UnowPriceless hyped garbage

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Clarissa Mora The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

Kinley This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

abain-44683 I wasn't born when this amazing show first aired,I was born in 83 so my first time watching it in its fullest was early 90's and it amazed me,having never seen anything like it before I was slightly obsessed,having rewatched it as an adult recently it hasn't lost any of it charm over time

Matthew Kresal If a ninety-nine out of a hundred science fiction films fall into being cliché ridden, one will stand out above the rest. V, in its original miniseries, would be one of those that stands above the rest. V is anything but your typical science fiction story of an alien invasion. It is a tale of a fascist (alien) takeover of our society and the resistance of a few in a society to it. As a result V, while a product of the technology and culture of the 1980's, is a timeless piece of science fiction.One of the elements to V's success is its cast. Leading, so to speak, the cast of human characters are Marc Singer as cameraman Mike Donovan and Faye Grant as med-student turned rebel leader Julie Parrish. Both Singer and Grant give nice performances that, for the most part, come across as real people in extraordinary situations. In fact the performances of the entire cast be described by that last phrase as well ranging from the Maxwell family (Michael Durrell, Penelope Windust as the parents with Blair Tefkin, Viveka Davis and Marin May as their daughters) who find themselves persecuted to the point of joining the resistance much like the Taylor family (Jason Bernard, Richard Lawson and Michael Wright) to the Bernstein family (George Morfogen, Bonnie Bartlett) who find themselves torn between their Visitor friendly son Daniel (David Packer) and the Holocaust survivor grandfather Abraham (Leonardo Cimino). In fact the single best scene involves Abraham, who is wanting to hide the persecuted Maxwell's, reminding his son that this whole situation is all too familiar for the consequences of them not being hidden means "we haven't learned a thing". This is a scene that is not only well acted and well written but incredibly rare in your average science fiction story as well. There's also many other fine members of the cast including Neva Patterson (Donovan's mom), Evan Kim (Donovan's camera partner Tony), Jenny Sullivan (reporter turned Visitor spokeswoman Kristine Walsh) and Kristine Walsh (as Gardener turned rebel Sancho) amongst many others. The human side of the cast is just the tip of the iceberg though.There's also a fine cast playing the alien "visitors" as well. They range from their seemingly benevolent leader John (played briefly and well by Richard Herd) to Andrew Prine as the authoritative Steven. Then there's the innocent abroad in the form of Robert Englund as Willie and the resistance from within the visitors themselves in the form of Frank Ashmore as Martin and Jenny Neumann as Barbara. Then there is Jane Badler as Diana, perhaps the most attractive and conniving of the alien visitors, who plays the role with a seriousness not usually found in this kind of role. Together they form one of the best, and definitely one of the most diverse, cast of alien invaders ever assembled.V is also aided by fine work behind the camera. There's the cinematography of John McPherson especially the tracking shot of characters watching the first contact sequence and the scenes in the mother-ship. The production design in the form of the mother ship interiors are fine examples of science fiction sets. There's also the special effects work ranging from the excellent shots of mother-ships (a decade plus before Independence Day) to the aerial dogfight at the end which all work marvelously for the most part despite a very few shots which don't look quite finished. No review of V is complete without mentioned the fine prosthetic work of the miniseries which range from the Visitors true faces to some rather uncomfortable dining sequences. Last, but not least by any means, is the fine score by composer Joe Harnell which takes puts together classical music influences and choir in one of the most unusual and best scores produced for any science fiction television piece I have heard, especially for the opening and closing credits of any part. In short: strong production values go a long way.To my mind V's ultimate success lies in the script and direction of Kenneth Johnson. V was originally conceived not as a science fiction tale of alien invasion but as the tale of a fascist takeover of the U.S which can still be found deeply embedded in the final product. In fact that is what separates V from many other alien invasion stories. V is about fascism, how people can be lured in by it, how far those in power will go to secure their position, how the average person will react and what happens when ordinary people stand up to resist it. There's also more then a few hints of Nazi Germany as well from the Swastika-like symbol of the Visitors to Friends of the Visitors youth groups (the Hitler Youth) and, before the miniseries is over with, a strong allegory with the Holocaust as well (see the miniseries to get it). Wisely Johnson also puts a fair (but not gratitude) amount of action in as well which helps to compliment the story and move it along. V is embedded in the technology and culture of the 1980's when it was made to sure but that doesn't date the story at all. Instead V becomes, like H.G. Welles War of the Worlds before it, a timeless tale of alien invasion and human resistance to it.What makes V successful? Well it's large cast of fine actors, nice cinematography, good special effects work, excellent prosthetic work and fine score go along way. Yet the true success of V lies in its script and story. Why? Because ultimately V is not about spaceships and ray-guns but is about people and their reactions to the extraordinary events around them.

Andy (film-critic) "V: The Miniseries" captured the attention of the 80s. It was what American audiences needed after such success of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek", it was a new chapter of science fiction, and the marketing gurus behind it were ready to make history. Released in 1983, this short chapter is part of a bigger idea, but it was a powerful start to that idea. Randomly, what I invisioned a Tuesday afternoon, the sky is flooded with huge alien spacecraft ready to make contact. We are scared, the flush of the unknown is heavy, but as soon as we see that they look just like us - we are calmed. They want resources, talk of a dying planet, and even during a Cold War, we - the nations of the world - extend an open hand to them. It is the beginning of the end ... well, so to speak.Nearly 26 years after its original release on television, "V: The Miniseries" is continually voted one of the top cult shows of the 80s, and one can agree - it is a poineering show for television, but the pressing question is - does it still hold up after all of these years? With CGI a staple in Hollywood, and the science fiction genre proving to be a lucrative endeavor, does "V" feel all-powerful, or is it just another hokie film masquerading history with reptilian creatures? Passivly, the response is yes. "V" (excluding "The Final Battle") was a fantastic miniseries in the 80s, and continues to provide unparalleled entertainment today. What lacks in an elongated story pressured by history, it overloads with magnificent visuals. Consider "V" in the 80s to be the "Battlestar Galactica" of today -- thrilling characters, the idea of the unknown, and the creatures that will leave a lasting, and iconic, impression for weeks after viewing. Yet, a modern viewing will have to patiently wait for the reward as it arrives in waves throughout the entire three hours. A bold opening, the over-zealous spacecraft appearing in the skyline, the fear of the unknown, and the arrival of those red suits will pull you in, but then it slows as we introduce characters (both big and small), and further bring connections between 1983 and German influences in the 1940s. Patience is more than a virtue with this series, as it is important to watch through the ending, there are just small details that pull away from the overall impact of the show. The scientist elimination and discrimination was random - at first - having to readjust your concept of "why" - we are jolted from a sudden disappearance to a hatred from both the alien race and human. It was shocking to see how quickly one human could turn on another - but again - it was at that time when Kenneth Johnson was pushing the German/Jewish undertones. A stronger transition from alien arrival to a debunk of social standards would make the flow stronger, and allow modern eyes to adjust.This said, "V: The Miniseries" is more than just your 8pm Wednesday science fiction, it is symbolic, hurtful, idealistic, charming, incredibly 80s, and pioneering for today's television. Between this and Lynch's "Twin Peaks", it is shameful to think "Lost" is that creative. "V" is a great show to watch, and from a personal standpoint, I loved watching everything Johnson brought to the screen. The posters within the film are as vibrant and vintage as when released. The visual of red spraypaint creating that V on the cartoonish prints are just as important as that of the first discovery of the reptile. It was a slice of my youth, but it is not a show that I could watch again and again. The intensity was high, the acting was mid-level, and the central story (outside of the action-packed intro and outro) was mediocre at best. I wanted to fall back in love with this show, but the middle drama was overly symbolic. I didn't need overbearing Nazi implications, I wanted to discover it for myself. Johnson, again, did a great job - just a bit too pushy with the message.The DVD itself was not as sharp as modern discs, but it was an 80s TV show. It felt like it was coming on TV for the first time, complete with lackluster colors and over-budgeted special effects. I liked this style and release, and am highly excited about jumping into "The Final Battle". For this chapter, I liked what I saw - what I was re-exposed to - I just didn't love it as I did was I was 7.Grade: *** 1/2 out of *****

Syl Aliens and their spaceships circle the major cities above the earth before they land. Of course, they have their real motives which are far more disastrous for us humans. They want our water and they need food but beneath their skins, lie an iguana and lizardlike complexion. Not only that, they talk funny like with a second tongue. In this mini-series, they first appear friendly but they are deadly. It takes Marc Singer and Fay Grant to see through their phony lies and pretense regarding the aliens desire to maintain their existence. How will they fight aliens who are far more super technological than we are? With all the controversy regarding UFOs, it is no wonder why they are so afraid of turning up on earth and becoming lab experiments.