Alex Rider created by Guy Burt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This probably showed up in a random advertisement, either on Amazon Prime or Imdb.com, but it immediately was intriguing. British spy movies about a boy who isn’t technically a spy, but seems to have been unknowingly trained to be one will always be on the “To Be Watched” list. Apparently, it is based on a book series from the early 2000s, and the plot of the first book was already made into a movie in 2006.

Compared to the trailer of the 2006 film, the new series is a bit darker. It uses gadgets less (which apparently was a big deal in the books), and it contains less well known actors. But it has its merits.

The plot of the series revolves around Alex Rider, an orphaned teen who lives with his uncle and a family friend (not sure the connection between the two). When Alex’s uncle dies unexpectedly, a series of events throws Alex in the middle of the undercover world. In order to find out why his uncle died, he has to go undercover to reveal a nefarious plot.

The writing was fun. The action was intense, though it was a bit predictable. The main character did feel a bit flat in both expression and energy. The other characters were much more charismatic which carried the muted demeanor of the main character. The stunts and resourcefulness were pretty cool as well.

It was a nice escape full of action and adventure. It was surprising that it was an IMDBTV original, because I didn’t even know IMDB made content. Overall, it was fun and I look forward to a second season.

There may be a few words of profanity, but it is not significant. Sexual content includes some light kissing at a party. Violent content includes shootings, stabbings, blood, and a flatlining scene.