Reviews (14)

Rukus is Fun!
Rukus is one of my guilty pleasures. I found it at a video store in VHS and bought it. I had seen it only once before, but I remembered it well. It doesn't rate with Award winning classics (in my opinion), but it's fun to watch. It's entertaining and it's a "feel good" type of show. I'm sure there are some who woud pan this movie, but if you can put aside your expectations and you can enjoy some colorful characters and a charming love story along with the action, it will satisfy! I don't own many movies, but this one is a keeper! It's hard to go wrong with great character actors as Farnsworth and Ben Johnson. And the rest of the cast is sure to be recognized from other shows they have done. It was also a time when Linda Blair was young and attractive. The other plus is two very nice country songs written by Willy Nelson and Hank Cochran. The songs are sung by Janie Fricke and she did a great job. I could listen to it anytime. I get a kick out of watching this movie every so often. Like I said..It's just fun! I was actually surprised to find it out on DVD, but I'm happy about it as my video version wasn't playing very well. Now I can enjoy it in a widescreen format!

Dirk Benedict, shame on you!
Dirk and Linda. Linda and Dirk.
In a film
that makes
even the staunchest aficionadoes
of terrible movies
blush

but the movie's salvation is the previews at the beginning
which were genuinely bad and thus enough
to restore my emotional balance.

My search is over
I seen this movie several years ago on VHS. I have wanted it ever since. My search is now over. What a great action movie without all the blood. A great love story without all the mushy stuff. And a great comedy without all the stupid stuff. This movie is the total package. I can not believe it did not do better than it did!

Love to make a ruckus
This movie was my absolute favorite way back then. Haven't seen it on video until recently. It still kept my attention after all the years. The story is very believable, and who wouldn't fall in love with Linda in this movie. Dirk was great too. A very real character knowing some of my vet friends. Made me wish I was him.
All in all, a great way to spend the evening watching this movie.

a private war
If you like action movies, but don't like a lot of carnage, this is the one for you! A simple story of a Vietnam Vet who comes through town only to get picked on by the local "good ole boys" and ends up in a small-scale war with them, it's also humorous. Linda Blair gives a credible performance as the young widow of another vet whose father is the local rich guy. Her small son is a doll and the whole movie is one that most anyone in the family would enjoy. For once, the sheriff in the small town is not the bad guy (although his deputy isn't all that likeable!) and the action is not dependant on murder and mayhem--but lots of stuff gets blown up and there are enough shots fired to please action film lovers. It's a great movie! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Something is awry at Boston General Hospital.Dr. Wheeler's (Genevieve Bujold) friend Nancy goes in for a routine procedure, but never comes out of the anesthesia and slips into a coma.Wheeler learns that a tissue sample from the young woman went to the lab, then soon finds out that a high number of patients have become comatose recently.She digs a little deeper and finds a conspiracy mired in hospital politics, running afoul of the head of anesthesia, Dr. George (Rip Torn) and the head of surgery, Dr. Harris (Richard Widmark).Nobody believes the young MD, not even her boyfriend Dr. Bellows (Michael Douglas), but she soon uncovers a black-market trade in body parts, conducted offsite at the Jefferson Institute, a state-of-the-art coma-care facility. As a thriller, Coma certainly has its moments (the scene where a hit man is buried under a pile of frozen-stiff cadavers is an inspired touch), but it's not without its problems.Director Michael Crichton is an MD himself, and the film has a seamless, almost mechanical structure and plotline (taken from the Robin Cook novel).However, the movie's cold, detached feel works against it at times, making the suspense scenes oddly more effective but rendering the emotional content of the characters rather flat.Douglas in particular seems to not put much into his performance; Bujold, on the other hand, is strong and resourceful as the movie's protagonist.More telling, perhaps, is the way that the story shows its age in a time when medical ethics have changed and the phrase "organ harvesting" has made its way into our lexicon.--Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Medical Curiousities
I first saw Coma sometime in the mid 80's, at a time when the VHS format was king, and to be honest, my memories of the film were fuzzy at best. With that in mind, I decided to give it a look, knowing that popular figure Michael Crichton was behind the camera, made me even more curious to see it again.

Based on the best-selling novel by Robin Cook, Coma tells a creepy tale and is a solid thriller, though not without its problems. Dr. Susan Wheeler (Genevieve Bujold) suspects her colleagues of foul play when her closest friend lapses into a coma following a routine operation. When Wheeler discovers an alarming pattern of unexplained comas in her hospital, she becomes obsessed with finding an answer, even when it puts her own career and life in danger. Her lover, Dr. Bellows (Michael Douglas), admits there is a mystery but doubts there is a conspiracy and even suspects Wheeler of suffering from a mental breakdown.

While I never read Mr. Cook's novel, having Michael Crichton, as a former physcian, adapt the script and direct the film seemed like the right way to go. The film boasts fine performances from Bujold, Douglas, and the "creepy" Richard Widmark as Dr. Harris. Composer Jerry Goldsmith gives the movie another stellar score adding to the chills factor. All of that being said, I still noticed some problems with pacing and other technical gaffes that could have been avoided. Thanfully, there's not enough of these problems, to be of any real concern.

The DVD loses points from me, because, of the lack of any real extras. All you will be treated to, is your standard, run of the mill, theatrical trailer. I would have been interested to hear some comments from Crichton, about the film and his take on it now, given the time that has passed. A missed opportunity---in my opinion. Special Edition anyone? Viewers can choose to see the film in either the widescreen, or pan and scan formats.

Coma is an apt thriller that acts as a metaphor for the state of medicine, that is as notable even today. Recommended, especially to those interested in following Crichton's film work.

You won't fall asleep during this thriller
Writer/director Michael Crichton's second film was an adaption of Robin Cook's bestselling novel. Michael Douglas plays the role of the heroine while Geneviene Bujold has the hero's role in this role reversal thriller. This was made prior to Douglas becoming a break out star. There are a number of fine performances including a great turn by the always interesting Rip Torn.

The extras are slim; we get the trailer and both the widescreen and standard versions of the movie. No director's commentary or observations from the cast; no "making of" documentary (or promo fluff piece for that matter). Which is a pity as this fine thriller does deserve better but then that was SOP when DVD's started coming out.

You can't argue with the price nor with Crichton's direction. He really never got any better than this as a director (although there are a couple of films like The Great Train Robbery that hold up to this and Westworld). Crichton isn't a great film director (he's a better writer) but he gets the job done. Coma will keep you guessing.

What a surprise!
I discovered this film when I was in desperate need of some blank tapes. All the local shops were closed, but I managed to find a bunch of used tapes in a second hand shop for about 50p.
Anyway, I bought them and went home with the intention of taping over them. When I got back, my brother was curious to see what was on them. First tape he stuck in was Coma. He had already seen it years earlier, and wouldn't let me tape over it.
So I didn't. And I'm glad I didn't, because what a great movie it is.
It's odd to see films like this nowadays. I get so used to modern Hollywood melo dramas, with there laugh a minute format, that when I see a film like Coma, it reminds how much better a serious film is, when it's actually serious.
And it's so true. Crighton paces this film very well, it keeps you on your toes throughout the whole thing, and it never fails to be interesting.
It's even got some X Files espionage type moments, that I can't help but enjoy.
Anyway, without giving anything away, let me just tell you that you won't regret buying or renting this film.
It's a breath of fresh air, or, it was anyway.

MEDICAL MAYHEM
The book by Robin Cook. Directed and adapted by Michael Crichton. 1978...ironic that the two masters of medical suspense at that time came together to create this effective, if at times, muddy thriller. Genevieve Bujold carries the film very strongly on her delicate shoulders as the heroine, Susan Wheeler. Michael Douglas fills the shoes of her amorous lover, and Richard Widmark, Elizabeth Ashley and Rip Torn are good villains. There are some really eerie scenes, including the ghostly Jefferson Institute where comatosed bodies dangle from wires. Organ harvesting is the culprit, and it's evident early on, that something's afoot. The main problem with the resolution is we're never really clear on just who and how many conspirators there are. But, Bujold is fascinating and the movie plays well.

WELL EXECUTED THRILLER
I discovered by chance that this 1978 thriller with Michael Douglas was written and directed by Michael Crichton, who was himself a qualified medical doctor, but this film would have one believe that he had no love lost for his original profession (as would "The Andromeda Strain".)

Coma despite being an "old" movie by many standards, is surprisingly fascinating on DVD. Crichton gets good performances from the whole cast, with Genevieve Bujold, in particular, reminding us of what a fine actress she can be. As a doctor suspicious of certain goings-on in her hospital but disbelieved by everyone around her, she shows courage and determination (without ever losing her femininity) which is welcome in a female lead. She finds herself forced to question her own sense of perspective, even her sanity, as she struggles to uncover the mystery of comatose patients that surround her.

There's one sizeable twist towards the latter half of the movie, but you generally know what's going to happen. The beauty of this movie is in the overall execution -- it's VERY well done.

Recommended rental. Especially for the medically inclined. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

A Great Showcase of Jackie's Talents
Much in the tradition of the great comics, such as Buster Keaton or Charlie Chaplin, this movie really shines on Jackie's comic genius. You can turn off the sound and the comic scenes would still be hilarious. However, this isn't just about comedy... the movie shows his range as an actor, from humor to grief, and his heroic final fight has some incredible work, as well as -- of course -- more humor. In all, it is probably one of his best films. It's a shame they used some dork to dub over his voice, but still that wouldn't have kept me from buying this film. If you want to appreciate Jackie Chan at his best... this is one of the better movies you could watch!

An old chan movie is better than anyone else's best movies
One of Jackie's breakout movies with some actual comedy, rather than the Bruce Lee imitation he was forced into with the first 8 films or so. another viewer on this site says that they like drunken master 2 better. Drunken master 2 is probably his best kung-fu film, so this isn't saying much. It was also made in 1994, and it was NOT made by lo wei. I put this movie almost on par with drunken master one. If you're not a Jackie fan, yet, start with Mr. Nice Guy or Rumble in the Bronx; this one's for die hards only.

3 stars for the movie, 0 for awful dvd!!
the movie is pretty good and has some really good fighting and training scenes but the plot is corny and incredibly inconsistant. on first view, it seems just like another, drunken master, snake on the eagle's shadow, magnificent butcher or dance of the drunken mathis ripoff...well in fact it is, but not that great....is funny and pack with action, but nothing you haven't seen before. now, the dvd is plain awful!!! this is a columbia/try star release and it look horrible!!! the tranfer is directly from a betamax tape, not even vhs!!!! is grainy, dirty and washout....the dubbing is horrible and the subtitles is as phony as it gets!!!....no remaster at all, trystar did not put a penny on a new tranfer or colorcorrection or anything like it....it looks horrible!!!!! i can't believe this mayor film company didn't care and just wanted to get some money.....the movie is pretty entertaining but not the best...and the tranfer does it no justice!~~~ti bad this is the only copy avaliable

chantastic
this is by far the best of his early work this is chantastis has some of his best fights ever

Kung-Fu Comedy with a Young Jackie Chan
Have you ever watched one of the numerous Hong Kong or Chinese made movies where the various characters defy gravity, performing stunts like those in "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon"? This movie is a lot like those, but without resorting to the stunts that overcome the laws of physics.

I had to watch the movie twice because I missed a key connection at the beginning. Even catching on to the connection, portions of the movie remain a bit murky and the plot flow is somewhat jerky. The movie begins with The (Evil) Master and his henchmen chasing after three individuals. One of these individuals has an injured leg and escapes thanks to the self-sacrifice of the other two individuals, both of whom are killed.

We immediately jump to a long-haired, young Jacky Chan (yes, that's the way it was spelled in the credits) performing some sort of practice Kung-Fu routine for his grandfather. From this point forward, the movie plays like The Three Kung-Fu Stooges. I have to admit that as bad as the acting and the dubbing was, I laughed throughout this portion of the movie because it was funny. It was stupid, but it was funny too. The dubbing is atrocious, with weird English accents for each of the Chinese actors. This movie could definitely use a re-dub.

I enjoyed the martial arts throughout this movie because they all appeared real. I cringed when the actors fought, because when they hit each other, they HIT EACH OTHER! I can see where there had to have been a lot of bruises after each day of filming. There was nothing fake about any of the fight scenes. The actors' martial arts skills were very, very good. However, the "elderly" martial artists looked like 20-something actors with white hair and eyebrows.

We see Jackie's character as he goes through this interlude of comedy until The Master shows up and, by connecting the sign at Jackie's Kung Fu school to Jackie's grandfather, tracks him down and kills him. There isn't really any justification given for tracking down and killing these people by The Master, so we have to accept on faith that there is some sort of vendetta or history we are not privy to. Jackie tries to kill The Master, but of course does not. Instead Jackie encounters The Unicorn, who has a gimpy leg (recalling the beginning of this review). The Unicorn teaches Jacky a number of tricks and some really serious martial arts to go off and wreak vengeance on The Master and his henchmen.

This movie is corny, the acting is weak and often excessively overdone, and the plot is formulaic. However, it is still funny, and somehow it all works. As long as you aren't expecting a serious Kung-Fu movie, and as long as you are expecting very light entertainment, and particularly if you are a fan of Jackie Chan, you might find this movie interesting. Three stars because of the flaws, but I still like the movie and plan to watch it again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Do you know anyone who hasn't seen this movie? A box-office smash when released in 1993, this spectacular update of the popular 1960s TV series stars Harrison Ford as a surgeon wrongly accused of the murder of his wife.He escapes from a prison transport bus (in one of the most spectacular stunt-action sequences ever filmed) and embarks on a frantic quest for the true killer's identity, while a tenacious U.S. marshal (Tommy Lee Jones, in an Oscar-winning role) remains hot on his trail. Director Andrew Davis hit the big time with this expert display of polished style and escalating suspense, but it's the antagonistic chemistry between Jones and Ford that keeps this thriller cooking to the very end. In roles that seem custom-fit to their screen personas, the two stars maintain a sharply human focus to the grand-scale manhunt, and the intelligent screenplay never resorts to convenient escapes or narrative shortcuts. Equally effective as a thriller and a character study, this is a Hollywood blockbuster that truly deserves its ongoing popularity. --Jeff Shannon ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Fugitive is Dr. Richard Kimball: Go get this movie.
If I were stranded on a desert island and all I could have was my abysmally sparse movie collection, I would make sure "The Fugitive" was in it. Thankfully, it is. This is one of the most entertaining and engaging movies ever, far superior to a lot of movies playing these days. For the few of you who don't know the plot, I'll run it past you without spoiling much...

The story revolves around a Chicago surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimball (Harrison Ford) who is convicted of murdering his wife (Sela Ward). He pleads innocent, claiming that a one-armed man committed the heinous crime (the opening sequence, showing the murder in flashback style, is chillingly realistic). Well, no one believes the good doctor's alibi, and he is sentenced to death. However, after his prison bus crashes into a train, he escapes back to Chicago to find the murderer, while keeping away from US Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team of deputies.

Having never seen the old TV series, this movie was nevertheless fantastic. The thrills just keep coming, as well as the tongue-in-cheek humor, courtesy of Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano (as Cosmo, Sam's deputy), who really steal the show in a lot of scenes. The screenplay is obviously very sharp. The train-and-bus wreck will take your breath away, as will the waterfall sequence. Aside from these action scenes, it's great that this movie is shot in Chicago, one of the greatest cities in North America. Sorry, personal bias, I loved Chicago when I visited a couple years back. The acting is very well done, and the characters are very three-dimensional. Sometimes it feels like you're watching a modern "Les Miserables". Nice transition from action thriller to action-mystery as the film enters its second half. If you follow the plot, which is fairly easy to keep up with, the ending will shock you. All in all, "The Fugitive" is definitely worth the bang for your hard-earned buck. If you haven't seen this wonderful piece of movie-making, do so ASAP.

Quality-wise, the DVD is pretty good. Director Andrew Davis does a cool little documentary on how the train wreck was filmed.

MOVIE-10/10
DVD EXTRAS-8/10

Ford hits another home run
Ditto what that other reviewer said: this is another great Harrison Ford vehicle. They really DON'T make movies like this any more. It needs not typical DVD additions, not cut scenes, not trailers, or interviews.

Back in the day, Wednesday morning school was dominated by the discussion of the latest episode of "The Fuge" from the night before. This is the only film I can think of which actually did justice to the classic television show from which it sprang.

Tommy Lee Jones is a fantastic U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. He appears not to be obsessed with the capture of Dr. Kimble (as was his television predecessor, portrayed by Barry Morse). Nonetheless, we get the feeling that he brings the same determination to every case he has. Ford once again is the "everyman" (if a doctor who gets sent to prison for killing his wife and then escapes can be thought of in those terms) who prevails through all manner of adversities. [As an aside, I wonder how well Ford could stretch himself - could he ever be convincing as a real bad guy, like a John Malkovich or Anthony Hopkins?]

This movie has a lot of pluses. It is a great story, updated from one of the sixties' best shows. Sure, there were great stunts. The bus crash/train wreck was stunning (made even more so by seeing Ford almost comically hobbling along, trying to outrun the carnage while wearing leg shackles).

However, it is the competition between the two dogged adversaries Jones and Ford that makes this work. They are one real pair of incredibly strong personalities- (and screen presences) Nothing better than the sequence in the dam early on with Ford protesting his innocence and Jones equally sincere reply "I don't care". Both smart, even though Jones hides his behind a gruff and self-deprecating exterior. The good and decent Doc must be determined (after all, it is his can on the line), but seeing him persevere - hiding his own persona in a hospital, evading the police while tracking down the one armed man is intense, even though we know the outcome.

Great editing; especially when we think the Marshals are getting close to the big bust, and we find out that they are actually making a collar across town.

This one is a winner.

A classic action thriller
What makes "The Fugitive" such a successful and superior film is that it knows what it is: an action/mystery film. It makes no attempt to make itself bigger or more intellectual than it is (as did the American version of "The Vanishing"). Harrison Ford, surprisingly underplaying the role of Dr. Kimball--others might have overworked his grief and angst--turns in a brilliant performance. And the always reliable Tommy Lee Jones does an icy, sparkling job as Kimball's persuer, US Marshal Sam Gerard. So good a performance that he earned a well-deserved Oscar for it.

The other key to the movie's success is Andrew Davis' dazzling direction. He keeps the pace frenetic for a good deal of the film, and the pot is always kept boiling. Close calls and intense chases keep the tension and suspense at fever pitch. "The Fugitive" will endure for a long time as a classic action thriller.

I did not kill my wife
That is well known sentence from this action hit which put an Oscar in hands of Tommy Lee Jones. Somebody killed dr. Richard Kimble's (Ford) wife, but all clues are against him. After all, who can be stupid enough to say that - One arm man did it?! His escape after bus accident will be his second chance to proove his innocents. But, that will be damn hard. Especially because after him is federal marshal who "doesn't care" about anything, except to bring the fugitive back (by any costs). Kimble will discover that he was in strong net made of lies and conspiracy, and that his only way out is to find proofes to clear his name and bring killer in front of justice. Jones supposed to be a good guy, but you'll hate him all the movie (well, it's not his falt, he's just good actor). Harrison is great, older, but still in good shape. Since Indiana Jones, he never has better role than this. You'll be right next to him, trying to solve the puzzle, hoping that he will succeed to find who ruined his life. Excellent story, good locations and ideas. Definetly collection material.

Train Wreck of Action
This is one of the best-crafted action/suspense films I've ever seen. I've viewed this many many times and have been rewarded each time by picking up on different subtle nuances.
Every element of this film works in unison and are what make this a great film and give it the punch that it has. There's the story which is as finely crafted as they get, a cast that couldn't have been any better (and boy do the actors deliver in their performances), tight pacing, great photography, and some unbelievable effects.

This is a modern masterpiece! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Originally released in 1992, this three-episode OAV mixes ecologicalthemeswith some very odd theology. In the not-too-distant future, when the Earth is choking in pollution, the alien Rodo strikes, sequestering virtually all the planet's water andvegetation in guarded enclaves. The remaining humans eke out awretched existence in the vast deserts, under the control of Rodoist soldiers. After witnessing the soldiers' brutality, Ran, a hotheaded adolescent, setsout to join the rebels of the Hazard. During the course of his adventures, hemeets Aira, a mysterious girl whose silvery hair marks her as a member of apowerful group needed by the alien Holy Mother to destroy the human race.Needless to say, Ran manages to rescue her (and humankind) in the nick of time. The animation in Ran is a cut above most anime, and the designs of thesand-ships that carry the rebels through the deserts recall the Jawa craftin Star Wars. But the discussions of an evil alien as the "Holy Mother" maydisturb some religious viewers. The DVD release of Ran is the complete, 141-minute original; the 120-minute version previously available had been edited to remove profanity and a brief nude scene. (Ages 12 and older for violence and occasional profanity) --Charles Solomon ... Read more

Amazon.com

Alfred Hitchcock himself called this 1934 British edition of his famous kidnapping story the work of a talented amateur, while his 1956 Hollywood remake was the consummate act of a professional director. Be that as it may, this earlier movie still has its intense admirers who prefer it over the Jimmy Stewart-Doris Day version, and for some sound reasons. Tighter, wittier, more visually outrageous (back-screen projections of Swiss mountains, a whirly-facsimile of a fainting spell), the film even has a female protagonist (Edna Best in the mom part) unafraid to go after the bad guys herself with a gun. (Did Doris Day do that that? Uh-uh.) While the '56 film has an intriguing undercurrent of unspoken tensions in nuclear family politics, the '34 original has a crisp air of British optimism glummed up a bit when a married couple (Best and Leslie Banks) witnesses the murder of a spy and discovers their daughter stolen away by the culprits. The chase leads to London and ultimately to the site of one of Hitch's most extraordinary pieces of suspense (though on this count, it must be said, the later version is superior). Take away distracting comparisons to the remake, and this Man Who Knew Too Much is a milestone in Hitchcock's early career. Peter Lorre makes his British debut as a scarred, scary villain. The print of the film used in the DVD release is serviceable and probably comparable to an average 16mm classroom or museum presentation. The DVD also includes a Hitchcock filmography, trivia questions, a director biography, and scene access.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (17)

"The Substitute" Review
Tom Berenger is the head of a top-secret team of mercernaries, who decides to infiltrate a Miami high school after his girlfriend is beaten up, Nancy Kerrigan style, by one of the students. As it turns out, the school is being run by drug dealers and gang goons who answer to the principal, a former cop who runs a high-grade drug lab out of the basement in the gym. Any movie with Ernie Hudson as an evil high school principal, a wacked-out William Forsythe, and Latin singer Marc Anthony as the juvenile leader of a gang creatively titled the "Kings Of Destruction" can't be all bad, can it? Think of it as "Dangerous Minds" written for Steven Seagal.

A Guilty Pleasure
Those of us who teach for a living enjoy a guilty pleasure in "The Substitute." While we'd never dream of ever harming any of our students--well, at least I'd never dream of it--the catharsis from a fiction about a good guy mercenary cleaning house of all the bad influences in an urban high school--violent punks, drug lowlifes and sociopath gangbangers and the evil adults who indulge their self-destruction--is just too wonderful to pass up. Tom Berenger eschews the angry racist persona he brought to life so ably in "Platoon" for a different man of action, in this case, Shales, a professional soldier with a heart and a brain. Besieged and assaulted by teenybopper thugs who work for the local drug kingpin, his teacher girlfriend turns to the only man who might be able to stop them, forcing Shales to go undercover as a substitute teacher to root out the source of the problems. While the script is fantasy and has very little to do with teaching, and the production values are on the "B" side, the able cast--including Ernie Hudson, William Forsythe, Richard Brooks, and many other familiar faces--plays it with just the right amount of humor and zeal. Director Robert Mandel infuses the production with a pace and wit that has helped other low-budget productions make it to cult status (think "Alligator"), and "The Substitute" deserves an audience. If you teach, put this one on your shelf for those days when you feel like you could use a mercenary to put some order back into the classroom for you!

Awesome
Nothing beats a teacher putting a bunch of wannabe tough guys in there place and making it look easy. Starts out with a former mercanary/marines girlfriend being assaulted by a gang from a local high school she teaches at. Completely fed up, Shale decides to take the matter into his own hands and fakes some credentials and becomes a sub at her high school. Highly recommended. You'll find yourself rooting for Shale the whole way.

let me tell you
the only reason i saw this movie cause it was filmed at my high school miami senior high.i wasnt going there at the time but my sister was. so i saw it and didnt like it much but it was cool to see the school on film and know ive been there millions of times. p.s the school is not all f**ked up like they showed it they spray painted it and messed it up for filming.

THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE TOM BERENGER HAS EVER BEEN IN
A TOUGH MERCENARY [TOM BERENGER] BECOMES A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER FOR A CRIME INFESTED SCHOOL. VERY INTERESTING. THIS IS PROBABLY AS GOOD AS A TOM BERENGER MOVIE IS GONNA GET. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MARC ANTHONY [WHO'S BEST REMEMBERED FOR 1998'S ''I NEED TO KNOW''] ACTUALLY HAS A ROLE IN THIS MOVIE AS A GANG LEADER. THIS IS DEFINITELY WORTH WATCHING. FOLLOWED BY THREE DIRECT-TO-VIDEO SEQUELS. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Something of a curiosity from the earlier days of the Hong Kong film industry, Dance of Death stars Angela Mao as Fei Fei, an orphan boy (the publicity blurb says she's a girl disguised as a boy, but since her femininity is never revealed in the entire movie, it seems simpler to say she's playing a boy) who seeks revenge upon a villainous kung fu sect that killed his friends. He chances upon two old kung fu masters who are fighting to determine who's the better fighter; one is a drunk, the other puffs constantly on a pipe. Fei Fei convinces them to teach him kung fu, and then he'll fight using both of their techniques and will discover which is superior. So Fei Fei ends up fighting his way up the ranks of the evil sect with the two old men trailing after him, evaluating the battles and counting how many of their individual moves Fei Fei uses. The movie is more of a broad comedy than an action film; the fights are so obviously choreographed that they're more like acrobatic displays than vicious brawls. But Mao herself is extremely charming, and the theatricality of the physical feats doesn't make them less impressive. The final battle with the white-haired master of the sect, using new kung fu moves inspired by dancers in a brothel, is amazingly gymnastic. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (84)

A tour de force!
Why haven't this film been praised in America? It is one of the best films I have ever seen! I know that most people don't like watching foreign films with English subtitles, which is why they miss out on great stories and actors.

La Femme Nikita is the story of a street-smart woman (played by Anne Parillaud) who is kidnapped and trained to become a professional assassin. She has to give up her identity and become the big Government secret. The film has a lot of interesting action scenes -- enough to satisfy the James Bondesque film era. The difference, of course, is that we get to watch a great heroine in action for a change. Also, you will enjoy the strong Pygmalion theme in the film.

I know of people who have seen The Point of No Return (the American version of this film) with Bridget Fonda and the USA Network series based on this film, but the original is always the best. Give this amazing French film a whirl and embark on the experience of great foreign films.

A very different French Foreign Legionnaire
Nikita (Anne Parillaud) is a drug-addicted street urchin who commits murder during a robbery attempt. She is convicted, imprisoned, and executed by lethal injection. Nikita awakens in a Government facility, learns that her family attended her burial, and learns that she has a choice -- become a (disposable) Government agent/assassin or die. Nikita reluctantly chooses life. Nikita is trained in weaponry, hand-to-hand combat, and charm. Nikita accepts all of her training with apathy and disdain, but Nikita survives her training and becomes a Government agent/assassin. And Nikita's missions continuously tear her life apart ...

French director Luc Besson's film "La Femme Nikita" is the basis for the American remake "Point of No Return" starring Bridget Fonda, and also for the "La Femme Nikita" television series. Luc Besson's version is *superior*. Anne Parillaud grows throughout her transformation from hostile street urchin to reluctant Government agent/assassin, combining toughness with *fragile femininity*. Jean-Hugues Anglade plays Nikita's friend Marco who loves and emotionally supports his woman of mystery. Jean Reno ("The Professional") plays 'The Cleaner', the assassin who arrives when one of Nikita's missions goes horribly wrong.

Eric Serra's wonderful jazz score, the European setting, the flowing French dialogue, and Anne Parillaud's tough but fragile femininity combine to make "La Femme Nikita" a memorable film.

Nikita
After a bloody shootout at a pharmacy where all of her gang memeber friends are killed, Nikita (Parillaud), high on drugs, kills a policeman in cold blood and is captured and judged for the murder. However, instead of the gas chamber, she gets recruited to a top secret government agency to be trained as an agent.

At first, she's confused with the situation, but soon enough she's back to normal, not caring for anything around her and acting like the social misfit she is. All the while there's Bob (Karyo), the agent assigned to her case. He treats Nikita like he couldn't care less for her, yet finds her rather amusing and interesting. Even when his superior tells him that she'll never make it, he insists that she has the stuff to be a good agent.

After a while, Nikita comes around and accepts her fate. She continues her training up to the point that three years pass. She's now ready to go back to the real world and Bob chooses her birthday to take her out to a restaurant on what turns out to be more of a mission than a date.

Once outside, Nikita meets Marco (Anglade), who works as a cashier at a supermarket. They fall in love and move together, but their happiness is continuosly interrupted by Bob and the missions he sends Nikita on.

Will Nikita be able to balance her double life? Will Marco figure the whole thing out?

Besson threads an interesting story using well developed characters (the movie revolves around these three characters basically) and interesting set ups for Nikita's missions. The action scenes are well crafted and the acting is really good.

There's a brief appearance by Jean Reno (The Crimson Rivers, León) as another hit man.

This film was the basis for the Peta Wilson TV series and also for an American remake starring Bridget Fonda.

Riveting Action
Director Luc Besson gets it. Besson, a Frenchman no less, understands what separates a juvenile, mindless action movie from a truly smart, devilishly suspensful cinema experience. Using a clever hybrid of European sensuality and sophistication, along with American notions of wild gunplay and bloodshed, Besson weaves an absorbing tale of murder and betrayal. His characters are chilling and relatively simple, while the world they inhabit is explicitly cosmopolitan in its cross Atlantic treachery. Besson sees the tools this setting offers and pushes them to the figurative hilt.

The intriguing story centers around Nikita, a lithe and skillful street urchin played by the violently harried Anne Parillaud. An urban nomad, Nikita is picked up by the mysterious Rico, a role assumed by the ashen faced operator Marc Duret. Rico's motives are unclear at first, but it soon becomes clear that he is not some agent of charity, he is dedicated to molding Nikitas mind in a certain, deadly way. Using her own isolation and his own psychological tricks, Rico, with the help of others in the "group", Rico begins to train Nikita in the arts of death and stealthy assassination. Benefitting a shadowy branch of the French government, Nikita will become an undercover killing machine, moving in and out of various international locales and dispatching her targets ruthlessly. Along the way, Rico must break her spirit, an extremely difficult task, and then rebuild her, teaching her the suave arts of high society and the brute tactics of international murder.

Although Nikita resists, she soon gains a reliance on her new teachers, especially Rico, who has a feeling about her. His support is rewarded as Nikita takes to the field for the first time, and the audience is treated to a ripping good action scene. Nikita assumes a somewhat normal life, striking up a relationship, living a life unknown to her. Of course, as she gallavants around the continent, she is forced to pull off daunting and extreme hits, which are portrayed lovingly by Besson. The strange connection between Nikita and Rico begin to strain as Nikita feels the emotional considerable stress of living two lives at once. Her position becomes more untenable as she becomes wrapped up into a violent spiral of severely unethical murder, including the murderously adriot personage of Jean Reno, who wields his 9mm like some kind of quasi-mythical broadsword. His extreme mission and its repercussions soon toss Nikita into a very dangerous position, and theres only one way out. You guessed it, shooting.

La Femme Nikita is one of those movies that just never stops impressing the viewer with its sheer audacity. The spirit it conveys, one of shady slaughter and grand stage is just mesmerizing, and the simple but layered characters bring their own murderious tint to the whole spectacle. A great example of what a smart action movie can be.

sensitive and dangerous
Sensitive, sophisticated, violent, and exquisite are some of the adjectives that could best describe this tour de force movie by Luc Besson. Unlike most action movies which depend on high body counts and explosives, this movie moves carefully forward as Nikita is transformed from a drug using criminial to a controlled killer. Besides the story, I especially enjoyed the view of french culture. Parisian restaurants, apartments, and gritty streets are beautifully filmed by Besson. Most importantly, the movie contains a female lead character which contrasts Hollywood's obsession with testosterone filled actors who can never enunciate their words. Nikita is played brilliantly. In fact, Nikita hardly speaks throughout the film, yet the viewer can still observe her true character. In my opinion that is an example of brilliant film making. Do yourself a favor and buy this DVD. ... Read more

Description

Murder is the name of the game. Two rival "families" are at war for control of the lucrative prostitution and drug trade, killing anyone in their way. When an innocent young woman is murdered by one of the "families," her boyfriend comes looking for answers. With the help of a beautiful prostitute, he discovers the truth and sets out on a path of revenge... Denise Crosby, Franco Columbo, Van Quattro, Rena Niehaus, Traci Lords, Elizabeth Kaitan ... Read more

Reviews (1)

not too bad
An enjoyable, not-too-bad crime & action B-movie in a very Italian setting.
My only criticism concerns 'Desperate crimes' being presented as a Traci Lords vehicle. That's a fake I think, because Traci's part is small and non-substantial here. Playing a heroine addict doesn't suit her either, for she's too beautiful. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

THE SEVENTH FLOOR
It's always good to see beautiful Brooke Shields in action and in an excellent thriller too.
The DVD has a bare bones menu of the type I have seen with soft core films

For Steven Bauer fans only
This is the original Simitar DVD release of "Stranger By Night." The picture and sound quality is excellent, though there are no extra features, just the chapter index, which is nice.I don't have the new "collector's edition" on DVD, hopefully someone will review this and let us know if its worth getting.William Katt gives an excellent performance, but the picture belongs to Steven Bauer, who is always great to watch. Fans will be happy to know there's another steamy Bauer nude scene of his along with Jennifer Rubin.

Great Value! 1 Great Movie! All Bad Quality :-(
Stranger By Night - Awful Movie/Good KATT!STRANGER BY NIGHT is an illogical endeavor by all counts, yet it has a spectacular supporting performance by -- of all people -- actor William Katt (who was the title character in the TV series THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO). Playing a libidinous, extroverted detective, Katt gives his scenes some feral kick, and he actually gives the illusion that you're watching a real movie. (It's sort of the effect Mickey Rourke elicited in his brief role in 1981's monotonous BODY HEAT.) However, this movie should be titles "Movie of the week", and be airing weekly on TNT's Dinner and a Movie.

Seventh Floor - This film is very well acted (yes, even the notoriously bad Brooke Shields pulls off an almost flawless performance), well written, and has amazingly well done special effects. The whole movie is centered around Kate (brooke), who recently has become widowed, and is left with the pain of her loss, and the bills. She does own 1/3 of an advertising firm, where the other 2/3 pays her out and forces her to leave. She finds the love of her life, who rents an apartment in the building she was left stuck with. Well....everything turns upside down....THis movie is a must see.

**These 2 DVDs were produced when DVD technology first became available a few years back. The quality of the DVDs is bairly better than VHS tapes, however, if you are interested in seeing the Seventh Floor, you might as well pick up this set for 1.00 more than that film is on its own. ... Read more

Description

In the teeming black markets of postwar Japan, Shozo Hirono (Bunta Sugawara) and his buddies find themselves in a new war between fractious and ambitious yakuza.After joining boss Yamamori, Shozo is drawn into a feud with his sworn brother¹s family, the Dois.But that¹s where the chivalry of traditional yakuza film ends and the hypocrisy, betrayal, and assassinations begin.A rare and critical perspective on the history of Japan after World War II, BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY is a tour-de-force that revolutionized the yakuza genre and launched Kinji Fukasaku and Bunta Sugawara to international stardom. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Rambo meets Deliverance
"The Zero Boys" was one of the more creative slasher films of the 80's. A trio of Paint Ball players and their girlfriends are pursued by sinister forces at an isolated forest house. It seems somebody's been using the house as a torture chamber and our heroes don't intend on being the next victims.
What sets "The Zero Boys" apart from the endless supply of 80's slasher films is that the protagonists don't just wait around to be killed. They're heavily armed and not afraid to unleash their firepower. This is apparently where Nico Mastorakis pays homage to(or steals from, depending upon how you see it) the ever popular Rambo films. At times this resembles a war movie, but the main focus of "The Zero Boys" is to be a horror film.
Though far from perfect, there's so much to recommend about this movie. The director excels at building tension once the Paintballers arrive at the house. Once the horror starts, we're never sure what direction it's going to go. The villians' motives are never explained, but that actually works in the film's favor. They come across as sportsmen in the game of torture to counter the heroic Paintballers. Definitely worth a look.

GOOD AND BAD
This is another DVD Nico Mastorakis has "remastered" and put in his "2003 Collection." The image and sound quality is good. Others have mentioned different versions. The newest(and best?) has "2003 Collection" near the title on the cover. The acting in this film is generally bad with exceptions. The the story is generally good with exceptions. The ending did suprise me.

Mastorakis's modus operandi is to make films that are not garbage but are not great. One last caveat. This DVD is not worth the Amazon price. You can pick this up from other vendors for 2/3 the price.

Nice to see a new DVD release of this low budget classic.
This is Nico's best film, with Island of Death ranking 2nd. The other DVD release out a few years now, was very [poor] quality, so it will be nice to see this resurrected again. This has to be the scariest and best low budget, B-movie horror flick of all time. The scene where the boys witness the unknown female getting murdered on the TV in the barn, knowing that it was filmed in the very spot they stood, just minutes before they got there, is one of the most original and scary sequences in any horror film I've ever seen. Lots of other truly frightening scenes in this one. It starts out a bit slow, with some silly paintball action and sophomoric banter, but gets off and running quickly enough when they start their ride through the woods and one of them thinks they see a girl running amongst the trees... A true cult classic, the zero boys is well worth the bucks.

Zero Boys = Classic B Horror
Your going to ask yourself how I could give this movie a 4 star rating. Well, let's start with saying I am basing this rating on a B movie level which is much different from a traditional rating to be honest. Those who knows B movies will love this one. This ranks as one of my all time fave, it surprised me when I saw it many years ago for I thought it would be an action flick and then I realized that it was freaking the heck out of me. This is what I would call the Deliverance of 80's B movies, freaky psychos in an old house, a bunch of hot shot Wargame players get hunted in the dark of night. The ending alone calls for chills down your spine. If you like B horror thrillers then I recommend this one highly!

Truly awful
This is most likely the worst film I've ever seen, and I've seen several movies on late-night cable. But at least those movies are good at what they're doing. The creators of The Zero Boys have no idea how to make a competent thriller, and it shows almost immediately. It's not the least bit scary, and if it were, it wouldn't matter because we don't care about any of the characters. Jared Moses as Rip is the only decent actor in the bunch, so you just know they gave him the smallest role. Kelli Maroney, in particular, is laughably bad. No wonder you haven't seen any of this movie's main players anywhere else. I say 2 stars, if only for how much fun it is to give this movie the MST3K treatment. ... Read more

Description

He walks where other men fear to tread. Christian Erickson (Dolph Lundgren) heads an elite team that "sweeps" war-ravaged countries for deadly land mines. He is the best in the business--until his 11-year-old son is killed during a rebel attack. Five years later, he is lost to the world in a foreign country, until a beautiful bomb squad expert (Claire Stansfield) enlists his help in her search for the deadly A6 land mine. Together, they uncover a terrorist conspiracy and come face-to-face with an enemy they never imagined. Torn from today's headlines, "Sweepers" is an explosive, action-packed thriller guaranteed to leave an incredible impression. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Another baddie for Lundgren...
So here I am, writing another review for yet another Dolph Lundgren flop and there is little I can say about this film that I didn't say in my others. "Sweepers" is not only a bad movie, it's a bad direct-to-video. The plot, which is so predictable it hurts, concerns a mine sweeper whose son is killed one day by bad guys. Now there is a super mine out in the open and Lundgren must find it. The action is very badly directed and the story is very annoying, like a loud neighbor. I suppose if you like Lundgren, you'll like this movie. But everyone else will want to stay far away.

So bad I cannot summerize
This is not a typical Dolph movie nor is it a typical obscure film. I mean it's obscure, but not in a cool new find way. Perhaps it's due to bad writing and directing but it just seems so different in terms of dialogue and plot development. For most of the movie Dolph sits around and drinks but after about an hour he finally gets down to some action.

He also sounds different. His voice is gravelly. Like he's smoked 100 cigars a day for a decade. But I guess this is him just getting into character, too bad it's not interesting but it's nice to see the effort. There should plenty for Dolph to get his teeth into here and lots of opportunity for a hot-potato of a movie. Land mines are a delicate issue but at some point in the movie it all collapses into standard action-man territory.

The beginning is badly directed, some shootouts seems really false and the trailer is, by far, the WORST I have ever seen. The DVD has plain old stereo sound with a pan and scanned fullscreen picture. Avoid it.

Difficult to like.
This is not a typical Dolph movie nor is it a typical Hollywood film. It just seems so different in terms of dialogue and plot development. For most of the movie Dolph sits around and drinks but after about an hour he finally gets down to some action.

He also sounds different. His voice is gravelly. Like he's smoked 100 cigars a day for a decade. But I guess this is him just getting into character. Don't get me wrong. There's plenty for Dolph to get his teeth into here and lots of opportunity for a hot-potato of a movie. Land mines are a delicate issue but at some point in the movie it all collapses into standard action-man territory.

The beginning is badly directed, some shootouts seems really false and the trailer is, by far, the WORST I have ever seen but somewhere inside Sweepers is a great movie trying to get out. Look hard for it.

Image Entertainment's DVD is not so hot. It comes in a snapper (from before Image switched to keep cases) and is only in Dolby Stereo and is panned and scanned to fullscreen from the OAR of 2.35:1.

Politically Correct Dolph
I respect this movie because it deals with the problem of landmines in Africa. Whether or not you like Dolph or his acting, this movie is relevant and politically correct. It starts out pretty slow but ends with lots of action and has a couple of surprises in it. Dolph and his costar (Clarie Stansfield) look really good. The problems with the film are that Dolph's voice sounds like he had larangitus during the filming and the landmine they are in search of is supposed to be very sophisticated technology but is really kind of pathetic. On the other hand, in real life, by the time you get as close to a landmine as Dolph's character does in this movie, you are already dead or have at least lost a limb.

B-Class Movie
The low budget film fails on all angles to impress or entice the viewer. Everything is just so amateur. Feel free to hit the back button. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not bad, in this post-"Alias" era
I've become strangely attracted to this indie actioner out of Canada. A "think-I-can" combination of TV's "Alias" and John Woo gun-opera.
Johanna Black is striking as hit woman Hannah, and Billy Dee Williams just has fun as the slimey US Senator.
Sure, BDW's toadies need some acting lessons, but they're easy to ignore as director Bascombe continuously slows down Hannah's gun-toting posing for a cool effect.

great indie action film
Fun, action packed little independant film. Johanna is gorgeous and Billy dee is still as charming as ever.

A 90 minute thrill ride!
Without hesitation I rate this as the best film of the year. Johanna Black's stunning portrayal of Hannah invokes images of Natasha Kinski in 'La Femme Nikita'. This film is guaranteed to have the viewer on the edge of his seat with suspense and drama. A MUST SEE! ... Read more