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Reindeer Games

Reindeer Games

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: I wasted two hours of potential sleep time for this?
Review: This film, while not really awful, is quite bad. The plot is forced, the dialogue is just bad, and it contains a performance by Gary Sinise that one is tempted to call "hammy." The only actors to retain their dignity are the ones with little screen time, namely Donal Logue (Pug) and James Frain (Nick). At least Affleck's accent is consistent.

I thought this would be a good Friday-night-with-chinese-food flick, but it's not even fun. The fault lies in the script, because all problems can be directly attributed to the writing, including the twist at the end.

The actors give it their best, and Frankenheimer does what he can to keep the pace up, but there's really nothing that can be done to salvage this patently unnecessary waste of time.

Just skip it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An Old Fashioned Thriller that's also Original.
Review: "Reindeer Games" has a Lot going for it, two Flavour of the Year Stars, a Flavour of the Month Screenwriter (Erin Kruger), a Talented Veteran Director (John Frankenhiemer) and the fact that there is Nothing out recently that is Anything Like it ("Best Laid Plans" would come closest, but did it all Better). It is a Small, Different Crime Thriller, lacking in the Thrills and Effects that Pepper Modern Thrillers, but Full of Old Fashioned Characters given Modern Quirks. The Characters would feel more at home in a 1940's Film Noir. I won't review the Plot as it's Best to let it unfold before your Own Eyes, the More you don't know, the Better.

At it's Best point's, "Reindeer Games" manages the Difficult task of being Refreshingly Old fashioned and Slickly Original at the Same Time, at it's Worst points, it is Slow, Boring and a Little Frustrating as it Seems to be Losing it's way. Genre Master Frankenhiemer ("Ronin" and "The Manchurian Candidate") Never allows that to happen, but his Usually strong Leash has been Loosened a little.

While I was Disappointed by it's lack of Action and Thrills, I Very Much Enjoyed it's Strange Sense of Humour that Never Seems Intentional. It All comes from Character and there are a Few Points where the film reaches Laugh Out Loud status, which I Never saw Coming (eg. The Motel Bill bit, the references to "Little Drummer Boy" and the Pow-Wow Safe bit). The Dialogue is also a High point, while the script may Lag and Drift here and there, the Dialogue never does. There is No Denying that Kruger isn't a Talented Writer, and while he gives us just enough to stay Interested in his Young Career, he needs to Show us more of his "Arlington Road" Originality. "Reindeer Games" has a Bit of that films Originality, it also shares it Realism, and both films are Well Grounded in Reality. The Biggest difference between the films is their Endings, while One has one of the Best Endings Ever Witnessed; the Other has one of the Worst, see below for Details.

The Usually Strong cast are in Good (but not Great) form, their Characters let them down and they have to cop the Brunt of Audience Hatred. It's the Fault of Kruger's Screenplay that has it's characters Moods Swing as often as a Gun is Drawn. It is hard to care for a character that you just don't Understand, if their Behaviour and Moods are so Irrational, you simply Can't get Attached. Ben Afflict is Likeable here, Annoying there as Rudy, our would be Hero. His Performance is good, but you won't be Biting your nails about weather he'll Live or Die. Charlize Theron has Scarcely given a performance that I haven't Loved, this performance is among he Worst, she starts out Great, but Falls Apart as the film Progresses, which was Quite a Shock as I've Never thought that I would like to see Less of her. Gary Sinese is the films Saving Grace when it comes to Performances. He seems to want to Make Up for his Lousy Bad Guy Performance in "Snake Eyes" (or maybe his lousy Good Guy Performance in "Mission to Mars"). Even though he is the Villain of the piece, I cared about him the Most and I even found myself Willing him to Win the day.

"Reindeer Games" also features a Much Talked about ending (much talked about in the Negative sense). It's not so much an "Average Thriller" ending; it's more a "Below Average Horror" ending. Being that Erin Kruger also wrote "Scream 3" I'm not really surprised, but then again he wrote "Arlington Road"... Now I'm Outraged. For Many, this ending will Make or Break the film for you, while I saw it coming and wasn't very Phased by it, I fear it will cause More Breakings than it will Makings.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A lot of fun
Review: It is true that this movie doesn't have a believable plot, but that doesn't stop it from being good entertainment. There is nothing wrong with the acting, the film moves at a fast pace and has a good sense of humour. If you are looking for bit of fun(god forbid) in an action/thriller film, then look no further.

Obviously it will be said that I am lacking in intelligence for liking this film, but I can live with that.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: hot
Review: alittle slow in spots but otherwise great film with good ending and prelude to an ending and i guess you could say good prelude to a start and what every review should anounce charlize that hot piece gets naked in two different long scenes excellent i also heard it wasnt that good along with battlefield earth. sooo wrong they both rock.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good action/suspense movie
Review: This is one of the best action & suspense movies I have ever seen.

Rudy(Affleck) has just gotten out of prison. He poses as his old cellmate, Nick, in order to get with Nick's pen pal, Ashley(Theron). He is then forced to participate in huge casino heist being hatched by Ashley's brother, Gabriel(Sinise).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Under rated
Review: I don't understand the bad reviews this movie is getting. It does not have bad acting just because Ben Affleck is in it. It certainly is worth your time compared to most other action movies out there, in particular the highest hyped (ex. Mission Impossible 2). I feel sorry for the simple Amish folk who got confused by the plot. It's something original for a change in a sea of recycled movies.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: reindeer games
Review: what can i say.......this film rocked. i loved the script,actors etc. great movie. a must see for action fans.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I think about it often
Review: It's been a couple months since I saw Reindeer Games on DVD. I liked it then and I think about the plot twists often today. It is visceral entertainment and not meant to be cerebral.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: SKIP IT
Review: I skip any film featuring Ben Affleck because, after watching some of them, I think he's a really bad actor. I forgot my own rules and watched this one here. What a garbage.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Violence--with a twist
Review: This movie seems to have an identity crisis. One minute it's a blood-and-guts, shoot-em-up violent movie and the next minute it tries to be funny and tongue-in-cheek. Ben Affleck is hard to believe as a newly-released convict who assumes his dead cellmate's identity and the lady penpal who is waiting for his release. He wants only to go home, drink hot chocolate, and watch football games with his father, but alas, he becomes involved with some bad guys who think he really is the man he is impersonating. There is lots of shooting, beatings, and violence, but through it all, Ben maintains his sense of humor. The only thing that saves this movie (the actors are hindered by a bad script) are the twists and turns of the plot at the end which keep it from being a 1-star attraction.


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