User Reviews

If John Travolta wasn't in the movie, you'd probably have skipped past this one already. And even then, with each scene that he is in, you spend more time looking at his glued on hair piece than following the movie.

Essentially the plot is 4 guys get mixed up with the mob and incur a large debt. To wipe the debt clean, they're forced to kidnap some guy for the mob boss (Travolta).

At the end of the movie, there's a 'The Usual Suspects'/ 'Now You See Me' style twist, and that is all explained thoroughly at the end.

Whilst I think the twist is convoluted enough to make it not predictable (the last 10 minutes of the movie is needed to explain the twist), at the same time it is not all that surprising or satisfying when revealed. Leaving you with a feeling of MEH at the end. It's been done many times before, with better set-ups and better actors.

Nothing special here. Very average.

This movie is considerably better than the low ratings would have you believe.

The plot is strong, with a few good twists along away the way. If there is one criticism, and I'm guessing this is where the low ratings come in its that the production quality could have been better.

While the acting is good, some of the scenes feel a little too stifled and not tight enough. I think the director missed a trick not upping the pace. This isn't an action movie, although it would have played better with a more fluid rhythm. The relationship between the characters could have been developed more during the plot which would only have added to the brilliant plot twist at the end.

My advice to anyone considering watching this, ignore the ratings and watch it. Its OK, but could have been so much better. .

You know that scene in Pulp Fiction where John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson confront the Big Kahuna Burger guys? Well, imagine an entire film trying to recreate that wittiness without much success and you have Criminal Activities. This isn't a really bad film. If you don't have anything else to do and you've seen everything else you're not exactly wasting your time on it. But it certainly isn't a good film either. The big surprise Usual Suspects twist ending is so convoluted that I really didn't understand where the money came from even if it was satisfying to learn that the victim of bullying was really the one in power all along. This is really one of those just okay movies that won't make any waves when it splashes into the Red Box.

"Criminal Activities" represents the directorial debut of Jackie Earle Healey, who also plays a featured role as Gerry, a dispassionate and hard-as-nails enforcer for mobster Eddie (John Travolta).

My initial reaction is to suggest the bar should lowered a bit and audiences and reviewers should treat the film charitably because it is a directorial debut produced on a modest budget. But one of my all-time favorite films, "Lone Star," was produced with considerably less money, even adjusting for inflation, and films like "Citizen Kane," "Blood Simple," "Throw Momma From The Train" and "Reservoir Dogs" were also directorial debuts. But perhaps those were exceptions to the rule.

The film has several very strong elements. Haley and Gathegi steal their scenes with strong performances and clever dialogue. The plot has some satisfying twists and reversals and a huge reveal at the end that casts everything we've seen in an entirely different perspective.

The reveal is on the same order of magnitude as "The Usual Suspects" and "The Sixth Sense"; however, it is not nearly as satisfying or as gratifying. The film fails to foreshadow or leave sufficient ambiguities, so the reversal comes off as a complete surprise and not an alternate interpretation that the audience can easily assimilate.

One gets the impression that Haley's performance is exactly what he expects from his actors. Gerry is simple, direct, unquestioningly loyal, but clever enough to understand the bigger picture and to take his own initiative when changing circumstances demand it. The four protagonists lack such qualities and their predicament quickly spirals out of control as a consequence. The movie's greatest failing is that it never develops any real sympathy for the four protagonists, who come across as inept doofuses.

Technically, the film kind of gets the job done without much panache. The constant motion from the jiggly-cam shots could leave viewers reaching for the Dramamine. Many of the shots are dark, not low-key, but dark. Effects of gunfire are uneven. In one shot, a character seems to slap a blood capsule against his chest, but it doesn't seem to rupture or the effect is lost in the dimly lit room. Other scenes seem to have employed the same special effects supervisor who worked on some of the Monty Python films. Two scenes of a character flipping through B&W photographs seem reminiscent of the opening scene in "Chinatown." Who prints photographs anymore? The less said about Travolta's makeup, the better.

The film clearly draws inspiration from Quentin Tarantino and Elmore Leonard. While it fails to match their accomplishments, it does a reasonable job in its emulation. I'll watch it again to look for clues to the big reveal. It might have been much more interesting with a few deftly planted clues that perhaps all is not as it seems.

I watched this because of the John Travolta and Jackie Earle Haley connection as I've enjoyed much of their previous work. The acting was OK and the story, although not original seemed to start off well and I was looking forward to a romp along the lines of "A Family Business". Previously law abiding citizens with intelligence enough to hold down white collar jobs, then forced to commit a kidnapping would employ planning involving how to subdue then restrain a target though the use of a taser and heavy duty tie- wraps. However, they blunder in with rope and high hopes. Then in the aftermath, the four then show their faces to the kidnapped man and use their own names names and engage in long conversation with him, so he knows exactly who they are and who to kill as in revenge. In the real world, the kidnapped man would be blindfolded, gagged and as the duration of the kidnapping was only 24 hours, no food or water would be needed, so would be kept bound and thrown him in a cellar somewhere. After 30 minutes the movie seemed to be heading down the road of comedic unraveling of the kidnap plan through the stupidity of the whole group so I stopped watching in frustration...

Four friends become four dumb criminals when a huge investment deal turns sour and realise that the money for the investment came from an underworld criminal boss who wants his money back.

Noah (Dan Stevens), Zach (Michael Pitt), Warren (Christopher Abbott) and Bryce (Rob Brown) are offered a get out deal by mobster Eddie (John Travolta) who wants them to kidnap a rival gangster Marques, because he has kidnapped Eddie's niece and he would later wipe the slate clean.

Gerry (Jackie Earle Haley) is a henchman for Eddie supposedly trying to locate Eddie's niece. The four of them kidnap the rival gangster and wait for further instructions. In the meantime Marques plays with their heads that causes tensions.

Jackie Earle Haley directed the film as well as appearing in it. Travolta has a glorified cameo with his awful hairpiece and his presence makes you hark back to those twisty Tarantino type thrillers. There is a 'The Usual Suspects' type denouement which lifts the film from being truly dreadful but it is too little and too late for what is a humdrum and wearisome film.

Four friends who work in the city acting on an inside tip, invest in a 'sure thing'.

But the deal goes sour, and they find themselves being indebted to the mob for nearly half a million dollars. The only way they can clear there debt is by kidnapping a member of another organised crime unit, and holding them for 24 hours.

But things are not what they seem.......

The makers have obviously been inspired by the likes of Boiler Room and Reservoir Dogs, and while it's always a risky move to try and impersonate the likes of Tarantino, Jackie Earl Haley has done a decent job with his film.

Character wise, the film offers nothing new. The group who are in trouble consist of the quiet one, the nervous one, the loose cannon, and the one who doesn't do much, but then does a lot near the end.

Then we have the heavies. Again, we have the quiet one, the muscle, and we have have the talky one, played by the director. Here it's business as usual for the narrative. When these two heavies are I a difficult situation, the talky one goes and tells a story about how a mark on his body occurred. This trope happens in a lot of these types of film nowadays.

And then you have your almost washed up A-list star, playing the big man, the boss. And this time the guest star is one John Travolta.

Don't be fooled by the one sheet, the mans hardly in it, but when he is he makes the film all the more watchable, but for two reasons.

Firstly, he's brilliant in these sort of sarcastic roles, the one where the bad but has the swagger, and knows he can't do no wrong. Imagine him as Castor Troy in Face/Off mixed with his performance in Swordfish, and you have him here.

Secondly, what on earth has he done with his face and hair?

Once the main plot is implemented, it's a war of nerves for the group of fellows, as they start to bond with the victim, and in turn, the victim begins to play them off each other, and tensions rise.

What saves the film from mediocrity is the ending, and showing us the set up with the pay off, it makes for quite entertaining viewing.

That, and the soundtrack is stupendously over the top.

So it's nothing special, it's funny in places, Travolta steals the movie from everyone, and it never once threatens to challenge the grey matter.

Perfect for a cold winters afternoon.

Ya know, I initially figured (as I am A John Travolta fan) I expected this to be a typical mediocre but enjoyable film. In the end however, as things went along, I found ti more and more way beyond that, Acting was great for the most part,, casting was very well done, and the story, wow, I really wasn't expecting that, very well written, some really good comedic moments and the twists and turns kept me off guard. By the ending wrap up, I was pretty floored as I really wasn't expecting it to "all turn out that way" and this hidden backstory was a big surprise to me and kind of really made go "humm, that was good", as I really had no idea or suspicions. It was fun, it was surprising, had it's humorous moments, alongside some "wtf" moments as well. I'm really glad I grabbed it and added it to my collection, as it was a very fun ride.

The 1 and only problem I had with the whole film was the last 60 seconds...I "get it" but personally "riding off into the sunset with typical gold digging ho" was beyond lame despite it being part of the "hidden payback" story line going on...but perhaps heterosexuals would certainly see it in a different light I am sure..lol This film is certainly going into my Hidden Gems list.

Someone else wrote "A little Pulp Fiction and a little Usual Suspects" I agree, it has quite few elements of both in a very good NON derivative way.

Once again, everyone is comparing a low budget flick to mega Hollywood films. While this film does feature John Travolta, it's obvious that they just used his name to get the audience's interest. But don't let that dissuade you from watching it. All the acting from the lesser-known actors is still very good, and in fact, might actually even be better. Travolta plays your typical mob boss, but the guys involved are anything but your mob underlings. It's a formula I've seen before, but the twist later on in the film gives it a unique twist that made it worthwhile. Even if stuff didn't make sense during the film, it came together at the end. It's nothing that will rock your world, but it was enjoyable enough for an hour and a half.

This is an O.K.movie a little elevated by the performances of the actors.

The story feels like it's been done before. But all the reveals and twists come nicely placed and make sense at the end of the movie.

It's a good action/thriller but it misses to much production value to ever be great.

Easy comparison would be "bone tomahawk" which feels like it's been done with the same sort of formula.

I think it is good for the indie movies and this just delivers more than usual.

Also fair to say that this is more a thriller than an action flick.Some of the scenes also feel a little dragged.

Definitely worth a watch.

Just don't expect block buster material.

Okay!