I am NOT a fan of sequels. You must understand, they are usually made with only one idea in mind, cash-in on the original.
The original of P.E. is a favorite of mine. But why do I like this one?
Probably because so many people hated it, right? Not quite. I don't blind go against the grain for spite, or root for the underdog against all logic.
This is a really nicely done "original" in it's own right. The story enveloped me. I connected the dots, and I did NOT compare this with the original. What would be the point after 9 years?
Cromwell and the staff of writers (there are a few) concocted a truly interesting story. So why was this a flop in most eyes? I really cannot say but - here is my theory: it didn't have Michael Paré in the first place. That's immediately plausible. No characters or actors from the original. So what? But beyond that:
BRAD JOHNSON did a fine job in carrying the movie. He is a strong actor with a nice quiet (generically quiet) exterior, but pleasing demeanor. He brought sympathy to the character without being maudlin. MARJEAN HOLDEN landing this role was a stroke of luck. Her gritty female was not done "over the top" like many boring "gritty females" in action flicks who are asked to done guerrilla garb. She was written with more dimensions than that! Thank goodness Courtney Cox walked out of this role. She would have been terrible - even distracting to say the least! GERRIT GRAHAM was spot on as the "villain(s)" of this story. He was menacing without being a comic strip character like so many usually are in these type of movies.
The concept of changing the result of World War II as a story line has been used many times before, BUT HERE, it was not pushed and prodded with the countless Nazi stereotypes we are usually FED to by Hollywood poorest writers. Here the Nazi machine was done matter of course. Much more realistic, I'd say.
Although I would admit that with movies like this we can usually tell what the ending should be and will be without much thought, nevertheless the telling was absorbing...the pace of the story was SLAM BANG in your FACE all the time. That can get tiresome. Here it was a welcome change of story over violence that served it well.
All in all, give the movie a chance, the first 10 minutes, as another reviewer explained, needs to be experienced, as offbeat as you might think it is. Or as unnecessary as you would think it is, it does bring us up to date with an alternative storyline with compelled me to write this review in the first place.
Enjoy it without expectations and you might be surprised at how it reels you in. It won't blow you away with effects and endless moments of nonsensical action and it won't change your life, but it will be a nice time spent.
The original of P.E. is a favorite of mine. But why do I like this one?
Probably because so many people hated it, right? Not quite. I don't blind go against the grain for spite, or root for the underdog against all logic.
This is a really nicely done "original" in it's own right. The story enveloped me. I connected the dots, and I did NOT compare this with the original. What would be the point after 9 years?
Cromwell and the staff of writers (there are a few) concocted a truly interesting story. So why was this a flop in most eyes? I really cannot say but - here is my theory: it didn't have Michael Paré in the first place. That's immediately plausible. No characters or actors from the original. So what? But beyond that:
BRAD JOHNSON did a fine job in carrying the movie. He is a strong actor with a nice quiet (generically quiet) exterior, but pleasing demeanor. He brought sympathy to the character without being maudlin. MARJEAN HOLDEN landing this role was a stroke of luck. Her gritty female was not done "over the top" like many boring "gritty females" in action flicks who are asked to done guerrilla garb. She was written with more dimensions than that! Thank goodness Courtney Cox walked out of this role. She would have been terrible - even distracting to say the least! GERRIT GRAHAM was spot on as the "villain(s)" of this story. He was menacing without being a comic strip character like so many usually are in these type of movies.
The concept of changing the result of World War II as a story line has been used many times before, BUT HERE, it was not pushed and prodded with the countless Nazi stereotypes we are usually FED to by Hollywood poorest writers. Here the Nazi machine was done matter of course. Much more realistic, I'd say.
Although I would admit that with movies like this we can usually tell what the ending should be and will be without much thought, nevertheless the telling was absorbing...the pace of the story was SLAM BANG in your FACE all the time. That can get tiresome. Here it was a welcome change of story over violence that served it well.
All in all, give the movie a chance, the first 10 minutes, as another reviewer explained, needs to be experienced, as offbeat as you might think it is. Or as unnecessary as you would think it is, it does bring us up to date with an alternative storyline with compelled me to write this review in the first place.
Enjoy it without expectations and you might be surprised at how it reels you in. It won't blow you away with effects and endless moments of nonsensical action and it won't change your life, but it will be a nice time spent.