Former special services agent plays an intricate game of chess involving several federal agencies. Queen takes pawn.Former special services agent plays an intricate game of chess involving several federal agencies. Queen takes pawn.Former special services agent plays an intricate game of chess involving several federal agencies. Queen takes pawn.
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Surprisingly good action film. Far better than some big budget films that somehow made it into the theaters but should have gone straight to video.
Surprisingly upscale cast. Carrie Anne Moss of future Matrix fame. Also excellent veteran character actors such as Graham Greene.
Good sniper-themed films are few and far between. The original Day of the Jackal, Sniper, Shooter, Quigley Down Under, Enemy at the Gates. You can pretty much list them on the fingers of one hand.
Admittedly Sabotage makes a few technical gaffes regarding the nitty-gritty of how snipers operate. But if one is willing to overlook them, Sabotage is actually one of the better sniper-themed films around.
Lots of "gun porn" for firearms freaks. Lots of intrigue, double-crosses and triple-crosses for thriller fans. Satisfying conclusion. I disagree with those who say the ending was an anti-climax.
It even has some of the earliest uses of "bullet time." Judicious use too, used appropriately. Not overkill.
Surprisingly upscale cast. Carrie Anne Moss of future Matrix fame. Also excellent veteran character actors such as Graham Greene.
Good sniper-themed films are few and far between. The original Day of the Jackal, Sniper, Shooter, Quigley Down Under, Enemy at the Gates. You can pretty much list them on the fingers of one hand.
Admittedly Sabotage makes a few technical gaffes regarding the nitty-gritty of how snipers operate. But if one is willing to overlook them, Sabotage is actually one of the better sniper-themed films around.
Lots of "gun porn" for firearms freaks. Lots of intrigue, double-crosses and triple-crosses for thriller fans. Satisfying conclusion. I disagree with those who say the ending was an anti-climax.
It even has some of the earliest uses of "bullet time." Judicious use too, used appropriately. Not overkill.
Well i saw this movie last week, and it didn't blow me away, but it was quite a good movie. It had a fairly good story as far as movies like this goes, and the action was kind of cool. I especially noticed the filming in the action scenes. Cool filming. Favorite part: When they get shot at the airport.
If you are a Marc Dacascos fan, you better see this one. But be aware, not as much fighting in this one.
If you are a Marc Dacascos fan, you better see this one. But be aware, not as much fighting in this one.
In my opinion, this film is a hidden gem. Although some may find the plot line a trifle tortuous, this is more than compensated for by the film's realistic feel and likeable cast.
As the film is not effects-heavy (thanks to a lower than blockbuster budget) attention has instead been paid to creating a believable environment rather than a showy one. The film appears to have the benefit of a good military advisor - firearms & combat sequences are particularly well executed and accurately represented.
Directional cues are used to good effect to allow us to follow the hero's train of thought in pivotal situations, and I was particularly pleased not to see the usual overindulgent "victim setup" sequences which tend to plague many films in this genre.
Neither is this a film which plays down to the audience by stating and restating the obvious; it's refreshing to watch a film which actually credits the viewer with some degree of independent thought!
Although "Sabotage" definitely inclines more towards Len Deighton than Ian Fleming, Mark Dacascos makes a very credible leading man, with his character having just enough background development to lend credibility to his actions, rather than swamping us with "flawed hero" cliches.
This film was obviously never going to break any box office records, but it does show very clearly that you can still have a good film without resorting to the visual overkill of big budget effects.
As the film is not effects-heavy (thanks to a lower than blockbuster budget) attention has instead been paid to creating a believable environment rather than a showy one. The film appears to have the benefit of a good military advisor - firearms & combat sequences are particularly well executed and accurately represented.
Directional cues are used to good effect to allow us to follow the hero's train of thought in pivotal situations, and I was particularly pleased not to see the usual overindulgent "victim setup" sequences which tend to plague many films in this genre.
Neither is this a film which plays down to the audience by stating and restating the obvious; it's refreshing to watch a film which actually credits the viewer with some degree of independent thought!
Although "Sabotage" definitely inclines more towards Len Deighton than Ian Fleming, Mark Dacascos makes a very credible leading man, with his character having just enough background development to lend credibility to his actions, rather than swamping us with "flawed hero" cliches.
This film was obviously never going to break any box office records, but it does show very clearly that you can still have a good film without resorting to the visual overkill of big budget effects.
I enjoyed this film because I am a Mark Dacascos fan. He plays a street smart bold character/hired bodyguard who is resourceful and tough. His one fight scene in the hotel has a great cinematic angle. At first, this film may confuse the viewer because the dialogue is not simple to grasp at first yet after the 3rd time watching this film, I finally understood it. Carry Ann-Moss plays a tough single mother/FBI agent with a strong willed-killer instinct. The film has good action, humor that is dry and a emotional-chess like story line.
This is a good fun action classic. Don't expect too much of a plot, sit back and enjoy the ride. Quite well filmed too.
Did you know
- TriviaThe surnames of the two lead characters are Bishop and Castle, which are both chess pieces. These are obviously in reference to the theme of the film, which is that the people involved are manipulated like chess pieces.
- GoofsToward the end of the movie when Castle and Bishop drive up and soon meet Tollander, you can see the driver-side window going down. However, a few seconds later when they stop where Tollander is standing the window is up.
- SoundtracksChe Faro
from the opera "Orfeo e Euridice"
Composed by Christoph Willibald Gluck (as Gluck)
Performance and Arrangement by Carl Strygg
- How long is Sabotage?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $5,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime
- 1h 39m(99 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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