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gothic-child
Reviews
Backdraft (1991)
Wow!!!!!
This is one of the greatest movies I have ever seen in my life. The plot is outstanding and the whole movie looks very expensive due to a large budget. It features many well-known actors like Kurt Russel, William Baldwin, Robert De Niro, Rebeca De Mornay, Scott Glen or Donald Sutherland. Their performances are great and even the other less known actors make a great job. I love the atmosphere, it's full of thrill and emotions from the beginning till the very end. The story is about two brothers (Russel and Baldwin) whose father was killed by an explosion. Twenty years after the tragedy they both become fire-fighters to show they can be like their father. While the older of them (Russel) has a successful career as a fire-chief, the younger (Baldwin) fights with inner fear and with the determination to be better than his brother. After a big disillusion he decides to stop fighting fires and work as a fire-investigator and he joins an experienced professional (R. De Niro). The plot is complicated and elaborate with many unexpected plot twists and many great effects. I really recommend this masterpiece to everyone
.. It's a definite must see :o)
An Eye for an Eye (1981)
Good early cop movie
I have seen this movie many times and I think it's a very good 80's cop movie. I don't know why, but the atmosphere reminded me of some old Bruce Lee movies. The acting isn't the best- especially Mako's performance is really awful, but it has some decent action. Of course Norris is not Bruce Lee, his karate moves are slow and he looks quite clumsy. But I know he is considered to be a very good martial artist, so maybe it's just because of bad choreography. Apart from the Norris's fumble, some of the fight scenes are very good, especially those fights near the end. The story is very simple, but it has good atmosphere, so it never bores. It's a pity, that this movie didn't get higher budget, 'cause it could have been much better. 6,5 out of 10
Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985)
Almost two hours of unnecessary violence
I have seen lots of bad movies, but this one is so bad it's beyond belief. I hate these war films in the style "Americans are the best and all the others are garbage". I don't understand how can anyone shoot a "film" like this, how can anyone produce it, and how the hell can someone watch it..... The plot is about American soldiers constrained in Vietnam during the absurd USA-Vietnam war. Everything in the film is directed against Vietnamese people, Vietnamese are shown as evil, cruel bastards with no regret and Americans are shown as those who are always good, fair and against violence. I don't understand how could Chuck Norris condescend himself to something like this. How the hell can someone who in real features to be against violence, against racism and so on act in such a crap?? The "movie" is full of unnecessary brutal scenes, the whole atmosphere is depressive and racist. The fight scenes are terribly choreographed, Norris is slow and clumsy and he appeals very non-athletic. Besides Norris is a bad and wooden actor and so is the rest of the "actors" in this crap-movie. And what the hell was the end supposed to mean?? Terrible hand-to-hand combat with hardboiled murder at the very end?? Gosh!!! I beg everyone, If you have any discernment, never watch this. It's a violent and racist crap with no plot and no acting. If you want to have REAL entertainment with REAL martial arts watch for example Jackie Chan's Police Story!!!
The Tuxedo (2002)
Average Jackie Chan movie....
Well, I have seen this movie yesterday evening and it was great fun. It's definitely not Jackie's best work, but at least it's quite entertaining. There are many scenes that range from embarrassing to perfect, some corny dialogues and silly jokes. The script is quite simple, but forasmuch as this is supposed to be a parody on the James Bond movies it doesn't matter. Some jokes were great, for example some dialogues with Mr. Devlin, the moment when Jackie dresses the Tuxedo and discovers it's power (:o)), the fighting scene when he fights the bad guys with his pants half off, and I especially liked the scene where Jackie unwittingly knocks out the legend of soul- Mr. James Brown:o)) The fight scenes were short and quite uninteresting with lots of wires and special effects, but this movie wasn't made for fight scenes, so I don't think it's the main problem of this movie. The Achilles heel are some terrible childish jokes which are almost unbearable. What I really hated was the part where Jackie was trying to scoop the girl having that "Hooters girls dig me" T-Shirt on. This was really awkward for a man of his age and absolutely unnecessary. Jennifer Love Hewitt is gorgeous, but that's all about her. She is unfunny, embarrassing and her acting is more than painful. There was absolutely no chemistry between Jackie and her. It's good that Jackie started to make more serious movies now, and though I didn't really hate this movie I'm glad there's no Tuxedo II. My rating: 5/10
Storm Catcher (1999)
It's like a bad joke!!!
Man, this film was bad!!!! I have seen a lot of Lungren's movies, cause I was a big Lungren fan in the past. Now Dolph is really history for me, because most of his recent films are almost unwatchable.....including this one. This is one of the worst movies I have ever seen on TV. The story is awful, the acting is even more awful and the dialogues are extremely awful. The editing is so bad it's beyond belief. I think the editor must have been drunk. Anyway, I consider this to be one of the worst movies ever (not the worst, because I have also seen Agent Red from his recent films, which is even worse). If you are looking for some karate fight scenes or something like that, there aren't any. This movie is like a bad joke!!!
American Ninja 4: The Annihilation (1990)
So bad it's beyond belief!!!
I was really surprised, how can there be so many positive reviews on this crap. This is one of the absolutely WORST movies I have ever seen in my life. The movie was really funny - I think it wasn't meant to be funny, but it was much funnier than many crazy-comedies :) The plot was ridiculous and made absolutely no sense. A gang of Ninjas working for an Islamic maniac (who was really absurd)...what the hell...?? Ninjas were most dreaded, well trained intelligencers in feudal Japan, and in this movie they looked like a couple of absurd and lame idiots. Dudikoff was terrible as a teacher and even more terrible as a martial arts expert. I can't understand, why didn't the film makers find someone who can act at least a little, and who can do martial arts (hmmm...maybe it's because no one good wanted to act in such a crap). David Bradley was terrible as well and the rest of the "actors" weren't much better. In general, the whole ¨"movie" is a bunch of crap. Terrible plot, terrible dialogues, terrible acting, terrible fight scenes and so on. The only good thing were the funny moments (that weren't supposed to be funny), that's why I'm giving it 2 out of 10.
Dak mo mai sing (2001)
Serious and dramatic movie. Really Great!!
I didn't expect too much from this movie but I was really thunderstruck. It's maybe the greatest Hong Kong movie since Who Am I (and I think it's even a bit better). The plot is quite elaborate and interesting and we can expect really good acting. The movie is more aimed at acting and drama than at action. This can be disappointing for some hardcore action fans but I see it as a good step. Jackie was almost fifty when filming this movie and I don't think he wants to kick baddies' heads till the end of his very long career. The movie is quite serious and emotional, so the funny moments (there are a few) are in my opinion out of place and don't fit in the dark plot very much. They are really FUNNY (f.e. the naked fight in the market place) and they would be great in any other Jackie's movie, but not in this one. There are about four or five fight scenes in this film, quite short, but absolutely great- especially the one in the spa-place. The only scene that felt to me quite unnecessary was the final rescue-from-truck part - it looks like an extract from the worst American B-movies. But in general this movie is one of the greatest in Jackie's career.
Shanghai Noon (2000)
Jackie's greatest movie made in Hollywood
Hmmm.....this movie is really gorgeous!! The scenery is amazing and full of colors. It is with no doubts the absolutely greatest Chan-movie made in America and Jackie himself is very proud at this masterpiece. It's really surprising that this movie had much lower success than Rush Hour when it's many times better. It's funnier, the fight scenes are way better and Jackie has much more charisma. And the chemistry between him and his sidekick Roy O'Bannon (Owen Wilson) is perfect. I love the part when Jackie - after he saves an Indian boy from beating - gets stoned with the Indians and in the sudden delirium he gets married with the Indian chief's daughter. As a present he gets an originally trained horse, who later gets totally drunk when he drinks a full bottle of whiskey while waiting at the inn stable :-))) The movie contains great gags, some unexpected plot twists and fantastic martial art scenes. I think that even Jackie didn't expect he would be able to make such an amazing movie an America.
Fei ying gai wak (1991)
Poor sequel to Armour Of God
Well, there were many positive reviews, on this. Some people even consider it one of the best Jackie movies ever. I must say I was really looking forward to this movie, but when I saw it I was quite disappointed. It's a sequel to the hit Armour Of God, so I expected quite a lot, because Armour Of God was perfect. The first cca 30 minutes are very entertaining, and I thought the rest of the movie will be great as well. Ahhh....was I wrong!! The main disaster are two women who join Jackie in his mission. Their acting is so terrible it's beyond belief and it's almost unbearable. They keep on screaming (they don't talk, they just scream and screaaaaaam) all the rest of the movie and it nearly caused me a headache. Some of the moments in this movie could have been really funny, but these two 'sirens' totally destroyed all of the comical scenes. The movie contains some fantastic stunts, beautiful scenery, but the fight scenes aren't as interesting as we are used to. Yeah, they are good, but they are edited with other scenes too much, so I didn't have that WOW feeling as I usually have in other Jackie Chan's movies. Overall this movie isn't bad, and if those two annoying "actresses" weren't present and some "wannabefunny" moments were cut, it could have been great.
The Medallion (2003)
Surprisingly very enjoyable
I must say I didn't take care about renting this movie because of so many negative reviews, but when I saw it I was very fairly surprised. It's different from other Jackie movies, but who would like to make the same sort of movies for so many years?? Those who criticize this movie for having short action scenes, special effects, wires and so on should realize, that Jackie is not that young guy anymore and it's harder and harder for him to do the same difficult stunts he did when he was 30. In this move Jackie uses many special effects and wire-work, so in some battles he fights like Jet Li, runs across branches, jumps into unbelievable heights...... The movie contains some very good acting (the only character I really disliked almost from the beginning of the movie was Lee Evans, he seemed to me like a bad parody on Mr. Bean), some corny dialogues and funny moments, big amount of fantasy and mysticism, great stunts (especially the one where he chases one villain across the city, running over walls, jumping across fences etc.- some wires were used but that doesn't make it less amusing) and some fantastic fight scenes. I really enjoyed the fight on the ship when Jackie in a diving suit gradually fights one baddie after another- this scene is without wires and Jackie shows off some excellent moves. Another great fight scene is one of the final ones in Snakehead's cave (or whatever it is). Many special effects are used in this one so Jackie fights like a modern version of Jet Li, it's very short, but absolutely amazing. I consider this one of the greatest movies I have lately seen.