Where episode 4 left me with a pondering sense of the show's overall plot, albeit in a low quality manner, episode 5 finally shows us everything. Better yet, it shows everything in its deserved and upmost beauty. Where episode 3 was a diamond in the rough, episode 5 is stunning yet terrifying, slow yet perfectly paced, beautiful yet dirty. It elevates itself above the rest of the bunch by being well crafted, by all meanings of the saying.
As we have come to expect, and as such almost lesser value, the action scenes taking place high up are gorgeous. But what episode 5 does in a better manner than episode 3 is pacing. It takes time to tell a story of character amidst the rampant carnage. Being the first episode directed not by Cary, the place-taking director is Anna Boden, accompanied by Ryan Fleck. The difference in styling of the episode works to its advantage, as the crafting of the action sequence is only this beautiful because it takes its time to first construct a closer connection to the crews heading up into the clouds.
But what truly evokes the emotion from a viewer will be the acting. Anthony Boyle plays the now well-known Crosby, who effectively portrays just about every emotion known to man. A rollercoaster of pride, sadness, insecurity and anger, yet no words are spoken. It is all perfectly readable from the captain's face, and even more powerful when words cannot possibly add anything. Callum Turner plays a broken shell of the once proud and almost uppity Bucky Egan, showing us only now how the events of episode 4 affect him. And as stellar a performance that Anthony and Callum deliver, it is Nate Mann that gives me goosebumps. A strong man, a proud man, broken into bits as the episode continues.
Irrefutable yet unexpected perfection. Irrefutable, because there's no denying that the show creates a new standard for itself. Unexpected, because at the end of it all, while the action-packed aerial battles take up the biggest time on screen, it is the actors' abilities to portray such a wide array of heartfelt emotions that propels episode 5 to not yet witnessed heights for Masters of the Air.
10 out 10. Perfection. '
As we have come to expect, and as such almost lesser value, the action scenes taking place high up are gorgeous. But what episode 5 does in a better manner than episode 3 is pacing. It takes time to tell a story of character amidst the rampant carnage. Being the first episode directed not by Cary, the place-taking director is Anna Boden, accompanied by Ryan Fleck. The difference in styling of the episode works to its advantage, as the crafting of the action sequence is only this beautiful because it takes its time to first construct a closer connection to the crews heading up into the clouds.
But what truly evokes the emotion from a viewer will be the acting. Anthony Boyle plays the now well-known Crosby, who effectively portrays just about every emotion known to man. A rollercoaster of pride, sadness, insecurity and anger, yet no words are spoken. It is all perfectly readable from the captain's face, and even more powerful when words cannot possibly add anything. Callum Turner plays a broken shell of the once proud and almost uppity Bucky Egan, showing us only now how the events of episode 4 affect him. And as stellar a performance that Anthony and Callum deliver, it is Nate Mann that gives me goosebumps. A strong man, a proud man, broken into bits as the episode continues.
Irrefutable yet unexpected perfection. Irrefutable, because there's no denying that the show creates a new standard for itself. Unexpected, because at the end of it all, while the action-packed aerial battles take up the biggest time on screen, it is the actors' abilities to portray such a wide array of heartfelt emotions that propels episode 5 to not yet witnessed heights for Masters of the Air.
10 out 10. Perfection. '