the_saint_107's Reviews

Equilibrium (2002)

14 March 2003

After i had heard of this film and seen the trailer. I expected something special and I wasn't dissapointed. This film is so far the best of the year, beating the living snot out of "Daredevil".

It's really a character driven story, the plot is used to establish the characters and the action is used to move on the film and make you sit and stare, amazed at some of the most breathtaking gunplay scenes since "Hardboiled".

The performances were good from all involved, the editing was calm yet energetic, the photography, the visual effects were excellent. Kurt Wimmer has a great understanding of pace. It's one of those films when you think "the coolest thing that could happen now would be..." and then it happens.

People who dislike the film tend to nitpick. Picking up on the minor plot holes, that the viewer could explain themselves easily but if they were explained in the film it would defuse all the emotional build up. Beleive me, if you're like me then you'll be so amazed by this film that you'll forget all about the slight gaps in the plot, (that aren't really gaps they just aren't explained as the filmakers didn't want to a) insult the audiences intelligence and b)make a shoddy film.

There are so many great things that could be said about the film. People will say it's just a replay or rip-off of "The Matrix" but the plot is completely different and the action scenes in "The Matrix" are just replays of scenes in "A Better Tomorrow" (in which the characters flip and dive with 2 guns, the bullets flying past in slomo, wearing a big coat and darkglasses or a black suit and tie.) and "Many other oriental action films just without the emotional content.

Bottom line. This film was Fantastic.

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Daredevil (2003)

6/10

Gets worse the second time you see it.

24 February 2003

Warning: Spoilers

The whole idea of this film about a bloke who goes about kicking people in, sounds quite good to a film fan who doesn't balk at carnage.

However the film never gets past that idea. The plot is dull, the acting is terrible. Colin Farrell and Michael Clarke Duncan were Ok but hardly given any screen time, Jennifer Garner made the most of the role despite it being as skimpy as what she wears. Affleck was just appaling saying terrible lines mixed with lines that could have been quite good had he had any talent.

The characters were poorly developed and alot of the time I was left wondering exactly why they were doing what. There was no real reason for the fight in the playground save for entertainment value and it wasn't a particularly good fight.

Affleck's v.o. during the flashbacks to his childhood were just embarassing, that sequence could have been ok if it weren't for that.

Seeing as there was next to no character development I figured only fans of the comic would be able to explain how being blinded and gaining superhuman senses also gave him great shock absorbers in his legs so he could fall for miles and not shatter both legs. Was Bullseye some kind of radioactive freak as well, that would explain how he catches glass at superhuman speeds and can defy the laws of physics whenever he throws something. Not knowing the comics I had no idea how they were able to do this. Also I know he could see sounds so he could have slight vision when it rained, but how could he see Garner's teeth unless rain was hitting them, and the different parts of the eye too.

The music in it was poor also. Graeme Revell's score wasn't bad. but the rest of the time there was tracks that seemed to have little relevance to what was going on.

It's greatest falling was when it began to take itself way too seriously. I liked the idea of the gritty violence in it. However it's a film about superheros wearing leather jumpsuits flying about It shouldn't take itself seriously. When it began to take itself seriously and SPOILERS HERE the only likable hero died. Even the charisma of Clarke Duncan and Farrell couldn't save it for me. After that moment I really couldn't care less wether all the characters died or lived happily ever after.

Now onto the good parts. Yuen Cheung Yan is a good fight choreographer and the fights were well choreographed if alot of the time they couldn't convincingly pull off certain moves.However the editing of a string of closeups cut together really quickly so you can't see what's going on defused the excitment of the fight sequences. Also the most powerful man in New York being defeated by a kick in the knees!!! Getting sucked out of an airplane or running out of a barn guns blazing into a hail of bullets is a good way to loose, but having a blind man boot your knees really isn't.

The photography was good and the visual effects were slick, making the film have quite a cool feel to it and a slight "wouldn't mind going to see it again"

This really must be a film for fans as maybe they can give it there own character developement and plot. If it had been an film about Bullseye or Elektra maybe it'd have been better but it wasn't. Shame.

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Die Another Day (2002)

Fantastic.

21 November 2002

Warning: Spoilers

I thought this film was excellent, better than "The World is not Enough" certainly. Fantastic action scenes, Bond seems to be more acrobatic than usual, diving and rolling all over. Tamahori's direction seems to have deepened Bond a little. Brosnan's acting was good too which helped. The different kind of villain was fantastic, he's younger and just as good as Bond. An interesting Korean henchman. Some fantastic action, countless explosions. The camera work has developed, bringing it neatly into the 2000's. Jinx was good, however I thought, she wasn't as good as made out to be, she just didn't handle a gun too well. Miranda Frost was excellent however. John Cleese was fantastic, given more time to shine than in "The World is not Enough" I could go on for ages, loads to say about this from a director's point of view analysing each second, however I won't. I'm too busy figurung out that car. Spoiler Alert. It must have had 2 bodies an outer shell and an inner one. The inner one had countless cameras on it. The outer one was similar to one-way glass, that could project images over it. Therefore, what the left side saw was imposed over the right side. I think a little scientific demonstration by Q on a smaller scale (say a dissapperaring pen) would be better to start it off. Then show it on a larger scale.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)

A classic.

27 September 2002

This is one of my favourite films off all time. Sergio Leone manages to keep the film up through the entire 2h 36m of it, I was never once bored. The final scene in the graveyard was perfect, the score was excellent, Clint was as always great. The whole idea of the film was fantastic. I selected the graveyard scene as one of my favourite scenes in any film, ever. I've even stole the theme tune for the final credits of my film. The problem is there is so many take-offs and spoofs of this that when watched today it seems like a charicature of itself. However you have to remind yourself before you start to watch, that it's the original, not a rip-off or anything. Just pure Leone, Eastwood, Van Cleef, Wallach. I've been writing this comment for some time now and it was one of my favourite films when I started and it still is.

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Signs (2002)

hmm

12 September 2002

Initially, not being a great fan of films like this, my expectations were not too high. However Mel Gibson (The master of characters with dead wives) and everyone ese managed a good performance. Where I was expecting real cheesy hollywood events. What happened, while not too far from that was actually slightly unexpected. The unconventional use of comic relief was good too. and it managed to be quite an interesting two hours.

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Once a Thief (1991)

Mr Woo takes a break from his usual.

19 August 2002

This film is in a different vein to John Woo's other films, the body count is lower than in any other of his heroic bloodshed movies. He uses martial arts more than in any other, and the infinitely charismatic Chow Yun Fat, played his role more like Benny Hill than clint Eastwood(Although Mr Chow, versatile as he is can play comedy just as well as his silent assassin, or the take no prisoners cop.) The departure from the standard Woo, high bodycount, 2 hour long shoot out type of film come from the fact that he had just made his two darkest films "The Killer" and "Bullet in the head". "At that time the world thought I was a very pessimistic guy" said Woo "but I just wanted to show to the world that I was actually an optimisic guy. I always think there's hope and beauty in the world" hence this light hearted film, in the style of an old heist movie. The plot centers around three highly skilled are thieves played by Chow Yun Fat, Cherie Chung and Leslie Cheung, involved in a love triangle. Although not as developed as "a better tomorrow", as beautifully cinematic as "The Killer" or as "brutally high octane as "a better tomorrow 2" and the fantastic "Hard boiled". This piece delivers, and is still miles better than anything that could come out of Hollywood. (with the possible exception of John Woo's american projects) If you know you would like this film go and buy it. I did, and although I paid a ridiculouly high price for it, I knew that Woo and Chow would not dissapoint, so it was money well spent.

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A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon (1989)

On a different road but still going fast.

19 August 2002

Different to John Woo's original two films, but it's almost as good. Chow (coolest man in the world) yun fat, gives a very charismatic performance, hilarious in the opening scenes when he walks around the airport with an unlit cigarette hanging from his lip, and gives a raw, powerful, emotional performance at the end. The action scenes although lacking the finesse of the John Woo trademark mayhem, are still high velocity and powerful. Aided well by the soaring soundtrack, this film although it can be a little slow, is a welcome and worthy addition to the better tomorrow films. I just loved every second of it. Although the subtitles were a little tricky to read in places but you can't blame the film for what someone else did to it. The major problem is the badly done music editing after the credits have rolled. However seeing as the actual film had finished by that point, not many people would notice.

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A Better Tomorrow II (1987)

10/10

Too many deaths, too much violence, too destructive... How I love this film.

19 August 2002

In the first film John Woo, set the standard for action choreography. In the second one John Woo went past it like a speeding bullet. It takes a while to get going, but when it gets going it gets going in a big coat with a pair of berettas. The action is relentless. I loved the scene when Kit appears round the corner shoots everyone in sight, jumps onto a passing boat and delivers the briefcase to it's owner, and there was the scene when Ken is looking after Lung and they have a big shootout/car chase through New York. Although neither of those are as good as the scene when Ken manages to get hold of two beretta m92f automatics, a revolver and a spas 12 shotgun and goes on rampage through the hotel. Mowing down gangsters in a flurry of shots. (If you look closely Chow Yun Fat didn't use a stunt double for when he flips round on the stairs and slides down them headfirst, on his back with two guns. Not many Hollywood action stars could do that.) However all these action scenes seem like nothing when they are held up against the mighty finale, when dressed slickly in black suits, the heroes take up their weapons and storm through the villain's mansion. Bodies fly, blood spurting from their wounds, smoke and rubble fill the close quarter corridors as bullets rip everything to shreds. The walls were literally dripping with blood, and the sequence when Ho, (played by kung fu legend Ti Lung) catches a blo*dy great sword and cuts everyone in sight to pieces. The modern day "duel" between Ken and Chong, when they both remove their darkglasses to allow their worthy opponents a look at each other's eyes.It is a sign of honourable respect between the two gunmen. It is very different to the first and third in the series,not quite as good a film as the first and completely different to the third. However the action in this beats the two other films, making it alot easier to watch.

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A Better Tomorrow (1986)

Mr Chow has achieved what no one else could: He looked cool in the 80's

19 August 2002

When this film was made in the 1980's Hong Kong cinema was dominated by wushu films and bizarre swordplay movies involving people flying around and other acid flashback inducing scenarios. John Woo was a young director who had done a string of martial arts films, comedies, and musicals. In 1981 he split from Golden harvest and joined Cinema city, after a couple of comedies, He directed the modern day action film "Sunset Warrior" and it was held on the shelf and not released. After the failure of "Sunset Warrior" he was sent to Taiwan and directed another two comedies. Returning to Hong Kong, Woo had always wanted to make a modern day gangster film. Teaming up with friend and producer Tsui Hark, they made a film that would inspire countless films for years to come. Casting Chow Yun Fat who was mainly a television actor as one lead, an old school Kung Fu actor in another and a singer in the third lead role, it was a risky venture which paid off. The script is great featuring lines such as "Do you believe in God?" "sure i'm one, you are, a god is someone who controls their own destiny". There is strong characterisation of the characters, aided on by perfect performances from the actors, The action choreography was excellent and inspired virtually every film made involving guns ever since. It makes you realise that the only thing "the matrix" didn't take from this film and it's sequels is the plot. This is one of my favourite films of all time, and if everyone in the world saw this, I guarantee that the sales of matchsticks and toothpicks would soar.

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Mission: Impossible II (2000)

you don't know what you're talkin' about.

7 May 2002

Warning: Spoilers

Now M:i-2 may not be the greatest of Woo's work. (Go and see his Hong Kong films, they're amazing) The balletic gunplay was not very prevalent here. However the high budget meant he could do some amazing stunts the likes of which he could never do before. The film falls at the mask sequences. (To me it seems a very easy way of getting round things) However the action is as always mind blowing. I never realised it before but Tom Cruise is actually a great action star. He flips, dives, bikes, runs, climbs his way through this picture guns blazing leaving a trail of bad guys in his wake. (and it gives you an oppurtunity to go and see a film you'd like and your girlfriend won't complain) Basically (Spoiler alert) the film is not about mask sequences, viruses, or even action it is about Love. Only if Ican find a film about love with amazing special effects, high budget and John Woo choreographed action I'm in heaven. It still lacks his Hong Kong edge but Hollywood executives prevent Hong Kong style films. But in Hollywood even Woo can still work and produce good films. This film ranks as his Hollywood best. And Ok it may not have brilliant character development, the acting isn't too good and those mask sequences irritate me. but this film got style. hell it's got so much style people are slipping on it. (Cruise even pauses in a gunfight to put his shades on, how cool is that guy) Thandie Newton is as always a plesure to watch, and Dougray Scott manages a balance between over-the-top villain, and the subtle, haunted figure he is in some scenes. Overall I think it's a great film around 9/10... ah hell make it 10/10. It's fantastic and contains some of my favourite moments from any film ever. (The part in Biocyte when Nyah injects herself to keep Ethan safe and the dialogue, the romantic theme all against a contrasting backdrop of bloodshed and violence. Masterfull) All you people who hate this with a passion should learn about how to enjoy films it's the first step to enjoying life. Keep up the Good work Woo.

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Hard Boiled (1992)

10/10

Oh My God!!!

7 May 2002

Here is a list of my favourite things to do with films.

My favourite director is John Woo My favourite actor is Chow Yun-Fat. I like films with artfully choreographed gunplay. I like long action sequences. I like a slight bit of martial arts but not too much. Good photography. The sense that the director gave a damn about the film. The sense that the actors are just as hard as the characters. Exciting editing. but not too over the top.

To name but a few. The conclusion is HARD BOILED KICKS ASS!!!It features all of the above and more. Chow Yun-Fat matchstick gritted between teeth. 2 9mms and carving his way through hordes of badguys. who truly deserve to die. Is it just me or is he the coolest guy ever to walk the planet. It is tricky to go through all the things that make this film great, every second was mind blowing and it is near impossible to put into words how good this film is. Normally when I see a film I'm dissapointed. "Oh I would have done it like that" or "I would have missed that bit out" Often I'll go not expecting much and not get much. sometimes I'll go expecting alot and get nothing, Rarely I'll see a film expecting it to be awful and it's not that bad. But this, I had such high expectations from this film, I didn't think a film could be as good as what I expected. I was amazed that it was better. A masterpiece. go get it now. 10/10. Can't you see what I'm saying it's brilliant. However there was one minor flaw Chow Yun-Fat should have worn a big black trenchcoat.

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Angel Enforcers (1989)

Funny but good.

7 May 2002

This was one of the first Hong Kong films I saw. It's been badly made and was quite laughable in places. but hey that all adds to the charm. It's full of great stunts and great martial arts choreography and at the end of the day it's all entertainment I was entertained. Therefore I thought it was great. (Go get John Woo's Hong kong films, They're amazing)

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