Reviews

Waste of film and time. This is an obscene exercise in the director's misplaced vanity. I have alerted readers to spoilers, but the truth is there is so little action, story line, character development or writing, there isn't much to spoil. A selfish, arrogant jerk goes on a trip with his super needy girlfriend from Russia. They drive the arrogant jerks Hummer through the desert and have sex in various places with the guy having some impossible, skull exploding orgasm every time. This happens continuously for the first 96 minutes of this 113 minute movie. In the last ten minutes they are pulled over by desert-driving thugs, who force them to stop, rape and brutalize the man, while forcing the woman to watch. In the last minute they are both killed and the movie ends. Just awful. I suppose the artsy pseudo-intellectuals will talk about these things I thought the director had included. The stark contrast of the Hummer in the desert. The less than perfect communications between the man and the woman represent the inherent differences of the sexes. And finally, it was not lost on me (no more than getting hit with a sledgehammer), was the male rape by the guy who had the bigger truck and as some king of insane plot thread, the rapist has a similar very vocal orgasm during the male rape. Look, I don't want to intellectualize over some anti-Hummer tirade by the director, but this movie sucked and the panoramic vistas (which some people think is the saving grace of this movie, kind of in the wide open style of Kubrick in 2001,but it simply did not work for me. For example, some of the shots are so wide, you have to scan to find the actors. Anyway, pass on this film, you have an hour fifty two minutes to do better stuff in your life.

This show would not exist if the developers did not make Jack Bauer (JB, just like another famous spy, how original)the most intelligent spy hunter of all time, and CTU, the agency he works for , the STUPIDEST TOP SECRET AGENCY IN THE WORLD, they would not have a show.

I started watching this show in its 4th season and was instantly struck the ridiculous aspect of security in a "secure" facility. Let me start by telling you, STRANGERS DO NOT ENTER SECURE FACILITIES, EVER!!. In the season I watched, not only did civilians and terrorists gain access to "the box" (the most secure part of a secure facility has always been called 'the box' or 'the shop') they carried deadly toxins with them. IT COULD NEVER HAPPEN. Well, that was last season and this season has dived deeper into the land of incredulity. The half-wit brother of the only other smart character is now President, apparently operating with out any staff. As the POTUS, he makes deals with known terrorists and sacrifices the person who uncovered the assassination of his brother? Come on, if that is not the MOST ABSURD presentation of an American President EVER, I don't know what could be more UNBELIEVABLE. In the US of A, that I know, WE NEVER NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS. The American people just get more resolved when things go bad. The very idea of the POTUS bending over like a prison bitch is INSULTING. The next thing you know, this guy will be selling the Treasury for some MAGIC BEANS. The idea that we would trade terrorist prisoners has to be the STUPIDEST PREMISES OF ALL TIME.

This show is completely UNBELIEVABLE and I cannot fathom why NO ONE ELSE writes about the ABSURDITY of this show.

I am so outraged after viewing this film (Sundance channel), I may not be in the best frame of mind to write this review. I have also clicked the spoiler button, but the basic gist of the entire movie is how the administration, by way of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) run by an attorney who represents toxic claim violators, twisted and spun the data ( and in some cases deleted) to represent that the post 9/11 air was in fact safe to breathe.

The documentary is a litany of first responders who now suffer from debilitating (and in some cases, terminal) pulmonary diseases, and how the system is now letting them fall between the cracks as their insurers decline to cover them, despite their selfless acts of heroism on 9/11. And how the Administration continues to wash their hands of any responsibility. The administration seems ready to sacrifice the "little people" (rhymes with non 6 figure contributors) in order to further their political agenda.

The documentary is also testimony to the litigation that is now being pursued by the affected first responders. In a stunning pre-trial decision, a federal judge has ruled that the then head of the EPA (Christine Todd Whitman-Republican. what a surprise to find out she was a republican) DOES NOT HAVE IMMUNITY from prosecution for the things she said, "...I can assure you as the head of the EPA, that the air is safe to breathe...". The judge involved said she could not believe the utter callousness with which Ms. Whitman sent people to their graves. I am pretty sure she will do time in jail. There will be others going to jail as well I imagine, mostly from the CEQ, which was directly responsible for the deletion of language that would have warned people returning to the affected area, from a report that the EPA submitted.

There are about 9000 first responders involved in one of the suits against the EPA, but this will pale in the wave of suits by the ordinary citizens who, relying on the assurances of the NYC and federal governments also returned to contaminated areas to work and live post 9/11.

I can only hope that everyone sees this film and presses their representatives in Congress to push for prosecution of the A**HOLES who thought it was more important to open Wall Street, than to protect its little citizens.

I wanted this to be a good show as the premise seems good for a television vehicle. And the main plot is good; the problems faced in the aftermath of some kind of nuclear explosions is a good plot line. However, the subplots of intrigue, conspiracy and apathy ruin this show for me.

Of the minor subplots, the reaction of the towns teenagers is unfathomable. They want to have parties where they are willing to pay $20 for a bag of chips at the local store amidst hoarding and panic. The kids continue to act as if nothing has happened and continue their bullying to the town nerd, save for the one rich girl he seeks attention from.

The second unbelievable subplot is the town bar. I have never seen a bar so packed after thermonuclear detonation and seemingly as long as the drinks keep coming, the apocalypse is of little concern to the bar patrons. I just think the teens and the barflies might have a different reaction in face of the potential end of the world.

In the final analysis, I will watch this show, but if I miss an episode or two, I will not care. The real great show this season, (full of promise and a potential vehicle for the great Science fiction writers of the world much the same as the original Star Trek did)is Eureka on the Sci-Fi channel.

The trailers made this movie seem like an interesting variation on "kidnap the bank manager's daughter" plot. HOWEVER, I have to start with the casting here, because I think this could have been a good movie had it had the right actors.

Rachel McAdams as the heroine, a hard working no nonsense super tart who is unbelievable and unextraordinary (other than the fact she is nice eye candy).

Cillian Murphy as the "manager". The nefarious plotster will all his bases covered with respect to the plot to "send a brash message" to the US government. He also, is unbelievable as the 22 year old WunderKind who "...overthrows governments, splashy assassinations, etc...", his comment when asked what he did. He has a dynamic stage presence but was wrong for this role.

And finally, Jayma Mavs as the assistant desk clerk. Seems more appropriate for a 3's Company redo as the new ditzy character. Not really sure why she is even on screen for as much as she is.

NOW THE MOVIE: Trapped on an airplane, the heroine is coerced to co-operate in the assassination of a political figure. Concept good, execution bad. I was never able to suspend my disbelief. I think the close confines of airplane would have their actions pretty conspicuous.The bad guy is just as trapped as the heroine is. Where is he going to go? In the end, I would have just raised my hand and asked the stewardess to have security waiting for the guy (Cillian Murphy) when they landed. The assassination plot(both political and her father, the coercing) sabotaged by prior warning. But I guess that would have been a shorter even less interesting movie. Usually, I give movies that are on the fence the Recommendation "...might as well see it once...", but I sure can't do that for "Red Eye". SAVE YOUR TIME AND REWATCH DONNIE DARKO!!

When I watch a film, I am a true subscriber to the concept of "...being able to suspend one's disbelief...". From the very beginning of this movie, I found it very hard to find that ability.

Leading off as the mad scientist is John Savage. Like many fading actors, John Savage had the minimum name recognition and concomitant acting ability to instantly alert me to the fact this was a film made just to turn a dollar. There was very little to appreciate in this film, just another "bughunt" as they say in "Aliens".

Most disappointing was Michelle Goh as the strike team leader; she was completely unbelievable. She was poorly directed to portray a battle hardened commando who will rock and roll at the drop of a hat, all while maintaining her "hot chick" status. That is the rub, my friends, she is believable as neither.

If you get a chance to see this film, go play online poker.