-10.
This SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCKED.
I want the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.
If they had followed the book instead of creating characters that didn't exist, situations that weren't there and the inevitable inclusion of a power hungry person plus far too much attention to the religious side that was not in the book, this might have been ok.
Oh gravity, thou art a heartless bitch!
Out of a 100
YES
This was a terrible adaptation of a classic novel.The directing was so bad that my wife who had never read the novel had a hard time following story despite the fact that she has a high IQ.
I can certainly understand that changes have to be made when you're creating a screenplay from a novel. What I can't understand is the rationale behind completely changing the dominant philosophy of the original novel.For those of you who have not read the novel, the screenwriters have needlessly demonized the overlords. The overlords were not responsible for changing the children. That was going to happen as a cataclysmic evolutionary event (Clark's words) whether the overlords came or not. They were merely following orders from the over mind not to allow this change to destroy humanity or damage the over mind.
The overlords did not sterilize anyone in the novel. They also did not cause the children to leave. The children left on their own volition.And it was the children who destroyed Earth in the end, not the overlords.
The overlords home planet did not look like hell.And no one in the novel hated the overlords. Most realized by the end that the overlords were merely safeguarding an evolutionary event, and were doing so under orders. In fact, sympathy was expressed for the overlords because they could not evolve in the way humanity was.
Finally, the movie's final message was a sad and bitter one: the end of humanity mostly aided by the overlords. In contrast, while the novel expresses a bit of sadness for the end of humanity, our evolutionary descendants are seen as joining a vast and powerful over mind which controls most of our galaxy.
I was so looking forward to this TV series and was so bitterly disappointed in it. And as someone else on this message board commented, there were far too many commercials. I understand that money has to be made but this should be balanced with some consideration for the viewer.
"read the novel had a hard time following story despite the fact that she has a high IQ. "
lmaooo.
They also did not cause the children to leave. The children left on their own volition.And it was the children who destroyed Earth in the end, not the overlords.
Maybe she has not such a high IQ after all. I had no problem to follow the storyline and I am a regular guy with 8 classes of school.
shareThis was one of the lamest sci-fi series I've ever seen. It was Under The Dome bad. The second rate acting, a cringe inducing script, annoying characters everywhere, long meandering segments that added nothing, like Mike Vogel leaving his fantasy and grief for his dead wife go in that insufferable imagined hotel room, those damn kids floating up to the sky at the end, hilarious. Awful, just awful.
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Suburban Robot That Monitors Reality
Thanks. I almost would have watched this series but I probably would have been really annoyed.
shareI loved it. Not having read anything about it beforehand but the short IMDb intro, I went into it without expecting the lovechild of Transformers and The Shawshank Redemption as apparently half this thread seems to have.
If you can't shake off too high expectations, I suggest you never watch anything that doesn't gain a perfect 10 by 90% of reviewers and casual watchers out there. If you can ascend such immaterial self-imposed boundaries and killjoys, I suggest you watch at least the first part and decide for yourself.
Thanks! Maybe I'll check it out. I'm not a purist about adoption, I'm just allergic to bad writing. And this smells a bit like it.
shareDefinitely watch it. I had read the book some 20 odd years ago and TBH it was a pretty faithful adaptation. There were some bits that irked me, like how the Overlords came back within a couple of decades instead of the 100(?, I cant remember), but overall it was definitely worth a watch.
I've seen worse.
Thanks. Well I watched it now. I think the adaption was too soapy, but I probably wouldn't have liked the esoteric ending of the book anyways. The evolution of our species lies pretty obviously in diversity, not in a singular ultra boring shared consciousness. And why would scientific inquiry or arts or culture die if people have free time? And you don't have to blow up a very valuable planet to get there. Or maybe I just prefer hard sci-fi that is more realistic.
shareYeah. What he said.
shareLooks like we have two kinds of people in this thread, neither are being honest, so I'll try. As a movie/miniseries, I'd say a solid 8, sagged a little in the middle, ending was rushed. As an adaptation I'd give it a 7, not the easiest source material to adapt.
sharethe first 2 parts were very good IMO but the 3rd part was just terrible and a big disappointment.
shareYeh me too. Loved the 1st, 2nd was OK, but the 3rd left me confused and wanting a lot more info. I love sci-fi and I know it is often far fetched and hard to comprehend but this ... ? Just who were those red men? Who gave them authority to go destroy planets?
shareJust who were those red men? Who gave them authority to go destroy planets?
Who gave them authority to go destroy planets?They didn't. The children did that.
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I had to give it a six. It was entertaining but got a bit corny
Acting was not the greatest either.
sorry dude being honest its a 2
sharean 8 seriously?
There's so many faults in this that you have to switch your brain off to not see them.
Faults? What faults are you talking about? Faults in the original story? Or the adaptation? The acting or the special effects? Maybe I have an advantage because I read the book, but I had no problem following and understanding the story. The book has a lot of exposition which is very difficult to translate to the screen, but I was pleasantly surprised that the network that brought us 'Sharknado' did quite a good job of adapting what has been deemed for decades to an impossible transition. Maybe one needs to switch on their brain to see the deeper concepts.
Things just ain't what they used to be, but then they never were to begin with. -- Don Meredith
Yeah 3rd part was hard to watch. The whole thing about him leaving finding things out meant nothing really considering that we already know the earth was ending .
Not bad overall I'd say like 6-7/10
And yet, that IS how the book ends. SyFy didn't invent that part for the mini-series. They adapted plenty of parts of it to make it flow more smoothly as a film, but none of the changes they made really altered the meaning of the book. And at the end, Rodricks (character name changed in movie) does remain on earth to broadcast to the Overlords the final events.
By the end the movie overall was a solid 6.5 or 7 at the most. I didn't like the ending seeing how it all began. It made everything that was set up in the beginning meaningless. 20 years to find a child that will be the conduit of the end of the Earth? 😒 Also the whole deal with the farmer was dragged out and pointless since he ends up dying and, really, he actually didn't do anything life-changing for humanity.
can't outrun your own shadow
It made everything that was set up in the beginning meaningless. 20 years to find a child that will be the conduit of the end of the Earth?
I don't know. Maybe that's what the writer's logic was... BUT Why did the planet have to be destroyed?
can't outrun your own shadow
Sorry if this is explained elsewhere but this was my exact thought. They couldn't have just destroyed humankind and left the planet to the animals (Were they really just taken to the Overloard's planet just to be put in a zoo?). From a Sci-fi point of view, they really managed to learn how to ascend, merge with the overmind, and destroy a planet and moon without leaving debris everywhere.
shareThe Farmer helped the entire earth accept it's fate and bow out peacefully. He was some sort of commentary on Jesus, a sacrificial lamb. The aliens gave the humans 20 sweet years (and then some, as they seem to have died from old age as Jennifer prepared her way) as a kindness.
"what is your major malfunction numbnuts?!!"
It is the proper and expected ending based on the author's style. Although many writers will choose different paths.
shareHere's some words for you - it blew.
shareWell, good not great, but the commercial breaks were ridiculous, borderline hostile and took away from the storyline. Just too damned long. SyFy can suck it. DVR-only their stuff.
shareI watched it via time delay (only way to go with any program these days). And, out of the 2 hours, I was 'amused' how little actual content was in those 2 hours.
I watched the last two eps last night in around 135 minutes.
I'd give it about 7, the ending was disappointing. Charles Dance did a terrific job as Karellan, though
shareThe effects were extremely good.
It was very nice to look at.
Woulda passed the "three good scenes no bad scenes" test if not for some rough acting in a few spots (barn scene for one).
Not thinking theres much replay value, but enjoyable one time through.
Techbox...you summed it up for me.
I'd give it a 7, maybe 8.
I was disappointed to see the earth was blown up. Not sure why the children would want that to happen.
As Karellen stated, the children aren't their parents' children anymore.
They actually weren't human anymore after they "transcended".
They were doing what the universal consciousness(Overmind) was directing them to do.
They are actually pretty slow. Darwin was probably chasing them.share
You all seem to have missed the very subtle message which was Milo's request at the end of the last episode. Of all the things he could have asked for to represent the best of humanity to leave as a beacon to those explorers passing by where our world once orbited, he asked for the music of Vaughan William's "The Lark Ascending" to play on and on to represent man. The Lark Ascending. Think about it and you will understand why this piece of truly beautiful music was chosen. Humanity ascendant...the struggle on the path to final perfection. Milo was telling all who would pass by..."We are gone but we were here and we accomplished so much!" The Lark Ascending.
Peace and goodwill to all this Christmas.
Of all the things he could have asked for to represent the best of humanity to leave as a beacon to those explorers passing by where our world once orbited, he asked for the music of Vaughan William's "The Lark Ascending" to play on and on to represent man. The Lark Ascending. Think about it and you will understand why this piece of truly beautiful music was chose. Humanity ascendant...the struggle on the path to final perfection. Milo was telling all who would pass by..."We are gone but we were here and we accomplished so much!" The Lark Ascending.
If anyone was interested, they should read about the Lark Ascending, why Vaughan William's wrote it, based on the poem by George Meredith, and why they chose to use it for this drama.
The 5-6 minute commercial breaks were so intrusive and offensive. The most offensive intrusion was when Part 3's end credits begin to roll, while the music (which was an important part of the story) continued to play. They cut the music off entirely.
This presentation, should have been commercial free, or severely limited.
Perfect. Well said!
shareYou would think that because this was what I understood to be a special presentation on Syfy, a work which they supposedly had a lot of respect for, that they would have made some adjustments to the usual day to day intrusion of commercials. They should have been kept to a minimum and never have cut off the audio continuation of Lark Ascending for a VO (ad for another show.) The music was such an integral emotional component to the story's end. They are so ridiculous to have built up what they were trying to build by having this produced, and then showing, and then....look at what we created, oh, let's cut it off because we can fit in another ad for another show. You'd think someone running the station, or even the creators who signed contracts initially would have the **lls to put their foot down and say NO, the audio runs with the credits. Period. If you don't want it that way, we'll sell it to someone else who will. Leave it the hell alone, as is, or you don't get to show this at all. You've got one chance to do this right....
shareone of the finest pieces of music ever written
Absolutely.
Thank you so much for writing it.
There is a short story called "The Portable Phonograph" by Walter Van Tillburg Clark. I remember we had to read it in high school. The last 4 survivors on earth after some cataclysmic event meet in a cave once in a while and listen to old recordings on a portable phonograph, and talk and perhaps they read from the few remaining books they were able to save. The person who had possession of the phonograph/records uses a thorn as stylus, and saves the real one for very special listening because they would wear out. I can't remember why but the men will no longer be able to meet and listen to the music. Perhaps they are old and frail. It's basically their end. This is the time the good stylus will be used. They have one choice....to pick what they wish to hear among those surviving recordings, for it will be the last recorded music they will ever hear.
Spock’s eyes flutter open, and he looks at Kirk. He lifts his hand and places it on Kirk’s arm. “Jim,” he says, and Kirk takes Spock’s hand in his own with perfect ease. “This simple feeling,” he explains, “is beyond V’Ger’s comprehension.” Kirk looks back at Spock with an expression of overwhelming joy, and it’s clear that whatever it was he was missing before, he has it now. He is happy, complete, as they shares a tender, heartfelt moment together. He places his other hand over Spock’s and simply nods. Spock nods as well, and they share an unspoken understanding. Spock then goes on to explain that he found no answers from V’Ger as he had hoped, that in fact V’Ger itself had its own questions. “Is this all that I am? Is there nothing more?”
This scene is the culmination of their entire relationship throughout the series. Spock is plainly expressing his love for Kirk, which Kirk accepts as though he’s known it all along. This is the scene where, if these two leads were of the opposite sex, they would kiss and leave no doubt in the audience’s mind that they had made their relationship official. The sheer love pouring out through both of these characters is as unmistakable as it is tacit. It is a relatively short scene, but it is nonetheless powerful in its implications.
Yes, thanks for bringing up that last scene in which Milo and Karellen share that moment of understanding, especially Karellen when, by his facial expression he seems to "get it" or is as close to getting it, as is possible for him. Good comparison with Spock "getting it" and Kirk.
Where Karellen was not exactly dismissive of humanity, he didn't understand humanity's emotional component, and considered our species as one might think of an outdated version of a computer program. Or, the way that we thus far, have viewed wild creatures and animals (not to mention plants). We think, well, they're animals, and we're superior etc...Native Americans and First peoples around the world, had such a close connection to the natural world for thousands of years, and an understanding of living creatures and the earth. You see it shown in their stories, art, and beliefs and their way of life, the life (or close to it) they had wished to live before forced to assimilate. I believe that they, more than anyone else on our planet understood the natural world on both a practical and a higher spiritual level, than we will ever know. But so much of it has been lost over time.
I think that this presentation of Clark's work, although certainly not perfect, had enough of "the something" that strikes a certain chord within us. Beyond the structure of the plot, it seems to be about something more important than what it appears to be, and stays with you. If that makes any sense. (Like the Vaughan Williams Lark Ascending)
Yes, thanks for bringing up that last scene in which Milo and Karellen share that moment of understanding, especially Karellen when, by his facial expression he seems to "get it" or is as close to getting it, as is possible for him. Good comparison with Spock "getting it" and Kirk.
Where Karellen was not exactly dismissive of humanity, he didn't understand humanity's emotional component, and considered our species as one might think of an outdated version of a computer program. Or, the way that we thus far, have viewed wild creatures and animals (not to mention plants). We think, well, they're animals, and we're superior etc...Native Americans and First peoples around the world, had such a close connection to the natural world for thousands of years, and an understanding of living creatures and the earth. You see it shown in their stories, art, and beliefs and their way of life, the life (or close to it) they had wished to live before forced to assimilate. I believe that they, more than anyone else on our planet understood the natural world on both a practical and a higher spiritual level, than we will ever know. But so much of it has been lost over time.
I think that this presentation of Clark's work, although certainly not perfect, had enough of "the something" that strikes a certain chord within us. Beyond the structure of the plot, it seems to be about something more important than what it appears to be, and stays with you. If that makes any sense. (Like the Vaughan Williams Lark Ascending)
As to the final scene with Milo desperately requesting the music be played as an enduring beacon of mankind's achievements and talent... I was totally blown away.
IF you read the book, they really weren't 'children' as we know them anymore. They were something more than human and left their bodies like a butterfly leaves its cocoon; also, they needed all of the energy to transform.
But yea - I never like seeing the Earth blow up. It borders on 'horror' for me.
Not very original, but 'We accept the love we think we deserve.' Brilliant.
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Dezarius, you have written well.
shareLike I said though when I do consider the world and others it is usually like meh they are beyond help, focus on your own. But this series made a big impact on me, because I felt an overwhelming sadness and empathy for what happened to the earth, and to all the people. It made me see it from the overlords perspective, or something bigger like the overmind, where they sort of look down on our planet and humanity. This is where I felt sad, that we would be considered as something so small and worthless, it all just went away.
I don't like feeling sad - I'm probably about as "glass half full" as it gets. It had been a long time - probably over 20 years - since I last read it. Yet this story has always had a special place for me. At that time, I thought I hated SciFi - I thought of all the really crappy, low-budget stuff. My college roommate assured me I just hadn't read/watched any really good SciFi & recommended this to me. The really good stuff makes you think - it opens up your mind to new ways to look at things, sometimes fantastical "but what if..." things. I loved it & was hooked on Clarke & moved on to read others as well.
But back to emotional response...watching this brought me back to exactly how I felt reading it all those years ago. The concept of evolving into pure thought...how much more uplifting can you get than that? To be beyond the physical limits - pain & suffering, unhindered by distance or time. But then there's the bittersweet side - that the adults can't go with. As a younger person (even though I was a young adult at the time) I really saw it more through the eyes of a child. Sort of a "I'll miss you guys, but look at me!" Now, I'm considerably older, the sadness hits in a little different way. I certainly see it more through they eyes of the adults left behind. And yet - as a parent - the idea of my children reaching so far beyond what I've achieved really overwhelms the personal sadness I'd feel.
Then beyond that - then as now, I consider the Overlords & feel a deep melancholy. At first, they seemed to be so advanced and...superior. But ultimately, they're limited where humans are not. Their lot is to aid others - to help them ascend to a level they themselves never can.
Dezarius:
For those of us who think and feel precisely the same as you expressed, your posting was brilliant. Well said, and thank you...
8. Will buy it on DVD or BR if/when available.
share