181: Netflix miniseries Episode 2 Part 5: The Lights

[@SJHFoto]

I'm not a big fan of the changing of the story, but I have to admit that the juxtaposition of the scenes, and the added suspense did keep my attention. It is what I call a "popcorn flick" (a good example of this is the difference between the cerebral Japanese movie "Godzilla Minus One" and the popcorn flick made in the States "Godzilla x Kong:The New Empire") I don't always like popcorn flicks, but I wasn't hurling insults at my monitor yet for the liberties taken with the story

[@newell.fisher]

I liked the cross editing of the two escapes. Though I'm not sure, in the book, they would have happened at the same time. Especially as Holly gets back to WD just after Hazel is shot.

[@Higurashi_otaku]

I would have liked that ending much better if they would have kept the raid out of the house and the Efrafa pursuit without any action on the rails. But I like how well both action sequences harmonized with each other. Very weird is the killing off of Vervain so early, the cowardly sadist rabbit of Efrafa seems to be Orchis in this version, when it is easily could have been Vervain as well. That would have given a continuity to all versions of Watership Down (even if in the 1978 movie Vervain barely plays up to this role and is merged partly with Chervil). Something about the portrayal of the Black Rabbit: I know alot took offense, that it was portrayed as female, but this is not my problem. For me this rabbit just doesn't have any defining feature either as a grim reaper or as a higher spiritual being. She doesn't even look that black. If you compare this with how super-iconic and memorable the black rabbit of the 1978 movie was, it is wasted they couldn't come up with more than giving the Black Rabbit a female voice. Some other things feel out of place like giving the hutch rabbit Clover the lines supposed to be said by Holly who witnessed the true horror of men. Clover was fed by a human girl and came to the conclusion all humans are bad? The decision to make her the most reasonable female rabbit and the love interest of Hazel always striked me as very odd. Even the 1999 TV series did this much better by giving this role to Primrose (Hyzenthlay).

[@SJHFoto]

I didn't realise Vervain was the leader of the squad that went after Holly in this! So, he's already dead now? (Don't spoil it if he's not) Also, I REALLY didn't like the farmer-actually, so far I don't like how humans are depicted-they are genuinely the worse elil for the rabbits! That farmer was just a sadist. In the cartoon he was just doing what he does, and the book doesn't really portray him as evil as he is in this film.

[@newell.fisher]

I won't comment further on Vervain 🙂 As for the farmer, modern streaming seems to require that all emotions are increased to the next level to hold the audience's attention. Hence the two quite casually cruel men of book and 1978 film become this sadist.