Atlas Shrugged II critique by LetsShrug
First of all I want to send out a HUGE thank you to EVERY person involved in bringing Atlas Shrugged to the big screen, especially right now when so many need to be awakened. NOW is the time and you've nailed it! So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!
I was only disappointed in one thing while watching this movie: The size of the audience. Granted it was a 10:10am showing on a weekday (Friday), but I had really hoped for a bigger bunch of producers to show up. We were there with approx 60 others.
I didn't expect the movie to begin with the flight/chase scene, and for a split second I questioned that decision, but then I realized that it sucked in the viewer, making them thirsty for answers for who, what, why, where, and when is this happening? Brilliant!
I think a great job was done to tie in the details from the previous chapter (part I). Just a few words here and there were enough for the first time viewer to catch up with the present events.
The speeches: Hank Rearden in court, and Francisco d'Anconia at James and Cherryl's wedding, were cut incredibly short, but the main points were still made.
The new cast members, although older, were well cast. Particularly Patrick Fabian (James Taggart), and Kim Rhodes (Lillian Rearden).
The “bum” on the train's character was completely changed, the snowstorm, when the train stalled, was left out, and Dagny made her way to the airport, (where she buys a plane to fly to Utah to try and catch Quentin Daniels), in a truck, rather than on foot, but again, it didn't diminish the story line.
I am left with only one question. I know this is petty, ridiculous, silly, and unimportant, but I have to ask. In the part where Dagny is at their family cabin and she's cleaning up and chucking things off the front porch she heaved/dragged a perfectly good (as far as I could tell) adirondack chair into the front yard. Why? What was wrong with that chair? Okay, okay, it was HER chair she can throw it in the junk pile if she wants to...it just bugged me a little. I know I'm just nitpicking, but I wasn't convinced that she was “cleaning” at that point. I liked that chair. :(
All in all the movie is a MUST-SEE and I will tell everybody I know to go see it and I hope it has a tremendous turn out. We need it.
I was only disappointed in one thing while watching this movie: The size of the audience. Granted it was a 10:10am showing on a weekday (Friday), but I had really hoped for a bigger bunch of producers to show up. We were there with approx 60 others.
I didn't expect the movie to begin with the flight/chase scene, and for a split second I questioned that decision, but then I realized that it sucked in the viewer, making them thirsty for answers for who, what, why, where, and when is this happening? Brilliant!
I think a great job was done to tie in the details from the previous chapter (part I). Just a few words here and there were enough for the first time viewer to catch up with the present events.
The speeches: Hank Rearden in court, and Francisco d'Anconia at James and Cherryl's wedding, were cut incredibly short, but the main points were still made.
The new cast members, although older, were well cast. Particularly Patrick Fabian (James Taggart), and Kim Rhodes (Lillian Rearden).
The “bum” on the train's character was completely changed, the snowstorm, when the train stalled, was left out, and Dagny made her way to the airport, (where she buys a plane to fly to Utah to try and catch Quentin Daniels), in a truck, rather than on foot, but again, it didn't diminish the story line.
I am left with only one question. I know this is petty, ridiculous, silly, and unimportant, but I have to ask. In the part where Dagny is at their family cabin and she's cleaning up and chucking things off the front porch she heaved/dragged a perfectly good (as far as I could tell) adirondack chair into the front yard. Why? What was wrong with that chair? Okay, okay, it was HER chair she can throw it in the junk pile if she wants to...it just bugged me a little. I know I'm just nitpicking, but I wasn't convinced that she was “cleaning” at that point. I liked that chair. :(
All in all the movie is a MUST-SEE and I will tell everybody I know to go see it and I hope it has a tremendous turn out. We need it.
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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....
My spoiler radar is on high gain now.
And if the new Wyatt is better than the old, I'll eat my hat -- *and* my stubs.
I'll watch for the chair, might even buy it at auction -- with stubs, of course.
At some point the filmmaker must slay the novel, and I have a few ideas of my own for a killer Atlas III screenplay.
Wait...don't answer that!