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The Dilemma
Jack Rico
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2011/01/14 at 12:00am

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The Dilemma

01.14.2011 | By |

The Dilemma

For those moviegoers expecting to see the same ol’ Vince Vaughn rambling nonsense for kicks and giggles, you’re in for a surprise that might make you rethink paying to see one of his films again. ‘The Dilemma’ is a comedic drama that has more drama than one would like from their Vaughn films. There are some hard laughs, but very quickly you’ll experience that this isn’t what you paid for.

The movie centers on a commitment-phobic guy (Vince Vaughn) who struggles with two dilemmas: whether to pop the question to his long time girlfriend (Jennifer Connelly) and whether or not to tell his best friend (Kevin James) that his wife (Winona Ryder) is having an affair.

‘The Dilemma’ seems to be an experimental project for Vince ‘The Rambler’ Vaughn. Here he revisits his old dramatic chops, and even though he doesn’t shame himself, it’s clear that he cannot excel within the frames of the genre. Interestingly enough, Vaughn has worked in various dramatic films before (Psycho, A Cool Dry Place, Return to Paradise, South of Heaven, West of Hell), but never with real success. The harsh mashup of comedy and drama here never really finds a harmonious balance and instead seems abrasive and distracting at times. The Coen Brothers are masters at merging both categories masterfully (Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona), but director Ron Howard (Apollo 13 The Da Vinci Code), a virtuoso in his own right, seems astray at best. When you look at his body of work and you look at this movie, it is as if they are two completely different directors. The Howard touch is nowhere to be seen.

Screenwriter Allan Loeb (Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps) concocted a script with some hilarity, uncomfortable drama and much unwelcomed filler. The stuffing throughout the second act was blatant and just intolerable. There was no need to over-flesh the obvious theme of the film.

The cast had some highlights and some low lights, one of the lows being Channing Tatum. The up and comer, who plays the lover to Ryder, had no business working in a comedy, even if it was one with dramatic tones. Each scene where he had to sound funny or look funny was amateurish. A definite miscast. Vaughn, James and Ryder were very good when they dealt with their independent scenes. In Vaughn’s case, the toast scene monologue was a classic. His rambling, though old and unoriginal, had a nasty and hostile bite to it this time around. That was fun to watch.  

Comedic dramas are populating theaters more than ever and we as audiences are going to have to get used to our comedians wanting to expand their range to include drama (remember Ben Stiller doing the awful ‘Greenberg’ or Adam Sandler doing Funny People). Therefore we have to choose wisely and The Dilemma is definitely not a wise selection.

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The Social Network
Jack Rico
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2011/01/11 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Social Network

01.11.2011 | By |

Rating: 4.5

Rated: PG-13 for sexual content, drug and alcohol use and language.
Release Date: 2010-10-01
Starring: Aaron Sorkin, Ben Mezrich
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thesocialnetwork-movie.com/

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Although ‘The Social Network‘ isn’t a masterpiece, this film will undoubtedly be the film that defines our generation. Each decade had a film that captured the zeitgeist of the times such as ‘Saturday Night Fever‘ in the 70’s, ‘The Breakfast Club‘ in the 80’s and ‘Reality Bites‘ in the 90’s. ‘The Social Network’, based on the origins of Facebook.com, the popular global social network, possesses clever dialogue, entertaining performances, and a captivating and inspiring story that draws you in. Director David Fincher (The Curious Case of Benajmin Button, Fight Club, Panic Room) and writer Aaron Sorkin‘s brilliant script have created a biopic that will easily be nominated for several Oscars including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.

The plot is about the origins of Facebook, through conflicting viewpoints of two of the most intelligent young people who claim to have been there at the moment of its conception – Mark Zuckerberg and the Brazilian financier Eduardo Saverin. The result is a drama full of creation and destruction, intentionally avoiding having a single point of view. The characters are Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg), the brilliant Harvard student who designed a site that seemed to redefine the social fabric of our days overnight, Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield), who used to be the best friend of Zuckerberg and provided the money to start the new company, the founder of Napster, Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake), who led Facebook to venture capitalists in Silicon Valley, and the Winklevoss twins (Armie Hammer) who claim that their idea was stolen are suing Zuckerberg for their intellectual property. But the chaos of creation leads to conflicting passions about how it all happened and who deserves recognition for what is  clearly is the most important idea of the century. Tensions reign that divides friends and unleash legal action.

I must say that the real magic of the film does not come from the actors but from Fincher and screenwriter Sorkin. Fincher’s direction is refreshingly consistent. He has always been obsessed with antisocial and rebellious characters, but now, in mid-career, he has become more subtle, more eloquent in their arcs, both comic and tragic. Sorkin on the other hand, is a master of the written word. His script is smart, witty and absorbing. He made an impressive amount of research to get to the core of the story. He read legal statements, court documents, which offered the best possible material. The only thing that could be a detriment to the film is that it might have felt long in some parts.

Among the performances, actor Armie Hammer impressed. His role was a tough one. He played the Winklevoss twins – by himself (courtesy of special effects). Two of the best lines in the film, and perhaps of the year, were delivered by him. Another one that stands out is Jesse Eisenberg, who has undoubtedly done the best work of his career. His role as Zuckerberg – full of awkward moments, quick and extended philosophical monologues – was fierce, sad and brave. Basically, he gave us a soup of personalities and emotions that ultimately proved difficult to decipher – was Zuckerberg a hero or a villain?

Many are curious to know how things went with Justin Timberlake. I say this with all sincerity, he wasn’t so bad. The role fit him like a glove. His performance did not cause any kind of hysteria in the theater I saw it in – unlike his musical performances. His performance is modest at best, nothing to criticize.

Our new Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield, who played Eduardo Saverin, shows that has the acting chops to become an excellent actor for years to come.

I’m sure you’ll like ‘The Social Network’. Why? Because it moves quickly, no scene is wasted, the theme is current and compelling, the performances are magnetic and riveting and the dialogue is engrossing and unforgettable. What more do you want from a film!

Season of the Witch
Jack Rico
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2011/01/09 at 12:00am

Reviews

Season of the Witch

01.9.2011 | By |

Season of the Witch

‘Season of the Witch’ is Nicolas Cage’s (Oscar winner) new check. He sleepwalks through the whole film with a narcotized stare yearning for someone to yank him and offer him Leaving Las Vegas all over again. The movie’s premise is modestly interesting, but the disjointed and uninspiring dialogue, the sparseness of an absorbing material, and the monotone and mechanical acting leaves much to be desired of Dominic Sena’s fifth effort.

Here’s the plot: Nicolas Cage plays an heroic Crusader with his closest friend, Felson (Ron Perlman) who return home after decades of fierce fighting, only to find their world destroyed by the Plague. The church elders, convinced that a girl accused of being a witch is responsible for the devastation, command the two to transport the strange girl (Claire Foy) to a remote monastery where monks will perform an ancient ritual to rid the land of her curse. One by one his fellow travelers meet with misfortune, and the embattled Crusader finds himself facing his most terrifying adversary.

‘Season of the Witch’ is an action adventure film that is inconsistent; it has its highs and very deep lows such as the incredulousness of Cage playing a religious Crusader prompting some inner chuckles on my behalf. There are some intriguing ideas that never fully follow through such as Claire Foy’s witch character which shows up whimsically without any explanation. The film goes hot and cold very frequently and then reaches, during the trip to the monastery, absurdity. No return from there.

Nonetheless, I did, apologetically, like the entertainment value of the action sequences, enough for me not to pummel the film into paper ash. So then, is ‘Season of the Witch’ bad or good enough to eek by and watch? It belongs in the ‘don’t spend your hard earned cash to see this at the theater,’ but if it’s on HBO one night, you can get your kicks and laughs out of Cage’s and Perlman’s Batman and Robin routine without guilt.

True Grit
Jack Rico
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2010/12/23 at 12:00am

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True Grit

12.23.2010 | By |

True Grit
Salt
Karen Posada
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2010/12/21 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Salt

12.21.2010 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action.
Release Date: 2010-07-23
Starring: Kurt Wimmer, Brian Helgeland
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/salt/

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Salt is THE summer’s action flick. No other actress can do an action film like Angelina Jolie, she gives an amazing performance in this one. We haven’t seen a movie by her since Wanted and that was pretty much a preview to what you can expect from her in Salt. The script was made originally for a male lead, it is rumored that Tom Cruise turned it down, which is a good thing because I doubt a male lead would have made it as successful. The movie will keep you guessing the entire running time up to the end. The one question running through your mind at every turn of the movie is: how will she get out of this one?

Since the beginning we realize that CIA officer Evelyn Salt (Jolie) is a tough female, the movie begins with her capture by the North Korean government, they try to beat the loyalty out of her, but can’t. We shortly meet Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber)her boss at the CIA and friend, he’s along on her side throughout most of the movie trying to help her. After we get a brief backstory on Salt’s life both the private and professional sides of it, we are in Washington D.C. in CIA headquarters where we meet Peabody (Chiwetel Ejiofor). As a CIA counter-intelligence agent he is not sympathetic to anyone specially to Salt after she is accused of being a sleeper Russian spy and she runs away to avoid being captured. This is when the action begins and where we are left to wonder: ‘who is Salt?’

Salt is married to an entomologist who is fully aware of her career path and the risks that are involved. He is one of the few reasons we ever see this character be soft, the rest of it is all tough CIA training from the fights to her assertive actions.In fact, this female character is the one that carries all the action of the movie, the other two secondary characters Winter and Peabody do very little physical work. Salt’s independence and kick-ass attitude is what keeps her going.

Jolie prepared for this character by talking to former CIA agents such as Melissa Boyle Mahle who worked for the force for 16 years. She spoke of Jolie’s relentlessness of getting every aspect of the character right, asking her how she felt and what she went through; she learned how spies live. Although Mahle says Jolie in the film makes it look way more fun and glamours than it really is. Oleg Kalugin a former KGB member and spy said Salt is very real, and she is tough like a Russian spy. Tom Ridge former Secretary of Homeland security spoke of the realities of the film as seen by current events and how the government has dealt with it since the Cold-War.

If you are into action films this one is for you, it is pure entertainment. There’s bits and pieces of romance in the way but it doesn’t disrupt the action. You can compare it to current events but remember this is hollywood, which means that nothing is to be taken to heart. The main subject here is loyalty, towards family, country, beliefs etc; which is what keeps the movie going and will keep you wondering.

Devil
Jack Rico
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2010/12/21 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

Devil

12.21.2010 | By |

Rating: 3.5

Rated: PG-13 for violence and disturbing images, thematic material and some language including sexual references.
Release Date: 2010-09-17
Starring: M. Night Shyamalan, Brian Nelson
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.thenightchronicles.com/devil/

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Last night I had the chance to see the first screening of ‘Devil,’ written and conceptualized by M. Night Shyamalan, the same guy who everyone seems to be laughing at nowadays. The movie in my mind was entertaining, suspenseful, freaky at times, thrilling and what I think to be, a wonderful and captivating premise.

Five strangers (Logan Marshall-Green, Geoffrey Arend, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara, Bokeem Woodbine) in Philadelphia begin their day with the most commonplace of routines. They walk into an office tower and enter an elevator. As they convene into this single place, they are forced to share a confined space with strangers. Nobody acknowl- edges anybody else. They’ll only be together for a few moments. But what appears to be a random occurrence is anything but coincidental when the car becomes stuck. Fate has come calling. Today these strangers will have their secrets revealed, and face a reckoning for their transgressions. Slowly, methodically, their situation turns from one of mere annoyance to sheer helplessness and abject terror. Terrible things begin to happen to each of them, one by one, and suspicion shifts as to who among the five is making it all happen…until they learn the unspeakable truth: one of them is the Devil himself. As those on the outside try in vain to free them, the remaining passengers realize that the only way to survive is to confront the very wickedness that has led them to today.

Devil is the first installment of The Night Chronicles, a series of terrifying stories conceived by Mr. Shyamalan that he now turns into movies with up-and- coming filmmakers. The man chosen for his fist foray into the series is John Erick Dowdle, who displayed a natural sensibility for camera placement and pacing.

Perhaps one of the most delightful experiences of the film was accomplished Spanish composer, Fernando Velázquez’ Hitchcockian score. It was an obvious throwback to the classic Hitchcock scores of Rope, The Man Who Knew Too Much, etc.

The movie is also sprinkled with a plethora of superstitious Latino legends and myths about the devil that I remember hearing ever since I was a kid. Shyamalan did great work in incorporating that Latino theme into the film via Ramirez the security guard (Jacob Vargas), a devout Catholic, recent immigrant who is superstitious and the first to realize the demonic aspects of what is happening in his building. He’s trying to convince the others that the events taking place are supernatural. Vargas played the part innocuously somber, but peppered with a touch of unintentional humor.

The acting by the cast was very solid and not at all deserving of criticism. There was really no blunders to speak of, which is why I can’t write about a bad film. 

I’ve seen all of Shyamalan’s films and I have to say to those who think his films are deplorable, then you haven’t seen ‘Vampires Suck’ or ‘Miss March’. Devil serves its purpose as entertaining escapism and it does it well. It will make you cringe and twinge all while still subtly humoring you. The quality to scare people is a difficult task for any director and Devil manages to do it without misstep. Devil serves up the scares, the screams and the creepiness. Is it the best horror film of the year? No, but you will get your money’s worth.

Tron: Legacy
Jack Rico
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2010/12/16 at 12:00am

Reviews

Tron: Legacy

12.16.2010 | By |

Tron: Legacy
The Town
Jack Rico
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By

2010/12/14 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Town

12.14.2010 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: R for strong violence, pervasive language, some sexuality and drug use.
Release Date: 2010-09-17
Starring: Chuck Hogan, Ben Affleck
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://thetownmovie.warnerbros.com/

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In his second effort as a director, actor Ben Affleck tackles another Boston theme film in ‘The Town,’ about a romance that stems from a bank heist. This sophomore project is not as enthralling as his first film ‘Gone Baby Gone,’ yet, it is perhaps one of the better films of the 2010. Come Oscar time, it wouldn’t surprise me if it is elected to the ten best films of the year. The acting is wonderful yet again, the story is as interesting as any other this year and its entertaining enough to keep you from ever thinking of ‘Gigli’.

On the surface, ‘The Town’ is a bank heist film and a darn good one too, but at its core, it is about a guy who’s trying to get out of the slum, and more importantly, the life of crime he’s inherited from his father. The premise follows Doug MacRay (Ben Affleck), a ‘good guy’ bank robber who is the leader of a crew of ruthless bank robbers, who pride themselves on taking what they want and getting out clean. However, everything changed on the gang’s last job when Jem (Jeremy Renner) briefly took a hostage: bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall). Doug unfortunately crosses the line and becomes romantically involved with the hostage. Yes, he’s crazy, but it’s part of the thrill of the tension-filled film. Don Draper (cough), I mean Jon Hamm, decides he’s Melvin Purvis and Eliot Ness combined and is on a mission to get Doug and Jem. So what’s it going to be Doug? Betray your friends or lose the woman you love?

Compared to other recent crime dramas, like Brooklyn’s Finest or Pride and Glory, this one stands higher because the characters feel more real, like they could exist in real life, except of course, Don Draper who is a walking comic book.

Affleck co-wrote, directed and acted in this film, which is not an easy task for anyone, just ask Woody Allen and Quentin Tarantino. He is establishing he has a skilled and adroit hand at the camera, emotional depth as an actor with each passing film and a keen and intuitive sense for story selections.

The film has very good entertaining value. It has sequences full action and suspense worthy of knots in your stomach. If you like bank heist films this will definitely be on the top of your list along with ‘Inside Man,’ but without the rapid cutting, loud thumping explosions helicopter scenes. This is slower paced, the characters are more thoroughly developed, almost methodically. The Town is a fantastic selection for this weekend and any other time you want to see a film that is a bit better than the rest.

The Other Guys
Ted Faraone
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2010/12/14 at 12:00am

DVD ReviewsReviews

The Other Guys

12.14.2010 | By |

Rating: 4.0

Rated: PG-13 for crude and sexual content, language, violence and some drug material.
Release Date: 2010-08-06
Starring: Adam McKay & Chris Henchy
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.theotherguys-movie.com/

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“The Other Guys,” like almost every good pic in which Will Ferrell has starred, is  a vehicle for his comic genius.  The plot is preposterous.  There is adequate vulgarity to please teenage boys.  The jokes are broad — so broad that they are farcical, and several of them are running gags.  Pic marks the first pairing of Ferrell with Mark Wahlberg.  It’s a happy combination.  The pair have the chemistry of classic comedy teams such as Laurel & Hardy, Abbot & Costello, and Martin & Lewis.  Ferrell and Wahlberg are NYPD detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz.  They are an unlikely pair, even for a buddy-pic comedy.  Gamble is a forensic accountant.  Hoitz is best known as the cop who shot Derek Jeter by mistake (who appears in a cameo) and cost New York a World Series.  The punchline is, “You couldn’t have shot A-Rod?”  Hoitz is the little macho sparkplug, full of anger at himself and embarrassed to be partnered with Gamble, whose chipper attitude annoys him.  Michael Keaton is the precinct captain, who works nights as a manager at Bed Bath and Beyond to pay his bi-sexual son’s tuition at NYU.  What the heck are these two doing in a precinct?  What the heck are these two doing as cops in the first place?  They are the buffoons of the precinct, dumped on by the other cops.  They are “the other guys” to the PD’s stars.

 

Pic has roots in sketch comedy, and it shows.  Ferrell and helmer Adam McKay, who shares screenwriter credit with Chris Henchy and Patrick Crowley, are veterans of TV’s “Saturday Night Live.”  Plot strings together the sketches.  Ribbon on the package is narration by Ice-T which borrows heavily from TV’s “Law & Order” franchise.

 

Premise is simple.  Hoitz itches to redeem himself by cracking a big case.  Gamble would rather do paperwork, run numbers, and track down permit violations.  The diminutive Wahlberg holds his much taller partner in contempt.  The pair are overshadowed by New York’s hero cops, Highsmith and Danson (Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson in parodies of other action hero roles they have played).  Highsmith and Danson are sort of Starsky and Hutch on steroids.  In the first two reels they wreck two 1971 Chevelle SS muscle cars which had been in perfect condition — as well as countless other automobiles.  The swaggering pair are got out of the way by a bizarre suicide:  They jump off a 20 storey building chasing bad guys.

 

Hoitz determines to replace them — even with Gamble as his partner.  Gamble stumbles on missing scaffolding permits which he ties to a Bernie Madoff sort (David Ershon played by British actor Steve Coogan).  What he doesn’t know when he arrests Ershon on the permit violations is that he has just walked into a $32 billion scam involving a hot blonde (Anne Heche), Chechens, Nigerians, and a mean security man with an Australian accent (Roger Wesley played by Ray Stevenson) who is very tall and very deadly.  Rest of pic hinges on Gamble and Hoitz’s ill-starred attempts to crack the bigger case.  This sets up pic’s running jokes, including references to a couple of bands popular in the 1970s (The Little River Band gets significant time on pic’s soundtrack) and Gamble’s odd irresistibility to extraordinarily hot women.  Helping drive the latter point home is the stunning Eva Mendes as his loving wife, Dr. Sheila Gamble, a cameo in which Brooke Shields hits on Gamble, a bit with Natalie Zea as Gamble’s ex-girlfriend, Christinith, a name which sets up yet another joke, and a walk-on by smoking hot newcomer Pilar Angelique.  Zea’s bit is actually a real plot twist in solving the crime.  One has to give McKay credit for keeping pic’s surreal 107 minutes on track while maintaining the screwball farce.

 

Pic also benefits excellent stunts and special effects, flawless timing from the principals, fine screenwriting for its genre, and editing by Brent White which is as disciplined as Ferrell’s comedy.  A word on the latter:  Will Ferrell off screen is not a funny guy.  He works at comedy the way Lucille Ball did, the way Fred Astaire worked at dance.  He succeeds.  Other tech credits shine.

 

Pic’s PG rating is largely due to today’s obligatory vulgarity and to one of the funniest scenes ever filmed since Alan Arkin and Peter Falk teamed for “The In-Laws.”  (Anyone remember “Serpentine, serpentine!”?)  While the bad guys are watching his house, Gamble hides outside and phones in an attempt to reconcile with Dr. Sheila, who has thrown him out.  Their go-between is her mother, Viola Harris as Mama Ramos, who relays unbelievably steamy messages between the pair regarding three days of make-up sex.  That scene is so funny that one initially ignores its utter implausibility.  “The Other Guys” is a laugh a minute.  Take the kids.  They’ll fail to understand why the foregoing scene is so funny, but they won’t be exposed to anything that will corrupt them.

The Tourist
Karen Posada
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By

2010/12/08 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Tourist

12.8.2010 | By |

The Tourist

Who doesn’t want to go see a movie starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, two of the biggest stars of Hollywood; specially when it is the first time they encounter each other on and off the screen? Did I mention they have some of the biggest female/male followings? These give ‘The Tourist‘ a recipe for success. Unfortunately, these great actors are not enough; neither are the great sceneries or the storyline that has the potential to be #1 at the box office. It was disappointing not to see many action scenes (when Jolie is one of the best female action stars out there) and to experience so much sexual tension (no one can deny these two could deliver some steamy scenes in the right movie). Basically, this movie has everything it needs, but it didn’t reach its potential to make it worth the wait at the movie theater.

I got the pleasure of experiencing the first scenes of the movie, which are set in Paris and taking a cruise down the Seine river shows the authenticity of the set, as well as the romantic feel of it. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck told me how he wanted to bring the glory days of Hollywood back on screen, which he believes to be those of films like Casablanca not films like The Transformers. He also told me how tough it was to make such a different film from The Lives of Others, he had to remind himself not to get too dark. He definitely achieved his goal, he made an elegant, sophisticated and somewhat romantic film.

The main focus of the movie is Elise Ward (Angelina Jolie), an English woman who lives a life of loneliness and luxury. She carries a day to day routine in Paris, where she is patiently waiting to hear from her lover. Her lover Alexander Pearce disappeared after stealing millions from his former employer, a gangster named Shaw (Steven Berkoff), he is also wanted by the London police for not paying back taxes; the main investigator is Acheson (Paul Bettany) who’s made it his life’s work to catch this guy. Elise finally changes her routine when she is instructed by Alexander to get on a train to Venice and choose a stranger to be him. We see men melting at Elise’s sight, but she chooses Frank Tupelo (Johnny Depp) an American math teacher who is touring around Europe to forget his past love. Frank follows Elise’s game nervously, he can’t shake off her charm and doesn’t understand why she would pick him. Elise is very self assured and starts molding Frank into what she needs quickly, she is aware of her impact on others. When the train reaches Venice they each go their separate ways only for Elise to reappear minutes later to take him into the ride of his life. She introduces him to her life of luxury, he goes along without questioning much until everyone that is after Alexander Pierce begins to think Frank is him and start following him with guns. We follow Frank to his imprisonment in Italy and the rest of the labyrinth this mysterious woman built for him. We slowly start getting to know Elise, trying to figure out whether she is “good or bad” is the rest of the story.

Frank is one of the least physically attractive characters Depp has represented, but the utter innocence and niceness is Frank’s appeal. This is one of Jolie’s most girly, elegant and sophisticated roles; her sex appeal can’t be denied here since that’s Elise’s greatest tool. Elise is meant to be tough but at the same time feminine and it’s really hard to see Jolie in a role like this; she herself told me that was the biggest challenge in this film for her, to “slow down”. Bettany has shown us what a great villain he can be in movies such as The DaVinci Code, although he’s not directly a villain here; his character’s frustration makes him one of the most real characters in the film.

The best things in the movie: the scenery, locations like Paris and Venice elevate its elegance.Also, Depp’s character, he is the hilarious part of the movie; he really is one of my favorite parts of the film. That said, this movie calls for a lot of action and if they would have let Jolie loose at least a couple of scenes that would have really helped. The romance in the film is very light, yes they wanted to keep it PG-13, but it needed some sex scenes; the sexual tension takes away from the joy of the movie. There are a couple of twists in the movie which are appreciated but the grand finale is not so grand, it is predictable more than anything.

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