Deep dive on one film

  • It’s like a gun, but crappier

    The weapons of Warhammer 40,000 (Part 3). << All about chainswords What peacekeepers do >> Hello again. I’m still on the Warhammer train this week. It seemed to be a popular topic. Who am I to deny the wisdom of… Continue reading

    It’s like a gun, but crappier
  • Grimdark armoury

    The weapons of Warhammer 40,000 (Part 1). << Trigger finger in the loop Interrupted service >> This week I’m going to talk about the weapons of Warhammer 40,000. Or rather, I’m going to start talking about them, because this topic… Continue reading

    Grimdark armoury
  • How to spot a suicide bomber

    Analysing Jack Reacher’s list of indicators. << Code Bleak TBC >> Hello there and Happy Thursday. I’ve made the mistake of starting Reacher Season 4 on Amazon. I know, I know. I have only myself to blame at this stage.… Continue reading

    How to spot a suicide bomber
  • Code Bleak

    A Grey’s Anatomy realism report << Inter-military camaraderie TBC >> Hello there. I was asked by a reader to do a realism report, a.k.a. a snide and pedantic review of Grey’s Anatomy. Specifically, there’s a double episode (episodes 16 and… Continue reading

    Code Bleak
  • How to drive a tank

    And other nuances of armoured fighting vehicles which Hollywood gets wrong << All the tech, still losing The path of the righteous soldier >> Hi there. I was re-watching GoldenEye on DVD recently. For once, I was well-behaved and didn’t… Continue reading

    How to drive a tank
  • All the tech, still losing

    A [short] review of 3 Body Problem and its relevance to today’s conflict. << Thunderstruck How to drive a tank >> Hi there and Happy Thursday. This week’s post is going to be short and disjointed because I spent most… Continue reading

    All the tech, still losing
  • Review: House of Nitroglycerine

    Part 2: Realism is suspended for semi-legitimate dramatic effect. << Review: A House of Dynamite But WHY did you do it? >> Hello again. This is Part 2 of my review of Netflix’s A House of Dynamite (HoD) which I… Continue reading

    Review: House of Nitroglycerine
  • Review: A House of Dynamite

    Part 1: Kathryn Bigelow’s latest film promises fission but ends with a fizzle. << Double nuclear trouble Review: House of Nitroglycerine >> Hi there. This week, as a natural follow-on to last week’s discussion on nuclear-powered cruise missiles, I want… Continue reading

    Review: A House of Dynamite
  • Film review: Warfare

    Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland bring urban warfare to a cinema near you << Indiscriminate killers? The importance of being alive >> This week I’m reviewing Warfare, the new film from Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland. I was excited to… Continue reading

    Film review: Warfare
  • Reacher’s last chance (Part 2)

    Season 3: Pedantic points and cargo cult screenwriting << Reacher’s last chance (Part 1) Easter greetings and a bit about me >> Hello again and welcome back. I hope you enjoyed last week’s analysis of the absolutely ridiculous fight scene between… Continue reading

    Reacher’s last chance (Part 2)
  • Reacher’s last chance (Part 1)

    My review of Season Three << What do you do in the army? Reacher’s last chance (Part 2) >> Hello again and happy Thursday all. This week (and next, TBC) I’m reviewing Season Three of Reacher, Amazon Prime’s adaptation of… Continue reading

    Reacher’s last chance (Part 1)
  • Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction

    A very MAD sort of logic << Military administration Flak Cannons and shotguns >> Hello again. I recently had the pleasure of seeing Steve Coogan in the stage version of Stanley Kubrick’s legendary Dr. Strangelove. Coogan plays the same characters… Continue reading

    Dr. Strangelove and Mutually Assured Destruction
  • Film review: Civil War

    A very violent road trip. << Weapon critiques: Rocket fails TNT vs. dynamite >> This week I want to review Civil War, Alex Garland’s 2024 film which I only got around to watching a few weeks ago. I held off… Continue reading

    Film review: Civil War
  • Science Fiction Weapons: Lightsabers

    The limitations of melee weapons. << Book list: What’s life in the military actually like? Hurry up and wait >> Hello again! This week we are returning to the theme of science fiction weapons (check out Part 1 and Part 2,… Continue reading

    Science Fiction Weapons: Lightsabers
  • The Hurt Locker (Addendum)

    The good, the bad, and the pedantic << EOD Critiques: The Hurt Locker Mil-itary precision >> Hello again to all my loyal subscribers and new movie realism enthusiasts. I hope you enjoyed last week’s EOD exposé of The Hurt Locker, because… Continue reading

    The Hurt Locker (Addendum)
  • EOD critiques: The Hurt Locker

    This is going to hurt. << Exploding cars (Part 2) The Hurt Locker (Addendum) >> This week I want to kick off a new series of posts focusing on movie and TV depictions of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD), otherwise known as… Continue reading

    EOD critiques: The Hurt Locker
  • Will the real Jack Reacher please stand up?

    An attempt to explain why Season Two was so bad. << Firearm fails: Pushing the envelope of pistol performance (Part 2: The limitations of biology and physics) More bang, less light: Explosions in film and TV (Part 1) >> I’ve… Continue reading

    Will the real Jack Reacher please stand up?
  • Just stepping out to the Andromeda Galaxy for a coffee

    Distance, speed, and time get hopelessly mangled in space opera and science fiction. << “Over and out”, over and over again Firearm fails: Pushing the envelope of pistol performance (Part 1: Historical and tactical confusion.) >> I’m hoping you’ll forgive… Continue reading

    Just stepping out to the Andromeda Galaxy for a coffee
  • Lessons in artillery abuse

    The biggest, baddest, and boldest movie ammunition fail in Hollywood history. << What does the “D” in “D-Day” stand for? What Hollywood gets wrong about military radio communications >> This week we’re going to look one scene from an action movie which… Continue reading

    Lessons in artillery abuse