zorro6204

It's the neck pillow, I just can't deal with it. First off, there's zero sense that any humanoid would evolve such a thing. It apparently serves no function, and it would make the head tremendously top heavy. Further, why would one individual have dark skin with a three-lobed neck pillow, and other green skin with a two? That can't happen, in any galaxy.

What's especially galling is the primitive special effects they use to create the neck pillows, it's quite obviously make of stuffed animal synthetic fur, and you can even see the seams on the side where they sewed it together. Millions per episode, and they can't do better than 1950's era "Invaders from Mars" (where you could see the zippers on the "Martian" costumes)? They didn't want to deal with the transition between skin and neck pillow, so they have the pillow race people wear some kind of stupid head gear to hide it. I mean, does the green skin woman really need some kind of leather head gear with goggles, all the time? Does she sleep in it? Must stink after awhile.

There is some sort of plot, who cares, and it's post empire, so at least there are no clone storm troopers who can't hit the broad side of a barn with their laser pistols. But no matter how much you want to enjoy the somewhat decent effects, every time Dawson appears with that stuffed animal around her neck, you lose any connection. Oh, and let's not forget the muppet-like pet cat thing, which is animated so poorly you can't even see it eat. Unacceptable.

The story doesn't really grab, it's all over the place, but what I can't get past is to suspend belief in the basic setup. Humans with ram's horns on their heads? How would that ever develop? Ridiculous.

But the real issue is the wings. First, when they're not flying, they walk around with pieces of fabric down their backs. There's no use pretending they're wings, they're cloth. The effects department blew it so bad with that, it's impossible to gloss over. But never mind, it's what happens when the wings go in motion that's the real problem. First, they're way too flimsy and way too small to carry the weight of even a small human, that's so obvious. Second, where's the massive musculature required to make them beat? After all, most of the weight of a bird is in the breast muscles that flap the wings, that's where your Chick-Fil-A sandwich comes from. And if those overweight chickens can't even dream of lifting off, what chance does a human have, with no additional muscle at all?

You could say, well, you're being picky, this is fantasy, you're suppose to overlook common sense. But in this case, the violations of physics and biology are so gross, it's just not doable. I just have to laugh when I see some dude with horns. Silly.

This thing is just flat out bizarre, I won't even bother to explain the plot. It's so Dramatic and Important, as the endless exposition assures us, countless subtitles, eye straining to watch. The acting is overblown and unprofessional, and the influence of CCP censoring bewildering. And yet, it is entertaining, if one has the energy to pay attention. I guess I'm glad I've watched (so far), not sure I would recommend anyone else do so. Give episode one a shot, if you turn it off half way through, totally understandable. If you get through that with any kind of curiosity for what follows, okay, I get that too. But in no sense can you say this is a good TV production, that would purely be a fan boy sentiment.

Ed: Now that we're deeper in, I'd also add that while the exposition subtitles have slowed down, so has the plot. There's been long excursions into the Cultural Revolution that could have condensed to about ten minutes, and a video game that somehow is necessary to the "plot", but drags considerably, episodes worth. The last eight or so episodes could have been two just as well. The acting hasn't improved at all, the most natural actor so far has been the lead guy's little daughter.

CCP input is more obvious as well, the current time in the series is apparently 2008, so they could run breathless TV announcers talking about how well the Olympics preparations are going. There's no other reason I can see to set it in the past, aside from state cheerleading. The "combat zone" guys are great, they are obviously intended to be Russian or American, but they never mention countries at all. Naturally China leads this crazy organization, which was apparently formed before they even knew who they were in combat with. As of episode 16, they still don't, and we sure as heck don't know either.

Ed: We're now up to episode 27, and it's devolved into a drawn out history of one of the main characters that could have been done in one episode, and is now into, like, 10? Endless. At least the "combat zone" people know the enemy now, though it may take years for it to appear . . . This is technically only part one! It doesn't help that the actor in question is a piece of wood. Oh, and absolutely ridiculous science has developed in the plot, absurd stuff. Ah well, only three more to go.

I would be derelict not calling attention to the "actor" who plays Mike Evans. In one of the (3?) meeting episodes he's seen from a distance, and even then I noticed that he seemed to be moving and talking in a strange way. Now we get to meet him close up (still on the above biography theme), and my goodness, it's difficult to overstate how awful he is. They also appear to be dubbing in Chinese when he speaks, there are disconnected sequences in the audio. Real douche chills stuff.