Inhumans "THE FIRST CHAPTER" - Inhumans' IMAX film aka the 1st 2 episodes (Use Spoiler tags)

[Mike Murdock]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe7EQXCkAoY

Review from the Weekly Planet. It sounds like the show has seriously messed up the Inhuman society. So in the comics the Inhumans used to have alpha primitives inherited from one generation of Inhumans to the next. The alpha primitives lived under the city and did menial work.
But on the show any Inhuman who does not get an awesome power after Terrignesis gets treated like a lower class citizen and banished to the mines under the city. So they've really made the Royal family a bunch of unsympathetic *******s on the show.

Wait, this makes them look unsympathetic but the literal inherited slavery of Alpha Primitives did not?

Regardless, if you want to be accurate, the comics version is absolutely a hierarchy with discrimination based on the usefulness of transformation. This can be seen in the Marvel Knights Inhumans run. They just had slavery on top of that and, what's more, banished an Inhuman to slavery when he transformed into an Alpha Primitive. This show also at least has an explanation of why they have this caste system - an explanation that wouldn't necessarily exist in the comics.

I think this exploration of Inhuman society is probably one of the things they best captured the spirit of the situation. I think there are a few other things that might literally be a copy but doesn't have the same spirit and a few other things that both missed the point and doesn't look right, but I thought this was spot on.

 

[TheVileOne]

It kind of does. The Royal Family lives in comfortable luxury, while someone who's Terrigenesis gave him claw like reptile limbs has to work in the mines. A girl gets butterfly wings and does what exactly? It's not clear what the ones with the cool powers get to do.

 

[Comicbookguy339]

Wait, this makes them look unsympathetic but the literal inherited slavery of Alpha Primitives did not?

Regardless, if you want to be accurate, the comics version is absolutely a hierarchy with discrimination based on the usefulness of transformation. This can be seen in the Marvel Knights Inhumans run. They just had slavery on top of that and, what's more, banished an Inhuman to slavery when he transformed into an Alpha Primitive. This show also at least has an explanation of why they have this caste system - an explanation that wouldn't necessarily exist in the comics.

I think this exploration of Inhuman society is probably one of the things they best captured the spirit of the situation. I think there are a few other things that might literally be a copy but doesn't have the same spirit and a few other things that both missed the point and doesn't look right, but I thought this was spot on.

While in the Marvel Knights run the Inhumans with better powers were, for instance, assigned to the royal guard, they didn't treat the others like complete dirt either. The one Inhuman seemingly transforming into an Alpha Primitive was an anomaly, not a regular occurrence.
One the show, however, it sounds like most of the population of Attilan are basically treated like slaves.

 

[Mike Murdock]

It's hard to estimate numbers, but I wouldn't say most. It looked like as many people were above ground as below ground. I'd say it's comparable to the population divide of Attilan in the comics if you're counting Alpha Primitives. It isn't that Woz is a regular occurrence, it's that they didn't think twice about treating him as an Alpha Primitive after that (until it turned out he wasn't, in which case all is forgiven). Woz also wasn't the only one. It's been a long time since I've read the story so I'm drawing a blank on names, but there was another one who had a less than useful power and was treated as such (it caused a split with his girlfriend as well).

 

[Comicbookguy339]

Oh yeah, the flyer girl who got the royal guard appointment said that she couldn't see the girl with the (apparently useless) elongated fingers anymore (can't remember the names).

You know, I am actually surprised they kept this aspect of the Inhumans society for the show. They've basically completely erased this class/caste system stuff in the comics. That was something that made the Inhumans unique as a concept and it definitely is a fertile ground for storytelling. However, I think you need a really good writer to get interesting and thought-provoking material out of it and I don't think Scott Buck & co are the ones to do it.

 

[metaphysician]

Also, in the comics, Black Bolt was usually active in seeking to improve things for the Alpha Primitives. There were limits, due to weight of tradition, but the caste-based status quo was not something he supported.

Whereas here, the system is not just something that exists, but is something actively, continuously, enacted by the ruling regime. His.

 

[Loki882]

Also from what I've heard they don't explain Maximus's motivation very well, and he's coup happens WAY too quickly and also isn't explained very well.

 

[Mike Murdock]

You know, I am actually surprised they kept this aspect of the Inhumans society for the show. They've basically completely erased this class/caste system stuff in the comics. That was something that made the Inhumans unique as a concept and it definitely is a fertile ground for storytelling. However, I think you need a really good writer to get interesting and thought-provoking material out of it and I don't think Scott Buck & co are the ones to do it.

I certainly can't say that Scott Buck is my ideal choice. That being said, I have no complaints with what they've done so far with this choice. I appreciate that the Inhumans are flawed characters. I also don't necessarily think it's a problem with the idea that Maximus could be right (honestly, this is the area where Scott Buck writing it scares me more than the caste system itself). As for the comics shying away from it, Chris Priest's miniseries is definitely returning to this area and exploring it again.

Also, in the comics, Black Bolt was usually active in seeking to improve things for the Alpha Primitives. There were limits, due to weight of tradition, but the caste-based status quo was not something he supported.

Whereas here, the system is not just something that exists, but is something actively, continuously, enacted by the ruling regime. His.

That was true of the Alpha Primitives, but not about the bigotry of their society's standing in general. I appreciate that, in the show, there's actually an explanation. Of course, I have no clue what they're digging in the mines on the moon, but I can appreciate that the moon itself probably doesn't have many resources.

Also from what I've heard they don't explain Maximus's motivation very well, and he's coup happens WAY too quickly and also isn't explained very well.

As I said, that's my biggest concern with Buck's writing. It seems to me that we're supposed to take it for granted that Maximus's motivations are disingenuous, but the ambiguity would have been much more fun. I also think the coup should have happened at the end of episode three. My fear is he's going to be sitting on the moon doing nothing for the rest of the show, which would be a complete waste.

But I don't think how they handle the Caste System is as fair a criticism just by itself. I still think it's a good interpretation of the comic without literally copying it, which is what Marvel has done well when they are doing things well. I also don't think saying they handle this well is saying they do Maximus's coup well or, well, anything else well.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I assume most of the people posting here who want to check this out have already seen it, but, for those who want to comment as the episode airs, should we use this thread or start a new one?

 

[psylockolussus]

Just use this as the content of the ABC 2 hour premiere is probably almost exactly the same as the IMAX film.

 

[Docker2.0]

Not sure about the story but watching it on my 4K tv, it does look amazing and crystal clear.

 

[Mike Murdock]

They cut that really awesome credits scene! That was disappointing. The TV version looks fine, but not the same. It could be because I'm watching it for a second time, but everything seems faster this time through so far.

 

[psylockolussus]

4% on Rt. Its embarrassing especially 28 reviews are quite many for a TV show.

Critic Consensus: Marvel's Inhumans sets a new low standard for the MCU with an unimaginative narrative, dull design work, weak characters, and disengaging soapy melodrama.

 

[Mike Murdock]

So far, the new scenes feel like they're setting up something for later but would have been a distraction in the IMAX version. Even here, I'm not sure I like where they were added.

 

[psylockolussus]

Not sure about the story but watching it on my 4K tv, it does look amazing and crystal clear.

Are you talking about the content of the show or the resolution of your 4k TV.

Like I said, I don't think it looks cheap especially the outdoor shots. It just doesn't look grand enough. I feel like the sets should have been bigger and they could keep everything gray, but the sets needed more detail and polishing.

Though the look of Triton, Gorgon and Medusa's wig remain to be hideous. And they should have Cgi'ed Karnak's head.

 

[Docker2.0]

Are you talking about the content of the show or the resolution of your 4k TV.

Like I said, I don't think it looks cheap especially the outdoor shots. It just doesn't look grand enough. I feel like the sets should have been bigger and they could keep everything gray, but the sets needed more detail and polishing.

Though the look of Triton, Gorgon and Medusa's wig remain to be hideous. And they should have Cgi'ed Karnak's head.

I don't know honestly. Maybe it's the tv, which I've had for a minute but some of the scenes look very crisp, especially the opening act in the forest.

 

[psylockolussus]

Must have something to do with the IMAX cameras and of course the scenery of Hawaii.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I do like that "I am your Queen" line. That's Medusa to me.

ETA: I think it's interesting watching this in TV time with a clock and getting a sense of how things line up. I thought the "snakes all over you line" was next episode.

Also, ooh, the Genetic Counsel scene is new. This scene is pretty important for everything. Given the exposition elsewhere, this doesn't feel more unnecessary.

ETA: For the Karnak scene, I wish he said "that wouldn't work" rather than "that didn't work."

 

[Docker2.0]

I don't know why people are so hard on this show while giving the DCCW-verse passes. Those shows is mopey with teen angst AF!

 

[Mike Murdock]

I do think there are two completely terrible scenes (the hair cutting scene and the why scene). A lot that aren't bad, but that's obviously subjective.

However, we're literally getting three more flashbacks to the same episode right now unless (at 8:58), we're officially in episode two.

ETA: We have to be in episode two. It just didn't do anything to indicate it. There wasn't even a commercial break. But Black Bolt downtown has to be the start of the episode.

 

[muscaremy]

Im not well informed on the Inhumans but in the comics is the medusa scene even possible

 

[superion]

Awful show. The hair cutting scene was cringe worthy and the acting is awful outside of Iwan Rheon.

They just screwed up the Inhuman's completely. This should have been a movie with better actin, special effects and dialogue.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Im not well informed on the Inhumans but in the comics is the medusa scene even possible

Her hair was cut, but it was said it can only happen if she allows it.

That being said, glowy hands guy seems to have some kind of power dampening ability, which caused her hair to depower at least temporarily after he zapped her (likewise, Lockjaw got zapped later).

ETA: For the new scenes, complete skepticism in the wake of the Chitauri invasion seems misplaced.

 

[Docker2.0]

Her hair was cut, but it was said it can only happen if she allows it.

That being said, glowy hands guy seems to have some kind of power dampening ability, which caused her hair to depower at least temporarily after he zapped her (likewise, Lockjaw got zapped later).

ETA: For the new scenes, complete skepticism in the wake of the Chitauri invasion seems misplaced.

That's the part I didn't understand. You just had an alien invasion but yet find it hard to believe aliens are on the moon.

 

[Mike Murdock]

I like the little bits with the Genetic Council (this scene was in the trailers). I understand cutting NASA person, but I probably would have left these scenes.

ETA: Have Maximus threaten a dog. That'll get people to finally understand he's the bad guy