Somewhere in this stylish, violent, great-looking, meandering mess is a good movie, but it's not so easy to find. This is basically a character study of a disenchanted Vietnam vet turned cop who's trying to win a personal war, which happens to be directed at the Chinese mafia. Mickey Rourke's solid acting and Michael Cimino's direction and visual flare are the biggest assets. Oliver Stone's screenplay is muddled and too preachy at times, and the performance by "Ariana" as the reporter is amateurish at best.
Overall this is a movie you can sink your teeth into and really get lost in another world, but the world isn't that much fun to visit. Too many scenes just seemed contrived, and the idea that this is supposed to be an important "event" movie is hammered home. Lastly, the music score is really bad, and the final, awkward scene is just plain stupid.
Still, worth a look.
Overall this is a movie you can sink your teeth into and really get lost in another world, but the world isn't that much fun to visit. Too many scenes just seemed contrived, and the idea that this is supposed to be an important "event" movie is hammered home. Lastly, the music score is really bad, and the final, awkward scene is just plain stupid.
Still, worth a look.