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Reviews
Assassin (2015)
This did not disappoint :)
I enjoyed this movie for several reasons. I found this to be a well written story. The movie is only about 80 minutes long, with a tight script. I appreciated seeing a different performance from Danny Dyer. He keeps a low profile and has a quiet menace about him. When his character Jamie snaps, it's very visceral. Yet when he opens himself up, it's very touching to see him risk being vulnerable. I also enjoyed the Kemps. Their relationship is one of the best things about the movie. This was my first introduction to Holly Weston and she is a very good actress. She and Danny Dyer have good chemistry together.
The killing and fighting scenes are well done. They feature not only Jamie's fighting skills but also his cunning and his planning abilities. The score is a great pulsing synthesizer sound which works to thrill the audience. This movie reminded me of The Samarai, The American, and Drive.
Since I saw and am a fan of Deviation, I had high hopes of enjoying this repairing of Danny Dyer with the director JK Amalou. I wasn't disappointed. You should definitely see Amalou's Hard Men for another good crime caper. 3.5/5 stars.
Deviation (2012)
Deviation Is a Good Thriller
I really enjoyed watching Deviation. The story, the acting, and the mood fit perfectly. Such a treat watching Danny Dyer play a different role. His performance as Franky reminds me of Brad Pitt's character in in Kalifornia: one minute charming & childlike but can turn violently angry in the next. I had only seen Anna Watson in Hellboy 2 and as Amber, she was good in this movie as well.
The story is well written and utterly believable. This is not an action movie but a slow burning thriller. The creepiest scene for me involved hair stroking. We are rooting for Amber throughout the whole film and during each scene we can imagine ourselves acting & reacting exactly the way she does. Just like the movies Red Eye, Cellular, and Phone Booth, the focus is on 2 characters in a nightmare situation and the hero/heroine is a regular person, so the audience is watching how someone realistically copes to save him/herself.
Colombiana (2011)
This movie should have been a lot more fun
I have to say that except for a few action scenes, this movie wasn't as good as I had hoped. The beginning was good, exciting with plenty of action. Really enjoyed the young actress' performance as the young Columbiana. Then the movie gets a little boring w/2 dimensional characters and the plot lost its sense of urgency.
Whenever there's a story involving a strong heroine, whether a comic superhero or a regular person, her romantic lead is always a problem. Should he be sweet and sensitive (he might be too wimpy) and needs to be rescued by her or should he be just as strong, if not stronger than her. Another aspect is that the heroine will have to choose between their love and her task...she can't have both.
This movie should have been a lot more fun but I would recommend seeing it.
7 Lives (2011)
Enjoyed 7Lives
Hi, I really enjoyed 7Lives. Looks great, not like a low budget, 1st film. Loved the cast. I am only familiar with Danny Dyer, Kate Ashfield, and Martin Compston. I have seen the Doctor before but I can't place him just yet (I'll check IMDb). All of the other actors were good. I liked the story because it was smart and I couldn't predict what was going to happen, how refreshing. Some movies are unpredictable because the story doesn't make sense or too convoluted but that wasn't the case in this film.
I am disappointed that the DVD didn't have a director's audio commentary. I buy/rent dvds of movies I really like and I learn so much from the commentary. Especially how much problem solving is involved in film-making: changing plans due to budget constraints, actors dropping out, limited time to shoot scenes, not being able to use certain equipment, etc.
My compliments to you and the cast and crew. I am looking forward to your future work.