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what a rubbish review! - 29/9/2008 1:21:18 PM

eoinger

Posts: 1
Joined: 9/9/2007

I'm actually a little disappointed in Empire on this one. I nearly didn't go and see it but I did and I'm glad I did. Yes some of the scenes are a little clunky but you expect that from a European/US made movie, a la Transporter etc. It's a very enjoyable, not to be taken too seriously film. After re-reading the above review I'm quite amazed at how the reviewer is vehemently against it. Did the makers of the film slight him personally or something?

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Post #: 31

RE: what a rubbish review! - 29/9/2008 2:44:58 PM

appleby

Posts: 28
Joined: 4/3/2008

The reviews for this have baffled me, seemingly across the board critics are slamming this, everyone seems to be reading way too much into the supposedly racist subtext and so called american prejudice especially ol empire

'..on the evidence of this, they�re now either self-hating freedom-fries munchers, or just knowingly manipulating US prejudices in the name of entertainment.'

get over it, cant a reviewer, just for a change look beyond a quasi- interlectual interpretataion and see this film within the conventions of the genre.

The set pieces in Taken are as good, if not better filmed and edited, than the last ott empire 5star rated Bourne. Granted the first 20 minutes of Taken is a bit clunky and slightly sickening, but its purpose of establishing character is neccesary and once the action gets going, its aggressive in your face and well paced.

one star is Taking the piss somewhat

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Post #: 32

RE: what a rubbish review! - 29/9/2008 2:55:48 PM

Squidward Hark Bugle

Posts: 9386
Joined: 17/10/2007
From: Laurel Canyon

I didn't like this film either. All surface, no depth. One note acting and characters all around. Too brief. Action can't be seen. I did give it 2 stars though.

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Post #: 33

way off - 29/9/2008 4:19:40 PM

MalRB

Posts: 1
Joined: 26/6/2006

Not a classic but still I’d give this film 3 out of 5 stars.
A 1 star review just doesn’t make sense, me thinks Dan Jolin is axe grinding for some reason!

PS I have not posted to this site in years but could not let this one slide.

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Post #: 34

Never a one star - 29/9/2008 5:46:58 PM

adam voorhees

Posts: 4
Joined: 30/11/2006
From: London

Not a classic but still a very enjoyable action / thriller. To give this a mere one star is just biased but then again should this kind of one sided reviewing from the elitists on the Empire staff really surprise us anymore..... maybe they should give Michael Moore a job too!

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Post #: 35

Dan Jolin should be fired!!! - 29/9/2008 6:17:17 PM

regorslayer

Posts: 1
Joined: 29/9/2008

This sort of review is becoming a trend with Empire of late. Anything that is entertaining and may appeal to the masses Empire deems it 1 star. Maybe it's time the magazine reviewed its staff writers. Taken is an awesome action thriller. The fight sequences out do any of the Jason Bourne films by a mile (and I love those films, except for the 3rd one...almost a carbon copy of the 2nd). Liam Neeson does the role justice and is pretty convincing as a 'Preventer'. Hell, I reckon you gave the film a shit review because 1. the director isn't British and 2. he isn't a 'personal friend' of Empire ala Shane Meadows or Paul Greengrass.

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Post #: 36

Dan Jolin needs to get a grip - 29/9/2008 8:46:45 PM

easythighs

Posts: 1
Joined: 4/5/2008

Its a trend i've noticed latley that if a movie isnt uber intellegent empire seem to just write it off.Although most times Jolin is on the money i couldn't disagree more with his review,i think dan is taking a film like this a way too seriously,he needs to remember that this film was never supposed to Schindler 2,it's just a great poopcorn friday night movie.case cloed

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Post #: 37

RE: Dan Jolin needs to get a grip - 30/9/2008 4:30:24 PM

captainrentboy

Posts: 678
Joined: 16/3/2008
From: South Wales

Chose to ignore the Empire review and saw it last night, it was pretty darned good.
Not a masterpiece by any means just a lean and mean action/thriller. I was surprised at how effective Liam Neeson was, some of the takedowns were fairly wince inducing :)
Also have to agree with the general opinion on here that the fights/shootouts/car chase were all shot better than Bourne's, they weren't particularly long but at least I could see what the hell was happening.
The only fault was that the slightly schmaltzy opening section was juuuust about to outstay its welcome, then thankfully it all shifted up a gear and was pretty much non stop bad ass Neeson until the credits.
3/5, and certainly better than bloody Death Race.

(in reply to easythighs)

Post #: 38

RE: Way Off - 30/9/2008 5:09:32 PM

Sad Professor

Posts: 2062
Joined: 17/10/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: DavidPMcGinty

I wonder if Empire will stick to one-star when the DVD is reviewed out of principle just because of this enormously satisfying and unanimous reader backlash, or whether it will quietly amend it to the three stars it absolutely deserves.

T**** F*** were way off with their theatrical review of In Bruges, but they had the humility to admit their cock-up and bump it up to four stars for the DVD review, and even before then were referring to it as "four star movie despite what our theatrical review said".

Empire as a whole are very fickle when it comes to reviews and stars. The Passion of the Christ had a confusing review which just talked about how hard it was to review and then got the average three stars. I'd rather someone had taken a stand and said either it was a masterpiece or it was a pornographic slasher movie! Siskel of Siskel and Ebert always had a thing with giving a film either a thumbs up or down. That is, does the cinema goer want to see this, is it worth watching. None of this sitting on the fence nonsense....

When the Pianist was reviewed for the cinema release it got a fairly negative quater page 2star review. Then the Oscars came. Then the dvd came out. Empire reviews it ,full page review and a glowing 4star review.

I can accept different reviewers having different tastes, opinions etcetera and that Empire isn't just one voice and opinion but they reviewed Alexander, glowing 4star review and then a few issues later there's little digs at it in smaller articles about how crap and gay it was.

Empire's a really wierd magazine. They even had Fantastic Four 2 on the cover and had a big article about how good it might be. Yeah right....

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Post #: 39

RE: Way Off - 30/9/2008 5:52:50 PM

rupert303

Posts: 1737
Joined: 31/7/2008
From: A Big Geek Pie

Yeah, 1 star is way off the mark.

No classic, but a blood pumping actioner that isn't just CGI nonsense for once.

I thought it was enjoyable...and what more can you ask?

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Post #: 40

RE: Way Off - 30/9/2008 6:07:49 PM

Invader_Ace

Posts: 1523
Joined: 31/7/2008

I'd just like to reiterate, Empire were not the only publication to give a one star review sighting how nasty and racist the film is. So, if everyone could put away their theories about reviewers having a personal grudge and accept that perhaps, it just didn't sit well with their sensibilities.
http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/films/article.html?Taken_is_the_A-Team_all_gone_wrong&in_article_id=326621&in_page_id=27

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Post #: 41

RE: Way Off - 30/9/2008 6:17:54 PM

Sad Professor

Posts: 2062
Joined: 17/10/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: Invader_Ace

I'd just like to reiterate, Empire were not the only publication to give a one star review sighting how nasty and racist the film is. So, if everyone could put away their theories about reviewers having a personal grudge and accept that perhaps, it just didn't sit well with their sensibilities.
http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/films/article.html?Taken_is_the_A-Team_all_gone_wrong&in_article_id=326621&in_page_id=27

Got any more respectable links than to a Metro review ? A rag sheet given out free on buses! Sure they probably bought the review from Empire anyway, the top 10 of the 500 great films list was printed in Metro before Empire came out.

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Post #: 42

RE: Way Off - 30/9/2008 11:16:58 PM

Invader_Ace

Posts: 1523
Joined: 31/7/2008

2 stars from Film Four.
http://www.channel4.com/film/reviews/film.jsp?id=168209Verdict
A woeful script that wastes a wonderful leading man, this is a film that doesn't care about anything. At the end of 93 minutes, neither will you.

I'm not saying this film is bad, haven't seen it (quite fancy it), but find the attitude people are taking against the Empire Review quite weird.

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Post #: 43

RE: Way Off - 1/10/2008 12:29:44 AM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14567
Joined: 30/9/2005

I didn't think it was all that great. It was ok, the boat scene was good, but it mostly just bored me. It simply isn't as fun as the Transporter movies in my opinion,

Forgettable tosh, really. 2/5

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quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

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Post #: 44

Was Jolin having a bad day when he watched this?.... - 1/10/2008 1:20:20 AM

boredbluekoala

Posts: 418
Joined: 23/8/2006

I saw TAKEN earlier today expecting (based on Empire's review) a shockingly bad film, so I sat back and watched an enjoyable, action packed albeit disturbing revenge pic. Neeson was on commanding form and entirely believable as a parent hell bent on retrieving his daughter from a bunch of scummy criminals, the fact that they "happened" to be foriegn is not even an issue, this sort of crime goes on worldwide, largely unreported I might add. In short, this is a GOOD movie MAN ON FIRE meets THE BOURNE IDENTITY. And I'll be buying the dvd.

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Post #: 45

Suspect Review - 1/10/2008 2:26:55 PM

Flamer Anonymous

Posts: 11
Joined: 1/10/2008

My advice would be to treat Jolin's review with caution. I have re-read it a number of times and on each occasion I become more puzzled. The bile to which he refers rather comes from his review, not the movie itself.
Granted, not everyone always gets Luc Besson, but there are classic touches here and much to admire in this admittedly barmy yet thoroughly entertaining romp.

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Post #: 46

Suspect Review - 1/10/2008 2:39:31 PM

Flamer Anonymous

Posts: 11
Joined: 1/10/2008

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Post #: 47

- 1/10/2008 7:57:37 PM

Dr Lenera

Posts: 3448
Joined: 19/10/2005

Although the opening 'set-up' scenes are a little clunky, this becomes a hugely enjoyable thriller with lots of old school action stageed with modern-style editing [but you can still see it, unlike in many other films these days]. Liam Neeson is terrific and surprisingly convincing as he shoots and punches his way through Paris and baddies you just can't wait to see perish, and the violence is effectively brutal without dwelling on the gore. The charges of racism and misogny are ridiculous in a film like this which is just supposed to be a load of guilty fun. Take out a painful subplot involving Holly Valance, and you have a great example of it's kind.

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Post #: 48

Someone Doesn�t like action flicks - 2/10/2008 10:29:04 AM

Al Coe

Posts: 1
Joined: 6/10/2005

I am not sure why Jolin gave Taken such a bad review it's a bit baffling he must have been having a bad Monday or something , I really enjoyed Taken and it had plenty of thrills and action and fight scenes throughout, Liam Neason was excellent as the ex agent trying to track down his daughter, true it has a basic story but what�s wrong with that,(Crank , shoot em up anyone) I have seen films that have got 4 and 5 star reviews and ended up being total rubbish so would not always trust them. it seems if the storyline isn�t super intelligent with loads of plot twists it just gets written off, just take a look back at some of the action movies from the 70�s and 80�s pure no brainer action with little story, people love that sometimes.
I would definitely recommend Taken and it deservers at least a 3 star review and Jolin's negative review is just putting people off going to see a very enjoyable action movie.

< Message edited by Al Coe -- 2/10/2008 10:38:16 AM >

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Post #: 49

Dear Dan Jolin - 3/10/2008 10:11:52 AM

hopefulboks

Posts: 1
Joined: 13/11/2007
From: Crawley

My view on Taken- Three Stars, good suspense, excellent action, Neeson completely believable in the role, Script-Diabolically bad.
Maybe I don't know how to evaluate movies anymore but nothing in any of the advertising for the role led me to believe that it was anything else than an action thriller, on which it delivers exceptionally well. Please could Empire get Dan to drop me an email to explain exactly how the sentiment portrayed in this film differs from say Lethal weapon in terms of Racism. I'm South African and I never took offence at the film(except maybe for the crap accents) but it never took away from the enjoyment of the type of film it set out to be. Please explain as I am a little confused and need to be shooled in the art of film Evaluation.

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Post #: 50

Empire got it wrong! - 3/10/2008 7:38:31 PM

kalel6000

Posts: 21
Joined: 26/6/2006

This is aint no one star movie, on the whole very entertaining! Sure there were some bits that were truly unbelievable but the action and neeson in particular more than make up for those shortcomings. Seriously considering not buying empire from now on! Total Bullshit Review!

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Post #: 51

RE: Empire got it wrong! - 4/10/2008 9:25:35 PM

kingoftheducks

Posts: 643
Joined: 30/9/2005

I haven't commented on here for a little while and though it is no classic or essential viewing I do think Empire's review is a tad excessively harsh, I can see where Taken may offend some delicate sensibilities, and in some ways it is xenophobic, but at the same time are you suggesting that all the characters Neeson meets on his quest to save his daughter should be supplanted by Americans? Is it xenophobic that France is populated by the French? And also, one character that Neeson meets on his journey into the world of human trafficking (despite having a French name) was an American.

Also the reviewer seems to have missed the fact that Holly Valance's character's name was Sheerah, it was quite clearly written on the door to her dressing room and on the business card she gave to Neeson. But that's just a small point.

I thought it was a solid and satisfying little thriller with a quite bleak and disturbing plot, at times there was an awkward collision between these two things, but I think the reality and despair underlying the action made Neeson's character's quest are the more cathartic once the violence began.

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Post #: 52

VERY dodgy review - ignore Dan Jolin, go see the film, ... - 4/10/2008 10:32:49 PM

TheRiderSoMysterious

Posts: 3
Joined: 4/10/2008

1 out of 5?!?!?

I am so glad I ignored Empires review/advice on this film.

True that the script is not the best (but by no means the worst) and it is rather to gooey and sentimental at times but the film deserves at least a 3 out 5 for the action/fight and chase scenes alone. And its worth watching for Liam Neeson's fantastic (and very convincing) performance.

If you love action films with awesome, convincing fight scenes, fantastic chase scenes you will like this film so go and see it in the cinema or buy it on DVD. Simple as that.

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Post #: 53

RE: Way Off - 5/10/2008 2:40:25 PM

Shifty Bench

Posts: 14567
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: Invader_Ace

I'd just like to reiterate, Empire were not the only publication to give a one star review sighting how nasty and racist the film is.

Mark Kermode said it was racist rubbish too.

Any film that tries to make us buy Maggie Grace as a 17 year old deserves all the shit it gets

_____________________________

quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b
You have a nice face, Shifty. A face I would have a cup of tea with.

quote:

ORIGINAL: porntrooper
Shifty said it best

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Post #: 54

Dan Jolin is full of crap. - 5/10/2008 10:00:14 PM

jediboi67

Posts: 4
Joined: 21/3/2006

Every review this man gives is overwhelmingly negative - he's far too busy pandering to the reviewing glitterazi and is ensuring that he'll end up with a job revewing for The Times or The Guardian.

It wasn't the best film, but it was an entertaining 90 mins or so. I think Mr jolin should stick to what he does best - trash movies to get himself a hardline reputation....poor deluded sod.

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Post #: 55

Dan Jolin - 6/10/2008 3:46:35 PM

IrishC

Posts: 229
Joined: 6/10/2008

Dan, I'm not a typical movie fanboy who is gonna come on here spitting venom based on a bad review. I'm educated, probably more so than you, I love movies and I'm as impartial and unbiased as anyone could be about such things, so when I say this, it must have gravity, because you sir, are an idiot. Your movie review is so hypocritically trying to be an advocate of anti-xenophobia, and yet its full of anti american bullshit. Cant you see the irony in your ridiculous stance on this movie?

Had you taken your "I hate Bush" glasses off for a second and taken your head out of your ass you might have enjoyed a thouroughly decent action movie. There is no way on earth this movie deserved one star. Empire should seriously consider axing you to be frank, its the worst review I've ever read, and its obvious you were intent on disliking this movie from the outset. Your bosses should be worried mate, it was a terrible assessment - even the college intern student at our local paper wrote a better more savy review for this last week - he's 17 - and even he understands that action movies need a premise which is beyond ridiculous to work in the first place.

I really dont know how you got this job. Movie reviewers should have an ecclectic taste and an appreciation for all kinds of movies. They should be able to suspend disbelief and accept contrived story arcs for certain genres as a neccessary component of what makes these things fun in the first place. There was no lessons to be learnt from this movie, no greater message and no one really was dumb enough to think anyone leaving the cinema would be duped into thinking visiting Paris is dangerous. It was a bloody action movie you fool.

Suffice to say I'll be clevery doing the juxtaposition to what your recommendations are in future. Reviews like this give Empire a bad name, because quite clearly, as all the outrage shows, you are way wide of the mark.

Maybe you should go back to making tea for people

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Post #: 56

Funny review - 8/10/2008 12:02:15 PM

SuperTONES

Posts: 15
Joined: 27/7/2006

I dont agree with Dan on everything, but I did think it was s funny review. I seriously had a good laugh. Poor script about a one man army who walks through movie killing everything. Way too easy detective work that borders on pathetic, I would rather wach CSI for free at home.

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Post #: 57

RE: Dan Jolin - 8/10/2008 12:24:50 PM

the anomaly

Posts: 6398
Joined: 20/6/2006

quote:

ORIGINAL: IrishC

Dan, I'm not a typical movie fanboy who is gonna come on here spitting venom based on a bad review. I'm educated, probably more so than you, I love movies and I'm as impartial and unbiased as anyone could be about such things, so when I say this, it must have gravity, because you sir, are an idiot. Your movie review is so hypocritically trying to be an advocate of anti-xenophobia, and yet its full of anti american bullshit. Cant you see the irony in your ridiculous stance on this movie?

Had you taken your "I hate Bush" glasses off for a second and taken your head out of your ass you might have enjoyed a thouroughly decent action movie. There is no way on earth this movie deserved one star. Empire should seriously consider axing you to be frank, its the worst review I've ever read, and its obvious you were intent on disliking this movie from the outset. Your bosses should be worried mate, it was a terrible assessment - even the college intern student at our local paper wrote a better more savy review for this last week - he's 17 - and even he understands that action movies need a premise which is beyond ridiculous to work in the first place.

I really dont know how you got this job. Movie reviewers should have an ecclectic taste and an appreciation for all kinds of movies. They should be able to suspend disbelief and accept contrived story arcs for certain genres as a neccessary component of what makes these things fun in the first place. There was no lessons to be learnt from this movie, no greater message and no one really was dumb enough to think anyone leaving the cinema would be duped into thinking visiting Paris is dangerous. It was a bloody action movie you fool.

Suffice to say I'll be clevery doing the juxtaposition to what your recommendations are in future. Reviews like this give Empire a bad name, because quite clearly, as all the outrage shows, you are way wide of the mark.

Maybe you should go back to making tea for people

SPOILERS

To an extent yes. With a decent setup and explanation of the "world" of the film then yes there are many things I would be able to accept. The detective work in this film is just lazy.
At the start of the film the person who abducts the main characters daughter say's "good luck" to him on the phone. The main character then plays this recording to one of his ex spy mates who tracks the guys I.D down from just two words on the phone....Come off it! That was terrible. Now if there was some kind of set up where he sent the audio to his mate he was still a spy who then explained it would take some time on some mega database of audio from previous criminals etc then I could believe it a bit more. But no he tracks so much information about him just from two words of audio and what looks like at his home computer in seconds. Just an example of a bit of lazy detective work.

One of my main problems at the start of the film was just how the attitude of his ex wife suddenly changes. At the start of the film the lead character can not even hand a birthday present directly to his daughter due to his ex wife's attittude towards him. Yet once she is kidnapped the ex wife and her current husband give Liam's character full reigins to get their daughter back? Seriously? They really suddenly trusted him that much? Not only that but it was not only their daughters life at stake. It was their daughters friend too. What about her parents? How would they feel knowing that the authorites were not contacted once their child had been abducted in another country. That instead a lone ex U.S spy was going to get her back? Come off it. Being the ex husband and all he should have had to go it alone without anyone elses permission. With his ex spy mates being still in action so they could help him out here and there.

All this leads to the ending...terrible...no repercussions for his actions? Also the whole sub plot with the singer was such a waste of film. That was truly terrible. No place for it in the film. After her terrible and traumatic ordeal the daughter is happy to try and become a huge singing senstation? Not afraid of being kidnapped and becomming more of a target?

For me all this film had was some half decent action. A one man army. Which combat wise was ok. Apart from that not a lot else. Sorry about forgetting all the names I will have to go and make this a bit more clear.

< Message edited by the anomaly -- 8/10/2008 12:54:40 PM >

(in reply to IrishC)

Post #: 58

Overly harsh review - 8/10/2008 3:25:51 PM

RMJ85

Posts: 1
Joined: 8/10/2008

I felt compelled to register with empire just to write this...

I got forced to go and see this film, despite warnings from friends that the trailer was appalling, and that empire had given it 1 star. Maybe this was why I was extra surprised to find that I really, really enjoyed it. It hooked my attention and had me on the end of my seat throughout the whole duration of the film.

Dan Jolin describes Bryan as "creepily obsessing" and, "agonising over the fact that she (his daughter) wants to spend her summer holidaying in Europe. Terrifying, terrifying Europe."
Not that I'm a failed parent OR an ex governmental spy, but I could imagine that this combination would make for a rather overly paranoid and wary father. As I said I'm not a parent, but if my 17 year old child wanted to go to the other side of the world on their own they could forget it. I fail to see how Dan Jolin could not empathise with this???

I suppose some of Bryan's actions and words might be considered by some as OTT and a little too hollywood, but I think I just tolerated the fact that his daughter had just been kidnapped to be used as a crack whore - and he was just a little bit peed off about it. I appreciated the conveyed paternal instinct and ruthlessness at finding his child, rather than some action hero going on the rampage for no apparent reason. I found it very moving.

I say good plot, good acting, and good action scenes.

Maybe I gave it a 4 rather than a 3.5 after being so pleasantly surprised that it was not in fact a one star film. I think the key to the film being considered credible and compelling rather than exagerated, is to sympathise with the character's parental instinctupon realising his daughter has been taken. Think "Bourne Identity," but 10 times more personal. I guess Dan Jolin doesn't have kids....

Maybe not for everyone, but definitely not 1 star.

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Post #: 59

Taken.....For a ride by the reviewer! - 8/10/2008 6:12:41 PM

nortonglr

Posts: 73
Joined: 18/10/2005

Dan Jolin! Way off the mark fella. The premise is simple, characters stereotypical, the father/daughter relationship paint by numbers. But this is an action movie and a good one. It certainly is not as twisted as some of the stuff that gets reviewed month in and month out- with better write-ups from you and your colleagues. There are plenty of scum-bag, cardboard cut-out figures from many a different racial/EU background in this film. The "shooting" an innocent character was a shock, but it was a "flesh wound" i.e. graze rather than a bullet in the arm or leg. Given the "clock ticking" circumstances, it was a quick lesson to his pal to talk. Check it out for yourselves people-its worth a look.

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Post #: 60