Sunday 11 December 2022

SAS Rogue Heroes (2022 Tom Shankland, Creator Steven Knight)

Led by posh nutter Connor Swindells, Irish nutter Jack O'Connell and not-normal nutter Alfie Allen. With Sofia Boutella, Dominic West, Theo Barkem-Biggs, Bobby Schofield, Tom Glynn-Carney.



Some of the jolly songs add a rich counterpoint to the events, e.g. George Formby, and 'Let's Not be Beastly to the Hun'.

Did start to notice that the very wide shots distort characters on the edge of the frame, making them look too thin. Whether or not that was a deliberate attempt to replicate the weird distortions that CinemaScope used to throw up, I'm not sure. The DP is Dane Stephan Pehrsson. Did also wonder if the coordinated attacks in the desert in episode three were shot quite dark - all the night scenes in fact, even when there's a full moon.

Great moments like Swindells describing to aggressive Australians the life of a commando - and they back off quick; four MPs threatening to hang O'Connell and their sorry end; audition process for recruits.

Really enjoyed this. "War IS fucking unsafe!" O'Connor musing in desert: "How grand it would be to be a coward - to love life that much." Ends a little unsatisfactorily - 'To Be Continued'. A better ending would have been Swindells captured and the wild bunch free him in a mad and exciting fashion.


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