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A vintage Stephen King concept unfolds in Riding the Bullet:a college kid, circa 1970, must hitchhike a very long (and very dark) hundred miles to visit his hospitalized mother. The ghosts waiting for him along the way are either real or of his own mind (which seems to be a dark place itself). As a King short story, this might have been a usefully frightening premise, but it's almost entirely literary; on screen, it boils down to a guy walking down a road at night. Jonathan Jackson is suitably tortured in the lead role (or roles--he frequently appears double on screen, arguing with himself), but the movie is stolen by David Arquette, rocking it up as a '50s greaser who died in a car crash years earlier. Barbara Hershey and Erika Christensen are wasted in support. There's a strain to make the Woodstock-era setting relevant, but this doesn't seem to have a great deal to do with the private demons of the protagonist. (And if you're going to set it in 1970, how hard is it to catch dialogue anachronisms?) Director Mick Garris is a longtime King conduit (The Stand), but this one is misconceived from the start. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (20)

It's all in your head buddy!
Over the last 3 decades a large number of Stephen King’s novels have been adapted to the big screen, movies of which King himself has been known to be a harsh critic of.So I was intrigued when I read a King blurb on the box saying he thought it was the best movie adaptation of his work since Stand by me.Don’t believe it.Obviously King is well placed to analyze movies based on his works but I have often found myself disagreeing with his assessments.King, remember, was utterly disgusted by the original film adaptation of The Shining.I don’t know about you, but I (along with many critics of the horror genre) consider Stanley Kubrick’s movie to be an absolute classic of the genre, one of the top 20 horror films of all time.As for Ride the Bullet?It’s a mildly amusing film but ultimately a forgettable one.I would really like for King to elaborate on what he thinks is so great about this film.

The story takes place in Maine, 1969.University of Maine student Alan Parker is a lost soul in search of direction, a misunderstood artist whose paintings about death and decay draw the ire of his art teacher and whose unpredictable mood changes draw the ire of his girlfriend.Obsessed with death, Allan hits rock bottom after a botched suicide attempt.But after receiving a phone call informing him that his mother is in a hospital in severe condition after a stroke, Allan puts his melancholy on hold and hitchhikes to Lewiston in order to go see his mom.On the road there, he encounters a wide array of abnormities such as talking birds, a rabid dog, crazy drivers, crazy rednecks and DEATH himself.Some of this is real but a lot of it is just in Allan’s head.But no matter how weird the encounters and how dangerous the obstacles get, Allan won’t let anything get in the way of his ultimate goal: reaching his mother in Lewistown.

The concept sounds really neat but as is usually the case with b-movies, Riding the Bullet falls prey to both its low-budget trappings and shoddy execution.I found the constant flashbacks, headtrips and Allan’s discussions with his alter-ego ghost (that only he sees) to make for a confusing and shall I say rather self-indulgent experience.The problem is that since we know that Allan is crazy in the head and imagining most of these things anyway, these suspense scenes feel, well, rather non-threatening.That is usually the case with films like these.If it’s all in the characters’ heads and you know it’s not really there, why should you be scared of it?Still, I must concede that Riding the Bullet is a mildly amusing film.There are several exciting scenes of suspense, the hitchhiking concept makes for a suspenseful ride and the performances of most of the actors are commendable especially from lead actor Jonathan Jackson and also David Arquette in a deliciously creepy and over-the-top performance.I think fans of King’s later works such as Hearts in Atlantis would especially like it.Others looking for horror might be disappointed.

A goffy horror comedy
In "Riding the Bullet", a young college student (Jonathon Jackson) in 1969 recives bad news about his mom (Barbara Hershey) and begins hitchhiking home to be with her in the hospital.Along the way he meets several strange, spooky people and several pieces of road kill (from animal to human).Finally he accepts a ride from a strange drifter (David Arquette) and is given a very dire choice.Fans of Stephen King know this is based on his direct for intenet short story.But they probably weren't expecting this excesise in hero worship from the film's director, long time King collaberator Mick Garris.There are way too many references to King's earlier works; Gage Creed from "Pet Semetary", Arquette is driving a 1958 Plymoth Fury ("Christine"); a guy says that he'll just keep shine on ("The Shinning").Also it tries to hard to be a period piece, dipping a bit to hard about Woodstock, Vietnam protests, ect.Another thing I wasn't too keen on was the level of humor in the film.Eventually the kid's hallucinations become too jokey.I mean, at one point the kid is trying to commit suicide, and he imagines the Grim Reaper coming in the bathroom and smoking a joint with him.That was when I stopped taking the film seriously.Well, I hope you guys enjoy it better than I did.

Heck, I like it!
3.7 stars

Fun is fun and done is done.

This movie is for you if you sorta like weird, ridiculous, creepy film that isbordering on bad. I was not sure if the boy in the movie was having a spiritual journey, taking hallucogenic drugs, or having schizophrenic symtoms, LOL. Or maybe it's just a simple ghost story with a plot? Or maybe it's a well-executed movie with a quite memorable message? You decide!

I don't know much about who made this movie.. but it sure has a look of a low budget film [not necessarily in a bad way though] and it reminds you a bit of those 80's horrors. The acting is pretty good, especially coming from an actor I've never seen before. The plot is Stephen King so what's not to like. Script, editing, cinematography, effects and such are mediocre at best, I guess.

In short, not a great movie but I really like it. I think you need to have a high tolerance for the ridiculous to enjoy this movie though.

Pretty good
I thought this was a good movie overall.Is it going to win any Academy Awards?No.But, it was still entertaining.I haven't read the e-book, so I was unsure as to what was going to happen in the film.While the movie did get slow at parts, it kept me wondering what was going to happen.It's not a scary movie, more weird and creepy than anything else.Recommended for those that have enjoyed other Stephen King films such as "The Night Flier"

Riding the bullet
This movie started getting semi interesting when David Arquette came on.Sadly, that was almost an hour in and he couldn't save it.I was so bored I kept falling asleep and it wasn't the casts fault, the movie was simply not interesting enough to keep my attention. ... Read more

Description

Crime never sleeps. Neither does Will Dormer (AL PACINO), a veteran LAPD homicide detective sent north to Alaska to head a murder case. There his investigation is disrupted by an ever-shining Midnight Sun that wreaks sleep-depriving havoc on his body clock and brings Dormer's shady, guilt-plagued past into the light of day. ... Read more

Reviews (242)

A worthy follow up to Memento
Insomnia, director Chris Nolan's second full length feature, doesn't have the same gut-wrenching and mind-bending plot twists that his feature length debut, Memento, had, but does an excellent job telling an original and gripping detective mystery.

The pleasure of Insomnia is to be found in its rich cinematography, beautiful landscapes, and excellent performances. The movie is one of the most visually compelling pieces of filmmaking I have seen in years, creating surreal juxtapositions with the vast, harsh Alaskan landscape and with close-up shots of crime scene evidence. The amazing visual landscapes (both large and small) are used effectively by director Nolan to emphasize the films themes of isolation and overpowerment, of losing oneself within ones environment and in ones choices.

Insomnia's plot will disappoint those looking for a new Memento, in that it does not have the sort of turns of action and motivation that Memento does. Insomnia works well without elaborate plot twists, however, it's mood benefits from a certain lack of ambiguity of action, although the ending is perhaps a little to predictable and cliched. Insomnia would have benefited, however, from more ambiguity of motivation - while the acting is top notch, especially on the part of Robin Williams, the connections between the characters actions and their motivations and decisions is too closely drawn by the script.

Overall Insomnia is an excellent movie, and a good entry into the detective/suspense movie cannon. It suffers slightly from a couple of bad edits (in a movie filled with amazing editing and shooting) and from its desire to clearly spell out the principle characters motivations, but these minor flaws are more than redeemed by the director's excellent camerawork and sense of pacing, a strong script, and very solid acting performances. Insomnia is a must see movie, and a welcome change from the "blockbuster" summer movie scene of 2002.

INSOMNIA is a long way from being a snoozer
Hollywood seems to have a love affair with remakes. A few years back it was hip to remake French films, then it was film versions of old TV shows, and every year there seems to be a "Sequelitis" epidemic in multiplexes worldwide. But INSOMNIA offers a Hollywood rarity: This is a remake of a NORWEGIAN movie.
While my opening comments don't offer much hope for the film, INSOMNIA is actually a great movie once you get into it. Starring Oscar winners Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney and directed by Christopher Nolan director of the vastly overrated MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is a compelling mystery thriller.
When cop Will Dormer (Pacino) witnesses the murder of his partner, the prime suspect is mystery writer Walter Finch (Williams). But while Finch appears accommodating to the police, chronic insomniac Dormer finds himself receiving taunting calls from Finch in the middle of the night. Dormer's investigation leads him to a remote Alaskan town which never sees nightfall during the spring/summer seasons where he is partnered with local cop Ellie Burr (Hillary Swank). But with the combination of the continued threats from his unseen nemesis and the stress of the investigation, Dormer's sleeping disorder is wearing him down and disorientating him, making him an easier target.
Like MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is full of twists and is beautifully photographed. But thankfully unlike it, INSOMNIA has a plot that makes sense and keeps the viewer glued to the screen; but it is the strong characterisations by Pacino and Williams that make their cat-and-mouse game utterly compelling. I haven't seen the Norwegian version, but as far as remakes go its probably a pretty safe bet that INSOMNIA is in the upper ranks.

Falls Flat
This psychological thriller is based upon Norwegian writer Erik Skjoldbjaerg's novel of the same title. Al Pacino took a 4 year absence from acting before this film, and it's no surprise that this one broke him from his hiatus, as it has a great script and it stars two other Academy Award winning performers, Hillary Swank and Robin Williams.

Set in Alaska, this film is about Will Dormer, a veteran LA detective, played by Pacino. Dormer is sent with partner Hap Eckhart to investigate the grisly murder of a 17-year-old girl. At the same time, Dormer & Eckhart are being investigated by internal affairs for some suspicious police work, which Dormer believes Eckhart is about to spill the beans about.

The two colleagues are welcomed in Alaska by Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a policewoman who is also interested in solving this strange case. Dormer accidentally shoots his partner Eckhart, but knows how it will look if he confesses to the shooting, so he misleads them to believe that the suspect did the shooting and continues the investigation. The story goes through some interesting twists and turns from there on.

Three academy award winners in one movie that is based on a fantastic book with the same director as Memento seems like a sure winner, and it certainly did well at the box office, but it falls flat. Perhaps Swank and Pacino are afraid to upstage each other, as both their performances lack emotional depth and energy. Williams' performance is shockingly superb, however, as this role is a side of him not yet seen and he plays it very well. He finally shows he is a talented actor with more range than the Patch Adams and Mrs Doubtfire roles he usually takes. Williams' great performance can't save this film though, as it just doesn't get to the heart. The lack of emotional impact of it has is disappointing, as the criminal is more interesting and complex than the cops. The line fine they are creating between cop and criminal isn't lost on me, but Pacino's character is wooden and emotionally superficial and there's a void in the film where a great character should be.

This movie is proof that too many chefs spoil the cake, as too many great actors made what should have been a spectacular film into this mediocre film.

i was dissapointed
I expected this to be really good, but the potentially excellent film by Christopher Nolan was really hurt by the attitude of Al Pacino as a cop in Alaska. In his past few movies, he tries too hard to be young and savvy when he just needs to accept that he is aging. He tries to be cool in this and he is just retarded. Hilary Swank didn't do anything at all to make this movie any better. Robin Williams is the only bright spot in this movie. He is the reason for me giving this three stars. He can play a pretty good villain.

Robin's as the baddie
I guess nealy every actor plays a bad guy at some point. Williams has probably realized that he's pretty much plumbed the depths of comedic possibilies and its time to do some actual acting. He's surprisingly good. There's always been a kind of sad melancholic underside to William's comedy. Stand up comedy itself is a desperate plea for attention and acceptance. 98 % of this movie is the mano a mano mortal struggle between Pacino, the conflicted and tormented cop and Williams, the remorseless murderer. Formulaic but extremely well acted, directed and filmed. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

"Captivating Tale of Love, Immortality, and Choices We Make"
Even though I teach middle school, I had not read this book. My students mentioned it often however, and as an instructor of Greek mythology, I became curious about the story when I learned its basic premise was immortality. (I have been told that there was much less a love interest between the teenagers in the book, however this emendation certainly lends a magical spark to the timeless story.) Upon seeing the movie, I can recommend it not only for its excellent treatment of this subject, but also as a film the whole family can enjoy and discuss afterward.

In brief, this is the story of those (the family Tuck) who would seek to live forever. Unlike the mythological Tithonius however, who was granted everlasting life without eternal youth, the Tuck family becomes immortal from the moment they drink of the mystical pool at the foot of an ancient tree--a tree that will lend a poignant and touching climax to the end of the film.

Suffice it to say, the acting is wonderful. High profile heavyweights such as Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek and William Hurt give predictable sterling performances. Victor Garber (Alias; Annie) is also excellent as the wealthy father. But Alexis Bledel (Gilmore Girls) as Winnie Foster is simply disarming. She is convincing and superb in her effort to balance her desire for love in a life outside of time, with her responsibility to live the life intended for her. The talent of the cast, as well as the curiosity of the storyline makes for few dull moments, and the conclusion left me with one wet Kleenex!

This is a beautiful film--from the scenery, to the music, to the performances, to the plot. Yes, it might be simplistic and predictable, but it would take a crusty old grinch to say that this ninety minutes wasn't thoroughly delightful, and time well spent.

In the end, the age-old questions remain--is immortality all we would dream it to be? Is it quantity, or quality of life that is important? Does living forever make one unique and privileged, or does it (as Tuck would say) make one merely a rock stuck in a mud bank beside a flowing stream? And where does love fit into this equation? Is being given the love of your life, or loving the life you're given the more appropriate choice? The answer is found in Winnie's final decision on whether or not to drink from the eternal pool--a decision I could not have made.

Much better than the Country Bears!
About 2 to 5 weeks ago, I was watched the Country Bears, and found it a bad film by Disney, and now they have made it up, they made and came with this movie called "Tuck Everlasting". Which is about a girl that meets teenageer that is 104, and I must say that for being 104, that Jessie Tuck looks better good for his age. The girl is 15 years old and her name is Winfred. The Tucks are immortal, becuase they have discorved a a pond, that makes them living forever, even if they fall, and don't get hurt, or shot but not get hit. As the movie opens, Winfred "Winnie" Foster (Alexis Bledel) has met a stranger in a yellow suit, who is looking for the Tucks. Her parents decide to send her to a school that would manners. She doesn't want to go and runs away from home, and his lost in the woods and she runs into Jessie Tuck (Jonathan Jackson), who tells her to get out of the woods and to go home. But she runs, and runs into Jessie's grumpy brother Miles (Scott Barrstow), who takes her to his mom (Sissy Spaey). Who tells Miles to get his father (William Hurt) from fishing, because "he'll" not what to do with Winnie. I would reccomend this movie to you on dvd, if you love movies in "letter-box" fromat, and if you don't, then you will have to settle for the video tape edition, but a word of warning, if you get this on dvd, there are trailers for other movies like George of the Jungle 2 and Inceptor Gadge 2.

Love this movie
I love this movie! it is a great film...maybe better then the book. i cried for hours after i watched this movie (which is a good thing) if you like sad movies you'll love this!!!

Tuck Everlasting
Tuck Everlasting sure is everlasting.The movie isn't completely terrible.It really explores life and death but it takes to long.The whole time I kind of felt bored.The plot is good but I don't think it or the book it was adapted from are all that great.Maybe this just isn't my kind of film but it just took forever to get to the climax and it was only 90 minutes.The acting definetly isn't Oscar winning; the only great performance was by Sissy Spacek.The dialogue is of course compatible to this kind of movie but I still didn't really like it.It was a little better than I thought it would be, though.If you are interested in living forever or dealing with death or your just a kid you may like it more than the rest of us out there.To add to everything else I didn't really like the time setting.Check this one out if you want to be bored.Young Winnie Foster, stifled by the formality of her proper life and domineering mother, escapes into the woods only to get lost.Soon she happens upon Jesse Tuck- a boy full of life and adventure who's unlike anyone she's ever met- and falls in love.The Tucks, a kind and genorous family, have a powerful secret- a spring that holds the magic of everlasting life.And now Winnie must choose to live life as she knows it or drink from the spring.

"Like the Tuck family themselves, this movie just goes on and on and on and on"
-- Larry Carroll, COUNTINGDOWN.COM

the story is a bit thin but some scenes are simply powerful
It was not as great a story or character development as I could have hoped for, but overall I was not dissapointed. The scenery was beautiful, the 2 main characters also were beautiful and they had some powerful scenes between them.

The scene of him helping her in the water because she cannot swim is one of the most romantic and touching few minutes of film I have ever seen. ... Read more

Description

At the end of each school year young Morris "Mud" Himmel and his friends are unceremoniously packed off by their parents to summer camps that specialize in computer programming, military training, or calorie counting. However, this summer Morris and his clever cohorts have determined to create their own vacation haven. And with help from out-of-work high school drama teacher Dennis Van Welker (Christopher Lloyd) -- who passes himself off to each of the kids' parents as the owner of different phony theme camps -- the kids fabricate an elaborate scheme to take control of their summer. With no counselors, no rules or parental supervision, calamity prevails as the teens turn a rented group of dilapidated cabins near a leech-filled lake into the wildest, video game-filled, junk food eating and unencumbered summer camp a parent would never allow his kids to attend; in short -- the best camp in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Camp Nowhere --- Way cool
I recently rented Camp Nowhere. Best movie I have seen in my life. It is SO funny. It is all about this group of four teens {two girls, two boys} whos parents are making them go to summer camps in which they do not want to go. They find Dennis Van Wilker {Christopher Lloyd} and they scam thir parents into this camp. Along with many other kids, all summer this "camp" which is really just a big party, goes great. In August, all the parents want a Parents Day, so they pull of "the GREATEST scam of all time" At the end, the truth is revealed, nothing bad happens. The whole movie, Mudd and Gabby have a little crush going on and wont admit it to each other but at the end Mudd and Gabby have a nice wet kiss.

A great movie, and why!
What's a kid's greatest dream? A summer of all play and no work, lot's of evenly-mixed friends, and plenty of money to to burn... In Camp Nowhere, this actually comes true. A geeky kid called Mud, along with three other friends (two girls and another boy, by the way), gets his hands on megabucks, hires Dennis, a funny ex-drama teacher, actor, and often saviour, and rents out a camping spot complete with cabins, lake... The ex-hippie Dennis fools all four pairs of parents into sending their kids to four different "camps" (military, computer, weight-loss, and drama) but actually in one: Camp Nowhere. But soon, their orginally intended number of four turns to the dozens, as a loud-mouthed kid trumpets to the entire youth.

Soon their fun is in full swing: everything from water-guns to a 61" TV is theirs. Not to mention sweet puppy love... But trouble arises as most of the parents declare they're coming to visit for Parent's Day! So, as Mud says, they begin to pull off the greatest scam of all time...

Unlike many other movies, every instant and adventure in fun and engaging. A really fun and enjoyable movie, especially during summer vacation.

(I saw it on a government station, so some parts might have been censored, though highly unlikely...)

could have been good
There was a possibility of a very good movie here with good acting, talented kids, etc. Unfortunately , as in many kids movies these days, the parents are stereotyped as blithering idiots, and the kids have to go it on their own. The cursing gets out of hand for a family movie, and gets worse as the movie continues. I didn't finish watching it. Christopher Lloyd is great though and it does have it's funny moments ( if you had TV Guardian to block all the foul language that is!)

the greatest
I've seen this movie a million times and I still love it. IT has such a cute plot jsut the idea goin away for the summer with no parents doin whatever gets u into the summer spirit

A review from thirtysomething
I have been reading the reviews, most of which are obviously written by teenagers or preteens.
My husband, also 30something, tuned into this on cable the other night. and we both sat and watched the whole thing. It's "Lord of the flies" set in modern day, but much more fun to watch.

Christopher Lloyd, best known as "Reverend Jim" on t.v. show Taxi, and "Doc Brown" in the Back to the Future movies is the only known star that shows up in most of the movie. He plays the authority figure throughout the film when the parents' aren't.

It's a "let's see how much we can get away with while the parents aren't looking" movie. and I have to admit, it was pretty cool..Both my husband and i were thinking: That is cool..I wish I could've done that. It's a fantasy for younger teens. Basically, some rich kids pool all their summer camp money together and create their own fantasy camp and their parents think that they are all at the camps they were originally supposed to go to for the summer: fat camp, computer camp, drama camp.. instead, it's just 'HAVE FUN ALL SUMMER camp..OR Camp Nowhere at some run down land that Lloyds' character finds.
The teens all come together and help Lloyd from going to jail.
It's a cute little film that certainly isn't one of the most classic of the teen genre, but certainly is entertaining enough.
A lot of silliness goes on, and eventually chaos!!! the parents want parents day..of course, they have to get caught eventually, right?
check it out... ... Read more

Description

Crime never sleeps. Neither does Will Dormer (AL PACINO), a veteran LAPD homicide detective sent north to Alaska to head a murder case. There his investigation is disrupted by an ever-shining Midnight Sun that wreaks sleep-depriving havoc on his body clock and brings Dormer's shady, guilt-plagued past into the light of day. ... Read more

Reviews (242)

A worthy follow up to Memento
Insomnia, director Chris Nolan's second full length feature, doesn't have the same gut-wrenching and mind-bending plot twists that his feature length debut, Memento, had, but does an excellent job telling an original and gripping detective mystery.

The pleasure of Insomnia is to be found in its rich cinematography, beautiful landscapes, and excellent performances. The movie is one of the most visually compelling pieces of filmmaking I have seen in years, creating surreal juxtapositions with the vast, harsh Alaskan landscape and with close-up shots of crime scene evidence. The amazing visual landscapes (both large and small) are used effectively by director Nolan to emphasize the films themes of isolation and overpowerment, of losing oneself within ones environment and in ones choices.

Insomnia's plot will disappoint those looking for a new Memento, in that it does not have the sort of turns of action and motivation that Memento does. Insomnia works well without elaborate plot twists, however, it's mood benefits from a certain lack of ambiguity of action, although the ending is perhaps a little to predictable and cliched. Insomnia would have benefited, however, from more ambiguity of motivation - while the acting is top notch, especially on the part of Robin Williams, the connections between the characters actions and their motivations and decisions is too closely drawn by the script.

Overall Insomnia is an excellent movie, and a good entry into the detective/suspense movie cannon. It suffers slightly from a couple of bad edits (in a movie filled with amazing editing and shooting) and from its desire to clearly spell out the principle characters motivations, but these minor flaws are more than redeemed by the director's excellent camerawork and sense of pacing, a strong script, and very solid acting performances. Insomnia is a must see movie, and a welcome change from the "blockbuster" summer movie scene of 2002.

INSOMNIA is a long way from being a snoozer
Hollywood seems to have a love affair with remakes. A few years back it was hip to remake French films, then it was film versions of old TV shows, and every year there seems to be a "Sequelitis" epidemic in multiplexes worldwide. But INSOMNIA offers a Hollywood rarity: This is a remake of a NORWEGIAN movie.
While my opening comments don't offer much hope for the film, INSOMNIA is actually a great movie once you get into it. Starring Oscar winners Al Pacino, Robin Williams and Hilary Swank, executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney and directed by Christopher Nolan director of the vastly overrated MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is a compelling mystery thriller.
When cop Will Dormer (Pacino) witnesses the murder of his partner, the prime suspect is mystery writer Walter Finch (Williams). But while Finch appears accommodating to the police, chronic insomniac Dormer finds himself receiving taunting calls from Finch in the middle of the night. Dormer's investigation leads him to a remote Alaskan town which never sees nightfall during the spring/summer seasons where he is partnered with local cop Ellie Burr (Hillary Swank). But with the combination of the continued threats from his unseen nemesis and the stress of the investigation, Dormer's sleeping disorder is wearing him down and disorientating him, making him an easier target.
Like MEMENTO, INSOMNIA is full of twists and is beautifully photographed. But thankfully unlike it, INSOMNIA has a plot that makes sense and keeps the viewer glued to the screen; but it is the strong characterisations by Pacino and Williams that make their cat-and-mouse game utterly compelling. I haven't seen the Norwegian version, but as far as remakes go its probably a pretty safe bet that INSOMNIA is in the upper ranks.

Falls Flat
This psychological thriller is based upon Norwegian writer Erik Skjoldbjaerg's novel of the same title. Al Pacino took a 4 year absence from acting before this film, and it's no surprise that this one broke him from his hiatus, as it has a great script and it stars two other Academy Award winning performers, Hillary Swank and Robin Williams.

Set in Alaska, this film is about Will Dormer, a veteran LA detective, played by Pacino. Dormer is sent with partner Hap Eckhart to investigate the grisly murder of a 17-year-old girl. At the same time, Dormer & Eckhart are being investigated by internal affairs for some suspicious police work, which Dormer believes Eckhart is about to spill the beans about.

The two colleagues are welcomed in Alaska by Ellie Burr (Hilary Swank), a policewoman who is also interested in solving this strange case. Dormer accidentally shoots his partner Eckhart, but knows how it will look if he confesses to the shooting, so he misleads them to believe that the suspect did the shooting and continues the investigation. The story goes through some interesting twists and turns from there on.

Three academy award winners in one movie that is based on a fantastic book with the same director as Memento seems like a sure winner, and it certainly did well at the box office, but it falls flat. Perhaps Swank and Pacino are afraid to upstage each other, as both their performances lack emotional depth and energy. Williams' performance is shockingly superb, however, as this role is a side of him not yet seen and he plays it very well. He finally shows he is a talented actor with more range than the Patch Adams and Mrs Doubtfire roles he usually takes. Williams' great performance can't save this film though, as it just doesn't get to the heart. The lack of emotional impact of it has is disappointing, as the criminal is more interesting and complex than the cops. The line fine they are creating between cop and criminal isn't lost on me, but Pacino's character is wooden and emotionally superficial and there's a void in the film where a great character should be.

This movie is proof that too many chefs spoil the cake, as too many great actors made what should have been a spectacular film into this mediocre film.

i was dissapointed
I expected this to be really good, but the potentially excellent film by Christopher Nolan was really hurt by the attitude of Al Pacino as a cop in Alaska. In his past few movies, he tries too hard to be young and savvy when he just needs to accept that he is aging. He tries to be cool in this and he is just retarded. Hilary Swank didn't do anything at all to make this movie any better. Robin Williams is the only bright spot in this movie. He is the reason for me giving this three stars. He can play a pretty good villain.

Robin's as the baddie
I guess nealy every actor plays a bad guy at some point. Williams has probably realized that he's pretty much plumbed the depths of comedic possibilies and its time to do some actual acting. He's surprisingly good. There's always been a kind of sad melancholic underside to William's comedy. Stand up comedy itself is a desperate plea for attention and acceptance. 98 % of this movie is the mano a mano mortal struggle between Pacino, the conflicted and tormented cop and Williams, the remorseless murderer. Formulaic but extremely well acted, directed and filmed. ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Dirty Dancing Havana Nights Is Amazing
Dirty Dancing Havana Nights is so good. I loved it. I saw it with my friend it was for our birthdays, and it was like the best birthbay ever. We saw it the day after it came out and then i saw it again a week later. Diego Luna the guy dancer whos name is Javier Suarez is amazing. He is such a good dancer and it so HOTT! Katey Miller the plays the girl dancer is also a really good dancer. Katey and Javier are so cute together. They really make it look like they are in love. Javier is so sweet, and he really respects Katey unlike the other guy James. The music in the movie is so good too. I bought the soundtrack right after i saw the movie. Dirty Dancing Havana Nights is like my favorite movie, and i highly recommend that you see it.

Awesome movie!
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights is one of the best movies I've seen in a long time. I have seen it 2x in the last 3 days. Diego Luna is a great actor besides the fact that he is very hot! He's my new fav actor. Romola Garai did a good job on this film. Their chemistry on screen is great and I am surprised that neither of them had any previous dancing experience and had to learn all of it. They did a great job! There are a couple lines that disrupted the intimate scenes, but overall it was a fantastic movie! Go see it if you haven't already but make sure you don't have expectations. It is nothing like the original. It's my new fav movie and I can't wait until it comes out on DVD!

Hot Dancing in Havana
I recently viewed the DVD Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and thought it was terrific! The dancing was extraordinary and the actors really made the scenes they were in come to life. I also thought it was a perk to have Patrick Swayze from the original movie,Dirty Dancing as a dance instructor in the movie. It is a must see movie and a must have in your DVD collection. The music was also sensational!

Horrible writing!
The only good things about this movie were the lead actors and the dancing. The writing was horrible and the background story was annoying. Despite all of this, I will buy the DVD. Im a sucker for sequel/series and it was a cute movie as long as you have no expectations past cute leads and fun dancing. The soundtrack is great, not very fitting to time/place of the film, but its got some good dancin music.

A Must See!
As a huge fan of the original Dirty Dancing, I prepared myself for a huge let down. I thought that in no way could this movie capture the magic that the first one did, but I was very wrong. Although, it really isn't a sequel, but rather more a re-write with a twist, it is a great movie worth seeing for anyone. The dance scenes were well done, and the acting was superb. The plot is great because first it deals with the problems that an interracial couple living in different social classes face and it also deals with the struggles that Cuba was facing at the time. If you are in the mode for a great, well told love story check this movie out! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent classic film based on classic novel
While classic films do not often live up to our cinematic aspirations, the strength of the story (which is based on the classic by Anthony Hope) makes this an exciting and enjoyable film.It is one of my all-time classic favorites, right up there with Beau Geste and Lawrence of Arabia, etc.It has all the necessary well-choreographed fight scenes and a compelling love story.The story is about a man who must pose as a drunken prince when the Prince is made too incapacitated to assume the throne.His nemesis plotted to take the throne but was foiled because he could not proclaim the imposter without revealing his scheme.The story follows from there.I highly recomend this.

JJ rules
I love this movie. It's also known as "Prisoners of Zenda, Inc" which is what i've known it to be. Jonathan Jackson put on a greatpreformance as two different characters. JJ is an amazing actor. ... Read more

Description

Will Reid (Treat Williams) is forced to confront the unthinkable…that his 18-year-old son may be a serial killer.But is his son truly guilty?Or is Will a paranoid, unstable man who for years has hidden secrets about his own past…especially about a fire that killed his wife.When a new love interest comes into his life (Linda Hamilton), secrets are revealed and questions are raised about what people are really capable of. ... Read more