Checked out the first three episodes, available as sort of a hybrid binge/weekly model.
Going in I knew next to nothing--despite being the right generation, never got into the books, had only a cursory idea as to what they are about. So can't say how accurate this is, but it doesn't feel like the way the books have been described to me over the years. Other than a bit of gore, this would be indistinguishable from a dozen previous Y.A. series. Standard fantasy tropes with nothing novel in the mix to distinguish them (contrast with Netflix's Shawdow & Bone which found ways to make its cliches fresh).
Rosamund Pike from Gone Girl is very good, as usual. Unfortunately after episode 1 she's basically a bit player in the ensemble. The other leads range from unremarkable to wooden. Several of the supporting cast are interesting, but the cast is so vast they're lucky to get two scenes each.There's a lot of characters to keep track of, and despite rushed back stories in the first episode, its hard to care about any of them.
A lot of the scenery is gorgeous, most of the special effects are seamless, tho a couple end up looking like a Hercules/Xena episode. And the pacing is fine. But if it doesn't improve in an episode or two, or at least distinguish itself from Tolkein Lite, not sure I'll have any reason to keep watching.
Going in I knew next to nothing--despite being the right generation, never got into the books, had only a cursory idea as to what they are about. So can't say how accurate this is, but it doesn't feel like the way the books have been described to me over the years. Other than a bit of gore, this would be indistinguishable from a dozen previous Y.A. series. Standard fantasy tropes with nothing novel in the mix to distinguish them (contrast with Netflix's Shawdow & Bone which found ways to make its cliches fresh).
Rosamund Pike from Gone Girl is very good, as usual. Unfortunately after episode 1 she's basically a bit player in the ensemble. The other leads range from unremarkable to wooden. Several of the supporting cast are interesting, but the cast is so vast they're lucky to get two scenes each.There's a lot of characters to keep track of, and despite rushed back stories in the first episode, its hard to care about any of them.
A lot of the scenery is gorgeous, most of the special effects are seamless, tho a couple end up looking like a Hercules/Xena episode. And the pacing is fine. But if it doesn't improve in an episode or two, or at least distinguish itself from Tolkein Lite, not sure I'll have any reason to keep watching.
