A Monster Calls (2016)

As the title suggests this isn't a review for a monster calls, this is a review for Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 3 "The Long Night." Into Film doesn't have TV shows on the website which is annoying because I have more to say about this one episode, which is an hour long, than I do about a Monster Calls. Also nothing can be said about this show without some spoilers so unintentional spoilers ahead.

The response to this episode hasn't been great. I personally enjoyed it and thought as a stand alone episode it really worked, however it's not a stand alone episode. This episode is the culmination of 9 years of waiting for the Night King to finally come south and slaughter everyone. However, it feels like a bit of an Anti-Climax.

Firstly the visuals and sound design are incredible. Miguel Sapochnick, director of not only this episode but also the Battle of the Ba**erds and Hardhome, is really good at a battle sequence. When the wights, the zombies, first hit you really feel like you are being swarmed by horrifying beasts who care only about ripping you apart. Speaking of horrifying, this episode has some really good horror bits. The design of the wights are scary enough but pair that with a few sequences when you truly fear these characters are going to die, you get some tense scenes.

The episode is also fond of it's tracking shots with no cuts, the first shot of the episode follows two separate characters around a fully built castle and doesn't cut once which is pretty cool. The episode is also really, really dark. If the dragons weren't there I doubt anything could be seen. It does add to the atmosphere but it is a real issue. But otherwise the visuals were great.

But those things can't really save this episode from what it does wrong. I think it's common knowledge that after Game of Throne passed the books and started making it's own stuff it got worse in a way. The point of the series is to subvert normal fantasy tropes, at any moment your favourite character could be beheaded or murdered at a wedding. But in the recent seasons it loses that charm, it becomes exactly what it wanted to subvert. And this episode could've been that.

However it wasn't. The last episode concluded so many character arcs and set this episode up as utterly tragic and heart felt, but it wasn't. Some characters had their moments, but those weren't the characters set up last episode so it comes out of nowhere. Most characters who should have something to do were side lined or didn't get any screen time. I think this episode could've been really good and a perfect end to the series if it was the end of the series, we still have 3 episode left and no one is really sure what is left to do.

The Long Night was a good episode, well directed, acted and had a great score. But as a conclusion to this nearly 8 season long story arc it really falls short. And I've managed to write all of this for one episode of TV, so it'd be great if Into Film allowed us to review TV properly. Please?