I have seen almost every video game adaptation Uwe Boll has done and thus far they have been pretty terrible. Now I have heard people say that when Boll is dealing with original material and not a video game he can do some great directing/story telling but the fact is that Rampage is almost more a video game adaptation than some of his other work ie: Postal, or Far Cry. Gamers everywhere know what its like when you're playing something like Grand Theft Auto and you get bored and just kind of do your own thing driving around shooting up the city and causing havoc much to the chagrin of mother's groups everywhere. This is precisely what Rampage is and probably where Boll got the idea from. Remarkably amongst an almost ridiculously pointless bloody killing spree he actually puts an interesting spin and a twist to the ending worthy of M. Night. The film will inevitably cause people to say how grotesquely violent films are, how it advocates violence, guns, and abusing women and all that might be true to someone who can't separate reality from film but Boll's mindless rampage actually manages to be watchable and that is an achievement for him.
This is really almost a one man show and the star is Brendan Fletcher. He isn't new to acting by any means and he gives a subtle, quietly violent performance that is better than the material he is given so good for him. Fellow Canadian actor Shaun Sipos has a supporting role that is also decent given the small screen time he is given. However, having become a fan of Sipos on the short lived Melrose Place I know he is a better actor than the part Uwe Boll gives him. Although he is given top billing actor Michael Paré is barely a supporting character. He isn't on screen long enough to make any difference. Terrific character actor Matt Frewer has done some terrific work but as the overbearing father of Fletcher's character he is underused, annoying and just poorly acted perhaps on purpose. Same could be said only multiplied for Lynda Boyd who has also had her own share of roles. I think there is purposely a B-Movie element, a Grindhouse purpose behind this blood soaked film and if that was what Boll had in mind than the cast is ace.
I didn't dislike this film. In fact its entertaining if you can put any sense of being offended behind you and just watch the blood soaked, gratuitous, exploitation of the movie. Fans of action, or over the top action 80's flicks might get a real kick out of this. You might figure the film would have no story behind it or very little but the ending actually makes the film seem almost intellectual in the way that it rolls out. However, if you stop to think too long about it I am sure there are piles of plot holes that make the ending completely implausible but for what its worth it actually works. So skip this one for any semblance of intellect or depth but for mindless violence all in the sake of make belief it actually works. 7/10
This is really almost a one man show and the star is Brendan Fletcher. He isn't new to acting by any means and he gives a subtle, quietly violent performance that is better than the material he is given so good for him. Fellow Canadian actor Shaun Sipos has a supporting role that is also decent given the small screen time he is given. However, having become a fan of Sipos on the short lived Melrose Place I know he is a better actor than the part Uwe Boll gives him. Although he is given top billing actor Michael Paré is barely a supporting character. He isn't on screen long enough to make any difference. Terrific character actor Matt Frewer has done some terrific work but as the overbearing father of Fletcher's character he is underused, annoying and just poorly acted perhaps on purpose. Same could be said only multiplied for Lynda Boyd who has also had her own share of roles. I think there is purposely a B-Movie element, a Grindhouse purpose behind this blood soaked film and if that was what Boll had in mind than the cast is ace.
I didn't dislike this film. In fact its entertaining if you can put any sense of being offended behind you and just watch the blood soaked, gratuitous, exploitation of the movie. Fans of action, or over the top action 80's flicks might get a real kick out of this. You might figure the film would have no story behind it or very little but the ending actually makes the film seem almost intellectual in the way that it rolls out. However, if you stop to think too long about it I am sure there are piles of plot holes that make the ending completely implausible but for what its worth it actually works. So skip this one for any semblance of intellect or depth but for mindless violence all in the sake of make belief it actually works. 7/10