Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

As revisionist history, Michael Mann's intelligent docudrama The Insider is a simmering brew of altered facts and dramatic license. In a broader perspective, however, the film (cowritten with Forrest Gump Oscar-winner Eric Roth) is effectively accurate as an engrossing study of ethics in the corruptible industries of tobacco and broadcast journalism. On one side, there is Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), the former tobacco scientist who violated contractual agreements to expose Brown & Williamson's inclusion of addictive ingredients in cigarettes, casting himself into a vortex of moral dilemma. On the other side is60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman (Al Pacino), whose struggle to report Wigand's story puts him at odds with veteran correspondent Mike Wallace (Christopher Plummer) and senior executives at CBS News.

As the urgency of the story increases, so does the film's palpable sense of paranoia, inviting favorable comparison to All the President's Men. While Pacino downplays the theatrical excess that plagued him in previous roles, Crow is superb as a man who retains his tortured integrity at great personal cost. The Insider is two movies--a cover-up thriller and a drama about journalistic ethics--that combine to embrace the noble values personified by Wigand and Bergman. Even if the details aren't always precise (as Mike Wallace and others protested prior to the film's release), the film adheres to a higher truth that was so blatantly violated by tobacco executives seen in an oft-repeated video clip, lying under oath in the service of greed. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (233)

Exceeding my expectation
I didn't go to the cinema to watch this movie because I thought it's 3 hours length would have put me to deep sleep. Then, I reasoned the imposssibility of a director to dwell on an issue for 3 hours when we already knew beforehand that smoking is bad for you. Well, I will have to put my hands up in air & admitted defeat as this movie is compelling to watch. It could be the tightness of the script, the intensities of the main characters; played so well by Al Pacino, Russell Crowe (with his new found American accent), Christopher Plummer (a far cry from his Sound of Music day); brilliant directions by Mann; or semi documentary format of the movie. I had watched his previous offerings such as The Last of the Mohicans, Heat but The Insider would have to be my all-time favourite. I admired Wigand's bravery for standing up against the big giant corporation amid losing everything that he's owned, the loyalty of the Producer of 60 minutes for not hanging out Wigand to dry. Whilst it's true that in real life, that might not be the whole truth but the ideal is definitely worth reminding. One thing that niggled me would be Mann's usage of same actor & actress in his other movie such as Al Pacino (who could fault him?) & also the lady who played his wife in Heat, who played Wigand's wife in this movie. Highly recommended. Wide screen format is an extra bonus.

Of Smoke, Mirrors...and Truth
I enjoy a well acted and well written movie, especially if it's a true story, and most especially if the story is based upon a newsworthy event. For me, "The Insider" delivers on all accounts! I found myself completely captivated by this film from start to finish. It combines a compelling true story, sparkling performances by an all-star ensemble cast, an outstanding screenplay filled with sharp, crackling dialog, a beautifully haunting musical score, and cinematography which is darkly brooding. All add up to a taut and suspenseful real-life thriller.

This is the riveting tale of how the lives of two men - Jeffrey Wigand, the famous tobacco industry "whistleblower," and Lowell Bergman, a producer for CBS News' "60 Minutes" - become suddenly entwined in the maelstrom of one of the most controversial political and social issues of the mid-1990s: the conspiracy by American tobacco companies to enhance the addictive properties of cigarettes, and then cover up that conspiracy. It is the story of how one lone "whistleblower" publicly exposed the secret actions of the tobacco industry, and endured his enemies' public vilification for his efforts. It's also the story of how one of America's greatest and most respected news organizations, when confronted by the truth of that "whistleblower's" information, betrayed its own journalistic principles in the face of a threatened lawsuit by the tobacco industry.

This film abounds with superlative acting. Al Pacino delivers yet again a stunning performance as Lowell Bergman, the self-assured, still idealistic-after-all-these-years CBS News producer. Russell Crowe, nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Jeffrey Wigand, richly texturizes his character - in part a tormented soul, in part an easy to dislike cynical tough guy, and in part a dreamy idealist. Christopher Plummer brings a perfect blend of shirty arrogance and pomposity to the character of Mike Wallace. Other performances of note include Diane Venora as Liane Wigand; Philip Baker Hall as CBS News boss Don Hewitt; and Michael Gambon as Brown and Williamson CEO Thomas Sandefur.

If you enjoy an intelligent, fact-based movie, one that is unafraid to confront real and controversial issues, and one delivers a powerful message, you will most definitely enjoy "The Insider." It is a movie that I will view and savor...over and over again!

Saved My Life
Dear reader, I was a 5 packs a day man when the insider moved my insides and thus forced a desion from within my soul barren to quit this awful fart inhalation. Well I didn't quit but I changed from a Brown and Williamson product to a Philip Morris product and I now smoke the great Marlboro Reds(recommend by me).

But in our hazen discovery of the truth lest us not neglect our shakeperian duty to rise and fall like an empire of sand, liquid sand. dissolving me and you and the constipation and lts us have our deeply desired laxative, yes dear reader, a laxative is what THE INSIDER reminded me of and it is the best laxative of 1999. But crowe has acne, but I dug venora you know.

A superb thriller!
"The Insider" starts out slowly, but with arresting gravity, and snakes its way into a riveting, superb thriller. The acting is magnificent, the direction superb, the pacing precise, and the dialog riveting. It's a long movie, but you can't stop watching it. Everyone involved should be congratulated, for this is the telling of a complex story on film that captures multiple layers, human pathos, and modern paranoia, all equally effectively. A MUST SEE!

Doesn't really go inside
Quick camera movements and hushed dialog heighten the claustrophobia and paranoia faced by Russel Crowe, the putative hero of "The Insider". A former scientist for a cigarette manufacturer. Crowe's Jeff Wigand is already an outsider in the first few frames, and on the verge of losing a severance package negotiated to keep him silent about the workings of his ex-employer's marketing tactics. Al Pacino, a producer for 60 Minutes proves, at about the same time, that he's not afraid to put his personal saftey on the line for the story. Christopher Plummer is a surpisingly effective Mike Wallace. Unfortunately, this account of the dirty tricks the cigarette makers will stoop to to hide business practices that ensure continued addiction to smoking is undone by its own murky paranoia - just how do these menacing guys manage to hold onto their political power the way nicotine holds onto smokers? Least convincing is speed with which the editorial staff at "60 Minutes" caves into corporate pressure to dump the story. It's never really explained how guys who regularly face-off against government bureaucrats, corporate honchos and the leaders of terrorist factions in the darkest corners of the new century crumble like a house of cards before big tobacco. The film, by never explaining the stranglehold of the cigarette industry implicitly supports them - that the "big" in big-tobacco is a myth created by the self-righteous of the media and government to explain their own inability to deal with America's nicotine problems.

For all its murkiness, the film remains evocative, a collection of great scenes, like Crowe's epiphany in a hotel room, and Pacino's giving a hotel attendant long-distance instruction in the art of talking like Al Pacino. Remember this as the movie in which TV action fixture Wings Hauser played a lawyer for the tobacco industry. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The best way to enjoy this 1997 thriller is to forget the much better film that inspired it (1973's The Day of the Jackal) and get whatever kicks you can from this heavy-metal remake. It's not bad as hokey thrillers go, but all of the original film's suspenseful finesse has been traded in (not traded up) for bigger, bolder action and nonsensical plotting. It's as if Hollywood had forgotten to create excitement without resorting to overblown action and heavy hardware, but there's ample compensation in the casting of Bruce Willis and Richard Gere. Willis is the elusive assassin known only as the Jackal, whose latest target (he uses a cannon-sized gun that's anything but inconspicuous) may be the first lady of the United States. Gere plays a former IRA terrorist who is recruited by the deputy head of the FBI (Sidney Poitier) to trace the Jackal's maneuvers, and Diane Venora offers some gutsy support as a Russian-born agent who assists Gere on his mission. The movie has fun turning Willis into a master of disguise, and Gere adds much-needed gravity to counter the plot's escalating absurdity, but this is the kind of film that falls apart if you think about it too much. Still, that doesn't stop the Collector's Edition DVD from offering an impressive array of bonus features, including a director's commentary, a "making of The Jackal" documentary, deleted scenes, an alternative ending, cast interviews, and more. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (88)

This really ain't a bad movie...
Okay, here we go. Bruce Willis stars as some assassin called "The Jackal" who has to blow the first ladies' head right off. Then, the F.B.I. finds out about this whole operation from a Russian who was zapped by the K.G.B. so they have no other choice but to release an ex-I.R.A. sharp-shooter named Declan Mulqueen. What's that? You expected more?! Oh, no, no, no. That is the entire plot. And although it sounds like a crappy plot that has more or less been done about a million times, The Jackal is truly a great film. I consider it to be the 2nd greatest action film of 97 (The first being Face/Off of course). I really would have given the film 5 stars had it not been for the boring lovey-dovey scenes between Richard Gere and the two women in this flick who carry a gun. His old girlfriend (who is a great shot.) and Major Valentina Koslova (played and voiced with a pretty good Russian accent by Diane Verona). But I'd have to say that the best thing about this movie is the way-cool, too-good-to-be-true music score! Carter Burwell did the music for the movie (he also did the great score to "Fargo"). So, if you haven't seen this movie yet...go rent it! And if you're a real die-hard-action-movie-lover...go buy this movie right now!!! You won't be disappointed!!!

great performances all around make this great movie
Another remake, a great movie - Day of the Jackal with the brilliant Edward Fox - so I tended to cringe in anticipation, but surprisingly this film scores a bullseye because of solid performances from Richard Gere, Bruce Willis, Sidney Poitier, Mathilda May (Lifeforce) but most especially from Diana Devora (the 13th Warrior, FX).

Gere plays Declan Mulqueen, an IRA terrorist who is in prison. He and Mathilda May were former lovers and worked with Willis, but he betrayed them. Diana Devora is a Russian intelligence officer, Valentina Koslova. She is working with Carter Preston US intelligence officer (Sidney Poitier) in taking down Russian Mafia. Only the Mafia wants to strike back and send the Jackal - Willis - on a assassination to make a statement by killing the First Lady. Devora and Poitier get Gere out of English jail, on a temporary leave, to help track down Willis. Willis is a master of disguise, so only Gere stands a chance of tracking him down before he completes his mission.

It's fast paced, yet leisurely plots Willis preparations for the kill. Well done from start to finish. Not better than the original, but just as enjoyable. Excellent soundtrack as well.

A Movie That Should Be More Popular
I personally love this movie. This movie features Bruce Willis as the Jackal, an assassin hired to kill a high level U.S. Government official. The Jackal has many identities, costumes, and contacts to help him along the way. The FBI, obviously trying to stop the Jackal before he kills, turn to the one type of person most unlikely to help them.... a terrorist. Deklin Moqueen, played well by Richard Gere, is enlisted to stop the Jackal due to their past history together. There are some shocking twists and turns along the way before the end. The end result is a movie that is unnecessarily being torn apart by critics, but will always have a nice spot in my DVD collection.

Note: Jack Black makes an appearance in this movie. This is one of the first movies I remember seeing him in. I won't give away what happens to him, but it definitely left an imprint in my mind.

Edge of Your Seat Suspense
Bruce Willis really is believable as the legendary Assassin by the name of the Jackal. This movie takes you from Europe to the USA to Canada and back. There are so many scenes where you bristle with anxiety due to Willis' intense manner.

This may be the best Willis performance ever. The movie is violent, yet, it is to an extreme, not gorey violence but it reflects the violent nature of the legend. Richard Gere is cast well, a little less believable than Willis, yet he does a good job of being intense in tracking Carlos the Jackal. The issue here is what will Jackal do next? Can he be stoppped?

Jack Black plays a very believable role of a somewhat bystander who meets a very violent end. You may want to close your eyes for that one.

I recommend not drinking any caffiene before this movie because it creates an edge right from the beginning. What was telling to me was that every interaction that Willis has creates tension, whether or not he is violent, you feel he may be at any time.

This movie of course is not for everyone yet it is not an action thriller that is silly in nature with gratuitous violence. It seems more of a lesson of the violent nature of the worst criminals in the world.

Use Once & Destroy
Not too good, not too bad, "The Jackal" is one of those average action movies that brings nothing new but it`s a competent and mildly pleasant product nonetheless. The plot is derivative and predictable, the characters are bland, yet director Michael Caton-Jones chooses some decent actors (Bruce Willis, Richard Gere), a neat soundtrack (Massive Attack, Primal Scream, Moby) and some decent action sequences that manage to deliver a minimum level of entertainment value. As far as popcorn movies go, there`s certainly worse, so this is a fair choice to spend a couple of mind-numbing hours.
Watchable but forgettable. ... Read more

Reviews (75)

NOW, THAT'S HOW YOU MAKE A SEQUEL!!!!!!
The timing of this film's release was perfect. Ten days after the September 11th attacks. I saw The Omega Code when it was released in theaters in 1999 and bought it on DVD. I liked it very much. I also saw Megiddo twice in theaters (especially the day it opened - with my god-sister) and was thoroughly impressed. Although, I haven't read The Bible as much as I should have, the parts of Revelation that I did read (especially the rise and fall of the Anti-Christ) were visually depicted (as far as I'm concerned) with almost perfection in this film. I also knew (when seeing this film) that TBN had to have a storyline and put a touch of "Hollywood" to draw the type of attention needed. It has the makings of a great Christian movie with characters quoting scriptures from The Bible as well as the protagonist (played by Michael Biehn) going to GOD in prayer seeking guidance. The Anti-Christ (played convincingly by Michael York) challenges GOD and deceives the world by convincing everyone that he's all for peace and humanity in "the new world". When that challenge is made, GOD's wrath immediately goes into action. Before I saw The Omega Code and Megiddo, I was thoroughly convinced that somewhere someone knows how to get to the missing books of The Bible and that this person or beast is controlling all governments of this world. Think about it. While both films may not touch every issue in the books of Daniel and Revelation, it does manage to interject the word of GOD and the fact that Jesus is Lord. The special effects are pretty cool. And to think that the devil is 1,000,000+infinity uglier than the visual depiction in this film scares the hell out of me. The depiction in the film sent chills throughout my anatomy everytime I saw this film and still does. I like the fact that this film relies heavily on storytelling rather than an all-out special effects extravaganza. The second time I saw this film was after church and, like the first time I saw it, had me as well as others praising GOD and saying/shouting "Hallelujah" when the devil finally bow down and admits that Nazarene is Lord right before being cast down into the firey pits of Hell and chained. The praises got even louder when the scripture from Revelation appeared on the screen. I bought the DVD for this film and was not disappointed at all. My mother (she only saw the second half of the film) and I watched it last night and we both were very much into the film. I will play it again so that my parents and I can enjoy the film in its entirety. I've also told my extended family members (you know, very close friends) about this film as well as The Omega Code. I told them to see both films. As a matter of fact, I recommended both films to a friend of mine who happens to work in the CD/Video/DVD department at Best Buy (thus, having seen the Megiddo title in stock but have not seen the movie). Now, he's going to at least rent or buy it on VHS. I'm also recommending both films to whomever is reading my review for Megiddo. Buy it!!!! Buy it!!!! By it!!!! The film is truly a message from GOD.

A Little Surprised.
Kudos to the producers and writers of this screenplay who managed to avoid the pit-falls of this movie's predecessor - Omega Code. Production values, greatly increased in this attempt, and a human story-line which lasts virtually throughout the first 2/3's of the movie, help to carry it along. More sophisticated writing, editing and directing make the experience far more engaging, while the holes in plot and realism (still present on occasion) are kept to a minimum. While the "Omega Code" suffered greatly from hammy acting, "Megiddo" stars shine, including the performances of each actor who played the Beast at various ages (with deference to Michael York's wonderful portrayal), a superb performance by Gabrielle (the Beast's Christian wife) and young David (brother to the Beast). For technical quality, the first half of the movie seems to have shaken the problems inherant to "Omega." The score was greatly and pleasantly improved the first half, yet regressed the latter during heightened battle scenes. While the final battle scene is visually anti-climatic and long, the anticipated destination of the Beast keeps genuine interest till the end. "Megiddo" may be the best blatantly "Christian" work to date and is worth the trip for the story. Don't go expecting it to be incredible, but perhaps maybe a little surprised.

Just as believable as any other christian fairy tale
More offal from the TBN money machine that operates on the guilt and fear of the unintelligent.

D-list actors, horrid script, clunky direction, cable-access quality cinematography - all I can say for it was the crappy special effects were kind of fun if you like that sort of thing.

"the battle for the souls of men"
This possible scenario of the Last Days is outrageously entertaining, with a script that delights after many viewings, and some fine performances.
It starts in 1960: Stone Alexander (the anti-christ) is the son of a media magnate, a horrid child who almost succeeds in immolating his baby brother. Ten years pass and we see him as a young (meaner and leaner) cadet, and then 25 years later, he appears as a full-blown menace, in the form of Michael York. Ten more years pass, and as the Chancellor of the United World Union, York makes the most of this part, and has some delicious dialogue; there is his sacrament, "This is my flesh, made foul with sin, etc...", and best of all, in a speech in Africa, where he is like Jimmy Swaggart in his heyday, with the words twisted inside-out. It is a brilliant piece of scripting and acting.

Others in the cast that are noteworthy are Diane Venora, an actress who has never received her dues, is wonderful as Stone's wife, Michael Biehn is good as his brother, the president of the U.S., Udo Kier lurks about as "The Guardian", and R.Lee Ermey is marvelous as President Benson.
There are lovely scenes of Rome, and some of the sets are clever, like the old diner with a sign that reads "Hamburger $ 15.00, with cheese, $ 20.00". Nothing like world chaos to bring about a little inflation.
Not all the effects and battle scenes are believable, and it is far from being a "movie masterpiece", but if you are interested in Bible prophesy plots, this is a film that is fascinating as well as a loads of fun.

TBN, please make a better film on the end of the world!!
This is TBN's second attempt at telling the story of how the anti-christ comes to power and it's really quite bad.

The anti-christ also known as Stone Alexander, (played by a wide-eyed Michael York in overacting mode). Meanwhile his brother David, (Michael Biehn) is also high up in government and is also in love with his brother's wife, (Gabriella Francini).

Now the film started off well enough, watching a young anti-christ at school brought back memories of the Omen, that is where all simulat but it soon degenerates into melodrama and suffers from a very poor script and uninspired acting. I really did not care for the characters either which is important in this kind of film.

Now don't get me wrong, I as a christian enjoy a good movie about the end of the world, but it needs to have a good story to work out. And as with Omega Code, the ending is ridiculous, unless your in the know you would not know that Jesus has returned, the cheesy cgi devil just yells out "the nazerene", for some obscure reason. There is so much great material in the book of revelation, if the filmakers would use that as the basis and write the story around the events described there it could be sensational. I hear on the grapevine that there is a mini-series out soon on t.v. on revelation that is written by the same guy who wrote the Omen, that fills me with a little hope. Until then, steer clear of this one and check out "Revelation", by cloud ten pictures or "the Omen", "Left Behind 1 and 2." or better yet read the book!!

TBN seem to have a penchant for making bad films and seem to get the christian message distorted, "Omega Code", "the Champion" and now "Megiddo" all suffer the same fate.

Thanks for reading my review and have a good day. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Intriguing but a disappointment
Jazz aficionado Clint Eastwood's admiration for the legendary Charlie Parker is evident throughout "Bird," but it can't overcome a script that dwells on the great musician's self-destructive drug use at the expense of his musicianship. Why did Charlie Parker die at such a young age? The film answers that question rather explicitly. Why was Charlie Parker great? "Bird" tends to fumble when addressing that question. Still, Eastwood captures the smoky ambiance of Parker's nocturnal world very well, and the music is hard to fault. Though it is ultimately a disappointment, "Bird" is worth a look for admirers of both the director and his subject.

A MASTERPIECE OF JAZZ AND DRUG FILM NOIR.
Wow, I can't believe the negative reviews for this MASTERPIECE by Clint Eastwood. Being a big fan of Jazz, I've owned this film for many years in more than one incarnation, and have watched it more times than I care to tally.

Many reviewers said it's overly dark. Yep. Jazz musicians spend most of their time in dark smoke-filled nightclubs. So does BIRD. This is a great MOOD PIECE. It could also be called FILM NOIR.

Many said it doesn't establish why Charlie Parker was one of the greats of Jazz. In one particularly brilliant scene of writing in this film, Parker is talking about himself and the legend of BIRD to Red Rodney, partner in Jazz and fellow heroin addict. He talks about "going inside the melody" of Cherokee, a song he had played many times and was tired of doing. Parker decides to go around the melody with little notes and discovers his style. Thus, a whole new form of music called Be Bop is born. A superb scene.

Many reviewers said it dwelt too heavily on the negative aspects of Parker's drug abuse. This is true. However, heroin played a significant part in early Jazz music in this country. Heavily significant. A majority of the best and brightest Jazz stars were plagued by addiction for many years. Read Miles Davis' autobiography. He lists them all. Eastwood recognizes this in a scene where Parker is in Paris and is debating whether to return to the States. A fellow sideman is trying convince him to stay in France where he can make a decent living. SIDEMAN: "You can't make no living playing Jazz in the States." BIRD: "Dizz can. Duke can." SIDEMAN: "Well you ain't Dizz. And you certainly ain't Duke." BIRD: "So I kick." The Sideman laughs uproariously. BIRD: "I can kick." The Sideman laughs harder. The point of this exchange: the only successful Jazzmen are Duke and Dizzy because they may be the only ones not hooked on heroin. Subtle writing. A brilliant exchange that conveys so much about the world of Jazz. For some Jazz musicians, heroin was used in a creative context whether people will admit that or not. And drug and alcohol abuse DID kill Charlie Parker. Artists can be extremely self-destructive human beings.

Some said it wasn't accurate. Many film biopics use composite characters for dramatic effect and change some history for storytelling purposes. Films can't possibly contain a person's whole history. It's not possible. But BIRD conveys Parker's fame and troubles with amazing grace and skill.

Yes, BIRD is dark and depressing. It is also a brilliantly realized ART FILM. However, the timeline can be very confusing. I screened this for a friend, who was lost in the flashbacks. He did however, enjoy the film.

Another thing I love about the script, is that it portrays Charlie Parker as an articulate and eloquent man, as many Jazz musicians were at the time and still are. (Wynton Marsalis comes to mind.) Even in "the midst of my disorientation," Parker remains articulate. One of my favorite lines of dialogue is when Parker is waking up on the floor after passing out in a wealthy patron's house. She explains to him that he has passed out, and Parker retorts from the floor, "Very undignified of me." BEAUTIFUL WRITING.

I just had to chime in, because this film is an overlooked TREASURE. Forest Whitaker gives us probably the most amazing death scene I've ever witnessed on film. He should have won the Oscar for his performance. It was shamefully overlooked. Diane Venora is superb as are the rest of the cast. And as for Clint Eastwood; this is without a doubt, HIS BEST FILM. And one of my all time favorite flicks. Thanks Clint, for giving me many hours of enjoyment, and taking me back to a time I wish I had lived through, with this WORK OF ART. YOU are a TRUE JAZZ LOVER.

If YOU are A TRUE LOVER OF JAZZ or A TRUE LOVER OF FILM ART, YOU MUST SEE THIS POIGNANT PIECE OF JAZZ HISTORY. THIS IS SUPERLATIVE MOVIEMAKING.

This Bird doesn't fly
This movie was a disappointment for me. I had hoped to learn about a creative musician's life but that is not the story here. The acting is great but the threads of plot are just too disconnected. I suspect those who love this film know Mr. Parkers life so well that the holes in the story don't keep them in the dark the way I felt. Clint Eastwood directs this movie like my 15 year old son who doesn't understand how to show me something that he knows really well and I don't. That's the feeling I had watching this movie.

Unless you know Charlie Parkers life very well I'd pass on this movie.

Never forgot it
Forrest Whittaker is one of the best actors in Hollywood. It's a shame we don't see more of him but he had a triumph with Bird. Some critics have said it wasn't completely accurate. That's true. Bird spent his adult life as an addict and there's nothing romantic or touching about that. Bird's relationship with Chan wasn't as portrayed in the film but the full, unfiltered story of his life would've been more than most audiences could bear. This is the "lite" version, kind of like Lady Sings the Blues but it's still a great film that gives you an idea of it's subject's genius and it well worth the money.

Warning - DVD does not play in computers
I saw this movie a long time ago and liked it. Unfortunately,
the DVD is "copy protected" and will not play on most
computers unless you have CSS cracking software. Too bad.
I don't want to buy a DVD player just to watch a few DVD's
so I play them on my computer. But not this one. ... Read more

Reviews (370)

Movie sizzle.. DVD extras fizzle...
HEAT is one of the best crime dramas ever made! Director Michael Mann's saga is simply a tried and true tale of good versus evil. Al Pacino plays an L.A. cop, who leads a team, that is hot on the trail of a band of criminals. The bad guys are led by mastermind Robert De Niro. Mann tells the epic with such precision and skill, that it is just flawless, from start to finish. Even though Pacino and De NIro do not share much screen time, the film has so much going on, that it almost does not matter. When the two mega-stars do act in the same scene, everything crackles with intensity, that is is almost palpable. The supporting cast is first rate. Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Tom Sizemore, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, and JonVoight lead the way into putting this film in the "classic" catagory

The DVD is a major disappointment, due to the lack of any extras, save for a trailler and production info. I wish those in charge would consider a special edition reissue soon. The movie is a winner despite the DVD sans extras and should be part of anyone's film collection. Warner Home Entertainment GET CRACKING on HEAT 2 disc set!

Buy It!
This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!

fantastic
this movie has some of the best acting i've ever seen. the plot is great and the action scenes are also great. the dvd i'm reviewing now lacks extras, but a special edition is supposed to come out later this year. some might not like it being three hours, but i think the three hours i spent watching were well worth it.

The best!
Great flick.....perhaps the best car chase scenes and most "tactically correct" fire and maneuver sequences ever filmed. Outstanding plot and great acting.

Long, but good
Pacino, De Niro, Kilmer, Voight all in one movie. Isn't that great? It is. This cop movie is not bad at all, especially the story and the personalities are well developed.

Pacino is sometimes a little too rude and the movie takes too long with 2 hrs and 45 minutes.

Still worth seeing if you have the sitting-flesh. ... Read more

Reviews (261)

Wonderful movie....mediocre DVD...
This is the film version of Michael Crichton's book EATERS OF THE DEAD. Told through the eyes of a young Arab ambassador Ahmahd ibn Fahdalan (Antonio Banderas) this is basically a retelling of one of literature's classic epics, Beowulf. Fahadalan is banished from his homeland for loving the wrong woman. On his journeys he meets up with some Norsemen and joins their encampment (look for Omar Sheriff in a small part as Translater.)

When they hear of trouble on one of their lands, the norsemen consult their oracle who tells them that 13 warriors must confront the evil (and of course the 13th chosen man must not come from the north). Thus Fahdalan is coerced into joining their ranks. What follows is a thrilling action/adventure Beowulf style as the group tries to battle against insurmountable odds to defeat the cannabilistic "Eaters of the Dead".

Besides from being well written adventure, it is a wonderful glimpse into norse culture and mythology. John McTiernan shows us a time filled with brave but very human characters where fealty to your lord and land meant everything -- where fighting for the greater good was more important than any one man's life. This is a story of courage and survival that is at times mesmeririzing to watch.

It's main weakness is that it was unanble to fit in all the nuances and relationshop complexities that the book described so well. Many key definative moments and characterizations (most notably the cultures of the norsemen and their relationship with their new arab "little brother") are lost or edited out. This I believe was not so much the fault of the director but of the studio who rushed to get the film released. My other complaint is with the DVD version of the film, which SHOULD have included an audio commentary of some kind, and preferably some of the deleted scenes which would have developed the film more thoroughly. This it is worth seeing for fans of epic adventure and mythology. Here's hoping for a Director's cut of The 13th Warrior to be released soon.....

John McTiernan's The 13th Warrior
Loosely based on Michael Crichton's novel "Eaters of the Dead," this is a triumph in the pre-gun action film genre.

Antonio Banderas plays an Arab who joins up with twelve Viking warriors recruited to fight what seems to be a band of cannibalistic monsters who are wiping out whole villages in the Norse land. Along the way, Banderas learns their language and begins to help the warriors, who doubt his fighting abilities because of his small horse and smaller sword. After repelling an attack, the warriors decide to track the cannibals back to their cave, where they kill a priestess. After making it back to their adopted village, they wait for the climactic, gory, and vengeful battle.

I think I liked this movie so much because it jumped feet first into the mayhem, and yet kept the picture centered around Banderas and the warriors. "Jurassic Park III" jumped into the mayhem, but then started killing characters off so fast, you did not care. Here, Banderas provides a solid anchor to the film, and his compatriots are very likeable.

Another plus: no forced romance. Banderas has a purely physical fling, but we do not have a Viking fall in love with a cannibal (ouch!) or Banderas discovering his paramour in his saddlebag at the battle so she can prove even women can fight people eaters. The story is very straightforward, think of it as a remake of "The Magnificent Seven" crossed with "Quest for Fire." Another plus is the fact that the Vikings do not suddenly invent the world's first grenade or a machine gun that shoots horse dung. They have swords and arrows. They fight with swords and arrows.

The location filming in British Columbia is breathtaking. The movie is very cloudy, dark, and grim, and this works. Jerry Goldsmith's score enhanced the creepiness of every scene, and McTiernan proves he can direct some excellent action film that have more behind them than just explosions (like the first "Die Hard", although avoid "Nomads").

I think the studio marketing department screwed up this film. I expected a weak comedy about peace lover Banderas trying not to fight in a war. The ad campaign never mentioned who the enemy was, or even what time period this took place in. I think action and Crichton fans will be impressed with this film. I know I was. I highly recommend "The 13th Warrior."

This is rated (R) for strong physical violence, strong gore, mild profanity, and adult situations.

Fantastic movie that could have been even better
This movie had the makings of an epic film that could have given competition to Lord of the Rings. It was a classic tale, with good casting and great costumes. The Viking band was reminiscient of the Seven Samurai or the Magnificent Seven. It was a little bit of a letdown when you realized the evil monsters were really just a bunch of cannibals, but they still turned out to be quite a challenge for the group of heroes. Had they not cut out so much of this movie, it would have been great, instead of just really good.

A definite buy. You will enjoy watching this one over and over again.

Great movie, but missing alot.
I saw this movie maybe 8 times on the TV and once in the movies theatre. I really loved the bad ass Viking characters. They were big, tough, and smart. One thing that appealed to me is that they wore armor from different places around the world (rome, spain, germany,etc), and even under danger they were always laughing. BUt just like the book (eaters of the dead) the characters werent explored. ya heres Ewogoth, kills a bunch of guys, then dies. There is little depth to the characters or the nordic ways. Both of those are what i want. And yet for some reason i really like this movie.

Intelligent, Imaginative, Well-informed, Well-interpreted
Anyone at all familiar with Anglo-Saxon literature, especially Beowulf, the Norse Sagas and the account of Ibn Fadlan, will quickly understand that this is a superior and intellectually sophisticated piece of creative film-making. Although it telescopes history from the 6th to about the 13th century, and throws in quite a chunk of what at best might have been folk-memory from a far earlier millenium, this doesn't bother me. It scores heavily in the accurate realization of the social values and fatalistic life philosophy of this period. Particularly good is the extreme pithiness of these Northeners' take on life. Let's be clear on this: these men were amazingly tough, but they weren't stupid, they were generous in spirit, and they had high concepts when it came to how a man should conduct himself. They just didn't believe in wasting words, or indulging in a lot of useless clever talk. They lived their lives in a harsh environment, at the very edge of a totally untamed natural world. The characters are excellently acted, and the direction is highly skilled. The location was effectively atmospheric, although a little too North American to be convincing --- the Denmark of Beowulf is in fact almost dead flat, although the idea of a cave behind a waterfall was imported from Iceland. The language question was very deftly handled. I didn't know they were speaking Gaelic, which somebody wrote, but they were certainly speaking Danish and Norwegian at times. Virtually all Northeners during this age could understand each other, although they would have spoken with varying accents. It seems tragic that the footage has obviously been mindlessly mutilated by what must have been a bunch of utter morons, the equivalent of all the dullards who have panned the film. Far too much is left unexplained and unresolved: the role of the nasty fellow called Unferth in Beowulf, for instance. I would very much like to see everything totally restored as the director originally intended it. It looks like almost an hour's worth has been chopped away. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kevin Kline directs and stars in this first-rate production of Shakespeare's most famous play. Originally produced by Joseph Papp for the New York Shakespeare Festival, this version was adapted by Kline and television director Kirk Browning for PBS. While one occasionally longs for the live audience reaction, the television production does offer the advantage of seeing Hamlet with close-ups. The design is beautiful, with sets full of dark, gloomy halls and characters in elegant modern dress. Kline's interpretation of Hamlet is an enjoyably accessible one; he never lets melancholy obscure Hamlet's wit. Veteran stage actress Dana Ivey is an excellent Gertrude, pliable without ever straying over into idiocy. This production is equally enjoyable as an introduction to Hamlet or as a fresh interpretation for those long familiar with the tale. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (7)

From the Broadway theater archive
William Shakespeare's Hamlet directed and starring Kevin Kline.

We have seen this play many times, sometimes abridged, and many adoptions by various artists and groups, such as Sir Laurence Oliver, Richard Burton, Dame Judith Anderson, Nicol Williamson, Richard Chamberlain, Derek Jacobi, Campbell Scott, Mel Gibson, even (icky poo) Ethan Hawke. Each brings a unique plus that makes it hard to say which is best. And threatened to be played by Shelley Long in "Outrageous Fortune"

That said Kevin Kline is top notch. One attribute is that this version seemingly uncut is spoken clear. Maybe because it is a stage version filmed close enough that they did not have to shout.

When Kevin builds up in the close-up you forget all the trivial things like Hamlets age. And you actually feel that you are there.

Prince Hamlet loses his father the king. It is unnerving to him that his mother should marry his uncle so soon that the funeral baked meat set the wedding table. Then comes the shocker. His father's ghost suggested that the uncle and wife did him in while asleep. How will hamlet handle this news and what consequence will it have on the people around him?

A fine and personal (not political) Hamlet
No filmed version of "Hamlet" is entirely satisfying. The play is too rich to be reduced to a single definitive interpretation. But Kevin Kline's production of the more accessible of Shakespeare's two greatest tragedies ("King Lear" is equally great but sparer and more difficult) is one of the better versions available. Hamlet may be the most intelligent and verbally-skilled character ever written, and sometimes the wit and depth of his lines can obscure the real tragedy of his situation. Kline plays the character as deeply sad as well as intelligent. His reading of the "To be or not to be" soliloquy, for example, is masterful: we witness someone who is not just considering suicide as an intellectual puzzle, but is despairing enough to be seriously considering it. This is a human and emotional Hamlet, in contrast to Branagh's (who even in the worst straits seems almost to be enjoying himself), Gibson's (alternately frightened and enraged), Williamson (existentially disgusted), or Olivier's (weak and indecisive, and in my opinion the only indefensible choice here).

Kline has some wonderful bits of "business," too: tearing the page out of the book and sticking it on Polonius's forehead, pointing to the book after Polonius hears him say "tedious old fools" as if he is merely reading, clasping Rosencrantz and Guildenstern's heads to his chest once he has decided he cannot trust them -- all very clever. (However, the scene were he dangles Ophelia like a puppet is a bit overdone.) Laertes cutting Hamlet on the hand during a break is a good choice too (Laertes should not be able to lay a glove on Hamlet without cheating). On the other hand, Kline's version of Hamlet's feigned madness seems quieter than the "antic disposition" the character claims he will "put on."

The rest of the cast is not as strong, unfortunately. Josef Summer captures Polonius's egotism and foolishness, but we get no sense of the cunning that has made him a power at court. Diana Venora plays Ophelia with a little too much self-awareness and resignation for her mad scene to be believable when it arrives. Dana Ivey is a fine Gertrude, but the role is not one of the play's strengths. Worst of all, Brian Murray hardly registers as Claudius, who can be played as purely evil, as tormented by guilt, as a decadent drunkard, or even as a reluctant murderer, but here is a puffed non-entity.

Most productions of "Hamlet" make cuts, and Kline's choice is to remove all the politics. An actor is listed playing Fortinbras, but I cannot remember him (though it has been a few months since I have watched this version). We neither see nor hear much about him, which robs the play of some of its power: Hamlet, Fortinbras, and Laertes are three men in the same position; their differing responses -- respectively that of the Renaissance philosopher and poet, the modern military man, and the hothead -- provide one of the most basic themes of the play.

But "Hamlet" is not merely a personal or family play; it is also a play about nations, about the damage a ruler of bad character does to a country's reputation. As the gravedigger tells us, Hamlet was born the day his father slew the elder Fortinbras; Hamlet's life exactly spans the period of Denmark's ascendancy over Norway. In a sense, he is born to remedy a cosmic error. All of that is gone (as are other more minor but still missed elements such as the character of Reynaldo, and some of the comments on acting and the theatre). Fortunately, Kline rejects any facile Freudianism, such as we see in the Gibson/Zeffireli version.

The staging is simple. About the most you can say of it is that neither it nor the costumes distract us from the acting. The lighting, however, is quite elegant, and the camera work intimate without causing claustrophobia.

Overall and despite its flaws, Kline's "Hamlet" remains a skillful and moving effort, ennobled by the actor's sensitive and thoughtful portrayal of literature's first and greatest modern man.

Superb drama-Kline is the very soul of Hamlet!
Though I'm one who often perceives other reviews at this site to be injudiciously overated, I give 5 stars to this version of Shakespeare's most famous play without hesitation or reserve. Kevin Kline's direction is inpired by the emotion and wit of the words, and his acting performance is nothing short of the finest I've ever witnessed, and I've seen many. Please yourself, be a witness to excellence, buy it!

Kevin Kline's ambitious Hamlet shines.
William Shakespeare's HAMLET is as powerful a story as ever been told and the title role is often considered the toughest to tackle. And so, it exists in many variations. Kevin Kline directed and starred in this version that was taped for television. It is an excellent interpretation, although he does play Hamlet a little old (Quite often the case...). The cast is very good with the exception of an unfortunate Ophelia (who would later portray an unfortunate Getrude opposite Ethan Hawke's 2000 Hamlet). The costume design is of a non-descript wartime wear that alone suggests a twist in interpretation. But, the setting, lighting and dialogue conflict with that view leaving the viewer slightly off-center. With almost 45 minutes of the story excised, this is still one of the most faithful adaptions (Branagh's HAMLET used every word). This is a great document of Kline's vision but when its all said and done, I'd rather watch a filmed version then a taped version adapted from the stage. Still, it is a nice experience.

Kline is fantastic!
What makes a Hamlet great is the performance of the person playing the title role. In this version Kevin Kline is brilliant. I taped this performance when it was on PBS years ago and I have watched it many times. It is long overdue on DVD/Video Tape. This should be shown to all students of Shakespeare as the definitive way to perform the part of Hamlet (Sorry Mr. Branagh!) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not enough people went to see True Crime in theaters.Wasn't ClintEastwood too old to be playing a guy whom a variety of glorious women, from the middle-aged Diane Venora and Laila Robins to the young Mary McCormack andLucy Liu, find attractive?Could the onetime Man with No Name credibly playa brilliant crime reporter, Steve Everett, with an ironic turn of phraseand an incurable habit of screwing up both his personal and professionallives?The respective answers to those questions are: hell no and hell yes. True Crime features one of Eastwood's best and most entertainingperformances--and his work as director is utterly assured.

The story (from Andrew Klavan's bestsellingnovel) gives Everett thelast-minute assignment of interviewing a condemned man (Isaiah Washington) onthe eve of his execution.The prisoner, a born-again Christian and exemplaryfamily man, has everything the reporter lacks except a shot at seeing thenext sunrise.Everett sets out to get him that, yet far from making abeeline to the exculpatory evidence that will save the life of his "client," thisvery tarnished hero has to spend a lot of the next 24 hours contending with the baggage he's accumulated through drinking, wenching, and familialneglect.(A Pirandellian note: Everett's daughter is played by Eastwood'sown daughter, Francesca Fisher-Eastwood, and her mother, Frances Fisher,returns for a feisty cameo as a prosecutor.)

This is a good one that got away.Don't let it happen again. -- Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Eastwood returns to directing
Eastwood's directorial debut was "The Unforgiven", a stylistic return to the glory days of the western. This time he has entered a new one, films about the death penalty. Eastwood plays a barely-sober hack newspaper reporter. His character is very enigmatic, although I think that was much more to do with Clint than with the story. He is walking a fine line between being a brilliant asset to the paper and being fired. You see, he has a tendancy to go on crusades, and he is about to embark on a fresh one with his current writing assignment. His job is to write a "human interest sidebar" about the execution of an accused murderer. The problem is, Clint thinks he's innocent. Is Clint stupid for going off half cocked? Is he just being reckless with his career, or is he brave in standing up for what he beleives is right? These are the questions the film asks us to contemplate as Eastwood gets clues and revelations about the case. I like to see Eastwood in this type of role, which is quite similar to that burgler one a few years ago. A low key guy struggling with his role in life. Quiet and subdued, he constantly wonders about what is the right thing to do. I was never a fan of "Dirty Harry", or those Sergio Leone films. We see a rare raw side of Clint Eastwood the man here, instead of Clint Eastwood the cardboard cutout. The title says it all, this is realistic, not superhero fantasy.

Worth seeing for stellar supporting cast performances
This is a decent, if not stellar, movie rental for those who like mystery/morality plays. I rented the video and then bought a previously-viewed copy to keep because of the fine support performances by Isaiah Washington and Lisa Gay Hamilton; these 2 tug your heartstrings with their portrayal of a loving couple facing the ultimate separation of an enforced death penalty. If you have the patience to sit through all the side stories (and there are way too many) told to illustrate that Clint's character is an aging hack without a personal life or moral conviction to speak of, then you'll see some great acting by Washington and Hamilton, as well as James Woods as Clint's editor. Other stupid side stuff: the inclusion of Clint's ex partner, their daughter, and his current wife in cameo roles and some haggling-for-money-sexual harrassment scenes by a homeless man intended to be humorous but which were just annoying and dragged the movie out still further. In conclusion, this film needed a much tighter editor/story but the supporting cast still makes it worth viewing.

Clint Is Still Number One
Clint Eastwood's 1999 release, True Crime, was based on an Andrew Klavan novel and filmed in a style that reminds me of movies made in the late 70's or 80's. As I watched the first few minutes, my first thought was that poor Clint was to old to portray the part of Steve Everett and this movie had been a waste of money. At first, it actually kind of "creeped me out" watching him come on to the beautiful young women in the movie, but you cannot always judge the movie by your first impressions. Steve Everett is a cheating husband, a horrible father, a recovering alcoholic, and a womanizer, but he is, first and foremost, a newspaper reporter with a "nose" for the truth. His boss, Bob Findley (Denis Leary), assigns him to cover an execution as a human-interest story. Bob has a hard time working with Steve, knowing that Steve has been sleeping with his wife, and struggles to maintain a professional office relationship. Steve has a hunch that Frank Beechum (Isaiah Washington), a black man convicted of the murder of a pregnant white girl, is innocent, but only has one day to come up with evidence before the execution takes place as scheduled. The plot to this movie is predictable and has been done in other movies many times, but Clint Eastwood's skill as a director turns this otherwise "dog" into a suspenseful thrill ride. The performances of Isaiah Washington and Lisa Gay Hamilton are precise and moving. James Woods is hilarious and Francesca Fisher Eastwood, Clint Eastwood's daughter in real life, is adorable. Michael Jeter, Michael McKean, Bernard Hill, and Diane Venora also give great performances and help make True Crime a very good movie that is definitely worth 127 minutes of your time. Oh, and about my first impressions, I was wrong, Clint is not too old for the part or the beautiful young women. Clint is still number one.

Eastwood Is The Man
Another great Eastwood directed film with terrific performances by everyone in the cast especially (i.e. Isaiah Washington, Lisa Gay Hamilton and James Woods). Eastwood is one of my favorite directors ever. If you are in any way familiar with an old radio show called "Nightbeat" this film is very similiar. This one has a very suspenseful ending.

A RACE TO THE FINISH
Okay, let's get two sore points out of the way: Yes, Clint is really a little too old for the leading role, especially in pairing him with such young ladies; and yes, James Woods goes way over top in his cartoonish role as Alan, the editor in chief. But, aside from that TRUE CRIME is an astounding work for the director Eastwood. The real stars of the picture, however, are Isaiah Washington and Lisa Gay Hamilton. As the doomed but innocent Frank Beecham, Washington controls his performance, making him both heartbreakingly real. No overacting here. He uses his face, his body, his voice to convey the hopelessness and fear of his impending execution for a crime he did commit. Hamilton as his wife, Bonnie, has a very demanding role, and her grip on this character is unbelievably subtle and intense. Some real tear-jerking scenes in this one. Hard to believe Washington and Hamilton were overlooked at Oscar time. Denis Leary is exceptionally good as Eastwood's boss who finds out his wife is sleeping with Eastwood. Leary could have taken this over the top, but he again controls the anguish, jealousy (both professionally and personally), and doesn't resort to familiar tactics. Bernard Hill as the warden, Michael Jeter as a key witness, and Michael McKean as a really scuzzy minister also do well.
Also, the lovely song voiced by Diana Krall, should have made it to the Oscar nominations too! Her voice reflects the hopelessness and despair of the film's script. The writers should also be commended for its faithfulness to Andrew Klavin's excellent novel.
A very good film and worth seeing.
IT MAKES YOU STOP AND THINK ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Wolfen is definitely the oddest and most socially conscious of the three big werewolf movies released in 1981 (the others were The Howling and An American Werewolf in London). Rumpled detective Albert Finney is investigating some brutal NYC murders, which leads him to discover that the collapsing buildings of the South Bronx are home to a pack of very vindictive wolflike creatures. American Indian mythology and environmental issues are more to the point here than silver-bullet lycanthropy. As a police procedural, the movie's a bust, its rhythms wrong and Finney's tortured Brooklyn accent unconvincing. But as a horror-mood piece, it can get under your skin. Some trippy photography, plus a bunch of interesting actors at the beginnings of their film careers (Diane Venora, Gregory Hines, and a lean and hungry Edward James Olmos), outweigh the druggy pace and period hairstyles. Director Michael Wadleigh (Woodstock) never made another feature. --Robert Horton ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Intriguing political horror movie, but short on scares
1981 was "The Great Werewolf Year," when three major films heralded a revival of the legendary monster. "The Howling" and "An American Werewolf in London" have both become classics, while the third, "Wolfen," remains an oddity. It is definitely the strangest of the three and makes unusual changes to the werewolf mythology to the point that it might not be about werewolves at all. The usual standards of the genre -- silver bullets, wolfsbane, transformations, curses -- are nowhere to be seen, although there are hints of spiritual powers and cunning intelligence beyond the natural world. And while "American Werewolf in London" and "The Howling" contained extensive comedy and many genre-references along with their horror, "Wolfen" plays its story straight and dead serious. It has social issues mixed into its thrills 'n' chills premise: a police detective (Albert Finney) investigating murders in New York City that point toward a wolf-like killer, or possibly a whole pack of them. Director Michael Wadleigh (his only other film is the classic concert documentary "Woodstock") uses the horror movie backdrop as a venue for commentary on class, environmentalism, industrialization, and Native American politics.

This is an ambitious bill to fill, and "Wolfen" doesn't quite manage to pull it off. You can appreciate Wadleigh's goals, but he often trips over trying to do too much. The political grandstanding makes for a thoughtful horror movie, but it also slows the film down and overbalances it. Sometimes, you just want action and scares, and "Wolfen" frequently drags. It would have rocked at ninety-minutes, but at nearly two hours, it goes on for too long. The open moves rapidly, and the ending delivers the right amount of apocalyptic violence you expect, but in the center the spaces between the wolf attacks start feeling longer and longer.

Some of various elements never fit together, and a few plot points just left on the ground. The mystery surrounding the creatures is, however, appropriate -- sometimes it's better for a horror film to avoid spelling out everything for you.

Where "Wolfen" works best is in Wadleigh's superb visual style and the realistic performances. The use of a polarization effect and a steadicam to represent the wolves' POV is quite stunning and eerie. Wadleigh also expertly films New York City and its run-down slums. The film absolutely breathes with a battered, decayed atmosphere. Wadleigh really goes all out with unusual visua; approaches, and it gives the film a polished and inventive feel. Albert Finney and Diane Venora are both good in their roles; Finney especially projects a wonderful world-weariness that matches the setting around him. The film thankfully doesn't load him down with excess psychological baggage. We don't need to have his troubles explained to us; we can SEE them in the world in which he lives. Edward James Olmos is also memorable as a Native American who draws Finney's suspicions early in the movie. Gregory Hines, however, is too exaggerated in his semi-comic role (the only comedy in the film) of the coroner working with Finney. The movie also has an excellent early score from James Horner (composer of "Titanic" and "Aliens").

The DVD has an extremely good transfer, which is surprising considering the film's age. The print looks almost pristine and is gorgeously formatted in widescreen. Warner Bros. usually doesn't put this much effort into back catalog movies like this. The Dolby Surround Stereo is adequate (I occasionally noticed some synch problems) and a bit low in volume. The extras are skimpy: the trailer, a page listing the cast and crew, and a few screens of text on the history of werewolf movies. (An earlier edition advertised audio commentary on the back of the snap case, but this was a misprint.)

"Wolfen" is worth a look for horror fans, or people who want some social commentary and intelligence with their thrills. If you can make it through the slower sections, you'll find it a rewarding viewing experience.

Gothic Horror book turns into Horrendous Film
I gave this one star because that's as low as this site goes. I was so absolutely taken with Whitley Streiber's novel that I could hardly wait for the film to come out. Talk about disappointment - I could hardly sit through the appalling drivel unfolding on the screen.I'm not a violent person but if I'd had the director/ screenplay writer within reach I believe I'd have killed them stone dead.
Admittedly, the title is the same and there are wolves involved but there the resemblance to the book ends. I hope Whitley Streiber was well paid for the butchering of his fine book and that he gives to a lot of charities.
Michael Wadleigh apparently directed this movie and unsurprisingly he never directed a movie again other than a couple of documentaries about Woodstock. He now works as a bus driver in Akron, Ohio.
If his bus driving is the same as his directing and screenplay then I'll go by cab.

Dave W

Terrible book 2 movie!
i wish i could say i enjoyed this movie but if you read the book this movie is insulting to the original plot! Ok we know that movies have to divert from the novel but this was unreal. The novel based these creatures as been highly evolved and down right errie looking canines that appeared half ape half wolf ( the best way i can describe them ). So i sit down excited to see that one of my fav all time books is a movie and i find out they minaly used german shepards !!!! Please people and the story had been terribly distorted till hardly any of it's atmosphere and true scary momments were left. Not to say the movie didnt have the odd errie scene but they were few and far between. The novel set these creatures as deadly hunters in our midst for centuries hunting our weak and sick without us knowing. This in my mind was quite a scary notion and we thought them men turned into wolves because of their intelligence that matched our own. The writer created a rich and moody atmosphere and in my mind totally original plotlines. The movie toke all that goodness and basically ditched most of it! Unless your amused by DOGS running around and in the end them vanishing in what can only be described as a terrible ending ( these creatures were flesh and blood in the novel not wiggy spirits ) dont waste your time i LOVE werewolf flicks and believe me it's not often i say such negative things about a film but this is a BAD movie even if you you are unaware of the injustice it did the novel it's still a silly and badly made flick!

Read The Book Instead
As much as I would like to say this was a great horror movie, it, unfortunately, falls far short of the potential of the genuine feeling of fear created by the book it was based on. I have no objection to the actors, they all did a good job with the script they were given, and the adaption was even acceptable. My major problem with this movie wasin the use of GERMAN SHEPARDS, for god's sake, to represent the canine equivalent of man on the evolutionary scale. The whole point of the story was that a branch of canines had evolved as far as man had evolved from apes, and had kept themselves hidden from mankind for all these years, feeding on the weak and the sick among us, never allowing themselves to be discovered except in the legends of werewolves and devils of the night. Tn the book, it was presented as though it were both possible and likely. In the moviy, the wolfen were no more frightning than a pack of feral dogs hanging around a city dump.

Absolutle horror satisfaction!!!
I loved it. What a great movie. Wolfen is scary and it has that dark and slow plot that makes it effective. Just do not get attached to many of the main characters. The plot is quite original, and if ever was remade by todays standards would become an instant hit. Too bad it is very underrated. The last fifteen minutes or so of the movie happens suddenly, and man, it will raise the hair on the back of your neck. Are they real or not? You answer that question by seeing this movie. ... Read more

Description

In this riveting, high-energy suspense thriller, special effects wizard Rollie Tyler (Brian Brown) is enlisted by the Justice Department to stage what will be the most elaborate assignment of his lifetime--if it doesn't kill him first! ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Refreshing Suspense Movie
F/X is an abbreviation for movie "special effects." Bryan Brown plays a special effects creator who unwittingly becomes part of a conspiracy. He is supposed to be a pawn who is to be eliminated. Instead of despairing and panicking, he uses his wits and his effects to elude his pursuers, who are not even identified until the end. F/X was produced in 1986, long before the sophisticated computer generated effects ubiquitous today. Yet the movie is not outdated. Rather, it is a classic that will leave you smiling. The clever, maze-like plot, and the great team of Bryan Brown and Bryan Dennehy add up to a refreshing, surprising classic of the 80's.

Sadly, the sequel - FX2 - is a big letdown.

Good Low Budget Fun!
Me and my brother were flipping through the TV channels, and nothing was on, I mean nothing. Anyway we got to the Movie Channel (STAR Movies) and saw what looked like the opening credits, and then big blue words came across the screen reading "F/X." So we watched it, saw if it was any good. Let me say we were pretty surprised! It was pretty obvious that it was shot on a low budget. That made me like it all the more! Becuase you usually get a famous rich director and writers to put together a good action/suspense movie. But those movies, sience the director has alot of money he just figures he'll blow the hell out of everything. It gets pretty annoying. But that is what I love about this movie. Sense they didn't have a lot of money they kept the movie good was the writing and directing. Dispite the name (F/X) it is not what the movie reliys on. It relies on a smart plot and even smarter plot twists. You never know who the villian is. Plus the well mantled suspense is a plus. I cant say the biggest part of the plot, but I can sya what it starts with. This aussie dude who makes special FX for movies (hense the name) is assigned to stage an assination on a gang member (but not really kill him, just make it look like he got killed with his special effect tricks. But after that it just takes so many turns, it makes it into a fantastic whodunit. I reccomend this for anyone who enjoys a well written and directed whodunit that will keep you thinking and guesing till the last bullet is shot.

F/X is a great movie with clever ideas in plot and action!
F/X starring Brian Brown and Brian Dennehy is a great Action/ Suspense thriller! This is about a special effects man who is hired by the Witness Protection program to stage an assination of a crime lord. Rollie Tyler(Brian Brown) was baited to take the blame for the assination and now he must prove his inoccents and must confront the man who framed him. Mason is the guy who hired Rollie Tyler (Brian Brown) to take the fall. Leo McCarthy(Brian Dennehy) is the tough Cop who must find Rollie and figure out who resposible for these deaths. A very ingenious movie! Clever plot with suprises and tricks! Highly Recommended!

A lot of fun
F/X was one of my favorite thriller of the '80s, a genuinely fun action film that takes itself just seriously enough to make its story credible but at the same time remains blissfully free of the delusions of grandeur that have led to so many overproduced, ultimately empty headed and painfully dull "thrillers" over the past couple of years. In short, F/X is the type of unpretentious, engaging film that could never be made by a Michael Bay or most of the other directors produced out of the Jerry Bruckhiemer School For Technocrats Who Like To Blow Things Up Real Good.

The always underrated australian actor, Bryan Brown, plays Rollie -- an independent special effects artist who specializes in creating gore effects for cheap horror and action films. Indeed, when we first meet him, he is working on a film that bares a hilarious resemblance to Brian DePalma's Scarface which, whatever its qualities, is most definitely represenative of the type of film that F/X strives not to become. Brown is recruited by an uptight but reassuringly paternal federal agent (Mason Adams) to help fake the death of a mobster (Jerry Orbach) about to go into the federal witness protection program. Once Brown agrees to help, he finds himself being targeted and pursued by mysterious killers who might be the government, might be the mob, or might be something else.

The film's main selling point is that, in order to protect his own life and clear his name once the police become convinced that he's a murderer, Brown is forced to rely on his expertise in hollywood special effects. While that certainly is true, it also makes the film sound a lot more gimmicky than it actually is. As opposed to its sequel, F/X never allows itself to become reliant solely on that gimmick. Instead, the film concentrates on presenting its fast-paced plot which, over the course of many twists and turns, avoids the common action film fate of collapsing on the wieght of its own complications. That said, the F/X sequences are pretty cool and the film's conclusion provides perhaps the wittiest advertisement for superglue that I've ever seen.

The film's main strength comes from the cast who all seem to be having a good time on screen and bring a surprising sense of conviction to roles that could easily have been played as B-movie stereotypes. Bryan Brown is one of those charismatic, obviously talented leading men who rarely gives a bad performance yet for whatever reason (though making movies like Cocktail probably didn't help) has never become a bona fide star. Playing the lead in this film, he proves that he did have the talent and the charisma to be a leading man and indeed, his low-key but likeable lead performance is reponsible for a great deal of F/X's strength. As the gruff police detective who becomes Brown's ally, Brian Dennehey is -- well, he's Brian Dennehey and, as always, that's more than good enough. That said, he also brings a welcome sense of humor to the proceedings and he proves once again that nobody in the '80s delivered profanity as wittily and skillfully as Brian Dennehey. The rest of the cast is full of character actors who all turn in nicely quirky performances with the standouts being Diane Venora who is sweet as Brown's girlfreind (whose ultimate fate -- if predictable -- is also well handled and rather sad), Cliff De Young who gives perhaps his best variation on his standard Yuppie henchman role in this film, Joe Grifasi as Dennehey's put upon partner, Mason Adams who perfectly captures the essence of everyone's kindly but kinda strange uncle, and the great Jerry Orbach who, playing a mobster with an all-important pace maker, overacts as if the world depending on it but is still a lot of fun to watch because, afterall, he's Jerry Orbach. They all come together to create (without any trendy angst or computerized special effects to show us what animated human beings look like when they get blown up) one of the most purely enjoyable movies of the '80s.

Starts well, meanders into blandness.
Bryan Brown is a special effects man who is caught up in a government conspiracy after a major mishap. This "high-tech" thriller begins fairly well before falling apart with badly choreographed action scenes, predictable twists, and a very underwhelming finale. ... ... Read more

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