6 episodes, makes it more compact, without the need to paste in filler episodes, just to come up with a full season. (IMHO shows runners should be able to vary the length of a season. This would prevent boring or unnecessary filler episodes that can, in fact, ruin a whole season of an otherwise enjoyable watching).

In all fairness, Cardinal does not do everything right and can't compare to some Scandinavian thrillers, but it does qualify as well above average. And the 2nd season is a slight improvement over the 1st. So, not all hope is lost.

In conclusion I would say that is far better than the average north-american (including Canadian) crime drama and has a lot of potential. Its European flair (and format) makes it rather enjoyable, if you're into that kind of stuff. And if you want something similar, but way better give 'Hinterland' (a BBC production) a try. Or try Stieg Larsson's 'Millenium' either as the mini-series or the movies - do not watch the 2011 US-remake, it's bad.

The basic idea is that Big Data can be good as well as bad, it just depends on how it's being used. So far so good.

The movie however is the super-cliche version of this entire affair. The shallow portrayal of the characters made me cringe several times. And quite frankly, the message is essentially a fairy tale like version of the reality.

Facebook, Google and Apple were, to name a big few, the patron saints of "The Circle". And it could have been a decent movie, alas, it became a naive little story about 'virtually' nothing. (It's not even a parody.)

Let's face it, the real world works different, an no matter how many people try to change the status quo, most of us either do not care to face the reality, or choose to wilfully ignore it. I ask you this: how much impact did Snowden's revelations have on the Big Data gatherers? Little to none. As a matter of fact, it has gotten even worse. Yeah, let's send a 'frown' to those who cut privacy to shreds, that'll show 'em!

If you want to continue in the vein of "live you dream" and deny your brain the work it was made for: thinking for yourself, sure go ahead and watch this. IMO the movie was a total waste of money, talent of the actors and, last but not least, my time.

A friend of mine recommended this series to me, mostly because I like Eddie Marsan, so I gave it a go.

I have not read the book it's based upon, so I can not tell how much the series deviates from the original source, but after watching this I just might pick up the book.

When I started with the first two episodes, I was not quite sure where the story would take the series and I was slightly put off by the whole setup: early 19th century, Napoleonic wars, onset of the industrial revolution... and magic. I kind of hoped it would go into the direction of classic steam-punk. After that I was very pleasantly surprised that it was not a steam-punk setting and rather thankful in the end.

The entire story revolves around "English Magic": its absence over the last 300 years, and its sudden and somewhat violent return. Summing up the story without any spoilers is rather difficult, so I'll stick to general topics covered. As mentioned, it's about the return of magic to the 'modern' world and how it can change the lives of people and reshape history.

Further to this there is a lot about prophecies (self fulfilling or not), friendship vs. competition, abuse of power (given or earned), faith in oneself, love and loyalty and most of all, IMO, the yearning for 'the good olde tymes' - I think that is why they always talk about "English Magic", maybe even the English want to be more English? Whatever that means ;)

The entire story arc is well written out and, this is a huge bonus, it does define its own confines and does not leave them. Some authors tend to pull a rabbit out of a hat when they notice that the story is stuck, instead of making it coherent. In this case the entire story line adheres to its own rules and is still comprehensive.

In terms of production the entire series is well done and most certainly en par with other modern productions. Only here and there there are a few CGIs that could have been done better. The characters seem transparent in their motivations and are easy to relate to. My personal favourite is Mr. Childermass.

Almost all actors do really good in their roles and the overall casting was very good. Paul Kaye was a good choice, I like him when he plays the slightly nutty characters.

However, there are small things that could have been done better. Jonathan Strange's backstory, i.e. how he became a magician, could have been a bit more elaborate. Also, the entire sub-plot with the Napoleonic wars was a bit short, as it is right now it seems a bit like a forced gap filler - maybe the book is more helpful there. One thing I did not understand was the reaction to Magic by the general populace - imagine you see an alien ship landing downtown: okay, you shrug, slurp your 5 o'clock tea and go on with life. That's more or less the extent of what is shown when "English Magic" returns. Well, maybe you have to be English to get it, I would not have been so calm about it, then again, I prefer coffee...

Also, some of the characters could have used a bit more backstory (or screen time), notably Arabella Strange and the Lady Pole, after all, both are the reason for some of the story's most dramatic decisions.

As said, I have not read the book, so I can not tell if this is the same, but the end of this series is obviously a cliff-hanger. Personally I hope they do a follow-up. Six to seven episodes to conclude the loose ends and perhaps give a bit more insight into the past would be appreciated.

It was, in general, a fun series to watch, and most certainly something different than the "usual suspects" these days: crime drama, superhero or the endless soaps. If you want something else, with a truly dapper English flair, give it a go.

This one is a straight forward, no-frills action flick. No twists, no turns.

The cast is decent and the story is plausible without being too cliché laden. Nonetheless, for European audiences some of the action (and subsequently its impact on the "environment" and the consequences for the cops) might seem over-the-top. But we've learned to live with the fact, that "action cops" can blow up a building, to get a pickpocket. And it just earns them 3 weeks behind the desk.

Most of the dialogue is okay, some exchanges are even funny, without being silly. But it's not a Lethal Weapon/Die Hard kinda thing.

Directing goes okay even though some of the action sequences are a tiny bit hectic- the cuts made during editing look a bit like they were made on purpose to emphasize the intense exchange of gunfire. IMO here less would have been more. It would be more en par with the rest of the movie. But in general the overall pace is okay.

As mentioned, the story is a no-frills crime/thriller which is suitable for a decent action flick. Do not expect too much from it, though.

Unfortunately Jean Reno has gotten old. You can tell by the way he moves in several shots- also, when the action kicks in he is "magically" more agile, thanks to stunt people. But he still does well as an aging cop. I just do not like the full beard he is sporting in this one.

To sum it up, it's a decent French action flick, liberally borrowing from American action cinema in terms of craftsmanship.

What in the name of all that is decent happened? If you've seen the trailer and thought: Awesomeness! Mad Max meets the Walking Dead! (In an outback kind of way) Then I dare you to watch this movie and find the same flair the trailer had.

What happened? Was the trailer only bait for potential investors? Was there a screening and they found out that a comedy is better than a decent post-apo flick?

I am rather disappointed, because the trailer showed such a huge potential! The movie is kind-of fun, but that's it. A missed opportunity to make a rather decent movie, that IMO would then have some cult-potential. Like that it's rather meh.

I just binge-watched the first season of the show. Not because it was gripping, or exceptional. Mostly because the episodes (mind you, all have proper movie length) have a drilling undertone to them,that grows on you like the moss on those Welsh rocks you see all over the place.

The set-up is, I would guess, the new neo-noir (at least I would place them there). It kinda sombre, somewhat depressing, especially when you look at the bleak landscape and the crap weather. And it seems all the 'movies' take place in autumn or even winter. The Welsh title is "Y gwyll", the dusk. So, even the colours are kinda dim and gone. That is a real plus.

What really bugs me (and at the same time kept me watching it) are the hints given concerning the characters, both the protagonists, as well as the antagonists, but mostly the protagonists. Little will be told about their motives or the background, and much (much TOO much) will be left to the imagination. However, the characters that suppose to drive the show are, as is the land around them, somewhat bleak and dull, too. Tom Mathias strikes me as a fully-functional, yet utterly depressed. In terms of acting all characters look very real, it's almost like talking to you neighbour.

The movies lack action and purely draw their power from the fact that all involved are somewhat 'broken'. So, if it's some gloomy and depressing real-life crime-drama you want, watch this. And since it's winter in the northern hemisphere, they fit in quite nicely. It's like listening to Norwegian Black Metal, whilst driving through the snowy and desolate peaks of northern Scandinavia. Then you know how this music came about or what kind of mood it is supposed transport. The movies work employing the same tactic, IMO.

One big plus is the slow pace, paired up with nice suspense. Something most movies (or shows) seek to avoid by bright colours, action and flashy detectives. All in all it kind of reminds me of a rural, Welsh/British "True Detective". And the use of Welsh yields some credibility. I am hoping for a second season, and I hope for some more insight into the minds of the protagonists. I'd also like to see some more character development (towards bad or good, I do not care).

(S2 update)

So I finished the second series and I am rather taken with it. The character development is still rather slow, but there is enough to work with in order to get a good read on the characters. Also, I am rather surprised that there is so much crime in such a small community. By now the population of the region it is set in should have dropped significantly ;) We're talking some 70k in the region surrounding Aberystwyth. The filming and directing has improved slightly, IMO. There are, however, some plot strands that feel a bit 'forced'. But it's not terribly bad or outlandish. Especially the tie-ins with older cases. I would have expected something like that much earlier (and on a greater scale) considering the small community (see above). All in all a good and worthy continuation of the series- still dark and depressing. And I've found myself enjoying the Welsh parts; a very interesting language.

(S3 update)

The good news is that the pace of the series has not been changed. Pretty much everything that made it great is still there. The writers did a really good job of both coming up with new cases, as well as weaving those past cases and some new plot twists into the overall arc. I also liked the steady, yet moderate, progression of the character development. It might be just me, but I would say that overall acting has slightly improved - maybe because the supporting roles were fleshed out a bit, not sure though and it just might be a gut feeling. The landscape is still dreary, desolate and depressing - like most people who inhabit it. I really like this about Hinterland!

I have actually increased my rating after season 3 and I hope that I will be able to see more of this. Bravo, BBC Cymru!

Okay, the movie is based on a true story (a fad nowadays, it seems), and it most certainly has its moments. But in general the entire flick lacks some panache. If it were a Canadian province, I'd say it's (northern) Manitoba on a Tuesday night.

While the main protagonist is portrayed rather decently, as well as his 'transformation' the rest of the movie is a bit stale and dry - I'd go so far to say clinically clean. Yeah, I get it, he's quite a normal guy, a victim of circumstance and all, trying to make ends meet and all. And I dig the story, but it's like eating a loaf of dry bread - you satisfy your hunger but without much joy. Personally I think the director (maybe as writer, too), tried a bit too hard to make it "arty" and forgot that a movie also should be entertaining, otherwise it's just bland ol' life. I'll keep the director in mind, maybe his next flick will be less Manitoba and more Québec.