It really is a shame, as "Descending Angel" is a very good film...but by the end of the movie, it degenerates into a stupid action flick. Up until then, I really enjoyed it and wanted more and more.
Michael (Eric Roberts) is engaged to Irina (Diane Lane). So it's not surprising that she is taking him home to introduce to her father, Florian (George C. Scott). Florian seems like a swell guy...which makes it all the weirder when a stranger approaches Michael and tells him his prospective father-in-law is a war criminal! At first, he doesn't believe it....but over time he comes to realize that the father is a monster.
Up until the big confrontation scenes near the end, the story was excellent. But there were two huge problems. First, Irina's reaction AND Michael's reaction to her reaction came off as hard to believe at best. Second, and more importantly, the ending is simply stupid. Despite Florian being a dangerous character with very dangerous friends, Michael deals with this in the silliest and unbelievable manner...so much that my daughter and I found ourselves laughing. Sad...it could have been wonderful...instead, it's a flawed but watchable film...with good performances by Roberts (who, oddly, is cast third even though he is THE star) and Scott.
By the way, the opening credits are very explicit...and you see a LOT of DIane Lane. Odd, as the rest of the film has no nudity at all and it did seem out of place.
Michael (Eric Roberts) is engaged to Irina (Diane Lane). So it's not surprising that she is taking him home to introduce to her father, Florian (George C. Scott). Florian seems like a swell guy...which makes it all the weirder when a stranger approaches Michael and tells him his prospective father-in-law is a war criminal! At first, he doesn't believe it....but over time he comes to realize that the father is a monster.
Up until the big confrontation scenes near the end, the story was excellent. But there were two huge problems. First, Irina's reaction AND Michael's reaction to her reaction came off as hard to believe at best. Second, and more importantly, the ending is simply stupid. Despite Florian being a dangerous character with very dangerous friends, Michael deals with this in the silliest and unbelievable manner...so much that my daughter and I found ourselves laughing. Sad...it could have been wonderful...instead, it's a flawed but watchable film...with good performances by Roberts (who, oddly, is cast third even though he is THE star) and Scott.
By the way, the opening credits are very explicit...and you see a LOT of DIane Lane. Odd, as the rest of the film has no nudity at all and it did seem out of place.