Invincible Series - Mid-Season Review

(Spoiler-Free Review)

The first half of Invincible is available to watch on Amazon Prime. This 8 episode mini-series brings the famous 'Invincible' comic series to the digital screen. If you like the animated genre, Invincible is an incredible addition that also excites me for the future of the genre. Unlike live-action, animation has no limits in terms of budget or storytelling, and Invincible capitalizes on this by giving us one of the craziest and over-the-top superhero stories on screen.

The invincible world feels like a parody of a bunch of superheroes mashed together. Think the DC universe mashed with shows like "The Boys" and "One Punch Man". It makes it a lot of fun to see parody versions of characters that we know and love like Batman, Superman, and even Hellboy.

The story follows Mark Grayson who is the son of the world's most famous superhero, Omni-Man. Mark knows he will inherit and develop an incredible amount of power but he is just waiting for it to happen. We watch his origin story unfold as he learns to control his power and immerse himself in the superhero world, but he very quickly discovers that being a superhero and putting himself in danger comes with consequences.

Invincible boasts a massive cast, worthy of a blockbuster; including, Sandra Oh, J.K. Simmons, and Oscar-nominated actor, Steven Yeun. The story allows these talented actors to push the family dynamic and offer many deep character moments. The supporting cast of heroes and villains are really fun and offer so many fresh takes on many of the classic superhero abilities.

In just a few episodes, Omni-Man demonstrates some of the largest displays of power next to some of the heavy hitters in the MCU. It will be interesting to see how far they push the character throughout the season considering its unlimited budget.

The final moments of the first episode are not only one of the most shocking moments ever seen on screen but a pivotal one that truly separates it from the rest of the superhero genre. With such uniqueness and intrigue displayed only halfway through the series, I have high hopes for the remaining episodes and seeing what it continues to add to both the superhero and animated genres.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Review Contributor: Stefano Bove

The Mandalorian Season 3 Review

Listen, I love Star Wars. I will always love Star Wars. The original and prequel trilogies were a big part of my childhood, and helped shape my love of cinema. While The Mandalorian isn’t among my favourites in the franchise, I thought it had a promising first season and a significantly stronger season two. Season three had so much potential, but a frustrating lack of focus held it back from greatness. This show’s always had a bit of an identity crisis, but it’s never been as clear as it is here. Does it want to be a procedural-style adventure of the week, or tell an epic, multi-season spanning arc? Season one leaned toward the former, while Season two found a satisfying balance of both. Season three tries to find that balance, but the overarching story it wants to tell is bigger than the few episodes allotted to do so. There are only 8 chapters, some barely over 30 min. That’s a fair...

The Rip Review

The Rip is all the evidence you need that a great cast can elevate an otherwise run-of-the-mill movie. Without its impressive A-list roster, this would’ve likely been lost among a crowd of forgettable January dumping ground releases. Throw Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and a handful of other extremely talented actors into the mix, though, and now you’ve got something worth watching. While there are exceptions that prove the rule, a lot of these police/cartel thrillers are interchangeable when it comes to their cookie-cutter story beats. The Rip breaks exactly zero molds, but it also doesn’t feel as uninspired as it could’ve. There are enough surprises to keep things engaging, and the tension - which the movie often hinges on - is appropriately high strung. The action is punchy and loud, which is no surprise coming from Director Joe Carnahan. While I do have minor issues with some of the sequences feeling a bit choppy in how they were shot and edited, the action is solid and packs...

Andor Season 1 Review

I’m going to make a bold statement here, but one I honestly believe to be true. Andor is the best Star Wars has been since the Original Trilogy. Fans in search of epic space battles, lightsaber duels, or a direct connection to the Skywalker Saga may walk away disappointed. However, those in search of a deeper, more mature entry in this long-standing franchise will bask in everything the show has to offer. Star Wars has always been more focused on telling a big, sweeping story filled with exciting action sequences. The galaxy always felt huge, but it never really felt full. Andor changes all of that, with a grounded and personal story unlike anything Star Wars has given us before. This is a thoughtfully constructed, character-driven series that adds depth and life to the galaxy in ways none of the movies or shows have been able to. With twelve episodes, this is the longest Disney Plus series yet, giving the story ample room to breathe and develop at a natural pace. It smartly avoids the...

1st Reviews

Search This Blog