Reviews – Page 18 – The Bad Wilf Network

Review: Big Finish-Dracula

Big Finish’s audio rendition of one of the best and most thrilling horror stories ever written, “Dracula,” is a peculiar release.
The majority of the tale is conveyed through letters, second-hand stories, log entries, and other sources, many of which are not actually witnessed or seen in the main storyline. Bram Stoker’s original story, written in 1897, does not lend itself well to a faithful audio drama translation.
However, this adaptation, directed by Scott Handcock and adapted by Jonathan Barnes, gives it a good shot, and the outcome is something recognisable, yet feels entirely fresh and new.

Of course, Barnes is no stranger to adapting famous horror stories for Big Finish, having recently released the critically praised ‘Frankenstein,’ so it’s no surprise that he boldly plays with the structure to retain the listener’s attention.

Over the course of three discs, the plot follows Jonathan Harker (Joseph Kloska) as he is sent to Transylvania to meet the infamous Count Dracula, played spectacularly by Mark Gatiss.
He is left behind as the Count and his entourage of female vampires migrate to England to prey on its people, including many of Jonathan’s friends and family.

In the meantime, a prisoner in Dr John Seward’s (Rupert Young) institution, Renfield (Ian Hallard) is seeing visions from his Master, a diabolical creature with crimson eyes.

Jonathan’s fiancée is Mina Murray, but it is her friend Lucy Westenra (Rosanna Miles) who feeds the Count as she fades away, much to the chagrin of her three suitors, Dr John Seward, Arthur Holmwood (Alex Jordan), and Quincy P Morris (David Menkin). The cast is rounded off, with Nigel Betts playing Professor Abraham van Helsing.

The action shifts from Whitby to London and back to Transylvania after all the parts are in place.
There are deaths, visions, blood-suckings, stakes, and every other detail that has become synonymous with Dracula lore.

The soundscape and direction are atmospheric and tense, the cast one of Big Finish’s best to date, and the scares subtle and well-crafted, which is a refreshing change from the excessive gore and jump scares that Hollywood has become so fond of.

This is a rich, impressive, and assured production of a classic Gothic tale, that should be consumed in one sitting for maximum chills and thrills.

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Big Finish review-The Tenth Doctor Adventures:Technophobia

For the past year Big Finish has released a number of audios connected to the modern series of Doctor Who, with the likes of Torchwood, The Churchill years , The War Doctor and The diaries of River Song. However, this is probably the most highly anticipated audio of 2016. Not only does it see the return of the extremely popular David Tennant, as the Tenth Doctor. It sees the return of fan favourite Catherine Tate, as Donna Noble. It also marks the first time Big Finish have been allowed to use a Doctor from ‘Nu-Who’.

Technophobia by Matt Fitton

It’s 2010 and The Doctor and Donna are in London to visit the Technology Museum. Things don’t go to plan and the TARDIS duo quickly find themselves in the thick of it.

Exhibits are attacking visitors, and people across London are running scared of technology. The most brilliant mind in the UK, can no longer work a pencil. Below the streets of London, the Koggnossenti are plotting and waiting, poised to attack.

Long-time Big Finish writer, Matt Fitton has done it again. This is another outstanding audio from him. It must have been a daunting prospect, to pen the first new story for Tennant and Tate, and he bought his A-game.

Of the three, this is the most remiescent of the Russell T Davies era. Technophobia has the essence, wit, style and emotional substance of Series 4. But rather than try to sound like an episode from that era, Big Finish have found a way to take everything that worked in 2008 and craft it into their own vision.

Fitton also manages to subvert the “technology going wrong” genre. You think the story is going one way, when it goes an unexpected route. This has engaging supporting characters, witty dialogue and a captivating story. Fitton perfectly manages to capture the relationship between the Doctor and Donna.

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Blu Ray Review-Justice League vs Teen titans

For the past ten years Warner Bros and DC Comics have been doing a series of straight-to-DVD animated movies. With mixed results. A lot of the output has been outstanding, but some have fallen a little flat. The Batman, Superman, and Justice League titles have all sold well.

But, DC have never really had much confidence with Teen Titans. Their range of films were put on hold, then quickly cancelled.

The film is titled ‘Justice League vs Teen Titans’ but don’t let that fool you, it’s actually Teen Titans featuring a couple of possessed members of the Justice League.

It’s set in the same continuity as Justice League: War and Son of Batman. And picks up right where the latter left off, introducing Damian Wayne (Sturat Allen), the young son that Bruce Wayne (Jason O’Mara) never knew he had.

The film also cherry picks Teen Titans greatest hits. There’s elements from the comics history, thrown in with moments from the two animated TV shows, which ran from 2003-2006.

The Robin in this adventure is Damian Wayne. Whilst assisting his dad and the justice league, he disobeys a direct order and almost ruins the entire mission.

Batman decides to ship Damian off to train with the Teen Titans. Reluctantly, Damian agrees and Nightwing takes him to Titans Tower. Where he meets his new team mates; Starfire, Beast Boy, Blue beetle, and Raven.

It turns out that Raven (Taissa Farmiga) is the daughter of a huge Satanic-like creature named Trigon (Jon Bernthal), whom is not only intent on reclaiming her, but on also enslaving mankind. He omits an ooze, which renders the Justice League under his control. This is where the ‘vs’ comes in, Damian has to put aside his problems with the other Titans and work together to take down Trigon and, the possessed League.

The film is directed by Sam Liu and written by Bryan Q. Miller and Alan Burnett. It manages to balance humour, whilst keeping the threat ever present. Which is something the other vs movie has been critiqued for not doing. It isn’t all perfect, there’s a pointless musical montage that goes on for far too long, whilst the Titans are “bonding”. It also managed to balance some adult themes, that kids won’t get. Dick Grayson very clearly expects to have Skype-sex with Starfire.

The fights are incredibly well-done and entertaining, but much like the other ‘vs’ movie, there’s a lot of style over substance. But I eagerly await the next Titan adventure.

Justice league vs Teen titans is out on Blu-Ray on the 30th of May

Review-Special Correspondents

Ricky Gervais’ first foray, into Netflix filmmaking is a remake of the 2009 French film ‘Envoyés Très Spéciaux’.

Radio anchorman, Frank Bonneville (Eric Bana) is tasked with reporting on a rebel uprising in Quito, alongside radio technician Ian Finch (Ricky Gervais). On the way to the airport, the pair lose their passports and end up stuck in New York. They have two options. Own up and lose their jobs, or fake it. So, from the Spanish resturant opposite the radio station, they use Ian’s audio expertise to falsify the report. Unbeknownst to Ian, Frank slept with his wife. The day before she dumped him. As the lies grow bigger, the duo actually find themselves in Ecuador.

The film is meant to be a satire about mass media manipulation, but Gervais’ wimps out about half-way through. However, the biggest problem with special correspondents is the characters. None of them come across as real humans.

Gervais acts as writer/director, as well as co-star. But, he is woefully miscast as Ian. What we get is a clitche ridden caricature of a geek. He speaks about video games and comics. Given that it’s well-known that Gervais despises geek culture, it’s hard to take him seriously. Ben Whishaw or Rafe Spall would have been outsanding in this role.

Bana’s character is just bland. I think we’re meant to hate the guy, but also be impressed by him in a ‘loveable bastard’ type way. But he doesn’t do anything appalling enough to be hated or nice enough to endear him.

America Ferrera and Raúl Castillo play a nice couple, who give Ian and Frank shelter. But the pair are unrealistically stupid, they could never run a successful business in the real world.

As bad as the other characters are, nobody has it worse than Vera Farmiga, as Ian’s wife, Eleanor. She’s a one-dimensional-fame hungry harpy, who takes to the talk show circuit to sell her “charity single”. She doesn’t have a single redeeming quality.

This is Gervais’ first feature without a co-director. With the invention of lying, he had Matthew Robinson. With Cemetery Junction, he had former creative partner, Stephen Merchant. Special Correspodents proves that Gervais isn’t a natural filmmaker, the film relies too heavily on musical montages, clitches and leaps in time to tell the story.

Review-Ninth Doctor #1

Following last year’s successful five-part mini-series. Titan Comics and writer Cavan Scott have brought back the ninth Doctor for an ongoing series.

Eccleston’s Doctor is easily the most tragic incarnation in Doctor Who’s history. War-torn and holding the belief that he wiped out his entire species, he finds comfort and solace in the friendship with an Earth-woman, Rose Tyler and, another mysterious time traveller named Captain Jack Harkness. I’ve always felt there’s a romantic aspect to Eccleston’s portrayal, as he was “one and done”.

The story takes place sometime after Jack joined the team.

After escaping a giant worm, the TARDIS trio soon picks up a transmission from a past version of Captain Jack-sent before he had his memories erased. They then land on a planet where the Doctor is hailed as a celebrity, on this planet he is the star of a show called ‘Doctor Who’ (No, really) as soon as the trio step out the TARDIS, the Doctor is mobbed by people wanting selfies-much like Eccleston would have been at a Doctor Who convention in 2005.

“Doctor Who: The Ninth Doctor” #1 could easily fit in the 2005 series. The story is fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled and filled with humour. It’s as if Cavan Scott spent an entire week watching and re-watching series 1. He gets the characterisation of 9, Rose, and Jack down so well. You’ll wish even more, that Eccleston had done another series.

This is essential reading for fans of the ninth Doctor.

Ninth Doctor #1 is out tomorrow, from Titan comics.

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Review:Torchwood-Zone 10

Big Finish Productions is a company that produces audio dramas based on popular television series, such as Doctor Who, Torchwood, and The Sarah Jane Adventures, among others. They are well-known for their ability to delve deeper into the lives of characters that may have been underdeveloped in the original show. This is particularly true of Toshiko Sato, who was a beloved character on Torchwood but did not always receive as much screen time or attention as some of the other members of the team.

Zone 10 is a Big Finish audio drama that features Toshiko Sato as the central character. In this story, she is investigating a mysterious radio signal known as “The Pulse,” which has been puzzling scientists for over forty years. Her search takes her to Russia, where she meets Maxim Ivanov, a member of the KVI (Russia’s equivalent of Torchwood). Together, they explore the restricted area known as “Zone 10” in an attempt to decipher the signal.

David Llewellyn is the writer responsible for this excellent drama, and his ability to further explore Toshiko’s character without undermining her portrayal on television is truly impressive. The story is both bleak and emotionally powerful, with many gripping moments that will keep listeners on the edge of their seats.

The performances in “Zone 10” are also noteworthy. Naoko Mori, who portrays Toshiko Sato, delivers a standout performance, perfectly capturing the character’s intelligence, vulnerability, and determination. Krystian Godlewski is equally impressive as Maxim Ivanov, and the chemistry between the two actors is palpable.

The direction and soundscape are also excellent, with the audio drama immersing listeners in the world of Torchwood and Zone 10.

Overall, Zone 10 is a fantastic addition to the Torchwood universe and a must-listen for fans of the series.

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Review-The last man on the moon

In December 1972, Captain Cernan became the last man to step foot on the moon. He did so with excitement and pride, but so few of us know his story. However, Captain Eugene Cernan has decided to share his epic and, deeply personal story with the world. The Last Man On The Moon tells his trials and tribulations, his love and loss and how he overcame all this, to walk on the surface of the moon.

This is documentary filmmaking at its finest, the film was five years in the making. Every single piece of information has been meticulously investigated, sourced and double-checked to corroborate the narrative being told.

This is a made with love and passion. Cernan knows how to tell a story, the nostalgia and pride in the astronaut’s face, whilst he reflects quickly draws you into the vacuum of space. At times, I felt like I was there with him.

That feeling of excitement has never left Cernan. He described the experience of seeing Earth, from the lunar surface as “sitting on God’s front porch.”

I felt ignorant going in to this, as I didn’t know much, if anything about Captain Cernan. After watching the documentary I would love to meet him, I have so many questions I would like to ask.

I highly recommend this film. In my eyes, Cernan stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Neil Armstrong.
The Last Man on the Moon is in cinemas from 8 April with a special Nationwide Live Q&A in cinemas with Captain Eugene Cernan only on 11 April hosted by Sir Jackie Stewart.

Click here for tickets.

For further information on THE LAST MAN ON THE MOON please visit:

http://thelastmanonthemoon.com/

www.facebook.com/TheLastManOnTheMoon

www.twitter.com/LastManOnMoon

Running Time: 96mins Cert: PG

Episode 153:Talkin’ Daredevil

In which Martyn and Gerrod stay sober, yes, really. They bring you a mostly spoiler-free reaction to series 2 of Daredevil.

Daredevil, is a web television series created for Netflix by Drew Goddard, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name.

It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise, and is the first in a series of shows that lead to The Defenders crossover miniseries.

The series is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios, with DeKnight Productions for the first season and Goddard Textiles for the first and second. Steven S. DeKnight serves as showrunner on the first season, with Doug Petrie and Marco Ramirez taking over for the second.

To Check out Gerrod’s Vlog click here.

Check out the official Bad Wilf Vlog.

The podcast can be accessed via different places, including Audioboom, Tunein, Miro, Stiticher, Blubrry, Player fm and Itunes.

Twitter:

Martyn – @BadWilf

Pete – @BeeblePete

Gerrod – @ingerrodsmind

Email:info@badwilf.com

We’re working on getting the three of us together again, I promise.

Review-Rivers of London: Night Witch

Drawn from Ben Aaronovitch’s novel Rivers of London, this serialised comic is co-written by Andrew Cartmel, who was Aaronovitch’s script editor on the Doctor Who television series.

Chapter one, page one we’re sat in a van with a trio conversing urgently in Russian. Balaclavas are pulled on, shotguns grabbed and then it’s out into a London morning for a meeting with The Night Witch.

Issue 1 is rich in the back story, much of it set in Russia. Politics and power, money and migrants and military women practising the Old Religion.

Varvara Sidorovna is doing time at HM Prison Holloway but her army past is causing trouble in her London present. This hasn’t escaped the attention of police constable Peter Grant, who spots the mysterious Faceless Man behind recent events just as the Russians have turned their attention to him as well.

Artist Lee Sullivan is also no stranger to the Doctor Who franchise. Here he shows his talent for pushing a lot of character out of the faces in his panels without resorting to outlandish facial features. He’s got a good exchange going with his colourist, Luis Guerrero; a reflective laptop screen and the ‘golden hour’ before dusk come to mind particularly.

During one flashback, an actual Russian stock certificate fills the page behind the panels, bringing a sense of high-def to the necessarily bold shapes of comic art. The technique was a good choice here; the last time I was so delighted by it was long ago in an adaptation of The Vampire Lestat.

The trickiest part of the read was that the visual focus of issue 1 is relatively even; main story and back story are interlaced but the transitions between the two aren’t very marked.

As a newcomer to The Rivers of London, I found the story stood alone quite well but after some research, it seems like this chapter puts PC Grant – the main character – into the background somewhat. Perhaps this is because it’s not the first tale from the novel and it’s only the first bit of the serial.

Night Witch issue 1 is a cracking bit of urban fantasy overall. The pace is good and the international angle contributes to a freshness that no modern tale of London can do without.