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Thoughts on Knight Rider

I just finished watching the Knight Rider movie, and overall thought it was pretty decent. Certainly a fun time, and I especially enjoyed some of the little touches they included like the old KITT references in the garage at the beginning and the effect of the reactive armor. The choice of (and explanation for) the car's fuel source was nice, as was KITT's command of various electronic and telecommunication devices. I also liked his "no-frills" silver camouflage, and the transition effect between modes was a lot cooler than the old "stuff pops out" super pursuit mode.

Speaking of the old SPM, there were a couple of misses: that second wing looks about as practical as the air brakes on the original Trans Am. Also, the car chase was a little far fetched, as I have trouble believing that KITT couldn't simply outrun a stock Ford Escape. I also could've done without the money/death threats sub-plot, but fortunately none of these issues were too bad. I can definitely say that they did a good job playing to the Mustang's strengths, so no problem there.

In fact, KITT's voice acting was a pleasant surprise for me (especially considering the 11th-hour replacement). William Daniels' voice fit the sophisticated Firebird perfectly, but as I mentioned earlier it wouldn't have worked nearly as well in the new Mustang. Kilmer, by contrast, isn't as aloof and is more direct, befitting of the muscular GT500KR.

The final showdown was a mixed bag...having KITT control the armor was an interesting choice, but I didn't think they handled it well. If KITT is vulnerable to weapon fire while shut down, does that mean that he's leaving chunks of nanotech armor on the side of the road with every hit? The way they stopped the baddies was fun to watch, even if it should've killed everyone inside regardless of seatbelt usage. Fun fact: the sport ute used by the bad guys was a GMC Yukon - and as it was the only non-Ford used in the movie (even Michael's race car was an old Cobra), it was the only car that had no badges.

Last but not least, it was great to see the Hoff in his cameo. Yeah, I'm a sucker for nostalgia, but it was still nice to hear him deliver the "one man..." line.

I don't know if I want to see it expanded into a full TV series, but I definitely enjoyed this return to the Knight Rider universe. If they do carry through with the thought of a full series, I'll be sure to check it out.


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