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dylanpemberton
Reviews
L.A. Takedown (1989)
This is watching Da Vinci sketch out the Mona Lisa...
Ok so standalone you may be underwhelmed by this flick but considering it's a low budget quick turnaround straight to TV movie that's basically an extended pilot for a never made series then it is it's a huge cut above the normal. You can see how Mann took The Thief to an idea for a Miami Vice style TV show that subsequently got mashed into a TV movie and from there you can see how Heat then developed from there in line with his career - it's fascinating. It's like when they find paintings under the paintings of art masterpieces - this was the blueprint. Although Mann's usual blue palette is ironically absent. So much of the script and set pieces are the same, it's incredible to watch this and then Heat immediately after, it's like having an aparetif. Standalone it's a 3 out of 10. As part of a development, a sketch, a chance to see effectively a rough cut of a masterpiece then it's a 10. Acting is very poor in parts, I like what he later added to the themes and characters in Heat when he had the budget. It largely doesn't feel like a Mann movie to be honest, so much of his usual trademarking is missing but of course he nailed it with the remake and that was such a Mann film. All I can say is this is the perfect film to watch before Heat, it won't spoil it, it will enhance it tremendously. You can see how smart Mann was in taking all the things that were right with this - from character names to certain scenes done better/bigger to weaving in huge character arcs to otherwise lesser or even absent characters. Score was mostly terrible but even some of that is faintly recognisable in Heat as he simply developed it (shootout scene for example). Basically it's the sketch of the work of art so you get what you pay for. Michaels character by the way was probably the stand out in this film.
Terminator: Dark Fate (2019)
James Cameron High Fived His Ego With This Mess
Ok so here it is. Terminator Genisys was actually far superior and infinitely more enjoyable than this over hyped abomination. In short the pacing is poor, casting is truly woeful, acting is frequently strained and tired, the script, plot holes and the suspension of disbelief are just b movie level and all its got going for it was a self congratulatory and green eyed endorsement from Cameron. I love T1 and T2. I agree T3 was worthy of discarding from the cannon. Salvation had some good concepts but fell way way short. Can appreciate the value in just rebooting this as a T3 makeover but guys this just ain't it. Effects are decent, cinematography mostly good, all you'd expect with the budget but it's just so underwhelming and formulaic. This film is the very argument for stopping at T2. I genuinely got more enjoyment out of watching the very flawed Genisys than this, that at least entertained me. This was an arduous endurance test. To call this a true sequel is such a lie, I was so bitterly disappointed as I had such high, high hopes. Cameron really does think he's something a lot more special than he is or he was with this effort. Even the little things - the humour, the score, the future glimpses, the backstory builds - they just all failed. Devastated, this probably puts the nail in the franchises coffin.