Saw that heading on another review, and it fits. First viewing was from an airline choice set, so expectations were rock bottom. The reality was instead an engrossing two-hour ride. Second viewing was an HD rental a month later. Same verdict. The pacing is brisk, the setting is eye-catching, the characters are easy to get to know, and the plot is complex without being unfathomable. The "lazy" will insist things are too hard to understand, and the "ubernerds" will cry Foul that some elements don't strictly obey the fine print of some unwritten Starfleet Technical Manual (do read their Comic Book Guy laments, "Worst...Plot...Ever...", straight out of Bi-Mon-Sci-Fi-Con, and pity them). That's exactly the kind of balance many of us like rather a lot!
Comparisons to "Heroes" are really counterproductive. Rip-off? Imitation? No, sorry, this one came first. Action? Characterization? Over dozens of on-screen hours, "Heroes" often manages to go almost nowhere and reveal almost nothing of real interest; they don't have that luxury here.
The closest comparison that springs to mind, if sci-fi comparisons there simply must be, is to the PsiCorps operation on "Babylon 5". Agent Carver and Agent Bester (Walter Koenig's role on B5) have much in common.
So, is this a "Bourne" film, minus the budget and with half the mayhem? in some ways, that fits. The protagonist is really not enough of an icon for that, though; it is more of a team scheme at heart, more of a supernatural "Ocean's Eleven" than anything else. Well, given the timing of events, and the budget limitations, more like "Ocean's Twelve". That perhaps explains the balance of the voting falling the way it has: Danny, Tess, Rusty, Linus, Reuben, Saul, and company, please meet Nick, Kira, Cassie, Hook, Emily, Pinky, etc. We're bound to be due at least as many movies from each group...
Comparisons to "Heroes" are really counterproductive. Rip-off? Imitation? No, sorry, this one came first. Action? Characterization? Over dozens of on-screen hours, "Heroes" often manages to go almost nowhere and reveal almost nothing of real interest; they don't have that luxury here.
The closest comparison that springs to mind, if sci-fi comparisons there simply must be, is to the PsiCorps operation on "Babylon 5". Agent Carver and Agent Bester (Walter Koenig's role on B5) have much in common.
So, is this a "Bourne" film, minus the budget and with half the mayhem? in some ways, that fits. The protagonist is really not enough of an icon for that, though; it is more of a team scheme at heart, more of a supernatural "Ocean's Eleven" than anything else. Well, given the timing of events, and the budget limitations, more like "Ocean's Twelve". That perhaps explains the balance of the voting falling the way it has: Danny, Tess, Rusty, Linus, Reuben, Saul, and company, please meet Nick, Kira, Cassie, Hook, Emily, Pinky, etc. We're bound to be due at least as many movies from each group...