Because the early days of the platform’s Jack Ryan adaptation, Prime Video has turn out to be among the best properties for militaristic motion reveals, notably these based mostly on a e-book collection. When the Chris Pratt-led Terminal Listing got here alongside in 2022, it was type of stunning that the streamer’s successful streak was damaged by the underwhelming adaptation of Jack Carr’s first novel within the collection.
However not solely was it renewed for season 2, the streamer ordered a derivative prequel with The Terminal List: Dark Wolf. Not a direct adaptation of Carr’s books, the collection facilities on Taylor Kitsch’s Ben Edwards and is ready years earlier than the unique present as he is dishonorably discharged from the Navy SEALs.
Earlier than he can return house, Ben and fellow SEAL Raife Hastings are recruited by the mysterious CIA member Jed Haverforth to affix his crew working in Europe to cease Iran from getting a tool that may make them a nuclear energy. Alongside the way in which, he learns the darkish facet of covert operations and begins to query who he can truly belief.
Joined by Umbrella Academy alum Tom Hopper, The Covenant‘s Dar Salim, and a returning Chris Pratt, Kitsch’s Terminal Listing collection suffers from lots of its predecessor’s points. It is fairly grim in locations, and the plot begins to get misplaced when it tries to throw in some twists and political conspiracies.
However the place the unique failed to beat a few of these missteps, Darkish Wolf truly course corrects the franchise. Carr and David DiGilio discover methods to infuse some levity alongside the twists and turns, and a few strong motion to make it a greater watch.
Darkish Wolf’s Plot Takes A Whereas To Really feel Wanted For The Terminal Listing Universe
The Terminal List season 1 underscored how fascinating Kitsch’s Ben Edwards was, notably after the bombshell reveal that he was concerned within the conspiracy that led to Reece’s household’s demise. There was extra to this story, and Darkish Wolf strives to fill in its gaps.
Once we meet Ben throughout his SEAL tenure, he reveals many traits of prototypical troopers, together with a brotherly camaraderie together with his teammates and growing bonds with locals in Mosul throughout his tour. Nevertheless, it is also clear one thing is brewing underneath the floor, thanks largely to Kitsch’s layered efficiency.
Because the present progresses, it is made — somewhat too explicitly — apparent that Ben has turn out to be obsessive about the violence of the job and is prepared to go away every thing else behind to remain immersed in it. This leads to a couple fascinating conversations between himself and others, notably Hopper’s Raife.
One of many different massive issues with the present…is an occasional lack of plausible stakes surrounding Ben.
However whereas the story does lay some groundwork for the place we meet Ben in Terminal List season 1, Darkish Wolf takes too lengthy to justify the enlargement of the franchise. For somebody who’s been in service for so long as he has, Ben’s introduction to the world of covert ops is not that out of the norm from his prior experiences.
On condition that the present is supposed to arrange the darkish facet of the character, I used to be typically left questioning why the darker conditions have been offered to others. We watch Raife totally torture somebody for info, just for a reveal to go away him haunted by his actions, whereas Salim’s Mo shows signs of PTSD that make his actions all of the extra haunting to observe.
There’s additionally an occasional lack of plausible stakes surrounding Ben. He is shot and almost blown up throughout a number of motion sequences, however it’s laborious to fret about his security whereas understanding his future story.
Darkish Wolf’s Motion Is A Little Too Slick At Occasions
The Terminal Listing has actually delivered some thrilling set items, and Darkish Wolf actually ups the sport in some thrilling methods. Whether or not it is the heist-like operation to steal the system in a freeway tunnel styled nearly completely in a one-take, or one among Ben’s climactic one-man showdowns with a swarm of foes, the characters’ expertise are properly on show.
Nevertheless, the present’s motion is typically somewhat too slick. With its deal with former Navy SEALs and different elite army vets, it is sensible that there can be a sure stage of smoothness to the way in which the scenes are shot, enjoying off of their crew coordination and coaching.
Whether or not it is the insistent utilization of silencers for each weapon, few life-threatening accidents, or an typically regular hand behind the digicam, it lacks the genuine messiness of fight. With gunshots that even have little impact on what they’re hitting, I used to be taken out of a number of the motion.
Darkish Wolf’s Solid Is Stable, Even If The Characters Are Unlikable
Kitsch undeniably slips again into his position with aplomb. When he isn’t preoccupied with gunfights, the returning star properly unpacks Ben’s further layers that have been alluded to within the authentic present, notably his frustrations over numerous betrayals.
In the meantime, Salim is genuinely heartbreaking as Mo and makes his ever-evolving arc fascinating to observe. Fauda vet Rona-Lee Shimon is compelling in her twisty position as Eliza Perash, and Barry star Robert Knowledge is quietly intense because the suspicious CIA crew chief.
However it’s the characters themselves who so typically show unlikable that it turns into a bit harder to embrace these performances.
I used to be blended on Tom Hopper and Luke Hemsworth as Raife and CIA Contractor Jules Landry, respectively. They perceive their characters and play them nicely, with the Westworld alum’s dry wit typically garnering the present’s greatest laughs, whereas Hopper showcases glorious chemistry with Kitsch as non secular brothers.
However it’s the characters themselves who so typically show unlikable that it turns into more durable to embrace these performances. Raife ceaselessly fluctuates between being prepared to go away the struggle to sticking with it, even all the way down to a torture scene that’s extreme and drawn out. Landry, however, turns into an abhorrent determine after his actions with a feminine teammate.
Contemplating how a lot time we spend with these characters, Darkish Wolf has solely considerably realized from the sins of The Terminal Listing. Ethical ambiguity is sensible for the story it is making an attempt to inform, however when characters turn out to be borderline irredeemable, and the premise spirals into acquainted territory, the prequel stands solely barely above its predecessor.
The primary three episodes of The Terminal Listing: Darkish Wolf premiere on Prime Video on August 27, adopted by new episodes each Wednesday.
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf
5/10
- Launch Date
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August 27, 2025
- Community
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Prime Video
- Writers
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Jack Carr, David DiGilio
- Franchise(s)
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The Terminal Listing
- The exploration of Ben’s early darkish days has just a few significant conversations about his violent dedication.
- There are some nice motion set items, notably a one-take sequence.
- The forged end up strong performances, notably Taylor Kitsch, Dar Salim and Rona-Lee Shimon.
- The plot takes a very long time to really feel like a worthwhile authentic extension of its supply materials.
- A few of the motion feels too slick to the purpose of being routine as a substitute of gritty.
- Most of the characters are unlikable to the purpose of being laborious to need to watch.
- The present does not really feel prefer it goes far sufficient with Ben’s CIA transformation.
