Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Between 3 and 5 p.m. in real time, November 23, 2008
"24:Redemption", two-hours long TV movie that premiered last night, is a "bridge" connecting the last season that ended 18 months ago and the new one which we, the fans of the show have been waiting impatiently and which is scheduled to open in January 2009. The film takes place in real time format, just like all episodes do. After watching it, I am excited about upcoming season and I hope that 24 - Season 7 will be more like season 1 than season 6. Judging by the movie, "24: Redemption", there are many reasons for hope. The film is thrilling, gripping, it uses every one of its minutes effectively, and it is much more plausible with its plot and Jack's relations and intentions. It was a good idea to take Jack out of LA and place him in one of hot places on the planet, Sangala, the fictional country in Africa, with very real problems that look too familiar. Jack is back, and he is in great shape, still invincible, resourceful, the man of action who would not lose ability to think clearly and to make the right decision even when being brutally tortured. I am truly sorry that we may not see Robert Carlyle again - the chemistry between him and Sutherland was very real, and their last scene together moved me like not many scenes during all seasons did. But who knows, nothing is what it seems when it comes to 24. Jon Voight's presence promises a creepy dangerous villain, and if the writers of the series keep up with what they did for the movie, we are in for thrilling, entertaining, unforgettable 24 hours from the life of one very special Federal Agent, Jack Bauer.
|
|
|
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Just what the series needed, January 21, 2009
This is definitely what the 24 series needed! So what would 24 be like if Jack Bauer wasn't at CTU? What would it be like if it wasn't set in Los Angeles, California? Awesome is the answer to these questions. Season 6 had me wavering as a 24 fan. Granted I still think the character is great, but Season 6 was just plagued with bad writing! Jack's dad was the cause behind the problems way too many times for it to be shocking by the end and it lost that edge of your seat action feel without the shocking conclusions.
Anyway "Redemption" has Jack on the run, which is no secret to those who saw the end of last season. Apparently he's already fled to a bunch of different places and we finally catch up with Jack in Africa. It does sort of feel like a cliché rip off of the "Blood Diamond" story in some respects, but honestly they managed to keep me entertained well enough. This really isn't a movie by any stretch of the imagination; this is more of a prequel to Season 7. Which, judging by the way this ended, should be a very interesting season. I won't really give much more than that away as the story is very intriguing and was as action packed as you'd expect from 24.
With missing a whole year of 24, I think this prequel was a great idea in order to bring people up to speed with the next season and to give more depth to Jack's character. The new setting with the war torn Africa was a pretty good choice in my opinion and definitely kept viewers on the edge of their seat, as 24 is supposed to do. At this point I don't think anyone who isn't a fan already will pick this up, so if you're a fan of the show I can't imagine you wouldn't find this enjoyable.
|
|
|
14 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Shows us why "24" only works as a series, not as a movie, December 19, 2008
Let me start by saying that I love "24." I love each season for its own particular strengths. I even loved Season 6, with all of its flaws. But as for "24: Redemption," I can only say that it's...OK. Granted, the producers had a pretty big hurdle to overcome from the outset, with 18 months of anticipation having built up. But the movie was operating under so many constraints that it never developed any of the depth that makes the series more than just an action show. It was as if the producers were expecting us to be so wowed by the exotic African and DC locations that we wouldn't notice that the story was weak. Having Jack trying to rescue a group of poor, oppressed African children was not only stereotypical, but it tried to play on the sympathies of the audience in the most blatant manner imaginable. Having the child soldier pointing a rifle at Jack while repeating "Kill the cockaroach" over and over, before running away in terror at the supposed power of Jack's words, gets my vote as probably the worst moment ever in any episode of "24." And, of course, they managed to cram in the obligatory torture scene from which Jack immediately recovers without missing a beat. I think the main problem was that they tried to give us two storylines in only two hours. They usually have 24 hours in which to develop a story. As a result, neither plot-line really ever went any place interesting. If the makers of "24" ever return to their idea of making a "24" feature film, they really need to learn some lessons from this experiment, because for me it proved that "24" can't work in a two-hour format without some serious overhaul. After all, everyone knows that Jack and company (except for those who get offed) are eventually going to stop the terrorists, before the season even starts. It's the little moments that make "24" great for me. I love it when Mandy the assassin is reduced to tears by the death of her girlfriend, while she stands in the crosshairs, in the first season. I love the conversation that Senator Palmer has with the two vandals who break his windows in Season 1. I love Palmer's impeachment in season 2, and the pained look on Mike Novick's face throughout. I love the final moments between Jack and Chappelle in season three. I love Michelle's farewell to Gael, also in season three (probably my favorite season). I love it when Jack robs the convenience store in season four. I love the look on Lynn McGill's face as he helplessly watches a fellow CTU agent die, in season five. And I love it when Assad says "You've taken the wrong path, Shaheed" as he kills the friend who betrayed him in season six. These are the kinds of moments you lose when you have to strip everything down to two hours, and for me, "Redemption" showed that the action and intrigue alone aren't enough to make it stand out from the plethora of similar shows and movies. I'll leave my critique at that. I'm sure that other diehard "24" fans will end up buying the DVD, anyway, but for those who are new to "24," I'll just say that this is not the best starting point. Stick to the series. And I hope that Season 7 ends up being much better than this.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Kiefer Sutherland
DVD ~ Kiefer Sutherland
DVD ~ Matthew Fox
DVD ~ Daniel Craig
DVD ~ Angelina Jolie
