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JeffroDNice
Reviews
Assault on Precinct 13 (2005)
Please make up your minds!
Note to Director and Producer: If you are trying to make a decent character-redemption action flick then cut Gabriel Byrne, Laurence Fishburne and John Leguizamo and replace them with extras. In that case, the rest of the actors were well cast in this Ethan Hawke vehicle that calls to mind his role in Training Day. But if you want to make this a three-way battle of wills then focus on Ethan, Laurence and Gabriel: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. But every actor gets equal screen time and the all-star cast lacked the balance of Heat or Copland. Gabriel, Laurence and John outshone the others so badly it seemed like they were in a different movie and it detracted from the synergy the rest of the cast, including Ethan, showed.
This unevenness was symptomatic throughout. Precinct 13 should have been edited down to PG-13 because the mood was never dark enough to support such graphic violence and language, at levels which belong in much heavier fare like The Usual Suspects or Apocalypse Now. Meanwhile, the Doctor and the Secretary try to ignite some sexual tension but it never catches fire because nobody quite gets the chance to develop chemistry. The Alamo-styled mismatch never makes sense because what would convince us this group of misfits could hold off the larger better-equipped force. This isn't Arnold in Commando or Bruce in Die Hard. Finally, the time factor never makes sense. They are trapped all night waiting for dawn but we never feel that crushing anxiety or claustrophobia like Night of the Living Dead or Aliens.
Precinct 13 disappoints so often it is better not to bother. There are too many good movies-many listed above-dealing with the same themes better. The studio and director could never decide which themes to develop and ended up with an unrelated series of random clichés and wasted opportunities.
The Evil Dead (1981)
Not sure why this is a classic
Good concept (for 1981), great camera work and you have to be impressed with how much they did with so little. But what Raimi needed more than money was time: time to write the script, think about the characters, and rehearse. The acting is wooden, as if the actors are still blocking out where they will be standing in each scene. Their actions and reactions are implausible, with the impressive exception of Ash's vacillation over what to do about his girlfriend. You share his moral dilemma as he weighs whether he would be slaying a demon or murdering an innocent girl. With so many horror movies that are executed so much better, this movie is only useful as part of Raimi's biography...and perhaps the history of the genre. Good for film students; not a priority for anyone else.
Cradle 2 the Grave (2003)
Money well spent
One of the better films in its genre to come out in the last 5 years. Strong cast, decent plot and dialogue, and very good action. Nobody is going to watch this movie more than twice but it's worth seeing on the big screen because it's serious action that fills the room and draws you in. I don't expect too much from an urban martial arts flick but this one doesn't make any serious mistakes and gives you a rush of testosterone. There's a ridiculous demonstration to some easily impressed arms dealers; and the final dispatch, which trumps "Kiss of the Dragon" is also far-fetched ("back up, Jet!"). But seeing Anthony Anderson flirting with the security guard was a riot and Gabrielle Union on top of the train shows this movie can get the comedy right. Tom Arnold also brings his best supporting comedy since True Lies but this isn't really about the comedy. It's about DMX and his crew; and it's about a clash of two of today's best martial-artist-actors: Jet Li versus Mark Dacascos. And the director did a very nice job of developing those threads and bringing them together in flash-bang style with the kind of body count action fans demand.
Fearless Frank (1967)
Thank you Mr Kaufman for something original
This movie was a breath of fresh air after watching too many formulaic Hollywood clones. Campy, clever and novel this gave me a new appreciation for Jon Voight. It was decidedly low budget, like a film school project but the director worked around this in humorous ways. Some cliche villains made this like reading a children's story, but with a wicked grin and a wink. It reminded me of performance art my college roommate used to do that kept us up laughing until all hours of the night. This movie single-handedly convinced me not to cancel my subscription to Showtime, because I never would have watched it if it wasn't coming on at the same time I was channel surfing, but I'm so glad I caught it and would recommend it to anyone who is sick of seeing the same soulless big-budget movie over and over with different titles.