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sam-greer
Reviews
Outcasts (2010)
Wasted potential
Everyone is being a tad harsh on this program, there is far worse tripe out there on TV. Seriously, go watch some of it. Or don't actually...
Anyways, whilst I felt this was a competent sci-fi drama with dazzlingly high production values including a rather sumptuous and lovely planet as well as thorough sets for the "Fort Haven", I do feel this is a lot of wasted potential.
Despite a promising premise, the last of Earth's survivors (Fleeing Earth following an unexplained cataclysm) forced to live out on a new world and re-build society and survive the planets harsh hazards, it mostly falls flat. Part of this comes from a bad sense of what to do with the concept...instead of watching the first wave of settlers start to build a settlement and the struggles for power and resources that entails, we come too late, they have a whole town going with electricity, law and order and even a gun ban. It's like we've missed the really good parts, you know, the compelling struggle, fighting and survival.
This further carries into the waste of the first episodes one truly compelling and intriguing character: Mitchell Hoban(Played by an excellent Jamie Bamber), a revolutionary with psychopathic tendencies who wishes to break away from bureaucracy and establish a new settlement free of government. Instead of letting him carry out his coup, establishing a new settlement and providing some much needed conflict for the series, he's killed off. In the first episode. And with his death, the series main point of interest is gone and I can't see it becoming compelling enough to pull in viewers for the rest of it's run.
It's a shame because on paper, a story about pioneering colonists who are torn over politics and resources, struggling to survive on a remote world with a good cast and high production values does indeed seem ripe for viewing. But the potential is wasted, sacrificed for safe tidy plots and a fear of going truly dark and interesting.
Not bad but not memorable or compelling past the first episodes decision to kill it's one genuinely interesting character. Shame. In the hands of someone better, it could have been an absolute classic.
Terminator Salvation (2009)
Great re-launch of the series
I cannot understand the bad press at all, after watching this twice its hard to see any truly major flaws in what is a brilliant story driven action movie featuring all the hallmarks of the original two but adding its own great flavor the series.
I won't go into spoilers but generally thee is a great cast at work here, Christian Bale didn't convince me in the trailers but in the film itself he's a competent John Connor, well rounded and flawed but showing the side of him that inspires people. Anton Yelchin plays Kyle Reese here, another recurring character and really sells himself in the role, reminding the audience much of Michael Biehn. However Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright, a new character to the series, almost steals the show providing a real hero for the film whom like Bale is well rounded and drives the plot with enough humanity that we understand what separates us from the machines.
This is the underlying theme of all the Terminator films and it really gains ground here with the destructive war showing the real horror of the Terminators in all their various forms and a shocking surprise at the end providing a great insight into how intricately a killer mastermind Skynet really is, as well as providing a real highlight for long term fans. The style serves all this well, with thrilling and well realized action scenes orchestrated beautifully by Mcg and the design of the machines themselves often being quite creepy, with an unsettling side to their metal skulls and glowing eyes, they really are portrayed well, giving a sense of how cold and calculating they are. Some really intense scenes early on set the tone for the entire movie and provide my favorite movie of the summer.
For long term fans of the series, the next two films in this planned trilogy will likely decide how worth the wait this installment was but ultimately it has set the stage for what could be a brilliant close to the series and finally showing us the war we've been waiting for. McG deserves the chance to make the next two because here he has managed to re-launch a once great series on the verge of decay. Now its alive and stronger than ever, with the story we all really wanted since we saw the first film. Go see it now, its worth your time.
Franklyn (2008)
Intriguing and will keep you thinking for days...
The best film I have seen this year so far, its so brilliantly strange and such a brain-teasingly satisfying film to watch.
The film is a sci-fi thriller/drama about four characters dealing with problems in their life, from Eva Greens character who is a suicidal artist to Sam Riley's character whose bride ran away at the altar. These characters parts of the film are set in modern day London and their struggles may seem uninteresting at first but once the films pace sets in their stories take on as much importance as the real main character Preest. Jonathon Preest, the mysterious loner of the films alternate reality, Meanwhile City, is the only atheist in a city gripped by Faith, where every resident must have a religion which lends weight to the films plot and themes.
All the cast were very good at their parts, Phillippe does well as Preest without going into deep voiced batman territory and Eva Green portrays her very flawed character with enough humanity to keep you interested without becoming fed up with her characters behaviour.
The film constantly switches between the two settings, to both dramatic effect and to keep the film moving at a solid pace that should have you guessing at the link between all the characters and how the alternate reality of Meanwhile city ties in with them. Meanwhile City itself is a stunning and darkly captivating location for the other half of the film and provides the visual cement to the films concepts and makes for some of the most inventive design I've seen in sets and costumes for a long time. Its a Gothic vision of skyscrapers and futuristic landscapes with inspiration from cathedrals and ancient architecture.
Its safe to say that you shouldn't let anyone spoil the films twists or plot for you, because its twists often seem predictable before hand but upon their realisation they can be quite surprising reveals.
For those familiar with films such as Donnie Darko, the ideas driving the film may seem to be done and dusted but Franklyn's fresh approach to the concepts as well as its stunning execution make this film worthy of anyone looking to engage their thoughts in some very interesting concepts regarding, reality and perception. Go out and watch this film, it's conclusion will linger with you for days after wards.