TheSilverSurfer's stats
- Review count10
- Helpfulness votes1
- First reviewJune 27, 2009
- Last reviewAugust 29, 2011
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.6
TheSilverSurfer's Reviews
Overall rating
4
/
5
Cool-mbiana
PostedAugust 29, 2011
Cool action movie.
The movie was a little short and could have used more revenge detail to immerse the viewer for a "Wow I didn't see that coming." Maybe a plot twist or two would have helped. Basically it is a straight forward, "You killed my family so I am going to kill you" movie.
What would have added some heft to the movie would have been:
Seeing some of the basics in education (e.g. mathematics, geometry, physics, gymnastics, and even psychology) that her uncle insisted that she learn in school before he could teach her to be an assassin.
This would have made some of her shooting and stunts more believable. Basically seeing her becoming a top assassin was the result of 15 years of hard work and more than just picking up a gun and shooting people. This was the point her uncle made to her. It would have been nice to squeeze 10-13 mins more into the film to see that she got the point vs fast forwarding 15 years.
Overall if you want a good revenge action movie this is solid. If you are looking for "Wow!" some plot twist and intrigue you will be disappointed.
I have to note that the young girl at the front end of the movie was really good. Hopefully her talent will be nurtured and we will see her in future roles.
But with that said she did some amazing stunts and had a lot of street savvy for a 12 years old. Again without the background development in the movie you have to assume her criminal parents taught her these "skills."
So an extra 13 mins of movie runtime would have made a good movie into a very good to excellent movie worth seeing twice.
Regardless, enjoy the movie....
P.S. The male actors in the move I remember from "Bad Boys II", the last "Diehard" and "Lost In Space" really should have cut back on the calories or hit the gym before filming. Or maybe the director wanted to contrast a 20 something slim/trim female assassin with some late 40s early 50s "pudgy" unfit men. If so...it worked.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
1
/
5
"Strangled by Rango"
PostedMarch 7, 2011
This movie was one of the worst movies I've ever seen.
My 14 and 15 year olds were also disappointed.
The movie might appeal to kids 5 to 10 but it put me to sleep for a good 10-15 minutes and I never go to sleep in movies.
The "secret sauce" to movies like this aimed at kids is to include enough 1980+ pop-culture references (for a laugh) to appeal parents buying the tickets and forced to sit through these movies. That formula is what made the Shrek franchise so successful.
This movie had nothing iconic so it was just like watching a live action movie with a bunch of no-name actors/actresses. Thus my teens and I couldn't connect with any of the characters.
The movie is filled with representations of animals that arguably the majority of people find less than visually appealing (e.g. possums, chameleons, armadillos, bats, vultures, snakes, etc.). Sure those are desert creatures but the CGI was so realistic (down to the hair, fur and nostril movements) that there was a distracting "ick" factor.
I spent much of my time thinking how unattractive these animal/characters are which made it difficult to pay attention to the storyline or empathize with the characters. The animators could have taken a page from "Over the Hedge" to find a way to make animals most people consider as pest rendered (drawn) without being "icky."
The script writers could have also taken a page from Over the Hedge when it comes to pop-culture references. A little humor from 1980, 90s or early 2000's helps make such moves tolerable or even enjoyable for the parents.
The movie tickets and the meals cost me $100 and the movie part was a waste of money. The only good thing is that my wife didn't want to see it. That would have added another $25 to a wasted Sunday afternoon.
That is my review....
The rest is up to you :-)
The rest is up to you :-)
TheSilverSurfer
SPOILER ALERT!!!
(Don't read any further if you plan to see the movie)
________________________________
There was one character near the end of the movie that might have represented Clint Eastwood but the CGI was not that good for his face and his dialog was so short it was hard to tell for sure. I wanted to lean over to my 14 year older to ask her if she knew the actor that character was suppose to represent but I decided not to waste my time or hers. It was "too little too late" for the pop-icon legend.
There was one character near the end of the movie that might have represented Clint Eastwood but the CGI was not that good for his face and his dialog was so short it was hard to tell for sure. I wanted to lean over to my 14 year older to ask her if she knew the actor that character was suppose to represent but I decided not to waste my time or hers. It was "too little too late" for the pop-icon legend.
There was also some political statement about water in the desert and Las Vegas which was also too little too late in the movie.
Again "Over the Hedge" has a similar political bent about the downside of suburbia and the American love of junk food that was so much better executed.
Lastly there was a bird character in the movie walking around with an arrow through his eye coming out of the back of his head...I woke up from my snooze to see that on screen. That was disturbing and uncomfortable to watch him/it for the rest of the movie. Sicko! :-(
No, I do not recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
It is about that time...
PostedNovember 21, 2010
This was a good movie.
Some interesting back stories particularly how the subtitle "Deathly Hallows" came to be.
The drag was that came in the last 45 mins of the movie :-P
The movie could have been lighter by 30-40 minutes and would have been just fine. My teens and their friend disagreed with me on that but I was texting my wife (she wasn't interested in seeing it) during those last 45 minutes telling her that the movie was a real snoozer.
Yes... I know I shouldn't have been texting while at the movie but it was my way of trying to avoid nodding off which I felt myself doing a couple/few times when there were lags in the action and there were too many lags :-P
But since my kids and their friend liked it...it was worth a few winks and heavy eyelids :-)
Ahhhh...no; we went to a 2pm showing so it wasn't late and I wasn't tired...the movie was just 20% longer than it needed to be.
With all of that said as a parent...I would just be prepared to struggle about 1hr 45mins into the movie. Have some popcorn or do something to keep yourself alert for about 30 minute of the scene in the woods (the hollows) when the main characters are camping out and "finding themselves."
That part is a real snoozer.... (I was wishing I had my iPad that I left in the car; I could have read some news or done something else productive).
My 14 year old said that part of the movie was good...it was all the "emotion" and it was needed to round out the movie. Well I guess since her perspective was over 30 years ago for me...it came across as corny and a drag on the movie (for me).
If you find yourself in a similar place you could just go ahead and catch a few zees if you're out of popcorn or candy and no iPad :-) It would also be a good time for a rest room break... you won't miss a thing.
But if you do decide to get some shuteye do have your kid give you a nudge when the back story about how the "Deadly Hollows" came to be. That part is a great little animated story.
It sets up Part 2 for the movie which I am looking forward to seeing in the Spring of 2011 because I want to see how the end of Part 1 starts in Part 2. Moreover "it is about time" to wrap up the Harry Potter movie series.
The cute hapless kids from years ago are now like freshman college age so the charm of fumbling innocence has worn off. It is time to be grown-up wizards and do whatever it is that grown-ups with magic wands do :-)
Enjoy the movie :-)
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
An Okay Face...
PostedOctober 10, 2010
One critique I read described the movie as a documentary about the founder(s) of FaceBook.
While it is rated PG-13 some of the scenes where a little more sexually suggest than I would have liked for my 13 and 14 year old daughters to see.
One bathroom stall scene was way over the top. I wish I had known about those scenes before I took my young teen daughters to see the movie. A NC-17 rating for the movie would have been more appropriate.
I guess some could argue that the sexuality along with the drinking and drug use is what happens on college campuses (Harvard depicted in the movie). After an undergrad and two masters degrees (10-years of colleges) at three different universities that is not something I experienced. Since only 6 of us from my major finished our program out of an original class of 75 I guess it was the other 69 who experienced the sex, drugs and rockin' roll of undergrad :-)
Perhaps those parts of the movie where embellished to jazz up what would have otherwise been an interesting but ho-hum flick about nerds vs the "cool kids" for not letting them play in their sandbox. Basically that is what motived the movies main character to create what we now know as Facebook. His desire to fit it and be cool.
The one thing that could be taken away from the movie is that nerds can be just a cutthroat and amoral to immoral as blue blood "cool kids" are (stereotyped, perceived or real).
Perhaps the old say that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely" is a human challenge regardless of social-economic status or intellect. There is also an age/maturity factor at work.
If it is true that the adolescent brain (frontal cortex) isn't fully formed until age 21 we can't expect young, highly (book) intelligent kids to make completely rational, moral decisions without adult guidance and supervision. Without adult guidance or better yet "mature" guidance a "Lord of the Flies" like society would become the rule vs the exception in our world.
Another interesting take away from the movie was how creative/inspiration can be born out of disappointment, heartbreak, and rejection.
With all of that said the move was okay for want it was. A window into the world that created what we now know as Facebook.
I commented to my wife that 500 million users means that nearly 1 in 12 people on the planet use Facebook and in the industrialized world the number is probably 1 in 5. That is staggering...
There is something deeper here and the ramifications are unfolding as we go but like main charter said... "We don't even know what this [Facebook] is yet" as he argued against commercializing it to his original 30% partner and CFO.
While I have a Facebook account, several hundred "friends" and don't use it much the movie definitely altered thinking about using it at all.
It is like the old saying about eating sausage and seeing how it is made. It is a messy business and very unappetizing.
Maybe now that the real Mark Zuckerberg is starting an education foundation and has pledge $100 million to help fix the Newark public educational system that will help me get beyond how less than honorably he treated those people around him who helped him to get to where he is in his short life of age 25.
Some 27 years ago when I was 20 (Mark wasn't even conceived yet) one of my now mentors told me,
"It doesn't matter how smart you are it doesn't matter how talented you are...people have to like you."
What she didn't tell me is, "But when you are worth billions people who might not like you will still put up with you."
So maybe Mark is no different from the land barons, oil barons and other industrialist of the late 19th and early 20th century or the bootleggers during prohibition in the 1920s who made fortunes on a product that the masses wanted or needed.
Perhaps this is just a tale of Capitalism for the 21st century... from wildcatter to internet hacker...
In 50 to 100 years or so there will be some new market to be exploited by a select few. Can anyone say biotech/engineering (cybernetics and nano tech) for mass consumption?
The seeds are being planted now as corporations are patenting human and other genes.
Anyway....go to the movie and see how happenstance, mixed with emotions, alcohol, genus and vision can change the world...
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
For People who have some life under their belt
PostedSeptember 27, 2010
I was in college when the original movie came out an was blown away by the idea that Bud was making $54,000/year. Wow! that seemed like a lot of money 25 years ago. I'd have to file for bankruptcy if I made that kind of money today.
Now with a private practice, business and personal debts, three children, one in college, having dated women with "daddy issues" (Gekko's daughter), mentors who have made it possible for me to do what I do now (Frank Langella's character), in spite of few sharks (Gordon Gekkos) along the way, it was easy to related to the characters in current version of Wall Street.
I've read a number of reviews after seeing the movie and it is clear from the less than positive ones that a person of a certain age and life experiences, inline with those of the movie characters, would have a better appreciation of the multilayered story lines and the messages.
My wife, who is generally less into the technical and financial working of the world, liked the movie better than I did because it spoke to so much of the over leveraged state of our country.
My wife is the type of person who never does what she calls "repeats" of movies in a theater (paying ticket prices twice) but she wants to go back and see it again for the dialog :-)
She and I plan to see the movie again :-)
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
"Take Me For A Ride"
PostedAugust 28, 2010
This was a good action movie with a nice mix of characters. There were elements from a number of pervious actions movies like the "Italian Job" and "Heat". But even with the "pinching" from other movies is was a "soild."
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Salty
PostedJuly 25, 2010
Good action flick.
It looks like there is a "Bourne Identity" sequel-ish element setup in the movie so be prepared for Salt II, III and maybe IV.
With the Soviet - USA angle to the flick SALT II [Treaty] would be an ironic title.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
5
/
5
Real Adult Life Stuff
PostedMay 27, 2010
This movie was for those of us (men & women) who have been around the block a couple/few times.
Being on the north side of 45 with a private practice in this economy, teenagers, ex's, new wife, etc. I could related to all of the realities touched on in the movie.
As always there was enough humor to make the realities easier to swallow and appreciate that life is serious but you can make it fun.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
3
/
5
Perfect for Target Audience
PostedAugust 10, 2009
Good for what it is.
Shoot 'em bang bang, formula story line and flirtatious innuendo. Beautiful woman with cleavage and guns - ideal for the teenage boy.
The special effects were cool but most were obviously low-budget CGI (a few notches above computer game) but suspending disbelief made it enjoyable to watch.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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Overall rating
4
/
5
Fallen
PostedJune 27, 2009
The movie was good.
Some of the language was a little graphic and suggestive sexuality made me cringe having my 12 and 13 year old daughters hear and see it.
But it is rated PG-13 so I'm not complaining but parents should be warned. It is not just robots fighting.
My girls enjoyed it and it's funny...silly parts which were just enough to balance fun and the serious themes of the movie like good vs. evil, friendship, family, love, duty, responsibility, freewill, etc.
Yes, I recommend this movie.
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