You’re going to want to make sure that your seatbelt is fastened beforeTwisted Metalbegins revving its engine. Whilst we’re all familiar with the fact that Twisted Metal is a beloved PlayStation IP, it’s not exactly one known for its narrative prowess. As such, I didn’t know what to expect with this new adaptation and now having come out of the other side of this 10-episode story, I’m not quite sure how to process it either.
From human-eating butchers to a limb-severing cult,Twisted Metalhas truly got it all with more twists and turns than you can possibly imagine. If you accept thatTwisted Metalis utterly wacky and look past its watermelon-smashing penis-wielding biker and eager-to-bonk-a-car priest, there’s a lot of heart and depth in this zany and unique take on post-apocalyptic America.
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We sat down with Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz to chat about the show.
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Paramount+
Twisted Metalis quick to remind you that as ridiculous as this landscape may at times seem, it’s equally brutal - and none of us would like to find ourselves in John nor Quiet’s shoes. Mackie and Beatriz both tap into their respective characters’ loneliness, with their desperation for companionship turningTwisted Metalfrom a comedy-fest into something viewers can, and will, emotionally invest in.
With all episodes coming in at just under 30 minutes,Twisted Metalis a quick and easy binge - the whole box set being immediately available on Paramount+ in the UK. Never did the series feel like a stretched-out film with the bite-sized episodes helping the show maintain its fast pace.
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While the backend of the season does suffer from a very mild lull after a series of stellar back-to-back set pieces in the first half, namely the introduction of Sweet Tooth and Agent Stone’s gang of lawmen, it more than makes up for it with its action-packed finale that’s about as close to the Twisted Metal video games as the series gets.
It isn’t simply John and Quiet that are here to keep us entertained. They find an unlikely ally in the iconic Sweet Tooth who, yes, is just as bombastic as you might hope. “You know who rules Lost Vegas John,” heeds a warning as the chilling, tinkling tune of an ice cream van creeps in. In many ways, Sweet Tooth is farcical. He’s best friends with a paper bag and murdering those who don’t sufficiently applaud his antics and yet, there’s a believability to him. His thinking might be utterly warped butTwisted Metalseems to somehow justify why this murderous larger-than-life clown is the way he is.
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The only character I found to be jarring was Chloe Fineman’s Bloody Mary, an ex-girlfriend of John’s. This certainly wasn’t anything to do with Fineman’s performance. It’s simply that the stereotype of ‘the jealous ex-girlfriend’ felt a little underwhelming and contrived. I do hope that Bloody Mary is given a renewed sense of agency should she show up in season two because it’s a shame to waste Fineman’s talent on what is largely quite a bland character thus far.
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The entirety of season one is available to watch now onParamount+in the UK.
Topics:TV And Film,PlayStation,Sony
