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01 November 2011

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William R. Cumming

I liked and watched two times separated by years. Perhaps it was the sweat stained MONICA--or that's right horses sweat, men perspire, and women glow!

Bobby Murray

Brilliant!

RLKirtley

You mention Bruce's hair and it made me remember that I liked him early on,but read a article about him being on one of the late night talk shows and having 12 people with him and 4 of them were his 'hair' people.This was when we weren't supposed to notice that he had a butter dish sized bald spot.A little after that I read that he and Demi had used 3 cameras and a director for the birth of one of their kids!Buh Bye Bruce!One more. I remember reading about Jennifer Lopaz being on a photo shoot in Paris and having a 20+ member team with a eyebrow person.an asst.eyebrow person and a asst. asst. eyebrow person.

Bill H.

I can't decide which I like better, the movie (which I have watched several times) or your review of it (the link to which I have distributed widely to my friends). Bruce Willis does an amazing variety of roles, all of which are somehow pretty much identical, and all of which are great fun.

Medicine Man

I think I largely agree with you, Mr. Farrell.

Like you, my main beef with this movie was the boilerplate plot and the boilerplate sanctimony. While I don't have an objection to sanctimony on principle, nor do I think that a form-factor plot automatically dooms a movie, but I just found both grating in this one.

As you point out, Monica Bellucci's character comes across as a strangely well-dressed, photogenic humanitarian who spends the movie exhaling fiery idealism. This is the sort of idealism I expect to see come from people who are more concerned with their principles than the horror and desperation of their situation. Not Monica's fault, I think, but more the product of a character who was written to be instantly recognizable to any frequent moviegoer.

What I *really* liked about this movie though were the two major action set pieces. Both were very well directed (imo) and were good examples of how to tell a story using action sequences instead of dialog or narration. I also personally found these sequences gut-wrenching (YMMV).

The ravaged village scene is pretty anvilicious. The movie is guilty of blatantly manipulating its viewer in this but the nastiness does handily set up the nearly immediate comeuppance. "How would these goons handle a straight up fight with a prepared, professional adversary," I wonder while watching the horror? The following assault, gloriously one-sided, is the movie's answer.

Naturally, I also found the movie's finale pretty powerful. I won't go into great detail, as I've already yammered quite a bit, but I like a good Leonidas homage and this one was well done.

Thanks for the review, Mr Farrell.

Stephanie

The movie is ideologically all over the place but great action set pieces. I can't really take Bruce Willis seriously in a serious context either, unless you count Pulp Fiction and in that one he wasn't required to carry the movie.

Speaking of Irish nuns in exotic locations, check out Deborah Kerr as the fetching Sister Clodagh in Black Narcissus. Also features young Jean Simmons as a saucy native wench. You won't be sorry.

turcopolier

Stephanie

"The movie is ideologically all over the place" whose ideology? yours? Who cares about your ideology? I suppose it is the usual bleeding heart anti-colonial crap. pl

Bill H.

Well if you want Deborah Kerr as a nun in an exotic setting, I'd go for her with Robert Mitchum in "Heaven Knows Mister Allison."

William R. Cumming

Black Narcissus next up on my Netflix DVD queue! Thanks Stephanie!

William R. Cumming

Just watched Black Narcissus. WOW! Talk about a set! Looking good in far off places both DK and JS! Thanks again one that I missed perhaps because I was only 5 years old.

DK will really be a habit of mine after seeing her struggle to survice with Bob Mitchum on a Japanese held island for the 3rd time.

Long time no see for TEA and Sympathy also. Somewhat controversial at time of its release.

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