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Ridley Scott's Forever War In 3D

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the that-extra-d-is-for-dumber dept.

bowman9991 writes "Ridley Scott's next science fiction film, his first since Blade Runner, will be a 3D adaptation of Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, an action packed novel about the impact of the time dilation effect on soldiers returning from an interstellar war against the mysterious Tauran species. Scott recently decided to move to 3D after watching footage of James Cameron's yet to be released science fiction epic Avatar. The Forever War, Cameron's Avatar, and Scott's other upcoming science fiction project, Brave New World, will make the next five years a fantastic time to be a science fiction movie enthusiast."

4 of 296 comments (clear)

  1. Forever War is fantastic by SpuriousLogic · · Score: 4, Informative

    I read the first time this years ago in high school. It is an absolutely fantastic story. I'm hoping Ridley Scott repeats his Aliens and Blade Runner magic on this.

    1. Re:Forever War is fantastic by radtea · · Score: 5, Informative

      I just keep thinking about how this was supposed to be a response to Heinlein's Starship Troopers (or vice versa?)

      Response to. "Starship Troopers" was first published in '59, "The Forever War" was published in the early '70's.

      Heinlein's book tries to be pro-military rather than pro-war, but it's sometimes a distinction without a difference. On the other hand I know people who read Haldeman's book as a pro-war story, missing the larger point entirely.

      Heinlein was a naval officer who never saw action. Haldeman a combat engineer who did. Differences in experience and generational differences are important to understanding the differences between the books.

      I personally find "The Forever War" a more satisfying story, both morally and narratively, although the resolution of the conflict with the Taurans is tantamount to magic, which I found disappointing. On the other hand, Heinlein asks, "Why do people fight?" and ultimately gives us no deeper answer than "Unit cohesion", although the quasi-nationalist racial hygiene stuff clouds that conclusion at times.

      --
      Blasphemy is a human right. Blasphemophobia kills.
    2. Re:Forever War is fantastic by Nursie · · Score: 4, Informative

      You do know that Starship Troopers is a deliberate satire on the source material, right?

      It's not perfect in its execution, but whilst you can (and I did when I first saw it as a young teenager) see it as just a gung-ho action movie that's basically content-free. When you then put it into the context of Heinleins original glorification of war and armed service it becomes clear that the film is actually a somewhat clever satire of the original, whilst also being entertaining and action-y enough to satisfy those that prefer not to think too much.

  2. Re:How gimmicky is this 3D stuff? by DinDaddy · · Score: 4, Informative

    It is always going to be disorienting for many people as long as your eyes want to focus and converge on something as if it were in the place it appears to be. 3D suffers from the innate problem of trying to make things appear closer to you when they are really still on a screen 30 feet away. Your eyes don't like to focus a one range but converge at another.

    Things that make you go bleh.