Memorial (2)

 DVD, Voyager S6 (Memorial) (2)

My memories of Season 6 concentrating on the Doctor, Janeway and Seven keep being proved inconsistent, as this is another strong ensemble story which uses everyone, to counter my impression. I don't consider it the absolute highest echelons of the series' quality compared to when I last watched it (and reviewed it, in the brief way I used to do), but then at that time I remember thinking I might have been a little generous, but was caught up in the moment and slapped on five stars. It remains a very good episode, even so. Part of what makes it work is it's all very cleanly directed by Allan Kroeker, one of the more accomplished Trek Directors - it does what it does neatly, gets right into it and doesn't get bogged down. It doesn't use so much CGI as in some episodes this season (perhaps just the upper part of the obelisk), and instead features good, physical sets, the base of the obelisk (reminiscent of the one in 'The Paradise Syndrome' another large, well-constructed outdoor prop), location filming, yet another redress of the caves, which this time give it a whole new, claustrophobic feel since Harry Kim crawls through a tunnel to reach it, and it's always well lit when the actual sun's doing the lighting! Outdoor work really adds to our characters, their uniforms and technology, perhaps because there's so much black in the uniform and the contrast is more extreme. There is the issue of the title giving away what this is all about, but then if you came to it with no knowledge you might not necessarily pick up on the massive clue there.

It feels very much like one of the early season episodes, which tended to have a more raw, less slick weirdness to them. The story came from Brannon Braga, well known as the King of Weird, so it's not a surprise he was able to bring that sense of unreality and uncertainty over the characters' experiences. It's different in that it doesn't focus on a single person, the usual route when everyday life suddenly goes creepily strange, as that emphasises the loneliness and unsettled experience they must go through. Here it's a group hallucination akin to that seen in 'Things Past' when Odo 'transports' several of his colleagues back to the DS9 that was. There are actually several Trek stories that could be pulled as influences, most obviously 'The Inner Light' for its technology-based lesson to others out there about a terrible tragedy. I could also cite the enforced mental anxiety of Chief O'Brien's incarceration in 'Hard Time' (as well as his concern that he can't be near his little girl any more because he's afraid of scaring her - Neelix' horrible experience of shell-shock while Naomi was with him is a very similar parallel). Then there was a touch of 'The Sound of Her Voice' in Harry's experience with such intense memories of people he later discovers in a cave as long dead. And shades of this series' own 'Nemesis,' in which Chakotay was thrown into a war that used psychological effects to coerce people into fighting, so as you can see, there are many influences, but if you're going to borrow, borrow from the best, and all these are great episodes - it shouldn't be strange to see a similar story turn out so well.

About the only negative I can think of, and perhaps which coloured my view on this occasion, is that things are so straightforward there isn't a lot to dissect and discuss. All I can say is, it's great! That's it, review over. But seriously, I found few things to keep track of, and it can sometimes be the case that great episodes have the least potential to be said about them. There are always the ethics of the situation, that's certainly worthy of examination: is it right to force people to go through mental torture as a tool to influence them never to let something like the massacre take place again? In the past I would probably have gone along with the story entirely, it does seem right for Janeway to make the ultimate decision to not only refuse to deactivate what could be considered a harmful interference, but to actively support it by renewing its power source. I think she did right to leave a warning buoy so that people who ventured into that system would know what they were getting themselves into. I'm undecided if the original intent of the aliens was good and right, but then I think of the Holocaust and how such a horror could be perpetrated against a group again in the future (and I'm sure will be), and perhaps if people who mock it or disbelieve the evidence of history could actually experience it for themselves, or some small portion anyway, that would be a good thing. (I didn't even twig the connection to 'Remember' as the closest story, which I read in the notes at Memory Alpha).

Of course there's not going to be any ongoing ramifications, this isn't that kind of series - there won't be further episodes in which we see Harry, Neelix or any of the others shown to be having sleeping problems because the nightmares won't leave them. It means that the episode could be viewed as being a little arrogant: we've sorted another problem, now onto the next. Trek itself can be viewed that way on many occasions I suspect, but then it was designed to be taken in weekly doses or once in a while. You don't need any further understanding of the characters or their situation to appreciate the quality of an episode such as this: it tells its story and that's enough. But sometimes I can't help wishing there was a little more overlap. There is some, good use is made of Seven's own experiences when she comes to comfort Neelix in her own fairly blunt way (though she is a lot more compassionate and considerate than she used to be, having learned much from Neelix, the Doctor, Janeway, Naomi, etc), when they talk about her experiences of guilt having done so much as a Borg. She does feel it, even though none of it was her fault, she was under control and knew no better, and perhaps that should have been said, but for that little moment it was a strong link between the two and what they'd both been through.

Tuvok could have been worked in a little more, considering he is the one to be in command of his feelings, and he does get to do a little of that when he's with Kim in the tunnel and he starts to panic as the very real memory and fear grips hold. It's interesting it takes Chakotay to talk Neelix down in the Mess Hall, the best scene of the episode, but that fits because they were comrades in the war of their memory, Chakotay a commander as he is in real life. His calming tones are used to appeal to Neelix' rational side, but the whole impression of each of them having such visceral reactions to what was implanted in their minds, was so strongly played out. There's no question that when they're debating what happened in scenes such as the Briefing Room, that they all remember it like they were there, and believe it. They become completely different people and it's impressive to see. They even take on a haggard, drawn look, which spreads to the rest of the affected crew. At first you can put it down to this long, two-week mission where they haven't been able to wash and it's like a camping trip that's gone wrong - tired and crotchety and looking to get back to the comforts of home (though you do have to wonder if a fortnight exploring planets is the best use of their time, except for the fact they mention they found much needed supplies), but then the visions begin.

B'Elanna's gift of a 1950s TV complete with programming of the time was fun, but it might not have been the best timing for it! Paris watches 'The Untouchables' and in the best fantasy tradition finds himself within the TV, first viewing himself, then actually being there. I don't think that was as discomfiting and weird as it should have been, and once again B'Elanna isn't used to the best (though I liked the fact she replicated the parts and assembled them herself rather than importing in the complete set!). Neelix, Kim and Chakotay are the ones the episode gives the best to, and that's another reason I would have marked it up last time, I think, since they are the underused characters in general. They're allowed to do more than the usual bounds of their characters allow. We know Neelix has a tough streak in him from his past, we've seen what Harry can turn into when pushed to the limits ('The Chute'), and Chakotay has gone through similar weirdness in both 'Nemesis' and 'The Fight.' Perhaps the actual massacre came across a little out of the blue - the civilians they're escorting suddenly start panicking and running away so the soldiers shoot them down, but the point is that these sudden escalations borne of fear and panic can come down like that out of nowhere. I didn't feel quite the same tension in the characters as, say, 'The Siege of AR-558' on 'DS9,' but the actual event is only really the backdrop to what's happening to our crew.

A couple of lines stood out, one when someone, maybe Neelix, says they're civilians, and another soldier qualifies 'civilians with particle weapons.' And when Neelix later asks Seven how she keeps going with all her guilt, she matter-of-factly states she has no choice. I thought that last one especially was a reminder that life isn't a choice, you have to keep going no matter what mix of strong feelings, despair, guilt or whatever, are at war inside. In the end it was a hopeful story because there can be that warning of consequences, but there's also a warning left for the warning so future visitors won't be going in completely blind. I think post-traumatic stress disorder was becoming more understood when this was made so it probably was in the zeitgeist, but even so, reality and unreality, impressions and how they affect the mind, are all ripe for Trek exploration, so much more than mere action and reaction. There isn't really anything else to add in trivia, none of the guest stars had appeared before or since, other than David Keith Anderson, presumably the crewman suffering from trauma Janeway speaks to - he apparently goes back to being a crewmember on the Enterprise in 'Star Trek VI,' 'Generations' and 'First Contact,' all uncredited, and had been in a credited part in 'Warhead' last season.

****

The Greater Good

 DVD, Stargate Universe S2 (The Greater Good)

A lot of simmering in this one, a lot of buildup to the inevitable. I actually wondered if this was a test by Colonel Young to find out Rush's secret, because it's been obvious for some time that something's going on. The way Brody, Parke, Volker and Eli are getting fed up with the pattern of Rush being missing whenever the ship drops out, then popping up as if it's completely normal, was quite clear. But it wasn't Young's tactic to strand them on an alien vessel, even if it was his choice to go, just him and Rush, to 'keep and eye on him.' Or in other words, to give him a battering like on the planet in Season 1, only he stops short of really giving him a total going-over, as brutal as it was. He did promise the concerned Scott he'd bring Rush back (he didn't say it wouldn't be in a body bag, though...), but it seemed a bad idea. But then Rush is so subtle and able to manipulate people with his logic and spin, making everything, even the most terrible, appear somewhat reasonable, only Young is immune, and even he can listen to reason - Riley's death and the loss of the shuttle were 'mistakes,' but Rush's much more intent on the Grand Theme: Destiny's mission. I must admit, it was a bit of a comedown to realise his motivation for keeping control of Destiny a secret was simply that he didn't trust Young and therefore wanted to investigate all her systems and get a handle on everything first. Would he have eventually told him or would he have given him an ultimatum, perhaps trapped him somewhere, along with all the military and made his own one-man coup?

I don't know. Although Rush craves control it's because he thinks he's cleverer than everyone else and therefore his purposes are so much higher, and to an extent he's correct. But intelligence doesn't necessarily mean right, and his goal is uncovering the mystery, not preserving or protecting the lives of those with him, whereas Young has a definite mission to get everyone home safely. The episode is all about trust, and the lack of it: you've got Mr. Mean Guy of the Lucian Alliance, stalking Gin (who's quickly become Eli's girl), threatening her with not telling anything - it's interesting that Varo is nowhere to be seen because I'm sure he'd be just as short with his lieutenant as Greer is, and he doesn't even know what's going on. It is delightful whenever Simeon's slithering around like a cobra or a panther about to strike, that Greer appears and blocks him completely, forcing him to back down from whatever badly disguised hatred he has for his enemies. But it ends with Dr. Amanda Perry in the body of Gin with simmering Simeon finally getting her alone - what happened to his guard? You'd think they'd have clocked him as worth special attention from his attitude and failure to even pretend he wants to work with these people - Greer should have made it his personal mission to follow him around all the time, except he's beneath contempt. I'm guessing Simeon's decided the only way to silence Gin and remove her as a threat to the Alliance, is to kill her body, regardless that it's being inhabited by Perry...

Good cliffhanger in a good episode, though it took me a while to realise it was a good one thanks to the low-key nature of much of it - I always like a mission to an abandoned ship, and the effects were terrific (especially at the end when Rush and Young are forced to jump from the rapidly spinning alien hulk, that reminded me of the docking sequence from 'Interstellar' - they really did a great job with that impression of the vastness of space, and that one small error in judgement or timing can be fatal!), but it was still a slow burn. It was fascinating to see Perry drawn into Rush's little battle of wills, secretly inducting her into his knowledge of the Bridge and its systems, but there was no way she could have kept it secret - it shows how singleminded Rush can be that he would happily keep going along tricking his colleagues, and also a certain contempt for their level of intelligence that they wouldn't be suspicious. He just expects to override any argument or questioning of him, an arrogant and disgusting attitude, really. As he later says, though, the truth is out now, and that's good. Whether anyone can really trust him, and the idea of him giving his word after all he's done, was preposterous, especially to Young, and is another question entirely, he's constantly shown himself to consider himself above everyone in perceiving the depth of Destiny's importance, but he's going to have to work with them now.

I found it a slight anticlimax when we find out what Rush believes to be Destiny's mission, as much as it's desirable to know what the series was planning to play with had it survived for future seasons (and once again, how terribly disappointing that it didn't, along with 'Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,' one of very few TV shows that deserved to last years more than they did, to a proper conclusion). The crux is that at the birth of the universe Something was. Some kind of intelligence built a structure that only the advanced technology of the Ancients could detect in the background noise of space, or so I understood it. Granted, you have to accept the Big Bang as reality (whether it was or wasn't the mechanics of how matter came into being, the real issue is whether God was behind it or it just happened out of chance, my view being vehemently the former!), but then it becomes a mystery of what the series was going to stretch to doing. It's a Big Topic, and they could hardly put off half their audience by saying 'aliens,' for want of a better term, built the Universe, but they'd always delved into belief and such from the earliest days of it being revealed that the 'gods' of ancient times which primitive humans worshipped, were actually powerful aliens (the Goa'uld), and obviously in later seasons of 'SG-1' they dealt with humans' being more than physical entities, and that there was a realm beyond matter, so was it a matter of time before they connected with God Himself? I'm sure they wouldn't have been so definite, they'd have probably left it all a mystery even at the end, but we'll never know because they didn't get the chance to play the story out, more's the pity.

At least a piece of the puzzle is now known: the point of Destiny, beyond mere travel and exploration, although even then it's questionable why it would need to travel across galaxies to get somewhere if this 'structure' is all around. But it's all a way to get these characters on weekly adventures so for that reason it makes sense. But surely now they have the ability to control the ship, so wouldn't Young simply tell them to turn around and head back to Earth to drop everyone off that wanted to be, add a proper crew complement and set off on the mission with preparation and understanding. Instead we see them jumping to yet another system where there are planets. And while I'm nitpicking, another one, though much smaller, is whether Gin understood the full ramifications of swapping with Perry's body. It's her first ever body-swap, she's got vital intelligence to convey to Stargate Command and they expect her to go through the ordeal of being a paraplegic? That doesn't seem the most sensible way to put someone through an important debrief! I get it - it's so that we care at the end when Simeon arrives to murder her. If it had been any old person from Earth then there would only be the jeopardy of Gin being killed (I'm assuming, I don't actually remember what happens next), but now it's Rush's love whom he's connected with better than anyone else, other than his dead wife.

It's worth noting that Rush saves Young's life when he mistimes his jump (not sure how, since Eli told him to go when he said, and he seemed to do that!), and I'm sure Rush saw it as a perfect opportunity to make up some of the massive ground he's lost by being discovered in a deception that has cost lives (I notice they never mentioned Telford, who's also missing, presumed dead!). He really needed to do something extraordinary to even make a dent in the reams of crimes that should be levelled at him. I have the feeling Perry becomes part of the ship itself somehow, perhaps in the same way Franklin appeared to, so it's almost certain she's a goner. Which is a shame, but then she also became an accomplice to Rush by her complicity in his secrecy and no doubt would have kept it up if it'd been possible. Not that she deserved to die for that, but for the sake of drama there does seem to be a price to be paid. And of course Gin has to die because she's an innocent, and Eli likes her.

***

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

 DVD, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) film

This series became one I was very invested in as I saw II at the cinema, saw I not too much later on video, and from then on looked forward to another entry, which was a long time coming. But long waits between Missions was something to get used to, though in recent years they were becoming a touch more frequent at the same time as I was becoming a touch less anticipatory towards them, though I don't think that had as much to do with it as age and jaded appreciation for action films generally (and modern films as a whole!). I didn't hear a thing about this latest one, other than it was going to be 'Part One' for the first time ever (even though V and VI were somewhat linked), and the harbinger of the final film in the series. Partly, again, it was lack of excitement over the prospect despite a mild pleasure at the reassurance the films were still being made, but I also preferred to wait and see, hoping to be surprised. I used to have ideas for what I'd like to see, the tropes of the series (alternating long-hair, short-hair; spreadeagled limbs stunt; and of course no Mission would be complete without Luther Stickell and some motorbike and face mask action), but I've got past those checklist days and concentrate on content: are the stakes believable and well worked out, or is it full of holes? Is it whip-clever, knife-edge drama or is it too clever and convoluted for it's own good? Do we get old characters returning or is it a blank slate?

That last one has always been important to the health of the series both in front of and behind the camera: a different Director for every instalment gave each a unique visual identity and style. But it's the nature of long-running franchises to degenerate into something samey because it is tough to be different and unique while also staying true to the foundation laid out before, and they reused the same Director again, Christopher McQuarrie (who did both V and VI, didn't he? He also cowrote with Erik Jendresen who in the 2000s wrote an unused script for what would have been the next Trek film, though those are ten a penny these days!), which seems like overkill and suggests a new vision was required. One character points out Ethan Hunt is always going rogue and that does seem to be a habit of the stories, the same as in recent films the unreliability of their tech and gadgets, and the intentional humour at their predicaments have often undermined drama. When Bad Robot took over with III they came with their own too-realistic style of domestic down-to-earth nature mixed with the high concepts and ridiculous stunts, and that didn't exactly serve the setup well, especially as more and more humour was added at the expense of drama. The majority of the films are now too similar, as much as they're trying to do something bigger and more daring each time. But really the only thing that can have resonance are the characters and the bonds between them. In the same vein, especially as this is the first of the last, the beginning of the end, I was hoping for as many old characters returning to lend a hand as possible. The issue there is that an ensemble takes up a lot of time and so you can only concentrate on two or three of them properly (as the 'TNG' films proved).

As I was watching this one I was wondering if it was really worth parcelling out the story into a second part, and if the villain had been defeated it would have ended as any other Mission had before - it made me wonder if there'd be some big post-credits scene as is the norm in superhero films and other franchises looking to increase anticipation for the next part, and if so could they somehow bring back all the old villains? Then I remembered all the old villains were dead, they always end up dying even if Hunt isn't personally responsible for that except at the risk to his own life, because he was portrayed as an ethical hero, very unlike James Bond. (It's worth noting where those other big 'spy' action series' have gone in the time since Mission occurred: Brosnan's Bond was rebooted with Daniel Craig, and that era ended in death and awaits the next rebooting, while Jason Bourne seems to be solidly below ground in spite of the fact Matt Damon gave it a go at a resurrection and didn't kill off the character, but failed to recapture what worked before). If not villains then maybe more of the old cast could come back: how about Billy the Aussie pilot, or the Asian woman from III. Kittridge had always been high on the list and it was disappointing they never brought him back, but right from the opening when Hunt is receiving his instructions from a taped voice I thought it sounded like the old guy... Then we get a scene in which he actually appears, but I still wasn't quite sure, after all it had been over twenty-five years since Henry Czerny's appearance in I, but eventually as the scene progressed I realised it was undeniably the character (gave it away when they said his name, but I still wasn't sure if it was the same actor), and then it clicked into place! Excellent!

When you consider this guy was significantly older than Hunt in the first film and now even the eternally youthful Cruise himself is starting to show his age, he must be ancient! But as someone who grew up with the series myself and though younger, isn't young any more either, there was something reassuring about the fact this film is mostly about old grey-haired blokes, with the odd young woman thrown in for good measure! It really is an 'old-fashioned' film in the best sense of the words, and though I can't say the traditional Hollywood screwball comedy style with the hero and his young heroine handcuffed together, plus a Mini chase around Rome that brought to mind 'The Italian Job' was something I liked in the film, there is a sense of reassurance that this is rooted in a kind of reasonable reality that I feel too many films and TV shows are veering away from, as if it's 'wrong' to have a male hero and all the other tropes that make up normality rather than the bizarre societal mores taking more and more ground in the world today. So I applaud the fact it is a film that wouldn't look out of place in the Nineties, other than the effects. It's funny to realise that when Ethan, Luther and Benji are sitting around chatting, it's three old men! The villain, Gabriel, is another old guy, as is Kittridge (even one of the two American agents chasing Hunt throughout isn't a spring chicken!), but it doesn't matter, it's not important, it's not trying desperately to appeal to teens, though there's nothing to put them off. You could say it is generic action fare, and I'd agree, but there's also a history here because so much time has passed in the company of this core group.

History is an operative word as we're given some background (I don't just mean revealing Kittridge's first name as Eugene), on Hunt's motivation for joining the IMF in the first place, or at least some defining moment for him. That was a little weak, I have to say - at one point I wondered if they were going the whole hog and recreating parts of I since they'd already brought Kittridge back and this flashback was reminiscent of the moment one of Ethan's team was knifed on the mission in Prague. But that wasn't it, she seemed like someone close to him, but it wasn't spelt out clearly what that was about, who Gabriel was, or why he killed the woman. Are we to expect the details in Part Two or is it just one of those things we take as given that it was important but we don't have anything more? Establishing bonds is very important if we're to care about characters and though I felt they handled Luther and Benji significantly better than previously, Ilsa Faust was a different matter. There'd been a strange situation coming out of III when Hunt got married and, naturally, his new wife was put in jeopardy. They reminded us she still existed in IV, but then resolved it unsatisfactorily in VI where she at least played an important role and paid off the past, even though it would've been so much more meaningful to keep that part of Hunt's life going, unique and dramatic, even if difficult to justify for an action man role. Ilsa seemed to be his new woman after that, or had potential to be, but I'm not sure, and then this new girl, Grace, fills the role in some ways - it's telling she's there standing over Ilsa's dead body when Hunt finds her.

I didn't feel any sadness over Ilsa, strangely, she was just there, along for the ride, and while I didn't particularly expect anyone to be killed off, also knowing we're near the end it wasn't unlikely. At first I was wondering if Grace would rip off her face at some point to reveal Niah from II, but that really was unlikely, other than they were both thieves. I wouldn't say I was disappointed we didn't get any other cameos or roles other than the obvious White Widow from VI (supposedly the daughter of 'Max' from I, though I always find it annoying they don't clearly state that on screen!). They'd experimented with a new group of people when it seemed possible Cruise would be handing off to a younger action hero (say Jeremy Renner, with Alex Baldwin as boss), bumping Simon Pegg up to full cast member, and Luther had taken a backseat with his introduction. That was one good thing about this entry, Ving Rhames is back in prime position as the man of computers, which Benji had taken over. There appeared to be a little bit of competitiveness between them early on, but it didn't develop into anything, but at least Luther was the tech man while Benji was more active, appropriate as Pegg looks the more sprightly. Development wasn't one of the film's strengths. I could have done with more reference to them all being old (like the original 'Star Trek' films where they were clearly of a certain age, but it didn't matter because we loved them), such as how Luther is keeping up to date with the latest tech, or even turning it into an advantage since the story is largely concerned with modern technology being dangerously prone to control by artificial intelligence.

Those kind of nuances can't really be expected in an action flick, but it would have raised the story to at least the level of ideas and ideals seen in the better parts of The Dark Knight trilogy. There were seeds visible for planting, but they weren't watered and didn't grow into anything. The idea itself is full of intrigue: is what they continually call the Entity actually sentient as they say it is, or is it merely AI, because if it had become sentient does Ethan have the right to kill it, can't he talk to it, see if it has a personality that can be worked with? That's the Trekker view in me - clearly if it was merely artificial, just a very clever computer program, it can just be deleted without thought. But if it had achieved actual sentience? I know evidence is there of an evil nature (which makes sense coming from the mind of humanity which is fallen and requires redemption), murdering the Russian sub at the start, working with its chosen 'false prophet' Gabriel, a man who appears a bit of an automaton himself - indeed, I got the wrong end of the stick from the start and thought the Entity had a human form somehow (well, if the IMF can make lifelike masks of people so easily, why not a robot body that can pose as whoever it wants to), and I was dreading it turning into a 'Terminator' ripoff, but Gabriel did appear to be human. I thought the mysterious stranger entering the intelligence meeting was a robot come to kill them - they did say something like it could 'be' anyone, but later I came to the conclusion that meant impersonation in the digital world rather than reality! Gabriel came across cold, merciless, fanatical in his devotion to... what? Killing? Suffering? We're not told how he became like that, or why, so he's a very simplistic baddie, too much like the villain from IV who was also just an old guy who wanted to destroy everyone, and that was it.

Motivation was one of the film's weak points. We can believe in Hunt's sincerity as he dashes around all over the place, his earnest face telling us all we need to know about him (assuming we hadn't seen the other six films), but why do the other characters do what they do? Is Kittridge supposed to actually be a bad guy or does he really think America having the key to this weapon is the most important thing for the world's sake? Because the other guy in glasses (was that Cary Elwes?), seemed only to want power. Not sure why or what role he had, but obviously high up. The White Widow just wants money? I don't really know her or get her role in this or the last film (though Kirby's acting as someone pretending to be her was well observed). Arms dealer, that's it, I suppose. Grace wants a better life? I suppose. It was all a little flimsy for grownups, especially if you're used to watching old films where they couldn't often get away without a strong story and characterisations because they didn't have effects to dazzle an audience nowadays - I'm thinking of 'The Man Who Never Was' from 1955 which I watched recently and has more tension than this film, more reality to its stakes, and a more emotional connection. I will say I highly approved of the redemption of the Asian-Frenchwoman assassin, Paris. It didn't sit right Hunt should be knocking this girl's head into brick walls (all very well saying he spared her life, but I wouldn't rate her chances at avoiding dementia in later life after all that head-pounding!), either from a gentlemanly position or that she'd be a match for him. Circumstances were mitigated by there being another, burly bloke, and that Hunt is getting on a bit, but still...

But the fact she betrays her boss since he tried to kill her (and succeeded, just a matter of time), and chose to assist the goodies, was a real lift to the end of the film that reminded me of Mayday in 'A View To A Kill,' one of the reasons I feel so fondly towards that as one of the better Bond films. That whole ending with the train pushing out over the crumbling bridge was a strong, physical sequence that counterbalanced the CGI visuals that I was constantly suspicious of (I didn't believe for a moment they actually dropped real carriages into the river, it didn't have the weight, though even if I was proved wrong I'd say they didn't film it to get the best out of it, if so). There had been some nice shots such as the early police car chase with a camera sticking off the end of the vehicles that gave it a different look to the usual style where the view is bolted to the car, rigid and unmoving - here you had a greater sense of flying by the seat of the trousers, jerking around in the air, but it wasn't used overmuch. Climbing up the inside of the train carriages was another example of real classic film action, and the only downside of the whole thing was that Hunt needed rescuing at all (balanced by my favour towards redemption for a villain). That's one side that I miss from those early instalments, the fearless, unstoppable confidence of the man. That ended after III as I've noted in previous reviews, perhaps 'in-universe' you can put it down to dying and being brought back to life in that film, but however much I can rationalise, I never liked it.

As fast as Hunt can pelt it along streets or rooftops he can't disguise he doesn't have the same assuredness he once did as a younger man, and that's quite sad. That says more about his ageing than his face does. He isn't unbreakable, even if he does survive so much battering and rolling throughout with nary a complaint. But is the man worried about jumping off an outcropping the same man who used to go free climbing mountains? That more than anything brought home to me the changes he's gone through over the years and I miss that steely certainty, even if they're deliberately trying to make him more human. Perhaps they went too far in his greatest trial, that of whether to kill Gabriel, his personal nemesis, or not. They need him alive to find the Sevastopol submarine and unlock the Entity (although that does make you wonder how it can be out in the world, such as being the light show at the Widow's party - either it's locked up in the sub, or it's out there controlling things, isn't it?). Or is the sub merely where it's controlled from - even then it had compromised the systems on that boat, disabling the torpedo abort switch and running false readings to get them to fire in the first place. Too many such details were unclear, as was Hunt's history with Gabriel: he murdered some woman and Hunt would like him dead. Again, missing some of the ethical edges of the hero we knew and not enough is done in the film to make his feelings seem justifiable. He has to be pulled down from the deed at gunpoint when the agents catch up with him atop the train (another link back to the first film, maybe, where he had to go after the villain on a train's roof?), whereas I was hoping he'd make the choice of his own free will.

There were shades of more potentially thought-provoking stuff to rival the AI/sentience debate, and very apt for our time, too: manipulation of emotion versus staying rational. Hunt is warned that the Entity could use his emotional situation to predict his moves and control him, and he needs to become like it to defeat it, going against the modern predilection for emotionalism being the answer ('just do whatever feels right...'). But again, it's not explored, it's merely mentioned. If they had delved into some of these things it could have been a strong entry in the series, but as it stands I felt it one of the weaker examples. Not to say it wasn't enjoyable and there'll always be plenty of nitpicks in all the films (wouldn't the sub have a secondary kill switch to knock out the torpedo in case the first failed?; was all that thumpy music good for those old buildings?; why does one of Hunt's girlfriends have to die, just Gabriel showing his mean streak?; how can they rely on any tech if the Entity has its fingers in all the pies?; and most glaring of all: a vast hall full of workers and not one person looks up at the huge glass windows and sees gas and smoke when Hunt meets with Kittridge, not to mention this guy just walking into the room and no one paying any attention!), but it's what goes beyond the basics that makes a film stand out as special, even more within a long-running series. There's an idea of this Entity being 'Godless, stateless, amoral,' and that whomever controls it controls truth itself, referring to the ability of the internet and media to sway so many's perceptions of reality and fact. That's the real scare in all this, AI just the tool to show what's possible in mass delusion in today's world. We should be grateful they tackled it at all, even in an unsatisfactory way.

I expected the Entity's ability to use their own tech against them was going to be the clever new angle, but other than removing Gabriel from security recordings (and upsetting the admittedly great Augmented Reality glasses), at the Abu Dhabi airport and later impersonating Benji's voice to throw Ethan off the chase in Venice, that threat wasn't fully realised and it was more akin to IV where they didn't have access to the latest gear as they were (wait for it...), rogue again. They seem to manage perfectly well, there isn't particularly that Bourne ingenuity of using everyday items around them to succeed, so the film didn't appear that clever in itself. Lip service is paid to Kittridge using old CRT, offline computers, but it was a bit of a throwaway. And as a whole it did come across rather a messy story with a messy villain hierarchy of goons and higher-ups, where I prefer precision, planning and perfect double-tricks along with cutting edge, knife edge danger and close calls. The idea of 'put-pocketing' as opposed to 'pick-pocketing' was a nice little trick and there's plenty of sleight of hand, but it was one of those minor things that showed they could come up with nice ideas.

So that leaves execution and it's undoubtedly slick as it should be, but there wasn't the depth and core I need to call out a good film. I'd put it above IV, but below all the others, which is a shame because it started out (as they often do), suggesting it could contain a strong and pertinent theme. Maybe it's the fact I've watched so much of the original Sixties and Seventies TV series in recent years and that made me realise Mission was always a bit silly and fantastical. I had the vague, whimsical hope a CGI Peter Graves would somehow put in an appearance, as nonsensical as that would have been! Maybe someone could have used his face as a cover? The AI concept made me think of Cyberax from 'BUGS' and that was done a whole lot better and creepier, the same year the first film came out. That puts it all in perspective somehow. I haven't even referred to the big stunt! There's always The Big Stunt, probably the main reason Cruise likes doing the series, and I was waiting for it all the way through, suddenly realising it hadn't happened yet. I assume it was the motorbike off the cliff, then wing-gliding or whatever it's called, and finally parachuting. Somehow it didn't seem that spectacular, but maybe that was down to the way it was shot? It's not a criticism and in no way affects the quality of the film either way (my least favourite, IV, has probably the best stunt: swinging around on the tallest building in the world). But as I said I went in with no knowledge or expectation and the film as a whole was in the region of the other recent ones: I quite liked a good portion of it, but it didn't excel or bring much new, and was clumsy and messy, overlong for a series that works best at speed, and doesn't buck the trend in not exploring the characters - by now they should be doing at least some of that to increase the stakes. What did we really even know about Ilsa? Not that much. Potential, but not realised, meaning it ends up a reasonably jolly little outing. It was positive in the sense there isn't much bad language, I don't remember anything gory (the fighting's all crunch and thump), with no unnecessary romantic interludes to slow things up, so I wouldn't complain about the content. It's just everything else didn't content.

**

Trial and Error

 DVD, Stargate Universe S2 (Trial and Error)

Initially I was comparing this to the classic 'TNG' time loop episode, 'Cause and Effect.' When stacked up against that it doesn't fare too well. But as it progressed it became a much more personal story that wasn't about different decisions being made, but the fitness of Colonel Young to command - it's literal mind games from the ship itself as if it could sense his mood and the weight on him, both the burden of command, but also the immoral deeds he's done that he's not happy about, like euthanising Riley earlier in the season. It seems that particular action is most heavy on his mind and now he's had news that his wife back on Earth has filed for divorce, it's all overcome his sense of perspective, preventing him from being the decisive leader the ship needs. Whether it was Destiny actually evaluating him or a necessary jab to get him to wake up and stop feeling sorry for himself it adds so much to the lore of the series because it makes you wonder what is this thing they travel in capable of? If it can get in one man's dreams to influence him, what else can it do? More and more it makes me sad that the series didn't get the necessary seasons to explore its situation thoroughly because although it's not the greatest sci-fi series out there, not even the greatest 'Stargate,' it had so much potential.

The scenes of the ship being accosted by the aliens from the previous galaxy, which should have been a marker for this being unreal on its own since how could they travel the vast distances between galaxies, were interesting, especially as they culminate in the spectacular destruction of the ship (another similarity with 'Cause and Effect'), and seeing how Young responds differently on the three occasions we witness made for a reasonably entertaining story, but those things were fairly basic and it wasn't until we discover what's going on that it takes a much more dramatic turn. I'm glad it wasn't the 'real' Scott who attacked Young (even if the real one went as far as laying hands on him to push him away when the Colonel goads him at the point he comes to encourage him to get back on the horse), as that was a sour moment, though I was impressed by Chloe's bravery, going along as a sacrifice to the aliens who have come to collect their prize, as if it was the only thing to be done. I know it wasn't the real Chloe, but it seems like something she'd do if she felt it necessary, she's not the selfish, vacuous type we saw her friends were back on Earth.

There are other little things going on, such as Eli and Gin working together and finding common ground, Greer pushing him into being more receptive to her feminine charms, but it's the main story that holds the draw as it becomes a situation where the others are questioning whether Young is being signalled out as a poor leader. Brody, who seems like the classic superstitious sailor of old Earth, believes the ship has chosen him when he returns to take control and that would have been a great, inspirational ending. Sadly, it undoes that as is the series' wont on too many occasions - it prefers to end portentously and on a downbeat note, and this one isn't an exception: it was actually Rush that found a way to bypass the test and get them back on the road, but he's so intent on maintaining his secret he'll let Young and the others think all is well. Meanwhile, the ship (we assume), in the form of Dr. Franklin, once again appears to talk things over with Rush on the Bridge, warning that danger may lie ahead even if this was only a test. I'm not quite sure why, but I liked this a lot more than when I saw it originally, and weirdly I watched it almost exactly the same time of year. I liked the strong visual contrast and there was some really strange, but appealing music at times, such as the scene where Rush visits Chloe to selfishly try and get her to look at more equations. The CGI looks great, the destruction of the ship on both occasions really... explosive, and again it just makes me wish things could have worked out better for the series and it had lasted for many more years.

I did feel that the jeopardy could be solved at any time by Rush announcing he's 'just' discovered the Bridge and can get them out of this confrontation, but for one thing it wasn't the real Rush, and for another, even if it had been, he was late on the scene so may not even have had time to go to FTL before the engines shut down, so I felt they handled the nitpicky problems well. At least Young's experiences reliving the same events over and over should make him more able to accept TJ's 'vision' of her dead baby being looked after safe and well on the planet some of their crew remained on, though I don't remember if that does happen, or not. There are plenty of strange things that have happened anyway, so at least it could give him some grounds for an open mind, at least. I suppose I should also have guessed at something being wrong when it was so relatively easy for the aliens to destroy Destiny, but then the fact it was destroyed at all, and not just overpowered, shows that this can't be reality unless it's the last episode... [checks]... nope, there's still more to come. What we need is more of this inspirational pulling themselves together and beating the odds and so on, rather than the distrust and moroseness that can infest the series sometimes.

***

Virtuoso (2)

 DVD, Voyager S6 (Virtuoso) (2)

It does come across as an inconsequential comedy at first, as the Doctor reaches new heights of conceitedness when he inadvertently introduces a condescending, arrogant race to music and becomes an overnight sensation. It's yet another examination of fandom, a theme that has run through a couple of episodes already this season, and who would be a better tool to use for such an exploration than the Prince of Puffed-Up, Lord of the Big Head, the Great and Magnificent Emergency Medical Holographic Maestro himself: The DOCTORRRRRR! Tool is the operative word in that sentence, and that potential dichotomy of his personhood versus his use is the point things take a turn towards hitherto unseen depths in the story. It's fun, if irrelevant to see this race of little people go from dismissive arrogance towards the assistance of Voyager's 'inferior' crew, to hanging on the Doctor's every note, giving him everything he wants in order to perform to the masses and thrill an entire culture of Qomar. As opposed to the Komar. Or the Pommar. Or the Pomers (no, wait, Scarlett Pomers played Naomi Wildman and she does not appear). There really wasn't much to say about the episode until it was more than half over and I was genuinely wondering why I had this down in memory as one of the classics of the series. Had my taste in comedy changed so much that what I'd previously considered hilarious was now mildly irritating, taking the Doctor's deficiencies too far?

No. I hadn't been wrong, it just takes a long while for the episode to kick into gear. The Doctor's personal character flaws, his shallowness in responding so wholeheartedly to anyone that sees him as he sees himself, playing his ego like a harp, can only get a story so far, and we've seen it many times as his program grew. It makes sense that he should be so, since his template was that of an imperfect man of large character flaws himself, and what Man makes will always have the flaws of Man within it (one reason the whole issue of artificial intelligence is such a hot topic these days). The Doc was never some cold AI machine, he was invested with all the training and lore of compassion and care. Not perhaps from his programming (as we can see from his early activations where he had little understanding of how to treat people), which was designed merely as supplementary to ship's Chief Medical Officer, but through his interactions with people he came to call friends, specifically Kes (from his perspective as pupil of 'human' nature), and latterly Seven (as mentor). It is these friends that he's so quick to abandon when he sees the opportunity to seize his dream of being loved for who he is rather than the medical expertise he was created to perform. His own interests have taken him to music, so music has become his defining feature, or one of them, and when this race seems to appreciate the very thing that is unique to his own choices rather than being predetermined, he feels validation and that appeals to him more than any sense of duty.

This is where the episode takes off, practically vertically as we're plunged into an argument between he and the Captain over whether he should be treated the same as any other member of the crew. We've already seen she's accepting of a person's need to leave the ship since they are in such a unique position, as in 'The 37's' when she gave the whole crew the choice to stay or go. Since then they've only grown closer and I wonder if the choice would be offered again, that seemed more like a once in a lifetime moment, but no one chose to stay and it vindicated Janeway's magnanimity in allowing people to make their own decision, even if it meant the whole ship and its mission to return home could be put in jeopardy. I wish the Doctor had actually cited that episode, but then 'Voyager' was not quite as careful about recalling continuity within itself as some Treks. Unintentionally funny was the fact that Harry Kim is brought up as the example by which he might be allowed to leave, the Doc citing a hypothetical situation where he meets a woman and decides to stay with her (not so funny when you think of his misdemeanour in 'The Disease' last season, not to mention his unfortunate experience in 'Favourite Son'), and Janeway says it's not the same thing, thereby implying Harry's not that important! I know that's not what she meant, but that's how it jumped out at me! On top of that he adds another failure to his record when one young Qomarian woman accosts him in the Mess Hall only to ask for an introduction to the Doctor!

The argument brought us to the heart of what the story was about, because up until then it was merely covering old ground in the Doc's love of appreciation. The argument itself is old ground, but never before has he wished to leave - he's not just responding to the adoration of being an opera star, he's under the impression that Tincoo, the woman who took a particular interest in him, cares for him beyond even his novelty value and singing abilities. He thinks he's found something permanent that has been missing in his life on Voyager, and with the side order of planetary fame it seems like an offer he can't turn down. But it is an alien culture and he hasn't understood it, blinded by his own pleasure at the universal acceptance and love he's received. It goes back and forth on whether Janeway sees him as a part of the ship's systems or as a person. Interestingly, I only just watched the 'DSC' Season 4 episode, '...But To Connect' in which it's stated the Federation of the 33rd Century don't allow sentient AI to be integrated into ship's systems, which is exactly what the Doctor is - perhaps he was the precedent and I wished they'd mentioned him. The reality is that he is considered every bit a member of Voyager's crew, not merely a piece of technology they rely on. He even admits later that the medical side of his life hasn't been that fulfilling since he rarely gets to push the envelope in the work he does, another sign that he's grown far beyond his original programming, but also a good reminder that life isn't always creative and stimulating, sometimes it can be drudgery and it's about being able to cope with that.

For good or ill he has become an essential member, one of the most important people because of what he can do. But it's not only that, it's also the fact that people genuinely care for him, as shown by the lukewarm reception he gets when he goes to say goodbye - Paris is more bewildered than anything (which may explain his saying he's been helping out for three years - I was sure it'd been pre-Season 3 when he became a nurse or medic training in Sickbay, wasn't it at first a way to see Kes more? But according to the Encylopedia it was in Season 4's 'Revulsion,' so perhaps that was the time he was permanently in that capacity maybe only an occasional extra prior to that?), but it's Seven who has the strongest reaction (barring the Captain's initial dismay and disgust with his decision). Once again Jeri Ryan displays what an incredible range she has in such simple ways, endearing her to us yet again (shame she can't manage it in 'Picard'!) - the sullen, sulky exchange, followed by a lingering look after the Doctor's left her Cargo Bay home, says so much. And she it is that takes it to a whole new level at the end, concluding the episode in typically (for the Golden Age of Trek, anyway!), moving and meaningful form when she gives the Doctor one last fan letter. At first he thinks she's come to gloat, not realising his loss would have meant so much to her, and it really kicks the episode up another gear, if the mix of dreams crushed and humiliation hadn't already reached the heights.

We've seen the Doctor learn his lesson before, but he's never quite gone as far as he did this time, actually handing in his resignation for a new life as the star of another culture. It was a hard road for him to travel, the great heights of fame and adoration meant he had a long way to fall. Maybe it's a fable about false expectations brought about by the skewing of reality as experienced through fame, but it's the personal that matters, the care of those close, family and friends, not strangers that care only about their own fantasy or an idealised image which can cause a person to lose themselves. The first half isn't as enjoyable because it does take things too far (essential as it was to cruelly build the Doctor's hopes so stratospherically), perhaps discussing fan mail, having an autograph signing, or Tom and Chakotay mentioning rock and roll gives things the step too far towards our reality and time (and you can see how modern Trek has gone even further along that road to the extent they talk like us, have the same attitudes and views about everything, and even behaviour, making it laughable it's supposed to be a future society!), but Trek at this time was still maintaining a sense of culture and high class about itself - if the Doc really had taken up playing rock guitar (like another famous doctor, the awful modern 'Dr. Who'), it would have lost that sense of poignancy that his performances of opera or folksongs had. It's also much easier to comprehend the extreme lack of taste the Qomar had when they replaced him and his beautiful singing voice with a mathematically improved version to appeal to their specific appreciation of such things.

Mr. Kim had a third strike out in the episode, his first in fact: he brings his old clarinet out again (there's some good continuity), to mild displeasure on the Qomars' side. Poor guy, he doesn't have a good episode. I could say the same about the majority of the cast in terms of failing to give them good B-stories - B'Elanna is allowed to turn the tables and utter a traditionally Trek doctor retort ("I'm an engineer, not a costume designer"), and Neelix, Chakotay, Kim and Tuvok also have little worthwhile to do. I don't need everyone to appear every time or all to have significant scenes, but they could have been worked in better and it did become the template for too much of the series to focus on the Doctor, Janeway and Seven of Nine, no matter how good they were here (and they were very good). Seven throws up a question about shipboard etiquette when she's able to order a Red Alert from Astrometrics, much to the Captain's surprise. This could indicate she bypassed protocols in her hurry to react to what she saw as an alien incursion (flooding them with junk mail), or it could mean that Janeway was only surprised that it was a Red Alert out of the blue rather than one that hadn't been activated by a superior officer. Could it be like a fire alarm in our buildings today so if anyone sees something dangerous they can set it off? I prefer the idea that only whoever's on duty on the Bridge can activate it and Seven was simply doing what she's done so often and taking matters into her own hands.

The only other thing I would mention is you can tell when Voyager is a creation of CGI and when it's the model, not only due to the familiar stock footage always being used that makes it stand out when it's not, the CGI has a slightly plasticky sheen to it as if moulded out of a different material than the solid model. Highly detailed plasticine, maybe? It didn't detract, and I would even say the other vessels and station, all that busy Qomar space, looked fine, so it must be more to do with familiarity with how Voyager looks that it would be more difficult to trick the eye with what was still relatively early computer graphics, something the series sometimes fell down on. The guest cast didn't have any familiar faces, largely because they were representing a race of peculiarly short stature, not something that comes up all that often, but there was one face in the audience that I thought I recognised - he wasn't credited, but according to Memory Alpha he was Leonard John Crofoot an actor dating back to the first season of 'TNG' when he played Trent in 'Angel One' and later, the unfinished form of Lal in 'The Offspring,' the latter in which he also went uncredited. I wonder how that came about, it was such a minor role, but I'm glad I wasn't imagining that I recognised him!

****

Cloverdale

 DVD, Stargate Universe S2 (Cloverdale)

Where did they get the flamethrowers from? Surely they couldn't have brought them along in the emergency evacuation from Icarus Base, they were in a big hurry and could only bring so much. Could they manufacture them, were there parts on Destiny? You know an episode isn't quite engaging enough when you fixate on the technical details, and I already remembered this one as being somewhat of a disappointment. Because in other respects it's classic 'Stargate': a character is infected by something, they lie dying, they live out an illusory or imaginary life featuring people they know in different roles... It's been done so many times on 'SG-1' and 'Atlantis' as to become a trope, but it's usually a good one, or at least I generally think of episodes like that as being so, even if they can sometimes end up a little inconsequential since, after all, it was 'all a dream.' It does go somewhere in the end with Chloe risking her life to get infected by the alien Triffids - did she really think she'd have immunity? I suppose she could have, but at the time she simply wanted to stay with Scott as he lay dying when all non-combatants were ordered to withdraw. So I wasn't entirely sure if it was a selfless or selfish action: save his life or die together. It was certainly a rash course to take, but nothing ventured, nothing gained, and that was the case here.

Where the episode falls down is in painting a fantasy land that isn't very meaningful, unless they're saying Scott doesn't want to commit to his girl in holy matrimony, just wants the fun, and maybe that will wear out its welcome in the end. It wasn't a very positive message, and although it would probably have been clear right away that this reality isn't real, I tend to prefer they keep it a mystery for the character to work out over time. When it began it could easily have been a flashback to a time when Scott and Greer returned from a tour of duty abroad, but then we're introduced to Young as his Dad and Eli as the brother of his intended, Chloe. It just comes across as very by-the-numbers storytelling, without surprise or a great deal of drama - it's not likely he'll die. He could have lost an arm, that might have made a new arc for the character, and I'm sure with alien tech they could eventually grow him a new one if required. As it is, it's clear what's happening, they don't even bother to try and keep up any mystery and there's no connection to his past or something he's got to overcome. It does tie into the ongoing concern over what might be happening to Chloe since she has alien DNA in her, and since the transfusion, he will too, but as a story on its own not a lot happens.

The effects were fine, Greer enjoyed himself blasting out fire and it showed the depth of his friendship and level of determination that he was intent on holding the 'gate area until the time was up, just in case a way could be found to revive his friend. And he's proved right to have that faith and attitude of not giving up while there's a chance. Of course Rush continues to be the bad guy since he could have made sure Destiny didn't leave, but they didn't even touch on that. I suppose it could get old if they have him on the Bridge every single episode being gently goaded by the image of his dead wife about how many lives have been lost because of the game he's playing. There were a couple of memorable points about the episode: seeing one of the creatures get vaporised by a Stargate was a good reminder of the deadly power that blast of transparent liquid holds. And it was good to see a version of Telford again, this time only in Scott's dream or imaginings as a local Sheriff that gives the drunken posse a lift home post-stag night. But in spite of being memorable in the sense that it's a unique episode in this particular series it's also rather bland and they could have done so much more with a fantasy environment. It didn't push the envelope or go a step further than the same stories done before in the rest of 'Stargate.' One question I had was whether the cinema they filmed at was the same building used in 'Smallville' as the Talon because it and the street looked very similar. Though I'm sure plenty of streets in America look like that - except they were both shot in Canada, so...

**