zorn907

Subtlety doesn't really seem to be in Oliver Stone's wheelhouse. Either that or he's just not very interested in being subtle.

His movies tend to be more about making a point rather than telling a story or mesmerizing the audience. At least the former seems to be the main goal, and everything else exists in service of it.

While movies that seem to be mainly...not necessarily about sociopolitcial commentary, but making a sociopolitical point, are often a little dull and simple, or even pretentious, preachy and annoying, Stone always manages to make genuinely good movies, and this one is, too.

Now, one could argue that his movies could even be great if he cared more about telling a story than making a point, but considering none of his movies may even exist without him trying to make these points...it's probably better this way. :D

The movie looks great, Tom Cruise is good (even though he's had more impressive performances later in his career I think), ....in fact everyone's good in this movie. I have to say that Frank Whaley stood out most to me, though. Not only in terms of presence, but also because the scenes he and Tom were in came off the screen the most. Those two have great chemistry.

Oh yeah, and the music. Probably the best part of the whole thing.

Definitely has some issues with its plot structure, tonal consistency and character development.

Many things come out of the blue, especially in the last third. Often only to be followed up by an even more out of the blue plot turn that seems to be based on a character arc that just wasn't there.

Probably needed to be 140 minutes or so to be a little more complete. Or have a simpler plot to tell the otherwise good, even if not original, story.

Which worked for me for a few reasons. Not only do I just dig the way 90s movies were made, this movie also looks gorgeous (especially the remastered version, which I saw, even though it's still obvious parts of the master were not in good condition), and I also just dig jungle settings.

But it's also the cast and how...eclectic the movie becomes. Because all the inconsistencies became just intriguing creative chaos to me. Giving me all kind of different vibes. Reminding me of Aliens, Avatar, Uncharted...and Edgar Wright definitely stole one particular idea from it. :D Also the often supposedly funny quips at the end of the scene often had a Nolanesque awkwardness to it, and I wouldn't be surprised if he liked this movie.

The movie has some very good ideas, even though they don't come to fruition that much in execution. Take the action for example. Some scenes/stunts/momens were really bad and lazy and others were super cool and inventive, even if very unrealistic. Kind of as if Robert Rodriguez came up with them.

Dolph Lundgren was fine, Catherine Bell was very good, as was Don Harvey, as was Kevin Tighe, but who gave my favorite performance and really grounded the movie for me was Charlotte Lewis. Who has just such a presence.

This movie has a good chance of becoming a go-to feelgood movie for a hungover Saturday morning for me. Given its weaknesses don't bother me too much.

Has some surprisingly sudden and dark turns for a movie this fun and (although sardonically) comedic. Though maybe that's precisely what makes it sardonic.

The general style of it is my favorite thing about it (yes, even Jones' very...quirky score, let's call it that), and the first half is definitely more interesting than the second. But the second is definitely more suspenseful and tense.