It pays off to be original. "Frequency" is an unique movie in its sort, with an original concept that allows the movie to work out as a very effective one.

It's probably best to watch this movie without knowing anything about its plot. Just let it surprise you as it moves along, which also was the way how I first watched this movie, a long time ago. It's a movie that uses different genre styles. It's a thriller, it's a drama, it's a crime movie and it has a bit of science-fiction in it as well. This movie doesn't want to be put into one category. It probably made this movie a bit of a hard sell at the time of its release, which also would explain why it isn't known any better and more loved.

All the different genre styles work out very well together. It manages to find a good and effective balance between all of its many different ingredients, without ever going overboard with anything. It would have been so easy for this movie to get totally ridicules or sentimental with some of plot lines and developments. But I feel that the movie at all times remains a very honest and straightforward one, without too many needless distractions to the main plot. And even when the movie gets somewhat ridicules and melodramatic, it still works out way better than would be the case for any other type of movie. It's probably all because this movie is a very engaging and surprising one. It's original approach and concept ensures that the movie has plenty of surprises and good developments in it, that keeps you glued to the screen.

It isn't too hard to get into this movie, even when you normally don't like movies with far fetched and unrealistic concepts. It's because it's a very human movie to watch. It's all about its characters really and not necessarily as much about its actual plot. When you don't feel engaged with the movie its plot, you're surely still able to feel for the movie its characters, since they are all some very likable and realistic ones. The movie has some good dynamics between its different characters in it, which I feel, is also truly the core of this movie.

It's from the time that Gregory Hoblit was truly on a roll as a director. All of his movies were great and special ones, that used an unique approach and concept. It's a shame he never gained more notoriety and his best known movies are actually also really his lesser ones as well. Stick to the early movies out of his career, such as this one, if you want to see some nice surprises.

I feel that I have already said too much about this movie. Just watch it and let it surprise you!

9/10

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Bottom line is that this movie tries a bit too hard. It desperately wants to be a hip and Tarantino like gangster flick but it does so by featuring mostly extremely exaggerated and silly moments and characters in it. It doesn't exactly make this a likely movie and not all of it adds to its entertainment value either. Sometimes it only works against the movie and prevents it from becoming something truly great and creative.

Because of its humor it gets extremely hard to take the movie serious in any way. You could even say this is more of a comedy than anything else really, which means that the rawness and action of the movie doesn't ever come across as something that works out very well. There is never a really good balance between its different elements and sometimes you are not sure whether you were supposed to laugh or cringe at a certain bloody and violent scene.

I still feel that the movie could had worked out well, if only it had a more tight and involving script. First of all, it was a bit of a mistake for the movie to make its main characters such hardcore criminals, who kill, even innocent persons, within the blink of an eye and never feel sorry about anything and basically do anything for money. They are not really redeeming and likable enough characters, even though the movie still tries very hard to turn them into such characters.

But also the main story itself is far from involving enough. It's a bit too simplistic in its setup and the way everything plays out. I actually thought it was funny how similar it seemed to "Gigli", which is one of the most hated and bashed movies of recent years. I sincerely don't think this was intentional and all was a big coincidence but it should tell you something about how 'great' its story is.

Only thing that the movie still has going for it is its style. It still looks like a well made movie, even though in its core it really isn't. At least the movie is always nice to look at and besides has a good pace to it, so you're never really bored with anything. Who knows, maybe if the next time the director gets an higher budget and some different writers to work on his movie, he would be capable of delivering a good and entertaining enough flick. This movie just isn't quite it, though it still has some hints of a good and fun movie in it at times.

The biggest draw of this movie will probably be Billy Bob Thornton and Eva Longoria but don't be fooled people, they only play supporting roles in this and play roles that basically could had been played by anybody. Not really sure why they were involved anyway and it came across to me like they were doing someone a favor by attaching their names to this movie, without having to put too much time and effort into it.

It's not a complete disaster or terrible movie to watch but it's also far from a great movie really. It definitely failed at what it tried- and desperately wanted to be.

5/10

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When three redneck brothers agree to help a woman save her son from an abusive father, they become targets on the run from an odd cast of characters. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Barry Battles

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Eva Longoria, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and others

Current release date: 2013

(Review originally written at 6 April 2008)

What I sometimes like about sequels is that they make seem that the film-makers have learned from their previous mistake during the last movie. This was previously for instance the case with the other superhero movies "X2", which was a better movie than "X-Men" and "Spider-Man 2", which was better than the first movie. This movie also learned from some of its mistakes it previous made in "Fantastic Four". Well, not all though.

What it definitely learned was that it needed some more fun in it. The movie is more entertaining to watch and there is some more comedy to enjoy as well this time.

Unfortunately the story is just as weak and gets also brought just as weak as was the case with the previous. The main plot just never gets developed good enough and the movie seems too much in love with its four main characters. The ending just also seems to come out of nowhere because of that, since how, when, why just never got explained good enough. Luckily it has the Silver Surfe in it this time, who still nice to spice up things.

There also is some more action but it also gives you the feeling it is not enough or it certainly isn't big enough.

The special effects have definitely been improved this time, which makes the movie more convincing to watch. Also the make-up for The Thing seemed to had been even more improved but Jessica Alba's chest on the other hand was still as distracting as ever, which is not a bad thing though.

Basically all the characters from the first movie return and then there are also some new additions to the cast this time. The Silver Surfer is a welcome addition and he is a good looking and also interesting character. But you can wonder if it was necessary for the movie to bring Dr. Doom back. You sort of feel that the only reason they included his character was because when was being hinted at a sequel, during the previous movie, it was hinted that his character had survived. But you can actually really wonder if his character for this movie really adds anything and was necessary at all.

Just basically some good simple fun, as long as your expectations for it aren't too high.

6/10

(Review originally written at 18 February 2008)

This movie is being praised basically everywhere, which made me all the more skeptic about watching it of course. I mean, how could a movie set in a supermarket, surrounded by fog, could ever be an exciting or tense horror flick? Well, you better believe it that this movie is a exciting and tense one to watch and it's all being presented in a very original way as well.

The fact that the movie is directed by Frank Darabont should had already given away that this is a great movie. Darabont made the 2 successful Stephen King adaptations "The Shawshank Redemption" and "The Green Mile" prior to this movie. Suddenly I am also less worried about Darabont making a "Fahrenheit 451" remake, which is in the works. "The Mist" is his third movie based on a Stephen King story and it's the first horror based one. Now, I never have been a too big King for but his story for "The Mist" seems like a genuine well written one because it's an horror movie in an unexpected way.

What makes "The Mist" such a great and already almost classic movie is because of its approach. What "The Mist" does very well is that perhaps the biggest danger and horror doesn't come from outside, in the mist but from inside the people in the supermarket. This movie is a perfect study of human nature and it's not afraid to show the dark side of mankind. It's an highly original and approach of an horror story. Finally a real clever made horror movie, that also makes you think. This however all doesn't mean that the movie also isn't effective on its more generic horror elements, such as scare moments and 'monsters'. Also on that level the movie knows to impress and is it just as effective.

It chooses a realistic approach of things and therefore also picks a realistic visual approach, with sort of hand held looking quick shots and by showing things only from the perspective of the main characters. It throws you right in the middle of things, which of course also really adds to the overall effectiveness and power of the movie. In that regard the movie is also truly original. Because the movie tries to remain as realistic and 'small' as possible, the movie also doesn't a cast with big selling names in it. Because of this, you also don't know who will survive in the end. Normally you know this already when a movie has some big famous names in it. It keeps the characters all more real. It makes the story totally not predictable and far from just another generic piece of horror. The movie also really doesn't end in a generic kind of way.

The movie also features some good looking special effects. Normally special effects and horror are a bad combination but in this case the movie truly benefits from its special effects. There are all, again, featured in a realistic and they are obviously not put into the movie to impress its viewers but to help to tell the movie its story.

Yes, the movie is really as good as everyone makes you believe it is!

9/10