Westworld

The skeptical half of me seethes with rage at the memory that during the first half, the personal validator highlights so many glitches that would get the average programmer kicked out of school during their first exam. The second half, however, is a reminder that the whole time it's been loading up on a pack of spectacular revelations in which you sense Abrams' classic "everything is different" but appreciate Nolan's "let me pour it into your head in a whole new way." Even if you find something out, guess something differently, and something really surprises you in the end, after the initial indignation you will eventually reach a slight sense of satisfaction. Anyway, rather than a weekly allotment, I'd appreciate Westworld in a unified "Netflix whole." The way that it is, the initial slowness is more annoying than interesting. (06/12/2016)

Truly excellent material that clearly called for a series adaptation to fully utilize its potential. I haven’t seen the original by Crichton, but I might make time for it after this experience. From the start, you can immediately see the massive financial backing behind it. But of course, it's not just about how it looks; the script also has to succeed for us to call it successful. The younger Nolan brother has repeatedly shown his skill in this area, so why not give it a try, right? Besides the well-crafted script, which throws one twist after another at you and keeps you glued to the screen with meticulously crafted dialogues and a touch of philosophical depth, I enjoyed the harsh, gritty Western environment, which over time delivered such a dose of pessimism that you wouldn't believe it. The story is high quality, and the central idea around which everything revolves is breathtaking at times, showcasing the high creative level of those who created it. I have few complaints about the actors; the Man in Black, aka Harris, is undoubtedly the most interesting character, and I hope he gets more screen time in his storyline in the second season. Even Hopkins, with his slow speech, somewhat reminded me of Hannibal; he's a wonderful storyteller. The ending is quite action-packed. I’m leaving room for improvement, as it’s possible, and we’ll see if the quality standard is maintained. The first season gets 87%. (21/05/2018)

The potential of the scheme "Red Dead Redemption MMORPG by Philip K. Dick" is unprecedented, but still suffers from excessive exposure. Because most of the time only future great events are implied and the world is being explored including its specific rules on the spot and behind the scenes, so as a result there is somehow no necessary space for the characters themselves. In mostly badly affects the living characters, which are sadly too one-dimensional. In any case, this multi-layered moral reflection is so well played out and captivating that the viewer will dive deep into it. I'm just wondering if the short story form à la The Black Mirror wouldn't fit more, because the power of these themes is based on how each viewer will approach them deep inside. Thus, only time will tell whether the creators will deal with this pitfall with honor or whether they will keep repetitively doing the same all the time. (11/10/2016)

Once again, HBO took on an incredibly interesting story and so they’ve recruited Nolan’s brother, signed a contract with A-class actors such as Anthony Hopkins or Ed Harris and had the title track prepared by the composer of The Game of Thrones’ soundtrack. It is a shame that they tell the whole story very complicatedly, coldly and without emotions. There are indisputable qualities in a number of scenes, but on the other hand, you have to look hard for a reason to keep watching. However, the idea of Westworld was so strong that I lasted until the very end and I was duly rewarded.Despite the absence of emotions that is preventing this show from being perfect, the creators have prepared such a flawless ending that it is impossible not to look forward to the second series. And I sincerely doubt that they will disappoint us. (06/04/2018)

Watching Westworld is like spending a protracted and monotonous ten hours putting together a jigsaw puzzle; there are times you get bored and feel like quitting, but after all the pieces have fallen into their place you can say “hey, that’s a pretty nice picture!”. Yet, I feel that this picture in particular isn’t much of a masterpiece, and that the journey there was pretty annoying at times and full of useless side trips. Overall, the first season didn’t enchant as much as I was expecting, I think the concept has more potential. Straddling three and four stars. (08/12/2016)