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Amazon.co.uk Review
The dark and fantastic Harsh Realm, a science fiction series about a war fought by flesh-and-blood humans trapped inside virtual reality, was launched by The X-Files creator Chris Carter in 1999 and died a regrettable, premature death on the Fox channel after three episodes. The remaining six shows found sanctuary on the FX network, and then Harsh Realm slipped into history, its wild story, based on a comic book, far from resolved. Perhaps Harsh Realm's ratings failure had something to do with its broad similarities to the hugely popular The Matrix, released only a few months before, or, for that matter, David Cronenberg's 1999 eXistenZ, in which characters fight for their lives inside a video game. Whatever the reason, enough time has passed to take an objective look at Harsh Realm, and there is a lot to be admired in its high level of imagination, complex plotting, and cutting-edge production values.
Scott Bairstow stars as U.S. Army Lieutenant Tom Hobbes, a decorated hero who risked his life rescuing a buddy, Major Mel Waters (Max Martini), during a peacekeeping mission in the former Yugoslavia. Set to return to civilian life and marry his fiancée, Sophie (Samantha Mathis), Hobbes is summoned by a mysterious superior (Lance Henriksen) and asked to test-run Harsh Realm, a virtual reality war game devised by the Pentagon. Once he begins, however, Hobbes is mentally imprisoned in the dangerous game (his body, along with those of hundreds of other "volunteers," is cared for in a secret military hospital), where he is identified by other, desperate captives as the savior they've been awaiting. D.B. Sweeney is very good as another soldier, Mike Pinocchio, whose sense of mission is re-awakened by Hobbes and who becomes a partner in an endless effort to defeat a madman named Santiago (Terry O'Quinn), who rules Harsh Realm from within. As with The X-Files, the nine episodes in this boxed set are each very striking on their own terms, with post-apocalyptic sets, constant surprises, and that special Chris Carter touch (fans of his Millennium will like Harsh Realm, too) that makes every story look and feel like a collision of a nightmare and a crisis of faith. --Tom Keogh
DVD Description
This action-packed sci-fi drama tells the story of Lieutenant Thomas Hobbes, a soldier whose last mission is to enter the virtual reality military training programme known as Harsh Realm – to escape from this nightmarish alternate reality he has to beat the top player in the game, Omar Santiago, the man who holds the secret of the way back into the real world. Will Hobbes succeed in his mission? How many people does he need to kill? Who can he trust? Is Harsh Realm really only a game?
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Another example of an American TV screw-up!,
By
This review is from: Harsh Realm: Complete Series 1 [DVD] (DVD)
I for one would like to know how to go about getting a job on a TV Network in the USA. Obviously you don't need any kind of quality control credentials. You just cancel what you like when you like!Harsh Realm is a show that was cancelled before it was ever given a chance to shine, and while there are are a few duff episodes, on the whole it is an excellent slice of TV Sci-Fi. The computer program/alternate universe theme is always a good one and Scott Bairstow plays his role well. Although the stand-out character in my opinion is D B Sweeney's Pinocchio. Cynical to a fault, while always entertaining. Yes, the show is a bit underdeveloped, but with less than half a normal season of episodes thats only to be expected. And it does get very good towards the end of the season. Highly recommended. Harsh Realm is dfinitely worth buying. And considering how unlikely it was that UK viewers would ever get to watch it, you can savour it all the more. Buy it. You never know, maybe if enough are sold then we might get more never-seen gems!! We can hope!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cancelled after Nine Episodes? Too Harsh!,
By SimonB (South West England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Harsh Realm: Complete Series 1 [DVD] (DVD)
I was initially put off by some of the negative feedback this DVD had been given, however finally I bit the bullet and gave it a go. I wasn't disappointed. In fact, by the end of the series, it really had left me wanting more. It certainly should have been allowed to continue and didn't deserve to be cancelled, and you are left with the strong impression that this was a show just finding it's feet - the episodes move from strength to strength, and I am certainly pleased that I took a chance and bought this one, it now has a proud home amongst my collection. Had it not been cancelled, I think it would have become a hit show, and it's a shame that it will never achieve the success it (in my opinion) so richly deserves.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A not so harsh review for Harsh Realm,
By Graham Bassett (Crowborough) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Harsh Realm: Complete Series 1 [DVD] (DVD)
This is a must buy for any fans of the X Files. A very dark drama which at times doesn't give you all of the answers, much like the X Files. That is where any comparison with the X Files ends as this is a cracking series in its own right. It has excellent acting throughout and doesn't rely too heavily on effects, which would have been the easy option.There are no weak episodes and the overall feeling I was left with was one of surprise that such a cracking series only lasted one season before being cancelled. The extras do not warrant much attention, with the exception of Chris Carter's commentary on the pilot. However, because the series is so good, the lack of extras is a minor quibble. Give this DVD a try-you might be pleasantly surprised.
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