 "Heart-wrenching fast-paced thriller" | 2009-10-18 |
| - Reviewed By digitalbabe |
| I viewed this on a 42" Panasonic Plasma and BD35 Player. Transfer is a 4/5 on PQ and 4/5 on AQ. This will probably take its place among my favorite Denzel Washington films. While it is highly stylized in shooting style, the story and relationship between him and the little girl and his redemption made this an above average thriller. Dakota and Denzel are outstanding, and this film is a nailbaiting rollercoaster ride to the end. Highly recommended. |
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 "perfect" | 2009-09-05 |
| - Reviewed By User: AGANVZTTK2BOE |
| This was a great buy shipped fast was in great shape when i got it i would buy from here again perfect!!! |
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| "Superb action film with a running sociological analysis and redemption story." | 2009-08-02 |
| - Reviewed By eagle96 |
Leave your reason behind and get carried away by this relentless movie
of another "justice whatever the cost" "enforcer", but this time, well
filmed, acted, and with a woman that can hold a gun. And without any
unnecessary "love interest". Which was your favourite scene? Mine was
the moment before "crossing the bridge" near the end *(can't say more
for obvious reasons). Like in Gladiator, but probably creating far better empathy
for it's more related to "something we could all eventually do". The scene with "Fuentes" (the Mexican chief of the brotherhood) is also
very good, even funny in a sick sort of way. The kind of image you
remember long after the film is gone.
The script is perfect, just following Poe's "rule" of "not one word in vain". Thanks to Amazon I
just learnt the auteur is Brian Helgeland (Mystic River, L.A.
Confidential). A good story can make or break a movie, no better proof
than this one! Unlike in Gladiator, here our hero has a black past to
expiate, no family to be lost and then revenged. He's got to overcome
himself. As the film presupposes a religious view, we sort of know how
things have to turn out. Notice the importance of religion: Casey's
knowledge by heart of the Bible, and even Samuel's plush sanctuary at
his home, full of candles, obviously built for bargaining with the
Guadalupana Virgin.
The fight at the shanty town is
VERY real. The film is not (where did all the dwellers go? How did
the dirty copper get caught by a single man?) but we don't want "
reality principle" to be part of our films, right :)?
Characters: Casey, a "philosophical copper" who can learn to feel sorry for something
external to himself steals the movie, the rest of characters are just
filling up space, making things happen. He's no dumb
killing machine, notice how he deals with "Samuel" among others. G.
Giannini plays a small yet pivotal role. Pita is lovable, but doesn't
overdo it or get sticky. Such gift for acting is rarely seen. Lisa is
ethereal but not as stupid as we'd expect from her stereotyped role.
Walken and Rourke act as naturally as we breathe.
"Sociology": Daniel Sanchez
"family first", Lisa's passivity & machismo and the whole contrast
between the isolated ultra rich and the numerous very poor is what sets
this film apart from Chuck Norris, Stallone, Van Damme and all the
other blockbusters with the same disregard for "society" and good
taste. The phrase: "I-I'm a professional" shows how when the system is
corrupt, no individual action could bring lasting change. I think for those of us who inhabit a third world country, this film just shows the future, if not the present if we open our eyes.
Director:
Judging from his filmography, this is definitely Tony Scott's Masterpiece! It's hard
to believe somebody who made films from Spy Game downwards could
achieve something really well done but it's good to remain open minded.
Luckily I didn't pay attention to who the director was when I saw it, I
humbly recommend the viewer to to the same. I suspect the brothers mustn't be very nice people...
"Philosophically" this film
is of course dangerous: "Justice by your own hands" leads to an anomic
society, and probably even a corrupt state is relatively better than
"might makes right" alla Thrasymachus (Plato's Republic's). Jeff
Shannon on Amazon is as usually accurate: "both repellently violent and
viscerally absorbing".
What glues all together: Music is fine (I couldn't help crying in the end), moving but not overbearing.
Photography is just the best, finding beauty where there is none.
Edition is alluring but a bit overdone, "it borrows heavily from MTV
videos" as "Flagrant-Baronessa" on IMDb writes on another of Tony's
lesser films, "Domino".
Remember: "there's no such thing as tough".
The sheep that got lost.
PS: By the way, this film "endures a 2nd viewing" as J. L. Borges would quip. In fact I just saw it for the third time on air TV, dubbed into Spanish, and I also felt for Casey, so I guess this proves what a good product it is.
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| "Creasy creating a master piece" | 2009-05-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A1NLO4JVLEGGRJ |
| Denzel Washington needs no kudos'...no pat on the back...he is simply great. In this gritty urban crime drama that takes place in Mexico, drapped in the underworld kidnapping rings, Denzel delivers. With almost an all star cast Scott Free productions has done it yet again. For any one who truly loves a brilliant, fast paced, beautifully shot actioner...then look no further. The story will keep you guessing until the end...and you will be holding your breath until the credits. One of the best of its kind ever. |
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| "A Top Notch Thriller" | 2009-03-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: A16QJ649N8PRV |
This intense action thriller is great from start to finish.
It features Denzel Washington as Creasy, a burnt out alcoholic ex-CIA agent type. He has gotten to the point where he is just existing and does not seem to see much point in living. His friend gets him a job as a bodyguard to a young girl, Pita (Dakota Fanning), in kidnapping capital Mexico City.
Although he clearly views it as just a job and wants no conversation or other personal involvement, she starts to grow on him and he warms to her.
She ends up getting kidnapped. Creasy is wounded during the kidnapping. While he is recovering, he finds out that a ransom exchange went bad and it becomes clear that Pita's abductors plan to kill her. Creasy becomes totally fixed on revenge against anyone who was involved. He functions like he is half Jack Bauer and half Dirty Harry. Needless to say, the action is constant. Not only is there a lot of violence and excitement, there is also a good human story about the father-like relationship Creasy develops with Pita.
This is really a great flick, but probably not one for those who are too squeamish about violence |
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| "3 Denzels, 1 Dakota & A Great Blu-Ray Transfer For Your Money" | 2009-03-16 |
| - Reviewed By ccthemovieman |
Here's a gritty, get-the-bad guys revenge story starring a relentless and rough Denzel Washington. He's three personalities here: a down-and-out-low-key-now drunk- former mercenary, then a loving father-type person to a little girl and then a brutal maniac on the loose seeking answers and revenge.
This Blu-Ray DVD is one of the sharpest-looking I have seen. It's very impressive and made me elevate this film from four to five stars.
The story is about Washington hired to be a bodyguard for a little American girl living in Mexico, where kidnappings of children occur regularly (at least according to the movie.) He becomes attached to the kid, played winningly by THE child actress of our day, Dakota Fanning. When Fanning is kidnapped in front of him, Washington goes after the men responsible and spares no one. Beware: this film is not for the squeamish.
This is stylish film-making, which is good and bad. I liked it, but a number of people found it too frenetic for their tastes as the camera-work is one that could give you a headache. I thought it fit the tense storyline and was fascinating to view, and, as mentioned, looks spectacular on Blu-Ray.
Besides the two stars, there is the always-interesting Christopher Walken, in an uncharacteristically low-key role, and a number of other fine actors. The film panders to the base emotions in all of us, but it works. |
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