Description

Harrison Ford stars as Jack Ryan in PATRIOT GAMES, an explosive thriller based on Tom Clancy's international best-seller.His days as an intelligence agent behind him, former CIA analyst Jack Ryan has traveled to London to vacation with his wife (Archer) and child (Birch).Meeting his family outside of Buckingham Palace, Ryan is caught in the middle of a terrorist attack on Lord Holmes (Fox), a member of the Royal Family.Ryan helps to thwart Holmes' assailants and becomes a local hero.But Ryan's courageous act marks him as a target in the sights of the terrorist (Bean) whose brother he killed.Now Ryan must return to action for the most vital assignment of his life -- to save his family. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Patriot Games - A fine adaptation of Clancy¿s masterpiece!
Not for honor. Not for country. For his wife and child. These three bold statements are emblazoned on the cover of the DVD which, quite briefly, sums up the theme behind this fairly decent adaptation of Tom Clancy's best selling novel of the same name. While, as with all of the "Clancy" movies, the screenplay, written by W. Peter Iliff is very loosely based on the actual novel, this film is excellent as a stand alone. A minor note about the screenplay, they should've stuck with the original ending from the book, it would've been much more dramatic. This film certainly stuck a little closer to the original novel than the summer 2002 adaptation of "The Sum of All Fears."

Replacing "The Hunt for Red October's" Alec Baldwin and Gates McFadden (best known as Dr. Beverly Crusher from Star Trek The Next Generation) as Jack and Cathy Ryan are Harrison Ford and the ever beautiful Anne Archer. The films producers couldn't have made a better choice to fill these two integral roles. Reprising the role of Admiral James Greer, James Earl Jones gives another fine performance. The recently departed Richard Harris of Harry Potter fame performs admirably as well. Samuel L. Jackson does well with the role of Commander Robbie Jackson, fellow professor and best friend to Jack Ryan. Performing admirably in the primary antagonist's role is Sean Bean of Lord of the Rings fame. Outstanding performances by all mentioned.

The score, performed by James Horner, is quite in keeping with his usual high standards. It meshes beautifully with every scene. The DVD itself is not much to speak of, in that the only feature on it is one theatrical trailer. Ultimately this is fine though, as I rate/review movies based on the movie itself, not all of the extraneous other items...

Dr. John Patrick Ryan and his family are on a working vacation in London, England. As he and his family meet up in a park, what appears to be IRA terrorists, blow up a car and are attempting to kidnap members of the Royal family. Throwing caution to the wind, Jack Ryan jumps into the fray...

What follows is an extremely intriguing and well made movie. Many "Clancy" fans may not have found this film to be up to the standards of his novels. This, in my opinion, is not the case, being that it is entirely impossible to film a five hundred plus page novel into two hours. This is not the "Patriot Games" that I've read a couple times now, but it is very good as it stands on its own merits.

I highly recommend this film to all those who are interested in a good, suspense filled and action packed thriller. {ssintrepid}

Protecting His Family
Harrison Ford was a great choice to take over the role of Jack Ryan in Patriot Games. Ford has that everyman quality that works really well when he finds himself and his family (wife Anne Archer and daughter Thora Birch) thrust into international events when they witness an assassination attempt on a British royal. Ford thwarts the attempt, which makes his family revenge targets. The assassins, an Irish militant group, counts amongst its members, a hotheaded Sean Bean who makes it his mission to kill Ford, Archer, and Birch. But needless to say, Ford has other ideas!

Patriot Games is a well-crafted thriller from director Philip Noyce. He keeps the tension going from the beginning, mixing periodic bits of action into the drama that drive the film to its' climax. There's also a good mix of gadgetry and politics to spice the plot up as well.

Ford does a great job portraying the hero as a family man out to protect his loved ones. Archer is an ideal, classy wife, and Birch isn't the typically annoying or cute movie kid ... she's very likeable. Samuel L. Jackson is wasted in a smaller role as Ford's buddy, while Bean and Patrick Bergin make the most of their bad guy roles.

I've seen a lot of action films that have the heart stopping chases and intrigue, but Patriot Games is a step above them. It's a great combination of cast, director, story, and action, and it holds up to repeated viewings.

Slasher films a poor substitute
For sheer excitement on the edge of your not-so-easy chair, there's nothing like a good Jack Ryan story, and I think this is the best of them. The plot involves one of the most obsessed bad guys you'll ever see, a fanatically militant member of an IRA splinter group whose attack on the British royal family is thwarted almost unconsciously by Ryan, who is visiting England as a tourist/lecturer. Now ex-CIA, Ryan's family is nearby, and family is central in this tale of the cold-blooded world of international espionage and terrorism. The family angle is one that keeps the story so chilling throughout, as the terrorist's brother is shot to death by Ryan as he ruins their try on the royals, and our star villain then sets out to stalk Ryan and his wife and daughter.

The film moves at an almost perfect pace, and unveils to us some modern aspects of this shadowy world. For instance, even Ryan, played with understated perfection by Harrison Ford, is creeped out by his participation in a nighttime strike on a desert camp believed to be IRA training ground. In this scene he and several other jacket-and-tie types watch soldiers take out this nest of vipers a half-world away, thanks to infrared and satellite technology, all while detached voices calmly note "Target neutralized" and spies dressed like businessmen smile and nod while whispering to one another in thorough detachment from the blood and guts of the operation. All this technology and we are not removed from the days of the rich people perching on hills near the battles of Civil War days, sipping tea while viewing the entertainment.

I cannot give less than five stars to a film that draws me in so completely as this one, making me feel the tension with such clarity and indeed making it so easy to actually hate the villain. Yet the film strikes sour notes with the drunken Richard Harris's half-hearted performance as an IRA bigwig, and with the cliched ending moment of an otherwise superb boat chase at the film's climax. Two distracting moments would mean a score of 9 on a scale of 1 to 10, or, in Amazon terms, 4-1/2 stars. These being minor, a full five stars is quite reasonable. Nearly a perfect action film; even the understated music score is just so right that it can't be imagined being done any other way.

Reasonably good film - but what 'good' things?
I must admit to being disappointed in this version of the Clancy novel. Much as I like Harrison Ford, One can't help thinking Baldwin would have done a better job in portraying Ryan once again.

Sean Bean is eerily psychotic as Sean Miller - the man on an obsessive hunt for vengeance after the death of his brother at Ryan's hands, but there is an awful appearance by Richard Harris as a stereo-typical IRA man who forges an almost symbiotic relationship with Ryan.

Having said that, the end of the film is well-done and gripping - if you can manage to suspend belief that the security in place to protect the Ryans and their high-ranking visitor could possibly be so slap-dash.

In amazed disbelief at the previous critic who states that the IRA have done some 'good things', I am just sat here wondering what they could possibly be.

Perhaps he is thinking of the Warrington bomb - left randomly in a waste-bin in a crowded shopping centre? That had the distinction of killing two children.

Or perhaps the Omagh bombing? Scores of innocents died there, including a party of visiting Spanish schoolchildren.

Maybe the Rememberance Day parade at Inniskillen? Among the many Irish victims, I suppose the best known was an 18yr old Student Nurse.

Or the Harrods bomb, or the Hyde Park bomb, or the Chelsea Harbour bomb?

The knee-capping of young Irish men who refute the 'cause' or happen to disagree with them?

Could it be the weapons assistance and training with well-known Arab terrorist groups?

Or the solid refusal to lay down their arms and resort to the political process/ballot box in spite of the on-going Peace Process . . .

Just one or two of those 'good' things . . .

Patriot Games, Sean from Dublin
In many respects the film is an improvement upon the original book. The main plot remains fairly intact, but is greatly simplified. This makes the film much more accessible than the book, although purists will miss some of the endless details from the book. By having a minor member of the royal family as the target rather than Prince Charles the film is also more plausible and less cheesy.

Some individuals seem to feel that somehow the IRA is portrayed in a bad light. But it is scarely mentioned, as it is clearly stated that it is a splinter group not the the main branch or the terrorist organisation. Though admittedly one can draw fairly obvious comparisons in that both are vicious terrorist organisations willing to use violence against any who stand in their way. Those who seem to feel that the IRA are a noble bunch of freedom fighters might do well to look at the numbers and occupations of their victims. They include women and children as well as many other innocent bystanders and social undesirables in the view of the IRA. The unwillingness of Sinn Fein to place its faith in ballot box by disarming its supporters also illustrates the nature of the organisation.

Overall it is a good film, with impressive acting, special effects and a sound plot. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Right turn, Clyde
This is a great movie, even if it is a sequel, and even if it is a little bit on the thin and choppy side.
It opens in classic style, with Philo Beddoe (Eastwood) getting ready to take down another sucker at yet another fight, and just rolls along from there. The main gist of the movie that Beddoe is recruited for a major fight, against a man from the East who has a nasty reputation for crippling and killing his opponents.
At first Beddoe agrees to the match, but with the resurfacing of his relationship with old girlfriend Sondra Locke, he eventually decides the risks are too high. Desperate to stage the fight, and save their own rears, the two crooks running the show kidnap Philo's girl in an effort to force his hand.
The rest is somewhat predictable, but fun to watch regardless....
There are a few side stories on the go as well - particularly, Clyde's interest in the newest addition to the orangutan enclosure at the zoo, and Ma's wild ride in the pick-up truck with a car wreck hooked up to the back (at least, at the start of her trip).
Also, if nothing else, it's worth watching for the insane antics of the Black Widows bikers' gang. These scene stealers get plenty of air time, and are worth every minute of it - especially their hapless leader.
Scenes to watch for - the tar scene, and every time Clyde gets into a police car.
This is a movie to sit back and roar laughing at. Forget logic. Just enjoy yourself.

Redneck But funny
i thought this movie was really good considering clint eastwoods movies are really all the same. The famous pick up truck,the ape,bikers,g/f it all in one movie explains that this is a really good way for clint eastwood to show his other side

Addicted to This Movie
I'm a huge Clint Eastwood fan, and I enjoy watching and discussing his deep, dark movies like "The Beguiled" and "Unforgiven." But my guilty secret is: whenever "Any Which Way You Can" show up on cable TV, I get a big goofy grin on my face, drop everything I'm doing, and watch it. I realize this film is an acquired taste, but I *love* it. It's my redneck roots coming out. The overage bikers, Clyde the orangutang, William Smith, crazy old Ruth Gordon, Geoffrey Lewis, Clint crooning with Ray Charles on the soundtrack, even Sondra Locke's singing and acting (which comes off as enjoyably campy in this context)--it's all great! And I love the message of "we rustic rural types are just as interesting as anybody else" (because these *are* my people, as I've said.) I don't think Eastwood has made a more enjoyable movie.

Any Which way you can
I thought this was some of the best work that Clint Eastwood did. Than the shoot'em up and kill'em films. Clint has a notch for comedy especaly when he told clide "To strip the car." I'll never forget how far he through the parts of the car. It's a funny film for the whole entire family.

Dead meat, Beddoe. Dead meat!
The Clint Eastwood-Orangutan sequel to the amazingly popular "Everywhich Way But Loose." The Man with No Name, Dirty Harry, Josey Wales, and Will Munny is shown here cavorting around with a monkey, listening to country music, pursuing the dreadful Sondra Locke, and bareknuckle boxing.

This movie is very dumb, but still alot of fun. The highlights are the Black Widows biker gang's encounter with tar and the fight scene between Eastwood and his rival, Wilson(William Smith). On that fight scene, it is fun to note that Eastwood has never shied away from paying tribute to older films in his movies.(Pale Rider=Shane.) That final fight scene is obviously based on the John Wayne-Victor McLaglen duel in "The Quiet Man." It even includes the intermission in which the two fighters drink a beer together before resuming the fight! As Liam Neeson said to Jim Carrey in Eastwood's last Dirty Harry movie, The Dead Pool, "It's not a rip-off. It's a homage." ... Read more

Reviews (41)

Tyrone Power at his best!
During the age when swashbuckling action films were the most popular form of entertainment, there arose from Twentieth Century Fox an adventure film that topped all others. This film was "The Mark of Zorro" starring Tyrone Power and Basil Rathbone. The daring masked avenger cloaked in black has been an American legend for 80 years, and many films have been produced starring the masked fox. However, I believe that this film is the best Zorro production ever made.

The setting is Spanish California in 1820. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), an expert fencer of Madrid an in the elite training corps, is summoned back to Los Angeles by his fahter, Don Alejandro (Montagu Love), the alcalde. Upon arriving home, Diego learns his father has been run out of office by Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone). Esteban holds in his hand the perfect puppet, a superstitious, greedy alcalde, Luis Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). However, Diego pretends to be a fop, unmotivated to fight the capitan, befriending the alcalde and his wife Inez (Gale Sondergaard). However, Diego soon dons the mask of a daring hero, identifying himself as Zorro. Zorro terrorizes the alcalde and robs Esteban of the money he has robbed from the peons. Zorro and a local padre (Eugene Pallete) work to return the money to the citizens of Los Angeles. Diego/Zorro also falls in love with the beautiful Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), the niece of the alcalde. She cares nothing for her father's plans, her full support to Zorro. However, when the padre is arrested, Diego abandons his mask and leads the caballeros on a revolt.

This film added into the Zorro figure a new trait. In most Zorro stories, Zorro forces his enemies to return stolen money themselves. This Zorro, more serious, delivers the gold himself. This is a definate classic.

Of course, the film has it's problems. Power spends less time as Zorro and more time as Diego. Zorro only battles one soldier, the main battle occuring between Esteban and Diego. However, dispite minor errors, this film is an undisputed classic, and cannot not be missed by Zorro fans.

The supreme Zorro film
After the success of Warner Brothers "The Adventures of Robin Hood," starring Errol Flynn, Twentieth Century Fox released a film of their namesake, "The Mark of Zorro," starring Tyrone Power. It was a box office hit, and is a classic of it's time. While not in color, and wary of action, this film holds up as, in my opinion, the best of the Zorro films.

In the 1800's, the Spanish Empire rules California. Don Diego Vega (Tyrone Power), is "the best fencer of Madrid." He is ordered home by his father, Don Alejandro. Upon arrival, he hears that the alcalde is an evil tyrant. But Diego's fahter is the alcalde!
Diego learns from Capitan Esteban Pasquale (Basil Rathbone) that his father resigned, and that Luis B. Quintero (J. Edward Bromberg). Both Esteban and Quintero are worthless land theives, taxing the peons into pverty to fill their own pockets. However, Diego suddenly appears to have lost his swordsman skills, now acting foppish and peaceful, much to Alejandro's dissapointment. However, Deigo soon becomes the black-clad Zorro, a daring freedom fighter rescuing both the rich and poor from the tyrants. To disguise himself, he must remain foppish. Only the padre Felipe (Eugene Pallette) knows his true identity, along with Diego's fiance Lolita Quintero (Linda Darnell), a kind girl against her uncle and his henchman. However, when Fray Felipe is arrested as Zorro for trying to defend the mission taxes, Diego abandons both disguises and leads the caballeros and peons to battle, personally taking on Esteban in a spectacular showdown.

"The Mark of Zorro" was bassed on three stories. One was Johnston McCulley's original Zorro story. Unlike the Fairbanks film, the theme here focuses on saving the people from corruption, rather than defending Lolita. Another was Douglas Faribanks's "The Mark of Zorro" (1920). The other was "The Adventures of Robin Hood." Basil Rathbone and Eugene Pallette had roles in the Robin Hood film before starring in "The Mark of Zorro." Zorro here as a Robin Hood characteristic: he steals tax money and returns it to the people. Most Zorros force their enemies to give the money back themselves.

Sword battles in this film occur mainly between Diego and Esteban. The fencing in this movie is excellent. Rathbone is one of the best fencer's of all time, as is Power. The Zorro in this film is the closest thing ever that fits the Zorro legacy. This is a beautiful colassic, one than cannot be missed.

the classic fox period
the films of 20th century fox had a sheen unlike the other studios output.
one of their main stars; tyrone power (an underrated star today)was an embodiment of this sylized sheen.
he was different than errol flynn. while you always sensed flynn's bad boy personality even when he played squaeky clean heroes, power was far more an actor and his performances always seem more professionally toned. he is more 'with the film' than standing out against it and this may be the reason for the lack of appreciation for him.
this film is the shining example to the hollywood of old.
its excellence was predictable when you mix the beauty of power and darenll with the down right fun villany of rathbone, the music of newman, the goya toned cinematography and the virtually flawless direction of mamoulian.
sadly, its the like of which we wont see again for numerous reasons.
NOW, IF FOX WOULD DIG INTO THEIR ARCHIVES AND RELEASE POWER'S BEST ACTING IN FILM; NIGHTMARE ALLEY' a film that has never even seen the light of vhs.

Zorro the fey blade.
Tyrone Power's Zorro is both effeminate and masculine, one moment the picture of delicate and fey passiveness and the next the masculine caballero of legend. The film has held up well, mostly due to the excellent swordplay and Power's magnetic persona. The lack of actual Spanish actors will be noticeable and perhaps offensive to today's audience, although in 1940 it was probably a minor point at best. The DVD transfer could have been better, although it is generally grain-free and vivid. A 60-year old film can only look so good, after all. A fine version of the Zorro legend, lacking somewhat in political correctness but making up for it in sentiment and charm.

Movies - and Ty Power - don't get better than this!
Beautiful faces, gorgeous b&w photography, an array of old Hollywood's best character actors, brawling and tumultous fight scenes, probably the best sword fight ever filmed, and a rousing musical score that must have sent people almost dancing out of theaters with big smiles on their faces in 1940 - and will still make you smile in your living room. And dialogue laced with wit and humor as well as drama. Now THIS is what a Hollywood action movie should be!

This is one of the all-time best. Got the blues? This ought to chase them right away. Really got the blues? Try a double-feature of this with Flynn's The Adventures of Robin Hood. And you can keep all the Wars and Treks in the stars. They are made by mere children as compared to these old pros.

Why doesn't Tyrone Power have a cult of his own today? He was handsome and versatile, and a good actor whose performances hold up better than many of his competitors'. Ty Power's the Man! ... Read more

Description

The greatest villain of all comes out of the past to threaten Batman, Bruce Wayne and all of Gotham City in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, the first feature-length Batman Beyond movie. The sleeker, deadlier and seemingly immortal Clown Prince of Crime is back with his own unique brand of havoc and mayhem. While trying to uncover the Joker's secrets, the new Batman, Terry McGinnis, discovers the greatest mystery in the life of the original Caped Crusader: What happened the night he fought the Joker for the last time. When Bruce Wayne is almost killed in one of the Joker's latest attacks, Batman vows to avenge his mentor and put the Joker to rest forever. Get ready for heart-stomping action, awesome adventure and amazing revelations in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker. ... Read more

Reviews (182)

Best BATMAN movie since Keaton and Nicholson!!
This movie and DVD were terrific. I was really impressed with the depth of the storyline and the kicker about the Joker's Return. A word of advice. DO NOT...repeat...DO NOT read the Character Bios in the Special Features section prior to watching the movie! They give away the movie's big secret! I made this mistake. The movie was still fantastic, but would have been better if I had not already scanned the Bios. I won't give anything away, but part of what makes this such a great movie is that some loose ends from the original Batman animated series' are cleared up. With the state of the live-action Batman movies, you can't go wrong with this series and this DVD!

Not Flawless, But Still Excellent
Nothing will ever replace the animated series of the early 90s for me, but this film carries many merits. There is a lot of dispute about as to whether the edits should have been made or not. On one hand, I don't feel it was such a bad thing to tone things down that were not crucial to the story. But I do feel they should have kept the scene where the Joker rams a knife into Batman's leg. (This would explain why the true Batman has to use a cane.) All of that aside, the movie is excellent. The action is well done, and the suspense rarely drops. I can not remember stopping the V.C.R. once when I watched this. The new Batman is fighting a gang. We later learn that their boss is someone who is at least claiming to be the one and only Joker. The (Joker's?) first scene is drawn very well. Right away we learn that whoever he is, he DOES NOT tolerate insubordination. Also, despite his role as the older man behind the scenes, he DOES get directly involved in the action. The original Batman says that there is no way this new terror could be the Joker seeing that he knows the Joker is dead. Yet all of the lab work in the Bat Cave says that it IS in fact the Joker. (Excellent suspense!) We are thrown a mislead here and there as to the (Joker's?) true identity, but they are gradually eliminated. (Excellent!) The flashback scene is one of the most terriffying things I have ever viewed. (Only the animated Batman episode where Batman fought the puppet Scarface, the episode "Be A Clown" where Batman and the Joker have their most dramatic confrontation, and the 1979 version of "Dracula" with Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier have frightened me more.) Besides the terror of the flashback, it was a charming bonus to see the original Batman as well as Harley Quinn in action again. The flashback tells us that despite the explosion of the misleads, the new terror simply CAN'T be the Joker. But soon afterwards the terror unfolds and we learn that the Joker truly has returned! The only thing that stops me from giving this 5 stars is that I feel despite his age, the original Batman should have been capable of putting his cape back on for this one final fight. (After all, in the 60s episodes, Alfred occasionally put on Batman's outfit in an emergency. In the early 90s episodes, Alfred, despite his age accompanied Batman in many of the missions.) I think it is almost tragic that animated movies seem to carry more story line, suspense, terror, and quality than so called adult movies. It is almost as if the people making these movies realize that since children are watching it, they can't shower it with sex and profanity. So they have to make it intelligent! Even if like me Bruce Wayne will always be Batman to you, you will not want to miss this.

Takes awhile to get into, but is great once you have.
When the television series Batman Beyond came out, I was very excited about watching it. I thought the episodes were cool, but being twelve at the time they first came out, I soon became bored and got into other things. A few weeks ago, during my spring break, I came across an episode of Batman Beyond on the WB. Since I was bored anyway, I watched it. I was hooked again.

A few months earlier, I had bought this movie for my brother and watched it. I thought it was cool, but the creepy Joker's death scene turned me off. After I got into Batman Beyond again, however, I watched it a couple of times and thought it was great.

For those of you out there that prefer the older Batman series over this one, I would like to state my opinion concerning them. I remember when I was younger watched The New Adventures of Batman and Robin, the live movies, and I think I saw a 70's episode where Batman's climbing a ladder with a plastic shark taped to his leg... Anyway, I can understand why dedicated fans of those shows may be slow to like Batman Beyond. Yes, the series are different, but in a way, I prefer Batman Beyond over the older series. Why? Because even though Bruce is usually the one sitting behind the computer doing the research, his crime-fighting dependance on Terry, the new Batman, shows almost a different side of him. Bruce isn't the one anymore telling the kids to sit at home and take care of business himself. Now he doesn't have much of a choice except to send the kids out to fight while helping as much as he can. So if you're a somewhat sentimental, action-loving, and comedy-enjoying kind of person that likes seeing father-son-like relationships developing in movies/tv series, then maybe Batman Beyond can eventually grow on you.

We've been cheated.
Do NOT, I repeat, DO NOT buy this video...UNLESS it's guaranteed uncut AND unedited. What we have here is a truly inferior product, when compared to the scenes that were cut and edited OUT of the video...which makes no sense really. Mask of the Phantasm had death, blood, and even sex! Why couldn't this video keep what it had originally?

This is truly a shame. What was taken out was, while dark, a truly integral and provacative piece(s) of the story. Don't buy this, it's not how the story really happened. It's a dumbed down version of the flick that Warner Brothers commanded to be made, because they're still under the impression that kids are stupid, and cartoons are only watched by kids.

Quite insulting really.

Extreme Bat Fan
In reading the reviews written by people who have not seen the uncut version, I find that most say that the cuts don't matter. That is totally incorrect! While the edited version is still good, the edits do change the story and in some places make it confusing. If you haven't seen the unedited version, do not be foolish and say that it the edits don't matter. They do. Hopefully WB will release the unedited version in the future and then the reviewers can be treated to something very special. Notice how everyone who has seen the unedited version immediately says that it is better. Take a hint from them. But I would say for now, buy the DVD or VHS tape. You may never get a chance to see the unedited version and the edited version isn't that bad. Although it doesn't hold a candle to the original, it's all we have for now. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Although Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, the third part of George Miller's post-apocalyptic Mad Max trilogy, is certainly the least of the bunch (Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior is the undisputed masterpiece, and maybe the best action movie ever made), it has still got a good share of imaginative industrial-wasteland-pastiche imagery. And casting Tina Turner as Aunty Entity, the queen of Bartertown, was a masterstroke. Mel Gibson's character Max is pitted in a battle to the death against the bizarre Master Blaster in the Thunderdome, flying around on rubbery straps inside a sort of gigantic overturned colander with bloodthirsty spectators clinging to the outside. Miller's producing partner, Byron Kennedy, was killed in a helicopter crash while scouting locations for this film. Miller was devastated, only agreeing to direct the action sequences--and, somehow, you feel his heart wasn't entirely in it. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A Worthy Sequel
The third chapter of the Mad Max films can't possibly outdo the success of The Road Warrior, but it's a worthy successor, an exciting film with a very interesting story.

Mel Gibson's Max is back again and finds himself helping another group of ragtag characters. Max finds his way to a town called Bartertown and is forced to engage in a gladiator battle to the death. After refusing to kill his beaten enemy, he's dragged back out to the wasteland, there he's rescued by a group of tribal children. A small group from Bartertown is looking to escape to "The Promised Land" Max and some of his young rescuers lead the way.

Tina Turner is on hand as the wicked Aunty Entity, ruler of Bartertown. Bookending the film are two excellent songs from her as well. Mad Max "3" is a worthy sequel, while not as intense as the previous two, the story is thought provoking and while a bit slow paced, the ending is more than worthwhile. Maurice Jarre's music score isn't as intense but does create an appropriate epic atmosphere. George Miller and George Ogilvie are the directors and create both a sequel and a film that can stand on it's own.

Mel Gibson's most underrated film
I'm probably one out of only a handful of people that thinks Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome is just as good as The Road Warrior, and for different reasons, too. The Road Warrior was a spectacle of frenetically paced action sequences and it would feel like a complete retread if Beyond Thunderdome tried to do the same thing again. Instead, they added new elements, and the result is a very entertaining and imaginitive action/adventure.

Max (Mel Gibson) has just been robbed of all his belongings in the middle of nowhere in Australia. He searches for the thief and this leads to Bartertown, a unique society built upon methane energy dependent on pig manure, no less.

Max's search leads him to Aunty Entity (Tina Turner), Bartertown's lawmaker, who strikes a deal with him. All Max has to do is kill a certain somebody in Thunderdome arena and he'll get provisions in return. Not everything goes according to plan and Max is banished to the desert where he is rescued by a small group of lost children.

For those expecting the action of The Road Warrior you might be disappointed. While there is a good bit of action in Beyond Thunderdome, it's not as much as its predecessor and doesn't have as much energy. However, Beyond Thunderdome should be noted for having what is perhaps one of the best action sequences in American film history with the gladiator fight in Thunderdome arena between Max and the gigantic Blaster. The sequence is undeniably inventive and clever; it involves the two men tied to bungee cords that allow them to spring and leap throughout the arena and grab any weapons placed all around such as a mace, chainsaw, spear, etc.

What makes the film so good, though, are its successful attempts at creating complex societies. Bartertown is a sight to behold and is made all the more interesting by the rituals the "citizens" perform and the laws they obey.

As for the performances, Mel Gibson excels and gives a fine performance as usual. Tina Turner is a real surprise as the villainess; she certainly knows how to act and delivers a fairly good performance. Most of the supporting cast do a decent job with the material they're given. Angry Anderson, in particular, is quite humorous as the henchmen who rarely talks and mostly grunts, screams, and yells in exaggerated tones.

After Brian May's exciting score in The Road Warrior, Maurice Jarre takes over the job and composes a score that is quite poetic and, at times, lush and beautiful.

As with all the final scenes in the Mad Max films, this one ends perfectly. This time, we get the feeling that humanity has hope so long as men like Max are around.

classic
I grew up with the mad max trilogy, and i have to say this is one of my favorite movies. Yes it does not totally fit in with the first 2, but personally its still a good movie. Mel does an excellent job as always, and i was very impressed with tina turners performance, not to mention the children being just absolutely fun and witty for their roles. Yes the last road battle was sorta a letdown compared to mm1 and 2, but mm3 had a different tone to it, more optimistic and cheerful, which i didnt seem to mind. The musical score is very nice, and overall id say pick this one up if u get mm1 and 2- but dont be expecting a dark, road rage type of film that road warrior excelled at being. I still have many questions like- why were all those children on that plane?- err did they grow up in the crack in the earth never having "the things that were worth knowin" (or whatever savanah says lol)- all in all i highly reccomend this movie.

Third best of the trilogy, but fun watching anyway.
The Mad Max films finish their transformation from the edgy, ultra-violent first movie to this kid-friendly adventure picture with slick production values and flawless photography. The violence is toned down and the fantasy elements are played up; unfortunately, this means the post-apocalytpic kick of the second movie (just about one of the greatest action flick -- EVER!) has vanished. "Thunderdome" has some fine moments, especially the well-directed scenes with the tribes of children and the haunting images of the coda, as well a couple of good action sequences, such as the face-off in the Thunderdome arena, but it doesn't stay in your memory the way the first two films do. It is still worth seeing if you enjoyed the other movies in the series. Tina Turner's performance is certainly interesting, similar to Grace Jones turn in "Conan the Destroyer," which was made at about the same time.

Of course, if you've never seen a Mad Max films, don't start here. Go back to the first one (available in a great deluxe DVD), then work up to the best of three "Road Warrior" (available in a not so deluxe DVD), then you'll be ready for this finale -- and this DVD doesn't have much in the way of extras on it either.

Nearly as good as _The Road Warrior_
The original _Mad Max_ suffered badly from its tight budget, but _The Road Warrior_ more than made up for it. The third and final film in the trilogy is, to my tastes, almost as good.

In some respects it's superior. I like Brian May's scores, but this one (by Maurice Jarre) is better. There's a lot more action in this one too; the plot sails along swiftly and we get to see quite a bit more of the postapocalyptic world (the politico-economic constraints of which are well embodied in the iconic Bartertown). And Tina Turner (who also sings on the soundtrack) as Auntie Entity is a fine piece of casting.

Good stuff, and Mel Gibson is in top form as well. Still, it just seems to me that a bit of the wind has gone out of the sails. Maybe it's because of the untimely death of producer Byron Kennedy (to whom this film is dedicated). Maybe it's just because this film is clearly intended to be more 'mainstream' than its two predecessors. But in some respects it just doesn't quite have the Mad Max 'feel'.

At any rate, it's a very cool film and highly recommended to anyone who enjoys a good postapocalyptic thriller. ... Read more

Reviews (90)

A very cool universe...
I remember sneaking in to the movies to see this back in '81 - and it's remained a nostalgic favorite ever since. Heavy Metal is an ambitious series of six metaphorical vignettes loosely strung together by a Darth Vadar-ish emerald orb, Loc-Nar, the self-proclaimed "sum of all evils." Introduced by way of a space truckin' archeologist piloting a Corvette throughout the Heavens (a classic opening sequence), the glowing jewel is brought home and given to his daughter. The orb melts dad into slime and confronts the daughter who, by some cosmic dint, holds the key to the green ball's destruction. And this is just the first three minutes.

The film was created by an army of 1,000 artists, animation experts and technicians from seventeen countries. Given the current state of technology, the movie today would probably only take a half-dozen animators and a few lap-tops. Regardless of its dated stylishness and rough edges, Heavy Metal was a pioneering film in 1981 and remains an infuential body of art today. A visual mixed bag of matte, blue screen, live action, stop motion, and Star Wars-influenced drawing/animation styles, the dazzling sci-fi epic scored a bullseye with its comic hipness, imagination, and drug kaleidoscope presentation. The final installment, Tarna, is the most mind-bending in terms of fluid animation, spectacular color schemes, imagination, and graphics, which appears 3-D. The green ball crashes into a mountain and the lava it produces turns the civilization around it into a merciless warring faction. They prey upon neighboring villages who then summon The Defender, a naked chick with a giant bird. The sequence in which Tarna, The Defender, slowly and enticingly dons her bondage-like battle gear and hip boots remains one of the hottest scenes ever in a movie, animated or not. All clothes aside, this tale is the centerpiece of the movie's artistic accomplishments.

The best part of this Collector's Series disc is the plethora of extras included. The disc includes a voiceover by Carl Macek reading his book "Heavy Metal: The Movie". It also includes a documentary titled "Imagining Heavy Metal" which runs approximately 35 minutes. The disc also includes deleted scenes, including a rough cut of a entire additional segment which was cut form the movie titled Neverwhere Land, and an alternate framing sequence which can be heard with or without commentary by Carl Macek. There is a segment called "Artwork of Heavy Metal" which includes 26 pencil drawings, 59 conceptual art stills (2 of which are animated), 29 single cell stills, and 191 layered cell stills which expose some of the layering techniques used during the animation process. There are also 18 production photos of behind the scenes work which was done on the film and a segment which contains all the Heavy Metal Magazine covers from 1977 through 1999. But the best extra on this disc is the entire full-length rough cut of the pencil drawings used to get the look and feel of the production prior to the final production stage. This rough cut can also be viewed either with or without a full commentary by Carl Macek.

Classic animation, with a hard rockin soundtrack
I can't believe the number of negative reviews this movie has gotten! I bet these people don't like James Bond movies, either.

To fully appreciate Heavy Metal, one has to understand the era it came out in. At the time, most animation, at least what was seen in the US, was frequently of the "family entertainment" variety seen in Saturday morning cartoons and TV commercials. Apart from Ralph Bakshi, most animators were basically shackled by the need to present something that was "rated G". Heavy Metal took the exact opposite route. It was a liberating experience for the animators working on the film to be allowed to draw things they usually weren't allowed. And they got paid to do it, too!

After the opening Soft Landing sequence, we're introduced to the Loc-Nar, a glowing green orb responsible for all the evil that has plagued the universe (or at least, that which has plagued the human race). The various stories contained in the film are told by the Loc-Nar to a young girl, as examples of it's awesome power.

The stories include the film noir homage Harry Canyon, the male "wish fulfillment fantasy" of Den (which demonstrates the versatility of the late John Candy, who voices both Dan, the science nerd who gets transported into an alternate dimension by the Loc-Nar, as well as Den, the Conan/He-Man-esque beefcake that he is magically transformed into), the highly amusing Captain Sternn (trivia: the voice of the prosecutor is done by John Vernon, the actor who portrayed Dean Wormer in Animal House), the EC-esque B-17 (aka Gremlins, which went through so many script revisions, it's a miracle it got finished at all), the bizarrely hilarious So Beautiful And So Dangerous (ok, maybe there's some truth to the juvenilia charges during this segment, but only a corpse could keep from laughing at this piece), and revenge scenario of Taarna (imagine a tougher, sexier version of Xena, only about a decade and a half earlier).

While there IS some element of juvenilia here, it's no worse than any other movie that's been released by any major studio during the last 25 years. In fact, I bet it's a little more cerebral than most of those other movies. Harry Canyon is a rather crafted film noir homage, while some elements of Taarna are clearly patterned on Sergio Leone's spaghetti westerns. And while there are a couple sex scenes and a certain amount of excessive violince in Heavy Metal, again, it's nothing compared to some of the garbage that's shown on cable TV these days. I'd certainly rather watch this than Basic Instinct or No Way Out.

This movie is a classic piece of animation. Yeah, some of it's rough around the edges, but that has a lot to do with Columbia's decision to move up the deadline so they could have the original movie out in time for the summer 81 season. One has to consider the scope of the undertaking, and the relatively short time that was at hand to create it.

Look at the "travelling sequence" during Taarna, where she's shown riding her mount (a sort of large bird creature) over a rolling landscape, and consider that it was done WITHOUT the use of any kind of computer generated work. It's explained in the audio commentary on the rough cut of the film, as well as during the documentary how it was done, and why it didn't quite turn out as planned). No one had ever done anything like that, and it had to all be done by hand.

Really, you can't take this movie too seriously. It's a movie that exists soley to entertain. There's no big message or point to the movie. Just put the DVD in the player, turn out the lights, turn up the volume LOUD, and just enjoy the trip.

It should be noted, that this disc also contains some of the best bonus features I've seen on any DVD. Besides the regular movie, you get a full length "rough cut" of the film, consisting of storyboards, pencil tests, and some completed animation. The only audio for this rough cut (besides the optional audio commentary, by Carl Macek, who also does a completely different commentary for the finished movie) is the dialog. There's long stretches of silence, but it's worth watching, as there's lots of bits of dialog that were cut from the final movie (we learn, for instance, that Katharine, like Den, was also transformed when she was transported to this mysterious alternate universe). It's also interesting to note that the stories weren't always in the order that they were in the final movie.

There's also a half hour documentary with interviews from many of the filmmakers involved in making the film. We finally find out why we see a model of a house blowing up at the end (because they didn't have time to finish the animation for that one bit), and also why Cornelius Cole's Neverwhere Land was cut from the movie (either for reasons of length/continuity, or because Cole didn't finish it in time, depending on exactly which version of the story you wish to believe.

You also get a few minutes of deleted scenes, most notably the above mentioned Neverwhere Land, which was originally supposed to link Captain Sternn and B-17. There's also a few minutes that surround an early version of the framing story (in whence the Loc-Nar was actually the power source of a magical merry-go-round, and the various objects on the merry-go-round related in one way to the stories...ie, there's a taxicab, Taarna's mount, etc...each time the girl takes a ride in a different vehicle on the merry-go-round, she experiences a different story).

And finally, you get all Heavy Metal covers up through 1999, plus various bits of production drawings, cels, etc.

In short, this is a classic film that should be viewed by all fans of animation and/or heavy flicks. Prudes and conservatives who get cranky at the very thought of a movie being ruined by a little too much flesh or blood (and really, there isn't THAT much of either in this film) or a little warped humor (ok, there's PLENTY of that here) are advised to keep away. I just wish they had restored Neverwhere Land to it's original place between Captain Sternn and B-17.

Cult Classic HEAVY METAL Not a Clunker
Some critics and film historians have labeled 1981's HEAVY METAL as the last film to genuinely reflect the mishmash sensibilities of the post-hippy 1970s counter-culture, and stylistically and thematically this appears to be true. Based on the adult counter-culture cult comic of the same name, HEAVY METAL definitely is a sort of spacey concatenation of disparate visual aesthetics and heterogeneous science-fiction/fantasy narratives. But despite being a hodgepodge as a whole, the film still manages to offer a very entertaining way to kill 90 minutes.

As with the magazine, the film is basically aimed at horny male adolescents, offering plenty of nude, amply bosomed women running around in the midst of stylized violence and gore; lots of rock music (though these ditties from popular metal bands of the late '70s may not appeal to the current generation of horny male adolescents); and references to the drug-oriented sub-culture (definitely not a cartoon for the pre-teen crowd). Each individual segment of HEAVY METAL was scripted and directed independently of the others, which likely accounts for the varying aesthetic and narrative styles. But many of these contributors were (and are now) some of the most talented people in the film industry, including writers Dan O'Bannon, Len Blum, and Daniel Goldberg, and directors John Bruno, John Halas, and Jimmy T. Murikami. (Gerald Potterton, listed in the credits as the film's director, was in reality the overseer for the project as a whole.)

Because the film does not contain a single cohesive plotline, it is best to evaluate each animated segment in its own right. Some of those individual stories are quite thought-provoking or humorous--or both--and even some of the more mediocre segments still offer some fantastic visuals. One of the most intellectually interesting is a story called DEN, in which a young bespectacled geek is transported into a parallel universe and transformed into a handsome, muscled barbarian hero. After falling in love with a curvaceous maiden, he helps her save her people from their draconian Caligula-like dictator. B-17 is probably the most earnest segment, though there seems to be no intrinsic logic to the sparse narrative. In it, the dead crewmembers of a WWII bomber plane are inexplicably resurrected as flesh-eating zombies, subsequently seeking to make a meal of the plane's still-living pilot. Visually, however, this segment is quite stunning, evoking the deliciously gruesome artistic style of the old E.C. comics of the '50s and early '60s. And in the funniest segment--entitled SO BEAUTIFUL, SO DANGEROUS--a gorgeous Pentagon secretary is inadvertently sucked into an alien spaceship that resembles a huge smiley face. After confronting the spaced-out druggie crewmembers, she ultimately becomes the lover of the ship's robot and decides to remain aboard.

After its initial release, HEAVY METAL attained a cult following of sorts and became a favorite of the midnight-movie crowd. Unfortunately, its release to the home-video market was delayed for years due to disputes over copyrights for some of the rock songs used in the soundtrack. Because of this, poorly produced bootlegged copies of the flick were illegally sold (usually at Sci-fi cons) and swapped among fans, and the inferior video quality contributed to the film's unfair reputation for being a mediocre film. But the music disputes were eventually resolved somehow, and the film became commercially available to the home market in the mid 1990s and regained its popularity as a cool cartoon. (Some statistics indicate that it is the most popular film in the Columbia/Tristar home-video catalog.)

Columbia/Tristar's Special-Edition DVD of HEAVY METAL offers a beautiful digital transfer of the film and soundtrack, along with some really cool bounus material. For animation fans, one of the best of the bonus features is a fascinating feature-length pencil-test version of the film (with optional commentary). Columbia/Tristar also offers a version of the HEAVY METAL in their SuperBit collection, but as with their other SuperBit films, the disc space required for the higher bit rate precludes the inclusion of any bonus material. Unless the buyer has a high-definition TV and can appreciate the increased picture quality of the SuperBit disc, the Special-Edition version is the way to go. Either way, HEAVY METAL offers enough entertainment value to make it a worthy addition to the DVD collection of any SF or animation fan.

Heavy Metal special edition
Heavy Metal is an excellent movie. And it's a great way to see the magazine come to life. It has great rock and Heavy Metal music along with it's motion picture score.
It's a cult classic for Friday night viewing. Not to be missed and represents the 1980's at it's best.

A science fiction/ fantasy animated sampler
If you aren't a science fiction fan, then you probably aren't going to get into this film. However, if you have at least a passing familiarity with the genre and it's evolution over the years then it will hold your interest.

First of all, the framework that holds all the various animated segments together (in an old, isolated, Victorian house) seems to be a tribute to Clifford Simak's work. The first segment (Harry Canyon) is a gritty cyberpunk story set in a decaying New York of the near future, ala PKD. The second piece (Den) is a parody of heroic fantasy fiction, ala Edgar Rice Burroughs. The third (Captain Sternn) is a parody of heroic, hard science fiction, ala Roddenberry and the early Heinlein. The fourth (B-17) is pure graphic horror ala William Gaines and the horror mags of the 50's. The fifth segment (So Beautiful, so Dangerous) reminds one of the underground comics of the 60's and 70's in its look and content (drug humor.) Lastly, segment six (Taarna) is an original piece of straight heroic fantasy reminiscent of perhaps Robert E. Howard.

The editors did a pretty good job of tying all of these diverse segments together with reference to the Lok-nar (a sentient, glowing, green orb from space that represents the origin of pure evil in cosmic and human history- perhaps this is a tribute to Lovecraft.)

Back when this film first came out there was an organised feminist campaign to destroy it. I used to wonder if those people ever actually watched the film- I can't imagine a more heroic feminine archetype than Taarna....

This digitally remastered edition is really worth having. I don't remember the images being this crisp and bright when I first saw this in the theaters in '81. As for the sound track (Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, Cheap Trick, Devo, Grand Funk Railroad, Journey, Nazareth, Stevie Nicks, etc.) I don't see how it could be much better.

Oh yes, as for the Stingray with the astronaut driving it dropping out of the orbiting shuttle- I don't have a clue as to what that was all about.... ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Disappointing to fans of the books
I am a big fan of Bernard Cornwell's series of Sharpe books. While I enjoy these DVDs, they do not measure up to the books. The most disappointing part of these DVDs are the battle scenes. Cornwell's books are centered on the battles. The battle's in these DVDs are small, low budget affairs with about 100 soldiers on each side, not the grand spectacle that is demanded.

Great Adaptation of the Book
I found the movie captured the imagination, feel, and spirit of the book. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Low Budget - not like the books
Hi,
i was very disappointed by this DVD Series!
If you read the books forget the movies.
The battles are looking very unrealistic and there are
only around 100 soldiers.
The bridge in this movie is a cheap wood bridge, also there is no
second battle when the bridge after the bridge has been
destroyed.
Even the capture of the eagle is a scene of 2 minutes.

Another throroughly enjoyable grand adventure!
The wonderful cast and story and the great settings and battles combine again in a tale of grand adventure woven around the character of British officer Richard Sharpe.

Sean Bean, Asumpta Serna, Brian Cox and Daragh O'Malley create brilliantly alive characters that seem to belong to this time and place. The supporting players are all wonderful as well, particularly the very nasty villains. Hiss!

This DVD has a chapter menu and not much else but the picture and sound are really good and the movie itself is a treat. Enjoy!

Almost Flawless
The second in the venerable British ITV Sharpe series, and one of the best. Sean Bean is Richard Sharpe, a dashing, swashbuckling hero in the Napoleonic Wars. Or, as the UK television station UK Gold calls him, the "Nineteenth-Century James Bond".

This one finds our hero under the command of - let's face it - a jerk of a commander, the cowardly Sir Henry Simmerson. Events transpire that convince Sharpe he must capture an Imperial Eagle, the standard of Napoleon's army, and touched by "Boney" himself. Of course, there's no shortage of lovely ladies, either, with Theresa (played by Assumpta Serna) and Josefina (Katia Caballero), a lady in a compromised position whom Sharpe gallantly rescues.

The cast are quite enjoyable in this one, with Brian Cox as the conniving but genuninely nice Major Hogan, Daragh O'Malley as the loyal but fiery Sgt. Patrick Harper, and Michael Cochrane in a brilliant turn as the really, really, really *nasty* Henry Simmerson. And, of course, Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe - the quintessence of the swashbuckling but tender hero. Splendid stuff.

Mel Gibson may have to ask What Women Want, but Sean Bean apparently knows...Richard Sharpe! ... Read more

Amazon.com

You can almost hear the studio pitch meeting echoing throughout Crimson Tide like the sonar on the soundtrack: "It's The Cain Mutiny on a nuclear submarine!" When radio communications problems aboard the USS Alabama prevent the sub from receiving its orders clearly during a tense confrontation with Russian warships, Navy officer Denzel Washington faces a huge ethical dilemma: countermand the orders of legendary Captain Ramsey (Gene Hackman) to fire nuclear missiles, or follow his command and risk launching an unprovoked nuclear war. It's really an actors' picture, and the fun is in the fireworks between Washington and Hackman, each of whose characters articulates solid reasoning behind his decision. There are no easy villains, and there's no easy way to tell right from wrong--that's what makes the nuclear stakes so terrifying. Director Tony Scott (who directed Quentin Tarantino's True Romance script) called in Tarantino to punch up the dialogue, which is why, for example, the sailors talk about Silver Surfer comic books. The digital video disc is in anamorphic widescreen; the sonorous underwater rumblings on the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack will provide you with a good opportunity to show off your system's bass response. --Jim Emerson ... Read more

Reviews (104)

Crimson Tide rocks the boat!
After experienceing Crimson Tide for the 15th time, I believe this is my favorite movie of all time. From the very beginning of the movie you are swept into a very plausible scenario: Russian rebels have captured nuclear missle silo's and are threatening to launch at the U.S.. The USS Alabama has been deployed to launch a preemptive strike against Russia. This movie has what DVD owners are looking for: Excellent visuals, bass thumping sound, and great acting. Denzel Washington gives the best performance of his career as Lt. Commander Hunter. His character's by-the-book style is at direct odds with Captain Ramsey's (Gene Hackman) old-school ways. The result is an incredible clash of wills that results in mutiny and the near destruction of the world in a nuclear holocaust. The tension is thick in this drama, and the movie has emotional moments and moments of extreme joy. You will be on the edge of your seat rooting for either Capt. Ramsey or Commander Hunter throughout the movie. This is a must-see movie!

Hoovers the greasy tool!
This movie sucks. It's a disservice to the men of the US Submarine Service. Let's look at what's wrong with this movie. Firstly we have Gene Hackman playing the gunger-than-ho submarine captain in a way that makes you think he prepared for this role by trying to channel George C. Scott from _Patton_. Cigar chomping, scenery-chewing aside the US Navy doesn't let guys who act like Gene Hackman did in this movie anywhere near nuclear weapons. I worked with three men who were former commanders of missile submarines and they were the polar opposites of Gene Hackman's character. Then we have the pseudo-dramatic tension of the conflict between Denzel Washington and Hackman over whether or not to launch the missiles, of course the problem with this bit of dramatic tension is that it's BS, one of the standing orders for nuclear launch is "when in doubt, don't." If you can't get a good authorization you don't just pull a wild hair out of your ass and decide to launch some missiles. Anyone who has a problem understanding this doesn't get near the nuclear missiles. People in the Navy have watched _Dr. Strangelove_ and know not to let people who don't understand this sort of thing near the nuclear missiles.

A JOKE
I am an American Submariner. The Boat I was on at the time this "movie" premiered in Canada was invited to partake in the first showing. There were about 50 of us including officers and chiefs. From the word "go", we tore this movie apart. No wonder the Navy didn't participate in its making. IT IS A JOKE! The beginning scenes where they were diving the boat included pictures of all sorts of other submarines diving. I remember at least 6 classes of boats being shown. Maybe if we were not "bubbleheads" we would have thought it was an interesting movie. Highly doubtful tho. The differences in classes is telling. As far as the plot goes there are fail safes incorporated to prevent this from happening. This movie was made to promote hysterics just like some news media only show one side of a story. I have seen this movie once and would reccommend you seeing " The Hunt For Red October". It's closer to what we did than this one.

isn't fit to scrape barnacles off "Das Boot"
I didn't think it was possible for there to exist a badly-made submarine movie, but I watched this and realized I was wrong. If you know anything about submarines, you'll not like this film very much. Examples? Ok, how about this: The boat (sub's are referred to as "boats" not "ships") is crippled by a torpedo explosion, and the Chief of the Boat announces to the XO (Denzel Washington),"forward ballast tanks damaged. we've lost forward air". The next moment, the boat's main propulsion plant is lost, and the sub is shown heading downward into the depths. Do they move the bow planes / fairwater planes or stern planes to use forward momentum to help the boat rise? NO. Do they blow after ballast (the after ballast tanks are presumably still operational)? NO. What do they do? They just ALL STAND THERE staring at the depth gauge, awaiting their arrival at "crush depth", the depth at which the surrounding pressure of the sea will be more than the pressure hull can withstand and the sub will implode and kill them all. But what saves them? Ah, someone in the Engine Room apparently flicks a switch to start the turbines again! "well, whaddya know, I've started the plant again!" Look, if you suffer an engineering casualty that causes the plant to be lost, chances are you're not going to be able to repair the cause in 5 minutes. Add to this the flimsy character development, the "musical chairs" Caine Mutiny - meets - Keystone Kops command changes, the contrived 'drama' - it's just not believable, folks.
So what to do? I recommend you rent, buy, or borrow "Das Boot" (or its very-well-dubbed version "The Boat"), come home and watch it. Immerse yourself in a real submarine drama. And deep-six this artificial-reef of a movie.

Hackman & Washington Chew Up the Screen
Superior performances by Denzel and Gene. Good supporting performances by Tony Soprano and Gandalf. Great tension. Perfect Tarantino dialogue. Lots of nice realistic touches. Aren't that many good sub movies out there. Only a handful come to mind. Definately worth repeated viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (145)

how spy films should be done!!!!
We've seen James Bond, the Man from Uncle but Mission Impossible is the only spy film that shows how to create a real world of espionage and action.
Based on the successful 1960's series, it starts off with the impossible missions force(a group of specially qualified agents) doing a simple job of catching a traitor,who is stealing secret files of every undercover agents real identity. The team is wiped out except for Tom Cruise who becomes the number one suspect for their deaths. Using all his skills he has to prove his innocence, find the real culprit and keep one step ahead of the authorities.
The set pieces are truely dazzling, the finale on the Channel Train tunnel is absoloutly stunning and the possibly one of THE best action sequences in cinematic history.
The story never slows down for a second and although at first viewing a little confusing its still gripping stuff.
The supporting cast is fantastic from Jon Voight to Vanessa Redgrave it's very hard to criticise a film so well-thought out.
The best action-orientated espionage film since You Only Live Twice. Shame De Palma would'nt stay for the sequel.
The DVD extras are few but who cares when you've got a film this good!!!!!!

Ethan Hunt is right up there with James Bond!
"Mission Impossible" is probably one of the best spy films I've seen in a long time! Different from James Bond 007 movies, "Mission Impossible" has a clever plot, lots of twists and turns, edge-of-your seat suspense, some parts where there is witty humor, and action which would satisfy any movie lover!

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is sent on a mission with other IMF agents Jim Phelps (John Voight), his wife Claire Phelps (Emmanuelle Beart), Sarah Davies (Kristin Scott Thomas), Jack Harmen (Emilio Estevez), and Hannah Williams (Ingeborga Dapkunaite). It's a fairly simple job in Prague, their mission is to keep surveillance on the top-secret NOC list. But everything goes wrong as the list in stolen and one by one, all of the agents are killed, leaving only Ethan alive. He then learns that the list that was stolen was actually fake, and that the whole thing was a set-up to capture a 'mole'. And since Ethan was the only one left alive, he is now the prime suspect for being the traitor. Now disavowed with a man-hunt going on for him, Ethan must find out who the real culprit is and to do that, he plans on stealing the real NOC list to bait him! With help from Claire who had not really been killed and two other disavowed agents Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Franz Krieger (Jean Reno), they now have a 'mission impossible', to catch the traitor!

This is certainly a 5 star movie since it has what I think all the ingredients that are needed in a good action movie: acting, plot, action, suspense, and a bit of humor. And "Mission Impossible" has it all! But probably the two ingredients which were the most well used was the superbly written plot and the action.

The plot was pretty original, not the usual 'an evil man/group planning to take over the world' plot, but one where agents all over the world would be in danger if the NOC list isn't kept safe. Also there was plenty of mystery, surprises, and twists and turns, making the watcher actually having to think during the movie. You would actually have to watch "Mission Impossible" a few times to get the whole story.

As for the action, probably the highlights of the film are most probably the beginning where the agents are keeping surveillance on the NOC list, the breaking into the CIA computer vault, and the helicopter/train scene. My personal favorite is the breaking into the safe in the CIA safe, it was a really exciting part!

There was a sequel made after this movie, "Mission Impossible 2". Returning in the movie are of course Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt and Ving Rhames as Luther Stickell. Though it was very exciting and more action packed, the plot was very, very simple compared to the first movie and also it had a different director, John Woo, direct. All in all, an OK movie which I recommend to watch. And of course, all James Bond movies are must-sees.

Mission Declassified
Adapting a popular television series for the big screen is never an easy undertaking. Not only do you have to compete with audience expectations, but, the filmmakers also have to make it their own as well. Considering all of the rumored backstage problems, that were said to have happened while Mission Impossible was being made, it's amazing that the movie got made at all.

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is the leader of a crack squad of intelligence operatives. When a dangerous mission in Prague goes inexplicably wrong, Hunt finds himself out in the cold. A mole has infiltrated the CIA, and suspicions are that it's Hunt. His only chance to clear his name, is to find and expose who the realmole is, and turn the tables on that person. With potential enemies all around him, it's hard to know whom he can trust. The plan takes Hunt through a series of close calls as he tries to stay one step ahead of his foes.

Anyone who has followed the career of director Brian De Palma will recognize many of his familiar trademarks. The cast is top notch. Ving Rhames as Luther, Henry Czerny as the smarmy Kittridge, Emmanuelle Béart as Claire, are just great support for Cruise. Sadly though, save for Jim Phelps (John Voight), none of the chacacters from the television series are in the film. The only other connective elemements of the show are the "Good Morning Jim...mission briefings and Lalo Schifrin's classic theme song, updated by coposer Danny Elfman. As a fan of the seies, I wish more of a direct homage were paid to what came before. The script, credited to Robert (Chinatown) Towne and David (Panic Room) Koepp, has plenty to keep the viewer guessing. But the major twist is pretty easy to spot and that's disappointing. One final problem--we don't really see The IMF work as a team all that much-- everyone's kind of scattered for too much of the film.

"Friction" between Cruise and De Palma may explain why a special edition DVD hasn't been released yet. Whatever the case may be...Mission Impossible is good enough to deserve an upgrade. As it stands now, the only extra on the current release, is the theatrical trailer. You can watch the film in either the widescreen or fullscreen formats.

de palma: cruise
Brian De Palma's (Carrie; Scarface; The Untouchables) 1996 action film starring Tom Cruise and Jon Voight is a pretty good action film. Well, once you suspend all belief. But that is what this movie is about. Putting real life on hold and believing in the impossible, the fantastic. Cruise, an excellent dramatic actor, does a great job crossing over into an action star--even with the bad haircut. Lots of cool gadgets and interesting scenarios and that great Mission: Impossible theme. And it is great to see the intimidating Ving Rhames casted as a computer genius/geek. Inspired casting.

Mission: Impossible (1996)
Director: Brian De Palma
Cast: Tom Cruise, Jon Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, Emilio Estevez, Vanessa Redgrave, Harry Czerny, Ving Rhames, Jean Reno.
Running Time: 110 minutes.
Rated PG-13 for violence and some language.

Based on the popular 1960's television series, this Brian De Palma ("Carrie", "Scarface") production possesses all of the qualities of a fun, top-of-the-line action flick--only to see it slightly crumble due to a storyline that is extremely tough to follow. Tom Cruise stars as the slick covert agent Ethan Hunt, who has been assigned with a crack team of American undercover agents to set up operations in Prague to catch a double agent (Jon Voight) in the act.

There are many scenes that are very exciting, especially the chase scene on the train finale; however, De Palma does not expand on a script that assumes the audience knows all of the technological and spy jargon, leaving us loving the action but lost in the wind. Cruise is only fairly adequate as Hunt, not given the chance to expand his character. Excellent special effects, a riveting, catchy musical score, and some fine supporting roles from Voight, Emmanuelle Beart, and Ving Rhames. A good action movie, but nothing more. Luckily director John Woo stepped in as director the second film, creating a rough-and tough, out of this world sequel that surpasses the original. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Finally, we get Alien vs Predator !
Wow, this movie has been in the works for too long! It's about time!

From what I've read, Lance Henriksen is in AvP as the original Charles Weyland, the 'father of modern robotics', thats why the android looked like him in Aliens, and his great grandson is the character in Alien 3.

That would make Alien vs Predator a 'prequel' to the other 4 Alien films, and so there is no continuity error in the stories.

In any case, I'll wait to see it before I pass any final judgements. Im sure the action & effects will be great, lets just hope there isnt too much cheap CGI. :P

Whoever wins, we lose!
I can't for this film to come out! It's been on the shelf for years, and I'm surprised "Aliens vs. Predator" will premiere in August 2004. I don't know why it took so long for both creature franchises to pair up together for one film. I mean, both are produced by studio Fox, but I think the story was the problem. I don't know that many details about it, but i heard the film is set in the near-future, with soldiers likely being the heroes from exterminating the alien beings.

I'm not really a big fan of the "Alien" series, and I never seen any "Alien" film entirely,except for the medicore "Alien Resuruction." Don't count on heroine Siguorney Weaver to return, she's a recycled character and doesn't even have first billing for this movie.Lance Henriksen, who potrayed a robot in a couple of "Alien" films, does return. I can't wait with the new race of creatures this film will have for the "Alien" franchise.

Now "Predator" I'm familar with. The "Predator" should be the ultimate foe to beat. It kills for sport, and has an amazing array of gadgets, each armed to kill. It has the ability to become self-invisible. Even a dummy will know "Ahhnold" Schwarzenegger won't return (he's busy saving California), he didn't even return for the sequel. Despite making only two movies, the Predator creature surely lasted a mark in creature making and I can't wait to see another Predator again.

"Alien vs. Predator" basically got the idea from the successful comic book and video game franchises. Hopefully this film will succeed because the technology of computer graphics has improved dramatically that it would make this film outstanding. Happy Kills! (For the aliens and predators, I mean.)

Alien and Predator go PG-13
Let's face it: any movie that pits two of the coolest sci-fi creatures of all time against each other, while killing lots of human beings (completely nessecary mind you) has to be cool, right? Every person (including myself) who saw this movie went into it with that decieving mindset; coming out six bucks in the hole, and none too satisfied. Take the worst of every Alien and Predator movie (i.e. Arnold S./Danny Glover), a watered down plot, horrible acting, and a WHOLE LOTTA CRAP, and blend it all together - and you get this. The vs. part is the hook, the hope of seeing an actual Alien vs. Predator battle is the line, and the movie? The sinker. The humans do not die fast enough! Any movie where lots of humans die trying to stop something a) of no concern to them and b) that is going to ruin their chances of greed - is okay by me. I was waiting for a cameo by Danny Glover telling us veterans of age that we are indeed "too old for this @#$%!" (Lethal Weapon throwback there) However, this review isn't all bad: the Aliens and Predators look tremendous, with awesome detail, and the Predator makes use of that cool weaponary it possesses. This "PG-13" is the training wheels to its "R-rated" predecessors. And if this battle ever turns into a series, pray it finds its way into space...where all franchises go to die.

Not Bad, not bad at all!
I saw this movie twice, I liked most of what I saw, there were somethings that I did not like in Alien vs. Predator, one of them being how the quickly and how the first 2 predators were killed in this movie, and the second is how cheazy looking the predators shoulder cannons looked. Other than that the movies was spectacular, strange but still a good movie regardless. I have been a fan of both the Aliens and Predator franchises since I was 10 and I have to say that this alien vs. predator movie has been long overdue.

Hope it's good....
I love all of the alien and predator films, So I'm incredibly excited. This movie comes out on my birthday so I'm really phsyced( Don't know if i spelled it right). But I heard that the director also directed Resident Evil which was kinda a let down... But i personally think that people that like the Alien and Predator movies are still gonna love it. I hope it doesn't fall into crap like Freddy vs Jason but also i know for a fact people love these characters alot more than 2 mediocre( but still cool) horror killers. Im just hoping for the best. But please if you are gonna see this movie watch all 4 Aliens and 2 Predators!!!! They are all good in my opinion. August 13, 2004
Smash Hit or Hit Smashed in the ground... ... Read more

Reviews (551)

A fun, dark superhero film
No, it's not as good as Tim Burton's Batman, nor the original Superman or the recent Spiderman movies. But Daredevil still is a good comic book film that wins much of my praise by being true to the page in creating a very dark character in a harsh world

Still, it is not without its flaws, and if it weren't for some very unique traits I would rate this film as only mediocre. But what works here works exceptionally well. Beginning with the traditional origin story of Daredevil (Ben Affleck), a blind superhero whose remaining senses are greatly heightened, the movie shows how he became a vengeful vigilante who kills the bad guys rather then turning them in to face a potentially corrupt court system (Daredevil's alter ego Matt Murdock is a lawyer by day). This world is mean, and so is its superhero. But he wrestles with his conscious and wonders if he is a bad guy too. In this comic book world, people die. Including those you don't expect to. In other words, it more accurately depicts real life while still in a superhero world.

One particular unique thing about the film is how it illustrates Daredevil's radar sense. The vibrations he picks up are shown in a fantastic visual effect that has to be one of the best film realizations of a superpower in history. From the origin scene when he goes blind to a wonderful scene with Elecktra in the rain where he first "sees" what she looks like from the drops of rain on her face, the technique is used for characterization and "film moments," and never just to show off a cool special effect.

Unfortunately, the movie isn't perfect. There isn't enough development of Elecktra and Daredevil's relationship, and bad guy Kingpin (Michael Clark Duncan) doesn't have enough screentime to villainify his presence. All the characters could have benefited from further characterization as well. But this is a comic book movie, after all, and in the end what matters most is how much fun it was. And Daredevil is a blast.

Truth Or Dare
Daredevil is yet another comic book hero that takes a crack at movie stardom. Created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett in 1964, for Marvel Comics, the film adaptation ends up as a mixed effort at best.

At the age of 12, young Matt Murdock (Scott Terra) is left blinded by dangerous chemicals, while running away from a the scene of a crime, in Hell's Kitchen New York. Soon after, he realizes that the same chemicals that took his sight, have somehow enhanced his remaining senses and made him superhuman. As Matt grows up. he vows to use his powers to fight crime and bring order to Hell's Kitchen...Now an adult Matt (Ben Affleck) is a defense lawyer by day and the masked Daredevil by night...Our hero is being hunted by a ruthless assassin named Bullseye (Colin Farrell), who was hired by the Kingpin of Crime (Michael Clarke Duncan) to take him out. Things get even worse for Matt as the woman he loves, Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Garner), blames his alter ego for a devasting loss.

Written and directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the film serves the character's origins pretty well, in other words, it stays true to the original comic book.. The film boasts some cool action sequences and solid effects. I especially liked the way in which Daredevil used his power and how that was shown on screen. Since many of the stunts in the movie were staged by the team that handled the Matrix. I was never bored or put off by what I saw there. As usual actors Jon Favreau, playing Matt's pal Frank Nelson, and Joe Pantoliano, as New York Post reporter Ben Urich provide the film some comic relief. Cameo watchers will notice creator Stan Lee and a famous comic book fan turned film director in the film as well.

While the film does have its good points, I found the casting of the film troublesome, and in the end, that's why I