Review of Crisis

Crisis (2014)
Conspiration Theory and More
4 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
Not only since Snowden, the CIA is an often recurring pool for conspirative stories about the misuse of power, inventions, soldiers and resources on USA's own soil against her own citizens. This intelligence agency seems so powerful that even the President may not be its top head.

'Crisis' is a fictional show about a man who dares to hijack the children of several very powerful people, not to blackmail them for billions of Dollars, but to force them to fulfill special tasks for him, in order to free their children.

Early in the it is obvious that those tasks are not only for the benefit of the hijackers, but do lead to an uncovering of parts of a very very bad CIA plot. The whole operation, a crime it is, seems to be the only way to find and expose evidence for this plot.

So far, up to season 1, episode 7.

'Crisis' is a fictional show for entertainment, with some notable lacks, but also some benefits. It is interesting, how we are led to sympathize with the hijacker's leader, the more it is revealed that he is basically doing every bad thing because of a higher goal, which is, to save the US people from some of their own protectors. Of course he is a mastermind who once instructed CIA members how to spy and gather intel; so he is always one or two steps ahead the authorities, he can predict most of their steps attempting to catch him. It seems that the new American Dream is to outmaneuver the authorities so that their power is taken from their hands.

While most of the perpetrator's success is based on the premise that parents, even mighty, powerful and rich parents, are completely normal and protective when it comes to their children in danger, only the president himself seems to believe that the oath he swore is worth more than the life of his son. We have to buy that, and if one doesn't, one wouldn't want to follow the story of 'crisis'.

On the other hand, the whole situation feels very constructed, full of cliché and sometimes unbelievable. I wonder, if someone could ever decide to abandon the genius-hacker-specimen for a sophisticated team of three or more, because hackers are truly working in teams even when they are attempting to break simple websites. Not necessarily from one place, but together via a network.

The bunch of hijacked children here is a kind of a mess, it never comes close to a sympathizing for any of them. Character development is not present, however hard the script tries to, and after some time the scenes from the lair where they are held captive do seem only to be a way to stretch the running time. Therefore, the script should certainly be going through modifications.

Camera, cut and music are decent and look professional. Actor's performance is like the script - they could and should be improved. I have to admit, that Ms. Anderson, yet I am a big fan of hers, is in my eyes the weakest link in the chain here. Maybe I'm wrong, but I had the impression that she is not very interested from her first scene on.

'Crisis' may not be one of the top shows in 2014, but, forgiving most of it's minor flaws, it does the job.
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