At the time, this series made a lot of noise. It was shown in almost all countries of the world, and the ratings were so high that they broke all records. In Russia, the series has collected a lot of positive reviews. Lost gave birth to a whole culture - shows of a similar format, games and films were filmed. What attracted the audience to this plot and how did the Russians perceive the denouement? Find out!
How to create a legend?
JJ Abrams knows how to create films and series that instantly become popular and attract the attention of a large audience. But in 2004, he was faced with what many scriptwriters and producers call the “creative crisis.” He had an idea for a new series, but he himself perfectly understood how beaten and hackneyed by other directors it was. The very idea of making a multi-part film about the crash of a passenger liner and the happy salvation of several passengers caused him a variety of emotions. In order for the idea to come true, a simple comic book entitled “Flash and His Friends” was enough. Even one page of it.
Simple accident
Seeing a drawing that depicted a polar bear among the tropical jungle, he immediately understood the concept of a new project. It is necessary to shoot not just the story of several survivors and their life on a desert island, but to make a unique place with its mystical riddles and secrets. If in all films of the Robinsonade genre the plot is built around the main characters, then in his series this island will become the hero. Alive, dangerous and carefully keeping its secrets. To survive, passengers will have to unravel its secrets and find a common language with the Master of the Island. So the concept of one of the most popular series in the history of cinema was invented. The success of Lost and the reviews of film critics show that the best ideas come when you are not waiting for them at all.
The essence of the series
After the plane crash, several uninhabited passengers find themselves on a desert island. Among them are a doctor, a criminal and a policeman, a fraudster, a couple of newlyweds from Korea, a black man with a son and a dog, a former rock star with a drug addiction, a customs officer, a lottery millionaire, an Arab and several young people. At first they try to make bonfires and write messages in the sand in the hope of salvation. But it soon becomes clear that they will have to linger here. The place was not the most hospitable - bears roam in the jungle, and black smoke with a howl kills everyone who gets in its way.
"Others"
In addition, there is also an indigenous population on the Island who is not eager to help uninvited guests. They abduct passengers and are especially interested in the young pregnant girl Claire. Soon there is a meeting with another group - these people flew in the tail of the plane and did not suspect that, besides them, there were still surviving passengers. Both units are united in the fight against the "others". Another person adjoins them, who allegedly escaped from the aborigines and wants to become a member of their group. But taught by bitter experience, passengers quickly recognized in him a mishandled spy. Ben was forced to admit that he was the leader of the "others."
"Dharma"
For several decades, the island conducted scientific experiments. This place is unique - electromagnetism allows you to create weapons, but at the same time deprives all women of the opportunity to conceive and bear a child. Korean Song has managed to get pregnant on the Island and is now a desirable subject for research. Claire safely gave birth to her firstborn, Aaron. A group of survivors will give the Dharma the opportunity to conduct the necessary experiments for them. But the most important object was Dr. Jack Shepard. A surgeon can do an operation on Ben and save him from a cancerous tumor. After numerous trials and adventures, several survivors manage to leave the Island and return home.
Dreams and Reality
Six lucky ones had to overcome many difficulties on returning home. A few months later, Ben persuades Jack to gather everyone and return to the Island, where their friends remained. It was this moment in "Staying Alive", according to the audience, caused the greatest controversy. Perhaps the scriptwriters were not quite able to convey to the viewer the very idea of returning. Be that as it may, the six heroes return to the Island again, but this time they are in the past. They have to portray Dharma recruits. The essence of the black howling smoke and the Island Master Jacob is revealed. The new line opens with a confrontation between Ben and one of the survivors - John Locke. The essence of the island begins to create doubles, which are evil and can move in time.
Expected Surprise in Lost
Reviews of the series finale suggest that the lion's share of the audience guessed how the story would end. After numerous trials, the heroes manage to find a cave that gives answers to all the riddles. At the cost of his life, Jack closes a hole in the pool, which caused all the anomalies. He is seriously wounded, he gets out and goes to the place where he first came to his senses on the Island after the crash. He lies on the ground and dies. In an alternate reality, the whole group gathers in the temple, where Jack is the last to arrive. He learns that no one survived the crash, and all this time they were in Purgatory. They created the island themselves to find each other. Now, for them, time does not matter, and they are ready to move on to another stage.
"Lost": the opinion of film critics
Undoubtedly, the great advantage of the series is his faith in his own viewer. Critics say the crew made the right move, not afraid to confuse people in the storyline. Unlike other popular TV shows, where one story unfolds during the course of the action, "Staying Alive" with each series introduced even more ambiguity to what was happening on the screen. This was done in order to show the other directors that people are ready to accept and comprehend the confused and broken storyline. The time has passed when the people needed to explain the action of this or that character.
The constant flashbacks throughout the series did not frighten the viewer - they added intrigue and mystery. Fans themselves had to look for a connection between all the heroes, which added interest to "Lost." It should also be noted that the series contained several genres at once - drama, mysticism, science fiction. Several love lines only kindled the viewer's interest and aroused a lot of speculation. Every season they looked forward to what became a phenomenon for the series, which went on for 5 years!
Opinion about leading actors
The main component of the success of the series is the cast. Reviews for Staying Alive in 2006 showed that it is not necessary to invite Hollywood stars for a quality project. None of the actors was a recognized star, which the audience liked. The main focus was on three characters. These are Jack Shepard, Kate Austin and James Ford (Sawyer). This love triangle should be kept in suspense throughout all seasons. Matthew Fox did not count on great fame after signing the contract. It was originally planned that he would play the role of Sawyer, but after the casting he became Dr. Shepard. His character was supposed to die in the first season, but after the first episodes were released, it was decided to leave him and build the plot around his figure.
For Evangeline Lilly, filming Lost was the first major role. Prior to that, she flashed in a series of walkthroughs. It was the role of Kate that opened her doors to the world of big cinema. The most controversial character in the series, and most of all the critics devoted her reviews. Young and very talented Evangeline managed to cope with a difficult task and did not look like a licentious and windy girl who can not decide who she should be with. Her emotional torment, as well as voluntary custody of Claire’s child, evoked only the most positive emotions. Even the fact that she killed her stepfather, who was mocking her mother, did not alienate the fans.
If the first two heroes were mostly good, then the character of Josh Holloway could cause only bewilderment. From the first series, it became clear that Sawyer would be an antihero. He quickly came up with insulting nicknames to everyone, took all supplies and medicines, settled separately and spoiled the life of the remaining surviving passengers as best he could. However, reviews of the film "Lost" 2 seasons showed that there was a positive trend.
Sawyer began to be more loyal to his neighbors and even committed good deeds. By the finale, he was already so positive that the audience cried with him when he lost his lover in a bomb explosion.