The Edge

Tags

1990's, Action, Adventure, Alec Baldwin, Anthony Hopkins, Elle MacPherson, Harold Perrineau, Lee Tamahori, The Edge, Thriller

Film Title

The Edge

Director

Lee Tamahori

Starring

• Anthony Hopkins as Charles Morse
• Alec Baldwin as Bob Green
• Harold Perrineau as Stephen
• Elle MacPherson as Mickey Morse

An exciting adventure thriller that wisely eschews the desire to be just about non-stop action, The Edge keeps interest throughout thanks to a cool script and good acting from the leads of Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin. It isn’t the kind of film that is going to garner awards, but it is still entertaining and has some welcome changes to what we have come to expect.

Billionaire Charles Morse accompanies his much younger model wife Mickey on a photo expedition to Alaska. Also along for the shoot is fashion photographer Bob Green. Charles is a quiet and introspective man who reads a lot and has a very good memory. Lately, he has come to believe that his beautiful wife may be straying with the slightly arrogant Bob. He can’t prove this, but it does bother him. So when Bob wants to employ the services of a local man and persuades Charles to come with him and his assistant Stephen, it seems strange that he should go. Though edgy as he suspects Bob of coveting his wife, Charles goes along anyway, if anything it seems to confirm suspicion. Yet when they can’t find the man, they search around for him among the huge wilderness. This is cut short as the plane crashes into the wilderness, killing the pilot. Stranded in the middle of nowhere, the three men make a stab at returning to safety, which is thwarted by death traps and power of nature. Soon enough, unprepared Stephen is killed by an enormous bear that is stalking them. Left now are Charles and Bob, whose differences are vast and opinions of the other are far from glowing. Thankfully, Charles has an excellent memory and having read about the wild, puts his knowledge to good use as he and Bob journey for what could be safety. Over time and worn down by the surroundings, Bob warms to Charles a lot more and the two begin to share a slow but slightly uneasy kinship. Yet the seeds of doubt are still present and could break apart the fight for survival and return to civilisation. And there is also the rather large and savage bear on their tail that refuses to rest until the two men become its next meal. Hacking through dangerous terrain and braving the extreme elements, Charles and Bob must find a way to finally overcome animosity to work together. Yet can their differences and grudges thaw in order for them to pursue survival in a dangerous climate?

I’m not the biggest fan of director Lee Tamahori. His later efforts following this film, mainly Along Came a Spider and Die Another Day, leave a lot to be desired. But I have to say that his direction here was actually atypically skillful and took me by complete surprise. If only he continued to direct like he does here, he could be a credible director. Stunning and accomplished camerawork makes the wilderness locations eye-catching in beauty and amount of scope it conjures up. It also successfully suggests the enormity of the two men’s plight as they are often shown small a against the trees and mountains they journey through. One of the best areas within The Edge is the screenplay from David Mamet, that is punchy and fresh. It takes a rather simple set up and embellishes it with wit and depth, both of which are rather lacking in many other adventure action films. It is most successful in the characters of Charles and Bob, who while they seem to develop something of a respect for each other, still have an underlying feeling of tension to them. And The Edge while witty and dramatic, doesn’t leave the action by the wayside. Far from that, it has some amazing action scenes, particularly the bear attack sequences, that act in accordance with character development and for the most part hold up in a taut way. I was very impressed and surprised by how well the film came together. Though The Edge is far from flawless; the main issue is that it’s rather overlong and stretches things a bit too much. Though with that being my only niggle, it is safe to say that The Edge is a film I genuinely found myself thrilled by. A mood enhancing score does wonders, while offering glimmers of hope for the stranded men.

It is the cast of The Edge that elevates what could have been a routine exercise. Anthony Hopkins is his intelligent and memorable best here, peppering his role with an unassuming demeanor and splashes of humour. The role of Charles is one where knowledge provides power and endurance is something he gains from his harrowing experiences. And it must be stated that Anthony Hopkins, being the professional he is, contributes a very good performance to The Edge that provides it with substance. Alec Baldwin similarly impressed me with an unexpectedly vulnerable turn as the shallow but cracking Bob. Vulnerability is not normally a word I would associate with Alex Baldwin, but he pulls it off admirably and his chemistry with Anthony Hopkins is what keeps the film ticking over. Because the main basis of the film surrounds Hopkins and Baldwin, the supporting players are not given much to do that is memorable. Harold Perrineau is good in his relatively small part of the doomed Stephen, but his character is merely a plot device. The same goes for Elle MacPherson who plays the model wife of Anthony Hopkins. She is beautiful that is true, but her part is pretty thankless.

An unexpectedly well done action thriller that has refreshing character development and some fantastic dialogue, The Edge is definitely underrated stuff that while far from perfect, knows the balance between action and drama and can supply both effectively.

Woman on Top

Tags

2000's, Fantasy, Fina Torres, Harold Perrineau, Mark Feuerstein, Murilo Benicio, Penélope Cruz, Romantic Comedy, Woman on Top

Film Title

Woman on Top

Director

Fina Torres

Starring

• Penélope Cruz as Isabella Oliveira
• Murilo Benicio as Toninho Oliveira
• Harold Perrineau as Monica Jones
• Mark Feuerstein as Cliff Lloyd

A curiously slight and immensely flawed romantic comedy that brings in an attempt for magic yet doesn’t really work as everything feels tired, Woman on Top is sadly lacking in the story department and suffers. Save for the beautiful incandescence and considerable charm of Cruz , Woman on Top is a rather tepid and uninteresting romantic comedy.

Isabella Oliveira is a beautiful woman from Brazil who has been cursed all her life with motion sickness. The only way for her to control it is to take the lead or be on top with most things. She is married to the macho restaurant owner Toninho, who serves out front while she acts as a chef. This is where Isabella’s gifts truly lie as her cooking has a hypnotic effect on people, but especially men as it weaves an unexplainable magic spell on the senses and the heart. The trouble is arrogant Toninho takes all the credit for everything while Isabella slaves away unnoticed. When Isabella discovers that Toninho has been cheating on her because he feels so emasculated by her always being on top, she flees to San Francisco devastated by his betrayal. She moves in with childhood friend Monica Jones, who is a transvestite and someone she deeply trusts. Trying to get her mojo back but constantly reminded of Toninho, she makes an offering to a Brazilian sea goddess that the village she once lived in worshiped to make her forget him. It appears that the prayer is answered as Isabella starts to get more confident and sexy. She sets about looking for a job as a chef, seeing as it is her deepest passion. Surely enough, her bewitching personality and magical gifts with cooking attract the attentions of struggling television producer Cliff Lloyd, who is bowled over by her. He persuades executives to give Isabella her own TV show, which emerges as a major success. Meanwhile, Toninho is remorseful and deducing where his wife is travels to San Francisco, followed by his loyal band of musicians. He tries to win Isabella back, but she isn’t interested thanks to her newfound personality and the intervention of magic. Much confusion rises as Isabella pursues Cliff but is hounded by Toninho, despite the fact that she turned to magic for help in forgetting her cheating spouse.

Fina Torres in the directors seat does have some stylish touches to add to the film, but can’t quite bring the elements together in good harmony. It’s as if she’s trying to throw in all these things, such as comedy, romance, the seductive art of cooking and mystical magic and expecting them to work. Unfortunately for Torres, the parts don’t gel at all well and Woman on Top falls flat rather than rising high. A film like Woman on Top promises to be sultry and sexy, yet not much of that transfers from the screen due to the stilted vision and the only thing contributing anything earthy is Cruz. Though it is supposed to be a comedy, there are nary any real laughs to be found in it which is a major disappointment(a running gag of Toninho serenading Isabella at every given chance becomes very numbing and tiresome) considering that it doesn’t deliver on what it was supposed to be. And any attempt to introduce conflict, such as Isabella’s dissatisfaction with the machinations of the network just emerge as hollow and hackneyed. Some pleasure can be heard and enjoyed in the smooth Bossa Nova soundtrack that is relaxing and injects some of the sensuality that Woman on Top sorely lacks in almost every area.

The biggest asset of Woman on Top and bringing out a much-needed sexiness is a delightful Penélope Cruz, who is as engaging as ever. Cruz is clearly too talented for such slight material, but she manages to overcome all the flaws and display a dazzling array of sensuality, vulnerability and heart as the conflicted Isabella. She is clearly the main reason to continue watching Woman on Top even as it becomes over clichéd and something of a tired exercise. When you’ve finished this film, it will be the lovely Penélope Cruz that you will remember as her star appeal and talents emerge unscathed. Murilo Benicio, while possessing the overly macho personality of Toninho, is not given a role with enough scope to register which seriously doesn’t help the film considering he’s one of the romantic leads. Harold Perrineau is another excellent standout playing Monica with a heart and sassy humour that bounces off Cruz very well. Perrineau and Cruz make for a good team in this film so it’s something of a shame that they couldn’t have had a better movies worthy of their talents. Mark Feuerstein however charming and bumbling, just can’t bring the dull role of Cliff to life as it is so poorly written and just not at all interesting.

Woman on Top just becomes a forgettable movie that had some interest, partly due to the sensual presence of Cruz, but can’t recover from an overly recycled story and a strange lack of feeling to it all.

Lost Season 4

Tags

2000's, Daniel Dae Kim, Elizabeth Mitchell, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Harold Perrineau, Henry Ian Cusick, Jeff Fahey, Jeremy Davies, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Ken Leung, Lost, Lost Season 4, Matthew Fox, Michael Emerson, Naveen Andrews, Rebecca Mader, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

Lost Season 3 proved to be a lesser season to the two that came before it because of the story becoming a little too complicated for its own good. As season 3 went on it gathered momentum and delivered a great finale. Season 4 carries on this momentum and emerges as a superior season to the last with a twisting story. Warning, spoilers will follow in this overview.

To recap,Jack(Matthew Fox) and the rest of the survivors made contact with an alleged freighter for rescue, despite the warnings from John Locke(Terry O’Quinn) and the nefarious Ben(Michael Emerson). Before Charlie died, he managed to inform Desmond(Henry Ian Cusick) that the rescuers were not as good as they seem. This message when relayed to the survivors forges a split in camps as Jack leads those who believe in the rescue and Locke leading the camp that wants to hide. Kate(Evangeline Lilly), Juliet(Elizabeth Mitchell), who has finally chosen her side after much enigma, Desmond, Sun(Yunjin Kim) , Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) and Sayid(Naveen Andrews) side with Jack. Whereas a devastated Hurley(Jorge Garcia), Claire(Emilie de Ravin) Ben and Sawyer(Josh Holloway) choose to go with Locke. We are then introduced to the mysterious members of the alleged rescuers: the awkward physicist Daniel Faraday(Jeremy Davies), the hot-headed medium Miles(Ken Leung), secretive anthropologist Charlotte Lewis(Rebecca Mader) and pilot Frank Lapidus(Jeff Fahey) . It appears that rescue isn’t the only part of their plan as they are actually looking for Ben as well. The man behind this is Charles Widmore, the disapproving father of Penny, who wants to locate the island for his own personal greed. The series also gives us an insight into the futures of characters, in revealing and innovative flash forwards which reveal the members who left the island. Among the stories, Jack has become depressed and turned to drink before attempting to clear his act up in order to get Kate back, Hurley is haunted by visions of Charlie, Kate is caring for baby Aaron and Sayid works as a hitman for none other than Ben. These little glimpses show us how the island seems to have a hold on them despite them leaving and how it is trying to lure them back to the mysterious place. As the struggle for power continues, who will survive as mystery deepens, tensions rise and a familiar face returns? All will be revealed as Season 4, although brief in length, captures the mystery of your imagination and refuses to let go.

Season 4 may be very short, which occurred because of the Writer’s Strike at the time of airing, but it still manages to be gripping television.The animosity between the two factions is amazing to watch, especially in the scene in which they disperse in the pouring rain. Locke and Jack are very much at loggerheads again in their battle for leadership and the way that this is written proves for excellent and emotionally involving viewing.The script is tighter than some of Season 3 and manages to flesh out the conflicted emotions that begin to run high as result of the split and the various motivations for this. The flash forwards prove immensely interesting and eye-opening as we witness some of the experiences of the people who escaped the island and how the presence of their time on it have left them haunted by its spectre. We still get the occasional flashbacks to their time before the island, but the flash forwards make for more compelling viewing. Strong visuals and camerawork give this season a sense of immediacy as our characters navigate their way through uncertain motivations and divided minds. The atmosphere is heightened by the stunning and often enigmatic score that is utilised to excellent effect in this mysterious and mind-bending show. I also found the scenes with Sayid and Desmond on the boat riveting because of the mysterious bouts of cabin fever that resulted in violent consequences and the reintroduction of Michael into the series.The concept of time travel is brought into fruition with Desmond, who begins to experiences flashes of the past and is only able to return if something remains constant. His constant is his unwavering love for Penny. This culminates in an emotional phone call to his beloved that will leave you in tears and ranks as one of the most emotionally rewarding and heartfelt scenes in the series. Everything about this scene is structured so well and really adds to the emotion driven storylines that occupy Lost, especially the amazing acting by Henry Ian Cusick. Another emotional moment is the death of Danielle Rousseau and eventually her daughter Alex by the mercenaries from the boat. I really thought that their reunion in the last season was touching, which makes their respective deaths all the more tragic.

As with before, the wide ensemble cast is exemplary. Matthew Fox shows us how Jack has gone from original stabilizer of the group to driven and slightly dogmatic leader of his section of followers who is now in battle with Locke for supremacy. Terry O’Quinn is always riveting as the ever-changing Locke, who becomes more aggressive and goes full on ‘Colonel Kurtz’ as Sawyer so eloquently puts it.Speaking of Sawyer, Josh Holloway continues with his sarcastic delivery but also finds sympathy and new depths within this character. Michael Emerson impresses as the manipulative Ben, who becomes something of an unlikely ally to the survivors with his knowledge of the intentions of the supposed rescuers and who is behind it. He informs the group that he has a spy on the boat, who is later revealed to be Michael(Harold Perrineau), who we last saw betraying his friends to get Walt back. Harold Perrineau subtly shows Michael’s journey from broken man on the verge of suicide to one who wants to be redeemed for his past misdeeds. His eventual death completes his quest for redemption in spectacular fashion. Jorge Garcia provides emotional depth and humour as the ever lovable Hurley, while Naveen Andrews excels with Sayid’s arc. Yunjin Kim and Daniel Dae Kim quietly portray the love between Sun and Jin and the way they have overcome the various barriers standing in their way. Evangeline Lilly continues to be impressive as resourceful Kate and she has some excellent scenes with Elizabeth Mitchell, who portrays Juliet. Mitchell gets to show us the warmth and compassion behind Juliet’s outward appearance and her budding relationship with Jack makes for interesting viewing as we wonder how it will pan out and whether Jack will be with Juliet or Kate. The newer characters are well written and add different dimensions to the show. Jeremy Davies is suitably nervy yet highly intelligent as Daniel, while Ken Leung portrays the sarcastic and insular Miles. Rebecca Mader adds mystery and toughness as Charlotte and Jeff Fahey gets some amazing and funny one-liners as the cranky pilot Frank.

With red herrings a plenty and emotion driven stories, Lost Season 4 is an enthralling entry into this saga from unexpected beginning to exhilarating finale.

 

Lost Season 2

Tags

2000's, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cynthia Watros, Daniel Dae Kim, Dominic Monaghan, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Harold Perrineau, Henry Ian Cusick, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Lost, Lost Season 2, Maggie Grace, Malcolm David Kelley, Matthew Fox, Michael Emerson, Michelle Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

Following on from the jaw-dropping cliffhanger of Season 1, Lost Season 2 carries on the enigmatic and character driven story of these survivors that becomes more gripping as the season progresses. Be warned, spoilers will follow in this overview.

To recap, Michael(Harold Perrineau), Sawyer(Josh Holloway), Jin(Daniel Dae Kim) and Walt(Malcolm David Kelley) had created the raft that would help them escape to find help. That is until ‘The Others’ arrived, kidnapped Walt and destroyed the raft. In the present, Michael and an injured Sawyer have managed to survive by clinging to debris and Jin has managed to swim to the shore. Meanwhile back on the Island, Locke(Terry O’Quinn)  has successfully opened the mysterious hatch and has decided to venture down with Kate(Evangeline Lilly) in tow. Jack(Matthew Fox), on the other hand, is skeptical about exploring the hatch. Upon entering the hatch, Kate and Locke see that they are not alone. A worried Jack enters the hatch and traverses the vast underground before coming face to face with the intriguing Desmond(Henry Ian Cusick), someone who he met in the past. Desmond lives in the underground where he obsessively types in the ominous numbers that Hurley(Jorge Garcia) knows of into a machine that resets, preventing disaster. The hatch is actually the Swan Station, belonging to the DHARMA initiative who were cryptically referenced in season 1 and whose history unravels over the course of season 2.After Desmond runs off, Jack and the others take it in turns to man the computer that holds a doomsday prophecy. Elsewhere, Sawyer, Jin and Michael come into contact with a bunch of survivors from the back of the plane which broke off in mid-air, who have had confrontations with the mysterious ‘Others’ who killed many of the other ‘Tailies’. The group is spearheaded by tough and paranoid cop Ana Lucia(Michelle Rodriguez), with the enigmatic Mr.Eko(Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) and Libby(Cynthia Watros), a psychologist following. Forming an awkward team, they travel through the dangerous terrain occupied by ‘The Others’ in order to reach Jack and the other survivors, whilst Michael frantically begins searching for Walt and taking great risks in the process. Further secrets are revealed about the characters, various personal dramas unfold and a slowly building animosity forms between the survivors and ‘The Others’. Mysteries abound and characters develop in the exciting season of Lost that carries on the excellent torch of the first series and introduces some interesting new characters to the intriguing mix. It only slips behind the greatness of the first series because of the slowing of pace, but this is a minor flaw in an exciting and revealing season of one addictive and mind-bending TV show.

Firstly, the opening and revealing of the hatch is very intriguing as well as the introduction to Desmond. He is really shaping up to be an interesting character in the season and the whole repeating numbers is really nail-biting. I do hope that Desmond returns to the series after his brief appearances in season 2 because he really is a riveting and complex character who is played very well by Henry Ian Cusick.This season really has suspense going for it, whether it be ‘The Others’ walking in bone chilling silence through the jungle or the visions of Walt that Shannon(Maggie Grace) begins to see in which he talks backwards. I also found the episode in which the Tailies is explored and we see how they have adapted to survival riveting to watch. I liked how the writers crafted certain episodes from one character’s point of view and then showed us another side of the  events replayed.As with the last series, the score is an eerie, mysterious and sonically intriguing listen. The territorial conflict with ‘The Others’ also makes for compulsive  viewing as the battle for leadership on the island increases rapidly and the sinister presence of the smoke monster appears again. I like how the writers through the flashbacks reveal that our characters are not strangers and how their paths have crossed before. It may be a little detail in this great season, but it’s definitely a memorable one for me.It’s only at certain times that balancing the chills with some of the stories that don’t really amount to much that the season loses some of its greatness. This is mainly embodied in Charlie’s(Dominic Monaghan) arc; I feel sympathy for him as he is tempted to do drugs again but his centric episode in which he believes he is the one to take care of baby Aaron is far from great and really jeopardises the blossoming relationship he has with Claire(Emilie de Ravin). But with that little flaw out the way, the season does expand magnificently on many of the character’s lives prior to the crash.

 The newer characters, Ana Lucia, Mr.Eko and Libby make for interesting additions to the series. Michelle Rodriguez embodies the outwardly cold and tough persona whilst letting the audience glimpse the traumas of her past when she was a cop. The main incident that affected her was when she was shot at by a criminal which caused her to lose the baby she was carrying. In flashback, Ana Lucia located the criminal and killed him by shooting, she later quit the force. Because of these traumas, she takes on an unsympathetic attitude to those around her as she can’t face the inner pain. It is Ana Lucia who provides the season with one shocking and unexpected moments, the accidental killing of Shannon. Shannon is convinced that she has seen Walt in the jungle and heads out looking for him with Sayid(Naveen Andrews). After breaking down and telling Sayid that everyone around her abandons her, she hears whispers and sees Walt again. Running into the rain-soaked jungle, Shannon is mistaken for one of ‘The Others’ by Ana Lucia who shoots her. The scene is all the more tragic because Shannon was starting to become a character you could warm to as the season progressed and she died trying to do a good deed. A cruel irony hangs over the scene because Sayid promised he would never leave Shannon and unfortunately that admission is not able to be upheld because of her death. Sayid’s devastated reaction also leaves the viewer in a state of sadness as he carries the lifeless body of his lover back to the camp to the accompaniment of a mournful score as Ana Lucia follows with guilt written all over her face. Ana Lucia later meets her end when she is shot by a desperate Michael in a scene that I didn’t see coming. Mr. Eko makes for an interesting character because of his imposing presence and silent demeanor. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje shows us the deep regret of this character, who was a drug lord in Nigeria whose deals ultimately led to his brother dying. Since the death of his brother, he has found religion but has still never forgotten what happened to his brother. Libby(Cynthia Watros) is a good character for season 2. Cynthia Watros imbues her with a sympathetic personality that also has a glint of mystery. Libby, like Ana Lucia, is also shot by Michael and later dies from the wounds in a heartbreaking scene as Hurley cries at her bedside, mourning the loss of the woman who truly made him feel whole. Another cryptic character that appears is Henry Gale(Michael Emerson), who is captured by Danielle Rousseau, the mysterious French woman stranded on the island for sixteen years who believes that Henry is not to be trusted. Michael Emerson plays Henry with a quiet but highly manipulative streak that lulls the viewer into a false sense of security. He has this snake-like ability to drip poison in the ears of the other characters and wreak havoc with the smallest word. It is later revealed that Rousseau was right not to trust Henry as he turns out to be one of ‘The Others’.

Even though it might not reach the heights of the last season, Lost scores highly on character development and cryptic mystery. A prominent story in Season 2 is the love triangle between Jack, Kate and Sawyer. Kate finally kisses Jack but is torn between the two. The dynamic between the three is very interesting to watch as you wonder who Kate will eventually get with. Kate’s past is further explored, revealing that she killed her father because of his abuse towards her mother. The incident sets up Kate’s emotional state and how she was attempting to save her mother but in turn ended up on the run from justice. Most of the success revolving around Kate’s character is down to Evangeline Lilly, who projects a steely strength and quiet vulnerability. Also in flashbacks, Jack’s marriage crumbles after his wife admits to having an affair. As in the last season, Matthew Fox portrays Jack with subtle skill revealing the depths of this character as he continues in his position of leader. Josh Holloway also gets some great one-liners as the sarcastic but wounded Sawyer. Claire regains her memory and recalls encountering a girl who it appears is the Alex, the kidnapped daughter of Danielle. The girl helped her escape from Ethan who was attempting to take Aaron. Claire’s flashbacks are loaded with enigma and creepy symbolism that really has me interested into what will happen next in her arc. Harold Perrineau excellently portrays Michael’s descent into desperation as he attempts to locate Walt, whilst doing everything in his power to get there. He enters into a deal with ‘The Others’ to free Henry and betray his friends by bringing them to the sinister group who own the island.  Hurley, portrayed with humour and pathos by Jorge Garcia, is just as likable as he was last season. If anything the season excels at showing the serious side to Hurley and the various underlying issues he’s had to deal with. His budding relationship with Libby is also a very nice touch but the tragic loss of Libby is truly heart wrenching. Locke is still one of the most fascinating characters in the show. Played with a wise but dangerous knowledge by Terry O’Quinn he continues to test the audience into wondering what his true intentions are. And it’s great to see Sun(Yunjin Kim) and Jin(Daniel Dae Kim) back together after their breakup when it was revealed Sun could speak English, the fact that she’s pregnant brings them closer together after drifting apart.

So all I have left to say is Lost Season 2 is a worthy entry in the series. It may not be as great as season 1, but it has more than enough positives to rank it extremely high on my list of excellently crafted television. Hopefully Season 3 can carry on the success of the first and second season.

Lost Season 1

Tags

2000's, Daniel Dae Kim, Dominic Monaghan, Emilie de Ravin, Evangeline Lilly, Harold Perrineau, Ian Somerhalder, Jorge Garcia, Josh Holloway, Lost, Lost Season 1, Maggie Grace, Malcolm David Kelley, Matthew Fox, Naveen Andrews, Terry O'Quinn, Yunjin Kim

Apart from movies, Television also plays a huge part in my life. This will be the start of a new series of reviews on my blog, this time focused on television shows that I have watched in the past. To start the series of reviews, I am going to write about Lost. It’s been years since I last saw the show, but with me recently purchasing the full series 1-6 box set, I decided to give the show a rewatch. Lost is a show that really divides opinion amongst viewers and is always an interesting topic to discuss. Here are my thoughts on Lost season 1. Be warned spoilers will follow in this overview.

During a commercial flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 violently crashes on a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific Ocean. We are told there are 48 survivors of the crash, Lost focuses on a group of these characters and their attempts to fathom what is happening. We have Jack( Matthew Fox), a surgeon with a troubled past. Kate(Evangeline Lilly), a woman who is secretly on the run. Hurley(Jorge Garcia), a nice guy with an endless run of bad luck. Sawyer(Josh Holloway), a wise-cracking con man. Charlie(Dominic Monaghan), a drug addict and former rock star. Boone( Ian Somerhalder), a young man who helps run his mother’s business. Shannon( Maggie Grace), his whining stepsister. Sayid( Naveen Andrews), a former soldier in Iraq’s Republican Guard. A Korean couple, Jin( Daniel Dae Kim) and Sun(Yunjin Kim). Claire( Emilie de Ravin), a heavily pregnant Australian woman. Michael(Harold Perrineau), a construction worker and his estranged young son Walt(Malcolm David Kelley). And last but not least, the mysterious John Locke(Terry O’Quinn). The group realises that in order to survive they must work together, yet there are strange forces at play on the island. Noises are heard in the jungle. A polar bear attacks. Jumbled transmissions from a French woman that have been running for sixteen years are heard after the retrieval of the plane’s transceiver. Ominous repeating numbers. Creepy visions and whispers in the jungle. To add to this, each of our main characters has a past that is explored through flashback at some point in the season. Strange occurrences, mystical references and themes of distrust and death feature heavily throughout the narrative of each episode as the quest for survival increases and relationships are formed . Believe me the first series makes for addictive, memorable and mind-bending viewing. This series is certainly worthy of praise for its enigmatic structure and shocking revelations that emerge.

Firstly, the flashbacks provide compelling viewing as we delve into the lives of these strangers. Through them,we learn of their life before the crash and the various demons that plague their minds. The stunning and often chilling score provides us with an emotional undercurrent to the various dramas that lie ahead and the often unexplained nature of the island.  The screenplay should be praised for the way it examines the past of each character and the endless cliffhangers that leave you desperate to see the next episode. We are constantly placed on the knife-edge of suspense as little by little the dangerous island slowly reveals its past. Also, the genre mixing is to be applauded. Lost is really a cornucopia of genres such as action, drama and fantasy mixed into one hugely entertaining and enigmatic piece. The repeating visuals of eyes opening and distorted camerawork really got me involved with the series and witness the wonder of these techniques in showing us the intangible nature of the strange island. Many of the moments in the series generate chills, not least the kidnapping of Claire by a strange and utterly creepy man named Ethan, who mentions that there are others on the island. Also gripping is Sayid’s encounter with the French woman on the transmission who evasively talks of her traumatic experiences upon arrival. These bits of information that the survivors are not alone really had me enthralled to see what became of it. It also seems that there is an unexplained force residing on the island that appears in episodes later on in this season known as the Man in Black .

All of the characters within Lost are in some way flawed and this makes them more interesting to watch. Certain characters stand out for me throughout this season. Matthew Fox effectively portrays Jack, who steadily becomes the leader of the group and often the voice of reason. Throughout the season, he must confront his past which involved an alcoholic father and helping those around him. Jack may be the closest thing to a hero, but also has his own demons and is forced into drastic decisions such as killing the air marshal who was bringing Kate to justice. Locke, portrayed with enigmatic skill by Terry O’Quinn, is one of the most interesting and cryptic characters. We learn that he was once wheelchair bound, but for some unknown reason he regained the use of his legs after the crash. Locke provides mystical and philosophical hints as to the island’s nature and is the one who seems most adept at hunting. He may be caring and something of a father figure to other characters, mainly Boone and young Walt, but there is something uneasy about Locke that really makes you wonder about his motives and actions. Originally, I wasn’t sure about Jin as a character. I found him to be overly controlling of his wife and refusing to help the other survivors. But when I saw his flashback, I started to realise how much of a complex guy he really is as he has worked hard to overcome his lowly roots but in turn has fell into corruption. Daniel Dae Kim plays Jin with a quiet intensity that hides his confusion of the events around him.

Sawyer, who is portrayed with cocky bad ass attitude by Josh Holloway, often provides some needed humour but also some dark revelations regarding his con man job and what drove him to it. In short, Sawyer is a complex character who is interesting to watch as the mystery unravels. Naveen Andrews essays the role of Sayid, whose smart intelligence masks a grave decision he had to make regarding the women he loved during the Gulf War. Dominic Monaghan projects humour and deep regret as the drug addicted Charlie, who always feels like the one on the outside of everything. Charlie emerges as a sympathetic character throughout the story as he forms a deep bond with Claire. Jorge Garcia provides the comic relief as the likable Hurley, who has encountered bad luck ever since winning the lottery with numbers that are cursed. Harold Perrineau plays Michael, a construction worker who has just received guardianship over his young son Walt. Throughout season 1 we watch as he attempts to become a good father to a child he barely knows. Malcolm David Kelley portrays Walt, who looks up to Locke as a father figure because he feels that his father treats him like a little kid, when in fact Walt is a very bright boy. Boone emerges as one of the most likable characters of season 1. Played with charm and honesty by Ian Somerhalder, we watch him wrestle with his feelings for Shannon and form his eventual bond with Locke, who becomes a father figure to the young man whilst teaching him the skills of survival. Boone also remains memorable for being the first main character in the series to perish on the island. His death scene is so upsetting as Jack tries everything to save him but in the end it isn’t enough. I admire the show’s use of juxtaposition as Boone succumbs and Claire gives birth, capturing the close link between life and death.  The fact that Boone died because of injuries sustained when inspecting an airplane with Locke adds a whole lot of conflict to the troubled lives of those around the island.

The women of Lost are also an interesting and conflicting bunch of characters. Kate, played by the gorgeous Evangeline Lilly, is one complex character with a complicated past. She comes across to others as silent and understanding, yet she harbours wounds and is has no qualms about using people to her advantage. All that is known at this point is that she has killed someone, but the events surrounding it are cloaked in mystery. Her relationships with the moralistic Jack and the devil-may-care Sawyer form the main romantic triangle of the narrative. Kate really is shaping up to be a character of many layers and I hope the writers can expand on this in future seasons of Lost. Sun, the wife of Jin, is another complex female character. Initially distant from the others because her husband wants to isolate them with the language barrier, it is revealed that she can in fact speak English unlike her husband. She wrestles with her love for Jin, yet can’t forget how he changed after he began working for her corrupt father. Yunjin Kim subtly portrays the longing for her husband to change his ways with a moving performance.

Initially I really didn’t like the character of Shannon, I thought she was a whining brat who cared more about her looks than the others. But over the course of the season, she grew on me as I saw that she was in fact not as mean as she originally appeared. Most of this is down to the delivery of Maggie Grace, who captures her spoilt antics but shows us the vulnerability of Shannon as she attempts to survive and the burgeoning relationship she develops with Sayid. Emilie de Ravin captures the vulnerability of Claire as she has to contend with the knowledge of no one rescuing the survivors and the fact that her baby will arrive soon. The episode in which she is abducted is chilling, especially because of the look of sheer horror that appears on her face as Ethan menacingly stares at her. She later escapes from Ethan’s clutches but has no memory of what happened before this.  Out of the women in the show in this series, Claire is the most likable with her sunny disposition and glowing demeanor. In the end she gives birth to a baby boy named Aaron who she worries will not be able to grow up in such a strange and dangerous environment.

As you watch the series, you start to form emotional attachments to the characters as they band together in order to fathom the strange events around them. We are invited to join in their feelings of sadness and regret. Moments of intense emotion abound but the one for me has to be when Charlie is hung from the vines of a tree and left for dead. Jack and Kate help him down and at first it appears as if Charlie has been killed by the evil Ethan. As the music swells, we watch as a tearful Jack attempts to resuscitate Charlie even though he appears to be dead. I could really feel myself panicking during this scene as Charlie had emerged as one of the most sympathetic characters and to have him die this early on in Lost’s run would have been devastating. When Charlie eventually comes around it is an emotional moment that lingers heavily in the memory as we see the bonds that have formed between the characters and how deeply they care for each other. Much the same can be said of Boone’s death which really does leave you with a lump in your throat.

I don’t think I can write anymore about the excellent season 1 because I will run out of space,  but in short I will say that it is endlessly enthralling and filled with mysterious circumstances. I can’t wait to see season 2 of Lost so stay posted for a future review of it.