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Emma @ The Movies (1786 KP) rated Playing with Fire (2019) in Movies
Jan 9, 2020
Seeing the trailer for this I was mildly excited, this sort of daft family humour holds a place in my heart and it looked like I was going to get another film to add to the "pick me up" watchlist. But oh my, everything about this experience rubbed me the wrong way.
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html
Jake Carson runs a rugged group of smokejumpers that swoop into action and stop fires from taking hold. On their latest callout they find a cabin about to be engulfed by flames and trapped inside are three children in need of help.
Following the rules, Jake calls Child Protective Services, but being so remote they won't be able to get to them quickly. It's now their duty to keep the three of them safe until they arrive. Four grown men, three kids... what could possibly go wrong?
Where to start? How about that humour I was looking forward to? Or perhaps the severe lack of it. Over the whole runtime I laughed more at the end credits that I did at the whole film. Keegan-Michael Key is by far the funniest thing about the film, but it still isn't a perfect part. Key's way of sliding into scenes and just taking over was excellent, it made me smile, but when these moments started he was funny with just the right amount of over the top but the script would quite often throw him over that fine line and it became tiresome.
John Cena generally isn't bad when it comes to comedy offerings, but in Playing With Fire he's very stiff even for the by-the-books character he's playing. It felt like Jake had been made too straight-laced, he needs to make the transition from uptight to more relaxed but they could have brought it down just one step and it would have been something a lot easier to watch.
Brianna Hildebrand plays the oldest of the rescued children, Brynn. She gives a solid performance and probably has the best character overall, no frustrating quirks, nothing over the top. While she manages to make a good show of it being up against the over the top nature of everything else means it gets lost in the background.
While there might be a twist on the sort of story it doesn't feel new in any respects. I'm feeling rather let down with the whole thing but thankfully we're not short of other films that do this exact thing.
Originally posted on: https://emmaatthemovies.blogspot.com/2020/01/playing-with-fire-movie-review.html
JT (287 KP) rated The Purge (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
Ethan Hawke has been here once before, and when you look deep into the mechanics of The Purge it almost mirrors the remake of Assault on Precinct 13. Director James DeMonaco who wrote the script for the latter has taken the premise of that film and given it a more personal feel, something which we could resonate with.
The year is 2022, Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin who’s made his wealth by selling security systems that help protect people against the yearly purge. The purge is a twelve hour long free for all in which the government has allowed all crime to be legal, with the intention that people will get it out of their system.
As a result crime has dropped and unemployment is at an all time low so something must be working? Of course not everyone takes part and those who choose not to, stay behind the confines of their locked down house waiting for the mayhem to pass.
This particular night for the Sandin’s runs like any other normal purge. They sit down to eat, discuss their day and then wait for the alarm to sound which begins the carnage. When Sandin’s young son lets in a stranger looking to take shelter from a group of mask wearing savages events take a turn for the worse.
Lead by the smiling Rhys Wakefield who should take credit from his performance and one so disturbing that it could be compared to Michael Pitt in Funny Games. The gang are desperate to get their hands on the stranger the Sandin’s are harbouring and so give them an ultimatum, “send him out or we’re coming in”.
And so a decision must be made, do they turn themselves into the people on the outside who have no remorse when it comes to killing or do they stand and fight? The Purge is confused as it is disjoined and the script is weak leaving the tension to do the talking which is filled with horror cliches left, right and centre.
From tight shots of darkened corridors to things lurking in the shadows out of sight it rarely delivers a unique treat. The cast is not particularly strong, Wakefield aside. Hawke moves through the gears but offers nothing that we haven’t already seen before. Leaving the majority of the dramatic turns to his on screen wife, Lena Headey .
Despite the short run time, the film is practically over before it has started and it even tries to save itself with a twist ending which you could see coming a mile off.
The year is 2022, Ethan Hawke plays James Sandin who’s made his wealth by selling security systems that help protect people against the yearly purge. The purge is a twelve hour long free for all in which the government has allowed all crime to be legal, with the intention that people will get it out of their system.
As a result crime has dropped and unemployment is at an all time low so something must be working? Of course not everyone takes part and those who choose not to, stay behind the confines of their locked down house waiting for the mayhem to pass.
This particular night for the Sandin’s runs like any other normal purge. They sit down to eat, discuss their day and then wait for the alarm to sound which begins the carnage. When Sandin’s young son lets in a stranger looking to take shelter from a group of mask wearing savages events take a turn for the worse.
Lead by the smiling Rhys Wakefield who should take credit from his performance and one so disturbing that it could be compared to Michael Pitt in Funny Games. The gang are desperate to get their hands on the stranger the Sandin’s are harbouring and so give them an ultimatum, “send him out or we’re coming in”.
And so a decision must be made, do they turn themselves into the people on the outside who have no remorse when it comes to killing or do they stand and fight? The Purge is confused as it is disjoined and the script is weak leaving the tension to do the talking which is filled with horror cliches left, right and centre.
From tight shots of darkened corridors to things lurking in the shadows out of sight it rarely delivers a unique treat. The cast is not particularly strong, Wakefield aside. Hawke moves through the gears but offers nothing that we haven’t already seen before. Leaving the majority of the dramatic turns to his on screen wife, Lena Headey .
Despite the short run time, the film is practically over before it has started and it even tries to save itself with a twist ending which you could see coming a mile off.
JT (287 KP) rated Metro Manila (2013) in Movies
Mar 10, 2020
British directors getting behind the camera and undertaking foreign film seems to be paying off in multitude. Just take a look at what Gareth Evans did with The Raid and its sequel. He took his central character and put him through hell while at the same time painting a graphic picture of the film’s surroundings.
Sean Ellis does very similar with Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal), a farmer looking for a better way of life for himself and his family. Their journey takes them from the quiet and panoramic rice fields of northern Philippines, where Oscar struggles to make ends meet, and moves them to the impoverished surroundings of Manila.
Entering the slums and criminal back streets Oscar learns the hard way that his friendly personality will be taken advantage of. With everyone desperate to survive he has to stand on his own two feet for the sake of himself and his family.
The film paints a desperate picture of a big city bathed in crime and poverty and desperate people will do desperate things, especially when they are pushed into a corner as Oscar explains to his friend Ong after taking a job as a security guard driving an armoured truck.
As Ong and Oscar become close Ong explains the job and then his ulterior motives. With the second half of the film playing out as a tense well organised heist, encompassing a twist that is shocking yet wholly satisfying. It can be hard to watch at times and it is emotionally sapping, particularly when Oscar’s wife Mai has to take matters into her own hands by getting a job working in a hostess bar in order to earn enough to feed her children.
The film screams out that having faith is a clear necessity when you’re down. All around them there are signs that God is with them willing them to succeed. Oscar’s story about how he lost his job in the silk mill is a running subplot that connects with the story on almost every level.
The scenes are well shot and Ellis captures the trauma and euphoria that the family experience at different times. One cross over scene sees Mai being degraded while at the same time Oscar drinks with his new buddies, only to break down in the toilet in tears.
It’s a slow churning thriller that is expertly pieced together, building strong characters and story all the way through to the pulsating climax.
Sean Ellis does very similar with Oscar Ramirez (Jake Macapagal), a farmer looking for a better way of life for himself and his family. Their journey takes them from the quiet and panoramic rice fields of northern Philippines, where Oscar struggles to make ends meet, and moves them to the impoverished surroundings of Manila.
Entering the slums and criminal back streets Oscar learns the hard way that his friendly personality will be taken advantage of. With everyone desperate to survive he has to stand on his own two feet for the sake of himself and his family.
The film paints a desperate picture of a big city bathed in crime and poverty and desperate people will do desperate things, especially when they are pushed into a corner as Oscar explains to his friend Ong after taking a job as a security guard driving an armoured truck.
As Ong and Oscar become close Ong explains the job and then his ulterior motives. With the second half of the film playing out as a tense well organised heist, encompassing a twist that is shocking yet wholly satisfying. It can be hard to watch at times and it is emotionally sapping, particularly when Oscar’s wife Mai has to take matters into her own hands by getting a job working in a hostess bar in order to earn enough to feed her children.
The film screams out that having faith is a clear necessity when you’re down. All around them there are signs that God is with them willing them to succeed. Oscar’s story about how he lost his job in the silk mill is a running subplot that connects with the story on almost every level.
The scenes are well shot and Ellis captures the trauma and euphoria that the family experience at different times. One cross over scene sees Mai being degraded while at the same time Oscar drinks with his new buddies, only to break down in the toilet in tears.
It’s a slow churning thriller that is expertly pieced together, building strong characters and story all the way through to the pulsating climax.
LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated The Invisible Man (2020) in Movies
Mar 11, 2020
I've always found the premise of The Invisible Man damn scary. Someone watching you, stood next to you, whilst you carry on obliviously. It's the kind of scariness that gets under the skin, honestly, just like this movie does. For the first time in a while, I felt truly uncomfortable and genuinely scared throughout a fair chunk of the run time.
The movie starts with leading lady Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) quietly and frantically leaving her house in the dead of night, to get away from her abusive relationship with partner Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
This opening scene sets the tone nicely. It's dimly lit, it's mostly silent, it's tense, and climaxes frantically with a swelling of orchestral score (the original score by Benjamin Wallfisch is fantastic throughout).
Finally free and living with friends, Cecilia is somewhat comforted by the news that Adrian has subsequently committed suicide, and is no longer a threat to her.
Before long though, she is being stalked by an unseen presence, and she quickly becomes convinced that Adrian as alive and well, and has perfected his work in the optics field to turn himself invisible, and systematically ruin her life.
Once it becomes apparent that Cecilia is not alone is where the movie really shines. We're subjected to wide shot after wide shot of her going about her daily routines, with plenty of empty camera space, where we as the audience are prompted to search the shot for clues, to see if we can see where The Invisible Man is in the moment. It's a simple and hugely effective tactic that had me squirming. The constant under current of dread is really quite horrible.
Elisabeth Moss is great from start to finish. The torment that she is out through is portrayed really well, and it doesn't take a lot to sympathise with her, and the yearning for everyone else to see she isn't crazy is strong.
Towards the final act, the tension predictably takes a bit of a backseat for a more fast faced finale, which mostly works, but it's hard to ignore a few glaring plot holes, and a late twist that feels like it was thrown in just for the sake of it. It's not enough to ruin what is undoubtedly a pretty solid edge-of-your-seat thriller though.
If Universal had perhaps approached The Mummy with a similar style, then we could be in the midst of a great Dark Universe franchise, but if all the seperate entries end up being as strong as The Invisible Man, then it's no loss.
The movie starts with leading lady Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) quietly and frantically leaving her house in the dead of night, to get away from her abusive relationship with partner Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen).
This opening scene sets the tone nicely. It's dimly lit, it's mostly silent, it's tense, and climaxes frantically with a swelling of orchestral score (the original score by Benjamin Wallfisch is fantastic throughout).
Finally free and living with friends, Cecilia is somewhat comforted by the news that Adrian has subsequently committed suicide, and is no longer a threat to her.
Before long though, she is being stalked by an unseen presence, and she quickly becomes convinced that Adrian as alive and well, and has perfected his work in the optics field to turn himself invisible, and systematically ruin her life.
Once it becomes apparent that Cecilia is not alone is where the movie really shines. We're subjected to wide shot after wide shot of her going about her daily routines, with plenty of empty camera space, where we as the audience are prompted to search the shot for clues, to see if we can see where The Invisible Man is in the moment. It's a simple and hugely effective tactic that had me squirming. The constant under current of dread is really quite horrible.
Elisabeth Moss is great from start to finish. The torment that she is out through is portrayed really well, and it doesn't take a lot to sympathise with her, and the yearning for everyone else to see she isn't crazy is strong.
Towards the final act, the tension predictably takes a bit of a backseat for a more fast faced finale, which mostly works, but it's hard to ignore a few glaring plot holes, and a late twist that feels like it was thrown in just for the sake of it. It's not enough to ruin what is undoubtedly a pretty solid edge-of-your-seat thriller though.
If Universal had perhaps approached The Mummy with a similar style, then we could be in the midst of a great Dark Universe franchise, but if all the seperate entries end up being as strong as The Invisible Man, then it's no loss.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated The House on the Lake in Books
Apr 20, 2020
When the publishing team at Penguin Random House asked me not only to read and review The House on the Lake, but also to be part of the Instagram Tour, I couldn’t have been happier!
The Synopsis
Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.
But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.
What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?
And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?
My Thoughts:
I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.
But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.
We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.
The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.
The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.
It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.
There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.
I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.
The Synopsis
Lisa needs to disappear. And her friend’s rambling old home in the wilds of Yorkshire seems like the perfect place. It’s miles away from the closest town, and no one there knows her or her little boy, Joe.
But when a woman from the local village comes to visit them, Lisa realizes that she and Joe aren’t as safe as she thought.
What secret has Rowan Isle House – and her friend – kept hidden all these years?
And what will Lisa have to do to survive, when her past finally catches up with her?
My Thoughts:
I found the beginning to be quite slow, but after a few chapters the pace was beginning to speed up. It’s important for me to note that I was not a fan of the main character and I had my fears that this will make me regret reading this book.
But luckily, we have different story lines and different perspectives, and I think that helped me appreciate and love the book more than I originally anticipated.
We have two stories happening in the same house, but in different times.
The first story is the story of the mother Lisa, who runs away with her small son, hiding from her controlling husband, Mark. Her friend Grace tells her she can come to this house on the lake and hide for however long she needs to.
The second story is of Grace and her father, many years back in the past. Grace’s father used to be in the army and is suffering from PTSD.
It is an interesting moment when both stories tangle each other and Lisa is found in a dangerous situation.
In conclusion, I enjoyed this book a lot.
There was a story presented to me that I did not expect, and I devoured it completely. I grew to love a few characters, and grew to hate a few more. This is not my favourite book of all time, and after the plot twist the ending was a bit predictable and a bit boring, but I did enjoy my time spent with this book.
I would definitely recommend it to all thriller lovers, mystery house adventurers and supporters of mums that run away with their children.
Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Pretties (Uglies, #2) in Books
Apr 20, 2020
Contains spoilers, click to show
Pretties is the second book in the Uglies series by Scott Westerfeld. I loved the first book a lot, and I had to continue the series!
In the first book, we are introduced to a world where beauty means everything. People are born as Uglies, and once they turn 16, they undergo plastic surgery and become Pretties.
Tally is still an Ugly, and all she ever wants to do is become a Pretty. After all, all of her friends are already Pretties. But she meets Shay, who doesn’t want to become pretty, and during amazing adventures in the first book, Tally discovered that there is much more in the world than just being a Pretty.
If you haven’t read the first book yet, please be aware that this review will contain SPOILERS. If you want to know more though, I would suggest reading my review of the first book, Uglies.
In Pretties, Tally is now a Pretty herself. She is completely different, until one day a person from the old crew pays her a visit. She can vaguely remember some things, and a challenge is in front of her. A letter from herself from the past will make her remember why she is a Pretty now and what she needs to do next.
But accepting such a task means danger of being found out and silenced forever. But if she succeeds, she might actually find a cure to being a Pretty.
My Thoughts
Filled with adventure, I read this book in only a few sittings. I am in love with the world the author created, and the moral dilemmas he tests us on. The chapters and scenes are vivid, entertaining and never dull.
I did, however, struggle with characterisation. Even though I am a huge fan of Tally, she wasn’t much different from any other character. They were all sort of the same, believing in almost the same things, and not much else was said. I would really have loved to see more perspectives from the Specials, but I think that is coming in the third book, which gets me all the more excited.
The last few chapters were everything and I will cherish all the moments. Many “book highlightings” were done and many quotes were remembered. I also need to mention that plot twist in the end. I should have seen it coming, because all the clues were there, but I didn’t. And I can’t wait to read book number 3.
I recommend it to all readers who enjoy different worlds, adventure, a bit of fantasy and dystopia.
In the first book, we are introduced to a world where beauty means everything. People are born as Uglies, and once they turn 16, they undergo plastic surgery and become Pretties.
Tally is still an Ugly, and all she ever wants to do is become a Pretty. After all, all of her friends are already Pretties. But she meets Shay, who doesn’t want to become pretty, and during amazing adventures in the first book, Tally discovered that there is much more in the world than just being a Pretty.
If you haven’t read the first book yet, please be aware that this review will contain SPOILERS. If you want to know more though, I would suggest reading my review of the first book, Uglies.
In Pretties, Tally is now a Pretty herself. She is completely different, until one day a person from the old crew pays her a visit. She can vaguely remember some things, and a challenge is in front of her. A letter from herself from the past will make her remember why she is a Pretty now and what she needs to do next.
But accepting such a task means danger of being found out and silenced forever. But if she succeeds, she might actually find a cure to being a Pretty.
My Thoughts
Filled with adventure, I read this book in only a few sittings. I am in love with the world the author created, and the moral dilemmas he tests us on. The chapters and scenes are vivid, entertaining and never dull.
I did, however, struggle with characterisation. Even though I am a huge fan of Tally, she wasn’t much different from any other character. They were all sort of the same, believing in almost the same things, and not much else was said. I would really have loved to see more perspectives from the Specials, but I think that is coming in the third book, which gets me all the more excited.
The last few chapters were everything and I will cherish all the moments. Many “book highlightings” were done and many quotes were remembered. I also need to mention that plot twist in the end. I should have seen it coming, because all the clues were there, but I didn’t. And I can’t wait to read book number 3.
I recommend it to all readers who enjoy different worlds, adventure, a bit of fantasy and dystopia.
B-
BaliFied - Word Game of the Gods
Games and Stickers
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"If you're a fan of word-based digital entertainment especially there's an awful lot to enjoy..." -...
The High Season
8.7
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In a beach town overrun with vacationers and newly colonized by socialites, one woman goes to...
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated Here Alone (2017) in Movies
Jul 7, 2020 (Updated Oct 29, 2020)
Unexpectedly Engaging But Ultimately Disappointing For A Zombie
Contains spoilers, click to show
Man, I can't believe what a let down this movie wound up being when it had so much potential. It started off really strong and I like Ann (Lucy Walters) and thought she was a strong female lead/protagonist. She demonstrated early on the extremes she puts herself through to ensure her survival such as covering her naked body with a mixture of scat and mud to cover her scent, cutting herself to collect blood and use as bait to lure zombies away, and collecting her urine to douse herself with incase any zombies follow her back to her camp. She's shown rationing her food and scavenging maggots for protein, and keeping two camp sites incase one is lost. Even when she ventures out to get supplies, the moment she hears zombies, she doesn't wait to see them, she stops what she's doing and gets moving. What killed me with this film was that it was so slow building and wound up being nothing but dialogue. The flashbacks intrigued me, because I was interested in her backstory since it showed she wasn't always alone and had a husband and baby. But nothing ever happened even when she chose to help these strangers who she didn't know and house them in her camp and give them food. For more than an hours of the film there is probably only 1 minute of zombies. It's not until the last 15-20 minutes of the movie does it get good when Chris's daughter Olivia betrays her on a raid and knocks her out and ties her up, and screams to attract zombies before leaving her to die. It was already hinted at that Olvia didn't really like Ann as much as she was pretending to or that she was getting jealous of Chris and her relationship so this wasn't even a big of surprise as it shoud have been but it was a little shocking. I did like how when Ann goes to help them when she gets free that she forgets to grab more ammunition and has to chose who she will help survive. I thought that was very believable and a good final twist especially since she chooses Olivia who tried to kill her. Still everything in this movie could have been summed up in an epsiode of The Walking Dead and been better action wise if not as good drama wise but close. I still give this movie a 3/10.
Charlie Cobra Reviews (1840 KP) rated The Rising of the Shield Hero in TV
Jul 7, 2020
Shield Hero
The Rising of The Shield Hero is an anime series produced by Kinema Citrus and directed by Takao Abo with the light novel written by Aneko Yusagi. The series is licensed by Crunchroll and Funimation in North America. The series composition was by Keigo Koyanagi with music composed by Kevin Penkin and Masahiro Suwa designing characters.
College student, Naofumi Iwatani finds a fantasy book about "Four Heroes", while in the library, and is summoned to another universe, along with three others to save mankind. Each of the heroes are respectively equipped with their own "legendary" weapon. Naofumi, though, received the Legendary Shield, the only sole defensive equipment. They are expected to fight "The Waves", a series of demonic invasions that are set to occur soon. Nobody joins Shield Hero Naofumi when partners are assigned, believing him to be the weakest of the four. However, a beautiful woman named Myne, from the Spear Hero's party joins him to help him train. To his disbelief, Myne steals his belongings while he sleeps and accuses him of rape. He becomes an outcast when his denials are ignored and he is shunned by everyone from King to peasants. Enraged and embittered, he struggles to learn how to upgrade his shield, but realizes he can't upgrade without experience or strength. Desperate and alone, he finds himself at a slave market, contemplating whether he should buy a slave to gain XP (experience points) and fight for him.
This anime is great. I really like it a lot. It is also an "Isekai" genre anime, but right away it's very different from others. Beginning with the first episode, this anime had me. I've always said that actors who can get you to hate them in movies are really good actors. And man the character, Myne, really made me hate her. I didn't expect that twist, and it is very "adult" to bring up rape like that in an anime that didn't look to me like it would have something like that in it. But it plays a big part in how the character proceeds after. I also really like the character designs and art style, but the story is what gets me wanting to see the next episode every time. That and how he is a pretty smart character too, which really helps him, since his shield holds him back from being able to use any weapons. But it's not completely useless and he learns new abilities for it constantly. This anime definitely gets my "Must See Seal Of Approval" and I give it an 8.
College student, Naofumi Iwatani finds a fantasy book about "Four Heroes", while in the library, and is summoned to another universe, along with three others to save mankind. Each of the heroes are respectively equipped with their own "legendary" weapon. Naofumi, though, received the Legendary Shield, the only sole defensive equipment. They are expected to fight "The Waves", a series of demonic invasions that are set to occur soon. Nobody joins Shield Hero Naofumi when partners are assigned, believing him to be the weakest of the four. However, a beautiful woman named Myne, from the Spear Hero's party joins him to help him train. To his disbelief, Myne steals his belongings while he sleeps and accuses him of rape. He becomes an outcast when his denials are ignored and he is shunned by everyone from King to peasants. Enraged and embittered, he struggles to learn how to upgrade his shield, but realizes he can't upgrade without experience or strength. Desperate and alone, he finds himself at a slave market, contemplating whether he should buy a slave to gain XP (experience points) and fight for him.
This anime is great. I really like it a lot. It is also an "Isekai" genre anime, but right away it's very different from others. Beginning with the first episode, this anime had me. I've always said that actors who can get you to hate them in movies are really good actors. And man the character, Myne, really made me hate her. I didn't expect that twist, and it is very "adult" to bring up rape like that in an anime that didn't look to me like it would have something like that in it. But it plays a big part in how the character proceeds after. I also really like the character designs and art style, but the story is what gets me wanting to see the next episode every time. That and how he is a pretty smart character too, which really helps him, since his shield holds him back from being able to use any weapons. But it's not completely useless and he learns new abilities for it constantly. This anime definitely gets my "Must See Seal Of Approval" and I give it an 8.