Narcos: Season 1 - Snapshot

 

As part of my regular TV serial research I came across Narcos, but didn’t pay much attention to it, as it failed to grab my interest based on the synopsis. A month later a friend suggested I watch it and gave it to me on a flash drive. Not very sure on what to expect, and keeping a fairly open mind, I fired it up. Episode 1 of Season 1 felt almost like a history lesson, with a narrator going over past events to do with the South American Drug Cartels, and the efforts of the American DEA in the 60’s. The style was humorous, and the characters were slowly introduced. Over the next few episodes the characters developed, and what started out like a documentary, took shape in more crime drama sorta form. The plot revolves around the rise and fall of Pablo Escobar, the Colombian drug lord who is recorded as the wealthiest criminal in history. As the season plays out, it captures and portrays Pablo Escobar in wonderful detail. As much as he’s a criminal, his strong family values, and his incredible street smart and savvy business ways become evident; making for a very human and relatable character. His vision, being what separated him for the rest of the two-bit cut throat criminals. Wagner Moura who plays Escobar is brilliant; to the extent that just from his expressions you can tell what he is feeling and thinking, even in moments of complete silence. Overall the show makes for an interesting watch, being a balanced mix of entertainment and world history based on true events. Needless to say it’s a unique theme of interest, and does have its bits of graphic violence; so it certainly isn’t for all. There are a few funny moments woven into narrative, which help keep things light. Worth noting though is that the show is from the American Perspective. It would perhaps be interesting to understand how an actual Colombian or Narco would see it.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A Netflix crime drama based on true events surrounding Pablo Escobar)

Argo - Snapshot

 

Argo is a movie that requires little introduction thanks to its 3 Oscars, and several other wins and nominations. Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, the 2012 release is based on true events of the US hostage crisis of 1980 in Iran. The plot follows the creative solution devised by lead character Tony Mendez, to rescue 6 Americans under the guise of a fake movie production. In my honest opinion, the movie was nice, but was a far cry from being stellar. I do enjoy good dramas, so I won’t attribute it to my fondness for blockbuster action movies. The recreation of the 1980’s was meticulous, and it did have a strong period feel to it. Ben Affleck’s performance as the CIA operative Tony Mendez was excellent, coming across as passionate, intelligent, and driven. Supporting performances from John Goodman and Alan Arkin were also superb, bringing in some humor through their performances. I wasn’t aware of the 1980 hostage crisis, and Argo served as a remarkable retelling of that story, keeping the reality of the incident, the turmoil, and the human element intact. If you’re into movies based on historical events, Argo is worth the watch. Otherwise there is a fair chance you’ll find the movie a tad boring. I watched this one on DVD, and believe that the content wasn’t of the highest grade. Picture was pretty decent, but nothing special. It did have a dated look to it though, which I’m guessing was intentional.

My Recommendation: Watch It – (An interesting drama based on true events)

Lockout - Snapshot

Every now and then there are movies that aren’t promoted in a big way, owing to which you only learn of them later, often by accident. For specifically this purpose, I make it a point to research movies, director’s portfolios, and actor/actress filmographies, to hopefully identify such rare treasures. Lockout to me was one such discovery. The plot sounded interesting, as did the sci-fi premise, and the future prison in outer space. Guy Pearce plays a CIA operative who is given the seemingly impossible mission of infiltrating the space station and rescuing the president’s daughter, after the inmates break-free and chaos reigns supreme. The plot is about okay, though quite predictable, it fulfills its needs by sufficiently supporting the sci-fi action formula. Though the movie’s runtime is just 95 minutes, there were times when I felt it was dragging; needless to say beyond the superficial premise, and the silly-macho dialogs, it was lacking in the depth department. Also, a lot of the action sequences were crazy fast and very obviously CGI, taking away from the seriousness of the events. Guy Pearce’s performance as Snow is quite impressive though. I felt his character reminded me of Duke Nukem, who was in your face macho, to the point of it being comedic. Similarly, Peter Stormare (of Prison Break fame), who played CIA top dog Scott Langral, was convincing in his role as the government suit. Maggie Grace (of Lost fame), was about okay, nothing special but decent; she did justice to her character, the president’s daughter Emilie Warnock, who develops a love hate relationship with Snow. At the end of the day, Lockout is pretty forgettable, and perhaps therein lies the reason that it never became popular. So unless you’re a really big sci-fi action movie fan, you’re probably gonna find this movie sitting comfortably in the silly entertainment department.

My Recommendation: Dicey (Good for a casual watch and a lighter moment at best)  

Ant-Man - Snapshot

 

 

After the mammoth release that was Avengers - Age of Ultron, earlier this year, it seemed as if Ant-Man was a rather miniscule follow-up (pun intended), in the ongoing Marvel universe; so much so that I was even debating whether it deserved to be watched in the theatre. With the inclusion of Paul Rudd, it has the expected comedy feel, and was unlike any of the other blockbuster superhero movies in the Marvel lineup. As the narrative got rolling, the drama elements of the movie took center stage; with Ant-Man having more in common with the Spiderman movies, wherein a very normal and unexpected hero is born; one who has to battle with himself, as he learns to deal with his changes. That said, while I’m not a fan of the pacing of some of the Spiderman movies, Ant-Man holds audience interest throughout, and eventually settles in well into the Avengers ensemble; the usual Marvel style post end credits sequence, doing its bit. Perhaps the most notable component of the movie was the masterfully planned storyboard/scenes, made keeping in mind the special abilities of the Ant-Man character, truly showcasing his ‘shrinking’ prowess. The special effects employed in the action sequences are very impressive, with the intermittently changing scale contributing both to intense action and laughs a plenty. The cast also included Evangeline Lily of Lost fame; it was nice to see her in a role that had more emotion, in addition to her usual tough as nails persona.  It was a great reprisal for Michael Douglas as Dr. Hank Pym, the scientist behind the Ant-Man suit and abilities. Michael Peña is hilarious, adding some laughs by means of his snappy dialog. Judy Greer was remarkable as always in her supporting role, playing a mature character, in keeping with her aging visage. Should you watch Ant-Man? Hell yeah! It’s an unexpected gem, which will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A drama feature, in an otherwise action Marvel lineup)

World War Z - Snapshot

I watched the trailer for World War Z around the time of its release, and found some of the effects quite impressive, and the theme was certainly of interest. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to watch it in the theatre, and only got around to watching it last night, almost 2 years after its 2013 release. I hear that it’s an adaptation from a book, but since I neither read the book nor have a perspective on it, my thoughts are solely based on the movie as a standalone. By itself, as a zombie movie, it’s actually pretty darn good. The movie wastes no time getting into the action, with audiences being startled and rudely drawn into the action, shortly after the calm paced opening moments. All such sequences throughout the movie are supported well by visual and sound elements, to provide for a gritty and intense viewing experience; consistently maintaining the suspense levels. The movie sustains a pretty engaging pace, from one goal to the next. Though the blood and gore are comparatively lesser than usual zombie movies, World War Z has its share of carnage. Unlike some of its bloodier mainstream slasher movie counterparts, it feels like a Roland Emmerich blockbuster, with a global crisis to humanity sorta perspective; think 2012 meets Resident Evil. Some of the special effect were indeed amazing, especially the rapid insect like behavior of the zombies in the sequences in Israel. Gerry Lane played by Brad Pitt is the UN agent and the central character the audiences follow through the plot. While his uncanny ability to survive every one of the life threatening situations is hard to believe, assume that he has nine lives like a cat, and as long as you watch it as entertainment, you’ll have fun. From a performance perspective though, he does very well, proving that he is a pretty solid actor, with a good deal of range. Also worth mention was Mireille Enos, who plays the lead character’s wife, Karin Lane. If you usually find disaster movies like The Day After Tomorrow entertaining, combining elements of a global disaster, and a family’s survival struggle to follow, you’ll enjoy World War Z. Technically, the presentation was excellent, video looking very nice, with some phenomenal sweeping shots that would look amazing on a big screen. Special effects were impressive, and sound effects complemented it all superbly.

My Recommendation: Kick Ass (A zombie epidemic with a human drama setting) 

Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy - Snapshot

I stumbled upon Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, by accident during my routine movie research. Released in 2004, it stars Will Ferrell, and is supposed to be based on true events, documenting the male dominated news channel industry during the 70’s. As with most Will Ferrell movies, audiences get the usual dose of big, dumb, silly, and obnoxious humor. Set in a period where commercial industry was male dominated, it covers the theme of the emergence and recognition of female talent. The beauty of it was the rather strong theme which was exposed to the viewers in casual and comic manner. While the movie shares intertextuality with the television series Mad Men in some sense, it manages to constantly keep things light and cheesy. There is a romance element woven into the plot, which runs parallel to the main theme, but does not interfere or take away from the key focus; that being the rise and fall of Ron Burgandy, and the shift to women in news anchor roles.  The movie has it’s over the top moments, where channel anchors behave almost like superheroes, living life at a level that most mere mortals can’t relate to. Co-written by Will Ferrell, it’s clear that the Ron Burgandy role was meant for him. Ferrell was impeccable in his portrayal, and while it’s easy to give credit to serious drama performances, people easily overlook perfection in comedy roles such as this. His co-star Christina Applegate, and band of brothers per se, played by Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner all do splendid jobs, making for one well put together comic look at the 70’s newsroom. If you’re usually the kind to sink your thoughts and mental faculties in Oscar nominated movies, then Anchorman - The Legend Of Ron Burgundy, is probably not right for you. But if you’re looking for crazy situational comedy, randomness, and cheesy dialog and performances, which are quality funny, then I’d recommend you give this one a watch.  The material I was sampling was a 1080p rip from a Bluray source. Colors were bright and vivid, highlighting the oddly colorful and bright clothing adorned by the cast of the movie. Sound was presented by means of a 6 channel DTS soundtrack. Positional sound was limited, but there was some use of surround. Importantly the dialog was crisp and clear.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A cheesy over the top Will Ferrell comedy, set in the 70’s newsroom era)

The Terminator - Snapshot

As part of yet another run-up to an iconic franchise, I decided to fire-up The Terminator for a re-watch. When this movie was released in 1984, clearly I was too young to see it, and my parents flatly disallowed it. In fact, it was only after seeing Terminator 2:  The Judgement Day, that I got around to watching the opening installment. My first experience with it was an original region 4 Australia DVD; specs were really good, and on a modest TV with a stereo home-theater setup, it was a decent watch. I recall the movie being a little slow, and not so much a blockbuster like the sequel. Watching it today in 2015, as a much more discerning viewer, on a 5.1 surround sound system, and a big screen, introduced me yet again to the beginning of the Terminator saga. Online research will tell you that this was a comparatively low budget effort, that was unexpectedly successful, which garnered a cult following of sorts. In keeping with that, the movie has its dull dated almost B-movie moments. Expect no glitz and glamour, usually reminiscent of blockbuster movies. Special effects are decent, considering the age of this movie; and the 6 channel surround is actually pretty impressive. I was pleasantly surprised by the positional audio in many of the scenes, some even being just ambient environment sound transitions. Though the budget was low, the acting limited, and the movie slow and dark, what shines is the narrative process. Some of it is predictable, but that’s not to say that the slow exposition of key story elements isn’t interesting. Knowing and having seen the rest of the franchise, the awe and surprise is somewhat lessened. Camera work, angles, and how some sequences are depicted are quite distinctive and memorable. There are some slightly gruesome scenes, especially the manual repair sequences for the cyborg Terminator. Going into the franchise though, a lot of the key characters are introduced here, including the doctor at the mental institution in the next installment. Similarly there are several iconic dialogs, including “Come with me if you want to live”, and “I’ll be back”. If you’re a Terminator fan, this is a must watch. On the other hand, general modern day action movie goers may find it hit or miss. 

My Recommendation: Watch It (The humble beginnings of possibly the best movie franchise ever)

I Love You, Beth Cooper - Snapshot

During a road-trip vacation in 2013, a couple of friends and I decided to watch a movie post dinner on a netbook, and the random pick from a portable external drive happened to be I Love You, Beth Cooper. Having stumbled onto it completely by accident, it came as a surprise to me to see Hayden Panettiere in it; whose existence I was unaware of, prior to the extremely popular TV serial, Heroes. Online research revealed that she has in fact done a bunch of movies and TV serials prior to Heroes, and this was one of them. The rest of the cast is not really popular, but it’s worth mentioning that they all did well, in this crazy high-school comedy. The male lead Paul Rust is pretty funny in his geeky performance, alongside other stereotype yet funny characters. Going into it, I knew nothing about the movie, but watching the non-stop nonsense unfold in a manner similar to the Harold and Kumar movies, made for a pretty entertaining watch. The bulk of the movie happens over the course of an all-night adventure, which undoubtedly ends well. Just think Harold and Kumar with a touch of romance, and that’s I Love You, Beth Cooper for you. The content we sampled was a lossy DivX DVD rip, so picture was washed out, and audio was a plain-Jane stereo mp3; for casual viewing on a small screen though, it sufficed. If you’re in the mood for something casual, silly, and fun, you’ll probably enjoy I Love You, Beth Cooper.

My Recommendation: Watch It – (A run of the mill, high-school comedy)

Bruno - Snapshot

Ever since my Borat experience I have been an ardent Sacha Baron Cohen fan, because what he delivers as a package, from the concept, to the lead role, is usually fantastic, and makes for phenomenal comedy. That’s how I stumbled upon Bruno, released in 2009, three years after Borat. Though the critical acclaim was lesser, I finally got myself an HD rip and checked it out. In keeping with his over the top concepts and portrayal is Bruno, a very queer, intensely ridiculous, story of an Austrian entertainer who wants to make it big in showbiz. Similar to Borat he moves to the US, this time in search of fame, only to do things that are wrong at so many levels. Be warned that if you’re homophobic, Bruno as a movie is literally on the edge of what maybe too much. That said, this intensity is why Sacha Baron Cohen is brilliant, and expect to be cracking up and just totally losing it. As expected, he owns, lives, and breathes the Bruno character. The documentary style shooting, the narration from the lead character, and the overall plot progression of ridiculous and obnoxious attempts at achieving a goal is very much in keeping with the format used in Borat. If you enjoyed that craziness, in all likeliness this is worth the watch. On the other hand if you’re looking for something completely original and different, or are easily put-off by queer themes, steer clear of Bruno. The content I was sampling was a 720p rip from Bluray, with a 6 channel DTS soundtrack. The video has a documentary film camera kinda look, with film grain. The presentation was clear and favored warm colors. The strategic use of music to amplify funny moments was done brilliantly.

My Recommendation: Watch It (Gratuitously Gay Madness)

Mad Max: Fury Road - Thoughts

Having recently watched the 1979 classic, I thought it would be near impossible for the 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road to come close. I would go as far as saying that my expectation was that they’d botch it up, cause heck, the original Mad Max was a masterpiece. Interestingly, I was in for a surprise yet again; and if you’ve read my Mad Max review, you’d see that exceeding expectations is a commonality between these movies.

  

The first departure from the current trend was that Fury Road isn’t a reboot; rather it just serves as a continuation of the various adventures of the Max character. Intact is much of the original glory, while keeping true to various aspects of the previous installments in the series. Kicking things off with a brief intro, Max is portrayed more as a troubled man living with the demons from his past, versus an outright hero. The antagonist is a maniacal warlord, in an almost godlike setting, which quite reminded me of the Stargate movie. Pacing is pretty much non-stop, and frantic, with the bulk of the movie being one long non-stop chase. In keeping with the creativity of the original, clans, battle tactics, and characters, are truly unique, with the attackers on the poles being striking. The special effects are impressive, with special mention to the sequence in the sandstorm. The war brigade is fascinating, with a traveling music troupe as part of the crew, which just screams opulence and craziness. It quickly reminded me of the war chants and craziness of the Persian warlords of the past. Where it departs from the original, is its large scale, massive action, and hero dynamics; by virtue of being a blockbuster, it has a fictional feel. The uncanny coincidence between Max's wife, and Furiosa, played by Charlize Theron is intriguing. Technically, picture detail was fabulous, with incredible clarity.  In closing, though not a classic like the original, it’s certainly worth the watch. So if you haven’t, consider checking it out, as its still playing in most theaters.

Having seen both movies under an hour apart, one on DVD and the next in the theater, perhaps the similarity and successes shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, the creator and director of the original, George Miller, was at the helm of the 2015 Mad Max: Fury Road. No wonder the creativity and continuity is intact, with an output that is in line with the legend that is now Mad Max.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (Newer, Bigger, and just as Crazy as Mad Max ought to be)

Mad Max - Thoughts

Mad Max is one of those movies I’d heard of growing up, but never had a chance to see, as it was before my time. Being a cult classic, and perhaps the pioneer in post-apocalyptic themed movies, it joined my watch list. The ironic part is me finally watching it less than an hour before hitting the theatre for the 2015 Mad Max – Fury Road release. To the unfamiliar, Mad Max is the story of a highway law enforcer, set in a chaotic and desolate world of the future, taking on a ruthless biker gang.

Being a really old movie, I had set my expectations fairly low, because I figured that with time it would have lost its charm; but boy was I wrong. Kicking things off with no introduction, audiences are thrown right into the action from the get go. The visual and narrative style are raw, uncut, and downright crude like the theme and setting of the movie. The world is portrayed as desolate, where society has fallen, governments and order have failed, and what remains are people who have lost all moral values. As the plot unfolded, it was interesting to observe the brand of twisted humor that was woven into the narrative. Though not obvious, with the heavy setting of the world in a state of decay, with carnage and gore in many of the sequences,  the comic elements help balance things and make for a good viewing experience. Worth special mention is the theatrical sense to the acting, and the overall presentation. Thanks to the attention given to the various elements, be it the costumes and set design, the acting and performances, or the editing and narrative exposure, Mad Max is in every sense a classic, and a genre defining movie. All the jagged elements are masterfully aligned, to create an ensemble presentation, that’s well paced, and has a long lasting, forever sorta feel. And the best part yet, is that as much as this future is tragic and decadent, it actually feels real, and somewhat plausible. Kudos to George Miller, the creator and director, for the artsy legacy created in Mad Max.

Characters are similarly crude with rough edges, with several stereotypes. You can’t but laugh with an antagonist named Toecutter, but then again, when the violence is unleashed, it gets very real, very fast. In addition to the treacherous biker gang, all the nomad villains are pretty cut throat and scary. Mel Gibson stars as Max, the title character. He is incredibly young, and does a decent job; his sense of inexperience and immaturity, fitting in well, as his character slowly evolves into a more heroic one.

The DVD I was watching was an India spec DVD, but it looked like the content hadn’t been changed in any way from other international releases. The presentation was decent, and though the picture looked dated, it was clear, especially in the case of skin texture. Sound was a very primitive Dolby 1.0; the center channel was sorely missed in the case of dialog, with the overall sound levels being really low.

My Recommendation: Watch It + (A classic that lives up to the words mad, and max)

Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show with Katy Perry - Thoughts

For those living outside the US, ‘Super Bowl’ may not hold much significance, but for those Stateside, unless you've been living under a rock, the NFL Super Bowl is the biggest annual sports event; incidentally also North America's biggest money-making sports TV event. Over the years the half time show has had various leading music artists’ perform to record viewership; past talent including Madonna, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars. For Super Bowl XLIX, where the Seattle Seahawks were facing off against the New England Patriots, it was Katy Perry’s turn to entertain.

For those who missed the show, you can watch it on YouTube in HD, and enjoy Katy’s popular hits, and the performance that went on to be seen by 118.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched halftime show ever.

Personally I enjoyed the show, as Katy Perry’s music was catchy and fun as always. Lenny Kravitz’s piece was a nice touch, and the way they worked and sounded together put a rock spin on an otherwise Pop presentation. Teenage Dreams and California Girls were cute, with the colorful beach setting. In terms of dance moves, that’s probably the style that worked for Katy the best. While I didn't really care for Get Ya Freak On by Missy Elliot, it’s probably because her music isn’t really to my taste. Media critics did rave about it though, and Missy Elliot found her way up the Billboard Charts thanks to her Super Bowl performance. Fireworks was a good closer, cause the way the whole stage came alive, the effects, raising Katy into the air; it was really the peak of the presentation, with some goosebump inducing moments.

To me the spectacle was the marvelous animated stage everyone performed on, and the way the dancers interacted with it; especially for Roar, which the show opened with. The pieces of the floor collapsed, with dancers standing on the final remaining pillars, and then towards the songs end all the columns started dropping and they had to jump into and congregate at the center. Superbly visualized and planned.

If you couldn't be in Glendale, Arizona on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015 for the show, fire up YouTube and give it a watch; it’ll be 20 minutes well spent. The show was a big deal for Katy Perry as well, who went on to celebrate the halftime performance in a very permanent way, by tattooing the roman numerals ‘XLIX’ on her finger!

My Recommendation: Watch It + (Katy Perry rockin Super Bowl)

2001: A Space Odyssey - Thoughts

2001: A Space Odyssey is easily one of the most acclaimed Sci-Fi movies of all time. Owing to its release in 1968, I didn't have the opportunity to watch it at the time, but it has been on my watch-list forever. I finally got around to it sometime during the first half of 2014. With the recent release of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, there is talk of the elements it draws for the 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the similarities they share. I've even heard people talking about going back and watching the Stanley Kubrick masterpiece, to better understand the genre.

To me, 2001: A Space Odyssey was perhaps a different animal of sorts. While the intelligent artificial intelligence in the form of the H.A.L. 9000, and the memorable score of 2001: A Space Odyssey is nothing short of legendary, be aware that though iconic, it is a relic from a different era. It took quite a bit of patience to sit through its seemingly never-ending 160 minute runtime. There were extremely long scenes that showed sequences that we are perhaps used to seeing in lesser detail, such as the ship docking for eons. While I believe that intent here is art, if you have a fairly limited attention span, expect to be getting frustrated. What perhaps bothered me the most was the metaphorical plot aspect of the movie. While it’s interesting to have twisted plots to analyze, crack, and figure out, here it felt like there was no real plot at all. I would recommend 2001: A Space Odyssey to hardcore sci-fi movie buffs, who perhaps want to understand the roots of the genre, and also analyze movies as a whole. But outside of that, if you’re in it more for the entertainment, and the modern/futuristic element, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll enjoy it. 

I watched it on DVD, which was a Region 1 US release. My understanding is that the DVD featured digitally restored content that perhaps improved the video transfer quality. That said, the overall look and feel was truly dated, but thankfully not poor as a result of the restoration. The score was iconic; so hearing it blaring on 5.1 surround has a very commanding presence to it. The presentation was good overall, and if you do choose to check it out, you’ll do well with the DVD; though a Bluray version is also available now.

My Recommendation: Dicey (An Sci-Fi epic from a different era)

Let’s Be Cops - Snapshot

Ever seen a comedy where the premise is so wrong and impractical that it’s actually ridiculously funny and makes for a total entertainer? The 2014 release Let’s Be Cops is exactly that. Two best buds, struggling on the career front, end up dressing as cops for a reunion party, and have what is perhaps one of their best evenings ever. Unwilling to give up the glory, they decide to do it a few more times, and end up getting entangled in a underground mob scheme, and need to figure a way out of the mounting chaos. The lead characters are played by Jake Johnson, and Damon Wayans Jr., who are crazy funny as the comedy duo. The characterization is cool, with some memorable, sometimes over the top, yet hugely laughable characters. Other notable performances come from Nina Dobrev, Rob Riggle, and Andy Garcia, who all put in decent acts. Overall the emotions felt real, the humor wasn't cheesy, and the plot played out at a decent pace, making for a truly fun watch. Having watched this on-board an aircraft, the limitations of the presentation equipment made it hard to fully enjoy and experience the technical aspects. Picture/video seemed pretty normal though, with color tones reminding me of the TV show CSI at times. If you’re looking for a light, fun, entertainer that provides its share of laughs, has a good plot, and doesn't get boring from time to time, you can’t go wrong with Let’s Be Cops.

My Recommendation: Watch It (So wrong that it’s so right)

The Last Ship: Season 1 - Thoughts

I came across The Last Ship as part of my routine media research, and the show caught my attention for various reasons, including its plot premise, Michael Bay’s association, and Rhona Mitra’s casting. Once Season 1 was complete, I decided to get myself a copy and check it out. The plot would kinda giveaway the pilot, but let’s just say that it’s a post-apocalyptic theme, set in present day, that stays true to the shows name.

 

After watching a few episodes it became apparent to me that the show draws inspiration from the 2012 movie Battleship; the sea warfare theme, the overall pace and setting, and even the title text. The pilot introduces viewers to the plot, with every episode after having individual plots, while still working towards the larger long-term plot. Most of the individual episodes are set on land, and take away from the full-on sea warfare, which perhaps makes sense from a budget standpoint, though I’d have liked more war-games at sea with the destroyer. Some episodes end with intense cliffhangers, while some others don’t; but the overall pace of the show is calm for most part, though the plot conflicts are purportedly grave. Some episodes are reminiscent of the cold war, which was an interesting setting in today’s day and age, wherein cold war themes are considered quite passé. With just 10 episodes in the first season, it’s a short season. The show is interesting to watch, though not the most gripping. It’s hard to say if it’ll get another successful season. If you’re into post-apocalyptic themes, like battleships, and enjoy action TV shows, certainly give this one a watch. But if those themes don’t sound fun to you, or if you’re looking for all out sea battle, The Last Ship may not be the best suited.

With an exception of Rhona Mitra, most other cast members are fairly unknown. The lead male role of Commanding Officer Tom Chandler is played by Eric Dane; though unfamiliar with his past work, he did a decent job, meshing the family element, while also taking on a strong commanding role, with vision and wisdom. Rhona Mitra plays Dr. Rachel Scott, who leads the scientific piece of the plot, and gives a performance in line with the rest of her work. It’s a strong character, with a lot resting on her shoulders, and some internal struggles at play; overall dealt by Rhona effectively. Marissa Neitling plays Lt. Kara Foster, who does a good job of seeming fairly junior, and overwhelmed by the turn of events. She is very expressive with her eyes, and it would be interesting to see her in other roles.

The content I was sampling was an 1080p HD rip of what I’m guessing is HDTV content. It could also be from a Bluray source though. Sound was presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. I didn’t notice any post-production tones or hues, video looked natural, and sound in the action sequences was ample. Picture was mostly clear, and some of the outdoor scenes and visuals were quite nice. On a big screen I’d imagine it’d be quite picturesque.

My Recommendation: Watch It (A post-apocalyptic action serial set at sea)