What's Your Real Opinion About the Movie?

Falcon988

Commodore
Yep, I'm curious to know what the community thinks about this sci-fi gem. When it was released I was active in several online Wing Commander clubs/chat games on AOL and I remember hearing all of the complaints from devoted Wing Commander fans. We were all really excited about it and then... plop. Then when I actually saw it for myself, after all the negative hype, I didn't really think it was that bad. In fact I even liked it.

Now granted, as a film buff, I don't think it's a well made movie. But as a long time Wingnut, I like it all the same. I like the effects and I like the dogfights. Characters and script... well, not so much. In fact I really wish Roberts had gone a different route story-wise than what he did. But he was the chief I suppose.

So having gone back in time and looked at the CIC archives from March '99, I'm curious how the community feels about it seven years later. What do you all think about our little franchise movie?
 
It's always difficult to condense a game into a movie. There's so much to say and to do that you can't possibly pull it off in just one shot.

This said, I enjoyed the movie. The atmosphere with the pilots and all depic a reality that was kinda hiden in the wing commander games. War is hell buddy, the movie showed that.

There was room for improvement, but I enjoyed.
 
The movie's great. I've heard lots of complaints about every single Wing Commander product when they first come out, but that phase eventually passes. Now though, it's really great to hear about all the people who saw the Wing Commander movie and then sought out the games because they liked the film so much. Some really active fans today got their first taste of this franchise in the theater. We also got a bunch of cool products in the form of books, novels, action figures and so on. If only we could have gotten stuff like the ride that they had planned or if we can get our hands on the SciPubTech cutaway poster. It's a little annoying that Wing Commander constantly gets brought up in those arcticles about how terrible game-based movies are, but on the other hand, every time that happens, the franchise just gets another little boost into the collective consciousness of the series' key demographic. I think more people deride it as a game-based movie than have actually seen it, and the fan base will just grow over time as people get curious and new games are made.
 
The movie was great, no questions about that. Could it have been better? Yes, but only with more money. For the budget I would say its definitely the best sci fi movie of its class. Heh, I sound like the ship salesman from Privateer.
 
Originally posted by Maj.Striker
The movie was great, no questions about that. Could it have been better? Yes, but only with more money. For the budget I would say its definitely the best sci fi movie of its class. Heh, I sound like the ship salesman from Privateer.

I hate to break it to you, but we've checked your account. You don't have the credits to buy a better plotline... :)
 
Uh was the pilgrim traitor sub plot filmed? Would be nice to see in a directors cut if ever made.

I went to the theaters to see the movie unfortunately I missed the first five minutes so I didn't understand what the heck was the movie was about. But after viewing it again later on dvd I thought it was a pretty good movie. Of course it could of been better what movie couldn't. I think that they should of made a sequel as this movie seemed like a setup to get know the universe.

Unfortunately I don't think a sequel will ever happen. But just image an older more mature acting Prince and Lillard. I can see it now opening on the destruction of the kilrathi star base in Venice the terrans happy as ever fade in to the destruction of the Goddard colony by the Sivar Dreadnought. The battles that ensue afterwards and the eventual destruction of the dreadnought. I think it would make one hell of a sequel unfortunately its just a cool day dream.

Sorry for the rant.
 
Originally posted by Stone48420
I can see it now opening on the destruction of the kilrathi star base in Venice the terrans happy as ever fade in to the destruction of the Goddard colony by the Sivar Dreadnought. The battles that ensue afterwards and the eventual destruction of the dreadnought. I think it would make one hell of a sequel unfortunately its just a cool day dream.

It's a nice idea, but I think I prefer it when the "non-game" elements of the Wing Commander universe avoid portraying things that happen in games.

For one thing, it can create problems. I love Freedom Flight. But the whole sequence with Hunter assisting the defecting Fralthi presents problems, because that's a mission that you - as Blair - get to do in the game. My fear is that a movie based on SM1 would create similar issues.

There are lots of things that could be explored in the WC universe. If you're going to make a new movie or write a new novel, why not fill in some of the unknown instead of covering something the games already explore?

Just a personal opinion. Disagreements certainly welcome.
 
Dougly said:
For one thing, it can create problems. I love Freedom Flight. But the whole sequence with Hunter assisting the defecting Fralthi presents problems, because that's a mission that you - as Blair - get to do in the game. My fear is that a movie based on SM1 would create similar issues.
Notice how, as Blair, you get ALL of the important missions and all of the crap thrown at you! :p
--

Now everyone talks budget, how big WAS the budget for the film anyways? It wasn't some indie release.

Anywho, the movie wins atmosphere wise.
 
Dougly said:
For one thing, it can create problems. I love Freedom Flight. But the whole sequence with Hunter assisting the defecting Fralthi presents problems, because that's a mission that you - as Blair - get to do in the game. My fear is that a movie based on SM1 would create similar issues.

There are lots of things that could be explored in the WC universe. If you're going to make a new movie or write a new novel, why not fill in some of the unknown instead of covering something the games already explore?

Just a personal opinion. Disagreements certainly welcome.

Secret Missions 2 and Freedom Flight were actually both written by the same lady, and they were both meant to tie together and support Wing Commander 2. The novel describes how Colonel Halcyon directed all available fighters to support the defecting Fralthi. Blair, Spirit, Hunter, Bossman and so on were there.
 
Stone48420 said:
Uh was the pilgrim traitor sub plot filmed? Would be nice to see in a directors cut if ever made.

It was filmed, but hot cut as the test audience(s) didn't get it. The chances for a directors cut are extremely low to non existant.
 
Stone48420 said:
Any chance of CIC getting the missing scenes? Sure would be cool to view them has anyone here seen them?
If you're talking about the Pilgrim traitor scenes then the chances are about the same as what cff said.
 
Lt.Death100 said:
If you're talking about the Pilgrim traitor scenes then the chances are about the same as what cff said.

A special edition with the deleted scenes is unlikely (I'm confident there will be a high definition rerelease within a few years, but probably without new extras), but I do believe we will be able to make the deleted scenes available online on their own at some point.
 
I liked the movie, but it did have it's flaws. Mainly Prinze's mediocre acting. Don't know why it's so maligned, though...
 
The actors put me off, especially the one that played Blair. In my opinion the wing commander movie was worse than wing commander V prophecy, at least that had Mark Hamill in it.
 
My biggest gripe going into the movie was the Rapiers. I thought they looked dumb as hell, like the prop department either ran out of time or didn't want to put in much time on them, but they turned out alright in the film so it was cool. Matthew Lillard kind of bugged me as Maniac, as did Prinze Jr., but not too much.

Watching the movie on opening day I liked it enough to go through and catch it a second time when the first show was done.:D

Anyway, I took a hardcore Trekkie friend to it and he really liked it and my Dad did too, when he got around to watching. My cousin's kids liked it so much I let them keep my VHS copy when they moved.:)

So while it could have been a hell of a lot better, it was still pretty enjoyable and worth the price of admission. Though, I wouldn't mind seeing a remake or sequel.;)

*** out of *****
 
Queeg said:
The actors put me off, especially the one that played Blair. In my opinion the wing commander movie was worse than wing commander V prophecy, at least that had Mark Hamill in it.

Mark Hamill actually has a cameo in the WC Movie as the voice of the computer.
 
I like the movie a lot. I definitely think its one of the - if not *the* - strongest video game movies made. Thats not to say it doesn't have problems - it has a bare-bones script full of tired cliches. The acting is pretty great; Prinze and Lillard got their jobs because Blair is suppose to be the boring straight-man and Maniac is suppose to be the annoying jerk. I also really liked the supporting case a lot, especially Tcheky Karyo and David Warner.

The special effects varry - the opening was great but then you have things like an entirely black backdrop in Paladin's broadsword canopy or the silly use of bullet time. Sometimes they work though, I really enjoyed to the colorful backdrops supported by Arbogast's (usual) excellent camera work.

It's certainly a guilty pleasure movie.
 
The movie was never released in theatres over here in the UK but I remember walking into my local Blockbuster and seeing the tape there I was so excited that I rented it right away. As soon as I got it home I watched it and I remember thinking it was not like the game in the way I would have like. My biggest disapointment was the Tiger Claw not looking like the Bengal that I knew and loved. But at the end of the day it was Wing Commander movie and I realy enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I rewound the tape the second it finished and watched it again there and then.

The movie wasn't what I expected and sure there were things about it that I would have prefered had it been closer to the game but I was just over the moon at watching a Wing Commander movie. I was just happy it was made and that there was a Wing Commander movie. Its a hell of alot better than nothing.
 
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