First 15 minutes I knew what this movie was going to turn into. As a film lover, I have seen quite a bit of films (19,000+ ratings here over 11,000 on films alone) and this (despite some other reviewers statements) is actually well produced; acting's good, scripted alright (in concern to writing ability), composition not bad but it does have that annoying narration that comes when you never want it. This is basically Fight Club (except people die in this on purpose) without the philosophical undertones. It's not even very good at even that. I mean, while most those fighting are out of shape, don't really know how to fight they still bet a lot of money on the fact their going to live. That seemed wholly unrealistic to me. Only one who is absolutely desperate could I believe would do such a thing, and no character in this film seemed so desperate as that.
If there's a moral to walk away from this movie it must be, "When needing some money, take all the money you have and hope you don't die in some fight with some other idiot just like you.". Otherwise...what's this film about? What was the plot? The point? I don't get it and was I supposed to? Now, do not think I am naïve. I have read in the newspaper, seen or have been referenced to YouTube videos, even seen on national and local news on people who come off as idiotic-minded people doing some idiotic-minded things. Like the girl from California driving with her 14 year old sister and friend in the back while live streaming the stupidity of being drunk behind the wheel and the consequences of a dead sister afterward. I know they exist. Movies like this with no sense of philosophical endeavor, underlining message, or even a strand of morality or ethical viewpoint are the entertaining companions of those types of people. And while I also recognize that movies like Fight Club may spark ideas in these types of people to do things where they have no understanding of the consequence or actions that tends not to be the film's fault, in such guise. Because like books and music etc., there's supposed to be an underlining message, right? As each year passes it seems it's either just remakes, sequels, or just movies to make a buck off of. I know (figuratively) everything's been done before but one should try to strive to build on what's been done before rather than just dragging it through the mud and calling it 'art'. Seems also these days, or it's always been (most likely) that even a realistic nature of things needs to be turned into a fiction. I reference 'Joy (2015)' and 'Hacksaw Ridge (2016)' as good examples of that. Take the latter: the real-life father was turned into a mean drunk, in real-life he was nothing like that. Why the fiction? They did the same in 'October Sky (1999)' -- turning the real-life father into a mean awful person who comes to his senses at the end. Not true about the actual man. It's bad enough fictional films take other fictional films and make them even more unbelievable but why do it for real life? The man who's the subject of 'Hacksaw Ridge', while he was alive, never wanted a film about him because they knew they would fictionalize his life and sensationalize it. After he died, what did Mel Gibson do: exactly that. My point is, when are we going to get back (if we were ever there) to what films are supposed to be? To me they were the imagination created by our minds; and when writing about actuality, having an understanding of what that actuality is rather than what we imagine it to be.
This film: not that there's much of anything in this film, mind you. While there are small scenes of violence throughout, most of the 'brutal' violence doesn't really start happening until 42-45 minutes in. The way these people just kill others, even for money, as if it's no big deal, as if they've been doing it all their lives and it's just another day at work, is also wholly unrealistic. The police in Ireland must be some of the most incompetent people on the planet, at least in this film. Never remember ever seeing a police officer once in this film. Maybe I missed them. Plus, they dispose of the bodies like amateurs (which they are), and the main character buries all his kills in 2-3 ft deep holes. There's a reason why 6 ft is the normal amount for burials; so animals can't get to them or weather etc., I mean, animals in this film must be incompetent, too, let alone the police. Maybe it's like all those horror films where after all the fighting is done then that's when the police and animals show up, or something.
This not an Action film. Not a Thriller or a Horror film or a Drama. It's nothing. Genreless. They do attempt to add a story but it's without a plot or pointless so it doesn't really mean anything, in the end. Sometimes even a bad movie is worth watching; this was barely worth this 'review'. I'm getting so tired of watching these types of films. Most likely watch another in the future but each one kills my love of films as time moves on.
If there's a moral to walk away from this movie it must be, "When needing some money, take all the money you have and hope you don't die in some fight with some other idiot just like you.". Otherwise...what's this film about? What was the plot? The point? I don't get it and was I supposed to? Now, do not think I am naïve. I have read in the newspaper, seen or have been referenced to YouTube videos, even seen on national and local news on people who come off as idiotic-minded people doing some idiotic-minded things. Like the girl from California driving with her 14 year old sister and friend in the back while live streaming the stupidity of being drunk behind the wheel and the consequences of a dead sister afterward. I know they exist. Movies like this with no sense of philosophical endeavor, underlining message, or even a strand of morality or ethical viewpoint are the entertaining companions of those types of people. And while I also recognize that movies like Fight Club may spark ideas in these types of people to do things where they have no understanding of the consequence or actions that tends not to be the film's fault, in such guise. Because like books and music etc., there's supposed to be an underlining message, right? As each year passes it seems it's either just remakes, sequels, or just movies to make a buck off of. I know (figuratively) everything's been done before but one should try to strive to build on what's been done before rather than just dragging it through the mud and calling it 'art'. Seems also these days, or it's always been (most likely) that even a realistic nature of things needs to be turned into a fiction. I reference 'Joy (2015)' and 'Hacksaw Ridge (2016)' as good examples of that. Take the latter: the real-life father was turned into a mean drunk, in real-life he was nothing like that. Why the fiction? They did the same in 'October Sky (1999)' -- turning the real-life father into a mean awful person who comes to his senses at the end. Not true about the actual man. It's bad enough fictional films take other fictional films and make them even more unbelievable but why do it for real life? The man who's the subject of 'Hacksaw Ridge', while he was alive, never wanted a film about him because they knew they would fictionalize his life and sensationalize it. After he died, what did Mel Gibson do: exactly that. My point is, when are we going to get back (if we were ever there) to what films are supposed to be? To me they were the imagination created by our minds; and when writing about actuality, having an understanding of what that actuality is rather than what we imagine it to be.
This film: not that there's much of anything in this film, mind you. While there are small scenes of violence throughout, most of the 'brutal' violence doesn't really start happening until 42-45 minutes in. The way these people just kill others, even for money, as if it's no big deal, as if they've been doing it all their lives and it's just another day at work, is also wholly unrealistic. The police in Ireland must be some of the most incompetent people on the planet, at least in this film. Never remember ever seeing a police officer once in this film. Maybe I missed them. Plus, they dispose of the bodies like amateurs (which they are), and the main character buries all his kills in 2-3 ft deep holes. There's a reason why 6 ft is the normal amount for burials; so animals can't get to them or weather etc., I mean, animals in this film must be incompetent, too, let alone the police. Maybe it's like all those horror films where after all the fighting is done then that's when the police and animals show up, or something.
This not an Action film. Not a Thriller or a Horror film or a Drama. It's nothing. Genreless. They do attempt to add a story but it's without a plot or pointless so it doesn't really mean anything, in the end. Sometimes even a bad movie is worth watching; this was barely worth this 'review'. I'm getting so tired of watching these types of films. Most likely watch another in the future but each one kills my love of films as time moves on.