Now that is not to say that all SyFy movies are bad. A couple of tolerable, however a lot of them are bad, awful even. Red Faction: Origins isn't just the best SyFy movie I've seen in like a quarter of a year but also one of their better overall movies. Perfect it is not, but compared to the likes of Titanic II, Quantum Apocalypse and 2010:Moby Dick it is definitely watchable. Visually, it is mostly acceptable. The special effects are not really all that great, lacking finesse in how they look, though they have been far worse in quality before and since. However, the scenery is quite striking and the editing is not the choppy quality that I have often seen from SyFy. The music score does give some tension as well, much more driven than usual and a little more subtly used. The script does have moments of corniness, though again nowhere near as stilted or as aimless as before or since, while the story while not the most original on the block for once doesn't give the sense that you know what is going to happen when you shouldn't do, it's crisply paced rather than dull and there are some goof twists and turns. Although I did find the sister character irritating, the rest of the characters are much more likable and less stereotypical than those of the SyFy creature and disaster movies. The acting is also not award-worthy, but better than average with everybody especially the leads visibly trying to give further credibility and on the most part succeeding. Overall, definitely one of their better efforts. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Review of Red Faction: Origins
