"Shadow and Bone" Leaves You In The Dark
Cast: Ben Barnes, Jessie Mei Li, Freddy Carter, Archie Renaux, Amita Suman, Danielle Galligan, Kit Young, Daisy Head, Sujaya Dasgupta, Calahan Skogman, Luke Pasqualino, Zoe Wanamaker, Julian Kostov, Simon Sears, Howard Charles, Hugo Speer and author Leigh Bardugo
Synopsis: Sinister forces plot against a young soldier after she reveals a magical power that may unite her world.
My Review: Well, Friday’s premiers were a great disappointment from Mortal Kombat to this new Netflix series and it’s a shame too. This series follows the unexpected journey of a young woman who’s dealing with her different culture and discovers she has this sought after secret power and is taken (not just emotionally) by a dark knight in armor who like her, is one of a kind. Shadow and Bone, like quite a few other YA/Fantasy series, left more questions than answers with a story that just starts in the middle of what should have been revealed from the beginning, and that’s a big negative petpeeve for me. I really dislike stories that begin like this and sadly Shadow and Bone is nothing unique with the female protagonist that’s annoying and some delicate little thing that needs saving and protecting. Reminds me very much like Shadowhunters (this is not a compliment) and I was NOT a fan of that series for more than one reason.
I knew from the trailer, this would be the typical story with many “seen before” elements and it’s a shame too because I wanted to watch and support a few actors but their roles fell short, especially Ben Barnes’ character, a general that seemed flat. I know, from a recent video, the character keeps himself distant from others around him but there wasn’t much to his character to follow. He’s just this dark figure that finds his balance in the girl. Now, I’m guessing the setting is somewhere between Russian or Romanian origins with no clear year and that was fine because at least it didn’t focus on modern Los Angeles or New York but I found it confusing to understand the magical characters and how or where their powers came from. That was one of my many questions, as well as wondering how the “Fold” came to be?
I got to episode 4, maybe 5, before I just could not watch anymore because one scene focused on said protagonist at an unnecessary “show and tell” party to 2 gay men fvkcing around in the stables which was completely unimportant to the story! It made me nauseous because why does everything on TV have to accommodate that lifestyle? It’s unnecessary. The story anyways, if I can even call it that, was a jumbled mess with too much overwhelming nonsense and female jealousy. Not to mention the Assassin’s Creed Syndicate copycats with Jesper Fahey (Kit Young) and Inej Ghafa (Amita Suman) for that’s what their characters felt like to me. You know, she sneaks off while Jesper wears the long coat and top hat, see what I’m saying? Well, it doesn’t matter because their story too, with this gangster Kaz Bekker (Freddy Carter) didn’t make sense to me at all, I’m sorry. Gansters, smugglers, Madams, nah I wasn’t feeling it.
I haven’t read the book(s), because I don’t have time to read being a YA/Fantasy author myself, but I don’t care to read the book(s) if it’s anything like this series. I congratulate the cast and author but this wasn’t a winner for me and I don’t know what’s up with Netflix but their fantasy series just aren’t making it on my favorites list. No matter the cast or actor, I’m just not feeling any of this.
In the end, I have to rate “Shadow and Bone” 3 ⭐⭐⭐ at best!
Sorry, Ben B but you’re too talented for this!
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