Cooked Goose – Google

This show is really good. Writing this only having watched the first three episodes, it is clear there is going to be depth of character development, and deep emotions on display. It tells you, right from the start, that this will be a slow burn show. I don't understand the other reviews here slating it. Did none of you read about what this was going to be about? This is the origin story of Cassian, mixed in to an espionage thriller. It's not about Jedi, and set piece Fleet battles. This show will be more about the human (and alien) cost of the empires occupation and subjugation of planets and systems under their control. With the focus on the cost of fighting back against such tyranny. So far, great acting. With a solid cast, and intelligently written script. Let's hope Kathleen Kennedy was kept as far away from this as she was from the Mandalorian.

SPOILERS Contained in this review. One of the dumbest films I've ever seen. Interesting concept involving androids. With no hint of any reason why the androids rebelled. Pregnant protagonist, adding to the drama, but really just highlighting a poor story. Really poor drone sfx. A plot twist that was as obvious as it was contrived. A military base out of a bad comic book. With the super secret weapon surrounded, conveniently, with dead guards, and the key. To be defended by a woman in a wheelchair. Holding a baby, and a pistol. Plot holes you could drive a truck through, which they did... Seriously... This was rubbish. Do better.

This show is a poor remake. Systemic of sloppy writing, aimed at a dummed down audience. The 'McCall' character has always been one of a loner, with occasional friends, who owe/provide favours. Both Edward Woodward's portrayal in the 80s TV show, and Denzel Washington's from the movies, give believable performances of a tortured ex spy who's burnt out, yet still retains a strong moral code of right and wrong. This current iteration could be forgiven for being another NCIS or CSI clone. I'm waiting for the episode where she sends material to 'the lab' for analysis... One of McCalls strengths has always been the degree of anonymity, afforded to the character by way of their experience of working clandestine operations for the 'agency' or as we the audience know, the CIA. Queen Latifas iteration, objectively, would not work outside of the USA. Put her portrayal of McCall in China, or Europe, or Russia, and I doubt being the ubiquitous 'sassy black woman' would last more than 5 minutes, and fool no one. And that, in my humble opinion, is exactly what the writers want. Sassy black woman kicks butt, each week. And if that's what you as a viewer want, have at it! This show will please the socks off you. No where is the angst-ridden torment of McCalls past really mentioned. This version of McCall has it all instead. A family, though her daughter reeks of entitlement. A cool bat cave, which houses hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of tech, staffed by her own on-call techno-geek. Who with a few taps of his keys, or convenient application of a program he just wrote, solves the show practically, every week. No questions asked. Oh, and did I mention her on-call sniper/best friend? Who shows up whenever McCall needs her. There is suspending your disbelief, to allow a show or movie to craft a world that's enjoyable to watch, and then there's cloud coo-coo land, where this show, for me, firmly resides. Please forgive any formatting errors, this was written on a phone.

Coming to this as someone unfamiliar with the original books or characters, I found some really poor world building and sloppy character development. The adults are short sighted and naive. The students are petulant and very clichéd. We are to believe that there are multiple realms, yet aren't told any more than that they exist. We are told that there are burned ones, yet aren't told where they come from, what they are, or why they are fighting them. This school for magic that they all live in, seems confused as to its purpose. Is it a school or a training facility? Are the specialists, that enjoy wearing impractical armour and waving edged weapons all over the place, magical? Or human? And why edged weapons? Why not modern weaponry if it set in a world where royalty rocks up in a Bentley? Also, if you can 'magic' these burned ones with fairy elemental magic, why do you need someone to poke it with a sharp stick to finish it off? I could go on, there are many more examples, but I won't. I hope you get the idea. This series works if you switch your brain off and enjoy watching beautiful people (think twilight) having 'dramas'. There is so much wasted potential here.

The suspension of disbelief is required when telling any story, so that character development may progress and the story, or film may be told and enjoyed. The line between believable and unbelievable depends largely on the viewers own experiences and what the story tries to convince you as true. My perspective makes this film laughably far-fetched. That being said, the cast is very strong. The set pieces are enjoyable in a "everything explodes" fashion, and if you can stop your brain from calling bs on some of the underwater shenanigans, it's a solid five out of ten. The Hunt for Red October or Das Boot this film most definitely isn't. But it's nice to see some CGI submarines again.