MovieChat Forums > The Guards (2010) Discussion > Do these get better as the series of fil...

Do these get better as the series of films progresses?

posted 11 years ago by benedict-c
6 replies | jump to latest

As mentioned elsewhere, this is now screening on Channel 5 in the UK and you can catch up with the first episode if you have cable (and it's probably same with Sky).

The settings and main characters are great but I have to say that I found the pacing and plotting to be less enjoyable. For example, in the first film, Sutton is poorly fleshed out and his back story, once revealed, stretches credibility.

Likewise, the "chase" scene in the production line/factory kind of falls flat.

I wanted to like this but was left wondering whether I should invest another 83 minutes in the second film. It may be that some of the lesser characters will be made more three-dimensional as time goes on, assuming they are not killed off!

Maybe the books work better...

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ಠ_ಠ

[–] !!!deleted!!! (41638798) 11 years ago

I have not seen the original when Jack was still a Garda, but Netflix in the US has the three subsequent films and they are all pretty good--but the final one about the Magdelen laundries stands out a mile in content from the first 2 in the post-Garda story.

But all three worth a look if only for Iain Glen, outstanding as always.

[–] backofthevan 10 years ago

I agree with the OP. Just watched this and found it very unsatisfying. I absolutely adored all the Jack Taylor books by Ken Bruen in audiobook format, most of them read by Gerry O'Brien. While watching this I was scratching my head, kept wondering if this script was true to the book as so much stuff I couldn't remember happening at all, and thinking how I could have possibly enjoyed the book so much if this was its storyline.

The script was rather cheesy/unbelievable in parts, it was hard to follow what the heck was going on as it seemed to move along too quickly or jump from point to point too fast.

Iain Glen was great, I'll give him that. And I always like Ralph Brown (call it left-over magic from Danny the drug dealer in Withnail and I).

The whole thing was too dark (lighting-wise) so hard to see what was going on sometimes.

Ho hum. Give it a five. If this is the best of them I won't be watching any others. I find the story line of Magdalene Laundry too distressing so won't watch that one anyway.

[–] Davinabaynes 9 years ago

The lesser characters are fleshed out more in each subsequent episode. Jack's character also evolves and you find out far more to explain why he acts as he does.

[–] Bilkoboy 8 years ago

[–] slimone (7996) 7 years ago

Jack Taylor is a very gritty series. It is complicated at times, and I find I have to sometimes write down the names of characters to follow the plot to avoid confusion. But it's worth it. The plots are detailed and the acting is always great. Jack is a very interesting man, totally unafraid of any dangerous situations. I've never seen a character quite like him, and I only wish there were more seasons to the series.

[–] slimone (7996) 7 years ago

I've watched the entire three seasons and loved the show. Compelling plots, great acting! Jack is intuitive, relentless, and intelligent. I wish there were more seasons. Why did they stop at three?????