wgfinley Reviews

Heaven & Hell: North & South, Book III (1994)

Absolute Atrocity

[1/10 · 23 August 2005]

Words can't describe just how awful this installment is and you will be hard pressed to sit through it for 27 minutes let alone its 274 minutes of total runtime.

First off, it's clear they had zero budget for Book III, Book I and Book II set high marks in production value, this is just plain awful. The cinematography is atrocious, the directing is worse, the composition is terrible and it looks like this was shot on the most low grade stock one could find. I think I have seen adult films with better production value to be honest.

The reduced budget meant that actual interiors had to be used and the sound is absolutely horrid. Lines are muddied and almost completely lost at times because of the reverberations and lack of enough sound coverage. It also takes a toll on lighting and focus, there are just blatant moments where characters delivering lines aren't lit well at all and start out out of focus but suddenly come into focus during the take, totally 3rd rate.

As if this isn't enough you have the plot mangling. Obviously they couldn't afford Patrick Swayze and they let him live in Book II (as I understand he was actually killed in the novel) only to bring him back for a quick and horrid death at the beginning of Book III. His death is absolutely meaningless and since Swayze wasn't available Orry is played by recycling some footage from the prior series installments and then using a stand-in for his actual murder.

Not even the opening narration from John Jakes could save this production. I physically twinged when he read the line "through a strange twist of fate Bent survives", it's nearly as painful as "it was a dark and stormy night".

Buy the box set, throw Book III in the trash and consider yourself well entertained for the week or so it will take you to get through the first two installments and then pretend this one doesn't exist. Trust me, it's better that way.

Killing Me Softly (2002)

Killing the Script Loudly!

[4/10 · 22 August 2003]

***PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD***

I was surprised in this film, it showed some early promise but quickly began running in so many directions it didn't know which end was up. At the end of the day this movie is some hot and steamy skin scenes with Joseph Fienes (Adam) and Heather Graham (Alice) interspersed with out of nowhere and unfollowed plot twists.

There is some excellent acting, I thought Fienes carried his role quite well as did Nastascha McElhone (Deborah). They were very believable as siblings and right from McElhone's appearance you sensed there wasn't something quite right with that family relationship. Graham surprised me in this role, I thought she did quite well. I have felt that Graham's prior performances have been more about hype (Boogie Nights, I saw nothing distinguishing in her character) and her co-stars (Austin Powers II, her comic delivery was terrible) and her looks (all prior films!) than her talent. I think she has made some improvements though and some of her performance here is quite good and believable.

However, this screenplay is frankly just lost and introduces a number of characters and scenes that just do nothing for the plot and almost seem as "filler" to get the film up to its already short run time of 100 minutes. It's almost as though they figured out the plot would only take them an hour so they threw some filler in. Examples:

* Sylvie character is haphazardly thrown into the plot and we have a friendship we knew nothing about and seems unimportant and a resulting relationship with Alice's ex that should mean absolutely nothing to her (yet she seems disappointed Jake has moved on after she's now married!). The scene at the bar, the shopping scene, and the phone call to Sylvie scene (where she admits to now being with Jake) mean absolutely nothing to the plot.

* Work scenes that add just as much of nothing. Some project talk that gives you no bearing on the plot but takes up screen time, disgruntled co-workers and the appearance that Alice has absolutely no relationship of any meaning outside of her lovers.

* Rape woman -- seems to serve no end other than to just get Alice's suspicions going (as if seeing your beau beating someone within an inch of his life wouldn't already)

I felt that the director had some strong moments where he increased the suspense and the editing, overall, was average but this film is just too bogged down by the plot that doesn't seem to have any sense of direction. All in all a film that had some promise but was just killed very loudly by a weak script.

Victory (1981)

Once again, you can't trust the critics.

[8/10 · 3 February 2002]

John Huston's Victory has probably seen so much critical scorn it's mind boggling. Is this movie Oscar material? Certainly not, but it's a great film in many ways.

First of all, Bill Conti offers up a first rate uplifting musical score. It's outstanding work and you hear a bit of resemblence to the score he wrote for a 1982 film that received a little bit of notoriety -- The Right Stuff.

Next, the cinematography is simply gorgeous. Soccer is not an easy sport to film and I think this film was done wonderfully. I thought the choice of film stock, a certain amount of grain to make it almost like you're watching a documentary was a nice touch. Some of the action shots and slow-mos are absolutely wonderful to behold.

Finally, we have a nice plot with a couple of surprises, a great cast, and an auteur director. Certainly, Huston was in failing health and not at the top of his game by this time but his work on this film was still memorable. For me I will always remember the wonderful line with "The Forger" asking Hatch "You don't want to get shot as a spy do you?" And the quick reply, "No, I don't want to get shot as anything." Simple one liner, uncomplicated, yet funny.

Victory is a great inspirational film, a sure hit for soccer fans (of course he wasn't offside - he was behind the ball when it was struck!) and a nice film for war buffs. Just ignore Maltin et al and spend the time watching it, widescreen DVD recommended, you won't be sorry.