A Good, Character-Driven Drama (But Could Use A Little More Action)
354501
I've watched all three series of this lovely little show, and I can't wait for series four.  I like the character-driven nature of the show, and I like the idea of strong, yet flawed leading ladies thrust into very bizarre circumstances.  Episodes tend to be very topical, and while some were a bit weak, most more than hit the mark.

Props go out to both of the leading actresses (you know the show is good when you can't stand the characters, but love the acting- I mean, how could two women be so smart, yet so stupid?) and I really hope that they get more work.  I really like their commanding officer- she's a tough, highly intelligent, take-no-s--t type who always gets the job done, no matter how insane, inane or dirty it may be.  Overall, the show is a great portrayal of the trials and tribulations of working, career-oriented, professional women.
672138
All Meredith wants is a break from the drama of the last months, but instead everyone around her is warning her about the dangers of her mate's Irish pack; she goes with Donovan to help him investigate several mysterious deaths, and quickly gets embroiled in deadly conflicts.

(Though reviews are inherently subjective, I prefer to provide some organization to my opinions through the use of a personal rubric. The following notes may contain spoilers.)

Plot and Setting: 4.7 -- Plot is engaging from start to finish. Has unique elements and no major holes, but a few shaky bits and/or a slight lack of focus. Setting is clear and believable. Timeline may be a bit hard to follow. Lots of action, and a strong romantic bond without really any romantic drama, which was refreshing. There are a lot of disparate conflicts: within the Irish pack, related to the fey, and regarding all the other, global issues. We get introduced to a lot of them, and get hints that they will be ultimately resolved, but only a few conflicts are completely wrapped up within this book. I appreciate the realism of this, but would like to hear more about the next steps for the Irish pack! The internal timeline is consistent and clear, but we're only given that it's cold outside as far as when it fits more specifically into the overall series timeline.

Characters: 4.5 -- Main characters are relatable, realistic, interesting, and dynamic. Some minor characters have depth, while others may be slightly stereotyped or simplified. Definite strong points in the relationships between characters. I like Meredith a lot; she's got a lot to offer, yet she fluctuates between confidence and self-doubt, which is realistic and relatable. She has the right balance of optimism and uncertainty, recklessness and intuitiveness. And I love how she helps Donovan by forcing him to really look at what he's doing and make wiser choices. They are a good couple, and I really rather love the way the 'true mate' thing completely eliminates all doubt and drama from their feelings for each other. Must be nice! Minor characters range from being mentioned so briefly they barely count as characters, to one-note crazies like Vivian, to ones with more nuance and depth, like Cosette, and also Meredith's new garda buddy.

Mechanics and Writing: 5 -- Few, if any, typos, punctuation issues, or word errors. (<3/100pgs) Intelligent use of POV. Skillful writing that adds to the story. Errors include a dropped word or two, one missing period. Well written and well proofed. POV is all 1st-person Meredith.

Redeeming Value: 4.3 -- Partially focused uplifting themes or lessons. Drugs, alcohol, violence, etc, are not glorified, though there is some shaky ground. No explicit sex scenes. Implied moral guidelines for behavior. I truly appreciate the absence of sex scenes. Meredith and Donovan do share a bed, but are also very clearly waiting for their bonding ceremony 'wedding' for the sex part. We do learn that Donovan has slept with women before, but he admits that he regrets it now. Violence is definitely a factor in the story, and there are some truly gory, bloody scenes, but the distinction between 'good'/justified violence and 'evil'/self-serving violence is made quite clear.

Personal Enjoyment: 5 -- I loved it. It made me feel in all the best ways, and leaves me content and satisfied. One I'll definitely read again.
1987129
great action scenes, great character development; plots are pretty good, a bit too much gratuitous sex.
1905601
Those familiar with Cornwell's many historical series will get more or less what they expect from this latest effort: a plot-driven story featuring a rugged, likable hero who must use his wits and skill at arms to defeat dastardly villains, all spiced with a bit of romance and plenty of period detail. Set in 1817, following the defeat of Napoleon, we meet Captain Rider Sandman, late of the 52nd Foot Regiment. His father's massive fraud and subsequent suicide have forced Sandman to sell his commission in order to maintain his mother and sister in at least semi-respectable style. Meanwhile, Sandman is forced to lodge in a shabby room above a "flash" London tavern, hoping to find some kind of respectable work while he ekes out a living as a professional cricket player.

A friend recommends him to the Home Secretary, who offers Sandman short-term prospects as a special investigator. He is to investigate an appeal from a "death row" inmate, a portrait painter convicted of the rape and murder of a Countess. He is expected to rubber-stamp the conviction by eliciting a confession from the petitioner, but those who know Cornwell's work won't be surprised when Sandman instead believes the painter's protestations of innocence and sets out to reinvestigate the murder. Soon, his poking and prodding places him in conflict with powerful and wealthy interests, and things become increasingly perilous as he races against time to find the real culprit and prove the painter's innocence.

It's a serviceable enough mystery, and Cornwell's command of the era enables him to bring Regency-era society vividly to life with. There is some nice detail on "flash" (underworld) slang, the ineptitude of the legal system, the horror of capital punishment by hanging, and even cricket (there's not nearly as much cricket in the book as some reviewers insinuate, it's really a very minor element). Like most of Cornwell's books, it's all about plot and period; the characters aren't particularly complex, and there are perhaps a coincidence or two too many to help Sandman along. Still, it's a lively, easy-to-read, historical entertainment which leaves plenty of setup for further Rider Sandman adventures.
1646714
Grit-Lit fans will find a lot to love in Myles Knapp's pedal to the metal action scenes. For me, a deeper issue was the morality of revenge. Made me think, but I still enjoyed seeing Richard become a "man's man," as the story progressed. Quite a cast of characters, too--both good and bad.
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/There-s-More-A-Novella-of-Life-and-Afterlife/dp/B00NKN1UXU/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">There's More . . .: A Novella of Life and Afterlife</a>
835801
I liked this moving, it's plot, and actions in it.
1625491
"The Siege" attempts on numerous occasions to be provocative in its ideas, but it doesn't quite cover all its bases. There are some very powerful and intense action sequences, and some of the best actors on the market giving wonderful performances. When you add all of this together, what you get is a combination of good action, a few thrills, and a story that supplies enough of both for you to forgive its shortcomings.
The film's action centers around various terrorist attacks in New York City, beginning with a hoax paint bomb on a city bus, and a real explosion aboard another afterwards. Under the leadership of special agent Anthony Hubbard (Denzel Washington), the FBI begins investigating possible leads as to the people responsible for the bombings, crossing paths with CIA spy Elise Kraft (Annette Bening), who has some personal ties to a local Arab.
And since the Arabs are in the hot seat of suspicion, Hubbard and Elise form a team of sorts to track down the remaining cells of terrorists. But an attack on the FBI headquarters pushes the President over the edge, and he orders military forces into New York City to contain those under suspicion (including any and all citizens of Middle East descent), causing an uproar among the city's population and forcing Hubbard and a small band of FBI agents to take matters into their own hands.
Throughout the film, there are some very spectacular action sequences that are effective in delivering edge-of-your-seat thrills. A scene involving Hubbard's attempts at negotiation with the terrorists aboard the second bus is tightly wound, while the mayhem and that ensues throughout the city in the face of each attack can be chilling at times.
The story makes good use of social unrest, undoubtedly recalling Japanese-Americans treatment during World War II. This tactic comes close to feeling detached, but Arab-American agent Frank Haddad's search for his detained son provides an emotional outlet for the audience to connect with.
Yet, with all of these thrills, the overall effect falls a fraction short. The material is intelligent and well-crafted, but place it in the same light as such thrillers as "The Negotiator" or "Outbreak," and this film pales in comparison. I can't, in all honesty, say that the story's central message was completely compelling, but while I wasn't fully moved by that, I wasn't put off by it, either.
But the action alone is worth watching, and so are the involving performances from the star-studded cast. Denzel Washington employs a great deal of leadership qualities into his character, and carries much of the movie's force on his shoulders. Annette Bening is subtly mysterious as Elise, who knows more about the terrorist attacks than she's willing to reveal. Bruce Willis is a knockout as General William Devereaux, who verbally objects to the involvement of the armed forces in the city, yet seems quite comfortable once in control.
There's enough action and suspense throughout "The Siege" to keep you entertained, and just enough plot twists to keep you guessing. The overall effect you may feel after the last frame may be a bit less than what you expected, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying this tightly-knit thriller.
1725272
Predictable lots of action sort of make up for the not much depth
3017548
Acting was excellent. Filming was well done. The story is in depth, so the drama is rich. The insight into the main character is quite a ride. Plenty of action, too. Overall, well done.
1519165
A good read, with plenty of action to keep it moving along.
918591
I'm late to this show, and by now, most folk likely to be interested already know the story line.  The characters are a tad on the obvious side, but not so much as to be off-putting.  The narrative, as well, is somewhat predictable, but the acting is solid, the dialogue is engaging, and it held my attention throughout.  I'll keep watching -- I'm a die-hard fan of the formula cop drama, and this is shaping up to have good potential.
3092912
Decent movie, well paced, with some surprises.
4457525
As I said in the title, it is an entertaining, engaging, well-acted period drama. We are partial to shows of this type (the kind of thing that you would see on Masterpiece theatre) especially British productions. The characters are likable, the acting is good and the scenery is appealing. Despite being set in the late Victorian period in rural Oxfordshire, much of the heart of the experiences and emotions of the characters are still relevant and you are always left wanting to know what will happen next. I like the fact that the cast aren't all "big names" and familiar faces(except perhaps for Julia Sawalha whom I enjoy watching anyway).

It's also an interesting study of the era and a "place" that no longer exists - as were the books on which the series was based.

The Christmas special episode was a bit naff and out of character for the overall series, so don't let that put you off (but then again Christmas episodes often are a disappointment).

Looking forward to Series 3 being released next year.
668229
The Animal Kingdom sports some mighty terrific acting by a wonderful cast. The plot of this pre-code drama moves along at a very good pace; it could have been edited just a little but this is very minor. The cinematography is very well done throughout the film; and the choreography works best in crowded scenes including the surprise birthday party. There are two very minor disappointments: The quality of the print could have been a little bit better; and once or twice there was the very obvious and distinctly different noises of the two cameras that were rolling when a scene involved two people talking.

When the action starts, we quickly meet the somewhat bohemian Tom Collier (Leslie Howard) who happily owns and runs The Bantam Press, a small independent publishing company. He lives with his girlfriend Daisy Sage (Ann Harding); Tom and Daisy snub the conventional wisdom of the time that a man and a woman had to be married before they could live together. Tom's father Rufus Collier (Henry Stephenson) has nothing but disdain for Tom's lifestyle; but it is the pretty society girl Cecilia "Cee" Henry (Myrna Loy) who steals Tom from Daisy when Daisy is away for a while. In fact, as the picture begins, Daisy is sailing into New York harbor that night only to find out that Tom, who she still thinks is her man, will be marrying "Cee" very soon.

Daisy certainly does take it very badly, although she admits along with Tom that they never had any real strings attached to their relationship. Tom still wants to be friends with Daisy and see her from time to time; but Daisy angrily refuses and Tom leaves without even taking his belongings. After Tom marries "Cee," he never sees his old friends anymore; his quirky butler and friend "Red" Regan (William Gargan) stays on--but only for a while. "Red" can't take the stuffiness of life in Connecticut with "Cee" and Tom so he leaves just as "Cee" has convinced Tom to fire him anyway.

Tom eventually simply shows up at Daisy's Manhattan apartment and they quickly rekindle their friendship--and their old flame, too. Tom doesn't tell all of this to "Cee;" but "Cee" decides to test how everything is going  by throwing a surprise birthday party for Tom--and "Cee" makes sure to invite Daisy as well as Tom's old friends "Franc" Schmidt (Leni Stengel) and Joe Fiske (Don Dillaway).

What happens at that party? "Cee" has also invited a man who has not so secretly wanted her for a long time, a fellow named Owen (Neil Hamilton)--how will he figure into all this? Will "Cee" and Daisy get along that night? What will happen if "Red" has trouble on his new job and wants to return to his old job working for Tom and "Cee?" Watch and find out!

The DVD comes with nothing in the way of extras except scene selection; but with these budget DVDs that's the way it goes, I guess.

The Animal Kingdom showcases the fabulous talents of Leslie Howard, Ann Harding and Myrna Loy. Look for a wonderful performance by William Gargan as "Red" the butler, too. Most if not all of the plot could even take place in these times so the film remains relevant despite the passage of time. I highly recommend this film for classic movie buffs; and of course people who are fans of the actors in this movie will want this DVD as well.
3285920
to put it simply - this isn't my favorite South Korean TV drama - i enjoyed&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/DAE-JANG-GEUM/dp/B0009WSO66/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">DAE JANG GEUM</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/COFFEE-PRINCE/dp/B0011Z1T4Y/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">COFFEE PRINCE</a>&nbsp;much much more - however - this is a colorful, intense and heavily fictionalized account a of a historical figure - the first female ruler of what is now Korea - it managed to keep up my interest - barely in some places - but the highlights made it worthwhile - a sumptuous costumed treat - strong on characterization and emphasizing intelligence along with superheroic martial arts skills - with some very good actors

the slack parts allowed me to ponder the dilemma in rooting for a queen who wants all her subjects to feel the same way she does - especially about forcing other Korean Penninsula kingdoms to "join" them - how do you say "diversity of opinion" and "self-determination" in ancient Korean

NOTE: the first volume was known to have defective transfers which would cause the player to freeze - most times for a few seconds - but occasionally fatally - unfortunately for me - one of the fatal freezes came at the last episode of the first set - you may find you have to get yours exchanged - Vols 2 & 3 did not have any such defects
2806197
Worth watching, but I won't be pulling this one up on the TV screen every weekend.

Positives:  It does have it's action moments without going "over the top" about it.  There is enough plot/story to keep you hooked in (this isn't a story I'd keep running while getting a beverage) and for me, it wasn't predictable.

Negatives:  The character development just isn't there.  More than once someone important to the story goes down and, I had a bit of a "meh" reaction to it.

I liked it, I really did.  But, as I said, I won't be watching it over and over like I do with other films I love.
3485397
Treadways latest is another attention-grabber, but though enjoyable, didn't have quite the same addictive pull as its predecessor.

Treadway delivers this tale through a number of her characters, including Harper and Susanne as well as Martin and the police chiefs son-in-law (and occasional investigator) Tom.

I normally don't mind head hopping however here  in retrospect  although the novel started with Harper as a lead, it became more about Tom and Susanne. And Martin in fits and starts. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but I would have liked to see Harper playing more of a continuing role  particularly given her relationship with Joy and the backstory and happenings around her own mother.

Theres a lot bubbling away under the surface in this novel and Treadway introduces racism, mental illness, drugs, thwarted passion (the romantic AND creative kind) and fidelity into her tale.

I think Treadways first novel probably influenced my perception of this as I expected a little more than was delivered, but its still a very good read.

3.5