Dorian_Hawkmoon
........I did however research it with CHUM, Scifi, and other companies involved in this new show. Yes, they were all happy and excited, no surprise there then they have to be, after all it's there money not mine... not yet anyway. I've watched the trailer, I've read the press releases and so on.What did I learn about "Ice Planet - 2001"? It was a pilot for an intended new show that is now in production and is to air later this year in the UK on the Sci-Fi channel and Canada.The bits I've seen (as they are) are few and would amount for about 40-50 mins of the film. So about half of the film. The bits show some great CGI, some nasty bad guys that you never really meet, so they are presented in a dark fashion. I was reminded of the "Shadows" in B5. The science is not to fantastic, say like ST:TNG, so is more believable than some shows.The story, now this is an fun point, there are simply hundreds of hints, and comments through out, (the half of the film I've seen) the show seems to want to want to explore the "Why are we here"? and a little like SG1 opens up a door to the possibility to human kind being a old race that can be found all over the universe. Now thats not a bad story, has it been done before, yes it has but was it done in this way, no not like this, will it work, only time will tell.The cast is to be completely change, and will now include Michael Ironside as Commander Trager. So we have a "Hard man" playing a hard man role, thats not bad , what about other actors, well nothing has been announced, so we will have to see.As I read the messages, the acting and the ending are the bits that make people angry. Well to answer the acting, new unknown people trying to break into the Lime light, more effort is needed. Wes Studi was Commander Trager, who is Wes? We all loved him in "Last of the Mohican's", so a complete change of story for him then! I'd like to see him in the new show, maybe he could play as the character Blade, he would work well in that role. In all not bad for a crew of almost completely new people. 5/10The CGI, is clean, neat and fast, no joins unlike some shows actually on air today! Now to the ending ..... um...... shame on you guys, the ending works, it is supposed to throw you out the window ..... it is only confusing if you didn't follow the story, you need to note the hints that odd comment mentioned as you were watching...guys I could see it without watching the whole film. What on earth were you doing? Anyone that watched Matrix, picked up on such bits and pieces, I was able to do that here and I only watched bits. Go figure!It looks like it wants to be a complex story that is being told in a simple manner, whats not to understand here? In all this promises to be a clean, maybe a very clever show.I've given this film an eight, good idea for a story, great CGI, the writers are aware of where they want to go, unlike some writers for shows that are on air today....."An edit: I watched the film in full (I brought the DVD) the story is nice even clever. It's not to clear about what the reasons are for the situation, a planned aspect of the story telling that does let it down. Best advice I can offer you is not to place this pilot on the same shelf as the new upcoming TV series. Put it lower, save space for the 2006/7 version on the upper shelf!!"
mvanzwam
Yes, indeed, the acting is abominable and some of the characters are corny, and some of the takes take the speed out of the proceedings.... yes, this is all true, BUT:The handful of clues (hopefully not RED herrings) strewn throughout the movie gave me the hope that this one - at last - would be the dreamed SciFi movie to top all other movies in the field of such intriguing questions as: "Where does mankind come from?" And WHY? "are there others out there in the vast universe?" "Do we - both individually and as mankind - have a mission to complete, and - if so - what is it?" "will all questions mankind ever had be answered someday?"I would like to know more about Ice Planet and of course I have a burning question: "will this movie ever be followed up by a complete series?" If anyone knows more about it, please, answer.
macetace
Let me state with explaining the summary, The ending of the movie stinks, thats all i'm going to say not to spoil it.I thought the movie was not bad, I actually enjoyed it I did have a feeling it was meant for TV though, every 30 minutes or so there was a "fade to black" and I actually was waiting for the commercials. The acting in the movie was not really good, I think the person who did the casting in this film was either blind, deaf of stoned out of his skull, the main "bad boy" (when you see the movie you'll know who I mean) had a weird accent, reminded me of Antonio Banderas, maybe he was trying to be I don't know, but when you look beyond that it was an great movie (for a B flick). still gave it 5 out of 10 (not feeling generous today)
Altuniverz
Even if this is not a perfect movie, it's packed with powerful ideas (isn't that what sci-fi is supposed to be) and some spectacular effects and Special FX locations. After an attack by an unknown alien entity on a series of human outposts in the solar system, a crew is thrown thru a time-space portal in an alien world where ancient alien conflicts set the agenda - what's cool (besides really great special FX battle scenes), is how haunting much of the film is, and how different the new world is.The acting isn't the greatest in all places although some of it is just fine. Wes Stdi seemed not to have a director -probably there could have been a better choice for the lead. Still, independent pictures that have ambition are the heart of an exciting time in movie-land. This film meets that test.Great concept, great originality.
