Running Scared (2006) User Reviews

A massive surprise.

[drapertron · 8/10 · 10 January 2006]

Nobody makes movies like Running Scared any more. Five years ago, this film would've been toned down by whichever studio released it in order for it to receive the lowest certificate possible. Bravo, then, to writer/director Wayne Kramer for sticking to his guns and delivering one of the most uncompromising, memorable and downright brutal thrillers in recent memory.

Joey (Paul Walker) is a small-time mobster hired to dispose of 'hot' guns for his bosses. One of these weapons (with particular value over all the others) falls into the hands of his son's best friend and is used to startling effect. Here is where the real fun starts. Joey can find neither the child nor the weapon in question, and he has only 18 hours before either the police, the Russian mafia or his own employers catch up with him.

Walker is surprisingly impressive considering the strictly one-dimensional roles he played in movies such as The Fast And The Furious and Into The Blue. Here he plays Joey as someone well aware of his impending death should he fail, and throughout he is totally watchable and believable. No more will audiences giggle to themselves every time he delivers a dud of a line.

The story occasionally flags, particularly in the middle of the film, but Kramer is not afraid to play with the camera-work to keep the audience's attention - whip-pans, CSI-style extreme close-ups, super slow-motion, sepia filters and colour bleaching are all used to give the film a gritty and somewhat unique look - take, for instance, the kitchen shooting about half an hour into the film, played from multiple viewpoints in both forward and reverse.

The film's charcoal-dark tone may be too relentless for some viewers, and the paedophilia subplot could be considered as taking things one step too far, but as long as you've got a strong stomach and can face hearing lashings of creative swearing, there's a lot of enjoyment to be found here. Unbearably tense, visually inventive and superbly acted from start to finish, Running Scared is the first real surprise of 2006 - it pulls no punches and thrills from its excessively bloody opening to its foul-mouthed conclusion.

Darn right original film has almost everything

[videorama-759-859391 · 8/10 · 18 December 2013]

This Tarantino'esque film really delivers. May'be this is better than a Tarantino flick. This fresh film, one exhilarating ride for the viewer, never lets up, has great plot points, that keeps the story running, and really intensifies it parts. It has heavy doses of violence, great shootouts, in the beginning and near the end, and has wonderful performances from actors who really give it their all. This includes gaunt jawed, face lifted Palminteri, as a crooked cop, involved in hijacking a lot of moolah, from a drug shipment, in the first shootout, leaving a few mob guys plenty pi..ed. You'll love how Chazz gets it. Paul Walker is good as the lead. He actually acts, although his wise guy accent, comes apart, here and there. He plays second rate thug/family man, Joey Gazelle, who disposes of guns for the mob. Of course, deep down, he's a nice guy, though. When the neighbours abused kid, steals a gun from Walker's private stash to use on his abusive pig of a Russian father, the same gun that was used to kill a dirty cop, hours prior, hell night begins for Walker, who must retrieve it, before the cops do. So we have a great situation movie, with Walker trying to track the kid, Oleg down, where over the course of the night, the gun ends up in different hands, making Walker's job harder. Should of hid it in a safer place, Paul, preferably with a lock on it. Oleg has a very eventful night, encountering some really seedy ugly sorts (shouldn't go out at night) but none more evil than a paedophile couple who kidnap him, but I won't even go into that. This is what despoiled the quality of the movie, by I forgive Kramer for bringing such a larger than life, if a little bit excessive, action thriller to the table, one that repels at times, but only cause of it's themes. This movie is a great nights viewing. The climax where Walker's held face down on the icy ground of a ice skating rink, where his face is used as a human hockey puck, is very violent indeed, and climactic, and what use of location, than a ice rink. Running Scared is a prime example of what exciting action movies are made of. That's if you like shootouts and violence, but also if you wanna be weirded out a bit, too, where you may very well, find yourself drained out, at the end of this wild and exciting ride, that could have Tarantino, a touch envious.

maybe Walkers' best film...

[bcheng93 · 7/10 · 2 October 2016]

Surreal fairytale taking place in the modern world. Devilishly over the top characters...especially the baddies. This movie is 2 hours of freakish fun and it just doesn't let up from beginning to end. Totally loved the fact that good triumphs over evil in this movie. Haven't watch a movie this enjoyable in a long time and i watch lots of movies. OK...so its not an Oscar worthy film, but boy is it good. Some of the action scenes are totally original.....enjoy the action scenes, they are really really well done. Lots of action for the action junkies and it doesn't let up as a superb thriller as well. For all you people like me who just happened upon this movie and are not huge Walker fans...boy are you going to be surprised how good this movie is.

A highly enjoyable, though very mixed-up, action film.

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 7/10 · 8 January 2006]

I'll admit I knew absolutely nothing of this film until I walked into the cinema. I saw no ads on TV or blurbs on the internet. And as far as I knew it was a remake of the movie with Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. Well, it's not! It's actually a rather bizarre actioner. I'll get to that in a minute.

First of all, if you are kind of annoyed at the lack of good, old-fashioned R-rated action movies these days then this film will definitely set the balance straight. There are many, many, MANY gory, and even sometimes shocking, deaths in this film that make A History of Violence look like an episode of Sesame Street.

It plays like one of Robert Altman's multi-story character dramas. At the very beginning we are treated to a bloody gunfight in a motel room after a drug deal goes sour. Head thug Tommy 'Tombs' Perello (Johnny Messner) instructs henchman Joey (Paul Walker) to dispose of his gun. He was going to right after dinner but the battered kid next door nicks it to shoot his abusive father and legs it across Brooklyn. Joey must then find him and make up a story to prevent a zillion plot threads (involving crooked cops, rival Mafia families, evil pimps, child rapists/killers) from snapping.

The gun itself is a curious MacGuffin. It passes through the hands of many people who's lives all connect. There doesn't seem to be any main story as the film spends equal amounts of time developing every one and although it seems interesting it also feels like loads of different films crammed together. It's constantly meandering and going in another direction and revealing twist after twist. Yes, it keeps the film interesting but by the time the main twist comes at the end you're too exhilarated too care. Running Scared is probably one of those films that improves upon repeat viewings.

Besides the schizophrenic story, what really brings the film down to a slightly above-average experience is the fact that director Wayne Kramer uses every editing technique he can think of despite whether they are appropriate or not. They may be technically impressive but they lack class and pull the film into a kind of Michael Bay-Area, where it doesn't belong.

I was also kind of weary of the fact that it headlines Paul Walker. I've never liked any of the teen-oriented movies he's been mugging in but I have to say that this is definitely his most demanding role yet and he tries really, really hard to convince. But I'm still undecided about him. If he can pull off this kind of this kind of role again and ditch the pretty-boy image I'll forgive him for previous crimes.

But the highlight of the movie is Cameron Bright who plays Oleg, the abused kid. He's a way better child-actor than Dakota Fanning and can express loads of different emotions even with a blank face. The amount of nasty stuff his character goes through is probably unfamiliar and difficult for a child-actor to understand but he handles it extremely well and his scenes with Paul Walker are faultless.

Don't put the lack of publicity for this film put you off. It's not perfect but it's far from being a failure. Like I said, it'll probably be better on a second viewing but the first one will still be a thrilling experience.

A two hour thrill ride that doesn't relent for a minute.

[cshuman-1 · 10/10 · 6 March 2006]

This was an extremely graphically violent film with some gratuitous nudity. A lot of extremely well played roles. characters were simple with complex backgrounds. It kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire film wondering what was next. I left feeling like I had just had a two hour seizure. Every time you thought you had it figured out it threw a curve at you. From beginning to end it was fabulous and realistic. Paul Walker gave an excellent performance and you really got into his skin. The supporting cast was excellent, development of the characters rolled out in a believable manner with out a bunch of unnecessary revelations. I will buy this movie when it comes out on DVD. If you enjoyed Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction you will probably really enjoy this film.

Tense noire - until the plot falls apart

[emn13 · 6/10 · 8 July 2008]

Running scared is a reasonably tense crime movie. The plot twists and turns throughout the movie, and includes some extremely nasty sections I'd rather not dwell on. If you like bleak, grimy movies with a variety of criminal types all set with their own motivations, infirmities and terribly unwise decisions (that make their station in life a lot less surprising), this movie starts great.

Unfortunately, when the plot winds down and crucial secrets are revealed, everything falls to pieces rather than fall into place. In the light of the clues revealed in the end, many events make no sense at all. In the end, the viewer is finally let in on secrets at least one character must have known all along - yet his decisions throughout the movie do not reflect that. Don't bother trying to puzzle this movie out: Running scared has an unexpected ending because the plot just does not connect.

Keep me in suspense

[thekid1015 · 9/10 · 10 March 2006]

This movie is definitely more violent than the ones I normally go to (I'm a woman in her 50's)but I really enjoyed this one. It kept me on the edge of my seat through the whole movie. A couple of times I even jumped in my seat. Paul Walker was great - he seemed perfect for the part. I hadn't seen him in movies before but I'm definitely a fan now. The story has a definite twist which kept me interested. If you can get past the violence and some nudity, I'd really recommend it. Lot of action and suspense and a good story line. The theater was full when I went and the audience clapped for the movie at the end - which means most of them enjoyed it too.

Forget Fast and the Furious just watch this!!!

[xenazues · 19 November 2016]

So I reading some reviews and seriously speaking a 7.4 overall is just too low. Now I understand that is pretty high on here. Cause some reason everybody wants to compare every movie to the godfather and gone with the wind. And i love the godfther but lets be real. This was made in 2006 and I'm not sure if you can find another action movie that kept you on the edge of your seat 10 years after it.

I can't think of any. And if I could the acting wouldn't be the same. One thing a lot of people forgot to mention in these reviews. You can watch this movie over and over. Heck I even forgot about the ending. And I've seen this like 5 times already. And where a lot of action movies lack is they drift off and its either not too much action or they play out for the audience at the time. This movie brought it. Notice the female character fits no such stereotypes. Thats a win right there. Her character alone was part of the movie and added so much to it.

You can just in this movie and wonder what is going to happen. Who is going to get shot, if anybody will get busted. I was once again so impressed with the acting that even the kid who is the main character as well is great at acting. Seems like a natural. Even the ending was great.

I must say I hear a lot of talk about fast and the furious. And Paul walker was great in those movies (may he rest in peace). But this movie never gets mentioned and I don't know why. The car as well was an attraction.

Modern-day fairytale

[Leofwine_draca · 6/10 · 20 April 2014]

RUNNING SCARED is a pretty interesting movie. It has its share of flaws, but it does offer something new, and is a lot different to the usual cops 'n' bad guys thriller that I was expecting. In many ways it's like a modern-day fairy tale, with lots of references to the classic stories of old (such as Hansel and Gretel) and a couple of characters facing bizarre and violent adventures during a single night.

First off, the good stuff: the cast is pretty hot, particularly Paul Walker, who gives a MUCH better performance than he does in the films he's best known for, the Fast and the Furious series. Similarly, Vera Farmiga can be guaranteed to deliver some strong acting, and the cast of various goons and bad guys are well picked. In addition, the film has a real Tarantino vibe to it; the direction is edgy and the violence explicit. The script isn't bad. Some of the direction is a little over the top and distracting in places, but for the most part it works.

The flaws are that it meanders slightly in places, and it also goes on for a little bit too long. The whole paedophile sub-plot, while being suspenseful, seems to belong in a different film altogether and really extends the running time. The ending is also rather predictable. But for the most part, this edgy and intriguing, and offers something different to the usual clichés we've come to expect from this genre.

You'll be hooked within seconds

[jstachler · 10/10 · 4 March 2006]

I was a big fan of Tarantino after seeing "Resevoir Dogs" and "Pulp Fiction". "Running Scared" is certainly in that same vein, and it also reminds me of John Woo's "The Killer". But where this film lacks the dialog of a Tarantino film, it is a lot more visually stylish than anything QT has ever done. There are great transitions, effective dynamic time warping (speed up or slow down a shot, like a bullet flying through the air), and if you thought Maynard, Zed, and the Gimp were bizarre in "Pulp Fiction", wait until you meet the creepy married couple who through their sick hobby make every other evil character in this film look like Buddhist Monks. It's a fast, furiously-paced film, certainly aptly titled. A great cast, beginning with Paul Walker and Vera Farmiga. And certainly the main kids stand their ground, especially Cameron Bright. Also worth mentioning is the end title sequence animated by Gary Hebert. Bottom line, if you were disappointed by films like "Kill Bill" and "Sin City", films you really wanted to like but found them too cartoonishly clichéd, you'll be more than satisfied with "Running Scared". It's sharp and engaging.

The strong performances truly pull this film's frantic, stylized energy together

[o-31546 · 7/10 · 5 July 2017]

This Paul Walker movie is filled with bomblastic action, energy and an above average plot. It's characters and cast are good and the two small kids do good acting. The story arcs and Vera Farmiga's characters' journeys are good. It's good to see Paul Walker play against type.

I love everything about this movie. the directing, the style, the music, the tone, the creepiness, the suspense, the story. Paul walker did an awesome job in the lead role. so many interesting supporting characters with their own unique back-story. so many different things happening at the same time.

The ending was good and Paul Walkers acting was really good!! That's for the five stars!! The rest of this Movie is plain weird and I wouldn't give it a rating! ---From Yidioo

Grand Guignol done with flair

[somf · 10/10 · 4 March 2006]

Those who dismiss this classic film, and it really is destined to be a cult classic are perhaps properly outraged by the characters that Wayne Kramer populates this film with. Drug addicts, hookers, mobsters, wife beaters, pedophiles, crooked cops and pimps cross the path of Oleg and Joey as they run through the city looking to stay alive. Tarantino comparisons will abound as with any clever and violent film these days, but Wayne Kramer imprints Running Scared with his own wonderful style. I watched Richard Roeper give this a thumbs down by saying that Kramer throws in everything but the kitchen sink, I wholeheartedly agree but consider that a compliment. The climactic finale that takes place in a hockey rink starts off reminding me of one of my favorite scenes from another cult classic Philip Kaufman's "The Wanderers" which was derived from "The Hustler", but it only starts off there, and then it becomes perhaps the best all out violent mess that has ever been filmed.

I can't say enough about this film. I even thought Paul Walker was terrific. He shows promise that he has never shown before by eschewing the pretty boy shtick.

I just watched the film a second time upon it's DVD release which is something I seldom do, and I realized that Kramer views the film as a fairy tale. The evil characters are so over the top. They are the creatures of the night that populate our nightmares as opposed to the evil actually populating the streets. The film is about legends and myth. If the bad guys are the ones portrayed in the film, the good guys are John Wayne. If this sounds a little strange just watch the ending credits carefully.

People will discover this film. It is pure testosterone. But it sure kicks ass. I liked Wayne Kramer's the Cooler a lot as a simple character piece. I also enjoyed Mindhunters more than most, but now I anxiously await his next film. I think Wayne Kramer is going to create a great body of work over the next few years.

The Gun

[Insane_Man · 6/10 · 17 March 2021]

A fast-paced thrilling ride to find the boy who has the particular gun and a twist.

A father, a member of a goon team, keeps a gun under his basement place where his son and his son's neighbor friend play together. They both watch the place where the guns are kept. Thus the neighbor boy, an unusual character, bring the gun with him. He fires the gun towards his abusive father then runs away and becomes untraceable. More than one group is searching the boy only for the gun. So many consequences happened and so many tragedies lead the movie towards and unexpected end.

Paul Walker is a true legend. He acts very very well. He is the life of this movie. The unusual boy is also did very well.

I didn't like the screenplay. The editing was superb. Overall 50% recommended.

Why do people like this Cheese Fest?

[rdtarbox · 2/10 · 8 June 2006]

I am reading through all these good reviews of this movie and I'm surprised. I don't understand why people love this movie.

Much like Paul Walkers son in the movie, Running Scared has a serious case of ADD. You start off with the Italian mob, dirty cops and some horrible acting. Then you through in a Russian tweaker that beats his wife and kids. Add some cracked out bums, a "Mack Daddy Pimp", and a hooker with a soft spot for little kids with hand guns. Then top it all of with child molesters, glow in the dark hockey players and Paul Walkers favorite roll - the undercover cop. The film makers must have just sat down and said "We should put every cool thing we've ever seen in an action movie and put it in ours, that will be awesome." Well they were wrong, Running Scared is more comical then thrilling. If Will Ferrel played Paul Walkers roll this would have been the comedy of the year.

Now I have no problem using the F bomb, but it can't be in every sentence. Its like a 17 year old kid with a drinking problem wrote this movie. Get out your high school English book and use some other words.

One note to Paul Walker, never fake an accent again. You sound retarded.

And I'll F'ing smack the next F'ing guy that compares this F'ing movie to great F'ing movie like Training F'ing Day.

Detestable; bad stereotypes, ill-researched and underdeveloped characters and an unrealistic sum of evils

[gpray773 · 2 March 2006]

I wish I could post like I had on the Board, but I am entitled to 1000 words so here is a summary: Action over Substance -- All action, little character development, I didn't care whether any of the characters lived or died, they had no background.

Stashing the Guns -- An obvious unlocked wall panel with roughly thirty weapons sitting in there? Come on! We were led to believe Walker had an expertise for getting rid of weapons and he just stacks them in his basement, he would've been discovered by then as the murders and tainted weapons rose.

What are the odds that the kid who took the gun picked the most important one out of a stack of roughly thirty firearms. Not believable.

Horrible stereotypes and ill-researched lingo -- The pimp, hookers, Mexicans, thugs, thieves, weirdos all were obvious clichés appearing as if they had been fabricated by a man with the intelligence and street knowledge of an 8th grader.

John Wayne -- An attempt to create a memorable character that failed before it began; the audience never knew enough of why this guy loved The Duke so damn much.

Why was the gun so damn precious -- it was passed like a nugget of gold, I suppose one has to have firearm know-how in order to understand why EVERY hood in town wanted the gun.

Child Pornographers? -- An attempt to shock the audience with a moment of pure disgust -- like Marcellus Wallace's rape scene in Pulp Fiction.

Russians? Why not add them into the mix, we have no idea where they came from but whatever, they've been thrown into every other crime drama film to gum up the works, why not here.

End scene, the Mexican Standoff -- not enough information about the Mob or the Russians to care whether or not they lived or died or who won the battle.

I can't believe Walker came out of that mess of excessive violence with a few abrasions and nothing more.

Horrible pimp with a horrible Scarface reference -- felt like a Junior High School kid's idea to throw that in.

No research done in street lingo, other directors have portrayed gangsters and thugs properly, I guess this writer was l-a-z-y.

Its tough to buy that EVERYONE in a ten mile radius is evil -- Walker and the kid never ran into anyone remotely normal.

Too many evils in the course of a night -- child porn, gambling, murder, prostitution, grotesque torture sequences, crooked cops, Russians, not to mention everyone seems ready to commit homicide and is waiting for the opportunity.

The cops didn't play a crucial enough role and even when it seemed as if they added SOMETHING to the plot, the primary cop involved was blown up, quite randomly.

Bad monologues -- John Wayne and the one by Paul Walker, the emotional one, or lack thereof. Just faulty writing ability.

This director needs to research better, he needs to not try so hard to shock the audience at obvious stages in the film and needs help with dialogue. Every character can't be Tarantino-style cool and memorable.

It was trash, all in all, its made for the ignorant who can excuse lack of realism, lack of a decent screenplay, underdeveloped characters, and a plot that it supposed to be blindly accepted as believable with no buildup or structure.

Absurd, but fun

[Fluke_Skywalker · 6/10 · 16 April 2015]

'Running Scared' starts out with its thumb on the ridiculous button and just keeps doubling down on the absurdity as it goes, which is a shame because buried underneath all of the over the top antics is a tight little thriller. It also contains what may be Paul Walker's best performance ('Meet the Deedles' not withstanding). He really sinks his teeth into this in a way that shows a sadly untapped dramatic potential. I can't imagine any of his more celebrated contemporaries doing any better.

'Running Scared' is a pretty fun movie, but I feel that it could've been so much more.

Pleasantly Surprised

[Eckobone72 · 9/10 · 7 March 2006]

I wasn't expecting much from this movie with Paul Walker as the star attraction, but this movie was thoroughly entertaining and I would highly recommend seeing it.Paul Walker gives a good performance although Cameron Bright steals the show even though I've always saw the kid as creepy after seeing him in The Butterfly Effect. The action in this movie is non-stop and it keeps you guessing up to the very end. I enjoyed how the movie was shot with New Jersey as a backdrop, the movie covered a lot of ground and used various locations that added to the intrigue. This movie provides a nice twist on modern day mob movies. I do agree with a review that I read that said that the gun floating around served as a maguffin (not sure if I spelled that correct) the action provides a high level of entertainment and excitement.

terrible

[rotney_oshea · 6/10 · 11 January 2006]

Summary: A lowly mobster has been hoarding the guns from previous hits. When two boys comes across the cache and use one of them, two unsolved murders turn into the same case. worst film of the year, worst thriller i have seen ever. the acting and direction was just bad i cant believe it got a 7 here, the most it deserves is a 0. Offensively bad "thriller" starring personality vacuum Paul Walker, trying to be a gritty expose of underworld life but actually wallowing in the grime way too much to be critical.

No one in their right minds could call this a good film, but it's certainly unique.

Brutal, but you can't look away

[s0817546 · 8/10 · 9 September 2013]

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The acting was top-notch, the action was brutal yet captivating at the same time, and to make such an edge-of-your-seat thriller with such a simple plot is bravo in my book. As soon as the opening scene concludes it leaves you craving for more and the rest of the movie certainly delivers with an ending that satisfies. There's one particular scene in the movie that is definitely going to get under your skin (You'll know when you see it) and it will either make or break the movie. After I saw this scene I was on my feet cheering for the "good guy" wanting more and more. The only thing about the movie that was fairly annoying was the way the movie was being filmed, visually. Awkward camera angles and frizzy camera images left the movie annoying to watch at times, but fortunately id does not take away from the movie. All in all, if you have a solid stomach, crave an intriguing thriller without having to think much, this is your movie. Highly recommended.

Running solidly

[Samiam3 · 7/10 · 22 July 2009]

Running Scared is a fast adrenaline rush, but it ain't a pretty picture; bloody, violent, profane and brutal, and to make it even more disturbing, there are children in the middle of it. This is the kind of film that will give parents a week of nightmares, but for the movie goers, Running Scared may not be such a bad film. It is fairly compelling as a drama, suspenseful as a thriller and it is smarter than many of its contemporary flicks in the genre.

Paul Walker in his strongest performance yet plays Joe Gazelle. He deals drugs with his buddies. At the beginning of the movie, they are ambushed by three guys in hoods, two are killed moments later in a bloody shootout. They turn out to be police. Joe is given the task of disposing of the murder weapons, so he hides them in his cellar. That night, there is a shooting next door which is where his son's best friend lives. When Joe goes to investigate, he realizes that not only has one of the guns ended up in the hands of the friend, but he has run away with it. Joe knows if the cops find the weapon, he is in trouble, so with the help of his son, he goes looking for the armed kid, but the cops are looking too, whose gonna get there first.

Although not a terribly confusing story, Running Scared is full of sharp twists and turns, perhaps one two many. The movie generally maintains focus on the central plot, but just occasionally it slides its attention towards some unneeded material. The ending is one of the more bloody that I've seen recently, Writer/director Wayne Kramer tries to make it more original setting it in the oddest of locations for a hail of gunfire. I think his camera work is impressive and he uses a lot of photography tricks in very stylish ways, very similar to Kill Bill, or Sam Raimi's The Quick and the Dead.

Once again, I will warn you that this is not a pretty picture. If you want mindless breezy fun, then perhaps this might be too extreme for you, but if you want something a bit stronger and less superficial, then this is one you might enjoy.

Loved this movie

[sylore-1 · 9/10 · 7 March 2006]

This movie is probably one of the best I've seen in a long while. The action scenes were in your face and looked pretty damn realistic. The special effects were freaking awesome and the director did some really cool stuff which will blow you away. The acting was very believable and the plot worked very well. It reminded me of Training Day the way the story unfolded while we went along for the ride. The plot is freaking awesome and I can't wait to get the DVD. An AWESOME movie!! Definitely must watch this again. The thing to remember when you watch this movie is that it's a ride just sit and enjoy it. I've never felt a need to promote a movie but this one is too good to let others miss it. It is painful to watch in some scenes and at times you're actually totally disgusted once you figure out what's going on. It's crazy the emotions that this movie brings out.

Shows promise which unfortunately goes mostly unfulfilled

[sme_no_densetsu · 6/10 · 14 October 2008]

This film has a few original ideas but mostly it's just a pale imitation of better films with similar subject matter. So, if you're expecting something on par with Tarantino, Ritchie & Scorsese you will very likely be severely disappointed. Also, with Paul Walker in the lead role, you should know not to expect any Oscar-worthy performances. However, these limitations aside, the movie proves to be not entirely unwatchable.

Successful movies of this type normally contain a lot of snappy dialogue. Unfortunately, Wayne Kramer's script has very little in the way of memorable quotes. To my mind the plot is also lacking. It's all just one big mess of a story (actually a couple of parallel stories) strung together by coincidences rather than separate stories that intersect at opportune moments. As you might expect, character development is practically non-existent for most of the large supporting cast.

However, there is one bright spot in the storyline. I will admit that the scenes surrounding the child-abducting couple were very effective. Very little is shown but there is a subtle sense of menace that creates an incredible atmosphere. Interestingly, Kramer modeled this encounter after the fairy tale of Hansel & Gretel, within a larger concept of populating his story with fairy tale archetypes. That is a great idea but, unfortunately, very little is done with it. The closing credits are done with a fairy tale style of illustration as well.

At the other end of the spectrum, there's a Tarantinoesque scene wherein Joey asks Oleg what kind of music he likes and ends up playing some music demonstrating his own tastes. He proceeds to play "I Don't Want to Go Home" by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. That, folks, is an utterly pathetic song choice, even if the director's intent was to (sort of) mirror the kid's sentiments.

Kramer's direction isn't too bad but clearly the emphasis is on style over substance with every kind of camera and editing trick used and abused. Some shots are inventive but the overall approach is definitely hit or miss.

This film might have been a decent copycat crime flick were it not for some of the lame plot points and twists that Kramer throws at us. If only he had developed his fairy tale motif a little better then he might have produced something noteworthy. As it is, I can only recommend this movie to action/crime/thriller junkies & Paul Walker fans.

Way BETTER than expected!

[herrickheather · 9/10 · 1 March 2006]

This movie was non-stop. It was full of action. It was intense, and at times surprising. I can see Paul Walker is trying to shed his pretty boy image. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie. It reminded me of a cross between Pulp Fiction and A history of violence with a twist. There were some moments that down right shocked me. This movie is not for anyone under the age of 17. And if this is your first date with someone...this is not the right choice...it could lead to some awkwardness. The acting was good. I wonder if the studios are gearing Paul Walker for something more. He just might be our next Matthew McConaughey. If you like gritty movies...than you are gonna enjoy this.

Intense, metaphorical hidden gem of a movie

[charchuk · 7/10 · 15 August 2006]

A real hidden gem of a movie, lost amid the shuffle. Though it advertises itself as a crime/action flick, it is so much more that that. Deep down, the story is really a fairy tale, set amongst the horrors of modern metropolitans. Everything from pedophilia to torture is explored, standing in for the traditional evils of classic fantasy tales. The plot is quite complex, and probably requires repeat viewings to take it all in, and the dialogue is smart without being wordy, but the screenplay pales in comparison to the direction, which is outstanding. Nearly every shot is a treat, and the cinematography stands out to the point of showing off. Disturbing and intense, but never out of control.

Though it would be the most likely candidate for weak spot, the acting is surprisingly fantastic. Paul Walker, who I've never seen in a leading role before, but have always heard bad things, is great here. He really carries the film with his rapid-fire delivery of profanity-swelled lines, and he never slows down, because the film doesn't let him. The supporting cast is chock full of character actors, all of whom know exactly what to do, and up-and-comers, who quickly make a name for themselves. The characters are all slightly quirky but mostly believable; just modern updates of their archetypal counterparts. The scariest one - despite the amount of mob characters - is the female half of the pedophiliac couple - cold, evil, and creepy as hell. Indeed, the scenes with the couple are the scariest in the film, including a memorable scene with their shadows turning into monsters - an exceptional metaphor. It's too bad there weren't more of these visual hints in the film, save for the end credits, which are the best I've seen in some time. The entire metaphor is displayed right there.

The one weak spot would have to be the script. Though the film doesn't really rely on it, it is solid for most of the time, until the end, when the twist is revealed and renders the entire point of the film somewhat irrelevant. And then the ending is completely out there, but I suppose it fits in with the fairy tale metaphor. It could have been done a better way - it feels rushed (though most of the film is!) and hastily put together. Still, it's a minor complaint, and doesn't detract that much from the overall quality. An almost perfect film.

A Run Away Train Wreck

[baqibear · 2/10 · 24 February 2006]

I can say it was entertaining throughout, but for all the wrong reasons. It started out like an average Hollywood criminal Action Movie and proceeds to spin completely out of control. The Screenwriter must have wanted to include every hot topic out there, there were drugs, guns, domestic abuse, child abductions, Pimps & street walkers, crooked cops, the Italian Mob, the Russian mob, Corrupt hockey players(???), a meth lab exploding and even a family dog at the end. All this held together by the acting talents of Paul Walker.

Walker, is a common thug in deep with the mob and is told to get rid of a gun after a deal goes bad. Instead he hides the gun in his basement where his son & the son's best friend are hiding. Moments later there are shots fired at the son's friends house, there the stepfather is shot in the shoulder and the kid is "running scared." From there, we meet a bunch of colorful characters, the Kid,with his stolen gun bumps into a crack-head, a pimp, the cops, his step dad, child abductors, The Mob, and his mother blows up at the end.

I recommend you do see it just to see how bad a movie can be... I'm still reeling in disbelief.