#like man i just. ? i dont buy the alleged arc horatio went through

[isaacathom]

we watched hornblower: duty last night and folks i regret to say it but that was the worst possible film it could have ended up of the 8, barring mutiny because that was such a strict two-parter that stopping there would've been calamitous.

like its not that bad. the movie is fine. its just also the title character at his most genuinely unlikable, in a way that does not quite track with his previous behavior. like he goes from :) to >:( in the space of 5 minutes like half way through the movie and he stays in grumpy cunt mode for like 40 minutes and then ABRUPTLY returns to :) because hes doing his favourite thing - committing ruses of war, and then everythings fine, and his arc totally resolved i promise

#horatio hornblower stuff #like man i just. ? i dont buy the alleged arc horatio went through #it did not resolve. and i know thats not the movies fault PER SE. because he never really starts being a good husband #not until he marries a woman he actually likes. like hes never gonna be a good husband to maria #so a satisfying resolution for the movie would be to break from canon really. #but what they go for at the end just doesnt do anything! he makes an absolutely token effort and everythings fine #maria just goes 'oh nevermind i was wrong' what 'also im pregnant' oh no oh noo #youd wanna hope my guy was good in bed at least its an absolute travesty in all other respects #i have a LOT of thoughts about hornblower: duty lads. it was trying so hard #also the stuff with betsy or whatever does NOT resolve satisfactorily at all it feels like they cut two unrelated conversations together #like some of the s1 eps mightve been weaker endings but they at least resolve right #like frogs and lobsters kinda bit hard but the marquis dying or whatever slapped and so did the 'look after him' bit so #like theres the good shit near the end. my boy. duty fucking tripped at the finish line