Greenes Please don't spend money on this.
Cem Lamb This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.
Delight Yes, absolutely, there is fun to be had, as well as many, many things to go boom, all amid an atmospheric urban jungle.
maria-ricci-1983 You can review Strike in reference to the original book, that is, considering how efficiently or accurately the TV show has captured the source characters, atmosphere and plot. Or comment Strike as an original work in itself, without any comparative reference to the J. K. Rawling's books.As I haven't read them and I am not a particular fan of hers, I will refer to the show as an orginal production.I liked it generally, and I enjoyed the whole story and pace. It is the traditional, Christie-style private detective-and-his-femele-sideling story. The tone is not tormented noir (no Luther, nor Y Gwyll here), although some degree of light-weight mess is shown around the main character. I didn't find the script so unbelievable or nonsensical as a couple of reviewers have stated, although I concede that one or two lines were a bit too disconnected or far-fetched. Strike is a well composed and interesting character, I think finely interpreted by Tom Burke, whom I found convicing and charming considering the not-too-deep atmosphere or intensity of the script.I cannot know how faithfully Holliday Grainger plays her role in of the original character in the book. In non-comparative , I found her acting a bit annoying and, in fact, anti-climactic. Her pouting, overacting and excessive facial language, in a comedic key, pulled me away from the dramatic tension all the time. In my opinion, the production could have gained from a more subtle interpretation or actress, while also keeping the naive, well-meant spirit of the character. I hope the next series will be as fine and enjoyable as this.
bjane-61915 Really thought this series was going to be worth watching but I am not enjoying it. It has an interesting hero in Strike played by a good actor in Thom Burke and I thought it would turn into a gripping murder mystery. It doesn't at all, its become a romantic drama with the crimes as a sort of backdrop. It didn't need all the clichéd stuff and its disappointing because it looked like it was going to be a bit quirky and different. Its ok to have romance in the story, but it cant BE the story and still be a crime series. Great theme tune though
ahalool2001 If you like detective stories with a noir twist this one's for you. Well written, and very well acted, it will definitely make you curious about the end. I like the fact it's just three hours worth of story not drawn out over many episodes, helps if you want to watch it in one night without it feeling like a binge.
Tweekums The first two stories in this series, based on books by JK Rowling, are nicely varied and manage to feel modern and rather traditional. The impressively named Cormoran Strike, his father was a rock star, is a fine lead character. He previously served in the army and lost a leg in Afghanistan and is now working as a private detective in London. We are introduced to him via his new, initially temporary, assistant Robin Ellacott. Their first case together sees them investigating the death of a supermodel; the authorities believe she killed herself but her brother, an old friend of Cormoran, believes she was murdered. In second case they are employed to find a woman's husband, a writer. He is soon found dead; killed in the brutal manner described in his latest book. This book is a thinly veiled attack on fellow novelists and others in the publishing world so there are no shortage of suspects.As a fan of detective shows I thought I'd give this a go; I'm glad I did as it was rather good. Tom Burke does a fine job as Cormoran Strike. The character feels real and his past makes him interesting without dominating the series too much. Holliday Grainger also impresses as Robin, a more 'ordinary' character who is keen to become an investigator herself. These first two mysteries are nicely varied with plenty of suspects to keep one guessing till the end. They feature the sort of secondary characters that tend to populate such shows; larger than life and easy to suspect. This means the identity of the killer is far from obvious. On the strength of these two stories I look forward to the third, which will air next year, and hope there will be even at some point… of course that would require more books being written. I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre.
