[BW][Review] "The Web"
Robotech_Master
"The Web"
Written by Larry DiTillio
Directed by C. Michael Easton
Review by Christopher E. Meadows
Review rating: 7 out of 10
Warning: Here There Be Spoilers!
This is only the fourth Beast Wars episode I've seen, and I can
already tell I _like_ this show. I had my doubts about whether
computer animation could be used in a show like this before, but
noooooo longer. In fact, I can see that computer animation is
actually _better_ for some aspects of it. For instance, it means the
director has a lot more cinemagraphic options open to him, in the kind
of shots he can use. We get a more mobile camera, and some
_wonderful_ tracking shots and zooms, because computer animation
doesn't share the same set of restraints as traditional cel-based
animation.
For example, the shot that opens the episode, where the viewer
travels across the plains, up the (perfectly reflective) river through
the ravine, then up to (and through the walls of) the _Axalon_...you'd
be hard-pressed to find something like that in traditional animation,
to be sure. (The closest I can think of off-hand would be the flying
sequences in Miyazaki films such as "Laputa" and "Porco Rosso"--both
cinematic feature films, not kiddie-show TV series. Anyone who disses
a show like Beast Wars just because its intent is to sell toys doesn't
know what he's talking about.)
The characters are all more expressive, facially, both in
beastform and roboform...particularly Rhinox (though that's just my
own personal opinion...he's fast becoming my favorite character).
They blink, they smile or frown, their eyes narrow... Particularly
impressive is the way the characters' lips move in time with what
they're saying. It's perfect synch...I'd venture to guess that a deaf
person might well be able to lipread this show at least some of the
time. In most cases, the movements just feel so..._real_, that it's
almost as if these characters _aren't_ animated, they're human actors
wearing odd suits.
Whoever does the foley work deserves congratulations, too.
Excellent special effects, particularly when the characters are in
roboform and their hydraulics and machine parts are whirring and
clicking around. And it doesn't hurt that it's in stereo surround,
either...
Anyway, now that I've gushed enough about the show in general,
let's move on to the specific episode.
"The Web" isn't my favorite Beast Wars episode so far. In truth,
I tend to find episodes where a young and foolish character learns a
lesson somewhat formulaic and tedious. I don't think anybody likes to
see their favorite characters acting stupid--in fact, I think that's
Raksha's beef with the Predacons overall (but that's another story :).
And here we have Cheetor first disobeying orders, then going and
getting himself trapped and nearly killed by a spider. It's the
standard "I'm young, strong, invincible(, and stupid)!" schtick that
we've seen oh so many times before. I'm sure there were numerous
examples in the old show (though the one that springs most readily to
mind is not from Transformers but "G.I. Joe: The Movie", where Falcon
cheerfully lets Zarana into the base, and several 'Joes end up getting
injured for it).
To summarize it more fully, Cheetor is trying out a new comlink
that will cut through the Energon interference when he runs into
Scorponok recovering a "megacannon" from a rockfall. Never one to
leave well enough alone, he gets the drop on ol' Scorp, but Tarantulus
in turn gets the drop on him, he has a weird hallucination, and wakes
up to be scolded severely by the others for getting the comlink
trashed. As Optimus and Dinobot make plans on how to knock out the
megacannon, Cheetor goes off to try to do it by himself, gets ambushed
by Tarantulus (again), who decides to drain him of both energy and
mech fluid. Fortunately for him, Rhinox sent Rattrap after him, and
Rattrap engages Tarantulus in a little game of cat and mouse (or
should that be spider and rat?), then rescues Cheetor and takes him
back to base. Rattrap doesn't tell Optimus what happened, but gives
Cheetor a good tongue-lashing afterward, and it seems Cheetor has
learned his lesson.
The main bit I didn't like in this, as I said before, was the
overall plot, and I also exaplained why. On the other hand, there
were a lot of things to like about it, too. The way Megatron never
appeared (except in Cheetor's dream sequence)--nice to have a show
that can go without its main baddie making an actual appearance once
in a while. The little details, like Optimus's "scan mode", Rattrap's
"hotbox", the good view of Cheetor's "gutgun". What a weird weapon.
The hallucination, and its brief view of Starscream--and that
_hilarious_ shot of Megatron's head hitting the wall. The way the
mega-cannon was introduced, but was neither used nor destroyed in the
end...rather, it's something that they might carry over to the next or
to future episodes. And Rattrap's fight against Tarantalus was pretty
good, too.
Something in general...I kind of like the way the characters are
coming up with nicknames for each other. Particularly "Bigbot" for
Optimus. I'd rather hear him called that than "Primal", for certain.
I still think "Optimus Primal" sounds kind of dorky. :)
All in all, there's plenty of action here, and Rattrap gets some
good scenes. I give this episode a 7 out of 10...not one of the
better ones (so far), but a pretty good effort.
[This review is copyright 1997, Christopher E. Meadows. Permission
granted for alt.toys.transformers and related distribution and
archival. You can print it out, email it to your friends, too, even
put it on a webpage so long as you let me know about it so I can put a
link there, provided that the text isn't changed and this notice
remains intact.]
--
Chris Meadows aka | http://www.eyrie.org/~robotech/index.html
Robotech_Master | ----------------------------------------------
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BeastBob1
>Particularly
>impressive is the way the characters' lips move in time with what
>they're saying. It's perfect synch...I'd venture to guess that a deaf
>person might well be able to lipread this show at least some of the
>time.
This is a factor of the proprietary GRIN technology developed by
Mainframe. Their computers translate voice tracks to lip movements in
real time -- it is very impressive to watch a GRIN head running the
actor's lines in real time.
Watching it, I too was struck by the idea that surely, this could be
somehow useful to the deaf, perhaps in teaching them to speak? I don't
know much about it, and I suppose that given the computing power needed a
speech-to-text translator would be more useful than lip reading. However,
since you bring it up I thought I would contribute this remark -- perhaps
someone else would know of a useful application for this technology beyond
Mainframe's own production uses.
Bob Forward
Story Ed -- Beast Wars
Lizard
On 19 Aug 1997 20:20:19 GMT, robo...@eyrie.org (Robotech_Master)
wrote:
>"The Web"
>Written by Larry DiTillio
>Directed by C. Michael Easton
>
>Review by Christopher E. Meadows
>Review rating: 7 out of 10
>
>Warning: Here There Be Spoilers!
>
>
> This is only the fourth Beast Wars episode I've seen, and I can
>already tell I _like_ this show.
I got to see it previewed at WorldCon, and it convinced me BW was
going to be something worth watching.
> "The Web" isn't my favorite Beast Wars episode so far. In truth,
>I tend to find episodes where a young and foolish character learns a
>lesson somewhat formulaic and tedious. I don't think anybody likes to
>see their favorite characters acting stupid--in fact, I think that's
>Raksha's beef with the Predacons overall (but that's another story :).
>And here we have Cheetor first disobeying orders, then going and
>getting himself trapped and nearly killed by a spider. It's the
>standard "I'm young, strong, invincible(, and stupid)!" schtick that
>we've seen oh so many times before. I'm sure there were numerous
>examples in the old show (though the one that springs most readily to
>mind is not from Transformers but "G.I. Joe: The Movie", where Falcon
>cheerfully lets Zarana into the base, and several 'Joes end up getting
>injured for it).
I liked it because it played a little with the cliche, and, more
importantly, it DIDN'T end with Cheetor saving the day -- remember,
the 'cons kept the MacGuffin Gun. That impressed me -- traditional
kidvid is everything is status quo by the end of the show. In "The
Web", the 'good guys' didn't win -- they managed to (barely) get out
alive, and that's all. This is something which was repeated in later
BW eps, but, since you've only seen four, I won't spoil 'em for you.
I also like the way Primal tore Cheetor a new...er...waste disposal
orifice. Optimus *Prime* would have whined something about "As long as
you're safe, all is forgiven", but Primal lashed into him -- as he
deserved. Disobeying orders, destroying valuable equipment, and
getting caught so easily are all Bad Moves, and he deserved to know
it.
Also, the scene with Tarantulas crawling onto Cheetor's chest was
downright creepy -- a lot more disturbing than simple violence and
explosions could ever be. (I confess to a very mild arachnophobia,
which might be why the scene struck me as it did)
One of my 'top five' BW eps.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Evolution doesn't take prisoners:Lizard
Make deals, not war:Swindle
Compassion is no virtue, cruelty no vice:Skorponok
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