Icebreaker

Rating:
Summary: SKI BUM VS. THE EVIL DEAD
Review: Before attaining superstar status in THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, Sean Astin starred in this straight to video thriller. Sean plays Matt, a "ski bum" who works at the Killington Ski Resort. His boss hates him; he's going to ask his girlfriend's father for his daughter's hand, and of course, the dad hates him, too. Meanwhile, a plane carrying radioactive plutonium crashes at the resort...this plane of course was hijacked by a member of a terrorist group, headed by the crazed Paul Grieger.

Astin plays Matt convincingly, although nowhere as near as well as Sam in the Rings trilogy. Painstakingly awful and surprisingly so is Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) who plays the terrorist leader. Evidently dying of cancer, the baldpated Campbell delivers his lines as if he had just memorized them.
Stacy Keach collects a paycheck as the girl's rich father. Suzanne Turner is pretty bad, too, as Matt's girlfriend. She always looks like she's trying to remember her lines. The actors who played Beck, the forest ranger and Clay, the resort manager are a hoot and enliven the film greatly.

The ski scenes are pretty effective, but will never make us forget ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.

One big plot hole is why Campbell is doing this...he gives Astin a video to take to the press, but we never see it, so hence we're left with a philosophical psychobabble near the end by the worldweary Campbell.

Not a terrible film, but more of a rental than a purchase.

Rating:
Summary: SKI BUM VS. THE EVIL DEAD
Review: Before attaining superstar status in THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY, Sean Astin starred in this straight to video thriller. Sean plays Matt, a "ski bum" who works at the Killington Ski Resort. His boss hates him; he's going to ask his girlfriend's father for his daughter's hand, and of course, the dad hates him, too. Meanwhile, a plane carrying radioactive plutonium crashes at the resort...this plane of course was hijacked by a member of a terrorist group, headed by the crazed Paul Grieger.

Astin plays Matt convincingly, although nowhere as near as well as Sam in the Rings trilogy. Painstakingly awful and surprisingly so is Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead) who plays the terrorist leader. Evidently dying of cancer, the baldpated Campbell delivers his lines as if he had just memorized them.
Stacy Keach collects a paycheck as the girl's rich father. Suzanne Turner is pretty bad, too, as Matt's girlfriend. She always looks like she's trying to remember her lines. The actors who played Beck, the forest ranger and Clay, the resort manager are a hoot and enliven the film greatly.

The ski scenes are pretty effective, but will never make us forget ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE.

One big plot hole is why Campbell is doing this...he gives Astin a video to take to the press, but we never see it, so hence we're left with a philosophical psychobabble near the end by the worldweary Campbell.

Not a terrible film, but more of a rental than a purchase.

Rating:
Summary: Plutonium, Skiing, Snowmobiles, Airplanes and Terrorists!!!
Review: This one has to be seen to be believed. Sean Astin seems a likeable guy, but as the headline star in an action film? Sean was more fun in "Encino Man". This is the kind of fare we came to expect at drive-ins in the 1970's.

I give the film two stars because I like Bruce Campbell. Unfortunately, Bruce won't be taking home any Oscars for his performance in this stinker. Bruce is normally capable of being funny and interesting, but he does deliver his lines like he can't wait to get back to his movie-set trailer. In all seriousness, I think Bruce could actually make an interesting bad guy with a little work.

Am I being unfair? Well, here's the plot: Matt (Sean) wants to marry his girlfriend BUT her dad hates him AND there's an airplane with stolen Russian plutonium that crashes near the ski lodge where he works as a ski bum AND the terrorist leader is ticked off at losing his plutonium AND the girlfriend's dad flies in to visit the daughter BUT the terrorists interrupt the happy reunion because they want the plutonium AND the ski lodge is filled with unsuspecting tourists making a fat, juicy target for the terrorists BUT an FBI man has been tracking the terrorists for a long time AND he's quite tenacious BUT things start going wrong AND the terrorists are well-prepared BUT factor in Matt (Sean Astin) AND it just might turn out a little different. Move over Arnold, Sean is on the job!!!

*whew* ... ROTFLOL

Believe me, they threw EVERYTHING into this film except good acting, a believable plot and any sort of a film budget. I must say though, by the end you almost want to give them an "A" for effort because they really did try to keep the action going in between the horrendous dialog. You really have to see the scene with the huge snow thrower. Trust me.

If any of you are "Mystery Science Theater 3000" fans or remember "Mad Movies" from the 1980's, then you'll understand when I say this film is a huge candidate for one of them. Actually it might be kind of fun to watch with some friends, because you could find it unintentionally entertaining. Just be sure you at least have some decent snacks and an emergency escape route as a backup in case your friends are disappointed.

Rating:
Summary: Plutonium, Skiing, Snowmobiles, Airplanes and Terrorists!!!
Review: This one has to be seen to be believed. Sean Astin seems a likeable guy, but as the headline star in an action film? Sean was more fun in "Encino Man". This is the kind of fare we came to expect at drive-ins in the 1970's.

I give the film two stars because I like Bruce Campbell. Unfortunately, Bruce won't be taking home any Oscars for this stinker. Bruce is normally capable of being fun and interesting, but he does deliver his lines like he can't wait to get back to his trailer. In all seriousness, I think Bruce could actually make an interesting bad guy with a little work.

Am I being unfair? Well, here's the plot: Matt (Sean) wants to marry his girlfriend, BUT her dad hates him, AND there's an airplane with stolen Russian plutonium that crashes near the ski lodge where he works as a ski bum AND the terrorist leader is ticked off at losing his plutonium AND the girlfriend's dad flies in to visit the daughter BUT the terrorists interrupt the happy reunion because they want the plutonium AND the ski lodge is filled with unsuspecting tourists making a fat, juicy target for the terrorists BUT the FBI man has been tracking the terrorists for a long time and he's quite tenacious BUT things start going wrong AND the terrorists are well-prepared BUT factor in Matt (Sean Astin) and it just might turn out a little different. Move over Arnold, Sean is on the job!!!

*whew* ... ROTFLOL

Believe me, they threw EVERYTHING into this film, except good acting, a believable plot and any sort of a film budget. I must say though, by the end you almost want to give them an "A" for effort because they really did try to keep the action going in between the horrendous dialog. You really have to see the scene with the huge snow thrower. Trust me.

If any of you are "Mystery Science Theater 3000" fans or remember "Mad Movies" from the 1980's, then this film is a huge candidate for one of them. Actually it might be kind of fun to watch with some friends, because you could find it unintentionally entertaining. Just be sure you at least have some decent snacks and an escape route as a backup in case your friends are disappointed.