Reviews

Interesting premise, and solid acting. Concept of show and producers are strong.

At no point is it above the quality and creativity of a good American network production. You know, like St. Elsewhere or Desperate Housewives. (Didn't detect any humor, though.) Some people think this stuff is great, but it is pretty predictable. Just product, to sell other products.

Highlight for me was the actor playing, Jamaal. The first son of the dictator. He is not only convincing, but the character is also a little off-center, and somehow vulnerable. These shows are always about power and manipulation, but these competitions are not dramatic without fear and consequences. Jamaal is an interesting character at the center of the story. Ashraf Barhom shines.

Didn't bother to watch season 2, nor 3.

This movie is terrible! Close to insane. Mel got a budget, and spends every bit.

The portrayal of war and training for war is pure Hollywood. It is laughable.

BUT, the message of a CO in wartime sticking to it, and serving humanity is well done. The dude is a Medal of Honor winner, and you can't argue with that.

I am a big fan of early war films with John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, David Lean and Richard Attenborough...... I'm ok with war being phony and jingoist, as long as you are telling a good story. This film is just over-the-top insanity.

So, why do I think it is a cult classic? It is well-made. It fulfills the director's vision. It also is singular in its vision. It is hysterical in its portrayal. It is laughable in its reduction of complex human behavior and events.

It is pure Mel Gibson. The Patriot is very similar. The Bad Guys are so bad, and the Good Guys are soooo good that a thinking person becomes uncomfortable.

It is a film so bad, that it wraps around and becomes good. Interesting? People can study this film and investigate their own emotions about war, violence, religion and civil disobedience. It is affecting.

Australian Gibson correctly portrays the IJA as blood-thirsty demons. That is a plus for the young people. Learning the horror of Okinawa is a valuable lesson for peace.

Goofy comedy, but with some really rich jokes in it.

Plot is silly, and many big stars seem to have tiny roles. I laughed out loud several times.

Adam McKay and Farrell are a good team.

Dermot Mulrooney was not funny. He was one campaign manager and Jason Sudeikis was the other. Guess which one was actually funny?

At the beginning, I saw the Zach G character as a continuation of his man-child and weirdo southern guy character. He does plenty of that, but he also has some better moments. His relationship with his father (Bryan Cox) is not developed enough.

I think that is what it is missing. Big stars, important roles, but they only get a couple of minutes. Why?

Really glad I clicked on this from Amazon Prime. First time seeing it, and I was a movie watcher in 1985.

Luis Malle is a genius with camera placement and telling a story visually. The script is fine, not a gangbuster. The story is told in atmosphere, setting, and great shots.

The plot naturally develops a female hero, nothing fake or contrived.

The acting is fantastic. Luis M. Shot Ed Harris' piercing blue eyes, every chance he could get. Ed H as Shane is 300% convincing as a red-neck vet,his character is conflicted, but in the end understandable.

Is this film downgraded because there are no clear heroes?

More people should watch and review this fine film. It is better than 95% of what is pumped out of Hollywood as "product".

This is a modern film. Filled with psychological tension, and bold characters.

I am amazed that even in 1942, with Hollywood restrictions, they made a film with a central female lead. A central female lead who was interesting, dynamic and complete.

When people say that women were under-represented? This film was a box office hit, and it was daring and it was well-made. I loved the lighting, the camera angles, and the dolly shots.

I blame Hal B. Wallace and Bette Davis.

Masterpiece.

Dude. this is the Fox studio exploiting 1930's gangsters. Shocking the kids. I loved it! Camara and lighting are everything, like the best film noir.

O yeah. Full Bergman. Dream sequences. Dream sequences in a theater, (Fellini?) Pronouncements upon mortality. Flashbacks that are misunderstood and confuse the viewer. O yeah. I watched this to key in on Gene Hackman and Geena Rowlins. The rest of the cast is fantastic. Literally, hard to believe. It is an actor's (indulgent) fantasy.

If you have any sympathy for neurotic, highly educated, New Yorkers (there is no other group this movie reaches) then you may get something from this film.

It is stagey, and self-indulgent. Woody at his worst. 'Who talks like this?'

P.S. People compare it to Interiors (I like) Interiors maintains its boundaries of film. This thing gets into novelization, stage, and lecture. Focus on philosophy and psychology.

Good idea to mock the post apocalypse genre. 90 minutes won't kill you. I like movies, period, so still enjoy off-center attempts and maybe low-grade movies. It is put together professionally, camera work is derivative when it is not just banal/routine. Couple good characters. First hour is filled with routine gags (husband and wife packing car. "We can't take that!" Wife: "We have to take that!" husband dutifully packs that) Also, the Realtor Ed was becoming very funny- then they left him. Picks up and becomes more funny when they reach the Muskrat Lodge, didn't expect that. Good acting, ok writing, high effort. Film makers were not able to bring the focus down to the funny parts.

In the running for Worst Film of All Time! I guess so. Mainly because unlike, Santa Goes to Mars or Plan 9 From Outerspace, this movie is made by serious film makers with good intentions and big budgets. 80 or so people gave this a 10/10? Insane. Gave it a 3 for good actors, doing their best. What they did was good. Oh, and Brian Eno wrote the score, he is a genius. All the rest is classic Peter Jackson. The screen time he gives to the pointless CGI of heaven directly takes time away from developing the other interesting characters and their relationships. Story is chucked. So many gaping holes. Jackson is so far up his a$$ that he doesn't think anyone cares about logic or making sense. You can get suspension of disbelief, but in a crime/serial killer story?! Jackson goes full 'hollywood', and just says, "Hey, people don't care about that stuff. If doesn't need to make sense. People just want spectacle." In a movie about death and murder?!? Near the beginning was the funniest thing: The killer drives out to the middle of a stubble cornfield, but within sight of houses, a cornfield backed up to his own backyard and others, and a common shortcut for HS kids, and digs out a 10x10x20 underground bunker? Where did all the dirt go? If he dug that by hand, it would take about 3 weeks! Please look at that scene and look at all the houses around. You will be laughing! Oh, and also emptied it of all his creepy trinkets, filled it back in, within days? Cops find it, but it generates no evidence.

Another weird part that makes it seem as though PJ is just making stuff up is when the sister comes running home with her discovered evidence. First, she should have been screaming since she found it. Then she runs into the house to discover her mother has returned and we are met with a reunion scene and we get to the evidence in a minute or two. Wha?!? Not only is that unreal, but incredibly confusing to the viewer.

The comedy relief segment in the middle with Susan Sarandon's grandma character is confusing and completely out of place.

The final Kiss Scene is strange/confusing. Wouldn't Ray be freaking out?

Peter Jackson has moved into the George Lucas category of directors: He made good films when he was young, and he collaborated with writers, producers, and editors. After huge blockbuster success, he does what he wants, how he wants, and nobody tempers his worst instincts. Nobody has the power to tell him, "NO". So, we get self-indulgent garbage from now on. (King Kong had the same problem as this film- completely forgot the story and characters, in order to splash CGI everywhere)

This movie is completely confused from start to finish. I watched because it is a train wreck. Never read the book.

Searched for this after reading a little about Wilder's career. He was a very accomplished stage actor, and studied at The Actor's Studio and with Stanislavsky. This little movie shows his talent, and his genius. It is not much, movie-wise, but I enjoyed every second of watching Gene Wilder do his thing and create a character with depth and detail. Comedy is hard, and a performance like this shows you how a 'serious' actor can turn his craft into comedy gold.

I'm just voting 10/10 to try to push up the number for this film. Watched it 4 times since its release and it gets me intrigued each time. Great acting, great characters, supreme script and directing. A thriller for adults!

I'm not sure how modern people react to dumb-a## action movies of generation ago? this movie is bad, in all respects. Mostly, plot. Liam is fantastic! The Camaro is fabulous! The promise of the script? Mountain Justice v. Big City Justice? not much. P.S. Micheal J. Pollard = yes love that guy!

A little gem from 1969. Has limitations in plot and production. For the ladies, Heston does some flexing and spends extra time with his shirt off. The writer, Messinger (long time TV writer), does a great job in several arguments between main character and his wife. The movie was attempting to be realistic and gritty, but the '60's was just not a time for moving cameras and action sequences. Charlton Heston is a real pro, and he elevates this movie that has a made-for-TV essence to it.

Available on HBO Now this month, I was lured in by boredom. Saw that Luc Bresson had written and directed! Thought, "Hey! He is revisiting his own legacy. This might be good." No. It is a hacky remake with nothing original and is missing a lot of his signature elements and style. The missing pieces are the best pieces. Just one silly hack moment- her first assassination. Some big dude, not even sure why he was targeted. She kills at least 2-3 obvious body guards. Then! About 26 more body guards come out of woodwork and we have a never ending series of gory and brutal killings. Who travels with 30 body guards for lunch in a restaurant?!? Vladimir Putin? The choreographed action is just non-sensical and becomes video game silly. Then I knew I wasn't watching a real movie; just a recording of killings.

The time jumps were not bad. That is the only interesting element to story. May be why Luc B. thought this would fly.

(and, yes. This era of skinny super models brutalizing military trained men will be very funny 15 years from now! ha,ha!!)

Don't be tricked like me. Avoid this movie.