Ever since Oliver Stone stopped writing his own movies, his movies have
been some incredibly mediocre ones, this one included. But mediocre
still is far from the same as saying that it's also being a bad movie
of course.
It's definitely far from a great movie but as a genre movie it serves
its purpose well enough and also has some pretty good moments in it.
It's flaws and writing prevent this movie from ever becoming a true
must-see but it simply remains a good movie to watch, especially for
those who are into these type of crime-thrillers, involving drug
cartels.
It's not being the best written movie but I also do admit that it's not
being the best told movie as well. The movie was definitely lacking
some focus and too often was all over the place with its different
characters and the movie didn't always had a good and pleasant flow to
it. Besides, it was lacking some good, likable main characters. I mean,
no matter how you look at it, the main characters are still some
criminals, who are not afraid to get their hands dirty and know very
well they are breaking the law. I just had a hard time liking them for
what they were and therefore also never felt involved with anyone of
them, causing me also to never feel involved with the movie or get
grabbed by any of its tension, emotions and plot developments.
The movie is also going at some weird places with its story at times
and keeps changing directions. The one moment its being a
crime-thriller, the other a romantic-drama and the other it suddenly
turns into a typical, over-the-top action flick. You could say that the
movie keeps surprising you but it doesn't exactly do this in the most
convincing or entertaining way.
I wasn't too fond about its lead actors but luckily the movie does
still have a solid supporting cast. Benicio Del Toro is always good in
this sort of roles and it was nice to see Salma Hayek as a tough
'villain' for a change. John Travolta also shows that he can still be
cool in movie and age doesn't hinder him.
This movie movie might still disappoint some Oliver Stone's fans but
overall this is being a good genre movie, that still has some hints of
a great movie in it.
(Review originally written at 21 July 2008) If you don't want to take drugs but still want to experience a tripping experience, "Natural Born Killers" is the perfect alternative solution. There is no holding back Oliver Stone in this one. Oliver Stone movies of course often feature weird camera angles, extreme editing and cuts and at times dream like atmosphere but "Natural Born Killers" really goes to the extreme. The cuts are extreme, making this one fast hell of a ride, with dream (or better said nightmare) like images. Oliver Stone used all of his tricks, by using many different film formats, old stock footage and random images and animated sequences in between. This all ensures the movie its constant hallucinative look and feeling. It's comical, it's violent, it's odd but yet it also remains to know perfectly accessible to everyone. It has a story (originally written by Quentin Tarantino) that is filled with violence. It's about a psychotic couple on a killing spree and we mostly get to see things the way they experience them. It makes us close to the main characters, despite their extremely violent nature. They are like a modern Bonnie & Clyde. But the story is of course about a lot more of things, going into many different directions, mainly concerning how violent hungry the world has become, especially concerning its media, as gets perfectly depicted by sensationalist reporter Wayne Gale, played by Robert Downey Jr. Quite ironic of course that Robert Downey Jr. plays in such a tripping movie, considering his drug past. Same goes for Tom Sizemore. Both must had had no difficulties coming into character and capturing the right mood of the movie with their performances. Besides those two, the movie has many other different great actors in supporting roles. Tommy Lee Jones is of course especially memorable in his totally crazy role as the prison warden Dwight McClusky. The movie further more also features Rodney Dangerfield, O-Lan Jones and Dale Dye among many, many others. But despite having many great and well known actors in it, the movie still gets mostly carried by it's two main principal actors, Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis. They are actually really a cute couple together in this movie, as weird as this might sound, considering all these things they are doing in this movie. One of my favorite movies of the '90's. 10/10 Watch trailer
(Review originally written at 22 February 2007) *** This review may contain spoilers *** This still is the best and most powerful and gritty Vietnam war movie around. It's a war movie that shocks and confronts not necessarily with its graphic images but more with its psychological elements. It shows what a war can do to common man and how it can make and break characters. So above everything, "Platoon" is really a character movie that tells the story of two different sergeants who clash and a young recruit being in the middle of it all. The movie shows the duality of men and isn't afraid to show the dark side of every person. It makes the movie confronting and effective to watch. While watching this movie it makes a realize that it's a movie that only could had been made by a Vietnam veteran. The small little details such as of the atmosphere and characterize behavior are too detailed and uncompromising to have been written by someone who hasn't been even close to Vietnam. "Platoon" is a sort of autobiography movie by Oliver Stone, who put some his own Vietnam war experiences into this movie. The movie, like basically every Oliver Stone movie, handles controversial subjects and is very straightforward, without really picking any sides. The movie features only 2 or 4 real visual confronting sequences. The movie doesn't need anymore than that to be powerful, or to try and make its point. It lets the psychological elements take of that instead. It makes "Platoon" a movie that doesn't try to impress but nevertheless leaves a powerful and lasting impression through its way of film-making. It also provides the movie with some really powerful sequences, with of course the death of Sgt. Elias Grodin as the most classic and memorable one. I still regard it as the greatest death sequence out of movie history, even though it's completely over-the-top. The movie is mostly carried by the characters that are in it. None of them are really formulaic or predictable and they are being played by some great actors. This movie features some great casting, with lots of actors that later became huge stars, such as Forest Whitaker, John C. McGinley and of course Johnny Depp. Charlie Sheen does a good job at playing the character, trough whose eyes the entire story gets told. But it are Tom Berenger and Willem Dafoe who really form the movie. In a non-formulaic way they represent good and evil. "Platoon" is luckily not only just a psychological powerful movie with great characters but also visually a great movie to watch. The battle sequences are effective and impressive to watch and really give you a sense of how it must have been like over there, as does the entire movie by the way. The cinematography by Robert Richardson is wonderful and the Academy Award winning directing by Oliver Stone is just great. "Platoon" is of course also the movie that got Adagio for Strings eternal fame. The piece of classical music it features prominently the movie its most important sequences. It works powerful and effective, no matter how often it gets overused in the movie. War is hell and this movie really shows that. 10/10 Watch trailer
(Review originally written at 26 January 2007) *** This review may contain spoilers *** The movie sort of has the bad luck that "United 93" was the first major theatrical movie released, regarding 9/11, so of course these two movies immediately got compared to each other. "United 93" is a movie that is far superior in its emotions and in capturing the the mood and emotions of that day. It makes you relive 9/11. "World Trade Center" is a different movie, with a different approach, that is less powerful, though still powerful nevertheless, just in a different way. It's probably the reason why "United 93" got praised way more and "World Trade Center" got based way more, even though it of course is far from a bad movie. Just because it's different doesn't mean it's bad. I mean, it's not like every good movie about WW II is the same either. The movie mostly lays its emphasis on the heroic aspects of 9/11. The sort of message of the movie is 'we'll overcome' and not 'this is our darkest hour'. Maybe America and Americans needed this sort of movie, to heal their wounds and handle their emotions, that are all still fresh, by showing, as weird and disrespectful as it might sound, the positive aspects of 9/11, by showing the individual heroism and how people were brought together through the events and including a 'happy' ending. The movie doesn't ever succeed in capturing the total chaos, confusing and desperation of that day, perhaps only the first few minutes of the movie. It doesn't make this movie the most powerful or relevant movies, regarding the subject, around and my hope is that later Hollywood movies shall succeed better in this, since it concerns a relevant, important subject, that should be continued to be lighted in future movies, to contribute to it that 9/11 shall never be forgotten. Let's be fair, in essence this movie is a disaster movie, like so many were made of in the '70's. And lets face it, those movies just aren't the best ones around. My biggest fear was that "World Trade Center" would be just as sappy and over-the-top melodramatic in some of it's moments, like always in '70's also was the case. "World Trade Center" is definitely sappy and over-the-top melodramatic at times but not halve as bad as I had feared. Some of the sequence even work out effective. It are however the emotions of the story work out but not the emotions of 9/11 itself. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the movie is that its directed by Oliver Stone. A man who normally likes to handle controversial and provocative subjects and throw in some conspiracy theories. It would had been very easy to put in conspiracy theories in this movie and if one man could do it, it would be him. "World Trade Center" however in now way ever gets predictable or question the actions of the authorities, or anything of that sort. As a matter of fact, if you'd told me this movie was directed by someone else, I would had believed it. Nothing in this movie indicates that this movie is directed by Oliver Stone. Also his trademark of fast cuts and high pace is not notable in this movie. The movie is very natural and mainstream. It also of course means that this movie is also perfectly watchable for his non-fans. The time-line is pretty messed up. Hours go by in only on screen minutes time. The movie focuses entirely on 9/11 and the morning after but the movie doesn't ever give us the sense of time, also of course since it mostly is set underground, beneath the rubble of the collapsed tower. It however doesn't always make the story flow well and causes some drags. It's a true story and that's really amazing. The story of the two men who got stuck alive beneath the rubble and life to tell the story is pretty amazing, considering how many lives were lost on 9/11 and how many actually survived from the rubble. Yet the movie also decides to put some more characters in the story, as if the two main characters already aren't interesting and in a way symbolic enough for that day. Of course it also focuses on their families, which makes sense but it also throws in some other 'heroic' characters in the movie, that we however never get to known, which make them and the plot lines around them pretty shallow and needless. Not sure if Nicolas Cage was the right choice for the role. I mean he has never really played a dramatic or touching role in his career, though I'm definitely not a Nicolas Cage hater. I think a movie like this would had been better off with a completely unknown cast. It would had made it easier to identify yourself with them and would also had made the movie and story work out more realistic and powerful. The effects of the movie are really good. The the impact and the all look extremely realistic and is amazingly well done, with lots of respect. So the movie doesn't try to impress with its visuals or make the impact and collapse look spectacular. As a matter of fact, the collapse of the towers isn't even shown on screen. See this movie for how well made it is but don't see it for its emotions or for the emotional and touching impact it will make on you. For that, I recommend you watch "United 93" instead. 7/10 Watch trailer
