Reviews

I was really looking forward to seeing this series. I expected a realistic depiction of the possible colonization of mars in the near future.

Instead, we got a watered down, cheap melodrama spiced up with moronic comments about the evil of mankind, the dangers of global warming and the malevolence of private enterprise.

That same private enterprise that makes progress possible, and the enterprise of going to Mars as well, considering that the government entities seem uncapable or unwilling to commit to such a project.

It is disgusting to listen to all the preaching about the evils of fossil fuels and the companies involved in exploiting them. We should never forget that without the use of fossil fuels, our civilization as we know it would not be possible, let alone an expedition to Mars.

Now, having said that, to the flaws of the series itself:

1. The Science: It is totally flawed in the service of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Just a few examples:

• After landing on Mars on a totally wrong location, where they have no access to the previously delivered hardware, our merry astronauts go to a Russian station with no resources.

What do they eat?

What do they drink?

Then they somehow find a lava hole 500m deep where they decide to create their Martian settlement. Five minutes later the settlement is finished with all the bells and whistles... Where did they get the materials needed to build the settlement?

How did they get it down a 500m deep hole?

• In the settlement, all the characters are in private living quarters, the size of 5-star hotel suites...

I don't think this would be the expected living standard of the first group of humans to go to Mars.

• Their living quarters are full of papers, books, printouts, manuals, etc.

I really don't think that ferrying paper (which is very heavy) would be a priority when shipping material to Mars, especially since all this could fit on a tiny usb stick which weighs 10 grams!

One character even has a Bonsai in her room, a Bonsai! Which is at least 20 years old, meaning it was shipped from earth in its entirety! Give me a break!

2. The story: Melodramatic to say the least.

There is nothing there about the science, the problems of colonizing Mars, or anything remotely realistic. The story revolves around how 'mean' the private contractors (who miraculously appear with enormous machinery, immediately after the first astronauts have landed?) sent to exploit Mars' resources are.

3. The special f/x are cheesy to say the least, the CGI is way below par for a modern movie.

All in all, a disappointment. I expected much more for a series with Ron Howard's name featured in the credits.

What a pity.

I enjoyed this movie, and here is finally a motion picture that realistically depicts the true face of the Putin regime, with all that followed in Crimea, Ukraine, and yes, Georgia. Finally a motion picture that tells the truth, without trying to be politically correct. Great cinematography and sound. If I am to find a fault in this film, it is overly dramatizing the story with the memory cards, the unnecessary love story, the 'special forces rescue' and some other 'over the top' moments. Otherwise, well done!

What where the critics thinking? It really amazes me to read the accolades they poured over this really below average movie, probably the worst Bond film ever... The only decent (but only decent) part of this movie is the sound and sound editing. Everything else is really, really bad. Worst of all are the special f/x. Really? A Bond movie with bad special effects? Unfortunately yes. The CGI effects on Silva's 'island' and those at Skyfall mansion are so bad they are ridiculous. In the 21st century we have gotten used to much, much better. I dare to say that the special effects in the Roger Moore movies of the seventies where much better... and they had no computers back then! Then we come to the screenplay... Oh my god, I do not even know where to begin! The plot is so full of holes and inconsistencies it is not even funny... It makes no sense whatsoever. In the beginning the issue is retrieving a stolen list of MI6 agents, but this is completely 'forgotten' half way through the movie... The villain (Silva, who by the way is so unconvincing it hurts) wants to kill 'M' because of an alleged past betrayal, but basically does everything else but. He could have killed 'M' in a hundred different ways in a dozen situations in the film, but somehow he always chooses 'the hard way'... In the second half of the film, Bond drags 'M', a frail old lady half way across Britain in order to get away from the villain, with no backup, no outside support (apart from an old and also frail Scottish gamekeeper), only to get her killed at the end of the film... Give me a break!

In my opinion, the main problem with all the recent Bond films (especially those of the 'Daniel Craig era') is that the authors have tried to make the movies 'realistic' which is in antithesis to what Bond is supposed to be. Bond is supposed to drive cars that double as submarines, he never gets shot, he is never dirty, unshaven or sweating. He is a superhero, not a common mortal. Well, in the new Bond movies, this is all gone, he is dirty, unshaven, ill behaved, etc. All for the sake of 'realism'. But then, very 'realistically', he gets shot in the chest and subsequently falls of a bridge plunging into a 500 ft. gorge, landing in a river... and survives! Really? How realistic is that? In this film, the only 'gadgets' Bond gets from the new 'Q' (who by the way is outright laughable in the role) is a Beretta handgun and a radio transmitter. Really? Nowadays, we can all buy those items anywhere for a couple of hundred bucks! Another major issue with the new Bond films is Daniel Craig. I think he is the worst Bond in history (even worse than pierce Brosnan). He would probably be better in a 'Die Hard' movie, but not as James Bond! He does not have any of the Bond stile, the 'Savoir Faire', the charisma... He doesn't even even have a decent British accent for Christ sake!

To sum it up (but i could really go on for ever), a pitiful plot, horrible special f/x, below par cinematography and a cast of for the most part horribly miscast actors make for one of the worst Bond films ever! Lets hope the next one is better.

Not bad at all, but if they had made it more realistic, it would have been much, much better. If they had taken out many of the useless murders, added some legal issues into the plot, maybe some investigations by the Court's appointees in Bosnia, some more background information about the Peacekeepers' rules of engagement, their predicament in Bosnia, etc...

Alas, with too many unnecessary murders, no police involvement, it all seemed too easy, thus making it difficult to identify with the characters. No matter what, we always knew there was going to be a happy ending and it therefore turned out to be not much more than decent Sunday afternoon entertainment. Sound and cinematography could both also have been better. Good try though...