'Look, we don't need politicians. We all have iPhone's and computers right? So any decision that need to be made, any policy we just put it on-line. Let the people vote, thumbs up, thumbs down. Majority wins. That's a democracy, that's and actual democracy!'
The Waldo Moment. The acting is consistently good, the story line excellent and the writing is good too. So why does it feel like such a let down and disappointment? Lets start by looking at the basics. An adults cartoon character is really popular and there is a by-election going on. Daniel Rigby plays a comedian named Jamie, but he isn't really a comedian. He says extremely rude but funny things and does so while being Waldo, the blue bear adult cartoon.
On one occasion while Liam Monroe (the conserative MP played by Tobias Menzies) is out trying to get votes a van pulls up next to him with Waldo on the screen who starts throwing his usual comedic abuse. After the first taunting, Waldo follows Monroe around the city centre trying to throw him off and make him look like a fool. After that, things change and Waldo is suddenly being thrown up for election. From here things slowly spiral out of control.
So much of this is good, and some things are pulled off excellently Daniel plays Jamie so well that it seems like he is just being himself. There are two points of his performance that he does exceptionally well. The first is when he is being told to reel in his language and what he is saying and he looks at his co-work and states it isn't him saying these things, but Waldo. To me this was a statement on how we behave in real life. How we are rude when we can get away with it, but when we are out in public and in groups we put on a fake smile and behave so we aren't shunned.
The other moment is when Jamie's past is being brought to the publics' attention. The script and acting go perfectly hand in hand at this point and I feel it is the single best scene in the whole film. The problem is, the rest of the film doesn't match this, and feels like it has lost its way, if only slightly.
The ending of The Waldo Moment is neither good nor bad. The basic idea is boring and predictable, but the last few seconds (mixed in with the credits) counter balance that to even it out.
This Black mirror looks into how people can easily jump on the band wagon when celebrities are involved and is nothing like the films before. There are a couple or dark moments, but they are nothing compared to the previous films. It is well written, directed and acted, however it is lacking that certain something that the other episodes have. Maybe it is because there is no ground breaking dark twists or turns or maybe it is because of how simple the idea is. Most Black mirrors look at the differences new technology could have on our lives, but this takes technology which is rather simple and bland.
This is a let down for Black Mirror, but it could also have been a lot worse.
The review for Black Mirror; Be Right Back (2.1) can be found here and the review for Black Mirror; White Bear can be found here.
Rating; 6.2/10
No comments:
Post a Comment