Reviews

This film is a sort of a combination of "The Darkest Hour" ** plus "Blackhawk Down" plus scary ghost story, along with good action and special effects (equal to those of a quality videogame). The sci-fi "explanation" is the typical pseudo-science babble-jargon, but that's okay because the story works.

** That is, the 2011 sci-fi thriller set in Moscow, NOT the 2017 biopic about Winston Churchill -- "Darkest Hour"

On Saturday (Sept. 9-10, 2017) SYFY channel aired the entire first season of the web series "Con Man" on regular cable -- nearly 5 hours in length.

I started watching it casually while doing something else... but it got more and more crazy, funny, satirical, and absorbing as time went on.

It broke the proverbial "fourth wall" so many times that it might have broken the fifth wall a few times.

I'm not sure if this counts as a spoiler -- but I will never again be able to watch the series "Firefly" or the film "Serenity" without a crazy sardonic impish memory of "Con Man" lurking inside my head.

Thanks a lot, Alan Tudyk!

And now I want to see the entire lost final episode of "Spectrum" -- stolen by that Dutch guy? Or what?

Based on a true story? Anyone should read the original book by David Wilkerson.

It describes three urban gangs... separated by race. There are drug addicts and drug dealers.

Blacks & Hispanics & Whites -- gang fights -- turf wars -- cops -- weapons; the whole mix.

I think this film would be an all-time classic, if it weren't for its clear Christian message.

Big differences 50 years later:

Now gangs use guns to fight, not knives and clubs. They shoot to terrorize and kill.

Now some police use their guns to shoot first and ask questions later, if threatened.

Now the popular drugs are methamphetamine and OTC opiates.

And alcohol, of course...

Now there's a lot more money involved, regardless of race.

Not necessarily a spoiler after the first 40 minutes -- toxic gas attacks and an artificial plague have demolished civilization.

After decades of continuing savage warfare and death, the UK is reduced to an 18th century dictatorship.

However, a few scientists and technocrats have survived -- and have developed highly advanced aeroplanes which span the earth.

A representative from somewhere else in Europe arrives to offer a promise of worldwide communication, the redevelopment of trade, and a new world order of peace, and space travel...

"Wings Over the World" indeed! The only thing missing is thermonuclear warfare. HG Wells predicted atomic bombs, too -- but that's not part of this movie.

Pretty good for a movie released in 1936!

This has got to be one of the most depressing and sad movies I've ever seen.

There is a sense of impending doom throughout.

The worldwide fallout will eventually kill every human on the planet.

Everyone is basically fatalistic and/or suicidal.

There is no sense of hope for any kind of future... the people just seek out pleasures and human love.

No one imagines that there might be a place to go to escape from the radioactivity... Antarctica, maybe?

There is no mention of faith in God (except for some Christians, and even they give up in the end).

It gives Australia a bad name. The people there would've certainly done better, if this had actually happened.

There's a lot to hate about this movie -- the cheap FX (e.g. the Flash Gordon models once the "X-80" reaches space); the scientific flaws; the inexplicable plot holes at some points...

Also the futuristic sets seem to borrow heavily from preceding sci-fi hits -- "Forbidden Planet" especially, with all the triangular doors and passageways.

Still, I like this movie because it touches on so many themes or tropes that still exist in most science fiction movies (and books too, for that matter). It mixes and matches some of the best ideas from the Twilight Zone series... in fact, it's like watching an extended episode of TZ!

Examples of ideas:

Destruction of atmosphere (ozone?) -- in this case by nuclear tests

Discovery of hyperluminal/"faster than light" technology, leading to:

Colonization of Mars and Venus (briefly mentioned)

Future history (after 1960) which includes Russian and German scientists

Mutation from radiation (in this movie, cosmic rays)... leading to loss of hearing (the "deaf-mutes") and sterility... deformities are suggested but not seen

Surveillance by a Supreme authority (cameras watching everything)

Telepathy (apparently only the girl "Trirene" has it?)

Time travel (obviously!) -- but no mention of the Grandfather Paradox if the protagonist goes backwards in time in order to change the future

Underground "citadel" for protection from "cosmic plague" as well as from the:

Zombie-like savage mutants on the surface, or kept below in a dungeon

And probably many other concepts as well... many of these ideas are part of every modern Hollywood sci-fi movie.

P.S. The scene where Trirene swims (naked?) in a pool is obviously borrowed from "Forbidden Planet"...

This story seems to repeat itself over and over again in movies, TV, and real life.

An angry war veteran seizes hostages and/or murders innocents, and gains media attention and feedback -- in this movie, by means of telephone and television.

(Does the name Christopher Dorner ring a bell?)

Perhaps this was one of the first depictions of PTSD. It was released in 1950, and the main character describes his experiences in the Pacific War.

Also, there's a psychiatrist involved -- and a handgun with more than one clip, and an explosive device -- but not a single cell phone, helicopter, or automatic pistol.

The scenario has truthiness.

Just saw this movie on TCM. I was particularly struck by a conversation between Pope-elect Kyril and one of the cardinals. The cardinal tells Kyril that he has been placed in the "shoes of the fisherman" (St. Peter) and is following in the footsteps of Jesus, as Christ's vicar on earth. Kyril discusses his doubts about his own ability and worthiness. The cardinal replies that Kyril CANNOT resign his holy office. Well, we know how the movie ends.

In the real world of February 2013, Pope Benedict has in fact resigned his office, the first Pope to do so in nearly 600 years. I wonder if Pope Benedict ever saw this movie, and thought deeply about it.

And for that matter, I wonder if Pope John Paul II was inspired by this movie -- after all, he was the first Pope from a Slavic nation, like Kyril.

One thing irks me about this movie: It does NOT accurately portray schizophrenia. I write as someone who grew up with a schizophrenic sibling, and I have studied the topic. I also have a schizoid friend.

1. The movie's character mostly has waking visual hallucinations (the storm, the birds) although keeps hearing thunder. Schizophrenics usually have no visual hallucinations, and their auditory hallucinations involve voices talking to them, or about them.

2. He has nightmares, but is still able to sleep a little every night. The movie focuses more on his nightmares. Active decompensated schizophrenics have long periods of mania and sleeplessness, even for days at a time.

3. He is able to function normally at his job until he's fired for using the company's equipment on a weekend (an error in judgment, not work performance). For most schizophrenics, the ability to hold down a job is one of the first thing to go.

4. Schizophrenics (especially paranoiacs) will not seek treatment or counseling, as a rule. They don't think there's anything wrong with them.

5. Positive: The character's obsession with the fixed idea of the coming Storm, and his compulsion to upgrade his storm shelter, is accurate with regard to the obsessive/compulsive and delusional aspects of schizophrenia. His irrational need for gas masks in the shelter (based on a single news story early in the movie) is also good.

6. Positive: The character is emotionally flat and distant in his conversations with others (except for his daughter, and his outburst after he's assaulted by a former friend). "Flat affect" is a common symptom of schizophrenia. Then again, maybe it was just bad acting...

Well, that's my two cents about the so-called schizophrenia in this movie. However, I was also disappointed with that stupid ending. It resolved nothing.