Description

Treachery.Madness. Murder.The story of Hamlet has been told for 400 years...but it's never been told like this!Mel Gibson (the Mad Max and Lethal Weapon films) takes on his richest part to date, the title role in a dynamic new version of Shakespeare's Hamlet.Directed by Franco Zeffirelli (Romeo and Juliet, Jesus of Nazareth), the location-shot production has a sumptuous look that won Academy Award nominations for Art Direction and Costume Design.Gibson plays the prince of medieval-era Denmark, who senses treachery behind his royal father's death.Glenn Close (Fatal Attraction, Dangerous Liaisons) plays Hamlet's mother Gertrude, all too dangerously entangled in that treachery.A brilliant supporting cast, including Alan Bates as Claudius, Paul Scofield as the ghost of Hamlet's father, Ian Holm as Polonius and Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia, adds its powerful presence to this immortal tale of high adventure and evil deeds.Big, bold and heroic, this is a vivid and virile Hamlet for the modern age and all time. ... Read more

Reviews (124)

To Thine Own Self Be True...
While this is a complex movie that demands your full attention, this has to be one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. It is beautifully acted out in a gorgeous castle filled with tapestries and everything you would imagine a castle to be from the candlelight to the dimly lit spiral staircases.

The most enjoyable scenes are when Hamlet expresses his thoughts in soliloquies and gives insight into what his character is feeling. Mel Gibson becomes Hamlet and I thought this was perhaps some of his best acting ever! Glenn Close is exceptional as Gertrude, the incestuous mother. The uneasiness and distrust in Denmark since King Hamlet's death and Queen Gertrude's remarriage sets the mood for the rest of the movie.

The story begins on the outer ramparts of Elsinore castle. A ghost appears and Hamlet, speaks to his deceased father. The ghost asks Hamlet to revenge his "most foul, strange, and unnatural murder." Hamlet then deviously plots a psychological revenge by putting on a play in which a scene portrays the actual murder of his father.

"I'll have grounds
More relative than this-the play's the thing
Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King." -Hamlet, Act 2, 603-605

Once guilt takes hold of the King, the pieces of the puzzle start to fit together and you realize that one immoral action only makes another wrong even more probable.

Throughout the play, Hamlet shows his intellectual superiority and states his case by saying: "Do you think I am easier to be played on than a pipe?" While he desires to have the upper hand until the end, he cannot of course know all the intentions of those around him nor can he escape his own fate.

An Unforgettable story that made an impression on me in school and still holds a
certain fascination for me. Did Hamlet ever really love Ophelia? That is the question.

"It is in my memory locked." -Ophelia

hamlet
The movie Hamlet directed by Franco Zefferelli is a historical drama, based on the popular Shakespearean Tragedy. Zefferelli decided to retain the name Hamlet, which I think could be modified to be more effective. Theoretically, a title is a microcosm of the theme, which 'Hamlet' doesn't really accomplish; a title that can foreshadow the theme of the play will be more formidable. Perhaps the director could have excerpted one of the dominant quotes out of the play, the most famous being "To be or not to be". This would have at least given a foreshadowing to the indecision seen by the tragic hero throughout the plot. Generally speaking, the movie was well done and I comment the director for his concise but accurate representation of Shakespeare's 'Hamlet'.
On the whole the actors depicted the roles of their characters quite well. Hamlet played by the Australian, Mel Gibson took command of his part, and captivated the viewers with his emotional conversations, as well as addition of humor and a masculine vigor to Hamlet. He portrayed his part with a great deal enthusiasm, bringing the play to life. The royal couple played by Alan Bates and Glenn Close, as king Claudius and queen Gertrude respectfully, were able to capture the conduct of a monarchial leadership, of the middle ages with little difficulty. Claudius displayed an exceptional representation of a lusty, murderous king. The minor characters such as Ian Holm as Polonius, Nathaniel Parker as Laertes, and Helena Bonham Carter as Ophelia gave considerable support to the leading characters, as they were subtly but effectively able to dictate the plot.
Hamlet is noted as one of Franco Zeffirelli's best productions as he recreated yet another Shakespeare masterpiece. He took a conventional approach to this production of Hamlet as he kept with the mindset most people would have to character and setting, in other words he tried not to give any surprises. Zeffirelli's main goal was to create a lighthearted enjoyable movie that would appeal to the general public who don't have the time and stamina for Branagh's four-hour version. In keeping with typical Shakespearean movies the director chose a soundtrack consisting of classical pieces, which is suitable for what he was trying to achieve. Little special effects were used, which may be a major flaw when trying to grasp the attention of modern day viewers, perhaps he could have included some more dynamic effects, especially with the ghost who appeared almost as though he was a living character.
This movie is a concise version of the original text and has left out and/or shortened many scenes keeping only the ones necessary to tell the story. I really liked the way he incorporated old Hamlet's funeral in the beginning and the voyage to England. However, there were a few scenes like the fight between Laertes and Hamlet in the graveyard, which could have been further accented. The major flaw I observed in the movie when compared to the book was the exclusion of the sub-plot with Fortinbras and the Norwegian influence. This led to the ambiguity the viewers were left in once the movie ended, as there was no hint to the outcome of Denmark.

best film version i've seen (and i've seen them all!)
through my endeavors i've had to read Hamlet 7 times (twice my senior year of high-school). much as i don't like Shakespeare this play is part of my life.

The Olivier version is more accurate to the stage version but the camera techiniques are over-blown and hokey (circling the swords before the duel to see which one is tipped, it made me dizzy). the Branagh version, while creative in it's set up (modernizing it to imerial Russia), and using the entire text, complete with Prince Fortinbras of Norway, is SO long and SO over-acted (especially on the part of Branagh) that i needed a nap after i saw it. and i choose not even to dignify the Ethan Hawke version it was so terrible.

This one is my favorite, all the scenes which are cut aren't necessary for the forwarding of the plot in my humble opinion (the opening scene with the palace guards meeting the dead kingis cut yet horatio's explaination of this happening later in the movie is sufficient). Gibson chooses to play Hamlet as insane (that decision is left to the director) and as i am in the camp that Hamlet IS insane, you could also see why i favor this version. Glenn Close is EXCELLENT as Gertrude as is Helena Bonham-Carter as Ophelia.

solid performances with a great cast, what more does a 400 year old play need?

Mel has captured Hamlet's soul
What a masterpiece. As much as I love Braveheart, I truly think this is Mel Gibson's finest work. It throws all over attempts into shadow, including the great Lawrence Olivier and certainly Kenneth Branaugh or Ethan Hawke. So often the female characters are reduced to cardboard mock-ups of feminine ideals of the Shakespearean age. Not here! Ofelia and Gertrude have souls and minds to probe, filled with as many dark secrets as Hamlet himself. I could never say enough about the caliber of this film. Suffice it to say that it is THE Hamlet of the ages and worth a look as well as a few dollars to own it.

A great BRIEF history of The Bard's greatest Play
There are two main versions that currently work the best in getting a feel for this play, Gibson's & Brannaugh's. Gibson's is very much stripped down to focusing on the three main character's. It does loose a lot by this device, but it does gain considerably in that the viewer doesn't have to shift through all the sub-plots. Brannaugh's, however is far more complete & I would consider it far more the best " study " version of the play. If you've read the play ( & this is the reason I give it 5 stars ), Gibson's version is great beause you can fill in the blanks quite easily & nothing is lost. The Ghost is by far better in Gibson's version ( remember, this is not a ghost in the modern sense, so it's important not to judge by appearences ), & the interplay between them in their first meeting is just amazing. However, the politics of the play suffers badly, in my opinion, becuase many of the characters in the sub-plots are missing, especially Polonius' machinations....however, he certainly DIES better in Gibson's version. I personally like this version & I am impressed with all the actors. If this had been the entire play, I think it would definitely have given Brannaugh's version a run for it's money, but being so stripped down, I feel the actuall story suffers greatly. As one reviewer put it, a CLIFT NOTES verion, with which I must agree. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME
I LOVE THIS MOVIE. It is si-fi action film which is made perfectly. The cast is amazing with my favorite actor, Bruce Willis who does a good job. Please buy this and enjoy it as much as I do!

Awful crap
We can't believe this load of crap was called Star Wars for the ninties! Three of us were watching it. One fell asleep as the other two watched a ridiculous plot with annoying as hell characters unfold. If you have insomnia, this movie is recommended but if you vomit frequently, don't watch it!

Great.
This movie is a great furturistic fantasy style movie in which a cab driver played by Bruce Willis has to save the world from the evil, Darkness. This movie has great special effects such as when driving through the city, where I think Star Wars Episode 2 stole the idea. It has a good story but as usual it always ends good. The acting was superb. I still don't know why no one went to go see this when it came out. I guess it was ahead of its time. This is a fabulous movie, Don't miss out.

"The Fifth Element"
The Fifth Element (PG-13) ****/5
Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Chris Tucker, Milla Jovovich.
Directed by: Luc Besson.
Synopsis: A "perfect being" and a taxi driver must save the galaxy from evil.
Special Features: Widescreen and Fullscreen Versions of the Film.
Review: A perfect being (Jovovich) crashes on Earth and must prevent evil from destroying it. She gets help from a cab driver (Willis), and a priest (Holm). Bad guy Gary Oldman proceeds to help the evil attempt to destroy the galaxy for some unknown reason. To be honest I did not understand this film really. I got the basic plot, but it's a bit goofy. Do I care? No not really this was one of the most enjoyable times I had at the movies, and I have no idea why. Willis gives a fun performance, Jovovich is terrific as Leeloo, Ian Holm gets the job done splendidly as usual, and Oldman is one of the best bad guys going. Luc Besson injects this film with energy, and a fantastic futuristic vision. As for the DVD? Weak buy the Superbit disc instead.

This Movie is Art
This movie is a "forty-timer," that is a movie I have watched over and over and still marvel at it. Not only is it a terrific story, fun and and fast paced, but the film is shot and edited with stunning perfection. The ONLY complaint I have about the DVD is there are no extra features. I want to see the "Making of" and hear comments by the director and the stars. There are so many little details and artistic touches to this movie that I don't believe I will ever catch them all. Better yet, I won't get tired of looking as I view this movie time and again. A+++ ... Read more

Description

The Superbit titles utilize a special high bit rate digital encoding process which optimizes video quality while offering a choice of both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. These titles have been produced by a team of Sony Pictures Digital Studios video, sound and mastering engineers and comes housed in a special package complete with a 4 page booklet that contains technical information on the Superbit process. By reallocating space on the disc normally used for value-added content, Superbit DVDs can be encoded at double their normal bit rate while maintaining full compatibility with the DVD video format. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Beneath the surface, no one can hear you scream
Or so the tagline of this movie goes. I like to see hybrids of movie genres. This being a WW II sub film crossed with a ghost story. As one critic puts it, "U-571 Meets Poltergeist." It's a good movie, good story, outstanding performances from a cast of lesser knowns. Two scenes standout as a grand testimony to the direction of David Twohy. 1. Gossip of a female on board travels among the sailors from one end of the boat to the other. 2. A depth charge bounces slowly along the stretch of the sub before teetering on the edge...and we watch in complete suspense. As for the DVD, the transfer is crisp, the audio is incredible (as creaks and moans play an important role in the film), and the special features are good. You get a theatrical trailer, a director and actor's commentary, and a great featurette titled "The Process." A wonderful look into the filmmaking process we watch how rehearsals come to be the real deal. Running only 12 1/2 minutes, I wish it were longer. And 3 really good deleted scenes round out the package. The movie spent a minute in theaters--hopefully it will catch-on in the DVD format.

SUNK
The story, briefly, is of a US submarine, patrolling the Atlantic during the Second World War, which picks up three survivors of a U-boat attack . Thereafter, strange occurrences and mechanical failures dog the crew, apparently linked to the recent death of the sub's commander, Captain Winters. The plot is an interesting twist on the standard ghost story, but contains a lot of stuff that will only be appreciated on repeated viewings, and since this movie sets itself up from the start as a popcorn flick, most of its target audience are unlikely to make the effort.

The fact is that this movie is a disappointment to people familiar with the previous work of its writer and director. Pitch Black (dir. Twohy) was an underrated minor sci-fi classic that improved with repeated viewing; Pi (dir. Aronofsky) was an amazing first film effort, moody, quirky and confident, and obviously the product of a unique artistic vision. The film, unfortunately, seems to have combined the least talents of the writer and director, rather than the greatest. (I am not addressing the contribution of the third screenwriter Sussman, simply because I am not familiar with his work, and it seems fair to guess that as he was one of three writers, his contribution amounts to only a third of the final book.)

Who Are All These People?
How many characters are there in this film? Seems like at least thirty, and they each get at least a couple of lines, and most of them seem to be incorrigible scenery-chewers. As a result the movie is confusing, as the viewer doesn't know which characters and storylines are important, and which are just there as background. This is largely resolved at the beginning of the third act, when most of the crew is handily eliminated, but of the remainder there are still two or three actors who have not been differentiated enough for us to easily tell them apart. In a way this script seems to be merely a formal exercise in handling large numbers of characters on screen.

Stand Still, Damn It!
One thing I found initially off-putting about Pitch Black was its rapid intercutting of visually rich shots (what used to be called MTV-style, before it became the norm for movies). In that film the style eased off after a while, but in Below it seems the director is genuinely afraid of using any shot that lasts for more than one second. As a result, the viewer can _see_ what's on screen (if they don't blink), but they never get to _look_. The problem with this approach, particularly in this kind of film, is that the viewer is never allowed to be afraid of what _might_ happen on the screen, because there is _always_ something happening. There is always a jump cut, or hand-held camera work, or something jumping out at you. Instead of feeling as though you're stuck in a smelly tin can with thousands of tons of water pressing all around you, you're more likely to feel you're stuck in an editing suite with a hyperactive teenager.

Oh, "Boo" Yourself
Another reason modern thrillers and horror movies aren't scary (he said, sounding older and grumpier by the minute) is the mechanical use of "jolts" and "scares". It's like a carnival ghost ride: sure, it gets the heart pumping and produces an instinctive panic reaction, but it's purely mechanical, an automatic reaction. Your body is scared, but your mind and your emotions (unless you're pre-adolescent) remain untouched. Below is identical to other films in this genre in this respect. Things jump out or crash loudly at regular five minute intervals. Twohy actually reshot one of the earlier scenes because he felt it needed an extra scare. So now the cupboard looks spooky, and then some clothes fall out if it, but at this point in the film we don't even know that there's anything to be afraid of, so why should we care? More to the point, why should something jumping out at me in the final climactic sequence have any impact on me at all, when things have been going bang for no reason all the way through?

I could write a long essay comparing Below with the recently released Starship Troopers 2, which explores similar situations and themes. The latter film, with a fraction of the budget, is the more successful, because it largely avoids the problems examined above. I suppose the criticisms I've made could be applied to hundreds of movies made in the last decade, and perhaps I'm a fool to expect anything exceptional, but, in terms of directing and writing talent, this movie had the potential to be much more than the usual collection of trailer moments. Can Twohy escape from the "Hollywood slick" style in his next project? Would this film have been better if Twohy and Aronofsky had swapped roles? One thing I'll give them credit for, they didn't resort to the "last gasp" shock at the end - anyone else would've had Cpt. Winters suddenly launch himself out of the sea at the end of the last reel, just so the hero could put a couple of bullets in him or set him on fire or something... Small mercies.

3 stars for technical achievement.

(End note: When Claire Paige snoops around the captain's cabin, was I the only one who said "Hey, she must be the Nazi spy they're looking for"? And what _was_ all that stuff about the hydrogen? I didn't follow that at all.)

Mind your rudder!
Here is an original and fresh venue on which to tell a ghost story: a WWII submarine. Submarines are already a bit spooky in the first place, by their very nature. The present DVD takes all the "regular" bizarre traits of a sub and takes them all to a whole new level.

The story centers around an American sub that picks up 3 British persons, all of them survivors of the sinking of their ship. From there on, things seem to continually go from bad to worse for the sub & her crew. A strange sequence of events come to pass. Some of them are explainable & some of them not so explainable.

The set design & direction does a good job of depicting the submarine as an underwater tomb. Everything about the film is nice and eerie. Although I've seen plenty of submarine movies, none of them have the chilling edge that this one has.

One of the most annoying motifs of horror / supernatural films is at the end of the movie, when things seem to be "normal," there is always the hint of the return of the evil / supernatural entity. Thankfully, this present DVD omits that everpresent and aggravating trend. At the end of this film we have 100% closure, which is in fact a breath-of-fresh-air in the horror genre.

If you're a fan of submarine movies and / or ghost stories, this is a unique film that's just for you. After watching it, one thing becomes remarkably clear: fighting the Germans in World War II was tough enough without having to deal with underwater apparitions on top of everything else!

Not great, but not bad.
The acting and direction in this flick are top-shelf. Good stuff.

My only hang-ups were the story and script, which were definitely suspenseful and even creepy in places but kinda flat and a little unoriginal. The whole "A mutiny occurred somehow and now we have to determine which officers were right and which ones were wrong" thing has been done in countless nautically-themed films, military and otherwise. In this film they put a ghost story spin on that plot concept, but it doesn't really help. It's all been done before.

The thing that makes this flick's story engrossing is the ghost story creepiness, and the suspense that builds up as you wonder what really happened with the Captain and who's ghost it is that's causing all the wierd stuff to happen.

I must say again: the acting and the direction are excellent. This is a VERY well-directed film. The editing is pretty good, too.

Almost snuck by...
I was lucky enough to notice an advanced screening review for this film online, so I was able to catch it in the theater when it was released. But even while actively looking for it, I still almost missed it! It's distributer, Dimension, a subsidiary of Mirimax, just plopped it out with virtually NO advertisement at all. The only TV commercial I saw was while visiting Dallas, with no ads ever seen in my home city of Houston. Still, my persistence paid off and I did see it on the big screen, thinking what a shame it was that this unique and high quality film should receive such shoddy treatment from Dimension. This could have been a sleeper hit, had they advertised just a bit more. I strongly recommend Below as a cross-genre success, with superb sub action a la Das Boot, and sublime creepiness a la 1963's The Haunting. If you like it, do David Twohy a favor and turn on others to this fine gem! Everyone I've had see it is pleasantly surprised with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assassins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie? Luc Besson's high-octane film incorporates presidents, rock stars, and cab drivers into its peculiar plot, traversing worlds and encountering some pretty wild aliens. Bruce Willis stars as a down-and-out cabbie who must win the love of Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) to save Earth from destruction by Jean-Baptiste Emmanuel Zorg (Gary Oldman)and a dark, unearthly force that makes Darth Vader look like an Ewok. ... Read more

Reviews (535)

Wild, Giddy Space Opera...
The story goes that director Luc Besson began writing THE FIFTH ELEMENT in his teens, incorporating all the Sci-Fi elements he loved into one over-the-top, grand space opera...sort of an "E.E. 'Doc' Smith 'Skylark' Meets Flash Gordon and Barbarella" hybrid with sex, intergalactic action, and even some pseudo-religious overtones tossed in...in other words, a teenage daydream come true! Critics panned the end result for this very reason, sneering at Bruce Willis' Earth-saving (yet again!) Korben Dallas, and Besson's then-girlfriend, clothing-optional Milla Jovovich, as the innocent demigod, Leeloo.

The critics were wrong!

THE FIFTH ELEMENT is, in the best sense of the word, a classic 'B' movie, a space opera where a prologue vaguely similar to STARGATE leads to a future Earth where traffic jams occur thirty stories above the ground, humanity is ruled by beefy 'Tiny' Lister Jr., and where the Ultimate Evil is served by everyone's favorite villain, Gary Oldman, sporting a Southern accent! If this DOESN'T convince you that this is a 'popcorn' flick, not to be taken too seriously, there is Chris Tucker, sporting a blond hairdo, as the Galaxy's favorite media personality, promoting himself as he hits on his adoring female fans; Ian Holm, as the monk who knows 'the Secret', forced, despite himself, to become an active participant in the adventure; and some of the most ... ugly alien mercenaries you'll ever see, terrorizing a space resort, until they meet their match in Bruce Willis' 'DIE HARD in Space' protagonist! Yippee-Ki-Yay, indeed!

The FX are astonishing, the comedy, broad and sly, the heroics, macho, and as Leeloo, sent to save Earth, Jovovich manages to be both naive and sexy, with broken English and a gymnast's grace.

Bruce Willis is a joy, as always, to watch, and he carries the film with charm and self-depreciating humor, whether dealing with endless phone calls from his mother, driving his sky taxi recklessly (cabbies change very little in the future!), taking on terrorists single-handed, or falling for the exotic Leeloo. When he blows away a roomful of hostage-holding aliens, then asks, "Does anyone else want to negotiate?", you KNOW Besson picked the right guy for the lead!

If you want Profound Science Fiction, watch 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY again...but if you want to kick back and just have fun, look not further...THE FIFTH ELEMENT delivers!

Star Wars Fans can love this movie too!
I grew up with Star Wars, and still love it today, but times, tastes and styles do change. It doesn't make one "better" than another, just different. I, for one, absolutely love this movie! It's fun, flashy, thin in spots and hopelessly romantic, but also very positive about the future (if a bit crowded). Futuristic New York is enough to give you vertigo! The visuals, set designs, aliens and costumes are amazing - if you don't like this movie's look, you are probably dead.

Mila makes Leeloo "perfect" as the Supreme Being out to protect all mankind - innocent and wise all at once; and you just can't fault Bruce for doing what he does so well, a cynical wisecracking working stiff just looking for that "one perfect woman". But the secondary characters are what truly makes this one fun: "Weddings?" - Ian Holm delivers classic straight lines and Chris Tucker is just high-energy comedy as Ruby Rhodd (that trashy radio guy) - I roll on the floor every time I watch this - and it's definitely one to watch over and over for the incredible detail and sheer visual magic.

Buy widescreen and see the whole thing!

QUITE A TRIP
It's entirely possible that Luc Besson was on some kind of drugs when he scripted this way-out, wacky, but extremely entertaining scifi thriller. His vision of the future is both impeccably original and wildly humorous. Cars spinning through space; police cars that still squeal tires when there's nothing to squeal them on! Like a wild video game, the vision of this future is great.
Bruce Willis is fine as Corbin Dallas; he evinces his usual cool macho, with that underlying bit of sensitivity. Milla Jovovich, red hair and all, does a good job in conveying the enthusiasm, innocence and naivete of the newly born. Notice the sadness in her eyes as she views the word "War"; her reactions are poignant. Gary Oldman as Zorg is all out ham and he pulls it off, showing what a versatile actor he is. The usually stoic Ian Holm has never been livelier than in his role as Father Cornelius. He looks like he's having the time of his life and after all the stuffy, laconic roles he's played, he cuts loose and is wonderful. And Chris Tucker---what a character. Tucker is manic, frantic and annoying---but he is also very very funny. I haven't laughed like that in a long time. Note too the capable performances of Tiny Lister (usually a mindless body bag) and Brion James (also a lot looser than in his usually villainous roles).
THE FIFTH ELEMENT is a strange movie indeed, but I found it to be one of the most unusual scifi films in some time.

Silly.
If only they had another director (perhaps Ridley Scott, using a little "Blade Runner" flair), this movie could have had the potential to be very good. Instead, director Luc Besson ("Leon," aka: "The Professional") chose to formulate this sophomoric piece of sour eye-candy that even the geekiest science fiction aficionado would despise. Aside from the poor direction, Hudson Hawk paired with an androgynous (and extraordinarily annoying) Chris Tucker sidekick, is enough to drive anyone to mercilessly strangle a kitten.

the unperfect movie
Give me a break! Milla Jovovich as the perfect woman, a god?! This movie would have not seen the light of day if she was a black woman. I mean there are far better looking white women than this lady, indeed, in a white mans world, would such a film be fashioned in the way that it has been. Outside of the whole white supremacy view, I thought this movie was koo with its special effects, although Judge Dredd did the same exact scenery in its earlier day, so, nothing new in that department. I also didnt care for how the black man was depicted as a wimpy feminine sambo, but this is what white america views as a great film, who cares if they made Tiny lister a black president, that was probably the only good thing about the whole cast arrangement, thats if that didnt have some personal insult to it as well. lmao! The insecurities of ppl who are in denial about such, will always be revealed in some way. As this movie made so brutally clear, dont get me wrong, racist ppl do not bother me in the least bit, I just like show them up, on their hidden agenda's, say what u want, but I would have prefered the perfect being to be nonhuman, as our species has proven to be something less than perfect, to say the least. pun intended ... Read more

Description

Clint eastwood stars in and directs the colorful tale of a flamboyant filmmaker's flair for danger and adventure while on location in Africa, based on Peter Viertel's novel inspired by The African Queen. Year: 1990 Director: Clint Eastwood Starring: Clint Eastwood, Jeff Fahey, George Dzundza ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Hidden Treasure
Clint Eatwoods in the 90's just got better and better as a director. This is wonderfull movie and I cant wait for it to be released on DVD

the African episode
Clint Eastwood captures the machismo and bravado and the wit of John Huston perfectly and he gets some of the elegance and the grace which he also had in abundance and which made him one of the most interesting of characters. A more complex actor may have given a more layered performance but its pretty hard not to admire what he does with the role. Eastwood is also a legend but of a different type and from a different era and his own legend status may have interfered with the filmgoing publics ability to accept him in this role playing not himself(as we always assumed he was doing)but a different legend. I think it works very well though. You can tell Eastwood is examining his own mythic stature as he examines Hustons.
The last scene of the movie has Eastwood/Huston sitting in his directors chair ready to shoot the first scene of African Queen. The movie documents Hustons conflicting desires to be both a man who lives life fully and to be an artist. The two urges come into conflict when Huston must cater to the studio executives who want to control what he does. His endless battles with studio representatives is great comedy. He enlists the young screenwriter "Pete" as an ally, or attempts to. (Pete is the one who eventually writes the book this movie is based on.) Huston wants Pete to be as fearless as he is and Pete is taken in by the charm of the great director but not all the way in. Pete is his own man, and Huston encourages that but also comes up against it when they disagree. Sometimes Hustons willfullness is heroic as when he acts out of principle. In one of the best scenes of the movie a blonde socialite makes some antisemitic remarks unaware that Pete is Jewish. Huston defends his screenwriter and friend but not immediately, rather using all his charm and guile (which is dropped only at the last minute) he tells the blonde socialite a long story about another blonde socialite and there is no way for this antisemitic blonde socialite not to know just who the story is about... you will never forget the tell off after you have seen it. Other times however the willfullness just seems like simple childishness and irresponsibity and is at least one of the contributing factors in an accidental death. Eastwood/Huston gets beaten up pretty good in one scene(which proves just how far he'll go) and he wears the scars like badges through several scenes. You can't help like him and admire him for going through life in such cavalier fashion but you are also kind of sickened at times that he is so egocentric and callous towards others. So it is an unusual movie with a lead character that you both do and don't like. Its not what people expect from Eastwood. Its deeper, more complex. It is a thinking mans biography- adventure movie. Hustons African escapade begins as an outward journey to conquer and therby prove his greatness as a man by killing an elephant and ends with him coming to his senses... finally. Only by going too far far too many times does he realize how destructive his megolomania really was. Great character study, and great looking film. My favorite Eastwood movie.

An excellent, unusual movie.
Clint Eastwood reaches his summit, both as an actor and a director in White Hunter, Black Heart. A penetrating, highly involved movie, based on facts. Eastwood playnig the lead is a self-centered, megalomaniac movie-director, who sacrifices everything and everybody around him during a trip in Africa, just to fulfill his own ambition to shoot an elephant. His obsessive behaviour leads to ultimate destruction, when at the last moment, he finds himselve unable to shoot, getting his African guide killed in the progress.Eastwood is excellent as the charming, but egoistical director. Jeff Fahey is surprisingly good as his writer friend and the supporting cast, portraying among others real life actors Katherine Hepburne and Humphry Bogard are so realistic it is difficult to believe that they are not really the people they pretend to be. A work of art in every meaning of the word.

african queen meets dirty harry
american director travels to africa to shoot movie, becomes obsessed with shooting elephants instead. his desire to bag his hunt alienates him from his cast and crew and the natives. great scenery, a good movie for guys to watch with their buddies and drink beer.

Eastwood's finest work as an artist.
It's fitting that in this film Eastwood plays a director who travels into the harsh conditions of Africa to shoot a film that satisfies his artistic expression but makes the studio-heads nervous because the movie is not "commercial" enough. This is certainly a reflection of what Eastwood, known for his bankability as a tough-talking action star, has done in "White Hunter, Black Heart". This was probably Eastwood's riskiest actor/director project since "Honkeytonk Man" in the early eighties. This makes Eastwood's leap-of-faith all the more admirable considering this is probably his best film as a director; even better than "Unforgiven". The film is also Eastwood's best work as an actor; anyone who still thinks that Eastwood is a one-note actor should see the way he re-invents himself in this film, playing a character unlikle anything you have ever seen before. The picture is based on the true-story of John Huston while he was shooting "The African Queen", but the film has more similarities to the works of Joseph Conrad - A man journeying into the heart of Africa to test his true manhood and to battle his personal demons. This is one of Eastwood's most unique and intelligent films. ... Read more

Reviews (254)

It isn't as bad as everybody would have you believe. Really.
There isn't many people who like this film. Honestly, when I first saw it: I was like, "What the eff?!" But upon subsequent viewings, I became somewhat enamored with director David Fincher's style; he has since gone to notable films, SEVEN and THE GAME.

In a nutshell, ALIEN3 more or less negates everything Jim Cameron had established in ALIENS, and if you view this movie as a sequel you're gearing yourself up for disappointment. However, if you view this film as a science fiction piece with none-too-subtle religious undertones then you might be surprised to find yourself in for quite a ride.

The look of the film, the trademarked beautiful Aliens grunge, in pulled off quite well. The characters (mostly bald White guys with Brit accents) are a little hard to decipher to the passive viewer, but are quite earnest in their acting. Charles Dance and Charles S. Dutton provide some pretty cool roles (if a little heavy-handed in the latter case).

The religious undertones are there; and they may offend some ardent Bible-thumpers (I'm talking about the Christ-like death sequence)--but it's a nice change of pace for the ALIEN films. The first was horror. Second, war. Why not have the third be 'bout religion?

I think it works; but, hey, different squids for different kids (thanks, Steve, for that phrase). All in all: great cinematography, passable performances with a few gems, laughable story, 'bout two hours of late night or Sunday afternoon stoner entertainment.

Vastly underappreciated masterpiece.
After reading the enormous amount of negativity at this third entry in the Alien series, I feel highly compelled to step in here and defend this marvelous 1992 sequel to the 1986 predecessor "Aliens" entitled simply "Alien 3" and as I write this, I have to say that while this movie definitely has some troubling flaws, this is a very strong and amazing movie and one of my favorite science-fiction movies of all time.

Ellen Ripley, who is now in cryogenic suspension on board the spaceship that she got on to escape the colonized planet after saving Newt from the alien that hitched a ride on board. Unaware of it though, the alien that she defeated was in fact a queen and laid a small egg in a hidden compartment onboard the ship. The alien on board causes an acid spill which causes an electrical fire and the resulting fire causes the escape pod where the survivors of the previous movie to be separated from the mother ship. After crashing into the ocean on a desolate planet, Ripley finds herself once again the only survivor on a totally unknown world. After being revived in a high-security prison called Fury 161, Ripley finds herself being the only woman in a prison with a religious cult comprised of convicted criminals. Now being imprisoned on the planet, she learns her greatest nightmare of all and how much of a big sacrifice must be made in order to destroy the aliens once and for all. However, Ripley has no idea that the alien isn't her only enemy anymore.

While this is a great movie, this tends to suffer from some problems which likely has caused a lot of fans of the previous two to really shun this movie. While I can't blame them for killing off two important characters from the previous movie, my biggest problems are different. The greatest flaw with this movie is not it's storyline but it's excessive used of dropping F-Bombs right and left. Swearing doesn't bother me necessarily but the F-Bomb is WAY overused here and it really tends to detract from the films enjoyability. I also wasn't too thrilled at the whole prospect of the prisoners being nothing more than just 'live bait' for the alien to kill off one by one.

The "Collector's Edition" is fantastic in many ways. The deeply flawed theatrical release is much better in its remastered form but the "Special Edition" is light years ahead of it's old counterpart. With the film being extended to two hours and thirty-five minutes, with some old footage replaced with previously unreleased footage, along with extended and previously unreleased scenes, "The Special Edition" of "Alien 3" really helps to mend a lot of the problems that plagued the original version and the result is a movie that is almost as great as the first two movies. The only problem I had was the ending which where the ending of the climax scene looked a lot more fake than it did in the original version. Despite this minor quibble, the "Special Edition" of this movie is light years better than the original and the result is a flawed movie that really is lifted much higher in rankings to rank up there with the 1979 original. It'll never top "Aliens" for me but "Alien 3" really benefits from it's revamping. To all of the people who strongly detested this movie to begin with, I would strongly recommend that if you have the time, watch the "Special Edition" because it really helps to correct a lot of the mistakes of the original and it makes the characters a lot more three-dimensional. I have come to appreciate this movie a lot more since seeing it on it's newest form.

The second disc is a real treat. The extras on disc two are really good and along with the first disc, warrant purchasing "Alien 3". I at first found that this was a movie that was not easy to digest especially due to its troubling loss of two of the main characters from the previous movie "Aliens" from 1986. However I have since over time have come to really enjoy this movie and have felt more sorry for the crew after seeing a deep insight into how troubled the movies making really was. You can also see the mixed reactions towards the finished film from the crew members who were involved in it's production. Perhaps the most memorable thing I learned even if it's not from the DVD itself was how much agony David Fincher went through when directing this movie. He was pushed into this movie's directing late into it's production and the result was enormous tension between him and other producers which resulted in agonizing almost non-stop work in directing this movie. Perhaps it's why he hasn't embraced it since it's release but I have to credit him that his work on this is fantastic and the result was worth it to me.

To me while it isn't the best of the series by any means, "Alien 3" is a really excellent and satisfying conclusion to the storyline of Ellen Ripley and her war against the predatory alien creatures. Like someone else said about it, I strongly agree that "Alien Resurrection" felt more like some wacky spin-off that had almost nothing to do with the previous three movies and I agree. While I'm not saying that it was terrible, it wouldn't have been a bad idea of they had simply closed the series on the third one.

THE BEST OF THEM ALL!!!!
I absolutely adore this third Alien movie!! It's my favorite of the bunch and was a brilliant follow-up to the "Aliens" movie and brings the story to a glorious end which I wish was true but was completely ruined by the stupidity of "Alien Resurrection" which should never have been made or at least in the way it did. Ripley's character is heartbreaking and the action sequences are awesome. The ending is really depressing but really good!! Forget the negative reviews and get this DVD TODAY!! Peace out!!

Horrible
Horrible film... where it may turn on the Goths, it disgusts me. Here, we have two very awesome character - who, despite what some cynics say, people cared about; Newt, and Hicks...and look what they do with them. They could've expanded those characters into some real cool character, but NOOooo. Don't watch this movie, if you're a fan Aliens and Alien. It's a BIG let down.

Even David Fincher hates this movie...
It's funny to look at this movie now and see how almost everyone who worked on it, don't really like it at all. Fincher in written interviews, has said he wanted to do a different movie then this, but the film was really destroyed by both terrible script writing, very tight budget problems, and shooting an ending where you think it can work, but it doesn't. Once, I had a change to talk to the movie's composer, Elliot Goldenthall, and he puts as much distance between this movie and the other films he's scored, as much as possible. Even Sigourney has now admitted that the decison to kill her charecter did not work. There is talk about another Alien movie in the works. One which would close the series out, with the final destruction of these monsters as well as reveal where they come from. But this has yet to happen. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Dark Troubling Movie About the Disillusion of Life
This is an extraordinary movie. It is impossible to not deeply sympathize with, and yet also come to strongly dislike the character of Susan Traherne played by Meryl Streep. All of David Hare's plays (e.g., Racing Demons, Skylight, the recent Amy's View) and movies (e.g., Strapless, Wetherby) are concerned with the idealist who runs up against a not particularly sympathetic world as he, or more commonly she, ages and struggles against a self-doubt induced by the people and society around her. The character of Susan Traherne is the least openly "likeable" of these characters, yet in Streep's amazing performance is heartbreakingly sympathetic. It is so easy to weep when one sees the final flashback scene in which one is reminded of her certainties and hopes 15 years at the end of a World War. She just could not find a way to make herself or others happy, and in the gloom of the effort trashes the lives and surroundings around her. A very memorable movie.

Most underrated Meryl Streep film
This movie is a forgotten treasure and deserves to be revived since it shows magic Meryl at her best in the prime of her craft.
The movie is based on a David Hare play and has been recently restaged in London with Cate Blanchett( arguably the most convincing aspirant to Streep's throne) in the lead.
Susan Traherne works in the French resistance during the war and although her life is fraught with danger, deprivation and chance encounters it gives her an edginess and zest for life she can never find in her later life. In post war Britain she stumbles through a string of uninspired careers, a bittersweet stab at motherhood, a friendship with a sassy Bohemian( a role Tracy Ullman was born to play) and eventually a marriage to a safe and starched politician that comes across as a personal suicide note while remaining among the living. The film nicely balances the quests of how much excitement people can handle and how much boredom can discombobulate a once inquiring mind. It's nothing less than a somber ode to the idealism of youth, its sour awakening and the understanding that success is in the eye of the beholder and no cotton can shield us from our drive to be individuals regardless of the cost to comfort and convention.

"There will be days and days and days like this"
"Plenty" is a film destined to arouse a lot of controversy -- not over its quality, but over its heroine: Susan Traherne (Meryl Streep), an Englishwoman who worked with the French Resistance in World War II and, much to the consternation of those around her, longs for the thrills and passion she felt during those days. Restless, dissatisfied and determined to challenge and change society, Traherne rubs employers, acquaintances, and even her husband the wrong way in her quest for satisfaction.

Yet screenwriter David Hare, adapting his successful stage play, asks us to accept and identify with Traherne, a steadfast individualist whose striving and scheming cost her everything, including, finally, her sanity.

Much of the attraction -- not to mention the challenge -- of "Plenty" lies in trying to rationalize Traherne and her motives and motivations. When first seen, she is a young woman who has arrived in France to aid the Resistance movement. Although only 19 years old, she is in a position of power and a situation fraught with danger, and she loves it. After the war, she returns to England, full of high ideals about building a better world where everyone can flourish. But what she finds in her homeland instead is a nation of men and women who are far more concerned with getting back to normal, and satiating themselves in material goods after years of wartime shortages.

For Susan, the postwar world of plenty is distressingly devoid of thrills, goals and open minds. Her feelings of emptiness lead her to seek out bohemian and beatnik friends, a foxy lower-class lover and a husband whose career in the diplomatic services is on the rise. But flirting with danger and accumulating wealth are not the answer for Susan either, and she languishes in luxury.

The role of Susan is custom-made for Streep and she turns in yet another tour de force. Classy and vivacious one moment, scathing and bitter the next, Susan is genuinely a puzzlement, and certainly an addictive one. You may not like her, but you will not forget her.

There is no shortage of fascinating characters in the supporting cast either, nor of fine actors to play them. Singer-comedian Tracey Ullman is enchanting as Alice Parke, Susan's roommate and confidante. Alice wears men's clothes, smokes marijuana and aspires to be a writer and artist, but little things like bad pot keep getting in her way: "How am I supposed to find artistic inspiration if I can't even get any good drugs?" she complains. Sting, who too often relies on his looks to carry his performances, turns in his best screen work to date as Mick, a black-marketeer whom Susan hires to get her pregnant (the love scenes between Sting and Streep are both funny and sexy). But finally, Susan dismisses him after 18 months of trying. "There comes a point at which the experiment should be stopped in the name of common courtesy," she notes.

As Susan's weary husband, Charles Dance brings life to what could easily have been a one-dimensional part, effectively conveying the toll a marriage built on pity can take on a man. Sir John Gielgud also sparkles as the duty-minded Leonard Darwin, whose run-in with the defiant Susan at a dinner party is the nastiest and most uproarious scene in the film.

"Plenty" is not an easy movie to categorize, and interpretations of its central character and its message are sure to be numerous. But there is no denying its power or the allure of the people in it. There are lighter, more charming films around, but there are few as ultimately rewarding.

Odd
Usually I love Meryl Streep, but for some reason--call me stupid if you want to--I had trouble watching this DVD because Streep wasn't very likeable, I couldn't sympathize with her character, and I REALLY HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. Perhaps the movie was a little too well-made. Or perhaps I wasn't paying it the attention it deserved. Anyway, it's one of the few DVDs I've actually gotten rid of. But Streep is just gorgeous as usual!

Don't Waste Your Time
Uneven, choppy direction and convoluted plot marr the otherwise superb story and excellent performance of the uncomparable Meryl Streep. Unfortunately, not even the fabulous Ms. Streep can save this -- recommended for devoted fans only, bent on completing their Streep collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The least successful film in this series was directed by stylemaster (and content-underachiever) David Fincher. Ripley, the only survivor of her past mission, awakens on a prison planet in the far corners of the solar system. As she tries to recover, she realizes that not only has an alien gotten loose on the planet, the alien has implanted one of its own within her. As she battles the prison authorities (and is aided by the prisoners) in trying to kill the alien, she must also cope with a distinctly shortened lifespan that awaits her. But the striking imagery makes for muddled action and the script confuses it further. The ending looks startling but it takes a long time--and a not particularly satisfying journey--to get there. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (254)

It isn't as bad as everybody would have you believe. Really.
There isn't many people who like this film. Honestly, when I first saw it: I was like, "What the eff?!" But upon subsequent viewings, I became somewhat enamored with director David Fincher's style; he has since gone to notable films, SEVEN and THE GAME.

In a nutshell, ALIEN3 more or less negates everything Jim Cameron had established in ALIENS, and if you view this movie as a sequel you're gearing yourself up for disappointment. However, if you view this film as a science fiction piece with none-too-subtle religious undertones then you might be surprised to find yourself in for quite a ride.

The look of the film, the trademarked beautiful Aliens grunge, in pulled off quite well. The characters (mostly bald White guys with Brit accents) are a little hard to decipher to the passive viewer, but are quite earnest in their acting. Charles Dance and Charles S. Dutton provide some pretty cool roles (if a little heavy-handed in the latter case).

The religious undertones are there; and they may offend some ardent Bible-thumpers (I'm talking about the Christ-like death sequence)--but it's a nice change of pace for the ALIEN films. The first was horror. Second, war. Why not have the third be 'bout religion?

I think it works; but, hey, different squids for different kids (thanks, Steve, for that phrase). All in all: great cinematography, passable performances with a few gems, laughable story, 'bout two hours of late night or Sunday afternoon stoner entertainment.

Vastly underappreciated masterpiece.
After reading the enormous amount of negativity at this third entry in the Alien series, I feel highly compelled to step in here and defend this marvelous 1992 sequel to the 1986 predecessor "Aliens" entitled simply "Alien 3" and as I write this, I have to say that while this movie definitely has some troubling flaws, this is a very strong and amazing movie and one of my favorite science-fiction movies of all time.

Ellen Ripley, who is now in cryogenic suspension on board the spaceship that she got on to escape the colonized planet after saving Newt from the alien that hitched a ride on board. Unaware of it though, the alien that she defeated was in fact a queen and laid a small egg in a hidden compartment onboard the ship. The alien on board causes an acid spill which causes an electrical fire and the resulting fire causes the escape pod where the survivors of the previous movie to be separated from the mother ship. After crashing into the ocean on a desolate planet, Ripley finds herself once again the only survivor on a totally unknown world. After being revived in a high-security prison called Fury 161, Ripley finds herself being the only woman in a prison with a religious cult comprised of convicted criminals. Now being imprisoned on the planet, she learns her greatest nightmare of all and how much of a big sacrifice must be made in order to destroy the aliens once and for all. However, Ripley has no idea that the alien isn't her only enemy anymore.

While this is a great movie, this tends to suffer from some problems which likely has caused a lot of fans of the previous two to really shun this movie. While I can't blame them for killing off two important characters from the previous movie, my biggest problems are different. The greatest flaw with this movie is not it's storyline but it's excessive used of dropping F-Bombs right and left. Swearing doesn't bother me necessarily but the F-Bomb is WAY overused here and it really tends to detract from the films enjoyability. I also wasn't too thrilled at the whole prospect of the prisoners being nothing more than just 'live bait' for the alien to kill off one by one.

The "Collector's Edition" is fantastic in many ways. The deeply flawed theatrical release is much better in its remastered form but the "Special Edition" is light years ahead of it's old counterpart. With the film being extended to two hours and thirty-five minutes, with some old footage replaced with previously unreleased footage, along with extended and previously unreleased scenes, "The Special Edition" of "Alien 3" really helps to mend a lot of the problems that plagued the original version and the result is a movie that is almost as great as the first two movies. The only problem I had was the ending which where the ending of the climax scene looked a lot more fake than it did in the original version. Despite this minor quibble, the "Special Edition" of this movie is light years better than the original and the result is a flawed movie that really is lifted much higher in rankings to rank up there with the 1979 original. It'll never top "Aliens" for me but "Alien 3" really benefits from it's revamping. To all of the people who strongly detested this movie to begin with, I would strongly recommend that if you have the time, watch the "Special Edition" because it really helps to correct a lot of the mistakes of the original and it makes the characters a lot more three-dimensional. I have come to appreciate this movie a lot more since seeing it on it's newest form.

The second disc is a real treat. The extras on disc two are really good and along with the first disc, warrant purchasing "Alien 3". I at first found that this was a movie that was not easy to digest especially due to its troubling loss of two of the main characters from the previous movie "Aliens" from 1986. However I have since over time have come to really enjoy this movie and have felt more sorry for the crew after seeing a deep insight into how troubled the movies making really was. You can also see the mixed reactions towards the finished film from the crew members who were involved in it's production. Perhaps the most memorable thing I learned even if it's not from the DVD itself was how much agony David Fincher went through when directing this movie. He was pushed into this movie's directing late into it's production and the result was enormous tension between him and other producers which resulted in agonizing almost non-stop work in directing this movie. Perhaps it's why he hasn't embraced it since it's release but I have to credit him that his work on this is fantastic and the result was worth it to me.

To me while it isn't the best of the series by any means, "Alien 3" is a really excellent and satisfying conclusion to the storyline of Ellen Ripley and her war against the predatory alien creatures. Like someone else said about it, I strongly agree that "Alien Resurrection" felt more like some wacky spin-off that had almost nothing to do with the previous three movies and I agree. While I'm not saying that it was terrible, it wouldn't have been a bad idea of they had simply closed the series on the third one.

THE BEST OF THEM ALL!!!!
I absolutely adore this third Alien movie!! It's my favorite of the bunch and was a brilliant follow-up to the "Aliens" movie and brings the story to a glorious end which I wish was true but was completely ruined by the stupidity of "Alien Resurrection" which should never have been made or at least in the way it did. Ripley's character is heartbreaking and the action sequences are awesome. The ending is really depressing but really good!! Forget the negative reviews and get this DVD TODAY!! Peace out!!

Horrible
Horrible film... where it may turn on the Goths, it disgusts me. Here, we have two very awesome character - who, despite what some cynics say, people cared about; Newt, and Hicks...and look what they do with them. They could've expanded those characters into some real cool character, but NOOooo. Don't watch this movie, if you're a fan Aliens and Alien. It's a BIG let down.

Even David Fincher hates this movie...
It's funny to look at this movie now and see how almost everyone who worked on it, don't really like it at all. Fincher in written interviews, has said he wanted to do a different movie then this, but the film was really destroyed by both terrible script writing, very tight budget problems, and shooting an ending where you think it can work, but it doesn't. Once, I had a change to talk to the movie's composer, Elliot Goldenthall, and he puts as much distance between this movie and the other films he's scored, as much as possible. Even Sigourney has now admitted that the decison to kill her charecter did not work. There is talk about another Alien movie in the works. One which would close the series out, with the final destruction of these monsters as well as reveal where they come from. But this has yet to happen. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Dark Troubling Movie About the Disillusion of Life
This is an extraordinary movie. It is impossible to not deeply sympathize with, and yet also come to strongly dislike the character of Susan Traherne played by Meryl Streep. All of David Hare's plays (e.g., Racing Demons, Skylight, the recent Amy's View) and movies (e.g., Strapless, Wetherby) are concerned with the idealist who runs up against a not particularly sympathetic world as he, or more commonly she, ages and struggles against a self-doubt induced by the people and society around her. The character of Susan Traherne is the least openly "likeable" of these characters, yet in Streep's amazing performance is heartbreakingly sympathetic. It is so easy to weep when one sees the final flashback scene in which one is reminded of her certainties and hopes 15 years at the end of a World War. She just could not find a way to make herself or others happy, and in the gloom of the effort trashes the lives and surroundings around her. A very memorable movie.

Most underrated Meryl Streep film
This movie is a forgotten treasure and deserves to be revived since it shows magic Meryl at her best in the prime of her craft.
The movie is based on a David Hare play and has been recently restaged in London with Cate Blanchett( arguably the most convincing aspirant to Streep's throne) in the lead.
Susan Traherne works in the French resistance during the war and although her life is fraught with danger, deprivation and chance encounters it gives her an edginess and zest for life she can never find in her later life. In post war Britain she stumbles through a string of uninspired careers, a bittersweet stab at motherhood, a friendship with a sassy Bohemian( a role Tracy Ullman was born to play) and eventually a marriage to a safe and starched politician that comes across as a personal suicide note while remaining among the living. The film nicely balances the quests of how much excitement people can handle and how much boredom can discombobulate a once inquiring mind. It's nothing less than a somber ode to the idealism of youth, its sour awakening and the understanding that success is in the eye of the beholder and no cotton can shield us from our drive to be individuals regardless of the cost to comfort and convention.

"There will be days and days and days like this"
"Plenty" is a film destined to arouse a lot of controversy -- not over its quality, but over its heroine: Susan Traherne (Meryl Streep), an Englishwoman who worked with the French Resistance in World War II and, much to the consternation of those around her, longs for the thrills and passion she felt during those days. Restless, dissatisfied and determined to challenge and change society, Traherne rubs employers, acquaintances, and even her husband the wrong way in her quest for satisfaction.

Yet screenwriter David Hare, adapting his successful stage play, asks us to accept and identify with Traherne, a steadfast individualist whose striving and scheming cost her everything, including, finally, her sanity.

Much of the attraction -- not to mention the challenge -- of "Plenty" lies in trying to rationalize Traherne and her motives and motivations. When first seen, she is a young woman who has arrived in France to aid the Resistance movement. Although only 19 years old, she is in a position of power and a situation fraught with danger, and she loves it. After the war, she returns to England, full of high ideals about building a better world where everyone can flourish. But what she finds in her homeland instead is a nation of men and women who are far more concerned with getting back to normal, and satiating themselves in material goods after years of wartime shortages.

For Susan, the postwar world of plenty is distressingly devoid of thrills, goals and open minds. Her feelings of emptiness lead her to seek out bohemian and beatnik friends, a foxy lower-class lover and a husband whose career in the diplomatic services is on the rise. But flirting with danger and accumulating wealth are not the answer for Susan either, and she languishes in luxury.

The role of Susan is custom-made for Streep and she turns in yet another tour de force. Classy and vivacious one moment, scathing and bitter the next, Susan is genuinely a puzzlement, and certainly an addictive one. You may not like her, but you will not forget her.

There is no shortage of fascinating characters in the supporting cast either, nor of fine actors to play them. Singer-comedian Tracey Ullman is enchanting as Alice Parke, Susan's roommate and confidante. Alice wears men's clothes, smokes marijuana and aspires to be a writer and artist, but little things like bad pot keep getting in her way: "How am I supposed to find artistic inspiration if I can't even get any good drugs?" she complains. Sting, who too often relies on his looks to carry his performances, turns in his best screen work to date as Mick, a black-marketeer whom Susan hires to get her pregnant (the love scenes between Sting and Streep are both funny and sexy). But finally, Susan dismisses him after 18 months of trying. "There comes a point at which the experiment should be stopped in the name of common courtesy," she notes.

As Susan's weary husband, Charles Dance brings life to what could easily have been a one-dimensional part, effectively conveying the toll a marriage built on pity can take on a man. Sir John Gielgud also sparkles as the duty-minded Leonard Darwin, whose run-in with the defiant Susan at a dinner party is the nastiest and most uproarious scene in the film.

"Plenty" is not an easy movie to categorize, and interpretations of its central character and its message are sure to be numerous. But there is no denying its power or the allure of the people in it. There are lighter, more charming films around, but there are few as ultimately rewarding.

Odd
Usually I love Meryl Streep, but for some reason--call me stupid if you want to--I had trouble watching this DVD because Streep wasn't very likeable, I couldn't sympathize with her character, and I REALLY HAD NO IDEA OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING. Perhaps the movie was a little too well-made. Or perhaps I wasn't paying it the attention it deserved. Anyway, it's one of the few DVDs I've actually gotten rid of. But Streep is just gorgeous as usual!

Don't Waste Your Time
Uneven, choppy direction and convoluted plot marr the otherwise superb story and excellent performance of the uncomparable Meryl Streep. Unfortunately, not even the fabulous Ms. Streep can save this -- recommended for devoted fans only, bent on completing their Streep collection. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Try to get hold of the uncut version
Why the studio would decide to release this version is beyond my understanding. I bought this version by mistake several months ago while looking for the full version. I purchased one full-length version from ebay not long ago at a very good price and am very happy to own it (the UK 3,5 hours VHS PAL full version is deleted and you can only hope to buy it secondhand). It is as one reviewer said 'a mind boggling' thriller and lots of cuts were made that are important to the plot.

Three stars for this version, because it has been cut to shreds. The uncut version deserves its full five stars. 3,5 hours of film as opposed to the 2 hours cut version, you can imagine missing a lot of suspense!

Fascinating and truly suspenseful
I didn't see the original, so I wasn't disappointed by not seeing the full-length version. (But this version is so good that I can see how it must be disappointing to those who got to see a couple more hours of it.) This is an excellent production, with fine acting by everyone. It's fascinating to see how Eddie Myers seduces so many of the people around him. I really had no idea how it was going to end, and had a clenched stomach for the last 10 minutes. I've seen very few movies that did that to me. I'd say it's some of Timothy Dalton's best work.

Great mini-series - but don't buy this version!!
Framed is one of Timothy Dalton's best pieces of work. But this version has been cut to shreds. The original is four hours long. With this DVD, half the film is missing and it was not padding they cut. If you can find the full version, then great, buy it. Just don't purchase the two hour version.

Where is the rest?!
I am a fan of Timothy Dalton and was elated to see this movie being released for I have both a copy off of A&E tv and
a copy of the orginial via a good friend but when I played this I was simply heartbroken!! DVD's can hold so much more so why did they release such a version? The plot is very hard to follow and the movie doesn't flow like it did in the full version! If you can somehow obtain this version from British TV or the A&E copy by all means go for that and see what you are missing!

Cutting Room Floor
yes, this version has been cut, cut a lot! I don't know how I would react to this version if I weren't so familiar with the original. I miss the missing footage. It added texture to a work that is now little more than plot. Why do this on DVD? and to a character driven film? The original is more than twice as long as this version.I long for the original. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sherlockian completists will be interested in this ambitious pastiche that neglects innumerable conventions from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes canon but offers an original showdown between the Great Detective and his nemesis, Professor Moriarty. Holmes (Edward Woodward), vexed by Moriarty's daring escape from the gallows, rebuffs a request by his brother Mycroft (Peter Jeffrey) to assist on a government matter but ends up seeking his older sibling after Moriarty (Anthony Andrews) kidnaps him. The villainous professor--a mathematical genius--can't break a secret code of Mycroft's design, putting the latter at risk and upping the ante in Holmes's longtime battle with his foe. John Hillerman makes a low-key Watson who calmly stands up to Holmes' condescension, and Terence Lodge's bumbling Lestrade actually elicits sympathy. The story by Charles Edward Pogue isn't as good as his earlier television adaptations of Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Sign of Four, but it is memorable. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Anthony Andrews is amazing as Moriarty!
This movie is by far the best Sherlock Holmes adaptation ever! Anthony Andrews is absolutely chilling as the evil Professor Moriarty. He inhabits the character and exudes the searing darkness of his soul. Although this movie does not actually come from a particular Sherlock Holmes mystery, it maintains the feel of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's work. The actor playing Dr. Watson is also fantastic and the only drawback is the actor playing Holmes, who bears no resemblance to Doyle's famous sleuth. The last word? See this movie...soon! ... Read more