Lost: The Complete Fourth Season
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J.J.
Abrams
Jeffrey Lieber
Damon Lindelof |
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U.S. Region 1
Factory Sealed
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Genre:
Plot Outline: After Oceanic Air flight 815 tore apart in mid-air and crashed on a Pacific island, it s survivors were forced to find
inner strength they never knew they had in order to survive. But they discovered that the island hold many secrets, including
a mysterious smoke monster, polar bears, a strange French woman and another group of island residents known as The Others.
The survivors have also found signs of those who came to the island before them, including a 19th century sailing ship called
The Black Rock, the remains of an ancient statue, as well as bunkers belonging to the Dharma Initiative a group of scientific
researchers who inhabited the island in the recent past. Season four of "Lost" was a fine return to form for the series, which polarized its audience the year before with its
focus on The Others and not enough on our original crash victims. That season's finale introduced a new storytelling device--the
flash-forward--that's employed to great effect this time around; by showing who actually got off the island (known as the
Oceanic Six), the viewer is able to put to bed some longstanding loose ends. As the finale attests, we see that in the future
Jack (Matthew Fox) is broken, bearded, and not sober, while Kate (Evangeline Lilly) is estranged from Jack and with another
guy (the identity may surprise you). Four others do make it back to their homes, but as the flash-forwards show, it's definitely
not the end of their connection to the island. Back in present day, however, the islanders are visited by the denizens of
a so-called rescue ship, who have agendas of their own. While Jack works with the newcomers to try to get off the island,
Locke (Terry O'Quinn), with a few followers of his own, forms an uneasy alliance with Ben (Michael Emerson) against the suspicious
gang. Some episodes featuring the new characters feel like filler, but the evolution of such characters as Sun and Jin (Yunjin
Kim and Daniel Dae Kim) is this season's strength; plus, the love story of Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick) and Penny (Sonya Walger)
provides some of the show's emotional highlights. As is the custom with "Lost", bullets fly and characters die (while others
may or may not have). Moreover, the fate of Michael (Harold Perrineau), last seen traitorously sailing off to civilization
in season two, as well as the flash-forwards of the Oceanic Six, shows you never quite "leave" the island once you've left.
There's a force that pulls them in, and it's a hook that keeps you watching. Season four was a shorter 13 episodes instead
of the usual 22 due to the 2008 writers' strike; nonetheless, the set comes with two discs of extras. One of the best features
is "LOST in 8:15," which is a rapid-fire summation of the series thus far in eight minutes, 15 seconds. Narrated by a hilariously
droll female, it includes lines such as "Jack meets Kate. Kate stitches up Jack. They bond." and "They see Jack play football
with Mr. Friendly. Mr. Friendly throws like a girl." The featurette "The Right to Bear Arms" takes a fun look at the prop
masters responsible for supplying the castaways with guns--and keeping track of who has one and who doesn't (best here is
Sawyer's (Josh Holloway) assertion that characters often cock their guns just to look cool). Cast members Lilly, Garcia, Yunjin
Kim, and Daniel Dae Kim provide a few of the commentaries, and the set even comes with an amusing safety guide for Oceanic
Airlines. (Example: "if you notice black smoke emanating from the plane, please alert the captain. It is either a problem
with the engines or a mysterious creature.") Finally, for those who bought the standard-def DVD, take a closer look at the
front cover after you've removed the O-sleeve; you'll notice the entire cast has been blacked out save for a few: the Oceanic
Six.
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