CinemaBlind’s Review: 85%
Spoilers for ‘The Boys’ Season 4
The Boys is back for its fifth and final season, and I am happy to say that so far, it doesn’t disappoint. The satirical superhero action series has been toeing the line between satirizing big-blockbuster superhero franchises and becoming one itself. The last few seasons of the Prime Video series have been a bit repetitive, but in its final season, does it take massive swings or rely on its tried and tested formula? Let’s find out.
Developed by Eric Kripke, the satirical superhero action series is based on a comic book series of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. It revolves around a group of misfits who unite to take down the villainous superheroes who have been doing unspeakable things while being worshipped by the masses, all because of great marketing by a mega corporation.
In its final season, our protagonists are at their lowest point yet, with most of them being captured by the supes in the last moments of Season 4. Now it’s up to the few who haven’t been captured to free the ones who have and take down Homelander before he becomes even more powerful to the point that he is unkillable.
One of my major gripes with The Boys, since its third season, is that every season follows the same roadmap, and the final season is no different, at least on the surface level. This season differentiates itself from past seasons solely because of how high-stakes everything is, and it also makes you feel that this time, truly, no one is safe.
I can’t say much about its satirical elements because if you loved the political satire in its third and fourth season then you are going to love it, but if you didn’t like it then you are not going to like it now.
When it comes to performances, everyone in the main cast has their role down to a T. Both Karl Urban and Antony Starr make their characters of William “Billy” Butcher and Homelander feel larger than life and make you excited for their final battle. Jack Quaid‘s Hughie Campbell is still the heart of the series, and his relationship with Erin Moriarty‘s Starlight is a major part of the season.
The supporting cast, including Laz Alonso, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Chace Crawford, Jessie T. Usher, Jensen Ackles, Valorie Curry, and Susan Heyward are also great in their roles. The good thing about the season is that every major and supporting characters are given enough time by the creator to make an impact on the story and on the audience.
In conclusion, the final season of The Boys is still mostly repetitive, but if you love the series and its tropes, then it will be a fun watch for you. Don’t go into the final season expecting a happy ending because you won’t find it as the creator of the series had already teased major character deaths that will have you shouting or sobbing, depending on who’s dying.