Jonathon Frakes TERRIBLE 2004 live action film showed us the danger of attempting a reboot/refresh of an iconic TV series that is so beloved and cherished to this very day.
As a huge fan of the original series, I'm happy to say this reboot/pilot episode is a a very good homage to the original and a good "refresh" for 21st century audiences. Richard Taylor and the Weta team have really outdone themselves with the visuals. The ships look amazing and true to the originals (Scott even explains that they have been through a "refit"). Things like the weathering on models that FX wizard Derek Meddings did to make the miniatures look real - its all there in hi-def realism. Even the way the water moves in that strange "high-frame-rate-slowed-down-to-look-real" is there (and note the head of the undersea lab is "Dr Meddings"!). I was gob-smacked at how they made the ships/sets have both realism AND a vibe that "this is looks like a model".
I like the updates to all the sets: definitely reminiscent of the originals but with a modern edge. The updates to the costumes make sense: especially the sashes now being utility belts. The lead characters presentation is pretty good: they look half-way between the original puppets and real people - especially the faces. Parker's nose is there in all its glory!
One of the things that makes the original series difficult for young audiences is that the pace is slow: really slow. The pace here is fast (almost too fast?) and really keeps you on edge. There is a sense of peril - difficult to present when you know that every time "the good guys save the day". My adult son thought the music was great and well done. It certainly is epic, but being a fan of the Barry Gray score it would have been nice to have a little of those classic melodies to tease us old fans.
Not having Jeff Tracy (who appears to be MIA) is quite a plot twist. It appears as if he has been missing for some time and the boys have "stepped up" with John in more of a lead role. It will be interesting to see where this goes as a story arc. I must say, when I heard Jeff Tracy's countdown in the intro: my heart leaped! You HAD me at the count down!
Really looking forward to the rest of the series. The respect and love the creators have for the original series is evidnet and very much appreciated. They have really outdone themselves in this respect. Hopefully the stories will continue in this fine form.
As a huge fan of the original series, I'm happy to say this reboot/pilot episode is a a very good homage to the original and a good "refresh" for 21st century audiences. Richard Taylor and the Weta team have really outdone themselves with the visuals. The ships look amazing and true to the originals (Scott even explains that they have been through a "refit"). Things like the weathering on models that FX wizard Derek Meddings did to make the miniatures look real - its all there in hi-def realism. Even the way the water moves in that strange "high-frame-rate-slowed-down-to-look-real" is there (and note the head of the undersea lab is "Dr Meddings"!). I was gob-smacked at how they made the ships/sets have both realism AND a vibe that "this is looks like a model".
I like the updates to all the sets: definitely reminiscent of the originals but with a modern edge. The updates to the costumes make sense: especially the sashes now being utility belts. The lead characters presentation is pretty good: they look half-way between the original puppets and real people - especially the faces. Parker's nose is there in all its glory!
One of the things that makes the original series difficult for young audiences is that the pace is slow: really slow. The pace here is fast (almost too fast?) and really keeps you on edge. There is a sense of peril - difficult to present when you know that every time "the good guys save the day". My adult son thought the music was great and well done. It certainly is epic, but being a fan of the Barry Gray score it would have been nice to have a little of those classic melodies to tease us old fans.
Not having Jeff Tracy (who appears to be MIA) is quite a plot twist. It appears as if he has been missing for some time and the boys have "stepped up" with John in more of a lead role. It will be interesting to see where this goes as a story arc. I must say, when I heard Jeff Tracy's countdown in the intro: my heart leaped! You HAD me at the count down!
Really looking forward to the rest of the series. The respect and love the creators have for the original series is evidnet and very much appreciated. They have really outdone themselves in this respect. Hopefully the stories will continue in this fine form.