Caprica
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Movie Reviews of Caprica
Movie Review: Simply Incredible (and Believe Me, I Was Skeptical Initially)
Summary: 5 Stars
For the last two years I had heard about the proposed Galactica spinoff prequel. As a truly devout and die hard BSG fanatic, this excited me. However, when I heard that the idea was not about young Adama earning his wings and fighting in the First Cylon War, rather about his father on Caprica ten years before the war even began, I grew dubious and skeptical. After watching the simply orgasmic finale of Battlestar, I seriously contemplated completing my run in the BSGverse on that positive note. However, curiosity got the best of me and I purchased the Caprica pilot. I went with extreme prejudice and was prepared to be totally unimpressed. Watching the first fifteen minutes is a little painful, however, once you get past them the series opens up, firing on all cylinders and it is beautiful -- and I truly mean, beautiful. In fact, when looking back on it, those first fifteen minutes are crucial to establishing the decadent world this story is set in. This is a must-see for any BSG fan and for anyone interested in watching something other than the typical "Law & Order" procedural drama or the ridiculously dull "Lost." Ronald D. Moore, David Eick, and Remi Aubuchon (former 24 scribe -- from the days when 24 used to rock my socks off) deliver a high-quality product that matches (and in some areas) surpasses its sister show, BSG.
For those looking for lots of 'splosions (admittedly I was at first) you will be sadly disappointed. For those truly interested in the birth of the Cylons, you will be very pleased. This story contained one of the greatest Cylon characters in years. Set in the backdrop of rising tensions between the Twelve Colonies (particularly Caprica and Tauron), it appears as though the Cylons are being developed by the Caprican government to fight their Colonial enemies (which the writers have said they will explore this Inter-Colonial War story in Caprica Season One), the Adamas and Greystones are trying to lead their lives as peacefully as possible. However, a terrorist attack by religious fundamentalists breaks the routine of their lives.
Joseph Adama attempts to keep his remaining family together (his bitchy mother-in-law and young William Adama) all the meanwhile trying to distance himself from his sordid past (he's a mob lawyer). Meanwhile, Daniel Greystone (BSGverse's Bill Gates/Steve Jobs) becomes obsessed with bringing his daughter back to life in the form of a Cylon, enlisting fellow mourner, Joseph Adama, in his quest and convincing Joseph to use his mob connections to engage in Corporate Espionage to acquire a necessary component to complete his "masterpiece."
Over the course of this story several familiar themes from BSG (i.e. what is it to be human) as well as several moral issues are played out. The intense politics that defined BSG are brought over to Caprica and intensified. The military elements are replaced by more scientific/business elements while the religious themes remain primarily the same and, indeed, are amplified. In many ways the BSG series (that includes Caprica) seems to be more about Man's relationship with God than anything else.
While watching this (it's too good to be called a simple TV series) feature film that happens to be on television, I could not help but feel (particularly when watching Joseph Adama's interactions with the Tauron Mob)that I was watching Bladerunner meets the Godfather set in the BSGverse. It was beautiful. It could just be me, but Joe Adama reminds me of Michael Corleone from The Godfather (before he decided to engage in his first hit).
If SyFy gives this series more than it's greenlit first season, my faith in studio executives will be renewed. Especially considering RDM has already stated that, if Caprica gets its full intended run, he very much wants to "explore" the possibilities of telling another story about young Adama fighting in the First Cylon War which, will be frakking epic. I could go on, but I won't. This film was just frakking amazing. However, I must caution parents that the DVD is the director's cut and it is somewhat explicit in the first fifteen minutes. Other than that, this show doesn't disappoint in the slightest and I am looking forward to the next great chapter in what is truly the greatest science fiction saga put to film to date.
Thank you.
Movie Review: A plesant suprise
Summary: 5 Stars
Amidst the abundant proclamations that Caprica has taken the Battlestar Galactica franchise away from the realm of Science Fiction and descended to the level of Soap Opera, you might be hesitant to tune in. The trouble is that most of these people make snap decisions and refuse to finish the entire feature when they judge the work as a whole. Sure, it was a slow starter...but if you actually have the good sense to stick with it and watch the whole thing with an inquiring, artistic eye, you will be in awe of the quality of this pilot and hungry for more by the time the end credits roll.
Let us begin with the first scene, which is chillingly filmed in the opera house that Battlestar Galactica fans are no stranger to. This time, however, it's no extended metaphor. It is the holoband; a virtual world. Here, without fear of real consequences, people can succumb to their innermost desires, no matter how strange...or disturbing. We find gratuitous sex, violent shootings, and human sacrifice to a roaring crowd. Already, I was impressed by the imagination and intelligence that this show was toting. This is, after all, a pretty realistic glimpse into the future of technology and how it will force us to examine ourselves as a race, and not just in the obvious ways that have been done to death. Where Star Trek didn't want to go all out in expanding on the possibilities of the holodeck and its impact on human behavior, Caprica dares to do just that.
After this is a series of scenes involving young teens. This, admittedly, was beginning to turn me off...even with all of the social commentary buried within the script. But it doesn't take long for the plot to curve into a genuinely deep and emotional story about a programmer who is crossing ethical and technological boundaries. This conflict is at the very center of the show. How far, indeed, would any of us go in order to bring a dead child back to us? If we found that we could retrieve her soul and download it into a robot, would it really fill the void? As Gerystone (the father and programmer that lost his daughter) puts it, external appearance isn't what really matters...it's what is on the inside that counts. With his daughter's digital representation proclaiming that she is a person and not a collection of data, how can we be sure? Is it really possible to transfer someone's soul into a digital medium, then back again, thereby achieving immortality (or at least averting a death most undeserved)? If so, would we really want to do such a thing? Do we have the right? These are but a few of the questions that Caprica throws at its audience, and throws without hesitation or apology. That is the kind of attitude that sold me on its parent show.
This show doesn't stop its ethical introspection at the technological area, either. The other half of screen time is spent with Joe Adams, a lawyer who works on Caprica but has ties with the Tauron mafia. This character is perhaps even more compelling than Greystone's. Always he tries to walk the line between his conscience and relying on the dirty hands of his employer. On top of that, he is constantly reminded of the rampant racism on this planet, and how his attempts to conform to society and disassociate himself with the stereotype that has developed against his heritage are both futile and small.
Something else that this show inherited from its predecessor is extraordinary production. The acting is top-notch and Emmy material (not that I expect the Emmys to get it right anytime this decade). The cinematography is wonderfully compelling. The writing is excellent. The music is equally as complex and amazing (the Tauron theme on the electric fiddle is one of the most distinctive and fantastic sounds you will ever hear in a score, TV or otherwise).
This show is surprising in its quality and startling in its depth. To keep yourself from watching it because those with have a surface-level enjoyment of television tell you it is a soap-opera would be a mistake as epic in proportions as that of Daniel Greystone's decision to start humanity down the path to near-annihilation.
Movie Review: The sci-fi greatness continues...
Summary: 5 Stars
I was extremely skeptical when I heard about the proposed prequel to the greatest television science fiction saga of this generation. Attempting to cash in on the success of Battlestar Galactica so soon after the series ended seemed like a losing proposition doomed to mar an amazing franchise. Well, consider those fears alleviated. The first taste of "Caprica" is absolutely amazing. With no space battles and the themes of humanity's destruction and survival at the hands of their own creation already done to death, I feared for a lack of compelling material to further immerse me in the pre-genocide human society of the twelve worlds. All politics and no spaceships makes science fiction a dull genre. But what BSG did for the space opera, "Caprica" is set to do for cyberpunk. If BSG was Star Trek and Babylon 5, "Caprica" is Ghost in the Shell and The Matrix. I am beyond impressed.
The story unfolds as a terrorist attack by a youth seeking to draw attention to his monotheistic cause (most worship the old Greek gods). The result tears two families apart and in half a century's time will lead to the destruction of human society. But before that there is one hell of a story to be told. The themes on the social commentary buffet so far includes a much more bold dialogue on religion then even BSG gave us, a different angle on the definition of human as we know it, a frank look at a racist society, and an exploration of the logical extremes of future virtual existence. This is to say that once the internet and virtual reality become compatible, one hell of a can of worms will be opened.
Since this series premiere comes to us in movie form, the gods have shined upon us. As far as it's predecessor pushed the sexual envelope for a tv show, "Caprica" has easily bested it here. I don't know how they are going to cut this for television. There is abundant nudity, group sex, and some serious girl-girl going on in this film. Virtual human sacrifice in underground virtual hacker clubs speaks volumes about the social issues to be confronted and is damned disturbing. There is one violent death featuring a but of arterial spray as well. Still think science fiction is for kids? The idea of creating a virtual copy of yourself by hacking the information in your own brain and uploading it to a digital avatar, thereby achieving a brand of immortality is brilliant and the Frankenstein complex that leads a father who lost his daughter to cross lines that should never be crossed is stroke of absolute genius.
Familiarity with it's parent show will certainly deepen your appreciation of "Caprica", but it is not at all necessary. This is great science fiction, period. Now's your chance to get on board with what promises to be the best series in coming years. Don't miss it. Battlestar maniacs will get to see one of that show's enduring heroes in his formative years and witness the birth of the first Cylon in a heart-rending accident. But at it's heart this show -like Galactica- is about two things: massive universal concepts of humanity, and intimate relationships with the characters who inhabit this work of fiction. One cannot improve on that formula. There is no television show, no movie, nothing in entertainment that I am currently looking forward to more then this. If you are a fan of adult science fiction in any way, then this is what you need to be watching. And that goes double for BSG fans.
Movie Review: I'm here and I think I'm going to need your 5 Stars
The storyline keeps plugging on, to my utter delight!This "prequel" to BSG is an odd item, this. We hear familiar names in a somewhat familiar place, but Caprica is it's own wonderful (and troubled) little "world" that we find ourselves immersed in from start to finish.
I wasn't quite sure that Eric Stoltz or Esai Morales could cut the mustard, because I've seen them in real stinkers in the past-but they acquit themselves well! William B. Davis (CSM, or the Cigarette Smoking Man in "The X-Files") appears as a nasty political type, good as ever. As in BSG, there are a whole gangload of relative unknowns, but their presence just makes the show that much better.
The concepts shown in "Caprica" look to be just everyday kinds of things, and the lack of concern at these intrusions into their everyday lives are unsettlingly convincing, as we treat OUR everyday objects in much the same way. This also sets the stage for what is to come.No, we don't see flying cars or anything else that would predispose anyone from thinking that this is anything but a dramatic series, and we are so close to the level of robotics in the series now, that it all seems VERY relevant. The ideals and attitudes shown are absolutely paralleled by our own society! All the strengths and weaknesses we exibit as a people are there. It is a spooky thing to see a representation of our present society on screen, oblivious to the civilization-altering plans that they themselves set in motion.
The basic story takes place 50+ years BEFORE BSG, BEFORE the fall, BEFORE the rise of the Cylons. Caprican society has become the epitome of hedonism, graft and corruption (is any of this sounding familiar?). It is how each character's decisions shape the world around them, ultimately leading to the causes that led to The Fall, and ultimately to the situation that spawned BSG to begin with. THIS is where I hoped the original series would have gone. It's all o.k. though, because we're here!
The one thing I didn't have any trouble noticing was the richness of the sets and locations! I had to watch certain segments over, so as not to miss anything, there was sooo much going on in each scene! Though some will be very critical of the SFX in "Caprica", I found them to be more than adequate to convey the emotionalism and action required of their respective scenes.
While we do not have cybernetic devices or Holobands (or flying cars, for that matter) these things are just a matter of time. I can only hope WE would exibit more restraint and foresight in the face of these devices than the Capricans did.
There are many here who have already given a blow-by-blow rundown of this film, and I won't add to it. Suffice to say that "Caprica" is a TV series that could surpass BSG if what is seen in this film is what we will be treated to each week on whatever channel it is shown. Many disliked the spit and patch job seen in the last episode of BSG, and I have to say their concerns are valid. This is evident of a storyline that needed resolution in a hurry, because the story had no ending! Hopefully, "Caprica" has a complete storyline in place, so the "S&P" thing is a non-issue.
I just wish I didn't have to wait til' 2010!!
This addendum is added May 12. 2009.
After going through the film one more time with the commentary track, I find there is ALOT of information that Ron Moore and David Eick are giving up about the series. There is also a bit on how it ties in with BSG, along with much info for budding Writers, directors and producers to benefit from. I don't normally do commentary tracks, but I had to hear what RDM and DE had to say about a series that I can't wait to see!
Movie Review: WOW!
Summary: 5 Stars
Caprica: One Hell of a Beginning!
How `human' can robots be? Can they possess a soul? Can they feel? Can they have memories?
These are four important questions that Ronald D Moore and David Eick ask in "Caprica", a new stand alone series that continues (sort of) in the vein of Galactica. On screen, "Caprica" revolves around two influential Caprican families joined in an instant of terrorism. The death of two children bind them in grief, then bind them in a scientific experiment that dares to ask the question: Can you bring the dead back to life in another `body'? A secondary theme that runs through the film is that of Monotheism, and a belief in a God who is all knowing, and powerful. Right and wrong smacks in the face of corporate right and wrong and profit margins.
The world of Caprica, as envisioned by Moore and Eick, is one of virtual nightclubs, modern cities, space travel, computer technology, and galactic economies that, in some ways, is not so far off ours today. The teens travel in their virtual club, engaging in random sexual acts, witnessing human sacrifice, killing, drinking, and amidst this debauchery, find One god who makes sense of it all and empowers Zoey to change the world before her death. Business legend, Daniel Greystone, in his grieving, `meets' his dead daughter in the club, and seeks to re-introduce her to the world. Joseph Adama, has another reaction, yet still becomes part of the project.
As a film, this in incredible. There is conflict. There is theology. There are moralistic arguments. There is crass commercialism. There is incredible technology that seeks to blur the line between man and god. There is faith. And there is pure, unadulterated lust.
There are few film scenes that can be considered powerful. Images like the unveiling of Darth Vader in Star Wars, Rick saying goodbye to Ilsa and Victor Lazlo in Casablanca, John Wayne walking away from his niece in The Searchers, and Rocky raising his arms in victory will never be forgotten. Today, we have a new addition to that list. As the first cyborg/human robot rises and dials her friend then speaks with the voice of Zoey....a chill ran down my spine. I can hardly wait for the series.
Tim Lasiuta