Reviews (169)

"Scuusssssseeee Me?"
Holes is a brilliant book by the fantastic Louis Sachar. Now its the utlimate book adaption and family film. Many films based on books, rarly compare, but this won me and many others over.
This movie has a fantastic cast as well. Let me start off with my favortie cast memeber. Sigourney Weaver is AWESOME as the mean spirted warden. She lights up the screen and you find yourself begging for more Sigourney. Shia LaBeouf is great at Stanley Yelnats and brings humor and heart to the screen. Patricia Arquette is great as Kissin Kate Barlow and totally embodies her perfectly. The rest of the cast I will mention in the following review.
When a famous pair of sneakers falls from the sky and lands in Stanleys hands, he finds himself in court with the decision of jail or Camp Green Lake. His family (except his mom) quickly blame this on Stanleys dirty rotten pig stealing greatgrandfather. Well, hes never been to camp so thats better than jail. He is sentenced to 18 months at Camp Green Lake to build character. Once there, he realizes he is not in any normal camp. He also finds out that there is no lake, and the place is not green. He is in the middle of the desert, and Camp Green Lake has the only water source for 100 miles. It doesnt take long, before MR.SIR (Jon Voight, who perfectly acts out this odd character) takes Stanley's bags and gives him his work clothes and his relaxation clothes and explains to him that every morning he will be required to dig one hole 5 feet deep and 5 feet wide to turn around his bad character.
The movie continues to explain how something fishy is going on at Camp Green Lake, and explains Stanley's greatgrandfathers curse, and the life of Kissin Kate.
I bought this film without seeing it and i am pleased. It is a fantastic movie for kids and adults. Its funny and extremely heart-warming. Dont miss this one.

Remains remarkably faithful to the book!
I read "Holes" several years back for a children's literature course I took in college. I highly enjoyed it! It was one of the best books I read in that class.

So when they introduced the movie, I was quite interested. Part of me was hopeful it would turn out well, the other part of me was skeptical that it would be anywhere near as good as the book. However, my fears were dashed. This movie was FABULOUS!

The story jumps back and forth a little between three different tales -- the story of Elya Yelnats, the main character's "no good, dirty-rotten, pig-stealing great-great-grandfather"; the story of Stanley Yelnats IV himself; and the story of a legendary outlaw, Kissing Kate Barlow. The three stories are interwoven quite ingeniously. In some cases, you aren't completely sure what the connection will be, but then when you find out, it fits perfectly.

The story IS slightly altered, of course, as most books-brought-to-movies tend to be. But it very much keeps the spirit of the original book. The boys are very believable -- I especially love Zero! Sigourney Weaver makes a wonderfully nasty warden. And John Voigt does a wonderful insane portrayal of Mr. Sir.

This movie will keep you laughing and curious throughout. And if you enjoyed the book, you'll like this film!

Adults can watch it with their kids and all actually enjoy!
The wildly popular novel for youngsters "Holes" gets turned into a movie that is completely in keeping with the spirit of the book.

The young cast bring to life the beloved characters at Camp Green Lake, where convicted juvenile delinquents are sent to toil in broiling Texas sun. It was great to see X-Ray, Zero, Armpit and of course Caveman brought to life. The adult parts are played by Jon Voight, Sigourney Weaver and Tim Blake Nelson, and they look like they're having a WORLD of fun playing the malicious staff at Camp Green Lake. The story is not insulting to kids, and adults can watch it and be entertained the entire length of the movie. Vignettes back at Caveman's home where Stanley Yelnats the second and third live under the curse incurred from the first Stanley Yelnats, and trips back in time where that first Stanley was cursed by European VooDoo Woman Eartha Kitt as well as the back-story around Kissin' Kate and her treasure all add to the viewing pleasure.

The DVD comes with just the right amount of supplemental features, interviews and commentaries.

Not many "children's movies" are as appropriate for all ages. Highly recommended.

if you don't like this movie - shame on you!
This is a movie for the entire family to watch and love with its humorous and clever plot, based on the hit book "Holes" by Louis Sachar, who also writes the screenplay for this. The movie is about a twelve-year-old boy named Stanley Yelnats who's family has been cursed due to his "no-good, rotten, pig of a grandfather". He's walking along the road when a fantastic pair of shoes fly out of nowhere. He thinks his luck has finally started, when he finds police chasing him and in a courtroom because those shoes were the greatest basketballer player's of all time, and it was for a charity event where the money raised would be given to homeless children. He is sent to Camp Greenlake, where once was a beautiful lake, which is now a dry and scorching desert. Deadly adventures befall him there as he makes a friendship with Zero, a mysterious, shy boy. Their adventures lead them to a hidden treasure that belongs to Stanley... If you want to findout more, watch the film!

Girls' movies are better
I liked the movie, which Stanley stole a pair of shoes that fell from the sky and landed on his head. Then he got sent to the courtroom and the judge asked him: "Your choices: Camp Green Lake or Jail?" Then Stanley decided to go to Camp Green Lake because he never been into any Camp before. Camp Green Lake is a camp for bad boys, because they're too young to go to jail. When he got sent to Camp Green Lake, he had to dig one hole each day, and each hole must be 5 feet deep and 5 feet in diameter. I think this movie is OK, but I like girls' movies better, like "The Parent Trap", "The Lizzie McGuire Movie", "What A Girl Wants". ... Read more

Amazon.com essential video

This highly entertaining update of the 1960s television series stars Harrison Ford as Dr. Richard Kimble, a man wrongly convicted of the murder of his wife, and Tommy Lee Jones as the federal marshal who pursues him after Kimble escapes during a train wreck. Director Andrew Davis (Under Siege) oversees some dazzling stunts and effects: the train accident alone makes the film worth seeing. But the real draw is the film's complement of strong personalities in Ford and Jones, each playing intrepid characters out to get their man. This is one of those rare films where everything completely clicks. The DVD release includes optional full-screen and widescreen presentations, cast bios, Dolby sound, optional French soundtrack, and optional French, Spanish, or English subtitles. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Fugitive is Dr. Richard Kimball: Go get this movie.
If I were stranded on a desert island and all I could have was my abysmally sparse movie collection, I would make sure "The Fugitive" was in it. Thankfully, it is. This is one of the most entertaining and engaging movies ever, far superior to a lot of movies playing these days. For the few of you who don't know the plot, I'll run it past you without spoiling much...

The story revolves around a Chicago surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimball (Harrison Ford) who is convicted of murdering his wife (Sela Ward). He pleads innocent, claiming that a one-armed man committed the heinous crime (the opening sequence, showing the murder in flashback style, is chillingly realistic). Well, no one believes the good doctor's alibi, and he is sentenced to death. However, after his prison bus crashes into a train, he escapes back to Chicago to find the murderer, while keeping away from US Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team of deputies.

Having never seen the old TV series, this movie was nevertheless fantastic. The thrills just keep coming, as well as the tongue-in-cheek humor, courtesy of Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano (as Cosmo, Sam's deputy), who really steal the show in a lot of scenes. The screenplay is obviously very sharp. The train-and-bus wreck will take your breath away, as will the waterfall sequence. Aside from these action scenes, it's great that this movie is shot in Chicago, one of the greatest cities in North America. Sorry, personal bias, I loved Chicago when I visited a couple years back. The acting is very well done, and the characters are very three-dimensional. Sometimes it feels like you're watching a modern "Les Miserables". Nice transition from action thriller to action-mystery as the film enters its second half. If you follow the plot, which is fairly easy to keep up with, the ending will shock you. All in all, "The Fugitive" is definitely worth the bang for your hard-earned buck. If you haven't seen this wonderful piece of movie-making, do so ASAP.

Quality-wise, the DVD is pretty good. Director Andrew Davis does a cool little documentary on how the train wreck was filmed.

MOVIE-10/10
DVD EXTRAS-8/10

Ford hits another home run
Ditto what that other reviewer said: this is another great Harrison Ford vehicle. They really DON'T make movies like this any more. It needs not typical DVD additions, not cut scenes, not trailers, or interviews.

Back in the day, Wednesday morning school was dominated by the discussion of the latest episode of "The Fuge" from the night before. This is the only film I can think of which actually did justice to the classic television show from which it sprang.

Tommy Lee Jones is a fantastic U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. He appears not to be obsessed with the capture of Dr. Kimble (as was his television predecessor, portrayed by Barry Morse). Nonetheless, we get the feeling that he brings the same determination to every case he has. Ford once again is the "everyman" (if a doctor who gets sent to prison for killing his wife and then escapes can be thought of in those terms) who prevails through all manner of adversities. [As an aside, I wonder how well Ford could stretch himself - could he ever be convincing as a real bad guy, like a John Malkovich or Anthony Hopkins?]

This movie has a lot of pluses. It is a great story, updated from one of the sixties' best shows. Sure, there were great stunts. The bus crash/train wreck was stunning (made even more so by seeing Ford almost comically hobbling along, trying to outrun the carnage while wearing leg shackles).

However, it is the competition between the two dogged adversaries Jones and Ford that makes this work. They are one real pair of incredibly strong personalities- (and screen presences) Nothing better than the sequence in the dam early on with Ford protesting his innocence and Jones equally sincere reply "I don't care". Both smart, even though Jones hides his behind a gruff and self-deprecating exterior. The good and decent Doc must be determined (after all, it is his can on the line), but seeing him persevere - hiding his own persona in a hospital, evading the police while tracking down the one armed man is intense, even though we know the outcome.

Great editing; especially when we think the Marshals are getting close to the big bust, and we find out that they are actually making a collar across town.

This one is a winner.

A classic action thriller
What makes "The Fugitive" such a successful and superior film is that it knows what it is: an action/mystery film. It makes no attempt to make itself bigger or more intellectual than it is (as did the American version of "The Vanishing"). Harrison Ford, surprisingly underplaying the role of Dr. Kimball--others might have overworked his grief and angst--turns in a brilliant performance. And the always reliable Tommy Lee Jones does an icy, sparkling job as Kimball's persuer, US Marshal Sam Gerard. So good a performance that he earned a well-deserved Oscar for it.

The other key to the movie's success is Andrew Davis' dazzling direction. He keeps the pace frenetic for a good deal of the film, and the pot is always kept boiling. Close calls and intense chases keep the tension and suspense at fever pitch. "The Fugitive" will endure for a long time as a classic action thriller.

I did not kill my wife
That is well known sentence from this action hit which put an Oscar in hands of Tommy Lee Jones. Somebody killed dr. Richard Kimble's (Ford) wife, but all clues are against him. After all, who can be stupid enough to say that - One arm man did it?! His escape after bus accident will be his second chance to proove his innocents. But, that will be damn hard. Especially because after him is federal marshal who "doesn't care" about anything, except to bring the fugitive back (by any costs). Kimble will discover that he was in strong net made of lies and conspiracy, and that his only way out is to find proofes to clear his name and bring killer in front of justice. Jones supposed to be a good guy, but you'll hate him all the movie (well, it's not his falt, he's just good actor). Harrison is great, older, but still in good shape. Since Indiana Jones, he never has better role than this. You'll be right next to him, trying to solve the puzzle, hoping that he will succeed to find who ruined his life. Excellent story, good locations and ideas. Definetly collection material.

Train Wreck of Action
This is one of the best-crafted action/suspense films I've ever seen. I've viewed this many many times and have been rewarded each time by picking up on different subtle nuances.
Every element of this film works in unison and are what make this a great film and give it the punch that it has. There's the story which is as finely crafted as they get, a cast that couldn't have been any better (and boy do the actors deliver in their performances), tight pacing, great photography, and some unbelievable effects.

This is a modern masterpiece! ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Under Siege
Casey Ryback is an ex-navey seal. He's now a cook on a battle ship. The captain loves his cooking and treats him kindly. Commander Krill (Busey) on the other half hates Ryback and Ryback hates him. Casey is put in the meat locker by Commander Krill. Its the captain's birthday and they have ordered a surprise group of singers, dancers, caterers and even a stripper. But what they don't know is that commander Krill is bad and knows the pary guys. Infact the party guys are an international group of terrorists lead by Bill Strannix (Jones) and they are ready to take over the ship and blow up the U.S.A. Only Casey Ryback can stop them. An excellent action movie. Great performance by Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey! Definately one to add to your collection. Be sure to see it soon
RATED R FOR STRONG NON-STOP ACTION VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE AND NUDITY!

An amazing edge of your seat thriller
Steven Seagal (Above the Law, Under Siege 2:Dark Territory, On Deadly Ground, Fire Down Below, Out for Justice, Hard to Kill, Executive Decision) stars in this awesome action thriller directed by Andrew Davis (Above the Law, Chain Reaction, Collateral Damage) along with Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black, Space Cowboys, Batman Forever) and Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon) As all fans know, when you see Seagal on the cover, you will get yourself a definite bloody action movie with a lot of dying and killing as well as martial arts, guns, and knives.

The story is quite simple: Steven Seagal is a cook on a military ship that is transporting missiles. He has several other helpers and friends but there is one person he hates: Gary Busey. They always get into fights for no absolute reason. Anyway, the army men and guards call for concerts and entertainment but they have made one mistake: the music company they picked are not musicians and singers, they are international terrorists led by Jones. Busey finally reveals himself as a terrorists and helps take off some guards. Soon, these terrorists brutally kill all the guards and the captain. Holding over 160 people hostage, the villains demand money and say that if the government makes one attempt to stop them, they will use the missiles on the ship to shoot them down and bomb the U.S.A! But between the midst of all that, we see that Steven Seagal has not been captured......and now it's up to him to save everyone! What, of course, follows is a gigantic barrage of guns, guts, blood, knives, bombs, grenades, martial arts, and a little nudity.

If you are a real action fan, I recommend this. I hope to see the second but I heard it wasn't so good. A good film would be Above the Law, in which Seagal and Davis work for the first time. That film also features Sharon Stone and Pam Grier. I suggest you go rent this to see if you like it but trust me: IT IS BLOODY!

Rated R for strong violence, language, and very very very brief nudity.

Pure Stupidity
This is the worst action movie ever made, with the destroying of good actors like Gary Busey & Tommy Lee Jones who usual great actors in movies but they come off as lame, this rediculous action movie, where Steven Seagal doesn't get injured, it's just bufoon going doing killing that has no plot & even worst acting,it's more like a comdedy than an action movie if you think hard enough about it

Merely average DIE HARD retread
This may be Steven Seagal's best film, but as an action film UNDER SIEGE is very average. It borrows its basic plot structure from the vastly superior DIE HARD, but while DIE HARD had a believably human and vulnerable hero in Bruce Willis' John McClane, UNDER SIEGE simply has the wooden Steven Seagal as the near-invincible Casey Ryback, the cook onboard the USS Missouri who happens to be a former Navy SEAL who has a lot of weapons expertise and the like. While McClane spent most of DIE HARD trying to get in and out of trouble with terrorists, Ryback basically spends a good majority of UNDER SIEGE simply killing them one by one in various "cool" ways. You never feel that Ryback's life is truly threatened by the bad guys---he's just a killing machine, and only head baddie William Stranix (Tommy Lee Jones, in a highly entertaining performance that brings slightly more interest than this movie deserves) truly matches up to him---and thus you never really get involved in the hero or this movie like you do in DIE HARD. You simply watch Ryback cut his path of righteous destruction in a brain-dead, gaga state (and occasionally laugh at some of Seagal's line readings), and while you are occasionally entertained, you might realize how dumb this movie truly is.

Some people, of course, don't mind occasional no-brainer entertainment like this. Believe me, I enjoy the occasional brainless action film, just as long as it has an involving plot, entertaining characters, and good action scenes. UNDER SIEGE only half-delivers---its plot never truly involved me; the main bad guys (Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey) are a lot more entertaining than its hero; and the action scenes, for the most part, are just average (except for that marvelous knife fight at the end). In short, UNDER SIEGE is a pretty stupid movie, and if you're looking for truly great, even intelligent action entertainment, you would do best to look elsewhere. Heck, even this film's sequel, UNDER SIEGE 2, is slightly more entertaining than this! Skip it.

Die Hard on a Battleship
Steven Seagal's best movie and a superior action flick in its own right. Seagal's acting can generously be described as "understated". However, he is very convincing as a one man wrecking ball. The production value is excellent, as no expense was spared on the casting and action scenes. Busey and Jones eat up the screen in deliberately hammy performances and Erica Eleniak is hot. Definitely worth repeated viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Interesting movie
I think that Chain Reaction is an interesting movie to say the least. Morgan Freeman plays an excellant role where you don't really konw whether or not he's one of the good guys. Keanu Reeves does a fairly good job portraying Eddie, but it could have been a little better. I'd still recommend this movie to anyone who likes a good action film.

RAISES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
As far as action goes, it gets 5 stars; however, just great action sequences don't make up for a very confusing plot. Keanu's runaway from the explosion on his motorcycle, the drawbridge and hovercraft action sequences were great! These scenes and several others definitely save this movie.

The acting was very good especially by Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves. Rachel Weisz was good but did not portray anywhere near as much charisma as Freeman and Reeves.

The chemistry was there almost from the beginning between Eddie (Reeves) and Lily (Weisz) but not even one kiss! I don't think the director, Andrew Davis watched "The Terminator." I wish he had; then he would have discovered that a love scene could have been implemented successfully.

If you are a Morgan Freeman or Keanu Reeves fan you will enjoy to rent this out and watch it twice. I wouldn't recommend buying it. (If you want to see Morgan Freeman at his best, go buy "Shawshank Redemption." If you want Keanu Reeves at his best, go buy "The Matrix" and "A Walk in the Clouds.")

Chain Reaction is good but not anywhere close to "The Fugitive."

Reeves and Freeman keep this at bay
lacks in some horrible acting and story plots but that doesnt change the fact that Reeves and Freeman did a good job in this one...Chain Reaction is just another movie that has some good quality but lacks out in style as it comes out. Rachel Weiz is ok as the physisist. Her and Reeves should of had a love scene I mean come on Andrew Davis..your more focused on your big action scenes then the love connection of the two..god..even after the Chain Reaction accord..GOD!!

Just another Action Flick
The movie was very formulaic and the escapes performed by the 2 main characters seemed unbelievable. I was also bummed out that there was no romance between the 2 leads. I mean if Keanu is the actor they should have put in a romance, at least thats how I see it. The main thing I liked about the film was the plot surrounding petrol and how it was what the whole world wanted. Wow! This movie reflects alot of what I see now, granted that this is my view I speak of. The scientists have found a way to somehow capture energy from hydrogen, this would solve the problem with pollution and the need to fight over power and control involved with petrol. Well, I hope I am saying this right because I watched the movie a few days ago. So, the movie itself was way to predictable and cliched, but the story line was involving.
Lisa Nary

Where does Hollywood get such bad writers?
This one starts out with bad science: essentially, there is a secret CIA project to produce endless amounts of energy by harnessing the power of a perpetual motion machine. The project is stalled because it is depending on an international group of scientists who just don't seem to have it until the least-educated person in the lab, a machinist played by Keanu Reeves, discovers a breakthrough. After it starts to work, mysterious evil forces decide that it must be destroyed, and so the lab is blown up.

Reeves' character is the type of person who thinks that problems can be solved by punching somebody out, smashing things, and running. That's how we know that he's the dumb guy around there. For some reason, a female scientist (Rachel Weisz) lets him lead her into a series of chase scenes, in which Hollywood writers yet again show that they believe that problems can be solved by means that are stupid, criminal, pointless, and ineffective. I mean, he works for her, so why is she letting him make such crazy decisions?

Morgan Freeman puts in a creditable performance, while keeping a straight face. Beyond that, the movie is notable for some very elaborate special effects - but don't view it for the plot, the characters, or the dialog, most of which is really bad. We're also supposed to believe that the FBI would interfere with a CIA operation. duh. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Steven Seagal plays a Chicago cop who takes on CIA types in this action thriller from Andrew Davis(The Fugitive). Davis brings muscle to the project, including some strong set pieces that make Seagal (who also co-wrote and co-produced the film) look awfully good. Costars Pam Grier and Sharon Stone give a big assist in that department, too, yet nothing can really mitigate such ridiculous moments as Seagal's getting profound with a villain in his raspy monotone: "You think you're above the law. But you're not." The DVD release includes full-screen and widescreen presentations, production notes, trailers, optional Spanish soundtrack and optional French and Spanish subtitles.--Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Thrilling, best in it's genre...
This movie is among the the best and most thrilling of the post Harry Callihan, 1980's genre of cop movies. As Nico Toscani, a naturally macho yet morally upright and skilled cop (who is also ex-CIA and former Aikido instructor), Seagal is impressive and yet so refreshingly believable. The short martial arts action sequences are first rate - no drawn out Hong Kong formula stuff. The cafe jazz music score is memorable and rightly paced for the exciting car tailing sequences through downtown Chicago.

Nico Toscani's Sicilian background adds to the color of the drama. There are even hints of his family background being not too far removed from the wiseguys. I mentioned Nico being macho. I'd like to qualify this by saying that he's not devoid of charm and his role is less one-dimentional than one would expect. The tough-guy persona is just a facade for an individual with strong convictions and a democratic political outlook. Equally competent is Nico's partner, Delores Jackson, played candidly by the veteran Pam Grier. The main villain, the pure evil CIA doctor Zagon, is played by the veteran villain actor Henry Silva.

Don't expect any critics' choice awards for this movie, because the script does have its share of cliches. Seagal plays a cop who is on to something very big, defies higher authority and, as expected, is taken off the case - like in so many other cop movies of the genre. The outcome is predictable. You know that good is going to triumph over evil in this movie. Despite it's predictability, the plot is fresh and to a great extent realistic. Most importantly it's entertaining.

There are surprisingly bold political statements made in this movie about the dubious role played by the CIA in the affairs of many a third world country. These statements are not too far fetched and must never be underplayed when you consider the "blowback" - CIA jargon for repercussions - being felt to this day. There are far too few movies being made these days that hold the government accountable. Unfortunately it's usually the ordinary citizen who becomes the indirect victim to the follies of an agency whose modus operandii includes criminal conduct and whose agents operate "Above the Law".

The impressive and ship-shape Seagal in this movie inspires you to ditch your six-pack of beer for a six-pack of Gatorade. He inspires you to reach into your closet for your old karate uniform or gym gear and to whip yourself back into physical and mental shape. Too bad Seagal has physically floundered since then. He does have the potential to stay there. One would hope that he would take his cues from Eastwood and Bronson, both of whose careers have had them stay in shape and play lead roles well into their sixties and seventies.

First and (easily) Best Seagal Movie
Once upon a time, an ex-CIA martial arts master quit the CIA and wrote a movie with a new plot but a character that seemed a lot like the writer

Steven Seagal is best known for his action movies, in particular the parts where he does his hand to hand thing. In his case, he's an aikido expert, and that's hard to explain. Most martial arts movies talk about Kung Fu and Tae Kwan Do where people punch and kick and you can generally tell what's going on. Aikido, on the other hand, is about redirecting an opponent, making him basically want to fall down. In the movie, it looks a lot like a bad guy rushes as Seagal, he touches them with his little finger and then they decide to throw themselves in the air in ways you thought were impossible. The moves take, oh, about two seconds to perform, with Seagal's part being only about 2 microseconds. If you want to watch Seagal in classic aikido action, be prepared to pause, slow motion and rewind. It's amazing looking and absolutley bizzare (since being marveled by the movie, i have gone out and studied aikido, and it seems even more impressive, although realistic, now)

The movie's about an ex-CIA officer turned Chicago cop (and, in my opinion, an extremely unlikeable one; that macho Italian family man thing to me just looks like a dull-witted bully control freak). He runs into some old CIA friends from 'nam who are doing naughty things

This movie has a plot, and a darn good one at that. It's a very, very interesting movie, much unlike, say, all the big budget movies he did after this one. While his later movies are bad jokes, new age mantras and B-movies, this one is really, really good. There are only a realistic number of fight scenes (gosh, i wish there were more, but that would have changed it from a drama to an action film, which this really isn't), but they are wonderful

Bottom line, this movie is awesome. i don't know if Seagal wrote and directed the later films he did (he was close to a one man production company on this one), but i wish he'd turn down those big budget formula films he's been doing and go back to doing the realistic, semi-autobiographical films like this one. He's mostly considered a joke now, but when this movie came out, when he was Seagal the writer and not Seagal the action hero, he was revered, and for good reason

Seagals explodes into cinema!!!
Great score, great story, great action. This is Seagals best film next to Under Seige. Too bad he fizzeled out after a coupla good ones. Charles Bronson remains King of the genre. Check out The Mechanic and Death Wish 2 and 4....

SEAGAL'S FIRST MOVIE IS NOT TO BE MISSED!
A COP [STEVEN SEAGAL] BATTLES POLICE CORRUPTION AND DRUG DEALING. THIS WAS SEAGAL'S FIRST MOVIE. IT HAS SOME VERY GOOD ACTION SCENES. THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL MOVIE FOR ANYONE WHO LIKES TO COLLECT SEAGAL MOVIES OR ACTION MOVIES IN GENERAL. THIS MOVIE IS ALSO GOOD FOR ANOTHER THING, IT SHOWS US THE OLD STEVEN SEAGAL WHO LOOKED TOUGHER AND WAS IN BETTER SHAPE, UNLIKE TODAY.
I ADVISE ALL ACTION FANS TO ADD THIS TO THEIR COLLECTION NOW!

typical but decent
It's always fun to watch Steven Seagal beat [up] 10 people at once, then start running like a 5 year old girl. Yes this is a cheesey action movie with all the usual formulas, but Seagal seems to be a better actor than people like Chuck Norris, Vann Damme, Arnold, and Sly. His wisecracking remarks are definitely better than all the stupid one-liners in those other guys' movies. This was Seagal's first movie. If you've never seen one of his movies, this would probably be the best one to star with. Also a great supporting cast like Henry Silva (what a suprise, he's the lead villian!) Chelcie Ross (Harris from Major League) Pam Grier, Sharon Stone (she can't act, but she's okay here), and those same 2 cops that are in all the other movies filmed in Chicago. (The Fugitive, Code Of Silence, etc) ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not bad...
Making a review for this movie isn't so hard. In fact, the movie is so simple and goes right to what he's made, to scare people, and do very well. Teenagers goes to the woods camping and one by one are kill by an mysterious murder. Some scenes are well made, and thinking about you could be there in all that darkness, that's scare you. Of course this movie is just fun, don't waste the money, in case you want to buy, but it's worth it if you're looking to rent some horror movies. Again, it's very simple, and the final isn't all that twist some new horrors movies have, but it deserve respect, being different from other ones. Good acting are showed when people are in dangerous moments, you can note they aren't "artificials" like most of horror movies out there, they do exactly what is the most common to do in that moment, and this is all about the movie. The sound (almost doesn't have music) fit exactly in this type of movie and the landscape isn't beautiful, more claustrophobic. See it once and you won't be disapointed, see it twice and you start to get bored.

"The Final Terror" worth a look for cast alone
Young Daryl Hannah, Joe Pantoliano, Adrian Zmed, and Rachel Ward are campers in the woods of Northern California who turn survivalist when they realize that there's a killer in their midst. Nothing terrific, but worth a look, if only to see the latter-day stars. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

POLITICAL THRILLER WITH OVERTONES OF THE JFK ASSASSINATION..
..only in this case, its a Russian premier they are after. The ending, i.e., the very last scene is a macabre twist, which leaves the audience intrigued about who was running it all. Overall a predictably Hollywood production with some inspiration from Oswald findings. Occasionally a well-done action sequence or two injects some life into the picture, but it never really grabs fully, instead leads us to a quick, anticlimactic ending which doesn't reward us for our patience. The pace is commendable, the characters sacrificed for the plot (as in a typical thriller) and the twists and turns are engaging. Worthy rental, nothing more nothing less.

it's "Fugitive" Lite!
just saw an amazingly clean print of this on one of the national cable channels, first viewing since theatrical release. What struck me immediately were the similarities to The Fugitive, director Andrew Davis' later film, most notably the Chicago shooting locations, actors, and plot elements. There's the Hilton Towers' ballroom (locale of the medical-conference confrontation between Drs. Kimble and Sykes)! There's the bagpipe parade! There's Ron Dean (Fugitive's Detective Kelly "Now you all know in what high regard I hold this scumbag") as a cop! Regardless, The Package never really gels as a thriller--and the Cold War denouement plot is obviously dated--although Davis' directorial style (lots of medium and long shots, few closeups, harsh and gloomy light/color) always gets points for relying on the music score rather than hyperkinetic editing to build tension. But it is fun to watch Hackman and Jones together (even if they're not exactly chewing up scenes with their usual aplomb) and more fun to check out the late-80s hair (Joanna Cassidy's is piled high; Dennis Franz actually has some).

The Package Rocks
Very good cold war suspence film with typically good performances by Gene Hackman and Tommy Lee Jones. You won't be disappointed. I was really surprised. I thought it would be good, but it was better than that.

Good thriller, lousy DVD.
Bravo MGM; you've managed yet again to screw up a great movie with a terrible DVD. -It's actually an ORION picture, and I'd hoped that they would've cared more about its appearance, but no such luck. Of my 100+ DVDs, this is one of the worst looking with dull colors and a fuzzy image. (Let's hope they're more careful with their upcoming Woody Allen ORION collection.) This is a rather oldfashioned straight-ahead action suspenser like they just don't make them anymore in Hollywood, but it's difficult to be thrilled about that when you know you can enjoy a much sharper version on TV. Hackman, Heard, Cassidy and Jones lead a good cast, but in order to see them clearly we desperately need a remastering of this otherwise wonderful movie. Until then, avoid like the plague.

A great political espionage film
The Package is one of the best films about the end of the Cold War. The plot was interesting and easy to follow. The characters were impressive. I don't think that this was a weak or depressing film at all. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

I'll never tell , oh go on then .
strangely enough , in this film chuck plays a tough guy cop . A cop who refuses to let anything stand in his way . While in line at the drive through ,he gets into a fight with a pick up truck ,the truck knows a thing or two about martial arts too ,and chuck only manages to win by threatning to have a shave . He also battles the mob ,and he insults the boss by pointing out that Frank Sinatra was short . There's car chases and tap dancing penquins . Gun fire and a pair of red slippers , that recite shakespeare . My grandmother took me to see this one , when she was out on bail , so I would recomend it to constipated traffic wardens , that wear barbed wire underpants .

Highly engaging '80's actioner
Chuck Norris was able to hit the big time with this slick,extremely well paced action thriller.I did fall asleep at the end of it,but then it was 1.15 in the morning.Norris himself manages the usual grumbling,silent hero he's done before,so that it becomes almost trademark.There are some entertaining action interludes,such as the train sequence and the opening shoot out.And there is humour involved in the story by the use of the robot.Recommended.

Chuck Norris At His Best
This movie is Chuck Norris at his best. He plays the part of Eddie Cusack a Chicago cop who only wants to get the job done. He is up against two mob family's in the middle of a war, caused by drugs and family blood. While trying to save the life of one mob family's daughter he must also bring both familys to justice. Between car chases that will have you on the edge of your seat and trademark Norris fight scenes it is easy to see why i gave this film 5 stars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As has become rapidly apparent over the course of his career, a little bit of Andy Garcia goes a long way. Though he can rise to good material, his taste generally is poor, as this lumpy comedy proves. More to the point, without good material, Garcia is revealed for what he is: a pretty-boy actor with only minimal talent and a slightly cross-eyed smile. So the idea of Garcia playing identical twins--one good, one evil--offers twice as much to despair of. The good twin is a social activist, who wants to utilize the sprawling ranch left to him by his late mother as a haven for oppressed migrant workers. The bad twin wants to steal the land and develop it with luxury condominiums. With four writers credited to Steal Big, Steal Little, it's no wonder the whole thing is a mishmash. Director Andrew Davis segued into this from The Fugitive (and the awful Chain Reaction) and showed that his action sense did him little good when trying to handle limp social-commentary comedy. Only Alan Arkin, old pro that he is, emerges unscathed. --Marshall Fine ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Double the pleasure... double the fun!
From the man who brought us "The Fugitive" and "Under Siege" (the good one), comes an original comedic tale of two brothers fighting over the same inheritance.

Starring Andy Garcia... and Andy Garcia, "Steal Big, Steal Little" succeeds in every way that "Multiplicity", "Dead Ringers" and a few of the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movies have failed. The twin brothers, both played BRILLIANTLY by Garcia, couldn't be more dissimilar (one is good and one is bad). So when their adoptive mother leaves her fortune and estate to only one of the brothers -- the fun begins!

Clever camera tricks and a fast-paced script make "Steal Big, Steal Little" the perfect movie for anyone who has ever been caught in the middle of a battle for family inheritance.

Andy Garcia's finest work.

Enjoyed Big, Seen Little...
One of Andrew "The Fugitive" Davis' few non-suspense movies, this comedy recieved terrible reviews and zero box office upon its theatrical release--but it would be well worth seeing for many. Full of terrific character actors and sporting a jumbled chronology, the film tells the story of identical twin brothers (Andy Garcia, once again a naturally joyful presence) at war with each other over their adoptive mother's bountiful estate. The more selfish of the two siblings may have a lot of politicans in his pocket, but his generous opponent has a few tricks up his sleeve as well. Though essentially a "dramedy" in tone, there are occasional detours into slapstick that treaten to tip the balance. On the whole, however, this is the kind of fresh and highly moral piece of entertainment that comes out of Hollywood pretty rarely. It's so much more popular, it seems, to be smug and ironic. "Steal Big, Steal Little" doesn't go that route and leaves me feeling positive and optomistic.

An excellent movie
I have been waiting for the release of this movie on DVD for years and finally my dream came true. It is a very enjoyable movie talking about love, money and greed. Andy Garcia is a wonderful actor and it is a double pleasure to see him acting as twin brothers. Own this DVD and you won't be disappointed.

One of Andy's Best
As with many of his other movies, Andy Garcia pulls out another great performace in Steal Big Steal Little. In this movie Garcia plays identical twins that are on opposite sides when their step mother dies and leaves thousands of acres up for grabs, in the lush valleys of California. Filled with great suppporting roles from very familiar faces this movie is a must see especially if you are an Andy Garcia fan.

TWICE AS NICE!
The only improvement they could have made to the film is to have Andy Garcia playing triplets. He is SO AMAZING. I love the way it jumps back and forth. Okay, one teeny tiny little detail. They could have done a better job super-imposing him on the horse at the end. A very nice story, especially with Ruth Dunbar. This film didn't get near the attention it deserved. ... Read more

Reviews (136)

This looks Great!
Arnold's new movie looks fantastic!
I can't wait for it to be released as Arnold looks like he's back on action form and its being directed by Andrew Davis whom directed the smash hit 'The Fugitive'.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is the king of action,noone can beat him!

Oh and jesse ventura,whatever your name is,movies are made for entertainment,fun,an escape from reality.You've just wasted about an hour writing all that nonsense.Are you jelous of Arnold cos it sure looks like you are.
Noone can change what happened on september 11th but if we all censor violence,sex whatever it means the terrorists/badguys win.

Anyway feedback on collateral damage has been extremely positive and looks to be a big success as with all of Arnold's movies.
(Well barring Red Sonja!)

Arnold's fight on Terrorism
It's surprising that films such as Collateral damage and Behind Enemy Lines were filmed before September 11th. Collateral Damage which is about a fireman (Arnold Schwarzenegger) who loses his wife and son to a terrorist bombing. He seeks revenge and trys to find the man responsleable for what happend. The film was pushed back after September the 11th, I guess that was sort of smart. I mean I doubt it's the type of movie people would rush to see after what happend. But what his character does is pretty much what anybody would of liked to done to Bin-Laden after what he did. So in some ways this is sort of a feel good movie, lol.

Well anyway the movie is always engaging and suspenseful and Arnold is actually very good. There's some nice twists at the end too. The movie is sort of silly and not very realistic of course but at least Arnold doesn't turn into Commando and kill an entire army by himself like he does in.....Commando. If you want to see something like that then you should be looking forward to Stallone's fight on Terrorism. As it's been rumored that Rambo 4 will be set in Afghanistan. Next Steven Seagal and Van Dame will probably have a movie like that too, lol.

Collateral Damage movie imitates real events
Collateral Damage is the great and partially real action film in which Arnold Schwarzenger plays a fireman hell bent on getting his hands on the Terrorist who killed his wife and kid
and many other citizens near a shopping mall.

With the attacks on Sept 11 , movies have tried to cash in but Collateral Damage is different. Arnold even dedicated the movie to firefighters everywhere in an interview with Byron Allen.
The movie is brilliant in showing what only what the motivation behind terrorist attacks , but the depiction of slow agencies like fbi to counter these terrorist attacks.

Basically, the FBI and CIA tell Gorden Brewer(Arnold
Schwarzennger) that they are working to bring down the
terrorist who killed his family, when in fact they have no good leads on the suspect.

Rather, than sitting on his butt, and waiting for the FBI to do something, Gordon takes the law into his own hands and seeks to get justice for his family by going into Columbia and getting "The Wolf" as the terrorist is called.

There is a great scene in which Gordon goes crazy
and literally beats the hell out of a cold-blooded radio news reporter who says that the victims are pure garbage by saying their "collateral damage". The radio reporter explains the reasons behind terrorist attacks but shows no feeling for victims. I loved this scene, because this reporter clearly has no remorse for the dead. He probably has no family of his nose, and doesn't know the meaning of life, except to cover his own.
Now you might say to yourself what's the difference between
Arnold's character (who is going for justice) and the terrorist well here is the big difference from Arnold himself:

"The difference between me and you is that
I am only going to kill you".

Unbelievable action and twists at the end, that you're literally be on the edge of youre seat, and just when you think the movie is over.... it's not !!!

Director Andrew Davis not only gives a fact type based movie based on Columbia, but also a factual based type movie that deals with Terrorism and the lessons that we must learn to see that things like this don't happen again.

In fact, most people will remember the horrible case of Wall
Street Reporter , Daniel Pearl, who was executed after the
U.S. failed to meet the demands of the Middle East terrorist holding.

The U.S. should have gone after these terrorists like the way Arnold does in this movie. However of course not all terrorists
are MiddleEastern like some racist white bigots like this person
named Nate Howard, an Army Ranger who has been harassing people says. In fact alot of Terrorists have been born and bread here in the US, Timothy McVeight, the UnaBomber and God knows how many others.

This is a great action film that you must see

SMOKE SCREEN
Arnold Schwarzenegger is starting to show his age, as evidenced in this below average Arnie film. In an attempt to rely more on his thespian abilities than his massive brawn, Arnold plays a fireman who loses his wife and son in a terrorist bomb attack. The range of emotions he is required to exhibit demonstrate the Austrian's limitations. Granted, he's a much better actor than he was years ago, but he cannot truly convince us that he is the character he plays. Of the supporting cast, only Elias Koteas as the CIA rogue, displays any true acting abilities. Francesa Neri as the Wolf's wife comes close, but she telegraphs a key plot twist early on. Cliff Curtis as the Wolf is stock nasty hero and the movie's message that terrorism vs. terrorism tactics is not the humane thing. There are a couple of nasty scenes involving a snake and Arnold's mandibular strength. The movie slows down somewhat in the Colombian sequence, but the climax in DC is appropriately tense and exciting.

Certainly not one of Arnold's best, but somewhat entertaining.

you get exactly what you expect with this one
A film by Andrew Davis

"Collateral Damage" was originally supposed to be released in September or October of 2001. In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, a movie about terrorism on US soil would be seen as insensitive and inappropriate, but it would also have been a bad business decision. It seemed that this movie was marred by the taint of association. It was also marred by the fact that it was a fairly ordinary movie.

Gordy Brewer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a New York City firefighter. His wife and son are killed in a terrorist attack and Brewer just happened to get a look at the man believed to be the terrorist. The terrorist who pulled off the attack is a Columbian known only as The Wolf (Cliff Curtis). The Wolf's agenda has to do with getting the Americans (and their interests) out of his country. Unfortunately, other than agent Peter Brandt (Elias Koteas), the intended target of the attack, nobody in the government is willing to pursue the Wolf in his own country. In fact, Brandt is being pulled off the case and reassigned. Brewer decides to take matters into his own hands and finds a way into Columbia and starts to track down The Wolf.

Have you seen Arnold's other action movies? Are you a fan of the genre? If so, you know exactly how this movie will play out. If you like these kind of movies, you'll like this one. "Collateral Damage" has its moments, and when Arnold actually gets to Columbia, the movie is at its most interesting (despite being at its most implausible). This is simply an average movie. It's not particularly awful, but neither is it very good. ... Read more

Reviews (95)

Not a good DVD, but a Good Arnold flick
The Running Man tells of a future world where convicted fellons are put on a game show "The Running Man" and are placed in arenas along with psychotic stalkers who are there to kill these guys in record time all for the entertainment of the American people.
The film is great but not perfect. I love the way the film portrays society, as basically a bunch of mindless and gullable media slaves. Which some would argue is true for our society today, where we believe everything served to us on television and radio, not considering that maybe the people behind these stories are money hungry, heartless liars. It was almost like a future version of the Roman Empire, where upper class Romans found the most violent and bloody sport with slaves getting butchered in an arena as pure entertainment. This film uses the likes of rich corporate adults as the shows mainstream audience loving fellons get butchered the same way.
The films special effects are ahead of its time, with believable gore and movie props like futuristic cars and buildings.
Richard Dawson is great as the gameshow's host, as a lovable teddy bear on screen, and a greedy, self-involved liar backstage. The remaining cast do thier jobs well, although they could have found more talented actors. Arnold is Arnold, without him, this movie wouldn't have the box-office appeal that it did, nor would it have the appeal on todays audience that it did. And even though his one liners after each death border on stupidity in this film (with a lot of the other dialogue), his Arnoldness simply makes up for it.
This movie was a great and unique idea and it was executed just fine, I own this dvd and like it a lot. Although, giving us simply a trailer as an extra simply sucks. I wouldve like to hear some commentary on it at least. Oh well...

Mediocre, but strangely likable and memorable 3.,5 stars
It's the future, and the world is in a violent, poverty-stricken mess. The biggest entertainment around is . . . a reality show. A very brutal reality show. Convicted criminals become contestants in a game-show where they either get killed as they run a gauntlet against a bunch of thugs, or they survive and get to move to Hawaii.

Arnold Schwarzenegger plays a man wrongly convicted of a crime and chosen as a contestant in the lovely game-show described above. Of course, Ahnold can't take that lying down, so he proceeds to not only survive, but try to break this ugly set-up. Richard Dawson plays the host of the show, which is broadcast everywhere, and hams up it to perfection, as the ultimate it's-all-about-ratings smarmy egotist-with-a-smile.

I didn't like the repetitiveness at times of the action scenes, nor the bad, cheap settings somewhat hidden by bad lighting. I did like the general sense of tension created, as well as Arnold's genuine good-guy versus Dawson's completely-fake bad-guy. Not a movie to rave about, but fun to watch if you don't have much else to do.

Perhaps more topical now
While in 1987 this may have been simply another action star for Governor-to-be Schwarzenegger, viewed today this film offers more layers of meaning.

"The Running Man" is a reality show in which criminals are forced to run from bounty hunter-types who are given WWF wrestling style introductions and use a myriad of weapons to kill their prey. The audience cheers and boos mercilessly as the real-life people meet tragic ends. Seen today in the era of "Survivor" and "Fear Factor," among other reality shows, this movie offers much in the way of questioning the direction of such television. Is this the direction reality TV is going? Also good for a look at mass media and people's belief in what is told to them.

The movie is what it is. Fist-pumping commando, guns and heavy artillery. Schwarzenegger is wrongly framed for a crime he didn't commit and made a criminal in this Orwellian society in which the mass media is everything. He's forced into The Running Man world. There's some throw-away jokey lines after disposing of the heavy villains, but the real treat is watching real-life game show host Richard Dawson playing the slimy, evil host of The Running Man - the real villain in this movie full of larger-than-life killers.

Read the book instead
I read the book by Stephen King and I loved it! This movie is NOTHING like the book. The basic plot (and I mean VERY basic) is the same, but the events that take place aren't even close. I'm sorry I wasted my time with this sad excuse for a movie. I was very disappointed and I recommend to everyone READ THE BOOK INSTEAD!

Another great piece of 80s Arnie action megacheese!
Although I don't consider 'The Running Man' to be one of Arnie's best bits of action fare, it does have more than its fair share of those silly cheeseball moments that I ofttimes crave. I especially enjoy the part where our hero and his fellow contestants/captors take out the first obstacle: Sub-Zero, a deadly blade-wielding hockey goalie who looks a lot like that Odd Job guy. His referring to the late SubZero as "Now, just PLAIN zero!" is a prime example of bad action one liners at their best (worst?)!

Then there's Richard Dawson as the main heavy: a futuristic game-show host with all of the fake glee and smarmy oiliness you can bear! He also gives the best rebuttal to our hero's famous "I'll be back!" here, so be on the lookout for it! And not to go off on a tangent, but does anybody out there imagine how 'The Running Man' would've looked like had present 'Family Feud' host Louie Anderson played Killian, or am I the only one? Um... anyone? A little help here...?

Oh yeah, let's not forget future Minny guv Jesse Ventura as one of the game announcer/enforcers. His raucous, obnoxious blather and uber-macho posturing really adds a pro-wrestling feel to the competition as it unfolds! You'll definitely be feeling Minnesota (or is it FLEEing Minnesota?) after watchin' "The Mind's" performance here!
All in all, 'The Running Man' is one enjoyable waste of an hour-and-a-half for all you testosterone-driven action megacheese buffs out there!

As for the Special Edition extra features: Along with the usual director/producer commentary tracks-- both of which I bailed out on after the first fifteen minutes because they were so inane and uninteresting-- and such are a couple documentaries dealing with the movie's subject matter. The first is a half-hour-long talk about Constitutional rights and freedoms following the 9/11 attacks and the passing of the Patriot Act, and the other dealing with reality TV shows. I found both reasonably informative, although the former show had some of creepiest-looking interviewees I've ever seen in a documentary. Both of these were included to reflect the movie's central "duel-to-the-death-game-show" premise and dystopian backdrop, as well as its 'prediction-of-the-future'-style prescience. Personally, I think they're giving this over-the-top actioner a bit too much credit in being a mind-opening mirror of modern society. I mean, let's face facts: since when has the term "high-concept" and Arnold Schwarzenegger gone together in a movie? Is that the smell of overheating brain matter from you pondering my question that I'm smelling, or is it just me?

'Late ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Interesting movie
I think that Chain Reaction is an interesting movie to say the least. Morgan Freeman plays an excellant role where you don't really konw whether or not he's one of the good guys. Keanu Reeves does a fairly good job portraying Eddie, but it could have been a little better. I'd still recommend this movie to anyone who likes a good action film.

RAISES MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS
As far as action goes, it gets 5 stars; however, just great action sequences don't make up for a very confusing plot. Keanu's runaway from the explosion on his motorcycle, the drawbridge and hovercraft action sequences were great! These scenes and several others definitely save this movie.

The acting was very good especially by Morgan Freeman and Keanu Reeves. Rachel Weisz was good but did not portray anywhere near as much charisma as Freeman and Reeves.

The chemistry was there almost from the beginning between Eddie (Reeves) and Lily (Weisz) but not even one kiss! I don't think the director, Andrew Davis watched "The Terminator." I wish he had; then he would have discovered that a love scene could have been implemented successfully.

If you are a Morgan Freeman or Keanu Reeves fan you will enjoy to rent this out and watch it twice. I wouldn't recommend buying it. (If you want to see Morgan Freeman at his best, go buy "Shawshank Redemption." If you want Keanu Reeves at his best, go buy "The Matrix" and "A Walk in the Clouds.")

Chain Reaction is good but not anywhere close to "The Fugitive."

Reeves and Freeman keep this at bay
lacks in some horrible acting and story plots but that doesnt change the fact that Reeves and Freeman did a good job in this one...Chain Reaction is just another movie that has some good quality but lacks out in style as it comes out. Rachel Weiz is ok as the physisist. Her and Reeves should of had a love scene I mean come on Andrew Davis..your more focused on your big action scenes then the love connection of the two..god..even after the Chain Reaction accord..GOD!!

Just another Action Flick
The movie was very formulaic and the escapes performed by the 2 main characters seemed unbelievable. I was also bummed out that there was no romance between the 2 leads. I mean if Keanu is the actor they should have put in a romance, at least thats how I see it. The main thing I liked about the film was the plot surrounding petrol and how it was what the whole world wanted. Wow! This movie reflects alot of what I see now, granted that this is my view I speak of. The scientists have found a way to somehow capture energy from hydrogen, this would solve the problem with pollution and the need to fight over power and control involved with petrol. Well, I hope I am saying this right because I watched the movie a few days ago. So, the movie itself was way to predictable and cliched, but the story line was involving.
Lisa Nary

Where does Hollywood get such bad writers?
This one starts out with bad science: essentially, there is a secret CIA project to produce endless amounts of energy by harnessing the power of a perpetual motion machine. The project is stalled because it is depending on an international group of scientists who just don't seem to have it until the least-educated person in the lab, a machinist played by Keanu Reeves, discovers a breakthrough. After it starts to work, mysterious evil forces decide that it must be destroyed, and so the lab is blown up.

Reeves' character is the type of person who thinks that problems can be solved by punching somebody out, smashing things, and running. That's how we know that he's the dumb guy around there. For some reason, a female scientist (Rachel Weisz) lets him lead her into a series of chase scenes, in which Hollywood writers yet again show that they believe that problems can be solved by means that are stupid, criminal, pointless, and ineffective. I mean, he works for her, so why is she letting him make such crazy decisions?

Morgan Freeman puts in a creditable performance, while keeping a straight face. Beyond that, the movie is notable for some very elaborate special effects - but don't view it for the plot, the characters, or the dialog, most of which is really bad. We're also supposed to believe that the FBI would interfere with a CIA operation. duh. ... Read more

Reviews (51)

Under Siege
Casey Ryback is an ex-navey seal. He's now a cook on a battle ship. The captain loves his cooking and treats him kindly. Commander Krill (Busey) on the other half hates Ryback and Ryback hates him. Casey is put in the meat locker by Commander Krill. Its the captain's birthday and they have ordered a surprise group of singers, dancers, caterers and even a stripper. But what they don't know is that commander Krill is bad and knows the pary guys. Infact the party guys are an international group of terrorists lead by Bill Strannix (Jones) and they are ready to take over the ship and blow up the U.S.A. Only Casey Ryback can stop them. An excellent action movie. Great performance by Steven Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey! Definately one to add to your collection. Be sure to see it soon
RATED R FOR STRONG NON-STOP ACTION VIOLENCE, LANGUAGE AND NUDITY!

An amazing edge of your seat thriller
Steven Seagal (Above the Law, Under Siege 2:Dark Territory, On Deadly Ground, Fire Down Below, Out for Justice, Hard to Kill, Executive Decision) stars in this awesome action thriller directed by Andrew Davis (Above the Law, Chain Reaction, Collateral Damage) along with Tommy Lee Jones (Men in Black, Space Cowboys, Batman Forever) and Gary Busey (Lethal Weapon) As all fans know, when you see Seagal on the cover, you will get yourself a definite bloody action movie with a lot of dying and killing as well as martial arts, guns, and knives.

The story is quite simple: Steven Seagal is a cook on a military ship that is transporting missiles. He has several other helpers and friends but there is one person he hates: Gary Busey. They always get into fights for no absolute reason. Anyway, the army men and guards call for concerts and entertainment but they have made one mistake: the music company they picked are not musicians and singers, they are international terrorists led by Jones. Busey finally reveals himself as a terrorists and helps take off some guards. Soon, these terrorists brutally kill all the guards and the captain. Holding over 160 people hostage, the villains demand money and say that if the government makes one attempt to stop them, they will use the missiles on the ship to shoot them down and bomb the U.S.A! But between the midst of all that, we see that Steven Seagal has not been captured......and now it's up to him to save everyone! What, of course, follows is a gigantic barrage of guns, guts, blood, knives, bombs, grenades, martial arts, and a little nudity.

If you are a real action fan, I recommend this. I hope to see the second but I heard it wasn't so good. A good film would be Above the Law, in which Seagal and Davis work for the first time. That film also features Sharon Stone and Pam Grier. I suggest you go rent this to see if you like it but trust me: IT IS BLOODY!

Rated R for strong violence, language, and very very very brief nudity.

Pure Stupidity
This is the worst action movie ever made, with the destroying of good actors like Gary Busey & Tommy Lee Jones who usual great actors in movies but they come off as lame, this rediculous action movie, where Steven Seagal doesn't get injured, it's just bufoon going doing killing that has no plot & even worst acting,it's more like a comdedy than an action movie if you think hard enough about it

Merely average DIE HARD retread
This may be Steven Seagal's best film, but as an action film UNDER SIEGE is very average. It borrows its basic plot structure from the vastly superior DIE HARD, but while DIE HARD had a believably human and vulnerable hero in Bruce Willis' John McClane, UNDER SIEGE simply has the wooden Steven Seagal as the near-invincible Casey Ryback, the cook onboard the USS Missouri who happens to be a former Navy SEAL who has a lot of weapons expertise and the like. While McClane spent most of DIE HARD trying to get in and out of trouble with terrorists, Ryback basically spends a good majority of UNDER SIEGE simply killing them one by one in various "cool" ways. You never feel that Ryback's life is truly threatened by the bad guys---he's just a killing machine, and only head baddie William Stranix (Tommy Lee Jones, in a highly entertaining performance that brings slightly more interest than this movie deserves) truly matches up to him---and thus you never really get involved in the hero or this movie like you do in DIE HARD. You simply watch Ryback cut his path of righteous destruction in a brain-dead, gaga state (and occasionally laugh at some of Seagal's line readings), and while you are occasionally entertained, you might realize how dumb this movie truly is.

Some people, of course, don't mind occasional no-brainer entertainment like this. Believe me, I enjoy the occasional brainless action film, just as long as it has an involving plot, entertaining characters, and good action scenes. UNDER SIEGE only half-delivers---its plot never truly involved me; the main bad guys (Tommy Lee Jones and Gary Busey) are a lot more entertaining than its hero; and the action scenes, for the most part, are just average (except for that marvelous knife fight at the end). In short, UNDER SIEGE is a pretty stupid movie, and if you're looking for truly great, even intelligent action entertainment, you would do best to look elsewhere. Heck, even this film's sequel, UNDER SIEGE 2, is slightly more entertaining than this! Skip it.

Die Hard on a Battleship
Steven Seagal's best movie and a superior action flick in its own right. Seagal's acting can generously be described as "understated". However, he is very convincing as a one man wrecking ball. The production value is excellent, as no expense was spared on the casting and action scenes. Busey and Jones eat up the screen in deliberately hammy performances and Erica Eleniak is hot. Definitely worth repeated viewing. ... Read more

Reviews (126)

Fugitive is Dr. Richard Kimball: Go get this movie.
If I were stranded on a desert island and all I could have was my abysmally sparse movie collection, I would make sure "The Fugitive" was in it. Thankfully, it is. This is one of the most entertaining and engaging movies ever, far superior to a lot of movies playing these days. For the few of you who don't know the plot, I'll run it past you without spoiling much...

The story revolves around a Chicago surgeon named Dr. Richard Kimball (Harrison Ford) who is convicted of murdering his wife (Sela Ward). He pleads innocent, claiming that a one-armed man committed the heinous crime (the opening sequence, showing the murder in flashback style, is chillingly realistic). Well, no one believes the good doctor's alibi, and he is sentenced to death. However, after his prison bus crashes into a train, he escapes back to Chicago to find the murderer, while keeping away from US Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) and his team of deputies.

Having never seen the old TV series, this movie was nevertheless fantastic. The thrills just keep coming, as well as the tongue-in-cheek humor, courtesy of Tommy Lee Jones and Joe Pantoliano (as Cosmo, Sam's deputy), who really steal the show in a lot of scenes. The screenplay is obviously very sharp. The train-and-bus wreck will take your breath away, as will the waterfall sequence. Aside from these action scenes, it's great that this movie is shot in Chicago, one of the greatest cities in North America. Sorry, personal bias, I loved Chicago when I visited a couple years back. The acting is very well done, and the characters are very three-dimensional. Sometimes it feels like you're watching a modern "Les Miserables". Nice transition from action thriller to action-mystery as the film enters its second half. If you follow the plot, which is fairly easy to keep up with, the ending will shock you. All in all, "The Fugitive" is definitely worth the bang for your hard-earned buck. If you haven't seen this wonderful piece of movie-making, do so ASAP.

Quality-wise, the DVD is pretty good. Director Andrew Davis does a cool little documentary on how the train wreck was filmed.

MOVIE-10/10
DVD EXTRAS-8/10

Ford hits another home run
Ditto what that other reviewer said: this is another great Harrison Ford vehicle. They really DON'T make movies like this any more. It needs not typical DVD additions, not cut scenes, not trailers, or interviews.

Back in the day, Wednesday morning school was dominated by the discussion of the latest episode of "The Fuge" from the night before. This is the only film I can think of which actually did justice to the classic television show from which it sprang.

Tommy Lee Jones is a fantastic U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. He appears not to be obsessed with the capture of Dr. Kimble (as was his television predecessor, portrayed by Barry Morse). Nonetheless, we get the feeling that he brings the same determination to every case he has. Ford once again is the "everyman" (if a doctor who gets sent to prison for killing his wife and then escapes can be thought of in those terms) who prevails through all manner of adversities. [As an aside, I wonder how well Ford could stretch himself - could he ever be convincing as a real bad guy, like a John Malkovich or Anthony Hopkins?]

This movie has a lot of pluses. It is a great story, updated from one of the sixties' best shows. Sure, there were great stunts. The bus crash/train wreck was stunning (made even more so by seeing Ford almost comically hobbling along, trying to outrun the carnage while wearing leg shackles).

However, it is the competition between the two dogged adversaries Jones and Ford that makes this work. They are one real pair of incredibly strong personalities- (and screen presences) Nothing better than the sequence in the dam early on with Ford protesting his innocence and Jones equally sincere reply "I don't care". Both smart, even though Jones hides his behind a gruff and self-deprecating exterior. The good and decent Doc must be determined (after all, it is his can on the line), but seeing him persevere - hiding his own persona in a hospital, evading the police while tracking down the one armed man is intense, even though we know the outcome.

Great editing; especially when we think the Marshals are getting close to the big bust, and we find out that they are actually making a collar across town.

This one is a winner.

A classic action thriller
What makes "The Fugitive" such a successful and superior film is that it knows what it is: an action/mystery film. It makes no attempt to make itself bigger or more intellectual than it is (as did the American version of "The Vanishing"). Harrison Ford, surprisingly underplaying the role of Dr. Kimball--others might have overworked his grief and angst--turns in a brilliant performance. And the always reliable Tommy Lee Jones does an icy, sparkling job as Kimball's persuer, US Marshal Sam Gerard. So good a performance that he earned a well-deserved Oscar for it.

The other key to the movie's success is Andrew Davis' dazzling direction. He keeps the pace frenetic for a good deal of the film, and the pot is always kept boiling. Close calls and intense chases keep the tension and suspense at fever pitch. "The Fugitive" will endure for a long time as a classic action thriller.

I did not kill my wife
That is well known sentence from this action hit which put an Oscar in hands of Tommy Lee Jones. Somebody killed dr. Richard Kimble's (Ford) wife, but all clues are against him. After all, who can be stupid enough to say that - One arm man did it?! His escape after bus accident will be his second chance to proove his innocents. But, that will be damn hard. Especially because after him is federal marshal who "doesn't care" about anything, except to bring the fugitive back (by any costs). Kimble will discover that he was in strong net made of lies and conspiracy, and that his only way out is to find proofes to clear his name and bring killer in front of justice. Jones supposed to be a good guy, but you'll hate him all the movie (well, it's not his falt, he's just good actor). Harrison is great, older, but still in good shape. Since Indiana Jones, he never has better role than this. You'll be right next to him, trying to solve the puzzle, hoping that he will succeed to find who ruined his life. Excellent story, good locations and ideas. Definetly collection material.

Train Wreck of Action
This is one of the best-crafted action/suspense films I've ever seen. I've viewed this many many times and have been rewarded each time by picking up on different subtle nuances.
Every element of this film works in unison and are what make this a great film and give it the punch that it has. There's the story which is as finely crafted as they get, a cast that couldn't have been any better (and boy do the actors deliver in their performances), tight pacing, great photography, and some unbelievable effects.

This is a modern masterpiece! ... Read more