Want a recipe for a good superhero series? Take a little-known comic, add humor to it and make it shoot all this person who is not afraid to exceed the age rating.
In fact, the theme of the back side of any superhero corporation has long been in the air and the appearance of such a series was only a matter of time. The intrigue was only about the quality of the final product.
Here the boys lived up to my expectations. Strictly speaking, I am a person who watches very few TV shows and does not follow the novelties at all. Despite this, every new season 'Boys' I look forward to it with great eagerness.
Let’s take a look at the good parts of the series.
1) The main advantage of the series is the presence of huge me... well, or something like that. ' Boys' do not hesitate to be cruel. Strictly speaking, they are the complete antipode of Marvel and DC movies. Where heroism is shown in the Avengers, civilian casualties are shown here.
2) It is hard to say that the series is realistic. Rather, he looks at the superheroes from a more realistic model of modern capitalism, where everything is a huge manipulation of business structures. It is thanks to this series was close to the mass audience.
(3) As I said, humor in this series is one of its undeniable advantages.
(4) Charismatic characters. Here they are not inferior to each other in the level of charisma and elaboration. Separately hyperbolized character traits of each character emphasizes the main character, which, at first glance, seems ordinary.
The main thing is that the series was not delayed at the end. In this case, all the charm of the first seasons will disappear just as it was with many other projects.
Which I didn't like.
Some storylines look stretched. In some places, the storylines develop very slowly, although this is not the biggest drawback, but it is a little stressful when you watch the series as new episodes come out, rather than after all episodes come out at once.
How are we used to seeing the vast majority of superhero movies? The guys from DC usually appear before us with the most serious expression on their faces, dress in bright costumes and go out to save the world / city / girl / their mind from the next attackers. The Marvel guys are funnier, but their jokes are at best reminiscent of a teenager who decided to have fun at recess (and Spider-Man is at least honest here). Of the similar 'Boys' you can remember only 'Dumps' but if you consider the plot and budget, they are somewhat in a different category, so that among the cinema this series is almost unique phenomenon.
Annie since childhood dreamed of joining 'Seven' - an elite squad of superheroes, which includes the most successful and famous superhumans. It is not easy to do this: you need not only to have outstanding superpowers, but also to be able to speak on camera, have a model appearance and be able to lead crowds of fans. Of course, about the underside of this business 'Star' (hero name Annie) knew nothing, and plunged headlong into this pool she had almost immediately after the appointment in 'Seven'. It’s amazing that she was able to survive.
Huey is an ordinary guy who works as a salesman in an electronics store. He has a rather boring life: he likes to watch movies with his father (Simon Pegg), spends evenings with his girlfriend and only dreams of moving out. But in a moment, everything changes. Now he has only one goal - revenge on the supers, who always get away with everything.
'Boys' is the unofficial name of a small detachment, which includes several specialists and... more recently Huey, which turns out to be more useful than originally expected. All fighters are very charismatic, there are no grey characters here. In the first episodes, it consists of only 4 people: almost immediately recruited Huey, a Frenchman, skillfully versed in various substances (explosive, narcotic) and perfectly manages most types of barrels, responsible for planning an experienced operative Marvin and the leader of the Butcher squad. The latter is almost alone able to cope with most superheroes, without having any superpowers. Later they will be joined by other members who will take a significant role in this squad.
Opposite ' Boys' not only 'Seven' but the whole corporation ' Voight' which sponsors all brands produced by superheroes. Each of the 'Seven' is also interesting in its own way. However, they can not be called the concentration of evil, although the most suitable for this role are the verbose Black Noir and the most famous superhero - Homelander. The rest are here for different reasons: money, fear of the tyrant Homelander or in search of fame. However, most of them will fight for their title or purse, and they simply do not care about the lives of ordinary people.
'Boys' - a great parody of super-pathetic superheroic. Here, the viewer is clearly shown that Superman can be a dissatisfied egocentric with a megalomaniac, and his entire environment - his puppets. A very evil, topical, sometimes homerically funny, sometimes sad work that every fan of DC, Marvel or just superheroes as such must watch.
At first, a lot of positivity - cheerful, with humor in black, but used dosed and appropriate. After spraying the girlfriend of the main character, the viewer winks, promising an unusual look at the annoying sweet images of super-capable “saviors” of the world.
When getting acquainted with the first season, I was lucky with the translation, the pseudonym of the leader Patriot is the very same. And the dubious Homelander in other translations is some kind of nonsense, and not the main villain in the superhero fantasy.
If you beat the robot-translator, we learn about the variants of the name Homelander. Perhaps the most suitable pseudonym would be Earth.
After all, publicly, this leader of the super-seven is just that: as his own in the board, a countryman for all, for each savior and model, a fountain of virtue and a beacon of karma. . .
The finale caused more grief than joy: brazen advertising climbed, and the translation became boring. However, these are all technical details, and most importantly in the series, say, not tricks and criminal episodes, but the meaning.
For almost a century, humanity swallows tales of fabulous saviors of the world. There are aliens like Superman, and lovers of technical achievements in the form of bats or owners of a stylish iron exoskeleton, and unique heroes who arose during experiments to improve human nature.
Intrigue: Vought International is a villain. The “cure” for ills turns out to be a source of ills, from which an even more powerful “cure” is needed.
Penetration into the world of "soups" opens the inside out, and it turns out to be much worse than the front - the front side. Inside the “magnificent seven” of supers, it turns out, there is competition, intrigue, provocation and a lot of things that in any case can not be shown to the public.
And the whole story begins in the form of an accident, a side effect of the use of superpowers.
In the first season, a lot about morality, ethics, about the state of society, which can be fooled by the media, as if citizens are not full-fledged intellectually developed people, but some plastic pups with cotton wool instead of a brain.
Judging by the finale of the last season, the continuation will follow, only this is not an American, but a planetary level.
The viewer can admire and look at the problems of terrorism, including specially organized for successful public “overcoming”.
As in the fight against the global spread of infections that can annoy epidemics and even pandemics, it is important for the successful sale of medicines that sales depend little on spontaneity of demand.
The scenario brings super-profits if billions are paid from the budget, and the decision on the use of a life-saving tool is made by the government, additionally touting its diligence in protecting public health. In this case, “rescue” becomes a commodity with a guaranteed payment.
Does that ring a bell? Is there anything wrong with coronavirus?
As a result, fans of criminal militants get the spectacle in the form of the adventures of the special team “Boys”, investigating the atrocities of superheroes (soups), the profanity of corporations and a bonus in the form of work of special services in outsourcing.
Connoisseurs of comic book superheroes get assortments of superheroes. And lovers of black humor, satire, parodies and sarcasm get everything they love in large quantities.
So all seasons of the series can already be assessed as luck? Alas, there is a distinct feeling that from the second season there are already problems with a sense of proportion, and the parody aspect pales.
If you watch not one series, but packs or just everything in a row, then by the end you feel not an intriguing cheat, but something absurd, absorbing the delights caused by the first series.
I would like to see the end of the story, shot no worse than the first eight episodes.
7 out of 10
In the superhero genre, filmmakers have tried a lot over the past ten years. Atypical genres were mastered, very atypical characters became the heroes of the stories, finally superheroes build their movie and TV universes, shoot in multimillion-dollar crossovers - it is impossible to list everything. However, the more a product is created in this genre, the less fuse remains, the less resources for inventing something new. Less and less viewers are pleased with something really unusual and memorable.
Well, once a year, the stick shoots. So far, the superhero does not want to sink - it is still floundering, sometimes remains afloat, and sometimes it tends to rise!
So, the series 'Boys'. There is only one season now.
The series takes place in a world where superheroes not only save the world, but also act in films, are public figures, toys with their faces are sold in any store, they have their own PR agencies, their interests are protected by law firms. In short, superheroes are a business that generates billions of dollars in profits. Those superheroes who are also world superstars, as a rule, are narcissistic, selfish scoundrels who consider themselves the navels of the Earth. Some of these are dangerous. To rein in the most restless and obnoxious superheroes, the CIA creates a secret squad that does not disdain dirty methods under the code name ' Boys'...
The series is based on the comic book by Garth Ennis. I have not read the original source, so I cannot say anything about it. But about the comics about 'Boys' admittedly famous for black humor and ridicule of the entire superhero genre. Yes, by the way, he, like the film adaptation, has an R rating - brought blood, mate and intimacy.
Now to the point.
I love movies/series/books/games with an unusual setting! 'Boys' first of all - this is an unusual setting. I am also very pleased with the fact that this fictional world is also well thought out. Imagine if there were real superheroes, what would happen in the first place? They would certainly try to make money for anyone who is not lazy. Imagine Superman advertising 'Coca-Cola' - for 'Boys' it's commonplace. Corporations overbuy ' supers' as football players, they write speeches, their rating is regularly measured. 'Boys' fully reflects the concept 'Superheroes - brand' while doing it very gracefully.
The whole action is built on the confrontation of the most famous team of superheroes - 'Seven' - and, in fact, the detachment 'Boys'. In fact, there is nothing like that in the scenario - a conflict of interest, a conspiracy of corporations for profit, there are quite recognizable clichés. But the action is very cheerful, dynamic, and not stupid. The plot does not lose heat for a second - you will not be bored. Logic and cause-and-effect are remembered here, and many uneven moments are even explained so that there are no questions. Heroes act in accordance with their characters, many go through a certain path of development. There are roughnesses, but they are insignificant. In short, the details are very familiar, but they are glued together properly.
It is also worth mentioning the format of the series. In the first season, only 8 episodes are 1 hour long each. I think so! Not much at all, but enough to make the story seem complete (the finale was accompanied by a powerful ' here's a turn' but still a certain point is set).
Heroes in 'Boys' a lot and about each you can say something different. Everyone gets their own, albeit small, but storyline, where one or another hero manages to open up. This applies to 'Seven' and 'Boys' and even the characters of the third plan - I have not seen this for a long time. Screenwriters manage to tell something about a particular hero literally in one clearly spelled phrase or action. But these are general words, I would like to highlight a few separate paragraphs.
Summary
Many people say that the superhero will soon bend, as it was with Westerns. While there is 'Boys' and projects like this series will not happen. A strong, bold, original story with beautiful characters and a clearly defined setting.
I recommend watching if you normally treat projects with a rating of 'R'. 10 out of 10
We have one of the perfect series, it suits almost everyone, regardless of the love of superheroes, comics and everything related. This series is primarily about people.
From the first minutes of Episode 1 it becomes clear that the series will be tough with black humor and hatred for everything. The plot as a whole is more recent, analogues are difficult to find in terms of superheroics.
At first, everything seems to be as usual, there are 2 groups, some bad, some good, and then the whole conflict. But that’s not the case, throughout the seasons it’s perfectly shown how good and bad the same person can be in different situations and in different eyes.
Everyone is so frostbitten that you don't even have much sympathy for anyone. The whole plot and characters demonstrate Newton's 3rd Law 'There is always equal and opposite opposition to action' that's the perfect balance, according to such laws this series lives.
The characters are excellent, played at the highest level, plus their characters are well written. The actors do everything perfectly, believe every action. The picture is also great, the effects do not cut the eyes, the sound is to match it.
Each episode flies unnoticed and always ends up so that you want to watch the next, these are not the series where there is a continuous debate about how to save the world or while one is waiting for the rest, no passing episode (although in the 2nd season everything is not so smooth of course, but it is rather due to the too high bar set by the 1st season). This is not an endless series in the style of The Flash, Arrow, Daredevil and other series about superheroes who go somewhere from series to series and save someone.
Do you want to look at the problems of modern society, as well as see how marketing really should work, while being in the thick of exciting events? Start watching the kids!
Echoes of “The Boys” appeared in May 2019, and three months later – at the end of July of the same year, a pilot series of the series itself was released. This echo for myself consider the film “Burn, burn clearly”, in which the creators decided to fantasize on the theme “What if Kryptonian would become evil?” In superhero movies, this happens all the time, in comics there are entire alternative universes where completely different events occur, and some characters are not those who are in other universes.
I am not a big fan of comics (well, I just don’t pack bookshelves with stacks of prints and don’t collect characters), but I try to watch all the outgoing movies. Therefore, I can evaluate this or that cinematically only from the point of view of my own feelings based on my own experience of watching.
So, bad Spider-Man or fat Batman were before, but in "Burn, burn clearly" there was a really angry young Superman, looking at whom you understand that he will not be good.
The situation in "Boys" is similar.
Superheroes have become full-fledged members of society (there are no stories like the one developed in X-Men), and the coolest of them work for Vought International. They are real stars, appear in advertising and movies, perform at festivals, but do not forget to save people. It is true that in the process of salvation someone dies and then it is called a kind of collateral damage. Everyone's a superhero fan. All except Billy Butcher (Carl Urban), nicknamed "The Butcher." He intends to bring them to clean water and for this he assembles a team of “Boys”.
About the series
The Boys, like other superhero universes, have similar characters. The same Superman or Flash are represented here as Patriot and Express. In the Storm Front from the second season, it is easy to guess the Storm from the X-Men, in Kimiko Miyashiro - Rossomaha, and in the Abyss - Aquaman. Only in "Boys", also shot on comics, you can consider the notes of bullying (well, or trolling - as you see fit). The world that is presented on the screen is mired in the outright idiocy of the human society of consumers who do not notice anything beyond their noses. While superheroes (not all, but many) - bathe in glory, time after time not squeezing, but on the contrary - inflaming their own ego. Most of all in this regard, of course, the Patriot succeeds, but his associates are no better.
Consumerism in the Boys universe is thriving. There is no significant emphasis on this, as in the same “Fight Club” or “The Others Among Us”, but the creators hint at the era of consumption delicately, here and there adding touches inherent in it. Basically, this is reflected in the monopolization of various spheres – when one corporation globally covers various spheres of life, dictates its terms to citizens and imposes on them an uncontested opinion.
Aspiring to become an anti-superhero series, "Boys" "knocks out" the familiar world of people with superpowers, turning out to be an extremely cruel and bloody series in which the characters are deprived of compassion for ordinary people, looking at them figuratively, and really down on them. Here, by the way, you can probably draw parallels with the ideas of fascism, in which only one race should dominate, while the rest are subhumans.
The actors involved in the series are either a character, then almost one hundred percent hit the bull’s-eye, especially Butcher performed by Carl Urban and Patriot, played by Anthony Starr. Jack Quaid (Huey) and Erin Moriarty (Starline) also look cool in their images.
The storyline of the series develops from place to place, without any deep backstory. Momentarily, the viewer learns about Patriot and Queen Maeve, why the Express is so fast, why Butcher hunts supers. Gradually, these and other stories are overgrown with details. It is no coincidence that not only the third season has been announced, but also the spin-off of the series, where each of the stories (but not all, of course) will be painted in more detail.
It should be noted that the “Boys” were attracted to those who previously had experience in superhero movies. First of all, it concerns Sean Ashmore, who played the role of the Lanternman - a man who can control fire, but in "X-Men" he played Iceberg. The creators kind of bred his characters on different sides of the temperature range. Karen Fukuhara, who played Kimiko Miyashiro, has a reference to the same “X-Men” in terms of similarity with Wolsomakha in its features, as well as the fact that she is a native of Asia, while Hugh Jackman’s hero in a separate part of “Wolsomakha” just lived in Japan (but this is only my guess).
The line of soundtracks in the series is selected so that any viewer could confirm the idea that the screen really “Boys”. And the point is not even in those heavy places, sometimes not very compositions, but in the fact that even such seemingly impenetrable Brutals as Butcher are able to listen to the Spice Girls, indulging their soul mates. I think that here the creators made on this element the emphasis is not accidental, because many men, regardless of the country of residence do not – no and listen to some romantic song. Well, if a woman appears in their lives, then, of course, the number of such compositions will only grow.
Of course, its concept, served under a different sauce story about superheroes, "Boys" deserved to continue in the form of a third season. Which will have to wait. . .
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
The plot of the series is quite simple, but not to say that it is banal. Heroes are real. However, they are not as we imagine them (this is a rather template version of the Avengers from Deadwell). No, it's different. Superheroes in the series are more like superheroes from the movie Guardians, only even tougher and cooler.
The template is broken, but oddly enough, the rest of the series Guys is quite template. Here and one of the main characters is a nerd and a man who, together with the viewer, learns about the world of supers. Here is a huge corporation that has its own secrets and problems. Here and the usual romantic relationship, and doubled or even tripled due to the number of couples in the series. And of course, each couple has problems between partners and they constantly solve them. In general, it is quite common and boring. True, in contrast to this boredom, there are obviously bombardment and such cool scenes with muzzle, bloody violence. The bar of the latter, by the way, is raised so high that probably only Kill Bill by Tarantino can compete with this series.
Visually everything is quite normal. The graphics do not catch your eye, there is not much of it. Beautiful views and panoramas in the series are also few. But the boys don't need it, they can handle it without it. The plot twists, death of heroes, action all this makes the absence of a beautiful picture an admission, not a minus of the series.
Should I watch this series? To the average viewer, I would say no. But if you like superheroes, then an alternative view of things will be as useful as possible.
The P.S. season ended pretty well. The authors completed all the storylines from the first season. Also left a few clues for the future, but the story is finished and you can not look further. This is undoubtedly a tribute to the audience. Writers from 2020 are too fond of spitting in the face of fans (which is worth Season 3 of Sexual Education or Season 1 of Brave New World). Everything looked wrong there, to say the least, and for the most part, they simply deceived everyone by finishing the seasons on a note so high that it is not worth raising so high in the series.
Honestly, I’m so tired of the whole movie/serial culture spinning around superheroes, metahumans, and all sorts of shaluponies. But this series really deserves respect. Not only are the typical cultural pens of modern society sucked in here, but all the obscenities in which the pseudo-intellectuals of our century have fallen are revealed. Plus, the main leitmotif of this creation revolves not around superpowers as such, but concerns the eternal, inevitable and basic human vice - loneliness. Here you have the roots of all problems, and the human desire to overcome the weight of this burden in the most stupid ways, and the audacity with which everyone believes in the unshakability of his needs. In addition, the creators did not forget about normal people who still believe in the remnants of truly human values.
Maybe the series at first glance and seems to be a cheerful cracker, but this is a truly worthy work squeezing out all the abscesses of our world, society, culture and the very concept of “man”.
It doesn’t even look like superhero movies. Not even the keepers. It's more like a mac cream worm, just a light version, without that drama. In the end, perhaps the most realistic film / series about superheroes. Not perfect, but what is better?
- People agree with my ideas. They just don't like the word "Nazi."
A year ago, the postmodern serial comic book adaptation of “Boys” became a real cunning streaming service Amazon Prime Video. The creators with hooligan ulukaniya and black humorous enthusiasm walked through the super popular on film and TV superhero case. Despite the excessive bloodiness, blackness and extreme absurdism, the series fell to the liking of a wide audience and acted as a vivid and visualization of all those problems and clumsiness of high-budget superheroics that big studios have learned to skillfully mask the catchy CGI-tinsel, and the content consumer has been taught to consciously or not shamefully replace their claims with the convenient unassuming concept of “bread and circuses”.
In the second season, the showrunners just as easily and effortlessly rejected another Hollywood dogma - the sequel principle of "bigger, louder, larger" - preferring to act more deeply than broadly, but at the same time with masterful progressiveness expanding the boundaries of the "boy" universe. Without abandoning the corporate hypertrophied cruelty and narrative eccentricity, the authors only skillfully built such trigger moments into the narrative, for the most part shifting the emphasis from the initial event sura and banter to a galaxy of charismatic antagonists and protagonists, appealing to a much more ambiguous, frighteningly relevant and important issues. Character arches began to become more complex and overgrown with this event-scenario meat, making the functions of the first season from slightly stilted and painted with greasy strokes into full-fledged and voluminous heroes of the second with their passions, mistakes, throws and the complexity of moral choice. Thanks to this, by the end of the story, you attach your whole soul to the boys and girls, as well as to Homelander, insanely charming in his negative charisma, in the brilliant performance of Anthony Starr. Undoubtedly, this anti-Superman with his excessively inflated ego multiplied by the boundless superhero libido will enter the pantheon of the most popular villains in the history of TV.
And the range of themes and problems, still overlooked by the creators through the prism of sardonic faux pas and hyperbolized cruelty, is much wider and more diverse than all the creations of DC and Marvel combined. The veiled Nazi rhetoric of the serial world, generating some paranoid xenophobia, hysterical intolerance and being a melting pot of rabid terrorism, has long become a gloomy companion of the news agenda of the real world. In this, unfortunately, the authors of the adaptation start from our harsh reality, beating in some creepy paroxic convulsions. Screenwriters continue to mock the cult of personality, unscrupulousness and business nihilism of large corporations (which is ironic, given that “The Boys” is the brainchild of Amazon), the feminist and LGBTQ+ agenda, the modern blockbuster and marketing strategies, the madness of the consumer world order.
The main thing is that in the future, the “Boys” themselves do not turn into an object of ridicule, transforming into a multi-season conveyor, existing on fuel from spectator ratings. I hope the showrunners have enough eggs to dignified their creation and rein in their author's ego, unlike the distraught Homelander, bashing at peacefully sleeping fans.
I would like to start with what catches from the beginning of viewing, how exactly the directors got into the cast. It does not cause any complaints, it is pleasant to watch the actors from the screen.
The series tries very hard to be separate from the Marvel cliché. This is evident in the rating of the picture, the presence of profanity and bloody episodes with scenes of “dismemberment”. It is these factors that attract an adult viewer who is bored with ordinary films about superheroes, where according to the canon there are good, and there are evil, everything is not so clear here.
It raises issues of tolerance, so beloved in the West. Interestingly, in the first season, the authors are still afraid to introduce LGBT characters, but by the second season they understood the reaction of the viewer and already boldly use it. But the series isn't getting any worse. Such personality features at some point even help to better reveal the character on the screen.
First of all, I liked this series for the dialogues filled with various references and mat. Huge respect for the writers for the scripted story arcs with blackmail, conflicts and romantic lines.
But the suits aren't so smooth. Some outfits are poorly worked out, you feel hulturka with special effects, but this is leveled by rich dialogues.
The creators are now doing everything to shoot as many seasons as possible, twist the plot and directly hint at the continuation in the latest series. But I do not want this series to repeat the fate of other famous paintings.
Just watched the second season and write a review on the hot trail (that is, impressions). Of course spoilers are possible. But there are two types of people – those who read reviews before viewing and those who read after. Well, mine is meant for the second.
The ending of the second season was very logical, but so was everything in the series. Personally, I only noticed one moment (when Annie and Hugh just met on a bench in the park) that could not be explained otherwise than by the intervention of higher forces (that is, by the writers). Everything else is so logical and realistic that there is nowhere more real. 'Nowhere more real' could be the slogan of this film.
But back to the final. One would think that we suddenly slipped another happy ending, not without the signature humor of course, but still a happy ending. This is another story that puts everything in its place.
You can't beat the system. It can only be broken in a ruthless bloody way. Which is exactly what happened. But what do we know about revolutions? Revolutions are made by heroes, and scoundrels enjoy the fruits. This has happened again.
Control over superheroes has passed into the hands of new owners, more cunning and calculating. And the fact that they are joined by Hugh, who decided to fight evil & #39; in a more civilized way & #39; is another irony and cynical mockery. Villains simply become more civilized, but evil itself does not go away, it is invincible. This conclusion can be made both from the history of mankind and from this series.
Which does not negate the fact that you can get a lot of pleasure just by kicking off an evil bitch. Or watching it in the movies. Positive emotions are guaranteed.
Honestly, when I first heard about this series, I thought it was some kind of pop nonsense. But when I saw it myself, I was pleasantly surprised.
In October it happened that I fell ill for 2 weeks. That’s what helped me start watching this series. Watched it in a volley. I watched two seasons without noticing. It looks so easy.
I don’t know what will happen in the third season, but at the end of the second season you can stop and not watch. After all, almost all of my questions fell away. The end of the second season gave a rather concise ending, which may well suit many.
In general, the series and really was quite 'pop' Especially when you are already cold from watching and remember everything that happens.
While watching, you get the feeling that you are not watching another Marvel epic, but something more serious. But now a little cooler I can say that this is not quite so.
Just the role of the Iron Man, the captain of America, etc., is played by ordinary people. But in the role of villains on the contrary are just super people. The main differences from Marvel soap operas are (18+) blood, intestines and mate. Personally, I'm not against it. Even more likely 'za'
The presentation of the plot is very similar to Disney. Details are not given much attention. Realism isn't enough either. What is the realism of the superhuman series? What am I talking about?
Oh, yes, there is another difference from Disney slag. This is ' sharp turns '. The plot of the boys does not sew gold threads, but at the same time I was sometimes carried on turns. Writers are not afraid to do something unexpected. Kill someone when you don't expect it or turn things upside down. This is also one of 'chips' a series that bribes me very much.
I also like the characters very much. Each of them has its own problems and bad habits. Someone is obsessed with cleanliness, someone is a drug addict, someone is a mama’s son, etc., etc.
This is another plus in karma creators.
To summarize, the series is really good. It’s a must watch, even if you don’t like superheroes. This is a series about anti-heroes. They just had to come into this world. Why? Yes, because the heroes ahno#li and someone has to put them in their place.
Immediately note the bomber cast. I don't know about you, but I believed everyone. I believed more than I believed in my moments of conviction that I needed elastic laces from Aliexpress tomorrow. I believed every wrinkle, tear and hair on their talented faces, every mat, spoken from talented lips. Well, not enough to write a ballad about it.
In a nutshell about the content of the second season: this is a continuation of the first season.
Separately, I would like to note the satire on modern superhero films. So, for example, the creators of “Boys” criticized the fem scene from the film “Avengers-Final” and the episode “Now the girls will figure it out” nothing but a “parody” of it.
The series perfectly shows how the bright heroes of society, in fact, are the bad guys and how bad, by all sorts of patterns, guys are “behind the scenes” heroes.
I recommend it to everyone who is not afraid of blood, dismemberment, maternity and gills of a pervert. I recommend that you close your eyes and ears. In general, this is a head explosion in the literal and figurative sense.
The creators of the series are betting on the irony of superheroes, combined with the Tarantine exposition, when the black comedy turns into a blood bath. From the very first minute of the first season, the body parts of his beloved remain in the hands of the protagonist Hugh. It turns out that one of the superheroes turned her into confetti. Hugh is desperate, but what if he has a partner who gives him the right motivation and strength to take revenge?
The first season is a very coherent story of the collision of two worlds. One of them is superheroes who aren’t really that great. Each of them, except for superpowers, has the same number of skeletons in the closet. Many parents give their children in countless shows and competitions, so that one day their child will be on the pedestal of seven - the best representatives of superheroes. But what will have to go through those who, instead of a gingerbread house, will see a castle with stakes on the walls and boiling lava around the perimeter?
The creators of the series ' Boys' depart from the usual canon of confrontation between supervillains and superheroes. This is a real life in which corporations, investments, pharmacology and marketing rule the ball. Take any TV show about the path to success. We give the main stars special, almost limitless, opportunities and leave them to deal with the routine of internal conflicts. Therefore, when the characters are not strong in spirit, they appear on a pedestal, they create actions whose size is comparable to internal complexes. On the other hand, the most ordinary ordinary citizens, who do not have the power to fight in battle, but are engulfed in the flames of revenge. They are left to find a better way, such as trying to undermine the empire from within.
Having a strong motivation of all the actors and an excellent cast (most of which for their types and acting I want to immediately nominate for the Oscars) remains such a basis to dilute black humor and popular in special circles of blood fountains. Therefore, prepare that the characters will get out of the circles of hell, non-stop jokes and as soon as it turns out that the situation is resolved on the screen, different parts of the limbs will fly to the sides. If you have a sensitive nervous system, it is better to bypass the viewing side, because severed hands and feet will appear at the moment when it is not expected.
In the first season there is one main story that will move the series. Therefore, you can immediately highlight several main characters whose screen time will reach impressive timekeeping. The second season is very different in structure. The overall story and tasks do not change, but each series has its own main line. For example, if the series raises family issues, then almost all the characters in it will be guided through the attitude to this topic. The purpose of this approach is to pay attention to each of the participants and show his attitude to what is happening. The result is a horizontal division of the story, in which screen time is enough for everyone to the fullest. In addition, the pure-blooded adventure with the help of this separation turned into a drama.
If in the first season there was a linear narrative and had to keep the whole story when watching, then in the second season you can safely watch parts, postponing breaks for several days, since the story will not be worse. She just changed her pitch, which greatly affected the dynamics of the narrative. This is the pure preference of the viewer. In my opinion, there are enough TV shows that discuss social problems, but there are very few good linear stories. Therefore, slowing down, the series lost a certain amount of madness, which was its important component.
The series 'Boys' it's a great adventure to immerse yourself in. It has well-designed characters with understandable motivation and great acting, a beautiful black satire on modern society, politics and priorities. The violence in the series creates an atmosphere of seriousness and highlights how high the stakes are. Let the second season turned into a collection of social dramas, instead of a strong linear story, but the writers try to meet the stated bar of quality and at the same time keep on the wave of social trends.
In 2006, the comic book series “Boys” was created by Northern Irish writer Garrett Ennis in collaboration with artist Dave Roberts. The comic was very popular, but eventually the series was closed in 2012. Ennis’ brainchild tells the story of a world in which superheroes have a huge weight in society and often use their powers for dark purposes. And in contrast to them, the CIA creates a group of volunteers without superpowers called “Boys”.
The film adaptation did not take long to wait. In 2019, AMAZON released a series of the same name based on the comic book. And, if Zack Sneider’s Guardians, with its unconventional approach to superheroics, came out too early for the mass audience because superhero movies were just beginning to fill the film market, and a look from a different angle was not needed, then Boys came out exactly when they were needed. Cinemas and TV were filled with similar films from Marvel and DC, which are already frankly boring to the average viewer. Therefore, the series with the slogan “Fucking superheroes” was, by the way, more than ever. It was great!
Now for a little bit of everything.
1. SOURCE
The creators of the series gathered under one roof the writers of “Preacher”, “Supernatural” and crazy “Happy”, which probably influenced the madness of the ornate plot of the series.
The authors chose the perfect tone of the narrative: a black (sometimes even black) comedy with non-trivial fantastic action and sharp, but incredibly pleasant transitions into the dramatic canvas. The series is replete with characters and side storylines that intertwine into a crazy on-screen picture.
However, it should be noted that the series can hardly be called stupid or superficial: under the madness and thrash hides a powerful social agenda, which, coupled with a non-standard plot and a great idea, gives an interesting and multi-layered plot.
2. Actor's Game
In fact, there are two opposing groups in the series: “supers” – overzealous and revelling in their power and power superheroes, and, in fact, the “boys” themselves – a group of mercenaries hunting for unwanted superheroes. Almost all the characters are written subtly and unfolded, it is interesting to observe them, all have different and rather bright characters.
Perhaps it is worth highlighting Anthony Starr (Banshee), who plays the main antagonist of the series (this Superman from a parallel universe). The actor gives a strong game, instilling hatred, disgust, and sometimes pity in his character. His character is probably the most elaborate and powerful.
Carl Urban (Star Trek) is the second character to be named
I feel like watching. He is mad and in a good evil way turned the main characters. Urban fits perfectly into this role and demonstrates a pleasant acting.
3. VISUAL
The series does not have the pompous philosophical sullenity of Zack Sneider’s Guardians, everything from character descriptions to deaths is served with black humor so that the viewer does not immediately understand to sad him or laugh. The picture is bright, colorful and hyperbolized, which is what a superhero series should be. There is a lot that looks unrealistic and too pompous, but “Boys” is good, because the film is more like a satirical reflection of reality than reality itself.
The bright pleasant picture is supported by good special effects, which are also inherent in superhero films. Perhaps, if not for the plot and liters of blood on the screen, the series could be confused with some Marvel brainchild.
“Boys” is a successful series that destroys the superhero theme and can eventually become truly cult. Of course, the series will not appeal to everyone, but among fans of the genre, for sure, will receive legendary status.
Summary: a series on which you can spend a whole day of coronavirus weekend, armed with hot tea and a box of pizza.
9 out of 10
I watched the first season of 'Boys' and to be honest, I was extremely disappointed.
The deconstruction of the genre is as banal as possible. There are no interesting battles of people with superpowers or battles with people with superpowers.
The creators seem to be mocking the idea that managers and marketers are behind the image of all these superheroes. But the tragedy is that they are behind this series. It’s completely undisguised.
'We need maximum audience coverage to maximize profits' - OK! All conflicts will be chewed right in the most indisputable way, and even several times filed, so that even the most stupid degenerate understand that this is the character ' bad', and this ' good'. And the motivating crumbs behind these characters, too. The depth here is completely absent - it is too difficult.
'We need to lick modern fashion screamers' - OK! Characters in our country, instead of human speech, will sometimes issue tweeting slogans. And it doesn't matter that no one in life says that - we have a agenda here. Even though the topic can be perfectly disclosed and not slide into slogans.
'But we're kind of mowing adult movies here, I should add, well, adult content' - OK! Let’s add once in a couple of episodes one or two toothless type-18+ scenes, where there is kind of blood, but without frank hardness – we do not need to scare the audience away.
'But adult content isn’t just about gritty, it’s about raising serious, complex topics'—okay! Lift, lift. But we won't reveal anything. Just said – the widest possible audience. Degenerates will not understand this.
'But at least the dialogue and conflict of the characters...' - no! We do everything according to the method and it does not matter that the audience saw their breakthrough once in other films / series. Degenerates need to repeat everything several times.
And here we will have a number of assumptions and plot holes a la & #39; fighters of the 90s & #39; but unlike them, we will file all this on a serious scale! And in general, we do everything extremely superficially, that characters, that the world, that the disclosure of conflicts, we need the maximum reach of the audience.
And so is the whole series.
Surface, template, banality and toothlessness are the words that perfectly characterize it. For eight hours, the creators were not able to squeeze out even a template finished plot - you need to rivet season after season, until everything finally merges in order to milk more profit. But it could be accepted if it were really so complicated. But there is not enough depth even for one season! I had to just force myself to inspect the final series in the vain hope that everything there will suddenly turn into something really cool, because a friend directly strongly recommended.
The same Deadpool and Harley Quinn (the first season of the animated series), despite the fact that they act in a similar genre of deconstruction of superhero films is simply unimaginably higher than this series.
Coronavirus realities and a seriously developing serial industry have seriously changed the rules of the game in cinema. It is on streaming platforms and their TV channels that the most risky, but at the same time high-profile projects turn into hits come out. ' Boys', based far from the most popular comic book, unexpectedly turned into a real blockbuster, the release of which was expected, probably, all fans of the genre.
The first season introduced the viewer to this crazy universe, where superheroes are more media personalities than sincere fighters against crime. Along with their battered parody pathos images, there is an excessive cruelty of scumbags who believe in their exceptionalism, a thriving corruption of civil servants and private companies trading ' weapons of mass destruction' in the face of a pile of super-soldiers dressed in motley costumes, as well as special services, which are trying to prevent ' superheroes' enter the arms market and oust the Ministry of Defense. A lot of politics, a lot of money, a lot of lies and cruelty - the creators continue to paint the world that Alan Moore hinted at in his "Guardians" & #39; but here they go beyond the master, bringing this story to a parody-comedic absurdity.
Superheroes are nothing but rejection, the Boys are empathy. Inserts with stupid commercials and shots of stupid Hollywood blockbusters play on duplicitous images of fools in spandex and cape. Especially the cretinism of the supers is demonstrated by the vile, whiny and utterly narcissistic Homelander, still stalking Superman. The boys are increasingly revealing themselves, each in their own inner drama. And I no longer dare to praise all the members of the team and note that Carl Urban has finally found his main role - a business card (like Jack Sparrow in Depp, Tony Stark in Downey).
In the new season, Aya Cash especially distinguished herself as Stormfront - a new superheroine, bantering all the values of her colleagues, their inappropriate pathos and stupid images on the screen. Her image benefits both the hooligan behavior of the character and the sexuality of the pretty actress, which turns Stormfront into the most striking character of the series. And it was her hooliganism, coupled with sexuality, that turned the girl into an antagonist, whom you involuntarily begin to sympathize with, and watch her with enthusiasm. I really didn’t like the plot decisions regarding her character, because this is one of the best characters and a real star of the second season, but the more interesting what will happen next. The secondary image of Sean Ashmore, ironically playing a hero with pyrokinesis (in & #39; X-Men & #39; Singer he played the Iceman, who was in conflict with Piro, who just controlled the fire) also delivered, not only as another familiar, but also quite an interesting hero. And of course, dear Erin Moriarty, only heartless can not worry about her character.
The second season convincingly proved that the past success 'Boys' was not a mistake, surpassing the first.
8 out of 10
In the series titled 'Boys' most delivers the female action scene in the finale.
The Star-Striped Knight: The Revival of Legend. Review of the season 2
In July last year, when the viewer was already fed up with the same type of gum about the same characters in outfits of varying degrees of absurdity, they came out on the pedestal. Those who radically upended the classic paradigm of superheroes. They're called "Boys." Against the background of other representatives of the cinematic cuisine, Amazon demonstrated a very juicy and fried dish of textured characters and tense narrative under a kernel of hot sauce from satire on modern world industry, politics and various social institutions. Yes, from the point of view of artistic composition, this series is far from a brilliant breakthrough, but the relevance of its key content is more extreme than ever. 8 series, full of texture, uncompromising and a bunch of sources of aesthetic pleasure, won the audience, and at the same time left an intriguing seed for the next season. And if in the first season we were consistently introduced to the course through the Starlight Arch by superheroes (who are far from who they say they are) and through the Huey Arch on behalf of those who dared to groundlessly swing at the sanctity of supers, then the second already had the groundwork for intensifying confrontation between these two sides.
So, Billy, having learned the terrible truth, falls into a rage and lights up an even greater desire to take revenge on the arrogant fruit of the unconventional love of Superman and Captain America. However, as a result of the media strategy, he, Huey, MM, Frenchman and Kimiko become the most wanted criminals. Meanwhile, Starlight secretly collects dirt on Vought, and in the Seven comes replenishment in the form of superheroine Stormfront - very daring, wayward and zealously encroaching on the reputation of Homelander. And so all this string of narrative lines seems to be accompanied by an eventful plot, some new twists, but in fact, when watching the second season, you feel a noticeable subsidence. In some episodes, this most unloved filler is felt, especially the fifth one sinned. And that wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for one “but.” In the first season, there was no such swing, in each series there was some relevant action, which together made you watch the series in one breath. Here the narrative was overloaded with deviations from the main plot, some of which ultimately lead to nothing. In addition, although we were revealed a psychological portrait of the head of the corporation, Stan Edgar, but it so happened that he does not emit any threat. In particular, it is inexcusable, knowing that his role was performed by Giancarlo Esposito, who did not need to be introduced. I hope Gideon will not suffer the same fate in the second season of The Mandalorian.
However, to say that the second season was disappointing, in no case. A really interesting scenario solution was to endow the characters with new dramatic lines and shift the main emotional centers. If in the first season, as noted earlier, such were Huey and Starlight, then here the main rods hold Butcher and Homelander. Their images become even more ambiguous, and although they only made visual and verbal contact with each other twice, these two times were exactly what season 2 was worth waiting for, insofar as this was the heightening of the confrontation between them that the last episode of the first season shed light on. Homelander may have remained inhuman, but the events of the second season gave him a chance to find what he lacked in those days when he was an obedient dog Madeline, due to which the image acquires new facets. And then you should smoothly go to the newcomer to the game - Stormfront, it served as that catalyst in the development of the character of the hero Anthony Starr. Her chemistry with Homelander is spelled out perfectly, she attracts with her status as a “dark horse”, and dark not only because of the color of the suit. Of old acquaintances should be noted Queen Maeve. The whole first season, she was some appendage, here she received a clear dramatic conflict and was able to establish herself as a full-fledged character, and without biases towards feminist trends and even with abundant ridicule of them. "Girls decide" - it was certainly a godsend.
Butcher has significantly changed. Yes, he is still cold-blooded and still likes to resort to radical measures, but at the same time he was not deprived of the ability to show sincere feelings, periodically hiding them behind the mask of toxicity. His relationship with his wife looks very convincing and sometimes even touching.
As for the atmosphere, here the “Boys” was damaged due to an increase in the number of side branches, which did not benefit the dynamics, and therefore, there were fewer action scenes that attracted attention. Many of them were shown at all in promotional materials (for example, a chase on a lifeboat), but even taking this into account, it is possible to note among the action series such scenes that ingenuity will not be denied. Among them are numerous explosions of heads, and several very unexpected references to Infinity War, and the scene that broke the MM psyche. In terms of banter, the second season did not lag behind at all and still effectively throws caustic sharpness at some phenomena in the industry, especially film production. In light of recent events, the phrase “Joss Amendments” sounds even funnier. And just like in the first season, did not forget to bring a stunning soundtrack. This time the highlight of the program was the famous Billy Joel, his songs set some mise-en-scene cheerful rhythm, and someone may even cause nostalgia.
If you draw analogies, the first and second seasons of “Boys” are like the first and second “Saw”. The first film about a lover of crippling engineering who is on the verge of death was also a breakthrough in its genre spectacle, while its sequel, although it was quite a worthy continuation, failed to achieve such a high bar, characteristic of the original. Here we go. The first season was a deep breath of fresh air and had a certain effect of novelty, which the second, unfortunately, failed to inherit, and as a result, it does not improve, but only very competently complements the artistic dignity of its predecessor. However, this is not a reason to focus on those aspects in which the second season loses to the first, because even though the effect of novelty has disappeared, the second season has something to bribe. However, the intensity of the passions has reached such a high degree that now there is nothing left but to wait for the third season in the hope that it will return to the same degree of elevatedness as the first one.
Superhero reality has excited people in the past year, saturated, believable and thrashy. This is the world of the Boys. Suggestions and questions that couldn’t be asked to the superhero genre (only The Guardians gave answers more diligently) found embodiments in The Boys. The finale of the first season planted a good root of the deposit so that the new series had something to work on.
The creators expand the company of superheroes, showing the Stronghold no longer as an invincible super, but as a hero with his weaknesses and preferences. This is where the character starts. Even the most notorious scoundrel has a rod. The series builds a different position, not the heroes occupy the foreground, but corporations. Unpleasant elements last season, leakage of information and punitive measures led to the reorganization of the composition of the Seven, the change of management and personnel department.
It's getting cooler and funnier. The creators ridicule modern superhero blockbusters, demonstrate the power of fame and honor, put the key element of love and respect to show the “Achilles heel” of the entire Corporation. It’s nice to see the new team when everything is done for promo and popularity. To hush up all the punctures of the past, you have to go to tricks and competition.
The new character, Thunderstorm, stands out for his tone, behavior and motives. Without Jubilee and Shelma, she is certainly not so epic, but the woman is revealed gradually. The boys themselves are not having the best of times. Butcher learns the truth and changes his goals for the future, Hugh is even more pathetic than before, but can still take risks. More attention is paid to France, this is facilitated by flashbacks and hidden information. And also more communication between the Frenchman and Kimiko.
MM makes its contribution, and after the affairs of the Butcher tries to understand: what is good and what is bad.
The series became more corporate, political, commercial. It’s not the superstars who decide, but the bosses who run the companies. That Voight, that the Community, which has its own methods of promoting supers, play big cards in this world. An antagonist is also born gradually to show someone worse than they really are. A lot of attention is paid to how society affects supers. In addition to the delights, fans, fans for the viewer opens the reverse side of the medal.
The authors of the series ridicule the superhero templates, thereby showing how these or those scenes should actually look like. The logo of the sevens beats Batman v Superman, the final mix of the girls ridicules Avengers: Endgame, and most importantly, ordinary people with the same needs hide behind the masks of superheroes, and if they have the strength and ability to meet needs, then supers use this.
The dramatic link is the relationship of the Stronghold and his offspring. That's what the creators wanted. That’s what makes Anthony Starr a charismatic actor. Surprise, fear, bitterness and rage look brilliant. In stingy with Thunderstorm, this tandem perfectly shows superhero preoccupation and attraction to each other. Another mocked cliché is costumes – except for Star, all the other characters in their tight tight tights. It symbolizes the difference between views on abilities, between good and evil, between Boys and Supers.
The season revealed many characters, gave a heartfelt impulse to some people, ridiculed once again superhero clichés, and to epic and thrash added a good portion of drama. In addition, the surprise was the actor Giancarlo Esposito, whose appearance in the series can already be attributed to the spoiler. The funny role went to Sean Ashmore. In X-Men he controlled ice and in Boys he controlled fire. Also, the meeting in the frame of John Noble and Carl Urban will bring fans of the “Lord of the Rings” delight – Viceroy Denetor and Eomer Rohansky.
As a result, the sequel came out cool, more open from the inside. Conflicts behind the scenes are shown, and all types of characters are brought to humanity. Perhaps the promotional companies and the demonstration of super battles allocated little time, but “Boys” raised the topic of family and love, needs and cares.
I love this series for its inconsistency. Superheroes can be supervillains, and losers can save the world.
Summary of the first part. The guy works that way, but he's got a cool girlfriend, she's really awesome. And all would be fine, but she is killed by a superhero, committed by accident. The guy is angry, very angry, the guy wants revenge, and then, by chance, an FBI agent appears, who looks more like a bum, but is very cool and brutal. He offers the guy revenge, but this is a deal, and the brutal agent looks like a psycho.
Picture. The visual series is very similar to the Batman comics, dark and frightening. He is diluted with humor, sometimes black. Branded thrash in the style of Tarantino is attached.
Actors, they're all salt. Carl Urban. Then you can write nothing, in general, many have already lit up in other projects. For example, charismatic Jack Quaid (son of Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid). Someone is very fresh and not very young, but this is no less charismatic. Anthony Starr as the soup and villain deserves an Emmy nomination.
If you have a delicate mental organization, you do not like Tarantino and movies about superheroes. Black humor lovers like me will probably like it. Kimiko and the Frenchman are separate love. Looking forward to the third season!
8 out of 10
The series is about a world where everyone knows about superheroes. They are the main defenders and celebrities of the planet. Just one "but," these guys are rotten and they have something to hide.
Because of this, by the will of fate, a group of people is formed. Everyone has a reason to hate superheroes. And they start hunting them.
This is a brisk, bloody, cynical and extremely satirical series. Through the prism of superheroics, all sorts of vices and pressing problems of our society are revealed with humor and colloquialism. This is why "The Boys" are more relevant than ever.
In addition to a great set of action and skillful work with a limited budget, there are damn bright characters who will evolve and develop over the course of two seasons. Everyone gets a story arc and its logical conclusion.
The entire caste led by Carl Urban is a gift. Each of the characters evokes emotions and empathy to some degree. Screenwriters skillfully practice gray morality and ambiguity of actions and motivation. In this universe, anything can happen. The unpredictability and deconstruction of the very concept of “superhero” catches.
Everything is grounded within this universe of course. The series keeps the viewer in a constant tone, throwing new difficulties and tasks to the heroes. True, sometimes a bungled and infantile tone can be interrupted by overly sentimental and bombasticly dramatic moments.
Today ended the second season on the most striking note. There were 16 episodes in total. The series has been renewed for a third, and I highly recommend watching it.
Stronger and weaker. A review for the second season of The Boys.
The year 2020 and quarantine conditions significantly hit the world, including the world of film production, forcing film studios to suspend shooting and postpone the dates of their releases for almost 2 years. But at the same time, the audience has significantly increased the demand for movies and TV series, because there is practically nothing to occupy yourself in isolation. Here came the "Boys" on stage.
Released at the end of 2019, the adaptation of the comics by Garth Ennis and Daric Robertson instantly became an incredible hit, conquering not only comic book lovers, but also ordinary movie lovers or fans of series. But what do the boys owe to such success? Of course, its sparkling satire, incredible narrative dynamics, cruelty and incredibly charismatic characters. And so, on October 5, the final episode of season 2 was released and we decided to figure out whether the continuation could inherit or even multiply the merits of the predecessor, or, conversely, as it happens with series, began to pass after the first season.
And immediately answering the question: yes, the second season retained all the attributes inherent in it, and somewhere even multiplied them, stylistically it is still the same series, but, unfortunately, unlike the first season, it begins to manifest problems that are impossible to ignore.
The second season starts where the first one ended. From the point of view of the script and plot construction, he does not change himself and uses the same scheme of story arches, which he will gradually reveal. In the first season, these arches were enough, and none of them were completely closed. Here the creators make the first serious mistake. Instead of logically ending all the story branches introduced, they introduce a few new ones. On the one hand, you can understand this decision of the writers, because there are many characters in the series initially and they all need to be somehow involved, but the problem is that the use of these characters does not play into the hands of either the plot or the characters themselves. In some episodes, we can see a character who does not play a role in the main story thread, appears in the frame for literally a minute, without doing anything important at all. But he appeared in the series. It seems that the authors simply put a kind of tick, they say, we used it – the plan was fulfilled. But more disappointing is the finale of some story arches, which do not affect the plot in any way, but do not lead to anything.
And from this minus immediately follows the following: noticeably subsided dynamics. The first season looked literally in one breath, all eight episodes could be watched in one or two evenings and not even notice that it was over. This was due to the well-built structure of each series. It was felt that each scene, each dialogue stood in its place, one event flowed smoothly from another, because of which the viewer did not even have time to ask questions that could arise during the viewing. The second season lost that feeling. Yes, in some episodes you still feel that dynamic and drive, and in others it’s quite the opposite. While you wait for the denouement of the story set in the previous series, the new creators do not hesitate instead to give the development of a parallel story arc or add memories of the past of a character. All this wildly knocks the pace of the narrative, and by the end of the season you generally think that because of those very non-leading storylines, these retreats were not worth it at all.
But this, too, in general, can be forgiven, because still the series, albeit with subsidences, looks interesting. For the most part because of its peculiarity. Satire and problems. By the way, what about her?
And with this, the series, in general, all right. From a humorous point of view, the series even grew in many ways, as it decided to touch on much more relevant topics in Western society - equality, feminism, LGBT and discrimination. The makings of this could be seen in the first season, because there the series has already managed to ridicule the topic of harassment, and here decided to take higher and he, in part, succeeded. All the satirical subtext looks appropriate, sometimes funny, and most importantly – very relevant and believable. But there are some roughnesses, which can no longer be blamed on writers and directors, but rather the fault of society. The bottom line is that the series does not hesitate to ridicule pressing political and public topics, but does it very carefully, afraid to cross a certain line that the public itself drew. You can see that somewhere the creators want to go a little further, but can not, because someone may be offended and cause a scandal. It seems that if this series were released at least 10 years ago, the creators would have come off completely, but as a result we have what we have.
But there are advantages for any minus, and in the case of the “Boys”, this rule is no exception. What you can’t blame season two for is the characters and their charisma. Despite the fact that, as already mentioned, some were unlucky with the storylines, all the actors play excellently. In particular, I want to highlight Carl Urban, who, after many years of his career, finally found himself and played almost his best role as Billy Butcher, and, of course, to no one hitherto unknown Anthony Starr, who managed to appear in the series “Fargo”. Here he is just an incredible game, and, we can say, partially drags the series on himself. Not only is he lucky with the character, since Homelander is probably the most interesting and written character, so the actor himself puts so much energy and energy into this character that he definitely deserves both the Golden Globe and the road to the world of big cinema.
What can we say in the end? Did the second season get worse? Definitely, yes. Should we stop watching it? Definitely not. It’s still a very strong, stylish and bold project that’s fun to watch, just to see that the creators wanted to jump over their heads and fit a lot into 8 episodes. This was partly achieved, but unfortunately, something had to be sacrificed. But all these flaws are still not so significant, because the series remains true to its ideas and, unlike many other modern analogues, does not stand still and does not try to go very far to the side.
What a glorious time we live in. Time for deconstruction and satire. Sometimes I don’t want all this postmodernism to end.
Especially after watching the first season 'Boys' which was launched by Eric Kripke, author 'Supernatural'.
This is a very bold and daring show, which has already become a worldwide hit in the hour when many forgot about the original comic book. This is a tightly written story about desperate mere mortals who challenged superheroes who have long ceased to engage in saving people out of the kindness of heart and in the name of justice. Now superheroics is a global media industry owned by Vought, and its main goal is to include the super team The Seven (parody on ' Justice League') in the US Army.
Inevitable parallels of this show with the Guardians'. Both projects raise the same theme, they deconstruct the genre. But if the work of Alan Moore and his adaptation is a polysyllabic fundamental work, then ' Guys' is the best Hollywood blockbuster that is not afraid of anything.
The strong script, which always has room for great twists, is reinforced by instantly memorable characters, but especially by the cynical British Billy Butcher, whose every phrase you want to hear again. This is a broken and wrong person who believes in justice, capable of a completely idiotic motivational speech about the Spice Girls to bring together absolutely broken people.
'Boys' is a grandiose show, which can be called one of the best works, one way or another affecting the superhero theme. It's a graceful debunking of the Superman myth, filled with drive and rage.
Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and the X-Men have firmly entrenched in the public consciousness the notion that superheroes will always come to the rescue. And there was no doubt that in any critical situation, when, say, a train went downhill, or a meteorite fell to Earth, someone from the pantheon of DC, Marvel or other publishers would intervene and a terrible disaster would not happen. Such thoughts accompanied readers of comics for many decades, but over time, as the same Batman or Spider-Man began to receive more reincarnations, and the audience became more difficult to surprise, the authors of graphic novels began to talk more and more about how to diversify the story of superheroes to tell it completely unexpected motives that no one previously thought to represent on colorful printed pages. Timid artistic experiments like Iron Man’s problems with alcohol were later replaced by bolder finds in Deadpool, teetering on the verge of virtue and outright madness, but even the adventures of a chatty mercenary did not cross certain lines that could literally turn our idea of superheroes on its head. Sometimes to create something really unique, you need to reject all stereotypes and create something that does not fit into the framework, but at the same time able to hook the audience and show them that you should not be afraid of what was not before and need to look at the situation from different angles, because it may well be that Superman is not as valiant as we imagined him, and Batman is quite possible serious mental disorders. To such ideas at one time and came the famous author of comics Garth Ennis, who made a name for himself through successful cooperation with DC and Marvel. Having the opportunity to reveal the different facets of the characters beloved by millions of characters, Ennis studied in detail the rules of graphic novels, got acquainted with the evolution and development of comics since their first appearances, and as a result created his own art series of prints called Boys. And since the very first issue, the creation of Ennis, created in conjunction with Daric Robertson, has gained truly incredible popularity, because the canons are there to destroy them.
Literally turning inside out the mythology of the usual superheroes, the authors of “Boys”, or “Boys”, were not afraid to take radical measures in the presentation of their ambiguous characters. According to Ennis and Robertson, there are an incredible number of people with special abilities in the world of alternative reality. Instead of serving society and defending justice, however, they think first of themselves and are reluctant to act for the good of civilization and the voice of reason. And although the pages of the comics were a lot of blood, obscene swearing and extremely frank moments, they were planned to be filmed with a large production budget by such leading Hollywood players as Columbia and Paramount. However, the set of production problems and risks associated with the need to increase the rating of the audience restriction, led to the fact that the “Boys” were in the field of view of the paid video service Amazon, whose executives did not worry about what bothered the studios that produce films in wide distribution. The creators of the upcoming project could not limit themselves and develop the film adaptation in the area in which it was seen by the creators of the original comics. And such a generous trust given to the team of Eric Kripke, who picked up the “Boys” and prepared their adaptation, resulted in one of the most memorable series related to the theme of superheroes. Moreover, the dramatic and technical quality of the project was so impressive that many professional critics and viewers admitted that “Boys” from Amazon can compete even with full-fledged blockbusters shot for hundreds of millions of dollars.
The plot of “The Boys” tells us the story of a world that could well become an ideal place to live, but in reality everything is completely different. Super-heroes are not something outlandish for society, but behind the false smiles and virtue of the most powerful creatures on the planet lies a genuine selfishness, the desire to live for pleasure and bathe in the rays of glory, for which there is essentially no basis. And while one part of the public believes the rainbow advertising that superheroes are provided by the media, a group of people led by Billy Butcher (Carl Urban) decided at all costs to convey to others the true danger posed by those who are supposed to protect us. And although Butcher’s guys do not have special abilities, their actions bring results.
To properly transfer the original idea of Garth Ennis and Daric Robertson on film, Eric Kripka needed to respect the source, and at the same time to make certain semantic rearrangements, because what looks great in the magazine can turn into absurd on the screen. The original “Boys” were literally full of superheroes, they met literally everywhere and behaved openly defiant. Kripke knew that too much grotesque could turn his adaptation of The Boys into something absurd, so he had to iron out the level of tension to pay more attention to developing the characters of the leading characters and even show things that were not in the comics. Having the opportunity to work without undue haste and even consult with the authors of “Boys” on issues of interest to him, the creator of the series managed to transform the story in such a way that it was appreciated by both fans of the original and viewers who are just beginning to get acquainted with the Universe of “Boys”. At the same time, it is worth noting that where edits were completely unnecessary, Kripke transferred graphic scenes to the pavilions with amazing accuracy, thereby showing that he treats the available material with the most care.
Unlike the comic, the world of the on-screen Boys is very similar to ours, and this allows the creators of the series to establish a closer emotional contact with the audience. We clearly explain why superheroes should not be put on a pedestal and what will happen if you disagree with them. In their fight with the team of “Seven”, the guys of Billy Butcher do not disdain a variety of methods, but at the same time they try not to morally turn into those with whom they entered into confrontation. The abundance of heroes on both sides of the confrontation in no way piles up the story with unnecessary details, because Kripke competently distributed all the logical and dramatic nuances of the series, so that gradually each character found his allotted place in the narrative, and nothing stood out from the well-coordinated art picture.
And the fact that the “Boys” are not afraid to be a bold, sometimes rude and uncompromising series, only adds to his respect, because sometimes you need to throw off all that annoying tinsel of absurd political correctness and how to ride the rink as a world of superheroes and our far from ideal reality.
It is no secret that the last ten years in mass cinema are ruled by superheroes. Every year, several bright blockbusters break out on the screens, tearing the rental and hearts of fans. Moreover, noble uncles in tights answer any request: you want a classic of the genre from Marvel, and a slightly more serious movie from DC, and author’s statements like Guardians, The Dark Knight, Logan and Joker. The genre is gradually overflowing, and some directors are rethinking it. "Boys" is one of the best examples of pop culture deconstruction. A crazy cocktail, seasoned with black humor and personal drama in the spirit of Romeo and Juliet. A month later, the second season comes out, and we recall what surprised the first and what exactly you do not want to see in the sequel.
A plot for those who missed it. There are superheroes, and the consumption industry is built around them. Society goes mad and elevates idols to the absolute. In fact, superheroes are still assholes, mercantile, capricious and arrogant stars who have lost the boundaries of what is allowed. There's the "Boys" - a squad of fringes who don't digest the prefix "super." There is a struggle of ideologies, where between the lines read the opposition of the counterculture and the mainstream.
“Boys”, despite the theme, are served extremely rigidly and realistically. Matyuks and bloodshed flash every few minutes and always look appropriate. Heroes are not shy of radical methods, and sometimes even Deadpool will envy their ingenuity. The difference is that the absurdity on the screen in "Boys" doesn't turn it into a circus with horses. Quite the contrary, the dramaturgy is built so that the viewer does not have time to get bored. Flashbacks and love lines distract from the setup, but the punchline knocks off guaranteed. And that's exactly what "Boys" is about. A series of bright (comic) scenes is replaced one after another, constantly increasing the dynamics. If the "Guardians" mixed with the mentioned "Deadpool" would be this series.
The picture perfectly reveals the latest culture. Every place is filled with love (hatred) for superheroes. Toys, movies, TV shows, video games and merch – that’s what ordinary people care about. Superheroes are not the chosen ones, but artisans working under contract for a salary and a bonus. And no one canceled VHI. The industry is as commercialized as possible, and saving lives is not the ultimate goal. Much more important is reputation, number of likes and subscribers, as well as public opinion. I think you got the point? We add hilarious dialogues with constant references and get a wet sleep of any geek.
The mechanism works well, but the Boys have one big problem: polar characters. Yes, the confrontation between “heroes” and superheroes is intriguing, but there is a line between them, where on one side there are “noble knights” and on the other there are bad guys. In a series trying to rethink the modern phenomenon, this approach does not play a plus. Homelander is a complete scumbag, but against his background Butcher, who commits ambiguous acts, looks like a nice guy. The winners are Huey and Starlight, who are trying to calm down their campmates. You worry more about their relationship than yours. There are many more heroes in the series. Almost all are charismatic and attractive, but the conflicts between them could have worked more effectively. Even before the fight begins, the viewer roughly imagines what to expect from a particular character. The boys lack depth of character. The second season will only win if it turns out that someone from the characters hides skeletons in the closet.
In addition, the first season of “Boys” was created with the reserve for the continuation. Closer to the finale are the questions that will be revealed (hopefully) in season two. So far, we can only add a piece of the picture. Plus, it feels like the creators are catching up. Running and shooting is increasing, and the overall atmosphere is like the calm before the explosion. The approach is standard, but not always working. It is also worth mentioning the “royals in the bushes” that occupied the last series. Therefore, the general impression: “Boys” is bright, non-trivial, but still a comic book. From the second season you want a precise disclosure of characters, less twists for the sake of twists (hey, the final 3 minutes) and work with the environment (ideally). Well, you do not need to hammer the air with explosions and pee-pee, you are tired already.
The continuation of "Boys" has every chance of success. The main thing is not to reduce the degree of absurdity and not to hit the epic entirely. And if everything goes according to plan, the “Boys” will once again confirm the title of the most crazy series about superheroes.
8 out of 10
There are no real superheroes, and the Boys show us that.
I fell in love with this series from the first inappropriate laugh, then it turned out that there will be even more, and it’s cool!
So I saw a VC meme with this series, and I was really surprised that I didn't know about it before, because I'm a superhero fan, and I managed to miss this series. Of course, I immediately watched the first season, and I was delighted.
Perhaps you can say that the series is intended for a rather narrow audience, as it is very specific. I don’t know who I would recommend to watch it. I’m looking forward to the second season.
This series is very dark, but at the same time rusty. As I wrote at the beginning, many jokes are very inappropriate, but they work and make you laugh, and where in some other film / series I would not even smile, and here everything is so harmonious that even strange emotions seem natural.
The first season did not reveal all the characters, so I hope that in the second and third (and possibly the next) season will reveal everyone. Actually, I’m talking about The Deep and Black Noir, and the story of Butcher’s wife would love to hear.
Speaking of Butcher, oh, how I fell in love with him and Carl Urban (with his amazing accent!). I’ve known this actor for a long time and I’ve even seen it somewhere, but in this role he’s just something that was written for him and under him.
And also discovered the younger Quaid (yes, the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan), but he had half the series to look, but the role coped well, and the role, in fact, great. In general, all roles are good, but, alas, not all are noticeable as we would like.
Of course, I can’t help but mentioning superheroes. It's a very interesting viewing angle on them. We are used to seeing them as heroes who save the world (albeit sometimes half-destroy it, but still), and here everyone has their own cart of minuses, which often outweigh the pros, and some are even closer to supervillains, although ' officially ' they are not. Sometimes in the series it seemed that, well, somehow 'too much', all too gloomy, but it'too much' dilute the doubts of the characters and, of course, baby Starlight.
In conclusion, let me say a few words about the story. And, in my opinion, there is no narrowly focused plot here. Usually the characters have some enemy, which they somehow have to defeat by the end of the film, and here the enemies are not so pronounced, and there is no one to win here (if only the system as a whole), so the plot here is vague. First of all, in the series we are introduced to the world in which live 'Seven' and 'Boys' show its dirt and some gaps, well, and almost everyone has their own past, which guides the characters in one way or another. So the ending was quite unexpected, but not like a certain 'finish' after it could well go the next series, but no, we have to wait for another season.
And again, the series is cool, very cool, but only for the amateur. And this amateur should not be confused by the cruelty and some unpleasant moments, otherwise the series, of course, will not go.