Seconding the thank yous.

7:30 showing in a blue area of Knoxville, TN. Theater less than 1/4 full :( , obiviously the faithful, though a good range of ages. Laughter and applause in appropriate places, and applause at the end.
I have to admit I like the female casting in Part 1 better, but it really didn't detract from the overall effect of the movie. I found it amusing/ironic that the guy they picked for "Quentin Daniels" has made a career out of playing good-looking but stupid guys, but I thought he did a good job.
About the chair- it could very well have had dry rot or something that wasn't obvious at a distance. Anyway, you can have the chair- I want the cabin. My own personal Gulch....

Just saw it tonight with my wife at AMC Monterery Park Calif, two screens had it, One was sold out, so we got into the second one. If this was the overflow from a packed screen, I'm happy. We thought Part2 exceeded our expectations; adapted to the change of cast, many were spot on. As always with a screen adaptation there will be changes, but the film had a good flow of continuity with the book nonetheless. I hope a LOT of people see it, and soon! There is much that reflects current headlines extrapolated forward. We can change the outcome for the better, if people will learn from history, and from films like this.

Sixty souls on a weekday morning is reasonable. I've seen films where I could count the attendance on one finger, and drop popcorn to give the cleaning crew something to do.

I was at the Great American Beer Fest in Denver last weekend. I slipped away on Friday and saw it around noon. It was awesome. I loved all the new actors. It was a little weird at first, but totally fun. The friend I went with asked, "Why did they get new actors?" I said, "Because they are capitalists, and they could afford it." He thought it was a good point. LOL Great Job on the movies! -Cheers

Kudos for staying true to the book! Yet again another excellent production - but improved casting all the way around. Dagny was extremely well cast - much as I have imagined her on many reads through the book over the years. So rave reviews for Samantha Mathis. My wife - a former tv and film actress - and a tough critic - praises Ms. Mathis for her excellent work. Same for Hank Reardon (jason Beghe). His character reminds me of some of the oil patch entreprenuers I have known over the years. Got a kick out of the brief "Hannity"cut - but my guess that at this stage of the game - there would be no Fox news - only state controlled media in the Atlas Shrugged world. Nice touch, though.

As to the Adirondack chair: I don't like them either. Pretty uncomfortable, and better suited for kindling.

Had a pretty fair audience size (Newport Beach) for a 4:30 matinee, but I am hoping like all of you that Part II has a much bigger draw and is financially successful for the producer, especially since we do need to have a Part III.

I went to the first showing on opening day and, yes, sadly, the theater was almost empty. However, what WAS interesting was that there was a couple sitting behind me (whom I found somewhat annoying as they were whispering throughout). It turned out that they had neither read the book nor seen Part I, and, although a bit confused, really like the show. They had heard about it on Hannity the night before.

The great thing was the opportunity to discuss with them the power of reading the book and seeing Part I. We talked about the premise of both the book and the Objectivist philosophy. And I believe we have some new converts.

Now about the film, itself. On the whole it was well done. But I have a major bone to pick about certain casting.

First, in both movies, the actors who played Francisco were simply not believable either as the scion of the multi-generational aristocratic builders and owners of a multinational mining empire nor an aristocratic, Euro trash playboy. The first one looked like a drug dealer (although he did project more personality than Esai Morales). Morales simply had no charisma, which, if there is one thing that would characterize Francisco, it is a powerful charisma that makes him impossible to ignore even when behaving like a worthless playboy.

Even worse, the combination of a weak Francisco and very poor editing of the money speech totally wasted what was potentially a powerful moment in the film. It was simply not believable that anyone in the room would be affected in any way by that speech.

I also disagree with LetsShrug's assessment of the casting of Lillian Reardon. Lillian in Part I was a strong, cold, and fierce woman with an elegant mask and a definite agenda when it came to Hank.

In Part II, Lillian was a whining, bimbo whom one could not believe would EVER have attracted Hank Reardon. Since the character plays such a pivotal role in Part III, Kim Rhodes took away all of the character's power needed to play out the role and Lillian's agenda. Kim Rhodes' Lillian isn't smart enough much less vicious enough to set out to destroy anyone nor try to take alternate vengance when she is unable to destroy him.

Jason Beghe gave a very strong performance as Hank, but I missed Taylor Schilling's exterior toughness and inner passion in Dagny. Although Samantha Mathis did a credible job of Dagny, she appears too vulnerable and soft and more likely to be manipulatable and not fully capable of taking control of what happens to her.

I also have to agree with LetsShrug about the "cleaning" scene. Was that what she was doing? Was she throwing everything out? Or merely moving out temporarily. I don't know if the problem with this was in the screenplay or directorial weakness. There didn't seem to be any explanation for what she was doing, especially with the way she tossed out the chair. Now I am not a particular fan of Adirondak chairs, but if she was throwing out all the furniture, what was she going to sit on inside? If one has read the book, one understands what is going on, but that was certainly not played out on the screen, and, yet, here again, this is an important event in the story. But in the film it has lost its power.

I'm sure it appears from my criticisms that I did not like the film. In fact that is not the case. I did like it; I only wished it had lived up to what I know could have been spectacularly wonderful. All the scenes I have criticized are powerfully dramatic in the book. They were not so much so in the film. But all in all, I'd rather have a film even with justifiable criticisms than no film at all. And I look forward to see what is done with Part 3!

And, of course, it is critically important to have these films to introduce new generations to a concept usually unheard of in film - not all businessmen are corrupt and evil. And that what we have in this country is no longer the capitlism that built this great nation, but a nation of crony-capitalists, looters, and moochers who are destroying what real capitalists have built!

Also, just maybe, these films might inspire people to read not only Atlas Shrugged, but Rand's other works, including her essays and commentaries. Not only is she a powerful writer, her ideas set standards for what it means to be a human being.

Really enjoyed the movie. It was also great to see some young people at the theater as well.

I appreciate the concerns over the chair at the cabin and it did strike me as odd, however it was blown away by my concern over the car. Fisker? Really?

I need some help understanding why it was tauted in the credits as well. I need to understand how a Fisker fits the ideals of the book and presumably the movie. I am not a US only type, so I will not pick on the amount of animation completed in red
China, but somebody needs to explain to me why a government mooching auto like the Fisker made it into this movie. Oh well, at least it wasn't a Government Motors.

Hello LetsShrug,

Thank you for the excellent review. I enjoyed the movie Saturday night with a small party I brought with me. As is the case with every movie made from a novel I have read, I recognize the sacrifices that must be made for a screen play, and in this case the adaptation was as well as could be expected. The theatre was almost full. The crowd made rather primitive snarls at the dialog “…Capitalism doesn’t work without government…” My friends enjoyed the movie, and like last time tried to extract answers from me about what happens next. I again repeated, “read the book, or wait till the next installment.” They are not sated. I fear the cliff hanger endings might cost me some friends if A is A doesn’t come out soon! LOL

So now I am impatiently waiting for the DVD release date and the premier of the final movie!

I know that this may be a bit pre-mature, but I must ask, when is the estimated release date for DVD sales and is there a preliminary estimate for the premier of the final movie? I can’t think of a more disappointing possibility than failing to make the final movie! I must have it!

Regards,
O.A.

Just went to see the movie. I would like to thank the makers of this movie for putting this great book on the big screen. Like others, I too miss the original cast. I particularly thought the new Eddie was miscast. You don't get the feeling he and Dagny were childhood friends. Also, it is funny. I too thought it was weird that Dagny was throwing all this furniture into the front yard. Glad I wasn't the only one. It will be interesting who the actor is that plays John Galt. Those are big shoes to fill.

I just finished seeing AS2 and enjoyed it, for sure. Nice review, LetsShrug. I also cringed when Dagny tossed the adirondack chair off the porch, but as mentioned by DFish below, a later scene cameoed the chair set up overlooking the lake. I like those chairs because when they are constructed properly they can be very comfortable. Several decades ago I spent many hours in one of those chairs at a cottage overlooking the Raquette River in the Adirondacks reading "Atlas Shrugged".

That's funny that you noticed the adirondack chair. I too noticed it when she was tossing it off the front porch. However, when you watch the movie again pay close attention to the scene when Frisco visits Dagny after the train crash scene. The chair is setup nicely overlooking the lake in the front yard complete with an added chair cushion.

The chair made her ass look too big.

I was disappointed when ASII left it's last theater in VA two weeks ago. I had wanted to go to a theater to see it, as the last movie I saw in a theater was ASI. It is now making the Discount rounds. We went to the first showing of the day, and there were six other folks in the theater. One of them had obviously read the book, but I kind of assumed that at least one of the others would have.

One thing that got me was the office in New York having instaneous information on the "smoker". There was no passing of responsibility down to the lowest of the low. But then, how does one show cluelessness in the time allotted for that scene. At least the "vacation" was mentioned. AND... the phones always worked! Even in the book there was phone trouble!

The speeches were another disappointment to me. Until I realized that 'sisco's speech is a full 18 minutes, and the trial would have been 10. Still, the Fountainhead kept Roark's speech more in the forefront. Another side item; I just watched "The Men who built America" on the history channel. The parallels between John D. Rockefeller and Rearden are striking! Not that I trust the history channel all that much...

I originally did not like changing the cast. If Harry Potter could keep 'em... I thought Mathis an even trade for Schilling, with different strengths. But I did like Jason Beghe and Richard T. Jones. Eddie is way out of the book, to the point of losing the story line. I wish Robert Picardo would have been Dr. Robert Stadler all along. The story line carried though.

All in all, the movie was great. The flight scene was a nice bonus. John's plane was really cool. I was thinking "Hey, don't throw that chair out" too. Thanks to "THE STRIKE" PRODUCTIONS for their efforts and commitment to this project!

Although I was worried about change in characters, my husband and I were pleasantly surprised. Love them! Going to see Atlas Shrugged II for the third time tomorrow night. Trying to get the word out, but liberals just roll their eyes. Their loss!

JOHN GALT'S AIRPLANE!! I want one! (never mind that I hate flying. It's just so very cool)

Critiques of the movie:

The ONE PART of each speech that I wanted to hear and wasn't there:

Francisco: the part about if you see producers having ask permission from those who produce nothing...
Rearden: I will not apologize for my wealth, etc.
Didn't "get" Dagny throwing everything out, and she wasn't upset enough when she ran back to TT
Wedding - Cheryl needed a veil, and there was no screaming exit of the guests
Can't decide which James Taggart I like (hate) more in each movie. The one in Part 1 was a smarmy weasel. The Part 2 James was a smarmy weasel. But taller. :-)
Liked Michael Lerner better as Wesley Mouch. Although this guy looks the part.
Also liked Pt 1's Eddie better.

What I liked and what had to "massaged" for the movie:
The tunnel crash. The kid was great.
Jeff Allen - perfect setup with the truck
Also liked the fact that Dagny took the truck and had to fill it with gas. Yikes!
Liked this Dagny much, much better. More natural acting, looked more like a serious businesswoman.
A better Francisco would have been Eduardo Verastegui (sp?). Just a matter of personal taste, because Esai Morales was great.



Can't wait for Part III so that I can get the complete DVD set with deleted scenes and all. Just sayin'.

All in all,

Saw it opening Saturday at 7PM. Theater full ... in the Peoples Republic of Santa Cruz county. Maybe there's hope yet ...

After I posted my comment, I scanned everything above it. I think it would be awesome to do it all again- A television mini-series the size of North and South. The message would reach so many if it were done well. BUT, you really need for me to pick your cast. I am positive I would do it better. :)

I had the same thought about the Adirondack chair. I wish part I had the part II actors. The guy playing Frisco wasn't elegant enough. Frisco would be elegant even on a slippery surface chucking clay into a fire. For those of us who read Atlas the first time 40 years ago (only novel I have read more than once) we have had characters firmly in our head for a long time. When I read it in '70 I had a young Ricardo Montalban in the movie in my head as Frisco. Probably because of The Fountainhead, Gary Cooper has always been Hank.. An older Gable is Midas. Of course I was Dagny. Interestingly Galt was always someone I had never met or seen - total imagination for me. We saw the movie on the opening day in the afternoon. Sadly there were not very many in the theater. I live in a suburb city outside Houston. I am sure most were at work. My husband and I are retired, and so was everyone else in the theater.

I saw that Adirondack Chair and thought the same thing. After seeing part II, I went on Netflixs and watch part ! again. I really am enjoying seeing Ayn Rand philosophy come alive. I have read almost everything she has written. Just love the movie.

Oh Holy Cats! This post made it in the "Hot in the Gulch" segment of the Atlas II Behind the Scenes Email???? Bahahahahaha! Gotta love the Gulch :)

I hope there is enough money for part 3. Part 2 was a lot of fun. I loved the plane ride.

I enjoyed the show, too. Anyone who didn't read the book, will find a fast-paced thriller with a lot of homages to today's politics. Like Hannity and Beckel (who portrayed themselves exactly according to the types they have long established). And the protester who carves a tombstone for America in a discarded varnished bookshelf.

But why does Ragnar Danneskjöld rate *no* mention? Nor Project X?

And: Eddie Willers is a completely different person. What do you suppose the producers will do with him in Part 3?

I enjoyed the movie as well. Went to a late Friday night show and only had a few dozen people there:< I was the only one in a Galt's Gulch tee shirt$ Love Beghe as Hank Reardon and thought his shortened speech was very good. I think the new Dagny is a more correct age, but she didn't come off as confident as I imagined due to several times when she looked almost scared. I also didn't get her throwing out the chair at the cabin. I know she used the physical labor at the cabin as her only way to be productive, which showed how the government was hobbling all the producers. I don't think the pain that limiting herself to gardening caused her was portrayed very well. She just looked angry.

Thought the flying scenes were nifty, a la Top Gun. Can't wait to see how Galt is portrayed. His voice seems much more gravelly than I imagined. I'm really looking forward to part 3, since that's where all the good stuff happens!

I watched on Saturday (smattering of people in theater), and I'd have rather: 1) Disappearances like Halley to not be as pronounced; 2) Lillian from Part 1 (she seemed to emulate the one in the book better); 3) Back story (that makes up a large part of the book).