lariba-19733 Reviews

The Watch (2020–2021)

Rumours about this series being bad are greatly exaggerated

[7/10 · 23 November 2021]

You know, I don't think it's about if this series is akin to Pratchett work or if it isn't. If I had to sum up my experience of 'The Watch' today with you, I'd say that this is firstly characters, characters who give the viewer helping hand, when the viewer starts to question if to invest more time here, when the viewer asks himself a question "this story arc is simple as fork, what else does it have?". And it is a bit curious to realize that these characters, so different from their book prototypes, forge a way the series is perceived. Because when you expect the taste of the book thing, the way the things were described and are sitting in your imagination, sometimes you can't appreciate the different vision of "inspired by", I'd say, the slightly crooked mirror which helps you to progress, see things from different angles. Well, it's not my case today because I could, and I thank life! This series has indeed a different DNA than original STP work (and I agree with STPs daughter on that). I say it's punk rock, it's slums, it's nothing but retelling, a differently told story and differently weighted accents of it. And finally, when a lot of people ask me "How can you be so content with this sacrilege?" I simply answer, it is this taste of love for stories, this taste of love for surprise, completely different character creations from the expected ones, which pushed me today to love the new Vimes, Cheery, Carrot or - absolutely different yet still gorgeous - DEATH, but tomorrow, who knows, I may serve the community, and give the gift... The gift of reviewing some other title.

The main story arc is indeed very simple. Visually - it's a great attempt to remake Ankh Morpork, total punk rock, slums, wasted folks, anti utopian style. The most disappointing thing: Vetinari, only in the last episode of the series there was a glimpse of this ominous patrician. All the time I was wondering why everybody is afraid of her. Most surprising: how well reinventing the Death came out. I was initially a bit disappointed seeing the Death not speaking in capital letters, yet this disgruntled supernatural grew on me and I find him hilarious.

My general impression is that 'The Watch' takes a lot from the source material, yet tries to remix and retell that story very much differently, given that moving pictures is a bit different medium than a book. The humor is simpler, has less satirical edge than the one in the books (which is sad, but it is what it is) - yet still has shining moments all over the series, especially in goblin and death departments. The series final is expected, yet well played and I actually think if the final episode was finished after the scene in The Watch House, it would make for a strong WOW! Factor due to its bitterness. Unfortunately, producers went for a cliffhanger for possible continuation, which watered it down.

If you like BBC Doctor Who, punk rock, don't mind the reviews focusing on comparing it to the books or one's expectations and remain indifferent to all sociopolital views impacting the rating - you will most probably enjoy 'The Watch'. It has potential not fully used, true, but it is also a good entertainment already and I think there's a great injustice done to it in many reviews: it is not the books or more traditional Discworld movies produced before, it's simply a different take on STP work.

P. S. Yes, the first part is a paraphrased monologue from the comedy movie I really enjoyed.

Ares (2016)

Great cyberpunk also for non-fans of the genre

[9/10 · 4 March 2019]

Amazing. Dystopian vision encapsulated in fairly short, yet well served story. It's barebone, it's told consequently, characters are credible (even though stereotypes are used heavily) and the makers managed not only to fit into the story large, unpleasant vision of broken society but also how it influences ordinary people relationships, way of thinking and how burdensome simple decency might be. And the level of world-building details, all of them placed well and presented naturally - oh, it's really great.

Sci-fi was always about warning and exploring possible futures of mankind and cyberpunk sub-genre dwells on particularly disillusioned assessment of human nature. Make no mistake, this is not William Gibson copy, it is original piece and has unique touch to it (Eiffel tower burdened with giant commercial displays is really a view to remember). Yet given how the western society looks like nowadays it continues to underline and repeat the vision of very pessimistic consequences down that path. We can get a glimpse on that terrifying future walking along with Ares, ex professional boxer, riot cop hired for hours whos dream of decent, peaceful life is a corner kiosk. Ares is forced to get back on the ring and well, things go south at some point.

The crates and secured doors. The groceries bought through small slipping hole (so the shop robbery isn't that easy). The shop-keeper speaking through mic and pushing away regular customer, a total negative of still existing cozy small-shop topos with keeper knowing his regulars and chatting with them about their lives. Such details, small touches, consequently presented throughout the movie make this world terrifyingly alive and... possible.

Must see for cyberpunk fans, should see for anyone who likes condensed, yet complete story with good visuals.

Nightflyers (2018)

A decent underrated show about people being people to the not-so-happy end

[7/10 · 5 February 2019]

This show, as of Feb 2019, is unfairly underrated by people angry that it's not "Expanse" or it doesn't meet their own vision of first contact. Don't do that, remain open.

It's a drama (or sometimes drama wannabe) with sticky, stiffling atmosphere. It's not a horror, though sometimes attempts to be - a thriller rather, unsettling for sure. It uses cliches or references other sci-fi pieces.

The show is placed in semi-distant future, where space travel is normal and Earth is dying. The epidemies are decimating overcrowded continents and some colonies in space were created to build at least a hope for future mankind survival.

It starts with a scientist, whose theory about aliens passing nearby has been rejected by his colleagues and he seems to go down along with his scientific career. All of he sudden receives a call from private enterprenuer with an undeniable offer: we'll go there, see if you're right and make first contact if possible. The justification that aliens might bring in some knowledge/technology to the table, which would help save Earth seems a bit weak - to me it's all about ambition of these two people.

So the scientist assembles a team of people who he think might be needed, including a very strong telepath with some bad attitude (possibly largest cliche here). They all load up on private spaceship, run by owner of family spacefaring business and well, break orbit with some troubles in the process.

These are not Earth's finest. These are people who could be convinced to be closed together in a steel can there and maybe back, with skills useful to the purpose of the mission. The crew of the spaceship is not a creme de la creme of space professionals - they're corporate employees, good at their jobs, but full of their own issues and used to look the other way or accept some decisions w/o further dwelling on the subject, as requested by their current supervisor. The ship is huge, the crew compliement is just part of what it could host (it's a colony ship) - so there's a lot of empty space in space so to say.

The ship, the crew, visuals - all of it underlines how broken and pessimistic these times and people are. The tech is dirty and cold, the people seem to be full of unsolved issues and frustration lurks in shadows.

The show chases well known themes, but does it good enough to be enjoyable if not more. So we'll have subjects of spirit in the machine (seems to be solved mid season, but no, you need to see final to have everything laid out), humans in an environment with no punishment (not only suregons get a God complex), obsessions fueled by personal tragedy and ambition of an individual paid in blood and life of others. Oh, and of course a Large Thing Known As A First Contact as a constant framework and background. All of it was done somehwere, sometime before but "Nightflyers" serve it in really nihilistic climate and mainly in a non-obvious manners. Cliches? Yes, but mostly played well or at least decently.

It's a unpleaseant, sometimes unsettling vision of what we, people, are already and how it may extrapolate in the future.

Yes, there are flaws to the show but these are not usually the ones enlisted in user reviews. The 'stupid decisions' called out usually are based in reviewers assumption, that this should be Earth finest, on a mission with hand picked crew - well, no, it's an underdog with some of mates he convinced to come along offered a chance by ambitious owner of a very complex space truck. Oh, by the way, crew of that truck seems to be sponsors private property as well. They do work their way in a closed environment, trying to not to go insane. It's still better up here than await your death from countless epidemies on a 3rd mud ball from Sun. Unlikeable characters? Of course, they are meant to be that way! These aren't the people we would love to be, these are rather unpleasant reflections of ourselves in dirty mirror (and that's a part of the show I appreciate most).

And personally, I really was caught upon first scene. I said to myself: "Ok, I want to see it to see if story behind that scene will amuse or surprise me".

In case of goofs/incoherencies: there are reviewers yelling that issue with breaking orbit should not result in just flying away - well, they are on the schedule, remember? They need to catch the alien object and can do repairs on the go. I felt the reasoning wasn't stressed or underlined enough though. Others are pinpointing to real-live video calls the main scientist has with his wife on Earth - but hey, quantum entaglement based communication device? It'd require a lots of energy to run though and the show doesn't dwell on explanations what kind of things are working in this setting. The gravity in different sections of the ship - ok, I grant that a serious doubt, but let it be.

What I find to be a flaw, is that actually my curiousity wasn't satisified with exposition of the setting and some of the threads or cliches weren't done that well. Also second part of the show seems to kind of too slow paced and/or too much separated from first 5 episodes.

I can't shake the impression that even a privately held mission for first contact might have drawn wider attention, also from governmental bodies. It's not clear whether there's any government left on Earth or is it all runned by corporations now (with all the consequences) - setting seems very blurry. Moreover, the relationship threads seem to be a bit sketchy and un-engaging, put in there just to have foundation for consequences (hey, but maybe this is due to unlikeable characters, which I appreciate).

Sometimes the show blinks an eye to you with nice allusion (e.g. red light - remember HAL9000? final professors ride - kind of 'Contact', isn't it? Some distant 'Event Horizon' in aesthetics of the ship?) and sometimes I couldn't understand the references. I had a feeling that the creators knew they can't create something completely original yet still tried and the final result is enjoyable, but well, kind of mix.

If the first 5 episodes don't make ou watch it, just break. Episodes 6-9 may be a bit less fun, building-up for conclusions in final episode connecting both parts of the season. Still, there are some motives and threads in second part of the season really worth watching (however did they actually needed 4 episodes to play that out well?). The final episode, though, was good on solving major mysteries between characters and well, kind of trying to depict that first contact with an open ending whch may not satisfy everyone. It was good enough for me but I expected more conclusive thing. It may be due to the possible plan for season 2, but honestly, season 1 seems like a complete story to me. Watering it down with another part of episodes doesn't seem to be a good idea unless you do it in a 'Godless' manner (so every episode varies and is done as the story requires it, not airing/commercial times driven). That crack mid-season is the main reason I went with 7/10 instead of 8/10 rating.

All in all - if you want to see a vision of very unpleaseant human future and enjoy retelling of some currently well known sci-fi motives - the story is worth it. It didn't feel to be the top of the class, but really good, mystery driven piece.

And no, for the f...s sake, it's not 'Expanse' and not everything is explained. And I love 'Expanse'. 'Nightflyers' is just different genre of story told a bit differently, though in the same Sci-Fi landscape. Characters are realistically unpleasant, there's no redemption, no rise of the fallen hero. It's about people being people to the not-so-happy end.