Top New and Upcoming Releases music movies

The One That Got Away

The One That Got Away Review


This is a TV movie (based on actual events and a book of the same name and written by Chris Ryan who was one of the SAS team members) that can be considered a companion movie to “Bravo Two-Zero”. This is the story of a group of British SAS commandos who are dropped behind the lines during the Gulf War to seek out and destroy the SCUD missles that were hitting Israel. The team is discovered and is forced to run for their lives. Several team members are killed and the rest capture. Chris Ryan is the only one to escape by walking hundreds of miles through the desert to safety. The real Chris Ryan stars in a current TV series called “Special Forces Manhunt” where he tries to avoid being caught by other commandos who are tracking him in various locations. Good story. Don’t miss this one.

The One That Got Away Feature

The One That Got Away Overview

Studio: Bfs Ent & Multimedia Limi Release Date: 01/22/2008

The One That Got Away Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 07, 2010 22:16:22

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Action UK!, Filmsequenzen zu Red Line 3, 1 DVD-Video Review

Action UK!, Filmsequenzen zu Red Line 3, 1 DVD-Video Feature

Action UK!, Filmsequenzen zu Red Line 3, 1 DVD-Video Overview

Action UK!, Filmsequenzen zu Red Line 3, 1 DVD-Video Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 08, 2010 00:45:48

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Action Pack 200 Latin DVD Package

Action Pack 200 Latin DVD Package Review

Action Pack 200 Latin DVD Package Feature

Action Pack 200 Latin DVD Package Overview

200 Piece Action Pack with the best of the Mexican Cinema at a very affordable price for your collection or to initiate your business. 200 singles DVD

Action Pack 200 Latin DVD Package Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 06, 2010 22:13:28

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1

The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1 Review


I thoroughly enjoyed these DVDs and have watched them repeatedly since I received them. It is so refreshing to watch family programming that reflects good values, humor and adventure. I was so glad to fine that “The Crucible” was included.

The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1 Feature

The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1 Overview

The Best of Bonanza, Vol. 1 Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 06, 2010 14:53:50

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Nightwalker: Midnight Detective

Nightwalker: Midnight Detective Review


While the Tokyo police are fine at dealing with human criminals, it takes something special to deal with the incursion of nightbreeds plaguing the city. Demonic creatures, rumored to come from the crossbreeding of vampires with humans, they seize human bodies from their original owners and use them to find new victims for their hungers. To combat this problem the beautiful agent Yayoi has formed an alliance with Shido, a vampire now sworn to aid humanity. Joining them are Guni, Shido’s mini-demon familiar, and Riho, his secretary and assistant.

This may sound a bit like Buffy’s Angel, but the similarity is only superficial. Nightwalker is much lighter in tone than its U.S. counterpart, depending on wisecracking and innuendo rather than the dark wit and sarcasm. Nor is ‘Nightwalker’ much like ‘Hellsing,’ another anime series starring a hero vampire, which deals with some of the same issues, but lacks humor entirely. Expect entertainment with a slightly noir touch and you won’t be disappointed.

This DVD contains the first six episodes or ‘nights’ of the series. Each is an individual story of Shido’s confrontation with a different nightbreed. These creatures range from things that lurk in tunnels treating cars as if they were filled pastries, to possessed actresses with a habit of devouring the competition. Shido and his team rely on the vampire’s superior strength and instincts, as well as his ability to use his blood as a magical sword.

Several overall story arcs are also in play as well. Shido’s old vampire lover, Cain, tries to make Shido take a part in the mysterious ‘Golden Dawn.’ This in turn introduces the theme of Megumi who bears a child that might be a new kind of demon. The other theme of interest is the development of Riho, who starts out as a schoolgirl with a crush on Shido, but who is much more by the end of episode 6.

As I’ve already indicated, this series is a bit of a confection, but it is a successful one. The artwork is attractive and the characters have some depth to them. There is quite a bit of sexual banter as well as violence and nudity, so this is not an anime for children. On the other hand, none of this is so offensive that it needs to be treated as ‘adults only’ either. Most anime fans will find it very mainstream and enjoyable. I am looking forward to the second DVD.

Nightwalker: Midnight Detective Feature

Nightwalker: Midnight Detective Overview

Nightwalker: Midnight Detective Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 05, 2010 22:11:23

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Action Classics: Romance of a Horsethief/ Project:Kill/ Ripped Off/ Rogue Male Review

Action Classics: Romance of a Horsethief/ Project:Kill/ Ripped Off/ Rogue Male Feature

  • Romance of a HorseThief: Starring: Yul Brynner -In 1904 Poland, a Cossack Captain takes horses for the Russo-Japanese War.
  • Project:Kill -Starring: Leslie Nielson -A secret CIA project is in jeopardy due to the defection of one of it’s key men.
  • Ripped Off: Starring: Robert Blake – In this action-packed drama, a fiery boxer must outsmart a keen police chief.
  • Rogue Male: Starring: Peter O’Toole -In 1939, a British hunter takes aim at Adolph Hitler, but the shot misses its’ mark.
  • DVd -Region Free, Scene Selection, Interactive Menus

Action Classics: Romance of a Horsethief/ Project:Kill/ Ripped Off/ Rogue Male Overview

Action Classics4 MOVIES -ONE LOW PRICE

Action Classics: Romance of a Horsethief/ Project:Kill/ Ripped Off/ Rogue Male Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 04, 2010 22:09:37

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Dangerous Man

Dangerous Man Review


Say what you want about Seagal’s movies, at least with them you know exactly what your gonna get; lots of action, lots of martials arts, and lots of slick one-liners…and ‘Dangerous Man’ delivers on all fronts! This is the best of Seagals’ recent movies in my opinion. The hand-to-hand fights in this are brutal and realistic, and the action and plot are simple but sweet. A great all around action flick with Seagal going up against Asian mercenaries!

Dangerous Man Feature

Dangerous Man Overview

I don’t like to start a fight unless I finish it. Action legend Steven Seagal stars as Shane Daniels, an ex-Special Forces operative released from prison after serving six years hard time for a murder he didn’t commit. Back on the street, he comes to the rescue of a beautiful young hostage stashed in a car trunk with millions in cash. Wielding a devastating combination of street fighting smarts and martial arts skills, he suddenly finds himself in a deadly showdown with international drug merchants and the local corrupt cops. As the only ones standing between him and his newfound freedom, they’re about to discover just how dangerous one man can be in this explosive, wall-to-wall thriller.

Dangerous Man Specifications

br /br /span class=”h1″strongemA Dangerous Man/em (Click for larger image)/strong/spantable border=”0″ cellpadding=”4″ cellspacing=”4″ width=”100%”p/pp/ptbodytr align=”center” valign=”top”tdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_1S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdp/ptdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_2S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdtdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_3S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdp/p/trtr align=”center” valign=”top”tdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_4S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdp/ptdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_5S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdtdimg align=”left” border=”0″ height=”200″ src=”http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/dvd/paramount/dangman/DangMan_6S.jpg” style=”float: left; border: 0;” width=”300″ /br //tdbr /p/p/trtr align=”center” valign=”top”tdbr //tdp/ptdbr //tdtdbr //td/tr/tbody/tablep/p

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 05, 2010 09:02:01

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

Trinity Blood, Chapter II (Episodes 5-8)

Trinity Blood, Chapter II (Episodes 5-8) Review


So far Trinity Blood is has hit a homerun on the first eight episodes. For a series that I had plenty of doubts for, thinking it would turn out to be exactly like Hellsing and completely unoriginal period but it hasn’t sopped impressing me. It’s got something new every time, just when you think it’s going in a predictable direction you’re hit with something you didn’t see coming. The color and animation is perfect, the voice acting is good but could be better, and for it to have a back-story that’s been heard before it excels expectations. Episode 5 starts off with tall, broke, and hungry Abel taking Sister Esther Blanchett to the Vatican to meet Caterina Sforza and others to become part of Ax. This is the more talkative episode on this DVD but everything that happens is of importance. In episode 2 Sword Dancer you’re introduced to Father Hugue, one guy that is not to be messed with and trust me his skills are very sharp.

His preferred weapon is looks to be a long stick with nice carvings but somehow it can cut like a katana. Hugue is sent to investigate a murder that occurred on holy ground and ends up saving a girl that never forgets him, or maybe he doesn’t save her, I can’t remember. Trinity Blood vol.2 actually ends with a very unpredictable seen. Something happens to Abel Nightroad that I thought would never be done but that’s what I like the most about this series. You never know what’s going to happen next and you never know what new characters will appear. I hope that Trinity Blood stays the way it is because if it does it will go down as a classic.

Contains episodes 5-8:
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Sword Dancer
Never Land
Silent Noise

DVD Features: Historical Artifacts, Trailers, Textless Songs.

Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.

Trinity Blood, Chapter II (Episodes 5-8) Feature

  • Those in need of Salvation can be the hand of Grace as well As the struggle of existence continues, members of the ax are hard-pressed to keep pace with the mounting catastrophes. But even in the midst of global strife, life continues undeterred. Abel Neghtroad has brought a new member into the fold, much needed assistance at a time when resources grow thin. The order ranges from the controv

Trinity Blood, Chapter II (Episodes 5-8) Overview

Those in need of salvation can be the hand of grace as well… As the struggle for existence continues, members of the AX are hard pressed to keep pace with the mounting catastrophes. But even in the midst of global strife, life continues undeterred. Contains 4 exciting episodes: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Sword Dancer, Never Land, and Silent Noise

Trinity Blood, Chapter II (Episodes 5-8) Specifications

As the vampire-fantasy Trinity Blood continues, the focus of the story shifts, although Father Abel Nightroad, the itinerant priest and agent for AX, the covert branch of the Holy Office, remains more or less at the center. He’s joined by Sister Noélle, who wears a revealling outfit that’s part nun’s habit, part nurse’s uniform; Leon, whom he springs from prison; and assorted other agents. All the characters are either bishonen (beautiful boys), voluptuous babes, or deformed monsters. A series of murders, assaults on cathedrals, and vampire activities sends Abel, Noélle et al. all over Europe. A combination of Gothic fantasy and pseudo-Catholic mumbo-jumbo, Trinity Blood suffers from a plethora of characters and a fragmented plot that fails to cohere. The story includes often silly references: one villain is Sir James Barrie, who’s created faerie-vampires using the “Tinkerbell System.” The created vampire storyline recalls Hellsing, on which Trinity Blood is obviously modelled. (Rated TV 14, suitable for ages 16 and older: graphic violence, grotesque imagery, tobacco and alcohol use, offensive religious imagery.) –Charles Solomon

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 03, 2010 22:08:28

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

The Devil’s Sword

The Devil’s Sword Review


The Devil’s Sword (1984) aka Golok setan came out at a time when the Indonesian film industry was thriving (it subsequently crashed in the 1990s), cashing in on various genres popular at the time including the fantasy genre, which came about primarily due to the popularization of the game Dungeons Dragons in the late 1970s. Directed by Ratno Timoer (Revenge of the Ninja), the film stars popular Indonesian actor Barry Prima (Primitif, Special Silencers), who’s probably best known for his character Jaka Sembung from the `Warrior’ films. Also appearing is Gudi Sintara, Advent Bangun (The Warrior and the Blind Swordsman), Enny Christina, and Kandar Sinyo, most of who seem to have had a very limited career in film, appearing only in this feature.br /br /As the film begins we see a wizened old man sitting on the ground, his meditations interrupted by a meteorite crashing to Earth. From the meteorite the old man fashions a mystical weapon (it’s very glittery) so powerful, he ends up stashing it away for fear it might fall into the wrong hands. Anyway, seems there’s evil power about in the form of a being known as the Invincible Crocodile Queen (Sintara), who resides in an underground lair (complete with crocodile motif) and takes sacrifices from a local village in the form of young men to satiate her lusty needs (which seem to be unquenchable). As of late the village has been slacking, so the queen calls upon a powerful warrior minion named Banyu Jaga (Bangun), who appears from exploding rocks, to disrupt a marriage ceremony for the village chieftain’s daughter (Christina) by kidnapping the groom, which he does. Eventually this leads to another warrior getting involved, one named Mandala (Prima) as Mandala and Banyu Jaga both studied under the same master. Eventually Mandala confers with his master, who was seriously wounded and left for dead while fending off an attack of evil warriors, to which the old man passes along the secret location to the Devil’s Sword, which happens to now reside somewhere within the Mountain of Swords. As Mandala starts off on his quest to retrieve the powerful weapon (with the princess in tow), the Crocodile Queen calls upon Banyu Jaga to recover the sword, the intent being to use it to rule the world…um, okay. Turns out the sword is coveted by a number of Banyu Jaga’s brethren, enough so they battle each other, all while Mandala makes the perilous journey to the mountain where he eventually must face off against a slew of even greater challenges, including a shoddy looking ten foot tall Cyclops guarding the sword. As you can imagine things ultimately come to a head as Mandala and the princess (who’s got some skills) end up facing off against the Crocodile Queen and her flunkies, many of which are dressed like crocodiles, in the age old battle of good versus evil…br /br /This is one hell of a funky movie as the makers of the film seem to have taken a whole mess of elements, thrown them into a pot, mixed rigorously, boiled it up good, and spilled out the contents onto celluloid, the result being a story that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense (there’s a lot of little bits I filled in for myself based on speculation), but is actually entertaining in a markedly cheap and sleazy sort of way. At the very least the story did have some linear qualities, so it really wasn’t all that difficult to fill in the blanks once things got moving, and speaking of getting moving, know this, the opening credits are spread out through the first ten minutes which was kind of odd as while you’re watching whatever it is you’re watching, some credits will pop up initiating a `what the hell?’ response. What the story may lack in sense it makes up for in wild and wooly action sequences, which are spread fairly evenly throughout. The choreography isn’t all that hot, but I did enjoy the copious blood spurting sequences as various peons and flunkies meet their demise through numerous forms of dispatch including, disembowelment, amputation, decapitation, and so on…as is usually the case the villains were far more interesting than the heroes, sporting cat-o-nine tails whips, snake staves, flying guillotines, etc. As far as Banyu Jaga, he utilized dual, curved swords that he would often stick together to form a wicked pair of hedge clippers, extremely useful in removing victim’s body parts, particularly their heads. And then there’s the Crocodile Queen herself…as I said, she lives in an underground lair, her throne made up to look like the maw of a giant crocodile, surrounded by a legion of crocodile men (guys in cheap reptile suits). Also present is a giant, silver crocodile statue, standing on its hind legs. The statue is functional as well as ornamental, as it spews fire from its mouth along with laser beams from its eyes. The queen, who’s about the best looking female in the film (at least until the end when she reveals her true self), can often be found engaging in a group canoodle, taking on up to seven(!) guys at a time (I guess it’s good to be the queen). Surprisingly, given the amount of snogging within the film, there’s almost no nekkidness, except for a faraway behind shot of some female minions. There’s a couple of really funny bits throughout the film, probably the funniest for me occurring during Banyu Jaga disrupting the wedding early on…nearly everyone gets involved in fighting Banyu Jaga including the villagers, the chieftain, his daughter (who’s getting married), and so on…the only one who doesn’t get into the scuffle is the groom, who seemed to me somewhat of a milquetoast, and certainly not worth battling a horde of enemies over to retrieve. I did learn quite a bit from this film including the following…br /br /1. The best swords are those forged from glowing meteorites.br /2. Crocodile queens are easy to get into the sack.br /3. Crocodile queens have a problem with snogging (they can’t get enough).br /4. A blessing from a crocodile queen usually involves some between-the-sheets action.br /5. Boulders can be used as modes of transportation, specifically if you kick a large enough one into the air and then jump on top of it (that’s one sweet ride).br /6. A parasol can be used effectively to keep a powerful enemy at bay.br /7. A cannibal pit is a useful feature for getting rid of minions who’ve outlived their usefulness.br /8. The best way to deal with snakebite is amputation with a white hot sword.br /9. If you want to keep a powerful, mystical sword out of the hands of evil, it’s probably best to hide it somewhere other than in a place known as the Mountain of Swords as that’d be the first place I’d probably look if’n I were hankering to get my hands on it.br /10. A flying guillotine weapons is a pretty cool way to remove one’s melon.br /11. Having a legion of crocodile men at your disposal is not as cool as it would seem especially given the fact they can not fight for squat.br /12. The cycloptic guardian within the Mountain of Swords is ridiculously easy to beat (hint, go for the ocular strike).br /13. One would think given the build up tied to a weapon in a movie like this (heck, it’s even in title of the film) one would see a whole lot of action involving said weapon, but one would be wrong.br /14. Nothing gives a fantasy film that `fantasy’ feel like smoke emanating from tons of dry ice thrown in the water.br /br /The picture on this Mondo Macabro DVD release, presented in widescreen (2.35:1), enhanced for 16X9 TVs, looks clean and decent, while the Dolby Digital stereo audio comes through clearly. There are a few extras including a poor looking original theatrical trailer for the film, a featurette titled An Encounter with Barry Prima, which amounts to an impromptu interview with the star who doesn’t seem all that keen on being interviewed, a text history about the film, a text piece titled Heavenly Swords: A History of the Sword, and a preview montage of other Mondo Macabro DVD releases.br /br /Cookieman108br /

The Devil’s Sword Feature

  • Somewhere in time, in a land far away, an ancient wizard forged a deadly sword from the hot metal of a fallen meteorite. This sword is filled with magical energy. Whoever controls it will have ultimate power on earth. Deep under the ocean, in her palace of crystal, lives the sexually insatiable Crocodile Queen. She uses her body to enslave men to her will. All who enjoy her favors become mutant w

The Devil’s Sword Overview

Somewhere in time in a land far away an ancient wizard forged a deadly sword from the hot metal of a fallen meteorite. This sword is filled with magical energy. Whoever controls it will have ultimate power on earth.Deep under the ocean in her palace of crystal lives the sexually insatiable Crocodile Queen. She uses her body to enslave men to her will. All who enjoy her favors become mutant warriors in her zombie army. The queen wants the power of the deadly sword and entraps the one man she thinks can bring it to her.The Devil s Sword is one of the triumphs of Indonesian fantasy cinema. Packed with jaw-dropping scenes of incredible wildness it s the closest thing to a legal hallucinogen ever invented. This is a trip you ll want to take again and again.Extras: A filmed interview with the film s star Barry Prima. Barry is something of a legend amongst fans of Asian cinema and this is the first interview he has ever done. Anywhere. He tells us about how he got his start in the movies what he thinks of the films he has made and gives us an insight into his unique personality. Heavenly Swords this is a text essay about the history and mythology of the sword. It goes into some detail about the mystique concerning swords made from meteorites and the magical powers they are believed to possess. Also gives information about the legends that inspired The Devil s Sword The film s original trailer Extensive production notes and illustrated biographies of cast and crew. The much loved Mondo Macabro trailer reel of past and future releases.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: HORROR Rating: NR UPC: 843276012694 Manufacturer No: MOD126

The Devil’s Sword Specifications

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 03, 2010 21:48:54

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )

The Patriot (Special Edition)

The Patriot (Special Edition) Review


“The Patriot” does a masterful job of re-creating the horrors of war through the narrative of a South Carolina farm family swept up in the brutal backcountry warfare of 1780-1781. As a college freshman and history lover, I watched this film because I had received good recommendations for it from like-minded friends.

First, let me agree with everyone else who says that the film is not historically accurate. No Loyalist militia are depicted, giving the inaccurate appearance that the backcountry war was merely American militia versus British regulars; I have no idea what the final battle is supposed to be, because it’s not Cowpens or Guilford Courthouse; and as another reviewer wrote, as far as I know, no French were present with the Americans during the southern campaigns, except for Savannah and Yorktown.

However, I disagree with those who dismiss the film because of its historical inaccuracy. Viewers of this movie should EXPECT some historical inaccuracies – after all, this is Hollywood, right? Even the “uneducated masses” should be aware of the fact that not everything in this historical drama, just like in any historical drama, is unquestionable textbook material.

I gave this movie 4 stars because of its emotional pull into the dark days of the Revolutionary War. I believe the best way to teach history is through fiction (through books and movies), because it helps readers to see that history was a real event involving real people who experienced real tragedies and triumphs of life (just like we do now. Nobody who watches this movie should walk away unappreciative of the blood and tears that were spilled in the effort to create this nation. This especially applies to the South Carolina backcountry, where neighbors fought invaders and each other in a life-and-death struggle their own backyards. I normally don’t watch violent movies, so the bloody scenes in this movie were unnerving (e.g., an American soldier getting his head blown off by a cannonball – a bloody Benjamin Martin tomahawking an unseen British soldier to death) – but it definitely reinforced General William Tecumseh Sherman’s message: “There’s many a boy here today who thinks that war is glory, but boys, it is all hell.” (No scene in the movie shows or lingers on an excessive amount of gore.) Reading from history textbooks can give us a sanitized and romanticized version of war; personally, I enjoy PBS’s “Liberty Kids” series designed to pull middle school students into the Revolutionary War era. The downside of “Liberty’s Kids” is that it romanticizes a violent and heart-rending period; movies like “The Patriot” help to counter-balance that impression with a much more realistic representation of the war.

I am African-American, so another negative aspect of the movie that I disliked was the watered-down representation of slavery presented in the movie.

Overall, however, I would recommend this film to emotionally mature viewers who want to get a glimpse of what life during the Revolutionary War was truly like. Just be sure to check a textbook or visit a national park to find out the true story after watching the film.

The Patriot (Special Edition) Feature

The Patriot (Special Edition) Overview

WHEN WIDOWER AND WAR HERO BENJAMIN MARTIN SEES HIS FAMILY VICIOUSLY ATTACKED BY RED COATS, HE CAN NO LONGER AVOID FIGHTINGIN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. TOEGETHER WITH HIS SON HE FORMS A MILITIA TO TAKE UP ARMS AGAINST THE BRITISH AND SOON IS EMBROILED IN THE REDEMPTION OF REVENGE AND THE PASSION OF LOVE.

The Patriot (Special Edition) Specifications

Aimed directly at a mainstream audience, The Patriot qualifies as respectable entertainment, but anyone expecting a definitive drama about the American Revolution should look elsewhere. Rising above the blatant crowd pleasing of Stargate, Independence Day, and Godzilla, director Roland Emmerich crafts a marvelous re-creation of South Carolina in the late 1770s (aided immeasurably by cinematographer Caleb Deschanel), and Robert Rodat’s screenplay offers the same balance of epic scale and emotional urgency that elevated his earlier script for Saving Private Ryan. Unfortunately, Emmerich embraces clichés and hackneyed melodrama that a more gifted director would have avoided. Instead of attempting a truly great film about the most pivotal years of American history, Emmerich settles for a standard revenge plot with the Revolutionary War as an incidental backdrop.

On those terms, the film is engrossing and sufficiently intelligent, especially when militia leader Benjamin Martin (Mel Gibson) cagily negotiates with British General Cornwallis (Tom Wilkinson) in one of the most rewarding scenes. For the most part, the story concerns Martin’s anguished quest for revenge against ruthless redcoat Colonel Tavington (played with snide relish by Jason Isaacs), and the rise to manhood of Martin’s eldest son, Gabriel (Heath Ledger), whose battlefield honor exceeds even that of his brutally volatile father. At its best, The Patriot conveys the horror of war among innocent civilians, and the epic battle scenes, while by no means masterful, are graphically intense and impressive. And although Ledger’s love interest (Lisa Brenner) is too bland to register much emotion, the focus on family (which frequently relegates the war to background history) provides a suitable vehicle for Gibson, who matches his achievement in Braveheart with an effectively brooding performance. –Jeff Shannon

Available at Amazon Check Price Now!

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Feb 02, 2010 22:07:36

Read Users' Comments ( 0 )