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Having taken Shakespeare at his word on Hamlet (i.e., not cuttinga single syllable out of a very long play), Kenneth Branagh selects a more radical approach with Love's Labour's Lost. Here the prolific director-star weeds out much of the play's dialogue and adds songs and dances of a decidedly modern bent. The King of Navarre (Alessandro Nivola, Nicolas Cage's wacko brother in Face/Off) and his three comrades (Branagh, Matthew Lillard, Adrian Lester) take a vow:no womanly distractions while they pursue their studies. Ah, but at that very moment, floating down a magical studio-built river, is the queen of France (Alicia Silverstone), accompanied by three ladies-in-waiting. You do the math. Branagh has set the tale on the eve of the Second World War, which allows for the inclusion of vintage pop songs, including "Cheek to Cheek," "The Way You Look Tonight," and a rousing chorus of "There's No Business Like Show Business," led by--who else?--Nathan Lane. The fact that most of the cast members are not accomplished song-and-dance folk is clearly meant to charm, but the results are spotty at best. Perhaps the most dynamic performer is Natascha McElhone (memorable from Ronin), whose aristocratic bearing and bottomless eyes lend a gravity to the material that is otherwise absent from Branagh's twinkly staging. The play contains some of Shakespeare's loveliest paeans to the language of love, yet Branagh seems to be in a hurry to juice everything up lest the audience lose interest. The labor shows. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Description

based on the sophisticated, quirky british secret-agent television series of the 1960s. a scientist who develops the means to control large-scale weather changes uses his discovery to wreak evil. emma peele and john steed must stop the villian for person ... Read more

Reviews (194)

I Thought It Was GROOVY, Baby!!
If this film would have been made in the 60s it would have been a cult classic. So what's with all these sad sacks with a woody for Diana Rigg and Patrick MacNee. Their turn was 40 years ago and let's face it, with all due respect, they'd look a bit silly doing it today. This is a quirky, offbeat film with the 60s "anything goes" approach and I think it works quite well. Anything can happen at any time. Okay, I would have preferred a young Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Emma Peel role instead of Uma Thurman but what you get ain't half bad. The FX are great and the rousing climactic fight scene with villain Sean Connery and Ralph Fiennes (as John Steed) is specactular. Also the giant mechanical bee attack is first rate. The main problem people have with this movie is their total fanaticism with the 60s TV series. It's sacred to them and I can understand that. I was there the first time around as well but this is an update...just like the Bonds have been updated from "Dr No". Get used to it! Wacky, over-the-top entertainment in the "Modesty Blaise" vein with some very James Bondian touches. Love that old lady with the machine gun. I think this might even get better with repeated viewings. Yeah... I'm glad I bought it.

Flawed - yes. Turkey - No way !
At last available to own - the only movie of 98 which I went to see twice at the cinema. Ignore the bad reviews - this is NOT the worst film you are going to see this year. Yes, ok the plot doesn't make a great deal of sense and why all the British casts' accents are worse than Uma's I will never know but this is definitely the bravest movie I have seen for a long time beautifully transferred onto DVD. Great costumes, great cars, great cast and a title sequence to die for all add up to a viewing experience not to be missed. It's a pity that we didn't get the missing scenes put back into the film (which would really have helped it to make more sense) and a pity that only one of the theatrical trailers is included (but if you watch this you'll get quite a lot of the cut footage anyway !) but all the other features are top rate (and so darned funky too). Crack open a bottle of champagne, sit back and enjoy a witty, entertaining, FUN movie which never insults the intelligence of it's audience. And Hollywood when are you going to learn that you shouldn't always listen to the preview audiences - we mere mortals do actually have brains and would like to see the film the director intended. More tea for me please, Mother - but go easy on the Macaroons !!

Awful
So bad. Watch the 60's TV episodes as they have come out on VHS and DVD but don't touch this with a 10ft pole.

Steed & Mrs.Peel, Good to Have you Back !
Totally misunderstood movie. A unique and visually stunning film with fantastic costume and set design. Ralph Fiennes was superb as British secret John Steed and gave the character some much needed sex appeal which in my opinion was sadly lacking in the original series. Eileen Atkins produced a classic 60s Avengers style character with her portrayal of 'Alice'. Sadly the Avengers does appear to have been very badly hacked in the editing room at the 11th hour and would certainly benifit from a release of the full length version. 'The Avengers' stayed true to the spirit of the original TV series and visually even improved upon it - Uma Thurman looked almost edible as Mrs. Peel. A fun and highly entertaining movie if you don't take it too seriously. I for one don't know what all the critical fuss is about.
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Amiable Nonsense
It would seem that many of the people who reviewed this movie are unfamiliar with the original tv series and, as such, don't 'get it'. The combination of understated British humour and the surreal were staples of the tv series and this is reflected in the film, which is why we have criminals dressed as teddy bears and an old lady despatching the baddies with a machine gun. If you're expecting a typical Hollywood formulaic action film (as it would seem Warner Bros were!), then you will probably be disappointed. However, fans of the quirky and offbeat will find much to entertain them in this film. You may call me odd but I enjoyed it thoroughly! It's just a shame that the original longer version was butchered because the test audiences didn't get it. A Directors Cut DVD with commentaries etc would be most welcome. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, as in Ahwesome
Martin Lawrence strikes gold in this brilliant comedy. This movie only proves the idea from three wise men (W, G, and J) have been saying for a month, that Martin Lawrence is probably in the top five funniest people to ever live. The way he dances and says the phrase, "ahhhhhhhh" is just to funny for words. Danny DeVito teaming up with Martin was also pure goodness. If anyone disaggrees with my review I just have to say grow up because it is year 2002, its about laughs not cries so its good. Peace Out and buy Black Night on DVD, April 16th 2002.

AN ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IT ITSELF POSES.
Starts out with good timing, and some decent laughable banter from Martin Lawrence. Nothing laugh out loud funny but pleasantly amusing schtick. The central premise is actually quite interesting (billionaire stealing a ring from a petty robber etc), but the film fails to take advantage of it, choosing instead to lapse into numerous plot-holes, cliches and mind-bending stupidity. There's even a gay, dog-loving detective who adds fart humor to the mix. And all this leads to a climax that takes a quantum leap of logic and rationality. Perhaps a worthy rental if you're into slapstick, but overall a skippable fare.

Not too shabby
Not the Best movie, but worth seeing. if your looking for a movie to make you laugh alot than thi isn't it. But its alot better than some other movie out there so just give it a chance

Formula Martin Lawrence comedy
Film students, listen up: the formula for a typical Martin Lawrence film goes something like this. Find a comedy script and remove anything that smacks of cleverness and genuine humor - we don't want to upstage Lawrence's own 'natural ability' to provide laughs simply by showing up and looking cross-eyed into the camera. Add to the cast a sexy black woman/love interest who in real life wouldn't give Lawrenece himself or the character he's playing the time of day. Create lots of scenes that defy any semblance of reality and let Lawrence mug his way through with half-assed imitations of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and just about any other black comedian you can mention.

Speaking of which, I can't imagine Bernie Mac actually found this script funny enough to make an appearance. Believe me, you won't either. Everyone's obviously in it for an easy paycheck. Do yourself a favor and don't encourage them any further.

A dud
This lackluster comedy simply fails to deliver sufficient laughs per hour to justify spending the time to watch it. Martin Lawrence, who is normally a funny guy, just isn't on his game in this flick. Danny DeVito is better, but the material doesn't give him much with which to work.

There is a lot of talent wasted on stereotype bits that are more insulting than comical. William Fichtner's flamingly effeminate detective would only be funny to homophobes. John Leguizamo's Arab imitation is less humorous now than it might have been before September 11.

The only really funny bit in the film is a strictly visual gag by Stephanie Clayman as the sign language interpreter. Without virtue of a solitary line of dialogue, she single handedly produces all the most hilarious moments in the film.

This film is a dud. I rated it 3/10. Martin Lawrence fans are likely to be disappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on the bus to a white man, the Reverend Martin Luther King was but a modest young Baptist minister suddenly thrust into the leadership of local bus boycott. What started as a one-day protest of unfair bus laws turned into the 381-day boycott that gave birth to the civil rights movement. This riveting, rousing made-for-cable drama meticulously recounts the challenges the protest faced. Jeffrey Wright (Basquiat) is excellent as King, capturing his charisma and rousing speeches while grounding his heroism in human vulnerability and fear, but Boycott reminds us that he was only one of the thousands of ordinary people roused into extraordinary action in the name of equality and social justice. That portrait of everyday heroes changing the course of history remains the film's most rousing message. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Much more than your average cop movie!
Eddie Murphy is just superb(he's never made a bad movie) as a San Francisco PD hostage negotiator who's the best in the business. When his partner is murdered while visiting a suspect in a jewellery robbery, he tries all he can to get his revenge and track him down. As well as all this, he's trying hard to sort out his personal life! There's a good twist to which member of his family he's wanting to visit all the time(just when you think OH MY GOD IT'S NOT ANOTHER DIVORCED COP WHO WANTS CUSTODY OF HIS KID, you'll be pleasantly surprised!), and there's also one hell of a spectacular car chase down San Francisco's steep streets! The DVD quality on this recording is just fine in sound and picture quality, the action never stops and Murphy, in a partially serious role, manages to throw in a few funny lines to please his comedy aficionados. This movie is well worth seeing. Ten stars!

Boring and predictable action flick
This is the kind of boring, by-the-numbers kind of movie that you find yourself forgetting even as you are watching it. Eddie Murphy hasn't made any good movies in years (unless you count his voiceover in Shrek) and is still living off his reputation from Saturday Night Live and 48 Hours and those were a LONG time ago.

Basically, a "This Time It's Personal!" thriller about a hostage negotiator who turns homicide detective -- breaking all the ...uh...rules, pissing off his boss, etc. -- when his partner is killed by a master jewel thief (Michael Wincott). There is a hint of something interesting (maybe in an earlier draft of the script?) when the jewel thief is initially introduced as a kind of gentleman crook,a mild-mannered jazz buff and for about five minutes you think that maybe something clever and sophisticated will develop here. But the thief quickly metamorphized into a psychotic killer who stages his theft as an ordinary smash-and-grab event with lots of carnage and hostages taken. (Think about how STUPID this is, to draw this kind of attention to your crime and how it just about ensures you will not make a clean getaway and that the police will pursue you endlessly.)

After the thief is captured, he makes an improbable escape and goes after Murphy's beautiful girlfriend, although there is not the slightest way he could have known who Murphy was dating, let alone where she lived. A dumb, silly plot device and one that has been used and used and used, especially on TV, so it's REALLY tired in a big budget film.

Similarly, hints that Murphy's character has a gambling problem and money problems are presented and then disappear as if they also belonged to earlier (and better) drafts of the script.

Trust me, you will forget this one even before your VCR finishes rewinding. A COMPLETE waste of an otherwise talented cast. You won't miss missing this one.

Well Worth What I Paid
First, this is not Murphy's best movie. It is however a very good movie. Not predictable as some believe. The bad guy is especially well known from other similar roles. So do expect some nasty treatment to people. I for one kept expecting his partner or girlfriend to be killed. I wasn't exactly on the edge of my seat, but you will have to wait till the end to see if they survive. The rest the cast does a good job of support.

Second, I paid about half of what Amazon is selling this movie for so I don't feel cheated at all. I bought this for little more than the price of a rental so I went in with few expectations. With Eddie Murphy in it I figured I wasn't taking much of a chance. I was glad to see I was right. Their are several other recognizable people in the cast. Picture and sound quality was excellent. The directing, sets, and music are all as good as you will see in most movies. I imagine if it had just a little better story with more Murphy comedic antics it might have been a hit. This is pretty much a serious role. I bought it thinking I would probably watch it once and give it away, but I ended up sticking it on my shelf for future reviewings.

The Johnny Appleseed of Handguns
This film is lackluster and often unintentionally comical. Eddie Murphy is the Johnny Appleseed of handguns is this film. He uses a clip, tosses the weapon, uses a clip, tosses the weapon over and over and over again. San Francisco PD could solve their armed street crime problem easily if they would just get Murphy off the streets. He litters the streets with enough guns to arm a small army. Too much gun play, not enough consideration for a quality script. Give this picture a miss.

Good "Metro"
Getting neked in Tahiti sounds nice. Good thing Eddie Murphy took care of that lunatic in San Francisco so he could enjoy a nice vacation with his girlfriend. It's not naked, it's neked. "Metro" is a good movie that is way better than those Fat Albert wannabe movies. Toilet paper rolls were on sale for how much? What a profitable price! Yeah, don't ride the red fox, ride the new hotness. This movie is better than the "Beverly Hills Cop" movies. ... Read more