Reviews

Watched only the air battles, which look gorgeous and have very engaging camera work, but was annoyed by the music, which is one of the most predictable ever heard, and that makes it very, very annoying. Even more annoying is that it's there ALL the time. When did it become unconceivable to let the viewer become engrossed in a scene and not have to tell him, constantly, what he should be feeling by way of the music? Good guys die, music is sad. Enemies die (sometimes in the dozens, because of bombs), but it's the bad guys, so the music is happy and uplifting. Uplifting music while people are blown away by bombs...the cynicism and hypocrisy makes this all-pervasive soundtrack even worse.

Definitely one of the best con-artist movies ever. Throughout the movie, I kept thinking of the many possible twists possible, but I never really saw the final big twist - and thought it could all come together so nicely and believable. The movie is paced smoothly (there are no tedious scenes or moments you feel you've missed something), the acting is excellent (Hoffman's character seems overdone at first, but the creepy-weird character he plays is believable and, therefore, all the more serious and scary), the cons they play are very smart (and convincing), and the way it all comes together at the end is just beautiful (although the overall scheme is complex and plays many twists on the audience, it is not at all difficult to follow what 'really' happens). All in all, a very enjoyable movie, with genuine suspense, characters we get to like (and even care about - to the amount possible for grifters), excellent acting and a worthy end. 7/10 (good movie - not great, but above the average)

I fail to see why this movie has a decent rating. While it has the basic recipe for an enjoyable movie (strong cast, good premise, quirky characters), the movie is often predictable, the technological stuff makes no sense sometimes (even for computers of that time), a lot of characters are unbelievably clichéd (like the conspiracy-theorist on the team, which does basically nothing besides play his minor part in pulling their various heists or deliver conspiracy theories one-liners - supposedly to provide some comic relief). At times, the script is illogic (Redford needs the woman he brings on the team so badly why exactly?, and a team of con and tech artists does not take the least precaution to make sure people are who they say they are - I could see all the 'twists' a mile away). Sometimes, the movie has the believability and humor of a B-grade teen movie (such as the 'date' she goes on with the "mark"). Even when we get to the core of the movie (the tech they employ to plan and execute a heist), there is nothing really interesting or novel. All in all, a movie that tries to be tech-savvy, suspenseful, funny and make you ask some questions, but is riddled with believability and logic holes, very little humor, and terribly clichéd characters (plain cartoony at times). 5/10 (partially enjoyable - only watch if you've got nothing better to do)

A movie not just about how the pharma companies are bad (nothing new there), but also about how everybody (Africans included) screw the Africans. Powerful performances from Fiennes and Weisz, on-location filming that takes you in the middle of human misery (whether you like or not), and a beautiful ending. The most horrifying part is that you can really see this happening - how profit margins and market competition might override ethics. However, the true core the film consists of the love between Fiennes and Weisz's characters, the depth of these characters, the anti-hero that Fiennes becomes, and the sad, harrowing, beautiful ending to it all.

I was actually looking forward to watching this movie, based on the trailer and some screenshots. I saw the bad ratings and reviews, but I was hoping there would be at least some good actions scenes, interesting concepts and sets. Whereas the concepts and the sets deliver (but not much), the action scenes are really not impressing - and the choppy editing meant to hide their drawbacks does not work at all. The script stops being involving not long after the movie starts, and the ending really does not make a lot of sense. The movie is not worth renting out the DVD, when it comes out, to watch out just the good stuff, because there is almost none.

The Bad: Requires suspension of disbelief every 5 minutes (such as a space storm that travels at a speed of just a few yards a second, barely able to catch up with a guy in a space costume, people that watch someone go invisible but seem no more surprised than witnessing a mime), some things that plain make no sense, pathetic attempts at character development (bad guy included), a totally uninvolving love story on the side, barely any humor (even Batman Begins had more funny lines than this). The Good: Thataside, it has some nice action sequences - nothing really novel, but worth the time. Bottom line: 6/10 (watchable - not really worth investing the time and money of going to the theater, but could provide some fun renting the DVD and watching it at home).

The plot has more holes than a Swiss cheese factory, there are a lot of things that require explanations which are just not there (such as, how did they know exactly where to go to find that?), you not only do not care about the main characters, but at some point see the 'good guys' shooting cops left and right, some of the vampires are unintentionally funny, and the list of things that make you go "what the ...?!" goes on. That being said, if you can rent the DVD for just a few bucks and skip ahead to the fights (which have a nice soundtrack), it's worth it. Otherwise, do not waste some $ 10 and 2 hours in a theater. P.S. (Vampire dogs!?!)

Cons: Parts of the movies are uncomfortably similar to Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes" and David Fincher's "Panic Room" (all the more so as that also starred Jodie Foster), there is at no point in the audience's mind any doubt that this might be a psychological drama, and not a suspense film (as the script feebly attempts to do), the second leading actor's acting is plain poor, and the very end has some unbearable clichés (people victoriously coming out of the fog on the sound of classic Hollywood happy-end music, that sort of thing) Pros: Jodie Foster stays a top actress even in this mediocre flick, and she is the only reason there is some genuine suspense at times. Bottom line: 6/10 (Watchable)

Although similar to the "Royal Tenenbaums" in rich meanings, odd relations, quirky humor and an assortment of characters and fine actors, it just fails to deliver the beautiful mix of feelings 'Tenenbaums' did. It's just not engaging, it feels too much like a parody to involve the viewer. It's not a comedy either, which is why a moment or two in the film take you by surprise and feel out of place. Bottom line, you should see it if you expect an odd movie that just keeps on being odd and doesn't really go anywhere, but has its moments and includes the refined acting of Bill Murray of the kind seen in "Lost in Translation" (not too mention the uncharacteristic character played by Willem Dafoe :-)

This is a very un-equilibrated movie. Scenes of UNSPEAKABLE beauty and imagination are followed by scenes of acting that is average at best. I gave the movie a 9 without a regret because of its imagination and also because of its action scenes.

The script is average/decent and did not manage to ruin the beauty of the images, which the acting did in some cases. The love story is made up of NOTHING but cliches (and bad ones!) and the acting of the others is rarely average (most of the times, is under average). Humour is as good as inexistent (except for a line or two).

But most of this loses in relevance as to the overall quality when put together with the INCREDIBLE imagination present in just about every picture of this movie. The worlds created here are like nothing you've ever seen (even in Phantom Menace) or you're likely to see anytime soon (except, hopefully, in 2005, in Episode III). There are so many of such worlds, each of them both different from the others and incredibly rich in details, that the feeling is that you are overwhelmed. I will see this movie again and again, bearing the parts of awful acting, just so that I can be "exposed" to the overflowing imagination of this movie, so that I can see new things. Pictures that can make up poster one could watch for hours and not have enough are here present for just a few minutes... and such pictures are by the dozens. This is truly an UNIQUE film.

And, of course, one must not forget sounds. The music is excellent, and re-interprets the music theme of Phantom Menace (remember the fights towards the end of the movie...). But the sounds of the movie manage to suprise even a StarWars fan, accustomed to the imperial fighters and lightsabers from the first trilogy. Bombs explode in space with sounds like you've never heard (no more average booom! explosions), light sabers please the ear once again and so on...)

Unfortunately, what could have been a truly genius movie is drawn back by the acting. Without the slightest intention of making a joke, Yoda has been, by far, the best actor in this movie, followed by Ewan McGregor (who does a decent job) and Samuel Jackson (average). Otherwise, plain awful...

In short, you want acting and story... rent "Ladri di biciclette". You want imagination BEYOND ANY DREAMS YOU EVER HAD and andrenaline rush action... go see Attack of the Clones. Again and again and again...