That’s right, I just saw this movie and I think it totally rocks. I can’t describe the photography correctly, but it looks like a lot of stop action, zoom in and exaggerated coloring if that makes any sense. I won’t post any spoilers (yet), but I will later on if I get any follow-on comments. Let me know how you liked the movie.
Great flick! Plotwise, it was your typical action movie, not a whole lot of brainpower required. There were a couple of things, though, that really made me like it.
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Owen Wilson. Never saw him in anything other than a comical role before this, and he’s got a lot more charisma than I gave him credit for.
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Special effects. The missile-chase scene (won’t describe any more than that to avoid spoilers) was one of the most seamless pieces of special effect magic I’ve ever seen.
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Overall casting. The bad guys were extremely well cast. And Sasha was just so damn… EVIL.
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Location and scenery. Very picturesque and made you believe the actors were truly present in Bosnia. And a couple of the settings made the hair on the back of my neck stand up in horror.
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Excitement. Very seldom did I find the pace slackening. It kept me interested throughout the whole movie, and it was extremely exciting.
That said, there were some glaring deficiencies – they got some of the weaponry wrong, and there were a couple of scenes where you just couldn’t believe that Owen Wilson would be so STUPID. (Yeah, let’s just sit out in the open when there’s a bazillion soldiers hunting me…) And the jump at the ending was pretty ridiculous. But overall, I thought it was a great time – just turn your brain off and watch the pretty show!
Just saw it today. Loved it! It was just the right amount brainless action for an entertaining Sunday afternoon. I agree with pretty much everything Zanshin said. If you turn your brain off, it’s a good ride.
My big gripe, what’s with all the Saving Private Ryan photography lately? The action scenes were filmed in this grainey, shaky camera, speed-up-the-action-at-weird-parts kind of way. Parts of Spy Game were filmed this way as well. I seem to remember a few others recently, but not off the top of my head.
Anyway, good movie. Perfect timing too. I’m sure patriotic movies will be coming out of our asses soon.
I also just saw this, tonight (about an hour ago)
The hand-held “Blair-Witch” cam only went so far with me. After a while I’d like to linger a bit longer on the shots. But that’s a personal gripe.
I would have liked to see more aftermath in the ending. Bring it more closure. Sometimes the music got in the way. I love alternative and metal, but not when it’s cranked over the voice track.
I agree with Zanshin about hiding in wide open sight for every gun totting half blind recruit to shoot at you. But I think it was a trick akin to teenagers in slasher flicks who ALWAYS go in the basement. It’s intended to make you bark at the screen.
But mindless fun it was (Enemy Lines), I can’t deny.
Jet Black
Go find a copy of The Minus Man. If you see it you’ll agree with me that Owen Wilson is one of the creepiest actors alive