The Netflix series is science fiction at its finest and tells of a threat to humanity from extraterrestrials. With impressive images and bombastic effects, she takes a critical look at today’s society. We have 5 reasons why you definitely shouldn’t miss “3 Body Problem”!
by Peter Osteried
The novels of Cixin Liu are not only successful worldwide, they also inspire the imagination of filmmakers. His major work is the Trisolaris trilogy, consisting of the books “The Three Suns”, “The Dark Forest” and “Beyond Time”. The “Game of Thrones” makers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have taken on the film adaptation of this trilogy for Netflix. The first season is great science fiction: it’s about extraterrestrial invaders coming at the invitation of a single person, but taking 400 years to travel. The series explores the impact this has on humanity.
1. Not propagandistic
Scene from “3 Body Problem” © 2024 Netflix, Inc.
“3 Body Problem” is not the first film adaptation of Cixin Lius novels. The “Three-Body” series started in China in 2023, but of course it is designed according to reasons of state. That means: The background of the Cultural Revolution was defused and the series was given a propaganda element, as is often the case with Chinese productions. That’s not the case with the Netflix adaptation. This is where things can get critical.
2. New ways
Eiza González, Jess Hong and Benedict Wong in “3 Body Problem” © 2024 Netflix, Inc.
Daniel Benioff and D.B. Weiss have George R.R. Martins “Game of Thrones” adapted. Already there they showed that they are very good at taking an existing story and adapting it for a series format. They brought forward events from later books and changed characters, but remained true to the core and soul of the original.
This is also the case with “3 Body Problem”, because the series takes a lot of liberties. Events from the second and third novels are shown in the first season and many characters were newly developed for the series. This may annoy purists who want a 1:1 adaptation of a novel, but it has the advantage that the story can also surprise viewers who have already read the Trisolaris trilogy. The duo also worked together with Alexander Woo very good characters are developed whose fate is close to your heart.
3. The future catastrophe
Der Countdown in «3 Body Problem»
© 2024 Netflix, Inc.
The exciting thing about the series is less that the extraterrestrials are coming and most likely want to wipe out humanity, but rather the question of how humanity will react to this. Because the problem lies in the future. The extraterrestrial San-Ti are four light years away, but the journey to Earth takes 400 years. Today’s generation, as well as many of the future generations, basically have nothing to fear. Your life goes on, only being disrupted by an irrational panic.
The series is extremely current at this point. The arrival of the San-Ti can also be seen as a metaphor for climate change. This is a problem that doesn’t burden the current generation too much, but are they doing enough to avoid passing the problem on to future generations? That can probably be denied.
4. Elaborately produced
The elaborate effects in “3 Body Problem” © 2024 Netflix, Inc.
Netflix didn’t miss a beat. The budget for the first season is $160 million, which is $20 million per episode. Some were probably significantly more expensive, because there are a few episodes with effects that are really tough.
Something completely new is also shown: the destruction of a ship in probably the most subtle and at the same time most brutal way. The effects here are flawless. In other moments, a touch of perfection may be missing – this is especially true for the chimpanzee in the penultimate episode. Overall, though, the series looks really fantastic.
5. Intelligente Science-Fiction
Liam Cunningham als Thomas Wade in «3 Body Problem»
© 2023 Netflix, Inc.
Too often science fiction can be boiled down to the lowest common denominator. But there are the materials that want to offer more than just big pictures and nice action. At its best, science fiction should make you think and say something about our world. This is the case with “3 Body Problem”. The series looks at people, at society and at the effect of knowing that you are not alone. She is consistent in this, because not everyone is afraid of the arrival of the San-Ti. Some long for them and see the extraterrestrials as something like gods.
The series does a great job of showing how society is divided – this is also a clever reference to our world, which was turned upside down by COVID-19 and caused part of society to become disconnected from reality . This also happens in the series and makes “3 Body Problem” so succinct. This is science fiction in the best – and literary – sense. It conveys big images and ideas, but breaks them all down to what it means to be human.
5 von 5 ★
“3 Body Problem” has been available on Netflix since March 21st.
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