Landing on Prime Video on February 20th with the first three episodes, the third season of ‘Reacher’ plunges audiences back into the often violent world of Lee Child’s hulking former military police officer, who has a knack for finding trouble –– and solving it with either his fists or the nearest available weapon.
The first two seasons of the show, which stars Alan Ritchson as the title character, have been met with praise from critics and fans (not least because the tall and muscular Ritchson better fits the mold of the character than Tom Cruise did in his twomovies), so can the third keep the momentum going?
The biggest secret to ‘Reacher’s working so far is that it never treats the books like some sort of example of high art; instead, the feeling is more a nostalgic throwback to the sorts of shows that used to litter TV in the 1970s and ‘80s, such as ‘The A-Team’ and ‘The Incredible Hulk,’ where the heroes would travel to different places and sort out problems, including corrupt law enforcement or crime bosses. This concept these days is also explored to some degree by the CBS network series ‘Tracker.’
Of course, that and especially the older shows certainly didn’t have the freedom that streaming brings in terms of language and violence, nor do they have the budget of a ‘Reacher.’ All this, combined with a likeable (if sometimes limited, more on that below) lead performance by Ritchson.
Nick Santora, who developed the show and serves as head writer and showrunner, has a history on high-concept procedurals with some sense of humor –– and he’s also recently created action comedy series ‘FUBAR’, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
‘Reacher’ could never be described as an out-and-out laugh-fest, but it certainly manages to avoid being so self-serious that it’s less fun to watch. The stakes are certainly high (even if we know that, no matter how punishment he takes in the scope of one of his missions, our hero will survive to walk –– or drive –– off into the sunset), and the twisty action keeps you guessing, and there’s enough action and drama to be found within.
For this season, Reacher has more reason than usual to be careful. Not only is he required to watch his back in the usual sense as he wades into trouble, he’s also aware that he has to make sure no one really guesses what he’s up to, as opposed to previous missions where he’s got an out-in-the-open enemy to battle.
The writing team isn’t necessarily looking to keep you guessing, more on the edge of your seat as you wonder whether the truth will be uncovered. And there are layers upon layers of storyline that work effectively if simply.
Reacher’s not exactly a character who is quippy every other line; he’s more of the silent warrior type, but he does have a good line in grim humor –– witness his reaction to learning where the coffee he’s drinking comes from (hint: it’s a very expensive brand that has a history with feline digestive systems).
And Santora is careful to make sure that this season doesn’t come across as a carbon copy of what has gone before –– last time Reacher had a team to work with, this time it’s a scrappy collection of DEA agents operating without major military backing.
There is still some welcome connective tissue from seasons past, though; not the least of which is Maria Sten’s Frances Neagley, who is getting her own spin-off.
‘Reacher’s directing team, led by Sam Hill, keeps the show looking interesting and stylish, while the action scenes are always handled effectively.
Alan Ritchson is our returning central hero, the no-nonsense former officer who these days spends his time wandering the country and living by his own rules. While the character doesn’t exactly brim with charisma, he’s got his own style, and if it doesn’t lead to Oscar-winning work, it definitely gets the job done, just like Reacher.
Season 3 highlights include Sonya Cassidy’s smart-mouthed, sassy DEA agent Susan Duffy, one of the few people to earn Reacher’s begrudging respect. Cassidy is great in the role, providing the right amount of assured capability and human vulnerability.
Anthony Michael Hall is also solid as Zachary Beck, the corrupt businessman that Reacher comes into contact with this season. While the character might initially come across as a gruff, limited rich a-hole, Hall has more to work with when interacting with his son Richard, played with nervy energy by Johnny Berchtold.
And because the biggest problem for a show featuring a character as imposing as Jack Reacher comes in finding someone who is actually a challenge for him to face, Season 3 brings us Olivier Richters’ Paulie, a hulking giant of a man who is more than a match for the taciturn title character. It’s highly entertaining to see someone Reacher can’t simply knock out, and their eventual clash is one for the ages.
‘Reacher’ continues to be an entertaining action series with a solid sense of humor and a compelling central figure.
Some darker-hued flashbacks add an additional layer of emotion and tension.
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What is the plot of ‘Reacher’ Season 3?
In season 3, Reacher (Alan Ritchson) delves into the dark underbelly of a vast criminal enterprise when he attempts to rescue a DEA informant. There, he encounters a world of secrets and violence and is confronted with issues from his past.
Premiering on Prime Video beginning February 20th is the third season of the popular series ‘Reacher’, which is based on the series of books by author Lee Child. The new season is specifically adapted from the novel ‘Persuader’, and once again stars Alan Ritchson in the title role.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Alan Ritchson about his work on ‘Reacher’ season 3, the direction the new season takes his character, Reacher’s partnership with Duffy, working with Sonya Cassidy, shooting the fight scenes with Olivier Richters, and how it feels to now be the second biggest guy on a ‘Reacher’ set.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ritchson, Sonya Cassidy, Brian Tee, Olivier Richters, and Anthony Michael Hall.
Moviefone: To begin with, what can you tell our readers about season 3 and the direction it takes Reacher?
Alan Ritchson: Yeah, season three is the best one yet. I’m just going to say it. I don’t think anybody’s going to disagree once they’ve seen it all. We go back to the roots of what we love about Reacher, which, you know, he’s a lone wolf, and sometimes he gets involved in situations where he gets backed into a corner and that’s what happens this season. It’s fun to watch what he has to do with that. So, ‘Persuader’ is the book that this is this season is based on. It’s one of the fan favorite books for a reason. I think anybody who hasn’t read the books, just hold on tight because this this one’s a roller coaster.
MF: Can you talk about Reacher’s partnership with Duffy and working with Sonya Cassidy?
AR: Let me start by saying Sonya Cassidy, who plays Duffy is one of the best actresses I’ve ever worked with, and I’m so rooting for her in her career. The only other person I’ve worked with that’s truly on that level is Willa Fitzgerald, who played Roscoe at season one and rightly so, audiences really fell in love with her. I want to see her come back somehow. if I’m right, I think audiences are going to feel much the same way about Sonya. Duffy is an incredible character. She’s somebody who, like Roscoe, is unafraid to tell Reacher how it is and she’s trying very hard to get him to do some undercover work for her, and Reacher reluctantly agrees because there’s something in it for him. It just makes for a great tension between these two characters that are reluctantly working together.
MF: Finally, can you talk about shooting Reacher and Paulie’s fight scenes with Olivier Richters, and what is it like being the second biggest guy on set?
AR: Yeah, I don’t mind at all. Look, I want to really earn it at the end of the day. I don’t ever want it to be easy for him. If it ever starts to feel like Reacher is invincible and untouchable, I think that’s going to be boring for audiences, and we should give him a run for his money. Olivier does that in spades. He’s a monster of a human being. He really put it all out there. He gave it everything he’s got, and he we went for it. The production of the fight that culminates at the end of season three, took three weeks to shoot. It was the toughest, most brutal three weeks of my entire life. I was barely able to walk at the end of it. He was like, “This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done”. Hopefully it shows in some way and the audience really can appreciate how much he put out there. But he was he was great to work with.
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What is the plot of ‘Reacher’ Season 3?
In season 3, Reacher (Alan Ritchson) delves into the dark underbelly of a vast criminal enterprise when he attempts to rescue a DEA informant. There, he encounters a world of secrets and violence and is confronted with issues from his past.
Trouble is, like some of those other entries, this new offering –– which Alba also executive produced –– feels like someone trying to build a car with scrap parts borrowed from elsewhere.
‘Trigger Warning’: it’s funny because it has two meanings, right, RIGHT? Anyone? No? Well, given how mostly humorless the movie turns out to be, it’s perhaps best that it didn’t try for a cleverer pun title.
In fact, not an awful lot about the movie really works all that well; you’ll find yourself ticking off the expected plot twists and character turns and though one or two of the action set-pieces (particularly one in a hardware store) are effective, it all comes across as a blandly pumped out exercise in genre pipeline fullfilment.
John Brancato, Josh Olson and Halley Gross are the writers here and all three have certainly put out better work before: Brancato with ‘The Game’, Olson on ‘A History of Violence’ and Gross via TV series ‘Banshee’ and ‘Westworld.’ We suppose there are only so many variations on the ‘trained soldier comes home and must sort out criminal conspiracy’ storyline, but when the likes of ‘First Blood’ and even ‘The Equalizer’ trilogy exist, the likes of this pale by comparison.
It doesn’t help that, one or two flourishes aside, the screenplay is largely a collection of small-town cliches, characters painted in the broadest of terms and the various narrative twists easy to predict.
Director Mouly Surya, who has worked more in the dramatic thriller and Western genres, brings a relative slickness to the proceedings, though you find yourself wishing she’d sliced out some of the more glaring cliches in the script with the skill of Alba’s knife-wielding hero.
‘Trigger Warning’: Performances
A film like this doesn’t normally concern itself with top-tier acting, and indeed no one here is quite giving their all. But there are some turns worth talking about.
Alba, who has mixed blessings when she’s tried her hand at action (‘Sin City’ is among the better examples), here manages to tackle the tough nut leading role with a solid if somewhat familiar performance. Her Parker is stereotypically distant from everyone, and withdrawn, but at least has convincing chemistry with the likes of Mark Webber’s Sheriff Jesse Swann and her Special Forces comrade Spider (Tone Bell).
And when it comes time to break out the guns, knives and explosives, she’s clearly put the work in to look like she knows what she’s doing (and let the stunt team handle the more dangerous moments). Parker is far from the most original main character you’ve ever met, but she’s also not a total void.
Mark Webber as Jesse
As the seemingly friendly local sheriff (not to mention Parker’s on-again-off-again beau), Webber steps out of his usual indie movie comfort zone for something much more straightforward. And initially, his character at least brings more to the story than some of the off-the-shelf villains Parker and he will encounter down the line.
The Senator’s other son is shown as miscreant from the moment you meet him, and honestly stays pitched at the same level through the whole movie. It’s not really Jake Weary’s fault –– some Oscar winners would have had trouble with this underwritten and uninspiring antagonist.
If you’re not immediately tipped off to the idea that the seemingly family values politician is a wrong ‘un from the minute you meet him, then we’d advise some sort of neurological treatment. Anthony Michael Hall does what he can with a thankless character –– Swann is all down-home charm until the real story is revealed –– but it’s not really enough to lift it out of base level effectiveness.
Unlike ‘The Old Guard’, which at least had an interesting concept, ‘Trigger Warning’ seems doomed to follow ‘The Mother’s path: dumped onto Netflix’s servers to take up space and occasionally show up in the streaming service’s recommendations.
We’re sure there might be some initial surge of interest (the company loves to tout its initial viewing figures of movies and shows now it actually releases them), but don’t expect ‘Trigger Warning’ to show up on many Best Of lists come the end of the year. For that, critics would have to remember it exists, and it does little to help that cause.
‘Trigger Warning’ receives 5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Trigger Warning’?
A skilled Special Forces commando (Jessica Alba) takes ownership of her father’s bar after he suddenly dies, and soon finds herself at odds with a violent gang running rampant in her hometown.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with iconic Hollywood actor Anthony Michael Hall about his work on ‘Trigger Warning’, his first reaction to the screenplay, playing the villain, his action sequences, and working with Jessica Alba and director Mouly Surya.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to see what Anthony Michael Hall had to say about Netflix’s ‘Trigger Warning’.
Anthony Michael Hall. Photo Credit: Mark Binks.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay for ‘Trigger Warning’ and why did you want to be a part of this project?
Anthony Michael Hall: Well, it came up about three and a half years ago. My managers are a great company, Untitled Management, and they set up a meeting for myself and Mouly Surya, the filmmaker. So, I watched her film that was nominated, it was called ’Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts’, also like ‘Trigger Warning’, a female driven revenge thriller, and she did a beautiful job with that. That’s like her ‘Kill Bill’, and she’s a very talented filmmaker. So, I met with Mouly. We had a nice Zoom session meeting because it was COVID times, and she was lovely. She was cool about it. She had grown up watching a lot of my films. That’s why I feel old. Anyway, she was really kind enough to invite me to join the party and to make ‘Trigger Warning’ with them. It was interesting. I liked the script a lot. John Brancato, the guy who wrote it, is a friend of a mutual friend of mine that I knew in Brooklyn growing up, and I knew of his writing. He was talented. So, the guys did a good job with it. I think there’s something very stark about the good versus evil reality. When I did ‘The Dark Knight’, or even in a film like this, there’s shadings of a Western here too. But she’s, as you know, a special ops military woman who comes into town and discovers her father’s been murdered. I’m playing this career politician, Ezekiel Swann, who is a senator, and a dirty character. It was funny for me too, because suddenly I’m on set, and I’m in my late fifties and I have two grown men playing my sons. I was like, “Okay. I guess I’m my age now.” They did a great job. Jake Weary plays Elvis and Mark Webber plays Jesse, very different actors. They’re my Cain and Abel, my two sons. It was just an interesting project from all these vantage points. The fact that we were produced by Thunder Road who did the ‘John Wick’ series, so that guaranteed this level of action. We had the 87eleven, which is this famous stunt group that does all those films, so they just could not have been more prepared. By the time we got to the set in Santa Fe, the stunt crew had been there for about five or six weeks. So, they pre-visualized everything. They’d already shot the sequences, and so we had fight training and we had choreographed sequences and training to do, and it was just a lot of fun. I’d never done an action picture where there was that much of a focus on the action. It was great to be a part of. Then working with Jessica, she was game. She really did a good job. I think her acting is excellent. She did a nice job carrying the film. But also, with that background in action, it was very important for her that we execute on those levels. There’s that line in the film, which she says to Jake Weary, who plays my son, Elvis. She said, “You should put a little more weight on your back foot. You wouldn’t punch like such a b**ch.” I mean, she was game on. I think she ad-libbed that in the moment, and they used it in the film. But I thought the script was solid. It was a good group of actors I got to work with. Experientially, just being in Santa Fe, and shooting a picture there was a lot of fun too. All those elements become ingredients in the making of something and it was great to be a part of. I had fun.
MF: Can you talk about Senator Swann and Parker’s history together and working on that backstory with Jessica Alba?
AMH: That’s a great point. I think acting is often in the eyes more than it is the words. You’re right, there’s that backstory element that she doesn’t like me. You even wonder if Mark does, my son who’s the sheriff. A lot of that is how you can read their faces in the scene where I show up and I tell her, “Welcome back,” and she’s side eyeing me going, “This guy, he’s a real career politician.” Even though I didn’t base it on any one character, one of the things I tried to do, which was just give a little bit of a non-descript southern background to him, so I gave him a little bit of a southern snarl. Even though my sons weren’t doing that. But when you get to a set, it’s interesting. When I met with the costume department and our designer, she was great. She had a vision board and she had pulled all these pictures of Ted Turner from the ‘80s, guys that are very wealthy but just choose to live in the southwest and that country cowboy lifestyle, even if they’re not necessarily real cowboys. So, I think that that breathed life into it. Being in Santa Fe, seeing the level of production and professionalism from the stunt team. All these ingredients really make for a nice mixture. So, it was just fun to execute. Then working with Netflix, I’ve had the pleasure to work with them, and Amazon, I’ve done two shows for Amazon, ‘Reacher’ and ‘Bosch: Legacy’, but I did a film called ‘War Machine’, that I started in with Brad Pitt for Netflix. I have to say, they’re a great company to work for. I mean, they give you the resources, they’re supportive and they’re not meddlesome. They’re not looking over your shoulders as you’re making something. Even as an actor on the set, I saw that they had free reign to really deliver the movie that they were going to deliver. It was great working with Thunder Road and Mouly, and she couldn’t have been sweeter. She’s such a nice lady, but has great instincts as a director, gives great adjustments, and has a great eye visually. So, it was really a pleasure.
MF: Is it fun playing a villain and what’s your approach?
AMH: I’ve played bad guys a lot. I’ve done a bunch of villains over the years, but this is probably one of the more prominent films that I’ve done. I mean, I enjoy it. I think there’s a no holds barred approach, and I think when you’re playing a bad guy, you can pull out all the stops. I also think it’s important to inject a little bit of humor in there. One funny thing happened. There’s that scene where Jessica and I are talking, and I’m talking about Latinx and questioning her. The scene opens with me saying something asinine like, “Everybody in my town knows I’m not racist.” When we shot the scene, I didn’t find any humor in it, but when we were watching it with an audience a few weeks ago, my wife laughed her butt off. I started laughing, and the audience was laughing. It’s funny. It’s great when there’s a surprise element of humor and you didn’t really intend it, and that’s what happened in that scene. It was fun to work on and I really enjoyed it. I also really appreciated working with this core group of women that were really leading the charge. I thought that was impressive. In recent years, I’ve worked on ‘The Goldbergs’ and several shows, even on ‘Bosch: Legacy’ for Amazon, and I’ve had the good fortune of working with a lot of female directors, and I think it’s great. I think we need more of it. Because obviously the world should be about inclusivity and people getting opportunities, and I’ve been very proudly directed by a bunch of great women directors in recent years, and I enjoyed it. Mouly being probably the best among them.
MF: Jessica Alba is also an executive producer on the movie. What was it like working with her as both a producer and actress?
AMH: Jessica comes ready. She’s very serious. She’s very serious about her work and is very caring, but she’s also a great mom. Her daughters were on set with her. She’s very much a take charge woman. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting her and her husband before we made the film, and they’re cool people, they really are. So, I’m happy for it.
Molly Ringwald in ‘Sixteen Candles’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
MF: It’s the 40th anniversary of ‘Sixteen Candles’, what are your memories of making that film with director John Hughes. You ended up working with him a lot, but was that the first time?
AMH: What’s interesting is he had written ‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ in 1982, and then it gets made I think in ’82 or ’83. It was released in ’83. So, I didn’t meet John on that. I met him at the auditions here in New York City for ‘Sixteen Candles’ at the Universal building on Park Avenue. It led to me doing the two other films with him right away. So, if you include ‘Vacation’, the first four films of my career, they were written and directed by John, or written by John in the case of ‘Vacation’, so I think that there was something in the stars with us. He was just such a great guy. I can’t speak highly enough about him. He was so wonderful, so down to earth, and so helpful. When you worked on a John Hughes film, it was always a collaboration in process. You could discuss anything with him. We would typically shoot two or three or four takes as written, and then if you had ideas, he would be like, “Try that.” He had such a God-given ability as a writer and a director. He loved music, the way he incorporated music into his films to uplift certain moments, and the things that he did. But also, his sense of collaboration, I think that was another one of his real gifts because he wasn’t precious about it. He allowed things to happen, and he allowed you to play around and to ad-lib. If we were going to embellish something or change something, as long as it worked for the scene, he was all for it. He was really a great guy in so many ways.
(L to R) Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Molly Ringwald and Anthony Michael Hall in ‘The Breakfast Club’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
MF: Are you surprised by the legacy of ‘Sixteen Candles’, ‘The Breakfast Club’ and ‘Weird Science’ and that new audiences are discovering those movies and loving them?
AMH: Yeah, I am. I’m truly grateful for that. It’s amazing how they continue to find younger and younger audiences and new generations. I’m so appreciative of that fact. It’s interesting, I had many years to think about this. I think there is a paradigm to his work. In other words, all the characters start out at a certain place, but there’s an arc and they all wind up in a better place than they started, through finding love and humor. But also, mainly by showing their vulnerabilities, by showing the rough parts of childhood, by being honest about it, warts and all, pimples and all. I think that there is a method to his madness in a way. He allowed characters to be vulnerable, to be real, to let their guard down, all these very interesting things that we can all now see and reflect on. But when I look back all those years ago, to think that he was a relatively young guy. He was in his mid-thirties, so the fact that he had that kind of awareness and intelligence as a writer, and overview to be able to see his projects, was very impressive. I’m just grateful that they continue to find younger audiences. I think ‘The Breakfast Club’ particularly, because I think there’s a strong message of anti-bullying and just the overall idea that we’re all more alike than we’re different. To celebrate that and to celebrate the differences is I think something that the world has grown more accustomed to. For example, this new generation of kids, people that are millennials, they’re a lot more open-minded and a lot more inclusive let’s say, than the prior generation. I think that shows a healthy sort of evolution in our general character I think, as people, and I think that that’s very healthy and helpful.
Johnny Depp in ‘Edward Scissorhands’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
MF: What was your experience like working with director Tim Burton on ‘Edward Scissorhands’? Did you recognize his genius right away and what did you think of his vision for that project?
AMH: I did. Again, he’s another one where I’ve had a lot of time to think about it. You look at his work, I mean, his movies are artful, they’re masterpieces, they’re beautiful, and there’s an evolution there too. It’s interesting, when I look back on ‘Scissorhands’, I have a couple thoughts about it. I mean, it is like ‘Pinocchio’, and it’s a little bit of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. But when you look at his life, Tim Burton grew up in Burbank. He was a student of animation. His favorite actor was Vincent Price. The fact that he is in many ways, I think very Walt Disney like himself, and that he created this world unto himself as a filmmaker. I just think he’s brilliant. I loved Tim, and I still love Tim and I love all his movies, and that was the first of a great collaboration between he and Johnny. They went on to make another, seven or eight movies together. So, I felt very privileged to be a part of that, and it was exciting to work on. I think at that point, I had just come off the John Hughes films, and ‘Saturday Night Live’, and everything else I was doing as a kid. I had sprouted up; I had just grown into a bigger guy. I think he found that interesting and compelling. Like it could be interesting to pit me against Johnny, who was a different thing. But Johnny, God bless him, he had a lot of work to do. Just even before the cameras rolled, he would get to work at 3:30/4:00 AM, I remember reading the call sheets. Because it would take like three hours to do his face, and they had a team of people just getting him into that suit, and then putting the hands on, the scissors. It was quite a production. But again, a great project. Just happy to be a part of a Tim Burton film.
(L to R) Heath Ledger and Christian Bale in ‘The Dark Knight’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
MF: Can you also talk about working with Christopher Nolan on ‘The Dark Knight’? What did you learn from watching the specific way that he makes movies?
AMH: Well, you just said it. That was the key word. I was very watchful. I remember feeling, it’s almost like you remember that old movie, ‘Amadeus’ about Mozart? I felt like Salieri watching Mozart. I’m looking at this guy, and I had just finished ‘The Dead Zone’, and I kept looking at Chris Nolan and he just feels like such an old soul. There’s something very aristocratic about him. Obviously, he’s a highly intellectual person, a very smart man, but very eccentric in some ways too. He would come to work in the same thing every day. He wore a vest, a dress shirt, a three-quarter length jacket, like a conductor almost. He certainly was a conductor to work with. But I just remember having this feeling when I worked with him like, wow. This guy, he’s fascinating. I’ve got to tell you, scene by scene, the way he attacked it was amazing. I mean, some scenes we would shoot, it would be a three or four camera set up, and some there would be seven, eight, even ten cameras going. His technical prowess and his technical abilities are impressive, but also just his filmmaking. I remember seeing ‘Memento’, that was a great film. It really was an incredible movie. I’ve always been impressed with Chris, and it was an honor to work with him. I had a great time. I had auditioned for another role when I did ‘The Dark Knight’, and then he brought me back in for the role that I wound up doing. But it was interesting. At that time, all those years ago, 2007, after I did the audition, it was a period of months before I even found out about it. They circulate the tapes among the studio executives and all that. But just a great project to be a part of. We shot in London, and then I shot in Chicago for three weeks. I mean, I worked on the film for about a month, even though it was a small role. It was a great lesson too, in terms of that adage of “There are no small parts, only small actors.” I had a small role in the film, but I had the pleasure to work with Chris and to work alongside Gary Oldman. I can say I was in a movie with Michael Caine, even though I didn’t get to meet Michael Caine. I’m on the background on the TV in some of those shots, with he and Christian. But in terms of Christian and Heath, if I can just speak to those guys for a second, I mean, they’re both brilliant. I remember asking Chris Nolan about it. He said Christian was the first guy he met with at Warner Bros., and he just had an instinct. He just felt like he was the right guy. Then after we had made the film years later, I remember reading about his interactions with Heath. Heath was incredible. I know two of the things that were inspirational for them was ‘A Clockwork Orange’, because that’s a great film. Then also something about the Sex Pistols. He wanted to bring some sense of anarchy to the film, which obviously was reminiscent of the Sex Pistols in the ‘70s. I think there’s some Johnny Rotten in the Joker as well, a little Sid Vicious. So, that sense of anarchy coming in and attacking Gotham was very powerful. As we know, I think he just brought a lot of gravity to a comic book film. What he did reinvent the genre. It’s amazing.
(Right) Anthony Michael Hall joins ‘Bosch: Legacy’ as Special Agent Barron. Photo Credit: Tyler Golden.
MF: You appeared in a recurring role in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’. Will you be retuning for season 3?
AMH: Well, apparently, I don’t think I’m going to be returning on ‘Bosch: Legacy’. It was interesting. It ended the season in a cliffhanger, so I thought there might be an opportunity, but it didn’t play out like that. But again, it was a pleasure to work with those guys. I love Michael Connelly. I mean, they gave me a great opportunity there. I was playing a lead FBI investigator going after him, as you recall.
Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher in Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’ season 2.
MF: Finally, I understand that you will be appearing on season 3 of Prime Video’s ‘Reacher’. What can you tell us about your character and working with Alan Ritchson?
AMH: Season 3 of ‘Reacher’ was incredible. We started last summer, and we had a four-month break due to the strike, and it was supposed to wrap in November. We wound up starting in November and shooting until June. I just wrapped a couple of weeks ago. They’re going to be finishing next month. But I can tell you this, they’ve really upped the ante on the action. They continue to push the boundaries with that. I think that’s very important to the audience, that the action is there. I like Alan Ritchson a lot. I think he’s a good guy. I like working with him. I think he’s doing a nice job with his performance. He’s very vested too in the process, which was nice to see. It reminded me when I had ‘The Dead Zone’, because as the lead actor you must be the quarterback of the team. You must not just know your own stuff, but you must be able to be supportive, be a team player, and really help galvanize your team and get everything done. I saw myself in him because I see where he’s at right now in his career and he’s doing great. But he’s a nice guy. He’s a standup guy. He’s got a good heart, and it was a great show to be a part of. I’m excited that people will see it. It’ll air in 2025, due to the strike.
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What is the plot of ‘Trigger Warning’?
A skilled Special Forces commando (Jessica Alba) takes ownership of her father’s bar after he suddenly dies, and soon finds herself at odds with a violent gang running rampant in her hometown.
(Right) Titus Welliver in ‘Bosch: Legacy’ Season 2. Credit: Warrick Page/Amazon Freevee. Copyright: Amazon Freevee.
Are you ready to see Titus Welliver’s Harry Bosch taking down bad guys and making worse choices on the big screen? No, there aren’t plans for a ‘Bosch’ movie spin-off (yet), but Amazon Freevee is offering up the next best thing.
The free-with-ads service that carries ‘Bosch: Legacy’ is planning a batch of free screenings of the first two episodes of Season 2 around the country.
What’s the story of ‘Bosch: Legacy’?
(L to R) Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers) and Bosch (Titus Welliver) reunite in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Greg Gayne.
The series, a follow-up to Prime Video’s acclaimed ‘Bosch’ show based on the works of Michael Connelly, follows Harry Bosch, a retired homicide detective turned private investigator, as he embarks on the next chapter of his career; attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers), who struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system after surviving an attempted murder; and Maddie Bosch (Madison Lintz), as she discovers the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop on the streets of Los Angeles.
During Season 2, Bosch and Chandler work together to seek out a killer who just might find them first. As a result of being kidnapped by a masked assailant, Maddie’ law enforcement career hangs in the balance. The FBI scrutinizes Carl Rogers’ (Michael Rose) murder and places Bosch and Chandler under suspicion.
(Bottom) Madison Lintz in ‘Bosch: Legacy Season 2.’ Credit: Warrick Page/Amazon Freevee. Copyright: Amazon Freevee.
Who else is in ‘Bosch: Legacy Season 2’?
First look at Jerry Edgar’s (Jamie Hector) epic return to ‘Bosch: Legacy’ for season 2. Photo Credit: Greg Gayne.
The new season includes the return of beloved characters from the original ‘Bosch’ series, including Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector), Det. Robert “Crate” Moore (Gregory Scott Cummins), and Det. “Barrel” Johnson (Troy Evans), who join Bosch and Honey, Maurice “Mo” Bassi (Stephen A. Chang), and Det. Reina Vasquez (Denise Sanchez) in the search to find Maddie before time runs out.
How can I see ‘Bosch: Legacy’s first two episodes in theaters?
It’s personal for Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) as season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ kicks off with a two episode premiere this fall on Amazon Freevee. Photo Credit: Tyler Golden.
The advanced screening event will take place at select theater locations at 7:00pm local time on October 18th.
Ticket reservation will require the pre-purchase of a $10 concession voucher at participating theaters. Purchase of one concession voucher grants the customer one reserved seat at a screening of their choice.
Anyone under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the entire screening. No one under the age of 12 will be admitted.
If you’re also interested in a chance to win a watch party kit from Freevee and Fooji for when the show is back, head here.
When will ‘Bosch: Legacy’ be on TV screens?
(L to R) Officer Reina Vasquez (Denise G. Sanchez) and Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Warrick Page.
If you can’t make it to one of the screenings, you still won’t have long to wait as ‘Bosch: Legacy’ returns to Freevee with the first four episodes on October 20th.
‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 2 premieres October 20th on Freevee.
Can you picture Titus Welliver’s Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch going full Liam Neeson in ‘Taken’? We certainly can. And he’ll have to put his full rule-bending skill set to use as his daughter Madeline (Madison Lintz) was abducted at the end of Season 1.
As the teaser for Season 2 shows, Harry will stop at nothing to find both her and the people responsible.
(L to R) Officer Reina Vasquez (Denise G. Sanchez) and Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Warrick Page.
What’s the story of ‘Bosch: Legacy’?
It’s personal for Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) as season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’ kicks off with a two episode premiere this fall on Amazon Freevee. Photo Credit: Tyler Golden.
The series, a follow-up to Prime Video’s acclaimed ‘Bosch’ show, follows Harry Bosch, a retired homicide detective turned private investigator, as he embarks on the next chapter of his career; attorney Honey “Money” Chandler (Mimi Rogers), who struggles to maintain her faith in the justice system after surviving an attempted murder; and Maddie Bosch, as she discovers the possibilities and challenges of being a rookie patrol cop on the streets of Los Angeles.
During Season Two, Bosch and Chandler work together to seek out a killer who just might find them first. As a result of being kidnapped by a masked assailant, Maddie’ law enforcement career hangs in the balance. The FBI scrutinizes Carl Rogers’ (Michael Rose) murder and places Bosch and Chandler under suspicion.
(L to R) Honey Chandler (Mimi Rogers) and Bosch (Titus Welliver) reunite in season 2 of ‘Bosch: Legacy.’ Photo Credit: Greg Gayne.
First look at Jerry Edgar’s (Jamie Hector) epic return to ‘Bosch: Legacy’ for season 2. Photo Credit: Greg Gayne.
The new season includes the return of beloved characters from the original Bosch series, including Jerry Edgar (Jamie Hector), Det. Robert “Crate” Moore (Gregory Scott Cummins), and Det. “Barrel” Johnson (Troy Evans), who join Bosch and Honey, Maurice “Mo” Bassi (Stephen A. Chang), and Det. Reina Vasquez (Denise Sanchez) in the search to find Maddie before time runs out.
(Right) Anthony Michael Hall joins ‘Bosch: Legacy’ as Special Agent Barron. Photo Credit: Tyler Golden.
We can expect plenty more of Bosch shoving boundaries to do his job, getting in his superiors’ faces and dishing out rough justice. Because what’s ‘Bosch: Legacy’ without the title character going rogue?
Whereas ‘Bosch’ was on the main Prime Video service, ‘Bosch: Legacy’ screens on Amazon’s ad-supported Freevee service. It has already been renewed for a third season.
‘Bosch: Legacy’s first four episodes debut on Freevee on October 20th. Two new episodes will arrive each Friday until the Season finale on November 10th.
‘Bosch: Legacy’ season 2 premieres October 20th on Freevee.
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Sometimes overlooked in favor of other “slobs vs. snobs” comedy classics from the same era, like Animal House and Caddyshack, this was Bill Murray’s first starring role, and the feature directorial debut for Ivan Reitman. Murray stars as Tripper, head counselor at Camp North Star, a bargain-basement summer camp in Ontario. Murray takes the lonely Rudy (Chris Makepeace) under his wing while still overseeing a group of oddball counselors-in-training as they have their own romances, pull pranks on the camp’s director, and take on wealthy Camp Mohawk in a yearly tournament. It’s ultimately a sweet story, without ever getting quite as crass as some of the era’s other films starring Saturday Night Live alumni. ‘Meatballs’ would turn out to be hugely successful, spawning three mostly unrelated sequels and countless knockoffs.
Wet Hot American Summer
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If ‘Meatballs’ saw plenty of lesser imitations, ‘The State’ alumni David Wain and Michael Showalter stepped up with a satirical take on summer camp movies. Although it bombed at the box office, it’s since become a cult classic, spawning two series on Netflix (one prequel and one sequel). There’s an amazing cast here, including Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Meloni, and David Hyde Pierce, plus other alumni from ‘The State,’ such as Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio. There’s a plot here about the camp putting on a talent show, counselors in love, and a falling piece of Skylab that threatens everyone’s lives, but it’s really just an excuse to see some stars and future stars show off some great comic chops.
Dirty Dancing
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For those that haven’t gotten around to seeing this classic, it’s easy to write off ‘Dirty Dancing’ as sappy romance. But that would be wrong. It’s an emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story about Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her steamy summer romance with dancer Johnny (Patrick Swayze). The dancing is terrific, Grey and Swayze have terrific chemistry. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and based on her own summer trips to the Catskills, Baby’s adventure starts because she and her family are taking a summer vacation at Kellerman’s a tony resort. Baby sees hints of classism between some of the staff, and she finds herself drawn more to the working class staffers instead of the Ivy League-bound waiters. The film subversively gives Baby agency, letting her pick her own friends and make her own choices in her sex life; she has a summer fling with a sexy dancer and isn’t punished by fate for it. That was fairly groundbreaking in 1987, and is (sadly) might still be considered unusual in some corners even now.
National Lampoon’s Vacation
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This is another film that started a franchise, but the original version is still the best. Based on screenwriter John Hughes’ own National Lampoon story about a disastrous road trip, the movie focuses on the Griswold’s drive from Chicago to California for a visit to a thinly-veiled version of Disneyland called “Wally World.” Chevy Chase puts in a legendary turn as Clark, the increasingly obsessive patriarch of the Griswold clan. Clark is going to have a great road trip with his family whether they like it or not, and if he becomes Ahab in a station wagon, then so be it. Beverly D’Angelo hits just the right notes as Clark’s wife Ellen, as does Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron as their children Rusty and Audrey. Chase and D’Angelo would return for sequels, and it became a running joke that Rusty and Audrey would be recast in every subsequent film. This first adventure sees car trouble in the desert, an unwanted passenger, a temptress in a Ferrari, and a visit with Cousin Eddy (a reminder of when Randy Quaid was funny). It’s filled with laughs, but it will definitely make you think twice about future family road trips.
Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
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Based on the best-selling YA novel by Ann Brashares, this is the story of four teen girls, best friends since childhood, who are about to spend their first summer apart. But before three of them leave town, the quartet go shopping and find a pair of jeans that magically fit each one of them. The four decide that they’ll share the pants for the summer, and while each of them have these mysterious jeans in their possession, their individual summers are upended. Blake Lively, America Ferrara, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn play Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby (respectively). The movie captures the charm of the novel, in no small part because of the charisma and chemistry of the stars, and it’s ultimately a heartwarming tale about female friendships and the bonds young women make that can last a lifetime.
Girls Trip
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The annual Essence Music Fest takes place in New Orleans every 4th of July, and that’s the backdrop for Ryan Pierce’s (Regina Hall) attempt to reunite with three of her friends from college. Pierce is a bestselling author and lifestyle guru, poised to be “the next Oprah.” She’s scheduled to speak at the festival, so she invites her college friends to join her, in the hopes of rekindling their friendships. These other three have lives of their own now; Sasha (Queen Latifah) is a celebrity gossip blogger, Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a working single mother, and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is still party-girl Dina, all these years later. These four actors are great together, but Tiffany Haddish is a revelation here, stealing the movie and never giving it back. The film isn’t afraid to remind us that women can and do party hard, but it doesn’t lose sight of these friends repairing burned bridges and reaffirming their love for each other.
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar
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One of the casualties of quarantine is that this film didn’t get a proper theatrical release. That’s a shame, because as funny as this movie is, it would have been even more side-splitting with a big audience. Make no mistake, this movie is straight up bananas from beginning to end. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote the script and star as Star and Barb, two middle-aged best friends that talk a bit too much, they can be both clueless and timid, but once they hit Vista Del Mar, the movie all but explodes into mayhem. To describe too much would be to take away some of the stunningly insane jokes packed wall-to-wall across the entire film. But suffice to say you may never look at Jamie Dornan the same way again.
The Endless Summer
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This is one of the first and probably still the best surf movie ever made. Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, as they leave Southern California and travel to surf spots around the world, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Tahiti, Senegal, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Australia. Brown’s breezy narration is a far cry from the stiffer voices heard in most documentaries at the time, and it lends an inviting tone to the gorgeous cinematography of the both surf action and the local landscapes. This documentary might help non-surfers understand the appeal of surfing more than any other film ever made, and the idea of an “endless summer” means its welcome on any day of the calendar year.
Another original “Halloween” character is coming back, but a new actor will take over the role in the next installment in the horror franchise.
Anthony Michael Hall has been cast as Tommy Doyle, Variety reports. He’ll star alongside Jamie Lee Curtis as the grown-up version of the bogeyman-fearing boy she babysat the night Michael Myers went on his chilling 1978 rampage. The role was first played by Brian Andrews.
While this is Hall’s first film in the famed horror franchise, he’s had a long and notable career. He has starred in classics such as “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “The Breakfast Club,” and more. More recently, he was seen in the films “Bodied” and “War Machine” as well as the series “Murder in the First.”
“Halloween Kills” will lead to more scares; another sequel, “Halloween Ends,” will shoot directly after. The two films are set to open on Oct. 16, 2020 and Oct. 15, 2021, respectively.
Anthony Michael Hall starred as Brian Johnson in “The Breakfast Club” back in 1985. The classic film is clearly having a moment this year (see more references below), and “Riverdale” is the latest to pay tribute.
“Riverdale” Season 3 is now taping, and Episode 4 will be a flashback called “The Midnight Club.” That episode airs in November, and features AMH as the school principal.
Here’s more from The CW:
“In RIVERDALE’s ‘Breakfast Club’ inspired flashback episode, we learn dark secrets from when the adults were high school students. Anthony Michael Hall will play Principal Featherhead, the longstanding principal at Riverdale High who gets caught up in the game the teenagers are playing in an unexpected way. The episode of RIVERDALE titled “The Midnight Club’ will air Wednesday, November 7, 2018 (8:00–9:00 pm ET/PT), on The CW.”
