Rating: Summary: Uneasy viewing after September 11 Review: I'm not much of a Clooney or Kidman fan, but this really was a well-done action/suspense film.And in the wake of September 11, it makes for very discomforting viewing. Like Frederick Forsyth's novel "The Fourth Protocol," I think we all have to wake up and realize that no matter how developed our military is, the means to our own destruction is well within the grasp of fanatical, well-organized and well-financed lunatics who dream of paradise, surrounded by virgins and young boys, serving them dates.
Rating: Summary: One of the best thrillers of the nineties Review: I am not a fan of either George Clooney or Nicole Kidman, but their talents and the excellence of this production make this movie one of the best thrillers of the nineties. Clooney's annoying method of delivering dialogue from beneath his eyebrows with the patronizing tone IS in full effect here, though. From a spooky beginning -the footage of the train in the twilight with the 'a capella' Russian chorus is captivating alone- to feeling the complexity of the events and confusion of the principal protagonists when the plot begins to develop, this movie expertly develops tension with a realistic plot that is neither trite nor overly full of itself. With a villain who draws at your empathy, and hunt for clues that spans all over the globe, the ride is intense. Although the effects, stunts, and editing are excellent, they are not the principal issue in the movie. This movie is not *about* pulling off a really cool jump-kick in slow motion; this movie is about complex motivations, complex emotions, and a never-ending sense of desperation. The film is in full mastery in the final hunt in New York. The chaos of operating in an urban environment, with keeping everyone in the dark while trying to control the situation, all while the prey thinks he's safe - conveying all of this as well as they did makes this a movie to remember. Sure politico-philes will find some cheezy moments to sneer at, and the Russian general is pretty ridiculous, but considering how awful most movies get when they try to relate a complex, geopolitical plot, this movie pulls it off really well.
Rating: Summary: good for low expectations Review: This movie is your typical action flick. Cocky guy meets smart girl and they continually underestimate eachother's abilities. George does his usual look-down-then-half-look-up and smile thing throughout the movie, and Nicole Kidman does a decent job of looking smart and panicky at the same time. The goal is for the two of them to retrieve recently stolen missles before they fall into terrorists hands. You can pretty much predict everything that's going to happen. So the real question is if you're a fan of either of these two (which I am) or just looking for an easy action movie -- if so, go ahead and buy it. Just keep your expectations low.
Rating: Summary: Very good movie, few complaints Review: I found very little to complain about in this movie. Some say Nicole Kidman is too young for the role, I believe it was mentioned in the movie that she was acting Director of her department so no problem for me there. I do think that Colonel Devoe would probably end up in Levenworth for his methods, our military brass doesn't like that sort of soldier these days, but I like Clooney's portrayal anyway. I would think that in the explosion at the end Devoe and Kelly would end up with a massive dose of contamination, nothing like that even mentioned. I personally don't recommend buying the DTS DVD, buy the other one for the extras it has because they'll just add to a great movie.
Rating: Summary: Lousy finish to a great start Review: The first half hour is incredibly well done. It is chilling, intriguing, intense, and in my mind all too plausible. Enter Clooney who has about as much acting talent as one of my clipped toenails. I guess it's better to look good than be good. Is it just me or does he play the same character whether he's a 'Doctor', a fisherman, or an army officer? That little swagger of his is really annoying. He's so unbelievable it's not even worth commenting on. As always watching Nicole is a joy. And SHE can act. But neither her beauty or her talent is enough to support the script. It's a little hard for me to accept someone as young and attractive as she is being in intel master. The story ended up feeling too contrived. What a waste.
Rating: Summary: NOT CREDIBLE Review: Oh, what to do when the best thing about a film is seeing Croatian Goran Visnjic playing a Russian border patrol policeman for all of five minutes? George Clooney and Nicole Kidman are not bad actors, but this story is a bit lacking. The script is a bit stilted and does not allow either Clooney or Kidman to exercise their acting talents. Kidman's character, particularly, is forced to say a lot of stupid things and she seems to be too repetitive and obvious in many scenes... sort of like the audience is not trusted to pick up certain references unless she says them one thousand times. There are too many parts which are just too unbelievable. Kidman also does not show the gravity necessary for the kind of character she is supposed to be playing... a scientist first and then a high government official. She is too young and too pretty to be credible. To its credit, the story does not become a sappy love story at any time. Also you can feel the confusion and pain that the classical musician-bomber feels about going to New York and attempting to blow something up. He wants to make someone pay for the damage and pain suffered in his country (former Yugoslavia), so he chooses NY because people will pay attention to the loss of life there, completely unlike the way they ignore loss of life in his country.
Rating: Summary: An Action Packed Movie! Review: Without question this was an exciting movie. The plot was outstanding. Nicole Kidman played her role very well. As the hero George Clooney came through like gangbusters. The villain was well cast in his role as well.The war in Bosnia was displayed very effectively through this film. The specter of a missing nuclear weapon plays a scary scenario in this film. The prevention of a disaster takes front and center in this movie.The ending of this movie is a heart stopper. Like I said before this is nonstop action. Buy this movie and you will not be dissapointed.
Rating: Summary: The most pleaseant surprise in recent memory... Review: "The Peacemaker" was the first film produced by the giant company Dreamworks SKG. That said, I still think that it is one of the best movies the studio has produced (next to "Saving Private Ryan" and "Gladiator", or course). This intense, moving, fun, and original thriller proved to the rest of the world that Dreamworks would be a strong force in the filmmaking business. The film is brilliantly paced, acted, shot, and planned, and the action sequences are remarkably complex and entertaining. See it for the reason that all of us watch movies: to have two hours of fun. The DVD for "The Peacemaker" is an exceptional one in terms of technical quality, but mediocre in the extras department. The audio and visual aspects of the disc are great, from the 5.1 channel sound to the clear, crisp image (watch for some color bleeding though). The disc contains the obligatory trailers, interviews with the cast and crew as well as their bios, stunt footage combined with footage from the film, and clips "from the cutting room floor", which show some behind-the-scenes action. All in all, this makes about 20 minutes worth of extras; an amount that pales in comparison to such recent behemoths as "Terminator 2: The Ultimate Edition". A solid package, though. This is a DVD that MUST be in your collection; if not for the extras, then at least for the thrill ride that the disc contains.
Rating: Summary: Peace Movie Review: Superstars George Clooney and Nicole Kidman strike sparks when they join forces to stop a nuclear terrorist in this explosive action-adventure. When a train carrying atomic warheads mysteriously crashes in the former Soviet Union, U.S. nuclear specialist Dr. Julia Kelly (Kidman) discovers that the accident is really part of a diabolical plot to cover up the theft of the weapons. In a race against time, crack Special Forces Colonel Thomas DeVoe (Clooney) and Dr. Kelly team up, putting aside their personal differences as they track the last remaining warhead to the steps of the United Nations in this taut apocalyptic thriller from director Mimi Leder.
Rating: Summary: Certainly does pack a punch Review: This has been one of my all time favourite action movies, ala Clear and Present Danger genre if you prefer. Very believable plot (although the revenge motive is getting a bit thin these days), good acting and definitely a worth while buy on DVD. The picture quality is super and the sound is really good. I had the idea that the DTS soundtrack would have been more involving, but it is still excellent. Haven't given the Dolby track a try yet so I haven't had the time to compare the two. If you like action movies that has a more than decent plot, this comes highly recommended.
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