urthpainter

I was amazed how easy this show is to watch, and how fast the six episodes flew by. I would say that is the best quality of Untamed, pacing.

Casting, story, direction, acting are all at least good, but it's the production that really shines. The consistency of lighting, and how Untamed is shot - interiors and exteriors, really a clinic. No small feat, considering the locations.

Untamed is about a federal agent, stationed in Yosemite Park California - truly a beautiful place. The opening scene is memorable, and sets up a murder investigation with many twists and turns.

Admit, not an easy show to review, because I would imagine most people would agree it's good and worth watching - but why isn't it great? Maybe the obtuse main character? Or the nebulous villain/antagonist? A mystery is always going to have some of that - but I'd argue, like a lot of other modern TV, the antagonist is not well considered, which is a squandered opportunity for strong story telling.

I think the journey is worth taking - especially for all the natural beauty, but this is not a show with especially memorable characters, and the final resolution also anticlimactic.

Removing the mystery and the flashbacks from the original movie was a brave choice, and required a ton of finesse to attempt. Problem?

All the worst aspects of the first film are emphasized, like the lame antagonist - and all the boring, poorly paced dialog sequences.

Without spoiling, the new content in Old Guard 2 just comes off so... lame.

Maybe, ultimately, it's just a bad movie, with poorly written dialog and a half baked script. Shame, because even though the first movie felt like it was the first episode of a TV show, it did have some interesting ideas, and the mystery was compelling. Old Guard 2 feels like a shoddy attempt to cash in on the first movies hype, instead of trying to improve a franchise. I was surprised how boring this movie comes off, how little I cared for any of the characters, and the way my interest descended as the movie went on - each act worse than the one before.

Without getting too much into the specifics of this film, I'd say for a musical in 2024, Better Man is a pretty good movie - but multiple times, I thought the artistic nature of story and main character interrupted the films entertainment quality. This juxtaposition constantly had me questioning what this film is, and why it made jarring choices. Some of these writer/director choices were almost viewing deal breakers, but...

The musical numbers are generally fantastic - and an entertaining watch. Hopefully Better Man will inspire some new creative musicals, perhaps out of international markets, which I am all for.

But I don't think Better Man found the right balance of fun vs 'lessons'. Why not just focus on the entertainment? Or... At least let the entertaining scenes land without interruption.

In a way I recommend this movie to anyone as a unique cinema experience. But I would expect most people will leave the movie a bit like me, wondering what the mix of content was supposed to mean - and really? Following a standard 'Inside the Music' script/storyline? But why though?

Edit: may of gleaned from my review that I thought Better Man was a completely original fictional script, not having a clue about British pop. Upon learning it's proper context, gotta say - I like this movie even less, find the MC choice more mystifying, and while I now completely understand it's Inside the Music storyline... 5/10.