seanrkearney Reviews

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020)

Big Brother is your Friend

[13 November 2013]

I'm not a fan of Agents of Shield. Its not the flat, dull, predictable writing and mediocre acting the troubles me as much as the premise that sits behind this series.

Agents of Shield are a shadowy organization that secretly looks to keep us all "safe" by policing the use of technology that apparently threatens the world. Sound familiar? It should. This is George W Bush's weapons of mass destruction and Obama's internet threat brought to life in fictional form.

It promotes the notion that monitoring the public not just locally but globally is not only acceptable but desirable. Individual rights and needs be must be sacrificed to the greater good. Anyone challenging this notion is by definition "bad." Indeed as we see early on in the series a group of political internet activists who look suspiciously like Anonymous are quickly discredited by Shield as irresponsible and selfish.

For me this series reads a a lot like propaganda for the highly dubious practice of using an unseen or unknown threat that may or may not exist to divest people of their basic human rights. Governments in the USA (where this drama in produced), the UK, Canada, Australia and I'm sorry to say New Zealand have been using this exact premise as a justification use the unproven threat posed by technology to spy on its own citizens,mislead them and lie to them in the mainstream media.

For me the message found in Agents of Shield is disingenuous and for that reason above all others I wont be watching.

Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014)

Intelligent Gangster Drama

[13 November 2013]

The Godfather was perhaps the first series of films to promote the idea gangster drama could be intelligent drama. Up to that point many of the gangster movies promoted the notion that crime was the recourse of the foolish, the hopeless and the lost not the ambitious and intelligent.

Boardwalk Empire takes the latter premise as its starting point. The main protagonist Nucky Thompson is a complex mix. Nucky is likable, intelligent, witty, merciless, and ultimately a killer. Nothing will stop Nucky from getting what he wants which is a intoxicating mix of wealth and power at the expense of not only of his enemies but also his nearest and dearest.

The real Nucky Johnson who the fictional Nucky is based upon was more corrupt politician than gangster. Johnson was eventually arrested and convicted loosing his wealth and status and there are signs the writers of this series have the same fate in mind for the fictional Nucky.

If you haven't watched this series before my advice is at least take a look. I'm not a fan of the gangster genre but I found this series utterly compelling. Its well acted, the cast are excellent with a hats off to Steve Buscemi, this must surely be his finest role.

For me 10 out of 10.

Supernatural (2005–2020)

The Dukes of Hazard Meets Ghost Busters

[13 November 2013]

Supernatural is a Dukes of Hazard, Ghost busters hybrid about two guys in a 70's style car who break all the rules travelling across the USA to investigate supernatural occurrences.

In spite of the at times gory scenes and serious themes this show is an entertaining romp and little more. There is the occasional satire or play on other horror genres which keeps the show interesting but ultimately there is no real message here just a simple scare fest that keeps me coming back for more.

Well worth a watch but don't expect intelligent drama this is "fun" pure and simple.

We Steal Secrets (2013)

Sensationalism as a substitute for journalism

[13 November 2013]

If this film tells us anything its that the mainstream media like their corporate paymasters are very much in bed with the governmental organizations who Julian Assange and others looks to expose.

From its title its clear that this is film offers little in the way of objective journalism and instead tows the mainstream media line that Assange is not a whistle blower but in fact an irresponsible thief. There is some interesting facts included in the documentary but its inability to remain objective for me at least undermined its credibility and its value as a serious work.

Of course without Assange and people like Bradley Manning the worst excesses of government and corporate society would never come to light. A message this film conspicuously overlooks.