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Reviews
Hostage (2002)
Clive Owen's behind the wheel, and John Woo's behind the camera!
I've been a huge fan of the BMW Film Series "The Hire" since the first season that was produced by David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club). These latest three episodes were produced by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Gladiator). It's a match made in movie-fan heaven: Hollywood's hottest directors, Britain's coolest actor, and Germany's most kick-ass cars!
"Hostage" is directed by John Woo, the action virtuoso who brought us "The Killer," "A Better Tomorrow" and "Face/Off." Although John Woo is famous for his ballistic shootouts, he is also quite adept at doing drama. This short film showcases that to perfection, with flawed characters and a delicious surprise twist at the end.
This short film rocks in the action department! You get to see The Driver do all sorts of cool maneuvers in this one, including a 180 then driving high-speed in reverse, a 12-foot-high car jump, and he even out-drives a fleet of police cars!
For the best action in the "The Hire" series, I recommend "Hostage" along with "Ambush" and "Ticker." "Powder Keg" has the best drama and "Star" is the funniest one in the series. I can't wait for Tony Scott's "Beat the Devil" to come out!
The Assignment (1997)
The REAL Bourne Identity!
Who is Jason Bourne? It's very likely his real name was Annibal Ramirez.
This is my favorite terrorist thriller of all time. "The Assignment" had the essential plot of "The Bourne Identity" (the book by Robert Ludlum, not the movie starring Matt Damon) and the themes "Face/Off" only touched on.
THE PROS:
THE SCRIPT--this movie was co-written by a former agent with the Israeli Mossad (Israel's version of the CIA), so "The Assignment" had an aura of realism that most Hollywood thrillers lack. This movie showed a dark world of twisted intrigue most of us knows exists but never see. I admit, the look-alike premise was contrived. But the plan to get Carlos was old-school counter-espionage at its best.
THE ACTING--this movie was well-acted all-around. Aidan Quinn was great, both as the tortured hero and the badass villain. Donald Sutherland was also top-notch as the CIA agent obsessed with catching Carlos the Jackal. Ben Kingsley shines as always, this time as an utterly cool, professional Mossad agent.
THE DIRECTING--very well-shot, with interesting camera angles that enhanced the story, not just used to show off the director's talent. Good use of locations. I really felt like I had been to Europe and the Middle East.
THE OPENING SEQUENCE--easily one of the most attention-grabbing opening sequences I've seen in a long time. There's a dazzling sustained steadicam shot, then a scene of such brutal terrorism it's easy to see why CIA agent Jack Shaw becomes bent on destroying Carlos the Jackal.
THE TRAINING SCENES--I've seen tons of action movies. This was one of rare few that took the time to explain in a compelling way how the good guy learns the skills he uses to beat the bad guy. These scenes were already plenty tense, but the psychological angle of going into the mind of a terrorist took it to the next level. I also recommend watching this movie, then watching "The Bourne Identity" starring Matt Damon. The training scenes in "The Assignment" explain how Jason Bourne probably learned to be an assassin.
THE ACTION SCENES--they were all fantastic, real yet stylish at the same time. However, don't expect another "Face/Off" or "The Rock." Unlike most Hollywood blockbusters, "The Assignment" is driven by intelligence and suspense, not spectacular set pieces. But even if the action scenes sucked (which they don't) they would still be gripping because of the engrossing story.
THE THEMES--the themes made this, already a good movie, a great one. "The Assignment" deals with identity, integrity (how bad are you willing to be to do the right thing?), and of how evil infects everything it touches.
THE CONS:
THE CLIMAX--this was what disappointed me the most. After taking all that time to carefully build up the hero and villain, their final confrontation felt too rushed and too predictable.
CARLOS THE JACKAL--he didn't get enough screen time! He was so cool and badass, I wanted to see more!
THE SEXUAL CONTENT--actually I thought this was a good thing, because that damnable PG-13 rating makes it seem like people in movies don't have sex. Just so they can pack more teenagers into theaters. "The Assignment" contains a good share of sex scenes, the most intense being the one Annibal had with an ex-girlfriend of the Jackal. All purely to advance his training, of course. That actress was dynamite!
OVERALL: "The Assignment" is a first-class thriller the likes of which we won't see again very soon. Too bad it was overshadowed by bigger-budgeted, lower-quality terrorist flicks like "The Peacemaker" and "The Jackal."
SCORE: 9.0 out of 10
xXx (2002)
This movie could have been so much better . . .
If the producers had the director of the latest Mountain Dew commercials to do this movie. Those commercials have the right mix of extreme sports stunts, loud music, and deadpan humor that this movie tries for.
Here's my call on Triple-X.
THE PROS:
Vin Diesel--he makes this movie. America always needs a macho badass action hero, and he's the one for this generation. However, I got the feeling that he was holding back so the movie would get the PG-13 rating. Someone needs to let him cut loose! His primal force is his major asset, and it's a bit stifled here. Otherwise, he's great. Xander Cage was the role Vin Diesel was born to play.
Action Sequences--say what you will about how unrealistic they are, but the action in this movie kicks the adrenaline through the ceiling. Xander's introductory scene where he drives a Corvette off a bridge and the motorcycle chase where Xander races against an attack chopper firing machine guns at him were my personal favorites.
That Girl--no, I'm not talking about Asia Argento. She's okay, but I really wanted to see more of that hot exotic looking girl in the red lingerie that they show in the previews. She shows off a couple of sexy stripper moves in her scene. I know it's eye candy for the 18-25 males, but at least it's good eye candy. I hope Vin Diesel had the presence of mind to get her phone number before production wrapped.
End-Credits Sequence--when the movie is over, don't leave the theater yet. The CG sequence at the end is damn cool and I'd like to get it as a screensaver. The song during this sequence, "Adrenaline," is sung by Bush. It's not as good as the Deftones album by the same name, but it is pretty catchy.
THE CONS:
The Script--this is an action movie, so I wasn't expecting to get blown away by the screenplay like in The Sixth Sense or Memento. There are major plot holes all over the place. The writer also suffers from post-Terminator 2 syndrome. After "I'll be back" and "Hasta a la vista, baby," too many action movies have tried to coin the next big catch-phrase. And aside from the extreme-sports premise, the plot seemed like it was recycled from Mission: Impossible 2.
Action Sequences--I'll be more clear. The stuntwork is first-rate. It would have to be, to get all this amazing stuff on film. It's the way the action was packaged that annoyed me. When things were getting the most intense, the director would either pull back the camera for a long shot, distancing the audience from the action, or shoot the action from every possible angle instead of choosing the most exciting one. This is really a subjective thing, though. I just like to have tight, close-in tracking shots during action sequences. It takes the audience along for the ride.
The Villain--this guy had such a bad accent he seemed like a cartoon character. I laughed at him more than I hated him. I was hoping for someone who could fight Xander on equal terms. That's what I get for hoping each new movie villain will be the next Hannibal Lecter.
The Music--way too loud, way too much of it, and played at all the wrong times. I like loud music in a movie, just not when it's because the producers are trying to sell the soundtrack.
OVERALL: XXX is worth a watch. Vin Diesel is a great anti-hero, and director Rob Cohen is maturing nicely. Cohen is a step above hacks like Dominic Sena and Simon West, but he's yet to reach the godlike status of James Cameron, John Woo, or the Wachowski brothers.
SCORE: 7.0 out of 10