Reviews (86)

So-so action film...
I've never watched the original Shaft, so I have nothing to base this remake on. It's not a very serious action film. Jeffrey Wright and Busta Rhymes providing most of the comic relief. It is interesting to note that Richard Rountree (the original shaft) and Gordon Parks (the original director) played parts in this film.

After watching this film, I can say I don't mind it. I've seen a lot worse, and I've seen better. Atleast with this film, you have Samuel Jackson playing another cool, suave character. It's too bad Venessa William didn't play a more integral part to the story. I would've liked to see a better dynamism between the two. But then again Shaft has always been a lone-ranger of sorts.

This is not a plot-heavy story. It's about a rich kid that murders an African American, but this crime is witnessed by a waitress who goes into hiding after being threatened. Shaft is disheartened by the inadequacy of the system and decides to investigate on his own. Like I said, not plot-heavy.

LEAP rating (each out of 5):
============================
L (Language) - 3 (nothing special, except for Jeff Wright's almost incomprehensible speech)
E (Erotica) - 1 (opening sequence and a good kiss scene)
A (Action) - 3.5 (unapologetic killings)
P (Plot) - 2 (simple plot)

This film should have gotten the "shaft"
"Shaft" (2000)

Shaft's (Richard Roundtree) nephew, also last-named Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson), is the star in this movie. But it is nothing like the original starring Roundtree and directed by Gordon Parks (although both of them make cameos in this film). The first "Shaft" was a blaxploitation flick and is a classic. This movie, directed by John Singleton, seems less black, more made-for-Hollywood. The plot is thin and unlike the original, the only love scene to be found is in pieces during the opening credits. And what was Busta Rhymes' purpose? It added nothing to the movie. Sorry, Sam Jackson is a hell of an actor but his Shaft doesn't make me forget about Roundtree's. -EJR

Singleton ruins yet another legend. somebody stop him.......
Samuel L. Jackson in Shaft could have been a great movie. He has the talent and skill to effectively play the role. Unfortunately, he is prevented from doing a giving a good performance because of the weak direction and script by Hack Extrodinare John Singleton. Someone please stop Mr. Singleton Before he directs again.
Singleton's terrible script and direction turns Shaft into a campy over-the top superhero movie instead of an intruigung murder mystery. Most of the characters come off like cartoonish stereotypes instead of real people the way they did in the 1971 original. Shaft fans know he is smart, smooth and clever; he's subtle about the way he does things. He's not a black batman wannabe as depicted in this film. Perhaps Mr. Singleton dreams of doing a Batman movie and thought he could apply those concepts here. He was sadly mistaken.
In the openeing scene he comes off as menacing and threatening, that he scares the witness even more and puts the white racist (Christian Bale) on the offensive by arresting him. A litle subtlety would have helped the story here and made the character more interesting. In the subplot our menacing shaft threatens a neighborhood drug dealer (Geoffrey Rush) and arrests him on some trumped up charges. While in jail the two consipire to find a witness who can finger Bale's character for the murder he committed. Sounds a lot like Batman Returns doesn't it? Just so he can have something to do, Shaft goes on a macho search to find the witness who can help his case. Personally, I think Singleton wanted to have a ton of frames of Sam Jackson looking cool in Armani leather. This goes on until the last act the movie which turns into a great big comic book action sequence chock full of shootings and mayhem. To conclude the story, the scene where Bale's character is coming to court to finally stand trial for his crimes is ripped straight from Mario Van Peebles ending scene of New Jack City.
Singleton wastes yet another opportunity and fails to utilize his cast of talented actors who do their best with his terrible script. Sadly, Gordon Parks, the man who wrote and directed the original Shaft was on set and Singleton did take the opportunity not pick his brain for ideas or even ask him what he was thinking when he set up certain scenes. This film would have been better if Singleton would have done thatn andjust STUDIED the films of this genere and understood the subtle nuances that make them work before starting this project. Then when he understood what made those films work he could then apply those approaches to his work. John Singleton needs to go back to film school. He still has a lot to learn about the craft of moviemaking.

VERY GOOD REMAKE OF THE 1971 CLASSIC
SHAFT'S SAME-NAMED NEPHEW [SAMUEL L. JACKSON] GOES AFTER A DOMINICAN DRUG LORD AND A RACIST SERIAL KILLER. VERY GOOD REMAKE. IT HAS PLENTY OF GOOD ACTION, AN INTERESTING STORY, AND IT HAS GOOD CHARACTERS. THIS IS ACTUALLY NO BETTER OR WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL. RICHARD ROUNDTREE [WHO PLAYED THE ORIGINAL SHAFT] AND GORDON PARKS, JR. BOTH MAKE APPEARANCES IN THIS MOVIE.

wonderful remake
a great remake with Jackson being the man Shaft. good action with some unexpected turnabouts. Christian Bale is menacing as the racist who kills Mehki Phifer then has to answer to Shaft and Jeffrey Wright is a spectacular badguy as well. a good ride ... Read more

Reviews (55)

Sneakers...Sneaks in 5 Stars!!
SNEAKERS is a great caper flick with minimal violence and an ensemble cast one would never expect would ever be put on screen. Who would think that a movie would contain the likes of Robert Redford, Dan Aykroyd, David Strathairn (Eight Men Out, League of Their Own), Mary McDonnell (Dances with Wolves), River Phoenix (Dog Fight, Stand by Me), and the great Sidney Poitier to boot. It's fun, light, and suspensful. Redford heads a group of high tech misfits who troubleshoot and hack security systems. They are hired by a renegade government agency to steal a device that can decipher electronic coded messages developed by a mathematical genius, but get caught up into something more sinister than they bargained for as people begin getting kidnapped and murdered. Great characters including Dan Aykroyd's tailor made 'Mother' who sprouts off any conspiracy theory at whim, David Straithairn's blind hacker 'Whistler' whose ears can "see" more than anyone's eyes and whose only need in life is peace and good will towards his fellow man, and a great cameo by Ben Kingsley as the vengeful 'Cosmo' who is behind all the evil doings. Overall, a great cast, great script and first class entertainment!!

Conspiracy Theory?
Other movies that have tried (and failed) to cover hacking/conspiracy theories have one fatal flaw. Instead of trying to be entertaining, as movies should be; they take their cues from the mainstream media and try to scare the audience to death with images of cival liberties being taken away as fast as some on screen hacker can type into a not-so-secure government database.

Sneakers on the other hand shows us what the government(and people pretending to be the government) is capable of through the eyes of very entertaining yet somewhat believable characters in the industry. From a phone phreak to an ex cia man, their group covers the gambit in skills and personalities. Redford leads an allstar cast as a good looking social engineer who talks his way past security in lieu of hacking. Dan Akroyd gives a performance unparalelled except maybe for his character in Gross Pointe Blank.

So if you are in the mood for something completely different from the Net, Conspiracy theory, and Masterminds, then this is the movie for you.

Loved it, seen it uncountable times, just upgraded to DVD version. James *Too Many Secrets* Stewart

A strong, intellectually intriguing movie
When I first saw this movie I was expecting something completely different. Being a software developer, I was expecting the standard stereotype of eccentric not-in-touch-with-reality radical leftist computer nerds. What I got instead was a bunch of really fun characters that I thoroughly identified with and who covered the gamut of personality types. The plot was somewhat believable (the core plot device notwithstanding) and the choices the characters made to come out on top were also fairly enjoyable, such as the sightless gentleman driving the van down a steep embankment to save his buddies with only radioed instructions to keep him on track. What few persons have mentioned, however, in these reviews is that the movie also has a winning soundtrack. Its theme is quite catchy and emminently memorable. Pay no attention to the gentleman who says the movie isn't worth anything. This movie was meant to be a cut above the rest and it succeeded. If someone was unable to enjoy it, then I unashamedly chalk it up to his small mind.

Superlative Film; DVD is Lacking in Supplements
I currently own the original Widescreen Edition (1998 Universal). I'll buy the 2003 Collector's Edition, but I'm very disappointed by the paucity of extras: This movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

One of my favorite movies of all time, for all of the same reasons listed by others here. I own the original DVD, which was released in 16:9 anamorphic, quite ahead of its time.

Unfortunately, it's painful to see a favorite movie come out on DVD with so few Special Features. This was a wasted opportunity, considering the quintessential ensemble cast that made this movie as fun as it is. The movie's 11 years old, and while I'm glad Universal thought enough to re-release it earlier this year with director Phil Alden Robinson doing a commentary track, I think there's much more that could have been done. I can understand the difficulty in tracking down such an incredible ensemble cast after 11 years. But as a consumer, I can say: this movie is too good to have this few DVD extras.

I *will* buy this new version for the following reasons: It's under $15, my existing copy is worn from repeated use, and I have been hoping for extras such as Robinson's commentary. I am, however, disappointed at the waste of potential on Universal's part: The quality of this movie deserves a DVD with a lot more to it.

5 stars for the movie, 2 stars for the extra features.

Great Film, Fair DVD
This film is an example of what an ensemble cast of A-list actors can do when they have fun with a project. While their acting has been better in other films, their camaraderie carries the film. Clocking in at over 2 hours, the film becomes muddled in parts, but your interest in the characters keeps you from becoming overly impatient with it. Equal parts "Charade" and "WarGames" the movie keeps you guessing at who's who and what the character's true motivations are, while the technology doesn't get out of hand (most solutions are low- not high-tech).

For a Collector's Edition, the supplementary material on the DVD is disappointing. The high point is the commentary: the detailed reminiscences of the director and writers are informative and enjoyable. The "Making of" documentary is pleasant, but doesn't build much on the commentary; the comments of the cast don't expand beyond telling who the characters are (only Ackroyd describes anything he brought to his character beyond the writers' amalgam of 70s and 80s phone phreaks and social engineers). The single theatrical preview is nice, but with along with the bonus materials in general, you feel there should have been more. The only other item on the Bonus Materials section is a "Recommendation" for "other films you might enjoy": Field of Dreams (same director/writer), Spy Game (also with Redford), and The Sting (Redford again, with James Earl Jones' father); there aren't previews of these films, just three small DVD cases sharing the screen. No deleted scenes (although several are described in the commentary). No outtakes (you know there had to be some serious hijinks on the set). No scripts or scene comparisons to show the film's decade-long evolution. Not even an Easter egg to reward devoted hackers.

Buy this disc for the movie, not the bonus materials. It's a lot of fun and the cast is a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" player's dream. ... Read more

Reviews (275)

One Super DVD
Faster than a speeding bullet. More powerful than a locomotive. Able to leap the tallest building in a single bound. The world's greatest superhero has finally arrived on DVD with "Superman: The Movie" Special Edition. The film focuses on the young survivor of the doomed world of Krypton. After crash-landing on earth, the young alien is adopted by a caring farm couple and grows up with amazing superhuman abilities. Moving to Metropolis, he uses his incredible powers to protect the people and fight injustice. "Superman- the Movie" is probably the best superhero movie to date. The story is quite entertaining but does lose some strength during the second half though it still manages to preserve its entertainment value. The film contains some great performance by Christopher Reeve, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder and Marlon Brando as Jor-El. The cast also includes Jackie Cooper, Terence Stamp and Ned Beatty. From daring rescues to superhuman feats of strength, the film contains some impressive action sequence and terrific visual effects.

The DVD honors the Man of Steel like it should. The comic book film is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen format. The DVD contains a sharp video transfer and a fine 5.1 Dolby Digital sound with great surround effects. This amazing DVD features an audio commentary with director Richard Donner and consultant Tom Mankiewicz, additional footage including an extended sequence inside Lex Luther's underground gauntlet, behind-the-scenes documentaries, theatrical trailers, deleted scenes and DVD-ROM extras. With such a striking DVD presentation, "Superman" earns an "A".

Super features, super options, JUST PLAIN SUPER!
I enjoyed the Superman DVD. 25 years after this movie came out and seeing it so many times on TV with pan and scan, the newly remastered print blows everything out of the water. The music only option works for the title sequence and hearing the extra tracks on Side B adds to the genius that was John Williams soundtrack.

The audio is remastered and put on a surround sound system instead of the setup I have at home would shake your house to the core. The extra scenes were a good touch as well. Behind the scenes added the great touch of mystique that was Superman. Having Marc McClure host the BTS stuff added a bit of credibility.

Until Spider-Man last year and Batman in 1989, this was the film on which Superheroes were judged. The Hulk disappointed and Daredevil and X-2 were moderate hits.

Superman still stands the test of time, no matter what your views.

Spider-Man has kind of surpassed it...
Well now that we have seen the two Spider-Man movies, I tend to belive that they are now the standards by which other comic book films (both Marvel and DC) will have to live up to now. In a way, Superman is now kind of the odd film out. It works better as an origin story in how Clarke Kent becomes Superman and Chris Reeve's effective perfomance in the title role still works, In the comics, Lex Luthor has always been a one dimensional cartoon character, the only time that he was an effective villian was when Gene Hackman played him in this movie. The final scenes of Superman turning the Earth backward to save lois lane, are what they are. It might be a bit far fetched to put in a movie, but that does not stop audiences from enjoying it. and it doesn't stop me from watching it over and over again.

Born on Krypton, raised by the Kents on Earth, Becomes Hero
The Man of Steel flys into the spectactular motion picture, Based The DC Comic and also appearing in Action Comics, Christopher Reeve stars as Clark Kent.Reporter in Metropolis,Illnois for the newspaper the Daily Planet,And trouble emerges Clark Kent flys to the rescue as Superman, a blue suited red caped powerful wonder. He takes on Lex Luthor played Gene Hackman and falls for Lois Lane played Margot Kidder and Marlon Brand as the Krytonian father of Superman Jor EL. This Film is a Great Superhero movie and great film all around, probably the most imaginative thing the Man of Steel has been in. Superman began as the comic, then a radio show, several 1950s B movies, TV show and in 1978 the true Superman ovie. Superman is imaginative in everthing because hes an imaginative character. A pop culture icon on screen and in everthing else. the Special Effects are incredible, This a Super high flying ride. You Want a good superhero movie before Batman and Spider-Man this is it. If it wasn't for this classic we would'nt have superhero movies like Spider-Man 1&2,Batman,Hulk and X-Men 1&2. Thank Hollywood for making a great superhero film that lauched other superhero films. A thrilling Film of one of the greatest heroes of the 20th century, The Man of Steel, SUPERMAN.

Release Superman into our 21st century!
Very bad film.
They released Spiderman into the 21st century, why not Superman?
I've always found him to be the most appealing comic book character. He is sure for an amazing performance.
RELEASE HIM INTO OUR CENTURY! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Kip Raines (Giovanni Ribisi) is a cocky young car thief working with a crew to steal 50 cars for a very bad man whose nickname is "The Carpenter." Being young and cocky, Kip messes up, so it's up to his big brother, Randall "Memphis" Raines (Nicolas Cage), to come out of car thief retirement and save him. With a cast that includes Robert Duvall, Angelina Jolie, Delroy Lindo, Cage, and Ribisi, it would be easy to say this story wastes all their talents--which it does, but that's not the point. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer film. A good story and complex characters would only get in the way of the action scenes and slow the movie down. No, Gone in 60 Seconds (based on the cult 1974 film of the same name) is not about the stars as much as it's about cars. Fast cars. Rare cars. Wrecked cars. All cars. Too bad director Dominic Sena (Kalifornia) doesn't come across as more of a gearhead; he seems less interested in fast cars than fast cuts. But is this movie fun? Absolutely, and it's fun because it's so stupid. With pointless car chases and hackneyed dialogue in one of the most predictable plots of the year, Gone in 60 Seconds is a comic film that's not quite a parody of itself, but darn close. --Andy Spletzer ... Read more

Reviews (328)

Good Movie...Cage Needs More Sleep
When I first went to see "Gone In 60 Seconds", I had never heard a word of it in previews or word-of-mouth. I never liked or could sit through any Nicholas Cage movies until this one though. Cage plays a rather lathargic Randall Raines, a reformed car theif who is unwillinglly drawn back into his old profession to save his younger brother Kip (The Wonder Years' Giovanni Ribisi) from death. Kip takes a car boosting job for the meanest car-theft ringleader in town (A part which even I could've played better than this guy), and faces the ultimate price for mistakes. To keep the big boss from killing his brother, Cage must round up old collegues to pull off the biggest boost of their lives. Some of his partners in crime include Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall and my favorite...Vinnie Jones as The Sphinx. Each with his/her own special tallent, they work at moving 50 cars in 2 days to save little Raines. The one thing that kept the movie from running out of gas at the box-office I think, was the fact that they went in-depth as far as methods of boosting the cars...instead of knocking on someone's door and stealing the keys from the kitchen table. And there's a lot of laughs along the way that keep it from seeming like a re-run of CHIPS. Up-beat comedy makes the movie a lot better than it could've been, my favorite part was Nicholas Cage taunting a seriously ghettoed-out rival theif from inside a diner who was out kill him. The movie does have a few corney scenes that were obviously forced by a nerdy director...but the action, the laughs, and all the new stuff you learn about stealing cars these days is what makes it a good pick for me. I think this movies' like alcohol though, if you get in a car after it youre gonna feel like driving like a maniac. Nicholas Cage deffinately hits a mark with this one.

An escapist guilty-pleasure movie
If you're the kind of moviegoer who likes to watch some films without having to do a lot of thinking, loves action and hot cars, and likes to watch a goofy movie without having to think about character depth or surprises in the story, you'll like this movie. I recommend it only to people who like such movies. I don't mind watching such a movie now and then, and there are some things that I thought were pretty cool.

The 1967 Shelby GT-500 Mustang is the best thing about the movie. I've always liked cars and this is a rare classic. The climactic chase is cool and well done. Nicholas Cage actually did 98% of his own stunt driving. Another thing I liked was Robert Duvall. I guess he's the kind of actor who can survive anything. And the opening boost of a brand new Porsche 911 right out of a factory showroom was kind of neat, and funny as well.

But the story is predictable, awfully predictable. You know the hero will save his brother's life. The only surprise is in the final delivery of that Shelby. If you actually saw the original 1974 film you'll recognize a scene in a garage that pays homage to a similar one in the old film. It involves a car, a cop, and heroin. I was also disappointed that the final chase doesn't last longer.

GREAT CAR FILM!
"Gone in 60 Seconds" exists for one purpose: to show off some of the hottest cars in existence. The storyline is kind of hokey, but the cars more than make up for it, especially the GT 500. The car chase at the end is one of the best ever filmed! All the actors (Especially Robert Duvall, who can never give a bad performance) do fine in their roles. All in all, "Gone in 60 Seconds" is a one @#*& of a ride!

Also, don't miss Christopher Eccleston (plays the villain, Raymond Vincent Calitri, in this film) this January, when he resurrects one of the greatest characters of all time, the Doctor, in BBC's new "Doctor Who" series. BBC plans to send it to American TV stations as well.

Movie Grade: B+

Maybe a three star movie, but still...
A waste of great talent is probably the most honest thing I can say about this flick.
Jolie is Academy Award material and she hardly does anything in this movie. Gage is a master, this movie was a waste of what he's capable of doing, but I guess he's a good draw. I actually saw this at the theater when it came out and a second time recently. There are cool cars and some cool chase scenes, so it's not that it isn't entertaining, it's just that I was expecting a lot more.

Great chase scenes- cheesy otherwise
Nick Cage is pretty good in this film- the car chase scenes are wild and fun- the rest of the storyline gets kind of schmaltzy and is really predictable.Good action flick when you need to zone out- if you want something with more substance- go back some years and watch Dirty Harry! ... Read more

Description

Vin Diesel stars as a DEA agent on a deadly vendetta to take down the powerful drug cartel that killed his wife. ... Read more

Reviews (70)

A Man Apart-Not the Best yet Not the Worst
A Man Apart,the new action flick starring Vin Diesel is virtually pointless. This is simply one of those simple, decent action flicks of the year. Vin Diesel with his limited acting abilities plays a DEA agent by the name of Sean Vetter. Vin is working on a big case, capturing a deadly drug lord. After a successful hit on drug deal, Sean's wife is killed. Vetter who only feels vengeance throws away the rule book and searchs for the reasons to the tragic loss. His buddy played by Larenz Tate offer the laughs in this decent film. Fans of most cop movies would judge that this film offers reasonably good plot twists and bloody mayhem in a bad formulaic mix. Though this film is no
where near a work of cinematic art, it can be a bit entertaining.
Director F. Gary Gray creates something here, but had much more success with the recent remake "The Italian Job," now in theatres. A Man Apart is rated R for Strong Graphic Violence, Language, Drug Content and Sexuality. The film consists of bloody though somewhat hard to watch gunfights, a brutal head bashing, mild sexual innuendo and strong profanity. I saw this one in theatres, but it wasn't worth it really. Not really worth getting on Video or DVD unless it's under $$$. See it, if you're just a fan of Vin Diesel, but even Vin can't make this movie worth watching. On Video and DVD, September 2, 2003.

Great Outing by Diesel
Vin Diesel stars as a DEA Agent out for revenge in "A Man Apart" and the results are solid.

THE STORY:

Former gang banger turned DEA Agent Sean Vetter makes the biggest bust of his career taking down the biggest drug distributor on the West Coast. Before he can celebrate his victory his wife is killed in a plot of revenge. Vetter must cope with his lose while setting out to find the people who killed his wife while keeping a new drug lord from taking over the turf.

THE COOL THINGS:

This is your standard macho tough guy "take no prisoners" movie. Diesel's cool "tough guy" persona shines through as he makes the rounds kicking butt and taking names of all the bad guy drug dealers out there. The powerful undertones of loss and companionship as Vetter's boys help him out makes the movie touching as well as a good action flick.

THE DVD EXTRAS:

DVD special fiends are in for a disappointment here as the movie only has 7 deleted scenes (all crappy) and trailers to speak for it. Surprisingly there's no commentary or featurettes to speak of.

THE VERDICT:

"A Man Apart" makes a solid rental for the evening and is definitely worth a watch. As far getting the DVD goes, with no features to speak of this one is probably only worth the pick up by true Diesel fans and collectors.

Final Grades:

Movie: 4 stars
Extras: 3 stars

Total: 3.5 stars

An Flawed Action/Drama.
A Former L.A. Gang Member turned DEA Agent-Sean Vetter (Vin Diesel) is a ideal undercover narcotics officer. Sean's loyal partner Demetrius Hicks (Lorenz Tate). Together, They have succeed in taking down the Mexican Cartel's (Geno Silva) top drug lord. Once the Cartel's is in Prison, a ruthless new trafficker mysterious man named Diablo takes control of the Cocaine Empire. But things changes for Sean, when they murder his beautiful wife (Jacqueline Obradors) in Sean's home. Vowing Revenge, Sean tries to make a deal with the Cartel's and Sets out his harsh brand of street justice.

Directed by F.Gary Grey (Friday, The Italian Job-2003, The Negotiator) made a flawed action packed thriller. Diesel and Tate delivers good performances in the film. Which is a bit of a shame, because Christian Gudegast & Paul Scheuring did still needed work in their writting scirpt. Maybe Diesel's good role is Wasted, because there's not enough pain to feel sorry for Diesel's Character-Sean losing his wife in the film. This is One of these films, where Style over Substance wins this film over. Nothing could top Jack N. Green (Unforgiven) terrific cinematography in this one. DVD has an fine anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (also in Pan & Scan) and an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD Extras are 10 Minutes of Deleted Scenes, Theatrical Trailers and DVD-ROM Content. This film was a Box Office Disapointment, this film seems to be better viewing on Video. This film feature also a fine music score by Oscar-Winner:Anne Dudley (The Full Monty). Diesel is also One of the Film's Producers. Filmed in between 2000 and 2001. Super 35. Grade:B+.

Worth owning if a Vin fan, at least one viewing otherwise
This is, as everyone knows, Vin Diesel's proof that he has range and depth with a character emotionally. He himself has said he loves getting in tune with a character. (Obviously moreso with his "Riddick" character of course.) So A Man Apart never seemed to be even hyped so much as a fantastic movie but moreso that Vin Diesel had to be a fantastic actor.

The plot was very tired as everyone has pointed out. There are dozens of movies similar to this. A cop's significant other/child/family was murdered (sometimes, and in this case as well, the main character was supposed to be killed right along with them) ordered by a convict whom this said cop busted in some way. Cop seeks revenge. Cop gets revenge.

A Man Apart is the same way, but carried by a normally rough-and-tumble action star (ironically, even this movie is labeled "Action") showing that he can pull off these extreme emotional stakes. Many thought it would be laughable to see Vin Diesel nearly loose his mind and go on a killing spree to avenge his wife. But like the man or not, he pulled this role off powerfully.

Sean watching his wife die under him while she was smiling through bloodied teeth repeating "I'm okay, I'm fine.." while he couldn't even speak on the phone to the police was wrenching to even watch. The bloodshot eyes (when drinking on the beach behind his house), the few seconds when realization first struck in while crying his wife's name (when Demetrius had to hold him down in his hospital bed), and the "come down" after the purposely insane shootout after he beats the man who actually did kill his wife, cleaning his wedding ring on his hand were undoubtedly the most powerful scenes in this movie. It was impossible not to empathize somehow with Sean Vetter during some points during this film.

If you like Vin Diesel and want to see his range in a not so emotionally strong role, this is a good flick to add to your collection.

The DVD itself was awful, the deleted scenes were up to three minutes max, no behind the scenes or making-of, and no commentary that you would think/hope this kind of movie would have. If you want Vin DVD's that are WELL worth the money, buy XXX and the new unrated directors cut of Pitch Black (that also has many The Chronicles of Riddick extra also), you won't be disappointed.

Worth watching
Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others

STORY: DEA agent is out to take revenge on the drug dealers that killed his wife.

MY FEEDBACK:
1) Forget XXX or Fast & Furious, this is a much better Vin Diesle movie (Pitch Black is still his best though). Vin does some decent acting and his general charisma carry a large portion of the movie.

2) Good attempt at developing the relationship of Vin's character with other characters in the movie

3) Not a huge action flick but enough guns to keep this drama moving

4) Some suspension of belief is needed in this movie

5) Seemed the editing didn't explain a plot twist or two but cut things out leaving gaps in the story.

OVERALL: We enjoyed the movie and didn't feel like we wasted out time with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

Before the action-oriented "buddy movie" formula settled into place in the 1980s and 1990s with the Lethal Weapon films, Walter Hill's 48 HRS. presented a much more irreverent and politically incorrect version of the genre. Eddie Murphy made an auspicious film debut alongside veteran Nick Nolte's consummate performance as a worn cop. Murphy plays a convict on a two-day furlough from prison to help capture his former partner (James Remar). The intense animosity between his character and Nolte's impatient detective is rude and violent--albeit in a comic way--and the film's racist and sexist banter is so ubiquitous that some viewers might be turned off. (This early, raw Murphy is not the Murphy of The Nutty Professor.) Then again, sometimes deliberate overkill is funny in itself, which is certainly closer to Hill's intention. There are a couple of scenes for the ages in this film, especially Murphy's single-handed shutdown of the action in a redneck bar. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (25)

This is the REAL thing. Accept no imitations.
In order to appreciate this film fully, you hafta turn yourself back in time to 1982, an' try an' remember the political an' social mindset of the day. Then imagine watching '48 HRS.' an unabashed an' raucous cop thriller that breaks the very foundation of political correctness. Now how does that make you feel? If you say, sick to your stomach, then maybe you needa loosen your jock strap an' try it again. E'ybody knows the plot, the hard-drinkin', chain-smokin' San Francisco cop Jack Cates, played by Nick Nolte (who looks almost TOO comfortable in the role of a wasted, burn-out), is lookin' to put two recent prison escapees an' vicious cop killers away after he tried an' failed to apprehend them. In going over the case he comes across several members of their old gang an' decides to go talk to one'a the incarcerated ones. Here's where Eddie Murphy comes in. Reggie Hammond is the smooth an' dapper, fast-talking convict who convinces Cates to get him out of jail an' on the street to help him solve this case. Cates reluctantly does so, an' from there is' jus' the two of them together goin' from place to place, crook to crook, bar to bar, lead to lead, tryin' to keep from killing each other in the process. Cates is a rough-edged, semi-bigot with an apparent vendetta toward these crooks (though apparently jus' for stealing his gun), Reggie is the charming, jive-talking criminal, with a more obvious vendetta toward the crooks (they dropped the dime on him, got him locked up, an' are now tryin' to steal a half a million dollars of his hard-earned, er, um, hard-stolen cash). Both are on the same mission, but with two TOTALLY different personalities an' when they mix it up, oh, is' gunpowder. E'ybody talks about the scene with Murphy in the country-western bar playin' cop ("Alright listen up. I don't like white people. An' I HATE rednecks. You people're rednecks. That means I'm enjoyin' this s---.") an' although it is funny, my favorite scene comes right after they question the two ladies who were s'posedly in cahoots with the killers, when Nolte an' Murphy finally drop the trash-talkin' an' jus' have a drunken brawl in the street only to be broken up by two cops on the beat.

This is the original buddy cop flick. With two guys who're ironically ANYTHING but buddies. Depending on the way you've come up watching movies, this one will either be a wonderfully offensive cop thriller, or a horribly offensive cop thriller. Of course, no matter how you look at it, '48 HRS.' will forever be a hallmark, because it was one'a the first movies of its kind: a rough-edged, blatant politically-incorrect film centering on characters that are so sleazy at times you hafta force yourself to like them, an' revolving around racial stereotypes an' sexist banter thas' thrown around like it's nothing, not to mention some brutal violence. Now it'd be much harder to overlook all the coldness if it wasn't for the charm an' appeal of Eddie Murphy, in his film debut. He is the main reason to watch the flick, although Nolte's character also provides the perfect counterbalance. Directed by Walter Hill, '48 HRS.' set a new standard for the way action flicks were to be played for the rest of the 1980s. With laughs, wit, chemistry, an' a not-so-serious attitude set against a very serious backdrop.

Fun cop buddy flick
Eddie Murphy made his debut in this Walter Hill film, and he is really the star here, even though Nick Nolte gets top billing. Nolte does a fine job, but his part is not as showy, and one's eyes are not drawn to him as much as Murphy, at his best in the country-western bar scene.

You probably know the story, but I'll summarize it here by saying that this is simply a buddy movie with an antagonistic twist. Murphy is the con, in for three years with six months left. Nolte is the cop on a search for James Remar, who stole a lot of money with Murphy long ago.

The story is set up as a mystery, with the pair questioning several possible connections, but the story doesn't really matter. The main attraction is the relationship between Murphy and Nolte and the slow growth towards friendship.

One complaint is that since this was filmed in 1982, they had a different idea of gritty police drama than today. The police department's atmosphere is incredibly tame compared to shows like NYPD Blue. Nolte does his best, chain-smoking and nipping from a flask (I read once you could tell an '80's movie by how much they smoked), but he still doesn't come across as jaded as any scene with Andy Sipowicz.

It's still fun and good entertainment, especially if you are looking for a film with an American Indian character that dresses like a '50's relic.

Wonderful
This is Eddie Murphy in is prime, when he was at the height of his acting career. He is so wonderful in this movie. He steals the show from Nick Nolte.

Worth Owning on DVD
At less than $15, this movie should be flying off the shelves. Both Nolte and Murphy are great. Their characters are are perfectly scripted to each actor's abilities and personality. Murphy plays a loudmouth penny ante punk. Nolte plays a grumpy, rascist tough guy. They, of course, learn to respect and like each other as they chase down the bad guys. The story isn't bad either. The soundtrack is good and 48 Hrs is set all over San Francisco. If your a fan of either or of comedy action or movies set in SF, you can't go wrong. My favorite Eddie Murphy movie.

Murphy's best is his first
Some of the best 1-liners ever reside in this film. Simply put, its a great comedy with a flare for drama, and in the cop buddy genre. Lots of cursing, some nudity, but ultimately, a great flick. It kicks today's cop buddy flicks in the Mother F-ing Aholes Mother F-ers! ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

At his best, director John Woo turns action movies into ballets of blood and bullets grounded in character drama. Face/Off marks Woo's first American film to reach the pitched level of his best Hong Kongwork (Hard-Boiled). He takes a patently absurd premise--hero and villain exchange identities by literally swapping faces in science-fiction plastic surgery--and creates a double-barreled revenge film driven by the split psyches of its newly redefined characters. FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) must play the villain to move through the underworld while psychotic terrorist Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) becomes a perversely paternal family man while using every tool at his disposal to destroy his nemesis. Travolta vamps Cage's tics and flamboyant excess with the grace of a dancer after his transformation from cop to criminal, while Cage plays the sullen, bottled-up agent excruciatingly trapped behind the face of the man who killed his son. His attempts to live up to the terrorist's reputation become cathartic explosions of violence that both thrill and terrify him. This is merely icing on the cake for action fans, the dramatic backbone for some of the most visceral action thrills ever. Woo fills the screen with one show-stopping set piece after another, bringing a poetic grace to the action freakout with sweeping camerawork and sophisticated editing. This marriage of melodrama and mayhem ups the ante from cops-and-robbers clichés to a conflict of near-mythic levels. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (284)

Face Off DVD
The DVD of FACE OFF is one of the best, and a must-buy on the format. John Woo, uber director of The Killer (1989), Hard Boiled (1992) and Broken Arrow (1996) proves that even after the move to Hollywood, he still knows how to create fantastic action and Face Off is no exception. Building on the good but not great BROKEN ARROW, this one is a fantastic action ride. The film stars Nicholas Cage as Castor Troy, a villain, and John Travolta as agent Sean Archer, the only man who can stop Castor from unleashing a nuclear device.
Woo's trademarks are all present here: slow-mo gunfights, explosive action and those perennial doves. And both Nic Cage and Travolta are brilliant, especially Cage, whose eccentric performance is one of his most unrestrained and outstanding. One of the best (If not THE best) action films ever made. Excellent.
The DVD extras are sparse, with only a trailer. One hopes a future re-release will come soon...

Face/Off
Director John Woo's famous big-budget action-packed flick.This is the film that put John Woo on the map in America.Packed with guns, bullets, bombs, explosions and action scenes that are so original there choreographed like a ballet or a dance routine.

FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta)has been trying to apprehend terrorist, Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) ever since he murdered Sean's son six years ago.Sean apprehend's Castor during a violent shoot-out in an airport and as a result of this puts Castor into a deep comma.Sean then undergoes new surgery involving swapping faces with Troy.He does this to try and find out where Castor has planted a deadly bomb hidden somewhere in L.A.Castor awakes from his comma, with Sean's identidy and takes over his life.Sean(really Castor) disarms the bomb which he planted and becomes an instant hero.Meanwhile Castor (really Sean) is a high-tech prison trying to find information about the bomb from Castor's brother, Pollux (Alessandro Nivola).Since Sean(Castor) has destroyed all evidence about the surgical swap, Castor has to try and break out of prison.Not only does he have to fight for himself but for wife Eve (Joan Allen) and daughter Jamie.

This is a superb film with enough plot to become a series.It does sound far-fethced in places but John Woo makes it believable and real.Great performances all around including the two main stars, Joan Allen and the sexy tough female Gina Gershon.

face off
he best movie in the ear 1997 it is perfect action good and adventure good nice acting for john travolta and nice acting for nicolas cage

One of my all-time favorite action films!
Place this modern action classic up there with DIE HARD, SPEED, and THE NEGOTIATOR as one of my personal favorite action films.

Before watching FACE/OFF completely, I had taken a look at one of director John Woo's Hong Kong action epics, THE KILLER. I must say, I prefer FACE/OFF better. Sure, both films have that same over-the-top operatic style, but at least FACE/OFF isn't as shamelessly sentimental as THE KILLER was. In THE KILLER, Woo's main characters both demolished hundreds of extras in graphically bloody style, and towards the end it got a bit too much even for me. In FACE/OFF, the gore isn't quite as graphic, and while the body count is still pretty high, it never got to the point that I was disgusted.

I'm not a knee-jerk admirer of John Woo as some people are. That slow-motion technique of his can become wince-inducingly excessive, especially now that many lesser action directors have started to rip off his style. In this case, though, one is too engrossed in the plot and in awe of the high-energy action staging to notice.

Of course, most people probably already have an idea of what the plot is about: criminal Castor Troy (Nicolas Cage) dies, but he has planted a bomb somewhere in LA, so obsessive detective Sean Archer (John Travolta) literally swaps identities with his arch-nemesis to go undercover at a high-tech prison to find out where that bomb is. Obviously, this situation leads to various complications as Troy wakes up from his coma, takes Archer's face, kills the doctors who performed the operation, and then tries to find Archer. It's the typical body-switch, and I would be remiss to mention that Troy is responsible for the death of Archer's son many years ago, and thus Archer has a vendetta against him that explains his obsessiveness.

It's a potentially laughable premise, but the actors and director make you buy it. Travolta and Cage are both convincing and have a lot of fun playing each others' characters, and the supporting cast is just as believable. The script, by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary, may have its bum dialogue lines here and there, but it's filled with ingenuity, plot-wise, as Troy tries to fit in with Archer's family and Archer tries to function in a prison. And of course the script gives director Woo plenty of leeway to go all-out with action scenes, and Woo does not disappoint, giving us plenty of stylish gunplay and loud explosions for about three action films, and even an audacious soundbite of "Over the Rainbow" as characters blow each other away. Woo sure lets his inventiveness run free here.

So okay, the film may be a little overlong, and that final gun battle at a church is perhaps too reminiscent of a similar battle in THE KILLER, right down to the flying pigeons motif. But all its flaws are forgivable in this case, since the movie is so thrilling matters of logic fall by the wayside. FACE/OFF may not be Woo's best film ever (I haven't seen HARD-BOILED yet), but it's pretty close to it, and in comparison to other modern action films, it stands pretty high there too. It'll ceratinly forever be one of my favorites. Recommended.

Action as Art
While the plot of this movie is relatively interesting, this movie is really about two things:
First, the lead actors get to do the characters they do best as fully as they know how. Cage is his typical, neurotic, repressed, and emotionally conflicted self. Travolta hams it up in the outlandish, larger-than-life way that he often does. Despite what could be seen as overacting by both the leads, the almost absurd disparity between them is one of central things that makes this movie work.

Second, this movie has the most beautiful action sequences of any action movie I have ever seen (excluding epic-type movies, i.e. LOTR, Star Wars, Braveheart, etc.). This is a film that knows it's an action movie and revels in it. The cinematography in the fight scenes simultaneously displays the nature of the characters and the intensity of the battle between them. There are so many moments when you will just delight at the visual art that is every action sequence in this film. Needless to say, this movie has all the gunfights, fistfights, chases, and large explosions that one would expect in a serious action film.
If you like action movies, this is the first one I would recommend. ... Read more

Reviews (124)

Easily John Woo/Chow Yun Fat's best!
The Killer is a beautiful action/drama masterpiece. It is the best work I have yet to see done by both director John Woo and HK superstar Chow Yun Fat(both of whose movies I am familiar with.) The rest of the cast (including Danny Lee and Sally Yeh) are superb. The sheer grace and flair of the seamlessly choreographed gunfights to the poignancy of the gripping story of a professional hitman trying to cut clean, while gradually falling in love with a victim he accidently blinds in a shootout are all executed perfectly. This movie is not your standard action fare, as it goes deep into the mind of the killers, and depicts the characters trying to live a life that is honorable in a world that is so corrupt and sinister. The bottom line of the movie is quoted by CYF toward the beginning of the film: "Not everybody in this world is untrustworthy." Underlying the blazing guns and implied emotional battles, lies a tale of loyalty, trust and friendship. John Woo epitimizes this movie by proving that the action is not present simply for the sake of action, but instead for clean moviemaking and plot. As for the quality of the DVD itself, the picture is very clear for an older movie (1989) and the features and menu setup is very stylishly done... just don't watch the trailers, they do severe injustice to the featured films (The Killer and Hard Boiled) and contain spoilers. For hardcore HK movie buffs, the Cantonese language track with English subtitles is the definite route to take. The English track is butchered and incomplete, not to mention hard to understand and silly-sounding. I highly recomend watching this movie in it's original language (the way it was intended to be heard) as it is much more powerful this way. If you plan on purchasing this movie, though, I would instead recommend you buy the John Woo 2 DVD pack, which includes both this edition of The Killer and also Hard Boiled, another John Woo/CYF compilation.

The Story of a Hitman with a Heart
Because I'm a 13 year old boy(and a fan of Chow Yun-Fat and John Woo), I was just looking for the best action movie of all time. I ended up with something better, a dramatic, well though-out action film. It may not be "The Matrix", but "The Killer" was awesome. It was a movie filled with mayhem and bullets. And there was so much action. Jeffrey is a hitman with a heart who, during his last hit, accidentally blinds a woman with a gun. Because he's not a cold-hearted hitman, he decides to do one more hit to pay for an operation that will keep her from going blind. Lee is a cop who wants to stop Jeffrey from making his last hit. Jeffrey is betrayed by the mob that hired him and is put in war against all odds. Jeffrey and Lee put aside their differences to blur the line between them. Together they blast through the war leading to a climatic battle that is John Woo's best battle ever. Even though I'm only 13, I know good acting when I see it. This movie has been throned "THE Movie of Mayhem".Don't bother renting it, just buy the DVD.

"One Vicious Hitman. One Fierce Cop. Ten Thousand Bullets."

John Woo & Chow Yun Fat...nuff said!
The Killer is the perfect example of cinema in its most powerful form. Expression...every bullet, every conversation & every scene just flows so beautifully & expressively it just blows me away. Unexplainable. Very deep & mythological story, unlike anything ive ever seen! U just have to see it. & see it. It will make u think to yourself, "what the hell is the average Hollywood budget gettin wasted on?? Promotion!!?? " John Woo on the other hand does not need $100,000,000 to truley express himself, hell, he doesn't even need the highest quality celluloid to make his films stunningly beatiful.. The Killer is no exception, John Woo is such a masterful director, no wonder why Hollywood have been ripping him off long before they invited him to join 'em!
& unlike most action films of mindless "invincibilty" plots & stupid reasons for massive shootouts, this has a cause for every piece of stunningly choerographed action...& consequences to join the equation.
If youve only seen Chow Yun Fat in his American films (Replacement Killers & Bulletproof Monk e.t.c), you really havent his true styles & capabilities. Get THE KILLER, & youll know why Hollywood have copied J.Woo's style of genius direction more times than a photo-copier has copied paper!
This is John Woo at his purest form, & Chow in his true style.
The John Woo & Chow Yun Fat combo is like the Sergio Leone & Clint Eastwood combo= Classics!
Get this if u like a deep, moving story, awesome acting, & action that sychronizes perfectly. (Also check out other J. Woo classics, Hard Boiled, A Better Tommorow 1 & 2, & Bullet in the Head!)
.....Nobody does action like Honk Kong...Nobody does Honk Kong like John Woo...

Best...action movie...ever!
Filled with grit, emotion, and psychological depth, not to mention lots and lots of blood, "The Killer" is the kind of passion play that is seen all too rarely in any style of film, let alone the action genre. In fact, John Woo's Hong Kong shoot-'em-up masterpiece resembles nothing so much as Shakespeare with thousands of bullets flying around. In this case the role of the tragic hero is assumed by Jeffrey, played in career-defining fashion by Chow Yun-Fat. Jeffrey is an amiable enough sort, who also just happens to be a fearless, unstoppable assassin with a steely glare and a deadly accurate shot. But when he accidentally blinds a lovely torch singer named Jenny while mowing down about a dozen criminals in a crowded bar, Jeffrey finds some new meaning in his life by assuming responsibility for the woman, even going so far as to try to get her a vision-restoring cornea transplant. However, everything is far from hunky-dory for Jeffrey and his ward: after committing one last job to get the money for Jenny's operation, Jeffrey finds himself pursued by a small army of thugs as well as Chang and Li, two relentless detectives. Oh, and his best friend and associate Sidney has (temporarily) betrayed him. With all that's going on, the stage is set for a struggle on an operatic scale, with Chow giving his character just the right mix of warmth and gravity.

As one would expect from a film directed by Woo, with Chow in the starring role, "The Killer" contains more than its fair share of shootouts and chase scenes, all filmed with Woo's signature frenetic visual style. However, it's what happens when the movie slows down that sets it apart from the pack. "The Killer" is as much a drama as it is an action yarn, and it's a mighty good drama at that. There are a bunch of scenes here that got my adrenaline flowing, but even more impressive, some moments practically moved me to tears (emphasis on the word "practically"). Behind the constant action is an often-moving tale of devotion, honor, redemption, and friendship in the unlikely setting of the criminal underworld. The lines between good and bad, right and wrong, cop and criminal, are all blurred in a haze of moral ambiguity and divided loyalties. While Jeffrey and Sidney attempt to restore trust after Sidney's betrayal, an unlikely bond forms between Jeffrey and Li as the detective and the assassin realize they're not that different after all.

As the story unfolds, building toward the inevitable confrontation, the tension and the emotional stakes only rise along with the body count. Woo manages to elevate the crime drama to poetry, whether during a taut action sequence or a subdued conversation scene. The movie's deservedly legendary finale, involving a crazed gun battle inside a church, is the only appropriate conclusion. The viewer certainly needs some catharsis after such a harrowing journey, and Woo more than delivers the goods. "The Killer" is one of the few movies of its ilk that can legitimately be called art.

=====Respect Hong Kong Cinema =======
===========Hong Kong action and John Woo should be greatly respected by Hollywood b/c most of his movies like THe Killer, Hard Boiled and The Better Tomorrow Series are being ripped off by Hollywood directors such as the movie "DESPERADO," "RESEVIOR DOGS" and etc. The Hong kong cinema should be credited by hollywood.==================== ... Read more

Description

Charley Varrick is a small-time crook who outfoxes the Mob in this fast-paced offbeat thriller directed by Don Siegel. Academy Award winner Walter Matthau stars in a rare dramatic role, along with the powerful Joe Don Baker, as a tough Mafia hitman. Charley robs small banks with small payrolls. That keeps him out of trouble until he stumbles onto the Mob's secret stash. The chase is on as the Big Boys go after the "Last of the Independents." It's a heart-pounding ride that builds to a fiery airborne climax as Charley makes his last desperate run for the Mexican border and safety. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Thriller-diller from one of the masters
Walter Matthau and Joe Don Baker, two actors I can usually take or leave, are brilliant as evenly matched adversaries with very different styles in director Don Siegel's marvelously entertaining thriller. Matthau is Varrick, a rumpled but very resourceful hustler whose take from a small town bank heist turns out to be laundered Mafia money. Baker is the glib, no-nonsense gorilla hired to recover the bucks. Siegel makes flawless use of Southwestern locales as his stars engage in a fascinating game of cat and mouse that has the brutish Baker (he insults friendly whores, abuses a wheelchair-bound gun merchant and smacks sexy photographer Sheree North around before bedding her) always just a baby step behind the ingenuity of Matthau's likeable anti-hero. The junk yard-set climax, a masterfully choreographed battle pitting Matthau's crop-duster against Baker's car, is pure, edge of your seat Siegel. Who wins? Suffice to say, the ending packs one wallop of a surprise, but you will NOT be disappointed. Very highly recommended.

Siegel+Matthau=Near Gold!
An odd combo: cult director Don Siegel, who forever changed the "Lone Cop" genre with "Dirty Harry", and provided Duke Wayne with his final film "The Shootist"; mixed with Oscar-winning comedian Matthau, who personified Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple" and the Sleazy Brother-In-Law/Lawyer in "The Fortune Cookie". But it works. Don Siegel brings his trademark hard-edge and mean-sprited characters, while Matthau borders on deadpan thru the whole thing as a bank robber who unwittingly knocks over a Mob-controlled bank in the middle of rural New Mexico. There's also a lean, mean hitman on his trail played by Joe Don Baker, and one of the 60's and 70's best sleazeball white collar villians: John Vernon. Add in the beautiful Felicia Farr (Jack Lemmon's wife), the "Blow-torch and Pliers" line that Quentin Tarantino "borrowed" for "Pulp Fiction", and a great denoument, and you have a cracker-jack action-drama, with a hint of comedy-similar in tone to Matthau's "Taking Of Pelham 1,2 &3", which came out a year or so after this. In short, a quintissential 70's cult movie: memorable, tough, and near-great.

The Last of the Independents
Matthau steals a huge load of money from a rural new mexico bank only to find out it was mob money. the ensuing chase from mafia tough guy john doe baker is amazing and makes for a great game of cat and mouse that finally allows crime to pay. this adaptation is fantastic, and although not readily available, charley varrick is a must see.

Charley Varrick
Bad Guy Walter Matthau? Serious part, a good/bad guy, good direction, script, minimum dialog, pure acting/action.
A TRUE SLEEPER!

A Neglected Gem
This is an off-beat film in which Walter Matthau stars as a small-time thief who, with accomplice Harman Sullivan (ably played by Andrew Robinson), robs a money laundering operation which is cleverly disguised as small-town bank in New Mexico. (Had streetsmart Varrick known of the Mob's involvement, he would not have robbed the bank.) Of course neither the Mob nor the police are pleased with the loss of about $750,000. With that in hand, Varrick and his partner struggle to decide what to do next. Meanwhile, the Mob has assigned one of its ablest representatives, Molly (Joe Don Baker), to locate the thieves, eliminate them, and recover the money. Credit director Don Siegel with selecting Matthau to be Varrick. I have always thought that Matthau's talents as a serious actor were under-appreciated. He is brillliant in this role. All other members of the cast are first-rate, notably John Vernon (Maynard Bock) and Sheree North (Jewell Everett). Siegel makes a brief appearance as Murph. Those who enjoy this film should check out The Outfit (1973) in which Baker also appears as well as The Getaway (1994). ... Read more

Reviews (656)

The ultimate guy flick
"The Fast and the Furious" is, if nothing else, the ultimate guy flick: full of fast cars, hot chicks, and macho dudes who beat each other up before bonding over barbecue and Coronas.

It is a testosterone-fueled, pumped, hyperkinetic dude fantasy that draws on old '60s and 70s chase films like "Bullitt" and "Grand Theft Auto," but adds a rewarding layer of character and relationship depth.

Mind you, when we're talking about character depth, we're not talking about "Glengarry Glen Ross" here, but unlike recent car-chase flicks like "Gone in Sixty Seconds," we at least understand what drives the relationships. Heck, we see that there are relationships.

The central relationship revolves around Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker). The former is a street racer who has a side business hijacking trucks; the latter is an undercover cop who infiltrates Toretto's gang. Of course, there's a male bonding experience here - Toretto beats O'Connor in a race (run through curiously traffic-free Los Angeles streets), and afterwards O'Connor saves Toretto from being picked up by the police.

Soon thereafter, O'Connor is more or less accepted into Toretto's gang, and while the central purpose of of this is to bust the gang, O'Connor finds himself becoming friends with his intended collars, and drawn into the alluring world of street racing. He also falls in love with Toretto's sister Mia (Jordana Brewster), even though that would seem to violate every rule known to undercover police work.

Of course, "The Fast and the Furious" isn't a realistic crime caper; if it were, would Toretto's gang really rip off trucks while they're moving? Their method is to surround the truck with a small flotilla of hopped-up compact cars, shoot a rope from one of the cars into the cab of the truck, and use the rope as a bridge to jump onto the truck. From there, I suppose it'd be a matter of gaining entry into the cab, subduing the driver, and stealing the truck. Now, all this is pretty exciting stuff on screen, but hasn't it occurred to Toretto that it'd just be easier to rip off the truck when it's parked?

But realism isn't the point here - adrenaline is, and "The Fast and the Furious" delivers just that, with a healthy dollop of style and testosterone. Enjoy the movie, but just don't think about it too much.

Entertaining Thrill Ride.
When a young speed demon racer (Paul Walker) is the new guy on the Streets. While there`s another racers charged the streets of Los Angeles, every night is a championship race with nitro-boosted fury. Dominic (Vin Diesel) rules the road turning all his challengers into a hard core winner and he could be under suspicion of Stealing Expensive Equipment. But when the young racer proves himself to Dominic, he`s one of the fastest driver out-there but What Dominic doesn`t know is that the young racer is acutally a undercover detective and he also unexpected falls in Love with Dominic's Sister (Jordana Brewster).

DVD`s has an strong anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer and an excellent Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound including also DTS 5.1 Surround Sound. This was One of the Biggest Unexpected Box Office Hits of 2001. The Flick's only Flaw, it's suffers a Thin Story-line. DVD Extras are:An running commentary track by director:Rob Cohen (Dragon:The Bruce Lee Story, Triple X, Day Light). Deleted Scenes with/without commentary and more. This film has excellent car-racing scenes full of excitement. Panavision. Grade:A-.

Bad!
I hate this movie. Do not buy or rent.

Why? Why?
I nominate this as one of the dumbest movies ever made. The dialogue is painful to listen to a lot of the time. The plot? Geez. Road pirates???
My mouth was agape half the time and I was shaking my head slowly. Even the Hollywood gloss couldn't help it enough.
Only knuckledragging special-school folks will love this movie. Go get your helmet. You're going to special-school!

THIS MOVIE HAS NO OTHER PRETENSION THAN BEEN AMUSING.
"The Fast And The Furious" is obviously a guilty pleasure. The movie has amazing cars, attractive women (Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster), corny dialogues, summer movie visual stunts, bad actors (Vin Diesel) and a MTV movie soundtrack. But the funny thing is that the movie works despite all that (or perhaps because all that).

"The Fast And The Furious" is an amusing movie because the director and cast never pretended to be part of a groundbreaking film, they knew that they were filming a popcorn movie, so they enjoyed the whole process, and the result is evident, "The Fast And The Furious" is an entertaining movie.

Of course, this kind of trick only works once, but Hollywood don't care, the studios love to repeat successful formulas, even if they know they are going to release a bad movie, they do it because they also know that it's going to do well in the box office. So Hollywood made a sequel, "2 Fast 2 Furious", but obviously that movie is just average or below average. This kind of formulas (cars + visual effects + attractive women) only work once.

Anyway, "The Fast And The Furious" it's a very amusing, entertaining film. I would recommend you to rent it first, and if you like it a lot, well, get it. If you don't like it that much, at least you will have a good time for two hours. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

One of Clint Eastwood's two most important filmmaking mentors was Don Siegel (the other was Sergio Leone), who directed Eastwood in Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, Two Mules for Sister Sara, and this enigmatic, 1979 drama based on a true story about an escape from the island prison of Alcatraz. Eastwood plays a new convict who enters into a kind of mind game with the chilly warden (Patrick McGoohan) and organizes a break leading into the treacherous waters off San Francisco. As jailbird movies go, this isn't just a grotty, unpleasant experience but a character-driven work with some haunting twists. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (30)

"WELCOME TO ALCATRAZ"
This is one of these great movies that keeps you cheering for the villans as they attempt to outwit the establishment; This time it's the notorious Alcatraz Federal Prison and it's cold and heartless warden, played excellently by Patrick McGoohan (he also played the equally cold and ruthless King Longshanks in Braveheart). By prison movie standards, this one is very realistic and keeps you in suspense right to the end. It's my second-favorite prison movie, just behind The Shawshank Redemption.

Clint Eastwood plays Frank Morris, a life-long con who has been sent to Alcatraz in part because of his successful past escape attempts. The warden advises Morris that Alcatraz was built to keep all the "rotten eggs in one basket." Seconds later, Morris finds his first 'tool' to assist in his escape; the wardens nail clippers! Later, Morris meets his soon-to-be accomplices, brothers he met in another institution. It's not long before Morris finds his path to freedom, with the unlikely aid of a cockroach. Together, taking risky and cunning chances to sneak items into their cells to assist in their escape, the three men and one more-reluctant con find a way to make their break. The build-up to the escape is absolutely brilliant. Every scene leaves you on the edge of your seat. You can imagine what it was really like trying to pull off this escape.

The beauty of this movie is that it is based on a true story. It is the most famous of all prison escapes and one of the few where the fate of the escapees is unknown to this day. It would be awesome, assuming they lived, that one or more of the escapees would come forward to tell their story today. I would support a pardon for all three of them just for pulling it off. As for their fate, I recently watched a documentary that attempted to replicate their escape and determine if they could have survived swimming in that frigid Bay-area water. Even an experienced swimmer could not make it. It was determined that unless a boat was waiting for them, they would have died of hypothermia and been swept out to sea by the strong currents.

There was a fourth escapee of Alcatraz that we dont know the fate of: the little mouse that belonged to the old man. Remember, Morris put him in his shirt pocket and said, "You're coming along, too." I hope they made it!

Amazon reviewers agree -- a great film.
Seldom do Amazon.com reviewers agree on ratings for films they watch, but for this one, the vote is in and it is unanimous. Escape from Alcatraz is a winner.

Director Don Siegel is pitch perfect from beginning to end. Many reviewers who have been to Alcatraz comment on the realism of this film. Siegel gives us an inside look at what it might have been like to be imprisoned on "the rock." From the black hole of solitary confinement to the painfully small individual cells of the prisoners, Alcatraz was a nasty place meant for only the nastiest criminals.

One of these prisoners is Frank Morris, expertly played by Clint Eastwood, who is transferred to Alcatraz, gets into a fight with an inmate who wants to make him his "punk," and spends time in the black hole. When he gets out of solitary, Morris begins to plan his escape. Several reviewers comment on the fact that Hollywood does not get these facts straight, but I didn't much care. I was pulled very quickly into Morris's plans and then the actual mechanics of the breakout, which were genuinely interesting and toward the end, had me sitting at the edge of my chair as I waited with suspense to see how the story would end.

The escape is obviously central to the entire plot, but the life of prisoners at Alcatraz is also dramatized expertly by Don Siegel. The warden, Patrick McGoohan, is aloof and professional, but he has a mean streak, which makes life harder than it needs to be on the rock. Frank Morris is smart enough not to get mad, but to get even, and this he does with three other inmates who assist him in the breakout. The warden and his guards are constanly on the alert for any suspicious behavior and we hold our breath from time to time as the escape plan is almost detected.

At last the time comes and we go step by step with Morris and two of his crew as they head for the icy waters surrounding Alcatraz. The fourth member of the crew hesitated and was left behind. This appears to follow the real-life events as mentioned by other reviewers.

Did Morris and his buddies successfully navigate the treacherous waters surrounding Alcatraz? I'll leave that question unanswered. Viewers can decide for themselves.

What is certain, at least to the reviewers of Amazon.com, is that Escape from Alcatraz is a well-made, highly suspenseful film from beginning to end, and it is one of Clint Eastwood's best roles -- that's saying something. Highly recommended!

questionable altogether
first things first--escape from alcatraz is for prison film completists only, and is worth watching only for the performances of clint eastwood and patrick mcgoohan. it's pretty much a snoozefest, though fans of either actor will definitely enjoy it, as they're both showing off their acting chops in this one. still, the process of scraping holes in a wall does not for exciting cinema make.

second--i have no idea what the reviewer below is talking about with regards to mr. mcgoohan's personal life. it's a hurtful and ridiculous accusation to begin with, one that i've never heard before in any interview, trade; or coming from any source; and at any rate, it has absolutely nothing to do with an actor's skills or their ability to be a great performer.

in fact, i've never even heard of this idiotic rumor in a tabloid. perhaps the reviewer below needs to get his facts straight before talking trash about a great actor like mr. mcgoohan, who is undoubtedly one of the most underrated performers out there, but still one of the best.

Movie man's review
It was a great movie. i think it was worth getting. Because its just that good.

SLOW
I'm honestly at a loss for why this movie is getting such good reviews. The only reason I liked it is because I am facinated by Alcatraz. The movie doesn't get you involved with the characters and the plotline is weak. I can't really recommend this but it wasn't horrible. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When car nut and aspiring B movie maverick H.B. "Toby" Halicki released his debut film, he gave top billing to his car, a yellow 1973 Ford Mustang named Eleanor. That's a good indication of Halicki's priorities in the original car-crunching, tire-squealing drive-in classic Gone in 60 Seconds. Halicki wrote, produced, starred, and did all of his own extraordinary stunt driving in the picture, the story of a career car thief who makes a deal to steal 48 cars for an overseas smuggler. OK, it's not Shakespeare. The plot is perfunctory at best, and Halicki's all thumbs when it comes to directing his wooden cast, but he gives a crash course in the mechanics of the car-theft biz and tops it off with one of the greatest car chases of all time: a 40-minute finale that roars through five Los Angeles-basin towns and destroys 93 cars in the process. It's a masterpiece of stunt driving, down-and-dirty photography, and sharp, furious cutting; the unsung hero of the picture is editor Warner Leighton, who paces the film perfectly and never lets it stall. Forget the messy Nicolas Cage in-name-only remake, this is outlaw auto cinema at its purest, and it's never looked better than in this newly restored edition with a revved-up sound design and an entirely new (rather generic) score.

The 25th Anniversary DVD also features an introduction by Denise Halicki (the director's widow); laid-back commentary by Leighton and cinematographer Jack Vacek that foregrounds Halicki's seat-of-the-pants filmmaking style; interviews with Parnelli Jones, J.C. Agajanian, and stunt driver Bobby Ore (all of whom appear in the film) and former Ford honcho Lee Iacocca; two cut scenes; unused driving footage; and 300 stills. --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (53)

The end all and be all of car chase movies
Gone does not pretend to be anything other than a car chase movie. The plot, such as it is, is purely a set-up for the 40-minute sequence that destroys (at least) 93 cars. Whatever anyone thinks about the non-chase parts of the film, the brilliantly-edited pursuit is well worth the wait. Not only does it stand up to the 2000 remake, Mr. Halicki's masterwork does not suffer in comparison to accepted classics such as Bullitt, The French Connection, or Ronin. The new soundtrack, by itself, is professional and supports the action quite well. While I, as well as other Gone cultists, miss the original music, the re-issue should not be faulted for its omission.

I liked it more than I thought
After learning that the 2000 movie was actually a remake of a 1974 movie, I got the bug to watch the original. I had a hard time finding it.

I read some reviews that said to skip this 25th anniversary edition and watch the original Media VHS release. I was lucky enough to get my hands on both this weekend.

I liked this movie much better than I thought I would. True, the real highlight is the car chase, everything else is just filler, but it was still a fun movie.

I've read complaints about the remastered anniversary edition available on this DVD. Let me say that after watching both versions, this DVD has a much better, cleaner picture than the old VHS tape. The sound wasn't bad either. My only beef with the anniversary edition was the new soundtrack, everything else was just fine. The anniversary edition on DVD features a generic new pop synth soundtrack. Most of the time, I really wasn't listening to it. But, if you are going to have those 70's hair styles, sunglasses, clothes and sideburns, why mess with the 1970's music? Yes, it was dated, but the music went along with the movie and added to at least a couple scenes.

The original soundtrack should have at least been an available option as an alternate version to watch, even if it was recorded in mono. If that had been done, I'd have given it another star.

As is, it's not bad. The music is a little distracting because it doesn't go at all with the rest of the movie, but if you can get p