Checkmate

With such a title Checkmate could only be a pivotal and intense installment. However considering how strong some of the previous episodes were I wasn't expecting it to be a mix of light pros and dark cons. The two major disappointments were the writing inaccuracies and wobbly direction. The very first minutes I knew something was wrong because it just didn't seem like Smallville.

The slow motion visual effect used in action scenes ? I have been watching and reviewing the excellent Spartacus : Blood and Sand for weeks now and I know how impressive the effect can be when it's wisely used and well directed. But it wasn't nothing like it and I even found some scenes ridiculous, specially considering the character involved. In fact they even reminded me one of the worst choreographed film I have ever seen, Batman Begins. But if you worship Christopher Nolan then you should be blown away by the intimate close-ups. So I wasn't surprised when I found out that it was Tim Scanlan first directing job on Smallville. He probably watched films like The Matrix and Equilibrium a thousand times and played way too much Max Payne. However it wasn't a complete disaster as one black and white scene with The Blur was more creative and believable. The budget was well spent and I think they found the right solutions to the post-production problems they had to solve in time.

As for the writing they were so many plot holes that I quickly stopped counting them. Does the name John Chisholm ring a bell ? Well like for Scanlan it was his first episode and I'm surprised they let a newcomer to work on such an important episode. From the whole Oliver & Tess mumbo jumbo to the castle of the death incident there were plenty of elements to fill the trivia section of your favorite website. Don't get me wrong the story itself was captivating but its writing wasn't strong enough, like if they took us for granted or something. I like to consider some viewers are demanding and we can't just accept so many mistakes. Wasn't the script checked by the head writers ? However beside these annoying issues Checkmate was still entertaining and even interesting at times. First the story focused more on Tess and I found Cassidy Freeman quite convincing at the beginning. Moreover considering her dual profile, both delicate and fierce, she was the perfect player for such a chessboard game, a fascinating metaphora but far too literal. Second Lois was missing but all the other characters of The Watch Tower team were involved, even if some of them are definitely not strategists. I specially enjoyed how the Martian Manhunter behaved, confident and secretive, and he definitely made the story more exciting and some of Phil Morris lines were both insightful and intriguing. Third the acting was convincing, specially thanks to Morris, even if I think the wink links were Allison Mack and the white queen's actress. The chemistry of the first with Justin Hartley wasn't so authentic for example. As for the last she didn't make her character grow on me and I didn't find her believable. Fourth the production was great, from Green Arrow action scenes to the special abilities of our favorite superheroes. Fifth and not least the story was also heavy on character development. Its dramatic events strengthened some relationships but weakened others.

To sum things up my opinion is mixed. If you disconnect your brain you'll probably think it's mind blowing entertainment but if you pay attention to all the tiny details I pointed out then the experience should be less memorable. I think that the goal set for the ninth season is just out of reach. The creative team behind Smallville is not ready to take a wide world conspiracy involving double agents, reporters and aliens. Digesting the fact that no one has recognized The Blur nor found The Watch Tower so far is already hard to believe but after everything that happened in this episode you'll be sure of one thing, that the story could become a confusing gibberish if the upcoming episodes are in the same vein. However with all the other excellent directors and writers they have on the show I don't worry at all about Smallville's future ! But let's hope they'll improve their teamwork because the less skilled members could benefit from the experience of their peers.

This is a tricky episode to review, as I thought the writing was decent, the direction wasn't all bad (minus the slow-mo stuff) and the performances were solid. I think my issue is partly with the story, and partly with the execution. The simplest way to put it is that "Checkmate" is kind of boring. I was never a fan of the Checkmate story, and this episode may be the main reason why. If you're going to escalate a storyline this late in the season, and place the kind of stakes on it as they write here, the introductory episode needs to have an enormous hook to it. It needs to be kicked off with a bang. "Checkmate" just kind of drags. The pacing for a story like this should be much more exciting. There are moments in the story that demand more impact, but every major scene just falls flat. Maybe it is a direction issue, but the editing doesn't help matters either. Not the best of season 9, that's for sure.