ALARIS' REVIEWS

30th May 2010
What Alaris thought of the Lost finale (2010)

There's a lot to love about Lost. Complex, evolving characters, intriguing plot threads, dramatic action, all mixed with moments of humour and warmth.

Unfortunately, I found the finale of Lost underwhelming. I really enjoyed the episodes leading up to it, with Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) as unflappable puppetmaster, orchestrating events into alignment. I love that kind of line ‘em up and knock ‘em down story, done so well in series like Wonderfalls (2006). I hoped that Lost was going to be like that on an epic scale, snowballing to an exciting and meaningful conclusion.

Instead, I got a surreal, metaphysical abstraction in the style of Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995) and RahXephon (2002). And those who've read my RahXephon review know how I feel about those kinds of endings.

I like stories with conviction and closure. I like them to clearly communicate an idea or message, feeling or point of view. My favourite endings are those with a solid sense of choice, action, consequence and meaning eg. Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (1997). I find it deeply dissatisfying when stories end without a strong sense of character direction, or with too many unanswered questions.

Everyone sitting in a metaphorical church, waiting to ‘move on' renders the flashsideways universe meaningless, and detracts from the intensity of the main world. For me, a better ending would have involved Desmond acting as the catalyst to transpose the main world with the flashsideways universe. This way, all the suffering endured and sacrifices made in the main world would have been driving events towards the creation of the better, alternate universe.

However, as it stands, Lost is yet another worthwhile series marred by a less than satisfactory ending.

To end on an upbeat note, here are some of my favourite moments from Lost.

• Desmond calls Penny in 'The Constant'. Still my all time favourite episode of Lost. This could have been the series finale as far as I was concerned. It's all about Desmond!

• Sawyer jumps from the helicopter. This kind of cool needs no elaboration.

• Sun takes down her dad: Sun and Ben would make a scary team.

• Desmond punches Ben's lights out on the pier. Nothing less than top notch heroics to conclude one of Lost's most heart rending storylines.

• Ben apologises to the manifestation of Alex in the temple. Absolutely heartbreaking, and a high point in the evolution of the character.

• Ben gives a eulogy at Locke's burial. Hilarious and tragic. Emerson has this technique down to an art.

• Sawyer reveals his true identity in the flashsideways. La Fleur. James La Fleur.

• Ben finally gets Whitmore. Vintage Ben, served very, very cold.