Blown Away

An Irish bomber , Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) , getaways from prison and targets a member of the Boston bomb squad , Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) . The latter starts investigating and finds out that his worst nightmare has gone back from his past . While Irish radical and compatriot Ryan Gaerity's taken his bombing expertise onto Jimmy's new turf . And Dove significantly concerned that he didn't get his purports . Haunted by grisly flashbacks, Dove soon figures out the identity of the mad bomber . Along the way , Jimmy wants to keep his unsavory past from unsuspecting wife (Suzy Amis) .The fuse has been lit...! Boom baby !. Sweet dreams.5. 4. 3. 2. 1......Time's Up.

This bone-chilling film packs thrills , intrigue , grisly events , quick cut edition and tension enough . A nice and suspenseful thriller that moves on predictable path toward explosive climax . Special effects create the suspense , as everyday objects become lethal in Gaerity's knowledgeable hands . The final blow up was more than even the special effects coordinator desired , that's why the windows were unintentionally blown out in nearly buildings. Interpretations are uniformly good , including four Academy Award winners: Tommy Lee Jones , Jeff Bridges, Cuba Gooding Jr and Forest Whitaker. Stars James Bridges playing Jimmy Dove who works for the bomb squad in Boston and he is always the one who is on the tough jobs . While Tommy Lee Jones equally gives fine performance -though overacting at times- as Gaerity who seems adequately obsessed with making things go boom . They're well accompanied by a good secondary cast , such as : Suzy Amis , Forest Whitaker , Cuba Gooding Jr , John Finn , Ruben Santiago-Hudson and special mention for Lloyd Bridges ; though they are really father and son, Lloyd Bridges and Jeff Bridges are cast as uncle and nephew in the film. The movie is dedicated to the memory of officer Jeremiah Hurley of the Boston Squad , and to more than three thousand certified bomb technicians throughout the world who risk their lives for our safety every day.

It displays a thrilling and intrusive musical score by Alan Silvestri , including a lot of songs of the band U2 and singer Bono. The motion picture was compellingly filmed by director Stephen Hopkins (Lost in space , Predator 2 , Under suspicion , Night on El Street 5 : The Dream Child , The Ghost and the Darkness , Blown away, Judgment Night , Race) , he uses to work with his longtime collaborator Peter Levy to be the film's cinematographer, who carries out a splendid and colorful phototography. Rating : 6.5/10 . Above average . Well worth watching .

This movie was made during the period (early '90s) in which Hollywood was absolutely in love with blowing things up. The more explosions, the better, seemed to be the prevailing attitude.

At least they weren't overdone in this film, as they were in so many others. However, the accents might have been overdone as none of the stars - Jeff Bridges,Tommy Lee Jones, Forest Whitaker, Suzy Amis and Lloyd Bridges - sounded like a true Bostonian.

It's especially odd to hear Jones attempt his Irish-Boston accent, although he's more adept at it than the younger Bridges. Jones plays an Irish terrorist in this revenge movie, wreaking his havoc in Boston. The film's best asset is the suspense it builds for the two hours and the fact it keeps you interested the entire way, right from the opening scene.

The negatives are too much profanity and a contrived story in spots, particularly at the end when the fight between Bridges and Jones goes on forever as does the scene with Jones trying to save his wife. It's just too much. A lot of modern-day action films just don't know when to quit, and this is a prime example. Yet, it's definitely worth at least one look.

Most IRA movies made in Hollywood are always criticised for the actors not sounding like real Irishmen. I have never once found this to be true and certainly not for Blown Away. Tommy Lee Jones is quite convincing as a deranged bomber who goes after Jeff Bridges in revenge for betraying him 25 years earlier.

Stephen Hopkins uses his fave cinematographer and composer Peter Levy and Alan Silvestri to bring some visual style and a powerful musical score to accompany the action and explosion scenes. The final encounter between Jones and Bridges is WAY cool. Trust me. It's one of the best showdowns in history.

A cool use of widescreen photography captures a pleasant and eye-pleasing view of Boston. I only ever saw this city in Cheers previously and now it makes wanna visit. This film was overlooked in the summer of 1994 because the audience was too busy with the other BOMB movie Speed. By that I mean movies with bombs. Not movies that are bombs. Speed was about a bomber wanting money. But Blown Away is a more personal, character-driven film and definitely the superior of the two.

Mad bomber formerly associated the IRA escapes from prison and appears in Boston to exact revenge to the man who put him there in the first place - bomb expert Jimmy Dove, a loving family man, with a dark past...

If this plot seems easy to predict, it is. but it is defended by the superb action sequences filmed, the excellent explosions and also by the great acting by Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones. The standout goes to Jones, who gives an on-his-own performance as a deranged bomber at war with Jimmy Dove. And although the storyline has a few plot holes, it still manages to carry on as if nothing happened. Director Hopkins, who helmed the gory 1990 sequel to the 1987 action hit Predator, shows his potential for making action sequences as realistic as possible. One example is the abandoned ship explosion. That has what I think the biggest live action film explosion ever! On the MGM DVD the picture is a clear anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen with super good Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, thus packing a punch for you home theater system.

Overall, solid entertainment, you're not looking for anything like To Kill A Mockingbird, now are you? A treat for action fans and a must have for home theater enthusiasts.

7.65/10 for entertainment, 6.7/10 overall.

Delton

From reading the other comments on this site, I was surprised at all the negativity surrounding this film. Sure, the accents are probably bad, but everyone knows that Hollywood can't do accents and aging.

This is not a movie to be picked apart, but one to be enjoyed. Sure, the characters aren't completely fleshed out, but there is enough depth for you to feel for them. The action is good, and despite many contrary opinions, I think the pacing is good too.

One of the high points of this film was the sequence where the wife and daughter are in the house and the audience is left suspecting there may be a bomb plant. The camera shots that frame the stove turning on, the light bulb, the phone jack, etc. were done very well, and suspensefully, though I suspect this well done sequence is what is making many people call this film "slow."

Finally, the use of "The Joshua Tree" by U2 was a really nice touch.

Overall, this film is not outstanding, but if you want a movie that is relatively light, but has some comedy, drama, suspense and action all mixed in, then check it out.