Went to see this on rainy Saturday, mostly to see Cage, who I was in acting class with decades ago before he was in any movies and always dug his fearless approach to the craft as well as his choice of roles.
This flick is made by the Pang brothers in that now not so new Hong Kong action film style that a lot of my intellectual friends have been enamored with for a while now.
I never found it that enticing. Compelling at times while watching, but mostly the murky bluish tint to everything, the muffled then blasting sound, the convenient coincidences etc. not my thing. Although sometimes each of those techniques and more can work very well, but it’s not a style I crave to see or fall under the spell of every time.
This was an exception, for the most part. The murky color and strangely balanced sound etc. bugged me for awhile until the story drew me in and I stopped noticing.
Cage was as compelling a screen presence as he usually is, and looked authentically like he’d lived the hard life that the character did. Someone actually doing the job his character does would probably want to appear less unique and eccentric, but it still worked for me. And he does that action stuff well.
But it was an added story element that most drew me in, that involved a lovely Asian actress playing an innocent and almost childlike non-hearing, non-speaking pharmacist! (Unfortunately I couldn’t catch her name or find it on the web.)
An unexpected twist that made a few scenes more touchingly poignant than the usual “romantic” element in these action flicks.
If some of the storyline seemed a little too predictable, well it’s a genre film and that’s to be expected. And anyway, some elements seemed too unpredictable, or unjustified given the narration and plot up to those points. But between the look and sound and style, as well as some of the plotting, it’s certainly a change from the usual Hollywood action flick of this kind, the Bourne trilogy etc. (though I have to admit I find the Bourne movies totally satisfying as movie experiences, and Matt Damon an equally compelling presence in them).
So, if you like action flicks but crave a change of pace in the usual way they’re made, BANGKOK DANGEROUS should give you a movie thrill.
And it was definitely a nice respite from the political concerns that can seem overwhelming these days, if you realize how much this election means and how much can go wrong. Although, in some ways, BANGKOK DANGEROUS could be seen as a metaphor for that kind of this-could-be-it turning point in the life of our nation situation.
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3 comments:
Obama's campaign is becoming a comedy.
Obama LIED on Sunday with Stephanopoulos. A bold faced LIE.
Obama made the claim that he signed up for Selective Service registration as he was required to do in 1979.
There was no requirement to sign up for Selective Service registration in 1979.
Every time Obama opens his mouth is a turning point. He is such a fraud that he can't hide it any longer.
Word on the street is that the DNC is looking to replace O'Biden to counter the Palin Effect.
Every LIE told about her has been Fact Checked and proven to be false or a distortion of reality.
Obama changes his stances daily. He makes Kerry seem like a stalwart in comparison.
(For the vocabulary challenged 'stalwart - One who steadfastly supports an organization or cause')
i think the word on the street is that when you're eighteen you sign up for selective service ...
the real noticable difference in the campaigns is that the dems are talking to the public whereas the reps are scripted - that way it's real easy to stay on point and deflect questions that digress from their 'content' ...
in republican scripting/advertising, their distortions of the facts may bare some resemblance to the actual truth but fundementally alligned to misdirect the audience - a real game of rove charades - ie., the bush administrations case for war in iraq ...
the real comedy - or tradgedy here is the american publics' gullibility ...
once again, speaking of word on the street - world opinion seems to raise some pertinent issues ...
ohhh, what about woodward's new book?
No wonder you have no clue when people lie . You are uninformed.
Selective Service registration was not re-instated until 1980. THat's a year after Obama claims to have been required to register. One year, (holding up index finger) this many.
O'Biden is rehearsed as any good lawyer would be before making an appearance. O'Biden are simply incompetent as lawyers. Any variation from the talking points starts both on a rambling semi-incoherent diatribe.
Distortions and/or outright falsehoods are easily clarified. The worst distortions or half statements are called 'October Surprises".
The only street whose word has any value is the USA street in this election.
Woodward's book seems to be becoming tattered. It is propaganda. Usually a memoir,legacy or critique of a presidency is published after a president leaves office.
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