Memento Mori - Review
23/10/2008 05:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rachel500Memento Mori is the 8th epiosde in Season Ten of Stargate SG1.
Review
Identity crisis is an appropriate summary both for the storyline of Memento Mori and the actual episode. While the story struggles to find its niche, Claudia Black turns in an outstanding performance which ultimately makes the episode incredibly watchable and even enjoyable.
The main problem with the episode is that the story never settles on where it sits in terms of tone and genre. In many ways, the main arc of the story is the stuff of romantic comedies or psychological thrillers; Memento Mori seems to aim for the first one with a dash of an action movie added for good measure but occasionally slips into the second, and ends up being an uncomfortable mix of both.
The elements of romantic comedy can be seen in the exchange between Daniel and Vala in the faux date; Vala taking out the two robbers; her trying to escape from the cop; the team discovering Mitchell handcuffed to the bed eating cookies and cake; the last scene of a protesting Daniel insisting it wasn’t a date. All these scenes are handled with a light touch and the cast clearly enjoying themselves. The dialogue in these scenes is also crafted very well to either provide the jokes (as in Vala’s needing the bathroom moment) or is absent to allow the visual joke supremacy (such as in Mitchell’s bed scene). The lighting is bright and the colours resplendent to add to the ‘happy’ feel of the scenes.
However, the episode fails to follow through on the romantic comedy theme completely. Firstly, it really needs a consistency of male/female to work to maximum effect and substituting Mitchell half-way through for Daniel takes away from that. Further, to truly work as a romantic comedy, it needs the usual happy ending of the couple getting together instead an alternative happy ending with Vala fully joining SG1 is substituted again detracting from the romantic comedy theme.
Indeed, there are moments when the story seems to self-consciously realise that it is perilously close to being a chick flick and attempts to insert some testosterone into the proceedings by emulating action movies with the explosion at the warehouse, Mitchell’s speeding off in a manly manner on a motorbike and the car chase (complete with crash) and various shoot-outs. The effects are done well mostly but the car suddenly appearing on two wheels for no apparent reason makes the whole flipping of it seem a little unbelievable. All the action sequences are played straight which means they sit apart from the rom-com stuff although handled more lightly, and played for laughs, could have sat comfortably alongside it. Equally, the very dark nature of the torture sequences of Vala, and her internal struggle also sit uncomfortably with the more light-hearted moments.
In many ways the torture sequences with Vala clearly shown in extreme pain and the whole sub-text of her loss of memory/internal struggle to remember who she is and who to trust, are more suited to a psychological thriller. There is a true darkness to these scenes; Vala’s comment she will kill her torturers delivered without any humour, her evident fear of her flashbacks, her plaintive cries for help to the cop when being taken away; all add a serious undertone which is complemented by the dark interiors of the warehouses, the dim lighting in the flashbacks. But there is no real commitment to making the story a psychological thriller either.
The villains appear weak and unthreatening as they cave in interrogation and are shown more interested in selling stocks and shares than ruling the galaxy. And there is no real threat in Vala’s flashbacks just space battles and some marching Jaffa although the musical underscore tries desperately to evoke something. However, although the serious psychological thriller element isn’t executed to maximum effect anymore than the rom-com stuff, they still clash badly. Stargate episodes are renowned for mixing light and dark but here the contrasting styles seem to be competing rather than complementing.
It is a huge shame that there isn’t a singular identity for the episode because the stand-off scene between Daniel and Vala shows how brilliant it could have been had they chosen a consistent genre. This scene is wonderfully executed and would have been a fitting ending for a psychological thriller with Daniel’s impassioned, serious, yet heart-tugging dialogue, the simple flashback to the SG1 team, and the comforting hug as Vala remembers and surrenders. It is also flawlessly acted by both Michael Shanks and Claudia Black.
All the cast turn in solid performances but with Vala the central character of the piece, the majority have little to do leaving Black to do a sterling job of carrying the episode. While the story never settles on a genre, Black’s versatility means that she is able to carry off all the rom-com humour and yet still be believable in the more serious scenes. The showcase scene for Black’s acting has to be the stand-off with Daniel. She is outstanding at displaying the visible internal breakdown of Vala as she listens to Daniel and remembers. It’s well done and admittedly even had me wiping away a tear. Black’s performance is the main reason why even with the mish-mash of competing styles the episode remains watchable.
Once again this season, Stargate has produced a solid, enjoyable episode but, once again, the judgement of this particular viewer is ‘could do even better’. I would have preferred the whole story played as a psychological thriller; it would have added depth to Vala’s character; it might have given the Trust some substance as an enemy, and there is little doubt that Black could have handled the material superbly. Equally, had it committed fully to being a romantic comedy, I’m certain the story would have been highly enjoyable. But it definitely needed to be one or the other; trying to be both only gives the whole story an identity crisis that detracts from the quality execution of its parts.
Review
Identity crisis is an appropriate summary both for the storyline of Memento Mori and the actual episode. While the story struggles to find its niche, Claudia Black turns in an outstanding performance which ultimately makes the episode incredibly watchable and even enjoyable.
The main problem with the episode is that the story never settles on where it sits in terms of tone and genre. In many ways, the main arc of the story is the stuff of romantic comedies or psychological thrillers; Memento Mori seems to aim for the first one with a dash of an action movie added for good measure but occasionally slips into the second, and ends up being an uncomfortable mix of both.
The elements of romantic comedy can be seen in the exchange between Daniel and Vala in the faux date; Vala taking out the two robbers; her trying to escape from the cop; the team discovering Mitchell handcuffed to the bed eating cookies and cake; the last scene of a protesting Daniel insisting it wasn’t a date. All these scenes are handled with a light touch and the cast clearly enjoying themselves. The dialogue in these scenes is also crafted very well to either provide the jokes (as in Vala’s needing the bathroom moment) or is absent to allow the visual joke supremacy (such as in Mitchell’s bed scene). The lighting is bright and the colours resplendent to add to the ‘happy’ feel of the scenes.
However, the episode fails to follow through on the romantic comedy theme completely. Firstly, it really needs a consistency of male/female to work to maximum effect and substituting Mitchell half-way through for Daniel takes away from that. Further, to truly work as a romantic comedy, it needs the usual happy ending of the couple getting together instead an alternative happy ending with Vala fully joining SG1 is substituted again detracting from the romantic comedy theme.
Indeed, there are moments when the story seems to self-consciously realise that it is perilously close to being a chick flick and attempts to insert some testosterone into the proceedings by emulating action movies with the explosion at the warehouse, Mitchell’s speeding off in a manly manner on a motorbike and the car chase (complete with crash) and various shoot-outs. The effects are done well mostly but the car suddenly appearing on two wheels for no apparent reason makes the whole flipping of it seem a little unbelievable. All the action sequences are played straight which means they sit apart from the rom-com stuff although handled more lightly, and played for laughs, could have sat comfortably alongside it. Equally, the very dark nature of the torture sequences of Vala, and her internal struggle also sit uncomfortably with the more light-hearted moments.
In many ways the torture sequences with Vala clearly shown in extreme pain and the whole sub-text of her loss of memory/internal struggle to remember who she is and who to trust, are more suited to a psychological thriller. There is a true darkness to these scenes; Vala’s comment she will kill her torturers delivered without any humour, her evident fear of her flashbacks, her plaintive cries for help to the cop when being taken away; all add a serious undertone which is complemented by the dark interiors of the warehouses, the dim lighting in the flashbacks. But there is no real commitment to making the story a psychological thriller either.
The villains appear weak and unthreatening as they cave in interrogation and are shown more interested in selling stocks and shares than ruling the galaxy. And there is no real threat in Vala’s flashbacks just space battles and some marching Jaffa although the musical underscore tries desperately to evoke something. However, although the serious psychological thriller element isn’t executed to maximum effect anymore than the rom-com stuff, they still clash badly. Stargate episodes are renowned for mixing light and dark but here the contrasting styles seem to be competing rather than complementing.
It is a huge shame that there isn’t a singular identity for the episode because the stand-off scene between Daniel and Vala shows how brilliant it could have been had they chosen a consistent genre. This scene is wonderfully executed and would have been a fitting ending for a psychological thriller with Daniel’s impassioned, serious, yet heart-tugging dialogue, the simple flashback to the SG1 team, and the comforting hug as Vala remembers and surrenders. It is also flawlessly acted by both Michael Shanks and Claudia Black.
All the cast turn in solid performances but with Vala the central character of the piece, the majority have little to do leaving Black to do a sterling job of carrying the episode. While the story never settles on a genre, Black’s versatility means that she is able to carry off all the rom-com humour and yet still be believable in the more serious scenes. The showcase scene for Black’s acting has to be the stand-off with Daniel. She is outstanding at displaying the visible internal breakdown of Vala as she listens to Daniel and remembers. It’s well done and admittedly even had me wiping away a tear. Black’s performance is the main reason why even with the mish-mash of competing styles the episode remains watchable.
Once again this season, Stargate has produced a solid, enjoyable episode but, once again, the judgement of this particular viewer is ‘could do even better’. I would have preferred the whole story played as a psychological thriller; it would have added depth to Vala’s character; it might have given the Trust some substance as an enemy, and there is little doubt that Black could have handled the material superbly. Equally, had it committed fully to being a romantic comedy, I’m certain the story would have been highly enjoyable. But it definitely needed to be one or the other; trying to be both only gives the whole story an identity crisis that detracts from the quality execution of its parts.
