Wow
A brilliant introduction to the series.
The plot laid down here is captivating to every last detail, though we have seen very little indeed; there's still enough to keep us on the edge of our seats and hungry for more.
The very first part of this movie gives us a character we can emotionally bond with, to empathise with, and to have sympathy for, this really is something you dont see at all in other flash movies.
Take 'The hunt' for example, you have improved on your previous work by a drastic amount, the character relations have improved massively, and more importantly, the CHOICE of characters. I have to say, keeping with the one really helps to create the feeling of isolation, take 'i am legend' for example, having
Dr. Smith (not his set name i know) as the protagonist reinforces that isolation, the despair- and the burning flame of hope.
- all because there are no other people around him to interact with, imagine being locked in a dark room for hours and the feeling of isolation, despair, and hope that someone will let you out.
If you examine a movie like 'Dead snow' (featuring a Swedish cast) you can easily get distracted from a particular course in the plot because of the plot, and it just becomes like the 'Lost' series, if you miss an episode of it, it's like missing a detail from a movie meaning you need to go back to it to understand what's going on.
It's comparable to an office supervisor, if they dont have a section of a report to send off to the boss, they are going to have to find the worker responsible and collect the missing piece.
Now with one, simple character, the audience can focus on what's actually going on, the introduction leads us to be curios about the protagonist, like who is she?
what was her life like? what took it all away from her?
This a recipe for an understandable character who allows the plot to flow undisturbed- the critical ingredient to any movie.
The directing skills are put to very good use, again in the opening scene we see Sarah walking along what looks like a deserted road, while introducing herself in a diary like fashion.
After she has done this, she says everyone she knows is dead, then we see her
walking through a street littered with the remains of a society gone before it, reinforcing the dialogue, because in a place like that it's no wonder everyone you know is dead.
Then after crossing the street, she is walking into the shop with broken windows, empty shelves and completely devoid of life, this is where we start to get our answers.
As she is walking through the isle, the focus shifts to a tattered piece of paper with war written on it, this just seems the answer to what took her life away from her, and many people believe that war is more than capable of destroying someones life, this we know through stories- stories of those who have experienced its' horrors first hand.
The point to this is that the plot, as said before, flows seamlessly without any complication and is very succinct, therefore allowing the movie to tell its' story without loose ends.
As for the visuals, one word sums it all up- Stunning
considering it was done on flash, it is very good and unique to other art styles and really gives the artist a signature piece to be proud of, as very few people can achieve this pristine quality in their own creations, in fact it's baffling how the artist isn't working in a paid environment for the quality.
Audio, brilliant.
The choice of sound effects can make or break any production, and here; it's definitely a make.
Not only do the sounds compliment the dialogue and visuals, but firmly reinforce
them to great effect, as Sarah opens the door to the shop, we hear the bell, a familiar sound to many of us, a sound typical to everyday life.
then there's some dark, ugly sounds that detract from the clear, familiar bell.
Now pair it with the visuals, a desolate and unrecognizable sight, it gives the feeling (and reinforcing Sarahs' own) that everyday life has been viciously torn apart.
Overall, an amazing piece, truly spectacular.
full summary on part 3
Murphy