Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 24, 1993 TAG: 9302240182
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Tom Shales
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
`BABYLON 5' - DOES IT HAVE A FUTURE? PETER JURASIK A FAR-OUT SPACE AMBASSADOR
Science fiction believes in the future. Even if it paints that future as brutal and barren, most sci-fi at least presumes there is going to be one."Babylon 5" is more optimistic still. It foresees a 23rd-century world in which Earth, of all planets, is the one that has been put in charge of maintaining peace in the universe. Yes, Earth, where for eons people have been dividing themselves up into states, nations, races, cultures, classes, colors and creeds, and then proceeding to beat the daylights out of one another.
Perhaps by 2257, the year in which the film is set, all this will have subsided. It is, after all, "the dawning of the third age of mankind," or so says a sonorous voice as "Babylon 5" begins.
The syndicated two-hour movie, airing at 8 p.m. Monday on WJPR (Channels 21/27), is another offering from Prime Time Entertainment Network, underwritten by Time Warner. PTEN wants to be a force in the universe - the universe of big-bang, big-buck TV syndication. If "Babylon" flies, it'll be back next season as a series.
One thing the film has going for it is intense gorgeousness, at least during exterior shots of the Babylon 5 space station as it dangles in the cosmos. Some of the outer-space special effects are so vivid they look almost three-dimensional. Unfortunately, once you get indoors, you run into too many one-dimensional characters, and the film itself wavers uncertainly between serious and spoofy.
Essentially, "Babylon 5" is the famous Cantina Scene from "Star Wars" blown up to feature length, with actors in outlandish costumes playing a variety of bizarre beings from other worlds. As meeting place and watering hole, the space station functions like Rick's Cafe Americain in "Casablanca," since it's a magnet for spies and criminals. "You name it - sooner or later, everyone comes to Babylon 5," notes the station commander.
Most mysterious of those who drop anchor are the Vorlons, on whom no human eyes have ever looked. The Vorlon ship docks, looking like a huge umbrella with an asparagus handle. But soon after the Vorlonian ambassador, wearing what appears to be a huge toilet seat on his head, makes his grand entrance, he keels over in a heap, victim of some fiendish chicanery.
Ah yes, the plot: Commander Jeffrey Sinclair (Michael O'Hare), Lt. Commander Laurel Takashima (Tamlyn Tomita), security chief Michael Garibaldi (Jerry Doyle) and Dr. Benjamin Kyle (Johnny Sekka), the "Bones" of the outfit, set about solving the mystery and keeping the stricken ambassador alive. His death would let loose a Vorlon attack on the space station and thus all hell.
Among the resident colorful characters figuring in the mystery is rascally Lando Mollari (Peter Jurasik), who has a wild plume of hair at the back of his otherwise bald head. He looks like Larry of the Three Stooges. No, wait - he looks like Curly of the Three Stooges. In fact, he is an amazing combination of Larry AND Curly!!!
Alas, "Babylon."
As it turns out, the bad guy who poisoned the ambassador is capable of transforming himself into look-alikes of other beings via the computer-assisted "morphing" effect already seen in several fantasy movies and TV commercials. What was once astounding is turning into a cliche.
The film is hampered, too, by a lack of action and a surplus of chit-chat. Characters recite their autobiographies at the drops of hats. This tendency will undoubtedly inspire some wag to re-christen the movie "Babble-On 5."
Near the end, crisis averted, a sentry declares, "Babylon 5 is open for business." It will close for business, however, if the ratings aren't good. "Babylon 5" is about what the future may hold, but one thing the future may not hold is "Babylon 5."
Washington Post Writers Group