Bad Company

7 June 2002. I went into the theater knowing that the critics already panned the movie. But by the time the credits finished, I felt hopeful. The production, cinematography was rich and deep, there was a feeling of seriousness but with a touch of humor. The blending of comedy and spy-thriller is not easy at all to produce and play well. But Anthony Hopkins played a CIA supervisor caught in the middle between someone telling him what to do and Hopkins trying to tell someone else what to do, a rather different angle and change for him. There was a seriousness throughout this movie that made the movie flow with intensity and Chris Rock didn't come across as some super hero. He came across as a serious actor who knows something about humor.

This movie was about relationships, loyalty, about a CIA that was portrayed more real than most movies. The CIA in this movie made mistakes, wasn't invincible, but pressed ahead. I loved this movie, the risks that everyone took on this movie. The critics apparently just didn't understand what they producers and scriptwriters, and what Chris Rock was trying to accomplish here. I don't like Chris Rock usually, but in this movie he really impressed me with his ability to be serious and at the same time funny. This movie was believable, even the bad guy at the end who made a strong statement about "why" there is terror in the world.

But Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins really were the heroes here because what movie really was about was people and what was really important about living. Commendations go to the Director, Chris Rock, and Anthony Hopkins for making a movie, getting out of the box and pushing the envelope by making something real, not superficially dumb. Chris Rock stood up for something that usually gets swept under the rug, and that is respect and devotion. He's not even the hero's hero in this movie and he doesn't try to play a role that's over the top here. And that demonstrates Chris's integrity as a good actor.

In Prague, the CIA secret agent Kevin Pope (Chris Rock) is killed in a mission with Oakes (Anthony Hopkins). They were trying to recover a nuclear bomb from the hands of some mercenaries. In order to proceed with the operation, Jake Hayes (Chris Rock), twin of Kevin, is recruited by CIA to act as if he were his brother. Jake is a rascal ticker scalper and his dead brother was an exquisite man. The CIA agents have nine day to make Jake as refined as he brother was. Although having a plot very predictable and full of cliches, this movie is a funny action movie, almost a comedy. Therefore, it objective of entertainment is accomplished. My vote is seven.

This film, as far as action films goes, is really not all that bad. I normally don't like the genre too much for it's continuance of formula, but this film was a surprise. The choreography was very well done and there were some good one-liners contributing to some amusement along the way. Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock act well in this film, alongside the twisted Russian mafia boss whom was brilliant, also to be found acting in the superb Guy Richie film 'Snatch'. The photography of Prague was stunning, great camera angles and a dramatic mood portrayed well in this beautiful city.

Regarding the Trevor Rabin track 'BMBBO'... I loved immediately it for its grace and sombre melancholic mood when I heard it in the film, but was so mistaken when finally getting hold of the track... what trickery! The beautiful strings and violin, the elegance and subtlety, gets butchered a minute in by tacky electronica. what a shame to have this masterpiece ruined. In the film obviously adaptations were made for particular scenes and I got the high-octane 'alternative' version, as released on the CD, which by the way, sounds like something from the 80's, a Jean-Michelle Jare lasertropic overdose.

I don't really know what I expected from this film, but I certainly found much more than I had been looking for. Given that it stars Chris Rock, I did expect a great deal of irreverent, silly comedy. What I found, instead, was an interesting spy film and a very, very odd buddy picture.

The acting from both Rock and Hopkins is exceptional. The plot, while a bit thin, is interesting.

The film pulled me in and held me from beginning to end.

After reading so many negative reviews of this movie, I expected the worst and almost didn't see it. But I was in the mood for a movie and it was the only one showing that I hadn't already seen that was even remotely of interest to me. To my surprise I enjoyed the movie and where I think so many critics went wrong was to view this movie as a comedy, which it really isn't, except for a few humorous moments as might be expected in any such action movie. And Anthony Hopkins actually played his role the way it should have been played. It was not a role calling for a wild comic genius but one calling for a very serious-minded professional who is involved in trying to train a novice in just a few days for a deadly game involving a nuke. Chris Rock also played his role as it should have been played and restrained himself from his usual antics, as in "Lethal Weapon 4." Not a great movie but much better than the awful "The Sum Of All Fears."