Reviews

As many have already wrote, the concept had so much potential but the plots, writing and dialogue is terribly weak and awkwardly embarrassing. The #1 main issue for me is the music! It is SO incredibly frustratingly manipulative it makes me just want to give up on the series after episode 2! What were they thinking? Did they think the music would drive the audience feelings about the show? So far nothing really makes sense it hopefully plot holes will be answered , the dialogue gets better and they STOP using loud grating music to try to tell the story!!

This is an awesome fictionalized version of History. Bravo to another successful book to TV series in the vein of Game of Thrones. It's a brilliant companion for the passionate medieval history, medi-fiction and medi-fantasy lovers! I adore these characters and each individual story line in the Saga is gripping! The book to screen adaptation, production value, acting and direction is superb! I can't get enough of Uhtred son of Uhtred!! I wish there were more than a mere 8 episodes per season. It must be fun for the people of England to see what would have been many of their towns and homes once probably looked like. Each episode inspires the passion and rage within me! I have but ONE criticism; in the 2nd season clearly there was a shift or change in the makeup department and it has been a challenge to not be distracted by the sheer stupidity of the makeup artist(s) to put hoards of makeup on many of the characters. For some reason, some are natural as was the way in ancient times when women did not have Rimmel. Sure, Egyptians were known to use black around the eyes and Pagans were known to apply war makeup and get tattoo's, but why in the world would Uhtred suddenly start wearing heavy eye liner in the 2nd season; AFTER he was Uhtred of Bebbenburg more often than Uhtred Ragnarson? Why did Alfred's queen start wearing heavy rouge? Why were several women wearing heavy mascara and liner, etc? I really get frustrated at poor production choices when everything else is perfect and the magic of film making that coincides with reality is working and then something like this makeup crap breaks the intensity! That's when you realize how makeup is also a valuable continuity factor! Anyway, it was distracting and a poor directing decision; fortunately it did not completely ruin the entertainment experience with Uhtred the way it did did for me along with a number of other lame things in the heinous show, Reign! Oh yes, the show that the actor who plays the character Athelred was in. (bleh) In any case, I sincerely Can't WAIT for SEASON 3 of The Last Kingdom!!! May 30, 2017

So far I like the story and find it interesting. The acting is pretty good, not spectacular. what I sincerely dislike, and have not decided yet if it's going to turn me off to the point where I just can't watch anymore is the Directing choice to use contemporary music and Guy Ritchie-esque camera work to tell this story. I's ridiculous, pretentious, distracting and so incredibly awkward it makes me embarrassed for the production team. I wish they would just Stop it! I don;t care how good a score this show has on rotten tomatoes or anywhere. I hope they just stop this and grow up already. Just tell the story and have confidence in the art your producing, it's good enough on its own without some DB trying to dress it up in a cheap imitation.

This show was a masterpiece in that it was a visual visual art form with quite unexpected writing and plot twists. The acting was superb and the story was extremely disturbing and sophisticated. Opinions are just that, opinions; and if one looks at the content of this series and bases their opinion of the execution of story and production value on the fact that a reviewer hates gruesome violence and serial killers, they're not going to "get" this show, at all. Everything about this series should be viewed as an art form and at the same time commentary of our Society. it's quite profound and deep. To understand the genius of this series better one must read the brilliant review of the series by Emily Nussbaum in The New Yorker.

I found this series thoroughly engaging and well done. I found it exciting and riveting, especially because the story is based on, or the more accurate versions of Dickens stories and then combines them. I love it! I would LOVE to see a second series where we follow Scrooge through his journey with the Ghost of present, past and future! I MUST know what happens to Arthur! Will Amelia remain in her dining room forever like that? Will she ever forgive Arthur and take him back into her heart? What about Honoria!? Will she find out what Francis has done? Wll she be reunited with her lovely man and their living child? where do the lawyer take the child? And most of all, What will become of Oliver? Will he eventually find his true family? The little actor who plays him is SO SO SO adorable I wish I could adopt that little boy and shower him in love and care!!

I watched the whole series in a few sittings and I found it to be worthy of it's literary masterpiece status. From the acting, the directing, the production design, set design, costume design even makeup each component of a production that brings a great piece of literature to visual life was to done here perfectly. The content evoked deep emotion and I commend everyone on such a lovely job. everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion but I believe sometimes people get so caught up in what and how they think a book should be depicted they forget to become a little objective and just "feel" what is being portrayed. One might not have chosen the cast this production did, but that does not take away the talent that shined. I thoroughly enjoyed that terribly bittersweet and epic story in film version. It contains so much sadness, I honestly don't think I can read it again and this was a wonderful substitute for being able to revisit Tolstoy's War and Peace another time.

This show is terrifically funny. It's addictive and is a Binge watch MUST see! I love silly Ghost themes and this one is the best! what's not to like? grungy pothead in Brooklyn, see's dead people and helps them get to the other side. everyone is a caricature of real life people, not the slick fake kind of people who don't exist and every episode is hilarious! I love how over exaggerated the stories can be and I especially loved blob! I sincerely hope blob is going to be coming back as the little buddy in season 3. I'm trilled there's going to be a season 3!! I'm not keen on saying much more, because I don't want to give away to much of the theme and story.

This is the first film I've seen in a long time that I had NO idea what was going to happen and only a few of my story guesses were correct while the surprises were stunning. Ex Machina is a wonderful inspection into humanity, intelligence, feminism and expectations. The whole time I felt a physical tension in my own gut watching every scene. I like to play a game where I puzzle the story before the next step happens and in this film, I found it a great challenge. We think we are so smart, even when we know we are going to be our own demise, so in the end we STILL don't know the capacity of destruction the things we make can generate. The tension and the end are palpable. SO well done.

Boring unoriginal theme and I can't get the image of the monkey with his body encased in a box and only his head free to move around while the Monkey was NOT acting and looked terribly frightened.....with his arms, legs and body locked away from his head!! while in 2006 it was Darron Aronofsky's prerogative to use a sentient being against his will, fortunately, it's not anymore (2015)! I would like to use some expletives here to describe my feelings about D.Aronofsky for not caring in the least, but instead I will point out how many great SciFi films out there created by brilliant minds with love and science and future being the theme that never used ONE animal! Sure Jackman and Weisz are great actors, but it wasn't about having the cerebral capacity or not to "get it" or having patience, the movie was unnecessarily slow. For some reason the Love story seemed "old" to me, though love will never get old, maybe it was the way the story was told. Then again, this movie was made in 2005, released in 2006 and I just saw it in 2015, so maybe timing has a good deal to do with it. Though great stories always can pass the test of time.

It's 2015 and I am watching this show slowly in my own time. I am loving it!! Of course it helps I adore traveling myself and oh, yes, Ewan McGregor!! But he and Charlie and wonderful mates and the idea of the show is a wonderful ride with them on their motorcycles. I was upset about Ewan getting gasoline IN his eye and then very upset about him getting some sort of insect bite that swelled up around his forehead. The film was done quite a while ago so everything turned out fine, but, jeez, could have been bad, not to mention they were harassed by a bunch of thugs in Khazakstan. I was not surprised to learn from Charlie that Ewan feels things deeply. I roared in laughter when they got painful massages in Khazakstan by 2 sumo wrestler type guys in speedo's. Hilarious!! My ONLY criticism of this series they devote their lives to is, someone chose the WORST music supervisor!! Dear LORD a fantastic opportunity was missed to create an atmosphere worthy of music, journey and visuals and the majority of the music SUCKS!!!

There are some scenes I laughed so hard I cried, like the breast milk dousing scene. Seriously, I love these guys and the clever comedic exaggerated view of what life might have looked like for single roman guys of the day. It's a hilarious and imaginative idea of life in Roman times. Each episode is fun and always guarantee's a good laugh. Groomio, Marcus and Stylex are silly goof balls you can't help but love. All the details including the names of characters based on their job, such as "water boy" and "landlord" always evokes a good chuckle. I can't imagine why people want to continue to watch reality TV such as the kardashians, or the jersey shore when they can watch this show.

So, since there are a ton of accurate reviews that describe the good "enough" and lame aspects of this movie but NOBODY points out what actually does make or break this movie. If the soundtrack was good it would actually have raised the ratings exponentially, but alas, the music supervisor completely destroyed the already weak credibility of this movie. It's a shame, but a movie teetering on being so-so and lame which has total crap cheese ball horrible music for its soundtrack should just make sure that music supervisor NEVER EVER works again, they need to follow a different calling or maybe do music for IDK, their local church or something.

This version is SO frustrating. I wanted to like it so badly. I LOVE everything Medieval. I have seen pretty much EVERYTHING from the period. This version is so terrible... "how do I count the ways?". The acting is HORRIBLE, disgraceful and tremendously sad. I feel compelled to continue to watch because I have the opportunity to do so while I work. But I must say, I am uncomfortable at watching how awkward and lame the acting is. It's like a High school production with a lot of money. What makes adds insult to injury is this ridiculous decision to cast actors with ALL different accents. The American's just plainly SUCK at every role they are appointed. The Brits are weakened by clearly weak direction and the other Europeans are mostly not suited for the roles they're given. Especially the French and the German actors. It's especially painful to see The Borgia children ALL share different accents and Lucrezia with a strong German accent and an AWFUL actress to boot, is pathetic. I could have done a FAR SUPERIOR job casting this show. *sigh*....I would be so good at it.

I've only just started watching the series and so far I really like this. It's quirky odd and full of supernatural mystery and intrigue. Unfortunately, I need to point out something that is truly bothering me...I think Famke Jennsen is awesome! I've seen her in a lot of films and she's definitely a draw for me to the show, BUT...she profoundly sucks at impersonating a British Accent. That should have been dealt with, nobody has ears or has heard of speech coach? Also, what's with the name "Letha"? I keep thinking they have lisps...instead of "Lisa" it sounds like impaired adults trying to say Lisa... "Letha". I think Lily Taylor is incredibly talented and she's been a favorite actress of mine since she was on stage in the 1980's doing experimental theater. I really like the actor who is playing her son. Speaking of children...what the heck is UP with the incest eroticism in this show? Each parent is in love with their child and the kids are all in love with their cousins or siblings. Adds to the creep factor of the show. I'm assuming the Godfrey's are some sort of supernatural creature-clan, can't wait to find out what they are! :) Are they fallen angels or something?

This story is terribly difficult to watch. The blood lust of the people to condemn their neighbors to death is disgusting and infuriating!! I wish I could see those people suffer to their own deaths as they made innocent people die in suffering. It was too awful to watch for me. The level of ignorance in those with power and influence was astounding. I wished someone would shoot that Judge in the head and those who supported his judgment!!! And to think of the division we suffer today amongst the right and left in the US and the language many people use today against one another, it scares me that something like this could occur today, differently but the same.

I am watching this film for the 1st time ever. I have always loved Medieval (fantasy) but somehow missed this film 30 yrs ago. Now, watching it I find it interesting to see why I would not have liked a film of this kind back then. It starts out as a superficial and kind of hollow version of the story (compared to so many other more recent versions of the story), but it has some fantastic elements that mark it as a classic story of King Arthur. For one it's fascinating to see some great actors over 30 yrs ago when they were young, particularly Helen Mirran, who imho gives the best performance and is so beautiful. Most of them look the same. But I find, some of the actors had not quite honed their acting skills yest, and the Directing was..dare I say...imho lame. There's a lot of yelling and most of the time everyone is in a state of perpetual urgency. it's a bit annoying that all the women speak (except Helen Mirran's Morgana) in feigned high pitch voices. Set and costume design is superb.

Watching this film is like having someone holding onto my heart so tight it's strangled. The hate that lives in the hearts of some people is so dark and cold and mean it's devastating. Too many do not know how Japanese immigrants were treated in the United States not even a century ago. What's so shameful is the perpetrators were White Europeans who were immigrants themselves from Germany, Sweden, Holland, Great Briton. It's a disgrace on modern society during its growing stages to know how non-whites were treated with such disdain and disrespect. It makes me angry and deeply disheartened at the same time. It would not be so bad if we, as a society could say that was a dark time we have evolved from, but alas, it is still happening. there are So many people who feel terrible hate and disdain against people other than their own color, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, etc., etc., we have not learned, we grow so slowly.

I can not understand and other rating but a 10 for this film. Why? Because it didn't contain a lot of unnecessary drivel, extraneous blabber and gratuitous violence and sex? This film made me weep from the poetic and graceful depiction of the worst and best of human nature. The visual narration evokes deep emotion. Few film makers and actors can achieve such a sensory blast with music, visual, poetry and acting with little dialogue. I commend Sir Malik and the great actors who were able to transform themselves so eloquently to tell a story so moving and profound in a world where a story like this is usually told in everything this film was not. It was sensitive and touching and artistic. Something we seem to be losing.

A pretty good cast for a wonderful story. I twas done pretty well back in 2003 (or 2002 when it was filmed), but it would do SO Much better if it was remade today. :) I for one would LOVE to see a remake or even a TV Series made based on this book. A TV series based on this concept, where a set of scholars, archeologists, etc. weekly go back to certain historical time periods and face challenges and deal with history. It could provide great entertainment while also making history tangible. :) It would be fun to see a Scooby team of sorts go back and meet great people of Greece, Turkey, Rome, Madrid, Africa, Russia, France, Briton, etc., etc., etc.

This is my last entry. I'm watching the last episodes and I started listening to the audio version of the whole series. I LOVE this series and I'm SO frustrated that it came to an end at only 2 seasons. Why was it cancelled? Like many other great series, I blame it on the lack of promotion and timing. With Shows like "once Upon a Time" and "Grimm" being SO POPULAR currently, I'm SURE "Legend of the Seeker", would be very popular as well if it were being produced currently. Alas...it's a shame I won't get to see Craig Horner's hot abs until his next job. lol no really, he plays a great Richard Sipher and so does Bridget Regan's Kahlan & Bruce Spence's Zed.

So far, after watching only the 1st episode I can see the problem with this series. The only actor who is a real actor with true talent was the only British actor, in fact, Craig Parker. His skills are so far superior to any others in the series it seems a bit sad for him. It's a little painful to see the main characters recite lame dialog with contemporary accents and jargon. It is a promising idea for those of us who relish in Medieval Fantasy, but so far it's a bit of a disappointment. I'll watch it because I long for anything similar to Merlin which just ended and was great! Also, Game of Thrones is not back until march 2013. We need more Medieval Fantasy series, instead of Vampires at this point.

OK, I'm on Episode 6 and it seems to have improved. Either I'm getting used to it, or the show seems to be going through an evolution. With each episode the main actors seem to be more comfortable in their roles and the casting of episodic actors is improving. The Dialogue is still pretty lame, but hopefully that too might mature.

And yet another update. :) I have grown to love this show. It's campy sincerity is dear and quaint. I love everything Medieval and I love the use of honor, magic and a connection to days of yore. It's a great option to the same things we see on TV now. I love the swashbuckling too. Sometimes the costumes are great and even accurate for the time period, other times they're ridiculous and look like something from the local mall. I would have enjoyed a few more seasons of this show.

I was looking for a film about King Arthur and/or Merlin and instead I got a Christian family made film about God and faith. There's little to no dialogue and when people do speak it's delivered terribly. This film has an agenda to tell history through the eyes of contemporary Pious people. It's almost comical when a completely inept (non) actor says "this is the gateway to Britain" with a Midwestern accent. For the first 15 minutes it was not clear who is who and what is what and why anything was happening. It was funny when the German Saxon had a Scottish accent though. It took 23 minutes to hear the father call-out the main character's name, "Arthur". The lack of dialogue other than when they speak about God's grace, is actually astounding. What a great disappointment to the story of King Arthur, who, it seems traveled with "knights" that likely were not religious at all. It was hard to watch the people pretending to act. I can not help wondering why they would have these people pretend to act, they're worse than amateur actors, they're worse than any High School musical I've seen. I've seen better acting on the stage of a Middle School. it was painful, I had to turn it off.