This is one of those X-Files episodes that has feature-film quality and would have been a perfect movie. Script, directing, cinematography, casting are all superb here. It offers flawless acting, even from minor figures (the blind girl for example) and some nice character moments for Gillian Anderson's Scully.
Reviews
6 Reviews
The Mandalorian
(2019– )
Technically impressive, but not much meat on the bone.
25 December 2020
"The Mandalorian" is technically impressive and certainly state of the art. Where the real world ends and the CGI starts is not distinguishable.
My only complaint regarding production design would be some computer interface sounds are stock sounds you have heard in countless other TV series, movies and even games ("Star Trek: Elite Force" for example), which is a surprising lack of attention to detail - the Star Wars universe should have its own distinctive sounds no other production shares.
Regarding dialogue I was disappointed to sometime hear contemporary words or Earth bound terminology, which takes the depicted fictional world in a galaxy far away suddenly very close to Earth of the year 2020. And I didn't like that some characters clearly had a Texan or New York accent, which should not happen in a story that has no relation to Earth. These things break the verisimilitude of the fictional world.
Character and story wise unfortunately the show is formulaic and falls flat. The show does not rise above your average First Person Shooter story and characters, which are only there to bring the player from point A to B to C. Storm troopers die left and right easily, like you are used to in a shooter game. So it did not manage to truly make me care about any of the characters and it also did not really offer a new perspective on the human condition (it showed suffering, but only as anonymous background noise). There is not much meat on the bone; an episode really does not make you think or reflect on a deeper level.
The show is perfect for a one time viewing to distract you for half an hour or so, especially if you are into scifi and action adventure, but it is not worth a revisit.
My only complaint regarding production design would be some computer interface sounds are stock sounds you have heard in countless other TV series, movies and even games ("Star Trek: Elite Force" for example), which is a surprising lack of attention to detail - the Star Wars universe should have its own distinctive sounds no other production shares.
Regarding dialogue I was disappointed to sometime hear contemporary words or Earth bound terminology, which takes the depicted fictional world in a galaxy far away suddenly very close to Earth of the year 2020. And I didn't like that some characters clearly had a Texan or New York accent, which should not happen in a story that has no relation to Earth. These things break the verisimilitude of the fictional world.
Character and story wise unfortunately the show is formulaic and falls flat. The show does not rise above your average First Person Shooter story and characters, which are only there to bring the player from point A to B to C. Storm troopers die left and right easily, like you are used to in a shooter game. So it did not manage to truly make me care about any of the characters and it also did not really offer a new perspective on the human condition (it showed suffering, but only as anonymous background noise). There is not much meat on the bone; an episode really does not make you think or reflect on a deeper level.
The show is perfect for a one time viewing to distract you for half an hour or so, especially if you are into scifi and action adventure, but it is not worth a revisit.
A struggle indeed
10 May 2020
... the quality of the writing and editing has almost fan fiction level. It is just a thrown together mess.
The titles "My Struggle I - IV" are probably a very honest meta statement from Carter, that he himself struggled with writing these episodes.
Fortunately the legacy of the "X-Files" is strong enough to survive the last two mediocre, "struggling" seasons. We got 7 seasons of the best TV ever written and filmed, and we all can be thankful for that. These seasons will stand the test of time. What came after in the end was just a bonus.
The titles "My Struggle I - IV" are probably a very honest meta statement from Carter, that he himself struggled with writing these episodes.
Fortunately the legacy of the "X-Files" is strong enough to survive the last two mediocre, "struggling" seasons. We got 7 seasons of the best TV ever written and filmed, and we all can be thankful for that. These seasons will stand the test of time. What came after in the end was just a bonus.
Story falls apart at one point ...
1 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I agree with the analysis in the review of Martin Hafer. The story of the episode falls apart when Chakotay believes 7o9, when she begins to ramble her conspiracy theories at him in a more and more shrill voice. The same with Janeway who listens to 7o9's ramblings moments later, again with 7o9 having a shrill paranoid voice, rambling aggressively into Janeway's face. The only logical conclusion of both Janeway and Chakotay would only have been to send her to sickbay due to her unhinged behavior. Instead they believe her and begin to mistrust each other? Aside the fact that 7o9 does not question her own judgement after she does a complete 180 on the theory she told Chakotay. Her character is intelligent enough to reflect, that if her 1st theory was wrong, her 2nd one might be false too.
This episode shows some horrible forced character behavior by the writers to get the story from A to B to Z, dismissing the inner logic of the characters and make them act nonsensical just because the economy of the story telling demands it. I am afraid the script simply wasnt ready for the shoot, but time demanded it to be produced anyways.
This episode shows some horrible forced character behavior by the writers to get the story from A to B to Z, dismissing the inner logic of the characters and make them act nonsensical just because the economy of the story telling demands it. I am afraid the script simply wasnt ready for the shoot, but time demanded it to be produced anyways.
Back to the problems of Season 10
15 February 2018
... unfortunatly this episode goes back to the technical problems of Season 10: Uneven blocking/camera angle choices (random empty spaces in the picture with the actors too far left/right or just stand randomly apart from each other), uneven pacing of the story (editing), uneven dialogue, uneven settings. Half of the time you have three characters standing around in an underground garage. The whole episode feels like a first draft, not a final product, which needed a lot more polishing before going on air. In some scenes I was under the impression the actors themselves were irritated about what they had to play or how to play it. This episode was a step back to one of those unintentional parodies of the former "X-Files" that happened in Season 10.
John Wick: Chapter 2
(2017)
3rd person shooter as a movie
15 February 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Simply put: This movie is like watching a video of someone playing a "Max Payne" style 3rd person shooter with all cheats (god mode, unlimited health, unlimited energy, auto aim, wall see through) enabled. At least when you play such game yourself, even with all cheats enabled, you are engaged in the story and settings since you need to know how to get from A to B and you can move by yourself freely through the setting. As a movie it gets quite boring, since you are forced into a passive position of sitting in front of the screen and watch someone hit every mark.
My suggestion: Buy "Max Payne", enable all cheats and play the game. It will be much more entertaining than this movie.
... okay. If you love sociopaths, this movie is for you. Every single character in this movie is pretty much a sociopath, so if that is your personal preference, you will enjoy this.
My suggestion: Buy "Max Payne", enable all cheats and play the game. It will be much more entertaining than this movie.
... okay. If you love sociopaths, this movie is for you. Every single character in this movie is pretty much a sociopath, so if that is your personal preference, you will enjoy this.
Tell Your Friends