Not a perfect adaptation by any means, but this is head and shoulders above the "Sharknado"-type schlock that the SyFy Channel usually produces.
It's been decades since I read the source novel, so I cannot speak to a lot of specifics, but the changes I did notice seemed unimportant, if a bit arbitrary; the human representative is now a random farmer, rather than the UN Secretary General, for example. However, I do know that this adaptation evokes much the same "feel" that I recall from Clarke's famous novel.
Those who have not read the book may think that one infamous "surprise" (the appearance of the aliens, which I won't spoil here) is typical of SyFy cheesiness, but you have to recall that in 1958, when the novel was published, this would have been a relatively original twist, especially in a society that was much more religious than our current one. (Incidentally: kudos to the makeup man.)
The criticism some have made about the slow pacing of the story is valid; however, I would prefer to think of it more as "patient" than simply slow. This certainly COULD have been tightened up to two episodes, but losing some of the emotional scenes (not to mention the gorgeous music with which they were scored) would have been a shame.
This is not "Independence Day" or "Star Wars." When you are in the mood for that kind of escapist sci-fi, "Childhood's End" will not satisfy you. But it was very well done for what it is: a thoughtful reverie from the mind of one of the golden-age masters.
I like a good monster-of the week movie as much as the next guy (maybe more) but this new mature side also looks good on you, SyFy Channel. Congrats, and keep it up.
It's been decades since I read the source novel, so I cannot speak to a lot of specifics, but the changes I did notice seemed unimportant, if a bit arbitrary; the human representative is now a random farmer, rather than the UN Secretary General, for example. However, I do know that this adaptation evokes much the same "feel" that I recall from Clarke's famous novel.
Those who have not read the book may think that one infamous "surprise" (the appearance of the aliens, which I won't spoil here) is typical of SyFy cheesiness, but you have to recall that in 1958, when the novel was published, this would have been a relatively original twist, especially in a society that was much more religious than our current one. (Incidentally: kudos to the makeup man.)
The criticism some have made about the slow pacing of the story is valid; however, I would prefer to think of it more as "patient" than simply slow. This certainly COULD have been tightened up to two episodes, but losing some of the emotional scenes (not to mention the gorgeous music with which they were scored) would have been a shame.
This is not "Independence Day" or "Star Wars." When you are in the mood for that kind of escapist sci-fi, "Childhood's End" will not satisfy you. But it was very well done for what it is: a thoughtful reverie from the mind of one of the golden-age masters.
I like a good monster-of the week movie as much as the next guy (maybe more) but this new mature side also looks good on you, SyFy Channel. Congrats, and keep it up.