The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

Located near Cameroon’s coast lies a port under Nazi control on the island of Fernando Po (now known as Bioko). This port serves as the primary supply hub for Der Führer’s mid-Atlantic fleet of U-boats, which have been enforcing a blockade on Great Britain and preventing American aid from reaching the country.

With Britain on the cusp of collapse, Gus March-Phillips and his band of borderline psychopaths are secretly recruited by Winston Churchill to clandestinely attack the port and cripple their supply chain and, by extension, the Nazi U-Boat fleet.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Review

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an entertaining film filled with interesting characters played by actors who drip charisma, which is what largely holds the film together. Henry Cavill plays Gus March-Phillips and is arguably the most charming man alive. Certainly, he’s the most charming actor working in Hollywood today, and his effervescent enthusiasm can’t help but be contagious.

In every scene that he’s in, it’s plain that both he and his castmates are having a blast, and it’s this, more than anything, that will put a smile on your face even as they repeatedly and efficiently butcher Nazi after cabbage-eating Nazi.

Unfortunately, as much fun as the film’s action might be, its full potential is hampered by what often feels like the obligatory and almost rhythmic interruptions of a rather uninteresting subplot led by Eiza González’s Marjorie Stewart. Stewart, another of Churchill’s agents, is to be the honeypot that gains access to the Nazi garrison’s leader and, thereby, information vital to March-Phillips’ mission. However, she doesn’t learn anything from him that couldn’t have been gleaned from men of much lower rank and importance or even by rifling through an office drawer.

Moreover, despite his always chilling portrayal of an evil German, Til Schweiger‘s Heinrich Luhr is as generic and unnecessary a villain as they come. Stereotypically evil to the point of emotional irrelevancy, Luhr and his troops never truly give the sense of impending danger that Ritchie and team were ostensibly going for.

That’s not entirely Schweiger’s fault, nor is it completely the fault of González’s somewhat wooden performance. Instead, most of the blame lies with Ungentlemanly Warfare’s writers and director. Stewart’s storyline is boring and feels entirely contrived, which is fitting since it is also the most fictionalized part of the film. In real life Stewart did some admin work in London and was nowhere near Fernando Po.

Then there is Ritchie’s sloppy pacing. Every time the film begins to find a groove with Phillips and his men delivering bloody justice to a group of disposable Nazis, the film jarringly interrupts with Stewart’s B-plot. The problem is that Phillips et al. spend most of the movie on a boat trying to get to where they are going, and Stewart’s story actually was contrived to give the audience something “interesting” to watch while they wait. It is not.

Finally, Guy’s insistence on such a strong focus on the secondary story robs audiences of the needed time to properly develop a deeper connection with Phillips and his men. By all accounts, the real Phillips was a man’s man of such natural bold charisma that not only was James Bond largely based on him, but months after his untimely death, his entire commando team of 55 men disbanded. Were the audience given more time and reason to connect with him and his group, it would have lent an emotional bond that would have elevated the action beyond simple fun.

With all of that said, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is mostly entertaining, and even its lesser moments don’t drag. Despite its warts, the good is almost good enough for us to mark it as Worth it. You probably won’t feel cheated if you buy a ticket to watch it, but lower your expectations a bit for maximum enjoyment.

P.S. It’s become fairly common in modern movies to overlay a classic song on top of brutal action as an intentionally jarring juxtaposition. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it feels forced. In this movie, there is a rendition of Bobby Darin’s Mack The Knife that is absolutely atrocious. Its vocals are fine, but the sound mixing and the song are all wrong. Mack The Knife has written into it several instances of vocal ornamentation to add flair. However, this sudden change of rhythm does not fit the movie’s score, which is laid over Mack The Knife’s original instrumentation.

It seems small, but it takes place at the movie’s climax and is really bad. Just because the song was originally from a German penny opera and mentions tugboats is not sufficient cause to put it where it doesn’t belong.

P.P.S. Boby Darin’s version of the song (the one that the movie uses) wasn’t recorded until almost 20 years after the events in the movie.

Role Models

With A Caveat

• I am not saying that men should model themselves after bloodthirsty killers. I am saying that the portrayal of strong and capable men of bold resolve taking care of business and that learning to be a leader of men is both valuable and fulfilling.
  • Cavill’s March-Phillips embodies a man that other men want to be, and women want to be with.

WOKE ELEMENTS

Ain’t No Damsels Around Here

• While Marjorie Stewart was a real person who worked for the actual SOE and became an actress afterward, it is unclear if she was a spy, and I can find nothing to corroborate that she was a marksman. Furthermore, she was almost certainly not directly involved with Operation Postmaster (the operation portrayed in the film) whatsoever.
  • Given that this only comes up during the establishing scene and one other single action, it would appear that the character’s status as a marksman had only two purposes.
    • The marketing materials.
    • Because we couldn’t have her really needed to be rescued by a man, could we?

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Land of Bad

When his Spec Ops team is ambushed, Air Force Sergeant JJ Kinney’s only hope of survival lies with drone pilots thousands of miles away to guide him through 48 hours of hell.

Falling somewhere between SISU’s relentless and over-the-top action and Guy Ritchie’s The Covenanent’s grounded depiction of combat, Land of Bad is a surprisingly engaging action war thriller. It may not add much new to the genre, but it manages to deliver what genre fans want: compelling and realistic men depicting visceral heroism while unironically exploring universal themes of duty and survival under impossible conditions.

Its limited cast does its duty by giving equally natural performances that expertly hook the audience and provide them with a raw connection to the film’s stakes. Hemsworth, who gets the lion’s share of the film’s focus, proves that he has what it takes to be a serious action star. Were it not for every other aspect of the show, his turn as Sergeant Kinney would be more than enough to give Witcher fans hope. Admittedly, though, there are one or two very brief moments in which his intensity isn’t quite commensurate with that of the scene’s.

The rest of the cast is brimming with enough charisma to work quickly within the constraints of their relatively brief screen time to infuse a richness to their characters that lesser performers would have missed. This is especially true for the once-svelte star of Gladiator, Russell Crowe. Crowe proves that his talent is as expansive as his waistline by infusing a character that could have easily been omitted with heart and purpose. He delivers a magnetic performance for an otherwise cutting room floor subplot.

Land of Bad isn’t a perfect movie. Its plot has been recycled from countless other films, and it overlooks some basic details (especially toward the end). Still, for those few things it gets wrong, it more than makes up for with its primal stakes, perfect pacing, and some first-rate cinematography.

It’s been a while since I left the cinema with a smile on my face. I’m happy to mark Land of Bad as Worth it.

Role Models

• The self-sacrificing, no-quit, complete-the-mission attitude that exemplifies the best of U.S. soldiers is on full display and honors those who have sacrificed much for more.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None

The post Land of Bad first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Napoleon

By the age of 45, Napoleon had conquered 40%-60% of Europe, with much of the rest of the continent having treaties with France that granted it significant wealth and influence. Yet, most Westerners know little more about Monsieur Bonaparte than he tucked his hand in his shirt for a portrait and he was short (he wasn’t – by the standards of the time, he was of average height)

Starring Joaquin Phoenix as the titular emperor, Napoleon tells the story of his rise and fall, beginning with the battle that earned him his General stripes to his ultimate defeat and exile (spoiler alert – of course, it happened over 200 years ago, so not knowing is a bit on you). In a film about an ambitious and charismatic world-conquering leader with a well-documented ego the size of his empire and a cutting wit to match, it seems more than reasonable that a 2.5-hour epic about his exploits would make for a riveting film.

However, for reasons only known to them, both director Ridley Scott and screenwriter David Scarpa chose to filter the events of this complex man through the prism of his odd relationship with his first wife, Josephine. As a result, much of the film feels repetitive as the Bonapartes spend time apart: Napoleon writes her letters, they come together, they fight, they make up, and the cycle begins anew. All of this is occasionally punctuated with the afterthought of battles that feel more like fanservice to history buffs than they do the world history-altering events that they were (never mind their glaring historical inaccuracies).

What makes it worse is that the audience gets everything that it needs to understand the relationship within the two’s first few scenes together and via the copious narrated letters that we hear throughout the film. Furthermore, Phoenix, who has played some wonderfully dark and quirky characters during his career, spends most of the movie looking either sulky or clinically depressed. Except for one or two actions taken during the film, the movie gives no sense of the charismatic leader who charmed an army into rebellion…twice.

Ridley Scott seemingly thought it was far more critical to portray Bonaparte as a socially awkward cuckold than to give us a film that lived up to this one’s tagline: “He Came From Nothing. He Conquered Everything.”

At the film’s end, the title cards list the number of battles that Napoleon led, as well as his major campaigns and the number of those killed as a result. It would have been great to have seen a movie in which those world-changing battles had not been treated as nuisances, and audiences came to understand a complex man whose social reforms still affect modern society 200 years later.

WOKE ELEMENTS

Wokeness ruined the movie, but the movie isn’t woke.

The creators’ own wokeness likely shaped their outlooks on Napoleon, which precluded them from highlighting his greatness (which would have made his downfall and foibles all the more poignant). However, there doesn’t seem to be an agenda to the film. There are no girl bosses, no out-of-place diversity, Christianity isn’t trashed, and I didn’t see any LGBT agenda-driven BS. It’s just not a great film.

We dinged the movie 10 points for a couple of jarringly out-of-place sex scenes. The purpose of each was seemingly to illustrate that he was an ineffective lover for no other reason than to knock him down a peg in the viewer’s mind.

The post Napoleon first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Afghanistan

Originally conceived as a therapeutic endeavor for Royal Marine Commando James Glancy, Afghanistan was to chronicle his quest to uncover the true impact of his sacrifice and those of his comrades. It was meant to delve into whether their collective dedication, coupled with the ultimate sacrifices of approximately 3,000 American and British soldiers, genuinely brought about positive change in the lives of the Afghan people. What James had no way of knowing was that with nearly half of his documentary completed and having just begun to believe that he had been a force for good, President Joe Biden would make one of the most disastrous and reprehensible political decisions in the history of America, staining our country with blood and dishonor, and plunging the people of Afghanistan back into the darkness of Taliban rule.

The significance and impact of this documentary cannot be emphasized enough as we witness James’ journey towards healing, only to have his worst fears confirmed by the betrayal of the U.S. Government. Although James provides high-caliber narration and much of the film is visually impressive, it is unfortunate that the crew’s need to flee the country hampers its potential.

That’s not to say that it’s not impactful. The news footage depicting individuals climbing onto the wings of Air Force planes or desperate mothers handing over their infants to coalition troops in hopes of escaping the Taliban carries immense significance that cannot be overstated.

However, unlike 2012’s “The Queen of Versailles,” which initially explores the extravagance of the ultra-wealthy but takes a captivating turn with the bursting of the housing bubble, Afghanistan’s sudden shift in, if not exactly tone and subject but certainly perspective, prevents us from gaining an intimate view on the lives now endangered. Paradoxically, the film’s most compelling aspect, the sudden withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, also becomes its greatest limitation as it confines the final third of the story to shots of James in his home office, reducing visual diversity and potentially diluting the overall impact.

Nevertheless, we keenly sense James’ frustration as he is forced to observe the events from afar through video chats and frustrated phone calls. In defiance of this limitation, James and his team still manage to capture the heartbreak and devastation caused by our country’s abandonment of the Afghan people.

With solid narration, some excellent footage, and a topic of the utmost significance, Afghanistan is completely Worth it.

ROLE MODELS IN AFGHANISTAN

The profound depth of courage and resilience displayed by both men and women who made sacrifices or lost their lives, whether in the pursuit of peace or under the oppressive grip of tyranny, is truly remarkable.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None.

The post Afghanistan first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant

It’s hard to believe that the same man responsible for the trash that was Operation Fortune could have had anything to do with this thrilling and powerful piece about loyalty and what it means to be a man of honor. However, Guy Ritchie put on his big-boy pants and, together with some excellent performances by its leads, delivered a war movie with as much heart as it has explosions. Furthermore, the heart hits harder than the mortars…if only just.

Without spoiling too much, The Covenant follows a group of military specialists, led by Master Sergeant John Kinley, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Their specialty is tracking down and neutralizing I.E.D (Improvised Explosive Devices) “factories,” and they are good at what they do. On one such mission, everything goes t!t$ up, and Master Sergeant Kinley is severely injured. Fast forward several weeks and Kinley is haunted by a debt that he now owes one of his men.

With outstanding and tension-building pacing, economical dialogue, and excellent performances, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is a deceptively simple story that uses every part of the buffalo. There’s no gratuitous and melodramatic use of slow-motion, and Ritchie and Company use every camera angle and explosion to make you feel as though you are there with the characters. A restrained Guy Ritchie might just be one h3!! of a filmmaker.

Every performer, from Gyllenhall to the extras is one-hundred percent invested in the present, which only serves to draw the audience in further. What’s more is that the leads expertly play experienced men of war, so much so that the subtlest crack shown in their emotional armor is made devastating to the audience. We feel exactly what they want us to feel when they want us to feel it, and it’s a refreshing and much-needed change from what’s become the malaise of being “blown away” by “incredible” CGI or “chuckling at the newest and darkest humorous way to explode a person.

Speaking of CGI, it was used so sparingly and adroitly and then only to augment the practical effects that the audience isn’t once taken out of the moment to applaud the special effects. That may be the best thing about this movie, all of the components are weaved together in such a way that from the opening title card to the closing, audiences get to experience the pleasure of thoroughly enjoying a movie as a visceral experience, just like we used to.

When the shrapnel settles and the drones land, Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant is a must-see war pic that we are gratified to mark as Worth it.

EDITORIAL

In the excerpt, I mention that audiences will be p!$$ed off by this movie, and rightly so. That’s because the crux of the film is about how our government treated those brave Afghanis who put their lives on the line to aid our troops in defeating the evil that is the Taliban. In 2021, the Biden administration threw them away, and it’s a stain of blood on our national honor that won’t soon be wiped away.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None.

The post Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Sisu

If Schadenfreude was a movie, it would be Sisu. Set in Finland circa 1944, as WWII comes to a close, Sisu follows a grizzled and solitary gold prospector and legendary ex-soldier who perseveres on shear unrelenting determination, as he brutally works his way through a group of Nazi raiders who have robbed him of his gold.

The story is virtually non-existent, with almost no dialogue (in fact, the lead only has one line in the entire film). Instead, Sisu takes full advantage of crisp and violent visuals and lead performer Jorma Tommila’s craggy weather-beaten face to carry what narrative there is to the end.

One might think that, because it’s a film about stealing a bag of gold it may be challenging for the audience to connect with the film on any level beyond the most primitive of bloodlust, however, there’s just enough of a B-plot to give it that half of a dimension more it needs to make the audience cheer.

Furthermore, the two main villains manage to be both evil and sadistic enough to root for their deaths and realistic enough to not laugh at. This gives us two very satisfying endings and one of the best villain deaths in recent cinema.

For a film that feels a lot like a really cool hour-and-a-half video game cut screen, Sisu is Worth it, if not perfect. A case could easily be made that the lead character should have died in every confrontation and that there was time to include a flashback or two in lieu of a paragraph of exposition, but Sisu is most definitely a case of style winning over substance.

It won’t win any awards for…anything, but Sisu is a very entertaining way to spend 90 minutes.

WOKE ELEMENTS

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. No.

The post SISU first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Ambush

American soldiers have a long history of harrowing experiences and bravery that make for captivating theater, and Ambush is no exception. Despite the hackneyed efforts of its director and cinematographer, Connor Paolo’s excellent performance as Corporal Ackerman keeps your attention focused and your tension high.

Ackerman is a young and inexperienced member of the Army Corp of Engineers charged with maintaining a small base on the outskirts of the Vietnam theater. When the base is ambushed and sensitive documents are stolen, Ackerman and his equally inexperienced, yet disposable, team are ordered to infiltrate enemy tunnels and recover the documents before time runs out, and deadly secondary options are employed.

Like I said, it’s a recipe that only the most inept could ruin. Fortunately, most of the cast is up to the task and the pacing is generally good, which makes up for a lot because the director is constantly at a loss as to what story he’s telling. He’ll introduce a seemingly interesting secondary character to only ignore them for the vast majority of the film. Then he’ll try to make the movie about the green corporal coming into his command and earning the respect of his men, only to immediately undermine him in the next scene.

The director’s lack of finesse in switching between subplots is exacerbated by the cinematographer’s awkward use of nasal-zoom closeups and clumsy attempts at creating a claustrophobic atmosphere. While it should be a straightforward task, given that the actual Viet Cong tunnels could be as narrow as two feet, the shots often fall short of their goal. Despite some successful moments, largely thanks to the performances, the camera shots frequently widen and give a sense of space that undermines the previously built tension.

Also, the combat scenes are so frenetic that it’s difficult to follow what’s happening. Finding a balance between chaos and storytelling is key, as exemplified by the differences between the artistry of Saving Private Ryan and many of the frenzied shaky-cam fight scenes in Batman Begins.

Another issue with Ambush is that many of the background characters are homogenous and dispensable. They’re difficult to distinguish from one another and lack any real development or purpose beyond being generic soldiers who are there to fill space. This makes it challenging to care about their fates or feel invested in their stories, which is a missed opportunity to add depth to the film’s overall narrative.

Despite the director’s lack of focus and the cinematographer’s ineffective attempts at artistry, the core story of Ambush is enough to hold the audience’s attention. While some of the cast struggles, most are up to the task and the pacing is generally good. While the film may fall short of cinematic greatness, it is a solid choice for war movie fans who can rest assured that the warriors who gave their lives for this country will be treated with respect, if not always with the highest level of competency.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None.

The post Ambush first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

Saving Private Ryan

Saving Private Ryan is a cinematic masterpiece that delivers an emotionally powerful and thought-provoking experience. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this epic war drama chronicles the journey of a group of soldiers led by Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) as they search for Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), the last surviving brother of four soldiers who died during World War II.

From the opening scene, the film grabs your attention and never lets go. The intense and realistic depiction of the Normandy beach landing is a masterclass in filmmaking, immersing the viewer in the chaos and brutality of war. Spielberg’s use of handheld cameras, rapid editing, and sound design creates an unrelenting sense of tension and fear, making it clear that this is not going to be an easy watch.

What follows is a grueling and emotional journey through the war-torn landscape of France. The characters are complex and well-developed, with each soldier carrying his own personal burden and backstory. Hanks delivers a remarkable performance as Captain Miller, conveying both the stoic resolve of a military leader and the deep empathy of a human being. Damon’s portrayal of Private Ryan is also notable, capturing the innocence and vulnerability of a young soldier caught in the middle of a war he never asked for.

While the film is undeniably violent and graphic, it never feels gratuitous. The violence serves a purpose, highlighting the harsh reality of war and the sacrifices made by those who fought in it. The film also explores deeper themes of morality, duty, and the value of human life. The decision to risk the lives of eight men to save one may seem questionable, but the film asks us to consider the importance of the individual in the face of overwhelming tragedy.

In terms of technical achievement, Saving Private Ryan is a marvel. The production design, costumes, and special effects are all top-notch, creating a world that feels authentic and immersive. The cinematography by Janusz Kamiński is particularly impressive, using desaturated colors and high contrast to create a visual style that feels both gritty and cinematic.

Overall, Saving Private Ryan is a stunning achievement in filmmaking. It is a powerful and emotionally resonant work that leaves a lasting impression. While it is not an easy film to watch, it is an essential one, reminding us of the sacrifices made by those who fought for our freedom and the importance of valuing human life in the face of overwhelming adversity.

WOKE ELEMENTS

None. Saving Private Ryan’s brutal portrayal of the human cost of war is apolitical. The movie’s only agenda is to put the audience in the mud-covered boots of the soldiers on screen and to tell a thoughtful and engaging story. Mission accomplished.

The post Saving Private Ryan first appeared on Worth it or Woke.

The Terminal List

Due to, what is believed to be a concussion, Pratt’s Reece is an unreliable narrator who, via copious flashbacks, finds himself repeatedly thrust back into moments, or versions of moments, of his past, often at the most inconvenient of times. However, where flashbacks in film can often be a cover for inexperienced writers or uninspired storytelling, Reece’s flashbacks are contextually relevant, and engaging, and serve to move the story forward. They also help to build the tension because there’s no way of knowing if Reece has drawn the right conclusion based on his memories.

While the timeline for the B-Story (Reece’s headaches and flashbacks) is disjointed, the main story is linear and pretty standard. Reece discovers a clue that leads him to the next person or clue. Reece exacts revenge. Reece finds another clue. Rinse and repeat. Fortunately, Pratt delivers his best performance to date and is captivating. He’s intense and vulnerable, driven and broken, and he owns the screen. If I have one criticism about his performance, it is that he has distractingly horrendous trigger discipline in the first few episodes. I’m an admitted weekend warrior with no military experience, so I spent some time trying to find out if elite warriors, like the seals, are trained to keep their finger on the trigger while engaged. I thought perhaps that they were so well trained that they might eschew relative safety in lieu of an extra millisecond, but found nothing. All of my own experience, research, and training suggest that the elite practice the same trigger discipline that I do, and that the close-ups of Pratt thumbing the trigger should be as cringe-inducing as I found them. However, from his haunted eyes to the precision and intensity he exudes while clearing a room, everything else about Pratt’s physical performance is crisp and engaging.

The supporting cast is comprised of faces both familiar and new. Jeanne Tripplehorn, who is probably best known for playing alongside Tom Cruise as his character’s wife in 1993’s The Firm, turns in a nuanced performance as Secretary of Defense, Lorraine Hartley. One wonders how casting directors have all but forgotten her between then and now. She manages the rare feat in today’s program offerings, of portraying a strong woman that doesn’t feel like the cartoon version of what some blue-haired feminist thinks that a man is. I don’t have enough good things to say about Tripplehorn’s performance. It makes me angry that she hasn’t been cast in more things throughout the years.

Constance Wu (Crazy Rich Asians) plays war correspondent Katie Buranek. She’s a self-serving journalist (so, journalist) who cares about the truth as much as she cares about getting the story. Like Tripplehorn, Wu also gives us a strong female character who is still female and realistic. Buranek isn’t someone I’d want to sit and have a beer with but she’s driven and determined, and, even though she’s frightened beyond belief, she sticks to her principles.

Black ops CIA agent and one-time seal team member, Ben Edwards, played by Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights fame, is Reece’s best friend and coconspirator throughout the series. Kitsch is probably the weakest link of the main cast but I think that’s mostly due to the material that he’s given. Edwards shows up when Reece needs to deliver an exposition dump, and when he needs backup or tech and ammo. There’s not much for him to work with. Plus he’s a hardened warrior who’s seen some $h!t, so stoicism seems appropriate. Kitsch, now 41, who made a name for himself as a ripped bad boy is beginning to look pretty rough. Fortunately, it works for him in this role. It’s regrettable that his character wasn’t more compelling because I think that it would have helped the finale feel more satisfying.

An ex-Army helicopter pilot, another friend from Reece’s military past is Mac Wilson. Played by Christina Vidal of Training Day (the TV series) fame, Mac is a character of convenience. Her only purpose is to provide Reece with a private airplane that shuttles him to and from locals. It’s a shame because Vidal nails the role.

Finally, let’s talk about Jai Courtney. Remember when studios were trying to make him a thing? Just think back to 2013 through 2015, when he starred, or co-starred in A Good Day To Die Hard, Divergent, and Terminator: Genesys. Wait. You can’t remember him in those?…exactly. Then came the dumpster fire that was 2016’s Suicide Squad. Those who choose to remember that movie, or can’t forget it, will remember that it only had two redeeming qualities: Margot Robbie’s hotpants and Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. Well, I think that Jai has finally found his niche playing arrogant pricks. In The Terminal List, Courtney plays Steve Horn, a corporate douchebag and wannabe badass with unearned military tattoos and an ego bigger than the massive melon that sits atop Jai’s head. Throughout the series, Horn is a pretty two-dimensional character but Jai plays him with such conviction that it completely pays off when he shows his third and true dimension at the end of the series.

WOKE ELEMENTS

Even though the program has been praised, and rightly so, by those on the Right for being a well-done series that embraces “conservative” values and institutions, it was still produced by the people who brought us the woke $h!tshow that was The Rings of Power, and managed to turn one of literature’s ultimate mensches, Jack Ryan, into a politically correct beta male. So too, there is some wokeness in The Terminal List but fear not, it’s not even in the same universe as She-Hulk.

First off, the character of Katie Buranek is described as middle European in the book but was played by an Asian actress. Fortunately, Wu knocks it out of the park, and only those looking for something to complain about (sup) will notice.

Next, Jeanne Tripplehorn’s character is an amalgam of two characters from the book, one of which was a man. You’ve got to believe that someone mandated that any character that could be a woman or BIPOC, or both, should be changed. However, Loraine Hartley does play a larger role in the book. So, this one feels more like a wash.

The only glaring element of wokeness is the addition of Mac Wilson. Mac does not appear in the book and her character feels like it was carved out of Kitsch’s Edwards. Vidal is of Puerto Rican heritage (check off that intersectional box) and, of course, a woman (check two); even though only around 2.4 percent of Army helicopter pilots were women at the time that her character would have been in the Army, and only a fraction of that fraction were Latinas. With that being said, Vidal is great in the role, and the character is written like a woman, not a man being played by a woman. So, it’s another instance in which only nitpickers would notice.

FINAL SAY

With excellent performances, solid direction, and a compelling story, The Terminal List is definitely worth your time.

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