The Piano Player

Any chance of seen the fine acting of Mr. Hopper is what I called `a valuable experience'. After all, he is legend of it´s own, from timeless classics as: `Easy Rider' to `Blue Velvet' and the TV Series `24'. Mr. Hopper knows the drill. He starts along side another legendary actor called Christopher Lambert, from the hit `Mortal Kombat' and the sometimes gory `Resurrection' and `The Fortress', he could be called the perfect B-Movie detective, action hero. Both of them actually have mastered the Art of Traveling around the world in this somewhat enjoyable ficks about mobsters, monsters and other dramas. This time the plot revolves around a mercenary that is brought to protect a powerful business man from a mobster in Prison. He can see plenty of shots of South Africa and the landscape, a couple of car chases and a poorly written dialogue that remained me of Film 101, still this a enjoyable flick if you happened to like B-Movies and expect the usual Mobster-Bodyguard Plot that is, somehow the man you are supposed to protect not always is what you thought of it in the First Place. Both actors seemed to have enjoyed the travel expenses, and the funny fact of the film is seeing Mr. Hopper wearing a ridiculous toupee that make him look quite funny is good enough. The whole script is clearly not intended to be nominated for an Award, so if you are looking for a powerful movie, wait for Greenaway´s new project called `The Tulse Luper Suitcases', and please don´t be nagging all day because of this little project complete done over South Africa, to be seen along side others classics such as: Do not Disturb (Dick Maas) done in the marvelous city of Amsterdam and also Soul Assasin (Laurence Malkin) also done in that cool city. Have a nice afternoon watching the movie world go by in front of you cozy sofa. If you need to watch more, remember to see; `When Hollywood A Stars go Bad'.

The Piano Player, or The Target in the U.S., is a movie that begins with an interesting plot but loses its focus towards the middle. Christopher Lambert plays Alex Laney, an unconvincing hitman who must protect Robert Nile (Dennis Hopper), a lawyer who knows the truth about the leader of a South African mob. The problem with this movie, other than it drags, is that there's no development of the Lambert character. There's one scene where his hitman qualities shine when he saves Nile's daughter from kidnappers but his hitman character is ultimately weak and unbelievable. We witness the death of his parents when he's a child (the past of all hitmen must show why they do what they do) but the his passion to kill or protect doesn't go far. Alex Laney is a bad role for Christopher Lambert or any actor. When Robert Nile visits a small town where he was brought up we lose interest in the story because the tension dies and the mood is off tangent. It's too bad because Dennis Hopper is a great character actor who wasted his presence on this movie and Christopher Lambert (whom I'm a fan of for Highlander although I think his best work is in Subway) must certainly choose his roles more carefully. An actor need not be very diverse in roles but should pick roles suitable for his range.

I had misgivings about this film, as it seemed like an ordinary mass murder film dominated by meaningless violence, and indeed it starts like that, but then Christopher Lambert gets wounded, and things take an interesting turn, as Dennis Hopper takes him out into the country and we enter a completely different world. Indeed, the greatest interest of this film is the very interesting ambients and sceneries of Cape Town and the wilderness of South Africa with its rugged nature and the local people. There are some scenes that will stick in your mind forever.

The music is also very good. Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, last and first movement, recur now and then and has some bearing on the case, but all the other music is interesting as well. Above all, it's a good story, both Dennis Hopper and Christopher Lambert show their best acting sides and are well seconded by Diane Kruger. It is to be noted, that this is Jean-Pierre Roux' one and only film so far.

It's one of my favorite movies, alongside with City of God, Emperor and Assassin, etc. And I don't know exactly why.

Well, it's not a masterpiece. But there's something what intrigued me very much.

First of all, this movie is (about) a journey. It's amazing journey of a cynical modern man. Journey to the childhood, the family, humanity, truth.

Second thing, which I very like in this movie, is atmosphere. There's something of "magic realism" of Africa/Latin America definitely.

When i visit IMDb, I was really surprised, how underrated is this movie. Maybe it's because the actors?

South Africa is a country of great beauty and immense atmosphere. A great setting for an intelligent and suspenseful thriller one would say. If they just hadn't spoiled it! What can I say? Every time I rent a Lambert movie I'm being disappointed. This film strikes the viewer through a lack of acting talent, bad filming, awful music and no suspense whatsoever. The story is flat, predictable and makes no sense. There is no explanation of why the South African businessmen is being hunted by a criminal, nor why this guy is in prison or why he is being released. How did Robert Nile get into contact with Laney, know where to find him? The film gives no explanation as for the basic framework of the story. Instead minutes and minutes of the movie are covered by shots of the countryside the car's driving through. It's a film that is hard to stand, even when viewed in fast forward mode.