Tag: Jack Quaid

The Boys – Season 3

Post author By Mark
Post date July 14, 2022

Having gruesomely dispatched the evil Nazi Stormfront (Aya Cash) in the previous season, the Boys have seemingly gone legit, with Hughie (Jack Quaid) toiling away in a superhero task force and the rest of the gang working as a CIA hit squad. The ever-gruff Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) however, remains committed to his crusade to end the Superman-adjacent Homelander (Antony Starr), joining forces with a disgruntled Maeve (Dominique McElligott) to search for a weapon capable of killing him. But when the original supe himself, Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) returns to the scene, Butcher spies an opportunity, pitting the veteran against his traitorous former team on a collision course for a showdown of the ages with Homelander himself.

Starring: Karl Urban, Antony Starr, Jack Quaid, Jensen Ackles, Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara & Chace Crawford.

Watch it now on Amazon Prime Video

With its third season, The Boys cements itself as the quintessential superhero counter-programming to the likes of Marvel and DC. Where those franchises threaten to collapse in on themselves with the introduction of television series and more content than even a super-hero could consume, Eric Kripke and his team continue to hone their gleefully deranged, wickedly funny send-up of the genre (future spin-offs not withstanding), all the while telling an endlessly engaging and evolving story of corruption and the madness revenge can cause. The third season might just be the best yet, with the series’ most mature story to date punctuated with pops of absurdist colour and unexpected musical numbers on the way to a conclusion that leads with good storytelling rather than the over-the-top gore the series is known for or the action-heavy slugfests of other genre fare (there’s still plenty of those to be had).

That isn’t to say that the series has lost its bite. Far from it. The premiere alone contains the most hilariously depraved scenes the show has attempted so far (that’s including impaled whales and giant, extendable penises) which we will not spoil here other than to say you are simply not ready for the experience. As someone who has seen a lot of things on-screen, even I had to wince and turn away at times, it was simply too uncomfortable. Outside of that, the gore is as plentiful as ever, Karl Urban still says the C-word a minimum 50 times an episode and the gross-out moments fly fast and thick. There’s also ‘Herogasm’, an episode and in-universe superhero orgy that dominates an entire episode. But things aren’t all that they seem here, rather than steer into an hour of over-the-top sex, the setting serves to accentuate the heavy emotional storytelling going on here. The Boys is dialling everything up to eleven, and the storytelling is no exception.

Kripke is a master of reinvention with his characters, consistently spinning them onto new exciting trajectories (it’s easy to see from his extensive work on Supernatural). Jack Quaid’s Hughie gets far more to do this time around with the introduction of Temporary V – a short term, 24 hour drug concoction imbuing the user with super-powers – and how these sudden bursts of power and responsibility impact his relationship with Erin Moriarty’s Starlight – ever the saviour in their relationship – is a highlight of the season. Urban’s Butcher is nicely expanded upon – a flashback scene provides some devastating backstory – calling into question his total commitment to winning no matter the cost and teasing some unexpected ways his character could evolve in the future.

Fellow Supernatural alumni Jensen Ackles is another excellent addition to the growing cast, as the PTSD-ridden, perpetually high Soldier Boy. Where Marvel and DC’s approach seems to be to consistently throw new characters into the mix, regardless of whether they sink or swim, The Boys excels at introducing one or two newbies and really rounding their characters out. Soldier Boy is no exception and Ackles brings the gravitas you would expect from a Captain America-like figure (“Hands off the fucking shield”) and plays it hilariously straight as he smokes, drinks and indulges himself in between dispatching his victims without a care in the world for modern-day niceties or social advancements.

But the true stand-out here and the show’s secret weapon continues to be Antony Starr as Homelander. It’s always a treat to dig deeper and deeper into the homicidal tendencies of his deeply troubled psyche and it’s amazing how much Starr can tell you about the character’s headspace through a simple flash of anger in the eyes. As far as TV villains go, Starr has cemented Homelander as an all-timer and should seriously be considered for an Emmy; taking something as pure and noble as Superman and warping it into this embodiment of all that is wrong with the world should be celebrated after all. The new wrinkles thrown into his character this season – further parallels of Trump and some spicy secrets – only serve to add even more layers to the already nuanced performance and although it may seem like we’ve had thousands of Trump-ish parodies in the media in recent years, Starr’s is truly definitive, refreshing in just how not subtle he and Kripke choose to handle the wild violence he inflicts and the nonsensical justifications for it.

The Boys continues its grim, gritty ride through an evil superhero-ridden landscape with its most ambitious and entertaining season yet. Delivering on fan expectations with wildly off-kilter set-pieces and the deliciously dark humour we’ve come to expect, the show really shines in how it continues to evolve and challenge its core cast of characters. Action is plentiful but not always the forefront – oftentimes a conversation is far more impactful than any punch – and Eric Kripke consistently surprises in where the story goes next. Jensen Ackles is an excellent addition to a phenomenal cast and Antony Starr continues to make Homelander the most disgusting, but infinitely watchable villain on television. No witty one-liners to end on here, I’ll leave that to the Boys, watch it now.

9 / 10

The Black Phone

July 20, 2022
Stranger Things 4

July 18, 2022
Ms. Marvel

July 15, 2022

Tags Amazon, Amazon Studios, Antony Starr, Chace Crawford, Dominique McElligott, Eric Kripke, Erin Moriarty, Jack Quaid, Jensen Ackles, Jessie T. Usher, Karen Fukuhara, Karl Urban, Laz Alonso, The Boys, Tomer Capone

Movie Reviews

Scream (2022)

Post author By Mark
Post date January 17, 2022

For all of its commentary on the genre and self-deprecating humour about its place within it, the Scream franchise is undoubtedly one of the titans of horror; a consistently entertaining whodunnit slasher series that has always managed to keep its finger on the pulse thanks to clever writing and fantastic direction from horror icon Wes Craven. Now, six years after Craven’s unfortunate passing, the task of continuing the franchise falls to the directing team of Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin (the team behind 2019’s expectation subverting Ready or Not) and for the most part their reboot/sequel continues Craven’s legacy in fine form; a well-paced mystery with plenty of inventive kills, pop-culture commentary and red herrings to keep you guessing. It may lose itself at times in the need to hit franchise beats and the return of franchise mainstays Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox aren’t exactly necessary, but Scream is nevertheless a damn fine addition to the franchise and an entertaining revitalisation for this decade.

When her sister Tara (Jenna Ortega) is brutally attacked by a killer in a Ghostface outfit, Sam Carpenter (Melissa Barrera) is forced to return to the town of Woodsboro to be by her side, with boyfriend Richie (Jack Quaid) along for the ride. As the bodycount increases Sam learns that the killings could be connected to her secretive history, prompting her to enlist the aid of survivor Dewey Riley (Arquette) in order to track down the killer and stop his rampage through Tara’s group of friends. As Dewey and Sam’s investigation inevitably crosses paths with the killer and the list of suspects begins to thin, they must call upon original Ghostface survivor Sydney Prescott (Campbell) and Dewey’s now ex-wife Gale Weathers (Cox) to help them once and for all put the killer down and leave their legacy of violence in the past.

The strength of a Scream film falls down to the commentary it makes on the current state of the horror genre and, in this case, the entertainment industry as a whole; firmly setting its sights on the toxic fandoms that have arisen alongside the concept of the “requel” – essentially reboots of franchises that include legacy characters to appease long-time fans (think Star Wars: The Force Awakens or 2018’s Halloween). It’s a smart pivot away from the now somewhat dated “webcasting” and internet-age angle of 2011’s fourth instalment, with less to say about the methods and forms in which movies and television are delivered to the audience and more about the possessiveness of fans which is unfortunately often radicalised and turned violent.

Sharply written, even if it doesn’t present any actual solutions to solving the problems of these clusters of toxic fandoms, the biggest issue with the commentary is that there isn’t more of it. Sure you have your usual movie nerd character (played in an overly snarky fashion here by Jasmin Savoy Brown) spouting film theory and summarising the latest genre trends in a typically condescending way, but it doesn’t feel particularly potent; the digs at these requels particularly weak when you consider the audience is watching one play out in front of them. The hallmark of those films – the returning characters – feel out of place here, with the holy trinity of Craven’s opus largely back for fan service rather than any essential plot reason. Sure Arquette’s Dewey gets something to do, genuinely essential to the plot for a brief period, but Cox and Campbell are wholly unnecessary, their presence welcome because of our attachment to the characters as fans more than anything else.

New face of the franchise Melissa Barrera gives a somewhat stilted performance as Sam, rarely registering anything other than a direct stab as noteworthy but thankfully the supporting cast around her imbue life into the proceedings, particularly Jenna Ortega and Jack Quaid. Ortega gives a lively, incredibly sympathetic performance as Tara, a young girl whose world has been turned upside down by violent attacks and familial revelations, forcing her to shut herself off from those around her in an attempt to protect herself. Quaid dials the quirky, nerdy schtick he so perfected in The Boys up to eleven; a charming if somewhat dim third wheel to the sisters who you can’t help but love for his loyalty. And even if they aren’t completely necessary to the plot, it’s a welcome sight to see Campbell, Cox and Arquette back in character, never slouching in their ever-evolving performances as three friends who have dealt with their traumatic pasts in vastly different ways.

For the first film in the franchise not to be directed by the sadly departed Craven, Gillett and Bettinelli-Olpin do a great job matching the intensity of his earlier films, crafting a whodunnit that steadily increases in tension before culminating in a gleefully unhinged finale. Scenes feel obligated as part of a Scream film at times, the sideways glances and sinister expressions required to make the audience believe everyone is a suspect are often the only characterisation given to member’s of Tara’s friend group. As such, it robs the kills of a lot of their impact, with no emotional bond tying you to the victims, and you can’t help but wonder how differently the film may have panned out had the time been spent expanding these characters’ roles rather than the returning players. That’s not to say the film lacks an immense sense of fun, with the pacing of the moment-to-moment action always keeping the audience on their toes as a character heads towards their often brutally violent end.

With the fifth instalment of Scream, Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin prove that there is still plenty of gas left in the franchise’s tank to adapt and skewer the ever-evolving sensibilities of movie fans and pop-culture at large in 2022. The familiar meta commentary and gory kills make for an experience that feels both true to Craven’s vision but also one unafraid to surge forward and try new things within the framework of Scream, for better or for worse. If the franchise does move forward then it can safely do so without Campbell, Cox and Arquette; a whole new generation ready to answer that killer question: what’s your favourite scary movie?

Scream stars Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette, Melissa Barrera, Tara Ortega, Jack Quaid, Dylan Minnette, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Sonia Ammar, Mikey Madison, Mason Gooding, Kyle Gallner, Heather Matarazzo & Marley Shelton – In cinemas now.

8/10

Tags Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Dylan Minnette, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Jenna Ortega, Marley Shelton, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, Melissa Barrera, Neve Campbell, Scream, Scream 5, Sonia Ammar, Tyler Gillett

Ranked

RANKED – Scream

Post author By Mark
Post date January 16, 2022

Arguably horror maestro Wes Craven’s greatest creation (A Nightmare on Elm Street not included), the Scream franchise has managed to become one of the most consistently fun and terrifying franchises within horror, largely thanks to its constant reinvention and clever commentary on the genre and the many clichés that populate it. With the fifth instalment of the Ghostface-fronted franchise hitting screens – the first without Craven behind the lens – we’re taking a trip down memory lane alongside Sydney, Dewie and Gale to bring you the definitive ranking of Scream.

5. Scream 3 (2000)

While none of the Scream films are outright bad, Scream 3 suffers from its ambitions as a franchise redefining trilogy-capper, falling victim to the very trappings of similar horror sequels it seeks to lampoon. Setting the film amongst the bright lights of Hollywood – as Sydney (Neve Campbell), Gale (Courtney Cox) and Dewie (David Arquette) are drawn back into the fray to investigate a series of murders on the set of a film adapting the previous murders – allows for some fun meta moments and cameos, but the story strains believability at every turn; the final twist bastardising what has come before with needless backstory painfully delivered in an exposition heavy scene that robs the film of any remaining tension in order to justify itself.

Granted that doesn’t mean Scream 3 ever lacks energy, the usual lightning-quick pacing propelling you towards a needlessly elaborate albeit giddily fun final act as the remaining players are chased around a classic old Hollywood mansion complete with hidden doors and secret passageways. The kills themselves live up to the constant reminders of going for broke in the final instalment (even if it wouldn’t end up being it) but never feel as gruesome or realistic as earlier instalments; explosions and miraculously perfect voice recordings of all the key players replacing the stabbings and classic Roger L. Jackson Ghostface voice for the most part. And therein lies the film’s biggest problem: in trying to top itself it became the very thing it poked fun at, for better and for worse.

4. Scream (2022)

The latest instalment finds fresh material to harvest as it sets its sights squarely on the toxic fandoms that have arisen within pop-culture alongside the surge in popularity for the “requel” – overall franchise reboots that include legacy characters to appeal to long-time fans. It’s a smart shift in the commentary that allows for the meta discussions within the film that the franchise has become known for whilst pushing into wider directions with the statement it makes, this time the film industry as a whole and the volatile online discourse created through channels like Twitter and Reddit. Without spoiling things, the eventual reveals – whilst not as out of left field as the other films – make for a hilariously over-the-top but effective point about the possessiveness of these hardcore fans; impossible to please and easy to incite into a rage.

Where things fall short are in new directors Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin’s need to make things feel like a Scream film, often at the expense of fleshing out the supporting cast of friends of Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega), the traditional opening scene victim who survives her attack (a first for the series), prompting sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) to return to Woodsboro, bringing with her some pivotal secrets. Often these lesser players are given nothing more than the obligatory suspect shots – the narrowing of the eyes and sideways glances – the usual red herrings that ensure the audience suspects everyone instead of one specific person, thus making for a lot of throwaway deaths that, while gleefully gory, don’t hold much weight. And sure, Arquette, Cox and Campbell don’t need to be here at all, but their presence is a welcome addition that satisfyingly closes their narratives and, if the franchise does choose to move forward, hopefully leaves them be. God knows they’ve been through enough.

3. Scream 4 (2011)

Reinventing the franchise after 11 years away was never going to be an easy task, and yet Scream 4 never feels as if it skips a beat, with a hilarious opening montage spoofing the horror trends that have spawned in the interim signalling the return of Craven in fine form. The kills are some of the franchises best – particularly Anthony Anderson’s brutal demise – and instantly communicated to audiences that although the franchise might be older now, it has lost none of its potency. 4 also signalled a glorious return to form in its big twist killer reveal; a shocking revelation that subverts expectations and works as a perfect update on the killer’s motives for the time.

The best moments, however, come in the ways Craven has fun with his trinity of protagonists; Gale the frustrated creative forced into a life of boredom in the suburbs married to Dewey, now the sheriff of Woodsboro contending with his past back to haunt him and Sydney, now a writer, profiting off her past experiences in the same way as the Gale of old. This allows for some great moments of banter between the three as well as the new generation of teenagers forced to outlast Ghostface in their own digital-era ways. Emma Roberts is the standout here, a young girl trying to come into her own but held back by the shadow of her aunt Sydney and the effect her return has on her otherwise peaceful suburban life. A revitalisation of the franchise that never loses sight of the elements that fans know and love.

2. Scream 2 (1997)

It might have seemed an impossible task to follow up such a monumental hit as Scream but screenwriter Kevin Williamson struck gold again with the first sequel that, despite the odd lapse in logic and some silly decision making by Sydney, manages to be just as much fun as the first, if slightly less fresh. Now a college student, Sydney is once again thrust back into the thick of it as fellow students are torn apart at a screening of Stab – an adaptation of the first film based on the in-universe book written by Gale Weathers – and a string of murders soon follow.

The fun here comes in how Craven deconstructs the idea of the sequel; how closely it should stick to the original and how the genre feels the need to one up itself with each subsequent instalment. Jamie Kennedy’s Randy once again takes centre stage, returning with another hilarious rant on the rules of sequels and the twists and turns that must occur to keep things from getting stale for the audience. More than most horror franchises, Scream’s long-lasting quality and popularity comes from the amount of characterisation given to the core cast and how attached to them we are as fans. Catching up with Campbell, Arquette and Cox’s characters after the traumatic events of the first film is simply a joy, with all three just as compelling as before in their back and forth. The kills are, as Randy suggests, bigger and bloodier than before and the final reveal plays with the original in such a fun way that makes 2 exactly what it says it is: simply a scream.

1. Scream (1996)

Sydney Prescott herself justifies this placement perfectly with a single line from Scream 4: “Don’t fuck with the original”. It’s hard to accurately convey the importance of Wes Craven’s original film in revitalising the stale, waning sub-genre of slasher films; Kevin Williamson’s brilliant, insightful script a much-needed breath of fresh air that made audiences think and laugh about their favourite slasher films as much as fear them. The tried and tested template of teens slowly picked off by a masked killer is flipped on its head when the film proposes that the culprit may in fact be one of these vulnerable teens, throwing a whodunnit component into the mix that forces the characters and audience to question everyone, as well as who they imagine a killer to be within the genre.

Williamson’s meta commentary on the genre itself might just be Scream’s biggest contribution to horror and indeed pop-culture in general, prompting audiences to look more closely at the entertainment they consume in search of the patterns and those rare films and shows that defy the conventions. Craven’s callous disposal of Drew Barrymore’s Casey Becker in the opening scene – whom many believed to be the star of the film due to her popularity at the time – is a testament to this, setting the expectation that no one is safe and putting audiences on the edge of their seats. Neve Campbell launched herself into the public consciousness (alongside The Craft in the same year) as the final girl not to be messed with, a tragic figure who is forced to rise above her problems and, like the audience, question everyone around her in order to survive. Everyone is a suspect and Williamson gives everyone a hook, a reason to both love and suspect them, crafting a film where every kill has stakes and the only way to survive is to follow the rules.

TV & Streaming Reviews

The Boys – Season 2

Post author By Mark
Post date October 21, 2020

Amazon struck gold with the breakout success of The Boys; turning the superhero genre on its head with a unique blend of balls-to-the-wall violence, extremely crude humour and stark social commentary. If you thought it would be impossible for Amazon to improve on their winning formula then I’m happy to report that you’re dead wrong. The sophomore season of the superhero satire proves it has not lost any of its edge or shock factor; moving from strength to strength as exciting new characters are revealed, the extensive, twisted history of the villainous Vought corporation is laid bare and the relationships between that core band of loveable misfits are tested and strengthened time and time again. The writing continues to be razor sharp as the show dives into a myriad of timely political and social issues, offsetting it all with some truly insane set pieces and jokes that push the boundaries of what a television budget can produce.

Picking up right where Season 1 left off we find Hughie (Jack Quaid) and the rest of the Boys laying low after their climactic confrontation with A-Train (Jesse T. Usher); directionless without Butcher (Karl Urban) to lead them and fearing their imminent death at the hands of the Vought corporation. Once Butcher returns from his solo mission the crew set out to expose the recently discovered “Compound V” – the serum secretly used to create all superheroes – encountering obstacle after obstacle on their way to deliver the truth and disband the superhero system once and for all. Meanwhile we find Homelander (Antony Starr) struggling to maintain his place as leader of the Seven after the death of his former handler, Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue). The unannounced arrival of new hero Stormfront (Aya Cash) not only shakes up Homelander’s world, but the larger American community; with her outspoken, unfiltered speeches radicalising a large portion of the community (remind you of anyone) and tipping the country towards the implementation of a full scale super-powered military force commanded by Vought. Stormfront’s presence only further complicates things for the Boys, and the violence once again gets dialled to eleven as they attempt to infiltrate Vought and bring the organisation down once and for all, leaving a mountain of bodies in their wake.

Let’s get one thing straight. The Boys had a great first season, with excellent character development and some solid world-building that really ingratiated you into this universe of corrupt superheroes being held accountable by a bunch of scoundrels. This season, however, vaults it into the conversation for best show currently airing, worthy of Game of Thrones level hype (hopefully they can stick the landing better). Everything comes together here in a much more compelling package, with a tighter narrative focus that expands and twists and turns towards an unexpected, yet on-brand finale that not only gets the ball in the goal, but blows the whole goal up. Sure no show is perfect, and there is room for improvement with some fat to trim. The Deep’s (Chace Crawford) storyline never really gets going and fails to hit that payoff it constantly seems to be building towards, with the late inclusion of A-Train into his arc suggesting that the show-runners don’t really know what to do with Jesse T. Usher’s disgraced speedster. Yet when a show juggles as many characters as this one does, it is hard to begrudge them a few flaws.

The highlight of the season is undoubtedly Aya Cash’s star-making turn as Stormfront. She is absolutely phenomenal in the role, crafting a chilling portrayal of someone so tapped into the cultural zeitgeist and able to play off the country’s fears to such a convincing degree that she ultimately surpasses Homelander in popularity and threaten’s to overthrow his leadership of the Seven. Her interplay and scenes with the Superman stand-in are equal parts hilarious and terrifying with her wise-cracks and crude social media references disguising a level of cunning so advanced and calculated that she is playing in another mental league to the child-like Homelander. Subtle things like the glint of fear in her eyes when she has sensed she has pushed the big man too far do so much to flesh out the performance and when things get truly unhinged towards the finale Cash goes all-out, rivalling the supervillain hissy-fits of the likes of Loki and Lex Luthor.

That’s not to say that the original cast are outshone, all delivering stellar performances that further their respective arcs with moments that give the audience an insight into their personal lives and what makes them tick. The fleshing out of Frenchie’s (Tomer Capon) backstory is a particular highlight, transforming him from slightly unhinged, weapons obsessed maniac to a tortured soul who buries himself in his work to disguise the terrible guilt he feels over past mistakes. The bond Frenchie develops with Karen Fukuhara’s mute, face-smashing Kimiko is one of the more endearing relationships I have seen in the superhero medium in a long time, with each episode deepening their connection as the two uncover each other’s past and share intimate details, often without any dialogue at all. Kimiko presents the guilt-ridden Frenchie with a path of redemption, by helping someone recover from a terrible tragedy, whilst Frenchie represents a new start for Kimiko, free from her past mistakes and away from her life of violence. It’s these powerful and quiet moments and connections which completely contrast the insanity of the violence and jokes that make you feel like you’re watching something with a voice, a message that goes beyond the sometimes shallowness of other superhero projects.

As with the first season that message is loud and clear this time, with a particular focus on the current commander-in-chief and his recent associations with certain white supremacists. Whilst this might induce a certain weariness from some audience members (Alec Baldwin and his SNL pay checks not withstanding), The Boys presents it in a way that is both fun and easily digestible. You know exactly what the show is alluding to and they all but use the man’s name in pointing out his stupidity, but it never feels heavy-handed and the humour of the situation always lands, even when it is simply a roll of Homelander’s eyes at some absolute rubbish Stormfront is spewing. The social commentary isn’t isolated to Trump roasting though, with side story-lines touching on everything from Scientology-like religious institutions for disgraced super-heroes (AKA #MeToo aggressors) to get their careers back on track to equal rights for the LGBTQ community. It’s all dealt with with a steady stream of curse-word and very NFSW jokes, with a hell of a lot of blood and gore when the action hits to boot. A scene involving a speedboat and a whale is a particular favourite, just make sure you have a strong stomach.

The second season of The Boys not only surpasses the first, but really anything that Amazon has put onto their streaming service. This is an absolute must-watch show and something that absolutely warrants you picking up a subscription ASAP. From the jokes and violence to the social commentary to the powerhouse performances from the entire cast, this is a superhero show that feels so utterly and completely fresh; uncompromising in its commitment to over-the-top, unrelenting entertainment where other big studio superhero shows and films can seem hamstrung by their commitment to bringing in the biggest possible box-office return. What other superhero show have you seen that features heads popping like candy, 20 foot super-powered penises and speedboats punching wholes through aquatic mammals?

The Boys – Season 2 stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Aya Cash, Chace Crawford, Laz Alonso, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, Jessie T. Usher & Giancarlo Esposito – Streaming on Amazon Prime now.

Tags Amazon Studios, Antony Starr, Aya Cash, Chace Crawford, Erin Moriarty, Giancarlo Esposito, Jack Quaid, Jessie T. Usher, Karen Fukuhara, Karl Urban, Laz Alonso, The Boys, Tomer Capon

TV & Streaming Reviews

The Boys – Season 1

Post author By Mark
Post date August 9, 2020

Picture the most crude, irreverent, balls-to-the-wall insane versions of your favourite superheroes and multiply that by a thousand and you’re still not likely to come close to the absolute craziness that is Amazon’s original series The Boys. A riff on the stereotypes of modern superhero movies – which seem to be releasing in a steady torrent these days – The Boys is a breath of fresh air within the genre; poking fun at the character archetypes and superhero mythology that we have become accustomed to in brilliantly inventive, funny and dark ways, whilst maintaining a captivating storyline in a world where superheroes are worshipped as celebrities and the job of fighting crime has been privatised to wring every possible cent out of civilians. With a standout cast of deeply developed characters who are a joy to watch and constantly subvert your expectations The Boys is an absolute win for Amazon and a must-watch for anyone who likes their superheroes with some serious attitude.

In a world where fame is everything (not unlike our own), superheroes are at the top of the pecking order; none more-so than “The Seven” – a Justice League-like group complete with movie deals, merchandising endorsements and reality television shows which capture their heroic deeds and everyday lives. Yes, they’re the super-powered Kardashians. The heroes that make up the Seven are all delightfully over-the-top riffs on established classic heroes including leader of the group, Homelander (Antony Starr) (essentially Superman complete with flight, strength and laser eyes), super-fast A-Train (Jesse T. Usher), Aquaman-lite “The Deep” (Chase Crawford) and newcomer Starlight (Erin Moriarty) – a wide-eyed new recruit who comes to learn the dark price that this level of fame can cost and the moral bankruptcy that it has entranced her fellow heroes. The fame has gone to the Sevens’ heads so completely that they barely blink when A-Train plows through the girlfriend of ordinary citizen Hughie (Jack Quaid) at super-speed, obliterating her in his hands. This minor inconvenience to the Seven and life-altering catastrophe to Hughie sends him on a dark path of revenge and when he is approached by superhero hunter Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), the pair gradually begin to uncover the darker side to this world of superheroes – think enhanced drug rings and covered-up allegations of sexual assault – steadily building their team of misfits as they head towards a showdown with the Seven.

What makes The Boys so special is just how deftly it weaves timely social commentary and hilarious jokes together within the superhero genre without ever coming across as pandering or a cheap spoof. This is a show that clearly owes a lot to the superhero genre as a whole, being based off the comic series written by Garth Ennis, and has a lot of love for those characters and stories, and infuses these classic tropes and characters with overemphasised and extreme traits to make a compelling statement about just how much absolute power can corrupt an individual and warp their originally good intentions. Homelander’s arc in this way is one of the most interesting explorations of the character of Superman without him actually being called that. The man is essentially a God and the constant panhandling and press that he must carry out in order to make the executives of the Vought Company (the Seven’s managing organisation) happy has twisted and corrupted his desire to be seen as a hero so badly that he engages in some truly awful activities to achieve this goal. Similarly, Hughie is plucked from obscurity and forced to learn some hard truths about the world in order to really stand up for himself and make a difference in the superhero-dominated society. Some of the most hilarious (and gruesome) moments in the whole season come from just how completely out of his depth Hughie is in the company of Butcher and his friends and his struggle to adopt the violent methods of the team. Seriously, this show is not for the weak stomached.

The Boys constantly has its finger on the pulse when it comes to these social issues, whether it be its exploration of addiction and the dependency it can cause or the recent #MeToo movement. None of these storylines are ever preachy or purely there for shock value but rather serve to further character’s motivations and story arcs. They’re also subtle when they have to be. There is an initial inciting incident that sparks the #MeToo sub-plot and it is very obvious what has occurred, but the show takes its time bringing up the ways this encounter has wreaked havoc on that character’s mental state and overall self-confidence. When push comes to shove and the season’s conflicts come to a head, the responses of this character feel justified and not shoehorned in; a constant struggle rather than a “remember this scene from episode 1” moment. This kind of background storytelling is constant in The Boys with a number of blink and you’ll miss it references and details that add to the overall storyline of these characters. Despite the Wonder Woman-esque character of Maeve (Dominique McElligott) having a minimal amount of screen-time, I understood her character and her precarious place within the Seven perfectly well based on the subtle cues to her performance and little side comments that other characters make. These are just small little touches but they really go a long way to elevating the show beyond regular, generic superhero fare and making this feel like a lived in world.

Something that can’t be overstated but that will somehow be overlooked by a lot of people is the way that The Boys is presented. The aspect ratio and overall colour grading of the film are far more cinematic than most television shows (superhero or not); so much so that it could stand toe-to-toe against top-tier Marvel and DC films in the overall quality and presentation. It goes that extra step further towards making the whole experience more immersive and imitating that feel of a big-budget blockbuster through camera techniques is an excellent way of hiding the fact that you may not have the budget to match those films. What isn’t going unnoticed in The Boys however, is the performances. The show is full of great ones, with almost no weak links apart from Jesse T Usher’s somewhat varied performance. It’s hard to pick his motivations sometimes and Usher doesn’t always nail the nuance needed to portray A-Train’s fragile mental state. The highlights (hard to pick just a few) here are the always phenomenal Karl Urban as Billy Butcher – a man whose fairly one-note motivation of hatred for superheroes is explored as you spend more time with him and the emotional walls are broken down to reveal a tortured, devastating past – and Antony Starr as Homelander – a man as equally, if not more tortured than Butcher, but who has chosen to see only the negative from his position of power and look past the plights of the people he is meant to be saving. Jack Quaid, the son of veteran actor Dennis Quaid, also gives a phenomenal performance as the new kid on the block Hughie, and the humour he lends to the role keeps it from dipping into the stereotypical “new guy” area that first season storyline’s so often slip into.

The Boys is one of the best, most downright enjoyable shows of recent memory and an absolute triumph for Amazon Studios. An excellent subversion of superhero genre tropes combined with insightful social commentary without ever losing that sense of fun and excitement, the series absolutely sings when it is at its gory best and makes you think during those quieter moments, with thoughtful, well rounded performances from the entire cast which will have you begging for that second season to come sooner. This is one of the rare examples where one show is absolutely worth subscribing to a streaming service (Fleabag is also great if you’re on the fence) but it is hard to imagine the team losing any of the series’ momentum and fun in the second season and if you haven’t seen it, now is the perfect time to go back and experience The Boys for the first time.

The Boys – Season 1 stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Karen Fukuyama, Tomer Capon, Dominique McElligott, Chace Crawford, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg & Elisabeth Shue – Streaming on Amazon Prime and available to purchase on iTunes now.

Tags Amazon Studios, Antony Starr, Chace Crawford, Elisabeth Shue, Erin Moriarty, Giancarlo Esposito, Jack Quaid, Jessie T. Usher, Karen Fukuyama, Karl Urban, Laz Alonso, Simon Pegg, The Boys