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Prodigal Son (2019)
Interesting idea, poor execution
At first, this series seemed interesting. The sins of the series keep piling up from a mother that isn't old enough to be the main characters mother, a prison scene that would NEVER happen for a serial murder in prison to a supposed consultant position for the nyc having full privileges. Very poor but guess that's what you get with endless episodes for a season. Try 4 or 6 episodes with really well written plots!
Coma (2012)
Original better but dated, this version fails
I unlike the other reviewer found the original story quite intriguing as the medical aspects were very accurate and the setting plausible. However, this rework of the story starts interesting but there are way too many distractions that add nothing to the details or complexity of the story. Yes, the large corporate conspiracy is a decent throw-in for Hollywood but others were too much and add little to the quality of the story such as the psycho killer, the floppy haired lead (and by the way in a medical setting floppy hair would not be allowed even by a medical student! It would be required to be cut or kept out of the face/eyes at all times due to health concerns), the crooked police, and quarreling cut-throat medical students (which should be residents to be more accurate).
I think taking the original story and updating the technology and possible corporate profit areas would have been plenty (this part was done nicely with the genetic component which was only addressed in the original by the tissue typing for the needed organ).
So, take a good story and inject Hollywood and you get what the "Mavericks of Silicon Valley" call the poison pill. It's a good reason why viewers are turning to the subscription channels for high quality programming.
Bottom line, nice try but better luck on the next one.
The Avengers (2012)
A comic and not a relief
Guess I expected more but shouldn't from a comic book company. I did think that much of the acting was above par and quite good in many instances. However, the poor relationship to obeying or at least extending the laws of physics was just inexcusable. I'll try to precisely explain my sentiments: 1) what's the logic in having an aircraft carrier fly? A runway on a ship that's supposedly capable of flying? If it's possible to make a ship like that fly, then wouldn't it also be possible to have other flying craft that don't need a runway? Get a scientist to review your scripts before hand!
2) The scant one-liners from Robert Downey, Jr's character were annoying at best. Guess he's an ADD/ADHD character trying to appeal to multitude of ADD/ADHD fans?
3) All the hand waving over and around computer screens reminded me of the bad attempt at impressing the viewer that occurred in "Minority Report" Make the hand waving meaningful and minimal. If those screens were really needed, then Dr. Banner/Hulk would have gotten some use/knowledge or gained something from all his hand waving over supposedly touch-sensitive screens. Yet, both he and Mr. Downey (and others) seems obsessed with waving their hands around - for what?
I did enjoy Samuel Jackson's character when he responded to the lame navigator's excuse "the navigation system is reinitializing..." and he says is the "Sun up, then put it on your left" That was the most genuine moment in the whole film.
I expected the superior plot and complexity of "Thor" but was sadly disappointed with an rehash of "Independence" style special effects and a lame story of alien invaders.
All this mediocrity probably didn't impact the title's earnings. I just won't be so enthused about catching a sequel.
Maybe worth a Netflix or video store rental but not a theater ticket!
Apollo 18 (2011)
Blair Witch project meets outer space
I think the title of this review says it all. Maybe it's harsh but shaky camera scenes with blurry and overexposed shots don't add to the believability of the film.
It has some great scenery and nice props with some good actors but the whole 'Blair Witch' style is truly boring. So while it is entertaining to watch the surreal recreation it is boring and very predictable only 50% through the film. If you can sit through the bad filming style and predictable responses of an emotional crew (not the professional astronauts that would have really been on the mission) you'll be bored by the end and wonder why you endured.
Stargate Universe (2009)
Good concept but too much drama
I enjoyed Star Trek as a kid and the many recreations of Roddenberry's ideals in many different forms. Stargate (the movie) and the subsequent series intrigued me as it seemed to embody the idea that we as humans could strive for a higher goal and attain higher ground to be more peaceful and compassionate. The evil foes served as a good diversion but through out the series there was the underlying quest for ascension and Asgard who were somehow part of that quest for knowledge and a higher standard of existence.
With Stargate Atlantis this was somewhat recreated again but with slightly more conflict. It seems with SG Universe this trend has continued. There is crew infighting, lying, deceit, and much more superfluous diversion. The concept is great with some good scientific basis. However, the implementation is more like the old series "Lost in Space" with Dr. Rush acting like the character of the Dr. Smith in "Lost in Space". It was poor back in the 60's with "Lost in Space" and it's poor now in 2009. Several things just don't make sense. If this was truly a military mission each and every person on the mission would be very carefully screened and cleared. There wouldn't be subordinates with ulterior motives so abundantly every where. Yes, they do try to explain this by Dr. Rush being so intellectually talented that he must be part of the mission or the mission would fail. This explanation kind of works but it doesn't work for all the other unstable characters in the show. They were pretty obviously put there to "spice" up the show. A better more thorough long term story line with more upstanding goals would serve the show much better. Then take some hints from other successes and have sprinkling of foes along the way.
As Joss Whedon said, you can take a good story and put it in a scifi setting with great success. However, a bad story in a scifi setting is a bad story. I think the concept for SG Universe is good but the stories are problematic with too much deceit and infighting.
The bottom line is if like in Star Trek, Stargate SG1 and many other successful theatrical scifi productions, take good uplifting stories and put them in a science fiction setting and it will be a great success. SG Universe has (or had) the potential but it seems as George Lucas said in "Fog City Mavericks" the big commercial houses always seem to crush creativity in an effort to squeeze as much money out of a concept. It almost always results in cancellation of a series or project.
It's funny but from the first episode in Season 1, I could tell this series was destined for cancellation. Yes, I watched it through Season 2 but it just doesn't have the oomph of the classic scifi films or series in my opinion. They had a great resource with the old Stargate concepts and ideas. Maybe next time?