MovieChat Forums > Into the Badlands (2015) Discussion > What's Up With This?

What's Up With This?

posted 8 years ago by vanessasrutherford
3 replies | jump to latest

Stumbled upon this last night, meaning, my dad randomly turned the telly to it. I watched it in and out the entire time it was on. The problem with coming into an episode midway is that you're completely blind to what's going on. However, I got the feeling that even if I had been watching this the entire season, I'd still be lost. It was all over the place. What really caught my eye though was the pretty fight scenes. They're very composed and well done for this not to be a fancy Hollywood affair. It also looks promising if I could just find out what's going on. Is there anyone who understands this show and could explain the backdrop better than ImdB? Please...

"The world is over populated. We need a new plague".
-Dwight K. Schrute

[–] SlackerGirl121 8 years ago

You have Sunny, the lead Clipper for Quinn. A clipper is an indentured soldier for a baron (Quinn). In this post-apocalyptic world, guns are no longer (hence the stunning fight scenes). The land is ruled by a group of 'barons'. They each control their own market in the economy, Quinnis the drug lord of the group.
You have The Widow, who allegedly killed her baron husband and took over his oil fields. She hates all men pretty much. And she wants to be recognized as a baron. She hates Quinn and would like to see him dead, and tries to kill him a couple times.
Quinn's house is a soap opera. He is marrying his second wife (polygamy is allowed) but of course the first wife ain't happy about it. Oh and the second wife is sleeping with Quinn's son. Oh and Quinn is dying of a brain tumor.
Sunny is regretful of his life of killing for Quinn. He hopes for a way out, especially after his girlfriend becomes pregnant. She's an unofficial doctor for the working class/serfs/indentured servants, she was trained by her adopted daddy (a real doctor).
Sunny finds MK who has some supernatural power that turns him into an ass kicking machine on crack whenever he is injured to the point that he bleeds (God help whoever is around if he nicks himself shaving.)
You have people looking for power, people with power, despair, dystopia, a mysterious Camelot-esque city and fantastic fight scenes. Give it a chance. It's awesome, and mildly less complicated than Game of Thrones. Got any questions, DM me.

[–] vanessasrutherford 8 years ago

That was a kick-butt summary. Thank you for your time. I didn't catch the no guns thing the first time I watched it, but that's definitely personally intriguing enough to give the show another look. I find guns deplorable.

Thanks again, cheers! 

"The world is over populated. We need a new plague".
-Dwight K. Schrute

[–] There_Is_No_Sayid 8 years ago

It takes place in the Badlands, a region ruled by a number of barons, who control important segments of the economy. The main character is Sunny, the lead "clipper" (soldier/assassin) for the Baron Quinn, who controls opium production. Sunny is secretky having a relationship with the local doctor, something which is forbidden for clippers since they're supposed to have undivided loyalty to their Baron. He's also taken in MK, a mysterious boy who may have come from beyond the Badlands.

Quinn is currently involved in a conflict with the Widow, another Baron. MK meanwhile has struck up a friendship with a girl who turns out to be one of the Widows "daughters". There's also a subplot about intrigue between Quinns first wife and his new bride, as well as his son Ryder who wants to succeed his father, but may not be up to it.

There are no guns in the Badlands (it's hinted that the Barons suppress the technology) so fighting is done with swords and martial arts.