Another Titanic Hit?

Cameron brings "dark Angel" to the small screen

By Jenny Jeltes

For the Daily

"America is just another broke ex-superpower looking for a handout and wondering why."

This line is just one of the many problems confronting the characters of "Dark Angel," the new sci-fi adventure series premiering on FOX. Producers James Cameron ("Titanic," "Terminator II") and Charles Egee set this new show in the year 2019 and propose a futuristic reality of technological disaster.

In 2009, a covert genetic lab in Gillette, Wyoming began "Project Manticore," a new undertaking involving the genetic engineering of young children. This breakthrough allowed for superhuman qualities such as enhanced strength, fitness and mental capacity, which could ultimately give America ever-powerful combat soldier troops.

Only something went wrong. Most of these kids, with their shaven heads and bar codes on their necks, managed to escape this drill camp late one night and make it out into the real world.

Actress Jessica Alba makes her television starring debut as Max, one of the lone survivors of this devastating and torturesome past. Skipping ahead to the year 2019, America has taken a turn for the worst. After suffering an electromagnetic pulse blast conducted by foreign terrorists, America has fallen into a Depression.

Poverty, pollution and hopelessness now best characterize the status of the United States. There is no government - well, at least the kind of government we know of now. Moreover, power is held in the hands of the corrupt. An advantage of this, for Max at least, is that she has managed to stay undetected. The military officials from the lab, headed by Lydecker (John Savage) are still on the hunt.

Max, while managing to be hidden from their view, is on a hunt of her own. What has happened to all of the other children she had escaped with, especially the boy who had saved her life that night? In addition to Max's struggle, the nation faces a struggle of its own.

There are so called sugar pills now being given to the nation's sick and the real medication, capable of saving the lives of many, is being exported on the black market. Max runs into Logan Kale (Michael Weatherly), an underground cyber-journalist striving to do something, anything, to fuel some motivation in the hearts of all these innocent citizens.

Logan, noticing Max's extraordinary strength and fighting abilities, wants her to help him in his quest. What good will this do for Max though? Will he be able to track down some of her fellow companions from the lab?

These questions can only set the stage for a successful season of action and suspense. "Dark Angel" gives science fiction a feminist twist, for Max takes crap from no one. Not only is she extremely witty and intelligent, but to all you guys out there, she's pretty good-looking, too. Girls, you are not overlooked. Logan, her undercover buddy, is pretty fine himself.

On a higher level, "Dark Angel" can be pleasing to all audiences because it deals with some questions that ultimately concern the entire nation. Many people have been questioning the consequences, both good and bad, of our country's rapid technological growth. This show is very interesting because many of its ideas are not too out of our league. Being too powerful may have devastating results (does "Big Brother" ring a bell?).

The best part of "Dark Angel" is the flow of events. It is fast-paced and it keeps you wondering what will happen next. Max has herself in quite a plight and one cannot help but hook in to her struggle. On the flip side, there is an element of fulfillment missing.

Given the situations the characters in "Dark Angel" are faced with, one can understand their lack of personal happiness, but the characters at times appear so - what's the word? - dry. You may likely enjoy Max's sarcastic remarks, for they are stunning, but if you are expecting some sort of identification with a character, it may be hard to find it in this show.

Given that this is the first episode, however, this attitude may change as the show progresses. Nevertheless, it is definitely worth a shot to watch "Dark Angel" and learn what it is all about. Given the past successes of Cameron, chances are good this show will interest many.

Courtesy of FOX

"Dark Angel," from James Cameron, stars Jessica Alba.