It's fun to watch this movie 14 years after its releases. People at the time were getting tired of Sly and his attempts at acting and of course more than a few people were up on their high horses as well, just because of the fact that this is a remake of a semi-classic 1971 movie (what else is new?). Needless to say that the movie at the time also bombed and got critically panned but does all of that really say anything about the actually quality of this movie?
First of all, I'm a person who wasn't even all that fond of the original 1971 "Get Carter" movie, starring Michael Caine, who plays a small role in this remake as well. So just the fact that this movie is a remake doesn't bother me as much as it normally does and it's certainly nothing that I hold against this movie.
If I remember correctly, thing that I didn't like about the 1971 version was that it was a very slow, long stretched, movie in which not an awful lot was ever happening. Well, there is plenty happening in this remake but just not enough good things as well.
It's still not a terrible movie but it nevertheless feels like a very formulaic and average one. It's a typical action movie, with thriller, mystery and dramatic elements weaved into the story. Nothing wrong with that but none of the action really ever works out as anything spectacular, none of the thriller aspects are suspenseful enough, none of the mystery works out as interesting and none of the drama is ever anything engaging enough. In other words; nothing works out very well within the movie and it ultimately also is an extremely forgettable one.
Main reason why most of the aspects don't really work out is because of its story. The story is lacking focus and it feels all over the place, with its dull and unlikely developments. The one moment Carter is after one guy, the next after a total different person and after that he goes back after the first guy again. Seriously, this is the type of movie that could have benefited from one good main villain that Carter could go after, instead of turning the movie into a bit of a whodunit, in which all of the characters are basically bad ones and potential suspects. in the end it also really doesn't matter who is the person that's responsible for Carter's brother death, since all of the characters are equally big crooks, who don't deserve to live.
It's also annoying how the movie tries to be all hip and like a modern update of an older movie, by throwing in all sorts of odd musical choices, over-stylized sequences and lots of exaggerated action moment.
This definitely is the type of movie that could have used some more subtlety in it. In its core it's still a pretty decent and interesting revenge story but all of that gets pushed aside by the movie its far less interesting side-plots and many needless characters. It makes the movie a very formulaic and stylized Hollywood production, instead of the raw and gritty 'men's' movie that it potentially could have been.
But really, none of it makes this a completely terrible movie as well. Like I said, it's just mostly a very formulaic one, that isn't breaking any new grounds and also isn't a particularly well-done genre flick but nothing about it is absolutely terrible as well.
Even Sylvester Stallone's acting isn't anything too bad. I mean, his character at least manages to work out as a likable enough one, despite the fact that he's a pretty big crook himself as well. It of course still are most of the supporting actors who impress way more with their roles though. But that's no big surprise, seeing how this movie stars the likes of Mickey Rourke, Miranda Richardson, Michael Caine, John C. McGinley and Alan Cumming in it.
'Meh' is the best word to describe the movie.
6/10
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