I recently reviewed “Left Behind,” “The Affair,” and “Kingdom” for TheWrap. Much to my surprise, I most liked “Kingdom.”
Yes, it’s drenched in machismo and more than slightly misogynistic. But creator Byron Balasco has created a believable world of characters that circle around a Venice beach mixed martial arts gym. The first episode pummels viewers, but things ease up in subsequent episodes, and the DirecTV show’s better for it. Nick Jonas holds his own in a cast including Frank Grillo and Matt Lauria.
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I was ready to like “The Affair” — beach settings! pay cable relationship drama! — but alas, I was far from smitten with the premiere. Biggest issue: the extramarital dalliance at its center seems awfully familiar. Oh geeze, another seemingly happy married man just can’t resist a weepy woman from a lower socio-economic bracket. How midlife crisis of him.
The Showtime series is indeed full of pretty beach scenes — it’s set in Montauk, Long Island — and has an intriguing he said/she said set-up, but so far the main characters just aren’t likeable enough to warrant a major commitment. I’ll check back, but am not overly optimistic that it will win a place in my cranky heart.
My review is here.
“Left Behind,” meanwhile, should have stayed a direct to video movie. The Rapture disaster reboot starring Nicolas Cage is didactic, and verging on parody. Production values: Not good.
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Diane Garrett 