Rodent's Reviews

Rodent praising Leo DiCaprio? Never thought I'd see the day!!! Either way, another great review. Never seen the movie, but it seems like a great one to watch one of these days.

Currently watching this on telly...












When hypnotic blue lights appear over Los Angeles, a small group of 30-somethings have to hide and run from what appears to be an alien invasion.
When it transpires that the aliens are an almost all powerful force... the survivors must find a new way of escaping this new threat to humanity.



Bit of an odd one this. What could have been great, sadly is just a badly written and acted bog standard alien sci-fi film.

Plus there are piles and piles of reused/stolen ideas from other sci-fi films, books and stories, just packaged in new effects blankets...

... there's been many references from other Critics etc, to Transformers, Cloverfield and Independence Day...

... but I spotted ideas from Spielberg's War Of The Worlds, The Matrix Trilogy, Terminator Salvation and District 9...
Even the brain removal thing reminded me of Starship Troopers.

Bad form.

The general character writing is poor too. There's little to keep the attention of the viewer, the characters involved are written so one dimensionally that they came across to me as just shallow, money-oriented It People... basically the kind of people that everyone hates.

Even the scripting and dialogue is poorly written. The various arguments between the main couple of characters and their reasons for arguing are laughable. Shall we stay, shall we run kinda arguments and it's all so completely unrealistic, it becomes unintentionally funny.

The storyline and general plot are, basically, all based around what can be achieved with CGI... and like I said, if you've seen any of the films I mentioned above, you've seen it all before. I mean, even Transformers had a better plotline tbh...
There's also pretty bad writing throughout in terms of Humanity's reactions to the alien invasion...

... when the aliens attack, the military sees fit to immediately use Nukes... I mean, really? So soon? Without enough time to deliberate whether or not they should be used over American soil?

Come on... really?



As for the acting.
The best on show is Eric Balfour... he holds the role together well and seems comfortable in the action... but he does slip from time to time and seems out of his depth when he has to actually act tough.

Backup comes from Scottie Thompson, Brittany Daniel, David Zayas, Crystal Reed, Neil Hopkins and Donald "Scrubs" Faison.

All of whom are pretty wooden throughout and recite their lines as if they haven't had enough time to rehearse them... even Faison, an actor I like, is completely off form and wooden.



The effects are top notch though. They're extremely well rendered and realistic. They're also highly stylised...

However, sadly, with most of the effects shots looking like something stolen from Transformers, Cloverfield, Independence Day, Spielberg's War Of The Worlds, The Matrix Trilogy, Terminator Salvation and District 9 and Starship Troopers, it makes the whole film just feel cheap.

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Ouch! Another kicking for Skyline. I do own the DVD but I didn't actually buy it. It was gifted to me by a friend but not with the best of recommendations. A friend of hers initially blind bought it and hated it so pawned it off to my friend. She then watched it, hated it and pawned it off on me!

Don't think I've ever heard of This Boy's Life. Sounds quite interesting though I'm not sure it's one I'd go hunting for anytime soon.

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I love This Boy's Life. I reviewed it last year and gave it .

I need to get the book.

@JayDee:
Have you watched Skyline then? You're not missing much if you haven't.


This Boy's Life is brilliantly uncomfortable viewing.
Excellent film and worth a watch.
Tbh, I'd rent it first or use online rather than buying it straight out, it's not everyone's sort of film, even though it's very well made.


@SC: I haven't read the book... only seen the film... wouldn't mind reading it tbh.

This is my review of This Boy's Life:

http://www.movieforums.com/community...d.php?p=826572

I remember it now... I've repped it.

This is weird though... on that same page, is your review of Color Of Night... I'm watching that right now on telly.

There are no coincidences.

I love Color of Night.

Only because of Bruce's Willis

I really like This Boy's Life. Haven't seen it in years though

Yes, Skyline is a piece of crap. I wouldn't have minded the heavy borrowing from other movies so much if it had been at least slightly entertaining. I don't know if I've ever seen an alien invasion movie that was so boring.

Right... here it is. Enjoy.




Logan is a drifter. He has little memory of his life before and uses his “special skills” to earn money by fighting in various underground boxing matches… He also has little to care about and his more animalistic side tends to take over his mentality toward those around him, causing him to have become a bit of a loner too.
But during a chance meeting with a young innocent runaway called Marie, he ends up in the presence of Professor Xavier at a boarding school for “gifted” children.

When it appears that Xavier is more than he seems too, Logan reluctantly (and with a bit of attitude too) stays at the school, and learns that the “gifted” children including runaway Marie, are actually mutants… just like Logan.

But when a new threat appears on the horizon in the form of a man calling himself Magneto who has delusions of an “equal world”, Logan and his new found friends in Xavier, Storm, Scott and Jean must band together, and Logan himself must, for the first time he can remember, rely on those around him as it appears the he is the target of this new enemy.

But worse things are around the corner for Xavier’s X-Men, when it appears that he was wrong about whom Magneto’s target actually is.

Ok, it was always going to be hard to start a film series based on X-Men.
But the filmmakers, even with all the problems have managed to piece together a pretty good story for the beginning of the series.

The screenplay and general scripting is pretty simplistic and the overall exposition is pretty linear… but the small twist in the third act makes for a nice surprise.
But what really does work is the audience-character connections.

Using the comics as inspiration, they’ve made a genuine cast of characters that you really care about.
Even the bad guys (Magneto’s group) have a real likeable air to them, especially the fact that you can see why they have broken away from conventional thinking and are doing what they’re doing, even if at times you don’t agree with it, you can at least see their reasoning.
They’re all very “human” when it comes to the writing aspect of the characteristics of everyone’s favourite mutants.

Another thing that stands out is that the filmmakers have incorporated a pretty realistic air of persecution and friendship between the human and mutant factions, as I mentioned with the reasoning behind Magneto’s actions.

It makes for, at times, almost a political fantasy that even Lucas would have been proud to have in Star Wars Episode I. But he didn’t

One thing that could be pointed out as a fault though, is that being the first of its kind, the film feels almost experimental in some of the tonal balances and some of the peril that the characters are going through, almost along the same lines as Superman: The Movie.
Some of X-Men however, feels kind of half-hearted toward the end and put in for the sake of getting a few action shots.
Especially when we are seeing the characters powers, but for the sake of anyone not up on the comics, it does work well and gives an idea of what these characters are capable of.

Another thing is the dialogue writing.
Throughout it’s really very good… but there are one or two slips that are immensely cheesy and almost cringe worthy in terms of wooden writing… one line in particular is between Storm and Toad… watch and you’ll see.


The acting however is bang on the money.
Hugh Jackman is absolutely the right choice for the job. His gruff, roguh and tough persona shines through brilliantly and Jackman’s natural talent is perfect for the changing characteristic of Wolverine as he becomes just a little softer as the movie progresses.
Patrick Stewart is also on form. I always like seeing Stewart but Xavier is by far one of his best roles. Stewarts natural ability to play a father figure is perfect for the role.

Halle Berry is a surprise as Storm though. It’s definitely her best role to date and she’s almost unrecognisable as the lightning charged babe.

A stand out role is Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, a love interest for Jackman and James Marsden who plays Cyclops.
Janssen is seriously likeable and plays off both her on screen love interests brilliantly.

Which brings me to James Marsden as Cyclops. One of my least favourite characters yet Marsden makes the role. Sadly though, he’s not given much of an arc or story really, he’s more of a supporting role.

Ian McKellen is by far the most impressive though. He has a genuinely realistic edge to him when it comes to threat and his chemistry on screen with anyone he’s seen with is awe inspiring. He’s also incredibly confident within the character. Outside of Gandalf, it’s another best role for X-Men.

Anna Paquin as Marie/Rogue is a bit of a hit and miss though. She’s seen throughout and is key to the story, but in act two she’s barely utilised.

Back up comes from Ray Park, Shawn Ashmore and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos makes for a beautiful femme-fatale.
Tyler Mane makes a notable showing as Sabretooth too but sadly he isn’t utilised as much as most fans, including myself, would have liked.


The action and effects are, like I said a touch experimental to allow the audience an idea of certain powers and so on…

… but they’re still very well rendered in the computers and the practical effects are great too.
The choreography is also top notch, especially in the third act. The fisticuffs between the various characters is really engaging.

I can’t help but feel it could have been just a little bit bigger. Still though, it’s apt for a starting point for the franchise.


A short time after X-Men, Logan has returned from a soul finding trip and it has transpired that Magneto has involuntarily given information about Xavier’s school and about the people who live and work there… to a man called Stryker.

Using a new weapon, Stryker has the ability to control mutants and his plan is to use certain devices of Xavier’s as an even more powerful weapon, to kill mutants outright.
It also transpires that Logan has a history with Stryker, but Logan still can’t remember anything about his life from years ago.

Xavier’s X-Men unite with Magneto and his “Brothers” to do what they can to discover what Stryker is up to and the history between him and Logan… but it will cost them dearly in doing so.

Where to begin?
Ok, X2 ramps up the stakes, and rightly so especially after the excitement of the first film.

This time round having new writers has given more substance to the political side of things and has ramped up the action stakes too.

One thing that stands out more than before is also Magneto and Xavier’s relationship. It gives a real personal and emotional depth to proceedings and makes for much more enjoyable twists and turns throughout the running time.

The things that made the story special in the first film are still there too, Magneto’s reasoning for his actions, Xavier’s reasoning for stopping him etc.
But with more character arcs added to the mix, an expansion in Wolverine’s background, and more screen time and storylines for those that were just supporting roles in the first film, it makes for a more interesting storyline overall that is more character driven.

The added bonus is that you never know what Magneto and his group are up to… even when he and the X-Men join forces against a mutual enemy.

The overall dialogue writing has also been improved. There much less in terms of cheesiness and the more serious notes have been thought through and tweaked into something that is much more believable.

Another thing is that more humour throughout has also been incorporated too.

The acting is also improved throughout and the cast seem to be having much more fun and a freer rein with the roles.

This time round, Anna Paquin and Shawn Ashmore (Rogue and Iceman respectively) as a kind of troubled love story is a wonderfully realised piece of writing. Seeing them on screen more is also a nice touch, they’re very likeable.

We’re also treated to Pyro played by Aaron Stanford. His feud with Iceman is another nice touch and gives Paquin and Ashmore something to watch out for. He also has massive chemistry with McKellen and Romijn-Stamos which is key to his role throughout the films.

Brian Cox makes a great showing as his usual bad guy persona. He plays Stryker and is definitely a bad guy to really loathe. As usual with Cox, he’s memorable beyond belief.

The real standout role this time round though is chameleon actor Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler.
He is incredible in the role of the God-fearing Teleporter and steals the show whenever he’s on screen. His makeup is also fantastic.

Back up comes from Kelly Hu, Katie Stuart and Daniel Cudmore makes a kind of cameo as Colossus.


The action, choreography and effects are also improved throughout, especially with the third act showdown.
We get to see Wolverine come head to head with an almost equal and throughout the running time there’s more explosive action when it comes to the feud between humans and mutants… then there’s a wonderfully realised and sombre ending to the film as well.

The effects rendering, both practical and CG is also top notch.


A while after X2, Logan has found himself feeling at home in Xavier’s school. He’s now affectionately known a Professor Logan by the children and is looked up to by most people around him. His attitude still makes problems from time to time though.
His relationship with Scott Summers is still strained though, especially in the aftermath of what happen in X2.

When it appears that the incidents in X2 were more than they seemed, Scott goes missing… and Storm and Logan go in search… only to find a rather sizeable surprise waiting for them.
But this surprise turns out to be much more dangerous that they expected when Magneto shows up and sees an opportunity to wield the ultimate weapon…

… a weapon that will allow him to wipe out human kind forever before humans wipe out mutants by using a cure against them.

The X-Men must preserve democracy and forge peace between humans and mutants…
… by fighting Magneto, side by side with the very humans that were going to wipe them out.

Yet again, with the new writers on board, the franchise has been tweaked and ramped up.
This time round a new director has had a massive effect on the finished product… and in a good way too.

The film feels more complete this time round, even with the rewrites and problems.

The character arcs are also much more fleshed out and feel much more personal this time round and give a massively entertaining air to the film.

The humour of the second film has been toned back slightly for this one in favour of a more serious tone but the filmmakers have also managed to add a huge comic book essence to the look of the film.
I have a feeling this is down to having Avi Arad (The Amazing Spider-Man) on board as a producer, this guy seems to know his way around the comic to film genre.

It makes what became a trilogy, tie together perfectly too.

One thing with this film is that there are at least some scenes that allow the audience see why certain characters aren’t involved anymore, particularly Cyclops.
In X2, there were missing characters that were just, well, not there, and that’s it. Gone.
This time round, some of the absentees are accounted for and explained.

Another plus point though, is the emotions that the whole cast seem to go through that harkens back to X2, plus a few shocks along the way that give the actors something to get their teeth into.
Some of the writing in particular with Magneto is tweaked as well. You really get to see how ruthless this guy can be. Thumbs up!

Mix all that with better photography overall, makes it a much more visually stunning film.


As for the acting, well this time round we have a number of new characters who are treated as either cannon fodder or supporting members… but one thing is that they’re all utilised extremely well to give a history to the characters around them.
Also, the many, many new mutants on show get to show off their powers too in a third act showdown.
New member Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut is a welcome addition. He carries a number of humorous scenes and his overall character isn’t too complicated either.

Ellen Page also makes a nice show as Kitty Pride, a girl who can walk through walls. She also carries some humour and makes for a nice love triangle between her, Rogue and Iceman.

The biggest welcome is Kelsey Grammer though as Hank “Beast” McCoy. Definitely a standout role. His cool calm exterior plays second only to his more aggressive side when he gets fed up with Magneto’s shenanigans and decides to get an X-Men suit on… and Kelsey plays against type fantastically.

Back up comes from a new faction of mutants with Dania Ramirez, Meiling Melancon and Ken Leung.


The effects are about the same as X2 though in terms of rendering and style, but with the occasional addition of extra computer effects where the other films would have gone practical, it makes for a more visually exciting film.
The action and fighting choreography is also ramped up. The third act rumble is by far the most exciting sequence of the original trilogy, especially when there’s such a good story backing it up.


In 1845, a young boy around the age of 10 called James Howlett discovers the disturbing truth that his father isn’t his real father and that a good school friend of his called Victor, is actually his brother.
During this emotional discovery, he and his newly discovered brother end up wanted for murder and they go on the run… vowing to protect each other and keep each other’s bizarre powers secret.

As time goes on, the two find themselves fighting many wars, always watching each other’s backs.

But when a particular incident that shows their strange powers for what they are, it brings the attention of a young Government Agent called Stryker…

… Stryker then invites the duo to fight for a shadowy, almost Black Ops organisation.

But James, who now uses the name Logan, begins to doubt that their activities are purely for good and it drives a wedge between him and Victor…

In leaving the organisation though, Logan has made himself a genuine enemy of his brother… and using Stryker’s help, Logan is given a power beyond his imagination to be able to stop Victor… who is seemingly out for the blood of everyone who was in the “organisation”.

A bit of an odd one this.
Wolverine has a pretty good story behind it and some great action sequences.

There’s more humour to this one at the beginning, especially between Logan, Victor and the new team of mutants they’re joined with.
After the initial humorous start though and the odd funny scene thrown in throughout the running time, it has quite a depressing air about it. It’s a very sombre and serious turn of events that lead to the “birth” of the Wolverine we all know from the original trilogy.

The kinds of twists and turns that made the original trilogy’s screenplay so good are laid on thick in this one too and they’re gladly easy to follow. It makes for a pretty unpredictable movie and makes it more enjoyable too.


Another thing that’s laid on thick is a sub-plot that was used throughout the original trilogy… experiments on mutants.
This film is a culmination of all the various already seen experimentation, which made the other films so disturbing at times. It’s also handled pretty well too.


The dialogue in this one is about the same as before too but what’s special about this film, is that Logan is a completely different character overall.

What is missing from this one though, I think, is the more character driven sub-plots and side stories. Though with this being the origins of Wolverine, the movie does succeed in what it set out to do

What is good though, is seeing the things that Logan had forgotten in the original trilogy. The backstory that was missing from Logan’s memories… and it’s nice to see some of the olde connections that Logan has with Stryker and Sabretooth.

Another nice touch is a bunch of cameos from young actors playing mutants that we will all recognise from the original trilogy… and a small role for the mutant called Emma Frost who will be seen in more detail in X-Men: First Class.

What lets it down though, is that the film has an air about it that makes it feel like a film that was made for the sake of it.
Even though all of the above work well, the film feels a little hollow. Almost as if there could have been something better about it during the preproduction stages that weren’t included in the final product.
There are also some continuity errors in regard to the original trilogy during the running time too.


The acting and character writing is what really brings the film to life.
Hugh Jackman returns as Logan/Wolverine. This time round the more serious tone of the character is brought into the foreground and Jackman nails it.

Victor/Sabretooth this time round is played by Liev Schreiber… Schreiber was a bit of a controversial pick to start with over Tyler Mane, but the new actor is by far a better choice.
Given the extra screen time, Victor needed a strong actor to make the character come to life and Schreiber is absolutely on form. He’s also one of the best villains going in the X-Men films.

Danny Huston makes a mark too as a young version of Brian Cox’s Stryker. Huston is fantastic as the slimy government type with an agenda.

Taylor Kitsch also makes a nice showing as Gambit too. He has a kind of dual role throughout as an enemy and then friend to Logan.

Back up comes from Will.i.am, Dominic Monaghan, Kevin Durand and Ryan Reynolds makes a seriously memorable appearance too.
Reynolds in particular is funny at the start.


The effects, fights and choreography though are what this film is really all about.
The rendering of the effects, CGI and practical are absolutely wonderful and some of the action sequences are seriously some of the best of the series so far.
Jackman in particular carries the action fantastically too.


Charles Xavier is a young boy born into a highly wealthy family with an incredible gift. He has the power to read minds and can even control people’s thoughts. When he takes in a runaway called Raven Darkholme who can shape-shift, they form a close bond that resembles a sibling ship.

Xavier eventually ends up in University studying and mastering mutations in living things, and he Raven are approached by CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert who needs Xavier’s particular expertise on the subject after she witnessed what appeared to be a group of mutants lead by a man called Sebastian Shaw, blackmailing top Military brass.

During their work together in discovering who these so called Mutants are, Xavier, Raven and MacTaggert encounter Eric Lensherr, a mutant with the power to control metal.
Lensherr has been hunting Shaw, as he is responsible for the death of Lensherr’s family…

… and together with a few new recruits to Xavier and Lensherr’s First Class, they must train together and refine their powers… and find out what these mutants want with the Military bosses… and why they’re so interested in Nuclear weapons.

But with metal controlling Lensherr, now dubbed as “Magneto”becoming so powerful, he ends up bent solely on revenge rather than the good of mankind and Xavier and his team of newly dubbed X-Men, which includes Raven “Mystique” Darkholme, Hank “Beast” McCoy, Alex “Havoc” Summers, Angel Salvadore and Sean “Banshee” Cassidy, must work around each other’s differing ideals and work together to stop Shaw in whatever way they can.


Ok, let’s start with the bad.
More continuity errors plague First Class more than they ever did with the other films.

The overall relationship between Xavier and Lensherr and Xavier’s relationships with certain other mutants and a continuity error in the circumstances of Xavier ending up in a wheelchair are all part of a pretty large iceberg of faults than run through the film.

Also, Xavier’s physical appearance is a continuity problem too… he’s seen at the end of Origins: Wolverine before his accident… yet bears no resemblance to James McAvoy in this film.


Now, on with the good parts.
The story itself is fantastic. It’s a highly engaging and stunning look at the history of X-Men.
Also, the best way to think of First Class is as an Origins story.

The overall character development given to everyone’s favourite mutant leaders really brings home the struggles they faced as younger men.
It makes for yet another highly personal turn of events that fleshes out the mentality of the characters and gives a real substance to what is seen in the original X-Men trilogy. In retrospect, it freshens the original trilogy.

The other thing is the overall exposition of the story and plot. Some of it is predictable because of seeing the original films, yet with the odd tweak and twist with some of the plot devices, it gives the occasional unexpected surprise to the proceedings.

There’s also some fantastic dialogue and audience-character connections going on throughout too that make the viewer laugh along with some of the scenes… kind of in a nostalgic way.

This film also balances humour and seriousness better than the other films. Anywhere from slapstick to subtle dialogue to nuclear threats and fistfights… the whole thing has pretty much the best parts of all the films before it with none of the unintentional cheesiness.


The acting, I wasn’t too keen on to start with, but after another viewing I came to like the new actors in the roles.
James McAvoy as Xavier is pretty much bang on. The overall character of Xavier has been tweaked and McAvoy makes the role his own without having to copy what Patrick Stewart did.

Michael Fassbender also makes an impression as a young Eric Lensherr/Magneto. In particular Magneto has been given a massive amount of backstory and like with the original trilogy, whether you agree with his actions or not, you understand why he does what he does.
Fassbender does occasionally slip between different accents though.

Jennifer Lawrence plays young Raven Darkholme/Mystique… the shape shifter whose alliances are torn. She’s also expanded as a character rather than just being a baddie for the sake of it. Lawrence is also just as beautiful as original actress Rebecca Romijn too.

CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert is also a nice addition from actress Rose Byrne. She’s not used a massive amount but her key role works as a plot developer and a love interest for McAvoy.

Kevin Bacon almost steals the show though as Sebastian Shaw. Though the character wasn’t brilliantly utilised, Bacon as usual steals the screen when he’s on. His overall slimy persona is also brilliant for the character.

Back up comes from:
January Jones as Emma Frost… Frost too has more of an important role than she had in Wolverine.
Nicholas Hoult as Hank “Beast” McCoy… who makes a good turn as a young Kelsey Grammer.
And Zoe Kravitz, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till and Edi Gathegi make memorable shows as Professor Xavier’s First Class.

A standout background performance though is Jason Flemyng as Azazel. Though he isn’t utilised a massive amount.


The effects of this one are also ramped up. They’re used sparingly rather than just becoming an all-out actioner like Wolverine was and when used, the excitement doesn’t disappoint.

The rendering of the CGI is also top notch and mixed with the brilliant set pieces, the movie really comes together.

A lot of the mutants on show in this one, as I said in the Notes section above, are highly visual but with the audience connection being so well put together it makes the whole thing much more enjoyable than just flash for the sake of it effects.

Damn Rodent! I had actually been meaning to ask you what was going on with your reviews as I felt this was your longest ever break. Now I guess I've got the answer.

I'm actually just about to head out with the dog but will definitely have a read through later on. Although just having a quick skim through and you rate Last Stand as the best of the series?!!! I'd put that as my least favourite probably. The second film and First Class probably as my top entries in the franchise.

That is one doozy of a review Rode! I enjoyed all of those movies! Wouldn't have dreamed of writing that long of a review, as you can tell by my reviews page, but none-the-less you are the king of reviews!

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You are no Vader. You are just a child in a mask.

I actually enjoyed Skyline. It kept me interested, I enjoyed figuring out what was going to happen before it actually did.

Wow, massive post there Rodent and some great reviews. Out of those, I remember enjoying the first two X-Men films when they came out even though some didn't. I've seen First Class a couple times and I didn't really like it the first time but it did improve the second time, although I didn't enjoy it as much as other people on here did, had negatives and positives for me, liked Fassbender as Magneto though.

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Woah woah woah!!! Hold on a minute. When exactly was this established? Was their an official tournament for said title that I missed or something?

Nice reviews Own all these

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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha

Cheers everyone for the reps and nice replies. Took me a while to get those done.

I know my way around the keyboard now


King Of Reviews... that has to go on my caption just to make JayDee jealous.

I reckon JayDee should do something similar then. I've review whole franchises in a whole post before but I made them short reviews for each film. This time they were long.
So I reckon JayDee should do a whole franchise too with long reviews for each one... Mission Impossible... Lethal Weapon... Star Wars... Pirates Of The Caribbean... Alien...

Pick one JayDee, I can't remember if you've done any of those

You could be the Prince Of Reviews.

Oh Yoda, why did you have to take the negative rep option away? Rodent really needs taken down a peg or two right about now!!!

Well perhaps I should use cinemaafficionado's comment as my caption when he said my review was 'truly Oscar worthy'. JayDee - Writer of Oscar level reviews.

Well I did do the Lord of the Rings trilogy a few months back. And I probably wrote more for just 3 films than you did for 5 if you're so desperate to boast about how much you wrote! The only thing with franchises is I think you'd end up talking about the same things over and over again. Like when I did the Mission Impossible series I just did micro musings, otherwise every review would just have been a carbon copy in a number of ways

Do Star Trek 1-11 in one review... I did...