If you’d have told a 33-year-old Tom Cruise at the 1996 premiere of Mission: Impossible that he’d be promoting — and not just promoting, living — the same film franchise 29 years and seven instalments later, he probably would’ve believed you right there and then.
There are plenty of seemingly impossible things about Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, but Cruise’s commitment to the character of Ethan Hunt is not one of them. Brian De Palma’s big-screen reboot of the 1966 Mission: Impossible TV series was the first to be produced by Cruise’s then-new production company C/W Productions, and the ageless star has since committed to going bigger and better with each subsequent instalment.
The Final Reckoning is, we presume, the last Mission: Impossible movie for some time (maybe ever!), and though it’s certainly no better than what’s come before – in truth, it probably places fifth or sixth in our ranking of the Mission: Impossible movies – it’s most definitely bigger than anything else you’ve seen (or will see) this year.
Back in the saddle
The series' eighth entry picks up where 2023’s Dead Reckoning left off, with Ethan and the rest of the IMF gang still trying to outfox the rogue artificial intelligence system known as 'the Entity'. It’s essentially the same Big Bad as before, except now the Entity is hell-bent on nuclear armageddon, and it’s also started to brainwash small pockets of the populace into supporting its apocalyptic cause (some people just have to be part of a club).
To ensure its own survival when the bombs start to fall, the Entity needs access to a secure digital bunker in South Africa, and it’s here that our heroes hope to trap ChatGPT-on-steroids using a combination of various hard-to-get-hold-of MacGuffins, including an elaborate USB stick buried in the belly of a sunken Russian submarine. So far, so Mission: Impossible.
There are many, many other facets to The Final Reckoning’s convoluted story, which is even more difficult to follow than the plot of the original Mission: Impossible, but the film is essentially a '90s disaster movie dressed up as a commentary on AI and misinformation.
That’s not necessarily unbecoming of the franchise – Ethan has always been dropped into a race against time to save the world – but, to its detriment, The Final Reckoning feels distinctly more grandiose than any other Mission movie before it, with more time devoted to politicking and fate-of-the-world decision-making than to ingenious gadgetry and covert spycraft.
Ethan spends precious little time with his IMF crew in The Final Reckoning (Image credit: Paramount)
Mission: Impossible is at its best when Ethan and his band of IMF misfits are infiltrating a famous landmark or pulling off an improbable escape, quipping at each other as they do so (the Burj Khalifa sequence in Ghost Protocol is an all-timer example of that formula in action). The Final Reckoning swaps this playful tone for doom and gloom in a bid to raise the emotional stakes, but the trade-off is a more serious, arguably un-Mission: Impossible-like experience overall.
This sentiment isn’t helped by an exposition-heavy first hour, which jumps between locations, characters, and plot threads like a YouTube recap of the Mission: Impossible series so far. Flashbacks are fine in moderation, but the sheer number of them deployed by director Christopher McQuarrie in the opening moments of The Final Reckoning is an indictment of the film’s unwieldy story.
Getting down to business
The underwater sequence is an instant Mission: Impossible classic (Image credit: Paramount)
Mercifully, things take a turn for the action-packed about halfway through, when Ethan jumps into the Bering Sea in search of that aforementioned Russian submarine. It’s here that we’re introduced to Captain Bledsoe, played with scene-stealing aplomb by Severance star Tramell Tillman, and the first of two outrageously gripping stunts gets underway.
If you’ve seen any of The Final Reckoning’s trailers or posters, you’ll know that the biplane sequence – shot at 8,000 feet in 140mph winds with no CGI – is being framed as the film’s centerpiece, and while it’s undeniably impressive, the earlier submarine sequence is arguably the bigger highlight. Here, McQuarrie and Cruise use a combination of digital effects and practical wizardry to simulate the inside of a missile-filled submarine at the bottom of the ocean, and the sense of scale and jeopardy the pair achieve is staggering.
Watching Cruise dodge nuclear warheads under life-threatening amounts of pressure will have you, too, feeling like you’re trapped on the ocean floor, especially if you experience this ordeal in the expanded aspect ratio afforded by IMAX.
Quite frankly, The Final Reckoning is saved by its two major set-pieces. They bring a much-needed injection of excitement to an otherwise drawn-out disaster story, and while the film as a whole could do with more action and less situation-room drama, these stunts will remind you why you paid the ticket price. Nobody is doing it like Tom Cruise, and this eighth and potentially final entry in the Mission: Impossible franchise – for all its many shortcomings – hammers home that truth and then some. Cue the theme music!
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning arrives in theaters and IMAX on May 21 (UK) and May 23 (internationally).
Thunderbolts* was always going to be viewed as the Marvel movie underdog of 2025.
In a year that saw the arrival of a new Captain America film and The Fantastic Four's highly anticipated addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), a movie starring a ragtag team of lesser-known anti-heroes and reformed villains might not have been high on many people's theatrical agenda.
Like the titular team, though, Thunderbolts* has battled against the odds to cement its place as one of the best Marvel movies since 2019's Avengers: Endgame. Armed with a supremely talented cast on top form, and the MCU'smost affecting story to date when it comes to exploring themes of vulnerability – a story that struck a huge chord with me – it's also an emotionally resonant movie that encouraged me to reflect on my past, and not let it define me.
Shadow selves
Thunderbolts* is the latest MCU movie to feature a group of outsiders coming together for the greater good (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Like The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy (GotG), Thunderbolts* tells the tale of a maladjusted group of individuals thrust together to battle a common enemy.
Boil the movie down to its simplest form, and comparisons to those two films are easy to make, in terms of both its storytelling structure and the archetypal characters who inhabit all three movies, such as John Walker/US Agent (Wyatt Russell) and Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan) being the serious soldier stand-ins for The Avengers' Captain America and GotG's Drax.
Thunderbolts*' humor-laden moments... are belly-achingly effective in their delivery and plot placement
The same can be said of Thunderbolts*' whip-smart humor. Like many of its MCU counterparts, Thunderbolts* is full of snarky retorts, quippy one-liners, and other wisecracks. However, rather than being throwaway jokes that do little else but raise a smile, its humor-laden moments are belly-achingly effective in their delivery and plot placement.
Yelena and Alexei's strained relationship is a core part of what makes Thunderbolts*' story so engaging (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
The on-screen rapport between the Thunderbolts – unlike in the comics, the unpopular team name isn't derived from Thaddus 'Thunderbolt' Ross – is equally electrifying. In fact, I'd wager the chemistry between Thunderbolts*' eclectic cast of characters is the most natural in an MCU film for a while.
That might be a bold statement to make, particularly in light of the absorbing dynamic between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool and Wolverine. As an ensemble, though, the playful and melodramatic manner with which this film's cast bounce off each other is a far cry from the camaraderie (or, rather, lack thereof) of other films' casts.
The on-screen rapport between the Thunderbolts is utterly electrifying
The team's 'found family' dynamic fizzes and pops with a pleasing poise that captivated me from the moment that many of them meet, too.
Indeed, a western stand-off-style showdown between Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), US Agent, Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), and Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster (Olga Kurylenko) in the first act, which occurs after each agent is sent to take down one of the others by shady CIA director Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), is as frenetic and wonderfully farcical as you might expect.
Yelena and Bob's relationship is one of Thunderbolts*' most moving elements (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Of the dynamics on display, I was most emotionally invested in Yelena's relationships with Alexei and Bob.
The estranged familial dynamic between Yelena and Alexei is full of histrionics, hilarity, and heartfelt moments that underline, if further evidence was needed, Pugh's and Harbour's standing as two of the greatest actors of their generation. Emotionally engaging tour de forces, they most certainly are.
That said, the relationship between Yelena and Bob is the one that really captured my attention, because theirs is the earnest fulcrum that really drives the Marvel Phase 5 movie's emotionally-charged narrative. I'm not afraid to admit that their bond drew visceral reactions for me on two occasions – as I write this review, just thinking about one specific moment in the film's final act leaves me teary-eyed and with a lump in my throat.
Fight off your demons
Thunderbolts*' opening scene features Yelena figuratively standing on the edge of the emotional abyss (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
The emotional intensity Thunderbolts* delivers narratively won't be lost on anyone who watches one of 2025's most anticipated new movies, either.
Indeed, where the Avengers assembled to protect New York City – and the wider world – from Loki and his Chitauri army, and the Guardians united to defeat Ronan the Accuser, this film's unruly cast of characters have a far tougher foe to overcome: themselves.
Thunderbolts* is following Moon Knight's lead with its sensitive approach to mental health issues
You see, while Thunderbolts* includes conventional antagonists in de Fontaine and someone you probably expected to be a good guy, it's the ensemble's darkest, most secret inner selves who are their greatest nemeses.
This isn't new territory for Marvel. As a medium, comic books are widely regarded for telling stories that reflect the world around them, so there's no reason why comic book/superhero films wouldn't do likewise.
That's reflected in the fact that the MCU has tackled such difficult subject matter before, too. However, where Iron Man 3 made light of and danced around Tony Stark's grapples with PTSD following The Avengers, Thunderbolts* is following Moon Knight's lead with its sensitive approach to mental health issues.
Despite his past, Bucky Barnes is the most well-rounded character in Thunderbolts* (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Whether it's Yelena's disillusionment with life itself, Bob's split-personality disorder, US Agent's deep shame, or the team's collective feelings of regret, Thunderbolts* is cognizant of the mental health issues that many of us battle everyday or at some point in our lives. These are characters who lack the individual ability to deal with their past mistakes and/or who feel trapped in an endless loop of despair, and Thunderbolts* does a terrific job of not only humanizing them through the traumatic experiences they've endured, but also making them incredibly relatable.
Pugh and Pullman's raw, multi-layered performances are as impactful as any MCU acting display you're likely to see
Again, Pugh and Pullman are particularly worth highlighting. The rest of the cast are superb, but the pair's raw, multi-layered performances, which build on the emotionally rich script penned by MCU stalwart Eric Pearson, and The Bear, Hacks, and BoJack Horseman scribe Joanna Calo, are as impactful as any MCU acting display you're likely to see.
A brief flashback showcasing De Fontaine's (right) tragic backstory helps to humanize even the CIA's duplicitous overlord (Image credit: Marvel Studios)
Thunderbolts* isn't without its niggles, mind you. For one, its ending feels a bit abrupt. Despite the emotional impact on display in the movie's final action set-piece, the manner with which the Marvel movie's Thanos-level-esque 'main villain' is dealt with is contrived – and, likely in the eyes of some viewers, eye-roll inducing – as well. The lack of screen time afforded to Louis-Dreyfus' megalomaniac and master manipulator is a bit of a sore point, too.
The logic used to 'depower' Sentry is also a bit too convenient. I'm sure Captain Marvel will have something to say about this, as will Gi'ah from Secret Invasion – we don't talk about that terrible Disney+ show here, though – but he's arguably the most powerful superhuman in the MCU now. With Robert Downey Jr's Doctor Victor von Doom due to upend things from a multiverse perspective in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, a supremely powerful individual like Sentry would be handy to have around.
My biggest bugbear with Thunderbolts*, though, is the unceremonious and unnecessary demise of a character who deserved better in this movie, and in the MCU as a whole. I don't like how it played out, or how the immediate and long-term impact of what happened is handled. For a film that does so much right from a character introspection viewpoint, Thunderbolts* frustratingly drops the ball over this incident.
My verdict
Thunderbolts* is an expectation-defying, incredibly moving MCU entry that unashamedly wears its heart on its sleeve. It balances its melodrama, cathartic story, and deconstruction of heroism with the MCU's classic, fun-filled elements so well that it's a Marvel film I can see myself watching in a theater and/or at home many times over. Considering there are many other MCU movies I haven't seen since I initially watched them on the big screen, that's high praise indeed.
It would be easy to say Thunderbolts* is the best MCU film since, say, Avengers: Endgame. I've certainly been guilty of doing that with Shang-Chi, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and Deadpool & Wolverine.
Thunderbolts* deserves to be part of the 'best Marvel movies' conversation
Compared to some of Marvel's less impressive movie offerings in the years since Endgame, though, Thunderbolts* deserves to be part of that conversation. It doesn't reinvent the team-up movie formula, nor will it win any awards for its action sequences (for what it's worth, though, the stunts are mostly real rather than relying on CGI, and most of those sequences are great).
What it does do is tell a deeply emotional story about a group of alienated individuals who could purposefully walk away from problems that don't concern them, but who nonetheless do the right thing when the world needs them. If that doesn't make them deserving of "being the heroes on the Wheaties box with the little kiddie toy" – Red Guardian's words, not mine – I don't know what would.
Thunderbolts* arrives in theaters on May 1 (UK) and May (internationally).
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In the two and a half years since the Star Wars TV series' first season ended, my excitement levels have only grown. That could've presented a problem if, like many a crashed starship in the famous galaxy far, far away it inhabits, the political spy thriller didn't stick the landing with its second and final installment.
Join me in breathing a sigh of relief, then, that it does. Andor season 2 is a near-masterpiece that, a couple of faults aside, cements the show's position as the best piece of Star Wars live-action media since the original movie trilogy.
Rebel leaders, standing by
Andor season 2 takes a different storytelling approach to its predecessor (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
Initially picking up events after its predecessor's finale, Andor season 2 takes a different storytelling approach to the Disney+ series' first outing.
Where season 1 followed its ensemble cast across a single year, this season's 12-episode run is divided into four trilogy-style events. Each three-episode block depicts a specific event within the four years leading into Rogue One: A Star Wars Story – the 2016 film that connects Andor to Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
Andor season 2 is... the best piece of Star Wars live-action media since the original movie trilogy
Previously described as "very sexy" time jumps by showrunner Tony Gilroy, episodes 1 to 3 cover three days, four years before Rogue One happens. Then, chapters 4 to 6 depict a week-long event three years out from the aforementioned movie. Next, entries 7 to 9 tackle a 14-day period two years before the Gareth Edwards-directed flick. Finally, episodes 10 to 12 take place in the five days leading up to Rogue One.
With both seasons reportedly costing an eye-watering $645 million, it's clear Disney, which has tightened the purse strings during Bob Iger's second stint as CEO, wanted to wrap up this expensively-assembled program.
That's bad news for fans who loved Andor's first season and craved more of its thrilling, character-driven storytelling. It also presented a creative conundrum for Gilroy and company to overcome – how to cram four seasons' worth of character evolution and plot progression into a dozen episodes.
Mon Mothma is as integral to Andor's story as the titular character (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Some teething problems in season 2's first act notwithstanding, it's a storytelling approach that, hesitant though I was over how well it'd work, I actually warmed to. Sure, season 2 is fast-paced at times (I'll get into this more later as part of my wider criticism of this season), but the beauty of its four-year cycle is its ability to show the ever-evolving nature of the show's key relationships at annual intervals.
Be it friendships, romances, uneasy alliances, or another type of interpersonal dynamic, season 2's multi-year plot approach – one largely devoid of filler material – highlights the rollercoaster ride that each one goes on.
Sure, character dynamics can change within TV show seasons whose events play out over weeks and months rather than years. It's a process that worked wonders for Andor's first season, but armed with its multi-year format, the series' sophomore outing not only demonstrates how its tentpole moments impact these relationships but also the in-flux nature of its core dynamics in all of their soul-stirring, melodramatic, and tear-jerking glory.
The beauty of this season's four-year cycle is how it showcases the ever-evolving nature of the show's key relationships
Predictably, a lot of the shifting dynamics revolve around Cassian Andor (Diego Luna). As the show's titular character, season 2 takes a purposeful approach to examining the ebb and flow of his personal associations.
Indeed, there's underlying tension, occasional levity, and soul-piercing drama to the bonds he shares with those he's closest to and works for, as well as clear affection and/or respect amid the oft-times messiness of these dynamics. Understandably, that includes ones he has real stakes in, with Bix (Adria Arjona), Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), Wilmon (Muhanned Bhair), and, as confirmed by an appearance in Andor season 2's first trailer, his eventual android bestie K-2SO.
Bix and Cassian's relationship dramatically shifts as season 2 plays out (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
That said, while the series bears his name, season 2 is as much, if not more so, an ensemble piece than its predecessor was. (By the way, it's worth watching the season 1 finale again, or streaming last season's 14-minute recap, to refamiliarize yourself with the sheer number of characters in the show. My head was spinning throughout season 2's opening salvo as I tried to remember who everyone was, what they were doing, and where they were!)
Fascinated though I was by Cassian's relationships with some of Andor season 2's cast, I found myself more hooked by the politically dicey dynamics involving Mon Mothma (Genevieve O'Reilly), who's arguably this season's stand-out. She's certainly the most interesting character in season 2's first act and, spoilers notwithstanding, episode 9 fully cements O'Reilly's place as one of the finest actors to grace the Star Wars universe.
The engrossingly uncomfortable dynamic between Galactic Empire officers Dedra Meero (Denise Gough) and Syril Karn (Kyle Soller) that slithers with reptilian delight, plus the compelling expansion of Luthen's fraught surrogate-style relationship with Kleya (Elizabeth Dulau), are equally worthy of praise. I never tired of seeing these particular dynamics play out and, given another season or three, I'm sure they would've been even more intoxicating to watch.
Heirs to the Empire
Denise Gough's Dedra Meero is captivatingly unlikeable once more in the show's second season (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
Season 2 successfully navigates its expansion of, and call backs to, the wider Star Wars galaxy, too.
There is, despite what Gilroy previously suggested, some character and plot-based winks to the camera, but they're not as egregious as references in other Star Wars projects.
In fact, whether it's the return of Rogue One's main villain Orson Krennic (Ben Mendelsohn), who steals scenes with his terrifying unpredictability, or subtle nods to Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith and Rogue One itself, they're easily forgivable inclusions that actually enhanced my viewing experience.
Ben Mendelsohn reprises his role as Death Star overseer Orson Krennic in Andor's final season (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)
The addition of new worlds also expands on the grandeur of Lucasfilm's vast galaxy, which the Galactic Empire dominates during this time. The live-action debut of one planet is especially key as it allows for the exploration of an emotionally devastating event that should also clear up fan confusion over said incident's Star Wars canonicity.
I won't tease much else about it for those with little knowledge of wider Star Wars lore. Believe me when I say, though, that season 2 episode 8, which showcases this event in such soul-crushing fashion, might be the best – if that's the right word to use – chapter since the season 1 finale. If nothing else, it certainly rivals last season's 12th episode for sheer emotional impact, and I'm not afraid to admit that I shed a tear or two as its end credits rolled.
Season 2 episode 8... rivals last season's 12th episode for sheer emotional impact
If there was a problem with one of the best Disney+ shows' final season – and this might slightly contradict what I wrote earlier – it's the condensed and at times rushed feel of some of its four acts.
I appreciate it's been a costly endeavor for Disney. I also understand that showrunner Tony Gilroy had the unenviable task of compressing four seasons' worth of content into the show's last installment. So, the fact that he achieved this seemingly impossible task should be applauded.
The compelling character complexities of Kyle Soller's Syril Karn are on full show in season 2 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney+)
Still, the sheer number of narrative hoops that season 2 has to jump through, the quick-paced nature of some three-episode events, and the occasional sidelining of important supporting characters make this season feel a tad scattershot in its storytelling approach.
Act 1, for instance, feels largely untethered and tonally different from its fellow volumes. The severe cuts between scenes are often jarring, while the lack of narrative and character-based pay-off delivers an abrupt end to season 2's opening three-part chapter. It comes across as a standalone trilogy that feels out of place among its brethren.
It's not the only act marred by niggling issues. Act 4 is more closely connected to acts 2 and 3 than act 1 is, and plays the role of direct link to Rogue One. However, it's a little on the short side, and I'll admit I was expecting a bit more suspense or shock value in a three-parter where the Rebel Alliance finally learns about the Death Star.
Don't get me wrong, some moments are genuinely thrilling, dramatic, action-packed, and heart-wrenchingly sad, and I certainly wasn't unsatisfied with how season 2 ends. Indeed, its final scene will make you view Rogue One in a whole different light. I just think that, with a few extra minutes here and there, act 4 would've been even better than it was.
My verdict
Andor season 2 is a devastating and epic tour de force – one filled of potent political drama, weighty ethical dilemmas, and captivating character introspection – that rebels against the notion that Star Wars is a dead franchise walking.
In my view, nothing comes as close to matching the awe, shock value, and prestige nature of the original films – which turned Lucasfilm's iconic sci-fi universe into the powerhouse franchise it is today – as this epic and expertly crafted show.
Would it be even better as a three-season event (a Star Wars trilogy, you say?) comprising eight episodes apiece to fully explore its characters, their dynamics, the impact of their decisions, and help things feel less rushed? Yes, but this is the hand that Gilroy and company were dealt, and there's no debate that they've pulled off an almighty task in making one of 2025's new Star Wars shows as breathtakingly good as it is.
In my Andor season 1 review, I labeled it "a blood-pumping spy thriller that might be the best Star Wars shows yet". Now, I'd replace "might be" with "is". If Disney learns anything from Andor, it's that there's an entire galaxy's worth of more mature, creative, and original stories that deserve to be explored.
The question now is: will the House of Mouse be brave enough to pursue similar ideas? If it does and they're as good, if not better, than Andor, I'll be a Star Wars devotee for a long time yet.
Andor season 2 launches with a three-episode premiere on Tuesday, April 22 (US) and Wednesday, April 23 (UK and Australia). Three new episodes arrive each week until the show's finale in mid-May.
Mild spoilers follow for The Last of Us season 2 episode 1.
The Last of Us season 2 has a lot to live up to. Its predecessor set a high bar for HBO's TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's popular video game franchise. So, the pressure on season 2 to reach the heady heights of the hit series' first season and authentically adapt the story told in The Last of Us Part II couldn't be greater.
Based on this season's opening episode, 'Future Days', it seems The Last of Us' sophomore season will be a largely faithful take on its gaming namesake. However, future episodes will need to ratchet up the tension, melodrama, and horror-infused action if season 2 wants to be talked about as glowingly as its forebear.
The dark side of us
Some years have passed since we last saw Ellie (left), pictured here with Joel's brother Tommy (right) (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)
Like The Last of Us Part II game, episode 1 of the hit HBO series' second season reunites us with Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) after a time jump. Indeed, five years have passed since the explosive season 1 finale where Joel massacred numerous Fireflies to save Ellie's life.
Remember, she's immune to the Cordyceps virus because the Fireflies' doctors believe the fungus has been growing in her brain since she was born. So, they were going to use Ellie's brain to create a vaccine, which would kill Ellie in the process. Cue a furious Joel going on a bloodthirsty rampage to rescue Ellie, seemingly consigning humanity to its fate with no cure to combat the virus, and then lying to Ellie about what actually happened at the Fireflies camp.
I was already convinced that Dever would be a vengeance-fuelled tour de force
One push of the fast-forward button later, and the pair have grown accustomed to life in Jackson, the now-bustling Wyoming town that's become a safe haven from the life-threatening, global scourge that's decimated humanity.
Before we catch up with our intrepid duo, there's the small matter of addressing Joel's murder spree and the deceased Fireflies' devastated relatives left to pick up the pieces. That includes Kaitlyn Dever's Abby, The Last of Us Part II's divisive deuteragonist, whose father is among the people Joel mercilessly gunned down.
What's immediately apparent about Dever's Abby is that she's not as physically imposing as her video-game counterpart. Loathed as Abby is by some The Last of Us fans for events in the game that I won't spoil here, I suspect those same devotees will be vexed over what they perceive to be an unnecessary tweak to her build.
I've no doubt that Dever will deliver a powerful portrayal of Abby in HBO's TV adaptation (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)
Honestly, though, I don't mind this minor, if controversial, change. Yes, Abby's physicality is a large part of her identity, so the decision to downgrade this part of her character is one reason why fans expressed concern for Dever's welfare in the lead-up to season 2's release.
Nonetheless, based on her portrayal of tough and complex yet empathetic characters in other projects, I was already convinced that Dever would be a vengeance-fuelled tour de force in HBO's small-screen adaptation. My confidence has only grown after witnessing the emotional gravitas she imbues Abby with during her limited screentime in 'Future Days', and I can't wait to see how she builds on the character in Part II in future episodes.
Season 2 isn't afraid to show how Joel and Ellie's once-strong bond has deteriorated
By and large, though, this is still the Ellie and Joel show, and the critically acclaimed Max series isn't afraid to show how their once-strong bond has deteriorated in the time since we last saw them.
A major part of the heartbreaking shift in their relationship is down to Ellie's growth as a person. She's still the oft-amusing, impulsive, and reckless individual we came to adore in The Last of Us season 1, but an animalistic fury – one born out of traumatic events she's endured – now courses through her veins. That means she's not only physically older and more world-weary than last season's Ellie, but also far more temperamental and destructive than before.
Pascal's emotionally rich performance in 'Future Days' tugs at the heartstrings (Image credit: HBO)
Unfortunately for Joel, he bears the brunt of the highly charged verbal torpedoes Ellie lets loose. This is more than a normal teen rebelling against a parent, biological or otherwise, though. Indeed, it's a surrogate father-daughter bond on the verge of total collapse.
A clear animosity has developed between them since The Last of Us TV show's season 1 finale. That much is clear in the plot exposition woven into a conversation between Joel and Isabela Merced's season 2 newcomer Dina, who's an utter delight as Ellie's bestie and Joel's surrogate daughter substitute for Ellie.
Fans of Naughty Dog's games aside, I don't think anyone will be prepared for the breakdown in their relationship – hostilities that'll only grow when thathuge showdown between Joel and Ellie occurs. In fact, I'd go as far as to say some viewers will be stunned by this development, especially as they spent little time apart in season 1. Like The Last of Us Part II, 'Future Days' keeps interactions between them to a minimum, which serves to make the brief scenes they share all the more heart-shattering.
Support structures
Merced's Dina is a perfect foil to Ramsey's Ellie in more ways than one (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)
There's more to one of the best Max shows' return than this season's tritagonists in Joel, Ellie, and Abby, though.
The return of characters from season 1, including Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley), plus the addition of new characters like Merced's Dina, Young Mazino's Jesse, plus Abby's strike team (read more about them in my season 2 cast guide) help to populate this universe with fascinating, complex characters whose relationships will be impacted by the actions of the aforementioned trio. That each new actor fits their character like a glove only makes them more likable and/or intriguing to watch, too.
That each new actor fits their character like a glove only makes them more likable and/or intriguing to watch, too
There's also a largely gratifying expansion of the narrative depicted in Part II. Most are minor narrative improvements that flesh out its story or refine the tale Naughty Dog originally told, but the odd one or two additions might frustrate long-time fans wanting a beat-for-beat re-tread of the game series' latest entry.
One change that won't irk fans is the addition of Gail (Catherine O'Hara), a psychotherapist whose complex relationship with Joel is already a season highlight of mine after season 2's opening episode. I reveled in seeing these powerhouse actors, whose emotion-wracked performances speak louder than words ever could, go toe-to-toe. I really hope we're treated to more similarly intense interactions between them over the course of this season.
O'Hara's Gail is one new addition to HBO's interpretation that builds on its video game counterpart (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)
The premiere's near-hour-long runtime allows for brief moments of levity to shine through the post-apocalyptic melodrama, too.
Much of that comes by way of Ellie and Dina's endearing puppy love-style dynamic. Ramsey and Merced clearly revel in egging each other on as their respective characters; their playful exchanges punctuating the sobering yet dangerous world they inhabit.
Even though I know what happens in Part II, I'm still keen to see how their relationship evolves.
Ramsey and Merced clearly revel in egging each other on as their respective characters
'Future Days' has already set up fascinating threads for this dynamic with the fallout from their romantically charged dance, Ellie's physical run-in with a new version of the Infected (aka the Stalker), and the ominous, double-headed nature of how this season's premiere ends all set to change the duo's perceptions of, and loyalty to, each other. That's before we even get to that absolutely soul-crushing moment from Part II (if you know, you know) that'll severely impact their friendship.
If there's one criticism I have of 'Future Days', it's that it's the epitome of a calm before the storm-style episode.
Okay, it's supposed to serve as a slow-paced reintroduction to this universe that moves the requisite chess board pieces into place for more heart-pounding, shocking, and revelatory events to come. Still, there are moments of thrilling action and/or location-based exploration in Part II's first few hours of gameplaythat, while they can't be directly translated for television, could've been substituted for other suspense-filled storytelling beats.
My verdict
'Future Days' is a purposeful and methodically paced reintroduction to HBO's retelling of The Last of Us, and one I mostly enjoyed. As a catch-up episode, it didn't need to employ a gung-ho storytelling approach. I was also largely satisfied with its near-perfect authentic take on Naughty Dog's source material.
That said, compared to season 1's action-heavy and emotionally devastating opener, it felt somewhat underwhelming in its design. Part II's most heart-rending moment notwithstanding, more thrills and tragedy-laced incidents will be required in future episodes – in season 2 and The Last of Us' recently confirmed third season, both of which cover the story told in Part II – to recapture the infectious magic of its predecessor.
The Last of Us season 2 episode 1 is out now on Max (US and Australia) and Sky Atlantic (UK).
Black Mirror season 7 is here, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's thoughts on one of the best Netflix shows now that they've got six more episodes to explore. It may come as no surprise that it's a real mixed bag.
With anthologies, disliking certain installments more than others is par for the course, but after watching all of season 7 I really am worried it's ran out of ideas. Out of the six episodes, one is a sequel, another is set in the same universe as Bandersnatch, and another has similar narrative beats to San Junipero.
So only having three episodes with truly unique ideas is a bit concerning considering Black Mirror was known for having distinctly different stories, especially in its original Channel 4 era.
Yes, we often see Easter eggs hidden, which connect them like references to past episodes or the same news channel, but they've never felt completely repetitive until now.
In my Black Mirror season 7 episode ranking, I placed USS Callister: Into Infinity at the bottom because I'm frustrated it even exists. The original episode from season 4 was so wonderfully unique and had a bittersweet ending, and I would've been happy for it to just end there. Making a sequel just because the first episode is popular is frustrating, and they could've come up with something new.
But, as I said, it's a mixed bag and that means there were episodes I enjoyed very much. My top two Black Mirror season 7 episodes are Common People and Hotel Reverie, because, in my opinion, they really go back to basics and look at what the show is most loved for: criticizing the misuse of tech and how it can really mess with people's emotions, not to mention their physical and mental health.
Both of these episodes are also very relevant. Through Common People, Charlie Brooker explores what would happen if you could magically restore your sick partner through a revolutionary healthcare plan.
Don't worry; it's only a small monthly cost, and it's one that Chris O’Dowd's character decides to sign up for to save his beloved wife, played by Rashida Jones.
That's all well and good until they start running intrusive ads through your partner and you can't get rid of these until you give the company more money, in a cut-throat examination on our over reliance of subscription services and their multiple tiers and add-ons.
Yeah, this one really hurts, guys. That's why it's brilliant; it packs that emotional punch that reminds me of earlier episodes like Be Right Back in season 2.
(Image credit: Netflix)
Hotel Reverie is also timely as it focuses on our growing interest in AI, through a company that can revamp old Hollywood movies by uploading a modern day actor to spice things up for the streaming age. A controversial choice, of course, but an essential one for a struggling studio who can no longer profit of their struggling classic cinema library.
As well as opening up discussions around cinema, it taps into this idea that an AI character could become self aware. Issa Rae and Emma Corrin shine as two actresses from very different generations who meet inside this movie, forming a bond that goes beyond the pages of a pre-written script. I adored this one and I'll no doubt revisit it soon.
When Black Mirror keeps things fresh and original, it's a very thought-provoking watch. Even though I enjoyed the divisive Plaything episode more than some others, I can see people's arguments that it felt rushed and the ending wasn't as satisfying, and I think many of us did expect more from a Bandersnatch spin-off, especially with someone as big as Peter Capaldi at the helm.
My three-star rating does reflect how on the fence I feel about the series right now. I did like this season aside from USS Callister: Into Infinity's long, drawn out runtime, especially how emotionally driven it was, but I really don't know where they're going to go from here.
With Charlie Brooker telling The Hollywood Reporter he's "in it for the long haul", I'm concerned about what that's going to look like. Sometimes, it's good to quit while you're ahead.
Mild spoilers follow for Doctor Who season 2 episode 1.
Doctor Who is, in many ways, the ultimate comfort food for sci-fi fanatics. There are times when the iconic British TV show will surprise you with its storytelling, character evolution, and/or thematic exploration. By and large, though, you know what you're going to get with Gallifrey's greatest export: a mostly fun-filled romp across time and space.
For better or worse, that's a well-established formula that Doctor Who season 2 (or, for those of us who've watched it since its 2005 revival, Doctor Who season 15) doesn't tamper with. This season's opening chapter, titled 'The Robot Revolution', isn't as narratively revolutionary as its name suggests. Still, while season 2's premiere is predictable in its make-up, I largely had fun with what its 46-minute opener had to offer.
Paranoid android
'The Robot Revolution' introduces us to The Doctor's new companion Belinda (Image credit: Disney+/BBC One)
Season 2 opens with the titular Time Lord (Ncuti Gatwa) racing to find Belinda 'Bel' Chandra (Varada Sethu), a London-based nurse, for unknown reasons.
Unfortunately, no sooner does The Doctor track her down at her home, he can only watch as Bel is whisked away by a group of menacing robots – who, for reasons that'll become clear, claim she's their planet's Queen – to their home world.
Long story short: Bel is taken to a planet where everything is bizarrely named after her. That includes the world's moniker (Miss Belinda Chandra-1), its race of humans (Belinda Chandra-kind), and its main city (Belinda Chandra-Ville).
Bel's ties to a world that she has no recollection of are the least of her worries. Indeed, she's been kidnapped to marry this world's de-factor ruler and be fully assimilated as a human-robot hybrid not like classic Whovian villains The Cybermen (more on this comparison later). So much for a peaceful evening.
Hope is at hand, though. The Doctor has not only infiltrated Miss Belinda Chandra-1, but also teamed up with a group of human freedom fighters looking to overthrow their android oppressors. Cue a typically audacious rescue mission to save Bel and work out what's actually going on.
The Doctor tries to get to the bottom of what's happening on Belinda Chandra-1 (Image credit: Disney+/BBC One)
For those who recognize Sethu's Bel but can't quite place her, allow me to help: Sethu also played Mundy Flynn in 'Boom', which was arguably season 1/season 14's best episode. She also appeared in season 1 of Andor, FYI, and will do so again in Andor season 2, which arrives on Disney+ later this month.
But I digress. Unlike Peter Capaldi and Karen Gillan's supporting roles in season 4 episode 'The Fires of Pompeii' before they secured central roles in later seasons, Sethu's casting as Bel is deliberate.
Season 2 doesn't hide the fact that Bel and Mundy are related. Indeed, The Doctor confirms as much during an expository sequence where discussing a so-called Time Fracture that's a temporal border issue between Miss Belindra Chandra-1 and planet Earth. Continuity in a 70-year-old-plus TV series can be difficult to maintain, so cast additions like this – where an actor can play two versions of the same character – in any project is most welcome.
I'm pleased that loose plot threads from the show's first season on Disney+ haven't been fully discarded
As Doctor Who season 2's first trailer teased, its big mystery isn't just centered on Bel. It's also directly linked to the overarching narrative involving Gatwa's 15th Doctor that, as long as Gatwa is in for the long haul, should run for multiple seasons and, hopefully at some point, explain who or what the returning Mrs Flood is.
This isn't a novel creative and storytelling approach for Doctor Who. Other multi-season stories, such as those involving Matt Smith and Jodie Foster's iterations, have been structured similarly with their breadcrumb trail narratives that eventually lead to a grand reveal towards the end of each Doctor's existence.
Nevertheless, I'm pleased that loose plot threads from the show's first season on Disney+ haven't been fully discarded with the introduction of The Doctor's latest companion. Instead, it appears season 2 will build on the foundations laid by its predecessor and provide a semblance of storytelling pay-off amid this season's primary directive; one that'll see The Doctor attempt to take Bel home.
Companion pieces
This season's opener suggests Bel will give as good as she gets from The Doctor (Image credit: Disney+/BBC One)
To do so, he'll have to take the long way home. No spoilers for the premiere's ending and one of Doctor Who season 2's big mysteries, but everyone's favorite charismatic yet emotionally-damaged Time Lord will need more than a date and simple TARDIS handle-pull to get Bel safely back on terra firma.
The long journey home will provide ample opportunity to show Bel is a fantastic foil to the 15th Doctor, too.
The duo's dynamic already has the air of a spicy yet respect-laden relationship. Bel has a charismatic, compassionate, and capricious personality to match that of her contemporary, and she's not afraid to speak her mind (and put The Doctor in his place) if she disagrees with him.
The duo's dynamic already has the air of a spicy yet respect-laden relationship
One episode in, the pair's collaboration is more of a marriage of convenience than a bona fide friendship, but I expect that to change as this season progresses, and I can't wait to see how this dynamic evolves as it does so.
Predictably, I have grievances about episode 1 of one of the best Disney+ shows' sophomore season. Aside from its villain-in-chief, who's actually one of the more terrifying Doctor Who antagonists we've seen in a while, The Doctor and Bel's robotic foes are largely unoriginal. In fact, I'd say, unique design notwithstanding, they're an uninspired amalgam of two of the most notorious enemies in Doctor Who's rogue gallery – those being, the Daleks and Cybermen.
'The Robot Revolution' also moves at a break-neck pace. Episodes of Doctor Who are renowned for being breezy, but it feels like this one is particularly guilty of barrelling through its story without stopping to take a breath. That doesn't allow its most pertinent story beats to have the emotional impact they require.
I was hesitant about including this for fear of being labeled 'woke', but I will applaud the season 2 premiere for tackling the difficult and uneasy topic of toxic masculinity in a somewhat child-friendly manner. This is a family-first show, after all. Nonetheless, it's another brave and perfectly valid examination of present-day themes that aid the story and don't, as some may claim, ruin Doctor Who as a visual and/or narrative experience.
My verdict
'The Robot Revolution' doesn't break new ground for Doctor Who as a franchise, but there's plenty that'll entertain families and die-hard Whovians alike.
Visually, I'm eager to see season 2 maintain – and perhaps even build on – the trippy aesthetic that permeates its premiere. Story-wise, I hope it pushes the boundaries of the show and doesn't befall the same fate as past seasons.
Indeed, its forthcoming animated episode suggests the former will occasionally happen but, even at this early stage, I'm praying that the pay-off from season 2's big mystery is better than last season.
Otherwise, it'll do the classic Whovian thing of promising much and delivering little. This is a series that explores all of time and space, after all, so let's see some of that wibbly wobbly, timey-wimey magic return to the fore with increasing regularity, rather than being the exception to the norm.
Doctor Who season 2 premieres on Disney+ (internationally) and BBC One/BBC iPlayer (UK) on Saturday, April 12.
It's not hyperbole to say we're in the midst of a golden age of video game adaptations.
From Arcane, Fallout, and The Last of Us TV shows, to the Sonic the Hedgehog films and The Super Mario Bros Movie on the big screen, there have been plenty of fantastic animated, live-action, and hybrid reimaginings to enjoy recently.
That's not to say there hasn't been the occasional dud and, unfortunately, A Minecraft Movie falls squarely into that category. Lacking a clear identity, and at times hideous and garish to look at, Warner Bros' take on the best-selling game of all time isn't the blockbuster video game adaptation I was hoping for.
Press play
Four human outcasts accidentally travel to the Overworld, aka Minecraft's block-based universe (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)
A Minecraft Movie tells the story of four human misfits who are inadvertently transported to the Overworld, a surreal, cube-based reality where your imagination is the only limitation to what you can craft.
However, the quartet – washed-up gaming champion Garrett (Jason Momoa), struggling realtor Dawn (Danielle Brooks), and orphaned siblings Henry (Sebastien Hansen) and Natalie (Emma Myers) – soon realize that this idyllic dimension isn't all it seems.
It's hard not to be impressed by... how incredibly faithful A Minecraft Movie is to Mojang's hugely popular sandbox game
When the malevolent Piglin leader/sorceress Malgosha (voiced by Rachel House) learns that the group possesses the Orb of Dominance, a magical cube that grants its wielder unlimited power, she sends her Nether-based forces after them. Cue Henry and company teaming up with Steve (Jack Black), another human outcast who's made the Overworld his home, to stop the Orb falling into Malgosha's hands – or, rather, hooves.
Right off the bat, it's hard not to be impressed by the scope of this film, nor how incredibly faithful A Minecraft Movie is to Mojang's hugely popular sandbox game.
Indeed, the attention to detail is tremendous. From the gorgeous, block-based backdrops, whose draw distance adds to the movie's scale, to the sheer number of Minecraft references and other gaming secrets dotted throughout its 100-minute runtime, A Minecraft Movie is a near-perfect example (from an Easter egg viewpoint, anyway) of a video game adaptation done right.
Many Minecraft fans have taken exception to its movie adaptation's art style (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures)
Unfortunately, that's where A Minecraft Movie's positives largely begin and end. Awestruck though I was by the background imagery, Warner Bros' live-action-animated hybrid flick isn't pleasant to look at.
Warner Bros' live-action-animated hybrid flick isn't pleasant to look at
Whether it's the uncanny valley nature of the fauna that inhabits the Overworld or the film's fleshy, nightmare-fuel-inducing take on Minecraft's villager contingent, I just couldn't get on board with its aesthetic.
There's no reason, as some long-time fans like Alumio on YouTube have demonstrated, that A Minecraft Movie couldn't have stuck with the game's block-based, pixel art style. In fact, I'd argue it would have a far better chance of not only succeeding but also getting fans on side if its creative team had retained the video game's 16-bit-esque visual approach.
Player selection issues
A Minecraft Movie doesn't know who it wants its protagonist to be (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)
There's little to shout about on the human cast front, too.
For one, A Minecraft Movie doesn't know who it wants its protagonist to be. Yes, there's an argument to be made that Minecraft is more enjoyable as a multiplayer experience than a single-player one. From that perspective, it makes sense to build the movie's plot around an ensemble and ensure each character, who all possess unique personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, has their fair share of screentime.
A Minecraft Movie doesn't know who it wants its protagonist to be
A Minecraft Movie fumbles the bag with this approach. Its prologue, which outstays its welcome by a good 10 minutes, suggests Steve will be its central character. One quick pivot later, though, and Garrett is set up as the movie's primary hero. No sooner has Momoa's character been established as the protagonist than Henry is installed as its champion-in-chief. Simply put, A Minecraft Movie's multifaceted main character energy outweighs the group dynamic nature it desperately wants to emulate.
The subplot involving Jennifer Coolidge's Marlene is the funniest thing that A Minecraft Movie has to offer (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)
It doesn't help that it somewhat relegates its female characters to the sidelines.
A Minecraft Movie tries to make Dawn and Natalie feel important to the story, but they're just kind of... there. Character-wise, they're not as fully formed as their male counterparts, which feels like a huge misstep in the current climate. Their burgeoning friendship is only fleetingly explored when the boys are off having much more thrilling adventures, too.
A Minecraft Movie... doesn't devote enough time to establishing bonds between its core cast of characters
But theirs isn't the only dynamic that feels half-baked. A Minecraft Movie spends so much time on slapstick moments and winking to the camera that it doesn't devote enough time to establishing bonds between its core cast of characters.
The exception to that rule is the slightly gratifying expansion of Steve and Garrett's relationship. What starts out as an amusing rivalry, as they attempt to one-up each other, leads to a deep respect for what their former frenemy has to offer. Black and Momoa may be playing archetypal individuals – Black's character, in particular, is just a heightened version of himself – that we've seen them portray many times before, but they play the parts well, so I can excuse their trite character portrayals to some degree.
Refusing to enable creative mode
A Minecraft Movie should be more creative than it actually is (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)
What's less forgivable is A Minecraft Movie's lack of innovation from narrative and thematic standpoints.
As I said, Hess and company deserve credit for their meticulous approach to Minecraft's in-game lore and other homages to Mojang's hugely popular video game. But, in a virtual world where creativity is king, A Minecraft Movie's inflexible and derivative approach to its story, and lack of action-based invention, leaves a lot to be desired.
A Minecraft Movie would've shone far brighter if it had been braver on the originality front
There are moments when A Minecraft Movie seems like it's ready to break free from its self-imposed shackles.
Henry and Garrett's respective crafting of a Tater Tot Gun and Buck-Chuckets (the latter being two buckets joined by an iron-link chain) are unorthodox, but at least they're wholly original weapons that aren't copy-and-paste jobs from Minecraft's extensive items list. The movie's final battle does something similar with the leader of an Iron Golem army, too – further evidence that A Minecraft Movie would've shone far brighter if it had been braver on the originality front.
A Minecraft Movie's plot doesn't creep along like one of the game's iconic Creepers do (Image credit: Warner Bros. Pictures/Mojang Studios)
I'm always hesitant to criticise a movie or TV show for its plot pacing, especially one like A Minecraft Movie that, at its core, is designed for kids.
However, it gets off to a slow start due to the aforementioned sluggish prologue before performing a dizzying U-turn and barreling through its main quest. It's certainly lean in its make-up and, therefore, tailor-made for young minds with shorter attention spans, but I do wish it had been slightly more methodical tempo-wise.
My verdict
Two questions have dominated my thoughts since the press screening of A Minecraft Movie.
The first – 'Will families and/or Minecraft devotees enjoy this?' – can be answered with an emphatic 'yes'. Whichever way you slice it, A Minecraft Movie is a child-friendly film that's also designed to nostalgically appeal to those of us who have spent countless hours exploring procedurally-generated maps that allowed our imaginations to run wild.
As much as I want to recommend A Minecraft Movie, though, the answer to the second question that's been on my mind means I can't. Whenever I leave a film screening, I always ask myself, 'Did I enjoy that?' and, unfortunately for this movie, the answer is a firm 'no'.
A Minecraft Movie had the building blocks to be a great video-game film, but, for me, it's been crafted on shaky ground, rather than a layer of bedrock. My advice? Quit this game while you're ahead and wait for one of 2025's new movies to be available to stream on Max instead.
A Minecraft Movie launches exclusively in theaters worldwide on April 4.
Full spoilers follow for The Wheel of Time season 2. Mild spoilers also follow for season 3's first three episodes.
I have a complicated relationship with The Wheel of Time's(TWoT) TV adaptation. The first season of Amazon's live-action series was terrific – indeed, I said it was everyone's next fantasy show obsession ahead of its April 2021 launch.
The Wheel of Time's second season was less impressive. Yes, it belatedly found its feet as it raced towards its thrilling finale, but it wasn't the epic second chapter I expected it to be. The so-called 'sophomore slump' was most certainly in effect.
So, thank goodness that, based on its three-episode premiere, The Wheel of Time season 3 is a magical return to form for a show whose future rests on its ability to prove that The Rings of Power isn't the only terrific high fantasy program in Amazon's TV arsenal.
Aes Sedai: civil war
Season 3 kicks off with an almighty and brutal scrap in The White Tower's central chamber (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
One month has passed since Rand al'Thor (Josha Stradowski) was officially declared the Dragon Reborn in Falme. However, despite the defeat of Ishamael and his Seanchan allies, the Shadow looms larger than ever over The Wheel of Time's world.
To prepare for the forthcoming Last Battle, Rand, Moiraine (Rosamund Pike), and company need to divide and conquer once more. Cue our heroes splitting up to not only tackle the threat that the Dark One and his subordinates pose, but also acquire the knowledge, skills, and weapons to defeat them once and for all.
The Aes Sedai battle is an astoundingly cold-blooded and brave entry point to this season
Before those events are set in motion, there's the small matter of a civil war erupting among the Aes Sedai. Trouble has been brewing at the all-female magic wielders' stronghold in Tar Valon since the show began. And, like the merciless Thanedd Coup event in The Witcher season 3 on Netflix, episode 1 of TWoT's third entry is the stage for tensions boiling over.
The extended opening sequence of season 3's first episode is as incendiary as it is brutal (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
Season 3, then, wastes no time throwing us into the thick of the action. Political infighting (there's still plenty of this once the dust settles on this bout, FYI) between The White Tower's various factions makes way for bloody, One Power-based warfare as those loyal to the Aes Sedai's leader Siuan Sanche (Sophie Okenedo), aka 'Mother', fight literal fire with fire against Liandrin (Kate Fleetwood) and her Black Ajah compatriots – i.e., the Aes Sedai who've now sided with the Dark One.
A microcosm of the wider war that'll eventually envelop TWoT's universe, it's an shockingly cold-blooded and brave reintroduction to one of the best Prime Video shows around. Nonetheless, I welcome any and all courageously creative entry points to new movies and shows or, the latter's case, new seasons, so consider me highly satisfied by this venture.
A dune prophecy
Rand (middle right) and Moiraine (second right) travel to the Aiel Waste in season 3 (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
But the Prime Video show's primary heroes aren't side-lined for long. As the dust settles on the conflict within The White Tower's walls and before they part ways to cover as much ground as possible, Rand and company actually spent a significant – well, significant by TWoT's standards – amount of time together in episode 1.
It's a pleasing albeit temporary respite from the dangerous adventures they've embarked on and will soon undertake again. Not only that, it also serves as a reminder of the tight bonds – especially between The Two Rivers quintet of Rand, Egwene (Madeleine Madden), Perrin (Marcus Rutherford), Nynaeve (Zoe Robins), and Matt (Donal Finn) – that they forged before the show began and have been seriously tested since.
Season 3 sacrifices the frustratingly slow and meandering start of its forebear in favor of faster-paced storytelling
The lull between last season's finale and the beginning of season 3's questing doesn't disrupt the pacing, though.
Episode 1's explosive opening, plus the plot exposition dumps we thankfully receive through character conversations, which fill in the narrative gaps between seasons, season 3 hits the ground running. Sure, it might feel like we've skipped an episode, but I'm relieved that TWoT's latest chapter sacrifices the frustratingly slow and meandering start of its forebear in favor of faster-paced storytelling with perpetual forward momentum.
Matt, Nynaeve, Min (all pictured), and Elayne travel to Tanchico in the series' third entry (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
That much is clear in how quickly Rand, Moiraine, Egwene, Lan (Daniel Henney), and Aviendha (Ayoola Smart) journey to and arrive at the Aiel Waste. A vast and mysterious desert region that's steeped in history and home to the Aiel people (they call it the Three-Fold Land, FYI), its introduction in episode 2 is testament to propel the story into darker, narratively absorbing, and enigmatic territory.
Three episodes in, I'd argue this storyline is the most interesting so far in season 3. That might be down to the unmistakable parallels between this particular plot, and Frank Herbert's Dune book series and its live-action movie franchise – the pair of which I adore. After all, TWoT and Dune tell the tale of a prophesized messiah who reluctantly embraces their so-called destiny by traveling to an unknown land and unites its quarrelling factions. Stark comparisons between Rand and Paul Atreides notwithstanding, the Aiel Waste storyline is also full of compelling melodrama and fantastical revelations that'll please new and old fans alike.
The dark arts
Lanfear's return – and the arrival of more Forsaken – means nowhere is safe for our heroes (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
That doesn't mean season 3 prioritizes one storyline over its brethren. Rand's arc is particularly important – you know, what with him being the Dragon Reborn and all – but, aware of its overreliance and favoring of some plots over others last season, TWoT's latest installment takes a proactive approach to managing the time it spends between its multiple narratives.
Whether it's Perrin's cathartic albeit life-threatening return to The Two Rivers, Nynaeve and Elayne's (Ceara Coveney) appointment as Siuan's 'hounds' to track down the Black Ajah and The One Power-infused relics they stole from The White Tower, or Matt battling his inner demons, season 3 skilfully maneuvers between its various storylines with confidence. That was something its forebear lacked, so I'm glad this season doesn't suffer from the same issue.
Season 3 skilfully maneuvers between its various storylines with confidence
That said, I was vexed by season 3's penchant for dragging out problems that have affected certain characters since season 1's second half. Sure, only a month has elapsed in-universe, so it's understandable that traumatic events that impacted some heroes, such as Egwene's post-traumatic stress disorder from her Seanchan imprisonment and torture, and Matt's ongoing mental health issues, in season 2 would continue to afflict them.
However, plot threads like Nynaeve's ongoing struggles to channel the One Power are growing tiresome. True, this is dictated by the storylines and character arcs that comprise season 3, but it's frustrating that plot elements like this, which began in TWoT's first season, haven't been resolved yet, nor allow for much character evolution for individuals who sorely need it.
Season 3 makes more changes from the novels, such as a budding romance between Elayne and Aviendha, that might annoy some fans (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)
TWoT devotees are sure to be disgruntled by further deviations from what's depicted in Robert Jordan's beloved book series namesake as well.
Again, such diversions are determined by the story that showrunner Rafe Judkins wishes to tell. That'll be of scant consolation to fans of Jordan's literary works, though, who may bristle at changes like Matt not being part of Rand's Aiel Waste-bound party. However, some tweaks to the source materials, such as the budding romance between Elayne and Aviendha – an evolution of the close friendship they share in the novels – feels less intrusive.
The natural expansion of TWoT's world and the character that inhabit it in season 3 is handled with purposeful precision, too. The introduction of new locations like Tanchico, Rhuidean, and Andor upscale the size and scope of Amazon's adaptation. Meanwhile, the live-action debut of Andor's royal family – aka Elayne's relatives – and more of Lanfear's (Natasha O'Keeffe) fellow Forsaken, plus devoting of more screentime to characters with bit-part roles in season 2 like Aviendha and Siuan, raise the stakes and suggest I should be worried for more characters than just Rand and Moiraine this season.
My verdict
With The Wheel of Time season 3, Prime Video not only conjures up the show's best season yet, but also finally cements its position as one of the greatest Amazon TV Originals.
Like many of the characters that inhabit its world, it's a coming-of-age success story that proves TWoT has the style and substance – and, whisper it quietly, longevity – to go toe-to-toe with Amazon's Lord of the Rings prequel series.
It remains to be seen if a wider audience will be receptive to the Prime Video series' bleakest and most daunting season yet. After all, TWoT's future hinges on how its third chapter performs on one of the world's best streaming services. Based on the spellbinding effect that its three-episode premiere had on me, though, I'm confident it'll perform well enough to keep its storytelling wheel spinning for some time yet.
The Wheel of Time season 3 launches exclusively on Prime Video with a three-episode premiere on Thursday, March 13. New episodes air weekly.
It's not easy being a Russo brothers fan. On the one hand, the venerable filmmakers are not only responsible for directing some of the best Marvel movies ever made but also for helming two of the top three most-profitable films of all time in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
The siblings have struggled to replicate that success outside of the Marvel sandbox, though. Yes, there have been notable wins in a producing capacity, such as 2024's multi-award-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once; but the critical and/or commercial failure of the other projects they're attached to, including Citadel on Prime Video, Cherry on Apple TV+, and The Gray Man on Netflix, outweigh those triumphs.
It's on the last of those streaming services that The Electric State will attempt to arrest that slide. Unfortunately, Netflix's latest sci-fi spectacle is another generic, narratively dull flick that adds more weight to the argument that it's Marvel or bust for Joe and Anthony Russo.
Rise (and fall) of the robots
The Electric State opens with a prologue that isn't in its graphic novel namesake (Image credit: Netflix)
It's 1994. On an alternate-reality planet Earth, two years have passed since the Human-Robot War ended. That conflict, started by the Worldwide Robot Rebellion led by the Robot Equality Coalition's de-facto leader Mr. Peanut (voiced by Woody Harrelson), drew to a close after Sentre Technologies CEO Ethan Skate's (Stanley Tucci) Neurocaster invention turned the tide in humanity's favor.
In the present, these devices have been repurposed for consumer and educational means to allow Neural Bifurcation, which lets a person's mind be in two places at once. Picture a clunkier version of any real virtual reality (VR) device, such as the Meta Quest 3S or Apple Vision Pro, and you'll get the idea.
Netflix's adaptation frustratingly casts aside the book's biggest strengths
Some haven't become addicted to Skate's creation, though – including headstrong and cynical orphan Michelle (Millie Bobby Brown). A technophobe at heart, Michelle's isolated life is turned upside down when a robot version of Kid Cosmo – the android hero of a cartoon that Michelle watched with her genius younger brother before he died – suddenly shows up and convinces Michelle that he's her brother. Thus begins a cross-country road trip as Michelle and her new robot companion try to track down her human sibling.
I was unmoved by all aspects of Michelle and Kid Cosmo/her brother's relationship (Image credit: Netflix)
Narratively, The Electric State's setup isn't dissimilar to the graphic novel it's based on. Its literary namesake, written and illustrated by Swedish artist Simon Stålenhag, also tells the tale of a teenager who, with the aid of a sentient robot, searches for her lost brother in a technologically ravaged United States.
Disappointingly, that's where the commonalities end. Stålenhag's original work is as profound as it is gorgeous; its stunning imagery belying its thematic exploration of artificial intelligence (AI). This topic is not only particularly timely, but also permeates the graphic novel's understated, introspective, and mystery-filled story.
Netflix's adaptation frustratingly casts aside the book's biggest strengths. Instead of letting The Electric State's important ideas percolate, the streaming giant prioritizes a brash, big-budget spectacle that, while it'll appeal to a wider audience, is all style and little substance.
There are world-building aspects that pleased me. The individual designs of the robot ensemble are creatively satisfying, and the care taken to perfectly and precisely capture the art that inhabits The Electric State's pages is wonderful to see. It's just a pity that the rest of Stålenhag's novel wasn't afforded the same luxury.
Playing the part
Michelle teams up with John Keats, a former army sergeant who fought in the Human-Robot War (Image credit: Netflix)
That lack of substance applies to the characters who populate one of March's new Netflix movies.
I won't say Brown has been typecast as Michelle. However, while The Electric State's human protagonist plays to her strengths as an actor, it's yet another role that tasks her with playing a teenage rebel. Brown's acting back catalog already includes characters of that ilk, such as Strangers Things' Eleven, the eponymous hero of the Enola Holmes film franchise, and Elodie in Damsel, so it's dissatisfying to see that she isn't given a different or more expansive role to sink her teeth into.
Michelle is yet another role that tasks Brown with playing a teenage rebel
Brown isn't the only actor who fits the archetypal character mold. As army sergeant-turned-black marker smuggler John Keats, Chris Pratt finetunes his acting paradigm as a wisecracking, lovable buffoon-style individual. Giancarlo Esposito's Colonel Bradbury, a so-called hero of the Human-Robot War, is equally at home as he tackles his latest complex villain role. Bradbury is tasked with tracking down Michelle and her automated bestie by Skate, the movie's secondary antagonist.
Colonel Bradbury and Ethan Skate are the film's two main antagonists (Image credit: Netflix)
And therein lies the biggest issue I had with The Electric State's casting. The aforementioned trio, along with Tucci's latest turn as an arrogant and unlikable evil-doer, aren't terrible choices for the characters they play. Their performances aren't unwatchable, either – apart from being lukewarm to Michelle and John's undercooked dynamic, I'd say all of them deliver mid-tier to solid performances. Heck, I'll even admit I was entertained by Keats' odd-couple dynamic with his own robot bestie Herman (voiced by Anthony Mackie). Sure, the MCU veterans occasionally ham it up, but the dysfunctional levity and occasional heartfelt moments they bring to the table are worth mentioning.
The dysfunctional levity and occasional heartfelt moments Pratt and Mackie bring to the table are worth mentioning
Nevertheless, I would've preferred to see Brown and company flex their acting muscles in roles they're not used to portraying. Nobody expected Malcolm in the Middle's Bryan Cranston, who played the sitcom's well-meaning but inept father, Hal, to deliver one of the most compelling anti-hero performances of all time as Walter White in Breaking Bad. To that end, I would've enjoyed The Electric State far more if, say, Pratt had played someone like Skate and Esposito was given the chance to break his own acting mold as Keats.
Crossed wires
The Electric State's action is par for the course (Image credit: Netflix)
Given its retro-futuristic and dystopian sci-fi vibes, not to mention its explicit sociopolitical commentary on AI and autonomous robots, it would be easy to compare The Electric State to similar genre fare, such as the Terminator and The Matrix franchises.
The Electric State lacks the childlike wonder and awe that perfuse those classic Steven Spielberg-directed features
It was The Electric State's clear homage to fan-favorite Amblin movies from the 80s, though, that I immediately picked up on. It doesn't mask its respect for those classic flicks, either – indeed, that much is obvious by its not-so-subtle tribute to E.T: The Extra Terrestrial upon Kid Cosmo's introduction.
That said, The Electric State's attempts to reproduce the magic those timeless Amblin movies capture are substandard at best. It lacks the childlike wonder and awe that perfuse those fantastical Steven Spielberg-directed features. While Star Wars: Skeleton Crew didn't perform as well as I expected on Disney+, the latest small-screen adventure set in the Star Wars universe did a better job of recreating that unmistakable Amblin aura.
The Electric State fails to capture the magic of the 80s sci-fi movies that inspired its look and feel (Image credit: Netflix)
But there's one comparison above all others that cements my overall dislike for The Electric State's movie adaptation, and that's with Tales of the Loop. (TftL).
Amazon's criminally underrated anthology series of another of Stålenhag's eye-catching works did right by its source material. Its depiction of TftL's 'new weird' setting, disquieting tonality, stunning cinematography, and beguiling individual stories that are not only loosely linked but also richly rewarding in their exploration of human connection and curiosity, was as enthralling as it was heart-breaking. To say I was enraptured by TftL would be an understatement
The Electric State is sorely lacking in all of those departments. Would it have harmed its creative vision if, say, it had been shot like movies of yesteryear to elicit an 80s or 90s film-grain aesthetic? This style is used, briefly, during the film's prologue sequence, so why not use it throughout to evoke that nostalgic moviemaking feeling and present Stålenhag's world in a creative light?
As for the aforementioned prelude: sometimes it's better not to spell out everything for your audience. The beauty of Stålenhag's works is that he leaves things open to readers' interpretation to let their imaginations run wild. The Electric State's extensive, expository preamble robs us of the opportunity to wonder why the robots rebelled in the first place, how the war shook out, and more. Sometimes, less is just better.
My verdict
Even though I wasn't sure what to make of it when its first-look images dropped, I really wanted to like The Electric State. But, as this review suggests, it's a fault-riddled flick that doesn't justify its expensive assembly. Its genre wires get crossed too often, it lacks emotional weight, its pacing is incredibly jarring (the middle act is an absolute drag), and – worst of all – it rehashes classic storytelling tropes that have been done better elsewhere. Suffice it to say, it won't be joining our best Netflix movies guide.
I'm sure the Russo brothers will come good with a non-MCU project. That won't happen for a while, though, as the pair prepare to helm two more Marvel films in Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. For now, unfortunately, this is not the robot odyssey everyone's been waiting for.
The Electric State releases exclusively on Netflix on Friday, March 14.
I need not have worried. Based on its two-episode premiere, Daredevil: Born Again is an unflinching, worthy successor to Netflix's Daredevil TV show that honors what came before, and drives Matt Murdock and Wilson Fisk's stories forward in unexpected ways.
The devil reincarnate
Episode 1 reunites us with the beloved trio of Karen Page, Matt Murdock, and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
Season 4 of Daredevil in all but name, Born Again picks up where the fan-favorite Netflix series ended. Murdock (Charlie Cox), Karen Page (Deborah Ann Woll), and Franklin 'Foggy' Nelson's (Elden Henson) newly established law firm appears to be doing well, and the group continue to frequent their local haunt – Josie's Bar – after a long day of fighting for those in dire need of legal aid.
Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like I'd been reunited with three of my best friends
Seeing Cox, Woll, and Henson again was like being reunited with three of my best friends. Their chemistry is a large part of what made Daredevil such a compelling watch, so I was delighted to see that their camaraderie hasn't lost an ounce of its unmistakable magic.
The ease with which the trio slip back into their roles makes it all the more baffling that, until Born Again's creative troubles surfaced in October 2023, it was initially going to be a pseudo-sequel to, rather than a direct continuation of, Netflix's TV adaptation that didn't acknowledge Murdock's closest allies. This group, as well as the returning Wilson Fisk (the always-scene-commanding Vincent D'Onofrio), is the primary connective tissue between the Netflix show and its Disney+ follow-up. It's heartening, then, that Marvel brought Woll and Henson back into the fold, allowing for the resumption of their on-screen dynamics with Cox, and each other.
Page and Murdock's sexual chemistry sizzles once more in Born Again (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
That makes what follows, which was first teased in Born Again's official trailer, all the more heart-breaking. A heart-pounding 10-minute segment, which includes a terrifically choreographed 'oner' sequence involving Daredevil and returning villain Bullseye (Wilson Bethel) that replicates Daredevil's expertly-crafted action set-pieces, such as the infamous hallway scenes, is as soul-crushing and incredibly violent as you'd expect.
I wish Daredevil: Born Again spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective
Prior to its release, I worried that Page or Nelson weren't long for this world after leaked Born Again images had me fearing for the fate of one of these beloved characters. Nothing could prepare for me, though, for the emotionally blind-siding events that results in one of their deaths and, in the wake of such a tragedy, sees the other leave New York for pastures new. I've spent so much time with this trio across multiple Netflix shows, and now here in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), so it's not an exaggeration to say I was left feeling incredibly hollow over the dismantling of this tight-knit group.
The action in Born Again is as frenzied, bloody, and bone-crunching as its Netflix forebear (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Necessary as that tragic moment is to move Matt Murdock's story forward, it pains me that the trio's reunion is not only such a short-lived affair, but also that we'll never see them share the screen again.
I appreciate that Born Again represents a new era for The Devil of Hell's Kitchen – after all, he's officially part of the MCU now. His character evolution and the introduction of individuals who enter his orbit notwithstanding, though, I wish the series spent more time with Murdock, Page, and Nelson as a collective. It would have further helped to bridge the gap between one of the best Netflix shows and its sequel, and largely suppress how jarring some aspects of episode 1's first 15 minutes are from an editing perspective. I'm glad that Born Again's creators course-corrected to include Page and Nelson, and I enjoyed (if that's the right word) its unapologetically tear-jerking opening. However, even I'll admit that, compared to how the rest of episode 1 plays out, the scenes that comprise its prelude don't blend or flow naturally as they could.
Letting the devil out
The only scene between Murdock and Fisk in Born Again's two-episode premiere is a mesmerizing watch (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Following that devastating curtain-raiser, episode 1 jumps ahead 12 months to reveal that Murdock has opened a new law firm with fellow attorney Kirsten McDuffie (Nikki M. James) and retired from the crimefighting life. He's also started dating Heather Glenn (Margarita Leveiva), a friend of McDuffie's and a therapist, so Murdock is slowly and positively moving on from the events of a year earlier.
It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar
Or so he thinks. Following his own traumatic experiences in Hawkeye and Echo (it's not imperative that you watch these shows and/or Daredevil before Born Again, but it helps if you do), Fisk is not only back in New York but running to become to its new mayor, with a campaign built on the promise of cracking down on the city's vigilante contingent – and it's a race the fearsome former crime lord who went by the name of Kingpin wins.
It's a triumph that inevitably puts Fisk on a collision course with Murdock – and Born Again doesn't make us wait for the first deliciously spine-tingling and suspenseful meeting between the pair since Daredevil's explosive season 3 finale. At Murdock's behest, the arch-rivals convene for a spur-of-the-moment get-together at a diner before election night. It's utterly absorbing to see these two sides of the same coin verbally and mentally spar in a cat-and-mouse game while their anger, plus their resentment for each other, simmers just beneath the surface. On this evidence, I suspect their grip on their new holier-than-thou facades won't last for long.
How long will it be until Mayor Fisk loses his cool? (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
Different though their ideologies are, these broken men share similarities outside of their disdain for one another. That much is evident through the common ground they now share in wanting to clean up New York's crime-infested streets, but it's further highlighted by the personal struggles that they face. Individually, Murdock continues to be plagued by the loss of his best friends, while Fisk's marital problems with wife Vanessa (Ayelut Zurer) laces their now-fraught dynamic with an appetizing tension, and humanizes Fisk in a way that the Netflix show rarely did. The parallel journeys they embark on in an effort to bury their pasts, and to try and quell the internal conflict raging within, is the mutual cross they bear, too.
Born Again feels like a narrative extension of its forebear... and gratifyingly expands into new storytelling territory
It's this stimulating character development that allows Born Again to cement itself as a narrative extension of its forebear, and empowers it to expand into new storytelling territory. One of my biggest fears with this Marvel Phase 5 project was that it would simply rehash character arcs and story beats from the Netflix show – and given the high regard that Daredevil is held in, that wouldn't have been out of the question. Color me relieved, then, that Born Again courageously drives Murdock and Fisk's singular and joint stories forward in a refreshing manner.
New blood
Murdock has professionally partnered with fellow lawyer Kirsten McDuffie in the MCU's present (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney Plus)
Born Again's supporting ensemble also adds an original flavor to proceedings that fleshes out the street-level corner of the MCU. James' McDuffie, Leveiva's Glenn, and Clark Johnson's private investigator Cherry challenge Murdock's deeply held black-and-white worldview with a zestfulness and toughness that suggests Murdock will have his hands full professionally and personally.
Daredevil: Born Again's overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial
Where Fisk is concerned, the immediate stand-out is Michael Gandolfini's Daniel, an astute boot-licker who quickly ingratiates himself with Fisk to set up what I expect to become a lively surrogate father-son dynamic. The introduction of Genneya Walton's B.B. Urich, an investigative reporter and daughter of Ben Urich (you know, the journalist that Fisk murdered in Daredevil season 2), who wastes little time in questioning Fisk's motives, lays the foundations for a particularly tasty side story too.
Hector Ayala/White Tiger, played by the late Kamar de los Reyes, is a vigilante who Matt Murdock represents in court (Image credit: Marvel Studios/Disney+)
There are parts of Born Again's two-episode debut that don't work as well as the newcomers who join Cox and D'Onofrio on the cast roster. At times, its visual effects and green-screen application is incredibly janky and noticeable, while the overuse of Zack Snyder-style slow-mo shots is largely immaterial to the feeling that certain scenes try to evoke.
I also found some of the camerawork to be off-putting, not least in Born Again's attempts to take a page out of The Bear's playbook with its creative exterior shots. I can see the appeal of – cliched as this is to say – trying to make New York itself a character in the show but, unlike the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Hulu show, it feels redundant here. That said, I enjoyed the old-school filming techniques employed for B.B. Urich's on-the-ground reporting, which actually serves a storytelling purpose.
My verdict
"I like to think I… we have evolved", Nelson says to Murdock and Page just minutes into Daredevil: Born Again's first episode, and I feel like there isn't a more apt description for Marvel Studios' latest small-screen endeavor.
It's more evolution than revolution but, some niggles aside, Born Again is an absolutely terrific continuation of Netflix's adaptation that, much like its eponymous hero, dares to be brave and is handsomely rewarded for it. It walks the fine line between familiarity (its grounded nature and high-stakes storytelling) and innovation (propelling its character-led, drama-filled narrative forward and seamless MCU integration), with an aplomb that few show revivals have managed.
If its first two chapters are anything to go by, and if the seven that follow are as good or even better, Daredevil: Born Again won't just be one of the best Disney+ shows ever created, but also an all-time Marvel Hall of Famer.
Daredevil: Born Again episodes 1 and 2 are out now. New episodes release weekly (NB: episodes 5 and 6 will be simultaneously released on March 25 (US) and March 26 (UK and Australia)).
