by Chris Wickham

Created on: January 10, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

As time progresses, new technological feats are reached such as the increase and enhancement of computer technology or the ability to send crews of astronauts into space. In particular, space travel is still partly theoretical, however, we are able to indulge our senses by going to the local cinema, which now offers us an incredible visual and realistic experience through the use of special effects.

I believe in the present, most films rely on special effects in order to make them successful. Spielberg's rendition of the timeless War of the Worlds' (2005) is an example of a recent film which relied on heavy destruction and a space-age visual experience by effects in order to be successful. Such demands and requirements to use special effects are incredibly expensive; a fee which is difficult to pay if the film is not successful at the box office.

While I enjoy many films and believe special effects provide us with an incredible experience, it is sad to see that most modern films rely upon the use of such effects to be successful. The focus is less on the skill of the actors, which was what films were originally about, and more on the impression the film is going to make on its viewers. While I agree special effects provide a unique experience, they are no substitute for the raw talent of actors which I believe is unfortunately hard to come by nowadays.

The book is one of the first ways that man created to enable them to express feelings of fiction and fantasy. It is amazing to think how the position of words on a page can have such a profound effect on whoever reads it. Such stories spark wonder and delve deep into events and characters, making you feel as if you know them intimately. Such talent is however not transferred onto the big screen as much as it was and the way to a successful film now seems to rely on the amount of effects that can be crammed into an approximate two-hour slot. Several weeks ago, I read a review for the film Poseidon' (2006) and the reviewer made some interesting points. They criticized the film for its lack of character development, claiming it was easier to refer to one of the characters as the old guy' rather than his scripted name. Watching the movie with my girlfriend, I remember many occasions where I called this character the old guy'. Poseidon relied on a lot of effects and carefully timed stunts to make it a rather exciting movie but in the end, this was not the work of the actors. I felt no grief when the characters died and

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