Rating: 
Summary: Formula Movie
Review: Join two cool, hip stars like Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle, add a bland and oh-so-edgy direction, a couple of jokes and visual effects. Then, put a stylish, intrusive soundtrack, lots of f-words, and naturally some sex and drugs. Oh, and a guy who uses a kilt, just to make it a bit more witty. That should make for the absence of an interesting plot, who cares anyway? This is a "Snatch" wannabe (and even that movie wasn`t terrific by any means) that doesn`t quite work. Disposable.
Rating:
Summary: Formula 51 is a Formula for Boredom and Foolishness
Review: Let me put it this way; the trailers for the movie were more exciting than the movie itself. Sam Jackson ripped off the entire world with this piece of crap. I cannot believe that he's that desperate for money, but it has become clear to me that he'll take ANY role, any time and place. He's the highest grossing star in Hollywood, but that's not because of the quality of his movies - it's because he accepts any script that comes his way and nickeled and dimed his way to the top of the heap. His limited range (mostly screams) is evidenced by his roles in "Long Kiss Goodnight,""Eve's Bayou,""The Negotiator,""New Jack City," "Pulp Fiction" and the bit part in Goodfellas." and many more. He's the same guy with a different hair piece.
I am not going to even attempt to explain how much of a story you can get about a chemist who people want to steal a formula from. The last time this was done was in "Darkman," but even that movie had SOME redeeming qualities. Not so for "Formula 51." Any time you see a black man wearing a kilt and carrying a golf club, you know you're venturing into some strange territory.
With the exception of "Evildead," "D.C. Cab" and the "Ernest Goes to ..." movies, this is the worst I've EVER seen. Don't rent it and surely don't buy it -- that is unless you've run out of kindling for the fireplace.
Rating: 
Summary: Elmo's In The House!
Review: Not bad. This ultra-violent and ultra-profane action comedy does provide quite a good dose of laughs, thrills and golf. I was shocked when this film was yanked from the local theaters after only one week of playing; so when I saw it on the shelf at the video store, I grabbed it as quickly as I could. I was quite pleased with the result. The film plays out much like a Guy Ritchie-Quentin Tarantino crime caper with the music and editing of a John Woo Hong Kong superaction film. Highly entertaining and much better than I ever expected. Although the witty dialogue helps beef up the shoddy plot lines, it's Jackson's presence that gives this film its credibility. Samuel L. Jackson is, and continues to be, one of the greatest actors in our generation...and its because he carries movies like this one. You gotta love a movie where Jackson's character is one part Mace Windu, one part Jules Winfield and one part Tiger Woods.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD ACTION COMEDY!!!
Review: Now this is something of a rarity, a British action comedy that actually delivers and is as good, if not better, than many of the so-called action comedies Hollywood occasionally delivers. It of course stars an American, the king of cool himself Samuel L Jackson, it's also part-financed by American money and it is directed by Ronny Yu but it's still essentially a British movie, written by Stel Pavlou (not a very British name, I know) whilst working in liquor store. Master chemist Elmo McElroy (Samuel L Jackson) has apparently invented the recreational drug to end all recreational drugs but the trouble is he's in debt to a nasty villain known as The Lizard (Meat Loaf). So he flees the country, with The Lizard's ruthless hit-woman Dakota Phillips on his tail, to sell the formula to British gangster Leopold Durant (Ricky Tomlinson) in a multi million dollar deal. Arriving in Liverpool he is met by the American hating, soccer loving Felix DeSouza (Robert Carlyle), and they are forced into a partnership of convenience. Cue many cross-cultural misunderstandings and laughs as DeSouza, mocks Jackson's kilt wearing character; "fag?" he enquires when offering him a cigarette. "So let me get this straight. 'Bollocks is bad whereas dogs bollocks is good, right?" enquires Jackson. Undoubtedly influenced by Quentin Tarantino, The 51st State takes a quintessentially American movie genre and gives it a British spin. It sets kilt wearing black American as a fish out of water in Liverpool, a place where the people are strange and the language is even stranger. But is he fazed by any of this? No, of course not. Not one iota, as he struts about in his kilt carrying his golf clubs and occasionally wielding them to dispatch the numerous bad guys. Jackson and Carlyle are both of course excellent and they are ably supported by Emily Mortimer and Rhys Ifans, in his first decent role since 'Notting Hill'. Ronny Yu gives the movie a good snappy pace and the script is full of good comic and action set-pieces as well as one liners. It does have its flaws though. In particular 'The Lizard' played by Meat Loaf is a pretty weak villain, there is not enough of Ricky Tomlinson as the haemorrhoid troubled Leopold Durant and there was too much profanity for my liking. Overall though this made for a good night out at the movies and I'd definitely recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Great, hilarious movie. Get the R2 instead.
Review: Samuel L Jackson is the man! And this is one imaginative and outrageous action comedy. Some hate it but they are obviously not watching it from the right angle. The features here on this R1 disc are pretty poor. The R2 version contains: Audio Commentary with screenwriter Stel Pavlou
'Making Of' Featurette
On-set video diary
Interview with screenwriter Stel Pavlou
Photo gallery
Trailer
Interactive menu
Scene access
Cast and Crew Interviews
Dolby Digital 5.1/DTS 5.1 audio
2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen So if you are a fan then get this version. Don't listen to the bad press and bad reviews as The 51st State (Formula 51) is one whacky and action-packed movie that you'll love if you're in the right mood.
Rating:
Summary: Great comedy
Review: Sick, not a word I'd used very often, but it applies to this film in places. If sick makes you laugh, and it makes me laugh, then you'll have a great ole time with this movie. If [vulgarity] does not make you laugh, don't see it. Kinda reminded me of Peter Jackson in his younger days before Lord of the Rings. Think Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles.
Rating:
Summary: outrageous and fun
Review: the beginning is hilarious with JAckson getting pulled over by the cop and he has his afro. Robert Carlyle is crazy and fun to watch as Felix. Emily Mortimor is sexy and deadly. Rhys Ifans is masterful with his pianted up face. Jackson delivers another cool bad ass peformance with a kilt. energetic with a great cast make this one of the hippiest movies of 2002
Rating: 
Summary: Funny, energetic & crude enough. However, not very creative
Review: The director(s) could have tried making a movie, that is, *of their own devices*. A bit of a sham, if you ask me; but altogether worth a watch I suppose. I digress. It was on HBO, nothing else to do, so why not? These are my usual reasons for watching anything.
Sorry... back to reviewing here...
Pulp Fiction and Trainspotting being two "classics" in my opinion, this "Formula 51" (AKA "The 51st State") movie ripped off the basic premise of the two works of cinematic art, and smashed them untidily together in this POS 51 flick. POS representing whatever you want the 3 letters to stand for ;-)
Riddle me this - I still never got why "Elmo" wore a kilt! I'll just ponder that one for a moment...OH - to distract you from the fact that the movie is uncreative, and because I imagine Sam L Jackson rather fancied wearing a kilt throughout an entire film - wouldn't you? Still don't see the point of its mention however. I never should have reached for that popcorn at that moment they apparently told us. [shrugs] oh well.
Enjoy!
:-)
Rating:
Summary: No Good
Review: This film sleeps with the fishes. I couldn't even finish it.
Rating:
Summary: Incoherent and Cartoon-ish, But Still I Love This One
Review: This is a typical example of love-or-hate film. I happened to love this one, so read this review as a message from such a fan. But, I am afraind, some of the audiences, largely American professional critics, seem to be missing the point, or very British feature of the film, so let me have a word here. The film is mainly set in Liverpool. Samuel L. Jackson's character Elmo, arriving there from USA just now, is going to have a very big deal with the local gang (Ricky Tomlinson). It's all about a formula, with which you can make a 100% legal drug of which effect is 51 times as enhanced as the usual stuff in the market. Felix (Robert Carlyle) is appointed to meet Elmo at the airport and escort him to the boss's, but when a violent shoot-out begins, Felix, fiercely hating America, and fiercely loving "Reds" (Liverpool football team), is the only one Elmo can rely on. Well, that is a plot, but that is not the point after all, for there are lots of incredible situations: Sam Jackson wearing kilt (for what?), Rhys Ifans's fire-arm dealer (who is deep into yoga), Emily Mortimer's sexy assassin, and you know the film's not taking itself seriously when Meat Loaf appears as the most (intenntionally, I hope) hammy gangster. Let's forget about coherence and logic. Just fun, OK? The director Ronny Yu is well-known for his films in Hong-kong era (which Sam Jackson, executive-producer of this film, obviously loves), and hilarious, non-sense-filled "Bride of Chucky" (which I love). His shamelessly showy, and often very bawdy style is there again. The tone of the film is not consistent, jumping from the downright cartoon-ish violence into a romantic love-scene in a bathtub, and then dead-pan humor of Jackson. The film is brimmed with "Pulp Fiction"-like energy; only, "Formula 51" doesn't know (or doesn't want to know) how to restrain it, to be as organized as Tarantino. Try to enjoy it as it is; or just stay away. Finally, some might think Robert Carlyle's wild attitude as football fan is too incredible. It is not. If you know the heated supporters of football games; or, famous rivalry between the nearby teams (like, Newcastle vs Sunderland), his character is just authentic. So, when he sings loudly the hit song of Liverpool-born group Gerry and the Pacemakers "You'll Never Walk Alone" in a Manchester pub, the British audience would know what this provoking action means. (The writer of the film is also a British Stel Pavlou.) And, believe me or not, his too many "F" word is nothing unusual (so, don't be offended).
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