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Supernova [2000]
![Supernova [2000]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514X33GDRQL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £15.99
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Editorial
Amazon.co.uk Review
The makers of Supernova are apparently counting on the fact that generational turnover renders old formulas fresh again for new audiences. This is the only explanation for a sci-fi thriller that could charitably be called a "homage" to Ridley Scott's trend setting Alien. A medical rescue ship responds to a distress call from a mining colony and finds only one survivor: a strange young man (Peter Facinelli), who comes aboard carrying an even stranger alien artefact. But the plot of this film, which was directed and then disowned by Walter Hill, grows confused as it tries to explain the sinister force that will lead to a star transforming to supernova status, causing a universe-shattering explosion. Some nice sexual tension between James Spader (as the recovering drug-addict co-pilot) and Angela Bassett (as the ship's doctor). Notable mostly, however, for the eerie resemblance, both physical and vocal, between Facinelli and Tom Cruise. --Marshall Fine, Amazon.com
Supernova: Spader, Seduction, Sex and Sabotage in Space
Review date: 2007-02-07 Rating: 8 out of 10
I was going to watch this with my pal, Joyful Joy, but, alas, she has epilepsy and the film has lots of flashing lights. You might think it was rather foolish of the film makers to do anything to reduce the number of people who could watch it. I couldn't possibly comment on whether it was any more foolish than their other big mistakes. "Supernova" is a clear example of how to sabotage a potentially very good film by making lousy decisions.
Yes, the dim lighting is there for a reason, but it gets very tedious to watch.
The writing is bad, on many levels. The writers came up with some interesting ideas: the Captain's fascination with Tom and Jerry; what life is like back on Earth; the effects on someone formerly addicted to hallucinogens of someone messing with their mind. None of these are really developed.
Vital information about the Dimensional Stabilisation Units (DSUs are the things they use to order to jump across large expanses of space) is presented in a confusing manner. Now, I'm not in favour of spoon feeding information to the audience either, but there is a middle way! Even small details grate, such as the tautological term "statutory law" where "statute" would have done.
Oh, and don't get me started on the plot holes. The most glaringly obvious is the computer, Sweetie, and her utterly inconsistent attitude to whether or not she is programmed to preserve life. Plus, why doesn't the ship have more DSU units? Surely it must occasionally have to, er, transport injured people, what with being a medical rescue vehicle? Other flaws have been pointed out by people who, unlike me, paid attention in their physics lessons.
In one version (on video), it isn't even clear which couple makes love in zero gravity. It's inserted between 2 scenes of separate couples talking and it is hard to see which is the one coupling in the middle scene. The light is dim, we don't see their faces and everyone has short, dark hair. Plus some of the later Nick/Kaela dialogue was so badly written it made me confused about whether they had earlier had sex or not. The DVD, however, makes matters a bit clearer by inserting an additional scene.
As for the tag line, "Terror Times Infinity", give us a break. If it were that scary, wouldn't it be an 18 instead of a 15?
Despite numerous issues, I am actually very fond of this film. There are some good lines, including some dry humour (especially Nick interacting with Sweetie, the computer). There are some dramatic images. Parts of the plot make sense. The music is quite good.
Plus, James Spader is very sexy in this. He's very muscular with intense piercing eyes and quite sexy short hair. I did think it was quite funny the way he's the only character whose age is given (32). There is only one moment where he does the "evasive facial tic" thing which is the reason my pal Danny refuses to watch his films. I really wish the director had made him redo that scene. Otherwise, I think some people who knew some of his work would not have realised it was him, especially with the name of the film and cast not appearing until the end.
Fans of Angela Bassett will probably not be disappointed either, although her (partial?) nudity takes place in very dim lighting ... Some people think it is a pity the female space crew members, Bassett and Robin Tunney, don't have longer hair in this. I personally disagree because I think the short hair was a good decision on the part of the director or the hair department. It is rather intriguing that the female crew members have the same hair style as their male counterparts. Is it coincidence or is it trying to tell us something about the near-ish future when the film is set? Who knows? If only the writing had been better ...
My sister watched this with me once. She looked up from her book to say there was too much fighting. I couldn't disagree, although, to be fair, one does pick up some useful tips on how to outwit ultra-strong opponents. I will remember them if I am ever in outer space. Jasmine added that "Supernova" was not bad for a low-budget film. When I told her it was a $65 million film, she asked what on Earth they had done with the money.
I love the ending. (Hint: pay careful attention to what Kaela says about the end of her affair with Larson, starting with "When it was all over", as there is something interesting hidden there.)
The DVD offers an alternative ending. I'm glad the director didn't add to his mistakes by using it.
I'm giving this four stars because I really love it, despite everything. However, I would never have given it five because of the flashing lights. Directors take note.
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Reviews
So bad even I wasn't dumb enough to finish it. And I've seen the Fifth Element!
Review date: 2006-11-17 Rating: 2 out of 10
I'm amazed to see positive reviews for this movie. It is awful. I wanted to see it because a film with such a mangled production has to be interesting by default - sure it won't be good, but it might have something interesting in it.
I literally couldn't see the movie! The lighting is extremely dark, the editing very fast and the camera was always moving. My eyes were always about to look at the sliver of light were someone's face was, but before I could see it the camera either moved or it cut to another shot.
The basic story sounds interesting but the thing is so slow, humourless and badly made that I gave up after about half an hour. The death of Robert Forster by being elongated by the space travel was so badly filmed that I'm not even sure what happened.
As for the movie being intelligent - I'm not sure as I didn't see the whole thing, but I struggle to see what's so intelligent about a standard horror movie set in space that rips off Alien.
This movie has been made better. It's called Event Horizon. Same set up, same plot, better direction. At least you can see it.
If you like intelligent, action scifi don't hesitate to buy.
Review date: 2006-09-09 Rating: 10 out of 10
I'd never heard of this film and only bought it as I like scifi and it was on offer. As it turns out it's one of the best scifi thrillers I've seen and I really can't understand any negative reviews. First off it makes a change to watch a film in this genre that is played seriously and not compromised in order to gain a wider audience ie; Independence Day. The idea upon which the film is based I've seen used before, in Babylon 5 for example, that of getting an unsuspecting species to take on board a deadly gift with a promise of great things only to be destroyed as a result of curiosity or avarice - a kind of Darwinian Trojan Horse - eliminate the competition once they're advanced enough to find the device in the first place. This film's angle is to combine this premise with a naturally occurring stellar event potentially making the device a Universe-destroying weapon. All in all, good story, good acting, top notch fx, great pacing and editing, creative but unobtrusive camera work, a bargain. Watch on a computer monitor if you can.
Great film...yeah I know, I am alone here in the universe in my opinion
Review date: 2006-05-14 Rating: 10 out of 10
I actually really liked this movie, I thought it was fun, fairly intelligent, sexy, humorous, quite suspenseful and the special effects were pretty good too.
Okay so I am a fan of Angela Bassett and James Spader, and they were pretty hot in this movie you have to admit! Angela plays Dr Kaela Evers the ship's medical officer and James is the ship's hunky co-pilot Nick Vanzant who has a lustful eye on Kaela who isn't that interested in him much to his disappointment.
The action takes place on medical spaceship and were an alien artefact is secreted aboard by a miner the aforesaid medical spaceship and its crew rescue who unbeknown to them is slowly mutating into something not quite human courtesy of the alien artefact. There is also a ship's computer called Sweetie with a female persona who is pretty much running the show from a technology point of view and a star that is about to go supernova.
One by one the crew are picked off by the demented miner, who has mayhem on his mind, and soon only Spader and Bassett are left on the ship which is in danger of being sucked into the gravitational field of the crumbling star and there is only one life pod left and to share it means the possibility of Kaela and Nick's DNA merging together which it does partially, in that they both end up with one blue and one green eye but miracle of miracle's Kaela also ends up pregnant, a condition she never expected to be in!
All in all it is a pretty good sci-fi film, shame it was panned so much because it is well worth watching but I have noticed over the years I have been reviewing films that the more intelligent the sci-fi film on offer, the less likely it is appreciated by the "green slime and mega-blood and guts" brigade as I call them. You know who you are guys, if it isn't gung ho with no plot then you don't want to know!
Watch this film and enjoy, that is if you have a brain in your head that appreciates something that comes under, "intelligent" and "thoughtful", however if this is too much for your brain cells, give it a miss and watch something easier like Star Wars or Men in Black, great films that are lots of fun but totally lacking in anything remotely intelligent from beginning to end.
Entertaining formula passes time well
Review date: 2004-07-26 Rating: 6 out of 10
What do you want? Everything can not be new or innovative and everyone can not be a superstar. The formula has always worked before. You pick up something in space and it eats your lunch. I did not see any cardboard looking props and the actors do not out act the characters.
Look how far the actors have come. Robin Tunney has grown up and looks cuter than in "The Craft" ASIN: B00004W4UD . Lou Diamond Philips can make more faces (expanded expressions) than he did in "Bats" ASIN: B00003L9CQ .
This movie has all the elements necessary for today's formula space "Who's next to get it?" film. You truly have several chances to say stay in the car (oops ship).
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
Peter Facinelli
Robert Forster
James Spader
Angela Bassett
Robin Tunney
Creators:
James Spader (Primary Contributor)
Peter Facinelli (Primary Contributor)
Ash R. Shah (Producer)
Daniel Chuba (Producer)
Daniel Chuba (Writer)
David C. Wilson (Writer)
William Malone (Writer)
Director(s):
Recording label: MGM Entertainment
Manufacturer: MGM Entertainment
EAN: 5050070003604
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: Anamorphic, Dubbed, PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2000-12-26
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 89 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2000-01-14
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: French (Original Language)
Language: English (Subtitled)
Language: Spanish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Subtitled)
Language: French (Subtitled)
Language: Italian (Subtitled)
Language: Portuguese (Subtitled)
Language: Swedish (Subtitled)
Language: Danish (Subtitled)
Language: Polish (Subtitled)
Language: Dutch (Subtitled)
Language: Finnish (Subtitled)
Language: German (Dubbed)
Language: Italian (Dubbed)
Language: Spanish (Dubbed)