Rating: 
Summary: THIS MOVIE WAS AWFUL...
Review: I THOUGHT IT STUNK. I THOUGHT WITH JACK NICHOLSON IN IT IT WOULD BE A GREAT MOVIE. SEAN PENN HAS DIRECTED BETTER. THERE REALLY IS NOT MUCH TO SAY OTHER THAN THAT. JACK NICHOLSON'S CHACTER COMES ACROSS AS A DIRTY OLD MAN, AND A CHILD PERVERT. THE MOVIE DRAGS ON AND ON. YOU WOULD HAVE A BETTER TIME WATCHING THE SQUIRRELS RUN AROUND IN YOUR BACKYARD.
Rating: 
Summary: As good as it gets
Review: The Pledge is a clever and disturbing pyschological thriller which sticks with you long after the final ending. In a nutshell, its the story of a retired cop(Nicholson) who cannot let go of his final case--the brutal murder of a young girl. Convinced the wrong man was convicted of the crime, Nicholson spends his retirement trying to keep the pledge he made to the girl's mother by finding the killer. This is not a film for everyone. Instead of a conventional whodunnitthat is concerned with solving the mystery, its a character study interested in examining the impact of the hunt on Nicholson's character. As such, it tends to move slowly, at least in comparison to your typical major studio fare. For the thinking viewer, this is a small price to pay. The film slowly builds to a climax that , at first left me disappointed,as I was hoping for a different resolution. After time, I realized that was the point as it is not the crime, but its effect on Nicholson that is really important. Its one of those cases where I thought I was watching one movie until the credits hit and then I realized I was watching something else altogether, something that ultimately was operating on a much deeper level. Without saying too much, the film ends on a perplexing note, one that I'm certain would not play well with test audiences or focus groups. However, as I thought about the ending in the minutes and then hours after the film, it kept getting deeper under my skin. The more questions you ask of the film and the more you deal with the questions it asks of viewers, the creepier it gets. In that sense, the film plays more as literature. It would be fascinating to watch and discuss it with a group of people. As I thought about the film, the closest comparison I could make is to Henry James' The Turn of the Screw in that much of what is happening is open to multiple layers of interpretation and there are no easy resolutions. Although this causes some frustration, it also adds to the disturbing nature of the film. Both Nicholson and director Sean Penn take us to very uncomfortable places in the human pscyhe, places most films lack the ambition and courage to go. Frankly, I didn't sleep well after watching this one. For a guy who's known as one of the best actors in the business, most of Jack Nicholson's roles in the last 10 years or so have consisted of Jack doing his impersonation of somebody else's Jack Nicholson impression. Not so here. Nicholson digs deep into his role as the retired police officer, constructing his character so subtly that when the payoff comes in the movie's climactic scene you never see it coming. This is also a credit to director Sean Penn who has created a really affecting film, even if its not one for everybody.
Rating:
Summary: The worst Jack Nicholson film ever made!!
Review: Man, what was I thinking when I saw this movie?! I mean, from the previews and such, I thought that "The Pledge" was going to be a really good movie. But now, when I saw it on DVD, I began to question myself as to why Jack Nicholson even bothered to make this movie. I haven't seen Nicholson ever since "As Good As It Gets" and really, I just have to say, "Why, Jack?!" I've seen better Jack Nicholson movies than this, such as "As Good As It Gets", "Batman", "Wolf", and "The Crossing Guard". But "The Pledge" has to be among the worst ones. And I really don't know what to say about Sean Penn's directing in this film right now. In conclusion, this movie may be great for renting, but it is not great to own, whether it's on video or DVD! And by the way, "The Pledge"? Looks more like "The Plunge" if you ask me.
Rating:
Summary: A superior movie not to be missed. MILD SPOILER FOLLOWS
Review: The Pledge is a stunning movie that provides much food for thought. After watching a movie I like to read the reviews, never before. I knew that the 'average joe' would dislike the movie, but I must admit I was absolutely shocked that the movie was universally panned by the professional critics. The movie begins as a typical cop/crime drama, right down to the laughable cliche of the cop getting drawn into a case on his very last day before retirement. As I'm rolling my eyes at this, I'm well aware that Penn would never stoop to formula, so I'm sure I'm being set up. As the movie progresses the audience is forced to reject typical plot cliches and ask itself serious questions, apparently a prospect distressing to many moviegoers and critics alike. So many make so much of Nicholson's 'pledge', but it seems clear that that is only part of what motivates his cop to dedicate himself to finding the killer. As his obsession consumes him it becomes clear that this will not be your typical hollywood mystery. I really liked how the audience is drawn into an expectation of plot, only to have that expectation turned upside down. Slowly we start to question where this is going. We're given enough information to know that it's odd that he would encourage a red dress. Wait a minute, why would he set up the swingset out front near the road. He obviously cares about this girl and her mother, surely he wouldn't be...or would he? The answer is plain by his reaction to being told by the little girl that she 'met the wizard'. And so suddenly you realize that as you were allowing yourself to be spoonfed a point of view, you were ignoring the obvious. Now you begin to realize that Nicholson is not the heroic cop, he's unbelievably obsessed; perhaps deranged. Brilliant misdirection that lands its blow with 'knock the wind out of you' force. Nearly every review I've read bemoans the ending as a 'letdown'. I completely disagree. The ending of 'The Pledge' is very fulfilling on many levels. To appease the 'average joe' the case is solved; the truth is revealed to the viewer. Yet the truth is never known by the characters. This forces the vewier to consider that Nicholson being right or wrong and 'solving the case' was never the point. The lengths he would go to and the things he would risk to find that answer are completely shattering - both to Nicholson's character AND to the viewer. Well, to this viewer anyway. A superior movie not to be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: An terrific Supense Thriller.
Review: An honest police detective Jerry Black (Three Time Oscar-Winner:Jack Nicholson) has promise to a woman (Patricia Clarkson), her daughter is raped and killed to fine murderer to Justice. On the same day, he has retired from the force. What it seems to be an mentally challenge indian (Oscar-Winner:Benicio Del Toro) may have killed the little girl but Jerry knows he`s not the murderer. Then he has buys a place near the murder scene to keep himself busy trying to solve the case himself. Directed by Sean Penn (The Crossing Guard) made a strong believable drama, which is actually Based on a Novel by Friedrich Durrenmatt and it been remade three times by different filmmakers. DVD`s has an strong anamorphic Widescreen (2:35:1) transfer & an well done Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. This is one of Nicholson`s best films. Strongly directed by actor:Sean Penn (He was Nominated for the Golden Plam at the Cannes Film Festival). One of the best and most underrated crime thrillers. Super 35. Grade:A.
Rating:
Summary: Seen the trailer? Don't get your hopes up!
Review: This movie was quite the let down. I'm not just talking about the ending here either. It starts with a good premise, then drags on at length with a less than entertaining story of an old man. Don't get me wrong, it's well acted. The fact that the ending was disappointing isn't all that bad either. It's more the fact that you get slowly dragged along, waiting for the interesting/exciting part. Afterwards you're left to think about the film and reflect on what little went on. Some people turn that into "boy this movie is great because it's different from other movies." Originality doesn't mean entertainment though. The "lesson" it leaves you with is not very powerful or thought provoking. You'll come out feeling a little sad, and that's about it.
Rating: 
Summary: Unsatisfactory
Review: Nicholson's mannered portrayal of a man in a leather flying helmet polishing furniture was practically telephoned in. Penn seems to have fallen prey to a fundamental misunderstanding in his direction of Nicholson's character development - that was Mr Sheen, not Pledge.
The disappointment was ameliorated somewhat by the trailer for Penn's next film - a CGI animation for all the family inspired by the lady in the Shake n' Vac commercial.
Rating:
Summary: Buy this movie if you hate a good story!
Review: A plot can not be resolved with a coincidence; that is something any writer can tell you, but they tried it anyway... This movie has no resolution. When it was being written the writer obviously got tired of his story and just ended it. It could have been a good movie, but it isn't. Let's apply the methods used in this film to saving private ryan, and at the end of the movie a comet just happens to collide with the earth and kill everyone. Would that be a good end to the movie? Would it resolve the problem of finding and saving private ryan? NO! Because you can't end a movie with outside interferance. It just makes me mad that I wasted so much of my time watching a movie without a real ending.
Rating:
Summary: PENN, NICHOLSON SIMPLY TERRIFIC!!!!!
Review: Those whom are giving this movie less than 5 stars obviously are not of the calibre intended or the director overestimated the intelligence knowledge of the populace! This movie is absolutely brilliant! It is in my opinion one of the best mystery movies of all time. The clues are very subtle in this film but I managed to discover them; and if those of you are keen enough you will be satisfied with its end knowing you may have cracked the case! I will not give any clues but say: THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY ALWAYS WHAT THEY APPEAR TO BE. That said one should pay attention to the details the director has subtly shown and you will be left with an unforgettable, brilliantly fascinating film!
Rating: 
Summary: Why didn't you get to see the guy???
Review: I was actually very interested in the storyline and it held my attention most of the entire time, but it began to drag after a while. THEN, at the end when something was SUPPOSED to happen, nothing did... I just thought it could have been a better ending. I felt completely left down at the end. I ordered it off of pay per view... I wish I could get my money back. I should have waited for HBO...
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