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Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One

Jonjo Cosgrove
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Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One

It has been 27 years since Ethan Hunt dropped onto the big screen. After half a dozen adventures with the Impossible Mission Force, we now have Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One. Action/Adventure, with a dash of Sci-Fi awaits.

From the opening moments of Part One, the story immediately sets the stakes. A submarine appears to have destroyed itself, leaving behind two halves to a vital key. Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is then brought into the picture to accept his latest mission, and one that involves what may be his most dangerous adversary yet; an AI known as The Entity.

The assignment involves former ally Ilsa (Rebecca Ferguson) who may hold one part of the key. Hunt is soon face to face with former IMF director Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny), the man who hires him for the job. Things soon become very personal for Hunt when told by Kittridge that “This mission of yours is going to cost you… dearly”.

The action swiftly moves from the offices of the CIA to Abu Dhabi, where things soon get personal. Ethan reunites with Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames) as they locate the other part of the key. In true Mission Impossible fashion, the technology helps keep the IMF one step ahead of the CIA and their target. Everything changes when Grace makes her debut, played to perfection by Hayley Atwell. From the moment Grace is on screen, she steals the show.

There is also the introduction of Gabriel (Esai Morales), the primary antagonist. Without delving too much into his past or motivations, this is possibly the biggest challenge Ethan has encountered. Gabriel is smart and confident, believing himself to be guided by something greater than any being.

Tapping into modern day fears of artificial intelligence, Gabriel is lead by The Entity in almost every move and decision. It can manipulate the world and nobody would ever know. For anyone familiar with the Metal Gear Solid franchise, a big plot point revolves around AI and what it could do under certain control. The 2001 video game sequel is worth a play to understand this point further.

Though Tom Cruise is still the main character, the supporting cast really do shine through the whole picture. Hayley Atwell settles into her role well and I cannot wait to see Grace in the sequel. The later addition of Pom Klementieff‘s Paris and the return of Vanessa Kirby‘s “White Widow” don’t waste a second of screen time.

Then there is Esai Morales, whose Gabriel really is unlike any villain we have encountered before. Also, making his first appearance since the first entry in 1996, Henry Czerny’s Kettridge is more than just a cameo and could potentially be vital to Part Two. This film has so many stars and classic moments, that to discuss them all and praise them would be its own article.

Much like the previous entries, Dead Reckoning – Part One has the action chops which you will remember the most. With an epic car chase in Rome, an intense fight in Venice and that bike stunt. Then there is the train sequence which needs to be experienced in the cinema. Along with these set pieces, is the beautiful locations the film goes to. From the Spanish Steps to the Helsetkopen mountain, every locale is perfectly executed on screen.

Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning – Part One continues to ground the franchise, making these moments more powerful. Whenever the film savours a calm moment, you know the next breathless scene is imminent. This definitely matches with the superb acting throughout the extended runtime. At no point will you feel any drag or stalling.

The continued success of the series is no surprise. Tom Cruise knows Mission Impossible like the back of his hand, it is his crowning achievement. His partnership with writer/director Christopher McQuarrie has become one of the most powerful in Hollywood. Whatever the duo get to work on after the sequel, I know it will be spectacular.

Part two will have some big shoes to fill to match up to this masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking. The comedy is at its finest here, and this stems from the writing that is on point throughout. The intensity of each action piece is a highlight. And the conclusion…well, you will need to see it for yourself.

The best Mission Impossible film yet. The best film of 2023 so far. The real impossible mission will be to see how you can top this!

Wanted: Dead

Peter Ray Allison
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Wanted: Dead

Developed by the team behind Ninja Gaiden and Dead or Alive, Wanted: Dead (currently available in the Steam sale) has all the ingredients of what should be an excellent action-adventure game that combines shooting and close-combat mechanics in a cyberpunk setting.

Players take on the role of Hannah Stone, the commander of an elite anti-terrorism hit squad –basically a SWAT team, but without their restraint – as they investigate a series of incidents that ultimately lead to an explosive conclusion.

Wanted: Dead wears its influences on its sleeve: there are distinct elements of classic action games from early 2000s and anime films like Tokyo Gore Police.  The aesthetics and art style are evocative of Parasite Eve 2.

Wanted: Dead sounds like a perfect game, until you start playing and realise that it has fundamental flaws that need to be addressed.

The combined close combat and shooting mechanics work reasonably well.  The game is played in the third-person, but switches to first-person when aiming.  However, it soon becomes apparent that ranged weapons are hopelessly ineffective, to the point of being redundant, so survival is dependent upon closing in on the opponents as quickly as possible.

Gameplay is also simplistic; quite often it involves rushing to the enemy, to avoid taking too much damage, and then bashing as many attack buttons as possible.  Combos are available, with some only being available by spending XP when levelling up.

The core character design and art style between missions has an appropriately grungy cyberpunk feel, but everything else feels generic.  Likewise, the types of enemies are also incredibly limited and the gameplay soon descends into killing wave after wave of similar faceless foes.

This is also a hard game, and punishingly hard at that.  This becomes frustratingly so, as save points are limited.  If players happen to die after a series of pitched battles (and they will), then they will have to restart the entire level.  After this has happened several times, having fought the same faceless enemies, what should be a visceral and adrenaline-fueled experience quickly becomes dull.

The tutorial could also have been improved.  It covers all the usual combat mechanics (block, dodge, combos, etc) helpfully enough, but fails to tell players how health can be regained – this is only mentioned in the tips on the loading screens.

Whilst the developers have crafted a compelling setting and story, the characterisation feels needlessly misogynistic and the characters seemingly never face any consequences for their actions.  That said, the character designs are exceptional and another character, who is mute and communicates using sign language, is presented without any comment and is accepted for who they are.

More than anything else, Wanted: Dead needed more development time in order to create a playable game.  With the appropriate patching and DLC, Wanted: Dead has the potential to be a fast-paced action experience, but as the game currently stands, it is poorly designed and implemented.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Peter Ray Allison
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Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Sallah: “I miss the desert. I miss the sea. And I miss waking up every morning wondering what wonderful adventure the new day will bring to us.”
Indiana: “Those days have come and gone.”
Sallah: “Perhaps. Perhaps not…”

The fifth, and final, film in the Indiana Jones series, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny had a lot to make up for after the lukewarm reception to the previous Indiana Jones film; Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Dial of Destiny is a film that has the passing of time firmly embedded within the story.  Indiana Jones, like actor Harrison Ford, is in his late 70s; the director James Mangold does not attempt to shy away from this.  The film opens with a prologue set during the fall of the Nazi regime in 1944, with a digitally de-aged Harrison Ford, before fast-forwarding 25 years to the moon landings of 1969 and a retiring Indiana Jones.  The world has moved on, leaving Jones behind.  It is the arrival of Indiana’s goddaughter Helena, searching for the mystical Antikythera mechanism, that rekindles his thirst for adventure.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena makes a suitably feisty foil to Harrison Ford’s Indiana Jones.  Her character evolves from treasure hunting purely for materialistic reasons to appreciating the historical value of artifacts.  Ethann Isidore played Helena’s young sidekick Teddy, echoing Ke Huy Quan’s role of Short Round in Temple of Doom.  However, Teddy lacks a sense of wonder at his experiences and the film never fully explores his emotional reactions to the events in the story.

The Nazis return as the villains, providing an uncomplicated foe.  This ties in with the actual moon landings, when real Nazis scientists were recruited into US research programs as part of ‘Operation Paperclip’.  Also; punching Nazis is always fun.  As Helena says, when dropping a cargo hold full of Nazis out of a plane; “Sorry! You’re a Nazi!”

The character of Sallah, played by John Rhys-Davies , is also used to reinforce the passing of time. Now a grandfather, Sallah has emigrated to New York and adapted to life there.  This is a marked contrast to the Nazis seeking to regain the power they once had.

One thing that is missing is the horror element.  There are no melting faces or death from sudden ageing.  Ironically, Dial of Destiny is possibly the most family-friendly of the Indiana Jones films.  However, this also means that there is a lack of bite to the film and that none of the villains meet a suitably karmic death, as in the earlier films.

Ironically, for a film about time, Dial of Destiny is also the longest of the Indiana Jones films, but this is to its detriment.  Some of the scenes felt overly long and there were a couple of some sub-plots that could have been excised with only a negligible impact on the overall story.  Some of the characters felt underused.  Shaunette Renée Wilson’s Mason is a fantastic character that I wanted to learn more about, but this did not happen.

Although the dialogue didn’t feel as punchy as Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Last Crusade, there were occasional neat quips.  It just didn’t feel as quotable as the earlier films.  This is a film that would have benefited from further editing to tighten the story and polish the dialogue.  That said, there is a neat twist at the end and the film ended with an emotional beat that landed perfectly.

Overall, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is not the best Indiana Jones film, but neither is it the worst.  It is a fun film, as well as a fitting end to the adventures of Indiana Jones.

UK Games Expo 2023

Peter Ray Allison
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UK Games Expo 2023

The UK Games Expo is the largest tabletop gaming event in the UK, and this year’s was their biggest event so far, despite the train strikes at the weekend.  Approximately 32,000 people descended on Birmingham for three days of tabletop gaming in all its myriad of forms.

The event was held during the first weekend of June and incorporated board gaming, roleplaying, wargames and card games.  There were special guests giving readings and talks about their work throughout the event, as well as re-enactors and cosplayers.  It was great to see some of the exhibitors entering the spirit of the event by wearing costumes.

Special Guests included John Robertson and his Dark Room show, with both of his shows sold out.  Luke Gygax of GaryCon was talking about life with his father Gary.  Games Workshop co-founder and Fighting Fantasy co-creator Sir Ian Livingstone had been scheduled to be there all weekend, but unfortunately could only be there on the Friday.

There were hundreds of creators, such as Eddy Webb (developer of Realms of Pugmire, amongst many others), gamebook author Jonathan Green (Ronin 47, Dracula – Curse of the Vampire, etc) and the artist Johan Nohr of the Stockholm Kartell (Mörk Borg, Cy_Borg, etc).

There were a distinct number of exhibitors from America this time, such as Chaosium (creators of Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game) who were impressed with the scale of the UK Games Expo.  Some of these commented they hope to attend the event again in the coming years.

The Expo was spread across three halls at the Birmingham NEC, plus the nearby Hilton hotel.  This space was used incredibly well, with two exhibition halls for exhibitors and vendors and the other for tournaments and ticket queuing.  Meanwhile, the Hilton was set aside for readings, roleplay sessions and board gaming.

Although the inherent format of the UK Games Expo remains unchanged, it never feels like a repeat of previous events.  Just as games evolve and trends change, so too are the exhibitors constantly changing.  There were lots of new games being previewed and released, such as Zeo Genesis by Andy Chambers and Gav Thorpe, and War on Terra by AWA Games.

It was interesting to note how art in roleplaying games has come to the fore in recent years.  Roleplaying games need to have more than just rules: they also need to have a thematic core and portray the intended atmosphere of the game.  A prime example of this is the recently-released Stokerverse roleplaying game by Nightfall Games, which uses exceptional artwork throughout the rulebook to convey the themes of the game.

Although the space was used efficiently, the exhibition halls felt crowded on the Saturday, to the point that it became difficult to navigate the event.  This might have been overwhelming for some, and would have been difficult for anyone with small children.

Despite the crowds on Saturday, the UK Games Expo has gone from strength to strength to become an incredibly welcoming event that celebrates all forms of tabletop gaming.

TRANSFORMERS: Rise of the Beasts Review

joshkingofgeeks
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TRANSFORMERS: Rise of the Beasts Review

**SPOILER WARNING**

“Calling all Autobots, Calling all Autobots, Roll Out!”

With that, I heed the call of the last prime! Following the critical and commercial success of Bumblebee, a sequel was always going to be on the cards. Thus in early 2019 a sequel was greenlit but thanks to the audacity of a global pandemic filming didn’t start till 2021.

Helmed by director Stephen Caple Jnr (Creed 2) Transformers: Rise of the Beasts  would cast Anthony Ramos as lead human #1 Noah Diaz, an ex-military electronics expert and Dominique Fishback as Elena, Museum intern with a vast knowledge of ancient history and their artifacts.

Now no live-action Transformers film would be complete without a stellar voice cast to bring our favourite Autobots to life. Leading the way, Peter Cullen returns as Optimus Prime, Pete Davidson as Mirage, Liza Kosy as Arcee, and Cristo Fernández as Wheeljack. Bumblebee making his return and is voiced by all the best hits and flicks of the Era. In this sequel, we get to introduce fan favourite characters from Beast Machines and Beast Wars The Maximals! Lead by Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal, Michelle Yeoh as Air Razor, Tongayi Chirisa as Cheetor, and David Sobolov as Rhinox

The Transformers franchise previously featured other fan favourites like the Dinobots in Age of Extinction, the new installment looks to continue branching out. This brings us to the “BIG” bad of this installment and when I say big I mean planetary!

In the opening scene that echoed the animated movie of the 80s we are introduced to Unicron, we saw a glimpse(a very uninspired glimpse) in The Last knight but it would appear this outing has pulled out all the stops and gave us a Unicron that looks a spitting image of its animated counterpart. With the planetary behemoth comes underlings, enter the Terracons. Scourge voiced by Peter Dinklage, Nightbird voiced by Michaela Jaé Rodriguez and Battletrap voiced by David Sobolov.

Rise of the Beasts is filmed in New york and Peru while being set in 1994 and thank Primus we got a ’94 Soundtrack to go with it which made me feel both old and young at the same time. Featuring timeless classics from artists such as Notorious BIG, Wutang Clan, Public Enemy and LL Cool J (whos track “knock you out” makes a stellar entrance) The Cinematography and visually stunning locations in Peru, which included Machu Picchu, were amazing and gave both tranquillity and tense atmosphere to the film. The Maximals being at home in the jungle landscape while the Autobots feeling like a fish out of water.

Unicron being the biggest of the big bads meant we were only going to see him for brief but memorable moments and I knew we would never see him out of his planet form. Though from the way the film ended we’re in for so much more but I’ll get to that later.

The story was an easy-to-follow set up for what can only be a Hasbroverse in the making.

The homeworld of the Maximals comes under attack from Unicron. The Terrorcons, led by Scourge, seek to obtain for their master the Maximals’ greatest piece of technology, the Transwarp Key. The Maximals escape the planet before Unicron devours it. Under the command of Optimus Primal, the Maximals use the key to flee to Earth.

Noah supports his family, and is convinced by his friend Reek to steal a Porsche to sell, only to discover that the car is the Mirage. Concurrently, museum intern Elena studies an ancient statue of a falcon bearing the Maximal symbol, breaking it open to reveal half of the Transwarp key. The key releases an energy pulse that is detected by Optimus who then calls the other Autobots. Mirage is contacted in the middle of Noah’s attempted theft, and Noah winds up being roped into the robots’ mission to recover the key so they can use it to return to their homeworld, Cybertron.

Drawn by the key’s signature, the Terrorcons arrive on Earth, and Elena is caught up in the conflict when the villains attack the Autobots outside the museum. Scourge kills Bumblebee and steals the key half, before Airazor arrives and drives him off. Airazor explains to the Autobots that the Maximals have been hiding on Earth for thousands of years, and split the Transwarp Key in two to keep it out of Unicron’s hands. Basically a giant game of “Keep away”.

In Peru, they meet up with Wheeljack and get introduced to Optimus Primal and the other Maximals, who explain that they moved the second half of the key. Scourge corrupts Airazor and Primal is forced to kill her to save Elena.

In the scuffle, Noah goes to destroy the other half of the key, only for it to be stolen by Scourge, who then reassembles the two halves atop a volcano, opening a portal through which Unicron will soon arrive.

Now if all this wasn’t enough, the battle ontop of the volcano was everything I wanted. I got to hear both Prime and Primal say iconic lines from the animated franchise “Autobots, Roll Out!” and “Maximals MAXIMISE!” to which goosebumps did appear. We also got to see a version of The Cybertronian Exo-Suit but not before Bumblebee made his triumphant Airdrop return accompanied by LL Cool Js “Mama said knock you out” to which when the scene happened the whole screen erupted in cheer and applause!

**MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD**

In the aftermath of the conflict, Elena receives recognition for discovering the temple in Peru, while Noah attends an interview for a security job, but finds he is actually being invited to join the secret government organization. Whats that Organization you ask?

Stick around cause there is a mid-credit scene.

This film was great, and I had such a good time with it. I walked in a little apprehensive as Michael Bay was still attached as producer and his past excursions into the Hasbro title have been less than impressive. Ron Perlman as Primal was a brilliant bit of casting and he brought such heart and strength to the character which beautifully contrasted Cullens’s commanding voice of Optimus Prime. Pete Davidson as Mirage was the scene stealer, funny, caring, protective and also a little rebellious.

Rise of the Beasts held onto the G1 feel of Bumblebee and ran with it and I feel they’ve realised this isn’t a race but a cross country marathon to build something that could be Amazing. With the inclusion of G.I Joe into the universe they’re taking a page direct from the comic book series. This could imply we could see a universe that could include not only Transformers and G.I Joe but also M.A.S.K which made this big kid extremely happy. “Till all are one!”

Transformers Rise of the beasts is out now!

Format 2023

Peter Ray Allison
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Format 2023

Manchester has become a mecca for the UK’s videogame industry, due in part to Manchester university’s engagement with the games development community.  It is therefore no surprise that Manchester has become the home for Format; the UK’s leading games industry community nightlife event.

Format is an annual event for game studios, developers and streamers to connect with the gaming community and showcase their talents.  Anyone expecting a convention or expo, with the associated trappings, may have been disappointed, as Format is primarily a networking night for influencers and developers.  That said, there is a lot to enjoy, even for the casual gamer, as Format is ultimately a celebration of gaming.

This year’s Format was held on 25th May, which is appropriate since it is Geek Pride Day, National Towel Day (in celebration of Douglas Adams’ birthday) and the Glorious 25th May (in memory of Terry Pratchett).  Thursday was an unusual night for such an event, given that it continued well into Friday morning.  This may have been tough for those that had an early start the next day.  However, it also meant that the organisers had greater choice of venues.

To say Format was a packed-out affair would be an understatement.  All three floors of the Impossible nightclub were filled to bursting with video games from a variety of independent studios.  One of the biggest names there was Team17, with their World War 2 shooter Hell Let Loose. There was also a VR rig set up for demonstrating some innovative games.

The standout game had to be Hell Let Loose, for its excellent sense of immersion, as it recreated the experience of WW2.  However, this was a game that required teamwork – just diving straight in meant there was little chance of developing a plan.  There were dozens of games to play, including a neat storyboard game, which projected a game onto pop-up books and players navigated themselves across the page.  There was also Rhythm Towers, which combined music with tower defence mechanics, allowing players to create a variety of medleys whilst defending themselves.

Almost everyone there was in their twenties or thirties.  This is an event intended for a younger audience and the music policy reflects that.  However, it remains welcoming for all ages; all that is required is a passion for gaming.

There were also some great cosplayers, including one who had accessorised the Spartan armour from Halo with an LED lightshow, creating a disco version of the Master Chief that was used to great effect.

The venue itself was incredibly busy and filled to the seams, with lots happening throughout the night.  Format was sold out, and with all the associated hardware that comes with a gaming night, it felt even more crowded.  Format is an event that is very much growing and may need to find a larger venue in future.  Fortunately, it was a mild night, which allowed people to expand into the outdoor area; otherwise it would have been intensely crowded inside.

Overall; Format was a great night in Manchester that celebrated the unbridled innovation of indie developers, whilst being a fun night for anyone into gaming.

The Lord of the Rings roleplaying game (5E)

Peter Ray Allison
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The Lord of the Rings roleplaying game (5E)

The One Ring (reviewed here) was published last year and is a fantastic roleplaying game based on the Lord of the Rings that uses a thematically appropriate system whilst conveying the sense of wonder that permeates the novels.  Since then, The Lord of the Rings roleplaying game, based on the 5E system, as used in Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) has been developed and recently released.

Developing a roleplaying game using the 5E system is a double-edged sword.  D&D remains the best-known roleplaying game, the mechanics of which have even entered mainstream parlance (we all know armour class, for example, as the phrase is widely used in media), but there are also certain gameplay expectations that come with it.

The Lord of the Rings (5E) transfers many of the core ideas of The One Ring into the mechanics of 5E system very well.  Unfortunately, it is not a perfect fit, as the game’s themes are not elegantly integrated into the rules.  However, the 5E system is widely understood, and from that perspective this initial knowledge helps in terms of the accessibility of the rules, especially for new players or those more familiar with D&D.

Character classes have been adapted for the setting of Middle Earth and have been renamed ‘callings’.  Those hoping to play a wizard, sorcerer or warlock will be disappointed.  Spells remain the purview of the Maiar (celestial beings, like the wizards Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, etc), with players only having access to mystical abilities through magical items, such as invisibility from a certain magic gold ring…

Much of the 5E system remains the same, but incorporates mechanics from The One Ring, such as those for patrons and the different phases (one for exploring and another for recovering and pursuing character-focused goals between adventures).  However, the encroaching sense of darkness and despair that is so iconic to the Lord of the Rings, and which was thematically embedded within the rules of The One Ring, does not feel as present.

The greatest problem with The Lord of the Rings (5E) is 5E’s association with D&D, which carries certain expectations of what a D&D/5E game is.  However, the epic-fantasy/high-magic shenanigans of a D&D/5E game do not always fit well within the atmosphere of The Lord of the Rings.

Even if the players do not wish to play a Lord of the Rings game using the 5E system, there are still some great game mechanics that can be extrapolated from this roleplaying game and transplanted into other roleplaying games that use the 5E system.  For example, the shadow path is an excellent mechanic for measuring a character’s exposure to evil and the impact it has on their personality.

So far, a Lord of the Rings 5E core rulebook, a Shire Adventures supplement and the Lore Master’s Screen have been released. They all look amazing and more supplements are planned.  The artwork throughout is wonderfully atmospheric and the sepia tone is reminiscent of ancient grimoires.  Likewise, the wraparound artwork on the lore master screen evokes the mood to the players, whilst hiding the GM’s notes, and includes a series of quick reference tables on the inside to save looking through the books.

For those that want to try a different roleplaying game, but have no wish to learn a new system or are just happy with the D&D/5E rules, then The Lord of the Rings (5E) would be ideal.  However, for those that are after something a little bit different, with a game that embeds the core themes within the system, then The One Ring roleplaying game would be a better choice.

Star Trek: Picard – Season 3 (contains spoilers)

Peter Ray Allison
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Star Trek: Picard – Season 3 (contains spoilers)

Star Trek: Picard’s third and final season beamed down to Amazon Prime last week and it would be fair to say that this season has been markedly different from the previous seasons.

This article will be reviewing all of Star Trek: Picard Season 3 up to the final episode, so readers who have not yet watched it all may wish to stop reading now.

With Terry Matalas as the new showrunner, this season felt like a soft-reboot of the entire series.  Certain storylines were maintained, such as Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) dying and now being in a synthetic body, whilst others, like the Data (Brent Spiner) storyline, have been rewritten.  In many cases, this selective retconning has been for the better.

This season, like every other season of Picard, starts off incredibly well; this time with the revelation that the Federation is being infiltrated by an insidious organisation.  This is spearheaded by the compelling villain Vadic (Amanda Plummer), who is hunting Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) and her son Jack (Ed Speelers).  Vadic’s background as a changeling who was experimented upon by Federation scientists is excellently portrayed and gives a genuinely sympathetic reason for wanting to destroy the Federation.

However, the subsequent reveal that Vadic is actually working for the Borg undermines the plot.  The Borg are Picard’s nemesis. They have been in every season of Picard: in the previous season Jurati (Alison Pill) became the Borg Queen and resolved the Borg’s desire for assimilation, and in the first season the Borg were being rehabilitated.  The Borg have also appeared in Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Voyager.

Having the Borg return yet again lessens their overall impact, making them akin to just another species in the Star Trek universe, rather than being the enemy at the gates that can destroy all civilisation.  The Borg are always presented as a significant threat, but when they have been defeated so many times, viewers begin to question the threat they pose.

This season is also highly derivative of other science-fiction shows.  Having the Enterprise-D return because it is the only Federation starship not network-connected is similar to how the Battlestar Galactica survived, whilst the Enterprise flying through the Borg Cube looks like the Millennium Falcon flying through the second Death Star in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

There were fist-pumping moments, such as the Enterprise flying in at the last minute to save Picard and Riker (Jonathan Frakes), whilst the final shot of the crew of the Enterprise all playing cards together was quite sweet.  However, the more compelling storyline, of Raffaela Musiker (Michelle Hurd) and Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) facing off against a Borg-controlled fleet onboard the Titan, was massively underused.

That said, all of the cast were on top form and it was amazing to see the crew of the Enterprise-D together again.  Likewise, the visual effects were truly stunning, although the cast swaying to high-speed manoeuvres remains hilarious (and reminiscent of Red Dwarf…)

Star Trek: Picard was a series that never took risks with the writing and ultimately there were some missed opportunities.  For example, when Picard died in the first season, rather than resurrecting him in a synthetic body, what if they had used the opportunity to explore the ramifications of his death?

Overall, whilst this season of Picard was an improvement compared with the last one, and featured some incredible acting by the original cast, it was ultimately let down by writing that relied far too often on established tropes and never dared to take any chances or try anything new.

Victor Dorobantu

Peter Ray Allison
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Victor Dorobantu

Victor Dorobantu is a busy man.  A professional magician, Dorobantu played Thing in the hit Netflix series Wednesday, alongside Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Adamms and Emma Myers as Enid Sinclair.

Although small, Thing proved to be a memorable character.  The original Thing in the 1964 The Addams Family television series was a disembodied hand in a box.  Later, in Tim Burton‘s The Adamms Family films, Thing became a free-roaming hand and the family’s faithful handservant.

In the recent Netflix series, Thing was developed as a character in its own right.  Thing was sent to Nevermore Academy by Wednesday’s parents to watch over her, but soon became embroiled in her schemes to solve various mysteries.  What made Dorobantu’s portrayal so impressive is that Thing is just a hand – no face, voice or body to convey emotion – and yet he was able to invest his performance with such emotion that Thing felt like a distinct character, with their own wants and desires (usually a manicure).

During a recent trip to the UK for Sci-Fi Weekender (reviewed here), Victor Dorobantu spoke to Geek Pride about the challenges of bringing such a unique character to life.

How did you portray Thing with so much personality and character?

It wasn’t something that I learned, exactly. When I met Tim Burton, we spent a month before the other actors came in on set, trying to find ways for Thing to communicate, because nothing had been established. Thing’s attitude, gestures and vocabulary was surprisingly improvised. We tried to find ways using alphabet of the American Sign Language (ASL), but nothing worked.  For example, in sign language, you need to have two hands, the face and a body, so it’s not possible. Usually characters, even an object like a fridge in a cartoon, has eyes and stuff like that. But Thing has nothing like that; no voice, no subtitles, nothing. I just tried to put my soul in it and act like I was the hand. The blue suit that I was wearing was not just helping the VFX guys, it was helping me ignoring my body and just being the hand.

When they were resuscitating Thing, it even had me tearing up.

That scene made everybody tear up, but it was actually kind of improvised. I remember Jenna said in that moment she couldn’t cry: she was just too tired and couldn’t make herself cry. The only thing that made her cry was me petting her hand, and everybody started filming. We also improvised that little pinky promise.

The dialogue was great, but Thing didn’t really have lines.  He sometimes looked shocked and would have to transmit an idea, so then I had to find ways every day for those movements.

You also managed to convey an amazing amount of speed in Thing.

In those scenes, such as when Thing is running in the train station, I was strapped on a dolly. They built a dolly, like a bed with wheels, just for me, and the camera guy had his own seat on that. It was a vehicle pushed by people, and I would be lying on my belly and running with a hand on the ground.  It’s impossible to run that fast with your hand on the ground and without moving your hand or wrist. Each one of us would brainstorm ideas about how can we make this possible.

What was the makeup like?

Thing had makeup on all the fingers and the palm.  The wrist was prosthetic makeup, like a big piece of silicone, modelled for my hands by Kristin Baxley, who is one of the biggest prosthetic guys in the world. The scars were prosthetic, like they were tangible – we had a big truck full of these.

Each and every one of those positions that I was in required a specific stump. That’s what they call them. It was one for the upper part of the wrist and one for the scenes where Thing was standing up on the table. Each of those positions have one stump accordingly. We had scenes where they had to change three stumps, and each and one of them lasted three hours in makeup to apply. It was kind of a pain in the butt, but even though the positions I was in were terrible, I only felt happiness doing it, because it was something new to me.

How did you become involved in Wednesday?

I didn’t sign up for anything. I was just called one day by a woman asking if I want to play in this, and I thought it’s a joke, because who calls you random without signing up for something, and tells asks if you want to play in a famous movie now? Nobody. She called me like three or four times, and then I realised it’s actually true.

I went to the casting, and all the magicians in Romania were called, because Tim Burton was searching for a magician.  The old movies used the magician Christopher Hart, and he just went there again.  I don’t know why I was chosen. I never asked.  I just appreciated that I got to portray Thing.

Was Tim Burton only looking for magicians for the role?

Tim had decided to do that because he thought the dexterity of a magician was needed for this.  In my opinion, magicians are generally very robotic and use muscle memory a lot, which doesn’t help. In the case of Thing, I discovered that you need to be graceful with your hands to be able to create emotions.  A guitar player, piano player, or puppeteer, these guys are the best ones. I don’t know if I was the best choice for Thing, but after I saw the final edits, and people’s reactions, I guess I can say that I was.

Many things from my past brought some character to Thing.  Not just the magic part, but I was also a guitar player. I was acting in a small children’s theatre in my hometown where I was puppeteering.

At what point did you realise you needed to be fluid?  What was that learning process?

I just went with the flow. When they called me for this role, I was very frustrated, because I couldn’t find many jobs as a magician in Romania. In Romania this kind of artform is kind of niche; the entertainment is not appreciated. There are very few magicians in Romania that really can say that they earn a decent amount of money from this.  When I found out that I was cast in this role, I realised you just never have to give up. It sounds like a cliché, but it is the best advice I ever got; never give up on your dreams.

Is that a cultural thing for magicians in Romania?

I know a lot of great magicians in Romania, but there are only three or four that really can live from this kind of art.  I don’t know why, maybe because in Romania, we don’t have much entertainment. When we do, it’s only about acting or music. Nothing else like magicians. All these kinds of other arts are not appreciated.

Are we going to see more of Thing in Season 2?

They have said Season 2 is coming, but they have not yet decided when and where.  I know that they will make it, but I have not heard anything about the location. I just keep hearing rumours on the internet like everybody else.

Victor Dorobantu; thank you very much.

All photos are by Peter Gatehouse and used with permission.

Star Wars Celebration 2023

Jonjo Cosgrove
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Star Wars Celebration 2023

Star Wars Celebration returns to the UK for the third year since it began in 1999. Following a certain global event, I was eager to return to a convention. There have been many conventions before, but nothing prepared anyone for this. The Lucasfilm Studio Showcase made Star Wars Celebration feel truly special. Here is everything discussed and shown at the event.

The first show discussed was Andor, with series creator Tony Gilroy announcing that the second season was halfway through production. The stage was then led by cast members Diego Luna, Denise Gough and Andy Serkis, as well as a short teaser to whet the appetite of the 4,500 fans packed into the hall. The 12-part season two, due to air on Disney+ in August 2024, will see the timeline move forward a year every three episodes, leading to Rogue One.

Leslye Headland is next on stage to present her creation; The Acolyte. Set during the end of the High Republic, this series will mark the earliest point in the timeline presented in live action. Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game) leads the cast a Jedi Master, with Amandla Stenberg as a former padawan. One of the biggest reveals was Chewbacca actor Joonas Suotamo would be starring as Kelnecca, a wookiee Jedi. The show will have a mystery/thriller theme and is due to air in 2024.

The biggest scream from the crowd was simply from the title of The Mandalorian flashing on the screen. Jon Favreau, Dave Filoni and Rick Famuyiwa discussed the ongoing third season and what to expect from the show. An extended look at episode 7 (titled “The Spies”) revealed some major talking points (no spoilers here, though.) and screened episode 7, which was possibly the best episode of the season so far.

The Mandalorian season three is due to air Episode 7 on 12th April and Episode 8 on 19th April on Disney+.

Favreau and Filoni stayed on the stage to talk about Ahsoka, and were joined by it’s star Rosario Dawson. They revealed that Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Natasha Liu Bordizzo would star as Hera and Sabine respectfully. The trailer also teased Grand Admiral Thrawn’s return, and it was confirmed that Lars Mikkelsen would play Thrawn again.

Ahsoka will consist of eight episodes with the potential for future seasons, and is due to air on Disney+ in August 2023.

Jude Law arrived on the stage, bringing some of the cast from Skeleton Crew, which was been teased as The Goonies in space. The series will follow four children as they try to find a way home, with the help of a Jedi (Jude Law). Set at the same time as The Mandalorian and Ahsoka, this show was an idea by Spider-Man director Jon Watts. The trailer for Skeleton Crew has a sense of wonder and adventure unlike any other Star Wars project and the series due to air later this ear on Disney+.

The official Star Wars timeline has been updated to accomodate new stories, some of which will take place the furthest into the past and future than we have seen so far.

The first announced film was Dawn of the Jedi, with James Mangold as its director. The film is set 25,000 before Episode I, establishing the first force user in the galaxy. Little has been revealed so far, but it will define the canononical beginnings of Star Wars. No release date has been confirmed yet, but Lucasfilm obviously trust Mangold, given his recent work on the latest Indiana Jones film.

Dave Filoni finally makes his own Star Wars movie, with Age of Rebellion. Few details have emerged, but it has been teased as a conclusion to The Mandalorian and other projects.

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is set to direct New Jedi Order, which will take place fifteen years after The Rise Of Skywalker and has Daisy Ridley returning as Rey. This film will be set the furthest in the future, with Rey becoming a Jedi Master. As the title suggests, she will lead a new Jedi Order. No other cast members announced, but Steven Knight will pen the script.

The convention itself was a brilliant experience overall. Witnessing all these trailers excited me for the future of Star Wars and Lucasfilm. Star Wars is definitely going in the right direction.

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