24: Redemption

So, Jack is back!!!

24: Redemption serves as a link between the sixth and the seventh series of the popular show. It is a TV-movie, 2-hour long (including commercials of course, actual time is approx. 87 min) and, as always, in real time.

I've just finished watching it and I can say that, although I expected a little more, Redemption serves me just fine. The movie is set in the fictional country of Sangala, somewhere in Africa. Jack is having a peaceful time there, helping his friend Carl Benton (Robert Carlyle) establish a school for orphans. That's the first 10 minutes maybe. After that, something goes wrong...

Although it drags a little bit in the first 15 minutes, and at some points the dialogue is a bit weak, everything else is perfectly fine in this movie. Fast paced action (although I dare say that the movie is not as action-driven as the series is), a lot of new faces to introduce for the seventh season, and a sense of fresh air. It is true that Los Angeles was getting a bit tiring after six seasons, and Jack set in an African background disorientated me in the beginning, but in the end it worked just fine.

24: Redemption achieves its targets, which for me was:

1. To make a dynamic comeback after the show's weakest season (6).
2. To give all of us the good dose of Jack we needed after almost a year and a half.
3. To give us enough reasons to eagerly await the next season.

The cast is once again wonderful, Cherry Jones is the new President-elect, Robert Carlyle delivers in an unusual role for him (to reference Ally: "Bobby Carlyle is in it? He must be the villain!"), and a small cameo by Jon Voight who will be the next season's main antagonist!

I have already seen the trailer for the seventh season and it looks veeery risky. They're rebooting the series once again (last time, in season 4 it worked) keeping only a few main characters, for the first time they're changing the setting (Washington D.C.), there is no CTU (!) and... no, I won't tell you that one! :p

Oh, and some facts for you:

1. Jack Bauer could get off the Lost island in 24 hours.
2. Jack Bauer once forgot where he put his keys. He then spent the next half-hour torturing himself until he gave up the location of the keys.
3. If everyone listened to Jack Bauer, the show would be called 12.
4. Jack Bauer has no friends, because as a child when he would play cops and robbers, the robbers would all be interogated and killed.
5. Killing Jack Bauer doesn't make him dead. It just makes him angry.
6. As a boy, Jack Bauer interrogated his parents on Easter until they revealed the location and contents of each hidden egg.
7. After running out of ammo, Jack stood in the line of fire, took 3 shots to the chest, and used them to reload.
8. It took God six days to get His job done; Jack has 24 hours.
9. You can't compare Jack Bauer to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ only came back to life once.
10. Chuck Norris can drink an entire gallon of milk in thirty-seven seconds. Jack bauer doesn't drink milk. Milk is for pussies.