Review: The Deadliest Cast Member Part 1
Rating: 1 out of 5
Date: 12 26, 2012
Had I known how deeply frustrated I would be after taking on this title, I would have obeyed my first impulse and walked away. I seem to be among the few who stand with Brett Ruddy on this one, but I was by no means impressed with Jack Duncan or the story in which he appears, Kelly Ryan Johns' The Deadliest Cast Member Part One.A merchant in Agrabah once told me not to be fooled by common place appearances. Like so many things, it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts and inside these pages I found naught but disappointment. I know I am a picky reader, but all the same, I don't feel Johns has a firm grasp of serialized storytelling. Think of a televised miniseries. You have a larger story line, but each of the episodes is unique, comprised of its own complimentary plot. Serialized fiction is no different yet Johns uses the first installment of the series solely to lay the foundation for his larger story, offering no real content or hook to his readers beyond an overbearing sense of nostalgia. Most of the reviews I have seen for this piece make allowances as this is only part one, but I find I can't count myself among them. I am a reader and despite my love of the park, I can no more ignore my concern that the basic construction of this piece is lacking anymore than I can disregard any of my other concerns.He's got to have a weakness, because everybody's got to have a weakness. That is unless your name is Jack Duncan. Jack is one of the most legendary Navy SEALs in military history, with more confirmed kills than anyone who has ever worn the gold trident. He is part of SEAL Team Six - the elite cream of the crop of the SEAL program and a recipient of several Bronze and Silver stars for acts of valor, including a medal he earned for rescuing an ambushed Delta team who was being tortured by terrorists. He single handedly eliminated over one hundred hostiles who were running an elaborate human trafficking camp targeting woman and children. He possesses an overwhelming strength and unrivaled skill that turns him into a super human fighting machine. He is an adviser to the CIA  Counter-terrorism unit as well as the President of the United States. He developed groundbreaking technology and became a billionaire when a large public company purchased his patents and the rights to his inventions. He is smooth, confident, adored by practically everyone, a second generation legacy of park security and all around golden boy. To sum up he is a horrible protagonist, an entirely one dimensional character with absolutely no room for growth. There is no zero to hero here folks. None at all.Thus far Johns was adrift in the sheltered harbor of my patience, but then came the name dropping. For the love of Mickey Mouse, why the name dropping? Jack Duncan grew up visiting with Walt Disney, spends evenings at Club 33 with Johnny Depp, tours new park attractions with John Lasseter, hangs out with Jack Black, was long time friends with Steve Jobs, rubs elbows with Owen Wilson, and was honored as a Disney Legend along such individuals as Julie Andrews, the Sherman Brothers, Ward Kimball and the Nine Old Men. Maybe it is just me, but I find this approach nothing more that a cheap attempt to create an illusion of importance and superiority around Jack. I want to think he is awesome because he is awesome, not because the author feels the need to establish his status as master of the universe by associating him with individuals who grace the tabloids at my local grocer.It can't get any worse, can it? I don't know. I sincerely hope the series turns into something fantastically wonderful, but I must let my conscious be my guide on this one and jump ship while I still can. Generally speaking, I have a heartfelt affection for the park and the movies the company produces. For these reasons I appreciate the spirit of Johns' work, but as I said I am a reader and in that regard this piece doesn't work for me on any level.*Hidden Mickeys: I have borrowed/referenced/modified lines from six different Disney movies in the course of this review. Can you name them all?