Rating: 
Summary: An valiant but failed effort at turning genre on its head
Review: McQuarrie is clearly a movie junkie. This is evident by his Peckinpah-esque story arc and settings and his pair of anti-heroes; the John Woo-esque excessive gunplay, the subsequent and frequent showers of bullets, and the limitless supply of people to kill, and guns to kill them with; and the Quentin Tarantino-esque self-conscious subversion of the genre. I didn't mind all his overt nods/homages/rip-offs (whatever) because it still made for a heady mix that was fun, albeit a little too violent for my tastes. Even the slow, slow-speed car chase, the failed-but-then-successful kidnapping attempt, and the cell-phone bit were fun although it's clear that McQuarrie is too conscious of the trademarks/cliches set down by his predecessors and is trying his darnedest to put a fresh spin on things. But what weren't fun for me were the complex turns the plot took about halfway through the film. Last week, I saw another overplotted film, "Nurse Betty", and I forgave the turns in that plot because LaBute dutifully made sure each of them paid off (although not all of them worked). Here, the complications get piled on top of one another for no reason, and some are left to dangle without ever being resolved or even referred to again. In McQuarrie's defence, I did get the feeling that many of the needless plot devices were meant to set up that final line of dialogue. But even if that's the case, it's still not worth it because it wasn't THAT funny.
Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining Movie, Needed James Caan
Review: I did enjoy this movie, but it would have been helped by just one thing, and that is if the producers had decided to include James Caan in the cast list. I think he would have been great in the part of the bag man, or even the mob boss, but the people that they had chosen for those parts were tired and unconvincing. I know that James Caan could have provided a better performance then them and I would have enjoyed the movie all the more if they had chose to include him. Other then that major problem with the movie I must say that I did enjoy the movie and would like to see the writer/director again, but if he does make another movie I hope that he choses to include James Caan. That would be cool to see them working together for the first time. James Caan Rules
Rating: 
Summary: Pretty good and stylish gun film...
Review: Alright, calling a movie a gun flick sounds like cheap straight to video films...but this is different...The Way of The Gun is a (surprisingly) well-acted film. Ryan Philippe is pretty good (does that match together???)....in this film, it does...and Benicio Del Toro...well...it's evident...he's excellent too. Some situations are so good, even though none are innovative, they happen in a very innovative way. The story is about two young criminals (Philippe and Del Toro) who kidnap a girl that is pregnant with a rich man's baby...but their path is full of obstacles....and gun shots! Pretty violent film, with one of the best gun fights you can see at the end...the complicity between the two criminals is well delivered too...they don,t always have to talk to each other to understand what the other means...the first part of the film isn't violent...but then it becomes different...the title is very well chosen for that film, and everything is pretty good in this...the scenario sounds natural, which is great...the actors do a very good job, that's important too, and the thing is very enjoyable, lots of fun...Very good film.
Rating: 
Summary: Neo Noir/Western
Review: Wow, for this price it'd be hard to go wrong. Christopher McQuarrie sets out to do one thing, and one thing only, and that's to instill realism in this movie. Here, just as in reality, sometimes good guys don't enter the equation, and if they do, sometimes they lose. Every person in this movie is a scumbag of the lowest quality, but in the end, it's hard to not sympathize at least a little with at least one of the intentionally-shallow heels of the story. Along with it being an exercise in all-evil protaganists, it's somewhat of an update to the western as staged by Leone and Peckinpah (considering that the final showdown's location eerily resembles that of the villa in The Wild Bunch, it'd be hard NOT to compare this to Peckinpah's work.) As I said, the characters are shallow, but in the same way that The Man With No Name was in the Dollars Trilogy. The criminals seem to only care about their money, and nothing else, and the bodyguards concern themselves with their client over themselves or innocent bystanders. The score is a stirring western-type drumming, and everything has a grimey, dirty feel to it the same as Leone pictures. One thing to take notice before you buy this movie, is it is NOT an action movie. At least, not in the traditional sense. It's an odd contrast to my usual diet of over-the-top Hong Kong action movies, but the stark realism in the gunfights and car chases here is refreshing, to say the least. Add to that one of the coolest actors working today, Benicio Del Toro, and you have yourself a nifty little ultra-violent heist flick. I guess I should record a fault in the movie, and, if there is one, some of the dialogue is quite out of place and sometimes the narration gets a little preachy. That's two faults. Well, I never said I could count. In closing, I want to finally point out the reason I even started this review: After all of my searching of the disk, I can't find the theatrical trailer promised in the product description, and it's not listed on the back cover of the DVD. That may not matter to most of you, but I really loved that trailer, and it strikes me as odd that The Way of the Gun lacks it, when even five dollar supermarket DVDs have at LEAST the trailer.
Rating:
Summary: Face-Off
Review: The Way Of The Gun: rated R, 1 hour and 59 minutes
To fully appreciate The Way Of The Gun requires a keen intellect, a propensity for the unusual film noire thriller, and an admiration for the paradoxical Mexican standoff. There is a lot more to this trashy action flick than meets the eye, a whole lot of underlying plot and symbolism grace the movie. Meet Parker and Longbaugh: two desperate, gun-toting desperados searching for the perfect plan to snag a load of cash. Enter Robin: the pregnant carrier of a multi-millionaire gangster's baby. The petty bandits seize the opportunity to kidnap the very pregnant Robin and hold her and the unborn baby ransom. Our pitiable protagonist thugs run into a slew of complications and life-threatening situations including appearances by two relentless, very creepy bodyguards, a faux doctor, and a resilient old hit-man who has yet to retire. The movie is undoubtedly far-fetched, and at times you will find that you just have to bear with it. It is fast paced, but often over-indulgent. Ryan Phillipe and Benicio Del Toro make the uncool Parker and Longbaugh cool as ice. Gazing at Del Toro's amusingly non-versatile, unchanging face (à la Clint Eastwood in his younger days) gives the illusion of the character being a sharp, chic, champion. Unfortunately, in this game, no one is a champion.
There is a certain twisted humor to all of the futility and implausibility of The Way Of The Gun. It is intentionally the farthest reaches from being endearing. The characters are cold and brutal and you are not supposed to like them. This gives the movie a unique edginess. One of the most notable successes of the movie is its elaborate and witty plot. The writing by Christopher McQuarrie is impeccable. It is not since The Usual Suspects (not coincidentally his last screenplay) that we receive such a brilliant and enthralling storyline. The difference is that this movie is both written and directed by the first-time director, McQuarrie. In this there is a great distinction that adds to the overall effect of the movie. Every timely shooting, and every confrontational shootout between multiple opponents that in itself becomes an artistic contradiction, we feel the passion of the characters, as well as of the filmmaker.
The Way Of The Gun is an odd film for its genre and many will dismiss it for its complexity and abstractness, but make no mistake, The Way Of The Gun is a misunderstood masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A Different Sort Of Film
Review: This film is rife with gratuitous violence, filthy language, bloody fights, despicable people, disgusting situations, deplorable lifestyles and stomach-turning vignettes. I thought it was perfectly fine but my wife hated it.
Rating: 
Summary: PIECE
Review: Wasted my time watching this one. It was written by the same guy who gave us the marvellous THE USUAL SUSPECTS. So I said to myself: let me give it a try. What a deception. Phillipe's acting is a joke, so bad it is. Everything seems third-rate production, copy, a remake. No way, pal, this movie is a loser.
Rating:
Summary: Brutal, uncompromising, and well crafted.
Review: "The Way of The Gun"'s opening scene, with what may be the longest consecutive string of obscenities ever captured on film, is a wake-up call for unwary audiences who think they're watching just another crime thriller. This is a hard, nasty movie that pulls no punches, offers no heroes, and might just make you sick to your stomach. But it's one of the best-crafted crime films since McQuarrie and Bryan Singer's "The Usual Suspects," with strong performances and unusually sharp direction for first-timer McQuarrie. Benicio Del Toro and a surprisingly good Ryan Phillipe are Longbaugh and Parker, two jaded outlaws who think they've hit a big score when they kidnap the pregnant surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis, also better than usual) of a wealthy couple. Little do they realize that the parents-to-be have mob connections, and will do anything to get their unborn child back safe and sound. James Caan is fantastic as the more noble of Parker and Longbaugh's antagonists, a world-weary mob "bagman" with a certain code of honor. Complications mount, family connections are revealed, and the situation just gets uglier and uglier, leading to a nicely staged shootout in a Mexican brothel, an unexpected moment of grace, and a wickedly funny final line. "The Way of The Gun" is exceedingly graphic. Bullet wounds are hideous and messy, and the injured howl in agony rather than wince and keep on going. McQuarrie handles the violence unflinchingly but responsibly, unafraid to make gunfire sound frightening, or linger on the dead bodies of innocent bystanders. It's a refreshingly unglamorized portrayal of gunplay. McQuarrie also shows an impressive skill at coaxing good performances out of less-than-gifted actors, and has some nearly brilliant visual compositions, as the camera's revalation of a character previously standing outside of frame changes the whole context of a preceding scene. "The Way of the Gun"'s R rating should be taken seriously; this is a film whose funniest scene involves Russian roulette. But brave film fans seeking a searing, no-holds-barred dose of Western noir won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Cool Movie!!
Review: I saw The Way Of The Gun in the theaters, and I was disapointed to see that no one came out for it, I thought it was compleatly original, very suspensful, and totally psycotic(thats the best part)I really underestimated Ryan Phillippe's talent, and Benicio Del Toro is great as always, the commentary is very insightful on the dvd The director tell you exactally what was his, and what he let the actors do on their own, over all I thought it was very entertaining, and I watch it often!
Rating:
Summary: A disappointment
Review: Good score, good acting on Benicio Del Tore's part, good cinematography. The story just doesn't pull all these pieces together. Definitely worth watching, but not a keeper.
|
