Reviews (152)

Ignorance is bliss
...Anyone who has done the least bit of research will know that David Lynch has final cut of everything he does. He chose to cut the movie down from its original inception. Please know that this is a fantastic movie, and the DVD IS Lynch-approved. As for the commentary and deleted scenes, Lynch has stated many times that he will NEVER do commentary, and does not agree whole-heartedly with including deleted scenes. He also refuses to use chapter stops (this is good). If you need someone to hold your hand while you watch this movie, and explain how to think for yourself, then I propose you find a different film to watch.

Goodbye Cherry Pie
Remember Laura Palmer? She's the one who was into sex, drugs and..., ended up killed by..., wrapped in plastic, and then it all began. Well here is the oft-times lurid, unsettling and sometimes plain scary film about Laura. This is not the eccentric drama/comedy we know as "Twin Peaks:TV series, and it's not for the fair weather Peaks fans. David Lynch lets us know that this is the flip side right at the opening credits when the violent destruction of a television is followed by a bloodcurdling scream. No wonder they hated it! I love it, and thanks to NewLine who in conjunction with none other than the maestro himself have produced a gorgeous digital transfer of this essential work. Forget the deleted scenes fiasco..with this quality sound and picture, and a good price, this is a no brainer for true Twin Peaks fans. I docked a star because the only substantial extra, the "documentary" is quite a disappointment. If you have absorbed the series and permit the Lynchian universe to enfold you, "Fire Walk with Me" will reveal itself as a coherent,disturbing and beautiful adventure. Great performances by Sheryl Lee and Ray Wise, but the real star is the director who gave us something that we never expected, and it gets better at each viewing.Wow Bob Wow!!

The Reason this movie wasn't as good is becuz.....
In the David Lynch "motion pictures" collection, there are 8 films that have been made since 1978. "Eraserhead," "Elephant Man," "Dune," "Blue Velvet," "Wild at Heart," "Fire Walk With Me," "Lost Highway," and his latest, "Straight Story." The four best are Eraserhead, Fire Walk With Me, Blue Velvet and Lost Highway.

David Lynch's vision of "FIRE WALK WITH ME," is not bad because he wanted it to be. The original fire walk with me movie is romoured to be over 3 and a half hours long. There is PROMISED to be a FIRE WALK WITH ME DVD coming out soon. It should be out later this spring with all the cuts that werent originally in the TWIN PEAKS movie. Please.... dont be disappointed with the original though, it is a good movie. You should try this movie, I THINK, before you watch, rent or buy the TWIN PEAKS TV series.

thanks

garmonbozia, all right.
See, this movie is yet another intentional turkey in the David Lynch stinkography. When will you people believe me when I tell you the man simply likes to make bad movies?!? The picture comes off as a demented episode of Northern Exposure with the plot-wiring torn out and the character development up on blocks. Throw in the obligatory sinister midget and sundry unemployed freaks and... Weee're in business! Oh, wait... we need something for the characters to do... well, they can all just take turns going insane, can't they? Problem solved! David Lynch is a modern freak show operator. The freak show has never gone away. It has just been billed as something else.

Prequel sets the stage for series pilot
Shot after the series was cancelled because there was a demand overseas for more "Twin Peaks" material, "Fire Walk with Me" gives us a glimpse of what occurred just prior to Laura Palmer's murder in the pilot. While it spells out some things only hinted at in the pilot and is a bit more literal than the series, "Fire Walk with Me" also has the benefit of being a theatrical film and, as such, we get to dig deeper into the underbelly of the town.

The first thirty minutes of the film are devoted to a murder similar to Palmer's that occurs in another town. A pair of FBI agents are sent in to investigate (Chris Issak and Keifer Sutherland). When they run into resistence from the local law enforcement, they're forced to flex their FBI muscles a bit. While investigating a clue in a trailer park, one of the agents vanishes. Agent Cooper (MacLachlan)is called in to find the missing agent.

Far more surreal than the series with a number of high profile cameos (David Bowie, Harry Dean Stanton), this is a bit more bizarre as well when compared to the series (and even the pilot). The DVD is chapter encoded (unlike the frustrating "Mulholland Drive"), has an original documentary that's shot in a style like Lynch might have used with the original cast (save Piper Laurie, Michael Ontkean, Jack Nance and a couple of other cast members)about the impact of the show.

It's an excellent companion piece of the pilot (available as of now only as a region 0 DVD from Taiwan)and the series (available as a boxed set for the first season only with, reportedly, the second season coming next year some time). Picture quality is exceptionally good with the sound particularly outstanding in its use of 5.1.

A solid cast with a good script that meanders a bit, "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me" plays better than parts of the first season but isn't quite as strong as both the pilot and first 8 episodes of the series. It's still worthwhile for fans of the show. ... Read more

Amazon.com

After his bloody showdown with Brad Pitt's psychopathic redneck in Kalifornia, David Duchovny used an off-season hiatus from The X-Files to star in this 1997 thriller, in which he plays a doctor whose fall from professional grace leads to a dangerous career in the criminal underworld. Having lost his license after drug abuse caused him to lose a patient during surgery, he's recruited into his illegal career by a slimy but charismatic millionaire (Timothy Hutton) whose associates have a way of getting shot all the time. Before long, Duchovny comes to realize the extent of Hutton's evil, and he finds himself caught in a criminal trap that also involves an alluring femme fatale (Angelina Jolie) and a Faustian bargain that could cost him his life. The plot's rather absurd and fairly predictable, but fine performances by Duchovny and especially Hutton (who makes a memorable screen villain) make this stylish thriller intriguingly worthwhile. The DVD includes the original theatrical trailer. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Uneven, couldn't make up its mind about what it was
"Playing God" was supposed to be David Duchovny's breakout movie role; he had previously starred in movies such as "Kalifornia" and "The Rapture," but "Playing God" came out at the height of "The X-Files"'s popularity and acclaim.

You can understand what Duchovny was trying to do here, to get away from the straight arrow yet weird role of Fox Mulder. So he chooses the role of a disgraced doctor whose license to practice medicine has been revoked due to his substance abuse problems. What's a guy supposed to do?

Well, if you hang out in seedy bars where gunfights break out, you demonstrate how handy your skills can be to people who get shot and wounded a lot. Kind of like a black market surgeon. That's how Duchovny gets hooked up with crime boss Timothy Hutton.

I had great expectations for this movie when it came out, and while I was disappointed, I thought the critics were far harsher than warranted. True, Duchovny's performance, while not bad, seems very similar to what he does on "The X-Files," a sort of flat, somewhat wry, never in real danger attitude.

The biggest flaw with the movie has to be the fact that it couldn't make up its mind about what it wanted to be, film noir or dark comedy. At times, it veers toward a "Pulp Fiction"-like fascination with the minutia of being a criminal, while at other times it tries (but fails) to evoke suspense and fear. (For example, there's a scene where some bad guys want him to fix up their dead friend. The way the scene is cut in the trailer, it comes across as funny when Duchovny says, "I'll see what I can do." The way its cut in the movie, there's an intervening line of dialogue where Duchovny seems to be quite frightened; the effect of the following response is ruined.) With the excellent cast, it could have done either one competently; but its attempt to do both fails. Personally, I think the dark comedy would have been the better way to go. There's a scene near the end where Duchovny, in an elevator surrounded by Asian tourists, does a deadpan response to an annoying FBI agent that's the highlight of the movie.

In summary, this is a decent rental if you lower your expectations.

Morality Play as Duchovany Plays God
Some reviewers call the premise absurd.... I don't know... I didn't find it to be such a stretch of the imagination. Some one loses their license to be a doctor and gets roped into doctoring for a bad guy... It could happen! I thought Timothy Hutton performed well as well as David Duchovany. Nicely done.

A very enjoyable movie
I would give it five stars because it is my favorite movie of all time, but some would say that it's far from perfect. I really like this movie because the main character, has flaws. It makes it seem more realistic to me when people in movies aren't perfect. It has good camera work that I really like. It makes for some cool shots and I never felt lost when some action was going on. It has a cool car chase, just the right amount of comedy here and there, a decent story, fairly good acting, and some good action! This definatly could have been better, but I think it has just the right combination of things to make it an enjoyable movie that I think anyone that is a fan of action or David Duchovny should definately see. I don't think you'll be dissapointed!

The WORST movie of all time!!!
I should have known to stay away from this when our local newspaper gave it an F. But, 9 times out of 10, film critics are usually wrong, and I end up loving what they hate. So, we went anyways.....Well, for once, we should have listened to that paper. This movie is SO ridiculous, and the acting is SO horrible, and the plot is SO completely asinine, that it brings a question to mind....who in their right mind could have possibly thought this script was worthy of committing to celluloid??? My friend and I managed to keep people from walking out and lamenting on their lost 7 bucks by cracking jokes throughout the whole movie, and halfway through, we had the whole theater (all 6 of them, my party of 3 included) turned around in their seats watching us to see what we were going to say next. I don't think any of us actually saw the ending.....I do have a sort of affection for this movie for the fact that I realized that no matter how bad the movie is, I can always manage to keep myself entertained, simply by making fun of it. For that, it gets my one measly star. Well, that and you're required to put at least one when you review these things. Although I do have to agree with one of the reviewers..I haven't laughed so hard in a while either!

Excellent acting with an absurd premise
David Duchovny took his time off from The X-Files to star in this far fetched thriller where he plays a disgraced surgeon who is recruited by a wealthy criminal (Timothy Hutton) to perform meatball surgeries on his wounded henchmen. The plot, character development, and directing aren't anything sophisticated and are far from being anything special, but Playing God kind of works thanks to excellent performances from Duchovny, Hutton (in his best role next to The Dark Half), a pre-fame Angelina Jolie, Peter Storemare, and CSI's Gary Dourdan. Check it out if your a fan of Duchovny, just don't take it too seriously. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

A chilling exploration/exploitation of a diseased mind.
Michael Reilly Burke gives a terrifyingly believable performance as Ted Bundy- termed the first "serial killer" by FBI profilers. Directed & Co-Written by Matthew Bright with Stephen Johnston; the movie traces Bundy's reign of terror from 1974 in Seattle. Ironically, an ex law/psychology student & volunteer for a teen crisis helpline, Bundy was born illegitimate & grew up believing his mother was actually his sister.
Ted's road to crime starts off with petty theft before graduating to being a Peeping Ted before he takes his obsessions one step further; soon feeding his interest in BDSM, & committing muggings which soon escalate to murders, rapes & necrophilia (amazingly which NZs censors left in). The gruesome FX are by none other than Tom Savini who also appears in the movie as a cop.
Bundy also drives the now stereotypical serial killer car- a yellow VW Beetle, which he uses to abduct & murder college girls, usually by asking for assistance while wearing a sling. Somehow Bundy is able to charm the ladies even though in his blazer & red bow tie he looks like the King Of The Dweebs.
Unlike Dahmer or Gein, Bundy knew what he was doing was wrong. He just doesn't care. But wait a minute: David Lane & his band of outdated fogeys would have us believe it's movies like THIS that are directly to blame for creating people like Ted Bundy!
The violence in the movie is very graphic and disturbing. But is real life violence subtle? Or entertaining? That's another one of the SPCS's problems: they seem to think all films are for *entertainment*. How many Kiwi familes would sit down in front of the box on a cold winters night with a bowl of popcorn & watch ONCE WERE WARRIORS (RP16 in NZ) together purely for *ENTERTAINMENT*? Personally, when I have kids I'd prefer they watched NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (also RP16) over WARRIORS. (By kids I mean age 13+. I don't want to be misinterpreted as irresponsible).
In spite of the gore, this film doesn't glamorise Bundy & try to turn him into an anti-hero; though admittedly the film makers didn't take into account the feelings of the victim's familes; which may be a springboard for some to criticise or condemn the picture. That said, it's strangely gratifying at the end watching the scumbag get his comeuppance.
Now, you'll notice that I haven't really been mentioning Burke in my review: that's because when you watch this- he really DOES become Ted Bundy for the duration of the film. Burke would almost certainly have gotten an Oscar nomination if the Academy weren't so egotistical, selective & yes, wimpy.
TED BUNDY is an excellent movie, certainly not recommended for the faint-hearted; but for people with an interest in serial killers this is a must-see. Just don't watch it straight after dinner.

Ted Bundy review
This movie was really great. Most of the death/abduction scenes were, in fact, accurate (as far as how they happened, but I think the names were changed of the victims, and rightfully so) Some of the other reviewers seem to be misinformed about Bundy's childhood and the enjoyment he got out of killing. He lived in a fantasy world which eventually took over his reality. The movie perhaps didn't make that quite so clear. Bundy just didn't have much of a conscience about it. The execution scene is pretty graphic, but it was not "funny". It was a reality, as it is for all of those on Death Row. I do wish they would have put some of the court trial scenes in the movie. If you are interested in the story of Ted Bundy, I highly recommend reading Ann Rule's "Stranger Beside Me". It is probably the most accurate and honest account of the serial killer I have read.

"more,uncle bob? "
Watching Bundy having his derriere stuffed with vaseline-coated cotton balls was in poor taste,but funny.This movie is more of a comedy than a drama,and full of factual inaccuracies and inappropriate music.

A pathetically poor effort at film-making
I characterize this version of the well-known Ted Bundy story as a total failure. From the gratuitous manner in which the film capitalizes on Bundy's gruesome crimes, to the poor cinematography, this film packs about as much meat as a marshmallow. In fact, when it was over, I really felt like I had wasted my time watching it. It taught me absolutely nothing about the real Ted Bundy. Even if you really get into grotesque violence, there are certainly much better movies with far more intelligently written screenplays than this one. The whole movie is filled with poorly shot scenes and inappropriate music throughout. Hang it up, Mr. Bright, you're not a film-maker. This film simply sucked.

Pretty Good
There are 2 things I liked best about this movie that other movies about Ted, and killers in general, sugar coat or leave out. And that is 1- They showed how inhumanly brutal he was and what he did to those poor girls, and 2- they showed what a terrible coward he was in the end and how he got exactly what he deserved with the electrocution. Ole' Ted gave up his card in the human race the second he killed that first girl. This movie is straight to the point and harsh, but it needs to be. These animals need to be shown for what they are, and this movie did a pretty good job of that. They could have went a little further into his background, but honestly, I didn't care that they didn't. Ted was a sociopath and incurable. This movie shows that very well. Hard to watch because of the brutality, but recommeded for those interested in abnormal psychology. ... Read more

Description

Genetically engineered ``Super Critters`` are unleashed to conquer the galaxy. ... Read more