Gunmen

Rating:
Summary: Fast, Fun, Full of Action! Lethal Weapon Style!
Review: Fans of Christopher Lambert (from Highlander) or of Mario Van Peebles will LOVE this movie. The chemistry between the two is fantastic! Add Denis Leary and Kadeem Hardison, and you've got a fantastic adventure flick with rapid-fire thrills and quick-witted humor!

Rating:
Summary: Congratulations Artisan, You've Ruined Another Great Movie
Review: Gunmen is one of my favorite action movies, it's got great scenery, action galore, a fast pace, and great performances, especially from Denis Leary, who steals the show as villain Armor. However this DVD really hurts the film. It's presented in pan-and-scan with poor quality and so-so sound, and has no extras. Artisan ruined another great movie called Joshua Tree (or Army Of One, as the DVD cover for that movie incorrectly states) with the DVD, which featured a similar DVD transfer (very poor). I'd wait for a re-release with a better transfer and sound and with the film in it's OAR plus with some extras, like a commentary and making-of featurette...

Rating:
Summary: Congratulations Artisan, You've Ruined Another Great Movie
Review: Gunmen is one of my favorite action movies, it's got great scenery, action galore, a fast pace, and great performances, especially from Denis Leary, who steals the show as villain Armor. However this DVD really hurts the film. It's presented in pan-and-scan with poor quality and so-so sound, and has no extras. Artisan ruined another great movie called Joshua Tree (or Army Of One, as the DVD cover for that movie incorrectly states) with the DVD, which featured a similar DVD transfer (very poor). I'd wait for a re-release with a better transfer and sound and with the film in it's OAR plus with some extras, like a commentary and making-of featurette...

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, Lame DVD
Review: I have always found GUNMEN to be a fun movie, and I am a fan of both Christopher Lambert and Dennis Leary, so I was very happy to see this DVD finally became available. Unfortunately, the DVD does the movie no justice. The picture and audio quality are just slightly better than the copy I made on VHS from cable ten years ago. The so-called extras are a waste, amounting to two very limited actor bios, and a one paragraph plot summary.

The movie itself is enjoyable in a B-movie buddy picture kind of way. It involves a dim-witted criminal(Christopher Lambert)and a former NY police officer(Mario Van Peeples) who are forced to work together to try to find a fortune in abandoned drug money before a cold blooded mercenary gang(led by Dennis Leary) or a local crime lord(Star Treks Patrick Stewart) can get to it.

It's probably worth it to pick up the DVD just to have a copy of the film in a format other than the rapidly vanishing VHS.

I give the film ***, I give the DVD *

Rating:
Summary: Great movie, Lame DVD
Review: I have always found GUNMEN to be a fun movie, and I am a fan of both Christopher Lambert and Dennis Leary, so I was very happy to see this DVD finally became available. Unfortunately, the DVD does the movie no justice. The picture and audio quality are just slightly better than the copy I made on VHS from cable ten years ago. The so-called extras are a waste, amounting to two very limited actor bios, and a one paragraph plot summary.

The movie itself is enjoyable in a B-movie buddy picture kind of way. It involves a dim-witted criminal(Christopher Lambert)and a former NY police officer(Mario Van Peeples) who are forced to work together to try to find a fortune in abandoned drug money before a cold blooded mercenary gang(led by Dennis Leary) or a local crime lord(Star Treks Patrick Stewart) can get to it.

It's probably worth it to pick up the DVD just to have a copy of the film in a format other than the rapidly vanishing VHS.

I give the film ***, I give the DVD *

Rating:
Summary: This film should have been direct-to-video!
Review: I thoought film was okay but it should have been direct-to-video. the only reason I think it should get two stars would be because it is a Denis Leary film (I am a big fan of his). Now saying that he dies at the end is not giving the film away because it is one of those kinds of action films where you can predict the ending. Well he makes his death scene with style. I am not going to say the ending because that would give the only great part of the film away, but if you want to know it without renting this film (it is not worth the $1.49) just email me. The only way it is good and you love to see Denis Leary play bad roles, then get this film.

Rating:
Summary: Good movie hurt by video format.
Review: It is a shame Gunmen didn't get fair treatment when it was brought to DVD. Originally shot in 2.35:1 widescreen, the DVD and obviously, the video are only available in 1.33:1 full TV screen format. Almost half the picture is missing, and it shows. Even ignoring the lush scenery cut off, too often the characters' faces are missing from the frame. Even worse is that the DVD transfer is rotten. It may have been from a S-VHS master from what it looks like. It is full of film grain which compresses awfully on DVDs, making the entire movie look muddy.

This is a terrible shame because Gunmen is a fun, lightweight flick of two guys, one good, the other bad, forced to work together against a common enemy. There are many funny one liners, and the action scenes are pretty good, though low budget. Denis Leary is always fun to watch when he's angry or evil, and he's almost always both in Gunmen.

Rating:
Summary: Horrible
Review: Mario is a cop who is looking for some drug money. It was a waste of time for me to watch this. IMHO it was just poorly put together.

Rating:
Summary: "i gotta tell ya, I don't swallow"
Review: Real nice B-grader, Lambert has a real flair for the comedy, if only the people behind the camera could make up their mind whether it's a action comedy, or action thriller.
Because it's certainly not the latter, but the laughs dry up a bit after the hilarious first half hour.
Leary always entertains as the bad guy as well.

Rating:
Summary: Sigh! Artisan does it again.
Review: This film was shot full anamorphic 2.35:1 Panavision and is full of gorgeous and pretty scenery. But just like they did with another Christopher Lambert film, Fortress and the Dolph Lundgren movie Joshua Tree they have released this in mutilated pan and scan format with about half the picture missing.

Gunmen is a lively and entertaining movie with a witty script, nonstop action and a first rate cast. Denis Leary once again nails the bad guy role to a tee and Lambert and Peebles (who starred together in Highlander 3) make for a great buddy team.

But I cannot recommend this movie to you on DVD. I waited so long for this to be released only to be dissapointed by the lack of OAR. Even the cover art is horrid. I mean I don't remember any volcanos in the film.

Stay away from this DVD. Stick with your VHS. It is of the same quality.