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Movie Metropolis (309 KP) rated Dad's Army (2016) in Movies

Jun 11, 2019

Dad's Army (2016)

2016 | Comedy, Drama

5.8

(4 Ratings)

Movie Rating

Full of wasted British talent

I may be fairly young in years, but I grew up around comedies like Only Fools & Horses, One Foot in the Grave and of course Dad’s Army. I remember many evenings sitting at home with my dad as he cried with laughter at all three, though it was the latter’s influence that stuck with me the most.

Now, Dad’s Army like so many classic TV shows is getting the silver screen treatment, but does this modern-day reimagining, with an all-star British cast live up to the series that delighted so many for so long?

The movie adaptation of Dad’s Army follows on from the TV series, taking place just before the Second World War comes to an end. In Walmington-On-Sea, the Home Guard, led by Captain Mainwaring must track down a German spy, who is intent on swaying the war in their favour.

A whole host of British talent, young and old, star and each and every one of them slots perfectly into the well-worn shoes of classic characters. From Michael Gambon’s effervescent performance as Godfrey and Toby Jones’ faithful portrayal of Mainwaring to Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison taking on the role of Pike, it feels as though the casting team really put a lot of thought into getting the characteristics right.

It doesn’t stop there, Welsh beauty Catherine Zeta Jones, TV favourite Sarah Lancashire and Victor Meldrew’s long-suffering wife Margaret (Annette Crosbie) all make appearances for the fairer sex, with each bringing something to the table.

The scenery is beautiful, filmed just a couple of hours up the road in Bridlington, East Yorkshire, the normally vibrant seaside town is transformed into 1940s Walmington with an enviable amount of detail. Elsewhere, the White Cliffs of Dover are replicated exceptionally at Flamborough on the east coast.

Unfortunately, the story is a little on the light side, barely managing to stretch to the film’s slightly overlong running time. This is an issue that blights many TV to film projects and it feels like this unbelievably talented cast is somewhat wasted with a fairly run-of-the-mill plot.

It also feels like the comedy is on rations. Yes, it’s nostalgic with constant references to its small-screen counterpart, but it comes across like the producers were too busy trying to shoehorn as many elements of the TV series into the film, without concentrating on what Dad’s Army was all about – laughs.

Nevertheless, there is plenty to enjoy despite a lack of giggles. The acting is, as said previously, remarkable with fans of the series and newcomers alike being able to enjoy the warm, typically British feeling these thespians bring to the film.

Overall, Dad’s Army is a decent, albeit slightly underwhelming, effort in bringing one of the most popular TV shows of all time to the big screen. Its talent and casting are undeniable and the filming style is very impressive, but a lack of attention to the plot and a comedy drought stop it short of achieving what it clearly set out to do.

https://moviemetropolis.net/2016/02/07/full-of-wasted-british-talent-dads-army-review/

Kudos

Sarah (7798 KP) rated Stargate Atlantis in TV

Dec 5, 2017 (Updated Dec 5, 2017)

Stargate Atlantis

2004 | Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

7.4

(55 Ratings)

TV Show Rating

A very worthy spinoff

For most film and tv shows, spinoffs tend to be a very poill Stargate Atlantis, which is a very entertaining and fantastic show in its own right.

Like SG-1, it’s packed full of sci-fi and action, as well as humour. They’ve tried to follow the same formula as SG-1, and it really works. The majority of the main characters are just as likeable as their SG-1 counterparts, McKay being my personal favourite. However some of the other characters I feel are a little weak, like Teyla who is a poor match to Carter or even Teal’c.Weir as well doesnt live up to O’Neill or Hammond.

The wraith are a terrifying new enemy, although I think some of the physical makeup and effects perhaps let them down. Especially watching it recently, it does look a little bit naff.

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David Schwartz recommended Videodrome (1983) in Movies (curated)

Videodrome (1983)

1983 | Horror, Sci-Fi

7.9

(14 Ratings)

Movie Favorite

"David Cronenberg’s reflexive masterpiece of modern horror, with James Woods as a seedy purveyor of soft-core exploitation for cable TV, and Debbie Harry as his siren, brought the media-as-message theories of fellow Torontonian Marshall McLuhan to visceral life. This was one of the first movies I rented on VHS, and Videodrome is partly an exploration of the strange, clunky physical sensation attached to the idea of a feature film being available on a paperback-size plastic-and-tape cassette that is inserted into a machine . . . and our brains. A quarter century later, Cronenberg’s dazzling vision of a world where image and flesh are one—“long live the new flesh”—Videodrome’s futuristic vision is timelier than ever. And above all that, the movie is sexy, smart, funny, and fascinating, moving adeptly between its layers of reality, imagination, and that vast territory in between."

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