Mentok, Master of Movies!
Well, last time I said I'd review three movies. And I lied; I only got to two. But then, I did give advance warning that I might be lying, so you shouldn't be all surprised or what not. Get over it!
In any event, in recompense, I will offer two more movie reviews, because Mentok Wills It! Oh, and because, what the hell, I've got some spare time to kill. Share and enjoy!
The Rundown
How is an action star born? Take Ahnold, who went from a Mr. Universe title in bodybuilding to early movies that required a Very Large Person. He did his obligatory self-promoting film, Pumping Iron, and then went on to a Hercules movie (better forgotten) and Conan The Barbarian (better remembered). After that it was all uphill. Or, take Dolph Lundgren, who came to this country on a Rhodes scholarship for chemical engineering, only to have some Hollywood agent say "Great Jebus, you're huge, would you like to beat up Sylvester Stallone in this movie?" Several million dollars later, Dolph's saying "Fuck ChemEng, this is where the money is." And he's right.
Now behold The Rock. Professional wrestling has made him famous. Others have attempted the leap from wrestling to the big screen- Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and yea, even Rowdy Roddy Piper had his time in theaters (They Live, anyone?). I think the Rock might well be the next big action star; his performance is slowly improving, and at least he's not hampered by a thick Austrian accent. So here we go.
The plot: Take Midnight Run, mix with Romancing the Stone, add a dash of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and you have this movie.
The pros: It's equal parts comedy and action. Neither one has an overwhelming presence in the film, which ends up making a fairly decent sense of balance in the end. The movie does not take itself too seriously, which, for a comedy-action hybrid, is for the best. The Rock is a lot more talented than you would think- he's well-spoken, dresses up nice, has a good range of expression (trademark eyebrow notwithstanding), and of course performs well in action scenes. Christopher Walken is self-explanatory; like Sean Connery, he can make almost any movie better just by standing there. (Much as Highlander 2 is the exception for Connery, I should point out that Prophecy 3 is the exception for Walken...)
Edit: This movie also has monkeys. Horny monkeys. And that's worth +5 in my book.
The cons: Obviously, over-the-top nonseriousness might not appeal to people who are going to tear apart the movie by saying "That's not realistic" or "That couldn't happen." There's a scene where The Rock and Seann William Scott tumble down the side of a mountain for about 123 lunar days. They both should have been dead long before they touch down, but to hell with realism. It's comedy. They could have made a two-hour film about that fall and I would have watched it. Characterization is sketchy and generic- the characters have certain traits and quirks, but no reason is given for their idiosyncracies (why doesn't The Rock's char like guns? why is the Rebel Leader in that position? etc.). Seann William Scott may one day escape his Stifler persona... but not in this film. And once again, Lo Pan's absence confounds me.
The verdict: This is a fun action movie. Like Kindergarten Cop, with more action, more Walken, and bagpipes. Aye, laddie, I said bagpipes.
Disclaimer: I automatically love all Ahnuld movies, and since The Governator does have a cameo in this movie, I'm obligated to love this film as well. Carry on.
The Brotherhood Of The Wolf
I'll admit it freely here, I'm actually an uncultured moviewatching swine. Class and Deep Thought and Culture and Drama and Touching Emotion are anathema to my movie-going experience. I need action. Hard, deep, and fast. So you, my readers, might be wondering how on earth I would be reviewing a French film, of all things, when my range of tastes clearly includes all things that would never be found en francais?
Guess again, for you will be as surprised as I was to discover a French film that managed to appeal to my lack of class and taste. Such a thing would seem to be unheard of... but read on.
The plot: Equal parts Kung Fu, French Revolutionary Politics, CSI, Werewolfish Horror, and Romance. How these five disparate elements merged into one movie is still beyond me.
The pros: A strange and innovative combination of action and drama and political thought makes for a weird but still intriguing movie. The fighting scenes are well-choreographed. The creature effects are decent. The plot is tricky, and perhaps some knowledge of French history would be helpful in understanding some of the nuances of the storyline, but it's still comprehensible. The DVD offers additional scenes that were cut; some were wisely left on the cutting room floor, but others I thought would have enhanced the film further, as there were some details that could have been more... detailed.
The cons: You have to pay attention and read the subtitles. If you can't read, this movie will challenge you somewhat. Likewise, even if you can read, the details regarding French social and political structures in the setting can fly by you if you're not careful. It is a French movie, and relies on a French mindset in watching, much as many Chinese martial arts films rely on understanding of older and traditional Chinese cultural ways. I think all scenes with the Crazy Gypsy Witch Woman should have been deleted; they serve no purpose. There is a Lo Pan imposter here, but we all know by now that there can be only one.
The verdict: Go and watch. Get your daily double dose of culture and carnage, all in one happy package.
Disclaimer: Just because I make fun of djdysfunction doesn't mean he is unwise. In movie terms, he's much more cultured than I. Go partake of his wisdom.
In any event, in recompense, I will offer two more movie reviews, because Mentok Wills It! Oh, and because, what the hell, I've got some spare time to kill. Share and enjoy!
The Rundown
How is an action star born? Take Ahnold, who went from a Mr. Universe title in bodybuilding to early movies that required a Very Large Person. He did his obligatory self-promoting film, Pumping Iron, and then went on to a Hercules movie (better forgotten) and Conan The Barbarian (better remembered). After that it was all uphill. Or, take Dolph Lundgren, who came to this country on a Rhodes scholarship for chemical engineering, only to have some Hollywood agent say "Great Jebus, you're huge, would you like to beat up Sylvester Stallone in this movie?" Several million dollars later, Dolph's saying "Fuck ChemEng, this is where the money is." And he's right.
Now behold The Rock. Professional wrestling has made him famous. Others have attempted the leap from wrestling to the big screen- Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, and yea, even Rowdy Roddy Piper had his time in theaters (They Live, anyone?). I think the Rock might well be the next big action star; his performance is slowly improving, and at least he's not hampered by a thick Austrian accent. So here we go.
The plot: Take Midnight Run, mix with Romancing the Stone, add a dash of Raiders of the Lost Ark, and you have this movie.
The pros: It's equal parts comedy and action. Neither one has an overwhelming presence in the film, which ends up making a fairly decent sense of balance in the end. The movie does not take itself too seriously, which, for a comedy-action hybrid, is for the best. The Rock is a lot more talented than you would think- he's well-spoken, dresses up nice, has a good range of expression (trademark eyebrow notwithstanding), and of course performs well in action scenes. Christopher Walken is self-explanatory; like Sean Connery, he can make almost any movie better just by standing there. (Much as Highlander 2 is the exception for Connery, I should point out that Prophecy 3 is the exception for Walken...)
Edit: This movie also has monkeys. Horny monkeys. And that's worth +5 in my book.
The cons: Obviously, over-the-top nonseriousness might not appeal to people who are going to tear apart the movie by saying "That's not realistic" or "That couldn't happen." There's a scene where The Rock and Seann William Scott tumble down the side of a mountain for about 123 lunar days. They both should have been dead long before they touch down, but to hell with realism. It's comedy. They could have made a two-hour film about that fall and I would have watched it. Characterization is sketchy and generic- the characters have certain traits and quirks, but no reason is given for their idiosyncracies (why doesn't The Rock's char like guns? why is the Rebel Leader in that position? etc.). Seann William Scott may one day escape his Stifler persona... but not in this film. And once again, Lo Pan's absence confounds me.
The verdict: This is a fun action movie. Like Kindergarten Cop, with more action, more Walken, and bagpipes. Aye, laddie, I said bagpipes.
Disclaimer: I automatically love all Ahnuld movies, and since The Governator does have a cameo in this movie, I'm obligated to love this film as well. Carry on.
The Brotherhood Of The Wolf
I'll admit it freely here, I'm actually an uncultured moviewatching swine. Class and Deep Thought and Culture and Drama and Touching Emotion are anathema to my movie-going experience. I need action. Hard, deep, and fast. So you, my readers, might be wondering how on earth I would be reviewing a French film, of all things, when my range of tastes clearly includes all things that would never be found en francais?
Guess again, for you will be as surprised as I was to discover a French film that managed to appeal to my lack of class and taste. Such a thing would seem to be unheard of... but read on.
The plot: Equal parts Kung Fu, French Revolutionary Politics, CSI, Werewolfish Horror, and Romance. How these five disparate elements merged into one movie is still beyond me.
The pros: A strange and innovative combination of action and drama and political thought makes for a weird but still intriguing movie. The fighting scenes are well-choreographed. The creature effects are decent. The plot is tricky, and perhaps some knowledge of French history would be helpful in understanding some of the nuances of the storyline, but it's still comprehensible. The DVD offers additional scenes that were cut; some were wisely left on the cutting room floor, but others I thought would have enhanced the film further, as there were some details that could have been more... detailed.
The cons: You have to pay attention and read the subtitles. If you can't read, this movie will challenge you somewhat. Likewise, even if you can read, the details regarding French social and political structures in the setting can fly by you if you're not careful. It is a French movie, and relies on a French mindset in watching, much as many Chinese martial arts films rely on understanding of older and traditional Chinese cultural ways. I think all scenes with the Crazy Gypsy Witch Woman should have been deleted; they serve no purpose. There is a Lo Pan imposter here, but we all know by now that there can be only one.
The verdict: Go and watch. Get your daily double dose of culture and carnage, all in one happy package.
Disclaimer: Just because I make fun of djdysfunction doesn't mean he is unwise. In movie terms, he's much more cultured than I. Go partake of his wisdom.