Reviews

Man the campest bad guy since Goldmember! Great idea and cast but needs to borrow a few ideas from the US and Hollywood about pace, not all the way mind you lets keep the quality dialogue in unlike the big budget US sci-fi hits but it feels sometimes either like it is expecting to go on to future series and so can waffle and meander a little or the director is way too ambitious.

I love sci-fi and I love Spooks but Spooks has pace (not so much the last series mind you kinda losing its way in terms of plot and punch) and this I'm afraid is too patchy, come on BBC give them a rollicking and another series to make it work!

Richard Armitage in Spooks I thought was just not classy enough an actor but played it well none the less however in the adaptation of Chris Ryan's novel he really dragged the series along, yes they spent a little money on locations and got in some good other actors but in the end his nemesis Andrew Lincoln really isn't up to scratch he's too aware of himself to be fully absorbed in this role, nearly but still way off.

Pace was good felt like it wanted to use the energy that Spooks has to bring a similar drama to life but after watching the first two episodes I'll watch the rest but really Sky 6/10 must try harder....(please! I really want to love it.)

Update: OK now finished the series and I'm pleased the focus moved from Andrew Lincoln for the majority of the six parts and kept with RA, nice touch with the special guests in 5 and 6.

I do want to see more, come on Skee pull your finger out and get commissioning.

Right, I think the first issue is with the editing, pace was roughly there but it just seemed to stutter in places and when most of the actors seem to have come straight out of stage school the pace really needs to be right on the button(compare and contrast with the UK TV drama, Spooks).

The story was weak and watered down, too many jumps without any suggestion, a poor script and direction also.

Thirdly the female lead, Vahina Giocante, really should have been shown the door after the first week, too much overacting for me, I've seen comedians act better. However I haven't seen any of her other stuff though so it could have been just a duff one for her.

Simon Abkarian has played measured bad guys before and did pretty well but I'm afraid that poor old Gérard Lanvin just didn't have enough script to go on, they spent too much time on the Martyr when they could have worked more on his character.

Sorry I really had high hopes for this and really wanted to like it, I even watched it twice to make sure I wasn't missing anything, but remember this is my opinion I'm sure others will love it. they tried to take the Spooks concept and do a French big budget movie, perhaps they should have got a script re-write and got Mathieu Kassovitz to direct.

Yes a brave and simply told tale.

Clearly not in the mainstream of even independent films, low on clichés and high on emotion this is a very moving little film.

When I finished watching this the only comment I wished to make for Good Dick was "Beautiful" But as people need more than this to help guide what they watch I have tried to add more than my simple reaction.

Sorry I really did think this was going to end in some very tortuous and grisly ending but not it didn't not what I expected and I enjoyed it very much, well done girl.

***** ******* **** ***** ***** **** ****** ***** **** **** ******** ***** * *** ******* ************ ****** ** **** ** * **** ****** *** ** ***** ** * ***** **** **** *** *** ** ****

Philip Glenister showed he can deliver well crafted and very amusing lines in Life on Mars, but here he's given the norm for ITV, lets take something special and innovative and motion over it.

Please stop this show before it gets any worse, the direction is average and the actors are much better than the script but when you try and smash together ideas nicked from better stations (BBC and Fox, NBC et al ) ITV what do you expect, man as a station you seem to be able to come up with rubbish, I hope you don't work hard on this.

There have been times when you have produced some excellent shows, but sadly this isn't one.

**In hindsight this was harsh, I'm not generally a fan of ITV however I am of Philip Glenister's acting, I've recently re-watched this series and think with time it could get a lot better, come on ITV get the writers bums in gear!!

Oh deary me..... oh like so many brainless productions that the Beeb have produced recently (eg Robin Hood, Merlin, George Gently, Lark Rise to Candleford) this is more of the same, acting average to poor (they seem to have dredged up any old soap actor), plot well based on a piece made into a series by Terry (Blakes Seven) Nation it could have been good, you know almost great but no, going on the first part it really is fodder for watching whilst eating a microwave meal with your brain switched off!

I mean don't get me started on the direction and locations.... sorry BBC you could have done something wonderful here.

Martin Shaw first came to my notice in the Professionals back in the 80's (action cop/spy drama cheasy version of Spooks), he is a very respected and accomplished Shakespearean and TV actor here, of late the BBC have constructed a number of easy on the eye and brain dramas for him eg Judge John Deed and George Gently and I expected this to be another of the same, however I was pleasantly surprised.

It had grit, good acting, a fairly good plot and scampered along nicely, I missed the initial airing and watched it on the BBC's iPlayer facility online, I will tune in next week to watch it live.

Give it a go you might be pleasantly surprised.

To start with I'm a big fan of French movies, a lot less pretentious than Hollywood is in the main.

They seem to me to be more English than the likes of Snatch and Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

This film brings together two strong actors (Jean Reno, Le Jaguar and Leon and Vincent Cassel, Brotherhood of the Wolf)in a decent plot. Editing is good and don't be too upset by the opening scene that's as in your face as it gets.

It whizzes along nicely and is set in a pretty part of France.

Watch it, enjoy it oh and watch the Taxi series too with Sami Naceri!