Monday, 5. January 2009

Short, independant flick reviews! Read about it, before you watch it!

Taken - read short review!

Review in a nutshell: Aging ex-CIA daddy has only a few days in order to find his baby girl who got kidnapped on her trip in barbaric Europe - an average mad father-taking-revenge movie :-(

What the movie is about: Bryan (Liam Neeson) a retired CIA agent has mixed feelings about his underage, hot daughter going with her best friend on a Euro trip but eventually he does not oppose. Unfortunately, careless Kim (Maggie Grace) proves dad’s right about Europe being a dangerous place as she gets snatched by an Albanian women trafficking group just upon the arrival in Paris. It’s a matter of days before she would disappear forever unless Bryan can find her. Luckily, his particular CIA skills come handy dealing with all the Eastern European criminals in France ;-)

Flick critique says: Even though it’s packed with stereotypes about the Old Continent I did like the pace and the intensity of the movie :-D It’s is not great but Bryan’s investigation is kinda cool. Despite the Hollywood-stylish ending and plenty of pathetic ethnic bias’ (French are evil, Eastern Europeans anyways) I am giving Taken some credit, since I honestly enjoyed watching it. However, be warned, it is a violent flick with some gore scenes.

Watch it if you liked: Frantic (1988) with young Harison Ford getting his wife kidnapped on their trip to the city of love or Ne le dis à personne (2006), the English title would be Tell No One, which is about a murdered wife who surprisingly shows up after eight years.

 

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‘Rambo’ (2008) - read it before watching

In a nutshell: Once again, a single, veteran warrior fights a ruthless regime as brutally as it is.

The Story: John Rambo has found his peace, making a decent living in Thailand. The life of the hard working hermit gets interrupted, when a group of American activists asks for passage to the war zone in Burma. They want to provide humanitarian help to the suffering. Initially hesitant do take the job, John Rambo eventually does the right or rather insensate thing. As the idealists get caught, Rambo once again faces the challenge of standing up against an outnumbering enemy in order to save the innocent ones.

Movie critique: Rambo - First Blood, the first one, was one of the very first movies I watched on a VHS tape, making it special for me. I feel a bit like my hero is being exploit here. In fact the story has not changed. Except for the fact that the movie is a bigger blood bath then the previous ones.

A scene to remember: Sarah the cute, kindhearted and endlessly naive American gal is about to get raped by drunken Burmese solider. Luckily John appears and makes his point removing the adam’s apple of the bad guy’s throat with his bare hands.

Conclusion: Rambo fans are going to like it but anyone born 1980 or later might miss the point.

Best movie quote: Once again John proves being a man of few but wise words as he states:

“Live for nothing or die for something”

Watch it if you liked: Rambo: First Blood (1982),Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), Rambo III (1988), Red Scorpion (1988)

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