In The Terminal List, James Reece is convinced he is part of a conspiracy when his SEAL team falls into a death trap after misinformation. His search for answers turns him into a killing machine looking for revenge.The Terminal List on Prime Video is not a light-hearted series that you watch in between. Packed with action and drama, this gritty story follows James Reece (Chris Pratt, Everwood), a Navy SEAL with a score to settle. A combination of PTSD and health issues makes him an unpredictable, ticking time bomb. He races through the episodes like a thundercloud, looking for the people he wants to take revenge on. His actions do not go unnoticed, which means that he is soon being chased by the authorities. Will he manage to stay out of their hands and complete his 'mission'?
During the first episodes it is very unclear what is real and what is not.
The story begins during a military operation abroad. Reece barely survives this mission. This does not apply to (the majority of) his team. At home, Reece struggles with flashbacks. When his memories don't match the facts, his search for answers begins. He ends up in a conspiracy in which nothing is what it seems and everything revolves around money. What follows is a quest for answers and revenge. Reece is willing to cross boundaries unimaginable to most of us.
Reece's driving force is Laura (Riley Keough, The Girlfriend Experience) and Lucy (Arlo Mertz), his wife and daughter. His love for them is in stark contrast to the cold-bloodedness he shows. Different opinions can be formed about Reece's actions. One will call it heroic and noble while another thinks he takes the law too much into his own hands. FBI Agent Layun (J.D. Pardo, Revolution) also visibly struggles with these issues during his manhunt for Reece.
During the first episodes, it is very unclear what is real and what is not. Reece's trauma has made it difficult for him to separate reality from his fantasies. The chaotic way of filming doesn't help with a better understanding of this. Images from the past and present are intertwined. This was an admittedly unclear way of telling. It is also an original way that eventually appealed to me. It was therefore a pity to see that the creators decided to provide more clarity after a few episodes. This took away some of the mystery and made the rest of the season less unique.
Reece gets help from friends during his flight and quest for revenge. CIA agent Ben (Taylor Kitsch, Waco) is the most important link in this. With his contacts, he manages to save Reece from a plight. However, his possibilities for help also have limits. Something that can be seen in particular during the sixth episode. Not much happens in that episode story-wise. It does show in an impressive way how Reece's adventure goes. Unfortunately, a lot of this episode is quite literally very dark, a problem that I have encountered several times. As a result, the story sometimes remains vague because not everything is clearly visible.
I was really physically sick of the images I saw.
As I said, this is an intense series to watch. A good example of this is a scene where a person is tortured. On the one hand, as a viewer, you understand the anger and reason for the torture. On the other hand, disgust and horror dominate because of the way it happens. I was really physically sick of the images I saw. This says a lot about the level of both the portrayal of the scenes and the acting. Both very impressive, but also a bit too intense at times.
Although Reece is the main character of The Terminal List, there is a very important supporting role for journalist Katie Buranek (Constance Wu, Fresh off the Boat). While looking for abuse in the military world, she comes across Reece and his story. At the same time, she immerses herself in his case, which means she regularly gets in front of him. She deliberately chooses no side and follows the truth, which ultimately makes her the only truly reliable source in the whole.
A big plus is that The Terminal List has a concluding ending. Still, there is hopeful talk of a second season. This has to do with the fact that the series is based on a book series that has more sequels. There is not much to say in terms of content without revealing what will happen. What I can say is that part of the story was predictable. The eight episodes, about an hour each, are long. However, plenty is happening. Sometimes the subtitles cut out and Reece's amazing skills make him look more like a superhero than an actual Navy SEAL. Despite these flaws, I enjoyed immersing myself in the compelling story of The Terminal List.
