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Loose-Cannon
Reviews
Unbreakable (2000)
Boring!
I just watched this, knowing nothing about it except what you got from the trailers. Well ... that's about it, at least until about 20 minutes from the end. For most of the film, nothing happens, and it happens agonisingly slowly. The characters all seem to be on tranquilisers, their reactions don't make much sense, and anyway I don't find myself caring about any of them. Maybe if it were an Ingmar Bergman film I would at least have had the right expectations, it certainly isn't a typical Bruce Willis film - not only due to the lack of action, but also the total lack of humour. The ending is vaguely OK but not worth the wait.
Having watched the film I decided to have a look at the IMDb reviews, and I'm a little baffled to see so many reviews saying that it's great. Evidently some people appreciate it, but at least be aware that if, as I did, you wonder whether to give up on it after 45 minutes or so, it doesn't really get any better - or just skip to the last few minutes!
Face/Off (1997)
Leave your brain at the door
I'm clicking the spoiler button, but I can't actually conceive of how you could possibly spoil one of the worst, most utterly stupid plots it has ever been my misfortune to see. I watched it a few weeks ago and didn't bother to review it here, but I now feel I have to redress the balance a bit since so many people seem to think it's great.
What's so stupid? Well, the whole thing ... even assuming you could transplant faces, how can anyone possibly believe that someone with a completely different physique and mannerisms could fool even work colleagues, let alone a wife or a brother? How can we believe that Travolta would go into such a thing with only a couple of people knowing what he's done? Why did they leave Cage alive, and how on earth did he magically go from brain-dead to fully conscious at exactly the critical moment? How could Travolta-as-Cage almost effortlessly manage to break out of a maximum-security prison without even any advance planning? I could go on but I don't think I'll bother - I don't think the writers did.
The near-constant violence is also pretty unpleasant if you bother to think about it. It's common in this kind of action film for bystanders to die in great numbers without anyone apparently caring much, but this goes further than most because Travolta, supposedly on the side of law and order, manages to be responsible for the deaths of quite a few people on his own side, as well as the bad guys (it was slightly unclear in all the shooting whether he actually killed any himself or not). That also contrasts with a sickly sentimentalism about characters who are significant to the protagonists, notably their sons. I'm not generally that bothered by violence in films, but I can't help wondering if this kind of extreme-yet-sanitised violence does have some effect.
I find it hard to comment on the acting. I'm inclined to say that Travolta and Cage make a fair attempt under the circumstances, but that could also be read as saying that they are a bit better than a very bad plot!
About the only positive thing I can say is that the film has a lot of glossy, spectacular action sequences. If you really turn your brain off you can probably appreciate it just as an abstract exercise in film-making. Or on the other hand you could watch something else.
Arlington Road (1999)
Above-average thriller
This is clearly a somewhat forgettable film, because I just watched it and only gradually realised that I'd seen it before! However, given the nature of the film I don't think that's a huge criticism; this is an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours, not something which will change your life.
I think some of the other reviews here are somewhat unfair. The plot may be similar to some other films, but in the end there are few plots which are truly original and this one is at least somewhat out of the ordinary. Also, while there are no doubt pieces that don't quite fit together I think this one does a better job than most - without including spoilers, if at the end you think things don't hang together you may want to think a bit more carefully. Also to me the actions of the main character (Jeff Bridges) seem plausible under the circumstances.
Overall this is a well-made, well-acted action/thriller; anyone who enjoys such films is likely to enjoy this one. Be aware that there is a certain amount of violence, and the opening scene in particular is somewhat disturbing.
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Seeing is believing
I set the spoiler button, actually in a sense nearly every review here is a spoiler apart from the ones that just say "best film ever, watch it", but this one doesn't really contain any detailed spoilers.
Is this the best film ever? I'm inclined to say not, but I can't immediately think of something I'd rate more highly, and certainly none of the 14 which are higher in the IMDb ratings - The Empire Strikes Back? C'mon :) I am beginning to think that Kevin Spacey may be the best actor ever, and he definitely has an amazing knack for picking the right films.
Actually I've only just watched the film for the first time, and I'm not sure that really qualifies me to review it, my immediate reaction is to want to watch it again immediately (it's sitting on a hard disk recorder so maybe I'll do just that - or indeed buy the DVD).
I have to say that long experience of tricky films did lead me to guess the "famous" twist, at least as a possibility, but I don't think it made much difference to the surprise, and as everyone says the way it plays out is something special. Actually I think the only film which ever fooled me totally was Vertigo, and the Usual Suspects definitely bears favourable comparison with Hitchcock.
I'm not sure it really makes much sense to review the film in detail, you just have to watch it. Lovers of mindless action adventures may not enjoy it, although there may be enough to keep them amused, and if you don't like complicated plots or (as one reviewer complained) films which try to confuse and fool you then maybe this isn't for you - although some people probably don't realise just how thoroughly they have been fooled! One of the few other bad reviews here complains about the violence; it's true that there is some, but not much by modern standards. There is also a fair amount of bad language, so the easily-shocked should steer clear.
On the other hand, anyone who likes Hitchcock, who likes having to think, who has seen a lot of films and can appreciate all the trickery and the sheer attention to detail which has gone into this, will get a lot out of it - and I suspect more the second time, and the third ... this is just an immaculately-crafted film which works on many levels.
Bottom line: like everyone else says, just watch it!
Play for Today: The Flipside of Dominick Hide (1980)
Gentle drama, beautifully acted
Like some of the other 2006 comments I just watched this on BBC4. I had seen it when it was first shown, and again when it was shown with "Another Flip" (which will be on in a few days as I write this), but as far as I know I haven't seen it since. However, it made enough of an impression that I remembered most of the plot. I watched it with some trepidation; I was 18 in 1980 and I'm a lot more critical now than I was then.
However, I found myself still drawn in. It's hard to say why exactly; the plot is not that original and is anyway fairly simple. Also it was obviously made on a shoestring, anyone expecting a Hollywood scifi blockbuster will be sadly disappointed. In the end it's just very well-written and well-acted, at least by the principles, some of the minor characters are a bit less believable. And there are lots of small touches, if you listen carefully to the dialogue and watch the background.
I'm not ticking the spoiler box so I won't give the plot away, although this isn't really something for which spoilers are relevant, the pleasure is in the details. Suffice to say that it's basically a somewhat unusual love story, with a lot of humour and some science-fiction elements. As a film it would probably attract the "chick flick" label, but I'm a man and I still like it :)
I've given it 8/10 only because, in the end, there isn't that much depth to it, but on its own terms it would rate 10/10.