Rating: 
Summary: Excellent
Review: I really enjoyed this movie because it wasn't your basic mob story--someone steals money from the mob, the mob boss tries to find out who it was or where he's at, blah, blah, blah. Instead, this movie is about a son's jealousy towards a man his father adores, the consequences of his jealousy, a young son's curiosity towards his father's work, the consequences of his curiosity, and the emotional decision two fathers must make in order to save their sons. This is not your basic blood and guts, shoot them up type of gangster movie--the kind of movie that your average male viewer might like; this movie requires emotional intelligence to appreciate it. Jude Law's performance was very good, as was Tom Hanks' performance.
Rating: 
Summary: The Biggest Disapointment of the Year.
Review: Before I start I would like to clear things up and say this is a overall good movie. I know what your thinking, "Why the low rating?". Simple. I know a good movie when I see one but I don't neccerily have to like it, now do I?This DVD looks great and sounds great, so I'm skipping over those two departments and just sharing my comments on the movie, and it all boils down to one question.....Where was I going to start caring about the movie? The involment of the chacters and their actions were too untouching and uninvolving with me. A great example of this would be the turning point of the movie, I'm not to give anything away eventhough it was spoiled in the trailor, but the people who die didn't have any personality to care about. Not only that but the way Hanks acts felt like he knew what was going going to happen....so why bother. This one important part made me loose touch with all of Hanks' actions for the rest of the movie. I will say this is another touchdown for Sam Mendes. His directing is spot on with every scene of the movie alive and jumping with action and color. I would go out on a limb and say he is one of the best movie makers around, and I wait for his next movie.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointing Effort
Review: Remove Tom Hanks and Paul Newman and this film would have been just another gangster movie. The actors are the movie and even then, it bored me. Hanks is wooden as assasin Michael Sullivan and I just didn't "get" Newman's character. Maybe I missed something, I don't know. I suppose Hank's character had to be detached emotionally but his reaction (or lack of it) to his wife's murder left me cold. The only character with any gumption was Jude Law who played a photographer/hired killer who took great pleasure in his work! He was certainly a twisted character and played to perfection by Law. The plot was confusing. I wasn't sure who was who and what their connection was with each other. Maybe I should have been paying closer attention! But I don't like a movie where I have to really concentrate too hard to "get" it. However, the movie was slow to get started so it seems to me that the plot should have been more clearly defined. I am rarely disappointed by Tom Hanks and wasn't completely let down by this one but I just don't see what all the hype is about. Not his best, not his worst but certainly not worthy of his superb talent. Paul Newman is a fine actor still but he didn't knock me out in this one either. I am glad that I didn't spend $...to see this one at the theater!
Rating:
Summary: Dark, somber, meticulously crafted. One of 2002's best
Review: "Road to Perdition" is brilliantly conceived by director Sam Mendes ["American Beauty"] and stunningly photographed by the late Conrad Hall, whose illustrious career garnered him two Oscars and ten nominations. One of those nominations is for this film. Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law, among others, give great performances. It is among the best movies of 2002, but it is only fair to warn potential viewers that this is no lighthearted joyride. It is an unrelentingly dark and somber tale; 'perdition', after all, is another word for hell. The year is 1931, the place is a small town not far from Chicago. Prohibition has spawned a nation of thugs and gangsters. Legitimate businesses have become hubs of criminal activity. The town is run by a ruthless Irish family headed by John Rooney [Paul Newman] His real son, Connor [Daniel Craig], is his cynical, hot-headed heir, and his adopted son, Michael Sullivan [Tom Hanks], is his enforcer. A great rivalry exists between the two sons. One rainy night, one of the Michael's boys, twelve year old Michael Jr. [Tyler Hoechlin], hides in his father's car and goes along on a job. What he witnesses forever changes his life, puts the rest of his family in mortal danger, and gives John the perfect opportunity to rid himself of his rival. It also gives Michael Sullivan his only chance to see that his son does not become like him. The movie is beautifully rendered in dark tones, giving it the look of a nightmarish dream. This is appropriate because the story is told from the boy's point of view and is a memory from his childhood. "Road to Perdition" is not intended to be realistic. It, like the graphic novel it is based on, is a fantasy. It plays like an updated Greek / Shakespearean tragedy, and its mood is almost operatic. From a commercial point of view, it might have benefited from a bit more levity, but I admire Mendes, a true artist, for keeping his vision consistent and true. It is a movie which will be remembered long after most of 2002's releases are forgotten.
Rating:
Summary: Cinema with Style
Review: Frankly, I managed to avoid "Road to Perdition" during its theater run, mainly due to the reviews and complaints I'd heard about the movie. Well, lesson learned: don't believe everything you read or hear about a movie. This movie deserves accolades and applause for being one of the best movies made last year. "Road To Perdition" is the story of a man with a mission to avenge the death of his wife and son, all the while reconnecting to the remaining son he never knew. Tom Hanks leads this all-star cast, Jude Law, Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and including the amazing Paul Newman who plays his role with dignity. Some people claim they can't see Hanks as a gangster, but he plays his role with both reserve and dignity. He is an actor, first and foremost, and he can carry off any role he plays. But let's get to the real reason this film is amazing. First the script. Bringing back a 30's gangster drama, with a strong emphasis on drama. Sure there is a lot of killing and death in the film, but it is vital and relevant to the plot. It's a very strong story, as Hanks needs to do what he needs to do to carry out his new mission in life. From the moment the film opens to the closing credits, it's strong and real. Some people complain about the pacing. While it is slow, it is the characters that drive it that speed, and spending every second with them is an amazing experience. If you want a shoot 'em up, crash and dash movie, move on: this movie isn't for you. The true star of the film, though, is the incredible direction of Sam Mendes, and the absolutely beautiful cinematography. This is a film to be cherished, relished like a fine wine. Each scene is perfectly crafted to convey its purpose and meaning to the highest degree. It almost seems like you can watch each frame with the sound off, and it still resounds with strong emotional impact. Mendes has set a high bar in the art of filmmaking with his newest contribution. The road was an incredible journey from start to finish. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this cinematic masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: A home theater disappointment!
Review: I will leave the actual film review up to others. I was disappointed in the video quality. This film rates 3.5 stars for poor video compression. Objects in the background are often lost in noise. While I watch this on the big screen I was often distracted by blurry images. With an industry that pays so much attention to detail, why do they release products like this? I am sure this film would look fine for small or medium sized TV sets, but if you are viewing on a large screen, be warned.
(I have seen better video, so why should I see worse)
Rating: 
Summary: Road to Near-Perfection
Review: Even before it's release, Road to Perdition had everything going for it. Tom Hanks, Jude Law, and Paul Newman, partnered with Sam Mendes, the director of American Beauty. How could things possibly go wrong? Thankfully, Road lives up to the high expectations. The acting is obviously the standout here. Tom Hanks plays the hitman/family man who has his world turned upside down when his wife and son are murdered by his most trusted friend (Paul Newman). Left only with his older son, he sets off in a heated race to stay alive. Neither Hanks and Newman have ever been better. They play off each other amazingly, and you'll simply be in awe of the final showdown between the two. During the duo's perilous journey to stay alive, "the photographer" is sent on a mission to track down the father-son team and eliminate them. Jude Law plays this role with genuine creepiness, and is the best part of the film. As expected, the direction is in top form. Mendes re-creates Rock Island, Illinois with deadly accuracy, and keeps the mood appropriately dark and dreary. This is a very different film than American Beauty, but it proves that Mendes is truly versitle and is worthy of any challange that Hollywood can throw his way. The only reason that this film isn't worthy of five stars is it's length. It could have stood to be about twenty to thirty minutes shorter. However, the end result is still astonishing. A must-own DVD. 4.5 stars
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: Although this film is about gangsters, it shouldn't be classified under that genre. It doesn't deal with crime as much as what happens after the crime has been committed. It may be slow, but at times the pacing helps with the suspense. Paul Newman has been nominated for awards for his performance, though I don't think he was really in movie too long to attract such praise. Jude Law deserves mention as the picture-taking hitman. The cinematography deserves praise over and over again, and if it doesn't win the Acedamy Award, I will lose faith in the voters.
Rating:
Summary: lntriguing, captivating and a bit hard to believe
Review: This movie has many, many great things to recommend it. The cinematography and art direction are first rate. The casting is very good, I think. Tom Hanks as an "enforcer" for the mob is not terribly hard to buy. He does his job because its what he owes to his boss, who was like a father to him, and its what keeps his family living a nice life. He works hard to keep his family insulated from what he does for a living, and Hanks is right for the part. We know him as a nice guy. He's trustworthy and personable. In this film, he leads a double life...he kills people. And that is a bit jarring for us, the viewer. However, we don't actually see him doing his job very often, and in one critical early scene, he's actually NOT planning on killing the guy...it's his bosses crazy son that does it, and that's where the trouble starts, because Hanks' son witnesses this killing, and suddenly, Hank's family is a target, and thus, all his efforts to shield his family from the reality of what he does come crashing tragically down around him. Paul Newman is terrific as the boss. He's a "gentle" soul with the true heart of a killer. Newman is a master of underplaying. His eyes tell us almost all we need to know, and the rest is conveyed in his husky voice. We should all age as openly and gracefully as Paul Newman! Jude Law plays a hit man hired to track down and kill Hanks. What a crazy character he is...a photographer who enjoys photographing the moment his victims die. We've seen this sort of psychopath before, but to see it in a "period" piece rather than in modern times is a bit jarring. Law limps, has bad teeth and is just generally disgusting. He's a killer WITHOUT a gentle side. Is this more honest than Hanks' split personality? This is one of the questions I think the movie quietly explores. The movie is not fast-paced, but I don't think it drags. It tells its story with respect for storytelling, rather than a need to have shooting all the time. Yet there is plenty of action and there are many tense moments, particularly between Hanks and Law, who have some memorable confrontations, particularly when they are in a crowded diner together, and Hanks realises who Law is and what he has been sent to do. About halfway through the movie, Hanks and his son, who are on the lam from retribution, decide they need to make a statement to the boss. Hanks decides they need to rob all the banks where the mob keeps its money, in order to get their attention. He and his son have several "wacky" bank-holdup scenes, with Hanks being very amusing with the bemused bank tellers, and his young son being funny learning how to drive by being the getaway driver. The scenes are fun...you can imagine Speilberg directing them. Yet they are untrue to the tone of the movie. These two people have just recently lost the rest of their family very violently, and their lives have become hell. Yet suddenly, they are in a screwball comedy!! I'm sure director Sam Mendes felt the audience needed a break from all the bleakness, but ultimately, these scenes betray the characters, and that's why the movie only gets 4 stars from me. BUT any discerning moviegoer should see this movie...it's one of the 10 best of the year, I think.
Rating:
Summary: The last film made by the great cinematographer Conrad Hall
Review: The publicity for "Road to Perdition" is all about actors Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, but it did not take long into this film for me to decide the two stars are cinematographer Conrad Hall and composer Thomas Newman. Both are deservedly up for Oscars for this 2002 film because "Road to Perdition" is ultimately pictures and music. Hall died last month and won his second Oscar for his previous film, "American Beauty," and it will be interesting to see how those two factors affect the voters, but this is a gorgeous film. Almost as strong is the music by Thomas Newman, although the piano duet played by Hanks and Paul Newman was written by John Williams. It is not surprising that several of the pivotal scenes of the film are without dialogue, or with the spoken words muted, because the performances are etched more by visuals than words (and the standout performance of the film is Jude Law). The film is based on the graphic novel by Max Allan Collins and Richard Piers Rayner, which was clearly inspired by the epic Japanese manga "Lone Wolf & Cub" by Kazuo Koike and Goseki Kojima, the final volume of which was just published in the United States. The parallels are in general terms: a skilled assassin forced to flee with his son, but planning vengeance. Instead of feudal Japan the story is set in the Great Depression in and around Chicago. However, while "Lone Wolf & Cub" provides the essential premise of the film the end game is decidedly different (think John Wayne's final film "The Shootist"). The final pivotal scene of "The Road to Perdition" represents the film perfectly: I knew what was going to happen but it was photographed beautifully. Again, you might be seeing Tom Hanks, but you are thinking Conrad Hall. Talk about going out at the top of your game: a beautiful legacy.
|
