The intention to show this supposed community, and utilize it in a thriller where the poor good guys beat the rich and influential evil guys, is great apart. The script is smart with breathless consecution. It's written by (John Pogue) who wrote (U.S. Marshals), a very good action thriller, 2 years earlier. I love director (Rob Cohen)'s work in anything. He nails the right way to "tighten" things on screen, with all the senses of the word. The humid colors, the narrow cadres, the hot pace.. etc. they are all his elements to make an exciting time. This movie is no exception. But why I felt that it was like fancy dinner party with only cheap rusk to serve!
(Joshua Jackson) can't be the lead. He's uncharismatic and uninteresting to the max. Among the ones chosen for the skulks who were entering the center for the first time / namely the movie's extra, he was the least noticeable. I'm no fan of (Tom Cruise), but the young him should have been more fit for such a role; a la he did in (The Firm - 1993) once. Further, although looks are deceiving, but by a look to the movie's poster, you'll grasp that (Paul Walker) has more presence than (Jackson). It's an irony that wasn't for the sake of the lead, his persuasion, or our interaction with him.
(Steve Harris) as Detective Sparrow was a joke. He looked like another student yet fatter, doing his job usually or awfully. And (Hill Harper), as the friend, was one annoying actor. I believe many viewers thanked God that he got killed earlier in the movie. He was in bad corner too, concerning the way his role was written. His character, so hastily, hates how his friend becomes a Skull, for no logical reason. Here, the bad writing perfected with the bad acting to produce something between bad and laughable!
Long story short, save the old actors (Craig T. Nelson) and (William Petersen), this movie has a major casting, and acting, problems. But maybe it was all due to a lack of budget. I wanted to say forget about the big names, but this cast forbids me.
The emphasis on the yellow color was terrible. I know that (Rob Cohen) wants us to live that sick phase of the lead's life, however not to the extent of making us sick ourselves! I noticed that many directors intend to use this color in specific exaggeratedly in their movies or TV shows lately. Is it a way to prove how artistic their work is? Is it a way to cut down the budget? Is it a way to hide defects in the image? I really don't know. What I do know is too much of something is bad enough!
Generally, it's a very good thriller with different atmosphere, and major casting problem along with minor writing problem too. It's obvious that (The Skulls) just needed more skills to be more effective and, why not, believable.
(Joshua Jackson) can't be the lead. He's uncharismatic and uninteresting to the max. Among the ones chosen for the skulks who were entering the center for the first time / namely the movie's extra, he was the least noticeable. I'm no fan of (Tom Cruise), but the young him should have been more fit for such a role; a la he did in (The Firm - 1993) once. Further, although looks are deceiving, but by a look to the movie's poster, you'll grasp that (Paul Walker) has more presence than (Jackson). It's an irony that wasn't for the sake of the lead, his persuasion, or our interaction with him.
(Steve Harris) as Detective Sparrow was a joke. He looked like another student yet fatter, doing his job usually or awfully. And (Hill Harper), as the friend, was one annoying actor. I believe many viewers thanked God that he got killed earlier in the movie. He was in bad corner too, concerning the way his role was written. His character, so hastily, hates how his friend becomes a Skull, for no logical reason. Here, the bad writing perfected with the bad acting to produce something between bad and laughable!
Long story short, save the old actors (Craig T. Nelson) and (William Petersen), this movie has a major casting, and acting, problems. But maybe it was all due to a lack of budget. I wanted to say forget about the big names, but this cast forbids me.
The emphasis on the yellow color was terrible. I know that (Rob Cohen) wants us to live that sick phase of the lead's life, however not to the extent of making us sick ourselves! I noticed that many directors intend to use this color in specific exaggeratedly in their movies or TV shows lately. Is it a way to prove how artistic their work is? Is it a way to cut down the budget? Is it a way to hide defects in the image? I really don't know. What I do know is too much of something is bad enough!
Generally, it's a very good thriller with different atmosphere, and major casting problem along with minor writing problem too. It's obvious that (The Skulls) just needed more skills to be more effective and, why not, believable.