Echo

reave jun 28 2008

HOLY CRAP!!!! This is without a doubt the BEST fanedit I’ve seen in a long time. Absolutely top-notch editing! The menus are stunning. I’m not a man of many words, so let me just say that this edit should be on your to-watch list. 5/5.

kolpitz jun 18 2008

This is irony for you. I’ve been waiting for this on DVD but I got impatient and finally downloaded the AVI last night and converted it to DVD. And then, this morning, I find the DVD release! Oh well, I’ll consider it a birthday present. Anyway, here’s my “review:”

As I previously stated, I watched the AVI release and the quality was shockingly good. It didn’t look as good as some of the DVDs I’ve watched but it looked a lot better than I thought AVI converted to DVD and displayed on a 50″ plasma would look like. So, no complaints there. Now, for the edit itself. One word: AWESOME. I’m gonna admit something here, I’m actually a really big fan of The Island. I’m not one of those Michael Bay bashers, as I’ve actually found all of his films at least enjoyable (yes, even Pearl Harbor) and I think The Rock is one of the best action movies of the 90′s. But, unfortunately, for all the fun Bay can put on screen, he also puts a lot of silliness and just plain crap up there as well. And, The Island was no exception. Thankfully, Uncanny Antman has once again decided to save the day with Echo and the results are nothing short of fabulous. He’s removed 99% of the stupid humor (although I still hate the “Dude” scene and the “Jesus must love you” scene) and cleaned up a lot of little continuity errors here and there. But, that’s not what makes this edit so great. That’s not what makes all of his edits so great. It’s his attention to detail. They say the Devil’s in the details and UA proves that. It’s the little things like removing Laurent’s line about keeping quiet whilst their destroying half of downtown L.A. Or removing Tom Lincoln’s call to Merrick to retain an air of mystery. Or not revealing that Lincoln6Echo has put the bracelet on Tom Lincoln until the moment Laurent sees it. UA edits with the mind of a director, which is what places him so high above other fan editors. While most are just concerned with removing “crap,” UA actually tries to tell the best story he can by removing, adding or re-arranging moments / scenes. This turns The Island from a movie I really liked into a movie I now love. It made Terminator 3 no longer suck and turned Live Free or Die Hard into a better movie. Another great edit, UA. Next up on my plate is A Nightmare on Elm Street 7, also in AVI format.

darkhelmet jun 8 2008

Nicely done edit on your AVI release! This version is entirely watchable (with the exception of some of the over-the-top LA chase sequence). I was hugely disappointed by this movie when I saw it in theaters, because I really liked that it was a variation on the Brave New World and THX 1138 ideas. Any of that “oppressive society/people rebelling to get the truth and freedom” thing really interests me, though The Island was riddled with too many melodramatic moments and sophmoric attempts at humor.

Thankfully, your edit leaves me feeling like I watched a svelt, well-paced story about human liberty and dignity with some social commentary thrown in, like good sci-fi should. The running time is much more bearable, too; there’re are only so many Michael Bay “glamour” camera moves I can take. Thanks, Antman! Can’t wait for the DVD.