Man From Earth Holocene is getting a bad wrap. Hear me out.
We can't sit here and act like we should be expecting high-production value. The first film lacked that, and this film is similarly molded with campy-production values and hallmark music. If we're going to give the first film a pass for that, then the same needs to be done here.
It's been 10-years since the first film, and I for one was excited to see a follow-up. I didn't even know it was released. I just recently discovered that it was, 6 or 7 years after the fact mind you(dec '23), and of course, I immediately sat down to watch-it.
Yes, those production short-comings were still there, but having seen the original, they were no surprise or distraction.
There are two types of viewers that will, specifically, loath this follow-up. The first are those that did not see the first film. For them, the campy production and concept will fall short, they will be an unpleasant surprise, but for me, overall, this is a worthy follow-up. Watching the first film is not a requirement for understanding any of the concepts, but some of the relationships carried-over have more impact if you have viewed the original.
The second group will loath the film for the same reason I like it, and that is that Holocene asks even more serious and critical questions about Christianity. The first film doesn't tackle the absolutes and strong emotions involved with devotion, faith, and the broader religious impact of the original idea, like Holocene. Much like films with political undertones are divisive - the same can be said about the political and religious undertones of Holocene. Do NoT pass on the sequel due to the current 5.2 rating. That rating is likely skewed for those reasons. Where the original safely dabbled in the "misinterpretations" of Christianity, the second film here hits the subject head-on.
Sterling Knight deserves some props for his supporting role as Philip, a devout Christian college student who feels both intrigued and seriously conflicted by this new revelation. Mr. Knight deserves some bigger roles in bigger films.
I also liked Vanessa Williams and Michael Dorn in their supporting roles. Both give solid performances, although, the break-up scene missed an opportunity to add even more emotional complexity to the film.
Overall, Holocene is a worthy follow-up. It isn't as good as the original, but it is as daring as the original. I think the film has two scenes that could have been even more emotional and more well-written; the break-up, and the basement scene(the films best), both could have really elevated this film to the heights of the original, but fell just a bit short. The tazer concept would have been more believable if Philip would have pulled the trigger.
I still enjoyed the film. It did just about everything I could have expected from a follow-up, progressing the story, concepts, and characters, while presenting even more questions and new interest; perhaps, similar to what this film did with the religious quandary, to be later expanded-upon. In that way, and with the final scene, I would watch and anticipate a third entry. I hope the rating here doesn't discourage that prospect.
Holocene is better than it's 5.2 rating here. Don't pass on this if you enjoyed the original. Devout Christians probably left "Man From earth" puzzled or intrigued, but they also might leave "Holocene", outraged. That's the only thing that could explain watchers of the original, giving this 1 or 2 stars. It's too much like the original, and also not far-off in overall quality, to be critiqued so harshly, unless many are outraged by its' religious undoing. I think this is a solid follow-up, that would also serve as a nice connector for a final film of a trilogy, or at least that's my hope. The original concept is so intriguing that it glosses-over the production short-comings of the original. If you afford the sequel the same considerations, it's nearly as good. Watch it.
It would be interesting to see the ratings broken down by religious groups.
59/100.
We can't sit here and act like we should be expecting high-production value. The first film lacked that, and this film is similarly molded with campy-production values and hallmark music. If we're going to give the first film a pass for that, then the same needs to be done here.
It's been 10-years since the first film, and I for one was excited to see a follow-up. I didn't even know it was released. I just recently discovered that it was, 6 or 7 years after the fact mind you(dec '23), and of course, I immediately sat down to watch-it.
Yes, those production short-comings were still there, but having seen the original, they were no surprise or distraction.
There are two types of viewers that will, specifically, loath this follow-up. The first are those that did not see the first film. For them, the campy production and concept will fall short, they will be an unpleasant surprise, but for me, overall, this is a worthy follow-up. Watching the first film is not a requirement for understanding any of the concepts, but some of the relationships carried-over have more impact if you have viewed the original.
The second group will loath the film for the same reason I like it, and that is that Holocene asks even more serious and critical questions about Christianity. The first film doesn't tackle the absolutes and strong emotions involved with devotion, faith, and the broader religious impact of the original idea, like Holocene. Much like films with political undertones are divisive - the same can be said about the political and religious undertones of Holocene. Do NoT pass on the sequel due to the current 5.2 rating. That rating is likely skewed for those reasons. Where the original safely dabbled in the "misinterpretations" of Christianity, the second film here hits the subject head-on.
Sterling Knight deserves some props for his supporting role as Philip, a devout Christian college student who feels both intrigued and seriously conflicted by this new revelation. Mr. Knight deserves some bigger roles in bigger films.
I also liked Vanessa Williams and Michael Dorn in their supporting roles. Both give solid performances, although, the break-up scene missed an opportunity to add even more emotional complexity to the film.
Overall, Holocene is a worthy follow-up. It isn't as good as the original, but it is as daring as the original. I think the film has two scenes that could have been even more emotional and more well-written; the break-up, and the basement scene(the films best), both could have really elevated this film to the heights of the original, but fell just a bit short. The tazer concept would have been more believable if Philip would have pulled the trigger.
I still enjoyed the film. It did just about everything I could have expected from a follow-up, progressing the story, concepts, and characters, while presenting even more questions and new interest; perhaps, similar to what this film did with the religious quandary, to be later expanded-upon. In that way, and with the final scene, I would watch and anticipate a third entry. I hope the rating here doesn't discourage that prospect.
Holocene is better than it's 5.2 rating here. Don't pass on this if you enjoyed the original. Devout Christians probably left "Man From earth" puzzled or intrigued, but they also might leave "Holocene", outraged. That's the only thing that could explain watchers of the original, giving this 1 or 2 stars. It's too much like the original, and also not far-off in overall quality, to be critiqued so harshly, unless many are outraged by its' religious undoing. I think this is a solid follow-up, that would also serve as a nice connector for a final film of a trilogy, or at least that's my hope. The original concept is so intriguing that it glosses-over the production short-comings of the original. If you afford the sequel the same considerations, it's nearly as good. Watch it.
It would be interesting to see the ratings broken down by religious groups.
59/100.