My girlfriend and I found this movie at a local video store and thought we found a diamond in the rough with Lawrence Fishbourne, Tim Roth and Andy Garcia adoring the cover. However the two hours to follow the insertion of the DVD into the player were just rough.
Although, I gave it a chance at the beginning, within the first 1/4 or 1/3 of the movie it became apparent that we were not watching Coppola, Scorsese or even what their test-tube born, genetically spliced, half aborted fetus would have came up.
In terms of flow I found there is a limited transition from complication to climax of this piece. Metaphors are overdone and almost cast in neon, like the chessboard which is used to signify Fishbourne's character's (Bumpy) strategic genius.
Scripting is perhaps the weakest part of this movie. There are scenes that function almost on a narrative level by telling us how we should feel about certain aspects of the plot, situation, setting or characters. For instance, like the evolution, so to speak, of Bumpy (Fishbourne).
A rather poignant scene takes place highlighting in two very transparent plot sequences that Bumpy has indeed changed after he became a full out gangster. These scenes are designed to let the watcher know that Bumpy has changed, instead of highlighting dramatically that he has. The conscious inclusion of a point like this, particularly as a major plot piece, shows a very poorly flushed out script that is more pieced together and edited and re-edited.
Finally, thematically and structurally this movie parallels the Godfather I and II in some very significant ways. Bumpy for instance, although a more willing participant initially within organized crime than Michael Corleone was is almost a straight copy of his character. Even major events in the plot are paralleled in Godfather I and II.
Despite all these short-coming, this is a fairly immersive piece in terms of set and setting, but with par-level cinematography, lighting and effects, the cons far outweigh to pros for this piece, I can not recommend it. Although not terrible, it's certainly not redeemable.
If you want to see a Gangster/Mob piece see the Godfather Trilogy, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, Casino or any other movie of this genre before seeing this one.
Although, I gave it a chance at the beginning, within the first 1/4 or 1/3 of the movie it became apparent that we were not watching Coppola, Scorsese or even what their test-tube born, genetically spliced, half aborted fetus would have came up.
In terms of flow I found there is a limited transition from complication to climax of this piece. Metaphors are overdone and almost cast in neon, like the chessboard which is used to signify Fishbourne's character's (Bumpy) strategic genius.
Scripting is perhaps the weakest part of this movie. There are scenes that function almost on a narrative level by telling us how we should feel about certain aspects of the plot, situation, setting or characters. For instance, like the evolution, so to speak, of Bumpy (Fishbourne).
A rather poignant scene takes place highlighting in two very transparent plot sequences that Bumpy has indeed changed after he became a full out gangster. These scenes are designed to let the watcher know that Bumpy has changed, instead of highlighting dramatically that he has. The conscious inclusion of a point like this, particularly as a major plot piece, shows a very poorly flushed out script that is more pieced together and edited and re-edited.
Finally, thematically and structurally this movie parallels the Godfather I and II in some very significant ways. Bumpy for instance, although a more willing participant initially within organized crime than Michael Corleone was is almost a straight copy of his character. Even major events in the plot are paralleled in Godfather I and II.
Despite all these short-coming, this is a fairly immersive piece in terms of set and setting, but with par-level cinematography, lighting and effects, the cons far outweigh to pros for this piece, I can not recommend it. Although not terrible, it's certainly not redeemable.
If you want to see a Gangster/Mob piece see the Godfather Trilogy, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, Casino or any other movie of this genre before seeing this one.