ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Netflix

Army of the Dead: Snyder Adds Blood to the Big Score

by Leave a Comment

After the release of his 2004 hit Dawn of the Dead, Zack Snyder finally returns to the zombie genre with big expectations for Army of the Dead. Set in a zombie riddled Las Vegas, $50 million dollars are on the line for Scott Ward (Dave Bautista) and his team. But this isn’t just any heist. It’s a zombie heist. Filled with explosions, gore, death, and even a zombie tiger, Ward tries to escape his burger flipping hell by assembling a rag tag group of zombie experts and stone cold killers to commit the most dangerous heist of all.

With the best elements of both the heist and zombie genre, Army knows the tropes that viewers have seen for years and uses the best ones, including assembling the rag tag team of “losers” trying to score big money and the infamous “you son of a bitch, I’m in” vibe from heist movies. However, as a horror movie, Army all manages to play with these stereotypes and flip them around. For example, as the plans fall through, people get slaughtered in gruesome ways at the hands of the overwhelming hoards. As the zombies devour the crew and hopelessness overwhelms them, the fun heist elements die out.

Embedded in the film is a theme of greed becoming people’s demise. Driven by the cash, Ward and his team care more about the reward than each other. As a result, many deaths throughout the film are all directly related to them acting selfish. Though, this carries a certain irony to it as well. [Spoilers] In fact, considering that the whole purpose of any heist movie is for characters to get to the money so that they can live a luxurious life, it’s a little ironic that the only person who didn’t want the money for themselves ended up surviving. [Spoilers End]

My favourite part of Army of the Dead is the opening credits sequence as it shows us the beginning of the pandemic. Set to the song Viva Las Vegas, the sequence highlights the team members’ backgrounds and establishes all the world building necessary. By contrasting the gore and hardcore action with lively music is a nice touch and really sets the viewer up for the fun that one would expect from a heist movie in a post-zombie world. Army of the Dead really allowed Snyder freedom to use his skills in the horror genre, while throwing in the action sequences viewers have loved from films like 300 and his DC involvement (and yes, that includes lots of slow-motion shots).

Another thing that I enjoyed is that Snyder adds to the lore of the world that he’s created by making the zombies intelligent and even creating a hierarchy amongst them. In many ways, it creates a Planet of the Apes kind of vibe. Unlike other zombie films, these creatures are an intelligent species trying to coexist with humans and grow. These ideas made it particularly interesting to see how a zombie society works and, from an action standpoint, viewing how they would have their own type of warfare that utilizes their strengths.

If you like zombie and heist movies, then you’ll love Army of the Dead. With his return to the genre, Snyder has done well by offering all the action, gore, and most of the great moments that you’d expect from both genres. (And it doesn’t hurt that it’s all wrapped up in Snyder’s unique stylistic box as well.)

Army of the Dead premieres May 21st on Netflix.

Monster: The Angles of Truth

by Leave a Comment

MONSTER (L-R): A$AP ROCKY as WILLIAM KING (as RAKIM MAYERS), KEVIN HARRISON JR. as STEVE HARMON, JENNIFER EHLE as KATHERINE O’BRIEN. Cr: NETFLIX © 2021 

Admittedly, Netflix can be hit and miss with their dramas. Since they produce so much content, it’s completely understandable that there would be a great deal of films and series that are worth sleeping on. 

Monster is not one of those films.

Directed by Anthony Mandler, Monster tells the story of Steve Harmon (Kelvin Harrison Jr.), a promising, young high school student who lives in Harlem. At the age of seventeen, Steve is on the cusp of adulthood and seems to have a great deal going for him. He is adored by his girlfriend and family. His film teacher views him as a young man of integrity. However, his world is rocked when he is suddenly arrested and charged with felony murder. As he fights for his life in the court system, Steve also must come to grips with his own choices and pray that his life is not ruined by them.

MONSTER: JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON as RICHARD ‘BOBO’ EVANS. Cr: ANNA KOORIS/NETFLIX © 2021 .

Monster is a bold film that challenges our assumptions about others. Bolstered by an exceptional cast, the film features some extremely strong performances. Led by Kelvin Harrison Jr. and Jeffrey Wright, the film gives some small but important roles to such talent as Jennifer Hudson, Nas, Tim Blake Nelson, ASAP Rocky and John David Washington. (Any film that has the option to use John David Washington in a minimal capacity must have some incredible people on its roster.) While their roles are often brief, each actor has the opportunity to have their ‘moment’ and show their talent.

However, anchoring the film is another stellar performance by Kelvin Harrison Jr. (Waves). With each performance, Harrison has shown his ability to bring a sympathetic voice to his characters, even as they are involved with dangerous or violent actions. (Honestly, I don’t think it’s inappropriate to compare him to a young Daniel Kaluuya, if he continues to take on roles where he can grow.) In Monster, he allows Steve to remain somewhat murky in his motivations in that, while we root for his innocence, neither are we certain of it. Though still young, Harrison remains one to watch.

MONSTER (L-R): KEVIN HARRISON JR. as STEVE HARMON, NASIR ‘NAS’ JONES as RAYMOND ‘SUNSET’ GREEN. Cr. DAVID DEVLIN/NETFLIX © 2021

Using time-shifting to outline its narrative, Monster does an excellent job of keeping the audience guessing as to what really took place. Growing up in an at-risk community, Steve’s journey is one of complexity, even if the court case attempts to make it about right and wrong. With each character interaction, we get a more fully formed picture of the type of young man that Steve is and his role in the neighbourhood. To his teachers, Steve is seen as a highly intelligent, budding young filmmaker. To his girlfriend, he’s a caring young man who treats her well. To the more troubled characters on the street though, he’s a potentially good contact who may be worth using to their advantage.

In Monster, truth is never straightforward. Though people are often willing to make snap decisions about others based on race, age or social status, the film argues that there is always more to who we are than any particular labels. Like Steve himself, the story explores what it means to listen to the stories of others and allow that to flesh out our judgments of others. In Monster, labels limit our understanding. (In fact, the title Monster refers to the fact that the jury views him as only one way for his potential involvement in the crime for which he’s accused.) While the film never justifies what takes place, it’s emphasis on the full embodiment of truth does provide context to the events and create sympathy for those who were involved.

MONSTER: KEVIN HARRISON JR. as STEVE HARMON. Cr. NETFLIX © 2021 

Well-written and executed, Monster is an excellent example of the type of content Netflix can produce. It is willing to take risks its structure, features some incredibly talented performances and allows the story to ask some different questions. Though not a fun film to watch, Monster remains an engaging piece that feels honest about the way we view one another… and that’s the scariest truth of all.

Monster is available on Netflix on Friday, May 7th, 2021.

Jupiter’s Legacy: Processing The Power that We Leave Behind

by Leave a Comment

JUPITER’S LEGACY (L-R) LESLIE BIBB as GRACE SAMPSON, JOSH DUHAMEL as SHELDON SAMPSON, and BEN DANIELS as WALTER SAMPSON in episode 2 of JUPITER’S LEGACY. Cr. STEVE WILKIE/NETFLIX © 2020

The legacies that heroes leave behind are supposed to inspire people and give them something to look up to. But what if your own parent was one of these heroes? Talented ex-marvel writer Mark Miller’s comic book series ‘Jupiter’s Legacy’ uses the superhero setting to dive into the topic of family dynasties and the scars that they can leave behind. 

Jupiter’s Legacy takes inspiration from DC’s Justice League with its characters, and appears to be Netflix’s answer to rival Amazon’s superhero show, ‘The Boys.’ Coming to Netflix this May 7, can this live action series compete in this already overcrowded and competitive market that’s filled with big names such as Marvel, the Arrowverse, DCEU, and Amazon?

JUPITER’S LEGACY Episode 101 of JUPITER’S LEGACY Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2021

In Jupiter’s Legacy, the driving force behind superhero group “The Union” is to uphold “the code” which they view as the core of what makes you a great hero (and a good person). The greatest hero is Sheldon (Josh Duhamel), aka the Utopian who stands by the believe that heroes don’t kill anyone no matter what, don’t govern politics, and try to save as many lives as possible. (Fairly standard superhero stuff, actually.) 

From the beginning of the first episode, there’s an obvious difference in ideology between the old guard and a new generation of heroes, including Sheldon’s son, Brandon (Andrew Horton). Expected to be a hero as great as his father, Brandon struggles with his own identity and feels the weight of the world on his shoulders as he’s pressured to take over his father’s position. In these moments, the show really portrays the impossible standard of being born into a family with such a high legacy to uphold. What’s more, Sheldon’s daughter, Chloe (Elena Kampouris) also has superpowers yet decides to go the opposite route, rejecting her family’s legacy and decides to party it up as a celebrity. (In this way, Chloe’s character draws a parallel between rich heiresses who have all the resources in the world but decide to rebel against all the family and societal expectations of their path in life.) 

JUPITER’S LEGACY (L-R) JOSH DUHAMEL as SHELDON SAMPSON in episode 3 of JUPITER’S LEGACY. Cr. MARNI GROSSMAN/NETFLIX © 2020

There’s also an interesting debate that takes place after Brandon watches his closest friends die at the hands of a villain. Tramautized by the event, Brandon ultimately decides to kill the villains in order to save his parents from becoming their next victims. Sick and tired of these villains, the public loves that Brandon kills them, which is strictly against the code of The Union. These events lead to The Union questioning whether their old ways still work anymore (and whether or not they ever did in the first place). These conversations are fascinating as they bring in strong points from both sides, such as the ideas that killing villains would prevent them from creating further death of innocents and whether it is doing more harm than good letting them live. On the other hand, the main counter argument is that nobody should be judge, jury, and executioner. To them, nobody should decide who lives and dies, especially those with so much power. This debate persists throughout the series and is incredibly relevant with today’s views on police brutality and how criminals are treated within the detention system. 

JUPITERÕS LEGACY (L to R) JOSH DUHAMEL as SHELDON SAMPSON and IRON ORCHID in episode 101 of JUPITERÕS LEGACY Cr. ADAM ROSE/NETFLIX © 2021

One of the things I most enjoyed about Jupiter’s Legacy was the fact that they took inspiration from the non-linear storytelling that made Arrow so enjoyable. By showing the origins of how The Union got their powers, what drove them and how that has shaped current character motivations and storyline the series fleshes out their characters well. A major concern that often takes place in superhero shows is that the action can get sloppy and, due to budget constraints, the scenes with powers look ridiculous. (Not to point fingers but Season One of Supergirl is a prime example of this.) No matter how good the writing is, laughably bad CGI and poorly choreographed fighting scenes can be detrimental to the immersiveness of any show.  Thankfully, Jupiter’s Legacy does not have that issue at all. Their effects and action scenes are done well and are comparable to movie level quality, which I find incredibly important in a superhero show in order to not to be taken out of the experience.

Overall, Jupiter’s Legacy is a very fun watch that is able to stand on its own. Though borrowing from the legacy of DC’s Justice League, Legacy dives into stories that viewers have not seen before revolving around superheroes which makes it worth recommending.

JUPITER’S LEGACY (L to R) TYLER MANE as BLACKSTAR, ANDREW HORTON as BRANDON SAMPSON, and TENIKA DAVIS as PETRA SMALL in episode 101 of JUPITER’S LEGACY. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2021

Jupiter’s Legacy is currently streaming on Netflix.

Selena: The Series, Part 2

by Leave a Comment

selena netflix

Family is everything.  But what if your family doesn’t quite understand you?  What if they think your dreams are too much for you to handle?  

Part 1 of Selena: The Series gave us an in depth look into the early years of Selena y Los Dinos, and a glimpse into their lives as they became more and more successful.

Season 2 goes full speed ahead with their lives in the public eye and explores not only their professional ventures, but dives deeper into their personal relationships.

selena

The cast playing the Quintanilla family and the remaining Selena y Los Dinos members continue to flourish as we see an even greater chemistry between them.  Unsurprisingly, Christian Serratos still nails her portrayal of the incomparable Selena, navigating the different sides of Selena as she matures.  Noemi Gonzalez and Gabriel Chavarria shine as they become more comfortable in their roles as Suzette and A.B.  And we get a more personal and vulnerable side to Chris Perez, played by Jesse Posey.

It was clear that Selena had much respect for her fan base and that they were very important to her.  She refused to be disingenuous to them despite certain pressures to do so.  It would seem that the fans saw themselves in her and she therefore didn’t want to contribute to a disconnect between them.  As we learned in the Part 1, people are brought together through Selena and the music.

Selena was obviously owning the game in her music career, but she had other dreams too.  She never hesitated to explore those dreams, like fashion design and her boutique.  Though the more Selena took on, the thinner she was spread.  She was doing so much on her own that it became too much.  But telling her to stick to singing was the wrong way to get through to her.  She seemed stubborn in the best way, refusing to admit that her dreams were too much for her to handle.

As Selena becomes more popular on an individual basis, we can tell that the rest of the band feels distanced.  This is confirmed when Abraham (Ricardo Chavira) absent-mindedly stated that Selena’s voice is all that matters and that’s why the people come to see the performances.  This clearly rubs the band the wrong way.  It’s interesting to see how the family and band navigate this new dynamic of Selena’s individual success.  In fact, Selena isn’t the only one who is exploring opportunities outside of Los Dinos.  This overarching individuality seemed to permeate the band.  They even began recording individually, causing more of a divide.  It was clear that a spark was missing.  Thankfully, the band realized that they must come together to produce the best product.  They thrive most when they are all in it together and show their support for one another.

We also see how marriages are affected by the music career and touring.  Suzette’s fiance is patient and tries to travel to see her whenever he can.  A.B.’s wife is stuck at home with two kids and even when he’s in town, he’s barely home, spending most of his time at the studio.  And Chris feels like Selena doesn’t have time for him because she spends so much of her time working.

As someone who does not speak Spanish, I appreciated the addition of subtitles during the musical numbers as it really gives a better feel for the story and what the songs are about. 

All in all, the second installment of Selena: The Series is very entertaining.  It’s exciting to binge watch, whether you’re a super-fan or not.

Selena: The Series, Part 2 is streaming on Netflix beginning May 4, 2021.

The Little Prince – The Value of Childhood

by Leave a Comment

littleprince2“Growing up isn’t the problem. Forgetting is.”

Childhood is meant to be a magical time when play and exploration are the “work” a child should be about. But more and more, some children are being pushed to achieve just as adults are. In The Little Prince a girl who is being groomed for the “right” school by her mother is living a very organized and regimented existence—until her possibly mentally unbalanced neighbor opens her eyes and her heart to another way of seeing things.

If the title sounds familiar, it’s because this is an adaptation (or sorts) of the well-loved children’s book Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. However, the Saint-Exupéry story is a story within the bigger story in this film. But it is also the engine that drives the larger story.

The world of this story is one of efficiency where everything is valued according to what it can add to the bottom line. It is a very mathematics oriented world. We hear news in the background that is all in some way about numbers and productivity. That seems the only thing that matters in the world—what can be seen and measured. Even when The Girl (voiced by Mackenzie Foy) is doing her constant studying it is always some form of math. She is being prepared to be another cog in the machine of this world.

But her house is next door to an old, wildly-bearded Aviator (Jeff Bridges). One day he sends her a paper airplane with the beginning of his story about The Little Prince who came to earth from an asteroid and taught The Aviator the importance of things that cannot be seen. (Fans of the Saint-Exupéry story may know that Saint-Exupéry was an aviator.) Slowly The Girl warms towards him and begins a friendship that leads her away from her books and into a world of imagination. Essentially she is being lured away from business school to instead study the humanities. (That is a tension that is very real—not only in higher education, but even in the ways we approach childhood education.)

Stylistically the film is divided by two forms of animation. The story of The Girl and The Aviator is done in CG animation, while the story of The Little Prince (which comes from the original book) is done in stop-motion animation. That works very well to remind us of the two worlds the film is living in.

What matters in this film are relationships: The Girl and The Aviator, The Aviator and The Little Prince, The Little Prince and a fox, The Little Prince and a rose. These relationships are based not in what one can get from another, but the joy and love that can be shared—not in anything that can be measured, but that only be seen with the heart. As we learn at one point, “It is only with the heart that we can see rightly.”

That means not only love, but also faith. When The Aviator speaks of what became of The Little Prince, The Girl wants to know how he knows The Prince is among the stars. How can he be sure? He responds, “It would comfort me very much to know for sure. But I choose to believe that he’s up there.” That, for me, speaks far more clearly than the historical creeds of the church.

This is a film that speaks of many deep things: the bottom line and its immeasurable spiritual cost, love and loss, the joy of childhood that we so often forget, and life and death and life after death. Yes, it’s a children’s story. Yes, it’s animated. And yes, it may make you want to be a child again. Hopefully, you’ll remember how to do that.

The Blu-ray edition includes the making of featurette and the music video of “Turnaround” by Camille. 

Firefly Lane: Friendship At Its Best…or Worst?

by Leave a Comment

“Who is your best friend?”

This question always made me nervous as a kid. Today, I’ll talk to practically anyone and quickly proclaim a stranger a friend, but the young version of me was incredibly shy and reserved. I didn’t go looking for friends and depended on a neighbor or two, someone on the bus, or mostly my cousins. I was naïve and content in my immediate bubble when I compared myself to the girls around me, and I didn’t exactly navigate the transition into my teen years with particular grace. Essentially, I was Kate Mularkey in Netflix’s newest adaption of bestselling series from Kristin Hannah Firefly Lane. Trade out my 1990’s setting for Kate’s 1970’s, and there I am. Longing for something elusive and waiting for the answer to that question – who is my best friend?

For teenaged Kate (Roan Curtis), her world is rocked when the beautiful and tenacious Tully Hart (Ali Skovbye) moves in across the street with her eccentric and addicted mother Cloud (Beau Garrett). On the surface they couldn’t have been more different. Where Kate is reserved and (mostly) content, Tully is vibrant and rebellious. Each missing what the other has to offer, they begin the trek into adulthood and lifelong friendship while weathering the next two decades, each fighting to find herself while clinging to one another.

FIREFLY LANE (L to R) ALI SKOVBYE as YOUNG TULLY and ROAN CURTIS as YOUNG KATE in episode 102 of FIREFLY LANE. Cr. COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2020

As Kate and Tully begin their careers in journalism (now played by Sarah Chalke and Katherine Heigl), their friendship is the rock of all they do. Tully pushes Kate into taking risks and going after what she wants and Kate is the anchor to Tully’s tumultuous emotions and often erratic behavior. Kate still strives to be all things to all people, and Tully relentlessly seeks to carve out her name on-camera. And as the threads weave in and out with their present-day and future lives, Firefly Lane paints a portrait of a bond that is as fragile as it is concrete. By the end of this first season, we see just how long this friendship has walked the tightrope between devotion and – dare I say it – toxicity.

I hesitate to use that word because it seems extreme. But then again, so is Kate and Tully’s relationship. Their identities are intwined in a way that crosses the boundaries of marriage, parenting, careers, and everything in between. And while I wasn’t really invested until about episode three (I’ve never read the original), Chalke’s and Heigl’s performances pulled me into that complexity with their embodiment of these characters. I love their friendship, but I’m incredibly wary of their friendship. I want them to always be together, but I want them to let go and step into their own lives apart from each other.

With the inclusion of Ben Lawson, Jon-Michael Ecker, Yael Yurman, Jason McKinnon, and Chelah Horsdal (to name a few), Firefly Lane creates a believable community that surrounds Kate and Tully’s tug of war for identity. Together they all navigate the hard-partying 80s, establish families and careers in the 90s, and face life-changing events in the years immediately following the attacks on September 11, 2001. We watch them mature, yes, but we also are watching them fall apart.

I asked a question at the very beginning: “who is your best friend?” But I want to ask a different one now: “what is a best friend?” Is it someone you’ve simply known forever? Is it someone who promises to make each birthday something special? Is it someone who will step to the side for years so that you can shine? Is it someone who curls up under a blanket with you as you cry through mid-life tragedy? Is it someone who forgives you over and over for years until they literally have nothing more to give? I’d like to think a best friend is a combination of all those things and then some, and I hope as Firefly Lane progresses, that Kate and Tully can start to answer that question as well.

Firefly Lane streams on Netflix on February 5th, 2021.

7.09 Watching THE MIDNIGHT SKY + 2020 Top Movie Moments!

by Leave a Comment

In the 2020est of films, THE MIDNIGHT SKY tells the story of a world in chaos at the hands of a mysterious pandemic. Left alone in an Arctic research station, scientist Augustine (George Clooney) races to contact a crew of astronauts returning home to warn them of the dangers that await them. In our first episode of 2021, Seeing and Believing‘s Wade Bearden stops by to give us talk about connecting across the vast reaches of space, what it means to be the ‘right person’ and our Top 3 Movie Moments of 2020! (Yes, there were movies in 2020…)

You can stream the episode on podomatic, Alexa (via Stitcher), Spotify or Amazon Podcasts! Or, you can download the ep on Apple Podcasts!

Want to continue to conversation at home?  Click the link below to download ‘Fishing for More’ — some small group questions for you to bring to those in your area.

7.09 The Midnight SkyDownload

Disenchantment Part 3: Seeing the Present in the Past

by Leave a Comment

After a season of self-exploration and dynamic worlding building in Part 2, Disenchantment has finally returned to Netflix. With the release of Part 3, the story picks up immediately after Bean, Luci and Elfo have fallen underground. After confronting her evil mother Dagmar and her army of Trogs. Bean and her crew must somehow escape and clear her name in order to reclaim Dreamland. 

Similar to previous seasons, Part 3 continues to follow Bean’s journey of self-discovery. With an impeding war coming and her father incapable of leading, Bean is pushed out of her comfort zone as more responsibility falls upon her. Spending less time in Dreamland than ever, Bean’s journey gives her the opportunity to get to know the outside world more. However, at the same time, she also learns more about herself, becoming a more confident person. In doing so, this season is able to lean much more heavily into Bean’s ever-expanding role in Dreamland. Suddenly having to take the throne from her father, Bean’s transition to queen also sees her facing potential doom from both Steamland and her own mother. As Bean unlocks her magical powers, the danger continues to build, potentially leading to a climatic showdown similar to other hero stories. 

Spending less time in Dreamland compared to previous seasons, Part 3 also greatly expands its world-building by exploring new areas such as Mermaid Island and continuing to develop previous cities such as Steamland. In doing so, this season allows the creativity of the writers to really flourish as each area’s citizens, species and environments are unique and vibrant.

Even so, what I found most disappointing was the sidelining of Luci and Elfo throughout the season. Once a major character, Luci sees very little growth in Part 3 and seems to just kind of ‘be there’ in the many scenes. In fact, he’s even become predictable in the way he acts. By merely saying something evil or helping Bean with her tasks, Luci now feels like a one-note, robotic pet. Similarly, Elfo’s character sees little growth as well. Getting a new girlfriend ever couple of episodes, it’s seems as though he’s been religated solely to comic relief as the stereotypical ‘hopeless romantic’. (At one point, he’s even in love with a ship…)

Despite its medieval setting, Disenchantment continues to tackle modern, real-world issues. Set in a time where female opportunity and mental health were at societal lows, the Bean we’ve grown to love is usually portrayed as a tough, confident fighter. However, in the episode “Last Splash”, we get a very different look into Bean’s psyche and her view of herself. In a therapeutic rant, we get to see how Bean’s difficult journey has taken its toll on her mentally, especially her parents’ toxic relationship. She believes that, over time, Dreamland has enabled her own self-abuse as she self-fulfills the toxic opinions of her mother and the town about her. Ultimately, in the end of her rant, Bean completely dismisses her own feelings and reinforces her belief that she is her own worst problem. By reinforcing her metaphorical emotional wall, Bean subsequently refuses to acknowledge the pain within her that is caused by others, choosing instead to lean once again into the culture’s poisonous worldviews about women and power. This moment of openness and honesty shows the toxic effects of abusive family relationships, especially in a culture of power. Powerful and moving, this is easily one of the best moments of the new season, and one of the many gems throughout Part 3 that dives deeper into the characters of Dreamland. 

Overall, Part 3 is a great addition to the Disenchantment story. Filled with eye candy in its world building and some solid progression in the larger narrative of Dreamland’s survival, the season works well. Meanwhile, Bean shows some tremendous growth in the spotlight as she tackles more complex issues regarding her own self-image, helping her to develop as a leader and hero. A fun ride that is worth watching, Part 3 proves that Disenchantment still knows how to cast a spell on its audience.

Disenchantment Part 3 begins its journey on Friday, January 15th, 2021.

Outside the Wire: Fighting for Our Humanity

by Leave a Comment

Set in the year 2036, Outside the Wire tells the story of Lt. Thomas Harp (Damson Idris), a drone pilot with a commitment to weighing the odds. When Harp engages his drone in an active war zone in the face of a direct order from his commanding officer, he is transferred to the Ukraine under the command of Captain Leo (Anthony Mackie). Soon after Harp arrives, he is stunned to discover that Leo is actually an advanced BioTech android, yet his captain’s love for human life may actually make him more human than his new recruit.

Directed by Mikael Hafstrom (1408), Outside the Wire is an action-packed film with a high concept that struggles to leave a lasting impact after the final credits roll. To his credit, Hafstrom creates a world of grit and intensity that offers consistent action from start to finish. Intense and focused, Hafstrom does a good job of involving the viewer in the action by keeping them (mostly) emotionally invested. What’s more, with the addition of Avengers break-out Mackie, Wire is also front-loaded with a charismatic star that can handle elaborate set pieces as well. Charming yet focused, Mackie does an excellent job as the technologically advanced Leo and provides the film’s heart. Meanwhile, relative newcomer Damson Idris (Snowfall) provides an icy counterpart to the Mackie’s more compassionate android that creates some solid tension between the two conflicting ideologies.

However, with all of these building blocks in its favour, it’s somewhat surprising that Wire simply doesn’t fully realize its potential. With a high concept and intriguing premise, the film has the opportunity to truly make a statement about the evolving relationship between man and technology. Unfortunately, a meandering script and an over-emphasis on battle scenes at the expense of character moments prevent Wire from hitting its target.

Having said this, the film does manage an interesting conversation regarding the lines between man and machine. Lt. Harp’s initial decision to break a direct order stems from his commitment to cold, hard logic. In essence, Harp’s dedication to rational judgment gives him confidence yet also causes him to weigh human life with mathematical precision. Despite being told to remove his drone from a combat situation, he concludes that, despite killing two of his own men, the fact that he could save thirty-eight others counterbalances the loss. (Incidentally, is this the first time that the military has been shown to be the more empathetic organization?) 

When he meets Leo, Harp is struck by his captain’s apparent compassion for all human life, despite his robotic existence. Leo’s desire to preserve the lives of all under his care recognizes their value, regardless of their strategic advantage. As such, Harp’s journey throughout the film becomes one that challenges him to understand what it truly means to be human, as taught by a machine. Having spent his life as a drone operator, Harp has maintained a certain level of distance from the realities of combat and human life yet his relationship with Leo provides him with the opportunity to become more intimately connected with others. In this way, Wire serves as a reminder of the importance of every human life, sometimes in defiance of logic and reason. (Though, admittedly, the film’s final twist threatens to undermine this conclusion.)

While there’s a lot to like about Outside the Wire, one can’t help but feel that there was the opportunity for so much more. Rather than focusing on the action and advanced tech, the film’s real strength lies in its characters, especially that of the more-evolved Leo. However, in the heat of too many battle scenes, it’s unfortunate that they are the ones who end up being left behind in the process.

Outside the Wire is streaming on Netflix now.

Cobra Kai: Still Alive and Kicking

by Leave a Comment

It’s not always easy to bring the past back to life.

For years now, we’ve seen films and series attempt to reboot or extend once-successful franchises with varying degrees of success. In a trend that never seems to go away, the hope continues to be that by latching onto what worked in the past, a refresh of the material will be welcomed back by old audiences while capturing new viewers. More often than not, with the passage of time, the magic is usually gone. Still, once in a while, a series manages to breathe new life into a dead franchise and create something new (or even better) than the original. 

This year, that series is Cobra Kai.

For those who haven’t yet heard, Cobra Kai is a sequel series to 80s classic The Karate Kid. Set thirty-four years after events of the infamous 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, Cobra Kai shows that the lives of the two former karate finalists have taken very different paths. Whereas tournament champ Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) has become a successful car salesman, his defeated opponent Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) struggles to make it through the day. Estranged from his son and working dead-end jobs, Johnny decides to find redemption by re-opening the Cobra Kai dojo of his youth and training a new generation of students. However, the rebirth of the controversial dojo reignites Johnny’s rivalry with LaRusso as their competing ideologies and methods unwittingly wreak havoc on the neighbourhood.

Once the property of YouTube Red, Season 3 sees the show moved permanently over to Netflix and, thankfully, the series feels as fresh and fun as its initial run. Although some side plots seem to distract from the overall storyline, the series manages to tie everything together in the end. Less about karate than it is about the brokenness of everyday people, Cobra Kai continues to be a generally slow burn of character development that climaxes with an epic finale. (Word to the wise, even though the last episode delivers what it promises, it definitely feels like a mid-season finale with a story arc built to reach its epic conclusion next year.) Well-written and energetic, Cobra Kai continues to care about its characters in ways that augment the action, as opposed to the other way around.

With the release of Season Three on Friday, the series picks up soon after the brutal high school brawl that hospitalized Miguel (Xolo Mariduena). With school starting up again, the Board has implemented a zero-tolerance policy towards violence of any kind (yet they don’t have any new security guards?). However, despite the school’s emphasis on peaceful reconciliation, tensions between Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do continue to boil under the surface. As Johnny grapples with his role in Miguel’s tragedy, Daniel takes a trip to Japan in an effort to strike a deal that may save the sagging profits of the dealership.

While the series unapologetically leans heavily into nostalgia, it doesn’t necessarily feel slavish to it. In many ways, Cobra Kai simply feels like checking in on old friends from long ago while admitting that their lives had continued on since we last saw them. Whereas some reboots get lost trying to recreate the past, this is a series about people that can’t seem to move on from it. Once the king of Cobra Kai in his youth, Johnny Lawrence continues to try and rebuild (and pass on) the legacy of the one seemingly stable influence he had in his youth. Despite its toxic teachings of the time, Johnny still believes there’s something to be learned from the mantra of Cobra Kai.

Admittedly, it’s still somewhat funny how much this particular city relies on karate to settle their differences but the series continues to acknowledge this with a wink. (“I don’t understand why karate is so important to this city,” one city counsellor remarks.) Even so, for Daniel and Johnny, karate symbolizes much more than punches and kicks. To these men, karate represents discipline, self-confidence and a way to find family and acceptance. Both men once viewed their sensei’s as father figures (with varying successes) and, in turn, they want to pass on that opportunity to the next generation.

The heart of Cobra Kai keeps the series meaningful, especially through the character of Johnny, who continues to be the show’s soul. With his outdated views of the world and desire to remain ‘badass’, Johnny wants to recreate the toxic atmosphere of Cobra Kai not out of a sense of nostalgia but more likely because it’s the only thing that he knows. Despite his wealthy upbringing, Lawrence’s growth remains stunted by the endless parade of noxious voices that fed him throughout his youth. From his cruel stepfather to his psychotic and violent sensei John Kreese (Martin Kove), his young life was marred by toxic male voices that have warped his worldviews. Even so, while Johnny may be broken, there’s a desire to be a better man within him. With every step towards redemption, Johnny finds that his greatest battle remains within himself as he struggles to overcome the pain of his past that have led to his own flawed ideas about life (and himself). Though arguably the series’ greatest villain, Johnny Lawrence yearns for a fresh start.

In fact, in the world of Cobra Kai, everyone is redeemable. (Well, mostly.)

Whereas the original films leaned heavily on tropes of ‘hero vs. villain’, the series fleshes out (most of) its characters with complexity. From the impetuous Miguel to the battle-hardened Hawk (or is it Eli?), Cobra Kai paints each of its characters with a brushstroke of grace that shows their humanity yet gives the even darkest of villains a glimmer of hope. (In fact, Season 3 even lets the villainous Kreese have his journey fleshed out in order to bring some nuance and empathy towards the character.) In other words, this is a series that recognizes that everyone’s story features a mixture of wins and losses while acknowledging the positive and negative voices of those that helped form who we are today.

Even after all this time, Cobra Kai is a franchise that’s still alive and kicking. By bringing the ‘Miyagi-verse’ back to life, Zabka and Macchio have created a truly refreshing sequel series that reveals what happens when our present struggles to reconcile with our past. Furthermore, as long as they continue to develop characters and stories that feel honest, there’s no question that Cobra Kai still has a lot of fight left in it.

Cobra Kai is available on Netflix with Season 3 released on January 1st, 2021.