Kroniki Shannary

Kroniki Shannary (2016) 

One of the commonly stated advantages of modern series over films consists in the possibility to better structure the narrative on a longer framework and, in connection with that, to develop the characters and depict them in a much more comprehensive manner than is possible with the limited runtime of a feature film. For this MTV-produced post-apocalyptic fantasy for teenagers, that principle is turned on its head, when the overall dramaturgy and the narrative structure are shaped according to the broadcast or, said more precisely, the placement of advertising blocks. Instead of the concentrated and conceptually escalating narratives of high-quality TV, we have here individual episodes divided into short films separated by advertising blocks, which have to roll out a single twist and end it with a cliff-hanger, all in the space of ten to fifteen minutes. In addition to that, the highlighted large budget for one episode seems rather ridiculous, when it is quite evident that instead of the contemporary blockbusters that the creators want to approximate at least in terms of the promotional element, the series has more in common with the Corman school of trash. The few CGI units soon become hackneyed, when it becomes apparent that it’s the same landscape, only with different camera movement and the money thus squandered is offset by shooting in generic exteriors and two or three interiors (or why nearly ever dialogue scene takes place by the elves’ tree), and that’s not even to mention the general dragging out of the runtime with blathering as opposed to the promised attractions and spectacles. (20.04.2016)