THE PRISONER is one of my favorite shows. Balls out insanity, the original 1960s SF/spy/allegory series blew my 14-year old mind away the first time I saw it. (It came on right after PBS repeats of DOCTOR WHO. It was hours of strange-accented greatness.)
Earlier this year, AMC set out to remake this classic series, setting up Jim Caviezel as the hero of the story (Number Six) and Ian McKellan as the ongoing antagonist / villain / mysterious force (Number Two.) On paper, that's an awesome match-up, if for no other reason than Sir Ian alone. Given the themes of autonomy, surveillance and security -- cornerstones of the original series and issues of deep concern to us in our terrorist touched world -- the new take on THE PRISONER should have a deep, rich metaphorical vein to mine. Plus, this time out, the story has a bunch of gay themes.
Except it looks like the whole thing doesn't work.
Maureen Ryan, at the Chicago Tribune, writes: at times, the new “Prisoner” is frustratingly cryptic. But when a character says “No one is without guilt, we just have to find out what it is they’re guilty of,” (in an episode titled “Anvil,” no less), it’s too obvious and melodramatic...A rating of three out of 10."
it's doubtful that the new "Prisoner" will inspire the same kind of rabid devotion. Despite a magnetic supporting performance by Ian McKellen (when is this man not magnetic?) and lavish production values (the miniseries was shot in Namibia), it is undermined by a ponderous pace and a less-than-charismatic performance by lead actor Jim Caviezel (Jesus in "The Passion of the Christ").
Jim Caviezel’s character is outraged that he’s trapped in the village, unable to escape because of a big white globe that envelopes anyone who tries to leave (as happens in the original series). I could relate, because I was trapped in a seemingly endless mini-series with no escape, not if I wanted to keep my job here at AfterElton.com.
Ouch. And that's with the gay themes in the tale. (I won't spoil who the gay characters are, in case you are intending to watch.) It's looking like it might be a good idea if this trip to The Village was the last.
The series premieres Sunday with a two-hour movie then runs for two more nights. |