A young billionaire returns to his dark city after numerous years. During that time, he trained to become a superhero. Now, returning, he decides to fight off corruption and villains. However, he still has to maintain an identity as, frankly, a spoiled brat.
Sound familiar? It is.
Arrow is the new CW show about comic book hero and fan favourite Green Arrow. After being shipwrecked, Oliver 'Ollie' Queen decides to train himself and become a better person. In the comics, he decides to fight off various villains. In this show...he decides to become a murderer.
Yes, I found it quite hard to identify or sympathize with this character. Unlike Batman, this 'hero' flat-out kills his enemies, most of whom have so far been bodyguards or unscrupulous businessmen, and has stated he has a hit-list of corrupt people he wants to take out.
Further similarities are created with his love interest, a snubbed woman with a vague job that apparently involves helping people, much like Rachel Dawes of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. So far, both characters feel the same - items for the hero to attain and defend.
The editing throughout this pilot was terrible. By inter-splicing the backstory, a coherent feel could've been attained - however, this was not the case. Random moments of him in a lifeboat every 10 minutes leave you confused, especially since it hasn't been explained how he's attained his skills.
The action is well-directed, but overtly violent. In an attempt to distance itself from the fantasy of comic books, this show went into dangerously dark territory and it lost me.
The character of Oliver is confusing at best - the distinction between his playboy lifestyle and his inner turmoil is blurred, giving him the feel of an angry teenager who wants to lash out at the world. The other characters are stereotypical at best - his serious, black bodyguard; his womanizing, sex-obsessed friend; and his sister who is angry and rebellious, but clearly spoiled rotten.
The show does have a few pluses - Green Arrow's costume is extremely sleek and well- designed, the stunts are well-done, and the set pieces are well-done.
However, similarities between its influence ruin this show. The show feels more like a darker rehash of the Dark Knight trilogy than its own project - and, in this, is where it ultimately fails.
I will continue to watch this show, in hopes that it gets better - to make your own opinion, you should as well. It's worth a watch, at least.
Sound familiar? It is.
Arrow is the new CW show about comic book hero and fan favourite Green Arrow. After being shipwrecked, Oliver 'Ollie' Queen decides to train himself and become a better person. In the comics, he decides to fight off various villains. In this show...he decides to become a murderer.
Yes, I found it quite hard to identify or sympathize with this character. Unlike Batman, this 'hero' flat-out kills his enemies, most of whom have so far been bodyguards or unscrupulous businessmen, and has stated he has a hit-list of corrupt people he wants to take out.
Further similarities are created with his love interest, a snubbed woman with a vague job that apparently involves helping people, much like Rachel Dawes of the Christopher Nolan Batman movies. So far, both characters feel the same - items for the hero to attain and defend.
The editing throughout this pilot was terrible. By inter-splicing the backstory, a coherent feel could've been attained - however, this was not the case. Random moments of him in a lifeboat every 10 minutes leave you confused, especially since it hasn't been explained how he's attained his skills.
The action is well-directed, but overtly violent. In an attempt to distance itself from the fantasy of comic books, this show went into dangerously dark territory and it lost me.
The character of Oliver is confusing at best - the distinction between his playboy lifestyle and his inner turmoil is blurred, giving him the feel of an angry teenager who wants to lash out at the world. The other characters are stereotypical at best - his serious, black bodyguard; his womanizing, sex-obsessed friend; and his sister who is angry and rebellious, but clearly spoiled rotten.
The show does have a few pluses - Green Arrow's costume is extremely sleek and well- designed, the stunts are well-done, and the set pieces are well-done.
However, similarities between its influence ruin this show. The show feels more like a darker rehash of the Dark Knight trilogy than its own project - and, in this, is where it ultimately fails.
I will continue to watch this show, in hopes that it gets better - to make your own opinion, you should as well. It's worth a watch, at least.