'Revolution' review: not so revolutionary

What's in the amulet? Ah, therein hangs a new NBC post-apocalyptic series from J.J. Abrams ("Lost") and Eric Kripke ("Supernatural"). Flash-forward 15 years to a planet quite literally overgrown, but with isolated pockets of communities where everyone has gone native -- or Amish.

In one such community, Charlie (Tracy Spiridakos) and her bro, Danny (Graham Rogers), live with their dad, Ben. (Rachel is apparently dead.) But the Militia, headed by the evil Capt. Tom Neville (Giancarlo Esposito), turns up one day looking for Dad -- and that amulet. Then trouble begins . . . Dad is apparently killed, Danny is kidnapped by Neville and Charlie sets out with some pals, like computer nerd Aaron (Zak Orth), to find him. But first, she must locate her long-lost Uncle Miles.

But we do demand cool special effects (there are a few here, but not enough) and a reasonably plausible scientific underpinning. The lights have been out for 15 years, and no one has the slightest clue why? Oh puhlease.

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