A show like Nostradamus Effect won't create any new Nostradamus fanatics or conspiracy theorists. It will, however, amuse and inform those who take a liking to the eventual end of our world, and how experts today interpret ancient prophecies concerning humanity's impending doom.
The series is presented over twelve episodes, divided evenly onto three discs. It's very cut-and-dry: the intro of the episodes sets up the topic, whether it's the 2012 apocalypse predictions, or theories surrounding the mystery of Nostradamus's son. What follow that are numerous talking heads, archival footage, dramatic reenactments and an alarmist narrator who guides the viewer from one talking head to the next, continually asking the question, “could [insert just about anything] really mean the end of the world as we know it?” Each talker then postulates his or her take on often cryptic visions. Too often the talkers came off as enthusiasts, rather than qualified experts, as their explanations usually jumped the gun and made illogical leaps of faith. It’s clear they’re not here to convince any skeptics.
So, skeptics beware: this isn't for you. The narrator states in the beginning that “[the show] will neither refute nor endorse these theories, merely present the evidence.” That they do. The meaning of “Nostradamus Effect” is the correlation between predictions made tens to thousands of years ago and events happening today. For example, one of the topics Nostradamus is known for is his unique take on the Antichrist, or Antichrists, in his case. One expert takes a stab at cracking one of Nostradamus’s visions: “Mabus” was the possible name Nostradamus gave the third Antichrist. What could it mean? Well, flip the first two letters, add an “H” to the end, and magically we get “ambush,” which the expert and other experts believe refers to the hijacking of the planes on 9/11, which clearly means the terrorist attacks on that day were evidence of a coming of the Antichrist. This sort of ultra-fuzzy logic runs rampant in the show. Anyone who bases his or her thought processes purely around science and fact will unlikely view any of the 45-minute-long episodes as more than an amusing way to kill some time.
The show is also riddled with dreaded dramatic reenactments. They so easily remove the viewer from the flow of information, and I caught myself cringing every time I saw a faux Virgin Mary or Leonardo da Vinci. They’re even less convincing when the actors portraying all the historic and biblical characters break the fourth wall and stare directly into the camera, possibly into your soul...it's creepy. Luckily there is plenty of archival footage and photographs to break apart the reenactments. However, the producers of the show enjoyed leaving their mark on just about everything, as it seemed every piece of visual information was manipulated in an over-produced and distasteful manner. I counted too many times instances of a person’s likeness juiced up with special effects to make it appear like the face is melting. Seeing a classic portrait of Jesus contort, warp and melt in an unnatural manner was borderline nightmarish, not to mention pointless.
Nevertheless, people will enjoy this show. It’s a hokey and over-stylized mess of information, but anyone who takes an interest in apocalyptic theories and the great prognosticators of old will have no qualms about Nostradamus Effect. And from a historic point, amongst the opinions, the show is saturated with facts, some pretty interesting. From the well-known to the virtually unknown, the show brings to light the real people who claim they had visions, and the real people who believe them.
DVD Bonus Features
No extras, just one “bonus feature”: "Strange Facts". How strange are these facts? Well, you'll learn facts like the precise year Nostradamus predicted the end of the world to be, how “Nostradamus” was the top Google search in the days that followed 9/11, and how Nostradamus was a whiz in the kitchen. Sadly, it's all just bullet-point text. No footage. This is where dramatic reenactments would have triumphed. Seeing an actor portray Nostradamus wearing an apron and applying the final touches to a decadent array of desserts would have brought it all home.
"Nostradamus Effect: The Complete Season One" is on sale March 30, 2010 and is not rated. Documentary. Directed by Luke Ellis. Written by Michael Ray Brown, Beata Ziel. Starring Arick Salmea.
