Neville
Frightening Fanatic of Horrible Cinema
Karma: 142
Posts: 3050
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« on: September 22, 2003, 01:29:27 PM » |
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Been a bit busy lately, but also found time for several interesting movies...
"A man apart" (2003). Latest Vin Diesel actioner, it's called "Diablo" in my country. The word is that this one was actually shot before "XXX" and kept hidden until "XXX" had enough success. To my surprise, it is a far, far superior movie. Diesel plays a DEA officer that sees his life threatened after capturing a Mexican druglord. Thugs announcing a new drug dealer called "Diablo" kill his wife and he starts a crusade to stop him. Not a single cliche unused, true, but surprisingly its makers tried to do action the serious way, a welcome choice after hideous actioners like the above mentioned "XXX". Dialogues and situations are merely functional, but they do the trick, and director F. Gary Gray knows his stuff about action movies after "Negotiator" and "The Italian job". And yes, Vin Diesel can act when he wants to. Highly recommended if you miss "Miami Vice" or 80's cops-on-the-edge-of-the-law stuff.
"The Bride of Re-animator" (1987?). After watching the first instalment of the series weeks ago, I rented the sequel. It starts quite well, with a funny and quite violent prologue, but soon the pace suffers the and humour is often too ham fisted. Brian Yuzna is not Stuart Gordon, and the film only improves when it focuses on new issues, such as a nosy cop investigating the re-animating duo or the "creating new life" subplot. Oh, and the climax seems to last for ages. At least this sequel focuses more on Dr. West, which means Jeffrey Combs gets more screen time. I could have done without the loose ends from #1, like the remaining re-animated bodies or Dr. Hill's head, but I'll admit the late makes a great entrance nearly the end.
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