Extinction

As long as we recognize Lucas is washed up and most TV sucks, we'll all get along fine.
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Leisher
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Extinction

Post by Leisher »

Yay Netflix!

Aliens are invading Earth, and Michael Pena has been experiencing visions of the coming trouble. Is he psychic or is his employer up to no good?

How to put this without spoilers... (I may fail, so if you want to go in fresh, stop reading.)

I was entertained, but there's a moment halfway through the film that pissed me off.

There's misdirection, and there's blatant lying. When filmmakers lie it's because the story wasn't well written. I was pissed because I was lied to, and they did that so that moment midway through would have a large impact. I appreciate the effort, but it's bullshit. All I thought about from that point forward was they had lied, and continued their lie.

Again, I was entertained, and Pena is great, but there's a big flaw in the film. (It gets REALLY big in the final scene too.)
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
Leisher
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Post by Leisher »

“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Cakedaddy
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Post by Cakedaddy »

I didn't think it was too bad. But I agree with the other review. Those kids. Holy geez. It's not often I root for the death of a child. Also, there were a lot of crappy horror film things. By that I mean, I found myself asking "Why are they doing that right now? That is so stupid."
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Post by Leisher »

Cakedaddy wrote: By that I mean, I found myself asking "Why are they doing that right now? That is so stupid."
The question many people ask during invasion films: "Why don't they just kill everything from orbit?" absolutely applies here.

There's also a current weapon that would have ended the movie before it even started...
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Cakedaddy
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Post by Cakedaddy »

I don't know if the 'kill from orbit' applies here. To me, that's a scorched Earth policy which implies resource gathering only. In this case, they needed the cities intact.

Mine were things like: "There are bad guys with guns chasing you. Why are you going to take a time out and hug your kids? Oh, look at that. There they are. You better start running again with your kids now."

And I want to know what they lied about in the middle. I think I know. But want to know.
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Post by Leisher »

Cakedaddy wrote: In this case, they needed the cities intact.
I disagree. That wasn't the point of the invasion nor the massive bomb that's detonated almost immediately wiping out half the city.
Cakedaddy wrote: "There are bad guys with guns chasing you. Why are you going to take a time out and hug your kids? Oh, look at that. There they are. You better start running again with your kids now."
I know exactly what you're talking about and had the same thought.
Cakedaddy wrote: And I want to know what they lied about in the middle. I think I know. But want to know.
It wasn't that they lied in the middle, it's that the whole movie is a lie prior to the middle.

For anyone reading, everything I'm about to say are spoilers, so run away if you want to go in fresh: The design of the aliens is a complete lie. Go look at their suit. What the fuck is with all the bubbles? It's intentionally made to look alien, but there's no functional need. Nobody needs large bubbles on the back of their thighs. Also, the machines with their dangling arms and whatnot made zero sense for functional design. Again, they were intentionally created as a means of fooling the viewers. That's shit. Also, we never really learned about where to kill shot "them". Seems to me the power source would be the ideal spot, yet the one in the elevator took a direct shot to the head and that's it. The whole movie seemed like it was about the twist and they didn't have a good idea on how to get to it or away from it.
“Every record been destroyed or falsified, books rewritten, pictures repainted, statues, street building renamed, every date altered. The process is continuing day by day. History stops. Nothing exists except endless present in which the Party is right.”
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Cakedaddy
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Post by Cakedaddy »

**** More spoilery talk ******



I didn't interpret that bomb wiping out half the city. Blew out all of the windows, but didn't do a ton of structural damage. Plus, we wanted our planet/cities back. Why destroy everything? Kick them out and move back in. Agreed the suits were over kill. "We didn't even know if we could still breath the air". Ok, fine. Hell, machines don't have to breath at all so they could fuck some atmosphere up. But all the add on stuff (yellow balls)? Ok, that's your life support, I guess. Why's it so vulnerable. You have colonized Mars. You don't have better portable life support? Hint, copy the stuff they made in 1960, just make it better. Ok, major misdirection with the suits. Lies: I saw two.
1. The girl's face in his flashback dreams was not half blown off. I'll have to rewatch to see if maybe they cut the scene before you see that side. But I would have noticed half her face gone if they were showing it.
2. The chittering sound the invaders made. Implies an insect race or something. It also went away once it was revealed the invaders were human. I don't remember hearing it again the rest of the movie.

Lastly, what was with the girl's parents. "They killed them because they were human" Were humans adopting robots? Again, misdirection to make the viewer believe the two main characters are shot. It even seemed they put them in the same clothes as the main characters in the flashbacks.


I still liked the movie because humans invading after being invaded and kicked off was a good idea and story. Just so many details/mistakes/poor choices that made it not as good.




EDIT:
After a quick skim, they didn't cheat with the little girl's face in the flashback. It's there, but the quick motion of the girl aiming the gun, short scene, etc makes you miss it. Along with you just assuming she doesn't have half her face blown off.

And I still stand with my though the 'bomb' didn't take out half the city. Saw no major explosions (fireballs), no crumbling buildings, etc. Just glass (that doesn't cut people) being blown everywhere.
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Post by Leisher »

Cakedaddy wrote: I don't remember hearing it again the rest of the movie.
It's there. It was loud and proud during the subway scene.
Cakedaddy wrote: Saw no major explosions (fireballs), no crumbling buildings, etc. Just glass (that doesn't cut people) being blown everywhere.
All the buildings were completely trashed. I think on this point you're way off.

The idea for the film was interesting, it just was a piss poor execution.
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Post by GORDON »

It.was.ok... which seems to describe most Netflix productions. Ok to good.

The kids are less annoying once you figure robot kids wouldn't be programmed to deal with crisis.
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Post by Cakedaddy »

One was though. Plus, these guys were all self aware, so, beyond programming.
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Post by GORDON »

In 50 years, they never matured. Seems being a dumb kid was hard wired.
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Post by Cakedaddy »

Good point. The 'older one' handled stress better, but never grew up. I guess no one ever aged. They didn't know they were robots either. They never questioned never aging? Did they go in for routine memory adjustments to deal with that? Part of the memory erase. So, self aware, but stuck in their development.

Erase their memory so they don't remember they murdered a bunch of humans and kicked them off their planet. Also, erase their knowledge that they are robots. Make them think they are human. Erase the knowledge of aging.
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Post by GORDON »

Doesnt really sound... Smart. But I guess if they were never going to grow and change... If their "self awareness" was.the most basic form of.emotion... then maybe erasing their memories was truly the only way they could forgive themselves.

I bet they all.killed.a.bunch of human kids in their uprising.
"Be bold, and mighty forces will come to your aid."
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