Seize Them!

What could have been a delightful passing on of the baton of British comedy acting from the generation that gave us such greats as 'Shaun of The Dead' and 'It's All Gone Pete Tong', is catastrophically bungled. The junior cast fail, as their unlikeabilty, detachment, and uncommitted comedic performances fail to grip the viewer. The ease of the senior cast forces an unequal comparison, that throws off the balance of the film. If the production has gone longer on lavish sets and costumes, a tighter script, sharper editing, then maybe the failures of Wood and Adefope could have been excused. Unfortunately the budget was clearly tight, and we have a design that looks like Warner Herzog went to Asda. The earlier works of Hynes, Kaye, and Frost merit rewatching. If only the director and writer and done that before getting this made.

It's got that magic where it's better every time, full of great takeaways that keep you chuckling. There's some crude language and a bit of gore yet it has a wholesome family feel - a jolly, fresh blend. I'd watch it with my teens if I had any and we'd love it. Skillfully simple in craft, these filmmakers know it's all about great performances and they set the stage for these perfectly-cast players to shine (even bit parts deliver favorite moments). The camera loves Aimee Lou Wood (Queen Dagan), who is a bright star indeed: Charming as all get-out, brilliantly gifted; clearly an iconic legend, albeit still quite young (and she's already won a BAFTA). By the way, across two weeks I've watched it 6-7 times. Worthy of the DVD collection, it's the kind of movie you can put on anytime and breeze through, instantly amused. Curiously, I've seen so much vitriol online against this delightful comedy that it's unbelievable; must be drama behind the scenes. Never mind the noise - see it and recall a time when folks could still enjoy something light & fun. As for the negative bots trolling this gem - SEIZE THEM!!!

If you are British you will understand 'Horrible Histories' made by the BBC that educates children on world history. When it started it was funny, irreverent and informative. These days it has become insufferable catering to 'modern audiences' in terms of casting, theme and content. I mention this because this film is starring some of those cast members and has the same production values and the same sense of humour, which makes no sense. The film is cursed with boss babes, cowardly men, predictable humour and much childish nonsenses. So why throw in lots of violence and swearing? Do millennials really have the expectations of seven year olds in modern moviemaking? It would seem so.

Take it for what it is. It's silly, it has some funny jokes, it evolves at good pace, the story-line is only slightly bonkers, ... You can see the budget was not big. But it doesn't need it. It's well crafted and it keeps you entertained the whole time. It doesn't drag, and you get a funny joke now and then. Only one or two laugh out loud ones, but plenty chuckles. That's the kind of movie it is. No idea why some people seem focused on trying to compare every movie to Citizen Kane. They don't seem to understand that different movies have different purposes, and they all can be good as long as they fulfil their purpose. You don't know what to watch, you want something light and entertaining. You are quite happy to watch three adorable actors for a while. This is it. This one will work for you.