DamianThorn Reviews

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Without a doubt one the greatest films ever made.

[10/10 · 19 January 2015]

I'm at a loss for words to describe this movie. Nothing I come up with in my head seems to do it justice. I could speak to the mind blowing, flawless performances or any of the other elements that make this film so incredible but to be honest I feel words couldn't do it justice. I was so moved by this movie that my eyes literally watered up at the end and I was left with a feeling inside that i rarely ever get.

I will end this by simply saying, if you haven't watched The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance then drop everything else in your life at this very moment and watch it. See it now and don't wait another second because if there is one thing that saddens me about this film, it's the fact that I never took the time to watch it before.

Left Behind (I) (2014)

More of a disaster movie than a religious epic

[7/10 · 16 November 2014]

I'm not religious, let's clear that up right from the start. What I am is a movie nut and a very open minded one so I'll give just about any film a chance regardless of its subject matter. I think you have to be open minded to enjoy a lot of movies and if your not then odds are your missing out on some really great films. One of my favorite genres for example is horror and some of my favorite films are from that area of movie making. Without religion horror would be nothing but people killing each other for no reason. No ghost stories, no demons no witches or warlocks. Nobody would ever get possessed and the scariest thing on earth would be a guy in a mask that you could stop with a baseball bat. The Exorcist is one my all time top favorite movies and it makes my point perfectly. It's one of the best horror movies if not the best horror movie ever shot, yet religious culture is heavily embedded in the film and without that the movie wouldn't even exist.

Does it's religious nature stop it from being an excellent example of movie making or an absolutely terrifying film? Not at all and the religious references in Left Behind don't stop it from being a good movie either. So some people believe this and some believe that, who cares? As long as the end result is a dam good movie what does it matter? Now, to be clear I'm not saying this movie is on the level of the Exorcist but it is a very good film and with an open mind anyone can enjoy it for what it is.

In fact Left Behind belongs to another of my favorite genres, the disaster film genre. I love a good "we're all screwed" type of movie and this one fits the bill perfectly. It almost feels like Airport (1970) or one if it's sequels rather than a religious film like its predecessors.

Unlike many of the reviewers, I have seen the original three Left Behind movies and despite their heavy religious leanings I actually enjoyed them from a disaster film standpoint. I like Kirk Cameron and I thought he was quite good in the original movies. All that said, despite my open minded ways I can see pretty much anyone being put off by the heavy Christian leanings of the left behind series. Luckily this version of Left Behind lightens all that up drastically. Being completely honest, it lightens it up so much that you forget the movie has anything to do with the bible. Is that good or bad? I don't know and I don't really care. This is a good movie plain and simple.

There's plenty of drama, you come to like the central characters and you genuinely want to see them survive. Unlike the original Left Behind films, the majority of the story here centers around the plane and it's passengers. There are parts of the movie that focus on what's happening on the ground but the events on the plane are the crux of the story and that allowed the film makers to create a far more tense atmosphere than that of the original movie. The production quality here far exceeds that of the original as well and it has a very polished feel to it.

All the performances are solid, the film is well cast and the direction is excellent. The editing and camera work are both fantastic and If your into disaster movies, story wise there's nothing here not to like. From start to finish this is an enjoyable movie with a classic disaster theme and a little hint of religion thrown in.

The point I really want to get across to you is this, Ignore the naysayers and the kooks and give this film a chance. It's well worth it.

The Fog (1980)

A Must See For Any Horror Fan!

[10/10 · 24 September 2014]

After watching quite literally thousands of movies in my lifetime, The Fog remains one the best most enjoyable and memorable films of them all. It's extremely well written, filmed directed and scored. The acting is well above par and the special effects while simple, stand the test of time.

When I first saw this movie it was on late night TV. I was eleven, I wasn't supposed to be up and I certainly wasn't supposed to be watching horror movies. I paid for it because this one scared the pajamas off of me...but I absolutely loved it! The Fog went straight into my (even then) large movie collection secreted away in my closet and it's been apart of my collection ever since. I now own the BluRay and I can say that without a doubt, this movie is even better in 1080p.

The atmosphere in The Fog is chilling from the very beginning. It grips you with a ghost story and then doesn't let go. The film keeps building suspense all the way through and even now, much older than when I first saw the movie it still creeps the hell out of me. It's not full of gore, nudity or even foul language but it simply doesn't need any of that. Despite the fact that you could watch this movie with little kids in the room it's still one of the best horror movies out there.

If you haven't seen this movie yet...what are you waiting for! Pop some popcorn, grab a soda shut off the lights and prepare for a sleepless night...and hope it doesn't turn out to be a foggy one.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Starts off well enough and then slowly decays into nothing

[4/10 · 4 September 2014]

After years of hearing how great this movie is, all I can say is that i am beyond disappointed. Initially it seemed like I was going to love the film. Everything just looked and sounded perfect. Then, the film seemed to get lost within itself. In fact, there's a specific point in the movie where you can see it start to fall apart and then just get worse and worse.

Everything up to and including the scenes with Robert Duvall was interesting and almost gripping, then the movie just starts to slowly descend into pointless garbage. How the hell the movie gets as lost as it does I have no idea. It should have worked, everything was there to make it work...everything except the vision to keep it together I guess. Much of this movie leaves you feeling like your stuck in a bad trip or like your high and spacing out.

Maybe you need to be high to make sense of this film but all I can say is that there are much better films about the Vietnam era than this one. Would I recommend this movie? No. Not at all. Watch Deer Hunter (1978) or Platoon (1986). Both are far better films with solid story lines that rip you apart the way a movie like this should. Apocalypse now is just a mess that's not at all worth wasting your time on. If I have anything good to say about this movie it's that at least the acting is solid, the directing is good and the cinematography is excellent.

The problem is the story is a lost cause and the ending anti-climactic. Much of the movie is just a confused distorted mess full of scenes that serve no purpose and manage to go nowhere. To be honest, about half the film could have been left on the cutting room floor and the movie would have been better as a result. What else can I say except to end where I started. I am so incredibly disappointed with this movie.

Defiance (1980)

The ultimate "reluctant hero" story wrapped in an excellent film.

[10/10 · 19 August 2014]

This movie really knocks you down. It's solidly written, filmed and stacked with an excellent cast. The location is perfect, the era is captured beautifully...I mean there's just nothing to complain about with this film.

Starring a young Jan Michael Vincent, this really is a flawless example of a reluctant hero story. A sailor named Tommy (Vincent) is temporarily suspended for fighting with a fellow crew member and finds himself stuck in a rundown slum in New York. Hating living in the city, he just can't wait to get back out to sea. Almost immediately though, being the new face in the neighborhood he becomes the target of a street gang and clashes with them repeatedly. Not looking for trouble, Tommy just tries to avoid the gang and bide his time until he can get back to work. He does the same with the residents of his temporary home.

Tommy doesn't want to get attached because he just wants to move on. But the longer he stays the more he begins to like the people he meets. He begins to fall in love with a local girl and befriends a homeless boy. Try as he might, he just can't help but be drawn in by the good people in a place he thought he would hate. Simultaneously he gets dragged into facing down the neighborhood thugs time and time again.

Historically, many figures from our past have been reluctant to get involved in whatever battle they wound up fighting. From Wyatt Earp to Wild Bill Hickock, Alvin York to Bernhard Goetz history is full of real life people who really didn't want to get involved in defending others or standing up for justice when the law failed to but wound up doing it anyway. Even the United States itself was reluctant to become involved in World War II and Canada was reluctant to enter the Afghan and Iraq wars. Deep down inside some people, as much as they desire to avoid a fight and seek instead to live in peace, when they face injustice they simply can't help but become involved and defend those who can't defend themselves. Sometimes some people when pushed, push back and if pushed far enough will push back hard. Even to the extent of killing if need be.

Forgive me for rambling...but that really is what this movie is all about and it is so well put together that you understand the central character perfectly. Your never frustrated with him, you never see him as a coward. You just see a man who wants peace but winds up in a war. There's even more to this movie than that, there's a lot of dramatic moments and even moments that tug at your heart but I don't want to spoil the film for you by revealing to much. On the surface this movie may sound like any other revenge or vigilante movie but it's far from it.

If your a fan of those genres, you'll definitely find this movie enjoyable but even if your not typically into movies like Death Wish (1974) or Rolling Thunder (1977) you can easily get into this movie. There's an excellent story worth sinking into here and an excellent cast that makes this movie much more than it would have been otherwise. Don't let the PG rating fool you either. Sure, there's no sex nudity gore excessive violence or even foul language but keep in mind that some of the best films in history had none of that.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching Charles Bronson and Clint Eastwood blow away the scumbag thugs as much as anybody. But I can also appreciate a good clean film that excels in all regards the way this one does. In fact, I find it admirable that the people who made Defiance managed to make it so dam good and yet wind up with a PG rating.

It's movies like this, the rare under rated gems that you hardly ever hear about but that knock you over and leave you smiling when the credits roll...these are the movies that keep me going. They keep me searching for films I haven't seen and keep me believing there's still good movies out there for me discover. Give this one a try, I bet you'll never forget it for the rest of your life. I would also bet if your not familiar with Jan Michael Vincent this movie will have you hunting down more of his work.

Kickboxer (1989)

I'm not going to sugar coat this review...but make no mistake about it this is a fantastic movie.

[8/10 · 1 July 2014]

Sure, the movie can be cheesy at times, the dialogue a bit silly and the acting about as far from Oscar worthy as you can get, but then again, does Oscar worthy mean anything anymore? At any rate Kickboxer is a fantastically fun film to watch. It attempts to (and does successfully) explore the story of a man seeking Vengeance, learning to better himself and discovering ancient methods of training to fight that much of the world had forgotten ever existed.

Jean-Claude Van Damme is in his prime here. Strong, powerful and about as masculine as a human male can get. In real life, Van Damme's combination of training methods brought something to film screens around the world that had never been seen before. A classically trained black belt in Karate, combined with a Kickboxing career and formal training in ballet. Yes, ballet. It sound like such an odd combination and yet it translates beautifully into a man who would become a world famous action star. Capable of amazing feats involving balance, flexibility and fighting combined with a muscular, ripped physique and dare I say a perfect set of facial features that make him insanely attractive. It's just astonishing and the only other actor I could even consider comparing him to would be Arnold Schwarzenegger. Although I think Schwarzenegger has better acting skills, he and Van Damme share that amazing unique set of god given talents both physical and mental that set them apart from almost every other action star that's ever lived. Now that I'm done drooling over Van Damme, back to the movie review.

It truly is a fantastic, male oriented action film the likes of which Hollywood rarely turns out anymore. The film starts off with a light hearted happy feeling as Kurt (Van Damme) accompanies his older brother Eric to a fight where Eric, already a champion Kickboxer defeats yet another opponent and then announces his next fight will be in Thailand. Eric, on a high from all of his wins fails to realize that Thailand's champion is a ruthless fighter named Tong Po who's backed by the Asian mafia.

When Eric finally faces off against Tong Po, Po not only defeats Eric but permanently and intentionally paralyzes him so that he will never fight again. In this instant, the light hearted feeling of the film is gone. Kurt and Eric are two Americans alone in a foreign land with no friends and no idea where to turn next. But Kurt knows one thing for certain, he wants revenge against Tong Po and he's willing to get it at any cost.

After a lucky meeting with a fellow American (a former war vet who chose to remain living in Thailand rather than return to America) Kurt's hopes of seeking out his revenge are brought to life. At first reluctant, Kurt's new friend eventually introduces him to Zion. A master Martial Artist who has long since retired from training, but he hears Kurt's story, he sees Kurt's passion and sees something Different in Kurt. After a little coaxing and a few rather amusing tests, Zion agrees to train Kurt to take down Tong Po once and for all. At this point the movie takes on a whole new feel again, an often surreal and very serious tone reflecting mans connection with nature, with the past and with the ancient warriors who came before them.

I won't go any further in my review, not because it will spoil the ending but because it would spoil everything else in between that leads up to a fantastic Rocky Style finale. It's all those parts in the middle though, all those moments all those genius bits of story that make this movie so worth watching. Oh the ending is good and well worth it but I assure you, watching Kurt train, watching him learn, face his fears and even fall in love. It's all of that, that's what really makes this movie.

As a final note which I always live to add to my reviews, watching this film is like watching a Bruce Lee movie or a Chuck Norris film. It's so easy to understand why an entire generation fell in love with martial arts and new generations continue to do so to this day.

Invasion U.S.A. (1985)

Once a flight of fantasy, the plot of this film is all to real today.

[10/10 · 18 June 2014]

From September 11th 2001 to the Boston Bombing. From mass slaughter of school children to ruthless drug cartels trying to move North into the US and Canada right down to homegrown terrorists seeking some "vengeance" for a cause because their angry at the government, this film is more relevant today than it likely ever was.

From the countless movies I've watched in my life I've learned one very important thing. Hollywood used to try and encourage people to fight for their country. To Protect their families friends and neighbors. They encouraged people to believe that, as the saying goes, it's better to die for something than to die for nothing. Hence, the boatload of "one man army" movies like Invasion USA or Commando from 1985. Hell even Red Dawn 1984 hit on the same concept. Over the past few years Hollywood seems more interested in making movies about people getting drunk and peeing in sinks or sparkly anorexic teenage vampires. Sorry if that seems crude, but I've had about all I can take out of today's "film industry". It lacks purpose, direction and above all quality.

As for these older movies, It's clear the idea wasn't just to sell tickets but more importantly to send a message. Screw with North America and we'll hit you so hard your great grandparents will feel it. We fight for our freedom and not only would we fight for it, we would put our lives on the line for it. We would protect the innocent and fight the bad guys to the death if need be. Invasion USA is no different and that's why it's one of my favorite action movies.

It's well directed, well written and is extremely thrilling. Like with most action films of the time, forget the lousy CGI. The film makers needed to blow something up, they blew it up. Somebody had to dive off a building, they jumped. They needed to flip a car, they flipped it. Invasion USA is a classic action film at heart and never disappoints in that regard. It has all the action movie goodies a film fan could want and then some.

I suppose a quick summation of the movie is important so here goes. Matt Hunter, a former special ops vet has retired and lives in the Everglades. He's had enough of the fight and just wants to live in peace. Meanwhile a large terrorist Organization has begun a quiet but extremely violent attack on the United States. The leader of that group is the "arch nemesis" of Hunter. He and Hunter once faced off and the terrorist leader barely escaped alive. That terrorist is now determined to kill Matt Hunter at all costs because he knows that if there's one man who can stop the invasion of America, Hunter is that man.

The thing about Chuck Norris that I like so very much is that he almost looks like your everyday guy. Yet blink and he'll kick you ass so fast and so hard it'll take you about a week to wake up. I love his deep voice, his deliberate way of speaking his ability to make you believe he really could and would save your ass if you were In trouble. In real life he's a good honest man and he brings that into virtually every character he's ever played.

As for the plot of the movie, as I said. It may have been far fetched to think that terrorists, Russians or even drug cartels would try to invade North America in 1985, but After the events of the past decade and a half, I think it much more likely now. Maybe it's time Hollywood brings back the one man army mentality, in the end it might just be the thing that saves us all. Not to mention its a hell of a lot more fun to watch than most of the lousy movies Hollywood is cranking out now.

Here's one final note. Watch the movie and watch for a scene involving a school bus and a bomb. The way Norris handles the situation is just fantastic, he delivers one of the best one liners I've ever heard but yet hits the nail right on the head.

Code of Silence (1985)

An action packed crime drama that reveals why when Chuck Norris chops onions, he makes the onions cry.

[10/10 · 14 June 2014]

Chuck Norris...Chuck Norris. Thus ends my review...just kidding. In all seriousness I'll keep going but really, knowing Norris is in this should be enough of a selling point for anyone. This is some of his earliest work and by far some of his best.

When a drug bust goes south, a mob war erupts and at the center of it all is an innocent girl who just happens to have the misfortune of being a mob bosses daughter. Enter Chuck Norris as a tough, gritty cop who not only wants to bring down the scum that is the mafia but also wants to protect the mobsters daughter from hit men who've already murdered her whole family. A simple enough story line but one that is played out so well you can't help but be captivated from start to finish.

The situation worsens when Norris discovers that a burnt out cop in his squad accidentally killed a teenage boy and planted a gun on the body to cover up his crime. All of this leaves Norris to face insurmountable odds taking on the mob alone as his fellow cops abandon him as a traitor. Will that stop Chuck? The iceberg that sunk the Titanic couldn't stop Chuck...sorry, I can't help it. How many stars can be the core of a million jokes and yet still be so cool that he could freeze ice cream in the Mojave desert...see, I did it again.

To put it simply, In this movie Chuck Norris does what he does best, he kicks ass. More importantly though, being as this is some of his finest work you can really see his acting talent. You can see that's he's much more than just another action star but that he's also a very capable actor. The supporting cast all around is excellent as well, especially Dennis Farina. Little tidbit there, Farina was in fact a cop in Chicago for eighteen years in real life. Just thought I'd toss that in for those who might not know.

One film this movie could best be compared to is Raw Deal from 1986 or perhaps The French Connection from 1971. Code of Silence has that same rough gritty filming style with actors who play their roles so well it's astonishing. Everything from the vehicles used on set to the filming locations were brilliantly chosen and the whole look and feel of the movie just perfect.

If your an action movie fan, put down the modern crap and pick this one up. You'll love it and if you don't already love Chuck Norris you will after watching this, that's a promise.

Rambo (2008)

If Rambo proves anything, it's that Hollywood can still make a great movie when they want to.

[10/10 · 13 June 2014]

Without a doubt one of the best action films in more than a decade and a very worthy installment to the Rambo saga. Before I go any further, one might look at my previous reviews and simply presume I'm just in love with action movies, or older movies in general but for me it goes much deeper than that. Action movies headed by men like Chuck Norris, Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger and older films in general are amongst the few things giving me the hope and the drive to get out of bed in the morning.

The world around me seems so weak, Hollywood portrays men today as weak, society in general as weak and the world seems lost in a sea of bullshit. I get up in the morning, I get my day done with and I come home to sink into entertainment. Not just any entertainment but movies and television that take me back to a world when Hollywood portrayed people, especially men as strong courageous individuals willing to die for what they believed in. Films like the Rambo movies give me hope, they literally help me to believe that the world is worth fighting for and that all is not lost. This version of Rambo is no different in that regard.

In it, Rambo guides a group of missionaries into war torn Burma so that they can help the people living there who are terrorized on a daily basis by thugs working for a corrupt regime that has zero respect for human life. Rambo is reluctant at first, essentially warning the missionaries that you can't stop bullets with bibles. That the kind of people running Burma understand one thing and one thing only, war.

Still, Rambo leads them in and drops them off as they've asked him to do. Soon the missionaries are taken hostage and held, forced to watch unarmed villagers slaughtered, children murdered and women raped and beaten. All the while Rambo, back in Thailand is unaware of what's going on. Shortly after the chaos in Burma a team of mercenaries hired to find the kidnapped missionaries come to Rambo and ask him to guide them down river to the village where the missionaries were last known to be.

The mercenaries hope to rescue the church group and lead them out of Burma to safety but upon arriving at the village, they are astonished at the carnage that's that's taken place. Most of them want to quit and go back but as is typical of his character, Rambo refuses. In no short order one hell of a war breaks out between the army in Burma, Rambo and the mercenaries.

Let me warn you in advance, this is without a doubt one of if not the most shockingly violent Rambo movies to date. This film might well leave you emotionally scarred for life but yet, as with the other installments in the Rambo saga it's a very poignant film. This movie goes out of its way to draw a line in the sand between the good guys and the bad guys. It goes out of its way to make you feel the pain and torment of people living under a dictatorship, under a crooked regime that would murder a child simply for refusing to pick up a gun. Further, it goes out of its way to make the statement that war can only be stopped by war. While we argue politics and political correctness in the comfort of our homes, babies are murdered for fun, women raped and brutalized by the scum that serve these sorts of Regimes and innocent unarmed men of all ages are gunned down like animals.

The acting is so solid here that you can't help but believe that what your seeing is real. The special effects are fantastic, the direction script writing and cinematography are all nearly flawless. But above all, like in the previous films Rambo becomes the killing machine he was trained to be. He fights to save as many lives as he can while putting his own life on the line. I would argue that in this film, he battles harder and with a greater purpose than he has ever fought before. This is a fantastic action film that just about anyone should be able to enjoy provided you can handle the blood gore and violence, the latter of which there is plenty.

One last note, if you've been following the Rambo saga then the ending here will leave you breathless. There is some debate as to whether or not this is indeed the final installment of First Blood. If it is, then it is a perfect finale to the series.

One final and sad note, and I truly am heartbroken by it, is that Richard Crenna (aka Colonel Trautmen) Rambo's mentor and likely his only friend in the world is not in this movie. Crenna passed away in 2003 long before this movie was made. Not only am I sad that such a talented actor died, but it also saddens me greatly that the voice calling Rambo's name when the mercenaries come looking for him wasn't that of Colonel Trautmen. The films makers worked it in such a way that it pays a tribute of sorts to Crenna but still, it's sad that Crenna wasn't part of this movie and even sadder that he is gone from this world forever.

Cobra (1986)

Stallone in an action classic that grabs you from the start and refuses to let go.

[10/10 · 11 June 2014]

This is a true action movie. I feel no hesitation in stating that and no hesitation in watching this movie as such. It's solely about a Dirty Harry style police officer known as "The Cobra". He works on what's called the Zombie Squad and when the regular cops can't get the job done, they call the Cobra.

When a cult like gang of serial killers begins targeting random civilians in an attempt to bring about anarchy, Cobra is set on the case. One witness, a fashion model played by the gorgeous Bridgette Nielsen is the only witness to one of the gangs murders and they are bent on hunting her down and slaughtering her. Only Cobra stands between her and certain death.

Good god this movie is fantastic to watch. Stallone once again shines in the lead role kicking ass and not bothering to take names. He deals with your typical thugs at times and faces down a whining sniveling by the book cop who despises Cobra's tactics. That whining cop is played fantastically well by Hollywood veteran Andrew Robinson of Hellraiser and Dirty Harry fame. At its core though, this film is about the battle between Cobra and the gang of psychopaths. The film rarely strays from that and appropriately so.

As for the rest of the cast, they all do a wonderful job in their roles. Bridgette Nielsen is jaw dropping and this is one of those movies that I love to refer to as a "perfect storm". On the surface, it should be a mediocre film that probably wouldn't work at all. But because of the cast, because of the story writing and direction, because of the cinematography and even because of the era in which it was made this film simply instantly became a classic.

One final note about the cast. If you've watched enough in the way of movies and television, especially from the eighties and nineties you will instantly recognize Brian Thompson. Thompson plays a character here known as the "night slasher". A ruthless psychotic who enjoys murder more than he enjoys breathing. Thompson is fantastic in these types of roles and it's almost as if he was born for them.

If your an action fan you will love this movie. There are plenty of high speed chases, gun battles and insanely intense moments. Nielsen and Stallone work fantastically well together and Stallone plays Cobra to perfection. If ever there was an action film that could be called pure, raw action this is certainly it.

Rambo III (1988)

An action packed film that attempts to shed light on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

[9/10 · 11 June 2014]

I say in the review title that this film "attempts" to shed light on the plight of the Afghan people, don't take that the wrong way. If your willing to feel the emotion in this movie and your willing to pay attention, much like the other installments in this series there are clear messages in this film. All of the movies in the Rambo series have conveyed messages about the horrors of war and this one is no different.

First Blood Part III takes Rambo into Afghanistan to rescue his mentor and friend Colonel Trautmen. On an ill fated mission, Trautmen is taken hostage by Soviet forces and Rambo simply refuses to allow his friend to die. While in Afghanistan, the journey of self discovery that the character of Rambo is always on leads him to learn of the plight of the Afghan people. Surrounded by religious extremists who would wipe them all out and facing down a massive Soviet invasion, these people simply refuse to quit. They refuse to lay down and die, because of this Rambo instantly feels a connection with them and it seems Rambo has found a new war to fight, I won't go any further because it will spoil the ending of the film for you but i will say this, ignore the films detractors. First Blood Part III is as much Rambo as either of its predecessors and is a very very well made film.

Excellent acting, top notch writing and direction and an excellent story help the viewer see and understand the points being made in this movie. There is some added humor that perhaps the two previous films didn't have, but those few moments of humor have a purpose and they are not at all misplaced. There's plenty of action and plenty of Rambo doing what he does best. Refusing to back down no matter the odds and refusing to quit in situations that would leave most people curled up in a ball and crying.

If your a pure action movie fan or perhaps more like myself, you can see and feel more in these movies than just gunfights and explosions, either way you'll enjoy this one. For those who might not have an understanding of just how most of the Middle East became a war zone, believe it or not there are plenty of scenes in this film that can give you some insight. Even though Rambo is going in long after the battles have begun, his journey leads him to understanding the plight of the people living there and can help just about anyone else start asking questions and looking for answers.

Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985)

Much more a pure action film than it's predecessor, but still an excellent movie.

[8/10 · 10 June 2014]

First blood was a very poignant look into the mind of a Vietnam vet, traumatized by war and lost within himself. Rambo First Blood Part II is certainly still a vivid portrayal of the Rambo character and still filled with moments that make clear unadulterated statements about war and those left behind to die. It is however much more an action film than First Blood.

This movie centers on Rambo, freed from prison by the US government to re-enter Vietnam and locate prisoners of war. Unbeknownst to him, he's not intended to find anything and is expected to return empty handed. When he actually does find POW's alive and still being held by the Vietnamese, he refuses to leave them behind and engages in a one man war to save his former comrades.

Like all of the Rambo films, this movie is beautifully made and nearly flawless in its production. Stallone plays Rambo just as he did in First Blood. When you see him in character, it's so clear that the role to him means much more than it would for most. Richard Crenna returns as Colonel Trautmen and once again plays his role perfectly as well. A really nice surprise in this movie though are a couple of other familiar Hollywood faces.

There's Charles Napier playing a corrupt to the bone CIA agent and playing it extremely well. Napier is known amongst hardcore film fans for often playing a hard ass with a load of jerk sprinkled on top. His role here is no exception. Obviously Napier himself isn't like that but somehow or another it just became a running thing for him in movies. Probably because he's so dam good at it. We also see Steven Berkoff, a very well known actor from such titles as A Clockwork Orange and Octopussy. But most notably to my mind, we see Martin Kove.

While Kove has played many roles in his career, I love him best as the ruthless leader of the Cobra Kai Dojo in 1985's Karate Kid. That character has stuck in my mind for years and will probably never leave. Kove played it so ridiculously well that it almost made the character enviable even though he was one of the bad guys. If I were in a bad situation and I saw him in his Cobra Kai uniform, I'd be hiding behind him in a heartbeat...but back to First Blood II. Here he plays a mercenary, hired to get Rambo in and out of Vietnam and to back him up if Rambo runs into trouble. Kove's character however being a mercenary is only in it for the money.

When the time comes to choose between saving Rambo and a rescued POW or following orders and abandoning them, he simply fly's away in his helicopter and leaves them to be captured by the enemy never even looking back. Fear not, he gets his later on in a most satisfying way and Kove even manages to play that moment out hilariously well.

When I say this is more a pure action film than First Blood, don't get me wrong. It's a great movie and it has it's moments that are poignant and do bring back memories of the previous film. It's simply that there is a lot more action here. It makes sense however when you consider the situation or rather, the story of the film. There has to be more action when the main character is trapped behind enemy lines and facing off against countless Vietnamese soldiers backed by Russian military. If there wasn't more action, if it wasn't a tougher battle for Rambo, the movie would lose all credibility. As I've said though, First Blood II is still very well written, directed and edited. The location filming is excellent and the acting is spot on all around.

If your looking for the poignancy of First Blood, I will say this. A few lines spoken by Rambo at the end of the film bring that rushing back and really hit you hard. Also, as with the first film this movie is well scored and has an excellent theme song called Peace In Our Life sung by none other than Frank Stallone, Sylvester Stallone's brother. It's not quite Dan Hill's "It's a Long Road" the theme from First Blood but Peace In Our Life is dam close to it in the way that both songs tug at your heart and your mind.

Do yourself a favor, listen to the last few lines Rambo speaks in this movie and then just sit and let the credits roll while Peace In Our Life plays. It'll hit you where it counts, I promise you that.

First Blood (1982)

An action film with a message and a purpose.

[10/10 · 9 June 2014]

This is a film that just about anyone, of any generation or gender should understand. It's a story that's simple yet so solid it draws you in and has you on the edge of your seat, then leaves you lamenting the pain of the films main character. A lone man, home from a war that nobody understood, hated and despised by the people who should have welcomed him home a hero.

Rambo finds himself alone, his friends all dead and gone, haunted by the horrors of Vietnam and left with nowhere to turn. One simple decision to enter a small town brings him face to face with a hard nosed bigoted Sheriff who insists on thrusting Rambo into a whole new war. A war on his home soil and a war that will certainly lead to his death, but Rambo sees no other choice. With no way out, nowhere to turn and no idea how to ever really "go home", Rambo decides to make his last stand.

This is a film that speaks volumes to just about anyone willing to listen. It speaks to the pain and torment of those sent off to war, those who feel like outsiders no matter where they are and those who just want to be left alone to live in peace but always feel as though society just won't let them do it. From the comments about how Rambo wears his hair to the remarks about his jacket, just about everyone can identify with some part of this character. The hard nosed Sheriff (played brilliantly by Brian Dennehy) is a character practically everyone has run into in their lives. Be it a cop, a teacher, a coach or even a father figure we've all met or known this type of jackass. The type that can never look past the surface to stop and think maybe there's a reason a person looks the way they look and maybe a little understanding and compassion would be better than a firm hand or outright violence.

Regardless, like many of us Rambo try's to move on peacefully. Try's to co-operate and even almost begs for an end to the rapidly escalating situation being pushed by the Sheriff. Other characters in the film, other police officers and even Colonel Trautmen (Rambos former commanding officer) all try to diffuse the situation as it gets worse and worse but the Sheriff just refuses to back down.

The movie is so well written, so well paced and so well put together that by ten minutes in, your already on Rambos side and by the end that certainly doesn't change. I can't express enough how in love with this film I am. Stallone shines as Rambo, Dennehy and Crenna (Colonel Trautmen) are amazing in their roles and I quite seriously couldn't complain about a single part of this film. The musical score is brilliant and the theme song to the movie played during the films final moments reaches into your heart and grips it tightly. The filming locations are astonishingly perfect as well and the direction and editing are simply top notch.

People can argue whether or not the war in Vietnam was justified and whether or not the world had any business trying to stop a communist takeover of South Vietnam. But the one thing no one should ever argue is whether or not our soldiers are to blame. They fought that war because they were told it was justified. They fought that war because they wanted to defend the innocent and defeat the evil of communism. In many cases they fought because they were drafted and had no choice and then, even when they could have won they weren't allowed to because the war wasn't publicly popular anymore. Many of those soldiers never came home, countless died on the battlefield and countless more were taken prisoner, tortured to death or held in prison camps never to be seen or heard from again. As the story of Rambo points out, even those that came home never really did. They came back forever traumatized facing a hostile public, no jobs, no work skills and next to nothing in their pockets. It's a sad, disgusting state of affairs that we've seen repeated again with the Afghanistan and Iraq wars of our times.

I apologize if I'm getting off track and perhaps emotional, but it's an issue that touches me deeply for several reasons that I won't go into here but I felt the need to express myself in this review. This is not only a fantastic action film but it's also a touching portrait of the living hell that a soldier goes through, not only during a war but after and more often than not for the rest of their lives.

To lighten up a little, this is quite simply a dam good movie that certainly should appeal to any guy and a lot of women as well. It's just an all around great action movie loaded with drama and some amazingly poignant moments. I have a collection of movie memorabilia and in amongst it are the knives from First Blood and First Blood II. I own this film on DVD, BluRay and in digital format. I've watched it again and again and if all that doesn't tell you this is a good movie, just watch it for yourself. Ditch the rowdy friends for a night (you know the type I'm talking about) shut off the phone and just sit down and take this film in, uninterrupted and let yourself feel every moment. I seriously defy you to dislike it.

Mad Max (1979)

An action packed ride through a grim and cruel world

[10/10 · 8 June 2014]

Frankly, what strikes me most about this film is that it's likely as relevant today as it was when it was made...if not more so. Mad Max more than anything is the story of a man, a police officer, a husband, a father pushed to his breaking point when his family is murdered by a gang of psychopathic thugs. Casting aside the law he's sworn to uphold he seeks out his revenge at all costs. Yet, this is so much more than a revenge film.

Set in what was at the time the not to distant future, Mad Max is today more a portrayal of the world we live in. It's more of a statement to the steady decay of modern society and the laws inability to stop it. In 1979 that decay was really just beginning. Today it's in full swing and shows no signs of slowing down let alone stopping. As I write this I come off a week full of news stories about five mass shootings and crimes so horrific I couldn't and wouldn't write about them here. Enough of that though, let me get to the film itself.

In 1979 Mad Max brought Mel Gibson to the world. An incredibly talented, handsome and fresh faced Gibson instantly captured the attention of movie goers and to this day new generations of movie goers continue to discover him. I'm living proof of that. When I first saw Mel Gibson it was in a sequel to this movie called The Road Warrior a few years ago. His talent and ability to portray the emotions of his character instantly caused me to seek out more and more of his films. His portrayal here in Mad Max is some of his finest work, yet it's some of his earliest. He truly shines in this film and as the viewer I never for a moment doubted that he was the character he was portraying. That is the most important quality of any actor, their ability to convince you that they are the character. To draw you in and keep you frozen in each moment that they appear on screen.

The rest of the cast does an excellent job as well, particularly the thugs. The film is tense, action filled and draws on your emotions constantly. It can be slightly cheesy at times but those times are rare and not uncommon in films of this genre. The writing is good, the direction, casting and locations are perfect. There are some fantastic car chases and some truly epic crashes.

While the first sequel to this film (The Road Warrior) sits firmly in the post apocalyptic genre, Mad Max would best be described as the days just before the world collapsed. However, it does fit in the post apocalyptic arena and is probably best viewed in that light. Any fan of that genre or even action fans in general will definitely enjoy this one. Not to mention Mel Gibson fans, which if your not...you will be after watching this.

Land of the Dead (2005)

Overall an enjoyable movie with just a little to much in the way of politics.

[6/10 · 6 June 2014]

While George Romero has become famous for his Living Dead series and the way it transformed the horror genre, he's also become famous for something else. The argument over whether or not he ever intended politics, let alone race politics to be part of his earlier films. At times he's insisted he didn't, at times he's somewhat coyly suggested he did. Either way, the politics in his earlier films were subdued and if any message could ultimately be taken from them it's that human beings must work together to survive. Personally I despise all the conjecture and "reading into" these or any movies at all but at times it's just impossible to avoid.

Land of the Dead quickly became one of those political snafu's. Romero blamed the studio, the studio blamed Romero, ultimately who the hell knows what really happened. Either way it led Romero to swear off big studio backing for any future entries into the Living Dead series. So what's the big deal you wonder? Will it ruin the movie for you? Read on.

The core of this film comes down to the rich taking advantage of the poor, that's not the problem. A sub plot is the desire of some of the poor to move up into the world of the rich and the desire of others to just get the hell away from the whole argument and live their lives in peace. That's not the problem either. The problem boils down to, believe it or not one annoying as hell and constantly used zombie. All the shots with this zombie who becomes the "leader" of an oddly intelligent bunch of fellow zombies were added in post production. The whole purpose was to add in an extra hint of race politics. If you watch the movie, you will instantly understand why this became a big deal. It adds an element of unbelievably cheesy stupidity to the film. It's just ridiculous.

Romero has said that he was entirely opposed to the post production changes but was given an ultimatum, do it or the studio would scrap the movie. The studio has said there was never any such argument, it was all Romero's idea and when the movie wasn't as well received as he had hoped he looked for a scapegoat, it's ironic really because it's exactly the sort of tit for tat arguing that goes on in Romero's earlier movies when the zombie outbreak is beginning.

To be honest the added scenes are so annoying that I've often considered re cutting the movie myself and for quite awhile there was a "fan" cut floating around that removed those scenes. Either way, ultimately the movie is what it is. Politics aside, silly added scenes aside it's really a very good movie with some really great acting. The writing is there, the story the direction and everything is all really top notch. Dennis Hopper plays your "greedy old rich bugger" quite well and John Leguizamo does a great job as does the rest of the cast. There's some really fantastic zombie gore to be had for all you gore hounds out there like me and that's thanks to Tom Savini. He really is a master of traditional special effects. On another note, die hard horror fans will love seeing Asia Argento in this movie as well.

All in all, Romero has done better but this is really an enjoyable film and I think pretty much anyone should have a good time watching it. Provided your a horror fan, if your not then you really should get as far away from this movie as possible. You'll either throw up or have nightmares for the rest of your life...or both.

Survival of the Dead (2009)

Ultimately far superior to Diary of the Dead

[7/10 · 6 June 2014]

With Diary being in my mind the worst entry into the Living Dead series, this film outshines that one by leaps and bounds. Survival plays off the same concept as the original Day of the a Dead from 1985. By that I mean, the utterly insane argument over whether or not the dead come back to life could somehow be trained or taught to be useful to the living rather than trying to kill us or us trying to kill them.

For anyone whose a fan of this series, they will recall the repeated sentiment from each film that "we must stop the killing, every living person we kill gets up and kills". The idea behind that is that the living must unite to eradicate the dead or in the end there won't be anyone left alive to argue about how to survive. However another sentiment is expressed in the series. That is the idea presented by a scientist to domesticate the dead and teach them to eat something other than human flesh. Of course, there's no common sense in it but there's little doubt that even in the real world someone somewhere would try. Humans have an inability to let go of the past and where Day of the Dead looked at that from a scientific aspect, Survival of the Dead looks at it from an emotional one. Not to mention the seemingly endless human need to feud and fight and argue over whose wrong and whose right.

All moralizing aside, in a zombie outbreak I'd personally shoot first and ponder the moral conundrums later. I would rather survive than risk being eaten by zombies...but then that's just me. As for the movie itself, technically it's very well done. There's a solid story beneath what might seem like a silly plot. The acting is quite good, the writing and directing is solid and the special effects are overall very well done. Romero tried very hard to distance himself from the politics of Land of the Dead (2005) and even harder to distance himself from the mess that was Diary of the Dead. He did that and in the end achieved a very well put together and enjoyable zombie movie.

Tom Savini returned to help out as much as possible with the special effects after his absence from Diary of the Dead so there's a minimum of CGI here. In fact the last half of the film has some fantastic traditional Savini gore and his hand can really be seen in the final zombie attacks.

If you can look past what might seem a silly opening and remember the concepts from Day of the Dead 1985, you will really enjoy this movie in the end. If you can't, or you've never seen the earlier Romero films you may not get this movie at all. However as I said, it is well shot and well put together so either way why not give it a try? You just might find a lot more here than you expect.

Diary of the Dead (2007)

Without a doubt one of the worst in the Living Dead series.

[5/10 · 6 June 2014]

So, over the past few years just about everybody in Hollywood has jumped on the "found footage" band wagon. This is George Romero's effort to get on board with the rest of the crowd. What none of the film makers on the band wagon have bothered to realize is that the dam thing has no wheels and it was never really going anywhere.

There have been a few decent entries into the genre, they can occasionally be worth watching but in my experience that's very rarely the case. That said...maybe there was potential with Diary of the Dead. I would go so far as to say I can see what Romero was trying to do but ultimately, he missed the mark entirely. The acting is sub par, the story slower than a snail race and the special effects are just downright terrible. The latter is due to Tom Savini not being involved as head of special effects and not creating the signature gore that Romero's movies have become so famous for. If I remember correctly even Romero himself later admitted he knew going ahead without Savini was a mistake.

Even if Savini had been present, sadly I still doubt this movie would be worthwhile. I could enter into a lot of theorizing as to what Romero could have done that would have made this better but the bottom line is the film is just below average. It's far to derivative of other found footage movies and so unworthy of even having Romero's name on it to bother thinking it could have been better. Okay, it's not the worst movie in history but it really is just a total disappointment for a horror fan and for a Romero fan. Do yourself a favor and just skip this one.

The Last House on the Left (2009)

Much more than a simple rape and revenge movie.

[8/10 · 5 June 2014]

On the surface, a lot of people look at this movie and see nothing more than a sick twisted rape revenge film. Many would put labels on a movie like this saying "it's about the evil of men" or "how strong a woman can be". Well do yourself a favor and forget all that garbage.

This is a movie about pure evil setting itself upon the innocent. It's about facing your worst nightmare and discovering the strength buried within yourself. Standing up and choosing to live when everything inside you wants to give up and die. Above all, it's about how far a parent will go to protect and shelter their child in it's darkest hour and seek justice for that child by any means necessary. If you can see that after watching this movie then you can see why a movie like this was made.

Everything in the film is designed to drive you to the edge of rage and then allow you to release it as true evil comes face to face with people who just won't back down. The acting is top notch, the setting is perfect. It's well scripted and directed and regardless of which version you watch (cut or unrated) the ending is fantastic.

I recommend this movie without hesitation but I will add a warning though. If you can't deal with true brutality in the form of rape, torture and murder then steer clear of this movie and look for something else.

The Crazies (2010)

Definitely worthy of the original and yet stands entirely on it's own.

[9/10 · 5 June 2014]

When a remake is done right, you can feel it from the get go. This is truly one of those movies. I'm not really going to write any spoilers here, I always tick that box in case I let something slip. Writing spoilers for this movie wouldn't be right, you really just need to sit down switch off the lights and watch the film for yourself. Once you do, it's going to wind up being a movie you'll watch again and again.

Personally I've already watched it fourteen times. Almost as much as I've watched the original version from 1973. Those earlier Romero movies like Dawn of the Dead (1978) are a bit of an acquired taste because their so dated now, but with this remake of the Crazies there's no need to be a Romero fan and no need to watch the original first. It stands entirely on it's own and I love it for that. The film is loaded with suspense and gripping moments, yet everything in it is entirely plausible. You won't find any of those "as if" moments that are so common in horror today.

The acting is solid. The direction, editing and script are fantastic as is the casting and the story. Timothy Olyphant (of FX's Justified) excels in the lead role and the entire supporting cast backs him exceptionally well. From beginning to end the movie just keeps coming at you leaving you wondering whose infected and whose going to survive. If you have seen the original version, the ending of this remake really fleshes it out and slaps you right in the face...In a good way of course.

I highly recommend this movie to horror fans, fans of the disaster and virus sub genres, Romero fans and even those who have no idea who George Romero is. I would also recommend this to any fan of Timothy Olyphant, even if your not into horror at all. I promise you, you will enjoy this movie.

Evil Dead (2013)

The best part of this movie is the end, because it's finally over.

[2/10 · 4 June 2014]

First let me say, I'm not comparing this movie to the original Evil Dead. Whenever remakes come along I go out of my way to judge them on there own merits. There have been a few really decent and enjoyable remakes in the past and to my mind they have to be able to stand on their own or their a waste of my time. I don't see remakes, reboots or re-imaginings. I see movies. Films that I will either love, hate or find mildly entertaining. So with that said, on to my review of Evil Dead 2013. Brace yourself for a boatload of sarcasm and some hefty spoilers.

I'm not sure what a person would have to smoke to find this movie enjoyable, in fact even if I were smoking it I'm still pretty sure I would loathe this "film". The acting is dreadful, the script might just have been written by a blind man and the editing is so choppy I'm not sure any of the movies creators actually watched the final cut. At no point is this movie frightening or even slightly chilling, in fact it's so boring it might just replace counting sheep if you need help falling asleep.

There are just so many things wrong here that I wouldn't even know where to begin pointing them all out. The "shocking" moments aren't at all shocking, in fact their downright silly. In an age where movies are made depicting people's flesh being peeled off, a foul mouthed girl making nasty sexual references to her brother is hardly shocking. Neither is someone getting winged in the shoulder by a shotgun. I wouldn't have thought a demon possessed person would bother with a shotgun, let alone miss when firing from ten feet away but nothing else in this movie makes sense so why the hell should that?

The overall plot, if you can call it that, is no better and it really makes me wonder what the hell the creators of this movie were thinking. I realize they wanted to put their own twist on a classic but really? A bunch of twenty something's drag a junkie out into the middle of nowhere so she can detox. In case of an emergency we've got a nurse, a first aid kit, the junkies brother and sister and a hippie. Almost immediately they find a cellar full of mutilated animals, a book wrapped in barbed wire and a boat load of occult crap but hey, why be bothered by that? I mean, everyone's been there right?

Let's just keep on going without batting an eye. So while the junkie is going through the fastest detox in history, the hippie seems to be the only one bothered by the book. He cuts the wire off and discovers It's written in a dead language but that's cool because he's got a paperback handy for easy translation...they make those ya know. Oddly, he doesn't really need to translate anything because luckily someone has scribbled instructions and notes all through out the book explaining everything. Even the ridiculously obvious illustrations. Some ominous warnings and a few jump cuts later, the movie just gets worse...and worse and worse.

I'm sorry if I seem overly sarcastic but this movie is truly just that bad. Had they not swiped the name Evil Dead this would have been just another straight to digital offering that no one ever would have noticed. Maybe there is some true evil power at work here after all because there has to be some explanation for how this lousy movie got so much fanfare and how it ever made it into theaters.

So why did I even give it a 2 star rating? Simply because it actually looks like a finished movie. By that I mean it doesn't look like it was shot with a camera from a discount store. Beyond that, the movie deserves a 1 star rating...maybe -1.