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Clever! Witty! Beautifully written! Emotionally satisfying! Coherent! these are descriptions that do not apply to Harper's Island.
When Harper's Island began we quickly came to the conclusion that it was silly, shallow and a waste of a great idea. We kept watching because; A.) there really was nothing else on, and B.) because we wanted to know how they were going to explain everything.
If anything characterizes Harper's Island it's stupidity. Stupidity in the writing, (and silliness-what the hell was all that supernatural stuff that was jettisoned pretty quickly) in character's actions and motivations, and especially in any scene with the little girl. (who apparently was a reject from THE SIXTH SENSE PART DUEX!)
About the third episode we noticed a definite improvement. The acting was more sincere, there was some subtlety and some humor. For a few episodes it looked like it might actually turn out to be something worthwhile. Something closer to Agatha Christie than slasher movies. We were wrong. The last three episodes went back to the same old stupidities:stupid actions from supposedly smart characters, contrived plot devices, more idiocy with that infuriating little girl and one undeserved and incoherent twist after another.
Several times I was astounded at the unbelievable depth of stupidity these characters displayed. Several times they completely abandoned logic and more than once conveniently forgot key information that could have saved lives. Not to mention: when you have caught a serial killer who has killed everyone of your family and friends,at the very LEAST shoot off his damn legs!
I also had trouble with the way actors were asked to change their performance so that they could act as "red herrings". There was never any logic or subtly to these changes. (this was clearly the director's and screen writer's fault, the cast has proved skillful in other productions)
I did not buy when they tried to make certain characters' look evil. Similarly, I did not buy for one second Wakefield and his sudden bid for sympathy in the jail cell. Here is the thing: psychos are psychos for a reason. Yes, Ted Bundy seemed like a nice guy but he didn't kill his friends. He killed strangers.
For some one to kill ALL their friends-including their fiancée(!),you need to reach a certain point where you snap and become anti-social. There is NO way they would be able to hide it; to act so loving and "normal" for years. Also, it was never explained why everyone had to die. I'm sorry but "they were in the way" is NOT sufficient! The final resolution reads more like a parody than a dramatic flourish: pretend to fall in love with the most beautiful girl, have a wedding to lure the one you truly have loved since you were kids (oh and don't even bother about the fact, that technically you are brother and sister) and with the help of your real father kill everyone in various and bloody ways. Then you and your intended can be truly happy and alone for, what, at least ten days...
Other points of contention:never explained how Uncle Marty was sliced in half on a very tall bridge, never explained what the hell happened to ALL the townspeople, (one episode the town was full and the next it was completely deserted!) why spare certain characters only to kill them later?, (other than because the script said so!) the little girl vacillated between creepiness to complete and utter vapidity so much that I really wish SHE was the killer.
Too many other things irritated me about this show but I think the worst was that they took the three most interesting and likable characters; the Englishman, his girl and, Trish, (the would have been bride) and killed them off.
That is just inexcusable and shows the complete lack of humanity the writers of this show possess: everything and anyone is just a commodity in the end to be used as convenient plot devices. Interesting characters do not matter. Beauty does not matter. Only the body matters. Preferably degraded and made as ugly as humanly possible.
Well, at least the scenery was quaint.
score 5/10
peng88 14 July 2009
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw2095659/ |
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18-10-2020 13:15:02