Fixing Elijah Stone -or- How to Resist A Rookie Mistake

 

    One of my favorite Network TV shows is The Rookie starring the ever-reliable Nathan Fillion. It's the story of a former contractor who, after a near-death experience facing down the gun barrel of a would-be bank robber, decides to take his life in a new direction by becoming a police officer. The show features a wide array of primarily textured characters and relatable stories, along with occasionally well-timed commentary about the necessity of proper policing and cop culture reform. While it may not get to be as gritty or as down-to-earth as it might otherwise like to be (it is owned by Disney, after all), it's still an entertaining and enjoyable show to this day. It has the prestige of lasting five seasons without jumping the shark, at least not yet. A rare accomplishment for many a Network TV shows.

    Like all good things, it has some flaws. There's the occasionally less-than-stellar writing and reoccurring supporting characters who do nothing but remind you how much you hate them. Then there are the characters who are the most frustrating, the ones with the most wasted potential. 

    Case in point, Mr. Elijah Stone! 

    Diligently portrayed by Brandon Jay McLaren (late of The Killing and Tucker and Dale Vs. Evil), Elijah Stone is a crime boss with, sadly, not much personality beyond any given typical evil & sociopathic crime lord seen in almost any cop drama ever devised. That's not to say that the character is pointless or doesn't bring anything substantial to the table; instead, what he does bring is insultingly overused and undermines many of the otherwise boundary-breaking (somewhat) narrative choices made in the show. 

    Allow me to provide some context for those who do not regularly watch The Rookie. SPOILERS from here on out.  

    In the show's fourth season, one of the supporting characters, Detective Angela Lopez (Alyssa Diaz), was kidnapped and spirited away across the border by a ruthless Mexican drug cartel. Her husband, attorney-at-law Wesley Evers (Shawn Ashmore), sought a means of finding his kidnapped love. His efforts lead him to a meeting with notorious crime boss Elijah Stone, who agrees to help him find his wife in exchange for a "favor." After a successful rescue mission, Elijah moves on Wesley to cash in on their agreement. 

    This setup, in and of itself, is a good one. It's an excellent way of building new stories and adding texture to the characters and overall narrative. 

    Instead, we end up with the typical and insanely overdone crime-boss-milking-a-favor schtick for far too long! 

    Don't get me wrong, it is highly likely, and even expected, for any given criminal overlord to take advantage of the innocent and exploit the vulnerable. But there, my beautiful readers, lies the problem; it was expected! 

    Part of the show's appeal, at least to me, is that it does its best to avoid (within reason for Network TV) things typically found in most cop shows. The overall narrative of a middle-aged man trying to pull a 180 on his life dictates that notion. And a stereotypical crime boss continuously milking the efforts out of a reluctant victim of circumstances, while realistic, does not fit with the spirit of the show. At least, not in my opinion. 

    What would have made Elijah's character more interesting and more likely to maintain audience engagement is if he was more of an "old-fashoned" crime boss, not unlike Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather. He helps Wesley as a favor (singular) in exchange for another favor (also singular). Any exchange after that would be brand new and cause additional engaging storylines. Maybe Elijah could be more of a practicalist and finds benefits in maintaining a "working" relationship with the police, creating opportune stories for commentary on the moral grey areas between law and criminal. 

    While I still enjoy the show to this day, a grand opportunity was missed for no sound reason other than the writers & producers either needed more creative freedom, talent, or courage to subvert expectations and offer bold narrative choices. This subplot, as it stands, may annoy me, but with a bit of hope, it can be done better in another show in the future. Only time will tell. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

The Last of Us: Pilot - Worth the HBO Max Subscription (so far)

 

    Tonight marks the release of the first episode of the HBO Max original series, an adaptation of the acclaimed video game The Last of Us. Those who regularly follow my blog will recall my reaction to the show's announcement via their first trailer, which dropped back in September. My initial reactions mostly centered on my concern for the history of video game adaptations and the intriguing casting choice for one of the stories' protagonists. Since then, I have made many efforts to avoid any other mentions or discussions of the series, preferring to begin my experience with as much of a clean slate as possible. So far, my patience has been well worth it. 

    This adaptation begins with an auspicious and edge-of-your-seat thrilling introduction. Within the first fifteen minutes, the show promises an accurate adaptation of the source material with the same level of commitment and verisimilitude as its game counterpart. While fans of the game will notice sections of different and seemingly (at first) unnecessary story moments and scenes, they all serve the greater purpose of introducing the critical story and character elements. Thanks in no small part to the original games creator and writer, Neil Drukman, acting as producer and co-writer for the series.  

    On its own merits as a show, the overall presentation is fascinating. Successfully capturing the same tone and style of the original game while still feeling more or less like its own entity. For once, a video game adaptation does more than copy/paste the game's visual style without effort. 

    The cinematography by Nadim Carlsen is on par with the game's original presentation while still retaining its own personality. The lighting and color styles fit the broken world depicted in both iterations. 

    Unsurprisingly, and much to my delight, Pedro Pascal is the right choice for this role. He has been granted the opportunity to stretch his range and shows he can possess the kind of screen presence this role demands. I am excited and terrified (in the best way possible) to see where it will go from here. 

    Suppose you've been interested in this fantastic game series's story but are interested in something other than playing video games. In that case, this is the best non-game presentation of this story. At least it's off to a fantastic start. As the episodes are released, a complete and comprehensive review of this series will be forthcoming. Until then, this is a perfect time to consider an HBO Max subscription or try out whatever free trial they have. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading. 

Double Feature Review

 

    That's right, my beautiful readers! We're kicking off the new year with a two-review special! 

    First, I hope you all had a delightful holiday and a safe & satisfying new year. I apologize for my unexpected absence, but life has a nasty habit of sometimes getting in the way of things. You may be glad to hear that I am still in the process of writing another book and a script to eventually adapt Come See The Light into a graphic novel. Here's hoping that eventually transitions into a movie. 

    Anyway, I've got two big movies to review for you today. Both are excellent in their own way and offer something fresh to the table. Let's start with the more recent release. 

Streaming on Netflix 

    Back in 2019, writer & director Rian Johnson (late of Looper and Star Wars: The Last Jedi) graced the silver screen with an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery film titled Knives Out: the story of a prestigious and classy detective named Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) who uses his Sherlock-like powers of deductive reasoning, keen observation, and his southern drawl, to solve the murder of a wealthy novelist, and in doing so, determine who of his family will inherit his considerable estate. 

    Like most of Rian Johnson's films, it was witty, beautifully structured, and delivered a clever mystery along with some delightful subversions of expectations. While some may criticize aspects of Johnson's writing (understandably so), there is no denying that it was a pleasant watch all the way through. 

    A few years later, Rian Johnson returns with a new mystery for the determined detective in the hopes of cementing the Knives Out subtitle as a regular film series. Frankly, if they continue to be as good as they have been, I would be delighted to continue seeing more. 

    Without going into too many details for fear of spoiling the mystery, Glass Onion is a spectacular step up from the first film and a pleasant showcase of Rian Johnson's growth as a storyteller. It's an all-around entertaining ensemble film with wittier dialogue, more robust characters, and better-constructed commentary. Not to mention a significant and remarkable plot twist I did not see coming. 

    I liked it better than the first film, mainly for the delightful improvement of Rian Johnson's ability and talent. Not to mention the overall enthralling performances from the entire cast. This is the kind of film that justifies maintaining a Netflix subscription. 

    Glass Onion comes highly recommended anytime. 

    Now, let's move on to the next film. 

For rent on Apple TV, Amazon, YouTube, and Google Play

    Some say to keep historical inaccuracy from getting in the way of enjoying a good story. While there are some negative exceptions to that idea, such as movies with such egregious inaccuracies as to insult the audience and subject matter of the story (I'm looking at you, Green Book), there are also plenty of positive examples. Namely, films that trade complete historical accuracy for presentations of historical wish fulfillment. A few prime examples would be Quentin Tarantino's classic Django Unchained and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Both films tackle some of history's greatest tragedies and darkest moments without shying away from their ugliness. Rather than simply ending with how it was, they present a "what if" scenario. And, in doing so, offer a call to action to learn from past mistakes and do better for the future. 

    The Woman King is also such a movie. A film with just enough historical accuracy to show its understanding of its subject material while providing a hopeful and uplifting lesson on moving forward. All delivered in what may be my unexpected favorite movie of 2022.

    Set in the 18th century, the story follows the kingdom of Dahomey and its all-woman warriors led by the bravest of the brave, Nanisca (Viola Davis). After taking in a new recruit under her wing, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), the two women learn of a dark and previously secret bond between them. One that might change everything they believed about themselves and their perception of the world around them. 

    While the film does a spectacular job showcasing well-choreographed action set pieces, gorgeous costume designs, and an epic plot about tribal clashes and colonization, the film is ultimately about courage, inner power, and love. It presents a personal story in an engaging and heart-pounding experience. 

    This is one film that absolutely defines the word epic. The film shines brightest through its competent direction, sharp writing, and profound performances from everyone in the cast. While some may object to the bits of graphic violence, it is at least justified in this film, as it is there to enhance the story and is not present merely for its own sake.

    Check this one out! 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.