rynlarson Reviews

Maximum Conviction (2012)

Best Seagal in 8 years

[6/10 · 26 January 2013]

Is it the Seagal I grew up with? No....not even close. Is it better than most of the derivative tripe we have come to know as Seagals annual DTV releases....yes. On par with 2004 Into the Sun there is enough here to feel closer to The Glimmer Man we hope to catch a glimpse of with each DTV release. For what it is and what it is trying to be this was the most fun I have had with a Seagal film in 8 years. Not sure what that means but if you have any hope left for Seagal this film will restore a little faith the big man with the fast hands ain't done quite yet. Decent flick. As for Steve Austin, I have never been much of a fan and this movie was not good because of him I can assure you. When Austin makes Seagal look like Kevin Spacey you know there is an issue.

Cowboys & Aliens (2011)

Film is a well-acted Western with Aliens in it...not an alien invasion movie with cowboys in it/

[8/10 · 30 July 2011]

I was pleasantly surprised with Cowboys and Aliens. After reading a few critics calling it "dull" and "lifeless" I was worried this would be a CGI riddled film where the action is so broad and large scale you become detached causing the dull reaction. I found it to be quite the opposite. Cowboys and Aliens is a "Western". People need to realize this before viewing. This is not an alien invasion movie so much as it is a Westerm where the Aliens are a part of the story of the town of Absolution and its inhabitants. Readers of this are probably saying huh? If this movie were a weekly TV episode that focused on a town called Absolution and its characters such as Jake and the Colonel and their story...and one of the weekly episodes has aliens in it..this may be a more accurate way to describe Cowboys and Aliens. I found it to be terrific. I imagine some of the disappointed reviewers went into the film expecting an alien invasion film that is set in the old west. When they find out it focuses on the Western I think it will disappoint a certain demographic of viewers.

Daniel Craig & Harrison Ford are terrific in opposing roles. Ford, as usual, is able to tap into the emotional part of the story and draw the viewer into his story of redemption. Craig does more compelling work with his eyes than the wrist blaster and really impressed me. Without saying too much look for the scene between Adam Beach, Harrison Ford, and the Indian Chief and tell me that isn't Ford at his best since "Air Force One". The CGI is used right without overkill, the action is kept in perspective, and the cinematography is absolutely gorgeous.

If you are looking for an adult Western with some terrific action sprinkled around a character driven script go see this film. It won't leave you disappointed.

Morning Glory (2010)

Great Movie...Why the poor box office??

[8/10 · 12 March 2011]

In the vain of 1989 007's License to Kill (which was considered a commercial flop) or 2007's "Grindhouse" (which despite being fantastic had poor box office returns I am truly baffled by the mediocre to poor box office showing of "Morning Glory". Many will disagree but "License to Kill" I always thought was one of the best James Bond films. UA claimed it was a poor marketing campaign that led to its commercial failure (although over the years it has been regarded as a success due to its international following) and the Weinstein Co. was counting on "Grindhouse" to be the success it needed. "Grindouse" was fantastic...so why the poor showing? As a weak lead into "Morning Glory" I was surprised people didn't embrace this film. Much better than "The Devil Wears Prada" in the aspect I believe it did a better job of delivering the emotions and involving the viewer. Harrison Ford shines in a new role that plays to his age...Rachel McAdams was great as the spunky, work-aholic trying to turn the program around, and the supporting cast added terrific comedy. It starts a little slow but finishes strong and leaves its mark. I can see why Ford chose to act in the film. The script was smart and fast... Its a shame that films like this go by the wayside. Since Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Harrsion Ford has chosen his roles carefully. Neither "Extraordinary Measures" or "Morning Glory" did well, coupled with the disappointment of 2006'S "Firewall" which was fantastic. Are people tuned out to Harrison Ford these days? One of the most prolific actors of the last 30 years? Between the disappearing act by Mel Gibson, the fade of Ford, and the slow down of Hanks....its hard to find movies that are acted as well as those three actors. I hope that "Cowboys and Aliens" becomes the hit that Ford needs...Then a true ride into the sunset with an "Indy 5" that gives the actor that gave us Han Solo, Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, and Air Force One gets the farewell he deserves.

Piranha 3D (2010)

Disappointing to say the least! (Spoilers)

[5/10 · 21 August 2010]

First...let me preface this by saying that the original Piranha and even the lower than low budget sequel Piranha 2: The Spawning were always fascinating films to me growing up. I also want to add that High Tension and The Hills Have Eyes remake were good films and Aja in my opinion had started to define himself as a contemporary Wes Craven. Mirrors was a step down but I looked forward to Piranha from the moment I heard it was being made. I didn't expect Citizen Kane. Gratuitous violence, nudity, obvious set ups I did expect. I expected and hour and a half of mindless entertainment. Piranha 3D offers you all of those things. What I expected to make the movie special was Aja's ability to create tension and set up sequences to involve the viewer. In this aspect the movie failed. Its starts off wasting a perfect opportunity to be clever with Richard Dreyfuss (in my opinion was wasted....yeah I got it I'm tired and I wanna go to bed) and it goes wasted. His demise and lack of dialogue are a perfect send off for how the rest of the movie is. It fails to shock or involve you. The next 45 minutes are cuts between Elisabeth Shue as the Sheriff investigating Dreyfuss disappearance and a big budget Girls Gone Laka Havasu. While the scenery is appealing it gets old and your waiting for the movie to get going. I was OK with this as long as the payoff was worth the wait. It wasn't. Jerry O' Connell was annoying, Adam Scott shooting individual Piranhas with a 12 guage was just foolish, Ving Rhames using the propeller to slice and dice the fish was stupid knowing he was killing himself. There are thousands and thousands of Piranhas yet somehow the two young heroines are able to kill them all by exploding a small boat, the mega Piranha was I saw that coming times two. All in all if you want to see a 3D private part eaten by a Piranha then spend the money. Other than that skip this one. Boring.

A Dangerous Man (2009 Video)

One of the better recent Seagal films!

[8/10 · 12 February 2010]

I gave this movie 8 out of 10 stars. Now before you laugh let me explain myself. In the Seagal world from 1988-2002 Seagal made theatrical, quality films ending with "Half Past Dead". Now people that grew up with Seagal as an action hero (Under Siege came out when I was in high school) then you also understand what happened next. In 2003 Seagals "The Foreigner" was pulled from Theatrical Release and release direct to DVD. Seagal fans were in shock at how bad this film was. Along came the DVD release of "Ticker" which was filmed in 2001 and shelved before being released. We all know why. "The Foreigner" was followed by the atrocious "Out For A Kill" and Seagal fans got worried. Then "Belly of the Beast" was released and Seagal fans let out a collective sigh. Not a great film but by no means was it as bad as the aforementioned films. It can't get any worse right? Well it could. Seagal fans went numb watching the likes of "Out of Reach", "Mercenary for Justice", "Today You Die", and "Submerged". Seagal fans re-watched "Exit Wounds" to remind themselves what his films used to be like. The all time low came in 2007 with "Flight of Fury" which was an outright joke. I had given up. Then came "Urban Justice" and "Pistol Whipped" and slowly I became interested again. In line with "The Keeper" "A Dangerous Man" keeps up the hope as it is probably his best Direct to DVD film yet. The action is solid and the fights are terrific. Yeah, the story lags in the middle a bit but you barely notice amidst the bone cracking martial artist (overweight I might add) doing his thing. So 8 out of 10. Not because it compares with a Tarantino film by any means. If you are a Seagal fan like I am then compared to "Flight of Fury" this truly is an 8 out of 10. Bring on "Machete"!

Halloween II (2009)

Rob Zombie fails to grasp the subplots of the original films!

[6/10 · 13 September 2009]

One of the things I always found attractive about the Halloween series that in my mind set it apart from its competitors (Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street) was its foundation in reality (up until Michael survived anything!!!). The first two films in the original series (obviously what Rob Zombie is "re-inventing) had a special characteristic of realism and characters the viewer could identify with. What I found most disappointing about this entry was the portrayal of Dr. Loomis. I was content with the first films use of this vital character, but here he has been diminished to nothing but a greedy individual that is trying to cash in on his encounters with the character. Gone is the Donald Pleasance portrayal of the obsessed Doctor that is near mad chasing the monster whom he felt obligated to. I always thought Carpenter's use of the Loomis character was terrific, similar to "Moby Dick" where the Whale and its adversary are opposed but similar in their stance. The cat and mouse game between Myers and Loomis was always done well. It was precisely what the Friday the 13th series always lacked. Here, Zombie inserts at the very end a moment of redemption, but as the viewer you are still unsure of Loomis' intentions. The gore is aplenty here, with constant close ups of the victims meeting their untimely fate. What works here is Myers, Zombie's vision of the monster itself is well done, and perhaps a scarier figure than the original. What doesn't work is the tension, which is completely amiss here, the viewer knows exactly what is coming next. The action is not well done...it is hard to tell what is going on at times. With "The Devil's Rejects" and "House of 1,000 Corpses" the characters were interesting and less was more. Here, Zombie is getting to kinetic for his own good. Also what fails here is the inability of the town of Haddonfield (doesn't exist by the way) where the survivors of the last film are nonchalant about Myers and seem content to "just believe" Myers is dead even though no body has been found. The lack of worry by the Annie Brackett character is unrealistic. A character, in the last film, who was knifed by the monster repeatedly and survived, doesn't seem to be bothered by the same things Laurie is even though they went through the same experience. I gave it a 6 out of 10 simply because as a horror genre fan, this film is better than Halloween 5 and Halloween 8. Its production is top notch and the addition of Weird "Al" Yankovich is worth a couple of points up. Overall disappointing to what it could have been.

The Last House on the Left (2009)

Excllent remake that exceeds its base material

[8/10 · 7 June 2009]

Terrific remake. The writers and producers of Friday the 13th (2009) should take note. Well shot, well acted, well told little horror story that is effective in its brutal tone. Suspense filled. Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter stand out here as the angry, revenge driven parents. Very realistic film. Only question that remains, "Why is this titled Last House on the Left?" The daughter swimming back to the parents house was a little far-fetched but you take it in stride because your focus is on the parents finding out who their guests are, and what they are going to do about it. I enjoyed this as much as Hostel. Recommend this to anyone!!!

Friday the 13th (2009)

A misguided remake that could have been so much more!!!

[6/10 · 7 June 2009]

Lets start with the beginning. A 3 minute catch up on the death of Jason's mother. Poor lighting, poor direction, lack of imagination. People knock Jason Goes to hell but at least at that time Adam Marcus (who was only 20 years old) livened things up a bit and had some style to his Friday. The pre-credit kills also lacked imagination (we've seen it all before). The references to the previous sequels were enjoyable but what lacked was the Jason of old. I was OK with the fast, brutal Jason but there was no suspense. The last 1/2 hour is quality as the filmmakers take you through Jason's underground lair but even that was a stretch for mongoloid, zombie Jason to have. I was not aware he was an electrician. I had looked forward to this but left the film disappointed. Check out "Last House on the Left" if you want a quality remake, or reboot as it were. I even re-watched Freddy versus Jason and enjoyed that much better. I hope the sequel improves.

Terminator Salvation (2009)

Misses the mark big time!!!

[5/10 · 7 June 2009]

What made T2:Judgement Day was James Cameron giving you characters (including the cyborg) you cared about, however silly it was. In the original, you were oulling for Reese and Sarah Connor. T3: Rise of the machines knew what it was and Arnold played it for what it was worth, another enjoyable action film. Terminator Salvation is a big budget, CGI driven dark empty shell of a movie. It delivers on action, yes. The bleak atmosphere, the wasteland, the lack of hope, the lack of characters lends itself no color, no substance. We had Transformers 2 years ago and a sequel this year. The effects and action sequences were dazzling in that film. We have seen large robotic things shoot at people before. Even on this level, the film fails to wow you. Christian Bale does his best Steven Seagal with as wooden a John Connor your can get. And while the filmmakers try to give you substance with Sam Worthington, somewhere in the back of your mind you know how the story plays out and you can care less about the outcome of the film. Apart from the action sequence midway through the film for approx. 10 minutes, this film is boring. By the end, you are grateful the credits are rolling. This could have been great with Arnold (once out of office) donning the Ray-Ban's one last time with a creative script. People would have paid to see that. This film is forgettable at best. A major disappointment.

Against the Dark (2009 Video)

Better than most Seagal DTV's

[6/10 · 14 February 2009]

I am not sure why people are giving this movie such a hard time. After watching the "After Dark Horrorfest" and the "Ghost House Pictures" films I would have to venture to say this is a major step up in films of like budgets. Seagal fans are mostly complaining about his limited screen time...I agree. However, compared to "Flight of Fury" and "Attack Force" this film has better action, better FX, better acting, better lighting than most of the Seagal flix. The story was for the most part cohesive, and Seagal actually does well by doing less in this particular film. 6 out of 10 on a direct to video rating system. If you want to see bad....Watch "Funny Man" with Christopher Lee then rewrite your review.

Friday the 13th: The Series (1987–1990)

Terrific if Short-Lived Series

[9/10 · 11 October 2008]

Fans of this series finally got what they wanted...a DVD release of this cult favorite TV show that ran from 1987-1990. This series when I was growing up was terrific. Similar to the "X-Files" in that every episode brought about the search for a new antique which usually produces deadly results on its victims, similar to every week Scully and Mulder investigating a new "X-File". For what it was (a syndicated show with a meager budget) the acting is terrific, the writing very creative, and the special effects hold their own. "Brain Drain" and "Shadowboxer" from the first season are the highlights, along with "A Pirate's Promise". John D. Lemay (who also started in the 1993 film "Jason Goes to Hell") and Roby were great. Chris Wiggins played a great part as well, bringing a sense of authenticity to the show. What I enjoyed most is the writers and producers chose consistently to stay away from the typical "TV Series" tendencies. Important characters are developed first, then killed off when every other show would have them saved at the last moment. The envelope gets pushed hard as heads roll, throats are cut, and brain fluid is extracted which was unheard of for a TV show in its time. I hope fans and even people that never saw the series because of the assumption it was related to the film franchise give it a chance. Hopefully, seasons 2 and 3 will be released soon as the show is truly one of the best from the late eighties.

Kill Switch (2008 Video)

Low Budget Glimmer Man

[7/10 · 11 October 2008]

Most people are going to laugh, but I enjoyed this latest Seagal film "Kill Switch". Sure, whoever edited this film was color blind as Seagals jacket and weight change mid fight scene. Sure, shots from earlier scenes with Seagal are inserted in the middle of a fight scene to make one think he is actually there doing the fighting (horrible when you notice it). However, the concept of a simple story (Memphis detective tracking 2 serial killers) was a great idea by Seagal. It sets up fight scene after fight scene which is what his fans want. The fight scenes are brutal, the flash, quick cut style can be great if used properly-here it is overused...most likely to compensate for Seagal's lack of involvement. The double, triple, quadruple takes on the punches with minimal blood and bruising is also a let down. However, there are some positives (the clown story "does this taste funny to you?") is terrific. I think the overall concept of what Seagal wanted to do with this film is what every Seagal fan wanted. The problem is the low budget, lack of re-shoots with Seagal hurt a lot of his "D.T.V" releases and I have to believe it has to do with his contract. The first 10 minutes of the film are good followed by a bad 15 minutes. The middle part of the film is decent with a terrific ending (I'm talking before the weird Russian family scene which looks like it might be a part of his upcoming release "Ruslan"). I think if he got a theatrical budget for a concept like this film fans would see different results.

The Happening (2008)

Uninspired film that could have been much more!

[4/10 · 11 October 2008]

Films with an underlying political message are 50-50 when it comes to accomplishing what it sets out to do. First they must deliver an entertaining movie. Second they must cleverly insert the underlying theme throughout the film so the viewer appreciated both aspects. "The Happening" accomplishes neither. Interesting premise offered the writer & director Shamalyan the opportunity his first hit film since "Signs". Unfortunately, unlike "The Day After Tomorrow", he fails at grabbing a hold of his audience and dragging them in. His directing style stays consistent here, although its not the type of genre to support the style he prefers. What made Hitchcock great (which you can tell is the inspiration for a lot of the directors style) was no matter what type of film he was doing, his nuances were present but he could adapt to the genre he was doing. It seemed as if this film was thrown together without the same attention to detail as "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs". I am also one of the few that truly enjoyed the emotional journey of "The Lady in the Water". I thought that film had a lot of passion and creativity. "The Happening" is a one note film. One cannot fault Mark Wahlberg as he does his best with the script he can. However, a lot of things go unexplained in this film which if this were a good film, one would spend time trying to come up with their own conclusions. This film finishes, and you don't care as to the reasons why at the end.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Nostalgia at its best!!!

[9/10 · 22 May 2008]

So I just watched Indy 4: KOTCS....fantastic movie! I hear all the negative press and reviews...what is it that people expect? I was 1st introduced to Indy at age 5...my father and I ventured to the theater and saw Raiders and since then...I have been a huge fan and have awaited this return for a long time. As Julian Glover pronounced in "Last Crusade"...its "time to ask yourself what you believe...." Indiana Jones is America's hero...his character is what every boy wants his father to be...so I went to see this Thursday morning with my father...and we loved it. Its 1957...Russians, disguised as U.S soldiers have made there way to New Mexico to have Indy recover an "Area 51" crate filled with a corpse...I won't tell you who or what. The Ark makes a cameo and from there the film takes off into the usual Indy formula including a fantastic motorcycle chase and a scene through the jungle that equals the truck chase scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Some critics have panned this film for being over the top...what Indiana Jones film hasn't been? Thats what these films are about...how is going over a gigantic waterfall any different than a giant boulder chasing Indiana Jones or swimming to a submarine and riding it to an uncharted island any different? How is Indiana Jones hiding in a lead lined refrigerator from a nuclear blast any different than the Ark of the Covenant shooting rays of light through Nazis? This is what the franchise was built on but somehow people have evolved from loving that to criticizing this...ridiculous. Lucas and Spielberg give Indy fans what they have been waiting for...one last thrill ride from the man in the Fedora. Great sets, great effects, Harrison Ford is fantastic and Karen Allen makes a welcome return as Marion Ravenwood/Williams/you will have to see the end of the movie. My thanks to Lucas, Spielberg, and Ford for giving me the experience one last time.

Pistol Whipped (2008 Video)

The Best Post HPD Seagal film!!

[8/10 · 9 March 2008]

I have been loyal as a Steven Seagal fan. In high school Marked for Death and Out For Justice were Saturday movie regulars. Under Siege was an opening night event. I have reviewed most of the Seagal films on this website and have viewed them all multiple times. This past Saturday my wife and daughter left for the night...so I sat down armed with a 6 pack of Coors Light and Blast o' Butter popcorn and into my "PS3" I popped in "Pistol Whipped" with very low expectations. Was I pleasantly surprised! The film moves quickly. The director takes some great camera angles...great soundtrack (for a Seagal film...)...and seems to have a great sense of what older Seagal fans enjoyed so much about him as an action icon in the late 80's and 90's. The dialogue is on par with such Seagal classics as "The Glimmer Man" and "Out for Justice". Seagal seems to have found his charisma...with the exception of 2005's "Into the Sun" his last 8 or 9 DVD's have lacked that main charisma ingredient. The writers decided in this film to make Seagal's character vulnerable, mean, and lacking good judgement. Something Seagal hasn't been in character for quite some time. This film has a few technical problems...mainly the ending shootout could have used a little touch up in the editing room...Seagal seems to have sunglasses on and off in the same breath of dialogue??? A few stand in scenes (very brief)on long shots...but nothing like the crap we as Seagal fans have scene in recent efforts like "The Foreigner", "Attack Force", and "Flight of Fury". The akido scenes are great and well shot...

I can only hope that Seagal has found his step again...I will still be reluctant to get excited as Seagal seems to hold a pattern...After 2005's acceptable "Into The Sun", we got "Submerged" which I thought was horrible. After 2006's "Shadow Man" (which I enjoyed) we got "Attack Force???" The formula for Seagal's success lies in his ability to work within the means of the "Direct to DVD" market and its meager budgets to produce films like this one which will secure his fan base to push him back into theatrical contention. Time is running out for the aging star...but I strongly suggest you watch this film.

Rest Stop (2006 Video)

High Reviews?? What were you watching??

[3/10 · 18 October 2006]

I rented this movie with some enthusiasm. People were saying this movie was great and I had never heard of it. As a horror movie fanatic I thought, "Is this the hidden gem I had been waiting for??" Well, apart from Jamie Alexander talking about "Everyone's personal hidden demon" this was no gem. Featuring Joey Lawrence from T.V.'s "Blossom" in a small supporting role that was the most confusing part of the film...Why didn't he get out of the way of the truck, and after it ran him over, no use of his gun??? It had some tense parts, but what I took away from this film was a muddled mess that left me unsatisfied. The little clip amidst the credits I guess was the director's attempt at explaining everything...but this movie just never reaches a climax of any sort. Even with (3) alternate endings, not one was satisfying. A major disappointment.

Shadow Man (2006 Video)

Every new D.T.V has serious upside, serious flaws...

[6/10 · 7 June 2006]

I enjoyed this, or I tried to. I really did. Major improvements-better story, better script, more Seagal, the scene in which he makes a gun out of pipes in the wall was nostalgic. Downside, dubbing with body double again playing a major role here when Seagal is supposed to run,body double runs. When Seagal walks across street, its actually body double walking across street. The body double in Seagal's films should get listed on the acting credits, because he is in these movies as much as Seagal. The FX on the helicopter explosion was awful.007's Dr. NO had more state of the art car chase scenes in the 60's than this had. The problem I had with the film was it never grabbed me. In my opinion "Mercenary for Justice" was a better film. It was faster with better action sequences. This film dragged, the pacing was faster but the director failed to capture the action scenes to make his audience care about them. The ending of this film just came and went for me as I had started to fast forward 2x through a lot of the last 20 minutes or so. Unlike others who reviewed this film, I felt this was a step backwards after "MFJ" rather than forwards as it reminded me of "Out of Reach" or the "Foreigner" which were his worst of the "D.T.V" releases. 6 out of 10 or 2 1/2 stars out of 4.

Mercenary for Justice (2006 Video)

Great D.T.V effort from Seagal...

[7/10 · 24 April 2006]

I am not sure what fans of Seagal are complaining about given his recent disasters over the years from 2002's The Foreigner through "Out of Reach" in my opinion would be #98, 99, and 100 on IMDb's bottom 100 list. However, after slight improvements in the films "Into the Sun" and "Black Dawn" I have to say "Mercenary for Justice" is his best film since "Half Past Dead". I say this because the film had me interested from start to finish. The fight scenes are credible, the action staged well, and Seagal's old persona comes out in this film. It reminded me of "Marked for Death" in its style. Some faults are evident, such as the bad dialogue and acting from the supporting cast. That is Seagal's stunt double again jumping fences to get behind the truck after the initial war sequence. The bathroom fight sequence as well as the last 20 minutes of the film make it all worth it. Truly, *** out of **** in its class.

Black Dawn (2005 Video)

The anti-climax of movies!!!

[5/10 · 28 December 2005]

What happened to this movie? This latest Seagal D.T.V effort had high hopes and falls short in a big way. This film starts out solid with Seagal breaking an arms dealer out of prison posing as a doctor. Lurking in the background are these terrorists planning to blow L.A. sky high...and the arms dealer plans on trading plutonium with the terrorists for diamonds. Staking out all this is Tamara Davies taking photos of Seagal and the arms dealer. Her cover gets blown as does Seagal's as it comes to pass that Seagal is working for some high level, unknown part of the government as he reprises his Jonathan Cold character from 2002's lackluster "The Foreigner". Sounds promising, and for a D.T.V it is shot nicely. As a viewer this Seagal flick appears to be his best film since "Half Past Dead". Lots of action, gunfights, explosions, etc. The truck chase is well done. As the film heads towards its awful conclusion, 1 hour & 25 minutes into the movie as a Seagal fan one should be pleased with the exception of a horrible staircase scene in which the camera focuses in on Seagal's stunt double who is wearing a lighter shade of the same suit Seagal is wearing in other scenes. Then comes the helicopter sequence, which shot with a blue screen background, was the most awful display of special effects I have ever seen. Early 80's B-movies had better FX than this, and this didn't have to be. I have to wonder did no one in post production see this in the editing room? If you don't have the budget for the digital effects, why not change the script for an alternate ending? I gave this a 5 out of 10 for the beginning and middle, but the final act made me cringe.

Today You Die (2005 Video)

Best Seagal D.T.V to date

[7/10 · 14 September 2005]

Comparing this film to other Seagal disasters such as "Out For A Kill", "The Foreigner", and "Out of Reach" fans of Steven should be happy with his latest effort. The film does have flaws, as is expected with a Direct-to-Video budget, but all in all this is his most entertaining film since "Half Past Dead" in 2002. Yes, that is a stunt double during some of the fight sequences. Yes, there is some stock footage morphed into this film. However, I applaud the director for doing what Mike Oblowitz never did, getting the most for the limited budget he had to work with. Seagal and Treach do have some chemistry working which helps. The script needed more work, but some of the one-liners were good. Seagal succeeds at breaking out of his normal, routine wooden one-dimensional hero role to a looser, More "Glimmer Man" approach to the film. 7 out of 10.

Pet Sematary II (1992)

A Decent Sequel to a Fan Favorite

[8/10 · 9 August 2005]

It seems to me that everyone is too critical when it comes to this film. I never dreamed that the original would bear a sequel, and the ingenuity involved to come up with this script should be commended. Mary Lambert is a terrific horror film director and it is sad to see that she isn't getting the chance to direct more of them (excluding her recent D.T.V "Urban Legends" sequel). The atmosphere is well done and creepy, and all in all this is an entertaining, fun, very gory romp that fans of the genre should applaud. This film misses the like of Fred Gwynne, but Clancy Brown steals the show here as Gus, the "dead is better" sheriff that for the last 45 minutes really makes this script work. Anthony Edwards turns in a solid performance, the biggest drawback would have to be Edward Furlong (who has never impressed me) and Jared Rushton who are horrible in their respective roles. Great soundtrack included-all and all top notch entertainment for horror fans.

Submerged (2005 Video)

Derivative Tripe...

[5/10 · 2 July 2005]

It is a sad day to see people considering this one of Seagal's best films in a while, the sad part is they are right, and this movie barely touches upon mediocre. Seagal looks bloated and hides in the darkness of the camera's for most of this film. His voice is dubbed again in a very obvious way. One question....was the production team behind this film really trying to pass that badly done spy plane at the beginning as a real plane, or was it supposed to be a remote controlled plane? The director does his best, this film had more potential than anything, however it is very inappropriately titled, as they spend about 15 minutes in a submarine. The last 30 minutes are well done, but by the time you get there you have had enough of the films flaws to where the stunts and action go unappreciated. "Into the Sun" was good, and I thought this was going to be better....wrong again. Better supporting cast than his last few D.T.V releases...* 1/2 out of ****.

War of the Worlds (2005)

Unsatisfying Cruise, Spielberg vehicle....

[3/10 · 2 July 2005]

****Contains Spoilers!!!!**** I tried to like this movie, I really did. I have read some of the other reviews on this movie and I disagree with the majority. I am a huge fan of Spielberg films, he is, in my opinion, the master of developing characters and portraying the neverending battle of good versus evil. This film fails at this and so much more, from the technical aspect of electronic shutdown across the globe to panning the camera into a fully functional hand-held video recorder to the ensuing chaos that is happening behind the characters to the emotionless army to the failed attempt of a homage to 1950's sci-fi flicks. This movie is deadpan and flat. You never care for the humans because they are just as bad as the machines (maybe Spielberg intended this) leaving 2+ hours of special effects, destruction, and watching Tom Cruise move from different situation to different situation trying to sav an annoying Dakota Fanning. The ending is atrocious and abrupt, leaving you feeling robbed of what could have been a good film. I would have preferred to see Harrison Ford cracking his whip at one of the machines or E.T pop out of one of the machines trying to phone home. Fx are decent, perhaps the saving grace of the movie. * out of ****.

Alone in the Dark (2005)

Not as bad as everyone says...

[5/10 · 13 May 2005]

This movie had good intentions, but fails on the follow through (post-production & editing)-Uwe Boll seems to lack putting everything together. I have seen worse, I have seen a lot better-doesn't deserve to be in the bottom 100 though-the ending lacks a climax-the action scenes are well done except for the initial chase between Slater and the guy who doesn't die-(watch when the guy supposedly slams Slater's head into the floor)-anyways-watched it last night-*1/2 out of 4 It reminded me of a mid-90's Rutger Hauer movie called "Split Second", except that movie had better writing. Slater is good as usual, Stephen Dorff offers nothing to his role, and Tara Reid seems confused throughout the movie (as are the viewers). The FX are decent-the atmosphere serves the movie well-it either seems they ran out of time or money.

Into the Sun (2005)

Into The Sun **** of ****

[10/10 · 16 February 2005]

It is interesting that so many people are giving this 7th dtv Seagal effort such a mediocre to bad rating. "Into the Sun" is Seagal's best and most enjoyable effort since 2001's "Exit Wounds"-this easily could have been a theatrical release as the production value of the film is much better than that of his previous efforts. Seagal plays Travis Hunter with much more charisma than in his last 5 efforts-and looks like he is having fun. The best acting job by Seagal since 1996's "The Glimmer Man"-The camera work is fast-the story is better than his last efforts, although it does take a while to get going. The last 20 minutes reminded me of the sword work from "Kill Bill"-very well done for a D.T.V effort-the action, though scarce, is done very well. Seagal fans should be happy with this latest effort.