Earthsea: SCI FI Channel Original Miniseries Review

Title: Earthsea: SCI FI Channel Original Miniseries

Stars: Shawn Ashmore, Kristen Kreuk, Sebastian Roche, Isabella Rossellini, and Danny Glover

Writer: Gavin Scott

Based on the Novels “A Wizard Of Earthsea” and “The Tombs Of Atuan” by: Ursula K. Le Guin

Director: Robert Lieberman

Executive Producers: Robert Halmi Sr., Robert Halmi Jr., Kevin Brown, and Lawrence Bender

Approximate Running Time: 2 hours and 51 minutes in total without commercials

Media: SCI FI Channel Original Miniseries (NTSC DVD Screeners)

Part 1 Premiere: Monday, December 13, 2004, at 9pm (ET/PT)/ 8pm (CT)

Part 2 (Finale) Premiere: Tuesday, December 14, 2004, at 9pm (ET/PT)/ 8pm (CT)

Network: SCI FI Channel (Check your local cable/satellite listings for channel)

TV Rating: Not Available At Time Of Review

Reviewer: Mark A. Rivera

Earthsea is a world of a thousand islands and a vast ocean. Not all of the islands have been explored, but most of the islands maintain their own independence while preserving open trade with their neighbors. Eons ago, a group of demons known only as the nameless ones wrecked havoc upon the world of Earthsea and nearly destroyed it. They are now imprisoned within the Temple of Atuan where an order of priestess keep them tamed behind a great locked door surrounded by a labyrinth. The priestess drew upon the power of the nameless ones to forge a mystical token that would keep the world of Earthsea in balance and in peace. However this unity was short-lived for an act of fate shattered the token in two, after which chaos followed as the tyrant King Tygath (Sebastian Roche) began a campaign to conquer all the nation state islands of Earthsea and unleash the nameless ones because he believes they will grant him eternal life.

However Tygath is aware of a prophecy that details a young and powerful wizard who will rise up and end Tygath’s rule while controlling and vanquishing the nameless ones once and for all. This wizard is Ged (Shawn Ashmore), an impetuous, but talented young sorcerer who is taken under the wing of the great and wise wizard Ogion (Danny Glover) who sees Ged is destined for great things if he can overcome his own foolhardiness. Despite the pleas for patience and humility, Ged decides he is ready to study sorcery on the Wizard’s island of Roke, where in an act pride, he unleashes a demon known as a Gebbeth and he is subsequently banished from Roke. With Tygath’s warrior army of Kargide mercenaries overrunning the islands of Earthsea in an attempt the stamp out Ged’s existence and the Gebbeth seeking Ged out so it can consume his soul, Ged must find the courage to face his fears and set things right again or else Earthsea will fall into darkness forever.

Isabella Rossellini plays the leader of the sisterhood at Atuan, while Kristen Kreuk plays her chosen heir. I have never read the Earthsea novels though I am a fan of Hugo Award winning Author Ursula K. Le Guin, whose book “The Lathe Of Heaven” was adapted into an excellent PBS miniseries in 1980 and was later remade into an A&E original movie in 2001. This miniseries is pure fantasy with the classic archetypes that Joseph Campbell wrote about in “The Hero With 1000 Faces” and subsequently inspired generations of storytellers that include George Lucas. There are elements of “Earthsea” that will not doubt call to mind a number sci-fi and fantasy books and films with elements that reminded me a bit of Luke Skywalker’s journey toward becoming a Jedi Knight in the “Star Wars Saga” as well as J.K. Rowling’s highly imaginative “Harry Potter” series of novels and the idea of rejoining the token called to mind the Jim Henson product “The Dark Crystal.”

Ashmore bares a slight resemblance to a young Peter MacNicol in the 1981 fantasy film “Dragonslayer” in part because they both share the same blond hairdo in their respective films and in part because both films feature characters that are journeying to adulthood through what they feel is wizardry, which in itself can be argued as being almost an act of magic. Images that call to mind Greek mythology such as story of “Pandora’s Box” and even a slight touch of H.P. Lovecraft permeate the story too, but “Earthsea” is not a story about the monsters we face outside so much as it is about confronting our own inner demons and reconciling them to bring peace. A standout in the miniseries is Sebastian Roche as King Tygath. He somehow brings a subtle bit of camp or dark humor that makes him one of those onscreen villains one just loves to hate, but still enjoys whenever he appears. Danny Glover also brings an understated sense of nobility to his role as the wizard Ogion.

Anticipation over “Earthsea” has been quite high with copies of the best-selling fantasy novel series sold out in paperback at local bookstores in New York. I can only imagine how the books are doing elsewhere. “Earthsea” will debut on SCI FI on Monday, December 13, 2004, at 9pm (ET/PT)/ 8pm (CT) with the conclusion following on Tuesday, December 14, 2004, at 9pm (ET/PT)/ 8pm (CT).

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