tnv-16291 Reviews

Battlefield Earth (2000)

Had no idea that everyone hated it so much!

[6/10 · 25 July 2021]

Guess I'm odd man out on this one. I always liked it for what it is. Reading the majority of reviews leads me to believe people find this film quite implausible and cheesy. You better believe it is! That's actually one of the things I enjoyed about the film. There's no mental/emotional heavy lifting here. That's OK sometimes.

I have a hard time believing the movie was made to be taken that seriously in the first place. LOL ... If that's what you're expecting, then yeah ... you'll be disappointed. There's plenty of glaring plot holes, and other inconsistencies. They're very, very easy to see, but my personal take on it is that It's just for fun. It's practically a farce. The actors do a wonderful job hamming this thing up (it's completely over the top) and mostly, it makes me laugh. I think they did a great job in this context.

I give extra props to Whitaker and Travolta here. They play their parts (greedy, self-serving, arrogant aliens) to the hilt here. Pepper sticks to his role in earnest. That's mostly what makes this work for me.

Again, I don't know if the filmmakers intended to make the next "Star Wars" or sci-fi blockbuster here. Seems to be what the public was expecting. If that's the case, they might very well have been disappointed. I didn't approach this film with those expectations, which may be why I accept it for what it is: a pulp science fiction film that doesn't ground itself in "reality" any more than is necessary to advance the plot! It also has a certain unique cinematic (almost comicbook-like) styling to the film that I actually liked.

Want to say also, (after reading some of the other reviews) I don't know anything about Scientology or Hubbard. This had zero influence on my viewing the film. I did not perceive that the movie has any religious bent or major social/moral message to it. There's "good guys" and "bad guys" - that's about it. Certainly nothing overly profound or complicated.

If being completely implausible is reason alone to dislike a sci-fi film, than I should like very few of them. Sure, if you're willing to sit through an intelligent sci-fi film like "Interstellar" you might feel smarter for it, but I'm not afraid to admit I thought it was ... well, (gulp) kinda boring and depressing. I think I'd rather watch Battlefield Earth again. Rat Brain!

Revolution (1985)

Huh, only 5 stars?

[7/10 · 27 July 2019]

I've watched this film several times over the years and was really surprised to learn (after checking it out on IMDB) that is was considered a flop at the time of its release! Also baffled completely by the relatively low rating.

I'm certainly not an expert on this historical timeframe and like most period films, I'm sure they got some things wrong. However, this gritty, grimy film seemed to me, what the time and place must have been like. In other words, it conveys a certain, almost documentary style realism, right down to the rather odd pacing of the film's plot. The film doesn't seem to build to a climatic ending, but rather plays out a slice of life in all its awkwardness. Compared to a film like, "The Patriot" (which contains some pretty outrageous Hollywood stuff), I find this somber film to better represent the period (in my mind).

Oh, I liked Pacino's performance! It isn't over the top. He seems like a regular fellow caught up in extraordinary events. Again, can't understand the overly critical review of his acting here. Ditto for Sutherland and Kinski.

Definitely worth watching if you're looking for something outside of a formula Hollywood "history" movie. I think it will become more highly regarded in its context as time goes on.

The Magnificent Seven (2016)

Video game content stuffed into a film

[3/10 · 14 July 2019]

I haven't seen the original. So, I can't compare compare the quality of the film on that basis. I think the diverse and talented cast (and crew) is the best thing this has going for it and why I'm giving it any stars at all. Also, I'm sure the time, effort, work, and money that went into making this was tremendous.

Sadly, I think that talent and film time was not used very well. There is next to zero character development or anything else that draws you into the plight of the protagonists. Sure, we're all against a homicidal maniac raiding a defenseless town in the old west. Justice must prevail! The villain is a truly despicable cur, but even his role as the principal antagonist is lost in the gunsmoke. Why is he doing this exactly? Oh, because he's a greedy scumbag. Got it.

The background of "the seven" is equally vague. You wonder (because the film says nothing absolute) whether some of them are also brutal villains who are only doing right for the wrong reasons. They're not very likeable or understandable. You don't care if they perish or not. It's okay to have heroes with character flaws and even rogue heroes can appeal to an audience when their personal struggles are brought into the plot. However, this film doesn't touch on that much, and that's a shame. I'm sure the actors had developed character backgrounds leading to their performances, but the film doesn't capture that very well.

The old west is a part of American history. Sure, it's filled with legends and exaggerations. I like that. They make great movies. However, I feel that they've totally thrown all historical accuracy through the barroom window here. They don't even have the right number of stars on the flag. The characters are speaking in modern lingo. The costumes, etc... So, no educational value here either. (big surprise)

So, what you're left with is 2 hours of (mostly) humorless brutality and violence in which the heroes attempt to save the town (which seems to get totally wrecked in the process anyway).

I think we'd have been better off if the film hadn't taken itself so seriously, had more humor, less (pointless or otherwise) violence, and/or a lot more character development and background. As it is, I feel like I'm watching a fps video game where there ought to be a ticker in the lower left hand corner for the body count with some cut-scenes thrown in. My opinion is (of course) subjective. Maybe others got more out of it than that.

I don't often have the time to post a movie review, but I felt compelled to cast my vote here in favor of making fewer movies like this one. Because unfortunately, it doesn't stand alone.

Carthage: The Roman Holocaust (2004 TV Movie)

Learned a Lot

[10/10 · 2 May 2015]

This is an excellent history documentary. Probably one of the best I've seen in quite awhile. Richard Miles has a passion and knowledge of the subject that takes you on journey into the ancient Mediterranean and gives you a glimpse of an empire and culture that, (due to the relentless assault of the Roman Empire), has almost disappeared from memory as it actually existed. This blows all the boring dates and names I learned about the Punic Wars in school out of the water, (so to speak), and helps to put a true face on Rome's arch enemy, a fascinating culture that we need to better understand if we are to form a true picture of the ancient world and a better accounting of the foundations on which the modern world is still shaped today. I came away fascinated and wanting to know even more.

I also applaud the style of this documentary, filmed in much the same manner as John Romer, or Micheal Wood, lacking all the annoying screen effects, flashing graphics, repetitive information, and cheap dramatizations that are now so common in many so-called documentaries that really just seem to be trying to fill a time slot.

Highly recommended!