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Biggest plot-hole in history of man. Yes, really. - 11/7/2010 9:47:21 PM

Elvine

Posts: 15
Joined: 23/11/2005

Sooo... there are gods involved, and somehow they decided to exterminate almost all living things 30 years ago. People probably sort of were offended by this, because all the books about the gods were burned. Then the gods send a warrior with super natural powers to make the people start liking the gods again, and all that's needed for this is spreading the last remaining book about said gods to the the survivors of the apocalypse.

I'd like to know why the gods decided on killing everyone except the cast of Harry Potter and a couple of cats. Also, I'd like to know why anyone would ever be interested in giving those gods a second chance.

But I suppose the filmmakers are catering for an audience that don't really have a problem with illogical and irrational plots and evil, spiteful gods. At least not as long as it's based on the Bible.

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Post #: 91

RE: Biggest plot-hole in history of man. Yes, really. - 27/7/2010 1:34:13 PM

UTB

Posts: 9044
Joined: 30/9/2005

I really enjoyed this. I can understand why some found it dull (which I didn't) and others found it preachy (which I did on occasion).

**Spoiler**
There are a few minor things (Mila Kunis is fucking awful in anything), and the reveal at the end is so out of the blue that it really is implausible (there is a flashback sequence where you can clearly see Denzel looking at things & people). I think it would have been much better if he had not been blind but had still taught himself to read braille - this would have been more acceptable and less fantastical.

**End Spoiler**

That said, the performances from Denzel and Oldman are exceptional, Oldman really brings more than just token-bad-guy to it.

Well worth a watch.

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Post #: 92

RE: Biggest plot-hole in history of man. Yes, really. - 27/7/2010 8:37:48 PM

kenada_woo

Posts: 1669
Joined: 30/9/2005

quote:

ORIGINAL: UTB

I really enjoyed this. I can understand why some found it dull (which I didn't) and others found it preachy (which I did on occasion).

**Spoiler**
There are a few minor things (Mila Kunis is fucking awful in anything), and the reveal at the end is so out of the blue that it really is implausible (there is a flashback sequence where you can clearly see Denzel looking at things & people). I think it would have been much better if he had not been blind but had still taught himself to read braille - this would have been more acceptable and less fantastical.

**End Spoiler**

That said, the performances from Denzel and Oldman are exceptional, Oldman really brings more than just token-bad-guy to it.

Well worth a watch.

This.

Massive fan of the Hughes Brothers (I think Dead Presidents is one of the all time underrated movies ever made) and the film, while rather linear and offers nothing new idea wise - is visually catching and slick and holds some superb action sequences with a great score. Denzil is a complete and utter cold and bad-arse sunofabitch - which I loved.

The ending is fine, nothing earth shattering but makes you wanna go back and watch it again to tru and rip holes into it haha.

Anyway, very entertaining movie with Denzil is super-bad lad mode.

***/*****

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Post #: 93

Too many questions..... - 30/7/2010 11:45:07 PM

Bubba76

Posts: 205
Joined: 30/9/2005

Lots of **SPOILERS**

He walked for 30 odd YEARS to get a cross America??? (makes sense if he was blind because he wouldn't have a clue where he was going!! LOL)
A bazillion people shoot at him and miss??? (I don't buy that he was being protected by "higher powers")
How did he get out of the room that he was locked in? How did Solara get out of the cavern that she was locked in??
He's Blind??? REALLY???

I'm all for fantastical films with outlandish plots but this one really takes the biscuit!!! Not impressed! :-(

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Post #: 94

RE: Ive Changed My Mind - 31/7/2010 5:39:47 PM

Johnny_A

Posts: 45
Joined: 27/7/2010
From: Chicago Burbs

4 outta 5 stars.

Denzel, Gary, even Mila for purely eye candy's sake (her mom too lol), were all good to watch. Never got bored at all. The action was sweet and Denzel taking on a mob of thugs (repeatedly) was very cool. The first one underneath the bridge in the shade was awesome to watch, though not much was seen. The sound fx was nice too. It was sorta reminiscent of Chan Wook Park. Did I mention Mila Kunis? Yeah, she's hot.
But the best thing about the movie, apart from the great visuals and action and pseudo epicness, was the music. The music kept the movie going and echoed music of movies I've seen before but cannot place. The music is certainly similar to the stuff I already listen to.
I liked the twist at the end, but was sorta disappointed that the city and its inhabitants weren't explored more. Denzel reciting the Bible word for word evoked memories of mythology I've read over the years. The scope of the movie itself wasn't epic, though I suspect it was perhaps what it strive'd towards. It wanted to be epic, but just couldn't reach that plateau. High marks for trying though. I felt the attempt which left me wistfully wishing that it could've made it there. Oh well.

< Message edited by Johnny_A -- 31/7/2010 5:41:51 PM >

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Post #: 95

The Book of Eli: Film Review - 8/8/2010 6:25:42 PM

Matthew Pattinson

Posts: 8
Joined: 8/8/2010
From: Grimsby, Lincolnshire

The Book of Eli: Film Review

Whence the skies open all hell will rain down on mankind�.

The Book of Eli is one of those movies both hard to love and hard to hate. Where your compass lands will depend on whether your filmic taste buds are partial to a bit of the post-apocalyptic.

It just so happens, mine are.

Yet The Book of Eli left a bittersweet taste and I couldn't shake the feeling that I would have been better off investing two hours in John Carpenter's Escape from New York.

The Book of Eli: A Post-Apocalyptic Wasteland

I can't really think of many movies in the post-apocalyptic canon which are devoid of faults. Given that the genre stems largely from B-movie making, mistakes are to be expected. In fact, mistakes are to be welcomed.

It is, after all, part of the charm.

It'll come as no surprise then that The Book of Eli is more uneven than a Jaffa Cake. Sure, the Hughes brothers imbue their barren wasteland with some fresh stylish fun, but once the dust settles there is little to write home about.

The central character, played by Denzel Washington, spent three decades wandering dystopian America. Washington chops his way through an array of unsavoury characters in his quest to protect a sacred book.

Picture Bill Bryson with a samurai sword.

The Book of Eli has a number of things going in its favour. The Hughes brothers, for instance, neatly avoid the trappings of bullet-time which has annoyingly become a staple of actions films post-Matrix. While the 300-eseque camera filter occasionally distracts, the uncomplicated action brings a fresh air to what is admittedly a tired genre.

The settings are great, it's thematically simple and the biblical card isn't overplayed.

That's the good, what about the bad�?

Where the film falls down is Denzel 'Mumbles-A-Lot' Washington's take on a largely uninspired character. It is only fair to recognise that Mr Mumbles spent 30 years roaming the deserted plains of America. Who's going to feel sociable after that?

The 'strong silent hero' role marks a clear nod to a litany of films including Sergio Leone's 'Dollars Trilogy' � 'The Man with No Name' wasn't really the talking type either.

Cast your mind back to Clint Eastwood's masterful depiction of the complex gunslinger. Eastwood achieved emotional resonance through action, not words. Washington, on the other hand, phones-in a lacklustre performance, mumbling his way through the majority of a pedestrian script.

The character's isolated nature prevents any meaningful relationships being formed with the film's other players. Subsequently, I found it hard to sympathise or relate to Mr Mumbles. As good an actor as Washington is, his stilted performance packs more wood than the entirety of Pinocchio's upper body.

Speak up Mr Mumbles�

The Book of Eli is a mixed bag of fruit. While the general audience may struggle to embrace it, there is more than enough to raise a half-smile on the faces of post-apocalyptic film fans.

But please, what's with the mumbles?

(Matthew Pattinson is a freelance copywriter at www.creativepen.co.uk)

< Message edited by Matthew Pattinson -- 8/8/2010 6:29:13 PM >

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Post #: 96

2 STARS - COMPLETE JOKE - 10/8/2010 10:30:22 PM

GothamLedgend

Posts: 4
Joined: 15/7/2010

I cannot understand the negativity aimed at this movie! You have to look beyond the surface! This may be the problem! It is a film about faith and guidance! Maybe not everyone recognises this! If you believe the Bible, which I do, you grasp better understanding of this movie! I absolutely loved it and I did not feel as if I was being preached at! There is a message in this movie but please don't judge it purely on the religious content!

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Post #: 97

2 Stars!!!???!!! WTF? - 16/8/2010 10:30:28 AM

Funk_Knight

Posts: 113
Joined: 6/3/2006

That is ridiculous! So the film has a religious tone - get over it! It's still a well constructed, acted, shot and paced movie. And I think the reviewer missed the point, or shut-off any semblance of respect for the film as its spiritual aspect manifested itself. (Spoiler) It’s worth noting that at the end there are a few other books along side this one. It was important that Eli's book was saved too!!! The film is just as much about our actions as people not the books themselves! In this day and age you'd think people would be open-minded whether they are spiritual or not. We can appreciate a film about vampires but not one about faith? A story is a story! I don’t care if it’s a story about ‘Blim-Blam the Clown’ as long as it’s told well!!! You don’t have to be a Christian to enjoy this film, just being a film lover is enough!!! This is a great movie for the genre - far superior than ‘Terminator Salvation’ in my opinion and that got 4 star's. I 'm a little mad as I didn't see this at the cinema cuz of this review... well I've learned my lesson now!!!

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Post #: 98

2 stars no way! - 1/9/2010 1:22:41 PM

Empo

Posts: 139
Joined: 24/4/2006
From: The middle of the earth!

The 2 stars rating i thought was a bit hars, i thought that this film was very entertaining and the ending was very well done. (SPOILER) I don't think that he needed to be blind in the end i do think that spoilt it a bit as it didnt really go with the rest of the film (ie the bit where there in the white house and eli says "the woman had the shakes" how would he have known this without been able to see?) It would have been better if he jsu taught himself braile, other than that the acting was great, the story was interesting (the bible would be improtant to whoever had it, you wouldnt think about it till you watch this film) overall 4 stars for me!

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Post #: 99

RE: 2 stars no way! - 2/9/2010 4:43:26 PM

lukeyboy

Posts: 1638
Joined: 11/10/2005
From: Saaaaf Laaandaan you slaaag!

Two stars for this movie is just plain silly. I saw this the other night and it's a very, very good film.

BTW, THERE BE POSSIBLE SPOILERS AHEAD!!

There's a lot of things I liked about this movie but i'll start with the colouring. It is a bleak setting no doubt, but the cinematographer has made it look actually quite picturesque with the help of some very good lighting, brilliant camera work and a great landscape to work on (i would think it's Arizona or Nevada). On Blu-Ray, just how picturesque this movie is becomes increasingly apparent as the movie progresses.

Now onto the plot - it starts as your average post-apocolyptic tale of a lone drifter who encounters a plethora of baddies on his journey "West", not least of which consists of Gary Oldman (who is as good as ever) and his gang, but it gradually morphs into a very deep story about faith and the power of the titular Book of Eli which is of course The Bible, and it's contents. Of course there are lots of [very good] action sequences in the movie and Denzel Washington is one of very few actors who is always watchable regardless of the character he is playing, so it never strays from just being a good Baddies Vs Goodies action flick if that's all you want to take from it.
On the other hand, it also has a very poignant message about faith, The Bible and the power of it's words. What rang particlarly true for me was it's message regarding the power associated with this book and it's words, it's corruptability and what could be acheived if it fell into the wrong hands - i.e controlling the masses by fear.

I'm not a religious man and i did think it become's a little bit too preachy if you let it, but at it's core it's got a good message and a poignant one in this day and age about religion and the dangers of it becoming an obsession rather than a philosophy - and as the reviewer pointed out there are a couple of pretty interesting twists that you don't see coming..........literally!

Definitely highly recommended!

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Post #: 100

RE: 2 stars no way! - 2/9/2010 6:26:33 PM

Johnny_A

Posts: 45
Joined: 27/7/2010
From: Chicago Burbs

Maybe Denzel was blind, but was able to see only to become again in the end? I know I'm reaching, but I wanted to throw it out there.

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Post #: 101

RE: 2 stars no way! - 2/9/2010 6:38:03 PM

Deviation

Posts: 26923
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Enemies of Film HQ

quote:

ORIGINAL: lukeyboy

Two stars for this movie is just plain silly.

I think it pretty much is right.

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ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

quote:

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Post #: 102

RE: 2 stars yes...way? - 2/9/2010 7:30:51 PM

Edward Nygma

Posts: 711
Joined: 28/12/2005

Here I find myself siding with Empire yet again...what is going on?

I find it hard to believe people would give this film a good rating. I mean, some of the action scenes are ok and Gary Oldman is good fun as yet another hammy bad guy but the whole thing just builds up to nothing dramatically. The film just ends up feeling like religious propaganda even if that maybe wasn't the intention. Even the "twist" in Zardoz (starring Sean Connery in tiny red pants) was more powerful!

But yeah, it's all so clich�d. It kinda feels like a B movie to The Road as well. Which was a far better film by the way and which I would recommend watching instead. And no, the Zatoichi thing at the end makes no real sense. Plus the whole thing about him walking the US for years in circles is kinda funny...when it's not really meant to be lol So yeah, for me 2 stars is about right. 3 at the very most.

And I didn't even mention how dull it is, the constant sepia/grey filters, Denzel's annoying sidekick and the 3 MILLION silly sunset poses everyone takes at one point or another...

Woops

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Post #: 103

RE: 2 stars yes...way? - 2/9/2010 7:58:11 PM

Deviation

Posts: 26923
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Enemies of Film HQ

The twist is pretty much awful. And utterly ridiculous.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
I really wish I could go down to see Privates

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Post #: 104

RE: 2 stars yes...way? - 2/9/2010 8:25:21 PM

matty_b

Posts: 13121
Joined: 19/10/2005
From: Outpost 31 calling McMurtle.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deviation

The twist is pretty much awful. And utterly ridiculous.

I went on Wikipedia to find out what the twist is (I have no intention of seeing the film - it looked rotten) but was distracted by the fact that George Michael appears to be starring in the film, going from the poster on its wiki page.

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Post #: 105

RE: 2 stars yes...way? - 2/9/2010 11:46:34 PM

MuckyMuckMan

Posts: 2327
Joined: 1/10/2005

I loved the film and the twist.

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Post #: 106

RE: 2 stars yes...way? - 3/9/2010 12:03:02 AM

Deviation

Posts: 26923
Joined: 2/6/2006
From: Enemies of Film HQ

quote:

ORIGINAL: matty_b

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deviation

The twist is pretty much awful. And utterly ridiculous.

I went on Wikipedia to find out what the twist is (I have no intention of seeing the film - it looked rotten) but was distracted by the fact that George Michael appears to be starring in the film, going from the poster on its wiki page.

That's less baffling than the twist.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Dpp1978
There are certainly times where calling a person a cunt is not only reasonable, it is a gross understatement.

quote:

ORIGINAL: elab49
I really wish I could go down to see Privates

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Post #: 107

RE: 2 stars no way! - 3/9/2010 9:29:53 AM

lukeyboy

Posts: 1638
Joined: 11/10/2005
From: Saaaaf Laaandaan you slaaag!

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deviation

quote:

ORIGINAL: lukeyboy

Two stars for this movie is just plain silly.

I think it pretty much is right.

Then i think your just plain silly too....

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Post #: 108

RE: The Book Of Eli - 5/9/2010 6:03:33 PM

velpix

Posts: 13
Joined: 6/7/2010

I was surprised by the bad review from Empire! I watched it, expecting something mediocre, but it exceeded my expectations.

A good story with a great twist/ending. After you see the ending, all of the little things suddenly become very clever.

4-and-a-half stars.

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Post #: 109

- 3/11/2010 12:18:03 PM

reminn

Posts: 142
Joined: 22/10/2010

Excellent.

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Post #: 110

- 7/11/2010 12:21:19 PM

earnest

Posts: 16
Joined: 4/11/2010

4 stars excuse the pun but i didnt see those twists coming a thousand times better than the sixth sence its up thereFOR ME ANY WAY THE USUAL SUSPECTS AS REGARDS GREAT TWISTS.

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Post #: 111

Better than I thought it would be... - 15/11/2010 3:43:15 AM

wgfuzzydunlop1

Posts: 91
Joined: 24/8/2009

Have to say though, Denzil being blind? Doesn't work for me. I going to go with mildly myopic. He had 30 years, he could've learnt braille. For example, how did he know his battery was low at the start of the film?

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Post #: 112

RE: Better than I thought it would be... - 24/1/2011 1:09:48 AM

musht

Posts: 1220
Joined: 21/1/2009
From: Oireland

quote:

ORIGINAL: wgfuzzydunlop1

For example, how did he know his battery was low at the start of the film?

Maybe cause it stopped playing music . . .

Thought this was a very good film, twist was unexpected. Washington and Oldman were great, enjoyable cameos from Gambon and your one from Rising Damp and Mila Kunis is a babe. Don't see the problem, it wasn't even that preachy it merely presented us with an idea that I thought was quite interesting.

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Post #: 113

Decent enough action - 5/2/2011 10:38:12 AM

muchobenny

Posts: 144
Joined: 17/10/2006

marred slightly by the religious themes, which would have worked better had they been handled with a bit more ambiguity. Brilliant soundtrack.

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Post #: 114

Preachy, ignorant, cave-man drivel. - 14/2/2011 3:52:13 AM

Bizz90

Posts: 102
Joined: 9/11/2008

this is one of those rare films where I watched it and actually wanted to vomit with rage. If the Hughes brothers thought "moral complexity" was something represented by the question "do I stop a woman from being raped and murdered, or do I protect my bible?" (I'll give you a hint, apparently bibles are worth more than people) then we have a very different idea of both complexity and morality.

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Post #: 115

Had to Undo the Harm of Kim Newmans Review - 4/4/2011 3:28:04 PM

ilander66

Posts: 12
Joined: 1/5/2006

I rarely post review but having only just discovered this film on DVD I thought I would pop over to Empire and see what they had thought about it only to find Newmans 'review' of 2 stars. I am not going to berate him for his opinion (although in the past I rarely agree with him) but I really feel that people should see this film and not right it off as some Mad Max lite. I am not religious in anyway but appreciated what the film was trying to say and it shows a degree of intelligence on the part of the film makers not to constantly ram home a specific message but leave it to the audience to interporate it for themselves. For all the complaints of bad scripts, acting, sequels etc that permeate conversations on the state of cinema today The Book of Eli stands as a thoughtful distraction from the vast majority of Studio Output.

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Post #: 116

Night Shyamalan meets Mad Max. But watch it anyway (fla... - 23/4/2011 8:00:06 AM

Then again who does?

Posts: 16
Joined: 2/1/2011

I enjoyed this Hollywood Film for many reasons, but mainly for the thought of Professor Richard Dawkins being so annoyed and incredulous about the religious theme that he absent-mindedly runs his wheelchair into a wall, then over a cliff. The Hughes Brothers? I remember I once listened to the Director's Commentary of From Hell and just thinking, 'Loud Americans raping Alan Moore with Hollywood gaudiness' -- yet I didn't automatically hate them, so what do you think about that? Apparently, my instinct was correct, because Book of Eli is a surprisingly good film. The flaws are blatant, and you can easily just pick them off the plate and throw them out the window. Firstly - kung-fu. Jay is right, who needs it? One man taking on a gang and killing every single one in the space of two minutes. Who needs it? There are other, more innovative ways of a hero fighting against the odds. Plus the twist will either make you balk like a cat with a hairball, or ignore the whole thing like a monkey selling the Big Issue. In short, the film is made enjoyable by the meditative, desaturised cloudscapes, the Eno-esque soundtrack and the talent. Washington: you can handle anything. Ray Stevenson: if Dominic West doesn't want to be the new Bond, the job is yours. And Oldman, I'll watch you in anything. Don't know why (I'll defend Backwoods with a glad heart). Book of Eli even has the Tom Waits seal of quality. How can you go wrong, sir?

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Post #: 117

RE: Night Shyamalan meets Mad Max. But watch it anyway ... - 2/5/2011 11:42:34 PM

KeithM

Posts: 862
Joined: 31/7/2008

The Book of Eli

Post apocalyptic, sometimes entertaining mess of a movie about a guy who is trying to preserve a sacred book (can you guess which one?) which is apparently key to the salvation of mankind, despite the fact that it is cited as the cause of mankind's downfall and is clearly shown within the film itself to be a force for evil far more than for good, but then logic has never been the strong point of religion I suppose... But if you can ignore the absolutely nonsensical and contradictory plot and gut churning propaganda message it contains, the film is reasonably entertaining as an action film, visually slick and with some nice set pieces. The ending though especially (as well as the double take it'll force you to do for everything that preceded it) really, really sucks which downgrades this from "maybe worth a watch" to "bit of a stinker", even discounting the dubious religious message it tries to sell us.

5/10

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Post #: 118

Muddled - 7/6/2011 7:10:31 AM

cadz

Posts: 77
Joined: 19/4/2006
From: Ireland

Shame that this has to go down as a missed opportunity, considering the potential that a Hughes brothers movie starring Denzel and Gary Oldman would have suggested.
The result is a muddled, often confused action movie that errs a little too heavily on the preachy, holier-than thou side and wastes a decent cast(including Mila Kunis and Ray Stevenson.) Admittedly there are some decent action sequences,but the whole affair ultimately smacks of a rushed job that could have been much better. Disappointing.

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Post #: 119

Me again! - 21/10/2011 3:38:22 PM

BatSpider

Posts: 170
Joined: 6/7/2010

5 stars, back where it belongs. Anyone who thinks this movie is preaching religion has a slimy cock hanging out their forehead - it's just an angle for the overall story. This movie fucking kicks ass, with mood and style.

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Post #: 120