Netflix 6 Underground Review

12/19/2019 By Hakan Can

The Netflix Film 6 Underground has just been released on the streaming service, and it’s a doozy. And I’m not using that word in a positive sense. If you’re into mind-blowing action, then you should know it’s packed full of it. But sadly, the film falls short in pretty much every other metric. So without further ado, let’s dive right into the Netflix 6 Underground Film Review.

Netflix 6 Underground Review

Read: Netflix Levius Season 1 Review

The Backstory

The writers of this film (Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese) have done us a disservice. Outside of a few time-shifting backstories, we learn next to nothing regarding the main cast of characters. To be blunt, I’ve heard better stories in the men’s rooms of most nightclubs, and those storytellers weren’t Hollywood writers or producers. The film’s dialogue is weak, to phrase it mildly.

Ryan Reynolds is an inventor billionaire who fakes his death and, with no experience in the assassination game, starts a for-hire hitman squad. Just like in Green Lantern, Ryan’s character stalls out an airplane and crashes it.

Ryan Reynolds crew of bad guy removers are numbered 1 through 7, with of course he being number 1. Now, no one calls it a ‘suicide squad’ as those two words have already been used up by DC Comics/Warner Brothers, but that’s what they are. Heck, I’m not even sure how they’re being compensated for their dictator removal services.

So the team is made up of six individuals, one of which gets killed in the 17-minute car chase opening scene. Like most Michael Bay action films, this one involves plenty of gunfire, explosions, chases, and aerial views. It wouldn’t be a Michael Bay film if there weren’t plenty of aerial drone shots and helicopter scenes kicking up sand. I can think of at least six off the top of my head spanning the last dozen or so years, most with the word Transformers in the title. In other words, we’ve all seen this movie before.

It also wouldn’t be a Michael Bay film (or a Ryan Reynolds liquor ad) if there were some blatant product advertisements. Aviation Gin, Chopard Watches, and Hotels & Resorts are prominently featured in 6 Underground.

The Story

As I mentioned in the previous paragraph, the film starts with an over-the-top 17-minute car chase through the City of Florence, Italy. Believe it or not, this is the team’s first mission, and as one would expect, it goes south quickly. There are some horrific crashes, a few of which, including the first one, don’t even make sense from a physics point of view. But who cares, it’s a Michael Bay film. Just sit back and enjoy, right?

After watching this scene, I immediately felt terrible for the stuntmen and women in this film. If crash test dummies or CGI weren’t used during this car chase, then there’s got to be some injured folks on the set. As someone who edits video as part of his living, I can say that there are a ton of special effects used here. Glitches and light leaks are easy to notice, but there are so many more that watching a behind-the-scenes feature, should one exist, would be worthwhile.

So the cast of characters goes like this: we got ourselves a billionaire, a doctor, a driver, a hitman, a skywalker, and a former CIA agent. Everyone here is a ghost after having their deaths faked. One of them dies for real, I won’t say who, and is replaced by an army sniper. My favorite of all these characters, and you may not agree, is the skywalker.

You know this is a bad film when 24 minutes in the main character says to the sniper, “God, it’s hard to watch.” As soon as I heard that line, I said “yup”.

The plot of this story is to topple the dictator of a fictitious country in the Middle East, then replace him with his democracy-loving brother. In other words, we’re back to nation-building, which doesn’t work so well in practice nowadays. The dictator is a real piece of shit who puts no value on human life. The brother, on the other hand, is a decent guy, but he’s locked up in the penthouse suite of a Hong Kong tower. And of course, you probably guessed it; the six ghosts have to break him out. While over-the-top, this is a pretty good action sequence.

Once the tyrant’s brother is rescued, we’re taken to the fictitious Middle Eastern country for a violent overthrow of the government.

Final Thoughts

I didn’t find 6 Underground exciting or even enough to keep me awake after the first-hour mark. Fortunately, the second half was better and more entertaining. It was so bad that it took me two nights to complete this film.

There is one scene I need to draw attention to because the filmmakers truly screwed up. At one point in the film, the team is heading to Las Vegas. Now, this is all fine and dandy, until you notice that Ferrari World and the Yas Marina Circuit are shown, but they aren’t in Las Vegas. As a Formula One fan, I’m confident in saying they’re in Abu Dhabi. Go figure.

Overall, the film was a disappointment for so many reasons. If you’re going to watch this turd, put aside two hours where you’re not worried if you ever get them back.

I certainly hope this is the end of the story for these six ghosts, as I don’t want to see a sequel. Watching one 6 Underground film was bad enough, we definitely don’t need a sequel.

If you’re wondering what’s worth watching on Netflix, try Love, Death & Robots, or the upcoming series The Witcher.

What did you think of the Netflix Film 6 Underground? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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FTC Disclosure: Netflix did not compensate us at Beantown for this review. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid ambassador.

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Netflix Levius Season 1 Review

12/12/2019 By Hakan Can

The Netflix Original Anime Levius begins its 12-episode first season with a fight in the boxing ring. Levius is named after its main character, the 17-year old boxing phenom, and is based on the 7-volume Haruhisa Nakata manga series, also of the same name. We’re introduced to what’s known as metal boxing and is it ever fun to watch. So without further ado, let’s dive right into this Netflix Levius Season 1 Review.

Netflix Levius Season 1 Review

The Backstory

As we learn in Episodes 1-3, Levius Cromwell has essentially been orphaned. He’s the byproduct of the 7-year Fosanian conflict between the nations are Whitel, which Levius and his family are citizens of, and the Republic of Rosvia. And this conflict is over something called Agartha mineral water rights. It’s this water when mixed with steam and a fighter’s blood, that powers the mechanized limbs of the metal boxers.

Although his mother survives the Fosanian conflict, she’s incapacitated and severely injured, thus requiring 24-hour hospitalized care. As his city pf Greenbridge burns, Levius loses his right arm while trying to save his mother. And we learn his father, a military man, dies in the war. Levius is taken in by his Uncle Zack Cromwell and Grandmother. Soon after, a 10-or 12-year old Levius, I couldn’t get this straight, is introduced to metal boxing.

The Look and Feel of Levius

The animation of Levius is faithful to the Haruhisa Nakata’s manga. If you like what you saw in the voluminous pages of the manga, then you’ll love what you see in this anime. The animation of Levius is reminiscent of other anime series’ where there’s a wide latitude given to the use of highlights and shadows. Using photography terms, each character’s facial features are washed out with blown-out highlights and accentuated with hard shadows. You’ll notice this mostly scenes that take place at Zack’s gym.

Because this is an anime involving boxing, the movement of the fighters is quick and detailed. It’s fantastic to watch.

The voice-over, like the background music, is spot on. Dialogue is at a distinguishable volume and is never overpowered by the background audio tracks. I give a lot of credit to those who were selected to be the English voice-over talent and to those editing the finished product

The plot moves at a decent pace with some time-shifting to fill in the back stories. Overall, the storyline is excellent, and in most cases, there’s proper character development.

The Storyline

Episode 2 opens with a flashback to 7 years earlier when Levius’s home was under attack in the war. He witnesses children being carried off by mechanized infantry, thus keeps quiet as to not be carried off himself. Once he’s adopted by his longshoreman (and former boxer) Uncle Zack, he visits his mother in the hospital. As he’s leaving, he notices a young girl from Greenbridge, one that was crying while carried off by a mechanized soldier, as she and another are en route to the coliseum. This is Levius’s introduction to the violent and often deadly sport of metal boxing. This episode also introduces us to Natalia Garnet, a cocky 17-year old boxer you loses her G5 bout to Levius by TKO in 27 seconds. She provides the comic relief of the series

Episode 3 is a must-watch and provides us with a history lesson on the conflict that brought Levius Cromwell to his Uncle Zack. When Levius was young. there was a war ravaging his sea-side city of Greenbridge. A combined twenty thousand soldiers and citizens were killed during this 7-year war (known as the Fosanian Conflict) when the country across the sea wanted access to the Agartha water springs. Greenbridge is well-known for this type of water. While trying to save his mother, Levius loses his right arm in the battle to retake Greenbridge. This retaking involved the use of mechanized soldiers from Amethyst Steam Technology Enterprises. We learn a lot more about this corporation throughout the series, not all of it with well-intentions.

With Levius’s promotion from Grade 5 to Grade 3 of the Metal Boxing Association (MTA), we’re introduced to Malcolm Eden. He’s a talented 40-year old fighter who was demoted from G2 to G3, and he’s not ready to hang up his gloves just yet. In Malcolm’s last five fights, all of his opponents have died from injuries sustained by his hands. The match is amazing!

Once Malcolm is defeated, he retires and works to make up for his sins by helping the families of those he hurt. Levius is now ranked 7th in G3 and is offered a promotion match to G2, but he has to fight the number one contender, the large-and-in-charge Hugo Stratus. Levius barely comes up to Hugo’s chin. Something appears to be afoul as a boxer with Levius’s lower-ranking wouldn’t get him this promotion match. But first, Hugo needs a tune-up match and this comes with the mysterious AJ Langdon. We also meet Hugo’s father, Chairman Stratus of the MTA. He’s the spitting image of Johnny Depp’s character Edward Ratchett in the film Murder on the Orient Express.

The match between Hugo and AJ spans from Episode 5 to 6, and once again is fantastic! I would argue that this is the best boxing match of the series.

Hugo’s top ranking is earned, and technically, he’s the superior boxer. Nonetheless, AJ is not your typical metal boxer and she does not go down easily. In fact, she defeats Hugo Stratus, nearly killing him in the process. It wasn’t a fair fight.

At the halfway in the series, Zack, Levius, Bill, and Chairman Stratus visit the mysterious Chairman of the Board of Amethyst, Dr. Clown. (I’m not making it up, that’s the character’s name.) Dr. Clown is somewhat of a long-winded poet who loves to hear the sound of his own voice. He’s been up to something sinister all along.

As it turns out, AJ is Dr. Clown’s adopted daughter from the Fosanian Conflict. We learn that Amethyst’s mechanized soldiers actually kidnapped many of the orphaned children of Greenbridge during the fog of war. Two of these children are AJ and her younger brother, who we do not meet in Season 1. These children were subjected to medical experiments that are clearly noticeable in AJ. It becomes clear to all in attendance that Dr. Clown has used a combination of mind control and drugs on AJ. While she believes Amethyst saved her, in reality, she was kidnapped and experimented upon. Her words say one thing, but the tears down her cheeks reveal the truth.

Levius tries to take AJ away from Dr. Clown, which oddly enough would also be kidnapping. This is where Dr. Clown makes a grand bargain. He tells Levius that AJ can go with Levius provided he defeats her in the ring during the promotion match. If Levius loses, he becomes the ward (essentially property) of Dr. Clown. Levius agrees to the offer and signs a contract to finalize the arrangement.

Soon after, Malcolm Eden shows up at Zack’s Gym and offers be Levius’s sparring partner. As a long-time boxer, he has unique insight on how to defeat AJ. His preparation of Levius is most helpful.

This brings us to the final 3-4 episodes of the series where the “fight of the century” between Levius and AJ takes place. You’ll have to see what takes place for yourselves. It would irresponsible of this reviewer to share any more. All I will say is that there are some surprises.

Final Thoughts

The final episode ends on the same note as the 12-episode first season began, with a fight in the metal boxing ring. All-in-all, Levius Season 1 brings us a terrific story with intense action and interesting characters. I haven’t liked an anime this much since the introduction of Love, Death & Robots, also on Netflix. We hope this first season of Levius is viewed by more than those who love anime or boxing. There’s a great story at play here.

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We’re looking forward to a second season of Levius. Should there be one, we’ll see some terrific G2 boxing matches, and maybe we’ll learn what happened to the other Greenbridge orphans which Amethyst so-called “saved.” This post will be updated when we learn more.

What did you think of the Netflix Anime Series Levius Season 1? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media. We’re eager to hear your thoughts.

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Don’t hesitate to head over to the Netflix homepage or Haruhisa Nakata’s website to see their latest announcements.

FTC Disclosure: Netflix did not compensate us at Beantown for this review. This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a paid ambassador.

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A Bleak Inheritance: Netflix Original Bloodline Season 2 Review

06/06/2016 By Jonathan Dery

Netflix Bloodline Season 2 – Episodes 1-3 Review

The Netflix Original Bloodline began in critical condition. The first season elicited skepticism and waning curiosity over genuine emotional investment. Through the viewers’ eyes, they cast their finger on the show’s pulse and felt its erratic behavior. It would accelerate, then taper, and, at its worst points, flat-line. The only solid reason to continue watching the show was to unlock the mysteries of the story’s repressed past and grim future. Now all previous questions have been answered, and from these answers arose new questions. However, there is only one vital mystery that remains: does Bloodline Season 2 resurrect the show and improve it? The answers may not be so promising.

The Imagery

Everything beyond the camera is exceptional. The lighting and color are superb. Both seem practical and look professional. However, the content and the visual design are rarely complemented by the camera work.

It’s almost as if the cinematographer and camera operator slapped a long lens on the camera, framed each shot, disregarded appropriateness to content, put the camera in a box, and shook it throughout each scene. Sure, the circumstances of the story and the state of the characters are immediate, imperative, and unstable. However, these qualities do not hold true in every scene. Ultimately, the consistent close-ups and shakiness dilute the effect; in many scenes, both seem employed as a crutch to compensate for poor framing.

Read: The New Netflix Unoriginal Series Chelsea Episodes 1-3 Review

The Content

Superficial. The narrative and plot have a shell of thrilling drama though Bloodline frequently feels hollow. The writers and filmmakers (Todd A. Kessler, Glenn Kessler, and Daniel Zelman) seem to have followed a drama instruction manual and assumed all the thrills would land. Sometimes they do. Only sometimes. More often than not, Bloodline appears to possess all the key actions and scenarios that reap intense drama, though they are difficult to believe and harder to care about. The recipe was followed tremendously; the product just didn’t rise.

The dialogue is intense, though often redundant. The flashbacks are informative, though often stall the narrative. The set-up is dynamic, though often falls flat. Nearly every element has its hamartia. The potential is so clear that its failed fruition is agonizing. In Bloodline, Danny is the problem child. He can ruin everyone and everything. It seems the fabric of the show has its own Danny. And he must be mad.

The Rayburn Family

Speaking of Danny, his prominence as the best character and performance remains resolute. For the actor behind the character, Ben Mendelsohn, this is great news. For the second season of Bloodline, now that he only appears in flashbacks or to haunt John Rayburn, not so much.

All other factors aside, this is where the catastrophe lies. Bloodline is built off its characters and their dynamic. They are the pillars and the motivation. They are what keep viewers watching and what constitute the show. They are everything, and yet, they are liquid. Rather than having a solid integrity, they take the form most suitable to the show’s circumstances and contrived progression. Each character contradicts how they felt and who they are in an instant. It is almost as if each character is a false alibi told by a child; there is no consistency, and the narrative is fundamentally broken. Either the writers knew where to start and where they wanted to end, then made it up as they went along, or they are delusional. None of the characters are people. Nor are they characters. Nor are they caricatures. Each is simply a mishmash of contradictory traits assigned a name. The result is vital to the shows failings and fatal to its success: the characters are unconvincing. Therefore, it is impossible to care. For any production, that’s bad. For one centered on the emotional turmoil of an intimate family, it’s unforgivable.

Ironically enough, Danny was the shining example despite being the most wicked character. He was the show’s redemption. Now killed off, his reappearances seem like desperate attempts to raise quality and acquire care from the audience. Or rather, vain attempts.

Read: Vinyl Season 1 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD

End of the Line

Bloodline is a step. The first step for Netflix in the drama category and another to be tread over in the general genre.

Maybe the show will return and attempt to make amends. Or maybe it will fall back into the same self-destructive cycle of its past.

Bloodline Season 2 is better than its predecessor, though still has a long way to go. If it does not fill its characters and story with substance and integrity, then it will drown with the family members that have and the reputation of the Rayburn name.

Danny stood out because of his mediocrity. Hopefully, the show will not continue in his image.

Perhaps the show can be better. Who knows; the Rayburn’s are never quite what they seem.

Our Rating: 6/10

Have you watched Bloodline Season 2? What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Let us know on social media on our Twitter or Facebook pages.

All photographs are the courtesy and copyrighted property of Netflix.

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The New Netflix Unoriginal Series Chelsea Episodes 1-3 Review

05/15/2016 By Jonathan Dery

Chelsea Handler’s Return to TV, well sort of, it’s Netflix.

Chelsea Handler went from E’s Chelsea Lately to Chelsea Does to the current, Chelsea. With each installment, Chelsea Handler has further stripped herself of network regulations ultimately revealing her naked self. Considering her reputation and persona have been built through her long ride on the talk show bull, it is understandable why Netflix would trust Chelsea Handler to tame her wildest beast yet.

Handler’s television chronology is a degeneration of civility and program conventions. On Netflix, she has reached her pinnacle; or in this case, her rudiment. There is no title more fitting than Chelsea. However, creative freedom does not equate to quality. Perhaps her previous supervision is what steered her chaos to conquest.

Setting the Stage

Before Chelsea Handler even delivers her first offhanded comment, the lighting, and focal lengths invoke a feeling of unease. An artificial, sharp white light bathes Chelsea and her guests while they are framed either slightly too close-up or with a slightly off angle. The look is not essential to this form of content, though it is imperative for the viewer to feel comfortable. Handler’s quips and demeanor can be cringe-worthy enough; the aesthetic should not follow suit.

The arrangement and duration of shots are also problematic. The pacing falls stagnant at points, while the shots, more than occasionally, seem random. Considering Chelsea is a talk show, there are not many shot options. However, the placement and length of shots must be executed purposely and efficiently. Otherwise, in Chelsea’s case, the show can seem like a lucky sequence of clips.

Read: Vinyl Season 1 Release Date Announced for Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD

Off The Cuff

In true Chelsea Handler fashion, censorship is less a requirement and more a topic of mockery. On Netflix, not only is her content unrestricted, so is her behavior and courtesy. “Nothing is off limits” is a well-known mantra of comedy. Regardless, there is a difference between blatant insolence and irreverence. This division is a fine line Handler has drunkenly walked on since the onset of her career. Perhaps she has consumed a few too many to keep straight.

Chelsea Handler’s coarse presentation is tolerable even for her opposition. However, there is a larger problem. The jokes. The heart of the content’s receptivity lies in its likability. The subject matters can be dull, though the quality of the humor must not waver. Dependent and independent of content quality, the jokes, more often than not, fall flat and leave an awkward fallout. It can be uncomfortable enough with Chelsea’s bombastic personality; regardless, the jokes must land.

“No I don’t want to get a facelift, I don’t have enough time for that.” – Chelsea to Paltrow

The majority of her content and segments are just plain disinteresting. They either lack meaning and substance, or relatability to anyone under the upper-class. From Gwyneth Paltrow’s “goop products” to Chelsea taking a basic academic quiz, the content is not dry; it disinteresting. Few and far between, there are provocative and substantial topics. However, Handler still either obnoxiously interferes or demeans the discussion altogether. If the majority of the content alienates, irritates, and, worse, bores viewers, then they will do as Chelsea asserts: refuse to care.

“It must feel fucking kickass after you go to Washington and do something like that, doesn’t it” – in reference to Tony Hale and Gwyneth Paltrow telling their government lobbying stories. Chelsea disregarded the substantial topics, which subsequently diverted the dialogue to reductive, petty self-pride.

A Crude, Crass, and Uninhibited Chelsea

From discussing her former sidekick Chuy Bravo to conversing with the head of TED Talks, her crass approach does not relent.

“I don’t give a fuck about Chuy!” – Chelsea remarked after lying about her former sidekick’s death as a joke.

“Oh, what a funny accent” – Chelsea inserted, interrupting a thought-provoking explanation by TED Talks Chris Anderson.

Though this behavior is precisely what makes Chelsea, now she is uninhibited. She never had boundaries; now she has no limits. No regulations nor censorship. Therefore, she is afforded the rare opportunity of real freedom. It is evident that she exploits this desired capability like a mad tyrant. Ultimately, the likability of Chelsea’s behavior depends on viewer taste. Or rather, their degree of tastelessness.

“Okay, break it down quickly for people that are really stupid.” – demanded to Chris Anderson, head of TED Talks, after asking the audience, both in-house and through cameras, if they knew what TED Talks were.

Chelsea will always be Chelsea, except now she has a throne in the nirvana of modern media and a rusty loudspeaker. Chelsea demands a particular acquired taste to enjoy. Without it, the viewer must be tolerant or a masochist.

In a time of political correctness and hypersensitivity, Chelsea is a refreshing voice from a recent era. A voice reviled on the surface where new conventions rule, and echoes underground, receiving applause from society’s not-so-soft underbelly.

Either way, Chelsea is best served with an empty stomach and your cheapest boxed wine.

Our rating: 5/10

How do you feel about Chelsea Handler on Netflix? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? We’d love to know your thoughts on our Facebook and Twitter pages, or in the comments section below.

All quotes and photos are the courtesy and property of Netflix.