Fear and Moaning in Las Vegas

After the mammoth task of directing Superman and Batman in the Justice League,Army of the Dead sees writer-director Zack Snyder returning to his roots. Free of the well-known restraints he faced in superhero territory, this Netflix release feels more personal and smaller in scope. Well, small by Zack Snyder standards. Revisiting zombie lore for the first time since debut film Dawn of the Dead, this is about as down-to-earth as a zombie tiger.

Set in Las Vegas, the film’s stylish opening is reminiscent of Snyder’s Watchmen. After a military car crash results in a zombified test subject running loose, we witness a dazzling slo-mo montage that shows how the virus spreads through Sin City. When Vegas becomes overrun with zombies, a government-imposed quarantine keeps the population protected.

A heist movie that just happens to feature zombies, the plot kicks into gear when a shady casino owner (Hiroyuki Sanada) comes to former mercenary Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) with a proposition. Can Scott and his team extract £200 million from a casino vault before a nuke drops on this city of dead? Described as ‘a simple in and out’ job, this is, of course, anything but.

As Scott rallies his misfit crew, the main issue of the film becomes clear. Do we actually feel attached to any of the characters here? For the most part, the answer is no. From a tough-talking zombie killer (Omari Hardwick) to a talkative pilot (Tig Notaro), these characters have few if any distinguishing features. There are attempts at comic relief with a goofy German safecracker (Matthias Schweighöfer), but these mostly fall flat. In a film this silly, a little extra humour would have gone a long way.

This lack of connection sadly extends to the main character. Scott’s character motivations are grounded by an attempt to reconcile with his estranged daughter (Ella Purnell), whose mother he was forced to murder when she joined the ranks of the undead. However, her reason for even being involved in the mission is questionable, while the action-heavy story leaves very little chance to focus on this emotional connection.

If the human character development leaves a lot to be desired, this is probably because a lot of the attention has been lavished on their zombie counterparts. With the help of mysterious city guide Lily (Nora Arnezeder) we learn about the interesting hierarchy of the zombie kingdom, which is led by the ‘Alphas’. Unlike the slow-walking zombies of old, these zombies are intelligent and fast, carrying a palpable sense of threat right to the end. Beware – there are some truly gory deaths here.

Despite its flaws, Army of the Dead is plenty of fun. Synder has a solid grasp of his action sequences, from a tense scene with a room of slumbering zombies, to a bonkers final act full of betrayal and zombie carnage. It doesn’t make a lot of sense, and some of the decisions will have you scratching your head in disbelief – the characters don’t really seem aware of the time limit - but there is never a dull moment. 

Though it’s certainly more style than substance, Army of the Dead delivers what you’d expect from a zombie heist movie – fun, ridiculous action and not a lot of brains.

★★★

Life in a Year: Review

Jaden Smith marches to his own beat

Romantic comedies about terminal illness usually go one of two ways. While most draw tears by leaning into soppy romance territory, the best ones look to refresh the format with unique characters or a winning joke. From director Mitja Okorn, Life in a Year falls somewhere in the middle, but just about coasts by on the charm of its lead character.

We follow Daryn (Jaden Smith), an impressive Harvard prospect who has his whole life set ahead of him. However, when he meets free-spirited Isabelle (Cara Delevigne) he might realise that - shock! - there is more to life than doing what is expected of him by his domineering dad (Cuba Gooding Jr). Sadly, this knowledge comes at a price, as Isabelle reveals that she only has 1 year left to live with cancer. Making use of his gift for planning, he puts together an action plan for Isabelle to live her entire life in a year.

So,Life in a Year is not exactly original. Written by Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, it is another film about teenagers that doesn’t really have a grasp of how teenagers speak, like Isabelle referring to Daryn as ‘square’ throughout the movie. The film ticks a lot of familiar teen comedy boxes, like Daryn’s two ‘comic relief’, best friends, and a rushed meet-cute where Daryn falls quickly and inexplicably in love with the mysterious Isabelle. There’s also a weak rap career subplot that seems to exist purely to let Smith flex his (admittedly good) rapping skills.

But, while the film doesn’t break as much ground as say, Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl, it does manage to be fun and at times quite moving. The takeaway message about seizing the life you choose for yourself may not be new, but it’s delivered with warmth and a cast that make you care regardless. Delevigne is lumbered with a slightly more developed version of her manic pixie dream girl in Paper Towns, but she handles the difficult later scenes capably, and grows into the film alongside her chemistry with Smith.

Carrying the film almost entirely on his shoulders, Smith’s performance is the main saving grace. He throws himself into the material, no matter how cliched or corny - a spontaneous rap at an ice cream shop is a good test of your cringe-o-metre. Because of his charismatic and believable performance (there is one devastating hospital sequence that comes to mind), you buy into his character’s plight and the heart-warming story at the film’s heart.

Jaden Smith’s committed performance is the highlight of this sweet but unoriginal romantic comedy.

★★★

The Artist (and his muse)

At a time where many relationships are undergoing lockdown-related rough patches, few films feel as of the moment as Malcolm & Marie. Conceived during the pandemic by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson with his lead star Zendaya, it is an intimate and sometimes downright uncomfortable look at a tumultuous relationship. Entirely set within one apartment, it lives on the back of its strong writing and performances, but never manages to bring together its ideas in a satisfying way.

The focus is on Malcolm (John David Washington), an up-and-coming filmmaker, and girlfriend Marie (Zendaya), a model recovering from a drug addiction. There isn’t much in the way of plot, but the film plays out as an extended argument on the night of Malcolm’s big film premiere. Hidden tensions come to the surface, cruel things are said, and macaroni and cheese is furiously eaten in between insults.

For the most part, writer-director Levinson pulls off quite a difficult concept. Like with the Before Trilogy, the flowing conversation between Malcolm and Marie is sharp, scathing, and sometimes hilarious. The black and white format also lends the film an interesting dimension, giving it the quality of a personal, nostalgic home video.

With only two actors for the full running time, the film lives or dies with its performances, and this benefits from featuring two of the most engaging actors in cinema at the moment. Washington is brilliant as the animated, exasperated Malcolm, so passionate about his craft that his girlfriend often comes second place. Zendaya meanwhile, is equally excellent as the long-suffering Marie, building on her Euphoria persona with another convincing portrayal of addiction and guilt.

The conversation covers a lot of ground, from a dispute about the real inspiration of Malcolm’s film (which seems to be based on Marie’s life), to a back-and-forth blame game about the source of Marie’s addiction. Yet, from the moment that Malcolm launches into a rant against pretentious film critics, it feels like the film is trying to tackle too much, and the dialogue becomes less natural and more stage-like. While it replicates the messy and cyclical nature of relationships, the film’s focus starts to suffer as a result. This means that, while engaging and at times insightful, this never quite has the impact it should.

Though it runs out of steam in the final stretch, Malcolm & Marie is a clever and well-observed look at a relationship in turmoil, tied together by brilliant performances from Washington and Zendaya.

★★★

One Night in Miami: Review

Not so hidden figures

There is a scene early on in One Night in Miami that perfectly captures what the film is getting at. Visiting an old friend in the South of America, African-American NFL player Jim Brown (Aldi’s Hodge) is praised for all of his work on the field, but is then left speechless when the same man says he can’t have any black people in his house. This tension between celebrity and race relations is at the heart of Regina King’s powerful directorial debut, which presents a complex portrayal of both its subject and its larger-than-life black icons.

Drawing its story from its critically acclaimed stage play by Kemp Powers, the film quickly gets us acquainted with our main players - NFL star Jim Brown, who is considering a career change to acting, boxer Cassius Clay (Eli Goree), later Muhammad Ali, celebrated jazz singer Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.), and political activist Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir). After the surprise boxing victory of Cassius over Sonny Liston in 1964, it imagines what might have gone down when the four men came together to celebrate in a motel in Miami, and ended up discussing their different levels of involvement in the civil rights movement.

For a film based on fiction, One Night in Miami feels incredibly authentic. As it was originally a play, the film is essentially one long dialogue set within one space, but the schisms between them are believable and engaging enough to convince you it actually happened. Much of this division comes down to Malcolm X, who encourages his commercially minded friends to use their celebrity to help fight the white man, while he wrestled with his on fateful decision to leave the Nation of Islam.

Given that there is a lot of talking, it helps that King has found a stunning cast - all relative newcomers - who prove more than up to the challenge of bringing these legends to life. Ben-Adir may have had to deal with the shadow of Washington’s Oscar-winning portrayal, but he manages to craft a performance that stands up in its own right. Nailing Malcolm’s speech pattern and sense of righteousness, he also communicates the paranoia, frustration and torment that the man was going through near the end of his life, delivering impassioned speeches that the man himself might have been proud of. As Clay, Goree effortlessly captures the arrogance and swagger of the man before he made his conversion to Islam, so much that at one point he is referred to as a “giant fucking baby”. They might not be as central to the plot, but Odom Jr. also leaves a lasting impression as the smooth-talking Cooke, while Hodge impressed with a quiet yet impactful performance as the more reserved Brown.

There isn’t much in the way of event, and if you are expecting any drama, you might leave feeling slightly short changed. However, as a moment in time that precedes major changes in social attitudes, One Night in Miami remains a truly fascinating watch. King, in her first film as director, shows a strong grasp of the themes of the play, using the differences between these four men to explore the nature of celebrity, and how much responsibility comes with it. It makes for some arresting arguments and squabbles - particularly that between Malcolm and Cooke, who finds himself accused of making music to please white people, rather than helping liberate his own people. However, it also finds time for moments of surprising levity, like when one character interjects a heated discussion with “Malcolm will you please have some damn ice cream?”. Lending a sense of levity to its thought-provoking subject matter, it is a perfect film for our dark times.

Exploring the difficult line between celebrity and social responsibility, King’s directorial debut is as assured as they come - thoughtful, funny and perfectly performed by its leading quartet.

★★★★

It’s time to split

The Lovebirds has a lot to live up to. From director Michael Showalter, it’s the long awaited follow-up to his 2017 film The Big Sick, a sweet but edgily funny romantic comedy that boldly had it’s leading lady in a coma for most of the film. Unfortunately, there’s nothing comparatively fresh or bracing about his new Netflix comedy, but it does have another ace up it’s sleeve in Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani - two actors at the top of their comedic game.

Ironically, the lovebirds of the movie spend much of the movie quite out of love. While we get a brief look at the unexpected meet cute of Jibran (Nanjiani) and Leilani (Rae), the cracks start to appear four years into their relationship, when both come to the realisation that they might be incompatible. Yet, just before they break up, things take an even darker turn when they are carjacked by a man who murders a cyclist using their car and disappears to let them take the fall.

As our duo try to elude the police and get to the bottom of the mystery (they decide that their races may disadvantage their alibi), Aaron Adams and Brendan Gall’s story closely follows in the footsteps of other films about ordinary people thrust unwittingly into a world of crime (see Date NightandThe Spy Who Dumped Me). That means threatening yet quirky supporting characters, implausible story developments, and shit predictably hitting the fan. In a year that saw Queen & Slim effortlessly tackle similar topics, the lack of adventure here feels particularly noticeable.

If the plot is forgettable, the comedy it services at least truly delivers, and much of this can be laid at the feet of Rae and Nanjiani. Even in a hilarious early sequence where they bicker over their differences - he is a pretentious documentary maker who takes his craft too seriously, while she is a reality-show obsessive who can’t tear herself away from Instagram - the chemistry with which they built their relationship always feels believable. Both have a gift for using a funny facial expression or improvised line to liven up a limp scene (their expressions of horror during an early murder scene make it unexpectedly funny). This means that, though the laugh rate does decline as the film heads towards its predictable finish, their clever interplay ultimately saves it from mediocrity.

An otherwise by the numbers crime comedy is elevated by the superb comic talents of Rae and Nanjiani, who keep you laughing when the story loses its wings.

★★★

Who’s the daddy now?

In the spellbinding Moonlight, Ashton Sanders commanded the screen in the most heartbreaking act of the film, communicating a great deal of emotion with the slightest tremor in his facial expression. Unfortunately, his silently tortured performance is just about the only memorable thing about new Netflix film All Day and a Night, an underwhelming crime drama that does little to distinguish itself from other tales of boyz in the hood.

In prospect, there are a lot of reasons to have expected more here. As well as a strong cast that includes Jeffrey Wright and Watchmen’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, it’s written and directed by a co-writer of Black Panther, Joe Robert Cole, who explores a similar story about the sins of fathers, and the cyclical tragedy that this can bring to families. We follow Jahkor (Sanders); a troubled young man who we learn is serving life in prison for murder. Tracing three instrumental time lines in his life – a time structure that feels too clumsy to fully connect – the story traces the abusive upbringing that got him in his situation.

This should be a premise brimming with tense anticipation, but Cole struggles to generate much interest in what follows, largely because a lot of the material feels so familiar. Jahkor’s trials with an abusive gangbanging father (a slightly off-key performance from Jeffrey Wright) feel rote, as do the random flashes of brutal violence, and Jahkor’s futile aspirations of using rap to get out of the hood. The film also tries to fit in a romance, a gang turf war, and a story of father-son reconciliation into its two-hour running time, meaning that neither section manages to convince. Sanders’ compelling presence does a lot to hold the story together, but with it’s dour tone and plodding story, you would be better off watching Moonlight for a more rewarding exploration of black male masculinity.

All Day and a Night is about how long it feels watching this uninspiring crime drama.

★★

Race for life

After impressive, scene-stealing supporting roles in films like 22 Jump Street andGoosebumps, it was only a matter of time before Jillian Bell’s knack for comic timing landed her a leading role of her own. And, despite its underwhelming title, the main character of Brittany Runs a Marathon is a perfect fit for Bell’s talents - a funny, self-loathing heroine whose personal journey provides both comedy, and a surprisingly touching slice of drama.

From first-time writer-director Paul Downs Colaizzo, whose real-life roommate inspired the story, the film follows Brittany (Bell), a twenty-something New Yorker whose unhealthy lifestyle - constant partying and adderall abuse - seem borne out of issues of self-confidence. Yet, when a new doctor informs her that she’s overweight, she takes the step (or rather, steps) to lose a couple of pounds, and get her life back on track.

After a very relatable sequence where Brittany berates a gym instructor for the sky-high prices that gym’s charge - ‘you do know that people can just go outside for free, right?’ - she makes the daunting decision to go on daily runs, which are hilariously filmed with the sense of menace you would get from a horror movie. Setting herself the goal of the New York City Marathon, Brittany’s race to fitness, and ultimately happiness, is replete with inevitable setbacks and moments of self-doubt. Throughout this, Downs Colaizzo laces the film with humour and warmth, and is all the better for encouraging you to see multiple sides to the characters who punctuate Brittany’s journey. Michaela Watkins impresses as a well-off, seemingly frosty fellow runner whose life isn’t as perfect as it seems, while Utkarsh Ambudkar’s man-child proves a surprisingly endearing and believable love interest.

If the film does stumble on the way to the finish line, it’s in a rushed final act that slightly overplays its message about the value of self-love and supportive friendships, and ends with a running sequence that feels like it lasts the length of an actual marathon. Yet, while the end destination isn’t particularly strong, the writing and Bell’s warm performance at least make the journey worthwhile. Brittany is a character that makes a lot of frustrating decisions, often at the expense of people who care about her, but Bell, who spends much of the movie in prosthetics, draws self-deprecating humour and empathy from her character’s experiences, demonstrating a dramatic range that few films have allowed her to show. Testament to Bell, you genuinely hope that Brittany will overcome the barriers in her way, whether it’s a horribly self-centred roommate, or a mouth-watering burger meal.

It gets slightly overbearing at the end, but this is a funny, moving and uplifting film about the importance of keeping your head up in the face of hardship, with a star-making performance from Bell.

★★★

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peopleofearth-tbs:

Well, it DID make us yell at strangers on the street.

Go check out the spoiler free review of The Batman on my Only Flans! So excited to geek out with my subscribers hope to see you there! Link below

Come chat with me about Batman while I wear a sexy cat suit

Simultaneously want to punch Cal in his big dumb stupid head, and also kiss him. Big oaf. Review below.
—–
I have a horrible, terrible confession to make: Every other time I’ve read this series, Maven has been the brother to own my heart. I’m not sure why — okay, yes I am. I’ve felt pity for Maven and what his mother did to him, but that’s no excuse for the things he’s done. I’m happy to say that I am no longer a Maven stan. I mean, I still harbor some pity for him, which I could talk about all day, but he no longer is the brother to own my heart.

Now, that honor goes to Cal. Even though I wish to punch him in the dome.

I don’t remember my previous review for this novel, so whatever it was, disregard it. This is the only one that matters now.

Honestly, this one took me a while to get through this time. It wasn’t just the fact that I’ve been hecking busy, but it was also because once I got to a certain point in the book, it just seemed to move slowly for me. Plus, after the death of Shade in Glass Sword, I just felt quite empty inside. Every mention was like a stab to the heart. Ugh. Rude, Mrs. Aveyard.

Plus, it’s kind of difficult for me to focus on reading while I’m also trying to focus on writing a novel of my own. I’m getting side-tracked.

I enjoyed this book because we do get a better look inside the mind of Maven Calore. We get to learn why he is the way he is, at least to an extent. I believe there has to be some evil in him, even without his mother’s influence. Maven is a very complex character, in my opinion, and I hope his character is explored more in War Storm, because I would love to see more of what it’s like inside his head. Maybe have a couple chapters from his point of view? (I haven’t read War Storm yet, because I don’t want the series to end.)

As for Mare, she really annoyed me in this one. Her whining and self-absorbed attitude got real old real fast. Don’t get me wrong, I adore Mare Barrow, but sometimes she is just a little much. Or maybe I’m being cold. She did go through a hell of a lot in this one. Hmm. Starting to doubt myself now. Either way, I would die for her.

Cal? Big dumb stupid kissable idiot.

The book as a whole was simply beautiful. And heartbreaking. And anger-making. Which is great; I love feeling a plethora of emotions when I read. I love feeling so immersed in a story, so connected to the characters, and this series never fails to grab me by the heart.

I haven’t reviewed in a while, so this is all-over-the-place-garbage, but in my opinion, if you’re wondering if you should continue after Glass Sword, stop wondering! The series gets better with each book, and King’s Cage is no different. There are plenty twists, heart-wrenching moments, moments that make you want to kick someone in the kneecaps, moments that make you hate people and then question if you actually hate them. There’s a lot of moments. Moments you should be a part of.

Anyway, I hate endings, so I may take a break before reading War Storm.

In the Glenwood Canyon, Glenwood Canyon, C.O. There is a magical hike that ascends 1,000ft plus up a canyon to a crystal clear waterfall and lake.

This is a quite popular hike and you’ll expect to see many tourist here trying to make the 3.3 mile hike(round trip) up to the waterfall. Be sure to wear appropriate shoes and bring water. This hike is straight up(like climbing stairs) and straight down so expect a moderate to strenuous hike.

The turquoise colors of the lake are produced by carbonate minerals that have dissolved in the water. There is the main waterfall that flows into the beautiful turquoise lake and the source of the water comes from a larger waterfall. there is another small trail that leads you to the back waterfall that falls directly out of a hole in the rock. Its beautiful and you should take the extra 10 minutes to go find it!

Message me with any questions you have about this hike.

Photos to be posted after this post.

Adventure on!

What is this show?

Mike Flanagan, creator of the Haunting of Hill House show, came back to Netflix to deliver us from [give me a sec to come up with something that rhymes with evil and means bad shows or something]. This show centers on the residents of the sleepy Crockett Island when a mysterious new priest steps in and all things spooky and miraculous (?) start happening.

How scary is it?

It is pretty similar to Haunting of Hill House in that it takes a lot of time and care developing its characters and takes sometime to unleash the horror. Some people may find it slow but I think this works to great effect, as it helps us get attached to the characters and grounded in the world so when the real sinister stuff starts happening, it feels very visceral, like it’s happening to people you know. That said, there are moments that reach pretty high levels of terror. It’s great.

It’s particularly chilling if you were raised Catholic.

Jump Scares?

A bit, yeah.

Is there blood and gore?

:)

On a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being Alien: Covenant [I need a new scale for this, I don’t remember Alien: Covenant]), how dumb were the characters?

There are those who act against their own self-interest but in a way that feels all too real. Maybe a 5/10 for standard human levels of dumb.

Anyways, yeah I love this show. I think it outdoes Hill House in that it communicates its big ideas more effectively. There are once again quite a lot of monologues as is Mike Flanagan’s way, but he writes them well and the actors really give them their all. Hamish Linklater delivering homilies goes crazy. The characters are each drawn out with a lot of empathy and you grow to understand each one pretty intimately. The island town itself feels very real and proved a very good setting for this horror story, with its isolation and the fact that it felt like a character unto itself. It had a hold over all the characters, especially the two main characters who wanted to escape it but ended up back in its grasp.

This is pretty close to perfect storytelling. I’m tempted to say it’s the best horror show out there. The only one that comes to mind that may be better is The Terror season 1. But, I do think more people would enjoy this one. Sure, I’ll give this bad boy a 10/10.

Spoiler-y random thoughts below.

God damn do I love the vampire/angel design.

On that note, I’m just gonna put it out there that I’m pretty sure it wasn’t actually an angel, just a vampire in a world where vampires aren’t part of the cultural lexicon.

The scene with the halo on the vampire, the scene with the vampire in the coat and hat shushing Paul, the scene with the vampire in the chasuble. YES!

I was pretty terrified in the moments leading up to the vampire appearing at the church.

It’s on site with Bev Keene.

Riley in the boat will haunt me. Very good stuff.

James Wan went back to horror and went absolutely crazy.

What is this movie?

A woman with a lot of repressed childhood memories has visions of grizzly murders and discovers that those murders are actually taking place. I won’t go into it any further because this is a super God damn weird movie and I shouldn’t spoil anything.

How scary is it?

It’s not as scary as some of James Wan’s other movies, the first two Insidious and Conjuring movies in particular. It does start off somewhat like those movies, and there are some really scary sequences in the beginning. It evolves into something a bit more slasher-y and joyously bonkers partway through that still has creepy imagery and fun but isn’t super scary. Probably 6/10 for scares.

Jump scares?

A bit yeah.

Is there blood and gore?

Better believe it

On a scale of 1 - 10 (10 being Alien: Covenant), how dumb were the characters?

Maybe a 6/10. You should see how one of these idiots parks a car on a cliff just for the shot.

Does that story make logical sense if you think about it too long?

I mean, it ties pretty well together but there are aspects that make you go, “oh huh, that’s stupid but fun.”

This is a big and bold horror movie that I wasn’t expecting. I didn’t know too much going in and thought it would be a bit like the Conjuring and Insidious and was I ever wrong. James Wan dives into his entire bag of tricks and pulls out things I have never seen before. I actually said, “What the fuck?” aloud during one of the twists. This movie will keep you on your toes. It’s almost fucking funny at times. This is a very campy movie and you can tell everyone had a blast making it.

Not all of it comes together super well. This is probably a matter of preference but I do like the classical strings that play during some of the scary parts, and I really didn’t like the electric guitar that played during others. I realize this must be an homage to an era of horror movies, but still, it was jarring for me.

Anyways, there is a strong chance you’ll either love this movie or just hate it. If you’re here, you’ll probably end up closer to the former camp. I’ll give this a7/10

Spoiler-y thoughts below

Kekoa managed to chase down and hold his own in a fight against a monster who would later 1 v 20 the entire precinct. What a man.

Annabelle Wallis’s face on the back of Gabriel’s head was too good.

The fucking chair throw was too funny.

Hey, I just watched this show on Netflix and wanted to talk about it cuz I liked it.

What kind of show is this?

Well, it’s a weird surreal limited horror series that many have called “Lynchian.” It all has a very dreamlike logic but somehow stays accessible and engaging throughout the eight episodes. It’s also being described as a horror noir which I think is pretty apt.

So what’s it about?

A young filmmaker in 1990s LA seeks revenge on a producer who stole her movie. She goes to a witch to cast a curse on said producer. Things go awry.

Is it scary?

The scares are fairly spaced out, so it’s pretty moderately scary for a tv show. It does have some good frightening moments and an awful lot of body horror. If you like body horror and generally gross weird stuff, well this is for you, my friend.

Like I said, I think this is a great show. If you liked the series Channel Zero, this is basically season 5. It has a compelling story filled with characters you don’t necessarily root for but are interested in following. Rosa Salazar goes crazy in it. Catherine Keener plays a hell of a witch. The setting and style of the show are great, really pulls you into a grimy sundrenched 1990s LA. It’s also pretty funny. It is ever so slightly detached from reality that characters will say things that are hilarious taken out of context.

The one problem I can think of that I did have with this show is the end felt a bit rushed. If we dwelled a bit more on the fallout from the climax it would have been a bit more satisfying.

That said, I’ll give this bad boy an 8/10

Manny Jacinto is also there, kind of not enough, but very pleasant to just have around.