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Directed by: John Woo Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Yancy Butler, Lance Henriksen, Arnold Vosloo A woman's homeless father goes missing in the Big Easy, and her arrival determines immediately that she will need assistance if she wants to survive the city, let alone solve her father's disappearance. Hiring an ex-military survivalist named Chance (Van Damme), she descends into the local world of homelessness and uncovers an operation by two more ex-military men (Henriksen and Vosloo) who offer wealthy businessmen the opportunity to hunt down fleeing men in urban environments and put them down with high-powered weaponry. John Woo was never known to utilize complex storylines (prior to Face/Off), and this being his first American release, decided to preserve a number of his trademarks, including the themes of brotherhood, family loyalty, and slow-motion doves flying through the air as bullets danced around them. The action scenes in this film are nothing short of stellar, each setup and shot in a way stressing innovation and detail not seen before Woo's Hollywood debut, all utilizing items as diverse as grenades, arrows, and in one instance, a half-full can of paint thinner. The scene in the Mardi Gras graveyard is the stuff of legends. Acting-wise, the actors do what they're supposed to. Van Damme, as the mysterious Chance, effectively under-emotes, his thick French accent allowing him to pull off a Cajun one perfectly. Arnold Vosloo, as the sadistic right-hand killer, over-emotes, every smile and glare rendering him into a demon who tiptoes through shadows. Cheesy? Absolutely. But it works. Overall, worth a rental, and definitely a good film to highlight Woo's strengths and trademarks, as they're all very prevalent in the film. 4/5 RATING: 4 PROS: Excellent action sequences, perfect New Orleans mood and setting, smarter plot and dialogue than the traditional Hollywood actioneer CONS: Overacting on behalf of Henricksen and crew, gratuitous use of slow-motion ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107076/
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Jun 19, 2004 03:24
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| # ? Apr 18, 2024 18:15 |
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