Reindeer Games

Rating:
Summary: An overall good movie
Review: I recently watched this movie and found it to be a pretty good film. It holds an interesting story with great twist-arounds. I wouldn't say it's the best movie I've ever seen, but it's a good pass-time. So, if you're bored one Friday night, and are looking for a movie to watch with the 'guys, check out Reindeer Games.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Action Movie
Review: Screenwriter Kruger has done it again! While the twist-ending styles of his writing may being overdone, he has wrote a great script. John Frankenheimmer has redeemed himself in my eyes from the dread of watching last year's Ronin. While this may not be the smartest or most action-packed movie, it is a lot better than much of the subpar films racing through theatres today. The extras on the disc, commentary and deleted scenes, make it worth the adding of it to your collection. One problem that I did have was the fade-in to the family dinner, which didn't seem to fit the tone of the film in the way that it was directed. Another quirk, albeit minor, is that Affleck's character doesn't ditch his Suit even after realizing that the Police will be looking for 5 suits, leaving for a possible manhunt for him. All in all, a great action movie, where you don't have to think too much and your sense of belief has to be left at the door.

Rating:
Summary: SLUT MACHINE
Review: John Frankenheimer is one of the directors for whom I have the utmost respect. Since the early 60's, he has presented a few masterpieces, dozens of excellent movies and three or four bad films that I nevertheless appreciate. When you love someone, you accept the defaults too. With REINDEER GAMES, this director stays, after the already excellent RONIN, in the action movie genre and delivers a personal movie with the usual car explosions and numerous gunfights that today audiences seem to like so much.

With Ben Affleck, John Frankenheimer has found an actor who, like James Stewart or Gary Cooper, sixty years ago, has the favour of the public as soon as he appears on the screen. With a hero like him, you'd better to choose a great villain. No problem, with Gary Sinise you cannot be wrong, this actor has got the intensity of a John Malkovitch and the meanness of a Richard Widmark. When the feminine role is held by such a beauty as Charlize Theron, you have all the ingredients to cook an explosive mixture.

Oh yes ! John Franhenheimer's commentary is, as always, very intelligent and brings priceless informations to the admirative movie lover. Sound and image, in my opinion, perfect.

A classy DVD.

Rating:
Summary: It Makes You Wonder...
Review: ...who actually reads this script and decides to make this movie. Someone out there has a job, getting paid lots of money, for giving this script and these actor's the green light.

Reindeer Games is a joke. The "bad guys" have the chance to kill Ben Affleck at least four times, yet they still let him hang around. Ben Affleck has the opportunity of a lifetime to escape, yet he breaks into his own hotel room and plays cards before his captor's realize he's gone.

A review would help by giving you plot lines. Just scroll up and read the published review. Then, scroll back down to this message and read the subtle reasons the movie is so bad.

Ben Affleck and Charlize Theron can't act, either of them. Anna Nicole Smith has shown better potential than these two idiots. The performances just add to the misery as you pull individual hair out of your scalp and underarms one by one with each passing minute.

As for this surprise ending, what a joke! I'll save you an hour and a half. Ben gets the money and gives it to the locals in the neighboring community via their mailboxes. This, much like the rest of the film, doesn't work either because any mail carrier in the country would pocket a bundle of $10,000 as he's delivering credit card bills and bank statements.

Save $20 and save your sanity. Don't buy this movie.

Rating:
Summary: Exhausting w/ Nice Ending - Comedic Special FXs
Review: I enjoyed the ending. I just wanted to write this because I believe the explosion of the car going over the cliff is the worst example of special fx modelling I have seen since the early days of this. Check out the flames - It will make you laugh. Plot is a little too much for us to believe. The Charitable ending was neat. It just needed a better movie behind it.

Rating:
Summary: EXCITING, WELL DIRECTED FLICK!
Review: ... Well acted and directed, with a bunch of excellent plottwist and turns. Sinise is terrific as the deranged wannabe thief. Once you get past his hideous reptilian looks, he really can act. How many camera lenses did they have to go through? Check this move out, it's way worth it. For a compelling thriller of a different sort, check out Frankenheimer's SECONDS with Rock Hudson... Chilling.

Rating:
Summary: Fun action/comedy with twists, turns, and thrills
Review: Reindeer Games is a pleasant surprise, a fun thriller that features some good action sequences, suspense, and shock plot twists. Of course, Ehren Kruger's script doesn't always make a whole lot of sense (as with his other two twist-filled thrillers Arlington Road and Scream 3). However, with John Frankenheimer's stylish direction and charismatic acting from the cast Reindeer Games never fails to entertain and sustain interest.

The film begins with the sight of five dead bloody and burnt santas in the snow, then skips to 6 days before to a prison and introduces 2 inmates, Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) and Nick Cassidy (James Frain). Rudy and Nick are cellmates and good friends and both are going to be released on the same day. Rudy, in for grand theft auto, just wants to start his life over and spend time with his parents. Nick has plans to meet with his penpal, a beautiful woman named Ashley, as soon as he's released, and hopes to start a relationship. However, Nick is killed in a fight in the cafeteria.

On the day he is released, Rudy, at the last moment, decides to pose as Nick and meets Ashley (Charlize Theron) in front of the prison. They have a conversation and are soon going at it in a motel room. It's not long, though, when Rudy discovers that Ashley has a brother named Gabriel who read her letters, and has plans for Rudy. It seems Nick previously worked as a security guard in a casino and Gabriel wants Rudy to help them rob it. Problem is, Rudy has very little knowledge of the casino and has to continue to pretend being Nick to stay alive long enough to get out of the mess.

Reindeer Games is surprisingly suspenseful the whole way through. There wasn't a single lag in the pace which is more than can be said for most of the recent thrillers. The film sports some good chases and action sequences; the casino heist is particulary the film's highlight action scene and it delivers the expected mayhem and tension. John Frankenheimer proves he can still deliver the goods.

Surprisingly, Reindeer Games is also quite humorous, and not in an unintentional manner, either. There were plenty of laughs and this widened my appeal to the film.

Acting is all around solid. Ben Affleck is very likeable as the hero. He delivers a fine performance and proves himself capable in an action role. While this film's lack of box office success might not catapult him to an action star, I can still see him playing more physical roles. Gary Sinise is fun to watch as the villain, though he better beware or he'll be typecast as these sort of characters. He's far too talented an actor to play the bad guy and though Mission to Mars wasn't exactly a great film, he at least strayed away from playing the villain in that film. I feel somewhat indifferent to Charlize Theron. She's a fairly decent actress, though I don't find her to be as beautiful as so many people say. That aside, she proves herself all right in extending her range with this film.

Of course, with Ehren Kruger you should expect some plot twists. The big one at the end is the real shocker. It's no doubt surprising though some aspects of the twist won't hold up completely under close scrutiny.

Reindeer Games is good, fast-paced and fun entertainment. It's suspenseful, tense, and is worth renting. So long as you're expecting an action film with large doses of humor and some plot twists you shouldn't be disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: smart black comedy
Review: A great black comedy of double crosses, plot twists and nail-biting tension. If you don't recognize it as black comedy you may not like it, as the plot is highly unlikely. Very similar to Frankenheimer's equally twisted Fifty-Two Pickup, including the performance of Clarence Williams III. Sinise is brilliant, Affleck is harmless, and Therezon does manage to suspend our disbelief. If you like stories of stupid criminals with big plans that go horribly wrong, don't miss this. Should appeal to fans of Reservoir Dogs, Killing Zoe, 52 Pickup and The Big Hit.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie!
Review: This movie is the interesting tale of an ex-con (Ben Affleck) and how he assumes the life of his former cellmate. Charlize Theron is the girlfriend that Affleck "steals". Gary Sinise plays the evil brother of Theron's. Sinise was quite good in his role of the mean brother of Theron's and it was quite interesting to see him in this kind of a role. Affleck and Theron was great in their roles as well. The story in Reindeer Games is well thought out and has more twists and turns than you can imagine. This movie is highly entertaining and well worth seeing! Recommended!

Rating:
Summary: One of the most awful movies I have ever seen
Review: This movie, the acting and the plotline were terrible. Ben Affleck can't act - he is the same in every movie. I want to spare anyone else who was thinking of viewing this movie the complete awfulness of it. What a waste of time and money.