Assault on VA-33 (2021)

Assault on VA-33: Directed by Christopher Ray. With Sean Patrick Flanery, Michael Jai White, Mark Dacascos, Weston Cage Coppola. Decorated veteran and PTSD sufferer, Jason Hill (Flanery) meets his wife, Jennifer, for lunch at the Veteran’s Affairs hospital where she works. After Jennifer is called away for an emergency consultation with the head of US Military’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, the hospital is taken hostage by heavily armed terrorists. Jason becomes the last line of defense and must battle the terrorists and his own PTSD induced demons to save his wife, the General, the hospital’s staff and patients.

“As said many times, David Attenborough is a national treasure. He may apparently dislike the term, but it is hard to not say that about such a great presenter who has contributed significantly to some of the best programmes (of the documentary genre and overall) the BBC has ever aired/produced.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt is really hard picking favourites, let alone a definite favourite, among what Attenborough has done because he has done so many gems. To me u0026#39;Kingdom of Plants 3Du0026#39; is one of his best 3D offerings, after being disappointed slightly by u0026#39;The Penguin Kingu0026#39; this is Attenborough on top form. It contains everything that is so good about his work, regardless of whether itu0026#39;s one of his best or not, and seeing 3D this good for a TV series makes me appreciate 3D in general more.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eu0026quot;Survivalu0026quot; is the third episode, and while not quite as good as the previous episode u0026quot;Solving the Secretsu0026quot; it is remarkably consistent in how the exceptionally high quality of u0026#39;Kingdom of Plants 3Du0026#39; has in no way dampened.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eVery like the whole of u0026#39;Kingdom of Plants 3Du0026#39; and Attenboroughu0026#39;s work in general, u0026quot;Survivalu0026quot; looks amazing visually. It is gorgeously filmed, done in a completely fluid and natural, sometimes intimate (a great way of connecting more with the plants) way and never looking static. In fact much of it is remarkably cinematic. The editing is always succinct and smooth and the scenery is spectacular.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e3D has had very variable execution when used. Sometimes it can enhance the experience and look great, at other times it distracts and is both overused and abused. Luckily, the 3D here in u0026quot;Survivalu0026quot; is of the incredibly well made kind and enhances the experience, allowing one to see these amazing plants up close. It is a long way from soulless either, helping one to actually care for something that is non-human.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe music score fits very well, never overly grandiose while never being inappropriate while also being a beautiful score in its own right.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eEven if not ground-breaking in terms of information and subject (but very much so in the use of 3D), u0026quot;Survivalu0026quot; is incredibly educational and always maintains interest. Still found myself learning a vast amount. In terms of the facts there was a very good mix of the known ones and the unknown.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eAttenboroughu0026#39;s presenting as always helps quite a bit. He clearly knows his stuff and knows what to say and how to say it. He delivers it with his usual richness, soft-spoken enthusiasm and sincerity, never talking down to the viewer and keeping them riveted and wanting to know more.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eConcluding, brilliant episode. 10/10 Bethany Cox”