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Marvel's Luke Cage |OT| Bulletproof While Black - September 30th on Netflix
- Thread starter TheOddOne
- Start date
I'd say...
1) Daredevil S1
2) Luke Cage S1
3) Jessica Jones S1
4) Daredevil S2
Of all of the Netflix shows, the only parts I actively disliked or were bored by was the Hand plotline in season 2 of Daredevil. I come to the Netflix shows for street level heroes fighting to protect their homes from organized crime. Mystical ninjas with vague goals doesn't fit in the wheelhouse. I'm hoping Iron Fist can make me care about Marvel mysticism.
1) Daredevil S1
2) Luke Cage S1
3) Jessica Jones S1
4) Daredevil S2
Of all of the Netflix shows, the only parts I actively disliked or were bored by was the Hand plotline in season 2 of Daredevil. I come to the Netflix shows for street level heroes fighting to protect their homes from organized crime. Mystical ninjas with vague goals doesn't fit in the wheelhouse. I'm hoping Iron Fist can make me care about Marvel mysticism.
GuitarAtomik
Member
I really enjoyed the show. It definitely loses some steam after
But yeah, still cool. Music (both licensed and original) was goddamn amazing. Also it was nice to see them not shy away from the black community angle or the current climate with police. They weren't afraid to go where they needed to go and that's refreshing for a superhero show.
Oh one other problem I had: Does Rosario
Cottonmouth's death though and Diamondback is just overall a weaker antagonist. I think his character would have worked perfectly as a batshit henchman instead of the big boss but, especially after the nuance of Cottonmouth, it was weird to have someone so crazy in charge. Like I have a hard time imagining how he managed to get so high up the food chain with how reckless he was. I know you can kind of explain that away with his obsession of taking down Luke but still.
But yeah, still cool. Music (both licensed and original) was goddamn amazing. Also it was nice to see them not shy away from the black community angle or the current climate with police. They weren't afraid to go where they needed to go and that's refreshing for a superhero show.
Oh one other problem I had: Does Rosario
really need to get romantically involved with every hero she shows up for? Is she going to start dating Danny when she inevitably shows up in Iron Fist? I could really do without that.
I'd say the scene with him killing off all of the the Harlem mob leaders perfectly illustrates how he got to where he is. He's smart, insane, and incredibly effective.
BlackGhost
Banned
Ep 2 quest appearance
Yoo faith Evans still has it!
Xplatformer
Member
Agree with this.
I haven't gone back after episode 7. It's not grabbing me and it's pissing me off. Their formula is different from DD and JJ, and I'm not liking it at all.
Hi,
Curious as to what keeps you coming back to LC? I made it through 7 episodes and unlike any of the other Marvel Netflix series I had to make myself watch the next episode, then the next episode, then the next episode....
Maybe it's the title character...maybe it's the Harlem setting...maybe it's the antagonist...maybe it's the screenplay, directing style, cinematography..
I'm a big Daredevil fan who was extremely disappointed with the DD film that came out years ago, so I had EXTREMELY high expectations for the DD series. It met those expectations.
I use to collect the old Power Man and Iron Fist comics. I had even higher expectations than I did for DD.
IMHO..they didn't do a good job making me care about ANYTHING in the DD series. Acting is good...cast is...acceptable (Sorry...I could have picked a better actor for Luke Cage)..... it's just not clicking for me ...and I want it to.
Risible
Member
I was pretty psyched for this. I grew up reading Luke Cage Hero for Hire back in the 70s and really remember the character fondly.
I liked the updating of the character. The nod to his old costume during his origin story episode was neat. The actor was a perfect fit for the role.
Cottonmouth was a great villain. Nuanced and more like a real person that a caricature most of the time. Shades was the same, had his own motivations and was well written.
Sadly the material felt stretched out and thin many times. Even the action was often too drawn out. Diamondback was a cartoon character, your standard pure evil villain with too thin motivations for his chaotic actions.
Overall I enjoyed it but I fast-forwarded a lot after the first six episodes or so. The ending to the Diamondback arc in particular was weak as hell.
The Method Man cameo was amazing though
.
I liked the updating of the character. The nod to his old costume during his origin story episode was neat. The actor was a perfect fit for the role.
Cottonmouth was a great villain. Nuanced and more like a real person that a caricature most of the time. Shades was the same, had his own motivations and was well written.
Sadly the material felt stretched out and thin many times. Even the action was often too drawn out. Diamondback was a cartoon character, your standard pure evil villain with too thin motivations for his chaotic actions.
Overall I enjoyed it but I fast-forwarded a lot after the first six episodes or so. The ending to the Diamondback arc in particular was weak as hell.
The Method Man cameo was amazing though
.UnemployedVillain
Member
What problems did people have with Michael Colter as Luke Cage, exactly? I feel like people are sad he wasn't acting like Black Dynamite. I liked his more reserved, pensive, quiet take on the character.
Not every character needs some defining standout trait for them (like Jessica Jone's cynicism and self destructive nature, or Matt's stubbornness and insistence on carrying the full burden of fixing up Hell's Kitchen).
Not every character needs some defining standout trait for them (like Jessica Jone's cynicism and self destructive nature, or Matt's stubbornness and insistence on carrying the full burden of fixing up Hell's Kitchen).
My issue with Colter is he feels perpetually soft spoken and he's not very graceful in general. One scene that really stood out to me was when he's
walking in the park with Claire before he first gets shot with the Judas and she looks relaxed, natural, and believable as she walks while
The hand (elektra, Stick, and ninjas) are apart of Daredevil universal. Stick trained Daredevil. There is no escaping that.
F0rneus
Tears in the rain
1) Daredevil S1
2) Daredevil S2 Punisher Arc
3) Luke Cage S1 Ep 1-7
4) Jessica Jones
5) Daredevil S2 Hand Arc
6) Luke Cage S1 Ep 8-13
Show was really good overall, and I can't wait to see Luke continues in The Defenders. IMO Mike Colter is perfectly cast. I have a lot of love for the first 7 eps of the show. Now that was a truly rich, captivating story. But very much like S2 of Daredevil, the show went down an awkward road that never quite got to me. Now I didn't dislike the Hand arc in DD per say. It just went on for far too long...I mean how many ninjas can Elektra and Matt defeat? Felt like I was watching a Streets of Rage playthrough near the end. Ep7 and onwards spoilers for LC:
2) Daredevil S2 Punisher Arc
3) Luke Cage S1 Ep 1-7
4) Jessica Jones
5) Daredevil S2 Hand Arc
6) Luke Cage S1 Ep 8-13
Show was really good overall, and I can't wait to see Luke continues in The Defenders. IMO Mike Colter is perfectly cast. I have a lot of love for the first 7 eps of the show. Now that was a truly rich, captivating story. But very much like S2 of Daredevil, the show went down an awkward road that never quite got to me. Now I didn't dislike the Hand arc in DD per say. It just went on for far too long...I mean how many ninjas can Elektra and Matt defeat? Felt like I was watching a Streets of Rage playthrough near the end. Ep7 and onwards spoilers for LC:
Luke Cage discards one of the best villains in the MCU for Diamondback. On paper it's a shocking twist. In execution...ehhhh. Diamondback is Malekith tier. Poorly thought out, cliched character whose actions never truly feel threatening. I was rolling my eyes at the hostage stuff...what a lame play. Plus what a cheesy, low budget get-up for the final fight. Jeebus. Looked like he was ready to tackle sharknados...not Luke Cage. Show never quite recovers from losing Cottonmouth. It slowly drags to Ep 13, and stretches out it's runtime as much as it can. Hell I never thought Jessica Jones did, personally. Here I tasted the flour in the sauce a whole lot.
I think Cage himself is an insufferable cornball most of the time, which is weird because his character was nothing like that in Jessica Jones, though I guess less screentime and a different team of writers will do that.
That said, I loved the show, and I think it's largely because of the supporting cast of characters. I'm not exaggerating when I say Luke Cage easily has the best rogue's gallery we've seen in any MCU outing, film or television. Cottonmouth, Shades, Diamondback, and Mariah are all captivating and entertaining.
Even the most simplistic and campy of them, Diamondback, succeeds because of how much the actor seems to revel in the silliness of the character. I'd say Diamondback is the best Joker we've seen this year. The way the guy chewed the scenery was awesome, and I found myself smiling pretty much anytime he interacted with other characters. I loved it.
Misty Knight was another standout. The actress is a legit treasure, and her character is the true heart of the show to me, especially because unlike Cage, she is a true product of Harlem.
Which brings me to another thing I loved about the show: we actually got to know people in Harlem. Daredevil and Luke Cage stories are both centered around heroes trying to protect neighborhoods from succumbing to malignant forces that threaten the people and character of their homes. But where Daredevil faltered is that we don't really SEE much of Hell's Kitchen and its people outside of sweet old Mrs. Cardena, we don't really see much of those people that need saving, or the neighborhood for that matter. This is even worse in season 2, when the show goes full ninja mysticism. The show is still great obviously, but seeing so many of the people of Harlem throughout, and having them largely return in the finale, added a lot to the show for me. It made Harlem itself feel like a character in a way that Hell's Kitchen isn't in Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
I'm aware. And I don't think I'll ever find it interesting. Hoping that changes in S3.
Solideliquid
Member
Is this in 4K?
RobotVM
Member
Xplatformer
Member
I agree with this...COMPLETELY. I know it's wrong, but I compare him to the actor playing Max on Agents of Shield.
I didn't agree with the casting when it was announced, and unlike Jessica Jones, my opinion hasn't changed now that the series has been released.
He's dry.
flaxknuckles
Member
I'm enjoying the show but damn are the fight scenes horrible I was lmao at some of them. And Luke is so corny, I thought he would have some more swagger to him.
GuitarAtomik
Member
Thought this was a good read:
Real Talk About How Luke Cage Uses Blackness ~ Evan Narcisse
EDIT: Some spoilers in there.
Real Talk About How Luke Cage Uses Blackness ~ Evan Narcisse
EDIT: Some spoilers in there.
UnemployedVillain
Member
I'm sure it's intentional as female characters are always calling him out on it, Claire especially. I think it's the show trying to toe the line between modern day sensibilities and the corny "suaveness" of blaxsploitation films. It's an interesting balance that I hope they keep up, but further refine
Maintenance
Member
Heck, for some time I think I even said that Jessica Jones was my favorite Marvel Netflix show (here on GAF, probably in the OT), but after I rewatched it I discovered that the true reason I liked that show was because of Tennant.
Jessica Jones was the most narratively ambitious thing Marvel Studios has ever done. Even if the show didn't stick the landing as well as it should have, I can't help but admire it for the ways it succeeds. TV and media need more stories like Jessica Jones.
BlackGhost
Banned
Sweet Christmas
DontBeThatGuy
Member
3 episodes in and It just might be on track to be my favorite of these marvel shows, although I'm little worried about the fight scenes. I know he's not trying to hurt anyone too much but it's a little rough right now. (btw, I liked Jessica Jones)
I've always been a fan but I just don't think the Netflix model of releasing shows is ideal for generating persistent conversations after the initial week.
Add in Jessica Jones being an exploration of different types of abusive relationships, the effect on the victims, and the ability of the victims to overcome their abuse and abusers.
It was a very smart show, but would naturally have a steeper cliff to climb because of the "lol trigger warnings" crowd of numbskulls.
More_Badass
Member
What makes good action? Nicely choreographed fighting?
Why do you think Daredevil and Arrow has such fancy martial arts/carefully choreographed fights and Jessica Jones and Luke Cage just toss guys around?
Yeah I got a little annoyed by that. I'm at around episode 8, so spoilers up until that point:
Luke knows Shades, who works for Diamondback, who coincidentally was childhood friends with Luke. Diamondback sends Shades to help Cottonmouth, JUST BEFORE Cottonmouth begins his feud with Luke.
I was okay with it until the whole Diamondback/Luke connection, that was just one too many.
I was okay with it until the whole Diamondback/Luke connection, that was just one too many.
autumnleaf
Member
I liked it, as per usual a few episodes too long and runs out of steam but good enough.
1) DD 1
2) DD 2
3) LC
4) JJ
1) DD 1
2) DD 2
3) LC
4) JJ
BrightLightLava
Unconfirmed Member
I sort of get what they were saying. At first, I thought it was a bit boring that he would just walk up to people and then slap them around, but then I realized that that was all he had to do. I can't wait for Defenders when you have Daredevil and Iron Fist flipping around ninja-style, and Luke and Jessica just tossing people left and right.
Subpar Spatula
Banned
Camera work, able to understand what's going on, choreography, etc.
When Luke goes into Fort Knox and lures the people into that room it becomes confusing. He's doing specific grabs to break all their arms and pushes people.
There's also a lack of energy to the fights where it turns into Luke walking up and smacking them on the head. It becomes even comical later because you realize this is all this guy can do. This energy could even be converted into fear but the moments Luke confronts a group it's played out more neutral or even comical.
Even if that's all he can do, he can still be shot in a more entertaining way. Robocop and Terminator move similar to how Cage moves but they're still shot in a way that's thrilling, entertaining, and effective.
If you're watching this for the choreography then you're watching the wrong show: straight up.
This is a show with someone that can punch like a truck and can't get shot. He's not a secret ninja and he's fighting human beings who can't withstand his punishment.
Your expectations were out of whack.
kunonabi
Member
If we're ranking them:
1. Luke Cage
2. Daredevil Season 2 first half
3. Daredevil Season 1
4. Daredevil Season 2 second half
5. Jessica Jones
Colter doesn't quite knock Cage out of the park like Cox did with Daredevil but it easily has my favorite supporting cast and side characters overall. I hated Shades and Rosario Dawson is starting to get the Lana Lang treatment which is concerning but everyone else was great.
Marvel really needs to figure out something with the action sequences because Cage and Jones both need a lot of help in that department even if they aren't as action oriented as Daredevil. It really makes the shows look cheap especially with some of Cage's wonky special effects.
1. Luke Cage
2. Daredevil Season 2 first half
3. Daredevil Season 1
4. Daredevil Season 2 second half
5. Jessica Jones
Colter doesn't quite knock Cage out of the park like Cox did with Daredevil but it easily has my favorite supporting cast and side characters overall. I hated Shades and Rosario Dawson is starting to get the Lana Lang treatment which is concerning but everyone else was great.
Marvel really needs to figure out something with the action sequences because Cage and Jones both need a lot of help in that department even if they aren't as action oriented as Daredevil. It really makes the shows look cheap especially with some of Cage's wonky special effects.
Of course not, but cant help but feel the cheap effects when he jump down a building or when they shoot at him. It kinda feel weightless.
Just finished. So this is either just barely above or equal to Daredevil's first season for me (which is the height of Netflix MCU for me). I enjoyed it thoroughly and I think its finale is the best of the three shows so far and probably the most honest in its conclusion. Really want to see what happens next. I think everyone did a great job here and has the best cast of characters as a whole of the three shows. We could use more heroes like Cage onscreen, bulletproof or not.
autumnleaf
Member
Re: the action. Cap in the films has no martial arts training (first movie at least) and is basically just stronger than the cannon fodder he fights but his hits have far more impact and weight than what we see in this and JJ. That isn't totally fair since its a film but DD showed the shows can have fight scenes as good as the films.
Finished the entire series yesterday night, awesome stuff aside from pacing that dragged out at various points, there's no denying that.
My favorite characters are definitely Luke Cage, Misty Knight, Cottonmouth, Shades and Diamondback. It's really great to have a show like this on Netflix and I'm so looking forward to the future. Fucking brutal though.
As for Mike Colter, he does a decent job acting I feel and I like his take on Cage as a good man doing the right thing.
My favorite characters are definitely Luke Cage, Misty Knight, Cottonmouth, Shades and Diamondback. It's really great to have a show like this on Netflix and I'm so looking forward to the future. Fucking brutal though.
As for Mike Colter, he does a decent job acting I feel and I like his take on Cage as a good man doing the right thing.
Pop dying is a legit tearjerker and Mike Colter's' acting is at its best there.
gutter_trash
Banned
how many eps? 12 or 13?
Infinite Stars
Member
I loved the show, even with the second half going full on ham with the Villain. My only issues are basically the same with Daredevil: There's an awkward 3 episodes in the middle that kills the pacing and the best action Scene is otherwise unremarkable in the overall plot.
Sgt. Kabukiman
Banned
It's not about the choreography. Nobody expects to see Luke Cage flipping around and dodging bullets.
The fact is, the show does have action scenes, so it's perfectly normal as a viewer to expect them to be at least decently executed. I can't think of a superhero show in the last 5 years outside of Jessica Jones with worst special effects and camera work during the action. And in episode 13,
the final confrontation was just comical and it lasted a good 10 minutes.
It doesn't ruin the show per se but there's nothing wrong with criticizing the action in Luke Cage and expecting better.
MHWilliams
Member
It's mostly the shield that gives you that feel. The sound design on that thing is perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW9zrk0T7-8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iz9AYF7eQEs
The funny thing is Cage
knows how to box
Nameless
Member
1. Daredevil Season 2
2. Luke Cage
3. Daredevil Season 1
4. Jessica Jones
this also continues the NetflixCU's streak of awesome villains.
I've finished episode 9 (or 10? Can't recall exactly) and I'm really not feeling any complaints about pacing or filler. Some of the writing seems a little forced and the overall pace IS slow, but for a show that's really as much character drama as it is superhero action, it feels fine to me.
Loving the characters and the overall atmosphere. I'd honestly think it would be a bit weird if it was much faster, if at all.
Loving the characters and the overall atmosphere. I'd honestly think it would be a bit weird if it was much faster, if at all.