Mike_T-Little_Mtn_Sound_Archive

For some reason I haven't been on Amazon much recently, until yesterday, when I saw the screen blurb about THE BONDSMAN. I ended up back on Amazon today and read the info blurb and was intrigued, so I looked up the description on IMDB. Demons, gore, music...that's like my favorite 3 degrees of relaxation for screen time, and with Kevin Bacon...well, he's worth the other 4 degrees! So yes...naturally, I binged it...which is really easy, and brings me to the only reason I didn't rate this a 10...THE EPISODES ARE TOO SHORT! Now, my guess is that given the type of show, all the effects & visuals that were needed (ie $$) and the unknown about whether it would cast a wide enough net of interest for longer segments, that the producers requested 30min episodes. Be that as it may, the producers made a bad decision, and there's enough case history with shows like The Boys, Ash & The Evil Dead (yes they were 30min but people clamored for longer episodes), and a host of other extremely highly rated shows that are driven on blood & violence, that the decision to make episodes a MINIMUM of 48 minutes would have been the better move. And don't tell me it's because Amazon is cheap...again...THE BOYS....

Ok...now that I got that out of my system, I can offer thoughts on the show. First, there is never enough content directly utilizing the Judeo-Christian mythos of demons. Movies like Constantine, Legion, and Evil Ded Rise that deal with ACTUAL DEMONS, and not just possession, are few & far between, and I'm fairly certain there are many people who feel the same way. Why? Because the meta scores on all these genre films are through the roof. This review is not meant for a genre discussion, but to illustrate that the directors and producers SHOULD have known what they had here and really gone for it, but they didn't.

As for the show itself, yes...there are elements that are reminiscent of Ash & The Evil Dead, but only because of the some of the slapstick writing, which includes double entendres, comedic situations written in to otherwise violent discourse, and some straight-up hokey one-liners. Beyond that, it's just another comedic show with gore. Very little is frightening about it, unless you're an uber-believer and find the concept of demons and possession as truly frightening & realistic. Regardless, watching an episode is a fairly light occurrence, meaning that the viewer is not left pondering deep issues or that characters of deep connectivity are brutally lost to the audience. No...it's just a bit of a fun romp into the world of stories about demons escaping hell and a person/people responsible for reversing those escapes. No spoilers...I'll leave it at that.

I read a couple of reviews that commented on the acting being bad and the script being banal. I think those reviewers missed the mark on these characters as well as the delivery by the actors. This show is supposed to be "slapstick" done with a modern twist with the lead character's almost dry delivery. I found each of the characters perfectly suited to the actors' portrayals and the script a real riot. I mean, Shakespeare it is not, but for cryin out loud, it's not supposed to be.

Camerawork and post production work, including real practical fx, were very good. Shooting in Atlanta always opens the doors for some beautiful scenery as well as a myriad of choices for backdrop.

As for content, through the first season there was no nudity, or drug use, but there is a good deal of violence and fair amount of good gore for those interested. As noted, the practical fx were dynamite.

Anybody rating this show a 1-3 or claiming it's the worst thing they've ever seen is not telling it straight. This is big Hollywood with notable actors who know their craft. If you have a bone to pick with the topic or the content, then deal with it in the confines of your confessional when you hit your Sunday service...don't take it out on the people who worked hard to put forth a good product. Thankfully the producers knew well enough that their content would be enjoyed, as they green-lighted a script that demands a second season. So like I said...if you take issue with the content, go read your Bible, but let the rest of us enjoy a quality product.