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Travelling back to 11.22.63 to save John F Kennedy; What a thrill and a half!

11.22.63 is a must watch for those fascinated by mysteries and time travel, and those who are intrigued by history.
Sahir Palijo March 16, 2016
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Based on the bestselling novel with the same name by Stephen King, 11.22.63 is the latest TV series taken on by Hulu. The title of the series refers to the date November 22, 1963; the day John F Kennedy was assassinated and the series follows, Jake Epping, the English teacher who has the opportunity to travel back in time to prevent this historical event from ever taking place. Its executive producer is JJ Abrams and it stars James Franco as the protagonist.


Photo: IMDb

The story begins with Jake Epping being presented with the chance to save the former President of the United States from being assassinated, and to stop events which followed his death and resulted in the loss of many lives, such as the Vietnam War and the Cold War. He is also informed about the rules of time travelling and he will only be able to get to October 21, 1960, through the portal; giving him three years to solve the mystery surrounding the assassination.

Photo: IMDb

The plot gives off the idea that the series might just be another action movie, much like Source Code (2011) or Looper (2012), but 11.22.63 has so much more to offer. It is rather hard to define the miniseries with a single genre. I consider it a mix of sci-fi, mystery, thriller and some really good humour. James Franco delivers a powerfully evocative performance. His comic timing and the way he blends with his character are a revelation for the viewer.

Photo: IMDb

The TV show also has some intensely gripping moments which grasp the viewer in such a way that their eyes stay glued to the screen. What really makes this series a winner is the research the author of the source material has done, which helps the makers of the show bring the swinging 60’s to life convincingly and making it historically accurate.

Photo: IMDb

Every single moment in the show gets you more and more involved in it. The way Epping investigates the events that led to JFK’s assassination and the mystery surrounding the assassin makes the story very intriguing for viewers. The soundtrack, comprised of songs from the 60’s, also adds to the allure of the show.

Photo: IMDb

There are moments when you will laugh out loud, moments when you will be on the edge of your seats, moments when you will feel emotionally attached to the characters and moments when you invest everything in the show. This is what makes 11.22.63 stand out from other TV series and movies about time travel.

Photo: IMDb

11.22.63 is a must watch for those fascinated by mysteries and thrills, and for those who are intrigued by history. If you have seen any of James Franco’s movies like 127 Hours (2010), Spider Man series, Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) and if you are familiar with any of JJ Abrams’s work (Star Wars, Star Trek, Lost) then you are well aware of what the duo are capable of.
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WRITTEN BY:
Sahir Palijo The author is an undergrad pursuing a degree of Business Administration. He loves to write his thoughts and is a movie freak. He tweets at @The_Sahir (https://twitter.com/the_sahir)
The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necassarily reflect the views and policies of the Express Tribune.

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COMMENTS (5)

Markus Robbins | 8 years ago | Reply I found 11/22/63 very enjoyable to read, but difficult in equal measure to swallow. It wasn’t because of the writing, as I like the way King weaves a story, and I’ve read and enjoyed most of his books over the years. It wasn’t because of the mechanics of time travel either, as the conundrums time travel creates happily mess with our time-limited environment. What I did have difficulty with was King’s premise regarding the guilt of Lee Harvey Oswald. 70-80% of Americans believe that JFK was killed by a conspiracy. The House Sub-Committee on Assassinations in 1979 concluded as much. A ‘suspension of reality’ is often the claim against individuals that do not believe Oswald was the lone gunman. Yet these same individuals are quick to embrace the physics-defying abilities of the Single Bullet Theory - the Magic Bullet - that was supposedly able to plow through Gov. Connally's back shattering his rib, shattering his wrist bone and imbedding in his thigh - and emerge in pristine unmarked condition. For the first six months, the Warren Commission ‘proved’ that JFK was hit with two bullets, and Connally a third. It was not until incontrovertible proof showed that a separate bullet had hit a bystander 100 yards away, Mr. Tague, that the Warren Commission counsel tortured the evidence to squeeze multiple injuries into one bullet. If a fourth bullet was acknowledged, a conspiracy was proved. The SB Theory is the linchpin of the Warren Commission. When shown that more than one bullet caused the injuries to these two men, its findings disintegrate. Occam’s razor demands the simplest explanation based on the facts–more than one bullet for those injuries, more than one shooter caused them. Even Governor Connally, and his wife Nellie sitting beside him in the limousine that sunny Dallas morning, always disagreed with the Single Bullet Theory. It was therefore hard to read the aspects of King’s book based on the conventional myth presented by the Warren Commission—that Oswald alone killed JFK. And it is too important an issue to let slide as the continued lie slowly leaves people numbed to the truth—our president was killed by our own. An American coup d’etat. It does not matter what sort of screw-up Oswald was if the laws of physics and common sense show that there was more to the killing of JFK than a lone gunman. Another book, The Memoirs of John F. Kennedy, covers similar ground as 11/22/63. Released a year before, it comes at the subject from a more nuanced approach than the “Oswald did it” crowd and shows what might have happened had JFK survived the assassination attempt and gone on to a second term. What might have occurred had his real killers and their motives been exposed. The book has won numerous awards. Other books, such as Breach of Trust, by Gerald McKnight, Rush to Judgement, by Mark Lane, Brothers, by David Talbot, JFK and the Unspeakable, by James W. Douglass - and a host of others give deep insights into what really occurred that fateful day. We Americans want to believe in our government, that we act morally and follow our best angels. But there are times when we must look behind the curtain and see our dark side. Attributing the death of JFK to Lee Oswald, labeled a lone and independent sociopath, is a convenient means of avoiding the hard truths behind the assassination. 50% of the American people disbelieved the findings of the Warren Commission when it was released in 1964. That number has only grown as more information and independent investigations have chipped away at the mis-information presented by that supposed Blue Ribbon panel. Extending the myth via this otherwise intriguing book by Stephen King is unfortunate.
salman | 8 years ago | Reply Will definitely be watching. hope they keep the same ending as the book
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