Anyway, my thoughts without spoiling.
The acting is pretty good throughout. There are parts here and there that could have used an extra take or two (Mainly with Jimm Johnson/James Culhane, who played Garrovick). The effects are trying to recreate the 1960's feel. What I get from it though is that this is what TOS trek would have looked like with a bigger budget.
The sets are flawless, and the story is engaging and VERY TOS. That's a plus for me. There is an issue with act one being quieter than the rest.
What is obvious is that a lot of love went into this. Especially if what I read about the temperature in the studio is true. You can tell on a few of the actors as they're really sweating at times.
Anyway, as far as fan films go, this is probably among the best.
Edit: The following was added on May 11th 2013
Just re-watched TTI again. I have to add more to what I wrote above.
This is the only TOS fan film I have seen that feels 'right'. The acting may not be perfect from beginning to end, but it doesn't matter because I am able to lose myself in the story of what's going on.
Productions like Phase II and Continues just feel like facsimiles of TOS, due to them recasting Kirk, Spock and McCoy. No matter how well Vic Mignogna can impersonate Kirk in Continues, or no matter how much a like Doc John in Phase II, they'll never be Kirk and McCoy.
As I dislike reading Elder Scrolls stories that feature the Dragonborn, I'm starting to feel the same way about TOS fan films that use the original characters, or where we meet the ancestor's of future characters in the other shows (Tasha Yar's Grandmother in Phase II B&F). I've seen Kirk and Spock in TOS, give me something else. Also don't use stunt casting to try and draw me in.
This is where Starship Exeter's second episode really did it right. They don't have any familiar actors, or characters (Chang was in their first episode which I thought wasn't particularly well done), and they don't mention the Enterprise or Kirk, even though Garrovick has a tenuous connection with them.
His uncle died while commanding the Farragut when a young ensign/lieutenant? Kirk was unable to fire on a cloud creature. You also have the fact that Exeter's previous crew were all killed, and Kirk was the one that found it in orbit of the planet that promised 'eternal youth' with the demented Captain Ronald Tracey.
I feel other fan films would have shoehorned the mentioning of Kirk and/or the Enterprise in, but it's not needed.
Ten years it took to get this out of the door, and I must say that it isn't disappointing. Not in the slightest.
I really enjoyed the episode, and I think almost all the reviews get it right. I have one thing I feel that should be called out, because it's been bugging me.
ReplyDeleteI am posting anonymously because I'm a coward. The thing that really kept grating on me was Harris's "British" accent, which is not good even though her acting is fine. I can't figure out why, after hearing her do it, the accent wasn't written out of the character. There truly is no need for her to be English, and she certainly doesn't sound like she is. I doubt even those people who aren't accent freaks like me would believe that she is from the UK.
I have very little else to complain about, because the rest of the show is of high quality.
Her English "British" accent was better than Doohan's Scottish accent. :)
DeleteThe accent didn't bother me personally, but I can see why it could be a gripe. Maybe it's the 23rd century British accent. :D
Fair enough!
DeleteI like your use of the word 'shoehorn' to describe how elements are crammed into the script as I too use that word in my own reviews of Fan-Made trek. And yes, Exeter avoids the ol' shoehorn and the episode is all the better for it.
ReplyDelete