Wing Commander Movie

^ That's my biggest gripe with the movie. For a movie about fighter jocks, the actual space fights are pretty badly choreographed. It just didn't seem like there was any movement to them. The cap ship fights were ok for what they were. Other than that, I really enjoyed the movie and still dust it off every now and then for a viewing.

I never played WC3 or 4 so I don't really have the Hamill/Blair association that most have.
 
NuclearPenguins said:
I really really disliked it. Bad acting, bad directing, lame plot... I could go on but the last time I did I got a 3 day vacation. ;) I do not consider it part of the WC universe.

I'm with ya, I'll keep it at that for now.
 
how many people thought the movie didn't get the credit it deserved
Well I would agree that the movie didn't get the credit it deserved. This movie was not the type of movie that movie critics enjoy. It's hard to imagine either Siskel or Ebert or any other critic giving it a thumbs up, because they are far removed from enjoying much of anything in the WC universe. They also aren't teen "echo boomers" who the movie also targeted. Most critics attempt to write reviews that appeal to a wide general audience, and not targeted to the people this movie targets. To get a fair review, it would have to be reviewed by someone working for a teen magazine or associated with WC forums. If I reviewed it I would give it a thumbs up, but if I worked for a newspaper I would feel compelled to warn the average reader that they wouldn't like the movie unless they're into Wing Commander, they're a teen, or they REALLY love non-thriller non-intellectual Sci-Fi movies. If a critic gave it a thumbs up, they would risk alienating the general public which they were hired to represent in their reviews and therefore risk losing their jobs.
 
NuclearPenguins said:
Well obviously here some people would like it.

However, everyone I know personally who has seen it said it was full of teh suck.
My brother didn't particulary like the movie (I think at one point he said that Mathew Illiard was the only thing that saved the movie) but one of my best friends who saw it thought it was good and that it was under rated, and my dad liked it. He didn't care for the Rapier design but he did love the Broadsword.
 
NuclearPenguins said:
My bad, I though it was a "movie-in-general" thread.

Ok, then in response to the original poster's question, I think the professional reviews were spot on.

Do you have any of these reviews? I would be interested in reading them.


Mjr. Whoopass said:
I think sciptwise it's not as good as the WC games (WC3 at least- only one I've played, but from posts it seems the others are arguably as good). The relatively poorer script is probably why it didn't attract as many famous actors as the games did. Also, the guy who played Maniac annoyed the cr** out of me (although I heard he was good in Scooby Doo).

He was excellent in SLC PUNK.


dextorboot said:
I never played WC3 or 4 so I don't really have the Hamill/Blair association that most have.

I recommend both of those games with all my heart! Exceptional games! Esp. WCIII!


I'd have to say that the space fight sequences needed a bit of work. The sequences in BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the new series) kindda over shadow the WCM sequences because they seem more planned and stylized (with the snap zooms and camera work). I think that if the movie had extended the successes that they made with the CGI to other areas of the film, the movie would have been better. The CGI of the movie was really well done, it just had some short comings when it came to continuity.


AND I am STILL waiting for my TIGER CLAW cross section poster that was going to be released by the one company that did the Star Trek cross sections... Is there even any chance anyone has a scan of that poster... or knows someone in that company...?
 
I don't get it why peoßple complain about Matthew Lillard as Maniac. IMO he was perfect for that role. Yeah, he's an annoying prick, but that's exactly what's he supposed to be.
 
pygmypiranha said:
I'd have to say that the space fight sequences needed a bit of work. The sequences in BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (the new series) kindda over shadow the WCM sequences because they seem more planned and stylized (with the snap zooms and camera work).

Well, let's see, the BSG scenes were done 5+ years later with advanced technology and a bigger budget...I'd be extremely disappointed if they didn't look better! :)

The movie didn't get the credit with the general populace because "we" are not the general populace. Most of use here at CIC actually like the movie because we are diehard WC fans...we're willing to look past some of the "problems" of the movie because quite frankly we just love Wing Commander. To someone who had never heard of Wing Commander (an majority of the movie watchers), the movie smacked them in the face with a number of foolish plots choices and bad acting. (Granted I felt there was some very good moments administered mainly by the supporting characters). Blair is an outcast because he's a pilgrim...ok, what does that mean? Apparently it means he's got math in his veins since he can calculate intense formulas in seconds. Wow! Not only is he a hero in the cockpit, but also when a boarding party is needed, he's your man. (Because all pilots are great at boarding action?) Blair was too nice in the movie. They should have had him take Hunter off his feet in the bar scene just to get a good rise from the audience, that way both of them would wind up in the captain's office getting chewed out...later Blair could save Hunter's live or vice versa. Something to develop some good character interaction with someone other than Angel or Maniac. Why didn't it get credit? Beats me...
 
Maj.Striker said:
Well, let's see, the BSG scenes were done 5+ years later with advanced technology and a bigger budget...I'd be extremely disappointed if they didn't look better! :)

Ohh I definately agree with you! :)

But what was the BSG budget? The Wing Commander budget was like... 27 Million if I remember correctly...
 
On the other hand, we create a lot of problems that reasonable observers would not have. For all the rants about the movie, 90% of the time it boils down to someone being angry that the Tiger's Claw looks different.
 
Bandit LOAF said:
On the other hand, we create a lot of problems that reasonable observers would not have. For all the rants about the movie, 90% of the time it boils down to someone being angry that the Tiger's Claw looks different.


I actually thought the new Tiger Claw looked pretty cool... ESP with the way the ship closed up with the two sides during battle to protect the hanger.
 
He's ALWAYS an annoying prick- from Scream1 all the way to WCM.
The game Maniac was a FUNNY prick. Get the difference?

And did anyone else notice that the movie Blair just CANNOT breathe trough is nose?
In about half is scenes, that mouth is just hanging open... Frickking anoying.

That being said, I watch that dam movie 2 to 4 times a month. so sad...
 
for me there where no problems with the design aspects of the film, almost all the sets where really well put together.

As for the submarines/battleships in space, surely its slightly more believable than 700m captial ships zipping around like fighter craft? It probably going to be the way wars are going to be fought in space; Naval tactics but with an added dimension if you will.

As for battlestar galactica, while its an expensive project for television. I would be shocked if the mini series cost more than 7 or 8 million. the more advanced technology on offer is present. But for example dont go expecting a load of mechanical cylons, CG costs money.
 
i always found his eyebrow acting Roger Moore esque. alas without the charm.

to be honest I thought he wasn't a bad choice for Blair. Pity about the material they had to work with.

"dont you die on me angel!"

cough* cough*

"is that a suggestion or an order"

oh dear.
 
BrynS said:
Did any of you guys in the U.S. or anywhere else, happen to see and record/capture a "behind-the-scenes/making-of" feature of the movie, broadcast prior or subsequently to its theatrical release -- I would have thought it would have been aired on Fox in the U.S. if anything?

Reason I ask, is that I was going through some old VHS tapes the other day and noticed that I had recorded a 3-minute behind-the-scenes feature of the Wing Commander movie. The feature aired on a local channel in South Africa, where I was living at the time, although it was probably a syndicated Fox package. The video quality isn't great, but I'll try and clean it up in VirtualDub and upload it somewhere for those who are interested. It includes brief soundbites from Lillard, Burrows, Chris Roberts, Todd Moyer and a longer "interview" with Prince.

I'll get busy with the encoding ASAP, I just wondered if there was any other behind-the-scenes/bonus film material out there?

Cheers,


BrynS

There was a north west tonight (local news) feature on the games industry in the north west of england about 2 maybe 3 years ago. which ran for an entire week. One day focused on Chris Roberts and how he started coding games in his bedroom in manchester to becoming a successul game director. there was even some shots of the wing commander film. Interesting scene in the doc was his mates from school being asked about what he was like and that.

one useless tidbit of information i can remember is that he had a lotus while going to sixth form college...
 
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