“I was desperate and scared. I felt like I was all alone, in the middle of the ocean drowning.” — Rob Principe in “Slip & Fall”
Over the course of the last 33 years, I have collected a wide variety of novels. Hundreds. Some of those books rest on bookshelves. Most of them are stored in large, sturdy plastic totes in our basement.
A few years ago, I came to the realization that I might not ever get to them all — a sobering thought as you reach your late 40s. I have books from the 1990s that are still on my “to be read” list. Some will eventually be sold or donated, but this year I want to try and tackle some of that back catalog — at least a few.
The other night I noticed Nick Santora’s 2007 novel “Slip & Fall” sitting on a shelf in our bedroom. Santora is the screenwriter/producer involved with TV hits like “Prison Break,” “Law & Order,” “The Guardian,” “The Sopranos,” and “Scorpion.” The novel was a Borders exclusive when it was published 15 years ago (one of many marketing moves by the bookstore chain that ultimately failed to bear fruit).
Santora is currently the executive producer and showrunner for the new Amazon Prime series “Reacher” — based on Lee Child’s popular novels. That tie-in (I like to be able to link to past blog posts in upcoming reviews) spurred me to dive into “Slip and Fall” so I could review it for my loyal readers!
“Slip & Fall” tells the story of personal injury lawyer Robert Principe. Principe is an honest legal operator who owns a struggling, one-man law firm in Brooklyn, NY.
Ethics are at the core of his practice. But after a lunch conversation with childhood friend Roland Cozzolino, a successful attorney who skirts the ethical line, Principe starts to doubt his philosophical underpinnings.
Cozzolino tells Principe: “You can bend the law like a pretzel, man. You just can’t break it.”
Facing mounting debt, a looming eviction from his brick row house, and a pregnant wife, Principe does something he once thought unthinkable. He concocts an insurance scheme (to make some quick cash) involving his cousin Jackie Masella, a wiseguy under the employ of mob boss Big Louie Turro.
Principe never intends the scheme to be a long-term play, but soon learns that once you’re caught in the hip pocket of the mafia, it’s hard to extricate yourself.
“Slip & Fall” is told from the first person point of view, and the entire narrative is presented through Principe’s eyes (his wry voice is pretty engaging).
I’m a fan of that storytelling style, and Santora’s writing is fast and breezy (in the “Acknowledgements” section, Santora says the novel clocks in at around 77,000 words).
Overall, “Slip & Fall” moves at a brisk pace. As a result, there isn’t a lot of time to do a “deep dive” into some of the finer plot points. In particular, I would have liked to see Principe’s relationship with his wife Janine fleshed out a bit more.
I’m also not sure how authentic some of the “legal wrangling” is in Santora’s novel, but as a fun “beach read,” it works well.
Back in the 1990s, I read quite a few legal thrillers. John Grisham was in his prime, and stories about characters grappling with daunting legal issues proved a potent mixture for thrillers in that era.
I’ll admit, it has been a while since I’ve picked up a legal thriller to read. In many respects, the mid-2000s “Slip & Fall” is a throwback to that 1990s golden era.
In this 2007 promotional video from Borders (don’t you love how nothing ever dies on the Internet?), Santora discusses his book and talks about how the characters in the novel are based on people in his life:
(The way Rob Principe describes himself physically in the novel makes him seem like a dead ringer for Santora.)
Overall, I was entertained by “Slip & Fall.” While the novel doesn’t rank among the best legal thrillers I’ve read, it does remind me of what I enjoy about the genre.
“I don’t have a lot of tire left on my own treads.” — Mike McCann in “The Ice Road”
As I was watching Liam Neeson’s latest action movie last night — Netflix’s “The Ice Road” — I imagined how the screenwriter must have devised the film’s concept...
It starts one morning, after a restless night of sleep. The screenwriter pulls himself out of bed, lets out a big yawn, stretches, and stumbles down to the kitchen.
He pours a mound of Fruity Pebbles into a bowl, pops a K-Cup into the Keurig, and flips on the small TV set mounted above the kitchen counter to the The History Channel.
As he swallows a spoonful of sugary goodness, he notices that the reality series “Ice Road Truckers” is airing. At first, he thinks nothing of it. Then, a light flickers in his groggy mind. He points at the screen and says, “This...This right here could make a great action movie!!”
The director/screenwriter of “The Ice Road” is Jonathan Hensleigh. While I don’t know what actually sparked him to write the movie, he is a person of note in the film industry.
If the name sounds familiar, it is likely due to the fact that the 62-year-old filmmaker is the scribe behind films such as “Die Hard With a Vengeance” (1995), “Armageddon” (1998), “Con Air” (1997), “Gone in 60 Seconds” (2000), and “Jumanji” (1995). He cut his teeth writing on George Lucas’s “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles” TV series in the early 1990s.
In my opinion, the 1990s was the last great era for the sort of macho action movies Hensleigh built his career on.
In the intervening years, the genre (at least at the theatrical box office) has largely been the domain of “pop sci-fi” superhero movies, a genre I’ve written about quite a lot on this blog (most recently in my review of “Spider-Man: No Way Home”).
Those who know my movie tastes know of my fondness for the action movies of yore. Movies like “Cliffhanger,” “Die Hard,” “Rambo: First Blood Part II,” “Lethal Weapon,” “Under Siege 2: Dark Territory” (I preferred it over the original “Under Siege”), and “The Rock” (for which Hensleigh did an uncredited rewrite) are all favorites.
“The Ice Road” is a movie crafted in a similar fashion. It feels like something that could have been a hot commodity in the ’80s and ’90s.
In that era, it might have been produced by Joel Silver or Jerry Bruckheimer, directed by Michael Bay or Renny Harlin, and starred an icon like Sylvester Stallone or Arnold Schwarzenegger (maybe even Nic Cage during his prime). It would have had a massive budget that allowed for all the bells and whistles, and played on the biggest screens in North America.
The tagline would have been: “‘Die Hard’ in a Truck.”
While “The Ice Road” might lack some of the amenities afforded by a bigger budget, it still “tries hard.”
Neeson plays Mike McCann, a grizzled truck driver who works in North Dakota with his brother “Gurty” (Marcus Thomas) — an Iraq War veteran who suffers from PTSD and aphasia (loss of ability to express speech, caused by brain damage).
Since 2008’s “Taken,” Neeson has become the go-to guy when you need the action hero equivalent of a weathered leather jacket. He could play a simple insurance agent and it would be entertaining — in fact, he did just that in 2018’s “The Commuter” (read my review).
Mike and Gurty find themselves down on their luck in the early stages of “The Ice Road.” The burden of caring for Gurty has taken a toll on Mike, and he wants his brother to get the help he needs.
But the brothers’ fortunes soon perk up when they hear about the need for ice road truckers in Winnipeg. A mine explosion in northern Manitoba trapped 26 workers, and the operation needs fresh wellheads in order to mount a rescue attempt.
Jim Goldenrod (Laurence Fishburne) runs a trucking operation and agrees to lead the supply mission to the mine. Since it is late in the season, most of his existing drivers are unavailable.
So he hires the McCann brothers and a young woman named Tantoo (Amber Midthunder) to drive the other two semis. Along for the ride is an actuary named Tom Varnay (Benjamin Walker), who works for the mine’s parent company.
The drivers will split $200,000 for the mission (if any driver fails to make it, their portion will be reallocated to the other drivers). Despite the Canadian province’s northern latitudes, the conditions on the ice road will be unpredictable due to the time of year.
That’s the setup. It seems like a fairly basic “character vs. nature” structure in the vein of action movies like 1996’s “Twister.”
At first, I wasn’t sure how the story was going to sustain any semblance of suspense (other than weather issues and a running clock). Based on the trailers, I figured it would be ice cracking every five minutes, narrow roads, washed out roads, downed trees, engine trouble, etc.
But Hensleigh found a way to infuse the “human element” into “The Ice Road.” In that regard, it steered in a decidedly more “Die Hard-esque” direction.
One of the sketchy players is Katka General Manager George Sickle (Matt McCoy). I will admit, it was somewhat jarring to see McCoy — a spokesperson for property and casualty insurance company The Hartford — making some of the decisions he did.
At times, the story in “The Ice Road” can feel ludicrous, but its energetic pace largely covers up the imperfections. The movie also looks and feels authentic (relying primarily on practical effects).
In this Netflix featurette, real life truckers react to scenes from the film:
Part of the reason things work is the aforementioned Neeson. He feels right at home playing a blue collar trucker caught in an impossible scenario. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, he played a snowplow driver facing a difficult situation in 2019’s “Cold Pursuit” (read my review).
“The Ice Road” is not exactly high art, but I thought it was a lot of fun. It reminds me of the high-octane action movies I enjoyed in my teens and twenties — I’d like to see more productions return to that form.
Bridget and I had a good time watching “The Ice Road.” I think you will, too!
“You know, I’ve never been crazy about you, Payne. You’re sloppy, undisciplined, and you think you walk on water because you ate some snakes in the Army.” — Mitch Bauman to Eli Payne in “The Body Man”
I’ve really enjoyed following new and aspiring novelists on Twitter the past several years.
When I started reading “grown up” thrillers in 1989 (the result of a high school literature class assignment where we had to review a book by either Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum), I never imagined I would have the ability to directly interact with authors of that ilk.
The closest I came during those years was a book signing by Robert Ludlum in support of his 1992 novel “The Road to Omaha” at Omaha’s Read All About It! (one of my hometown’s great independent bookstores during that time).
The interaction with Ludlum basically involved him signing the book and me telling him “thank you.” That’s about the most you could hope for during that era.
As a fan of the genre, I would put those scribes on pedestals. There was a certain air of mystery to what they did. I would envision those grizzled writers sitting in front of an old school typewriter — bourbon in hand and cigarette dangling from their lips — pounding out those thrilling tomes.
It’s been fun the past five years to review a number of books by the current crop of writers. Not only are the writing journeys inspiring, connecting with those individuals on social media has helped demystify the writing process for me.
The newest author I’ve had the good fortune to read is Eric P. Bishop. I just finished his debut novel, “The Body Man,” and am excited to share my thoughts.
The story in “The Body Man” centers around a mystery man who is a Body Man. The Body Man is “tasked with protecting the office of the presidency, which is more than one man’s or, one day, one woman’s well-being."
The Body Man is a fictionalized construct by Bishop, but the concept has its roots in real-life individuals who have worked for presidential administrations.
As Bishop explains it, he was trying to come up with a hook for a novel (while working an office cleaning job several years ago) and had the thought: “There's always someone who knows where the bodies are buried” — i.e. the “body man” would know.
“The next thing that popped in my mind was a news story I saw,” Bishop told Temple. “President Obama had a man that worked with him named Reggie Love. I actually know someone who interacted [with] and knows Reggie, which was quite ironic. Years later I found that out. But Reggie was referred to by the media as the ‘body man.’”
In the novel, the Body Man is an individual who is pulled from the Secret Service ranks, but his role is much different than that of those who serve on the president’s protective detail. The character is essentially “a cleaner for the office of the presidency” (far different from the cleaning work Bishop was doing when he had the idea for the book).
In the early passages of “The Body Man,” President Charles Steele’s Body Man is abducted.
When the Body Man’s retired neighbor reports him missing to the FBI, Agent Eli Payne and his newly minted partner Agent Kat Stone are sent to visit the woman.
As Payne and Stone delve into their investigation (reluctant though they might be), the duo systematically unravels a political conspiracy that reaches to the highest levels of power.
Bishop juggles multiple plot threads (with various characters in different locales) during the story. While each thread seems unrelated at first, the author does a nice job weaving them together (a structure employed to great effect by the late Tom Clancy).
I enjoyed the characters in “The Body Man” — who move deftly across Bishop’s fictional chess board. The story’s antagonists are particularly well-drawn for this type of genre story.
In particular, I thought Merci De Atta (a great name for a femme fatale assassin) brought a certain spark to the narrative. She also seems like she would be comfortable sampling un pinot noir — and sharing trade secrets — with Vince Flynn’s freelance assassin Donatella Rahn.
I also enjoyed Peter Casha. A criminal operator since high school, Casha’s relentless nature makes for compelling drama as events unfold in “The Body Man.”
At the heart of novel are Eli Payne and Kat Stone. I’m a fan of detective fiction — both written and filmed — and I thought the dynamic between the two FBI agents worked well.
I’ve been rewatching the 1980s police drama “Hunter” on the Peacock streaming service. As I read Bishop’s novel, Payne and Stone’s interplay reminded me of Det. Sgt. Rick Hunter (Fred Dryer) and Det. Sgt. Dee Dee McCall (Stepfanie Kramer).
I hope we see the two agents featured in a future novel.
Bishop sprinkles several pop culture “Easter Eggs” throughout the pages of “The Body Man.”
Those who follow Bishop on Twitter know of the author’s fondness for the TV series “Magnum, P.I.” (the Tom Selleck version). It is a fondness I share. His love of that show is evident in the “The Body Man.”
Bishop also manages to work in nods to iconic TV series like “Seinfeld,” various movies from the 1980s and ’90s, and Tom Clancy’s “Clear and Present Danger.”
Speaking of “Clear and Present Danger,” President Steele refers to another character as a “junkyard dog” during a heated exchange in “The Body Man.”
I dunno if it was intentional or not, but it reminded me of an outburst (aimed at Jack Ryan) seen here in the 1994 theatrical trailer for “Clear and Present Danger”:
But of all the various pop culture references in the book, I have to give Bishop credit for having the cojones to include the “Easter Egg” he offers up in Chapter 67. It comes from one of my favorite TV shows as a kid, and was a fun surprise. It proves the author doesn’t take himself too seriously (and understands his target demographic).
Overall, I had a terrific time reading “The Body Man.” The well-crafted plot kept me guessing throughout. The novel recalls classic political thrillers like David Baldacci’s “Absolute Power” and establishes a firm foundation for future stories.
I’m excited to see how Bishop’s novels evolve from here.
If you’d like to learn more about “The Body Man” and author Eric P. Bishop, I encourage you to visit his website at www.ericpbishop.com.
“I’m in a zombie movie.” — Hayley Chill in “Insurrection Day”
Thriller writer Chris Hauty surprised fans when his new digital novella “Insurrection Day” dropped at Midnight EST on Jan. 4, 2022.
On a recent episode of “The Crew Reviews Podcast,” Chris Albanese (a writer himself) said Hauty is “the Beyoncé of the thriller universe” for the clever promotional move (referring to the pop star’s fifth solo album — 2013’s self-titled surprise album — which appeared on iTunes in a similar fashion with no announcement or promotion).
While “Insurrection Day” is certainly a timely title as it regards current events, Hayley Chill’s latest adventure is a story all its own.
Here’s the setup...
As the novella begins, it is 9:07 a.m. on a gorgeous June morning in Washington, D.C.
We find Miss Chill exiting George Washington University Hospital, where she has been visiting fellow “deeper state” operative April Wu, who is recovering from injuries sustained in 2021’s "Savage Road" (read my review).
Her attention is on a GW physician who has been attacked by four men on the sidewalk. The men are in town for a demonstration by white nationalists at the National Mall.
Chill had planned to take an Uber to the U.S. Capitol after the hospital visit. She wants to be present for a Senate vote involving legislation to impose crippling sanctions on Russia (for espionage acts committed in “Savage Road”).
She instead walks. She is going to meet up with her friend Connor Thompson, who works as an aid to majority leader Alexander Rittenhouse. All the while, she is concerned about the increasingly agitated state of the protestors.
Not long after her arrival at The Capitol Building, riled up demonstrators breach bike-rack barricades and storm the doors.
Chill — an Army veteran, former White House staffer, and an agent for the secret organization Publius — has nothing more to rely on in the face of danger than “a plastic lanyard and her two fists.”
Earlier, I mentioned Hauty’s interview with “The Crew Reviews Podcast” regarding “Insurrection Day.” The political thriller writer offers insights into his inspiration for the novella, as well as his overall writing philosophy.
“I’m taking real events and messing around with them,” Hauty told the hosts. “I think of it like sci-fi as a genre... I do ‘poli sci-fi’.”
Hauty, a long-time screenwriter, is one of the more unique writers in the thriller world. The genre benefits from his quick-fire prose and engaging “third person, present tense” voice — a style that includes “foreshadowing nuggets” for secondary characters (something I first commented on in my review of 2020’s “Deep State”).
The author has created a compelling female protagonist in Hayley Chill.
As I worked my way through the ~130 pages of “Insurrection Day,” I found it reassuring to have a character with Chill’s “sheer normality and calm countenance” on the scene.
I hope we see Hayley Chill featured in future novellas and short stories — “interstitials” as Hauty’s agent refers to it.
It is those little moments that often have the biggest impact. That impact was definitely felt at the conclusion of “Insurrection Day.”
Like a well-oiled action movie, Hauty’s prose chugs along at a brisk pace. Despite the story’s lean length, readers will gain new insights into the mind of Hayley Chill.
Hauty’s next Hayley Chill novel is the upcoming “Storm Rising” — set to be published on May 3, 2022. Pre-order your copy here.
You can learn more about Chris Hauty and his published works at www.chrishauty.com.
“If you expect disappointment, then you can never really be disappointed.” — MJ Jones-Watson in “Spider-Man: No Way Home”
It took me a while to get to the theater to see our favorite neighborhood web slinger’s latest outing in “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
We had several things on our plate around the holidays. The movie we went to see on “Christmas Eve Eve” was “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” (read my review) — a movie we wanted to see before it left theaters.
In the intervening weeks since “Spider-Man: No Way Home’s” release, friends on Facebook were wondering why Jon Brooks (of the famed Jon Crunch blog) hadn’t yet reviewed the newest entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
I did everything in my power to avoid spoilers (which is difficult for someone who lives online). But I’m pleased to say that I was successful in that goal.
Last night I finally saw “Spider-Man: No Way Home”... and I’m ready to share my thoughts!
SPOILERS AHEAD
I typically DO NOT do spoiler reviews, but this movie has been out for nearly three weeks (as I write this post). Since the movie is basically one giant spoiler anyway, I decided to give spoilers a go.
So here goes!
The last time we hung out with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) was in 2019’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (read my review). In a mid-credit scene, TheDailyBugle.net’s J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) outed Parker as Spider-Man — he was also framed for the murder of villain Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal).
The identity reveal serves as the main plot device that structures the setup of “Spider-Man: No Way Home.”
With Peter and pals sending out college applications as they prepare for high school graduation, this revelation negatively impacts the M.I.T. aspirations of Peter, Ned (Jake Batalon), and girlfriend MJ (Zendaya).
Since the gang wants to stay together in college (and Peter feels guilty for hurting their collegiate opportunities), Peter visits Doctor Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) at the New York Sanctum to see if he can help.
Strange believes a magic spell that causes everyone to forget Parker is Spider-Man would be the smoothest route to take. But the spell is corrupted when Parker — having second thoughts “mid spell” — starts asking for exceptions to those who forget.
Strange does what he can to contain the spell amid Peter’s requests, but it isn’t enough. Things soon go haywire as a result of the spell.
At this point, I felt a teeny bit aggravated as a fan. Both Strange and Parker faced dire consequences during the events of “Avengers: Infinity War” (read my review) and “Avengers: Endgame” (read my review). The two should understand the ramifications of messing around with things like magic.
Surely both would avoid messing with the space-time continuum (or memory displacement, or whatever we call it in the MCU)... right??
I learned a long time ago to “willfully suspend my disbelief” with these movies, but you’d have thought a brainiac like Strange would have avoided such a move — especially since he found the “one” scenario (out of 14,000,605 scenarios) that led to the defeat of Thanos in “Endgame.”
But I digress...
Peter then tries the “old school” route of talking to an M.I.T. administrator (Paula Newsome) about reconsidering.
As he is tracking her down on the freeway (she’s on her way to the airport), he is attacked by “Spider-Man 2’s” Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina).
The trailers for “Spider-Man: No Way Home” revealed that Molina was going to be in this movie. At that point, fans knew this film was going to deal with the “multiverse” — we just weren’t sure how much.
The 2019 animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (read my review) also dealt with the multiverse concept. In my review of that movie, I wrote: “It almost made me wonder what a live-action version of ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ — with the same plot lines and characters — would be like. The more I’ve thought about the concept, the more I think it could work.“
While “Spider-Man: No Way Home” isn’t exactly a live-action remake of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (and, sadly, Miles Morales doesn’t make an appearance), many of the same principles apply.
At first, I assumed the only “multiverse” participants we would see would be the aforementioned Octavius, “Spider-Man” (2002) villain Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (Willem Dafoe), “The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012) villain Curt Connors/Lizard (Rhys Ifans), “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014) villain Max Dillon/Electro (Jamie Foxx), and “Spider-Man 3” (2007) villain Flint Marko/Sandman (Thomas Haden Church).
Strange tasks Peter with rounding up the various villains. They are to be put in cages in the basement of the Sanctum. With the help of Ned and MJ, Peter eventually gets the task completed.
Of the villains included, I really thought Foxx got an upgrade here. I enjoyed “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” when it was released in 2014, but thought the character wasn’t handled particularly well. Electro could have been so much more in that film. It was nice to see Foxx’s character redeemed, and the character handled in a better fashion in “No Way Home.”
The most compelling of the lot was Norman Osborn. Dafoe is consistently good in the role (and as an actor overall). It seems like he’s been 55 years old for the last 30 years. It was nice to have the character back.
Osborn is also at the center of the film’s third act.
Peter’s Aunt May (Marisa Tomei) works for an organization called F.E.A.S.T. (Food, Emergency Aid, Shelter & Training) that cares for the poor. Osborn ends up at the F.E.A.S.T. building, and Peter follows shortly thereafter.
May encourages Peter to give Osborn a second chance. And, as Strange is about to send the villains back to their respective dimensions, Peter thwarts the attempt, hoping to “cure” the villains before their return.
This is the second moment in “Spider-Man: No Way Home” where Peter comes across as being rather naive. While the concept of rehabbing the villains is noble, little thought is given to the potential pitfalls involved with changing someone from an alternate dimension.
I know our hero is a high school student, but he has to have evolved based on all his superhero experience. Right?
Regardless, I stopped worrying about that when Ned created portals (using Dr. Strange’s sling ring) and discovered the Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire versions of “Peter Parker/Spider-Man” from the previous two film franchises.
I want to say up front that I really liked Andrew Garfield’s take on Spider-Man. I know that his turn with the franchise — in “The Amazing Spider-Man” and “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” — wasn’t beloved like the MCU films, but I liked them.
In particular, I have a soft spot for 2012’s “The Amazing Spider-Man” because one of the few voicemails I have saved from my mom (from the year before she died) was a message inviting me to go see “The Amazing Spider-Man” with her and my dad on July 3 that summer. I happened to be busy with a project that day, so I didn’t go with them.
(Each time I listen to that voicemail message, I really wish I had taken the time to go see the movie with them.)
The interplay between the three Peter Parkers is the best thing about “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” It’s something I never expected to see, and it is so much fun.
At one point, before the final showdown, the three “Spider-Men” are plotting their next move. During the sequence, we see the Andrew Garfield and Tom Holland versions are wearing their Spidey suits. Maguire is wearing typical street clothes.
Garfield asks Maguire, “Are you going into battle dressed like a cool youth pastor?”
In my opinion, it was the funniest line in the movie — the delivery was perfect.
Towards the end of the movie, Peter Parker (the Tom Holland version) has Doctor Strange cast a spell making “everyone forget who Peter Parker is.” The move is done in order to protect his universe from other multiverse entities (who are bursting at the seams to enter this particular universe).
The spell works, the rift is repaired, and it is as if Peter Parker never existed. The question is how that all works. Is every trace of him gone? Are there any exceptions to the rule?
After the spell is cast, MJ is seen wearing the black dahlia necklace Peter gave her in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.” Has she simply forgotten Peter, or is there more to it?
To muddle matters, Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) visits with Parker at May’s grave (by the way, she died in the movie). Hogan says he knew May because of Spider-Man.
The question is whether they will eventually remember Peter (maybe after the upcoming movie “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”), or if this is a chance for Sony (which owns the Spider-Man film rights) to make movies (separate from Disney’s MCU) integrating Tom Holland into future “Venom” movies (a possibility teased in a mid-credit scene featuring actor Tom Hardy).
(Full disclosure: I haven’t seen either of the “Venom” movies, but the “memory wipe” in “No Way Home” could have been a way for Disney to “give back” Spider-Man to Sony for the time being.)
Anyhow...
I really enjoyed “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” As mentioned, it did have a few flaws, and some of the decisions made by the principle characters were head scratching (to say the least).
I’ve really enjoyed Holland's run as Spider-Man. In addition to his appearances in various Marvel Cinematic Universe properties, the Spidey-centric films “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (read my review) and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” (read my review) laid a solid foundation for the character heading into “No Way Home.”
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a solid superhero movie. It might just be the best entry in the Spider-Man lexicon.
If you look up the definition of “guilty pleasure" in the dictionary, I’m pretty sure you’ll find the series “Cobra Kai” in the list of examples.
The martial arts melodrama functions like any good television soap opera of yore. You never know where it’s going. The story can pivot on a dime, delivering emotional blows like a well-timed “tornado kick.”
In the years since the show left YouTube for greener pastures at Netflix, fans of the series have been able to ring in the new year with a new season of “Cobra Kai.”
The show — which has its roots in the decades-old rivalry between Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) and Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka) forged in 1985’s “Karate Kid” — is back for a fourth season, and this might be the best entry yet.
SPOILERS AHEAD...
The show picks up where Season 3 (read my review) left off. LaRusso’s Miyagi-Do and Lawrence’s Eagle Fang dojos have struck an uneasy alliance to take down the evil Cobra Kai, led by founder John Kreese (Martin Kove).
The events in Season 4 revolve around the upcoming All Valley Karate Tournament (the 51st annual). At the end of the third season, Kreese agreed to relinquish control of Cobra Kai if his team loses in the tournament — LaRusso and Lawrence agreed to do the same if their kids come up short.
It’s all part of the whole “mortal enemy karate dojo battle for the soul of the Valley” narrative structure that makes “Cobra Kai” so completely ridiculous, and so wonderfully watchable!
One stipulation of the uneasy deal between Kreese and LaRusso/Lawrence is that their respective students have to limit interactions with one another. Having that guardrail in place meant the writers were less tempted to veer off into the “life threatening” confrontations seen in other seasons (such as the high school brawl in the second season finale).
That doesn’t mean there aren’t conflicts between the rival dojos in Season 4.
We see a transformation take place in Eli “Hawk” Moskowitz (Jacob Bertrand) as a result of one such confrontation. The writers attempted to bring the character full circle this season, and I think they did a decent job with Eli’s evolution.
I also enjoyed the addition of “The Karate Kid Part III” antagonist Terry Silver (Thomas Ian Griffith) this season.
The one and only time I saw 1989’s “The Karate Kid Part III” was in the early 1990s on cable TV (Netflix doesn’t currently have the rights to the first three movies). The only thing I really remember about it is that it wasn't as good as the first two movies.
I’d like to revisit the movie. Griffith’s return as Silver is one of the strongest aspects of “Cobra Kai’s” fourth season. He creates an antagonist that has some subtlety and nuance (a nice contrast to the slithery Kreese). Overall, I think he is a terrific addition to the series.
I will say that I had mixed emotions about the LaRusso clan this season. In particular, the storyline involving son Anthony (Griffin Santopietro) and his bullying of a new middle school classmate named Kenny Payne (Dallas Dupree Young).
While the subplot illustrates the negative consequences of bullying, it was hard to see Daniel LaRusso’s son (who has had very little screen time during the previous seasons) lacking any sort of a moral compass.
I’m sure the plot point was introduced to illustrate the negative ramifications of Daniel’s obsession with Cobra Kai (which has taken time away from his family), but it was really uncomfortable to watch.
By the same token, Anthony’s sister Sam (Mary Mouser) seemed particularly jaded this season as she dealt with rival Tory Nichols (Peyton List).
Of course, this sort of teen (and pre-teen) angst is a key pillar of the series.
I want to commend “Cobra Kai’s’ writing team for bringing back bit players Raymond (Paul Walter Hauser) — who refers to himself as “Stingray” — and Aisha Robinson (Nichole Brown) for the fourth season. Both characters seemed to be casualties of the show’s move from YouTube to Netflix.
While Aisha’s appearance falls strictly into the cameo category, the writers came up with a pretty significant role for Stingray to play this season — and his actions create a scenario that has serious ramifications for Season 5.
It was nice to see series creators Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg integrate the character in such a significant way.
At the core of “Cobra Kai” is Johnny Lawrence. The series continues to be about the character’s overall redemption arc. He remains one of the most likable aspects of the show.
While Lawrence’s evolution progresses in inch-long increments — rather than miles at a time — we do see his relationship continue to grow with protégé Miguel Diaz (Xolo Maridueña) and Miguel’s mom Carmen (Vanessa Rubio).
I also enjoyed an exchange between Johnny and Miguel regarding 1980s music during Episode 4 (“Bicephaly”). Miguel — who is dating Samantha LaRusso — has been spending more time with the LaRusso family, and has been influenced by Daniel’s musical tastes (which features a heavy helping of adult contemporary acts like Chicago).
Miguel tells Johnny, “Peter Cetera’s badass.” To which Johnny replies, “Peter Cetera is the opposite of badass. What happened to Scorpions? Slaughter? Is that out the window?”
Not only does the exchange serve as a metaphor to contrast the styles of Miyagi-Do and Eagle Fang, it also serves to differentiate Lawrence and LaRusso — and those differences boil over as the two men wrangle for influence.
(Note: Peter Cetera’s hit song “Glory of Love” is featured on “The Karate Kid Part II” soundtrack).
As we finished watching the season finale, I told Bridget that the series was nominated for six Emmys last year (including “Outstanding Comedy Series”). She didn’t realize the series had received such accolades — especially as a comedy. We consider it more of a “dramedy.”
While that might seem surprising for a show with the tone and feel of “Cobra Kai,” I think it is a well-deserved honor.
I’m looking forward to seeing where things go with “Cobra Kai” Season 5 (the fifth season has already been filmed, so I’m curious to see if we have to wait full year for it to debut).
The fourth season culminates with an exciting showdown at the All Valley Karate Tournament. Several things are in limbo after the conclusion of the event.
It looks like former LaRusso rival Chozen Toguchi (Yuji Okumoto) will be joining Daniel at Miyagi-Do next season. What that means is anyone’s guess. My guess is that they might break away from Miyagi’s doctrine and forge ahead along a different path.
How Lawrence fits into this partnership is also anyone’s guess. I also wonder if the writers will attempt to redeem Kreese (a pivot that seems impossible for the character at this point).
I really enjoyed the fourth season of “Cobra Kai.” There was a considerable amount going, but I thought the writers balanced things in a fairly effective manner. It’s impressive how they’ve managed to keep the show feeling this fresh across four seasons and 40 episodes.
