Home :: DVD :: Mystery & Suspense  

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem
British Mystery Theater
Classics
Crime
Detectives
Film Noir
General
Mystery
Mystery & Suspense Masters
Neo-Noir
Series & Sequels
Suspense
Thrillers
Reindeer Games (Director's Cut)

Reindeer Games (Director's Cut)

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $13.49
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .. 10 >>

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: WHERE'S RUDOLPH WHEN YOU NEED HIM?
Review: What can you say about a movie that features former MOD SQUAD cop Clarence Williams III and Oscar-winning composer Isaac Hayes? Not to mention a great scene where prisoners find a little "surprise" in their Christmas jello! Wow!

John Frankenheimer, the brilliant director who gave us the unforgettable "Manchurian Candidate" has brought us "Reindeer Games." It is quite an unusual departure in some ways for Mr. Frankenheimer, but it still bears his undeniably sharp sense of action and suspense.

The story has been rehashed by many other reviewers, so I'll spare any more. I do believe that it is an entertaining film, although certainly not in the league of "Manchurian." However, suspend disbelief, and get caught up in the sizzling plot and twists. Ben Affleck is a likeable, if not believable, hero, and I'm really happy about how he ends up. Charlize Theron is delightfully wicked in her role as the sweet and innocent (hah!) Ashley. Gary Sinise is effectively slimy as the villain, but if he goes overboard, it does help you hate him even more. Also good in a minor role is Dennis Farina as the owner of a Michigan Indian casino, who wants to go back to Las Vegas.

All in all, a tidy little thriller that got unfairly blasted by critics. Take it for what it is --- great escapism for a wintry night. Oh, yes---the use of Etta James' great "At Last" in the movie soundtrack is commendable.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: iT'S SO BAD, IT'S FUNNY...
Review: One thing is to suspend belief, another is to suspend one's intelligence, which is what this movie requires. This movie is so bad, it is actually funny, at times. Replete with a bad script and bad acting, it revolves around a convoluted plot that has so many twists and turns, as to simply not be believable. The casting is bad, as well. Ben Affleck as a hardened convict? Come on...give me a break! He is simply not a good enough actor to play against type, charming though he be.

Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck), a professional car thief who has just spent six years in the can, is looking forward to being released and returning to his family for Xmas. His cell mate of six years, Nick, is likewise looking forward to his own simultaneous release, so that he can join his beautiful girl friend and pen pal, Ashley (Charlize Theron), about whom he has talked to Rudy incessantly for years and to whom he has read all her letters. Unfortunately, two days before Nick's and Rudy's release, Nick is stabbed, ostensibly to death.

When Rudy leaves prison, he sees the beautiful Ashley waiting for Nick. Having heard all about her for years and feeling like he knows her, Rudy assumes Nick's identity, and hooks up with her. Unbeknownst to Rudy, Ashley has an evil brother (Gary Sinise). When Rudy meets him, somewhat unceromoniously, he forces Rudy to become part of a casino robbery, because he believe Rudy to be Nick and is counting on Nick's prior knowledge of the casino to help them plot the robbery. When Rudy confesses to not being Nick, Sinise does not believe him, and Rudy is forced to use his wits to stay alive.

However, the twists and turns continue. If you think the brother is evil, the viewer finds out that he has nothing on his sister, Ashley. Unfortunately, it gets so unbelievable, as to be ludicrous, and the movie spirals out of control. Like I said, it's so bad, it's funny. Rent it, Don't buy it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Reindeer Games: A Movie That Is Full Of Suspense
Review: It is the week before Christmas and only two days to go beforeRudy (Affleck) and Nick are released from prison. Nick is looking forward to spending a life with his pen pal Ashley (Theron) and Rudy to some pecan pie with his family. When Nick is stabbed to death, Rudy assumes the role of Nick with the beautiful Ashley. The action and deception starts when Rudy realizes that Ashley has actually double crossed Nick and made him part of an armed casino robbery with her evil brother (Sinise).

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: DO NOT PURCHASE!
Review: I bought this DVD and I have to tell you that this has been one of the worst movies I have watched this year!The storyline is not so bad but it's things like the cheesy lines and may I say HORRIBLE acting that make this such a dumb movie!I gave it 2 stars and not 1 because of the plot twists and Charlize...other than that....my advice is rent....and on a rainy day!

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not as good as I had expected.
Review: I was expecting more after seeing the previews of this movie. I found the beginning of the story to go very slow. It seems to take a long time to get to the "point" of the film. The action scenes in the casino were very good but were over to quickly. The movie seemed to build up to this scene for so long and once it got there it did not expand on it as much as I would have liked. The ending had lots of twist and turns, almost too many. It was getting to seem that another twist was added to the last twist, just to add yet another twist (if that makes any sense).

I have a feeling this would be a much better book then it was a movie. The director took too much time setting up the viewer with the information that would be the first few chapters of the novel and then had to hurry up and put all the action and the twist to the plot in the finale.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A lightning-paced action/thriller.
Review: Reindeer Games is a supremely entertaining and fast-paced thriller. It has a bit of everything: action, suspense, comedy, and some romance. There's even a shocking plot twist in the finale which I seriously doubt you would be able to predict (and I figured out The Sixth Sense's ending within the first 10 minutes).

The cast is a good reason to watch the film. Ben Affleck is charismatic and likeable as Rudy Duncan, the film's protagonist, who only wants to get home. Gary Sinsise is a lot of fun to watch as the villain, and Charlize Theron exudes sexiness and innocence as Affleck's girlfriend.

The DVD of this film isn't really anything too special. There's a short featurette and an audio commentary by John Frankenheimer. I also watched the theatrical trailer and noticed a few scenes that weren't in the film, particularly the shot of Affleck jumping from one cliff to another. I'm not sure if that's just an extension of the chase scene that occurs halfway through the film or if it's something else a little different. Besides, I'm not even sure how it could fit into the chase.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What Is The Appeal Of This Film? We Are Baffled!
Review: I would write this film off as "just me" if my husband hadn't also hated it. I get these action adventure films primarily for him. We both, however, loved director John Frankenheimer's early classic thriller, "The Manchurian Candidate," and have seen that film four or five times, equally enthralled each time. The script on this Frankenheimer film is bad and one starts off in the hole when saddled with that sad fact. Actors can raise bad material only so far. These actors don't raise it at all, however. Gary Sinise is almost a caricature of a bad guy, he is so far over the top. Plus we are really beginning to wonder if Ben Affleck can act. This is our fourth movie with him in it and the only one we liked him in was "Good Will Hunting," in which he had a relatively minor role. He is very attractive but seems to have an extremely limited acting range. Charlize Theron is a gorgeous model but not much of an actress. This is the third movie we've seen her in and at all times we are conscious of the fact that she is "really" a model trying to act. The plot, such as it is, involves Affleck's character getting out of prison to get together with his late cell mate's penpal girlfriend, posing as the cell mate. He doesn't count on the girl's having an older criminal brother, who is out to use him in his latest criminal scheme. Neither of us could believe Affleck as an ex-convict or criminal whatsoever. He came across more like a Boy Scout. See this one at your own risk!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great Fun
Review: This movie has non stop thrills and action.The plot is great.The acting is great such as Ben Affleck,Charlize Theron and Gary Snise.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Ending to Die for!
Review: I LOVE twist endings! This has to be one of the greatest endings this year. Reindeer Games kind of came out of nowhere for me, because I didn't know it was out or coming out until I arrived at the theartre. I saw the great cast from the poster, Ben Affleck, Gary Sinese and thought that it would be a decent movie. There are actually more than one twist in the movie mostly dealing with people not being who they seem but it was great. Good action, good acting, good suspense, overall good movie! It's almost Christmas time so it is a great time to see it soon. Though it would be just as excellent to see any time. At least rent it and see it for the ending. Worth the rent or pay per view. Maybe on cable soon? Just see it!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great fun!!!
Review: Im upset at some of these reviews...i cant believe people dont like it because it is too unbelievable....unbelievable???? This is nothing compared to other action movies, in fact, it is probably one of the more believable ones out there...this is a great film, it is never boring and always exciting and some of the twists are so good....its a perfect action movie and one I definitely recommend....


<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 .. 10 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates