Reviews
The Rock (1996)
Absolutely incredible
Best action movie I have ever seen, along with Face/Off. What more can I say. Action: great. Car chase: great. Plot: Great. Acting: Great. What more could you ask for in a movie.
94 out of 100.
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Don't bother, you'll be disappointed
I went and saw Halloween H20 (which wasn't my money's worth), without having seen the previous 6 movies. And after seeing this one, I don't think I want to. It could get you a little jumpy every now and then, scary only when someone appears out of nowhere, only to find it isn't Michael Myers. The parts which are supposed to be scary, which is the Michael Myers parts, are so not scary. Even parts which have the potential to be scary (for example, the disposal in the sink) never act upon or unleash the potential. I haven't seen many other horror movies, but I'm thinking that the body count is extremely low for horror movies. The body count is less than ten, and half of them come in the first 7 minutes. It is a very short film, running approximately 85 minutes, which is a shame, but I know all the Halloween movies are about that long. Is Michael Myers actually human? I find it hard to believe he is. He has the same face the whole way through, shows no emotion and never mutters a word. The only things good in it were Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role, LL Cool J saying his romantic poetry and the music from the original Halloween. Overall, an unscary, blatant attempt at a horror movie, barely worthy of my 4 out of 10.
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Better than average
Devil in a Blue Dress, isn't great, but it is better than average. It got a little boring at times, but at times it could be quite amusing. Not a movie for an action sort of guy, but an intelligent guy would get it. 7 out of 10.
Bad Boys (1995)
Great film
This was a great action-comedy. Action and comedy are my two favourite genres, so it's no surprise that I like both in the one movie, one of the reasons I loved most of the 'Lethal Weapon' series. (except the first) Bad Boys is no exception, it is very funny, with a lot of violence and action mixed in. There is a lot of coarse language, also similar with the 'Lethal Weapon' series (especially No.4), and it is great for a buddy cop movie (which the 'Lethal Weapon's' are too). So, if you liked this, you're more than likely going to like the 'Lethal Weapon' series. (except the first)
Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995)
Throw away the story
As in most Steven Seagal movies, you can just throw away the plot and focus on the action and violence. This movie is about a computer geek who takes over a train with several mercenaries, taking hostages. There is a satellite in orbit with advanced particle beam weaponry that the geek, Travis Dane (Eric Bogosian), designed. He takes over the satellite and threatens to blow up the Pentagon and unsettle a nuclear reactor hidden underneath. Among the hostages is the niece of Casey Ryback, a cook (Steven Seagal), who is free on the train. This cook isn't an ordinary cook, he is an ex-navy SEAL. He must save everyone from the bad guys. Lay back for the neck breaking, the wrist-cracking violence that is characteristic of Steven Seagal films. This is the only Steven Seagal film that I have really liked. The original, 'Under Siege' was OK, as was 'Executive Decision', but 'Fire Down Below' and 'Out For Justice' were simply horrid. Most are unbelievably stupid, but you shouldn't take them too seriously. 'Under Siege 2' is also incredibly stupid, but the ending is good, the plot is average, and the acting is worse than average. All of the villains except for Penn (Everett McGill), don't last very long when it comes to fighting Ryback. I'll give it 8 out of 10 simply because I am an action-fan. If you're looking for intelligence, look in a different direction. Do the same if you are not a fan of breaking arms and lots of violence.
Demolition Man (1993)
An explosive action-thriller
I really enjoyed this movie. It is about a tough cop and a tough criminal who are frozen from 1995 to the year 2032 or a similar time-slot. This ultra-violent criminal, Simon Pheonix (Wesley Snipes), escapes into a completely non-violent world and so the cop, John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is thawed out to catch him. It consists of great chases and occasionally great laughs when things of the future seriously puzzle Spartan, like the three sea-shells. The climax at the end is good, the storyline is good, the acting is average, and the effects are good. 8 out of 10.
Death Train (1993)
Thrilling action story on a train
'Death Train' is ultimately about a train carrying 'death'. A bomb, to be exact. A nuclear bomb that could blow away a big part of America (or was it England, I don't remember). The main guy carrying the bomb is Alex Tierney, and trying to penetrate the train are Pierce Brosnan, who is upset about doing this instead of racing Daytona, Alexandra Paul, and Patrick Stewart. Attempts to get in or to kill Tierney are foiled. It is a fairly good film that managed to spawn a sequel, and the acting is pretty good. Some of the action sequences are well shot, but, the picture (in Australia, anyway) wasn't great. But overall, a good film with a fairly good ending that wasn't disappointing. 7 out of 10.
Commando (1985)
Action-packed unrealism
This is one of those movies where Arnie goes around killing a lot of people and barely gets hurt. It is about a retired army commando whose old enemies come by and kidnap his daughter. He loves his daughter very much, so he must defeat the dictator Bennett, and retrieve his daughter. This film is so stupid, it's funny at times. He pulls off very unrealistic stunts sometimes and he has a few one-liners. By the way, why did that girl come along and help out Arnie? Wait, it's an Arnold Schwarzanegger film, so who cares. The unrealism is so high, that at one point Arnie goes around with a gun, throws knives, shoots people while they shoot at him. He must kill about 100 people in that very scene and he doesn't get shot once at all. He only gets shot once at the very end. Arnie is at his action best, but this is one of those no-brain movies, where you'll need to give your brain a holiday. The ending climax is OK, but I just can't get over how unrealistic this film is. It is pretty much violence from start to end and Arnie must kill over 200 people throughout the duration of the film. For an action-lover, this could be good. But if you're looking for an intelligent thriller, I think you should find another film and another actor. 7 out of 10.
The X Files (1998)
Just like an episode
I am quite a fan of the television show 'The X-Files', and the movie 'The X-Files' was just like an episode, except about 3 times as long (not counting the advertisements in the series) and a bigger budget. But it was made to be like an episode, it continued where the series left off, and the next series will continue where the movie left off. It is about as good as an average episode, but this one lags a little, gets a bit boring, but at times, it livens up a lot. The movie is about the alien black stuff that takes over people's bodies. A lot of the questions of the series are answered, yet some more are made. The blowing-up building at the beginning was terrific, with great special-effects. I will give it a 7 out of 10.
U.S. Marshals (1998)
Great sequel
I am a 'The Fugitive' fan, and I thought that 'US Marshals' was a much more than adequate sequel. It was terrific. Followers of Sam Gerard will agree and will not be disappointed. The plot is much more complicated when it turns out the fugitive he is following is a former CIA agent and that type of thing. It is similar to the original and just as good. Robert Downey Jr joins the Marshals this time round. 9 out of 10.
Black Dog (1998)
Very unrealistic, but action-packed
I really enjoyed this movie. I do prefer intelligent thrillers, but I don't mind unrealistic stuff if it's good. It was surprising to see Patrick Swayze was in this movie, seeing that it's so unrealistic and it's what would seem like a fool's errand in the eyes of the critics, but I credit his performance. It is about a truckie who is driving a truck filled with firearms, while guys come along, try to kill them, and get the guns. Meat Loaf's acting performance wasn't great, he should have just made a contribution to the soundtrack, and I thought he was over-the-top at the end, racing a truck, wildly raving and chanting bible verses. But the action scenes are good, despite the unrealism. Explosions happen when they wouldn't normally, and shooting people doesn't seem to do anything but make them wince. At one stage, Patrick Swayze is beating a guy up on the truck, and Meat Loaf comes along in his ute-type vehicle, and shoots him in his arm. He winces, but he keeps punching with the same vengeance and strength as before. Despite lack of credibility, it was an exciting adventure and was a film about truck-driving, which I have never actually seen in a movie before. Overall, it was great and the chase scenes are very well-done sometimes. If you aren't expecting too much and don't mind unrealistic things, and you like action movies, see this.
Desperate Measures (1998)
A great thriller
I thought that 'Desperate Measures' was a terrific film, with great actors. I really loved this movie, but the first parts, when Michael Keaton was doing some strange stuff, was strange. I feel that this film was judged way too harshly by the critics. It gets a little unrealistic at times, but it is great. It is about a cop (Andy Garcia) whose child is dying of leukemia, and he tries to find a compatible bone-marrow donor for his son. The only possible donor is multiple mass-murderer Peter McCabe (Michael Keaton), who thinks of the trip to the hospital as a chance to break free. In return, McCabe is let into the general population and is given smoking privileges. A great escape and he is free to do what he pleases in the hospital. The cop must keep McCabe alive because if he dies, the bone-marrow is useless and his son dies. There are some good explosions, and it doesn't just stop at the hospital, there is a car chase afterwards. This film combines two great actors, but it is not Michael Keaton's regular role, a serial killer. The plot is good and action is executed well. It has a tip-top (excellent) ending and I thought it was great. I give it a 9 out of 10. McCabe plays some nice games with propane.
Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Very funny
The comedy of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels in 'Dumb & Dumber' is very funny. It is full of humour with sometimes crude jokes, but often things like 'It's OK, I'm a limo driver!'. When I watched this with my friends, we were laughing left and right and all around a lot. It is very funny. 8 out of 10.
Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997)
It has been under-rated, it wasn't too bad
So many people have said this film was horrible. Sure, it lacks credibility at times, but the special-effects are good and it has a few laughs. Willem Dafoe is miscast, as is Jason Patric, but Sandra Bullock is what makes this film tick. It isn't nearly as good as the original, but it's not too bad. The plot has changed a lot, as has the cast (unfortunately, Keanu Reeves turned down the sequel idea), but the film is not disappointing and the end is exciting. It rates 7 out of 10 on my scale.
But if you're looking for something special, see the original.
The Saint (1997)
Worse than your average film
'The Saint' starring Val Kilmer, wasn't a great film. His disguises were easy to see through, as are Bruce Willis' in 'The Jackal'. By the end, I didn't really envision his character as a saint, and I found the plot bad. The film is not all bad, occasionally it has some good moments. But not many, so steer clear of this film, as well as Bruce Willis' 'The Jackal'.
Le cinquième élément (1997)
Trashy
I have read all the other reviews on this page about this film, most of them saying it is terrific, greatest movie ever, but in my mind, nothing could be further from the truth. I found this film to be a piece of garbage and totally absurd. Zorg is one of the stupidest villiais I have ever seen, and this film doesn't amount to much. The ending's OK, but the majority was pure trash. At the beginning, I was giving it a chance, despite how bad it seemed, but throughout the absurdity of the film just kept growing. Chris Tucker's character is stupid, annoying, absurd, and unnecessary in this movie, his screaming all the time still building on the absurdity. After Luc Besson's 'The Professional', which is a great film, and after seeing the 'Die Hard Trilogy', which are some of the best movies around, I had high expectations because of the clashing of Bruce Willis and Luc Besson. But the film was horrid. A very disappointing film that should be avoided at all costs by everyone.
Crimson Tide (1995)
Not as great as hype says
This film is fairly good, but all the hype is not worth it. It is not your average submarine film, they don't go around shooting other submarines in war. It is a thriller about power in a nuclear submarine. The trigger happy commander (Gene Hackman) is denied power by the second in command (Denzel Washington) because the orders were not completely received. A lot of overpowering goes on in the film as it draws to a climax, which doesn't leave you breathless, but is not disappointing. It rates a 6 out of 10 on my scale.
Congo (1995)
Slightly above average
It is a fairly mindless piece of work, not as good as the novel, but this film isn't too bad. The monkey scenes are good, as is the plot which is: Working for a company mining diamonds out of Congo, Karen Ross, whose previous team had been killed, goes to the Congo with Peter Elliott, who has trained a gorilla to talk using sign language, who is planning to release her. Special-effects aren't great, but I enjoyed it. I don't really understand why the gorillas were simply jumping into lava at the end. It only rates a 5 out of 10 on my ratings.
Stargate (1994)
Different, but not in a good way
'Stargate' is very different to other films of the sci-fi genre. But it isn't a great movie, it is OK. I like 'Stargate SG-1', the television series better than the movie myself. The people of the world they travel to are very strange, but you would expect that from a sci-fi movie. The acting performances are average, but the movie only rated a 5 out of 10 on my scale.
Speed (1994)
A terrific action blockbuster
A purely new idea comes out of Hollywood, and it makes a terrific action film. Keanu Reeves was a good choice for the main role as Jack Traven, and he plays it well. Dennis Hopper and Sandra Bullock were also well cast. The plot is simple but is also great, as are the characters and special effects and explosions .If this were an average film, you would think it would end with the bus, but no, they give you more, and this film is totally exhilarating. If you see it, you'll agree. It is a great film that rates 9 out of 10 on my scale. I highly recommend 'Speed'. The sequel is fairly good but doesn't compare with the original.
Léon (1994)
A witty film
A great and witty film about how a hitman really might be. A hitman really would kill without emotion, just doing his job. Great plot combined with great acting, with some brutal, but not too bad, violence. The ending is not disappointing, and I thought that the film was very good. Jean Reno's acting performance is fine, as is the girl who played Mathilda, and Gary Oldman is OK. The beginning of the film is great, where he turns up at a house, and moves without sound, and kills without remorse. A good film experience that I recommend.
The Hard Way (1991)
Great blend of action and comedy
'The Hard Way' blends action and comedy perfectly. It is a very funny film, but also a great film for action-lovers. Michael J.Fox plays an actor who wants to learn how to play a cop in his next film, so he is assigned to work with James Woods. The combination confront some good and funny situations while James Woods can't stand Michael J.Fox. There is a good speech about how many takes (chances) a cop gets to get it right and how many an actor gets. The climax at the end is great, as is the location. This film does not disappoint and delivers another buddy cop film with a difference. One of the cops doesn't like the other.
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
This film is OK
Michael J.Fox's film is OK, but credibility is seriously lacking. A man who delivers mail through an office is also posing as an executive who makes big decisions. I don't think his boss would let him work there when he hadn't actually received any word or confirmation about someone new working. This film occasionally is funny, but the film rates a 5 on my scale.
American Graffiti (1973)
Not much happens
In 'American Graffiti', not much seems to happen. Just people drive around in cars, talking, talking about relationships, but it does have a few amusing moments, including a nerd trying to impress a girl and get some liquor, and Richard Dreyfuss and a police car, but overall, a boring film where not much happens. I am a 13 year old, so you may think I am too young to comprehend the film, but my father agrees with me on the the fact that it is a bit boring and not much happens.
Mercury Rising (1998)
An ordinary Bruce Willis film.
After I saw the Die Hard Trilogy, I thought Bruce Willis films would be good. Since then I have seen Armageddon (his only other good film), Striking Distance (bad), The Last Boy Scout (bad), The Jackal (bad), Last Man Standing (bad), The Fifth Element (bad) and Mercury Rising (bad). Why was the code so important? Why did Kudrow want to protect it so badly? Lots of other questions also go unanswered in this trashy Bruce Willis action-vehicle.