Product Description
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Hawaii Five-O is a contemporary take on the classic series about
a new elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out
the crime that washes up on the Islands' sun-drenched beaches.
.com
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It's possible that the popularity of Lost's tropical background
played some role in resurrecting this slicked-down update of the
famous cop show that ran for 12 solid seasons starting in 1968.
There's certainly a strong travelogue element in the 2010 remix
that includes glamorous tourist hot spots, rundown native
shantytowns, and the sultry, photogenic wilds that make up most
of the 50th state. The production team is careful to work in an
amalgam of Hawaii's distinctive geography, along with enough
stunt-filled action, pyrotechnics, and sexy style to make it
appealing enough for an audience that probably doesn't remember
Steve McGarrett, Jack Lord, or the inimitable drumbeats of the
show's classic theme song. That rousing opening number, the
beautiful backdrops, and the starring characters' names are
pretty much all that's left over from the original Hawaii Five-0.
Rather than the robotic, just-the-facts demeanor that defined
Jack Lord's authoritative presence as the special cop squad's
commander, the new Steve McGarrett (Aussie hunk Alex O'Loughlin)
is an ex-Navy Seal who dives into foot chases, fights, and
dangerous situations whenever possible, bringing a dreamy,
heartthrob charisma that's the exact site of Jack Lord's
steely, low-key magnetic charm. His number two, Dan Williams (a
buff and tough Scott Caan), is a New Jersey trans who plays
dyspeptic foil to McGarrett's impetuous and often illegal whims
in the name of crime fighting, telling him that he's crazy, but
then backing him up all the way. Chin Ho Kelly (Daniel Dae Kim, a
survivor from the Lost ensemble) is a disgraced cop brought back
to the job by McGarrett, and Kono (Grace Park) has transformed
from a hulking r into a swimsuit model fresh out of the
academy and with martial arts moves galore. This special task
force has been designated by the governor (Jean Smart) as an
elite major crimes unit that works outside the chain of
command, and often flaunts the rules to get their man. In an
overarching plot thread, that man is the shadowy bad guy
responsible for the murder of McGarrett's parents, eventually
revealed to be Japanese yakuza leader and master villain Wo
(Mark Dacascos, who also played "The Chairman" on Food Network's
Iron Chef America). When not focusing on Wo and the elaborate
mystery that reaches into the upper echelons of government, the
episodes are based around the Five-0 team chasing terrorists,
hostage takers, modern-day pirates, and a variety of desperate
criminals. In nearly every situation McGarrett is given cause to
go rogue by taking pretty much everything personally. Danny (or
Danno, as in, "Book 'em, Danno!") is always there to remind him
that he's crazy to cross so many lines, but also has his back in
every tough spot McGarrett gets them into. In fact, the whole
team is always there for each other with lots of interaction that
teases out the personal lives of every character. It lends a
touchy-feely tone to the show that was never, ever part of the
Jack Lord-era Hawaii Five-0, but which helps this reboot by
adding an emotional element that sometimes even bleeds into the
action. And plenty of action there is. Shootouts, hand-to-hand
combat, elaborate practical stunts, on-set special effects, and
CGI enhancements all give the show a brisk and exciting pace,
even if the scripts tend to rehash the same kinds of criminal
setups. To keep it in the same high-tech league as other series
such as NCIS, Criminal Minds, and the CSI franchise, Five-0 also
has a command center filled with the latest computer gadgetry to
keep them a step ahead in a world of state-of-the-art crime. The
24 episodes in this season-one set end with a fiery cliffhanger
that clearly lets loose a big can of worms for the Five-0 team to
track down in season two. Also included in the six-disc package
are the usual outtakes and gag reel, commentary on two episodes,
and a bunch of short pieces with self-explanatory titles like
"The Story of Season 1," "Aloha Action!," "The Making of the
Pilot," and "Re-scoring the Theme Song." They're a mixed bag, but
the episodes themselves are consistently grade-A in bringing a
contemporary, hyperbolic flair to a show that first came on the
air more than 40 years ago. --Ted Fry