Well it's about time. Finally, a movie I can slam.
But where do I start? How about a list (in no
particualar order)?
1. Brilliant special effects showing, for example,
in slow motion, the devistating effects on the human (enemy) body of an
anti-personnel mine, followed immediately by the "hero" of the piece surviving
20 similar explosions, dirtied but unharmed.
2. Owen Wilson's makeup plastered on so thick
you could see it.
3. The "hero" running from the bad guys for three
days without sleeping or eating and with only a 100ml bottle of water
- which he disguarded when empty.
4. Evading concentrated, sustained fire from a
platoon-sized group with tank and BMP support.
5. After evading this firepower, by running in
a straight line, stops to contemplate something, turns and runs back into
the fire, defending himself with a 9mm pistol.
6. Of all the concentrated firepower, only one
shot scores any kind of hit - a massive concrete statue hit perfectly
in the heart - 50 feet above the actual target.
7. A whole reconnaissance mission digitally recorded
on a half-sized CD which, for some obscure reason, was located in an ejection
seat.
8. Numerous, annoying flashbacks to remind us
of crucial facts - because we are too dumb to put two and two together.
9. A plot with potential not delivered by quite
lame acting performances all round.
10. The cool, bad-ass, bad-guy sniper who, having
missed several sitting-duck opportunities, goes to pieces at the end when
the pressure is on.
11. The same bad ass bad guy, after being shot
half a dozen times in the chest by a 9mm pistol, still finds the energy
for a fist fight.
12. Big issue made of hero walking on thin ice,
yet when the platoon of bad guys with their tank and BMP support turn
up, not one falls through the ice.
All in all this was not a good movie.
While it did have some good special effects and
a fair bit of action, it was all way over the top in true (annoying) Hollywood
fashion. The actual plot had a good deal of potential but it was not delivered
in any believable sense.
It also has to be said that the general level
of acting performance was quite lame as well, with, surprisingly and dissapointingly,
Gene Hackman included here.
Take my advice. Wait for Black Hawk Down.
Two out of Five.
I got the following e-mail from a fan (?). Well
at least someone reads my stuff!
Sgt Haritgan I thought I
would like to respond to your scathing critique of Behind Enemy Lines.
Normally I tend to agree with your critique of movies, especially as you
avoid the sort of elitism that characterises many film critics.
I just want to say that I quite enjoyed Behind Enemy Lines. It
sustained suspense and a sense of danger throughout.
I agree that the last scene was a bit of typical American bravado, however,
I thought the presentation of the brutality of the Balkan conflicts and
the sustained pace of the chase was well done. As were the special effects
which did something similar to Three Kings but managed to avoid
the wierdness of that movie.
In fact I thought that they were as well done as Private Ryan or
Blackhawk Down. The fact that his water bottle was a bit like the
six guns in fifties westerns and his apparent lack of need for sleep was
perhaps a little over done but to do anything else may have spoiled the
sense of suspense and danger in the chase. In closing, this comes as a
contribution from someone who enjoys your movie reviews and I will get
along to see Spy Game which is still running at Greater Union Civic.
Regards
Padre Geoff Webb
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