j_forbesy Reviews

Arrow: Doppelgänger (2018) Season 6, Episode 15

Arrow - S06E15 Doppelganger

[8/10 · 9 March 2018]

Last week on Arrow we received an absolute stinker of an episode. It was by far the worst of the season and was easily up there (or down there) with some of the worst of the series. With that, the bar was set extremely low for this week's episode, and that helped a lot.

This episode was not perfect but it was a hell of a lot better than last week's. To start, each plot line was clear and logical, each character's motivation was understandable, and the technical aspects of the episode were solid. Not to mention that the overall story was focused around Roy, who was a fan favourite character from the early season of Arrow.

Sticking with the focus of Roy, I thought that the writers had a really creative way to bring him back. This trial against Oliver is a story arc that seems to have been forgotten in recent weeks but this episode used Roy to reignite it. Colten Haynes did a great job with Roy as always and I hope he hangs around in the coming weeks.

Moving into the Laurel part of the episode, I thought it was handled a lot better this week then last week's episode. Firstly I liked how they gave Dinah a head of reason this episode and they allowed her to be an understanding character that put her selfish desires aside. They also back off the creepiness in the relationship between Laurel and Quentin. While there are still a few odd moments between them, I like how they are playing it off as Laurel trying to dedicate herself to the role of being Earth 1 Laurel even though we know she is playing them.

Spinning off from Laurel, I thought Diaz had a very strong presence this episode. In the past few episodes he has turned from sidekick to big bad and this one of the first times we saw him as a physical presence. His fight with Thea not only looked great but showed his skill level in hand to hand combat.

I need to take a moment to talk about Thea and what seems like the birth of a new story arc for her. Thea has always been one of my favourite characters so it was great to see her back in action, however the thought of her having her own personal story is really exciting. I am some who for the most part enjoyed season 3 with the League of Assassins and Ra's so it's great to see some of it coming back into the show considering how tied into Thea's story it is.

Overall, a really solid episode from Arrow. It wasn't outstanding in any way but it kept my attention the whole episode and I walked away with no major negatives standing out.

8.5/10

The Flash: Enter Flashtime (2018) Season 4, Episode 15

The Flash - S04E15 Enter Flashtime

[10/10 · 7 March 2018]

On this week of the Flash we had a much smaller scale episode compared to what we have had the past few episodes. Majority of this episode took place within Flashtime which naturally means the amount of events to take place is very few as time is moving very slow. This gave this episode that smaller scale episode feel and the episode really thrived because of it.

Before jumping into the Flashtime stuff, I want to talk about what was my personal highlight of the episode and that is Harry and Jesse. Although it was only a couple of scenes, those scene were extremely strong and emotional. Their father/daughter relationship is one I have always really enjoyed because they are really the only dysfunctional relationship we have on the show.

Moving into the stuff with Flashtime, I thought all of it is great. Seeing John Wesley Shipp back was fantastic as always. Violett Beane did a great job in these scenes as well as her scenes with Tom Cavangh, but the stand out really was Grant Gustin as Barry. We have seen many sides of an emotional Barry but this was different. The way Gustin portrayed the role of this distraught Barry was fantastic and was much of the reason why this episode stood so strong.

The use of the nuclear bomb was a great plot device to bring on the Flashtime stuff. It worked great because it wasn't a straight forward fix. While for me personally I would have rathered that Barry thought of the solution based off something Iris said rather than the other way around, either way it still worked really well within the story. My hope is that there is in some way a reply from the speed force because I find that some of the best episodes of the Flash is when they are fleshing out the mythology of the speed force.

Focusing on the end of the episode, it was great to see what we can now assume is Dawn West-Allen again. With the short break that took place, I had honestly forgot about this part of the season. With still quite a few episodes to go I am really looking forward to see when and how they factor her into this season and what her role is going to be in taking down DeVoe, or if she even has a role at all.

Overall, a great episode of the Flash. It didn't quite break into those top tier episodes for me but it is defiantly on the cusp of it. It had great emotion, character moments and didn't really have any major negatives that I could identify as major flaws.

9.5/10

Arrow: Collision Course (2018) Season 6, Episode 14

Arrow - S06E14 Collision Course

[5/10 · 2 March 2018]

Arrow is back after having a short break off the air. Before going on break, I thought that the last episode was quite solid, however there were a couple of negatives I had about it that I wished would be adjusted this episode. Unfortunately those two negatives were the core of this episode, and it made for one hell of a stinker of an episode.

The first negative that carried through into this episode was the story arc with the Lance's. I though that the Quentin and Laurel stuff last episode entered a new area of creepy. They didn't slow down with that this episode. Their whole relationship is odd at this point and to see that Quentin would lie about her to protect her makes no sense at all.

The second negative, and perhaps the biggest, is the civil war we have between the two teams.Much of this blame I put on the writers of how they have written the new team. It is simply childish. Their arguments are illogical and they constantly flip flop their opinion and at times have to grasp at straws to find something else to be made at each other about.

What makes me really disappointed in these negatives was that both these story arcs were ones that I saw great potential in. I thought that the Lance's relationship could grow and we could see a nice redemption of some sort for Laurel. The splitting of the teams had an interesting dynamic that I though the writers would use to teach each team a lesson. But instead they did what many of these CW shows do. They caused unnecessary drama, which then fuelled more unnecessary drama. At the moment we are stuck in an unnecessary drama loop that I am struggling to see some resolution to.

Overall, I have had my ups and downs with this show, however every now and then an episode comes along and forces those downs even lower. There only saving graces I had with this episode was the performances of Blackthorne and Cassidy, the action done well on a technical level, and the reveal that Black Siren is going to take over Earth 1 Laurel's identity.

5.5/10

The Flash: Subject 9 (2018) Season 4, Episode 14

The Flash - S04E14 Subject 9

[8/10 · 28 February 2018]

The Flash is back after yet another short break and it is here to stay until this season wraps up. Having not have had the Flash on our screens for a bit, I was worried that this episode would play it a bit safe and act as a bit of a remind as to what was happening. Luckily, this episode seems to have picked up where we left off and has really started to put to the foot down towards the end of this season.

I think this was a really solid episode despite having a few flaws. I want to address those flaws first. The first major one was yet again Barry revealing himself as the Flash. At this point of the series it has become a bit of a trope that the Flash is just going to rip the mask off whenever he feels like it, but it doesn't mean that it is suddenly something I am okay with.

The second negative I had with this episode was the relationship that formed between Izzy and Ralph. While at the start I thought they clicked well and it overall gave some great character moments for Ralph, there simply wasn't enough time invested into it that made me care about Ralph's emotions once she was gone. They spend all but a day together and it is unrealistic that Ralph could get that level of being attached to her.

Moving into the positives, I want to start small but focusing on the Harry and Cecile plot line for a second. The Flash does a great job at having these little side stories that are entertaining yet relevant in some way. I thought the back and forth between Harry and Cecile was great and it really gave as an insight into the current mind set of Harry. I also really liked how it brought us to the cerebral inhibitor from last season.

Like many fans, I was waiting for the moment that the inhibitor reintroduced itself and I thought they did a great job with it by giving it a twist. After seeing the original scene with Savitar, it makes perfect sense that the inhibitor would not actually work and I really liked how they took that route. While there's nothing stopping Team Flash from working on it and still using it to stop DeVoe, for now it seems that that connection to last season is done.

I have already mentioned Izzy in reference to the negatives of the episode, however I thought overall as a character she worked quite well. I thought that the actress, Miranda MacDougall, did a great job and the writing team utilised her quite well for the most part. With still three metas left, I'm not expecting many of them to stick around that long, but it is great that we will get more of Izzy as DeVoe like we did with Becky.

Another thing I took away as a major positive of this episode was the way that Barry has stood up as a leader. This is the first season where getting faster is just not an option so it is good to see the writers start to use Barry in other ways. While he is the title character and him being a speedster is what us as viewers come to see, I am really liking how they are spending some time fleshing out Barry from behind the mask rather than just Barry as the Flash.

Overall, a solid episode that did it's job. The short break didn't have any major effects on how the story flowed and I think that is much credit to how this episode was constructed. While this wasn't a perfect episode, I feel as though they are starting to ramp out towards the end of the season, especially with the new discovery of DeVoe possibly travelling to different dimensions.

8/10

Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther Review

[9/10 · 14 February 2018]

Black Panther is the 18th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the last before the MCU's biggest film yet, Avengers: Infinity War. Black Panther was always going to be a comic book film that held significance. Like Wonder Woman last year, Black Panther has a cultural significance to it that is going to have a positive effect for the communities it is representing.

Like all MCU films in recent years, Black Panther has it's own unique feel. This film has the perfect blend of the space and futuristic setting that Guardians presents with the ancientness and mystical shown in Doctor Strange. Ryan Coogler's directing really leans into that with many shots and scenes embracing the style and reaping the benefits.

Also adding to the overall unique feel of the film is the use of music and score. I have always been a big fan of Ludwig Goransson's work with Childish Gambino and I though he did an amazing job with the music. The way it blended African instruments into the score and background music helped set the tone that this film presents. Much credit can also be given to Kenrick Lamar and the decision to bring him on in the first place for the soundtrack. Throughout the film you can hear his touches all throughout and it was a perfect foil to the tradition African instruments.

While I have given much credit to the technical aspects of the film, it does not discount the work done by Ryan Coogler and his cast. As mentioned before, Coogler set a tone with this film that feels really unique and did a terrific job in pulling as these pieces together. The work done by Coogler puts him up there along side the work done by Taika Watiti last year as some of the best directing done by a director in the MCU.

Getting into the cast, every one amazing in what they had to do. This film had quite a large cast and majority of them got a least one big moment that they got to step up and take a lead role in a scene. To highlight a few performances, Chadwick Boseman took what he did in Civil War and pushed it to a new limit, Michael B. Jordan nailed the role and cemented himself as one of the best villains in the MCU and Lupita Nyong'o brought life into a new character that I am looking forward to seeing in the years to come. Mentioning these roles of course takes nothing away from all the other great performances such as Letita Wright, Andy Serkis, Martin Freeman, Forest Whitaker, Daniel Kaluuya and Danai Gurira.

Like all MCU films, Black Panther is packed full of action. Again like most MCU films, the action style from Black Panther is a lot different to what we have previously see. The closest comparison for the style of action is something like from the TV show Vikings. We get to see some great tribe battles while getting some really well executed one on one battles.

What most of the MCU films get right is the overall writing of the film, and Black Panther is no different. The story was extremely well written and fleshed out. The overall dialog with the characters was great with some terrific beats of humour. From a writing standpoint, there isn't anything in this film that could be seen as at least solid writing.

Black Panther is a film that I believe doesn't have any glaring negatives. While each person will come out with little things here and there they didn't enjoy about the film, it is hard to pin point anything that felt out of place or poorly executed. For me, the only slight negative I had is that I feel that the film did not overall cover that much story. While I never felt like the pacing was off or that anything was rushed through, when I looked back at the film and recap it in my head, the list of everything that happened felt quite short. I would have been perfectly happy if they extended the film by 10 minutes or so and added an extra sequence, however the film works perfectly fine without it.

Overall, I loved this film. While I am not the community that this film is going to effect significantly, I could still feel the significance of it like I did with Wonder Woman. On top of that, this film is a technical masterclass that all by helps the terrific performances and work done by Ryan Coogler and everyone else involved.

9/10

Arrow: The Devil's Greatest Trick (2018) Season 6, Episode 13

Arrow - S06E13 The Devil's Greatest Trick

[8/10 · 9 February 2018]

Like the other CW superhero shows, this was Arrow's last episode before it goes on a four week break. With that it needed to do what the other show did quite a good job at, which is tying up some loose ends while setting up some new plot points that the final part of the season can pick up and run with.

Arrow in the past has been a show that has had a fairly inconsistent track record with big episodes. Thankfully I can put this one down as a positive one. This episode did everything it needed to do. The biggest plot point it had on it's plate was Cayden James. Going into this episode, I thought that he would be around towards the back end of the season before possibly switching him out for another big bad, however this all happened this episode. I thought that the writers decision to both flesh out Cayden through flashbacks and then kill him off was a great idea. Previous to this episode, us as the audience had no real connection to him, however this episode formed that connection and then took it away from us.

With that, I thought that the decision to make Dragon the one who betrayed Cayden was the logically decision as all the other members had some form of connection to Team Arrow already. Even though it was an expected decision, I thought that the way the final scene played out with Dragon and Cayden was excellent. Up until that point, Dragon seemed like just another henchmen for Cayden to control, however with this scene they showed that he has what it takes to be a crime lord villain in this city.

However, despite doing some great positives with the main arc of the episode, there were a few negatives to be had. These negatives are ones that are rather minor in the context of the season, however when viewing just this episode, they stand out amongst some of great stuff this episode had to offer.

The first is the writers decision to make William an idiot and go to the abandoned theatre. While I thought we did get some great stuff with William being there, especially the observation made by Cayden about this ending with Oliver's son like it started with his own, it doesn't excuse the poor motivations of putting him in that place to begin with. William as a character is one that I think is very inconsistent. Some episodes I think they utilise him great and write him as a typical teenager, while other times he is illogical and does something completely stupid that any kid that age would never do.

The second is the constant drag on from Rene about how the two teams will remain separate. While I enjoy how the writers decided to split the team up into two divisions, us as the audience do not need a constant reminded that the teams will not join back together officially. I thought that the reason for driving them apart was well done because both teams in some way betrayed each other, but having Rene constantly making reference to it makes his character come off as childish when he was the one to start the cycle originally.

Into the final negative, this also comes from an arc I was on board with previously and that was Quentin and Laurel. Last week's episode did a great job in setting up the conflict within Laurel, which made the arc of Quentin wanting to redeem Laurel interesting to me. However in this episode they do a complete 180 with Laurel. While I think there is still some conflict within her, this episode made a strong point of saying that at this moment in time, Laurel will not turn. That in itself is not an issue, however the issue comes when we focus on Quentin's response to that. Quentin went straight out creepy in this episode. Considering he has been fighting with himself about whether he will try and redeem Laurel or not, the overbearing nature he showed this episode seems way to unnatural to the character of Quentin.

Overall, this was a really solid episode from Arrow. If it wasn't for the minor negatives that by the end of the season will be meaningless, this episode could have been one of the best of the season.

8.5/10

The Flash: True Colors (2018) Season 4, Episode 13

The Flash - S04E13 True Colors

[9/10 · 7 February 2018]

In this episode of The Flash, we got a prison break, a new set of abilities and what appears to be a major victory for Team Flash. Considering the break this show is about to undergo, this episode did what it needed to by tying up a few plot lines so that when we return, we can start a new chapter in this season.

Firstly I want to start with everything involving Barry. I really enjoyed his prison break scenes because it really displayed not only his leadership skills but also his science skills. Barry's science skills often get put in the back seat because of having the likes of Cisco, Harry and Caitlin, so it was great that the show used this opportunity to show what Barry can do if he was left to his own knowledge. I'll touch on this a bit more later but I liked how Barry was consistent in his stance of finding a legal way out of prison. I like this because it made the writers come up with a creative way to remove him rather than just having him faze out every time the Flash was needed.

Which brings me to Ralph's newly discovered abilities. When it first happened I though that it could be a really strange thing to introduce into the show, however the way that they explained it and utilised it made me feel like it has a place in this show. As we saw, they used it to free Barry and I thought that was great. The reason I think this is great is that this release could go one of two ways. Either Team Flash, or more specifically Ralph, outsmarted DeVoe and used his abilities that were give to him by DeVoe to free Barry, or DeVoe predicted that this was happen and that is why Ralph was needed in his master plan. No mater which was it goes, I think it is a positive move for the show. Adding on to that, I am interested to see if there is more DeVoe has planned for Ralph. They are setting up that there is however if it turns out DeVoe planned the releasing of Barry, then Ralph may have already served his purpose.

To focus a bit on DeVoe and Marlize, I think we have started to see a way for Team Flash to overcoming DeVoe. I always had the feeling that Marlize would not remain loyal to DeVoe and after this episode, I think that is stronger then ever. It has been interesting to see how much she has evolved in the last few weeks. Only a month ago she was telling Iris that she would do anything for her husband. Now she is doubting if her loyalty has been mislead and that if they are still accomplishing everything they planned to do.

Overall, this was a great episode of The Flash. This was an episode that we will look back at later in the season and see that this is a turning point in the season. Cracks are starting to show in DeVoe however with the way this season has gone, I would be surprised if DeVoe predicted everything.

9/10

Supergirl: Both Sides Now (2018) Season 3, Episode 13

Supergirl - S03E13 Both Sides Now

[8/10 · 6 February 2018]

This episode of Supergirl was the last episode before it's two month hiatus. With that, I needed this episode to act a bit like a mid-season finale. I needed it to give us a bit of a tease and keep me interested enough that I'm looking forward to the show returning.

I think this episode did that. This episode is no where near my favourite episode of this entire series, but it is one of my favourites from recent weeks. This episode did what I needed it to and for the first time in this season, I'm pretty much onboard with most plot lines of this season.

One aspect of this season that became really apparent this episode was how strong the three World Killers will be once they are together. We have seen Team Supergirl struggle with two of the individually, so to think what will happen when there is three is a scary thought. This is an aspect I am mixed on. While I want Supergirl and everyone else to go out against a force that involves more then a simple one/two punch combo, I worry that they will simply be too strong, and the way they will overcome them will be anticlimactic.

Focusing more on this episode, I thought the stand out was by far Krys Marshell as Purity and the second World Killer. I thought her performance was excellent because she brought a presence to the screen that not many villains do. I think much of this is because of the character she plays. As the audience, we have a connection to Reign, but with Purity, there is that aspect of unpredictability.

I needed some form of cliffhanger this episode to keep me counting down the days for Supergirl to return and they gave one to us this episode. The reveal that the Legion has another reason for time travelling really interests me. I have really enjoyed what they have done with the Legion this season so for the cliffhanger to be based around their team really spikes me interest for the remained for the season.

While still on the topic of cliffhangers, I like that they teased that Lena might know what is wrong with Sam. While it is borderline ridiculous that she could possibly work out that Sam is Reign based off one spike in aggression but can't pick Kara as Supergirl, I am happy that they have given Lena a purpose for the remaining episode. Lena is a character I feel they need to keep busy in a plot point throughout the season otherwise there isn't much use of her being there.

Moving into a few negatives, I want to start with something small, but it is something I find happens way too much. Just give Martian Manhunter something to do. Whether it is J'onn J'onzz human form or alien form, this show is wasting the talent they have with David Harewood. Granted they did use him for a quick manovour in the opening of the episode, but having him act as moral support or physical roof support by holding up a pillar is something this show needs to cut down on.

To touch on another negative that really stood out this episode, I feel as though the writers are lost with what to do with Alex. Alex is one of my favourite character in this show and I think they really utilised her well in the first two season, however all she has really done this season is act as relationship drama with Maggie, or have aggressive outbursts because she can't control herself because of the relationship drama with Maggie. Alex has always been a strong character but recently I feel as though they have really hit her with the drama stick and most things she does can be linked back to relationship drama. The only positive from Alex this season was the episode she had with Ruby because it has been the only episode that has appropriately handled her emotions and using them to have a positive impact rather than mop around causing drama and then blaming drama.

Overall, I thought this was quite a solid episode. I did enough for me to make me excited to see where this season is going to go. Looking at the season overall, I don't think the first half has started anywhere near as good as season two did, however by what they have done so far since returning, if they close this season out right, this could be the best season of Supergirl we have had.

8/10

Arrow: All for Nothing (2018) Season 6, Episode 12

Arrow - S06E12 All For Nothing

[9/10 · 3 February 2018]

In this episode of Arrow we got the two sectors of Team Arrow working together alone with Vigilante to try and find some hard information to take down James. I thought this was a great premise for this episode because of the way it moves the story looking forward. The biggest problem with these longer seasons is that there is often a mid season slump because the writers can't fill that many episode with massive story points.

One aspect I really enjoyed in this episode was the arc with Diana. I always like when they make a character go against the thing they are known for in the show. In the first half of this season, Diana was the voice of reason to Diggle, however in this episode, her moral compass was way off, and it was understandable why. With the reintroductions of the flashbacks, I thought they really fleshed out their relationship enough to make you understand why Diana is acting the way she was.

Another aspect of this episode that I thought was quite strong was the stuff with Earth 2 Laurel and Quentin. Quentin has been one of my favourite character throughout this whole show, however Earth 1 Laurel was one of my lease favourite during her life span. With that, I was hoping that they would give Earth 2 Laurel a good story arc and I think they are starting to do that. Redemption has always been on the table for her, and this episode was the first time where I felt that they have made serious progression in doing that. While this is only a small thing, I thought the way Cassidy played the scene where Caden James orders her to kill Vigilante came off that she had that inner conflict. I really enjoy seeing character battle that inner conflict so I hope they continue to dive into that with Black Siren.

Moving into something I didn't like too much this episode was the reveal of why Caden James believes Oliver killed his son. While I really liked the idea of introducing this other big bad that has been playing Caden, I more question why Caden believed the video to begin with. Caden is meant to be one of the best tech people in all of the Arrowverse and to think that he simply believed the video seems too far out of logic. My hope is that this other big bad is able to make us overlook this flaw in logic.

Overall, I thought this was a solid episode. Of all the main three CW superhero shows, this is the only one where I feel like I can see some form of end in sight. In a show that has the amount of episodes that these season do, it is nice to see an end goal for them to work towards and a way for it to be achieved.

8.5/10

The Flash: Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash (2018) Season 4, Episode 12

The Flash - S04E12 Honey, I Shrunk Team Flash

[9/10 · 31 January 2018]

This episode of The Flash we had a few story arcs play out. The first was Cecile and her newly found mind reading powers. The second was another one of DeVoe's metas, this one with the ability to shrink objects. The last being the growth of Barry and Big Sir's relationship.

I thought each arc in this episode played out wonderfully. The humour and character growth that came out of Cecile's arc with her getting powers were fantastic. The focus on the humour, this sort of humour is humour that is straight out of season one. This season has done a terrific job in bring back some of that campy humour from the earlier seasons and this episode really showed it.

Moving into the villain of the week, I thought he was great. I think the decision to tie all these villains to DeVoe was a great decision because the show can still have this villain of the week type format without making the episode feel like a filler. The big thing however is how well they tie them all together in the end. Without that, the build up throughout the season with all these metas would have been for nothing.

The prison aspect of this episode was again great this week. I really liked how well they have built the relationship between Barry and Big Sir and in many ways it is sad to see it end. This arc is the one that of course has the biggest effect on the rest of the season. As seen at the end, Barry's identity has now been found out by the Warden and he is now in the process of being sold Amunet. For me, this seems like a way for Barry to get out of prison, especially if the Warden removes Barry out of the system in the process of this sale.

Overall, a fantastic episode from The Flash. This season has really captured the humour that last season was missing and the show is really benefiting from it. On top of that, where they have headed with Barry's arc in prison has really interested me and I am excited to see where they take it in the weeks to come.

9/10

Supergirl: For Good (2018) Season 3, Episode 12

Supergirl - S03E12 For Good

[7/10 · 31 January 2018]

In this episode of Supergirl we had a very Lena centred episode. As a character I really enjoy Lena however I have felt as though she is yet to be completely be utilised in this series. With that I was looking forward to see how they handled her this episode.

This episode for the most part was enjoyable. It is no way is a perfect episode or story as a whole, but I liked that we got to see more a progression in the Lena and Edge feud hat we started the season with. By the looks of it, we will get some more out of this plot before the end of the season, however they have left it at a point where they could leave it out. If they did choose to go down that route however, I would feel like it would be the wrong option considering how it finished.

Into a massive positive for the episode, the final battle was fantastic. James as Guardian and Mon-El as a hero were too aspect of last season that I felt that they didn't get right last season however I thought that they were utilised great this episode. Mix that in with the return of Lilian Luthor and Lex's suit, this episode had one of my favourite end fights this season.

Overall, considering the goal of this episode to act as an entertaining filler, it did it's job. I had a few problems with it but in the long run, this episode be forgotten by the end of the season. The only aspect of this episode that I could see paying into the rest of the season is Lillian Luthor.

7/10

Arrow: We Fall (2018) Season 6, Episode 11

Arrow - S06E11 We Fall

[9/10 · 27 January 2018]

In this episode of Arrow we had Star City in crisis. I alway enjoy when they do larger scale episodes like this across the DC CW shows because it reminds us as an audience the these superheroes are in the public eye and aren't always just operating in the shadows. I also feel like these shows are about the full utilise each character when they take a story arc this large because it give every character something they need to do.

What I really enjoyed most about this episode was how every story point felt as though it was meaningful to the overall story. The main three that stood out for me was the new team learning and working with Vigilante, William learning that Oliver is still the Green Arrow and Caden James showing his motivation behind his attacks. I feel as though in the past the show would struggle to handle one major plot point at a time and they would have to drag it out over a few episode one at a time, but in this episode they introduced three new plot points into the show successfully at the same time. While I know these plot points will drag over the next few episodes, as a viewer, it is more entertaining to be following three story arcs at once then one story arc mixed in with filler drama to chew up the rest of the screen time.

This episode had a lot of heavy action set pieces that required a lot of practical effects and I thought they did a great job with them. While these CW shows can often look cheesey when it comes to big set pieces, I thought this episode did a great job at making the biggest set pieces, such as the bus scene, look quite realistic.

Overall, I thought this was a great episode of Arrow. The plot kept on ticking over and there was nothing that stood out in a negative way, whether it be dialog, character's actions or just simply logical problems. I am really liking all the dynamics they have going on at the moment and I'm looking forward to seeing where they take them in the next few episodes.

9/10

The Flash: The Elongated Knight Rises (2018) Season 4, Episode 11

The Flash - S04E11 The Elongated Knight Rises

[9/10 · 24 January 2018]

Second week of The Flash being back on our screens and it has produced another great episode in my books. No, in the scheme of things this wasn't a massive episode, however if viewed as an episode itself,, it ticked all the boxes it needed to.

There were two main story arcs of this episode. The first one I want to concentrate on is Barry in prison. While on the surface, this plot line is a little slow, in a show that has 23 episodes, I'm liking that they taking their time with Barry in prison. The prison scenes gave me very much a Prison Break vibe and I really enjoyed that. My hope is that they continue to build Barry in prison and his friendship with Dave because when Barry leaves, I want him to take away something that he didn't have before he went in.

The second part of the episode was with Ralph and his decision if he really wants to put his life on the line as a superhero. I thought they did a great job building off his carefree nature and showing that if it doesn't hurt him then he is happy to put his body on the line. Many of these superhero shows are filled with superheroes what are willing to give it 100% so it's good to see the contrast of this by having a hero who doesn't really want to commit completely. I also though the Trickster and Prank were great villains to bring back this episode. I always like when we get returning characters on these shows, especially in the villain category.

Looking a bit to the future, I glad they have started turn more of a focus to the girl who was at Barry and Iris' wedding and the writing Barry had at the start of the season. From everything I've seen, many believe she is from the future and after how they wrote her dialog at the end of this episode, I think that might be the case. Either way I'm interested to learn more about this new character and to see if she will be around for a while or just until the end of the season.

Overall, a really great episode of The Flash. It was overall a more quiet one and in many ways had some filler qualities from it, however it was enjoyable to watch and that is what I want from this sorts of episodes that are sitting between major episodes.

9/10

Supergirl: Fort Rozz (2018) Season 3, Episode 11

Supergirl - S03E11 Fort Rozz

[7/10 · 23 January 2018]

Supergirl returned to what I thought was a solid return. While it wasn't anywhere close to the strength of some of the other CW superhero shows for that week, it was still quite good considering where this season has taken the show.

This episode was one I was mixed on. At face value, it was a nice team up episode that moved the overall plot forward a bit without pushing many boundaries. However, the way this episode came about brings my attention to one of the biggest problem I have with this show.

This problem has nothing to do with the show pushing forward female power. With the amount of series we have that are lead by male leads, it is nice to have something that is a little bit different. My problem however is when they remove the males from the show by using a reason that serves no purpose but to rule out the males. When The Flash had a female centred episode, they gave a reason why the males were out of commission and despite what you might think of the episode as a whole, the reason as to why the males were not present made sense in the context of the story.

Instead of going this route, the writers of this episode had to make it that Y chromosomes are bad and that Supergirl has no powers for them to get an all-female team up. While in the end I did enjoy this episode, there are many moments like this throughout this series where I take a step back and wonder why they decided to make a Supergirl show when they are constantly introducing strong male characters that they have to push to the side, or they are forced to depower Supergirl in order for them to match her up with the female characters they do have.

Moving into some positives I did have about this episode, I am liking how they are taking the overall plot. Firstly by introducing more world killers is something I am all for because I was worried about how they were going to handle the reveal that their friend Sam is the big bad. By introducing more villains to this season, it allows them to pull Reign out of the spotlight for a while and concentrate on another story arc they are playing out.

Which leads me to the other thing I thought this episode did well and that was set further ground work up that Sam has started to suspect something is wrong with her. In many ways this is a super-villain origin season for Reign, however if they find a way to spin it so that Sam has control, this could be a superhero origin season. As mentioned before, I don't really like how they can't make Supergirl a female driven show without being forced into removing the males. With Sam as a superhero who could side with Supergirl, we could finally have a female team up that allows all it's characters to be at their full potential.

Overall, a solid episode that pushes the overall story of this season into an interesting directions. The problems I had after watching this episode were more problems in traits of the overall series rather than the episode itself.

7.5/10

Arrow: Divided (2018) Season 6, Episode 10

Arrow - S06E10 Divided

[8/10 · 19 January 2018]

Arrow is finally back on our screens. While I do think the Olicity stuff was laid on a bit to thick in the back end of the first half of this season, I still thought everything else the season did was really well done. I like how they have built this villain team to take on Team Arrow because we get to have many little conflicts within this larger story.

Moving into this week's episode, I really enjoyed what they did. One of the strongest story arcs coming out of the first half of the season was the team splitting and they did a really good job of making that the focus of the episode. I really like the idea of Wild-Dog, Black Canary and Mr Terrific spinning off into their own team. The three of them always had a good dynamic together because they were the new members, so it is going to be interesting to see how that dynamic is tested now that they don't have a clear leader.

On the other side of that, I thought they did a lot of Team Arrow by making them come to terms that it is just the original three once again. This is where the show started before they added the likes of Roy, who we know is returning very soon, and eventually Thea. I think it is going to be good to have that original dynamic from the first few seasons back for a short period of time because it changes up the whole dynamic of the show. Arrow has had a pretty bumpy road throughout it's six seasons and I like how in the last two, they have stripped back elements of the show to what the show was in the beginning.

My favourite part of the episode was with Thea and Lance. I have always really enjoyed this father/daughter type relationship with the two and I think this environment is where both character work the best on the show. What I really did enjoy about this section of the episode is that it is laying down foundation that will be built off in the future. In the past, conversations like this would go no way and be viewed as pointless, but in this case you know that this is going to lead to Lance trying to turn Black Siren at some point in this season.

Overall, a really strong episode back into Arrow. It was nothing that blew my out of the water but it hit all the standards you want in a show returning for the second half of it's season.

8/10

The Flash: The Trial of The Flash (2018) Season 4, Episode 10

The Flash - S04E10 The Trial of the Flash

[9/10 · 18 January 2018]

The Flash has returned to our screens and the show has hit the ground running in the second half of season 4. The second half of the season is when the show really gets into the meat of the season and this episode wasted no time doing it.

If you split this episode into all the aspects of what makes a good episode, all of those aspects would receive fantastic marks. The writing of both the story and dialog was fantastic, each character has some form of moment to be reflected on, the editing was outstanding, especially in the final scene, and the overall acting was solid by all the cast.

Getting into some story points, I loved how Barry was convicted. To often on shows like this, a problem is introduced and us as the audience question how they will get out of it, which then leads to a simply solution that fixes the problem before it becomes a massive thing. This is different. We know Barry will get out at some point, it wouldn't be The Flash without it, however his release seems further away after this episode.

An scene in this episode I want to focus on is the one with Joe and Dibny when Joe wanted to plant evidence. Dibny is a character that I have really enjoy so far this season however this is by far my favourite scene with him. The way they built up his mistakes when they introduced him into this show have now paid off because we get to see his acceptance into his mistakes and how he doesn't want to see Joe go through the same thing.

My favourite aspect of this episode however, as previously mentioned was the final scene. The contrast between the judge handing down Barry's verdict and Captain Singh giving The Flash an award was fantastic to see because they are two completely different images of the same person. I mentioned in my review of the latest Supergirl episode that I liked what these shows focus some time on the person behind the mask, and this moment was one of those times they did exactly that. To the public, The Flash is a hero, but to be that hero, the public identity of Barry Allen had to be tainted.

Overall, a fantastic episode of The Flash. No doubt this show has some ups and downs some times but it is episodes like this that blow me away as a fan and it heightens my love for the show even more.

9/10

Supergirl: Legion of Super-Heroes (2018) Season 3, Episode 10

Supergirl - S03E10 Legion of Superheroes

[9/10 · 18 January 2018]

Supergirl is back after it's mid-season break and it is off to a strong start. After coming off a fairly strong ending to the first half of season 3, I was worried that the second half would struggle to keep up the same level of quality.

I really enjoyed what they did with this episode. I thought the concept of putting Kara in a dream state worked really well similar to what The Flash did with Barry when he ented the Speedforce in season 2. I always like when these superhero shows spend some time focusing on the person behind the mask and I thought that this was a really strong Kara episode.

One of the elements of this episode that I really enjoyed was the Legion of Superheroes. Without getting too far ahead, I really hope the Legion of Superheroes are a team that frequent guests throughout this series similar to what Arrow and Flash do with Legends. I really like the dynamic they have together as a team and with the other members of the Supergirl crew. Which brings me to Brainiac. At first I was a little worried that he would turn into one of those quirky and annoying character but he didn't. He was a character that had his quirks but it fitted into the story they were telling. After this episode it left me wanting to see a Legion of Superheroes spin-off show and Brainiac was the main reason for that.

I have really enjoyed what they have done with Reign this season and again this episode. I think it was a really smart decision to split the Reign and Samantha personalities because the show can still utilise the Samantha dynamic with the characters while still having a strong villain present. While I think the whole villain story of the "justice system fails so they will take matters into their own hands" has been a bit overused in recent years, I am still looking forward to see what they can do with Reign in the second half of this season.

Overall, this episode was a great introduction back to Supergirl for the second half of season 3. It has been a while since I have been excited to see what Supergirl can produce, but after this episode, I'm looking forward to see what the rest of this season has install.

9/10

Arrow: Deathstroke Returns (2017) Season 6, Episode 5

Arrow - S06E05 Deathstroke Returns

[10/10 · 10 November 2017]

This episode of Arrow was one I was really excited. Any episode in which Deathstroke is present is always a massive point for me. He was my favourite part of the first couple of season so it is always great when he returns.

This episode was nothing but amazing. We saw three different story arcs all take place and each of them could have easily been the lead because they were all strong. Starting with the one that was the lead however, Deathstroke finding his son. 

Jumping to the end quickly, I thought the double reveal of his friend being apart of the enemy and his son being the leader wasn't anything to surprising. Despite the lack of surprising though, it has set up a great story leading forward in future episode.

I really loved the Deathstroke flashback. They did a terrific job of showing what Joe meant to Slade and why he was so determined to get him back. I think the flashbacks work well when they add that bit of extra context as to what is happening in the present day and this was a great example of it.

The final thing I will say regarding the Deathstroke story is the action was outstanding. Those scene when he first bursts into the base is some of the best action we have had in this series. Slade's method of using the gun and the sword allows the stunt guys to make some really appealing action to watch.

Getting into the second story line, I really liked the reveal that Dinah's ex-partner is Vigilante. Similarly to the Joe reveal, this reveal adds a new dynamic to the Vigilante story. It is going to be really interesting going forward to see how this develops and how this will change Dinah as a character.

While on Dinah, I want to quickly mention the relationship that has formed with Diggle. Now that Oliver is out of commission for now, it is great to see that they have taken to really great things Diggle has as a supporting character and focused them towards Dinah. The two have a chemistry one screen that works just as well as Diggle and Oliver so it makes it a really good relationship to watch grow.

Onto the final story line that played out this episode, I am really liking where they are heading with Detective Watson. I was a bit hesitant at first of what they were going to do with her, but I think using her to investigate the whole crew rather than just Oliver was a really smart idea. I can see this being a story that keeps on slowly progressing throughout the season before it explodes and becomes a big thing.

Overall, I loved this episode. By far it is my favourite of the season and I think that comes back to each story line being strong and well executed. This season of Arrow is continuing to blow me away like last season, and I think if they can produce more episodes like that, then they could easily beat what last season produced.

10/10

The Flash: Girls Night Out (2017) Season 4, Episode 5

The Flash - Girls Night Out

[7/10 · 8 November 2017]

This season of the Flash has started quite strong for me. While it's not the best start to a season, it has laid a lot of ground work that I think many of the other shows take a bit longer to lay.

Before getting into the meat of the review, I have to quickly mention the reoccurring security joke. Security at STAR Labs has been one of this shows biggest faults and I like how the writers have the self awareness to poke fun at it. It is a value I think the show does very well and it showed again tonight.

Okay, girl power. The biggest problem I have with male driven shows trying to make a girl power episode, is that the first thing they do is take the men off the table. And they never take them off the table because they have to deal with a treat that is important, but instead put them in a situation that could have been avoidable. Episodes promoting girl power is something I think this world needs, however when it is in episodes like this where girl power is a result of taking away the men, it never does anyone any favours.

Despite majority of the episode being focuses around the women in power and the men out of commission (which I thought at point was still entertaining) there were still some elements of this episode that I think will stand out when we look back at this season.

Firstly, I thought the Killer Frost story did a really good job on focusing on Killer Frost and Caitlin and giving us some answers as to what as happened between the end of last season and now. Going forward, I think her coming clean to everyone is going to set us up with having a more friendly Frost and have her powers be utilised by the team.

The second thing I really liked about was Katee Sackoff. I thought as a villain she worked quite well and I like how they have pitted her as a Killer Frost villain rather than a Flash villain. It seems as though she will be back so I am very interested to see what they do with her.

The final thing is that I liked how they gave the metahuman a bit more meaning with DeVoe picking him up at the end. It'll be interesting to see what they do with him but my hope is that he is used next week. My biggest take away from it however is how DeVoe spoke to him as though his power was given to him for a specific purpose. While we know he has behind everything happening, giving him the power to choose what powers each person got will add another dynamic into the story.

Overall, while this episode was no where near the best, or even middle, there were still some parts that stood out to me. While they did stand out amongst a weak episode, I think these elements will still be standing as important points when we look back at this episode later on.

7/10

Supergirl: Damage (2017) Season 3, Episode 5

Supergirl - S03E05 Damage

[7/10 · 8 November 2017]

This season of Supergirl hasn't quite hit the ground running for me. While I've liked most of what this season has given us, it is not even close to standing up next to the start season 2 produced.

This episode was very much like the others this episode. While there were some aspects I did like, I felt that there was a lot I didn't. Starting on the stuff I didn't, I think this episode in many ways undermined some things from last season. Last season we saw how smart and efficient both Winn and Lena are with doing calculations and this episode showed that their biggest one last year, that from memory they had ages to calculate, was actually wrong. While in the end it wasn't a massive disaster, it still showed how they were wrong in their biggest moment.

Another example is with Alex and Maggie. I really liked what they did last season with them because it felt natural. However it was the background nature of the it happened that made it fit with the show. At this point of the season, and especially this episode, I feel as though Alex's only purpose is to be in this relationship and the drama that followed. I also think this episode did undermine what they set up last season with them simply because of how far they have gone from getting together, to getting married, to breaking up because one wants a kid. There are many other shows that have "kids or no kids" problem and it is usually dealt with well by pushing it to the side until a more appropriate time, where with Supergirl, it feels like they had to address it now for the sake of drama. Realistically, they have been together less then a year, and looking at the relationship points they have ticked off since the end of last season, it makes me feel as though they have wasted what was a strong relationship to begin with.

Getting a bit into what I did like this episode, I am really enjoying the Morgan Edge vs Lena Luthor arc. I really enjoyed Lena last season and they have done the right thing by keeping her around and involving her more into the fabric of the show. I feel as though if Kara revealed her identity to Lena, I would be fine with it because they have done such a good job working her into the show.

The other story arc I am really liking is with Samantha as Reign. While they haven't jumped too deep into it, I am liking how they are slowly setting it up. My concern with it however is the are setting it up that she will be a villain but I don't see how they are going to pull off the villainous turn. Unless Supergirl or Superman were directly responsible for something that has directly happened to Samantha and she just doesn't know that they were responsible. However with the typical CW story arcs, I can see that Reign will be made at Supergirl because she was responsible for losing her long lost family that she has no idea about.

Overall, while I had a fair few negatives, the things I was positive about are the big things for this season. If they continue this Morgan Edge vs Lena Luthor story and write the Reign story really well for the rest of the season, we could be in for a strong season 3.

7.5/10

Arrow: Reversal (2017) Season 6, Episode 4

Arrow - S06E04 Reversal

[8/10 · 2 November 2017]

The foundation that Arrow has built this season has been really strong in the first 3 episodes. My hope is that for the next few weeks, the show starts to show a bit more direction of where this season is heading. While I've really enjoyed every episode so far, I need this show to give a bit more of a clear path.

This episode I think they did a great job to adding to that clear path. Last season I really liked the angle they took with the Helix story and Cayden James so I thought it was really good to see it come back. I really like how they have tied him into what seems like will be a form of big bad this season with Black Siren.

Continuing with Helix, I was interested to see where they were going to go with Felicity and Curtis' start up and I'm happy we got some progress and a name for it this episode. I thought the character of Alena was a really strong addition last season because she had good chemistry with Felicity, so I am really looking forward to see how they use her in the future. I can see them giving her a strong relationship with Curtis if Oliver and Felicity continue to advance.

I am really liking the team dynamic they are presenting without Oliver. While he did tie into the back end of the episode, it is nice to see the working like a well oiled machine. We know there will be a reason to bring Oliver back, but even when there is, it is nice to see that the team would have a better understanding of each other after their time without Oliver's leadership.

Looking towards some future points, I'm really excited to get the return of Slade. The more Manu Bennett the show has the better it is in my books. I know next week's episode is going to focus around Oliver helping Slade look for his son so we could be in for a big one next week.

Overall, while I think this may have been the weakest of this season, this was still an extremely strong episode. However I really want them to start showing a bit of direction for this season. Ideally I would really like if they did what Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D did last season in breaking the season having 3 different story arcs.

8/10

The Flash: Elongated Journey Into Night (2017) Season 4, Episode 4

The Flash - S04E04 Elongated Journey Into Night

[9/10 · 31 October 2017]

I have really loved what The Flash has done this season so far. Within 3 episode I think they have set a really strong foundation for this season to be built off.

I really loved this episode. It had some really good story lines that played out this episode while still adding some solid information towards our main story. I really like when they have episodes like this because they can stand as their own self contained story while still adding into the larger cause.

The main story in this episode was the Elongated Man. They approached this story in a really interesting way because while he was one of the 12 people on the bus, we also saw he had a beef with Barry. I think this beef between the two turned out to be something really interesting because it really made Barry question what Ralph did compared to what they do now. I also thought that Hartley Sawyer who plays Elongated Man did a really great job playing that jerk character who does have that softer side.

Going forward with Ralph/Elongated Man, I'm really interested to see how they take him now that he is kind of joining the team. With both Wally West and Julian leaving, the time was a bit light on team members. Why I don't necessarily want another member on the team, I think he could be a strong story to be played out for a few episodes that will have a pay of later on in the season.

The secondary story was perhaps my favourite part of the episode. I thought Danny Trejo as Gypsy's father was fantastic. I think his serious tone worked really well against Carlos Valdes funny tone with Cisco. 

While they were never going to give the win to Breacher, I really liked the way this played out because it adds into the Cisco/Gypsy relationship which I really enjoy. I have my fair share of relationship dramas on these CW superhero shows, but Cisco and Gypsy is the perfect example of how to do a relationship well. 

So far in The Flash, this season has set a tone that I have really enjoyed. It's very light hearted and campy that it gives season 1 vibes, which is something I am all onboard for. This vibe carried through to this episode and I really enjoyed how well it mixed with what was going on story wise.

Overall, I really loved this episode. The tone was perfect, the story lines worked really well, and it sets up some more foundation that they can build off next week. This season I feel like they have accomplished so much more in 4 episodes then other seasons have in this point.

9/10

Supergirl: The Faithful (2017) Season 3, Episode 4

Supergirl - S03E04 The Faithful

[8/10 · 31 October 2017]

After last week's drama filled episode, I was a little worried on what this week would offer us. If it was more of the same I would have been extremely disappointed, but luckily it wasn't.

This episode took an approach that I didn't see coming, despite the now obvious title. I really liked how there is a religion around Supergirl on Earth. Logically it makes sense that there would be people out there who worship her for what she has done for them. I really liked they tied it into religion on Krypton because I really enjoy anytime we get to see Kara and her experiences and lifestyle before she came to Earth.

Focusing on the secondary plot line this episode, I really enjoyed how they are starting to flesh out Samantha as a character and her relationship with both her daughter and now some of the other female characters. This sets up an interesting dynamic because when she does become Reign, which we got a cool little tease to in the episode, she will either betray the ones that are now her friends, or join them.

Overall, I thought this was a really enjoyable episode. They are starting to flesh out a bit more of the story for this season while still having some interesting side arcs. While I don't think this was the best episode ever made by Supergirl, it is by far my favourite of this season so far.

8/10

Arrow: Next of Kin (2017) Season 6, Episode 3

Arrow - S06E03 Next of Kin

[9/10 · 26 October 2017]

So far in this season of CW superhero shows, Arrow has been leading the way. It hit the ground running in the first two episode and it did the same this week.

I really like when Arrow takes the time and has an episode centred around the behind behind the masks, and this episode was one of those for me. I really liked how Diggle and Oliver as people were the forefront rather than Team Arrow taking down villains.

I am really interested in what is happening in Diggle's story line. I thought they dropped the nerve damage arc a bit to quick, but as we saw at the end, it is going to be something that plays a big part in the season.

Oliver's story with his son, and now Felicity is one I am also enjoying. I'm liking the chemistry Oliver and William are starting to build because it really helps Oliver's decision to give up the hood make more sense story wise. If their chemistry was off, I would be wishing Oliver would go back to being the Green Arrow because the story he would find himself in would be disinteresting.

As mentioned, Felicity is now a big part of Oliver's story line and I actually like the move. I know many people are going to hate what they have done bringing back Olicity and I understand why. By the end, their relationship was toxic. However I am willing to give it a chance this time around. I always really liked Oliver and Felicity and the chemistry they had together and I think the early part of their relationship worked well because it was more of a side story that didn't interfere with Team Arrow. Now that Oliver has left the team, it opened up that possibility of once again having a relationship with them that could take the back seat.

The other story line I am really liking, which is also one I feel we will have around for a while is the FBI investigation. While I have a few questions on how she managed to get all that information of the team that quickly, I am willing to look past some of it because it is building a potentially really good story line that we can dive deeper in the back half of the season.

Onto the villain of the week, I thought she was okay. She reminded me of a similar story line they had where an ex-cop went rogue with a group. What I think is important with this villain, no matter how interesting the story around her was, she served her purpose of being a smaller villain that was able to help drive Diggle's story along.

Overall I really enjoyed this episode. I am really happy that they did what I wanted and keep John in the hood moving forward. While I think by the time the big crossover comes along, Oliver will be back, but for now it is nice to see them taking this story line seriously.

9/10

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Thor: Ragnarok Review

[10/10 · 26 October 2017]

Thor: Ragnarok is coming out at a time where people are starting to ask if we have reached comic book fatigue. To that, Thor: Ragnarok puts a big cross through that thought. Thor changes the game. We can't get tired of a sub-genre when the films keep reinventing themselves every time.

Ragnarok is a blast start to finish. If you are someone who liked laughing, then you will have a smile from start to finish. Every bit of humour hits and if you are an Australian like me, you will get a kick out of a few jokes.

If Ragnarok was a chain, there would not be a weak link. While some links are weaker than others, there is no outright weak part of the film. Everything was at the minimum, just solid. 

Every character felt like like they were used close to their potential. Every actor and actress put in the performance they needed. You felt like 99% of characters were done perfectly. The only slight complaint that can be had about characters in this film was the villain of Hella.

Like most Marvel villains, she is terrifically performed by Kate Blanchett and she is a force when she needs to be, but by the time Black Panther comes around next year, she will be quite forgettable. What they did do well with her however was use her to set up some terrific Thor history.

As mentioned, the humour was outstanding, and I think that comes down to Taika Waititi. While he didn't get a writing credit on the film, you know by the style of the humour that he had a lot of input into what was happening on screen.

While still on Taika, his directing was fantastic. There are some shots in this film that I want as a wallpaper because they are look like they should be paintings. The action was shot really well, the emotional moments had an intimate to them and of course the wide shots of the landscapes were brilliant.

Something I really noticed this is the use of the music. They really tapped into the Guardians music style and it worked so well with what was happening on screen. They had a nice balance of using songs when needed but working in score when it is much needed.

Ragnorok is a film that if you are going to have a problem with something, chances are it is going to be something personal. For me, what stood out as a negative was the pacing, however that comes of the back of a massive positive. This film is trying to balance two stories that could have easily been a film separately, and does a really good job of it, however I felt as though the Ragnorok story line did feel a bit short changed at the end. They weave the two stories well but at the end of the day, Thor can only be present in one story at a time.

Overall, Thor: Ragnorok is a blast from start to finish. It captured the humour and light hearted fun that the first Guardians had and took it to a level you wouldn't of been able to think of. Taika Waititi was by far the stand out of the film both infront and behind the camera, and it couldn't have been achieved without him. As mention, if the film was a chain, the weakest link would still be over 90% strong.

9.5/10