Reviews (18)

Interesting enjoyable film with great actors
Not your ordinary kidnapping caper. There are enough quirky characters, plots twists, well-timed flashbacks, and recognizable actors cast against-type to keep viewers interested, entertained, and intrigued.

Alan Rickman simply cannot make a bad movie or turn in a less than perfect performance. The variety of his role choices continues to provide his fans insight into every possible facet of his magnificent talent. His role as good-cop in 'Judas Kiss' is no exception. Coupled with Emma Thompson as a tough federal agent, the two English talents provide this film with 'class'. Simon Baker (TV's The Guardian) appears as a character devoid of 'class' in a role completely opposite the classy, brooding attorney we have come to associate with this very talented young Australian actor. Hal Holbrook and Roscoe Lee Brown give their usual great performances in roles a little closer-to-home for them.

The steamy sex, mayhem and murder, and New Orleans atmosphere make this film as hot as the 'Big Easy' in August, but the setting compliments rather than overwhelms the film. The story could have been set in any big city.

I recommend this film for those who enjoy a quirky, interesting mystery with style. While for fans of Rickman - it is a must-see!

A campy but enjoyable film noir for a dull Saturday night
If you're sitting around on a Saturday night looking for something entertaining to watch, you just might want to check out "Judas Kiss". Sure it's campy...you bet it's quirky, don't expect Oscar contending material BUT do expect an unusual yet entertaining little film. This is not mainstream stuff. It's a little like "Fargo" meets the "Maltese Falcon". An oddball cast of criminals come together and concoct a scheme to kidnap and extort enough cash from a wealthy businessman to set them up for the good life. Unfortunately, something goes terribly wrong and their crime also includes an unintended murder.

Enter the local police detective and the F.B.I. These are played delightfully by Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson. An odd choice to cast two Brits as New Orleans natives...but that's where the fun begins. If you truly want to enjoy this film for what it is, you are going to have to overlook the bad accents. But that's easy to do because it's obvious that these two actors are having a blast playing these roles. Alan is just great as the near-burnt-out, cynical, yet still honest detective and Emma is a hoot as the tough-as-nails F.B.I. agent. No proper Miss Dashwood this time. She is a fast-talking, hard-hitting, no-nonsene dame who exchanges witty repartee and sexy double-entendres with Alan while a cigarette dangles from the corner of her mouth. I was half expecting her to call him "doll-face" or refer to him as a "to-may-tah". She even stalks her suspect on rollerblades. You go, girl!

Alan Rickman is excellent as the detective who slowly realizes that he is being used in an elaborate, backroom scam by corrupt officials. When he finally figures it all out...he's pissed as hell but determined to expose the whole lot of them. Watch out for that golf swing!

The criminals are an unusual bunch with a stand-out performance by Carla Gugino. She is the soul of this disturbing group of misfits and despite the terrible crime she commited, she plays her role with such honesty that you can't help but end up pulling for her.

All in all this is an unusual yet enjoyable film. The New Orleans backdrop and salsa/jazz soundtrack add to the spiciness as this tale twists and turns to it's conclusion. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday night.

What on earth were they thinking???
I understand Emma Thompson was pressed to read this screenplay at an event and was instantly interested. She then persuaded her friend Alan Rickman to become involved. What on earth were they thinking??? It's hard to believe that the woman who wrote the brilliant screenplay for "Sense and Sensibility" could have been impressed with this dud. Thompson is my favorite actress and Rickman is my favorite actor, but, oh my God, the accents are terrible! I used to say I would pay to hear Rickman read the phonebook but I would want that money back if he used THIS accent. Rickman can now sympathize with his co-star Kevin Costner's laughable attempt at a British accent in Robin Hood! There is nothing new in this plot, and the sex scenes give new meaning to gratuitous. Save your money...but if you adore the velvet voice of Alan Rickman speaking the King's English as no one else can, listen to his audiobook recording of "The Return of the Native"...over 15 hours of ecstacy!!

Contrary to other reviews...
I found this movie to be utterly hilarious! It's a bit wierd but that's what makes it stand out from the others. I think each character was unique making the movie that much better! I give it 'two thumbs up'

Stock characters, stock plot, not much Emma T
Well, I watched this movie. I watched the bad accents, the gratuitous sex. the insipid characters (or caricatures). There is the tired cop and the cynical FBI agent, the Police Captain who seems to want the case solved but then does everything he can to block progress, and the US Senator who blusters about justice on TV but about ‘pulling every string I can get you fired’ in private.

The plot involves a kidnapping that goes awry and the centers mostly on the grifters as they try to make things right get the loot and not get caught. It was a forgettable group with the typical wackoo muscle guy and the Harvard intellectual and staring a pair of low-life lovers hoping for the big score.

Don’t waste your time getting this movie for 10 minutes of Emma Thompson. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

An Astounding movie wich was shamfully overlooked!
Ride with the Devil is a civil war drama about the kansas/Missuori buskwackers. It is one of the few movies which takes you into its period world so effortlessly. It shows the true violence of the time and yet shows how that violence affected people and changed their lives. Ride with the Devil was directed by Ang Lee, who brought us the brilliant Sense and Sensibility, this is his best work since Sense and Sensibility. Lee knows how to make a period drama come alive to the viewer in a way that few directors can do. Maybe its because he usually does projects he really feels for. The acting in Ride with the Devil was supuerb. Tobey Maguire again proves that he is the most talented young actor in Hollywood, today. He protrays a a first generation american,Jake Rodell, with such heart and sincerity, very few actors could have done that. Skeet Ulrich delivers his best and most seriuos performance to date, as Jack Bull. Singer, Jewel, gives a suprisingly good and nuanced performance as Sue Lee Shelley. Jefferey Wright, protrays a freed black with real integrity and authority. Wright and Maguire were horrible oversights at the Oscars. Actually, i thought the whole movie was a horrible oversight. They brought a whole differnet level to this movie with their performances. they made you see their characters in a way that few could have done. You truely cared what happened to them as if they were a close freind. Wright and Maguire made you see the Civil War not as north and south but as people defending the only life they had ever known. Ride with the Devil is a captivating movie that goes right to your heart and helps you to understand a time in America's history, when nothing was simple and everything was a battle--Freedom, your way of life and survival. it puts a new persepective on a war with split our nation in two and hurt everyone it touched. this movie will probably never get a big following but for those of you reading this you will not be disapointed. so go rent this movie or be like me and buy it. thank you Ang lee and everyone how helped make this magnificent movie!

One of the best films of 1999
In Missouri, in the early years of the Civil War there isn't yet a proper Confederate army, so pro-Confederate folks are pretty much left to defend themselves against the Union Army. Jake "Dutchie" Roedel (Maguire) and childhood friend Jackbull Chiles (Ulrich) become Bushwhackers: roaming, non-regular Confederates who sabotage, attack and kill Union regiments wherever they find them. This film is meandering, giving it an epic quality even though the time covered is only several years. Dutchie and Jackbull join up with other Bushwhackers, including gentleman George Clyde (Simon Baker) and his wry, freed-slave companion Holt (Jeffrey Wright). Led by the grim Black John (Jim Caviezel), these fellows and others fight for their families, revenge, and the thrill of it. The movie gives a thoughtful and not often seen perspective of the Civil War. Like LAST OF THE MOHICANS, it doesn't try to be politically correct or take sides; it concerns itself more with showing how the war the people fight can bear little resemblance to the one the politicians have waged.

RIDE WITH THE DEVIL was one of the most satisfying movies of 1999, featuring one of the strongest ensemble casts I've seen in a long, long time. Highly recommend!

Ang Lee's meditation on friendship during the Civil War
Missouri was one of the slave states that was kept in the Union during the Civil War and since it was on the far side of the Mississippi River it was not really part of the Western Theater of the war. As the critical part of the Anaconda Plan the Union armies were seeking control of the Mississippi, which explained why Grant was fighting his way from Tennessee to Vicksburg while Farragut took New Orleans. In fact, there really was not an organized Confederate army in Missouri, which explains why the young Southern men in "Ride with the Devil" join the Irregulars, who waged guerrilla warfare against Union loyalists. In this part of the war we do not talk about great battles, but rather the infamous raid that torched Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863 as Quantrill's raiders murdered the pro-Union jayhawks.

The story here focus on six young men who join the bushwackers: Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire), a first generation American who wants to be considered as much a Southerner as any one else even though his father can from Germany (which means he is called "Dutchy"); Jack Bull Chiles (Skeet Ulrich), who hates the Yankees and has seen his family killed; George Clyde (Simon Baker-Denny), a gentleman fighting to preserve a way of life that is going to be gone with the wind; Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright), an ex-slave who fights besides Clyde because the man freed him; Pitt Mackeson (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who is a sadist who glories in killing; and Black John (James Caviezel), almost as brutal but more driven by anger and revenge.

The idea in "Ride with the Devil" is that when America went to war with itself in 1861 the young boys growing up in Missouri and Kansas were suddenly forced into a less than honorable manhood overnight. Consequently, one of the first casualties of the war was their innocence. In 1987 Missouri-born author Daniel Woodrell wrote his Civil War-era novel "Woe to Live On." For Ang Lee the appeal was the drama of young people coming of age in the worst possible time in American history and the theme of self-emancipation. The principal actors were put through three weeks of "boot camp" to capture the way the war dehumanized the young men forced to fight it.

This film start out focusing on the friendship between Jake and Bull as much as it is on anything else, but then while hiding out from the Yankees during the winter Bull takes a liking to Sue Lee Shelly (Jewel), a young widow woman who is helping to provide them with food. Having lost both his father and his best friend, Jake continues to fight because that is what he is supposed to be doing and starts to connect with two other characters in ways that will eventually change his life. After the Lawrence Raid it is clear that the war is going to be lost and a young man who has not even seen twenty years realizes he is lost as well.

Certainly "Ride with the Devil" is a beautiful film with the sense of period authenticity you would expect from Lee. It is not really a movie about the Civil War any more than "Cold Mountain" is (an obvious comparison), but more about the friendships that take place during a war. It is just not clear that this is the central theme because our expectations are raised by more standard plot considerations (love and revenge) that do not get played out the way you would think. There is also a sense in which Roedel is the least interesting character of the bunch, yet he emerges as the central figure and the most important gun in the film is perhaps the one that is not fired.

Excellent and underrated
Apparently, USA, which produced this film, was going under at the time of its release and it was show in only 14 theaters. This is a beautiful, emotionally engaging and entertaining film capturing a period and part of the civil war not often depicted.

Skeet Ulrich and Tobey Maguire play two Missouri teens who join a rebel group of Bushwackers (Confederate sympathizers). But this isn't a film that promotes one side or the other. Rather, it shows the similarity and familiarity between both sides.

The acting is wonderful and the story sensitive.

A Great Discovery
I bought this movie blind. I enjoy period flicks and, while seeing what was out there in Amazon.com land, I came across Ride With The Devil. I must admit, I know little about the stars in this movie (I did recognize MacGuire from Spiderman, and I've heard of - but not heard - Jewel), so it was a chance to spend my hard earned cash on it.
I'm glad I did.
Engulfing, exciting, suspenceful, and, most importantly, realistic. Not politically correct. Maybe that's why it didn't do well at the box office and critics panned it. But, it IS true to its time.
The border wars was a part of the Civil War that has hardly (if ever) been touched upon - that boundary where one straddles the fence. The problem was that one couldn't straddle the fence in a state like Missouri. They had to choose Yankee or Rebel. Jayhawk or Bushwack. And you feel clearly, while watching this movie, the turmoil that must have been raging in these citizen's minds and stomachs when they chose one side and a close friend or family member chose the other.
You also feel the deep sorrow and sympathy for ALL involved - North and South - no matter what side you stand for - when Jake reads the touching letter from a mother to her son, showing that these were people who had lives and loved ones waiting for them at home.
It's movies like this that brings these mid 19th century people to life, showing us that they're not just flat black and white pictures in a history book. And that is why this movie stands above so many other historical films.
I must warn you, however, that there is quite a bit of graphic violence. Believe me, you'll feel their pain! ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good movie
I liked it because it has Rory Cochrane. So there.

doesn't stack up
This is another movie about the 60s/70s with all the sex, drugs, and rock & roll. But this one doesn't quite stack up to the others. There are two storylines, that never really converge. I'd say the acting is ok, it's an ensemble cast, but no big names in there, nor any stellar performances. The soundtrack is good, but other than that, this movie doesn't add anything that those that came before have. Maybe check it out on cable.

Not the worst, but...
I rented this movie with the sole intention of seeing what Rory Cochrane's been up to since "Empire Records". Nice to know he's still playing the disaffected youth, only grown to full-blown sociopathic, self-destructive adulthood. I didn't think the movie was terrible in and of itself, hence two stars instead of one. I was amused by the costuming (I almost want to own all of Hot Lava's clothes), really liked some of the camera work, got a kick out of the soundtrack and loved the scene where Zack and the busboy start playing guitar. Still, the dialogue wasn't particularly inspired, for the life of me I couldn't figure out WHY Michael was in love with Tammy, the musician characters were entirely one-dimensional (though I do agree with whoever it was who said Jared Leto was the best actor in this lot) and was left hollow by the tidy little notecards at the end of the movie telling the outcome of everyone's lives. As for Felix...oh, Rory...I was so disappointed. This character could've been the muse/honesty barometer/fairy godfather, and there are hints of that side of him, i.e. when he takes it on himself to get Michael and Tammy together. Instead he just comes across as hostile and smelly, occasionally taking the time to randomly do things that might be construed as benevolent if done by someone who wasn't so clearly misanthropic. Perhaps the best way to watch this is as the appetizer for "Almost Famous". Just enough '70s flavor to get you going, but nowhere near enough to eclipse the real article.

I hated this film!
I was SO dissapointed when I saw this movie. Comparing itself to Almost famous and Boogie Nights! I don't think so! This film was so boring, and it actually was getting into action like the last 20 minutes of the film. The music was horrible, it sounded like "modern rock" kind of music, not 70's music. Some of the clothes were all wrong(except for Adam goldberg's wardorbe). Jared Leto was trying to be like Jim Morrison, but it did not come out right(I do admit he looked sexy, and was the best actor in the film though, so kudos for Jared). The scenes at the whiskey a go go, were OK. This film just did not feel like 1972.

Buy Almost Famous, it's the best rock movie ever!

not THAT bad
I have to give this movie 5 stars--not because it necessarily deserves it but because it doesn't deserve to get slammed with
one star. Okay, this is no _Almost Famous_ or _Boogie Nights_;
get over it, okay? I watched it, I enjoyed it, it is not that
bad of a movie in its own right. Actually, I thought the character development was good and I actually cared about the characters...especially the photographer and the costume designer...there is an epilogue at the end of the movie and we find out that the female lead died in an auto accident, which is kind of sad. It had a nice 70s mood feel to it. Helluvalot of sex for a movie that takes place within 1 day. Worth a look. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Someone, please strangle her with that necklace
What a wretched piece of cinema. I mean, truly wretched. And the fault lies almost totally with Hillary Swank. She plays Jeanne de la Motte with such-over-the top mellodrama. She never seems to totally connect with the character, giving us this wide-eyed, fast-talking character that is neither compelling nor sympathetic.

What an utter shame. For she was surrounded by some true talent. The actor who plays Cardinal de Rohan is fantastic. In fact, all of the secondary actors and actresses do a decent job.

There's also the matter of the wildly inaccurate retelling of history. Clearly the writers and director wanted viewers to feel terribly sorry for poor little Jeanne. They perverted history in the telling of the story, casting Jeanne in the role of the poor, innocent, misused and discarded aristocrat who is justified in her actions. The truth was, Jeanne de la Motte was a whore and a thief, a con-woman who helped topple the monarchy and murder a queen. For more information on the affair of the necklace, read Simon Schama's book Citizens, or visit the award-winning website, Let Them Eat Cake.

The costumes in this movie are phenomenal. Truly eye candy. If it weren't for the wonderful sets and splendid costumes, this movie would have rated a ZERO.

Make it a Blockbuster night
There is an old saying in theater that instructs you not to "put a gun onstage in the first act if it is not going to go off in the second". By the same turn, do not introduce Christopher Walken into your movie unless you are going to send your script up on itself a little. Jonathan Pryce, Adrien Brody, and Walken all hit the right demi-tragic, mostly comic, tone, as do the minor characters. Everyone else, though, seems to have shown up thinking that they had been cast in "The Hours."

"The Affair of the Necklace" has to be viewed with a generous suspension of disbelief, or with one's forehead protected for a lot of flat-palming. Ninette's final, "If I reached for anything that shown brightly..." speech- which is a bit too Shirley Temple for the rest of the movie- actually diminishes our sympathies for her and cuts the film's last thread of realism. Marie Antoinette's sub-guillotine, "well, maybe I was a bit excessive," flashback, is also a little inexplicable given the modern frame of the movie. Only on Google groups does one still find such negative and simplistic representations of her. And Louis XVI was more fully encompassed in "Start the Revolution Without Me".

The scenery, however, especially at Versailles, is fantastic and- though I have doubts about the wisdom of Swank's "Annie"-style hair on the cover (given her character's orphaned status)- the movie generally fits in well with other flawless, high-end costume dramas. If it hadn't been "based on true events," a tag which subjects a movie to a greater deal of scrutiny than most can stand, I would have thought this one much stronger than it was.

In the end, Pryce, Brody, and Walken do save the movie from itself, and generally make it an entertaining, if not accurate, weekend rental. As an addition to one's video library, however, it is best passed on.

A Masterpiece
This is one of the most historically accurate movies that I have ever seen. This movie is about the scandal that rocked the French monarchy during the late 1780's and helped set the stage for the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy.

Hilary Swank delivers a superb performance as the scheming Jeanne de la Motte-Valois. Jonathan Pryce and Christopher Walken also shine in this well executed movie.

The Affair of the Necklace is a movie that combines greed, lust, corruption and sexuality in a most beguiling mix. This movie is the end result of a rare combination of quality acting, distinguished directing, skillful script writing, a large budget and careful attention to historical accuracy in every detail.

The Affair of the Necklace is a masterpiece.

Not too bad
She's in court after the strong murdered her father for the loud thoughts he had about poor people and now the only thing she cares about is to get a good name for her family back. The Queen should be the only person who would have helped her but how is she going to eliminate all the obstacles in order to get her to the queen.

An interesting (extremely boring for some) drama.

A true art of intrigue
Despite the mixed reviews, after about 20 minutes, I began to enjoy this movie. It is more than it appears at first. It truly is an affair, because people are getting tricked and maneuvered, it has intrigue that unfolded lovely, having been placed right before the French Revolution.

Hilary Swank, although not my top choice for a costume drama, does a good job of playing Jeanne de la Motte-Valois, a woman who lost her parents and her title at a young age. With the help of a court women-chaser, Baker, she uses the Cardinal's desire for Marie Antoinette, and the luxurious diamond necklace that comes into place, to get what she wants.

As lies are told, and people pretending to be someone else, the grand plot begins to resemble a tower of playing cards that can topple at any moment.

It was a wonderful movie, that felt cozy, and it was almost like a mystery drama, in beautiful lavish costumes. The ending is great, and unexpected for some characters. ... Read more

Reviews (143)

THE BEST MARS MOVIE
A lot of people are confusing this very satisfying sci-fi action adventure with the laughably pretentious, boring, goofy, message-laden atrocity MISSION TO MARS! The two mars-themed films couldn't be further apart.

It's the middle of the 21st century and a dying earth reaches out to colonize Mars as a last hope. Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix), Benjamin Bratt, Tom Sizemore and Terrence Stamp represent all humankind in the first landing on the mysterious red planet. Also on board is the extraordinary, multifunctional robo-assistant AMEE.

But, wouldn't you know it, a malfunction has forced her into a relentless killing-machine mode hell-bent on destroying the crew. And that's not all the crew must deal with; barren Mars has breathable oxygen and -- other inhabitants. Like the poster says: "They didn't find life on mars. It found them."

This somewhat by-the-numbers adventure is saved because it's looks great (the sets, locations and props are always credible) and the action never lets up. The striking Martian landscape is rendered vast and real and, yes, red. Recommended. (Color, Widescreen, Dolby Surround, 107 Minutes, Rated PG-13)

A golden opportunity wasted.
I'm a huge science fiction fan. Always have been. And I've always loved stories set on Mars, for some reason.

So why can't Hollywood make a decent movie about Mars?

The latest flaccid attempt, "Red Planet", is a joyless ride through outer space that brings out every cliche in the book and pastes them together with little coherence or seeming forethought. Characters get into fights for no reason; the plot is told through flashbacks and voiceovers (the lazy man's way to make a film--why bother having people act when you can simply TELL the audience what's going on?); and the most basic laws of science are simply ignored.

Here's a note to the director and screenwriters: flashbacks are not necessary to tell a good story. If you'd simply shown the scenes in order, you'd have made the characters ten times more interesting.

The story, such as it is, goes like this: In the year 2057, humanity has at last overtaxed the natural resources on Earth. Desperate for a solution, we seed Mars with genetically taiored algae to generate oxygen so we can colonize the planet. Suddenly, our remote monitoring of Mars goes quiet, so a manned mission has to be assembled to check it out.

Commanded by Navy Commander Kate Bowman (Carrie-Anne Moss), things go wrong for the crew of Mars-1 almost as soon as they enter Mars orbit. A freakish solar flare fries the ship's electronics, forcing an emergency evacuation to the surface of Mars. This sequence is terrific and exciting, especially the crash landing, which had members of the audience gasping for breath. Things get worse for Our Heroes, though; the ship's self-directed robot navigator, AMEE, has gone into lethal "military mode" and begins stalking the stranded astronauts, picking them off one by one.

Unfortunately, this movie goes straight downhill from there. Despite the presence of stars like Val Kilmer (as self-described "space janitor" Robby Gallagher and Terence Stamp as scientist-cum-philospher Dr. Chantilas, "Red Planet" goes nowhere fast. When one of the astronauts is critically injured during the landing and insists on being left behind, do any of the others try to talk him out of it? Do they even stand around and say goodbye to him? With the exception of Val Kilmer's Gallagher, the answer is nope--they just take off. Yeah, right--you just spent the last six months with this guy and you're just going to bail on him. Some friends.

By the time the final credits rolled, I found myself just not caring about the stupid, cliched plot or the stock characters or the numbskull "science" that a fifth-grader could refute. As an example, the film's explanation for what happened to the algae is in direct contradiction with even basic biochemistry.

Didn't the filmmakers care? 'Cause it sure looks like they didn't even try. As Andy Griffith used to say, "I'm mighty disappointed."

-terry-

MAROONED AND MAUDLIN
RED PLANET has some visually stunning effects, and that's about it. The plot is so contrived and incoherent, one wonders what the movie is all about. The bookend narration by Carrie Ann Moss sounds like something a high schooler would write in a creative writing class, and the performances are all average. Not one performance stands out, and that's a shame with such a great cast, although I've failed to see how Val Kilmer has even sustained a career. Benjamin Bratt is annoying; Terence Stamp is like Peter Cushing on Valium, and the usually impressive Simon Baker (TV's Guardian) is saddled with a thankless role as a "traitor" without any underlying premise.
RED PLANET is ultimately a yawner. It seems like it takes forever to get to the movie's point, and the Martian bugs are neat, but what in the heck are they doing?
Visual eye candy but a lightweight concoction otherwise.

Yawn...how many more times can they make the same movie?
If you've seen any of the following films, then don't waste your time with "Red Planet":

1. Armageddon
2. The Core
3. Apollo 13
4. Independence Day
5. Any "beat the clock & save the planet/city" sci-fi flick made since 1990 that I didn't bother watching.

Out of all of these, "Apollo 13" is the best, simply because it's a true story that was made with emotional honesty and a compelling narrative.

Here's everything you need to know about "Red Planet":

-the best actor (Terrence Stamp) the dies first
-Val Kilmer and Carrie-Ann Moss are in it
-plot of "Apollo 13" + wonky environmental pop-science + visuals from "2001" + Mars + a funky robot who goes all "HAL" = "Red Planet"

Plot synopsis: In an attempt to terraform Mars because Earth is so polluted, the "international community" has been seeding Mars with large algae mats to make its atmosphere more human-friendly. Something goes wrong, and a team is dispatched to Mars to investigate. As they enter Mars' orbit, the ship is exposed to a large solar flare, which fries much of its circuitry. Most of the crew go to the Mars surface, with the pilot staying on-board to try to save the ship. The crew jettisons the landing gear and lands, fatally injuring the surgeon/philosopher. The survivors march to a nearby base previously set up by un-manned missions. The base is kaput. One survivor kills another without the others knowing it. They discover that they can breathe the air. The pilot tells them that if they can get to an old unmanned rover several hours away, they can make it back to the ship. Along the way, one survivor goes nuts and is killed by a damaged robot navigator (jettisoned with the landing gear) and some bugs. The biogeneticist figures out why the air is breathable and kills himself before the bugs can eat him. Meanwhile, the pilot has repaired the ship. The lone survivor gets to the rover, fights the robot, steals its battery, and makes it back to the ship. End of story.

There. In 15 sentences (including "end of story"), I have told you THE WHOLE STUPID MOVIE. That's it. There's nothing else to know about this movie.

The premise of the conflict is wholly absurd and serves as the engine of a barely-mediocre flick. In order to make near-future sci-fi compelling. the science must be relatively sound. So here are the two big science stinkers (leaving aside the whole atmosphere issue) that make this movie wholly implausible:

1. There are things called circuit breakers and other safety devices to prevent power surges from frying stuff. All satellites and space equipment using solar panels have these devices and have survived many many solar flares. Why would they build a ship without these precautions?

2. None of the Mars survivors consumed water once they reached the surface. With demanding physical activity and little-to-no atmospheric moisture, they would have died of dehydration sometime during the second march, if not on the first day.

Don't waste your time with this movie. Rent something good. Heck, if you just have to see bad sci-fi, watch "Jason X" - the visuals are just as good, and you'll be much more entertained.

This movie gets 2 stars for graphical competence and having Terence Stamp utter a few lines.

Can I have my money back?

Good flick, just needs some characters
I am a SF junkie and will watch just about anything - even if I don't like it. Red Planet - With Carrie Moss, Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore and Terrance Stamp - isn't in that category but it teeters at times.

The special effects are not bad.

The science IS bad, and inconsistant, but since this is a movie and not a documentary, so I suppose that's allowable.

I would have loved to see more Terrance Stamp.

The relationships between the crew are not well explained and take unexpected turns here and there. The flashback- oh yeah - this happened - scene to explain the Kilmer-Moss relationship irritated me. Why on earth (or Mars) not show it as it happened - then we might all understand the situation. At times, I was wondering "Why are they acting like this?"

Not bad - SF fans will still like it - keep expectations low.

Mike ... Read more

Amazon.com

Sunset Strip would like nothing more than to become a sex, drugs, and rock & roll American Graffiti for the 1972 Los Angeles scene, right down to the flashy "where are they now?" coda. The film follows the lives of fringe players in the music industry who crisscross paths over a 24-hour period. Funky fashion designer Anna Friel and colorblind photographer Michael Baker are the ostensible leads, best friends whose hopeless affairs and quickies blind them to the growing attraction between them. Orbiting around these two are naive young rock & roll dreamer Nick Stahl; cynical, substance-abusing songwriter Rory Cochrane; Afro-wearing, jive-talking would-be impresario Adam Goldberg; country-fried rocker Jared Leto; and Scottish art-rock superstar Tommy J. Flanagan. Director Adam Collis, working from a script cowritten by Randall Jahnson, who penned The Doors for Oliver Stone, tries to capture the easygoing, offhanded quality George Lucas brought to American Graffiti. It's an entertaining piece with a restless undercurrent of characters stumbling around for their place in this hyped-up, hopped-up world, but Collis has little of Lucas's deft touch and the film ultimately has little to say about the characters or the period. This lightweight flashback, however, does come accessorized with groovy fashions, hip haircuts, and loads of rock music (some of it the real thing, the rest modern retro compositions). --Sean Axmaker ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Good movie
I liked it because it has Rory Cochrane. So there.

doesn't stack up
This is another movie about the 60s/70s with all the sex, drugs, and rock & roll. But this one doesn't quite stack up to the others. There are two storylines, that never really converge. I'd say the acting is ok, it's an ensemble cast, but no big names in there, nor any stellar performances. The soundtrack is good, but other than that, this movie doesn't add anything that those that came before have. Maybe check it out on cable.

Not the worst, but...
I rented this movie with the sole intention of seeing what Rory Cochrane's been up to since "Empire Records". Nice to know he's still playing the disaffected youth, only grown to full-blown sociopathic, self-destructive adulthood. I didn't think the movie was terrible in and of itself, hence two stars instead of one. I was amused by the costuming (I almost want to own all of Hot Lava's clothes), really liked some of the camera work, got a kick out of the soundtrack and loved the scene where Zack and the busboy start playing guitar. Still, the dialogue wasn't particularly inspired, for the life of me I couldn't figure out WHY Michael was in love with Tammy, the musician characters were entirely one-dimensional (though I do agree with whoever it was who said Jared Leto was the best actor in this lot) and was left hollow by the tidy little notecards at the end of the movie telling the outcome of everyone's lives. As for Felix...oh, Rory...I was so disappointed. This character could've been the muse/honesty barometer/fairy godfather, and there are hints of that side of him, i.e. when he takes it on himself to get Michael and Tammy together. Instead he just comes across as hostile and smelly, occasionally taking the time to randomly do things that might be construed as benevolent if done by someone who wasn't so clearly misanthropic. Perhaps the best way to watch this is as the appetizer for "Almost Famous". Just enough '70s flavor to get you going, but nowhere near enough to eclipse the real article.

I hated this film!
I was SO dissapointed when I saw this movie. Comparing itself to Almost famous and Boogie Nights! I don't think so! This film was so boring, and it actually was getting into action like the last 20 minutes of the film. The music was horrible, it sounded like "modern rock" kind of music, not 70's music. Some of the clothes were all wrong(except for Adam goldberg's wardorbe). Jared Leto was trying to be like Jim Morrison, but it did not come out right(I do admit he looked sexy, and was the best actor in the film though, so kudos for Jared). The scenes at the whiskey a go go, were OK. This film just did not feel like 1972.

Buy Almost Famous, it's the best rock movie ever!

not THAT bad
I have to give this movie 5 stars--not because it necessarily deserves it but because it doesn't deserve to get slammed with
one star. Okay, this is no _Almost Famous_ or _Boogie Nights_;
get over it, okay? I watched it, I enjoyed it, it is not that
bad of a movie in its own right. Actually, I thought the character development was good and I actually cared about the characters...especially the photographer and the costume designer...there is an epilogue at the end of the movie and we find out that the female lead died in an auto accident, which is kind of sad. It had a nice 70s mood feel to it. Helluvalot of sex for a movie that takes place within 1 day. Worth a look. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Worth Watching
The film used some technology that was exploited one year later in "Enemy of the State". It contains mystery and suspense interspersed with action. The more-than-one subplot presents some unexpected scenarios and keeps one's interest up to the finale where it all comes together nicely. DVD has basic features, menu of play/scenes/bio/setup with an added extra of being able to watch the movie with only the soundtrack playing. You'll probably want to turn on subtitles for that. Good quality video and audio with no noticeable artifacts.

Ivory Wayans isnt that much fun
Ivory Wayans is most wanted and Jon Voight is out to get him....starts off good but then wallows in stupid twists and turns and plot points that leave your brain dead..if you wanna see Wayans in something good..check out A Low Down Dirty Shame

LEAST WANTED PIECE OF CRAP!!!
This is one of the lamest and stupidest movies in all of cinematic history.The plot was predictable and boring,while the action scenes were no better than the plot.The jokes were lame and Keenan Wayne is not an action star but a comedian.Was this movie made in a week?STAY AWAY FROM THIS GARBAGE!!!

Better than you'd expect, but not that much better
Synopsis:
In a nutshell, Most Wanted is about a death row, military convict named James Dunn who is recruited from death row to serve in an elite CIA black squad group. The convict is framed for the murder of the First Lady of the United States, a murder he didn't commit. He escapes with his life, then seeks to find the real killer and bring them to justice.

About the Movie:
Overall, this is a mediocre movie. Yet despite that and its plot holes and its fairly unimaginative plot, it can be entertaining in spots. I like this one a lot better than a lot of the action sludge out there, including a lot of the oldies. Of course, it still won't win any award, except maybe a Razzie.

Interestingly enough, Most Wanted stands a career side road for comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans, who's probably best known for his work in "In Living Color" in the 90's. Most Wanted is intended as a serious action film. While there is some humor in the film, it's the action hero variety and not the slap stick brand Wayans is known for. He stars instead as a serious action hero and surprisingly doesn't do as badly as one would expect. While he'll never make a career as an action star, he does pull off the roll, albeit with a lot of cheesy and stagy lines here and there.

The movie co-stars Jon Voight, as very predictably, the villain. This movie, perhaps more than many of the others he's been in, really does reveal what an over-actor he is. Scenes with Voight are almost painful to watch because he so overplays his character that the character becomes a grotesque characature. His over-acting is so bad that he actually was nominated in 1998 in this role for a Razzie for *worst* supporting actor. That's quite a distinction.

The movie also co-stars Jill Hennessy as a doctor who becomes Dunn's unlikely side-kick. In a movie with no female roles except for the First Lady, (who shows up just long enough to get shot and killed) she provides Most Wanted's only female lure. She isn't terrible in her role, but she does very little to make her shine either. Mostly, she's there to add the female element and look pretty.

On the up side, the best played role in the film turns out to be played by Paul Sorvino in CIA Director Kenny Rackburn. Sorvino's solid acting, and charming style help to raise the movie up a notch. It also helps that he's so easy to like. Sorvino provides a nice counterpoint to Voight's horrible and stagey overacting.

Plotwise, Most Wanted isn't really very original. Thankfully, the story moves in a good pace, and despite its predictability and plot holes you could drive a bus through, it still manages to hold your interest throughout. Some of the stunts and special effects are pretty good, and there are a number of action sequences that are a lot of fun (if also a little unbelievable). This one would never get any awards (except a Razzie), but it still can be a fun watch, especially if you've got a bunch of buddies with you to poke fun at it with.

About the DVD:
This DVD comes in a cardboard case, marking it as a budget DVD. The DVD itself is a double sided DVD with both wide-screen and full screen versions included. For the most part, it's an entirely unexciting DVD release, with almost no extra features.

The one exception is the separate music track on the DVD. It allows you to watch the movie without any dialog and just the music. I did watch it that way, just for kicks, and found it fascinating to watch from an artistic standpoint to see how the music was used in the movie. I'm not entirely sure what this feature is good for otherwise, unless you leave the TV on occasionally for background noise.

The picture on this DVD isn't too bad, but I did notice some problems with the sound. I'm not sure if this is a problem with the sound editing in the film itself, or the transfer to DVD. Either way, the sound volume seemed to fluctuate at times, lowering and raising so that I was occasionally reaching for my remote to turn up the volume, only to be blasted out of my chair a few minutes later when it returned to its previous levels. It's not a major problem, but it does lower the overall quality of the release and provides a minor distraction while watching.

Bottom Line is that this is a predictable and unoriginal movie in a budget DVD release (with some technical issues). If you're looking for a cream of the crop action film, this is not the place to look. Still, if you like this type of film, you might like this one. 2 stars.

The Most Wanted of movies
Some people might complain this movie was poorly done but i think it's great entertainment. It doesn't take itself too seriously, i'm not sure if you would consider it a comedy or not but it almost comes off as one without intending to do so. And some of the scenes are just so funny they're unforgettable. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Restaurant
This heart-wrenching drama focuses on aspiring writer Chris Calloway, played soulfully by Adrien Brody. His past love with an African-American women, played by the exquisitely beautiful Lauryn Hill, haunts his present life, interfering with his artistic creativity, friendships, and current lover. Shadows of racism hinder his ability to truthfully love, truthfully write, and truthfully live.

As we watch Chris and his friends pinball between the things they want to do, and the things they need to do, we begin to relive our own painful experiences in the field of love.

Tensions rise as Chris grasps to make decisions that will forever affect his happiness, for better, and for worse.

Adrien Brody, Elise Neal, Simon Baker, & Lauryn Hill give memorable performances.

Great Movie----- A Must See!!!!
I would have given it five stars, but in some spots the movie went off base. It is generally an excellent film. The entire cast fit their roles perfectly. Elise Neal and Adrien Brody were the perfect couple. Malcolm Jamal Warner was pretty impressive himself. This film was humorous, charming and sensuous. The director did an excellent job. At times I felt like I was actually in the restaurant with the cast. Rarely do you see a film that incoporates real life situations with a flawless script. One of the most believable films I've ever seen. A great cast, excellent script, and pleasing acting. You can't get better than Restaurant these days.

Hit&Miss Film
this film dealt with alot of Social Issues&while it has some solid Acting it leaves some spots in between.still it's a interesting film when all things are clicking.

Pretty good!
I'm not big on indie film but for some reason i notice this one when it was avalaible to rent through pay-per-view. it is a movie i really took time to understand the characters i thought the story was engaging..and of course the racial issIt was one ues was handle i guess the best way they could considering that it was shot back in 1998. The movie is full with fresh talent. I got to give it up to Adrian Brody an excellent actor i've seen him briefly in a movie called Liberty Heights but didn't think much about it until i saw his face. Elise Neal was pretty good along with Simon Baker. My only regret about this film is i wished they had elaborate the relationship with Brody character(Chris) and Lauryn Hill(Leslie) more in depth i felt there was so much to this story and can i say even though Hill wasn't there as much as i wish her charisma was bursting out all over the screen for the moments she shared with Brody character. Not too mention she was absoulutely glowing... Overal it is a great film one that i don't mine adding in my DVD collection.

Disappointing. Wasted Potential.
I love Indy films and try to support them whenever I can. I heard about this film after it showed at an Indy fest in New York. The reviews I read were good, so when it was released on DVD I bought it. Now, I am selling it. This film was very disappointing as it raised provocative issues, but basically glossed over them. The racial issues in the restaurant weren't thoroughly explored. Also, the character development of the workers was lacking. Interesting characters were introduced but never fully developed. The director and writer seemed to be going for the sappy, PC slant and that ruined what could have been a thought provoking, honest view of the complexity of racial issues in modern society. Another thing worth noting is that several scenes and lines of dialogue were edited out [deleted] from the DVD version of this film. The extras include deleted scenes but not the specific scenes of which I am speaking. One of the main reasons I purchased the DVD was because of the scene between Chris [Brody] and Leslie [Hill], but several lines of that scene were deleted. The director's commentary even states that they wanted to make the theme more human and less black and white or racial. It is obvious that this was their intent and it ruined the film. The final scene is just plain lame. The director stated that ending a film is the hardest thing to do and he proved it! There were some scenes/lines, but too few to recommend this film. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

I have some info to share.
The 2002 film "The Ring" is my favorite movie today, but from going on the web to look up info I came across a cool website called The Ring World. (...) With me being a total fananic and all I have gotten hooked on they're source of Ring info. I have seen all the japanese Ringu movies and know for a fact that this will be nothing like Ringu 2. I do have some info on this movie to share with you all. DAVEIGH CHASE WILL NOT BE RETURNING AS SAMARA MORGAN!!!!! So if you liked cute little Daveigh Chase as creepy little Samara Morgan (or shall I say Sadako Yamamura) you will be very disapointed (as I was).

The Original is always the best...
Anyone who claims to be a fan of "The Ring" might want to see the original Japanese "Ringu" which was released in the USA shortly after "The Ring"'s DVD release. I've seen both, back to back, and compared, and "Ringu" in the original Japanese, is far superior to the Amercian remake.

I Hope it's as Good as the Original!
After I first saw The Ring, I had a lot of questions. I've watched it over and over again and have answered a few of them, but some things still have me confused. I hope that The Ring 2 will answer some more of my questions, but at the same time, I hope it will confuse me more. The Ring is a fun, spooky movie and I hope Ring 2 is just as fun and spooky, even without Daveigh Chase as Samara Morgan. I hope the release date isn't delayed!

after the first one u cant miss the second
I saw the first one and its like my favorite movie now .... i love scary movies and im going to go see the second release. i cant wait to c whats going to happen next. this one is said that it is goin to be scarier and the scarier the better .... if i were u this is a movie that i wouldnt miss out on

the ring 2
STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the 1st completely sucked i hated it. how many movies can they make of a dumb white brod falling down a dumb well. one word for this movie. GAY ... Read more

Reviews (62)

An Astounding movie wich was shamfully overlooked!
Ride with the Devil is a civil war drama about the kansas/Missuori buskwackers. It is one of the few movies which takes you into its period world so effortlessly. It shows the true violence of the time and yet shows how that violence affected people and changed their lives. Ride with the Devil was directed by Ang Lee, who brought us the brilliant Sense and Sensibility, this is his best work since Sense and Sensibility. Lee knows how to make a period drama come alive to the viewer in a way that few directors can do. Maybe its because he usually does projects he really feels for. The acting in Ride with the Devil was supuerb. Tobey Maguire again proves that he is the most talented young actor in Hollywood, today. He protrays a a first generation american,Jake Rodell, with such heart and sincerity, very few actors could have done that. Skeet Ulrich delivers his best and most seriuos performance to date, as Jack Bull. Singer, Jewel, gives a suprisingly good and nuanced performance as Sue Lee Shelley. Jefferey Wright, protrays a freed black with real integrity and authority. Wright and Maguire were horrible oversights at the Oscars. Actually, i thought the whole movie was a horrible oversight. They brought a whole differnet level to this movie with their performances. they made you see their characters in a way that few could have done. You truely cared what happened to them as if they were a close freind. Wright and Maguire made you see the Civil War not as north and south but as people defending the only life they had ever known. Ride with the Devil is a captivating movie that goes right to your heart and helps you to understand a time in America's history, when nothing was simple and everything was a battle--Freedom, your way of life and survival. it puts a new persepective on a war with split our nation in two and hurt everyone it touched. this movie will probably never get a big following but for those of you reading this you will not be disapointed. so go rent this movie or be like me and buy it. thank you Ang lee and everyone how helped make this magnificent movie!

One of the best films of 1999
In Missouri, in the early years of the Civil War there isn't yet a proper Confederate army, so pro-Confederate folks are pretty much left to defend themselves against the Union Army. Jake "Dutchie" Roedel (Maguire) and childhood friend Jackbull Chiles (Ulrich) become Bushwhackers: roaming, non-regular Confederates who sabotage, attack and kill Union regiments wherever they find them. This film is meandering, giving it an epic quality even though the time covered is only several years. Dutchie and Jackbull join up with other Bushwhackers, including gentleman George Clyde (Simon Baker) and his wry, freed-slave companion Holt (Jeffrey Wright). Led by the grim Black John (Jim Caviezel), these fellows and others fight for their families, revenge, and the thrill of it. The movie gives a thoughtful and not often seen perspective of the Civil War. Like LAST OF THE MOHICANS, it doesn't try to be politically correct or take sides; it concerns itself more with showing how the war the people fight can bear little resemblance to the one the politicians have waged.

RIDE WITH THE DEVIL was one of the most satisfying movies of 1999, featuring one of the strongest ensemble casts I've seen in a long, long time. Highly recommend!

Ang Lee's meditation on friendship during the Civil War
Missouri was one of the slave states that was kept in the Union during the Civil War and since it was on the far side of the Mississippi River it was not really part of the Western Theater of the war. As the critical part of the Anaconda Plan the Union armies were seeking control of the Mississippi, which explained why Grant was fighting his way from Tennessee to Vicksburg while Farragut took New Orleans. In fact, there really was not an organized Confederate army in Missouri, which explains why the young Southern men in "Ride with the Devil" join the Irregulars, who waged guerrilla warfare against Union loyalists. In this part of the war we do not talk about great battles, but rather the infamous raid that torched Lawrence, Kansas on August 21, 1863 as Quantrill's raiders murdered the pro-Union jayhawks.

The story here focus on six young men who join the bushwackers: Jake Roedel (Tobey Maguire), a first generation American who wants to be considered as much a Southerner as any one else even though his father can from Germany (which means he is called "Dutchy"); Jack Bull Chiles (Skeet Ulrich), who hates the Yankees and has seen his family killed; George Clyde (Simon Baker-Denny), a gentleman fighting to preserve a way of life that is going to be gone with the wind; Daniel Holt (Jeffrey Wright), an ex-slave who fights besides Clyde because the man freed him; Pitt Mackeson (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who is a sadist who glories in killing; and Black John (James Caviezel), almost as brutal but more driven by anger and revenge.

The idea in "Ride with the Devil" is that when America went to war with itself in 1861 the young boys growing up in Missouri and Kansas were suddenly forced into a less than honorable manhood overnight. Consequently, one of the first casualties of the war was their innocence. In 1987 Missouri-born author Daniel Woodrell wrote his Civil War-era novel "Woe to Live On." For Ang Lee the appeal was the drama of young people coming of age in the worst possible time in American history and the theme of self-emancipation. The principal actors were put through three weeks of "boot camp" to capture the way the war dehumanized the young men forced to fight it.

This film start out focusing on the friendship between Jake and Bull as much as it is on anything else, but then while hiding out from the Yankees during the winter Bull takes a liking to Sue Lee Shelly (Jewel), a young widow woman who is helping to provide them with food. Having lost both his father and his best friend, Jake continues to fight because that is what he is supposed to be doing and starts to connect with two other characters in ways that will eventually change his life. After the Lawrence Raid it is clear that the war is going to be lost and a young man who has not even seen twenty years realizes he is lost as well.

Certainly "Ride with the Devil" is a beautiful film with the sense of period authenticity you would expect from Lee. It is not really a movie about the Civil War any more than "Cold Mountain" is (an obvious comparison), but more about the friendships that take place during a war. It is just not clear that this is the central theme because our expectations are raised by more standard plot considerations (love and revenge) that do not get played out the way you would think. There is also a sense in which Roedel is the least interesting character of the bunch, yet he emerges as the central figure and the most important gun in the film is perhaps the one that is not fired.

Excellent and underrated
Apparently, USA, which produced this film, was going under at the time of its release and it was show in only 14 theaters. This is a beautiful, emotionally engaging and entertaining film capturing a period and part of the civil war not often depicted.

Skeet Ulrich and Tobey Maguire play two Missouri teens who join a rebel group of Bushwackers (Confederate sympathizers). But this isn't a film that promotes one side or the other. Rather, it shows the similarity and familiarity between both sides.

The acting is wonderful and the story sensitive.

A Great Discovery
I bought this movie blind. I enjoy period flicks and, while seeing what was out there in Amazon.com land, I came across Ride With The Devil. I must admit, I know little about the stars in this movie (I did recognize MacGuire from Spiderman, and I've heard of - but not heard - Jewel), so it was a chance to spend my hard earned cash on it.
I'm glad I did.
Engulfing, exciting, suspenceful, and, most importantly, realistic. Not politically correct. Maybe that's why it didn't do well at the box office and critics panned it. But, it IS true to its time.
The border wars was a part of the Civil War that has hardly (if ever) been touched upon - that boundary where one straddles the fence. The problem was that one couldn't straddle the fence in a state like Missouri. They had to choose Yankee or Rebel. Jayhawk or Bushwack. And you feel clearly, while watching this movie, the turmoil that must have been raging in these citizen's minds and stomachs when they chose one side and a close friend or family member chose the other.
You also feel the deep sorrow and sympathy for ALL involved - North and South - no matter what side you stand for - when Jake reads the touching letter from a mother to her son, showing that these were people who had lives and loved ones waiting for them at home.
It's movies like this that brings these mid 19th century people to life, showing us that they're not just flat black and white pictures in a history book. And that is why this movie stands above so many other historical films.
I must warn you, however, that there is quite a bit of graphic violence. Believe me, you'll feel their pain! ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Worth Watching
The film used some technology that was exploited one year later in "Enemy of the State". It contains mystery and suspense interspersed with action. The more-than-one subplot presents some unexpected scenarios and keeps one's interest up to the finale where it all comes together nicely. DVD has basic features, menu of play/scenes/bio/setup with an added extra of being able to watch the movie with only the soundtrack playing. You'll probably want to turn on subtitles for that. Good quality video and audio with no noticeable artifacts.

Ivory Wayans isnt that much fun
Ivory Wayans is most wanted and Jon Voight is out to get him....starts off good but then wallows in stupid twists and turns and plot points that leave your brain dead..if you wanna see Wayans in something good..check out A Low Down Dirty Shame

LEAST WANTED PIECE OF CRAP!!!
This is one of the lamest and stupidest movies in all of cinematic history.The plot was predictable and boring,while the action scenes were no better than the plot.The jokes were lame and Keenan Wayne is not an action star but a comedian.Was this movie made in a week?STAY AWAY FROM THIS GARBAGE!!!

Better than you'd expect, but not that much better
Synopsis:
In a nutshell, Most Wanted is about a death row, military convict named James Dunn who is recruited from death row to serve in an elite CIA black squad group. The convict is framed for the murder of the First Lady of the United States, a murder he didn't commit. He escapes with his life, then seeks to find the real killer and bring them to justice.

About the Movie:
Overall, this is a mediocre movie. Yet despite that and its plot holes and its fairly unimaginative plot, it can be entertaining in spots. I like this one a lot better than a lot of the action sludge out there, including a lot of the oldies. Of course, it still won't win any award, except maybe a Razzie.

Interestingly enough, Most Wanted stands a career side road for comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans, who's probably best known for his work in "In Living Color" in the 90's. Most Wanted is intended as a serious action film. While there is some humor in the film, it's the action hero variety and not the slap stick brand Wayans is known for. He stars instead as a serious action hero and surprisingly doesn't do as badly as one would expect. While he'll never make a career as an action star, he does pull off the roll, albeit with a lot of cheesy and stagy lines here and there.

The movie co-stars Jon Voight, as very predictably, the villain. This movie, perhaps more than many of the others he's been in, really does reveal what an over-actor he is. Scenes with Voight are almost painful to watch because he so overplays his character that the character becomes a grotesque characature. His over-acting is so bad that he actually was nominated in 1998 in this role for a Razzie for *worst* supporting actor. That's quite a distinction.

The movie also co-stars Jill Hennessy as a doctor who becomes Dunn's unlikely side-kick. In a movie with no female roles except for the First Lady, (who shows up just long enough to get shot and killed) she provides Most Wanted's only female lure. She isn't terrible in her role, but she does very little to make her shine either. Mostly, she's there to add the female element and look pretty.

On the up side, the best played role in the film turns out to be played by Paul Sorvino in CIA Director Kenny Rackburn. Sorvino's solid acting, and charming style help to raise the movie up a notch. It also helps that he's so easy to like. Sorvino provides a nice counterpoint to Voight's horrible and stagey overacting.

Plotwise, Most Wanted isn't really very original. Thankfully, the story moves in a good pace, and despite its predictability and plot holes you could drive a bus through, it still manages to hold your interest throughout. Some of the stunts and special effects are pretty good, and there are a number of action sequences that are a lot of fun (if also a little unbelievable). This one would never get any awards (except a Razzie), but it still can be a fun watch, especially if you've got a bunch of buddies with you to poke fun at it with.

About the DVD:
This DVD comes in a cardboard case, marking it as a budget DVD. The DVD itself is a double sided DVD with both wide-screen and full screen versions included. For the most part, it's an entirely unexciting DVD release, with almost no extra features.

The one exception is the separate music track on the DVD. It allows you to watch the movie without any dialog and just the music. I did watch it that way, just for kicks, and found it fascinating to watch from an artistic standpoint to see how the music was used in the movie. I'm not entirely sure what this feature is good for otherwise, unless you leave the TV on occasionally for background noise.

The picture on this DVD isn't too bad, but I did notice some problems with the sound. I'm not sure if this is a problem with the sound editing in the film itself, or the transfer to DVD. Either way, the sound volume seemed to fluctuate at times, lowering and raising so that I was occasionally reaching for my remote to turn up the volume, only to be blasted out of my chair a few minutes later when it returned to its previous levels. It's not a major problem, but it does lower the overall quality of the release and provides a minor distraction while watching.

Bottom Line is that this is a predictable and unoriginal movie in a budget DVD release (with some technical issues). If you're looking for a cream of the crop action film, this is not the place to look. Still, if you like this type of film, you might like this one. 2 stars.

The Most Wanted of movies
Some people might complain this movie was poorly done but i think it's great entertainment. It doesn't take itself too seriously, i'm not sure if you would consider it a comedy or not but it almost comes off as one without intending to do so. And some of the scenes are just so funny they're unforgettable. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Someone, please strangle her with that necklace
What a wretched piece of cinema. I mean, truly wretched. And the fault lies almost totally with Hillary Swank. She plays Jeanne de la Motte with such-over-the top mellodrama. She never seems to totally connect with the character, giving us this wide-eyed, fast-talking character that is neither compelling nor sympathetic.

What an utter shame. For she was surrounded by some true talent. The actor who plays Cardinal de Rohan is fantastic. In fact, all of the secondary actors and actresses do a decent job.

There's also the matter of the wildly inaccurate retelling of history. Clearly the writers and director wanted viewers to feel terribly sorry for poor little Jeanne. They perverted history in the telling of the story, casting Jeanne in the role of the poor, innocent, misused and discarded aristocrat who is justified in her actions. The truth was, Jeanne de la Motte was a whore and a thief, a con-woman who helped topple the monarchy and murder a queen. For more information on the affair of the necklace, read Simon Schama's book Citizens, or visit the award-winning website, Let Them Eat Cake.

The costumes in this movie are phenomenal. Truly eye candy. If it weren't for the wonderful sets and splendid costumes, this movie would have rated a ZERO.

Make it a Blockbuster night
There is an old saying in theater that instructs you not to "put a gun onstage in the first act if it is not going to go off in the second". By the same turn, do not introduce Christopher Walken into your movie unless you are going to send your script up on itself a little. Jonathan Pryce, Adrien Brody, and Walken all hit the right demi-tragic, mostly comic, tone, as do the minor characters. Everyone else, though, seems to have shown up thinking that they had been cast in "The Hours."

"The Affair of the Necklace" has to be viewed with a generous suspension of disbelief, or with one's forehead protected for a lot of flat-palming. Ninette's final, "If I reached for anything that shown brightly..." speech- which is a bit too Shirley Temple for the rest of the movie- actually diminishes our sympathies for her and cuts the film's last thread of realism. Marie Antoinette's sub-guillotine, "well, maybe I was a bit excessive," flashback, is also a little inexplicable given the modern frame of the movie. Only on Google groups does one still find such negative and simplistic representations of her. And Louis XVI was more fully encompassed in "Start the Revolution Without Me".

The scenery, however, especially at Versailles, is fantastic and- though I have doubts about the wisdom of Swank's "Annie"-style hair on the cover (given her character's orphaned status)- the movie generally fits in well with other flawless, high-end costume dramas. If it hadn't been "based on true events," a tag which subjects a movie to a greater deal of scrutiny than most can stand, I would have thought this one much stronger than it was.

In the end, Pryce, Brody, and Walken do save the movie from itself, and generally make it an entertaining, if not accurate, weekend rental. As an addition to one's video library, however, it is best passed on.

A Masterpiece
This is one of the most historically accurate movies that I have ever seen. This movie is about the scandal that rocked the French monarchy during the late 1780's and helped set the stage for the French Revolution that overthrew the monarchy.

Hilary Swank delivers a superb performance as the scheming Jeanne de la Motte-Valois. Jonathan Pryce and Christopher Walken also shine in this well executed movie.

The Affair of the Necklace is a movie that combines greed, lust, corruption and sexuality in a most beguiling mix. This movie is the end result of a rare combination of quality acting, distinguished directing, skillful script writing, a large budget and careful attention to historical accuracy in every detail.

The Affair of the Necklace is a masterpiece.

Not too bad
She's in court after the strong murdered her father for the loud thoughts he had about poor people and now the only thing she cares about is to get a good name for her family back. The Queen should be the only person who would have helped her but how is she going to eliminate all the obstacles in order to get her to the queen.

An interesting (extremely boring for some) drama.

A true art of intrigue
Despite the mixed reviews, after about 20 minutes, I began to enjoy this movie. It is more than it appears at first. It truly is an affair, because people are getting tricked and maneuvered, it has intrigue that unfolded lovely, having been placed right before the French Revolution.

Hilary Swank, although not my top choice for a costume drama, does a good job of playing Jeanne de la Motte-Valois, a woman who lost her parents and her title at a young age. With the help of a court women-chaser, Baker, she uses the Cardinal's desire for Marie Antoinette, and the luxurious diamond necklace that comes into place, to get what she wants.

As lies are told, and people pretending to be someone else, the grand plot begins to resemble a tower of playing cards that can topple at any moment.

It was a wonderful movie, that felt cozy, and it was almost like a mystery drama, in beautiful lavish costumes. The ending is great, and unexpected for some characters. ... Read more