This is a terrible film. Does it pretend to be nothing other than terrible and thus gets a pass in the eyes of some critics? Is it the star vehicle element that dazzles some of them? I don't know. It is, of course, not the only low point in Tarantino's career, but a shame, nonetheless, given that the director has given us three or four masterpieces. At root, it is a mindless and violent version of the much-loved British sitcom 'Allo, Allo' with the same cardboard Nazis but without the gentle farce. One mocking comment I saw at the time of its release was 'where is the Madonna with the big boobies?', alluding to an element that Tarantino has left out. It is not, of course, just the Nazis who are cardboard; all the characters are. It is an exercise in the application of the comic-strip genre that we are familiar with in this director's work and, in the case of his most execrable films, we are also familiar with the fact that sometimes he just can't help himself.
Reviews
9 Reviews
Happy Valley
(2014–2023)
An extraordinary standard not sustained into the third series.
21 February 2023
I think the stellar ratings many critics give to the third series are a reflection of how invested we are in the central characters of Happy Valley, in the location and in Wainwright's writing. We care about the characters and we do so right through to the end. I certainly do. Stepping back from that, I think that the third series is a major step down from what came before. There are too many parts of the plot that are unbelievable and don't stand up to serious examination. There is a reliance on a suspension of disbelief, a putting aside of critical faculties in the interests of the greater aim which is the arrival at a particular end of this trilogy. Furthermore, Wainwright either lost interest in, or ran out of time for, the major new characters that she created for the third series.
Monarca
(2019–2021)
Highly enjoyable
30 November 2022
A thoroughly enjoyable series that is like a violent Dallas on steroids with some narcos and high politics thrown in. It is well made. You sense the actors are having fun (and this was confirmed by Irene Azuela). Some of the locations are very beautiful or very interesting. There is, of course, overlap with themes covered in other Mexican dramas, notably corruption, but the choice of the Tequila industry as the family's core business is a real plus for the uninformed outsider. An agave field is quite a thing. It is curious that Netflix chose not to renew it for a third season as it still had plenty of legs.
Broadchurch
(2013–2017)
An ordinary whodunnit with some lovely coastline and a fine lead.
23 November 2022
Having finally watched the first series, I am wondering what all the fuss was about. This is a fairly bog-standard whodunnit enhanced by the beautiful cliffs of West Bay and carried by the fine performance of its lead, David Tennant. One has the usual range of stereotypes (taking it into Midsomer Murders territory), some of the timing of the police dialogue is improbable, to say the least, and I rather shared the opinion of Tennant's in-comer character about the locals. Both the journalistic plot line and the newsagent plot line were so predictable that I nearly turned off and gave up. In a way, the entire story has that element of predictability. Can I be bothered to follow the two lead detectives into another series? I am not sure. They are both played by fine actors. Shame it was all so stodgy.
Intimacy
(2022)
Absorbing and thoughtful treatment of the theme.
16 July 2022
I thought this was really good. It put the theme at the centre of a political drama whilst, at the same, the political drama remained one thread amongst several. With excellent script, performances and direction, I was completely drawn into it and moved.
The Perfect Mother
(2021)
Not a story that merits four episodes.
16 July 2022
This got more annoying as it went on. Far, far too much padding, notably with the Berlin angle. It needs a good edit down. The final episode progressed at a snail's pace and was utterly tedious. In the end I didn't really care about any of characters with the exception, perhaps, of the lawyer played by Tomer Sisley.
DNA
(I) (2019– )
Undermined by its many flaws.
14 September 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Where does one start with this terrible series? Here are just a few questions from many.
Policeman leaves baby on deck? In that weather? In any weather?
How did she get the baby off the boat? No one thought to search, I suppose. It just wouldn't occur to anybody in DNA world.
A French commissaire at that age?
Policeman can suddenly rush off on official business to a foreign country taking baby and the forensics head with him?
The dead baby in the maternity convent. No way sprang to the minds of the policemen from two national forces or from the bright girl as to how the maternity might be checked?? Now what was the English title of this series?
Why did she snatch the baby on the boat? Surely it was the wrong age?
Girl on her uppers escapes from convent (just in time (ha ha ha) to see baby being driven off) with key waiting in her car and all the resources/papers needed for a car-trip pursuit via ferry to Denmark in a car that didn't actually belong to her? Stretching it.
Policeman, out of control but clearly onto something, leads police from two national forces to a particular mother and daughter in France. Let's not bother checking up on them...it will spoil our nice sentimental ending. The child is happy and cute. Who cares if she was abducted?
To hell with the girl's real mother. Who cares about her? After all, the father has thrown the ice cream stick into the river. That's alright, then...
Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.
This was bad.
Policeman leaves baby on deck? In that weather? In any weather?
How did she get the baby off the boat? No one thought to search, I suppose. It just wouldn't occur to anybody in DNA world.
A French commissaire at that age?
Policeman can suddenly rush off on official business to a foreign country taking baby and the forensics head with him?
The dead baby in the maternity convent. No way sprang to the minds of the policemen from two national forces or from the bright girl as to how the maternity might be checked?? Now what was the English title of this series?
Why did she snatch the baby on the boat? Surely it was the wrong age?
Girl on her uppers escapes from convent (just in time (ha ha ha) to see baby being driven off) with key waiting in her car and all the resources/papers needed for a car-trip pursuit via ferry to Denmark in a car that didn't actually belong to her? Stretching it.
Policeman, out of control but clearly onto something, leads police from two national forces to a particular mother and daughter in France. Let's not bother checking up on them...it will spoil our nice sentimental ending. The child is happy and cute. Who cares if she was abducted?
To hell with the girl's real mother. Who cares about her? After all, the father has thrown the ice cream stick into the river. That's alright, then...
Etc. Etc. Etc. Etc.
This was bad.
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