Firebeetle
Explorer
Saw this one last night, and I'm one of the rare people on the planet who has seen the original.
The original was a total product of its era. In the early 70's questioning of all institutions we have a tale of an isolated island community that has reverted back to its ancestral ways, including fertility rites and sacrifice. With a young Edward Woodward (from "The Equalizer" of the 80's) and Christopher Lee as Lord Summersisle (he has said it is his favorite film.) It also has nudity, people fornicating in fields (without explanation), and two musical numbers (one given by a naked girl wanting fornication, go figure.) It's a weird, weird movie that has a cult following but little else going for it.
I thought for sure the remake would be different. The previews implied a much scarier movie than the first. The director stated his movie would not be the same story.
Sadly, it is.
How this movie got made the first time is mystery enough, twice is just incredible. I don't believe I sat through the same bizarre, lame story twice! The new movie is simply a better edited, but not always better written, version of the first one. This time the characters are better interrelated but you still never manage to emotionally connect with them, especially Cage in what may be one of his worst performances ever. The colony is now completely matriarchal. The colony raises honey instead of just crops, and the Cage character is allergic to bees (you see where that is going, don't worry, he recovers completely in THE NEXT SCENE.) The beehive allegory is kept throughout, with hexagonal fields, windows, tables, and everything else. Lord Summersisle is replaced with a Sister Summersisle (the queen bee) and women fill all speaking roles. It is implied that the men of the island have their tongues removed, but this is never followed up with. Cage has an eerie encounter on the road as the film's first scene, this is never explained. The ending, which didn't work the first time, still doesn't work.
For the Gamer:
There is some content for gamers here. The isolated island where everyone is named for a plant that has a dread agenda is a worthy setting. Sister Summersisle would make a terrific villain. The island's religious practices and subjugation of men shows a culture that does terrible things without necessarily being evil, just real different and more than a little misguided. Of course there is a ruined church, a crypt, and the wicker man (I believe Creature Collection II has a Wicker Man monster.) I can't recommend seeing this movie, but there is something to take away from it should you find yourself watching it anyway.
The original was a total product of its era. In the early 70's questioning of all institutions we have a tale of an isolated island community that has reverted back to its ancestral ways, including fertility rites and sacrifice. With a young Edward Woodward (from "The Equalizer" of the 80's) and Christopher Lee as Lord Summersisle (he has said it is his favorite film.) It also has nudity, people fornicating in fields (without explanation), and two musical numbers (one given by a naked girl wanting fornication, go figure.) It's a weird, weird movie that has a cult following but little else going for it.
I thought for sure the remake would be different. The previews implied a much scarier movie than the first. The director stated his movie would not be the same story.
Sadly, it is.
How this movie got made the first time is mystery enough, twice is just incredible. I don't believe I sat through the same bizarre, lame story twice! The new movie is simply a better edited, but not always better written, version of the first one. This time the characters are better interrelated but you still never manage to emotionally connect with them, especially Cage in what may be one of his worst performances ever. The colony is now completely matriarchal. The colony raises honey instead of just crops, and the Cage character is allergic to bees (you see where that is going, don't worry, he recovers completely in THE NEXT SCENE.) The beehive allegory is kept throughout, with hexagonal fields, windows, tables, and everything else. Lord Summersisle is replaced with a Sister Summersisle (the queen bee) and women fill all speaking roles. It is implied that the men of the island have their tongues removed, but this is never followed up with. Cage has an eerie encounter on the road as the film's first scene, this is never explained. The ending, which didn't work the first time, still doesn't work.
For the Gamer:
There is some content for gamers here. The isolated island where everyone is named for a plant that has a dread agenda is a worthy setting. Sister Summersisle would make a terrific villain. The island's religious practices and subjugation of men shows a culture that does terrible things without necessarily being evil, just real different and more than a little misguided. Of course there is a ruined church, a crypt, and the wicker man (I believe Creature Collection II has a Wicker Man monster.) I can't recommend seeing this movie, but there is something to take away from it should you find yourself watching it anyway.
