Terrible adaptation of the well known book. The script just could not figure out a way to translate the book into a story that makes sense on the screen. The intricate details of the book were either skipped or rattled off glibly as badly written dialog. Bad casting of Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou and Jean Reno in the lead roles led to acting that range from average to dismal. Hanks looks nothing like the character described in the book and was obviously chosen only to boost ticket sales. He simply falters in this role despite how talented an actor he is. Ian McKellen was the only actor that managed to make his role believable. Ron Howard's self-conscious and clumsy direction weighs the movie down further. Skip it and just read the book.
Reviews
3 Reviews
Hero
(2002)
Great movie... one of the best from China
23 February 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Good story line, wonderful direction and beautiful cinematography. Even though I was never a great fan of Jet Li's acting abilities, he was fine here. The rest of the cast was stellar. The use of the different color schemes, although not exactly subtle, was visually stunning.
I know some people complained about all the "flying" around in the movie. However, that is how these Chinese martial arts novels have been written for centuries and thus became an integral part of these type of movies for over some 50 - 60 years. Besides, no one is complaining about how Luke Skaywalker did some gravity defying moves in the "Star War" movies... which by the way has a lot of parallels to these old martial arts movies, minus the space ships of course.
POSSIBLE SPOILER: By the way, in the Chinese culture the color white is associated with death and is the color people used to wear to funerals in the old days.
I know some people complained about all the "flying" around in the movie. However, that is how these Chinese martial arts novels have been written for centuries and thus became an integral part of these type of movies for over some 50 - 60 years. Besides, no one is complaining about how Luke Skaywalker did some gravity defying moves in the "Star War" movies... which by the way has a lot of parallels to these old martial arts movies, minus the space ships of course.
POSSIBLE SPOILER: By the way, in the Chinese culture the color white is associated with death and is the color people used to wear to funerals in the old days.
Out of Time
(I) (2003)
Contrived and ridiculous plot (Spoilers)
18 February 2004
Warning: Spoilers
OK, find me a homicide detective that looks like Eva Mendes, whose character is divorcing the Chief of Police who is having an affair, tempers with money confiscated from a drug bust, gets involved in an arson and murder case, lies and obstructs the investigation, kills several of the suspects, and in the end she decides she loves him and wants him back... should I go on?
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