Is This Something?

The Wachowskis' new movie.

Ehh... I like the Flash Gordon style of sci-fi movie (Star Wars being a pretty good example of that pulp fantasy), and I liked John Carter...

But I dunno.

Look at Channing Tatum.

I don't know how they arrived at this particular Hero Look. I think they just took equal parts Riddick, Legolas, and Robert Smith.

I guess the idea is that the Galactic Overlords "harvest" entire planets full of living beings to something-something their power and immortality?

I don't know. I'm still wondering about Channing Tatum. I'm wondering if his mascara is nanotech or something.

One thing I notice about this sort of throwback sci-fantasy movie: There are two parts to the throwback. One is an old-timier pulp mode of story, and that sort of spirit in the movie. Lots of fast action, lighthearted, all that.

But the other way you can throw things back is by giving it a dated, retro-future sort of look.

I don't really like that last part. I know Steampunk has its fans but 1, that fad is like 12 years old now, and 2, it just looks kind of dumb. It looks like it was designed by Hollywood Designers, not by an actual futuristic race.

Star Wars did Throwback Story but mostly avoided Throwback Design. The design wasn't self-consciously some kind of Flash Gordon neovictorian thing. The big throwback thing they did was the close emulation of WWII fighter combat and counter-fighter cannon fire, but I don't think Lucas was hoping we'd notice that.

posted by Ace at 08:06 PM

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