Ostriig on 25/9/2008 at 19:25
Right. Disappointing. Went to see this movie just a couple of hours earlier. I saw Heat some time ago, a couple of times, actually, and I fucking loved it. Well thought up, well executed, they both played beautifully. Naturally, I had high hopes when it came to the second movie featuring both De Niro and Pacino. It really was the first movie I've been passionately looking forward to for a long while now. But I ended up feeling like I was holding a copy of Invisible War all over again.
The movie definitely has some high points. The ending was quite good, and I was rather enthusiastic about seeing 50 pence have his brains blow out, his horrible performance enough of a reason for it, but for the most part it was mediocre. It's strange seeing these two great actors playing roles that don't really fit them, surprising as that may be, which is emphasized by them being on the same side for most of the film. The only time they stand out is when they are opposite, confrontational (sort of), a bit like the diner scene in Heat. Aside from that, I felt the story was overall quite poor, barely saved by that plot twist in the denouement, and that the other characters, too, were poorly developed and quite forgettable.
I don't know, I'd just hoped for more. So I guess I felt like sharing my frustration. Anyone else seen this one?
N'Al on 25/9/2008 at 19:49
Quote Posted by Ostriig
Naturally, I had high hopes when it came to the second movie featuring both De Niro and Pacino.
(
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071562/)
Third, actually. ;)
Ostriig on 25/9/2008 at 20:45
Point, I misspoke. I meant a movie where they play together in the same scene, face to face. :)
Scots Taffer on 25/9/2008 at 23:44
If you went to see this expecting anything other than trash, you have no one to blame but yourself. Even the trailer left me utterly cold.
Angel Dust on 26/9/2008 at 00:58
Both those actors have been more than a little off with their choices in the last 10 years and as soon as I saw that this film was being directed by Jon Avnet the hack responsible for the apparently, I didn't actually see it but the trailer looked truely awful and the reviews only confirmed my suspicions, atrocious '88 minutes' I had zero interest in seeing this film.
On a somewhat related note I re-watched 'Heat' last week and it's still aces.
Scots Taffer on 26/9/2008 at 01:24
I watched Heat again maybe six months ago and found it to be really, really flabby and overwrought in a lot of places, but the robbery is still one of the best action sequences ever filmed.
Angel Dust on 26/9/2008 at 04:50
I can see how someone could see it that way, overwrought, but I think it totally works. It's just a super stylish, lurid and willfully unrealistic cops 'n' robbers epic. I feel it's not really that disimilar in that regard to 'The Untouchables' although tonally they are quite different films.
N'Al on 26/9/2008 at 08:19
Quote Posted by Angel Dust
I can see how someone could see it that way, overwrought, but I think it totally works. It's just a super stylish, lurid and willfully unrealistic cops 'n' robbers epic. I feel it's not really that disimilar in that regard to 'The Untouchables' although tonally they are quite different films.
This.
Scots Taffer on 26/9/2008 at 09:12
Bear in mind, it's still a good crime movie - I just found chunks of it to be unnecessary and wanky.
Ostriig on 26/9/2008 at 12:10
Quote Posted by Scots Taffer
If you went to see this expecting anything other than trash, you have no one to blame but yourself. Even the trailer left me utterly cold.
I suppose. I got the first cold chill up my spine when I was looking on imdb for a release date and saw that Mr. "I survived 9 bullets 'cause they shot me in the head" was the third billed on the credits. The second warning sign came to late - the intro scene with them at the firing range, it felt...
wrong. I never saw a trailer, a synopsis, or who was directing, I never imagined what to expect. I just bought into the "Pacino and De Niro" hype and
wanted it to be good.
As for Heat, sure, it has that overly glamorous attitude about it, but I'm with Angel Dust, it totally works for it.