zeena30 Reviews

The Substitute: Failure Is Not an Option (2001 Video)

A fourth sequel is NEVER a good idea...

[4 January 2001]

This movie is one of those movies you try to watch when nothing else is on, and you have absolutely nothing else to do.

I tried, and I failed. I tried again, and I failed again.

I'm not much of a Treat Williams fan, but he occasionally, if only by accident, turns up in some pretty decent B movies. This isn't one of them.

The high point of the movie is a ridiculous scene with a group of cadets in a circle clanging hatchets (yes, you read that right) and yelling "Kill! Burn! Bomb! Wolverine Power!!" or some such nonsense. I actually laughed out loud. Hysterically - I couldn't stop. I ended up with the hiccups.

This movie only rates a 99 cents rental. Anything more would be overpriced.

The Boondock Saints (1999)

The actors make this movie

[8/10 · 7 February 2000]

Fraternal twins, Connor and Murphy MacManus, beginning with a good old fashioned barroom brawl, receive-for lack of a better phrase- orders from God to rid the streets of Boston of the criminal element. I liked this movie, and for the following reasons;

This is one of those movies where the less explained the better.

Pay attention to the narrative in this movie, it is superbly done. It's both necessary to the central plot, but unobtrusive.

David Della Rocco (Rooco) is absolutely funny as the inept mafia peon (read; total idiot.)

I've never seen Norman Reedus (Murphy) before but after this, I'll definitely look for him in future projects.

After Simply Irresistable, I was ready to give up on Sean Flanery (Connor). Fortunately for us all, he does a complete 180 in this movie. Unlike in 'Simply Irresistable', he's almost instantly believable as a pretty fierce guy. I say almost because of the occasional lapses in his accent.

And as for Willem Dafoe, his take on a gay man in a straight law enforcement world is at once honest and funny adding an extra pinch of spice. (But then, he's always great).

The only hitch in this film is the actual message. It was never clear to me that God intended this, or if the twins are little on the flip side.

None the less...A great spin on an old fashioned shoot 'em up that doesn't involve fancy martial arts, explosions, or special effects. It's got believable characters in believable situations. And it's got the twice the bang because of it.