Extremely Dangerous

Good plot with good characters. However I feel it is dragged out over too many episodes with nothing really happening. Basically watch the first and the last episodes and you've got a good TV Movie. The first episode sets the scene. Is Sean Bean a murderer, a gangster or a secret agent? Did he kill his family? None of these questions are answered until the very last episode, where everything unfolds in a tense and action packed way.

Some very good characters. My favourite has to be the Pakistani taxi company owner.

Extremely Dangerous is a Fugitive-type thriller starring Sean Bean (Patriot Games, Goldeneye). Bean plays a former secret service agent, convicted for the brutal murder of his wife and child, who escapes police custody and goes on the run in the Greater Manchester area. Byrne then goes undercover and takes down an organized crime syndicate and the corrupt authorities that set him up.

I like Bean because he can do almost everything from big-budget blockbusters to Shakespearean stage work and parochial TV. Fans will like this one, but it is difficult to recommend that casual viewers to go out of their way to see this. Extremely Dangerous is well-over a decade old now and will not blow you away with its modest budget. There are lots of scenes needed tighter editing, and the whole thing seems to a drag a bit over four episodes. The northern accents may also be a problem for non-Brits.

Saying that, there's a lot to really enjoy about Extremely Dangerous. The plot is strong and pretty plausible, the score was memorable, and the action was free of shaky-cam (since this only really came into fashion after 1999). Sean Bean's character moves through situations like a pro and does some really cool things: jumps from a intercity train as it slows on a bend; pickpockets a man in a clothes shop; steals a car from a long-stay car park; infiltrates lots of guarded buildings; beats up lots of thugs; and gets to point a gun at his ex-boss.

I often wished they had inserted "American English" subtitles. I think I missed quite a few important details which resulted in confusion. Despite this, there was enough intrigue and action to satisfy. I was also impressed with all of the resources Sean Bean had at his disposal for a man that escaped from a prison transport.I was very impressed with the Pakastani cab company owner. At least there was no confusion to understanding him. The flashbacks of the murdered wife and daughter and Sean Bean's responses to the memories were excellent. I never really caught the original connection between Sean's character and Annie....former lovers, wishful thinking on her part????

I believe that "Extremely Dangerous" was a movie out of the ordinary. All the twist and turns, all the questions you ask along the way! Is he or is he not guilty?

You just have to see this movie!

Of course, I picked it up because Sean Bean is in it, but I really enjoyed this movie (believe it was a TV mini-series). You have to pay close attention to follow all the twists and turns, but it pays off. I appreciate movies which require a brain while watching. Too much entertainment appeals to the mindless, blow 'em up and slop in some soap opera lines. But here the story moved along steadily, kept me on the edge of my seat a few times...and held my interest the whole time. I watched it a couple times to catch more details. I especially like movies that give up more 'ahhh' bits each time you watch them. No dropped bits, characters who disappear or dangling 'what's that about?' parts. I'll be adding this one to my own library. Sean Bean eye candy and good story telling! Every character was well casted and acted. The best kinda movie - when you can find them! Nanette