Paradise City

Actually, I wasn't really harboring much of any grand expectations for the 2022 action thriller "Paradise City" from director Chuck Russell. Not that it is based on the director or anything, but the numerous movies these last couple of years coming from Bruce Willis just haven't been top notch stellar movies, if you know what I mean.

But still, I had the opportunity to watch "Paradise City", and I do believe in giving a movie a fair chance. So of course I opted to sit down and watch this movie without ever having heard about it.

The storyline in "Paradise City", as written by Edward Drake, Corey Large and Chuck Russell, was pretty simplistic. I mean, you could leave the movie for an extended period of time to go do something else and return only to find that you were not missing out on anything. Well, at least that makes "Paradise City" a very easy movie to watch, as it requires zero invenstment of attention from the viewers.

The movie does have some familiar faces on the cast list, with the likes of Bruce Willis, John Travolta, Stephen Dorff, Noel Gugliemi and Branscombe Richmond. However, I can't really claim that I witnessed any particularly memorable or outstanding performances as the movie trotted on.

Was I entertained by "Paradise City"? Hardly. Yet, I actually still managed to sit through all 92 minutes of it. However, once the movie came to an end, I must admit that I was left with an overwhelming sense of 'was that it?' and a feeling of having wasted 92 minutes on nothing.

If you enjoy action thrillers, then there are far, far better movies readily available out there. And "Paradise City" came and went without leaving any kind of impression. So this was just another dubious movie in a long line of dubious movies starring Bruce Willis.

My rating of "Paradise City" lands on a three out of ten stars.

Not the worst thing I've seen, and beautiful scenery.

Start with the negatives, the plot isn't the greatest at all, stuff just sort of happens, and the acting from the supporting cast isn't exactly the greatest. Also, someone gets shot in the leg and ties a belt BELOW the wound yet survives?

On a positive note though, BRUCE WILLIS ACTUALLY ACTS in this film. The majority of his films in recent years have seen Willis just bumble through his spoon fed lines, but he actually acts and gets a fair amount of screen time. John Trovolta also puts in a decent performance.

The scenery was absolutely beautiful as well.

The film is average, but its to be expected with a modern day Bruce Willis film.

Any 80-90 Miami vice or even Acapulco heat episode has better acting. Cant understand why such pros like Willis and Travolta did not give any advice for director or writer. Maybe they are more tired than Nicolas Cage.

Hawaii nature ahots did not save those bad dialogues, that dond fit no cinema, no theater stage - too flat. No right emotion. Bachground music fits more of robin hood or dragon and dungeon scenery, but not Hawaii.

Every second scene is out of logic. If you have drug lord in custody and stand before 20 of his goons aiming at you. You dont drop him, but use him as a live shield. BAD.

First of all its total waste of talented and reputed casting.

The movie lacks all the basics it takes to make a good film. The plot, writing and direction all were lacking to make it a movie worth watching. There's no suspense to keep the audiences on their seats till the last.

Talking about story it seems good to me but with some improvements it would have been wonderful. Same goes for the writing, the ending seemed so blunt, like it was just a cold good bye.

While Bruce Willis and John Travolta give justice to their roles while some of the cast were not up to the mark.

To sum it up it's average which lacks the potential.

It feels like John Travolta & Bruce Willis vacationed in Hawaii and ran into Stephen Dorff and someone lost a bet... and this movie was made the following week before they all flew back home.

I seriously can't believe this movie was made with these stars. Sad.

There were scenes where it felt the actors (if they could be called that) were reading the lines for the first time. No suspense, no character development, poor timing...

Did the female "actress" just get lip fillers the day of shooting, maybe that's why the acting was so poor? I'm looking for reasonable explanations as to justify what prevented her from trying to act... It felt like she has no experience but paid her way to be on the set with some movie stars for fun... she wasn't even trying.

At least they had some fun in a beautiful location :)