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Reviews
San ti (2023)
Fascinating adaptation and thoroughly enjoyable
I don't think some of the central premisses of the three body problem are particularly logical. The dark forrest theory. The difficulty in identifying the three stars in the game. But as you read the books it is not about that. It is about the pure richness of the writing and the abundance of ideas the trilogy explores from refreshing perspectives.
Impossible to put on a screen. But as far as good effort goes. This is a wonderfull adaptation. It is the first series I could watch till the end since breaking bad. And I can't wait for a follow up on the other two books of the trilogy.
It is a faithful adaptation. Well thought out and excellently performed. It doesnt contain mistakes or misunderstandings of the science. Some western personea seem a little off. Seen from a Chinese perspective. Some of the complexities of the cultural revolution are left out although it seeps through in the later episodes to form the background of Ye Wenjie's motivations.
As western "content" has reached such lows. I hope we can see more from Asia. And if this is the quality standard. I'm in!!
3 Body Problem (2024)
Ambitious screenplay brings a great story into the mundane.
I have read the Cixin LIu series many years ago. Twice I think. A rememberance of earth past. It is packed with ideas. Some of them basically silly but all with credibility through the clever knowledgable way Cixin Liu works them out.
Off course such a long detailed time and galaxy spanning trilogy would be impossible to translate to a silver screen series. And yet here it is.
It starts with the Chinese cultural revolution. And it is well done. It is too short and doesn't explain to the uninformed but the way it is depicted does justice to the deep impact it must have had on. Ye Wenjie and her disastrous decision to ignore the Trisolaran warning.
Then there is the game. The immersive stories of the failing Trisolaran civilizations. Again very well done. Convincing but for the movement of the stars just like in the book! The puzzle of the suicides. And the intruiging character of Shi Qiang. The low demanor operative who never fails to be a surprise. I had imagined the numbers to be perfectly white and sharp on the retina. But I gues they can be hazy and threadlike.
Then alas! We run into Hollywood culture. Dance girls and homies posing as "the brilliant scientist" just because they are. Titled and all. With eyelashes and pretzels. GOT star "Samual Tarly" at least good humored and intelligent The others fail to seem even remotely knowledgable or interesting in anything. Some people are "good" and others are "bad" .The standard tropes and messages.
Shen Yufei picks up her role and puts in a decent and at least likeable performance. Yet her jolly group of friends drag her down with them. The story wanders off for some meodrama concerning the death of a friendzone who loves her and dies. Finally you come to the horrifying conclusion that the sullen out of place John Durant is to represent main character. Juo Li.
That must have been the worst casting for a role I have ever withnessed. And it spells misery for what readers know is yet to come. The intricacies of the Juo Li character are so important in this series. Above all he commands respect and inner hardness which the actor fails to radiate. Quite the opposite. At least they had the decency to change his name. Some of the side characters do quite well. The communist group leader. Sophon definitely looks the part. The wallfacer liason.
Mixed feelings. Such a great story needs to be told. Especially to those who do not read. Picking this up is so much more ambitious than yet another redo of some superhero slump. But for those of us who do read these books. And love them. Some of the decisions made by the drirectors border on sacri]ege. And the nature of the screenplay takes away in meaning what it brings in visuals.