Don't get me wrong. This is marvelous action, with unique locations, smart plot, and perfect directing. The climbing scenes are excellently made, I never felt overabundant, or originally any CGI. Obviously, a lot of efforts was spent behind this movie, rather gem. However, some points bugged me. Let's see how bad they are.
First off: the way the second act was written. The movie kind of remakes the Seven Samurai story, yet for nothing but killing most of them, as if they were there for just getting killed! No doubt that the movie overused the matter of the nitroglycerin bombs, and badly. Yes, they're a good thrill element, but not to an extent where the Pakistani army doesn't know how to save them, or the Pakistani general doesn't see their leakage under his foot, or the movie uses them as Freddy is used in Nightmare on Elm Street's movies!
Chris O'Donnell is talented, however not that charismatic, and doesn't fit action movies so much. In fact, hiring him with the lovely Robin Tunney, whether was for cutting down the budget, or as a chance to experiment new stars back then, proved to be something not that successful. And after 10 years, both of them ended up in TV shows like NCIS: Los Angeles and The Mentalist.
Although I don't think, for a second, that a helicopter's fan can only cut off a sleeve of someone while getting centimeters close to her. But, for the sake of an action scene, I'll forget about this. Nevertheless, I won't forget that the movie's evil man, played by Bill Paxton, returns to the same place where he went into big accident a few years ago, near to the man who he killed his wife! Cheeky? Maybe. Odd? Full Yes!
I liked that, finally, a Muslim character was shown in a Hollywood movie without the forever usual character (ruthless barbarian terrorist!). I suppose that was for putting wildly different characters together. Especially when that character, of a Pakistani religious soldier, joins forces with an Australian nihilist playboy. Btw, the Islamic prayer's moves weren't done rightly. Clearly they needed an expert for that on the set.
Izabella Scorupco is no less than great. I don't know, and eager to know, why she was exiled from movies? Because within nearly 20 years, after her first starring role in Golden Eye, she made something like 5 movies! Being a James Bond girl was sure a problem more than a blessing. It's embarrassing that even when she got work, like in here, it was with Golden Eye's director, Martin Campbell. As if no one else wants to work with her! She even was offered the lead female role in The Mask of Zorro (1998), for the same director, but turned it down. Otherwise, she doesn't like acting!
So, I'm a big fan of this movie, its script, and directing. But, in the same time, I hate some points, on their top is the sense of laziness at the second act's writing; it's where this fine action leaned toward being an easy slasher. The final verdict: The bad points turned out to be light, and this is a real classic movie. The original trailer is one of the best as well.
First off: the way the second act was written. The movie kind of remakes the Seven Samurai story, yet for nothing but killing most of them, as if they were there for just getting killed! No doubt that the movie overused the matter of the nitroglycerin bombs, and badly. Yes, they're a good thrill element, but not to an extent where the Pakistani army doesn't know how to save them, or the Pakistani general doesn't see their leakage under his foot, or the movie uses them as Freddy is used in Nightmare on Elm Street's movies!
Chris O'Donnell is talented, however not that charismatic, and doesn't fit action movies so much. In fact, hiring him with the lovely Robin Tunney, whether was for cutting down the budget, or as a chance to experiment new stars back then, proved to be something not that successful. And after 10 years, both of them ended up in TV shows like NCIS: Los Angeles and The Mentalist.
Although I don't think, for a second, that a helicopter's fan can only cut off a sleeve of someone while getting centimeters close to her. But, for the sake of an action scene, I'll forget about this. Nevertheless, I won't forget that the movie's evil man, played by Bill Paxton, returns to the same place where he went into big accident a few years ago, near to the man who he killed his wife! Cheeky? Maybe. Odd? Full Yes!
I liked that, finally, a Muslim character was shown in a Hollywood movie without the forever usual character (ruthless barbarian terrorist!). I suppose that was for putting wildly different characters together. Especially when that character, of a Pakistani religious soldier, joins forces with an Australian nihilist playboy. Btw, the Islamic prayer's moves weren't done rightly. Clearly they needed an expert for that on the set.
Izabella Scorupco is no less than great. I don't know, and eager to know, why she was exiled from movies? Because within nearly 20 years, after her first starring role in Golden Eye, she made something like 5 movies! Being a James Bond girl was sure a problem more than a blessing. It's embarrassing that even when she got work, like in here, it was with Golden Eye's director, Martin Campbell. As if no one else wants to work with her! She even was offered the lead female role in The Mask of Zorro (1998), for the same director, but turned it down. Otherwise, she doesn't like acting!
So, I'm a big fan of this movie, its script, and directing. But, in the same time, I hate some points, on their top is the sense of laziness at the second act's writing; it's where this fine action leaned toward being an easy slasher. The final verdict: The bad points turned out to be light, and this is a real classic movie. The original trailer is one of the best as well.