blackknight-51234
Joined Feb 2019
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blackknight-51234's rating
As the title says, the Amateur is a decent enough film. The story is okay and the characters are interesting enough to carry the story. It's a pretty standard revenge flick with some decent characters and action and thankfully manages to avoid the ever popular "ex-special forces protagonist hellbent on justice" cliche.
The use of technology is interesting but ultimately nonsense - with countless things that are either impossible or which would take a very long time to do, happening immediately or when the plot needs to.
Also, the main characters seems able to get his hands on whatever he needs - especially explosives - in foreign countries where he doesn't speak the language with little or no problems.
Lastly, the weapon handling in this film would make Alec Baldwin blush. People are encouraged to point loaded weapons at each other, they regularly flag each other and are seemingly unable incapable of picking up a gun without putting their finger on the trigger.
The use of technology is interesting but ultimately nonsense - with countless things that are either impossible or which would take a very long time to do, happening immediately or when the plot needs to.
Also, the main characters seems able to get his hands on whatever he needs - especially explosives - in foreign countries where he doesn't speak the language with little or no problems.
Lastly, the weapon handling in this film would make Alec Baldwin blush. People are encouraged to point loaded weapons at each other, they regularly flag each other and are seemingly unable incapable of picking up a gun without putting their finger on the trigger.
Firstly the good bits.
The action is good, there's a real sense of tension and it comes across as a realistic account of what happened. It's well acted, well shot and gives you some idea of what it must be like to be in a dire situation.
It's a lot better than most of the films that have been released this year. There's no politics or judgment and stays clear of triumphantism or trying to glamorizing people getting hurt. Ultimately, nobody "wins" which is a good reflection of war.
That said, we never learn anything about the characters. The only insight is them all watching an Eric Pridz video together. It's hard to empathize with any of the characters because you just don't know them.
Despite the tension and gunfire, you never really learn anything about who it is they are fighting. From their garb, you would assume they are Fedayeen - but we never see any of them up close, much learn hear them speak. So it's hard to see them as anything other than shadowy figures firing guns. You also don't know how many there are, there's plenty of gunfire, but it could be 20 or 2000.
You also aren't told anything about the Seal's mission. They're providing security for another force who have a mission, but we never learn why. What the point of it was or whether it was successful.
If you aren't familiar with military parlance, then a lot of the dialogue, especially on the radio might not make a lot of sense.
It's a good film and worth a watch, but to be clear, this is not in the same league as Band of Brothers, Black Hawk Down, Generation Kill etc etc. If you haven't seen any of them, then I would highly recommend watching them instead.
The action is good, there's a real sense of tension and it comes across as a realistic account of what happened. It's well acted, well shot and gives you some idea of what it must be like to be in a dire situation.
It's a lot better than most of the films that have been released this year. There's no politics or judgment and stays clear of triumphantism or trying to glamorizing people getting hurt. Ultimately, nobody "wins" which is a good reflection of war.
That said, we never learn anything about the characters. The only insight is them all watching an Eric Pridz video together. It's hard to empathize with any of the characters because you just don't know them.
Despite the tension and gunfire, you never really learn anything about who it is they are fighting. From their garb, you would assume they are Fedayeen - but we never see any of them up close, much learn hear them speak. So it's hard to see them as anything other than shadowy figures firing guns. You also don't know how many there are, there's plenty of gunfire, but it could be 20 or 2000.
You also aren't told anything about the Seal's mission. They're providing security for another force who have a mission, but we never learn why. What the point of it was or whether it was successful.
If you aren't familiar with military parlance, then a lot of the dialogue, especially on the radio might not make a lot of sense.
It's a good film and worth a watch, but to be clear, this is not in the same league as Band of Brothers, Black Hawk Down, Generation Kill etc etc. If you haven't seen any of them, then I would highly recommend watching them instead.
The first season was decent. A slightly different take on zombies. Not groundbreaking, certainly not unique, but worth a watch. The two lead characters are thrown together and through hardship and loss they build a bond. Like I said, it's been done before (and better) but it's still perfectly watchable.
ASadly, after the first season, things take a complete nosedive.
It's not just the endless woke agenda, hammering home the writers political views, the virtue signaling, gender politics, ridiculous "girl boss" nonsense. It's not the complete lack of realistic weapons/tactics - and don't get me started on the accuracy of a teenage girl fighting hand to hand with a fully grown man.
It's not just that Bella Ramsey has the charisma of a King Edward potato (whilst also physically resembling one). Ramsey's character's only talent is the ability to get bitten and not get infected, without that, she would be dead many times over - something which would be a distinct improvement to the show.
The acts of random stupidity have to be seen to be believed - one of my favourites was hitting a drum kit. I mean, really? In a zombie apocalypse? How are you so idiotic and still alive?
Ramsey is as believable as a "bad ass" as Viola Davis in G20. She's irritating, selfish and downright stupid. As an actress Ramsey would struggle to carry a pre-teen Nickelodeon show. Heaven knows what they were thinking to have her as the lead in a big budget show like this. I would wager that a fair portion of the audience were routing for the zombie and/or the survivors she fights.
Without Pedro Pascal (and I'm not really of a fan of him either) to carry the story in season 2, it feels flat, clunky and uninspiring and there's nothing to redeem it. My wife tapped out of season two before the end of the third episode and I doubt I'll go much further. I'm spending an increasing amount of time on my phone or skipping forwards - a prime example being when Ramsey played "Take on Me" on guitar. A few bars would have been tolerable - but the whole song? Thank God I wasn't watching it live and could fast forwards.
From what I've read, I'm very much not alone and unless things improve massively, I can see the audience drop off rivaling Rings of Power, before being canned.
A disappointing end and a waste of what was a good, if not great show.
ASadly, after the first season, things take a complete nosedive.
It's not just the endless woke agenda, hammering home the writers political views, the virtue signaling, gender politics, ridiculous "girl boss" nonsense. It's not the complete lack of realistic weapons/tactics - and don't get me started on the accuracy of a teenage girl fighting hand to hand with a fully grown man.
It's not just that Bella Ramsey has the charisma of a King Edward potato (whilst also physically resembling one). Ramsey's character's only talent is the ability to get bitten and not get infected, without that, she would be dead many times over - something which would be a distinct improvement to the show.
The acts of random stupidity have to be seen to be believed - one of my favourites was hitting a drum kit. I mean, really? In a zombie apocalypse? How are you so idiotic and still alive?
Ramsey is as believable as a "bad ass" as Viola Davis in G20. She's irritating, selfish and downright stupid. As an actress Ramsey would struggle to carry a pre-teen Nickelodeon show. Heaven knows what they were thinking to have her as the lead in a big budget show like this. I would wager that a fair portion of the audience were routing for the zombie and/or the survivors she fights.
Without Pedro Pascal (and I'm not really of a fan of him either) to carry the story in season 2, it feels flat, clunky and uninspiring and there's nothing to redeem it. My wife tapped out of season two before the end of the third episode and I doubt I'll go much further. I'm spending an increasing amount of time on my phone or skipping forwards - a prime example being when Ramsey played "Take on Me" on guitar. A few bars would have been tolerable - but the whole song? Thank God I wasn't watching it live and could fast forwards.
From what I've read, I'm very much not alone and unless things improve massively, I can see the audience drop off rivaling Rings of Power, before being canned.
A disappointing end and a waste of what was a good, if not great show.