Mob Land

I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this indie B-film as much as I did, but thanks to the great casting and excellent performances, this turned out to be an enjoyable little gem. No, it's not perfect, and as much as this type of story has been done many times before, new filmmaker Nicholas Maggio got more things right that overshadowed most of his rookie filmmaking mistakes, and that managed to make this film, his own. In his first ever writing and directorial debut, Maggio created an engaging atmosphere with constant intrigue and suspense, enough to keep me watching and occasionally forgetting to breathe. This film was gritty and thrilling with some sharp dialogue, enough to pay homage to the independent top crime films of the past.

Aside from just a few plot issues, the pacing could've been a little faster and the 111 min runtime could've used at least 10 mins of trimming. The shaky cam at the start was too obvious and annoying, but got better (or I got used to it) as the film progressed. Nevertheless, for a first time filmmaker, Maggio directed his entire cast perfectly, had a decent score and soundtrack (not the usual loud, overbearing and unfitting score that's typical in every B-film), good cinematography, and kept a constant and effective tone and atmosphere throughout the entire film - a feat that even some seasoned filmmakers sometimes can't get right.

This film is certainly no 10/10, but underserving of anything under a 5/10. As an independent B-film, it's a solid watchable and recommended 7/10 from me, plus the extra bonus star that this was put together by a first-time filmmaker - I mean they have to start somewhere, right, and if this is Maggio's first ever film, I'm excited to see what he comes up with next. Mad props to him and all the crew and cast that helped pull and keep this together - you can tell the top actors weren't there just for the paycheck. To see how I rate and review films, click on my username, and you'll also see more of my 1,700+ reviews and 3,000+ ratings.

Checked this one out because of the 'heavyweight' cast, but sad to report the script and screenplay don't match the talent on show.

A badly aging John Travolta headlines with typical aplomb as a smalltown redneck sheriff, with Matt's bro Kevin Dillon also putting in a decent turn as the film's pivotal catalyst to disaster. However, it's the oft underrated Stephen Dorff who steals the show as a New Orleans mafia enforcer. Dorff is off the hook and carries his weighty bad guy role with typically sinister yet cool-calculated nastiness. He will keep you watching if nothing much else will.

The story itself however is a letdown. It's slow, lacking in tension, originality and continuity, while you really have to shake your head at Travolta's continual failures to connect the dots.

On the plus side there are some decent shootouts, driving scenes and reasonable character development, but the bottomline is this is a rather predictable, low-budget b-movie that fails to ignite, or be quirky/original enough to push it into 'cult' movie territory like an early Cohen Brothers flick for example.

In summation then a one-watch rainy night film at best. Y'all come back now y'hear...

Small town aw shucks down on his luck guy gets roped in by his criminal brother for an easy payday. Heist doesn't go according to plan. Things get dicey for the brothers as they robbed an interstate crime outfit. Their uncle who is the town's sheriff played by John Travolta is investigating the incident. Crime outfit sends their fixer man to "settle" the matter of stolen goods and money.

The movie has the pulse of a dying man. John Travolta is the IV drip that keeps this movie alive. That is not saying much about JT but since I am a fan I kept watching through to the end. Stephen Dorff plays the same character as in Old Henry. Its just a costume change for him basically same speech same tone.

I think most people will stick with the movie because they know how it will end. Its just a house fire and yet we can't resist staring.

5 stars for JT's appearance.

First off, I'm not a John Travolta fan, but watched this just for him - and it was worth it. Other reviewers who say he's old and out of shape, well, aren't we all at some point?

This is a good ensemble film. Nothing great, but an interesting watch and get a lot of down home southern homilies - they are a type of religion in the south.

The problem was, that everyone was a philosopher.

There were some surprising performances, quiet, smooth. My favorite was Timothy V. Murphy - who played Sheriff Ben. Not a big part, but he was a great foil for Travolta.

It's not the best film around, but it has good music and it's worth the watch when there's nothing else that tickles your fancy.

Someone decided to turn on the 'Hillbilly' tropes and keep them going through the whole film. Every line felt like it was a depiction of what someone from California thought that someone who from the South might say, not the way people actually talk. The accents were horrible and the cliche filled caricatures were distracting.

This move would have gotten a higher score from me, maybe a solid 7/10 if not for the dialogue and the poor character portrayals. The cinematography was spot on and atmospheric, the music was good (Not great), and there was an okay plot, though not as fleshed out as I would have liked to have seen.

This movie was one I didn't regret watching once, but I would be hard pressed to sit down and watch it again.