Ed's Review Dot Com

Informant Europe SPRL, European Film Company, Umedia,

Jim Sturgess, Sam Worthington, Ryan Kwanten, Anthony Hopkins, Mark van Eeuwen, Tom Cocquerel, Jemima West

This docudrama is based on the real 1983 Kidnapping of Beer king Alfred Heineken, which in 1983 resulted in the largest ransom ever paid for a hostage. A group of buddies led by Cor Van Hout (Jim Sturgess) and Willem Holleeder (Sam Worthington). They planned this kidnapping for several years, and started off with a bank robbery to net them the money needed for the grandaddy of all heists, that of Belgian King of Hops himself and his chauffeur. Freddy is played by Anthony Hopkins They hold the captives for several weeks while they figure out a way to get off with all the money. This story follows the planning and execution of the kidnapping as well as the eventual outcomes and separation of the group.

This docudrama was hit pretty hard by the critics for a couple of reasons. I didn’t find it all that bad. The main complaints were how quickly the robbery and kidnapping happened. I think people were looking for a heist movie, which this wasn’t. Since this was a true story, they focused on the facts of the case. Most of the time is spent on the difficulty in keeping the hostages, and the trickiest part of the job, trying to pick up the ransom without being caught. Then after they have it, how to safely release the hostages and flee the country. Perhaps even more so, is the problem of keeping secrets from your family and friends. The extremes that these guys had to go through were ridiculous. This movie is a perfect mix between documentary and drama, but unlike a well written fictitious heist movie, this film goes deeper. They had real problems, and did not have a Hollywood screenwriter to bail them out. I felt the performances were pretty good, although I don’t know much about Alfred Heineken, but I must wonder if Anthony Hopkins was the right choice in casting to play him. He doesn’t seem a bit Belgian. Still, his role isn’t exactly minor ,but he doesn’t have a lot of screen time, and most of what he does is monologue since none of the kidnappers wanted to risk having him hear their voices. They kept silent around him. So certainly Mr. Hopkins has the chops to pull off the soliloquies. All in all, not a hit by any means, but at the same time, it was better than the average documentary on a subject. I enjoyed it, and I wasn’t disappointed, so if you are interested, give it a go.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Focus Features, Film4, Cowboy Films,

Jude Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, David Threlfall

Robinson (Jude Law) is a salvage recovery specialist. When he’s suddenly laid off from the company he has dedicated his life to, sacrificing his family and a normal life without warning, he’s very angry. But when he learns of an opportunity to lead a team mostly made up of Russian submariners under the Black Sea to steal millions in gold bars in a sunken German U-Boat, he jumps at the chance. But as they spend more and more time silently sneaking under the sea in a rickety old Russian sub, the teams start to turn on each other driven by misunderstanding and greed, things turn very dangerous.

This is a rather unique submarine voyage. The language barrier between the English sailors and the Russian crew brings us into the suspense, and it is a suspenseful journey. Yeah, there are some weak points, and the performances are not actually stellar, but everyone tries to pull together to give us an undersea adventure. Some of it was filmed in an actual sub, so it’s very authentic looking. The suspense if real, and it’s not actually a bad movie. It appears this has to be an indie film, and the tight shots in the crowded sub will feed your claustrophobia if you suffer from that. I am not really sure what just didn’t click for me in this movie. For some reason I was interested, but not invested in the story. It’s just hard to put my finger on it. The underwater action was good and suspenseful, and the danger seemed well enough. There were just some technical stuff that seemed really far fetched. Some parts were rushed, and the ending was a bit much to swallow. But all in all, I think it’s a good enough job to recommend if you’re interested, to give it a shot. If you’re interested in a classic heist story with the twist of taking place under the Russian navy in the midst of the Black Sea, then there’s enough to make this an enjoyable film.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Lionsgate, SJ Heat Productions, Sierra / Affinity,

Jason Statham, Michael Angarano, Dominik Garcia-Lorido, Jason Alexander, Sophia Vergara, Stanley Tucci

Nick Wild (Jason Statham) is a bodyguard with a gambling problem. But he works in Las Vegas, so that can’t be too good. Nick is known for his fighting skills and the fact that he never needs to use a gun. He can kill with a spoon and fork, or a plate, or an ash tray. But when a friend is beaten by her boyfriend, Nick steps in to help, without realizing that the boyfriend is the son of a big mob boss. They come after him, but he’s still a bad ass and he still has a few cards up his sleeve.

This is a run of the mill action film set in Vegas to add a little interest to the film. Jason Stratham’s movies are getting a lot similar these days, and this guy really deserves a good script. Ok, there is a market for crime stories with big tough heroes to fill up the late night time slots on the premium channels, but this is really not worth the effort to seek this thing out. It’s not bad, but it’s just not very good either. I mean, this was just ho-hum all the way. I’ve seen this all before again and again, and this is just another one. It’s a good idea that is just so run of the mill it’s tragic. With good actors in this thing, like Jason Alexander and Stanley Tucci, you would think they would bring something to it, but they barely appear in the film, and it’s just to setup the big final fight scene that is just plain silly by that point. I don’t recommend this film, that is unless you’re up late watching Showtime, and you’ve seen everything else that’s on. Sorry.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Bold Films,

Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Kevin Rahm, Riz Ahmed

Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a young man living on his own and trying anything to make ends meet. On one evening he runs across an accident, and watches the “Nightcrawlers” the loners who track police calls to compete for live action footage to sell to the TV stations. Louis is a fast learner and listens and catches on quickly to become the top guy in the business. But does Louis go a little too far over the line of what is appropriate? This is the dark side of TV news.

This movie did very well in the theaters. I was really not clear what it was even about. I thought it some kind of war film. So when the DVD arrived, I had no expectations going in. I was stunned by the depth of this film. It’s very, very dark, and extremely realistic. The accidents, tragedies, and crimes are very realistically depicted, and it is VERY intense and quite deserving of the R rating. But I think the thing that impressed me so much was the depth of the character that Jake plays. We really get to the bottom of this character, yet even at the end, we’re not sure if he’s the cleverest guy we’ve ever seen, or if he’s totally mad. Rene Russo has the role of a local TV News producer who feeds on the stuff Louis brings in even though it’s borderline illegal. Bill Paxton is the mentor that he naturally turns on, but steal from all the time. But the suspense is very intense, and the story is very well written. Jake really pulls it off, and the story is not a nice one, but it’s riveting from start to end. Not since “The Talented Mr. Ripley” has there been a character as sneaky as Louis Bloom. This is an awesome film and very well worth seeking out as it’s very nicely done.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Eone Films,

Katie Holmes, James Badge Dale, Callan Mulvey, Jean Smart, Tyler Corbet

Miss Meadows (Katie Holmes) is a charming and gentle school teacher with one bad quality. She cannot stand bad manners, and if she see’s someone is guilty, she won’t hesitate to blow their brains out. Things are going along smoothly until she meets and falls for the local sheriff (James Bedge Dale) who is catching on to who is committing all the killings around time and tries to get her to stop. But when they go after her elementary school kids, Miss Meadows isn’t about to let that go down.

This is a very strange film. It’s very, very quirky, and is certainly a very dark comedy. But there’s something so outrageous about the whole thing, that it’s fascinating to watch. I don’t know what prompted Katie Holmes to take this role, as she had to know it was not going to bring her a lot of attention, but I imagine it was a great deal of fun to do. The town and the sets look like something out of Pleasantville or Leave It To Beaver, but Katie’s grace and charm is such a contrast to her unflinching killing that it is absurd in a good way. If you’re a fan of dark comedies, this is a really good one. I can imagine a lot of people will not understand it, and will be off put by the whole story line, yet those who can get the joke will enjoy this very unusual adventure through absurdity. Katie really does a great job in a most incredible role. I can recommend this to those who love the silly. It’s a very unusual movie and one that’s a lot of fun if you just go with it.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog