2.5 Razors

Haywire

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Haywire
  • IMDB: link

haywire-blu-rayDespite making more than 30 movies over his career, Haywire represents the first time director Steven Soderbergh sets out to make a rather straightforward action film. Well… straightforward in terms of delivery, the film is saddled with one hell of a convoluted plot by screenwriter Lem Dobbs that will only attempt to fully explain itself in the movie’s closing moments.

At times you’ll notice Soderbergh’s hand with his stylized camera work and use of music, but the film also has several sequence where the style drops away and the director gives us several brutal action scenes.

We begin with Mallory Kane (Gina Carano), a black ops soldier who has been betrayed by her boss and former lover Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) and is now on the run. With limited resources she will hunt down each of the men who betrayed her and get her revenge.

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Justice League #8

/ / Comics

justice-league-new-52-8-coverThe latest issue of Justice League is basically one long joke as Green Arrow keeps showing up to help the Justice League and keeps getting turned down when he asks to join. It gets old pretty quick. However, what’s more infuriating is the real reason so many of the leaguers are against adding another member to the team is relegated to a single splash page that isn’t even explained.

In the back-up story, “The Curse of Shazam Part 2,” Billy Batson meets his new foster family which includes a bossy Mary and (for some odd reason) a blond Freddy Freeman. As we got last issue the main point of the story is for Billy to act like a little prick and be put in his place by those who know better. Yeah, he’s got hero written all over him.

The main story has some nice one-liners from Batman and Green Lantern, and an intriguing offer by Steve Trevor for Ollie, but it’s pretty forgettable. The only saving grace in the Shazam story is the introduction of Mary’s pet rabbit and slightest glimmer of hope that someday we just might see Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $3.99]

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Bones – The Warrior in the Wuss

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Bones – The Warrior in the Wuss
  • tv.com: link

bones-the-warrior-in-the-wuss

While investigating the remains of a trucker found in the woods Booth (David Boreanaz) is distracted by the return of his son Parker (Ty Panitz) from his extended stay in Europe with his mother. Although at first unconcerned, a little snooping by Bones (Emily Deschanel) discovers evidence of Parker’s jealousy of his younger sister and his father’s new family.

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The Shadow #1

/ / Comics

the-shadow-1-coverDynamite Entertainment brings another old-timey public domain hero back into the spotlight with The Shadow written by Garth Ennis with art by Aaron Campbell. As first issues go it’s certainly not going to knock your socks off.

The character of The Shadow has been around since his first radio show back in 1930. Set in the early days of WWII, the comic does a fair job of reintroducing Lamont Cranston and Margo Lane to both old and new readers alike.

Ennis wouldn’t be my first choice to write this character and so far I’m less than impressed with Campbell’s art. The comic certainly takes the character back to his darker roots (fans of the Alec Baldwin version might be surprised by the body count in the first issue).

At best the first issue of The Shadow is a mixed success with a great cover by Alex Ross. Is that enough to keep me reading the title? Maybe, but much like Dynamite’s Green Hornet titles it’s going to have to get better for me to plop down $4 each month. Hit-and-Miss.

[Dynamite Entertainment, $3.99]

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Smash – The Coup

/ / Television Reviews
  • Title: Smash – The Coup
  • tv.com: link

smash-the-coup"

In light of the mixed success of the workshop Derek (Jack Davenport) recruits an unsuspecting Karen (Katharine McPhee) to help him steal the musical from Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) by offering the Broadway newbie her own musical number in the show. The fallout from which leaves the show with a director at war with the writers and a play without a Marilyn Monroe.

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