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Why Shanty Town Does Not Deserve Its Hype— From a Critical Lens

February 21, 2023 jowellapollo Leave a comment

January 20th, 2023 saw the release of the first season of the Nigerian crime TV series Shanty Town. The Netflix show was created by Xavier Ighorodje and Chichi Nworah, directed by Dimeji Ajibola, and produced by Ini Edo and Chichi Nworah. With six episodes, the first season featured several Nollywood stars, including Chidi Mokeme, Richard Mofe-Damijo (RMD), Ini Edo, Nse Ikpe-Etim, Nancy Isime, and Sola Sobowale.

The show was greeted with applause and social media fad mostly by people who were impressed with its free display of nudity (yeah, obviously, these individuals subscribed for Netflix, but I termed the nudity “free” because they most likely didn’t pay the subscription fee with the specific nude scenes in mind). Also, regular Nollywood movie lovers were over-excited to see the latest Nollywood show on Netflix (as of then). However, when I sat down to watch the series with an objective mind, I realized there was nothing really spectacular about it. In fact, it was relatively poor. I’ll extensively cite my reasons in the next section.

5 Reasons Shanty Town Is Not as Good as You Think

Here are some shortcomings in the first season of Shanty Town:

1. Shallow Plot

Shanty Town’s core story tries to portray a thrilling and eye-catching connection between the local crime in a slum and the criminal activities of its elite sponsors. The plot heavily depends on violence and features several criminal elements, such as illegal prostitution, drug trafficking, the use of hard drugs, homicides, trafficking of human parts, corrupt politicians, and so on. Naturally, you’d expect a show with these footing and themes to have a rich plot. Still, that’s not the case with Shanty Town. The plot is relatively basic and the show relies more on its visual presentation of violence, crime, and nudity/eroticism.

The chief antagonist of the first season, Chief DaCosta Fernández (Richard Mofe-Damijo), is depicted as a very powerful and aristocratic criminal who intends to occupy the political seat of the Governor of Lagos. This theme of big-time criminals showing interest in politics is quite common in crime shows, just like Russell “Stringer” Bell in The Wire and James “Ghost” St. Patrick in Power. However, the show doesn’t tell us much about Chief Fernández’s rise on the crime ladder and enough of his backstory. Personally, I’d have loved to know why a Nigerian from the Western Part of the country (Yorubaland) would bear both a Portuguese (or Brazilian) first name and last name.

Similarly, the kingpin of Shanty Town (the crime slum), Aboderin “Scar” (Chidi Mokeme), had no proper backstory. The show didn’t give the viewers a chance to know him deeply. We knew almost nothing about how the prostitutes came to Shanty Town, except for Shalewa (Nancy Isime), who her father brought to the Shanty Town. Still, we don’t know much about the transaction or the incident that led to it. What about the show’s portrayal of drug trafficking? Apart from the drug production and packaging scene in the first episode, we weren’t given much to talk over on the drug trade. How did they distribute the illegal substance to other parts of Lagos? Who were their connections and channels? How did they manage to pull off such a major crime?

2. Generally Poor Acting

Richard Mofe-Damijo, Sola Sobowale, and Chidi Mokeme (from left to right)

Although the first season of Shanty Town featured many prominent movie stars, the general acting in the show left a lot to be desired. This brings the proficiency of the show’s director into question. Most of the actors in the series couldn’t excellently portray the emotional aspect of their characters, properly illustrate the stories of their characters to the viewers, and take their characters off the shores of television. Not even RMD, Ini Edo, Nancy Isime, and Sola Sobowale could nail their roles. I wouldn’t want to go into detail about Shafy Bello’s nerve-racking acting. What childish badassery was that? (shakes my head).

On the contrary, Chidi Mokeme deserves credit for trying his best to sync with his character (even though I could argue that he could’ve done more). I was also awed by the fact that he spoke three different languages (Nigerian Pidgin English, Igbo, and Yoruba) fluently in the show. Nse Ikpe-Etim wasn’t bad either, but her performance wasn’t the best.

3. Inem’s Perplexing Role in the Story

Inem/Amanda (Ini Edo) was undoubtedly the most confusing character in Shanty Town. I mean, what exactly was her story? Was she an undercover police officer or an ex-convicted drug peddler and prostitute? For how long has she been an undercover police officer? Was she ever a criminal, if not, why would she fit too perfectly into the Shanty Town criminal establishment? What is the revenge-for-her-sister saga all about? Why does she seem to hold so much power in the police force and prostitution ring? These are questions with either unclear or flawed answers. At one point or the other in the show, the viewers must have gotten lost trying to figure out who she really was or is. This proves that the Inem/Amanda character and story were poorly written.

4. The Governor’s Presence in Crime Scenes

Why would the sitting Governor of Lagos State, Dame Dabota (Shafy Bello), directly meet with the kingpin of a crime slum? Didn’t she have people that could help her do her dirty jobs and criminal dealings? That’s not even the worst part. The same Governor was present at a kidnap and multiple homicides spot and was seen leaving the crime scene by police officers. Yet, the cops let her leave without batting an eyelid or thinking something was wrong like it was normal for a sitting Governor to be in such a place.

5. Redundant and Out-of-Place Action Scenes

It seems the director forgot that Shanty Town was a crime series and not an action movie in the last episode of the show’s first season. That would explain the unnecessary and prolonged action scenes in that particular episode, which were reminiscent of Den of Thieves, Commando 2: The Black Money Trail, and some Jackie Chan classics at the same time (of course, not in the quality, but in the idea). Regardless of the efforts, the action scenes were out-of-place. Furthermore, what in the name of motion pictures was the director thinking when he made Chief Fernández magically block (or catch) a bullet and redirect it to the shooter with his hand? That’s incredible in a bad way.

Bottom Line

Note that I’m not using this medium to condemn the show or the efforts of the crew and cast. However, I chose to point out the drawbacks of the first season, hoping similar mistakes won’t be made in the subsequent seasons (if any).

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Why The Wire is One of the Best Crime TV Series Ever Made

February 7, 2023 jowellapollo Leave a comment

The Wire is an American crime drama TV show created by David Simon and broadcast by HBO. The series, which featured 5 seasons and 60 episodes, premiered in 2002 and ended in 2008. Although the Baltimore-centered show wasn’t given the appreciation it deserved when it was originally released, it is now regarded by many television critics as one of the greatest TV shows ever made. In this article, we’ll discuss why The Wire deserves a permanent place among the best crime series ever made.

5 Reasons The Wire is One of the Greatest Crime TV Shows of All Time

Here are 5 reasons The Wire is one of the best crime series to grace television:

1. Rich Plot

The Wire presents a well-conceived, entertaining, and largely unpredictable crime plot loosely based on true events. It features several literary societal themes and portrays urban life and the affairs of criminals and law enforcers in Baltimore, Maryland. As reflected in the show’s name, the employment of electronic surveillance and wiretap technologies is a recurrent theme in the series.

For the most part, particularly in the first three seasons, the show is centered on the Barksdale crime family/organization and the members of the Baltimore Police Department, who investigate their criminal activities using wiretaps and other means. The show also incorporates other intriguing subplots, such as the life of the Sobotkas, a Polish-American family of port workers associated with unlawful smuggling, and the Hamsterdam project– a social experiment involving the legalization of drugs in a monitored space to reduce the rate of homicides. Generally, the show dishes out an immensely enjoyable plot that makes you anxious to see the next episode.

2. Illuminating Portrayal of the Life and Activities of Police Officers and Lawyers

Suppose you want to learn about the US police or you’re interested in knowing what to expect if you become a police officer. In these circumstances, The Wire is your best bet at finding the answers to your questions without reading them up in a book. Although The Wire focuses on the Homicide and Narcotics units of the Baltimore Police Department, these two units are enough for you to peer into the life and activities of cops.

The show characterizes different shades of police officers. You get to see an overzealous, broken cop in the character Jimmy McNulty, a lesbian cop with a relationship crisis in Kima Greggs, an intelligent and decent policeman in Lester Freamon, loyal policemen in Bunk and Carver, a clumsy, protected cop in Roland Pryzbylewski, a middle-aged policeman with the desire to make a change before he retires in Bunny Colvin, a police lieutenant determined to do what he thinks is right in Cedric Daniels, and even a cop that uses drugs.

Furthermore, the show depicts the interaction between police officers, lawyers, judges, and the FBI to achieve better results. It also illustrates the sexcapades, flirting, and romance between these government officials, as well as depicts the corrupt ones.

3. Accurate Depiction of Baltimore Politics

David Simon wasn’t afraid to portray and explore Baltimore politics in the show. The Wire frequently demonstrated the activities of the police authorities, including the commissioner, deputy commissioner, police majors, and other commanding officers, and how they pulled the strings and manipulated the Baltimore Police Department. Similarly, it revealed the political games in the Baltimore mayoral office and how the Mayors, both Clarence Royce and later Tommy Carcetti, made sure any decisions they took favored them ultimately.

4. Sumptuous Portrayal of Various Crimes

The Wire succeeds in captivating aficionados of the crime genre as it serves its viewers an “eyeful” of various crimes. The show featured drug trafficking, drug abuse, murder, smuggling, human trafficking, robbery, animal abuse, corruption, financial crimes, torture, illegal prostitution, illegal immigration, and so on.

5. Representation of Realistic Societal Elements and Issues

The Wire deserves applause for its ability to display real societal issues and events on television. The series threw light on realistic elements, such as drug addiction, the life, struggles, and activities of the urban poor, gang conflicts, HIV/AIDS, crime in Baltimore, prison life, public empowerment programs, betrayal, drug wars, family bond, marital crisis, and gun violence. More interestingly, the Hamsterdam project in season 3 of the show illustrated the consequences of legalizing drugs.

Bottom Line

Other factors that seal The Wire’s status as one of the GOATs of crime TV shows include its impressive acting, characterization, and character development. Overall, the show is one of the best things to have happened since the invention of television.

Movies

5 Actors Who Failed to Nail Their Roles in Glass Onion

January 29, 2023 jowellapollo Leave a comment

Rian Johnson attained great success in his 2019 movie Knives Out, both in critical acclaim and at the box office. Consequently, he decided to extend the Knives Out franchise by releasing its sequel, Glass Onion, in 2022. Like its predecessor, Glass Onion featured several popular faces in its ensemble cast.

The cast of Glass Onion included Daniel Craig, reprising his role as Detective Benoit Blanc, Janelle Monáe, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hann, Madelyn Cline, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, and Ethan Hawke. Naturally, you’ll expect phenomenal acting in the movie given the big names. Unfortunately, some of these actors failed to hit the nail on the head while playing their roles. Read on as we point out these movie stars in the next section.

5 Actors That Were Under Par in Glass Onion

Daniel Craig and Janelle Monáe were the best actors in Glass Onion without a doubt. Similarly, Edward Norton delivered a satisfactory performance. Ethan Hawke didn’t have enough screen time to do anything spectacular, so you can’t really blame him. Still, the other actors in the movie didn’t leave off a stellar performance.

Here are five actors who were anything but impressive in Glass Onion from those who could’ve done a bit more to the least remarkable:

5. Leslie Odom Jr.

Leslie Odom Jr. played the character Lionel Toussaint, the head scientist in Miles Bron’s company. The actor first gained major recognition in 2015 when he won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the musical Hamilton. Although Lionel initially opposed Miles’s idea to launch Klear, he couldn’t do much about it because he was subordinate to Miles.

Throughout the movie, Leslie struggled to portray Lionel and sync with the character. However, his efforts didn’t click and he failed to steer his acting well beyond the seas of mediocrity. One notable under-par scene of Leslie was when he fell clumsily after dragging a blanket with Helen Bland (Janelle Monáe). I mean, what was that, bro?

4. Madelyn Cline

After her casting in the Netflix TV show Outer Banks, Madelyn Cline was given the role of Whiskey in Glass Onion. Whiskey was the drop-dead gorgeous girlfriend and Twitch channel assistant of Duke Cody (Dave Bautista). The character was meant to be jovial, seductive, attractive, and easy-going, which Madelyn didn’t have many problems with. Besides charming Miles Bron (Edward Norton) with her wiles in a bid to gain favor from him and being a partner to Duke, there wasn’t anything much to expect from Whiskey. Any beautiful actress could’ve played the role effortlessly.

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Despite her character’s simplicity, Madelyn had a few chances to make her character more sophisticated, like when Whiskey had a dialogue with Helen Bland. Still, she failed to make good use of the golden opportunity.

3. Kathryn Hahn

Kathryn Hahn portrayed Claire Debella, the sitting Governor of Connecticut, currently running for the US Senate. Kathryn earned popularity after appearing as a supporting actress in various comedy movies, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Step Brothers. Yet, she couldn’t do justice to her role in Glass Onion.

Claire was supposed to be an aristocratic character since she was a US Governor. However, Kathryn played the role with no atom of grace, making Claire look less noble. Even though the character was loyal to Miles, she’d have shown signs of elitism at least, but she didn’t. Kathryn’s performance was also short of quality and charisma. She’d have probably done better if she was given the role of Peg, Birdie’s not-so-sophisticated assistant.

2. Dave Bautista

Dave Bautista is one name that needs no introduction in the entertainment industry. The retired professional wrestler has enjoyed success in various blockbuster movies, including Avengers: End Game, Avengers: Infinity War, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Dune. His roles in these movies and many others involved action scenes, which suit his abilities. Regardless, he was given a more dramatic role in Glass Onion, a role that actually required pure acting. And guess what? He fell on his face.

Bautista portrayed Duke Cody, a macho men’s rights activist (on Twitch and YouTube) and video game streamer, who’s Miles’s friend and subordinate. The movie star was too stiff in his performance and seemed to take a leaf from his acting in his action movie roles, but without the intense action, of course. Besides failing to appear natural, he couldn’t make the viewers take his character seriously. Playing an anaphylaxis-fueled death scene was also a tough row to hoe for him.

1. Kate Hudson

Arguably, Kate Hudson was the least outstanding actor in Glass Onion. The Golden Globe Award-winning actress previously starred in Almost Famous (the movie that earned her the award), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Mother’s Day. Still, she may have just inked her name on the nomination for a Golden Raspberry Award with her role as Birdie Jay in Glass Onion. Birdie Jay embodies a high-spirited supermodel turned fashion designer and one of Miles’s “weird” friends involved in the use of child labor.

Kate Hudson’s performance in Glass Onion was nothing to write home about. Almost everything she did seemed to be off– her acting was mediocre at best, her comical scenes appeared forced, her dialogues didn’t quite flow naturally, the scenes where her character was serious and those where she was playful were both flawed, and she made Birdie Jay look ridiculous. Instead of characterizing Birdie as intriguingly as possible, she slaughtered the character’s energy and visual appeal. An actress of her quality could’ve done much better.

Conclusion

Glass Onion had the potential to be an excellent film. However, the relatively poor acting was one major factor that pushed it off the course of its predecessor, Knives Out. No doubt that the above-mentioned actors would’ve made the movie meet critical expectations if they had executed their roles perfectly.

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The Witcher Series: 5 Most Powerful Characters So Far

December 31, 2021 jowellapollo Leave a comment

The Witcher is a fantasy drama television series running on Netflix. The show, which premiered in 2019, is based on the eponymous book by the Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Just like the book, it focuses on the activities of Geralt of Rivia, a magically enhanced monster slayer, and Ciri, the princess of Cintra, in a fictional landmass known as The Continent. The TV series stars Henry Cavill, Freya Allan, and Anya Chalotra as its main roles.

In December 2021, the second season of the show was released. This season was filled with intense events and an eye-opener into the immense power some characters in the show possess.

Accordingly, in this composition, we’d be reviewing the most powerful characters in the Netflix series, The Witcher. Take note that this list only comprises characters with physical embodiments, as potent spirits like Voleth Meir will be deliberately left out. Also, note that this piece is entirely sourced from the Netflix series and no reference or spoilers from the book will be shared here.

5 Characters That Hold the Most Power in The Witcher TV Series

In a continent where magic is real, and humans, mages, elves, witchers, monsters, mutants, spirits, and dwarves coexist, it is certain for beings with massive strength to prevail. Regarding this truth, we’d be presenting the most powerful characters indicated by the first and second seasons of The Witcher series.

5. Fringilla Vigo

Fringilla is a mage who was assigned to the Nilfgaardian Empire. The character was excellently portrayed on screen by Mimi Ndiweni. Previously, she was one of the initiates taken in by the sorceress Tissaia and taught how to control chaos to perform magic at Aretuza.

During the flower and rock lesson by Tissaia, she was the first student to succeed in lifting a rock without touching it. However, her hands soon began to instantly age and shrivel up as a consequence of the “give and take” principle of magic. She was also able to trap lightning in a bottle during another lesson. Subsequently, Fringilla was among the mages inducted into the Brotherhood.

After the conquest of Cintra by Nilfgaard, she was successful in determining that the missing Princess Cirilla was in Brokilon Forest. Fringilla was again spectacular at the battle of Sodden, as the principal mage assisting Nilfgaard against the Brotherhood. When she realized they were losing the war, she opened a portal through which the Nilfgaardian soldiers shot arrows, annihilating Vanielle, one of the Brotherhood mages, and several others. She was able to break down the frontline of her opponents and take down most of the Northern mages, including Tissaia.

Furthermore, Fringilla was skilled enough to intercept Yennefer’s telepathic message and capture her to be offered as a tribute to the White Flame.

Another extraordinary feat performed by Fringilla was the dramatic paralysis of the White Flame’s generals, who were plotting against her at the dining room, with botany and possibly magic, and consequently executing them. She’s surely a formidable character as Cahir would agree.

4. Tissaia de Vries

Tissaia is an experienced mage who serves as the rectoress of the Aretuzan mages. She is also a member of the Chapter of the Gift and the Art, a higher chamber of the Brotherhood usually reserved for 5 talented individuals. In the Netflix TV series, she is played by the Swedish actress MyAnna Buring.

Tissaia was in charge of training the initiated mages of Aretuza, including Yennefer, Fringilla, Triss, and Sabrina, proving she was adept at practicing magic. Similarly, she helped mold Yennefer into the fine mage she eventually became, teaching her how to control chaos and her emotions. At one point, Yennefer directed lightning at her due to anger and frustration, but she rechanneled the lightning into the sky.

She also led the Brotherhood to defend the Northern Kingdoms against the Nilfgaardian forces at the battle of Sodden. Tissaia also mentally tortured a captive Cahir in an attempt to find out Yennefer’s whereabouts and fate, after the battle. Additionally, she rescued Yennefer when she was being tortured by the Redanian intelligence officer Dijkstra.

3. Geralt of Rivia

Geralt is the protagonist of the show, and the series is named after his profession. This character, who was masterfully portrayed by Henry Cavill, is agreeably one of the strongest characters in the show. Additionally, he’s also known as the White Wolf and Butcher of Blaviken.

Geralt is a magically enhanced monster-killer, known as a witcher, and an incredibly skilled one. He exhibits superhuman abilities, exceptional swordsmanship, and alchemy skills. Throughout the series, the Butcher of Blaviken has slain various monstrous creatures, including the kikimora, selkiemore, bruxa, and leshy. He also defeated Princess Renfri and her soldiers, and helped cure the Striga.

His destiny is bound to Princess Cirilla of Cintra who he earned through the Law of Surprise after defending her father Duny from the opposition of Queen Calanthe. Geralt has also shown his capability by protecting Ciri from several adversaries. Notably, he fought and killed otherworldly monsters, got rid of the Michelet brothers, and defended Ciri against Voleth Meir, the deathless mother. His ability to stand his ground against a Voleth Meir-possessed Ciri speaks highly of his power.

We couldn’t possibly finish this writing if we were to mention all the amazing deeds of the great White Wolf of Rivia.

2. Yennefer of Vengerberg

Yennefer, Yenna, Yen, and Piglet seem to be too many names for one character. Still, you’ll realize that Yennefer, played by Anya Chalotra, is more than one character if you properly watch the series. She is a quarter-elf from the town of Vengerberg, initially having the appearance of a hunchback, who was sold by her father to Tissaia for less than the price of a pig. Tissaia took her to Aretuza as an initiate to be taught how to tap into chaos to execute magic.

Though she wasn’t a quick learner at the Aretuza school of mages, like Fringilla, she later transforms and grows up to become one of the greatest and most reputable mages in the show. Geralt of Rivia even called her the “most powerful mage” he ever knew. Yennefer and Geralt, who had their moment of romance, once fought side-by-side to protect an old dragon and his child. He had also previously persuaded her to help cure Jaskier, his bard, from the effects of a djinn.

Yennefer was also terrific when she defended Queen Kalis of Aedirn and her baby against an assassin and a koshchey, opening portals upon portals, until she ultimately killed the koshchey.

Undoubtedly, Yennefer’s biggest moments in the show was when she performed fire magic, one of the most immense types of magic, at the battle of Sodden. This heroic act made her already losing side win the war against the Nilfgaardian Empire, thanks to her stamina. Although she subsequently lost her magical abilities, she was also impressive in helping to contain Voleth Meir, seizing her magic back in the process. Which better mage could Geralt have entrusted to nurture Ciri?

1. Princess Cirilla of Cintra

Commonly referred to as Ciri, Princess Cirilla is the Child of Ithlline’s prophecy, Child of the Elder Blood, granddaughter of Queen Calanthe, Lion Cub of Cintra, daughter of Emhyr the White Flame, Geralt’s Child Surprise, and heir to the Cintran throne. How could this highly special child, portrayed by Freya Allan, not be the most powerful character in the show?

Ciri inherited the elder blood from her mother, Princess Pavetta, who didn’t live long enough to fully depict what it feels like to have elder blood running in your veins. She was already pledged to Geralt of Rivia before her birth and has been the interest of many beings, including elves, kings, men, mages, monsters, and demons.

Her first major feat was collapsing a monolith and causing an earthquake, with a scream, when Cahir and the Nilfgaardian soldiers attempted to abduct her after conquering Cintra. After being claimed by Geralt, she went on to learn some basic fighting skills at Kaer Morhen, indicating her resilience. It was later discovered that the monolith she fell brought otherworldly monsters into The Continent.

Princess Cirilla’s massive strength was also displayed when Voleth Meir, the highly powerful deathless mother, used her as a vessel of chaos. She shattered more monoliths with her screams, manufactured deadly weapons, summoned various monsters from other spheres, and killed several witchers. Indeed, Ciri is a great force to be reckoned with.

Given that she’s young currently, she’s likely to exhibit more powerful stunts as the series progresses.

Bottom Line

Apart from these characters, other powerful figures worth mentioning include the Nilfgaardian commander Cahir Mawr Dyffryn aep Ceallach, the old witcher Vesemir, and the mage Triss Merigold.

If you don’t agree with this list, feel free to drop your opinions in the comment section below.

ALSO READ: 5 Reasons House of the Dragon Won’t Measure Up to Game of Thrones

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5 Most Suitable People to Play the Next James Bond

December 22, 2021 jowellapollo 6 Comments

James Bond is a fictional character created by the British novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. The character is a British secret service agent for MI6 with the code number 007 (double-oh-seven).

James Bond’s introduction in the cinema was marked by the movie Dr. No in 1962, with Sean Connery spotlighted as Agent 007. This project was overseen by Eon Productions, a movie company owned by Harry Saltzman and Albert “Cubby” Broccoli. Since then, the character has attracted and garnered considerable fandom and attention. As of 2021, James Bond is among the most popular and talked about movie characters.

Between 1962 and 2021, six actors have been cast as James Bond in the Eon Productions films. These thespians include Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan, and Daniel Craig.

At present, the seventh actor that will play James Bond for Eon Productions is under deliberation. The movie company board currently has some actors in mind. However, they are yet to conclude.

In this piece, we’d be citing the actors who are most likely to give an adequate portrayal of James Bond on screen. This list may contain some actors presently under the considerations of Eons Productions and other performers who the company hasn’t expressed interest in featuring as the next James Bond.

5 Actors Who Will Portray Agent 007 on Screen Most Adequately

For a successful portrayal of the character, the next Bond actor has to come considerably close to Ian Fleming’s James Bond. In this light, Ian Fleming’s James Bond is British, 183 cm (6 ft) tall, weighs 76 kilograms, possesses a slim build, blue-eyed, cruelly handsome, and dark-haired in physical appearance. In terms of character, he’s a charismatic, classy, Martini-loving, heavily smoking, peerless, womanizing, gambling-addicted, and strong fellow.

Indeed, one may argue that no past Bond actor has met all these features. Nonetheless, we can all agree that the successful Bond actors fulfilled a significant fraction of these elements.

Having said that, let’s take a look at 5 actors that may follow the footsteps of other successful Bond actors or even give a better portrayal of James Bond on screen.

5. Cillian Murphy

Blue eyes, slim build, good looks, dark brown hair, Cillian Murphy has some of the primary physical attributes of Ian Fleming’s Bond. The Irish actor has played several posh roles, such as his young businessman role in the American sci-fi thriller movie Inception and the charismatic gang leader Thomas Shelby in the British crime drama series Peaky Blinders. These characterizations suggest he could easily conform to the stylishness and charisma of James Bond.

Murphy has also shown his grasp of action in some movies and TV shows. For instance, his action roles in the sequel of the horror thriller movie A Quiet Place and his role as Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders. It wouldn’t also be difficult for him to exhibit the strong, heavily smoking, alcoholic, and women-magnetic aspects of Bond since these elements constituted Thomas Shelby.

On the minus side, Cillian Murphy isn’t as tall as Fleming’s Bond. He stands at 173 cm against the 183 cm of James Bond. Consequently, if he’s cast as Bond, he’d be the Bond actor with the least height. Still, Barbara Broccoli and other key members of Eons Productions may choose to overlook this drawback and concentrate on the other criteria for a suitable James Bond, which he fulfills tremendously.

4. Richard Madden

Who remembers Robb Stark from the fantasy drama series Game of Thrones? Before the character’s tragic and unexpected death in the Red Wedding, it was said that he never lost a war. Now, imagine Robb Stark in a tuxedo, with dark hair, wielding a gun instead of a sword. That remodeled version of Robb Stark is James Bond.

Richard Madden, the Scottish actor who played Robb Stark, has the right build, blue eyes, strength, and charm to star as the next James Bond. The actor’s role as a bodyguard in the British political thriller series Bodyguard, for which he won several awards, including a Golden Globe Award as the Best Actor in a drama series, proves that he can adequately and effortlessly portray the most prominent fictional MI6 agent on the screens.

Additionally, Madden is a stylish young man. He has been recognized as one of the most stylish men by Hugo Boss. This virtue will facilitate his illustration of James Bond. Similarly, he can spend quite some time playing James Bond in the movies since he’s just 35 years old, as of 2021.

3. Christian Bale

There’s hardly any English actor who rocks a tuxedo better than Christian Bale and there’s barely any movie character who renders a better meaning to tuxedoes than James Bond. Bale is 6-foot tall, highly fashionable, physically fit, very masculine, and experienced in acting. These remarkable features make him capable of properly representing Ian Fleming’s Bond in a movie.

Bale’s incredible portrayal of Bruce Wayne (Batman) in The Dark Knight Trilogy speaks highly of his adequacy and sophistication to be the next Bond actor. In addition, his well-played role in the American horror film American Psycho indicates that he’d do even better if his character is “licensed to kill”.

Unfortunately, Christian Bale has revealed his unwillingness to take a James Bond role and even turned down a contract because he isn’t very fond of the character. Nevertheless, it’ll be wonderful if he changes his mind.

2. Tom Hardy

Although Tom Hardy earned his breakthrough role in 2010 as Eames in Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi thriller Inception, he has been a creative actor for a considerable period. The English actor’s handsomeness, eloquence, blue-green eyes, dress sense, acting skills, and portrayal of charismatic characters, such as the Jewish gangster leader Alfie Solomons in the British crime drama Peaky Blinders, make him suitable for the role of James Bond.

Furthermore, Hardy has performed greatly in action roles, notably in the 2015 Australian post-apocalyptic action film Mad Max: Fury Road. It’s noteworthy that if he’s eventually chosen to play James Bond, the character wouldn’t be the first British agent he’d be portraying on the screens. Earlier in 2012, he supported Gary Oldman as a British field agent in the thriller Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Though Tom Hardy is slightly taller than his Inception and Peaky Blinders co-star Cillian Murphy, at 175 cm, his height may not disqualify him from playing Bond. In his role as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, Hardy wore padded shoes which enabled him to fairly measure up to Christian Bale in height. He could do the same in his potential James Bond roles if the opportunity is presented to him.

1. Henry Cavill

What would happen if Superman decides to be James Bond? Wouldn’t the outcome give rise to a “Super Bond“? Henry Cavill was once the director Martin Campbell’s preferred choice to play James Bond. However, Daniel Craig was chosen instead because Cavill was too young to portray Agent 007 since he was just 22 years old then.

Henry Cavill is British, 183 cm, blue-eyed, dark-haired, sufficiently built, incredibly tough-looking, charming, very masculine, and insanely handsome. Thus, he meets all the crucial physical characteristics of Ian Fleming’s Bond.

Cavill has starred in action spy films, such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E and Mission Impossible: Fallout. In the former, he technically had a Bond-like character and Bond-worthy performance. Again, he showed his ability to enthrall women in Showtime’s historical drama series The Tudors.

Concerning these realities, in 2020, an artificial intelligence device chose Henry Cavill as the optimal successor to Daniel Craig following the latter’s retirement from the James Bond franchise. Since Cavill is 38 years old as of 2021, he may portray Bond on screen for a significant period.

Final Thoughts

Any of these actors mentioned above are likely to give an ample portrayal of James Bond in the cinema. Still, if you’ve got someone else in mind fit to occupy the spot, feel free to air your view in the comment section.

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5 Reasons House of the Dragon Won’t Measure Up to Game of Thrones

December 9, 2021 jowellapollo 1 Comment

The year 2018 saw millions of TV series lovers around the world saying goodbye to one of the most-watched TV shows ever, Game of Thrones. The HBO show is reputable as one of the most loved and highly rated TV series on Earth and was even claimed to be seen by the Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, herself.

Game of Thrones is an American fantasy TV show based on the synonymous book and other books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. The eight-season long TV show is centered on the Iron Throne which is the supreme monarchy seat of the Seven Kingdoms.

Relatively recently, the producers of Game of Thrones announced that a prequel to Game of Thrones was set to be released in 2022. The prequel which was christened “House of the Dragon” will be based on the book Fire and Blood by George R. R. Martin.

House of the Dragon follows the events that occurred about 200 years before Game of Thrones, particularly the Targaryen Civil War that led to the fall of the great House Targaryen.

Even though the spin-off is highly anticipated and will feature stars such as Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, and Paddy Considine, I think that it won’t measure up to its predecessor. Perhaps, House of the Dragon may end up being a great show, however, it’s unlikely that it’ll be a match for GOT. We’ve seen other terrific prequel spin-offs like Better Call Saul. Still, one thing they’ve got in common is that the original TV show outshines them most of the time.

Why House of the Dragon Will Be No Match for Game of Thrones

Several elements determine the success of a spin-off show over the original show. When considering these factors, it appears implausible for House of the Dragon to outdo Game of Thrones.

The bases for this assertion are:

1. House of the Dragon Has an Expected End

One reason Game of Thrones was highly successful and gained substantial viewership was its unpredictability. Right from the beginning of the show to its end, it was difficult or rather impossible to foresee the potential events. Who foresaw the decapitation of the lead role Eddard “Ned” Stark in the very first season? Who expected Brandon “Bran” Stark to end up as the King of Westeros in the final season of the show?

Nevertheless, in the case of House of the Dragon, we already know what’s gonna happen at the end of the show. Regardless of the stunts the producer tries to throw into the plot, we realize where the story is leading ultimately. The Targaryens end up being usurped from the thrones and their dragons end up being reduced to almost nothing. So, the series will be less suspenseful and thrilling than Game of Thrones.

2. House of the Dragon has Fewer Characters and a Thinner Storyline Than Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones has to be among the TV shows with the most numerous characters. I admit that at some points when I was watching the show I found it difficult to follow the names of the numerous characters in the show. It was fascinating to see how the numerous characters in the show related to and with each other. This contributed immensely to the complexity of the show and the series’ fandom.

Again, Game of Thrones encompassed the so-called Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and Essos, myriads of houses and families, several religions and cultures, and various fantastic creatures. This complexity gave the viewers something to see in the show at all times and nothing to get bored of.

House of the Dragon is founded on House Targaryen and relatively few families making the storyline thinner and less intriguing.

3. New and Unfamiliar Characters in the Forthcoming Prequel

As Kit Harrington, the actor who played the legendary Jon Snow, stated, it will be “painful” to see new characters donning similar costumes to those in Game of Thrones. Since House of the Dragon is set 200 years before GOT, no single character from GOT is expected to be seen in the show. In this light, it will be more difficult for the viewers to connect with the unfamiliar characters. If the spin-off series were closer to the events of GOT, it’d have been more engaging.

Perhaps, we may have seen the Young Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon, and John Arryn.

Another spin-off prequel Better Call Saul solved these potential drawbacks by featuring two supporting characters ( Saul Goodman and Michael “ Mike” Ehrmantraut) from the original show Breaking Bad as its main roles.

4. Game of Thrones Had Better Source Materials

Usually, the key to making a good movie or TV show is to employ sufficient source materials when writing the plot. In the case of GOT and HOTD, the source materials are books in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. Although Game of Thrones doesn’t follow the books faithfully, it draws its influences from multiple books in the series. Meanwhile, HOTD is based on a single book, Fire and Blood, written by Martin in 2018.

Though Fire and Blood is a fine book, all the books GOT is based on have higher Goodreads ratings. This factor also makes it unlikely for HOTD to measure up to GOT.

5. Game of Thrones Simply Set the Bar Too High

What are the odds that HOTD will be placed side-to-side to a show with an IMDB rating over 9/10, one of the most followed shows of all time, a show where we watched both the actors and characters age gracefully, a show that was a perfect mixture of politics, wars, love, family affairs, sex, philosophy, betrayals, power, fantasy, and drama? You’d agree with me that the odds are pretty high.

Game of Thrones placed the bar so high that no other identical show has been able to reach till now.

Bottom Line

I’m not insinuating that House of the Dragon would be a bad show. Of course, the show could turn out to be a wonderful show. Rather, I’m skeptical that the show would be able to meet or surpass the legacy of Game of Thrones.

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Red Notice: 5 Most Epic Scenes in Red Notice

November 23, 2021 jowellapollo Leave a comment

November 5, 2021 saw the release of the Action-comedy movie Red Notice. The movie, which was distributed by Netflix, starred Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot in its main roles. Although all three actors have once played roles in the Fast and Furious franchise, this was the first time their (all three) characters had an interactive screen time.

The plot follows the actions of two competing thieves (Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot) and an FBI agent suspected of theft (Dwayne Johnson) and their goals of stealing the three bejeweled “Cleopatra’s eggs” for unique reasons.

This Rawson Marshall Thurber’s movie is something I’d say was not too good and not so bad. Red Notice is a slightly above average movie. Still, there were some really thrilling moments in the 118-minutes film that are worth appreciating.

Most Epic Scenes in the Movie

(SPOILER ALERT)

In no particular order, the most exciting moments within the movie’s running time are:

John Hartley Reveals That the Egg in the Museum Is a Fake and Has to Chase Nolan Booth

Special Agent John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) believes that the so-called Cleopatra’s Egg in the Roman museum is a fake replica because it doesn’t reflect heat when he scans it with a thermal sensor, contrary to what would be expected from a jewel with 18 karats of gold. He finally proves that the egg has been switched for a fake by pouring a can of soda directly on the artifact which starts melting immediately to the surprise of everyone present in the room.

The scene continues with Hartley giving the art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) a hot chase. One amazing fact about the pursuit is that Ryan Reynolds’ character finds it easier to evade obstacles and pass through narrow places due to the considerable size difference between Dwayne Johnson’s character and his.

Ed Sheeran’s Scene at the Wedding of the Egyptian Billionaire’s Daughter

The multiple awards winning singer English singer Ed Sheeran had an uncredited cameo appearance in the movie. Though he had a relatively short screen time in the movie, the little scene he had was a blast.

First of all, the bride abandons the groom and diverts her attention to Ed Sheeran, her favorite singer, when he begins performing.

Again, when the wedding is stormed by agents of the Interpol, Ed Sheeran tries to fight off an Interpol agent with a guitar while declaring that he’s Ed Sheeran and he featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Nolan Booth Announces That John Hartley Is an FBI Agent in the Russian Prison Dining Room

When Booth and Hartley are arrested and sent to a remote Russian prison, they’re expected to work hand-in-hand to escape the horrible situation. However, during breakfast one day, Booth begins announcing that Hartley is an FBI agent in the prison dining room. It’s more ridiculous to see Booth trying to point out the difference between an FBI agent and a cop.

The other prisoners are unsatisfied and one of them proceeds to fight with Hartley, thereby creating a turmoil in the prison. Later in the movie, it’s revealed that Booth acted this way to create a medium for him to steal a prison official’s keycard. Slick, right?

Nolan Booth and John Hartley Versus the Charging Bull

In a bid to avoid being shot by Sotte Voce, an international arms dealer who was once in possession of the second Cleopatra’s Egg, Booth and Hartley unknowingly run into an arena where an angry charging bull is present. The thrilling part of this scene is that Booth and Hartley are placed in a dilemma where they have to either risk being shot by Sotte Voce or risk being mauled by the angry bull. They chose the latter eventually.

Who You Thought Is Your Partner is actually my Partner-in-Crime

For the most part of the movie Red Notice, Booth believes that he and Hartley are partners working against a common enemy, Sarah Black (Gal Gadot) who’s believed to go by the code name “The Bishop ”. The viewers of the movie were also made to believe this story.

However, towards the end of the movie, an impressive plot twist unfolded. Here, Hartley and Sarah Black divulge to Booth and the unsuspecting viewers that they’re actually a criminal duo and simultaneously romantic partners. They also reveal the linking threads in their plans connecting them.

Final Thoughts

There are some other great scenes in Red Notice as well. Still, I think these five scenes were the most captivating and most expertly-presented of them all.

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Dune: Things we want to know in the Sequel

November 18, 2021 jowellapollo Leave a comment

Well, those of us that have recently seen Dune would agree it’s worth every attention it is getting. The movie seems to have it all, from its direction to delivery and plot. An adaption of Frank Herbert’s book Dune, it sure set a path of its own. A previous movie of the same name from the book was done in 1984, but we must agree that Dune 2021 is more of an upgrade.

The ending of the first Dune Movie was only the middle of Frank Herbert’s book and viewers can surely expect more. It does leave us hanging and it felt like the most interesting part of the movie was only about to begin with Paul (Timothee Chalamet) meeting the girl he has always seen in his visions, Chani (Zendaya).

The movie is centered on the great house of Atriedes’ heir, Paul Atriedes, gifted with visions. He sees visions of a girl with blue eyes(a characteristic feature of the Fremen) who he had never met before, but believed she was key to his fate. The journey isn’t straightforward. His father, Leto Atriedes(Oscar Isaac), the Duke is ordered by the emperor to take charge of Arrakis after abruptly removing another great house (Harkonnens) from control of the planet. The emperor has other intentions with this move seeing the Atriedes as a great threat to him.

When the battle between the two great houses begins, the emperor takes side with the Harkonnes and sends his private army(the Sardaukar). The Atriedes’ house are exposed to danger and their bloodline is at the brink of being wiped out. Leto is betrayed by his physician Dr. Yueh (Chang Chen) and delivered to The Baron (Stellan Skarsgard), head of the Harkonnens to be killed. He dies but not without taking some of Baron’s best men with him. Leto’s wife Jesicca (Rebecca Ferguson)and son are caught, but escape from their captors using their gift (the Voice) to free themselves from their captors. With Leto dead, it sets the path for Paul to head the Atriedes’ house, but Paul has bigger plans and has his eyes set on controlling the imperium. This sets the tone for the movie and gives it an entertaining thrill.

With the part 2 coming out in 2023, here are some questions we ask and want answers.

What is the objective of the Bene Gesserit?

In this movie, the Bene Gesserit wields the strongest power. They work closely with the great houses to assist them, but they have their own plans. The compulsive and manipulative effect of their Voice makes them feared. They believe they have a responsibility to save humanity from itself and launch it to a new generation of greatness.

Similarly, they assume Kwisatz Haderach is the crusader of this cause and think they might just have found him in person of Paul Atriedes. However, what we don’t know is how far are they ready to see their goals fulfilled? To save humanity, they probably need to have the highest power in the land (the throne). How far are they willing to go?

Moreover, if it’s achieved, what are their plans on saving humanity?

Does Paul fulfil his destiny and ascend the throne?

We see at the end of part 1 that Paul thinks he has a shot at the throne with the king having no sons and therefore no heir. If he is to make his move, then he would have to face the emperor and his fearsome army.

Again, if he is to succeed, he would need an army to stand a chance, and the Fremen with their desert power sure makes good allies. Although, I think we already saw this play out in his vision in the tent, where he seems to have won, his fight with Jamis taught us that his visions don’t always happen the exact way he sees them.

What is The Baron’s Role in the Grand scheme of things?

The Baron intended to take back control of Arrakis and exploit their resources and make gain. This was what led him to fight the Atriedes. He was lucky not to have died with Leto after his shield saved him and he ran to the ceiling at the last minute. Though, he isn’t fully healthy and seems to be recuperating in a thick black oil.

Still, Paul, knowing he killed his father, is not likely to sit still and this may lead to another battle between the two great houses. His relationship with the emperor and his strong presence in Arrakis certainly makes their battle a good one to see.

Final Thoughts

Perhaps, the second part of this movie may not answer all our questions. Regardless, seeing the success of part one, the producer Denis Villeneuve thinks there may be a trilogy adapting Herbert’s sequel, Dune Messiah. Till then, we have our hands crossed. Meanwhile, the part 2 has been slated for release on the 20th of October 2023.

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Free Guy: What Will the Perfect Sequel Look Like?

November 17, 2021 jowellapollo 2 Comments

August 2021 featured the release of one of the best action comedy movies of the year, Free Guy. Free Guy was an enjoyable assortment of a decent plot, good casting, incredible acting, tremendous directing, and excellent cinematography.

The 115 minutes film, which was directed by Shawn Levy and distributed by 20th Century Studios, starred Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery, Lil Rey Howery, Utkatsh Ambudkar, and Taika Waititi.

Its plot, written by Matt Lieberman, is centered on the life and actions of Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a Non-Player Character (NPC) in Free City, an online multiplayer video game.

Free Guy 1 Plot Summary

Guy is a boring bank teller in Free City, a game world populated with criminals and other NPCs. His life revolves around petting his pet fish, drinking a cup of coffee, and meeting Buddy (Lil Rey Howery), his friend, at the bank where he has to face an attack by robbers and other criminals every day. He has a turning point when he encounters Molotov Girl (Jodie Comer), a player character, who he immediately admires.

After discovering Molotov Girl, Guy starts changing course from his normal programming. He snatches a pair of sunglasses from one of the criminal player characters and begins to see Free City in another light. In a bid to win the attention of Molotov Girl, he increases his experience level in the game by achieving several heroic deeds. This action causes him to become popular and earn fans in the real world.

Meanwhile, in the real world, Millie Rusk, the controller of Molotov Girl, suspects that Antwan (Taika Waititi), the chief developer of Free City, stole the source code from her and her ex-boyfriend Walter “Keys” McKeys. She makes her opinions known to Keys (Joe Keery) who is at present the co-developer of Free City. However, he doesn’t express any concern.

Millie has a clue that Antwan hid the source code in a Stash within the game. She attempts to gain access to the Stash using her player character Molotov Girl. But, she’s unable to obtain the evidence and has to escape with Guy’s help after the unsuccessful attempt.

In Free City, Guy becomes sentient when he tries to kiss Molotov Girl and they both begin a romantic relationship. When Keys realizes that Guy is an NPC who has become self-aware, he helps Millie to get the evidence

Antwan is dissatisfied with the popularity and fans Guy is getting both in the game and real-world because he sees it as a threat to the new game, Free City 2, he intends to launch. He orders Free City 1 to be rebooted leading to the temporary loss of Guy’s memory and sentience.

After Guy regains his memory and sentience, he accompanies Molotov Girl to an island in the game for further proof of Antwan’s crimes. Antwan tries to kill them, but he’s unsuccessful. Enraged, he proceeds to destroy the city by breaking the servers of the game resulting in the fading away of the characters. Millie approaches him before he can destroy the final server and hands over the evidence to him on the agreement that he spares the final server.

Antwan releases Free Guy 2 which ends up being a massive failure. He is criticized by the public and eventually arrested for theft and illegal damage. Millie discovers that the character Guy is a love letter to her from Keys and she rekindles her romance with the latter.

Keys and Millie with the assistance of Mouser, a co-developer, launch a new game Free life with their retrieved code. Free Life features the digital life of Guy, Buddy, and Dude, an unfinished muscular version of Guy.

Confirmation of Free Guy Sequel

Some days after the Free Guy release date (August 14, 2021), the lead role Ryan Reynolds satisfied the curiosity of the public by confirming that Disney was interested in doing a sequel of the movie.

5 Events That Will Make Free Guy 2 a Great Sequel

As you can all agree, most movie sequels turn out to be a disappointing degradation from the original movie. Still, in a few cases, some sequels have managed to be equally as good as the original movie or even better.

For Disney to create an impressive sequel, there are certain events they need to incorporate into the new plot.

Some relevant Free Guy sequel ideas include:

More Thrilling Adventures in Free Life

Free Guy ended with Guy, Buddy, and Dude taking a walk in the new game, Free Life. It’s only befitting for the new game to be packed with exciting and mind-blowing adventures. The ideal adventures will enable Ryan Reynolds and Lil Rey Howery to throw interesting jokes, humor, quips, and funny scenes into the sequel.

It’s up to Disney to decide on the right adventures to blend into Free Life. Regardless, it’s almost certain that the Free Guy sequel will be an enjoyable box office success with captivating adventures.

A Typical Disney Romance Between Millie and Keys

The beginning of Free Guy portrayed a broken romance between Millie and Keys. However, the end of the movie hinted at a potential romantic relationship between the characters. Adding a decent romance, which both characters didn’t get a sufficient dose of in the original movie, will make the sequel worth watching.

Moreover, when someone says they’re going to see a Disney Movie what comes to mind? Romance, of course! It’s left for Disney to use their mastery of romantic movies to their advantage. Putting together a romantic sequel wouldn’t be rocket science for them, would it?

Extra Doses of Shenanigans From Antwan

Most of us knew that Taika Waititi is a good movie director. We saw his incredible works in the movies Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit. But, we didn’t know he was also a great actor until we saw his acting role in Free Guy.

Thanks to Waititi’s extraordinary acting, Antwan was the perfect villain for the action-comedy movie. Mischievous, humorous, proud, relentless, ambitious, and likable on screen. It’s uncertain that a new character will be a suitable antagonist in the sequel.

Although Antwan was arrested at the end of the original movie, additional villainous acts from him are required for the sequel to be awesome.

The sequel can feature Antwan’s slip away from police custody or break out from jail to wreak havoc on the new game Free Life. He could also get back at Millie and Keys by employing someone on the outside to do his dirty work while he’s in jail.

Anyway, we all want Antwan in Free Guy 2 as our villain.

In-Game Villain(s)

What’s an action/adventure game without a proper villain? Free Life needs to have villains that’ll keep Guy, Dude, and Buddy busy. Of course, we’d love to see Buddy kick some asses. Nobody wants to play a smooth adventure game without challenges or difficulties.

Although Free Life wasn’t developed to have the typical ‘shoot me, you miss, I shoot you’ concept as suggested by Millie, an in-game villain will be appreciated even if they don’t make use of a gun or sword. Even an ordinary fistfight could spice up the movie if properly incorporated into the plot.

Again, an in-game villain may also be brought into the plot as the contentious effort of Antwan rather than Keys and Millie’s doing. Either means, the delightful effect of an in-game villain on the sequel’s plot can’t be overemphasized.

Bottom Line

Though we don’t know if Disney shares these views, a Free Guy sequel with these elements is worthy of a good rating and reviews.

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Squid Game: The 3 Most Hated and 3 Most Loved Characters

November 13, 2021 jowellapollo 3 Comments

A lot of us must have seen the recently most talked about Netflix series ‘Squid Game’. It’s taking over as one of the most streamed Netflix Original shows and rightly so. The thrill it delivers from the beginning captures its viewers and the show manages to sustain its momentum till the end and leaves us in suspense and anticipation of the subsequent season.

Those that haven’t yet seen the show should beware of the SPOILERS ahead. This article aims to see the most loved and most hated characters from the show.

Most Hated Characters

3. Han Mi-nyeo (212)

Han Mi-nyeo was an eventful character in the show. From her survival-inspired love affair with Deok-su to her tricks in the show, she sure makes an interesting character to watch.

On the negative side, Player 212 was a highly annoying, manipulative, and self-centered character as we could see from her screen time in the first season of Squid Game. She derived pleasure from being irritable to the other players and guards. Do you remember when she pointed out that Ali (199) was an illegal immigrant and suggested that the team should be restructured? The fact that she got past the tug-of-war game with the team didn’t cause her to stop being manipulative and narcissistic.

Furthermore, Han Mi-nyeo was a “pest”. She could bug other people in a bid to survive. For instance, she pestered and clung to Deok-su during the games and tried to convince other players to be her partner when she had no partner for the pebble game.

Her way of life didn’t go well for her in the end as Deok-su thought she couldn’t offer anything special. Then, her desire for him developed into hatred and eventually led her to kill herself along with him.

2. Jang Deok-su (101)

Deok-su is the main antagonist in the intoductory season of the series. He’s a character you would love to hate.

A former gangster, he had a criminal history with Sae-byeok (Player 067). It may seem like he was the one who took her in as he explained in episode one, but their relationship grew sour and Sae-byeok ran away. He was surprised to see her in the game and didn’t hesitate to beat her to express his anger. Their little brawl continues throughout the first season of the show where they try to eliminate each other.

Some reasons people dislike the character include his bullying nature, maltreatment of women, self-centeredness, and the fact that he’s a brute murderous force.

Again, Deok-su instigated most fights in the show and was a character nobody wanted to be up against. He eventually met his demise in the hands of his supposed lover, Han Mi-nyeo, in the glass bridge.

1. Cho Sang-woo (Player 218)

Sang-woo is clearly the most hated character in the first season of Squid Game. Originally, he left the country for greener pastures, but it didn’t quite work out for him. The high expectations from his friends and family led him to dive into fraudulence after being plagued by his debts. He eventually joins the Squid Game to make enough money to settle his debts.

The first thing Sang-woo did that got us to frown in disgust was his failure to dissuade the protagonist Gi-hun (Player 456) from picking the umbrella shape in “The Man the Umbrella” episode (episode 2) though had known the implication of the game.

Similarly, he betrayed Ali (Player 199) by using his kindness and lack of intelligence against him. Though one might explain this act was a necessary evil, it doesn’t make us forgive Sang-woo for making Ali die in his stead.

Again, Sang-woo got to the peak of his evil deeds when he finally killed Sae-byeok (Player 67), an injured defenseless woman, who was no threat to him. Let’s face it, this action was cruel to the core. Even Hitler may have spared Sae-byeok in that situation.

The 3 Most Loved Characters

3. Ali Abdul (Player 199)

He definitely takes this spot. In the show, he was a Pakistani immigrant who came to South Korea seeking a better life. He was a factory worker whose boss withheld his pay. After leaving the game the first time, he confronted his stingy boss, which led to a struggle between both men. His boss ended up losing his fingers, while he made away with some money.

Ali was an innocent man with the heart of an angel, the strength of a bull, and the brain of a child. Thus, it wasn’t difficult for the viewers of the show to fall in love with him.

His relationship with Sang-woo grew as the show went on until the bitter part where he was tricked by Sang-woo and ultimately eliminated. Additionally, his kind gesture of trying to save Sang-woo may be considered naive in the kill-or-be-killed game, still, it remains one of the reasons he’s one of the most loved characters in the show.

2. Ji-yeong (Player 240)

To be factual, we know little of this character aside from the fact that she was once in prison for murdering her abusive father. We first took notice of her in the third game where a team of 10 was to be formed and Gi-hun’s team needed to recruit more members.

Although Sang-woo was opposed to taking in more ladies, Sae-byeok ignored him and brought Ji-yeong seeing she had no teammates.

Her relationship with Sae-byeok developed shortly in the show, with Ji-yeong promising to do anything to make sure Sae-byeok wins the money. She literally gave her life up for Sae-byeok after deliberately throwing short in the pebble game, claiming Sae-byeok had better reasons to win the money.

1. Kang Sae-byeok (Player 067)

Am I the only one who thinks Sae-byeok was unnecessarily taken out? I mean what was the point of shattering the glass after the fifth game, the Bridge game. Sae-byeok was a good and lovable character who was unjustly taken out. Most of us wanted her to win the 45.6 billion Won with Gi-hun. However, the creators of the show didn’t share a similar feeling.

Sae-byeok had an impressive character development from the quiet, ever-frowning pickpocket to a fascinating main character who had the solid goal of reuniting her family with the prize money. Again, she developed a healthy friendship with the show’s lead role, Gi-hun, which brought her to the spotlight.

She had initially defected and emigrated from the North with her brother, leaving her mother behind. However, her brother was compelled to reside in an orphanage. Although she couldn’t carry out her plans by herself, she made Gi-hun vow to reclaim her brother from the orphanage.