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My love for Euro Spy/Action movies is well-known (and if not before, it is now). I watched the two “Hamilton” movies recently (Swedish spy/action, not some hum-drum musical) and Close which starred a Swedish woman, even though it looked like an English production. All very satisfying, but I was in the mood for something...new.
South African Spy/Action! That’s where it’s at! I’d seen some Joburg action in one of the seasons of “Strike Back” (see first sentence of this thread). I heard good things about Queen Sono and it was entertaining as all get out.
Good acting, good fights, good shootouts. Yes, tropes are troped, but it is good troping. Some nice ambiguity about some key players, Russians as bad guys, and a really good soundtrack. The modern politics of corruption and colonialism are well handled (says the white guy). Great setting. Looking forward to Season II.
Turn your brain off and enjoy the ride. Please note that episode #4 is the required “back story info dump”.
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And where did you find Queen Sono?
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Netflix.
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Good call, Ivor. I watched e1 and most of e2 and am down for the ride - it's only 6 eps. I like the lead Pearl Thusi. I love the soundtrack and the setting. S.Africa makes for a great backdrop musically and culturally. It's got a fierce fresh style. Good stuff. Thanks for the rec!
Can you get the subs for the dialog in different languages on Netflix. My ninjas didn't think to pilfer those over. Not that it matters that much - I'm accustomed to missing what's people are saying.
Thsi deserves a trailer drop.
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Yeah, they subbed all the non-English on Netflix. I really enjoyed this show and am looking forward to season II
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Stoopik ninjas.
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09-13-2020, 11:46 PM
(This post was last modified: 09-14-2020, 01:16 PM by Drunk Monk.)
E3 It’s a bit challenging when they drop into other languages. With Euro, Chinese or Japanese cinema, at least I can glean an inkling of what’s being said, but I’m lost with African and Russian. Still enjoying the look, feel and sound of it. Pearl is hawt and has decent acting and fighting chops, although the fight scenes aren’t remarkable. I expected a little more from the cat fight. Still good tho. The fashion is dapper and slick. I’d luv to rock those threads but would likely get called out for cultural appropriation.
E4 is just as Ivor called it. It’s all about those bubbles and Queen’s axe kicks. The wheelchair dude back story was good. I luv how Queen’s locks burst out like Beyoncé in Austin Powers.
It’s all about the bubbles - the metaphor of impermanence.
E5 was a bit of a filler Ep. It ties up the back story with what’s happened and what I’m assuming will happen in the finale.
Gonna save the finale for later.
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I'm not seeing it. Lots of stilted dialogue intended to give us the back story or identify character in a smooth way, but isn't very smooth. The whole episode with the exception of the beginning was set up. Although I did like the scene in the jail cell with the assassin. On the whole it seems like we have seen all these characters before and I don't think making the hero a man adds all that much freshness.
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The protagonist, the locations, the multiple languages, the music definitely freshen up the basic spy tropes. She acts just as selfishly as male protagonists, and that is unusual.
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It's totally that S.African angle that makes it work for me. This show has a certain authenticity. And Pearl is working for me. She's got that superspy cockiness that makes all the ultravi fun.
Don't see that much cinema from there. There's Blomkamp's films, which I enjoy for the most part. I loved Tsotsi so much that I bought the soundtrack.
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One season of Strike Back was filmed in SA.
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Did you bother to review Strike Back here?
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Nope, it is an enjoyable military/spy show but I think it is not to everyones tastes. Good “global anti-badguy team goes global and does in badguys and their Evil Plots ™ if that is your thing.
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(09-14-2020, 07:27 PM)Dr. Ivor Yeti Wrote: I think it is not to everyones tastes.
Srsly? Have you not read any of cf’s reviews?
The season finale was good - a teaser for next season as much is left unresolved. I’m down.
Pearl sells the fights well. Good to see an African film by Africans.
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I’ve never seen the poster for it, so I didn’t feel I was qualified to review it.
Agreed on Pearl and the fights. Bring on Season II!
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