Veronica Mars

Does anyone remember the Veronica Mars TV series? Seven years on, director Rob Thomas’ heroine is back, this time on the movie screen and all grown up.

Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) has put her amateur detective days behind her and is graduating from law school. Whilst being interviewed at a high-end law firm, she gets a call from ex-boyfriend Logan (Jason Dohring), who has gotten himself in a bit of trouble with the law. Veronica heads back to her hometown to assist him in finding an attorney, but as per usual, things are not always as they seem in Neptune.

Thomas’ film is conceived as the most backed Kickstarter campaign in history, with a $5.7m budget, and has been funded entirely by fans (no pressure there). No James Bond boys’ toys or superhero powers, Veronica Mars of the TV series was a realistic role model for female and male teens alike, solving mysteries with intelligence and intuition.

The character worked as someone teenagers could aspire to in today’s materially obsessed society. Grown-up Veronica is sharp and focused on her career, a degree in psychology and law school have led her to New York in search of a high flying legal job. However it doesn’t take much to sway Mars back to her investigative ways.

To start with the storyline is slightly wet and somewhat overly explanatory but how else are fans supposed to be updated on what Mars has been up to for nine long years? Old faces are reintroduced, which acts as a nice “welcome back” to fans and clarification to newcomers. The question on everyone’s lips is whether Veronica Mars can push the TV series to film boundary, whilst remaining relevant to new and aging fans. The film proves that yes, she is still very much relevant and not just to teens. Detective thriller plots shall always remain popular and with the added twist of challenging social media, celebrity statuses and exclusive “velvet rope” culture, the Veronica Mars movie proves that it has something for everyone.

For those who didn’t regularly watch the show, the film is easy to follow. For dedicated fans, grown-up Verona Mars makes for a convincing “ten years on” with added extra thrill and chase, with added great performance by Kristen Bell.

Nastassja Smart

Veronica Mars is released in select cinemas and on video on demand on 14^th March 2014. Download it on iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores.

Watch the trailer for Veronica Mars here: