ich_yama Reviews

War of the Worlds (2005 Video)

Uncharacteristic Quality, Excellent Adherence to SciFi Principles

[7/10 · 14 January 2006]

Most of what needs to be said has been said, but Rhett Giles as Victor depicts the soul-tearing debate over theodicy both poignantly and realistically. That's what science fiction is all about!

Better explosions and special effects would have been nice, but are a mere side-effect of SciFi production, sometimes drawing lesser fans. This version of *War of the Worlds* is for the serious set - the kind who are likely to have actually read a book or two.

Ich_Yama's SciFi-meter:

(BBB: one peripheral character.)

(BEM: swarm of mechanized alien invaders - as advertised.)

(World: present/near-future.)

(Preference: classic SciFi fans and the philosophically-minded.)

Painkiller Jane (2005 TV Movie)

Good Pilot, Embarrassingly Poor Military References

[5/10 · 22 December 2005]

This is a reasonable TV pilot. I would even watch the series if only the SciFi channel would hire a military consultant to sufficiently cultivate the illusion of realism.

Here are my military complaints: (1) The uniforms do not match the depicted branch of service. (2) The mixed-gender assault element in the beginning of the film is unbelievable. (3) The Aliens-style crab-walk-with-a-rifle does not pass even school-children's idea of tactical muster.

The protagonist is believable in other respects, not to mention physically attractive without crossing the 1950's Amazon Action Heroine threshold. The directing seemed inspired, the casting excellent, and the acting well above the level demanded by the mediocre script!

Ich_Yama's SciFi-meter:

(BBB: 1 primary character)

(BEM: None)

(World: Present/near-future)

(Preference: Conspiracy theorists)

Phantom Force (2004 TV Movie)

Well executed, though formulaic:

[7/10 · 26 November 2005]

This was, as stated previously both predictable and an excellent pilot for a TV series. Alas, no TV series will follow.

Why, then did I give it seven points? It is an excellent execution of a simple plot. Moreover, the Big-Evil-Thingy-In-Question (to avoid a spoiler), has a potentially Lovecraftian, distant, unknowable sort of horror to it.

Of course, the script-writer completely failed to exploit it and makes it tangible long before its potential horror has expired.

If you like single-concept science fiction, punctuated by insufficiently bloody violence (aka B-movies), you will enjoy this as much as I did.

Ich_Yama's SciFi-meter:

(BBB: 2 primary characters)

(BEM: Spectral and Humanoid)

(World: Present/near-future)