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Arrow "S4E7 Brotherhood" - Review: Epic fights, troubled story


Arrow "S4E7 Brotherhood" - Review: Epic fights, troubled story
8 out of 10

Thanks to a certain Disney film, I’ve met many people, usually girls, with Ohana-based tattoos (“Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten”).  Family is a long-running theme of any action/sci-fi based TV shows of which Arrow is no exception. The family ties of Queen, Lance and Diggle run deep. For a couple years, John Diggle has been driven to discover the truth behind his brother, Andrew’s, death at the hands of the HIVE organisation. Except this week, when he gets a surprise chance to make sure nobody gets left behind, he’d much rather they were forgotten.

Brotherhood – When Diggle makes the shock discovery that his brother Andrew is still alive and one of Damian Darhk’s Ghosts, the team rallies around to try and save him despite Diggle questioning whether there’s still anything left of the brother he knew. Thea’s blood lust returns but an alternative solution presents itself, Ray Palmer comes to terms with being back in the world and in the flashbacks, Oliver faces the consequences of his actions.

This is the first Arrow episode to be directed by its long-time stunt and fight coordinator James “Bam Bam” Bamford (which Stephen Amell was openly thrilled about), and comes with one clear object in mind: make the action awesome.... and it does. Right from the start, he takes a highly photography approach for the show and makes the camerawork closer, and more fluid for at times, a handheld feeling approach. The result is visceral charge into the heart of fights that really pays off. It shouldn’t become the new go to for the show but is definitely a recurring technique in sparing use for effect. The fight choreography itself is also much more extensive and ambitious than we’d normally see from a regular Arrow episode. This includes some excellent extended single camera shot fights, the best of which by far is the Thea vs. Andrew smack down being taken in and out of the lift again without cutting away. It’s not just the fights that get elevated but even the simple stunts take on a whole new dimension. Rather than a basic wide shot of Canary jumping off a roof, the camera hurls down after her for a far more energetic result. Even if Bam Bam won’t be directing any time soon, Arrow’s producers should clearly let him have a bigger say in how Arrow’s action goes down because he’s clearly got vision and he knows how to use it.

The story however isn’t quite as seamless as the combat. The overall ideas a good but the execution feels wanting. Many (including us at Epicstream) had already suggested that Andrew was still alive as a Ghost following John’s miraculous escape a few weeks back. The reveal still packs some impact but not enough thanks to the feeling of indecision over his character. The idea The Ghosts being given compliance drugs is fine and provides an ultimate out for Andrew’s character but the episode just can’t seem to decide which way Andrew’s moral compass is pointing, which is a little frustrating. He won’t shoot Diggle but he’ll happily have Oliver and the others killed, which is far too ambiguous. Even Andrew’s ultimate rescue feels unsatisfying because it doesn’t provide John with any closure.

A Diggle-focused episode should be a treat even with just one of them but it doesn’t come together enough. However, John’s reluctant stance is an interesting take on the situation that feels the show taking a good detour from the predictable. It’s the polar opposite of Laurel’s kitchen sink approach to getting Sara back as John needs to believe he’ll get his brother back in spirit rather than just body before getting on board with any acts of craziness (whereas Laurel would start putting head shots in puppies if you told her it would get Sara back). This also plays on the family theme to show Oliver and the rest as Diggle’s true family, doing what’s best for him even if he doesn’t believe that yet. John even says it best himself as he makes a light arrival safe on Oliver, “My brother, the green one that is”.

The Thea story works though. With the ideas of the blood lust well-established, we knew her Jenifer’s Body arrangement would rear it ahead again soon, leaving her the choice of kill or lose control. It serves as a great return for Merlyn who provides a solution that while still drastic, will echo many audience thoughts, and find someone that genuinely deserves to die. While The Walking Dead’s Morgan would give you a lecture against it, Merlyn’s “pedophile that got away it” candidate seems up for the job. This sends her remaining screen time into an excellent sense of “Will she? Won’t she?” tension with suggestions both ways. The ultimate solution is more of a question dodge but intrigues enough to let it pass. As for Ray Palmer, like Sara last week, his story is about getting his character back into position, about dealing with his return and re-suiting up as ATOM ready of next week’s Legends of Tomorrow kick-starting Flarrow crossover. There isn’t much to go on but Brandon Routh sells it well with idea of way procrastinating re-joining society because the events of his absence make him feel like he’s failed it. It’s interesting that Curtis takes the episode off so that Ray can fulfil his regular tech guru role.

It may miss a few punches with the handling of Andrew Diggle but this fighter of an episode scores plenty more hits. The idea of Oliver now taking on Darhk by day in his mayor campaign is a great development to pull those two stories together. Although Darhk lacks the patience or interest to run for Mayor himself, we may see him throwing his own candidate into the race. The flashbacks impress more than usual for delivering a few twists, and we even get some good old hero excuses. 

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