Change Your Image
SouthofSideways
Reviews
Shôgun: Crimson Sky (2024)
True to the Original Novel!
Despite having read the book - much like Ned Stark's death or the Red Wedding in Game of Thrones - when it's done well, the adaptation is just as devastating.
This episode belongs to Mariko, as she carries out her orders from Toronaga; to push Ishido right to the edge and risk an uprising in Osaka if she is to die as a result of being a "prisoner."
What the negative reviewer of this episode fails to realise that "Crimson Sky" is nearly note-for-note, beat-for-beat from the original source itself - James Clavell's novel.
My heart was my in throat the entire time, knowing exactly where things were leading up to and yet the pacing, visual storytelling, performances, soundtrack, editing, cinematography, everything was teeing up for the absolute devastation that was to come.
What I'm truly thrilled about is how the story of Shogun has found a broader audience and is - for the most part - well-loved. I hope that the novel gains more readers and get the "uncut" version of the story.
What this series has also accomplished is improving upon certain details of the book. There are moments that have been added and drawn changed from the novel throughout, but those inventions and changes work extremely well and remain true to the spirit of the book.
I can't wait for the next episode. Whilst I know how it ends, I'm excited to see how this series handles the finale.
Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022)
My Theory...
Quick note: We're three episodes in, so I'm not going to rate it just yet.
But, I'll start with this bit of trivia:
'On January 23rd 2020 it has been announced that the series has been temporarily put "on hold" and the crew sent home, reportedly because Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy was "not happy with the scripts".'
Given how many writers we see in the end credits, something tells me that we've got a classic case of "too many cooks in the kitchen."
Much like a funny joke being retold again and again in different ways by various people, somewhere along the way, the punchline, energy and delivery is lost and the joke is no longer funny.
My theory is that whatever energy, life and flow this series had was likely exhausted out of the material during the re-writes.
The job of a screenwriter can be brutal, especially in this instance where they're made to redraft scripts within a tight space of time whilst a project is in production; my theory is that the very things people are having trouble with are likely down to that.
What's frustrating about this series so far is that Obi-Wan Kenobi is a brilliant character and Ewan McGregor managed to give the character a new identity, despite doing a lot of heavy-lifting with Lucas' material.
But even now, he seems to be trying to work with very little here - whilst everyone agrees that he is a man in pain and has shut himself off from the Force due to what happened, it shouldn't mean that he's completely lost all of his personality as well.
Halfway into the season and it seems that a lot of 'nothing' is happening, besides a low energy chase sequence in every episode.
I guess "uninspired" is the word to use here and it's more of a travesty when you know the potential that's there with the characters, cast and resources to turn this into something great.
Instead, we've got a somewhat exhausted and laboured story that seems like it's going through the motions instead of exciting, engaging and thrilling the audience.
Fingers crossed the next three episodes turn this around - I really want this to be amazing but so far it's another missed opportunity.
This is coming from someone who is a big pushover when it comes to all things Star Wars.
The Book of Boba Fett (2021)
It's "fine" - It suffers from The Mandalorian's Success
I never really understood why so many Star Wars fans put so much stock in the character of Boba Fett, who was literally 'thrown away' in "Return of the Jedi", beyond the fact he had a cool-looking suit.
So, knowing that they were bringing the character back for his own series, bringing back the severely underrated actor Temuera Morrison (who played Jango Fett - Boba's father - and the clone troopers from the prequels) along with the always-amazing Ming-Na Wen, with the same team behind 'Mando' overseeing it, I was pretty intrigued.
Granted, this show didn't really have right to exist, per se...
And four episodes in, so far, I still feel like it hasn't justified its existence...
I try to bear in mind that this is following on from two wonderful seasons of 'The Mandalorian', this series had an impossible task of living up to what came before it.
Which is why I'm trying hard to be fair with this 7/10 rating - it hasn't 'ruined Star Wars' (I wish people would stop saying that, nothing can ruin anything unless you allow it to in your own mind) - it's just simply entertaining some of the times, a bit underwhelming in the others and forgettable afterwards.
Maybe it's the lack of a cute Baby Yoda , no catchphrases ('This is the way' - 'I have spoken') and that Boba Fett spends more time with his helmet off than on - which, worked incredibly well for 'Mando' - and that there's no planet-hopping either, so we feel a bit 'grounded' in Tattooine.
Also, I try to remember that these shows were written and produced in times of Covid, so restrictions and guidelines had to be followed and creatively implemented into recent television releases.
All-in-all, in conclusion with this neither here-nor-there review - I'll say that I tune in every Wednesday to watch it but it doesn't really have me craving next week's episode.
But I'll still tune in all the same to see where this goes.
Or at the very least, pay my respects to a somewhat under-used powerhouse due of Morrison and Wen.