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Long Time AICN reviewer, The Bishop, completely flips for MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2
Since December of last year, The Bishop, Don "Mack" Donald, has been sending in movie reviews, that I haven't run. Why? Usually because his reviews are so close to the date of release, that I am deluged with reviews. But let me give you a bit of an idea about the man's tastes. ANY GIVEN SUNDAY --2/10, WHERE THE HEART IS --1/10, AMERICAN PSYCHO --7/10, KEEPING THE FAITH --2/10, ROAD TRIP --8/10, VIVA ROCK VEGAS -- 4/10, VIRGIN SUICIDES --10/10, GLADIATOR --3/10 and BATTLEFIELD EARTH --1/10. Alright, so that gives you an idea of range as to what this guy likes and dislikes... do you agree/disagree... whatever, it gives you perspective on this 10/10 review he gives MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2...
Mission : Impossible 2 by The Bishop Don "Mack" Donald
Presiding over the Memorial Day weekend with authority no summer film should ever have, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 rockets out of the gate and provides thrills and spills that raise the bar for summer entertainment so high, I find it hard to even consider another film being this superb. Of course, there might be better films to come, but for now, M: I-2 takes the cake.
In yet another high adventure for the Impossible Mission team, Agent Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) must travel down under to Australia to stop former agent Sean Ambrose (EVER AFTER’s Dougray Scott) from terrorizing the world with a deadly biochemical. With the help of a thief (BELOVED’s Thandie Newton) and a fellow agent (Ving Rhames, reprising his role from the first film), Hunt must track down and destroy the virus before Ambrose can profit from it. M: I-2 also features an unusually strong supporting cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson (THE GENERAL), and Rade Serbedzija (THE SAINT).
It has been stated clearly in the publicity that Cruise wanted the new IMPOSSIBLE to look and feel nothing like it’s predecessor. Like a James Bond cycle of films in which a new director comes in a give each chapter a fresh look and feel. M: I-2 accomplishes this with great success through the guidance of new director John Woo (THE KILLER, FACE/OFF) and screenwriter Robert Towne (CHINATOWN). Where the first IMPOSSIBLE film was a cool slice of post-Cold War paranoia, an underrated spy film with inspired action sequences, and the only real interesting TV Show spin-off film of the 1990’s, M: I-2 is 180 degrees different. While the film retains it’s espionage origins with delightful results, M: I-2 is more of an operatic event. A film of such grand moments and sweeping narrative changes that no other modern film would dare touch for concern of looking the fool. M: I was good, but M: I-2 is fearless.
The differences between the two films can be seen right away in Jeffery Kimball’s gloriously crisp cinematography. Capturing the alluring swelter of an Australian summer, Kimball photographs M: I-2 like a stained glass window. The colors pop and the action is clear as a bell. The film is stunning to behold, a real rarity in an action film. Towne’s script is also coherent and cohesive. The knee-jerk reaction to the 1996 original for most people was to grumble that the film lacked logic. While I’m positive that a case could be made for this argument, M: I-2 wisely makes the choice and stops every 15 minutes to clarify just what in the hell is going on. If you pay attention, it’s all pretty easy to follow.
While all eyes are on Tom Cruise in M: I-2, the real star of the film is dynamite action director John Woo. Having made giant strides in his English-language action films to somehow squeeze in a sense of beauty amid all the mayhem, Woo has single-handedly created some of the most kinetic (1996’s BROKEN ARROW) and profound (1997’s FACE/OFF) Hollywood action films ever. Woo takes M: I-2 to places I would never have thought this series could go. He gives the proceedings a soul and takes creative risks to insure this aesthetic. Some might snicker at Woo’s melodramatic tendencies - and many people do - but I applaud any director who takes the time to make a simple love story as dramatically heart-pounding as a car chase. It’s Woo’s gift for storytelling that makes M: I-2 such a resounding success. And as for action? There is nobody quite like Woo. A genius at staging stunts, Woo outdoes himself in M: I-2. His trademark visual flair and suspension of disbelief are still in full effect, but working within the story’s rigid structure of tension, Woo’s typical berserk style is oddly muted. It is only in the film’s last 25 minutes that the old Woo we know and love comes out to play. It’s welcome to see Woo working so diligently at sustaining mood, but when the action lurches forward (you can literally feel the film lift you up), it feels as pure as a pixie stick. That sinister rush of action just ignites the screen, but at the same time compliments all that has come before it.
That’s not saying that Tom Cruise just plays dead and let’s Woo do all the work. He returns to the permanently wound-up Ethan Hunt role with a strict agenda: to make him human. Cruise’s Hunt character this time around is given a love interest (the lovely Newton) and an unusual amount of time to become a true bad-ass. It fits Cruise to a tee. By becoming an living action figure, Cruise can rely on Woo to fill in all the necessary dramatic elements and just leave him to concentrate on spinning backflips and one wheel motorcycle tricks (both being featured in the film’s absolutely brilliant climax). It’s a strong Cruise performance, backed up by other actors who would normally seem out of place in this type of film, but appear to stay afloat this time out.
Yes, I gush, but M: I-2 is really that good. It’s rare to see a summer film - much less any film - live up to it’s hype and deliver the goods with such authority. My only concern is that when this film makes it’s truckloads of money (I’m betting it will), and talk comes around about making a third installment of this series, how are they going to top this one? I guess that’s part of the fun of going to the movies. ------- 10/10
The Bishop
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I know that it isn't, but doesn't this review sound a lot like one of those fake reviews that studios send in, the ones that literally boil over with superlatives? Anyway, I hope the film is this cool....
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M:I was a dissapointment 'cos it didn't build on the espionage, spy element that was present in the opening sequence. As soon as Hunt was under suspicion and cast out then it boiled down to just another action blockbuster film. Hopefully, with Hunt remaining on the side of the beautiful and good in M:I2, this film will rock.
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I hope its not as long and draining as face off
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OK. First things first. I am a huge fan of John Woo. The Killer, A Better Tommorrow and Hard Boiled are among the most fantastic films I have ever seen. (Only caught 'Tommorrow' recently)
John Woo. Action Maestro. John Woo. Travels to the States and directs Hard Target. Oh. My. God. To be frank, repeat viewings of the dentist scene in Marathon Man are less excruciating than this shining turd. It is truly lamentable. John Woo. Action Maestro. John Woo. Follows up Brown Nugget with Broken Arrow. Oh. My. Sweet. Gentle. Jesus. Easily one of the worst films I have ever seen. Up there with The Flintstones and Lost In Space. 'You're out of your FUCKING MIND!'....'Yeah...Ain't it COOL???!' Er...no John. Its not cool my friend. Not cool at all. Another fucking talking dog sequel would've been infinitely cooler. And thats saying something. And finally....after Token Marrow comes what has been hailed as 'the greatest action film of all time'....'genius'....er....'PROFOUND?' Face/Off. Fuck/Off. You know, I could rant for hours about this film. See, I believed the hype. I went into that film expecting a return to form from Woo. I didn't get it. Rather than list the aburd flaws in the film, I'll just give you one. The last scene. Travolta walks in slo-mo past the window...the sun is rising, casting a seductive, whale-like silhouette into the kitchen - Joan Allen's lip trembles. Like a great pudgy leviathan, Travolta appears in the doorway. He does the 'Oh my God I can't take any more American Schmaltz' fingers-down-the-face thing, and produces a small boy, who will now be their son. Because his died. And the irony is that this is Castor Troy's son. Dear. Christ. Of Almighty. Please, someone shoot me. Shoot me and take me away from this horrible place. So...where does that leave me regarding this upcoming sequel? Part of me is WILLING it to be great...but part of me is deeply, deeply disturbed. Target, Arrow and Face/Off were stinking cauldrons of mediocrity, doves and bad lines. Oh, and guys? The 'Bishop' gave Gladiator 3 out of 10. Thats the funniest thing I've ever heard. Just a thought... -
I hope and pray this is as good as this guy says it is.
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Must say I am dieing to see this film, the trailer alone is a mini masterpiece. As to Splinter and his shock horror response to Woo's US work... well I don't want to bad mouth anyone, but these are action films. Sometimes logic has to take a holiday in order for the plot to move forward to the next set piece. Granted "Hard Target" was hard viewing, BUT, it did have the ever watchable Lance Henriksen, "Broken Arrow" dumb, but fun and IMHO "Face/Off" is one of the better action films ever made. Having said that in that same list are the earlier films you mentioned..."A better Tomorrow", "The Killer" and "Hard Boiled" but unless we forget "A Better Tomorrow II" is not a good film and that was made along time before JW got lured by the almight Dollar!
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The Bishop seems to hate all films except MI which to my mind seemed distinctly average. What a rating for Gladiator. Maybe he's just got real bad taste and is President of the "Lost in Space" appreciation society.
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To that I can only say, WTF???
'Gladiator' is the best film of the year so far, and this guy rates it WORSE than 'Viva Rock Vegas????'
Now, maybe MI:2 will be good. I'm looking forward to it. But irrationally low ratings just to make yourself look controversial or edgy only damage your credibility. This review means nothing. -
What is The Bish on about, saying M:I is 'post Cold war'? Hello? Unless I slept through it (which I didn't) I couldn't see anything in that film which remotely referred to the Cold War. Wot no Russians. Wot no nuclear missiles. Wot no KGB. Unless the erudite Bishmeister's point is that it merely OCCURS after the Cold War, in which case we could say that Toy Story 2 is post Cold war, that American Pie is post Cold war...
get with it, Bish.
And yeah, the review sounds phoney to me too. Has anyone on this site ever written so academically about an action-spectacular?
Stoss. -
The NOC list. Why do you think that was made, and split up in two ?????.
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Why hasn't anyone made a movie like "The Usual Suspects"? All plot, all character development, and when the guns were eventually used, you were threatened and believed that you (the audience) were in danger. "Face/Off" had nothing going for it- you never felt like there were any consequences to their actions, kinda like a GI Joe cartoon. Okay, this isn't the most groundbreaking post, but c'mon, if you don't care about the Tom Cruise character and can't put yourself in his place, then MI2 will go into the Independence Day/ Godzilla category. Face/Off..... christ, that movie had more billowing trenchcoats and slow-motion doves flying than a Back Street Boys video.
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Hey everyone - i'm delighted i can say that i saw this last nite at a sneak preview with my friend who works at our local theatre...
Let me tell you - this review is 100% accurate - go see this movie!!!!
You won't be disappointed! -
May 22, 2000 10:05:03 AM CDT
The bad rating for Gladiator is the reason I DO trust this guy..
by dave_f
For me, "Gladiator" was as sad a spectacle of waste as...well...John Woo's American product. This Bishop character seems to be one of the few cats out there with the balls to speak the truth, so I'm likely to believe his review. But...what's that you say? He described that hunk o' shit "Face Off" as 'profound'? Goddammit, just when he'd almost earned my trust! Who to believe now? Oh well, I'm pretty certain to see "Mission: Impossible 2" no matter what anyone says. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, you know the story...
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Is it just my imagination, or is there a serious lapse in continuity near the end of "M:I-2"? (SPOILER ALERT) During the final shoot out, it appeared to me that Dougray Scott hit Ving Rhames with the bullet he intended for Tom Cruise. Even so, Rhames continued -- albeit very slowly -- to continue his bit of heroic rescue work, then disappeared into the background. He doesn't get a farewell scene, or even an exit line,leading me to suspect that, at the last minute, someone realized it probably wouldn't be a smart idea to kill off Rhames' character, and simply edited out any indication that he had joined the Choir Invisible.
Equinox -
Gladiator was NOT a great movie. It was very poorly shot, which almost ruined it completely. Which is why I look at this review and feel like I can trust it. This Bishop says that the action scenes are crystal clear, a MUST have in all action. That's what I loved about Face/Off. All those slo-mos, endless standoffs, and flapping doves just lend themselves to more tension and create a more explosive release. You absolutely must be able to follow action, esp. hand/hand and car chases (see: French Connection). Gladiator was ALL OVER THE PLACE. The more and more I think about it, the more I realize Gladiator failed miserably at about everything it was going for. Except for Joaquin Phoenix's performance, I was very disappointed. I'm so jacked now to see MI2, mainly because I totally loved the first, and I've been hankering for some more Woo. Stop sucking the shitpipe of Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, y'all. Gladiator sucked.
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May 22, 2000 10:55:34 AM CDT
I'm putting on my flame-retardant suit for what I'm about to say
by ziranova
I loved Face-Off. I particularly liked the way they ended up helping each other with their personal relationships (shadings of a chick-flick, perhaps?). I'm talking about the way John Travolta was becoming estranged from his teenage daughter, but when he and Castor Troy are switched, the new "Dad" is this tough-talking bad-ass and he hooks the daughter up with that butterfly knife, which as you know, she uses in the end to stab him in the thigh and get away. On the other side, Castor Troy treats his girlfriend (and mother of his child) like crap. The fake Castor Troy tells her that he's sorry for the way he's always treated her and that he loved her and she dies believing it was really him who said it. ANYWAY!!!!!!!! Enough of that - I have high hopes for MI2 and will see it at my soonest possible opportunity.
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First off MI:2 looks like another movie that has jumped on the MATRIX filming style bandwagon. Which will ensure it's popularity with action fanatics. Thats not bad cuz we're not expecting 'GONE WITH THE WIND' for cryin out loud.
"Stop sucking the shitpipe of Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, y'all. Gladiator sucked."
The next time Ridley Scotts company decides to run an Ad they should use a photo of his withering limp DICK and sagging testicles instead of degrading women and their breasts. The anti-union ad, which appeared in this week's Shoot magazine, features a close-up photograph of a black woman's withered and sagging breasts, and states: "In South Africa, this is what SAG means. Read story at
http://www.backstage.com/news/ny/nyn20000519120428.asp
Isn't that the TRUTH! Gladiator was overrated with it's silly, jerky motion of slow cut to high speed fighting sequence in the beginning(terrible editing there). Russell Crowe's performance was very bland. Joaquin Phoenix's outstanding performance not only stole the show, it's what held the whole movie together. GLADIATOR's over all look seemed like it was processed through a DRIVE-THRU at a fast food chain. -
I was absolutely shocked at how Ridley Scott, Russel Crowe, and a hundred million dollar budget were completely and totally INCAPABLE of bringing anything more to the genre than Kubrick did 40 years ago! I don't think it was a bad movie, but it was THE SAME movie as every other sword and sandle epic ever made!
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Come ON!!! Who cares how good Russell Crowe looks in a tunic? A piece 'o ass does not a real man make. This movie was flawed from minute 1. Such high aspirations of righteousness, honor, virtue, courage, strength, and it all came crashing down with hypocrisy and BALONEY! Sure it was mildly entertaining, but it was not the epic that this site had purported. Now if Connie Nielsen had gotten naked... No, I can't. This movie sucked. The "manhood" of Crowe's Maximus is irrelevant. It would have been a better plot to make him a man who finds courage in the ring rather than bring it with him. He had nowhere to go except with a knife to Commodus. Vengeance is such a boring plot device.
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The melodramatic emotional drama of "Face-Off" was *almost* enough to make me like it, I just don't think Woo developed it enough. Most Woo fans agree that along with the insane gunplay he depicts, part of his draw is his melodramatic approach to themes of friendship, honor, etc. In "Face-Off", I just didn't think the emotional stuff came through as it did in "Hard Boiled" or "The Killer". It seemed too unfocused, and sadly, the action scenes didn't take up the slack. Woo's American action scenes have occasional flashes of brilliance, but by and large they seem corrupted by Hollywood and the dreaded Michael Bay influence. They no longer energize me...
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Seems like every Woo-related talkback has to bring out the Woo-hating regulars like "Eternal" and the usual moronic comments which accompany them. Irritating sewage like "It'll be buried by billowing trenchcoats like in Face/Off" (Uh, there was one trenchcoat scene in that ENTIRE movie and it lasted about 10 seconds) and "All his movies are just guys with twin revolvers jumping around" (or "let's ignore the rest of the 2+ hour movie and its lengthy dialogue/plot and instead focus on the remaining 30 seconds so we can cook up some witless jibes about it!"). Other classic BS includes remarking that Woo only does gun battle action and in the next sentence whining about his boat/jeep/jet/motorcycle/mountain climbing (ie, non-gun) action scene! I don't see why you guys complain. Here's a director who can shoot a kick-ass action scene with his eyes closed and yet still takes the time to actively shape his scripts and bring some humanity and character into them. What's wrong with having some emotion in your action movies?? It's not like Hollywood is lacking in cold, cynical pieces of entertainment. Practically every other action flick is like that, including the first MI. I enjoy those films as well, but apparently some people out there cannot handle both... As for Face/Off, it was one of the best-reviewed action movies in recent history and I've seen more than one reviewer saying that "it sets the standard for action movies for years to come". Entertainingly messy character interactions, major acting showdowns, humour, and completely kick-ass action scenes. What more could you want? Not enough grim-faced lockjaws muttering "fuck you?"
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Hey Chin.... I don't think so!
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M:I2 stole the "Matrix" style? It's funny because when I saw the Matrix, I noticed a lot of stuff ripped off from John Woo... Only with less style and no class.
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over the virgin suicides any day. I love action flims. i liked hard target, broken arrow, face/off, the killer, bullet in the head, hard boiled, a better tommorow 2, etc.. I also loved the shit out of gladiator. Gimme a good shoot em up, hell i'll settle for a mediocre one. some people really dig horror films, some people work themselves into a lather over character pieces, some love comedies, some paint their faces like darth maul. Me, gimme 90 minutes of bone crunching, bullet spraying, two handed gun shooting, flying through the air with a semiautomatic, doing impossible on-wire spin kicks, action any day of the week. For this reason (and certainly not the reviewers attempt to make the film feel intelligent-couldn't care less) I'll probably love MI2. And P.S. to the idiot who actually claimed anything Woo does could possibly be an imitation of the matrix. Please. Ask the wankoffski brothers how many times they watched woo films and how they were inspired by them (FYI i like the matrix, just get your facts straight as to who copied woo).
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Well, I have to say I thought Face/Off is one of Woo's best, though I liked The Killer better. I also think that Woo did quite well in Hard Target, considering that film involved Mr Van Damme. Lance Henrikson was good in it (Why didn't he just go fishing?), and he went out with a bang (and an 'Oops!') at the end. I haven't seen Gladiator, so I may be wrong, but can a Ridley Scott film really be worse than Viva Rock Vegas, and only marginally better than Battlefield Earth? And on a slightly irrelevant note, where's my Legend DVD may I ask?
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Woo's critics do overgeneralize a bit, but do you agree at least that his American output has been pretty lacking? Obviously you dug "Face-Off", but what about the rest? I have no problem with the action/melodrama niche that Woo's set up for himself, and he's obviously still trying to innovate within that framework...BUT...I just don't think the resulting films are very good.
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'M:I2 stole the "Matrix" style? It's funny because when I saw the Matrix, I noticed a lot of stuff ripped off from John Woo... Only with less style and no class'
The general audience will never know those facts much less care who came up with the filming style first, etc. Only movie experts such as yourselves are privy to that info. I wasn't slamming Woo merely pointing out MI:2 will be a hit because the filming appears really well done and that style of filming is really HOT. Soooooo, (Steve Martin)Excuuuuuuse meeeeeee! -
Gladiator is the kind of movie that is held to a higher standard than Viva Rock or Battlefield Earth. I'd venture that most critics who didn't like it would agree that it was poorly shot and that it looked for an epic quality with its story and scale, and just did not meet the standards it set for itself. Viva Rock Vegas seems to be a fun, family film. If it's relatively harmless and pretty funny, then it reached its goals. It's not making value judgements or portraying images of courage and valor. Plain and simple, films like Gladiator are held to higher standards. If they do not meet them, they are criticized accordingly.
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I spotted this on the poster, and my hopes sank beneath the floor. Although they did not write the script (thank god) story credit goes to... Ronald Moore and Brannon Braga. Two of the guys responsible for ruining Trek. I wonder if this movie will manage to have even more plot holes than First Contact. Or maybe they'll just work a time warp into it somewhere.
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Yes, this is the Bishop Don
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I have to agree with some of what you're saying about Gladiator. While I thought it was an OK movie, it did lose its pacing quite a bit and was at times downright boring. Someone else here said that Joaquin Phoenix stole the show and I agree with that, too. One thing I really enjoyed were the costumes. When the boredom was becoming too much to bear, I was able to amuse myself by studying the tunics, gowns, and gladiator threads. ---- Speaking of High Fidelity - I loved that movie. This weekend I pulled a "Joan Cusack" when I flipped off my best-friend's boyfriend (cause he just dumped her, so I have major sympathy-hatred for him right now).
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May 22, 2000 2:30:38 PM CDT
Interesting article! MI2 was still being edited AFTER the press
by wesley snipes
VERY interesting bit about MI2. Seems like the press screening version (from a few weeks ago) wasn't the final version. They've screened it again and apparently the small cuts and complete score make a HUGE difference. Read for yourself at:
http://www.roughcut.com/today/hot.button/index.html Scroll down until you hit the heading that says "The Good". If you're reading this after Monday, the 22nd of May, then you will have to look in their archives. And while I agree that Woo's Hong Kong work is better so far, I don't mind his US work so much. In retrospect, Hard Target had a kick-ass action finale (LOVE that slow-mo shot of Wilford Brimley riding away from the shack explosion like a crazy Cajun cowboy; Van Damme & Vosloo back-to-back doing the reloading tricks was cool, too). Terence Chang (Woo's producing partner) has stated that Broken Arrow was an experiment by Woo to show that he could make a Hollywood-style film after comments that Hard Target was too Hong-Kong-like (cretins!). It has its moments but I find it slightly bland and the actors annoying. Face/Off rocks and only suffers because Travolta is too hammy and the gunfights aren't as graceful as his other work. If I had to rank them, I'd say Face/Off comes 4th behind The Killer, Hard-Boiled & Bullet in The Head, while tied with the A Better Tomorrow films. In terms of re-watchability, it comes second only to Hard-Boiled (the other films are too downbeat). -
I am really hope that after this film is released, her talented is never wasted in the role of a tragic slave/mulatto again!!!
Let's see how many times has she played a slave?? Four times and counting...Hopefully, "Beloved" was the last... -
"Why," you ask? Because regardless of what you think of Woo and how much his American films have "sucked" more than his HK stuff (which is a valid point, although I happen to enjoy Face/Off on a visceral level), doesn't anyone see the pattern emerging in his American movies ever since he started working for Hollywood? Hard Target? Barely watchable. Broken Arrow? Anywhere from subpar to mediocre depending on your tolerance level for Slater and Travolta overracting. Face/Off? At least decent..worth your $8 for the evening, right? My point is this: Woo peaked with his HK films only after a dozen of films. His American record shows a constant improvement since 1993, why diss Woo now when he seems to be on such an upswing??
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Well, since I just shared my opinions on Gladiator (and pointed out some flaws - but also some good points) and since I said I loved High Fidelity, I assume you're talking to me. ---- No, I'm not threatened by Russell Crowe's manhood because I'm a woman. I think Mr. Crowe is extremely handsome and look forward to seeing more of him on the big screen.
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A woman blasting a poster for his male insecurity and chauvinism only to discover that he's a woman, too! Gotta love the internet.
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He's the Woo. It's gonna rock.
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Miss ziranova. Naaaaah.
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Well, my personal shortcomings come way short of Russell Crowe's supposed manliness, but I haven't posted anything that would suggest I covet those facets of this brilliant actor's skills. Neither have I deconstructed the performance of Maximus itself for critical analysis. I simply believe that the script and direction did not lend itself to the type of movie that was intended. Even if Gladiator was a simple hackitup bloodfest, it was poorly done, at that. My main gripe is that the fight scenes were shot too close, and rather than leaving the audience feeling the frenzy of the arena, my eyeballs just hurt. I'd ask you to retort, but you seem content on a ill-thought attempt at demoralizing me personally, rather than refuting my claims with constructive argument. There's no question Maximus is a badass, and could kick mine in seconds flat. But really, is that the crux of the issue? Nay, I think not. I'm simply questioning the validity of the film and its goals. Is it plainly summer fare for the unquestioning audience, or should we be pondering further the meanings within? Please, Miss Saucy, you impetuous vixen you, argue the merits of the movie. I should very much like to know if you are able to take your mind off Russell's big... sword and actually construct a response worthy of my time.
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The first John Woo movie I ever saw was Hard Target. I had heard a lot about his HK movies and against all my natural instincts, I went to the theater to see a Van Damme movie. I laughed my ass off. I laughed so hard I was falling out of my seat. Numerous times. Tears were streaming down my face. People were looking at me like something was wrong. I just laughed more. "This..." I thought, "is the most cheesy, ridiculous, over-blown movie I have ever seen." With every slow motion shot I laughed harder and harder. My stomach hurt. I thought John Woo was a joke.
I was wrong.
As I said, I had heard a lot about Woo's work in HK and how amazing he was. Having hated Hard Target sooo much, my curioustity was peaked and I rented the Killer. I watched it four times. Each time I liked it better. Since then I've watched Hard Boiled, A Better Tomorrow 1&2, Bullet in the Head, Once a Theif(HK), Just Heros and Heros Shed no Tears as well as Broken Arrow(Boo) and Face/Off. He now ranks with Spielberg as one of my favorite directors.
To all you naysayers out there all I can say is, look closer at what's out on the market today. Almost every modern action movie has shows at least a moment or two of his influence. It's not just the newcomers like the Wachowski's either. Heavy hitters and long time power players have nabbed bits of Woo's style, from Jim Cameron's work in True Lies(Shwartzy's slo-mo two-gun shootin') to Tony Scott's final showdown in True Romance, the list goes on and on.
However, I'm afraid John Woo will never make another film of the same callibur as his earlier work. I liked Face/Off a lot but it still doesn't quite measure. It isn't really Woo's fault though, or the studios for that matter. American stunt players aren't as graceful (or willing to risk life and limb) as their HK counterparts and we as audience members aren't as accepting of operatic melodrama or thematic contemplation in action movies. We want funny quips and swagger, not internal conflict and personal struggle. Even those of us who enjoy those themes in foriegn films are guilty of this. When it's said in aforiegn language we can detatch ourselves a little and watch with a different eye. When it's in English it's a little cheesy and we snicker. That's part of why subtitles are better than dubbing, it's not just the poor voice-acting. All in all, there's too much at work against John Woo for a total return to form(the MPAA would never let Hard Boiled in theaters without an NC17) but I'll watch every attempt he makes.
In regards to M:I2, I'm looking forward to the action, but I won't be looking for the soul. The PG13 really has me worried, cause that might wreck all that's left.
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In fact, every time there's any Woo controversy, you should just re-post it. Seriously. You totally nailed the importance of Woo to modern action flicks while acknowledging the many reasons why his American films will probably never reach the same heights. I view Woo the same way I view George Lucas - neither are turning out stuff that I really want to see any more (M:I2 excepted, maybe), but I can't for a minute forget what mighty innovators they were. All the "Phantom Menaces" and "Hard Targets" in the world can't take away their accomplishments.
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I may just do that. I'm sure there will be ample opportunity for re-posting in the coming weeks and I may have come in a bit too far down the line on this one. As such, thanks again. I just began posting and I really appreciate the positive feedback.
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...you are a fucking tool. Intelligent discussion has apparently left you, much like previous boyfriends I'm sure.
Weighing a movie's merits on some guy you've got the itch for? It makes me sick to my stomach. -
The Wachowski Bros. put GRRREAT visuals into "The Matrix", but remember, they were just adolescent action-movie wannabees when Woo was already directorially kickin' arse and takin' names with such flix as "The Killer" and "A Better Tomorrow".
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I saw "Mission: Impossible - 2" this evening. I was anxious to see the follow-up to the original (which I enjoyed). I feel duty bound to warn those of you who have even the slightest interest in this movie: stay away. I found myself laughing aloud at how ridiculous it was. Then again maybe you're a fan of ham handed John Woo (director of cinematic gems "Hard Target" and "Face Off").
Maybe you're a fan of his overwrought slow motion, or his implausible car chases. Or maybe you just like interminable fist fights, fire, and pigeons. If so, by all means, enjoy. Woo's about as subtle as a bat to the head. The only saving grace? I had a free pass. Caveat emptor.
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