SHADOW AND BONE A Bit Hazy

 Article first published as SHADOW AND BONE Review on Seat42F.

Netflix released the much-anticipated SHADOW AND BONE this past Friday, based on the best-selling Grishverse books by Leigh Bardugo. The eight-episode first season combines elements of multiple books set in the universe, primarily Shadow and Bone, following a young woman with hidden magical abilities, and characters from Six of Crows, about a gang of thieves. I have not read any of the books in the series, so my review comes from a perspective of just evaluating the show on its own, rather than how it does or does not follow the novels.

SHADOW AND BONE is a young adult fantasy series, a popular genre. Its darkness is more Game of Thrones than Harry Potter. Its world is harsh and deadly, and its villains are everywhere, holding lots of power and influence. In this society where wealth talks, it makes sense that the hero, Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li, All About Eve), is an orphan foreigner, outside the spheres that control things. Thus, it’s a classic tale of an outsider rising up and threatening the balance, a state that would be cheered by many a commoner, but the elite will stop at nothing to prevent.

Alina thinks she’s an ordinary cartographer, and her only concern in life is to stay near her best friend, Malyen “Mal” Oretsev (Archie Renaux, Voyagers). Thus, when Mal is assigned to go through The Fold, a dark, deadly, magical realm that divides their country in two, Alina is determined to go with them. Though her machinations mean her whole unit must endure the danger. Good thing she doesn’t seem to care about them much, because they are soon torn asunder, which is when Alina’s superpowers reveal themselves, saving much of the group in unexpected fashion.

The events described above trouble me for several reasons. Alina is supposed to be the hero of SHADOW AND BONE, yet she shows non consideration for the lives of almost anyone else. Yes, a hero’s journey often finds them overcoming their failings, but to have a hero who is so self-involved to the point where many of her comrades are just canon fodder is pretty bad upon any examination. Also, the problems in The Fold start when a young man lights a lantern, drawing attack. Which begs the question, given the obviousness of the mistake and its big implications for the crew, why even carry a lantern? And if there’s a good reason to do so, why was it not drilled firmly into the heads of the travelers not to light it? It was mentioned once, and given the disaster that follows, that wasn’t nearly enough.

Alina’s display of light, outing her as a mythological Sun Summoner, draws the attention of General Kirigan (Ben Barnes,Westworld), who wants to use her for his own purposes. It also propels a gang of thieves, Kaz Brekker (Freddy Carter, Free Rein), Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman, The Outpost), and Jesper Fahey (Kit Young, National Theatre Live: Julius Caesar). Initially these three are on their own plot thread, but soon enough seem destined to be drawn into the central one. This rounds out the central cast.

The world portrayed in SHADOW AND BONE seems both relatively small and not explained enough in the first couple of episodes. We know the country is divided in half by a magical realm which hasn’t always been there, and they can’t go around it because of enemies in the north and mountains in the south. Other than that, it’s not completely clear what other nations play a part and how, though there are definitely others. The series could have benefitted with a prologue better explaining the locations in which this story is set.

Other than that, I found it a bit bland. It looks fantastic, to be sure, but I wasn’t excited or drawn in. Some of the characters are charming, but not enough of them to make the series compelling. They lack the complexity of GoT or other similar offerings. I find myself struggling to care what happens, or even understand the implications of everything going on. It’s confusing and doesn’t have the magnetism required to motivate figuring it out. I have a feeling readers of the series, who already know the universe, will enjoy this a lot more, but for the newbie who isn’t already familiar, it’s confusing and a bit boring. I don’t think I’ll be finishing the season.

SHADOW AND BONE is streaming now on Netflix.

Welcome to WESTWORLD

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Westworld: Season One' on Blogcritics.

Westworld is, in my opinion, the best new show of 2016. Based on the Michael Crichton film of the same name, it’s a high-concept series about an advanced theme park populated by super sophisticated robots. But as in Crichton’s classic Jurassic Park, the creators of the place can’t control what they’ve built and things go very wrong. That is only the start of the story, which explores sentience, humanity, morality, perception, and so much more.

Why do I bring up this show now, a year after it aired? Because with season two scheduled for 2018 on HBO, Westworld: Season One: The Maze is available now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, and digital, just in time for the holidays.

The Story

It’s hard to talk about too much without giving away the brilliant twists, so I’ll only describe the setup in the broadest of terms. The characters in Westworld can be divided into three categories: the robots, the park workers, and the guests. Right away, there is some blurring of the lines between the divisions. In general, though, the guests are interacting with the robots in the park (which shares a name with the show). The workers try to keep things running smoothly, and address any glitches that come up.

Behind-the-scenes, founder Dr. Robert Ford (Anthony Hopkins) is nearing retirement. The board that runs Westworld would like to see him pushed out. His protege, Bernard Lowe (Jeffrey Wright), supports him, but has his own concerns to deal with.  Namely, that some of the robots are beginning to have memories they shouldn’t, and act in ways contrary to their programming. The park has been around for decades, and there are hints that this isn’t the first time something like this has happened.

At the same time, things within the park are just as chaotic. The Man in Black (Ed Harris), a frequent guest over a long period of time, is looking for the entrance to the fabled Maze. He believes this will allow him to enter a higher level of the game, and he is obsessed with finding everything the park has to offer. Is he right? And if he is, what does this mean for those that dwell within the programmed scenarios?

The Production

Westworld is full of fantastic actors. Hopkins and Wright are terrific, of course. Luke Hemsworth, Sidse Babett Knudsen, and Shannon Woodward also play employees with varying motivations for their presence. Jimmi Simpson and Ben Barnes are guests, which provide an entry point for the audience.  This is especially true of Jimmy, whose William is there for the first time. To the credit of all of the above, they can compete with the robots for attention. The humans also are just as complex as the non-humans, which makes for a busy show.

While the guests may be relatable, the artificial constructs are probably more interesting to most viewers. Evan Rachel Wood outdoes herself in her intricate portrayal of Delores. She is the oldest robot in the place, and one who begins experiencing issues. She is joined by Thandie Newton, James Marsden, Ingrid Bolso Berdal, and Angela Sarafyan, among others playing artificial life forms. Their task is not an easy one, finding a way to portray life awaking within machine. Yet, across the board, they deliver impressive performances.

Quality is maintained in every aspect of the production, from the writing to the set design to the location shoots to the scoring. Just as great care for attention to detail would be taken in the real Westworld, it is on this show. Breathtaking vistas mixed with unique sci-fi elements make for a really interesting overall world. It is a pretty immersive experience to watch.

The Extras

For some releases, featurettes dispel a bit of the magic. Showing us the nuts and bolts behind the creation is interesting, but can demystify. Westworld: Season One provides that, but somehow, pulling back the curtain only makes what’s been done more impressive. As we hear about the creation of the look, the title sequences, and filming in those sweeping landscapes, it hits home just how much went into this program. Combined with some bits on the premise and actors, as well as a light gag reel, there’s a lot here, most of it solid.

Westworld: Season One also includes “The Big Moment” featurettes that often air right after the episodes. This is a good idea because it breaks down key moments in the series one at a time. Spreading them across the discs is smart, too, because they appear where they will be easiest to access. In fact, where all the extras are spread is well thought out, making for a nice, enhanced viewing experience.

Conclusion

It will come as no surprise to you that I recommend this set. Everything about it is neat, and rewatching it only builds anticipation for the show’s return. This is a series that begs repeat viewings to fully grasp it, so owning the set is helpful for that purpose. With solid bonus material, it makes it worth going beyond just rewatching the streaming episodes. This is a great release, and one I am happy to add to my shelf. My only regret is that I don’t yet have the capacity to watch it in 4K Ultra HD, which I will definitely do in the future.

Westworld: Season One: The Maze is available now.