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Reviews
Romeo Must Die (2000)
This one misses the mark
This film was somewhat disappointing. The premise was interesting--black and oriental gangstas on the verge of a truly ugly turf war.
First, not enough attention was paid to background. I personally prefer enough of a chance to get to know the characters that I give a darn what happens to them. This film did not provide that, but rather dropped us into the middle of things. Jet Li's character, Han, for example, was in prison. Why? Although it was said later in the film that he was in prison because he was protecting his father and brother, it was never explained sufficiently for me to feel the least bit sympathetic. For all I know, he had ax-murdered 20 people and richly deserved to be there.
The fight scenes were carefully choreographed but the insertion of special effects quite frankly spoiled the effect. Seeing Han do what amounted to a Chun Li chain star kick was just plain silly, and the scene where he used Trish (Aaliyah) as a fighting aid seemed like a poor copy of a similar and much funnier sequence in Jackie Chan's Gorgeous (Bor lei jun).
The scenes between Han and Trish and decent acting by most of the cast were what this saved this movie from being a total loser. Maurice (Anthony Anderson) was right over the top, playing the bumbling henchman in a way that gave some good laughs without becoming annoying. Most of the interactions between Han and Trish also worked very well, they had a nice, light, romantic feel to them without getting mushy or overly sarcastic, although I am still puzzling over why, if Trish didn't want to see bodies, she would go with Han over to them, even if she did have her face buried in his shoulder.
Guess it's just another one of those things that make you go hmmmm. And things like that are what made a potentially awesome action flick into a rather run-of-the-mill experience.
Galaxy Quest (1999)
If you love the genre, you will love Galaxy Quest.
Have you ever been to an sf/fantasy convention? Have you seen every Star Trek ever made? If you haven't, you will like this movie but if you have, you will absolutely adore it.
Galaxy Quest was clearly made by people who love the genre. They don't miss a trick, from the fans who attend the conventions to Ensign Aargh (you remember him, the dude in the red shirt that was killed within 5 minutes of landing on the planet).
The film is campy without going into overkill, and the parodies are affectionate. It's a great family movie, something everyone can enjoy.
Dak ging san yan lui (1999)
Guns! Explosions! Fights! Babes!
What happens when a police officer hires 3 police academy rejects to crack a big case? Well, in Gen-X Cops, the result is plenty of non-stop action, including some impressive special effects.
This movie is *not* for the easily offended--it is extremely violent and contains offensive language and sexual references. At times the storyline is a bit hard to follow, and the dubbing is occasionally annoying. A tale of treachery, cross and double-cross, Gen-X Cops is like a comic book come to life. It was also fun to see a movie with some cute male leads in addition to the obligatory babes. The Jackie Chan cameo was a nice touch as well.
Although the plot is fairly predictable, it is still enjoyable. Definitely get this one if you are in the mood for some non-stop action and a couple of laughs.
Boh lei chun (1999)
I have never found Jackie Chan so likeable
I've always had a soft spot for Jackie Chan: as well as being an incredible athlete, he is a very funny guy. Gorgeous is definitely a change from his usual action-packed extravaganza, and gives us a chance to see a kinder, gentler Jackie.
While there are a few impeccably choreographed fight sequences, the movie is exactly as billed--a romantic comedy. Lonely (but doesn't realize it) millionaire meets naive young girl under the most improbable circumstances.
I've seen some complaints that it was low on plot, but I don't think that it hurts the movie a bit...after all, American Pie's whole premise was that four male virgins wanted to change that fact. This movie was intended to be fun. If you want deep, go for the Shakespeare. If you want explosions, gunfire, hot babes and dudes looking cool, get Gen-X Cops. If you want something that will make the whole family laugh, get this one.