The Inhumans Marvel/IMAX

[Christopher]

Yeah, once noticed, it's hard not to notice that. They used a stand-in model, so some physical contact should have been possible, but I get that they had to be careful with the CG-animators not to screw up their work.

It should be the FX artists' job not to screw up the live action, not the other way around. If the FX work gets in the way of the performances, they're doing it wrong. The tail wagging the dog, so to speak.

This is where a physical puppet would come in handy, like the one they're using for Old Lace in Runaways. The biggest mistake people today make with CGI is using it as an exclusive technique instead of just one tool in the kit. There are some shots that CGI is better for, and others that animatronics is better for. Jurassic Park used animatronics for shots where the dinosaurs were seen in close-up or interacting physically with actors or objects and saved the CGI for things like full-length action shots.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

It should be the FX artists' job not to screw up the live action, not the other way around. If the FX work gets in the way of the performances, they're doing it wrong. The tail wagging the dog, so to speak.

I feel like it's a little bit of both. Bob Hoskins talks about how, in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, if he grabs Roger by the neck with open fingers, he costs the studio thousands more dollars than if he grabbed him with his fingers pressed together.

 

[Christopher]

I feel like it's a little bit of both. Bob Hoskins talks about how, in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, if he grabs Roger by the neck with open fingers, he costs the studio thousands more dollars than if he grabbed him with his fingers pressed together.

But they still found a way to let the characters interact physically, rather than going out of their way to avoid it. Because the purpose of visual effects is to serve and support the storytelling, not to hamper it.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

Nothing has been hampered storytelling-wise by whatever limitations there are in the visual execution of Lockjaw. It's been pretty impressive, really.

 

[Anwar]

Yeah, Medusa is definitely the least likable. Overall, I like the rest of them, especially Black Bolt. Maybe the fact that he's not talking helps prevent him from seeming as stuck up.

It's pretty easy to sympathize with a guy who accidentally killed his parents and lost his main ability to express himself and THEN had to spend his childhood in a chamber separated because he didn't want to hurt anyone else.

 

[Christopher]

It's pretty easy to sympathize with a guy who accidentally killed his parents and lost his main ability to express himself and THEN had to spend his childhood in a chamber separated because he didn't want to hurt anyone else.

True, but I feel the show is trying too hard to rub it in. The flashbacks last week, with BB and his parents having to face the tragedy of BB's condition, were effective, but this week's scene with Cusick's character just monologuing to BB's face about how much being BB must suck was stilted.

Although, in fairness, I recognize how hard it must be to write about a character with a superpower that he must not use, especially when it's his ability to speak. It's hard to live up to "Show, don't tell" when you don't get to show his power in action. But there could've been a better way to get it across.

 

[Reverend]

OK, I think I'm officially done. Four episodes into an eight episode run and it's all still crawling along at a snail's pace with seemingly nothing of any real consequence happening since the premier. I get the distinct impression this is all just filling time until that all get back together and kill Not-Ramsey in the last two episodes.

Blackbolt is still the only really interesting character out of the whole bunch with Gorgon, Karnak and Crystal feeling increasingly superfluous with every scene they're in and while Medusa is actually *doing* something, they've gone and made her unsympathetic and downright unlikable.

Unless I hear that the show does a massive 180 in the next 4 episodes, I shan't be bothering to watch them...which would make this the first MCU anything I've skipped over since Iron Man was released (yes, I soldiered all they way through Iron Fist!)

 

[Pauln6]

I've seen the first two episodes and i thought it was ok. The staging is hokey as they've adopted quite a strong comic book vibe. It's a shame that the expensive CGI meant that power use is minimal BUT, I rather liked the fact that the first X-men movie was very minimalist in that regard because it allowed the characterisation to shine.

The story seems quite basic and the characterisation, apart from Black Bolt and Maximus has been fairly weak so far, albeit Karnak is potentially intriguing. Medusa started off as a member of the Frightful Four - she was never a shrinking violet. If anything she needs to be harder, even less sympathetic - more Cersei (Ok, maybe not that bad). The point is, we don't need the characters to be black and white to be interesting.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Just caught up on this last night. I'll echo what everyone's been saying that they didn't give us much reason to root for the royals. Good to see Anson Mount getting some appreciation, though...he was awesome on Hell on Wheels.

A thought about the first episode that nobody brought up...it bugged me how they were ready to send the precog kid to the mines because he didn't display a power the second he stepped out of the Terrigenesis chamber (beyond the whole class system thing). I know it served an expository purpose, but they must get all sorts of powers that are more conditional and less demonstrative than sprouting butterfly wings.

I can't believe how dumb they made Gorgon. He has to get advice on how to fight Maximus from random surfer dudes?

Glad I wasn't the only one who was bugged that the guy with the big, round eyes was projecting rectangular pictures.

The covers of "Break on Through" and "Paint It Black" were atrocious.

 

[Reverend]

A thought about the first episode that nobody brought up...it bugged me how they were ready to send the precog kid to the mines because he didn't display a power the second he stepped out of the Terrigenesis chamber (beyond the whole class system thing). I know it served an expository purpose, but they must get all sorts of powers that are more conditional and less demonstrative than sprouting butterfly wings.

I know, right? Given what happened to Black Bolt's parents you'd think they'd be more careful about this process. I mean for all they knew that kid could have caused instant death to anyone he touched or something. Crystal looks basically human (unless the thing with her hair is part of her mutation?) so did she just make things explode the second she stepped out out the chamber? How the hell did Karnak demonstrate his power?

I can't help but feel if this was being written by more talented people the setup wouldn't be quite so dumb and poorly thought through.

Random thought: could Daisy counter Black Bolt's power and allow him to speak aloud? I mean the means is different, but they both do basically the same thing.

 

[kitik]

Decent episode, but probably not quite as good as the previous one. While they do their best to make Medusa unlikeable, I think the actress is doing the best work possible with the material she's being given.

I'm very disappointed that Big Brah did not escape with Black Bolt and Medusa. He needs to show up next episode and he needs to be fine and safe and not in danger. Don't disappoint me Inhumans!

I'm kinda not sure where they're going with the Karnak story. I probably shouldn't get my hopes up with the show.

As for Crystal and Lockjaw, what's their story purpose? Waiting to save everyone at the end? Good grief. I've never been touched by a human before.

I know it's been joked about a number of times in this thread, but this makes the characterisation and dialogue in Iron Fist look genius level.

 

[Christopher]

I'm very disappointed that Big Brah did not escape with Black Bolt and Medusa. He needs to show up next episode and he needs to be fine and safe and not in danger. Don't disappoint me Inhumans!

As I recall, we saw him run off after exchanging nods with Black Bolt, so I took that to mean that he's going to be all right and he's served his purpose in the story. In this episode, basically his only purpose was to provide dialogue in Black Bolt's scenes, and now that BB and Medusa are back together, he's no longer needed for that.

 

[JD]

The last episode was still at about the same level as the other.
With Lockjaw, we have seen the characters put a hand on him when he teleports. Didn't Crystal lean against after they knocked him out?
I didn't think of before hand, but after the reveal it did see pretty obvious that Maximus was behind the doctor.
It definitely looks like we're going to be getting each of the Inhumans bonding with regular humans like I expected.

 

[Christopher]

With Lockjaw, we have seen the characters put a hand on him when he teleports. Didn't Crystal lean against after they knocked him out?

There have been a few instances, sure, but not nearly as much physical contact as would be realistic between a dog and, well, just about any human in the same room with it.

 

[Turtletrekker]

Well, that was... better. Almost... good? Interesting that the best episodes of both Iron Fist and Inhumans have been directed by Kevin Tancharoen.

I'm glad that are royal family has been largely reunited and I like that for, with the exception of the irritatingly unlikable Medusa, they all seem to have come through this with a new perspective on humanity. Hopefully the dying words of the royal finder of things about the caste system will convince Black Bolt that changes are necessary for Attilan's survival.

That, and the fact that Maximus is coming off as increasingly despotic and unstable makes the conundrum of who you're actually rooting for to win a little more clearly drawn.

As for what I said about Medusa being unlikable, I am willing to cut her a little slack given the fact that Maximus assaulted her on a much more personal level than any of the other Inhumans were. What Maximus did to her would be considered assault against a normal person with normal hair, but in a society where one's powers define your place in society, Maximus's attack would have been especially painful and degrading. I did enjoy the scene in the car the conversation between Medusa and Black Bolt where she said she was dealing with it. Perhaps that's what will make Medusa see the light about the caste system, now that she is essentially as human as any.

 

[The Old Mixer]

I don't find Medusa that unlikable compared to the rest. She can't help being in a weak show.

So Attilan happens to be within 20 minutes' walking distance from the Apollo landing site? It's a big place...I got the impression they were supposed to be a little more tucked away than that.

Two episodes until the season finale? Ain't that cute, the announcer thinks there's gonna be another season.

 

[Christopher]

So Attilan happens to be within 20 minutes' walking distance from the Apollo landing site? It's a big place...I got the impression they were supposed to be a little more tucked away than that.

Yeah, that was silly. Heck, just putting his spacesuit back on would've taken up most of that 20 minutes -- unless we're supposed to believe he can survive in vacuum. (Which actually is implied by the fact that Louise could see his hoof in the probe footage. (Hoofage?))

Two episodes until the season finale? Ain't that cute, the announcer thinks there's gonna be another season.

Well, two episodes and then the season finale. It's really weird the way network promos like this never count the finale itself. If there are n episodes left, it's always "Only n-1 episodes left before the thrilling finale!" Which is technically correct, but still a very strange way of phrasing it.

 

[JD]

Yeah, this one was definitely better. I was hoping when I saw that Kevin Tancharoen that it would be good, he's directed some great episodes of other comic book shows. We even got a big fight scene, which iss to be one of his trademarks.
It was nice to get most of the royal family back together.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

The most enjoyable episode so far. The cast continues to impress.

 

[dahj]

If there are n episodes left, it's always "Only n-1 episodes left before the thrilling finale!" Which is technically correct, but still a very strange way of phrasing it.

It's marketing.
If someone's on the fence about watching the rest of it, they're more likely to see it through if they think there's fewer episodes left.