Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow - 2004

 Paramount Pictures, Brooklyn Films II, Riff Raff Film Productions 

Directed by Kerry Conran

Cast:

Polly Perkins – Gwyneth Paltrow

Sky Captain – Jude Law

Dex – Giovanni Ribisi

Editor Paley – Michael Gambon

Mysterious Woman – Bai Ling

Kaji – Omid Djalili

Franky – Angelina Jolie

Story: In 1939, a top secret force commanded by Sky Captain is activated when Polly Perkins, a reporter, uncovers the systematic murders of top scientists from World War One. As she is tracking down leads, trying to find the killers, she is almost killed along with another scientist when a group of advanced robots descends on the city to locate two missing components in an evil plot that will destroy the world. Only Sky Captain and his elite forces, along with the aide of an elite British force led by Franky, can save the world from certain and complete destruction. But can they do it?

Review: Unfortunately, this film did not do well in the theaters. Which is a shame, because being an excellent film with superb graphics, it is also the forerunner of everything that has followed in Compter Generated Images (CGI).

Sky Captain was filmed entirely in blue screen. None of the sets existed except it the mind of the people doing the graphics. Which meant the actors had no frame of reference when they were performing. Oh, of course there were tape marks on the floor, but nothing to react to, nothing to walk around, nothing but a blank room with platforms where necessary to go up and down. Which means the actors had to envision the room as it might be and then respond without the aid of visual cues. Now, I don't know about you, but I would call that acting above and beyond the normal requirements. And the best part is, they all do it extremely well.

As to plot, considering the setting of the film, the plot is exactly as it should be. If this had been made in the 1950's, this film would have been a “Cliffhanger”, like Commando Cody or Flash Gordon used to be, a tool to get parents to drop their kids off at the local theater for Saturday morning matinees while they did their grocery shopping or other chores. I remember doing that while my mom was off grocery shopping, and my brother and I would sit for two or three hours watching cartoons and a couple of those films.

Still, there isn't a lot of action by comparison to what we expect from films these days, and the technology in the film is 'old school', so perhaps the current generation of film goers just didn't get it. I recommend the film as a great way to spend ninety six minutes when the kiddies are looking to see what the old world used to be like. Rated PG, collectible for us Sci Fi types. Enjoy.

Quigley Down Under - 1990

Pathé Entertainment

Directed by Simon Wincer

Cast:

• Matthew Quigley – Tom Selleck
• Crazy Cora – Laura San Giacomo
• Elliot Marston – Alan Rickman
• Major Ashley-Pitt – Chris Haywood
• Grimmelman – Ron Haddrick
• O'Flynn – Ben Mendelsohn

Story: Elliot Marston has a problem. He advertises for the best long-range rifleman in the world to come to Australia and work for him. When Matthew Quigley arrives from Montana, his Sharps rifle in hand, Marston thinks his problem will be solved. That is, until Marston explains it isn't wild dogs he wants killed but aborigines. Quigley has just arrived after three months at sea, and is in no mood to be told he's been lied to. After a physical confrontation with Marston and his men, Quigley and Crazy Cora, a woman who was being taken to Marston's ranch as “company” for the men, are taken out from the ranch and left to die in the wilderness. Somehow, that doesn't work out, and now Marston has a much bigger problem: Quigley. After being found in the desert by the aborigines, who save their lives with water and tribal medicine, he defends them against a couple of assaults by Marston's men, and winds up with a bounty on his head. When he learns that Marston is offering the bounty, he lets him know in no uncertain terms he is not pleased.

Review: Granted this is not the old west, although it is set in Western Australia. Tom Selleck, in my opinion, was born a couple of decades late. It's too bad the romance with westerns has passed on, since Selleck could have easily been a contemporary of The Duke. His easy-going, “down home” style and charm work well in the western genre, and with the exception of Robert Duvall and Sam Elliot, I can't think of another star who fits the “cowboy” persona better. Well, maybe Eastwood. Laura San Giacomo works beautifully as the films female love interest and comedy relief, since neither Rickman or Selleck offer us much in that way. She gives us her story in brief episodes, the returns to the “Crazy Cora” persona long enough to convince us it isn't all an act. Or is it? Alan Rickman plays what he plays best, an arrogant ass with money and power who enjoys pulling the wings off butterflies when he isn't shooting down people for the fun of it. He uses money as his weapon, and indulges himself whenever possible. Since most of his men are conscripts from the local prison, Marston is of the belief he is untouchable. The aborigines have no lines in English, and are pretty much the window dressing of the film, although there are some interesting scenes where Selleck and the aborigines interact. Overall, the film has plenty of flaws and lapses, but they are easy to look past when you watch the action scenes. And neither Selleck for the ladies or San Giacomo for the gentlemen are that hard to look at. Rated PG-13 for violence and sexual innuendo, the teens in the house will have no problem with the plot and the adults will enjoy the various quibbles between the principles. Not sure if this is all that collectible, but I have a copy. Like I said, I like westerns, and I like Selleck.

The Avengers - 2012

Marvel Studios, Paramount Pictures, Albuquerque Studios

Directed by Joss Whedon

Cast:

• Tony Stark / Iron Man – Robert Downey Jr.
• Steve Rogers / Captain America – Chris Evans
• Thor – Chris Hemsworth
• Bruce Banner / Hulk – Mark Ruffalo
• Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow – Scarlett Johansson
• Clint Barton / Hawkeye – Jeremy Renner
• Loki – Tom Hiddleston
• Nick Fury – Samuel L. Jackson
• Agent Phil Coulson – Clark Gregg
• Agent Maria Hill – Cobie Smulders
• Pepper Potts – Gwyneth Paltrow
• Professor Eric Selvig – Stellan Skarsgard
• Jarvis – Paul Bettany (voice)

Story: Loki, the half-brother of Thor, has teamed up with an alien race to conquer and enslave the Earth. In exchange, he must provide the aliens with the Tesseract, the ancient cube of power once hidden on Earth by Odin, later discovered by the Red Skull to power his evil weapons, and now in the hands of SHIELD, thanks to the efforts of Howard Stark, Tony's father. He steals the Tesseract, and uses its power to gain control of Professor Selvig, who is experimenting with it, and Hawkeye, who is assigned to protect it. When Loki steals the Tesseract, Nick Fury reaches out to assemble the team of superheroes to retrieve it, but he faces an uphill battle from the Commission and the Superheroes themselves. Will the Avengers Initiative fail, or will the superheroes conquer the aliens?

Review: Yahoo! The legacy lives on and the story is great! I know there were some concerns out there regarding the former creator of Buffy and Angel doing the screenplay and directing, and there were also a few eyebrows raised when Disney took over the Marvel brand. But everyone can relax, because this flag is up the pole, and everyone is saluting.
Robert Downey Jr. is especially his arrogant self as Tony Stark, and I loved the scenes where he and Gwyneth Paltrow are acting like a couple. His interactions with Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo set the stage for the internal conflicts with each other and Samuel L. Jackson. The dynamics of the characters could not have been any better.
And speaking of the newest member of the Marvel character crew, hats off to Mark Ruffalo who took a role once played, poorly, by Eric Bana, and somewhat better by Ed Norton, and not only made it his own, but made Bruce Banner come to life in realistic ways. His persona as the more aggressive scientist with self control and determination lends to the idea such a being might be controlled, or at least directed.
Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston play beautifully off one another, which gives us the impression of the Asgardian egos and the depths to which they extend. Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner are perfect as the bodyguards nee assassins who are as courageous as they are talented. And Clark Gregg reprises his role from Iron Man and Thor to remind us there are always dedicated men who are simply trying to do their job, in spite of extraordinary circumstances.
The story is fast paced, and wastes little time in exposition, with smidgens of personal lives and assignments interspersed in the film. Overall, the cinematography is exceptional, the graphics are phenomenal, and the entire film has the flow and character of the Comic Books (okay, Graphic Novels) of our misspent youth. I went in expecting an epic, and was not disappointed. Rated PG-13 for violence and a mild reference to drugs, anyone who ever read the stories and those of us who love the prequels (let's face it, folks, Iron Man, Thor, etc. were all prequels to this event) will love this film. I've already reserved a copy for my collection, and you should, too.

Rambo III - 1988

Carolco Pictures

Directed by Peter MacDonald

Cast:

• John Rambo – Sylvester Stallone
• Col. Sam Trautman – Richard Crenna
• Col. Zaysen – Marc de Jonge
• Griggs – Kurtwood Smith
• Masoud – Spiros Focas
• Mousa – Sasson Gabai
• Hamid – Doudi Shoua
• Kourov – Randy Raney
• Tomask – Marcus Gilbert

Story: Three years have passed since John Rambo recovered the POW's in the Vietnamese prison camp and walked away from his connections with the U.S.. He's been living in Thailand with the monks, doing manual labor and odd jobs, and occasionally raising some cash by stick fighting. But eventually his past is going to come back to haunt him. Col. Trautman gets wind of his location and with the help of the U.S. Embassy, tracks him down. When he finally meets up with John, he offers him another mission, this one in Afghanistan. The Soviet commander in one zone just over the Pakistan border is a particularly cruel and effective man, the mission is to investigate and discover how this man is getting his intelligence. Rambo refuses the mission, and Trautman leaves. Several weeks later, Griggs, the man from the Embassy comes to tell Rambo his friend has been captured. Without hesitation, Rambo volunteers to go in to rescue Trautman, knowing full well if he is caught or captured, the U. S. government will not acknowledge him. When John goes into Pakistan to meet his guide, he discovers the source of the leak, and must go into battle against the Soviets to free his friend.

Review: So First Blood 2 was a segue? Start with the Vietnamese and end up with the Soviets? Sigh. Well, the truth of the matter is this third film of the franchise is no less exciting than the first two, although in the first film we were dealing with a man who felt disconnected from his country. In this film, Rambo has found a sort of peace in his life with the monks, a simple life without the hustle and distraction of modern living. While I doubt Stallone's character has achieved a state of Zen, there is a calmer, more focused individual who is working on the temple buildings. Even in his communication with his Afghan guide, John is calmer, more easy going, yet still guarded in his person. He lets go only what is needed. Technically, the film is superb. The photography and stunts are nothing short of amazing, and the quality of the plot is par for the Rambo action genre. Rated R for violence and language, this film is collectible with the set and viewable once if you have seen the others. Not my favorite of the series, but certainly not the worst.

Mission Impossible; Ghost Protocol - 2011

Paramount Pictures, Skydance Productions, Bad Robot

Directed by Brad Bird

Cast:

• Ethan Hunt – Tom Cruise
• Jane Carter – Paula Patton
• Benji Dunn – Simon Pegg
• William Brandt – Jeremy Renner
• Kurt Hendricks – Michael Nyqvist
• Anatoly Sidorov – Vladimir Mashkov
• The Secretary – Tom Wilkinson

Story: Ethan Hunt is caught up in another mystery as he and his inexperienced IMF team is set up to take the fall for a massive explosion at the Kremlin. A rogue Russian physicist has concluded a nuclear war will save the planet and should happen so that only the fittest survive. He has anticipated the involvement of the super secret IMF,and as they are burglarizing the Kremlin in an attempt to safeguard the launch codes for their nuclear arsenal, they are set up to take the fall while the lunatic scientist escapes with the codes. The team travels to Dubai, where they must assault the building servers at the 130th floor, and ultimately to Mumbai, where they must prevent the detonation of a nuclear device on San Francisco.

Review: More of the same...with less. Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of the television series, even the more sedate episodes where the team had to get in and out without ever being detected. And when Tom started the series with an excellent cast and a seriously good plot, I applauded the return to the adventures of the IMF. But this film lacks the power and the potency of it's three predecessors. While Cruise recaptures the role of Ethan Hunt well, his supporting team acts as if they have no clue as to what's happening. While I think the director was trying to inject a bit of humor in the incessant babblying of Simon Pegg, the false modesty of Paula Patton, and the hesitantcy of Jeremy Renner, these attempts fail miserably, and we are left with a Keystone Kops version of what should be a very dramatic and exciting film. The special effects and stunts are impressive, but that is a combination of money and technology, and with the backers for this film, I doubt either was in short supply. I am sure they were counting on the appeal of the franchise to carry this one to the box office hits column, and they were right. However, if this writing and acting are any indication of the future of this series, I think we would be better off with a remake of Space 1999. Rated PG 13 for the violence and language, rent it if you must, add it to your collection if you have the other three, I suppose. It will not be in mine.

We Bought A Zoo - 2011

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, LBI Entertainment, Vinyl Films

Directed by Cameron Crowe

Cast:

• Benjamin Mee – Matt Damon
• Dylan Mee – Colin Ford
• Rosie Mee – Maggie Elizabeth Jones
• Duncan Mee – Thomas Haden Church
• Kelly Foster – Scarlett Johansson
• Peter MacCready – Angus Macfayden
• Lily Miska – Elle Fanning
• Walter Ferris – John Michael Higgins

Story: Based on the true story of the Mee family who operate the Dartmoor Zoological Park in England, this touching story is a treat for the entire family and a must see for all Damon and Johansson fans who think their only abilities lie in beating people up. Benjamin Mee is a writer who lives to record adventures. His articles are published by a national paper, he has written a few books, and he is well known in the journalism community. But when he loses his wife, Katherine, his life begins to come apart. His brother, Duncan, is a practical man, an accountant who wants to help his brother, but Benjamin is looking for a new life. When Dylan becomes a problem in school, he must find a new place to live so his children can get back into school. As he and his daughter travel out with the real estate agent, they happen upon a closed down zoo, complete with animals and a staff. As they move in and begin to renovate, they discover things about themselves, and learn to deal with many of the issues between them. By the time they are ready to open, they have reunited as a family.

Review: Okay, so I don't review a whole lot of family films, but I am happy to make an exception here. This is a delightful, well thought out, and thoroughly enjoyable film that touches on some very sensitive subjects and shines like a beacon through it all. Matt Damon and Thomas Haden Church have a charisma which bonds them on the screen and helps the audience to identify with them as brothers. Damon's charm and gentle personality is disarming, and his ability to transcend the “Bourne” image shows just how capable and talented an actor he has become. Scarlett's role is equally challenging from past performances, particularly with her “Black Widow” persona about to be displayed across the big screen in the Avengers, but she plays the part of the zookeeper with a sensitivity that reaches off the screen and into your heart. Elle Fanning, Colin Ford, and Maggie Elizabeth Jones all give excellent performances in their roles as the younger generations dealing with the realities of loss, life, and just being kids. John Michael Higgins and Angus Macfayden lend an air of comedy with out going over the top, giving just the right tones to this impressive film. Since family films rarely make it to the Oscars, we probably won't see this one on the dais next year, but it is a shame, since the film is a testimony to great cinema. Rated PG for language and theme, I can't see why the preteens wouldn't enjoy this as well as the rest of the family. Definitely a collectible film, especially for fans of Matt, Scarlett, and just plain good theater.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - 2011

Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Scott Rudin Productions

Directed by David Fincher

Cast:

• Mikael Blomkvist – Daniel Craig
• Lisbeth Salander – Rooney Mara
• Henrik Vanger – Christopher Plummer
• Martin Vanger – Stellan Skarsgard
• Dirch Frode – Steven Birkoff
• Erika Burger – Robin Wright
• Anita Vanger – Joely Richardson
• Cecilia Vanger – Geraldine James
• Dragan Armansky – Goran Visnjic

Story: A renown Swedish investigative reporter, Mikael Blomkvist, who has exposed the illicit dealings of a major financial player is taken to court and successfully sued. He resigns from his position at his newspaper and is approached by a retired industrialist to investigate the forty year old mystery of his granddaughter's disappearance. As he investigates, he finds there are many skeletons hidden in this family's closet, including the family Nazi's, but most of his leads are ending in dead ends. Mikael decides he requires assistance. The industrialist had Mikael's background checked prior to hiring him, so Mikael demands to see the report. Having read things that could only be discovered by an adept hacker, he insists on hiring this individual as his assistant. Lisbeth is a very different individual, a thin, goth appearing girl with multiple piercings and tattoos, including a large dragon across her left shoulder. We see enough of her life to know she is a hard individual who cares little for the conventions of society, and has a very mean temper. But she is an adept researcher who knows how to analyze information, and together, Mikael and Lisbeth must piece together the mystery of the disappearance of Vanger's granddaughter.

Review: Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig form an interesting and unusual pair in this thriller based on the book by Swedish author Stieg Larsson. There is a lot of exposition at first, since the characters are new and their lives complicated, to say the least. And frankly, at just under two and one half hours, I would not be a proponent, but this film is an exception. The background of the characters, especially Lisbeth's, is required to understand the darkness of not only the family being investigated, but the investigators themselves. The depth of Lisbeth's darkness can be seen in the way she deals with a purse snatcher in the subway, and with the abusive state appointed clerk who administers her funds after her guardian is hospitalized. Christopher Plummer is superb as the retired industrialist who only wants closure to the disappearance of his granddaughter, an event he might have put out of his mind except that every year on his birthday he receives the same gift she gave him before she disappeared. Stellan Skarsgard gives a wonderful performance as the incompetent grandson who is ruining the company, and Joely Richardson is magnificently understated in her role. Perhaps the most impressive player is Daniel Craig, who continues to astound us with his range and depth of ability. To transition from the hard, emotionless Bond to this role is a total reversal of character, but one we have seen before in Defiance and Lara Croft. Craig, I believe, is the next actor to be added to the list of phenomenal performers like DeNiro, Hopkins, Pacino, and a scattered few more. Lastly, Rooney Mara impresses me with her ability to remain detached yet empathic in this role. Overall, this film is a wonderful peek into the dark underbelly of the human condition, and a must see for fans of Hitchcock, Craven, and the other masters of horror who have gone before. Rated R for graphic violence, rape, torture, language, and sexuality, I would hazard to say this film belongs in your collection if you are a fan of the detective genre.

Resident Evil: Apocalypse - 2004

Constantin Film Produktion, Screen Gems, Davis-Films

Directed by Alexander Witt

Cast:

• Alice – Milla Jovovich
• Jill Valentine – Sienna Guillory
• Carlos Olivera – Oded Fehr
• Major Cain – Thomas Kretschmann
• Angela Ashford – Sophie Vavasseur
• Dr. Ashford – Jared Harris
• L.J. - Mike Epps
• Terri Morales – Sandrine Holt
• Nemesis – Matthew G. Taylor

Story: We pick up where we left off in Resident Evil. The city is in a panic as the Umbrella Corporation evacuates key personnel and erects a wall around the city. Alice has managed to find an surplus store and is armed to the teeth. Meanwhile the police are trying to contain the panic, and a team of special officers known as S.T.A.R.S. are working in conjunction with Umbrella Corp. Special Forces to attempt to limit the spread of the disease. The zombies are winning, of course, and Alice is doing what she does best, kicking ass and taking names. When she rescues two STARS officers and a reporter from a mutant demon in a church, they all work together to find a way out of the city. Alice knows the Umbrella Corporation will sanitize the city with a 5 kiloton nuclear weapon at dawn, so they have that long to escape. Meanwhile, one of the scientists who created the T-virus is desperately seeking help to rescue his daughter from the city. He contacts Alice and her team and offers them a way out in exchange for the rescue of his daughter. When they have her, Alice must battle her counterpart, Nemesis, to survive.

Review: Milla Jovovich once again plays Alice, the genetically altered warrior whose powers are growing more and more powerful every minute she is alive. She is literally a one woman army, and her skills are impressive. Milla's character is bent on accomplishing one goal: Destroy the Umbrella Corporation. She exits the Raccoon City hospital and seizes a police shotgun out of an abandoned squad car, and begins to walk down the street littered with cars and other vehicles wrecked and destroyed. Meanwhile, Jill Valentine, a sexy and deadly STARS cop played by Sienna Guillory, is on alert as well, taking the initiative and shooting the zombies in the head. She and her partner are at the only exit from the city when a man becomes one of the walking dead and the gates are closed, sealing the city from the outside world. Oded Fehr and his team of commandos are pinned down by zombies and soon realize no help is coming. Jared Harris as Dr. Ashford has only one priority, to get his daughter out of the city. This film is as good as the first and perhaps a little better. Tina Gerussi and Robyn Ray deserve exceptional mention for their casting. Rated R for brief nudity, language, and violence, this is a must see if you liked the first movie, are a fan of the video game, or just like a good old fashioned high tech bloodbath with plenty of action.

Resident Evil - 2002

Constantin Film Produktion, Davis-Films, Impact Pictures

Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson

Cast:

• James 'One' Shade – Colin Salmon
• Alice – Milla Jovovich
• Rain Ocampo – Michelle Rodriguez
• Matt Addison – Eric Mabius
• Spence Parks – James Purefoy
• Chad Kaplin – Martin Crewes
• Red Queen – Micheala Dicker

Story: We enter on a scene of someone operating Waldos in a laboratory, placing double helix shaped tubes carefully into a metal suitcase. As the individual retrieves the case from the sealed area, he heads toward the door and tosses a lone tube in the air. As he closes that door, the tube shatters on the floor. Within moments, alarms are going off, people are panicking, and the scientists and workers at “The Hive” are sealed off from the world and beginning to die. Cut to a young woman lying on a shower floor, the curtain draped in front of her. She wakes up, wanders through the rooms, and suddenly there is a policeman, dressed in civilian clothes. Moments later, a team of commandos enters by rappelling and smashing through the windows. They take the police officer into custody, and the leader is holding the young woman by the shoulders saying “I want your report, soldier. I want it now!”. Alice soon discovers she has been hit with a special nerve gas by the Red Queen, a computer system that controls The Hive. Two hours ago the Red Queen went homicidal, and the team is there to find out why. Since Alice is one of the two security agents assigned to protect the secret entrance to The Hive, she must accompany them on a journey into death, destruction, and corruption far deeper than anyone suspects.

Review: A movie based on a Video Game? Really? Let's face it, Doom sucked (No offense intended, Dwayne), Tron was so-so (Oh wait, that's right, the movie was the basis for the game.) and Lara Croft, well...Hmmm, maybe I better shut up at that. After all, Angelina is one of the hottest women on the planet. Speaking of really hot women, Milla Jovovich and Michelle Rodriguez are certainly in the top twenty or so. This film is a no excuses romp through all the zombies and evil creations any modern Frankenstein could dream up, and the players are all well versed in the action adventure genre. This is one of those films that brings together all the phobias of evil corporations, illegal experiments, and scientists backed by the military to produce horrific weapons of mass destruction that, as always, backfire. James Purefoy is the greedy bastard that starts everything in motion, but the Red Queen, a computer with the holographic persona of the designers daughter, is HAL and Skynet rolled into one times ten. One by one the rescuers succumb to either the Red Queen or the Zombies, and we are sitting on the edge of our seat waiting to see if anyone survives. Rated R for violence, language, and some brief nudity/sexuality, this film has spawned four sequels and who knows if more are coming. Powerfully entertaining and thrilling, I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys a good scifi flick with all the elements to keep it interesting. Definitely collectible.

The Prophecy: Forsaken - 2005

Castel Film Romania, Dimension Films

Directed by Joel Soisson

Cast:

• Allison – Kari Wuhrer
• John Reigert / Satan – John Light
• Dylan – Jason Scott Lee
• Stark – Tony Todd
• Simon – Jason London

Story: Allison is living in Romania, protecting the book, when the angels come again to recover it so they can know the name of the antichrist and kill him before he begins Armageddon. This time an angel named Stark is using a hit man named Dylan to do his “wetwork”, but Dylan is one of the resurrected and slowly dying who is acting out of duress. When he meets Allison, he does everything he can to foil the angel's plan. Allison heads toward the only ally she has, Satan. But Satan has his own agenda and is not in the mood to protect her. The battle between the forces of good and evil continues, and soon Allison is revealed as the only weapon needed to foil the angel's quest.

Review: In this second and final episode of the Prophecy “homage”, all the confusion and blanks spots from “Uprising” are filled in. When you realize that both films were released in 2005, and went straight to video, you have to wonder if Soisson was doing all this to fluff up his resume. The first ten minutes are the same footage from the first film, so our next actions are “in media reas”, and Satan is once again walking to and fro about the earth, causing trouble. The cast now includes the excellent Jason Scott Lee as Dylan, the reluctant hit man trying to protect Kari Wuhrer, and the exceptional Tony Todd, an often underestimated character actor who shines in this performance. Overall, the film moves well, and the action is much smoother in this second installment. But one question comes to mind. If Allison is a Nephalim, why would she still have a scar on her cheek? In the third Prophecy film, the Nephalim was said to have spontaneous tissue regeneration, so the scar should have healed years ago. Okay, okay, I'm nit picking, but let's face it, if you can't point out the obvious errors, where is the fun in that? Rated R for violence, language and a semi amusing scene of nudity with a young lady whose film credits include ONE film...this one. Collectible? Hardly, unless you are a fanatic Prophecy fan.

The Prophecy: Uprising

Dimension Films, Neo Art & Logic

Directed by Joel Soisson

Cast:

• John Reigert / Satan – John Light
• Dani Simionescu – Sean Pertwee
• Allison – Kari Wuhrer
• Simon – Jason London

Story: In Eastern Europe, a priest has hidden an angelic bible deep in the mysterious room where only he can find it. This bible is not finished, but as the priest leafs open the pages, new words begin to form on the final pages. This is the completion of the book of Revelations, the book that will reveal the name of the Antichrist, the man who brings the earth to Armageddon. The priest dies a horrible death, and the book is given to Allison, who is the long lost half sister of Dani Simionescu, a policeman who steals from drug dealers to give the money to the church. John Reigert leads Dani on a quest to find Allison and reveal to her the truth of her nature. As always, the forces of heaven and hell are at odds with man over the outcome.

Review: While based on the original “Prophecy” movies, this fourth installment features new characters and an interesting plot twist. Unfortunately, the film opens slowly and does not give us the same introductions as the first three. You have to stay with the film through some pretty uninteresting footage for about 20 minutes before the story takes hold. Missing is the comic element of the original, as well as the appeal of Christopher Walken, who has personally saved more than 20 films simply by being in them. I offer as evidence Suicide Kings and The Rundown, to name just two. John Light does a very passable job as Satan, although that isn't revealed until late in the film, and Sean Pertwee presents well as the man attempting to atone for his sin of informing on his parents to the communists when he was a child. Kari Wuhrer is the character who will join us in the fifth film, and she does a fine job of preparing us for the character to come. Jason London as Simon is interesting, but lacks passion in his performance. Overall, this film is less than adequate to follow in the footsteps of the original trilogy, which is why it lacks the numeral sequence to identify it. Rated R for violence, disturbing images, and language, I don't see this as becoming collectible, even to fans of the original series. But if you liked the first three, you'll probably enjoy this new venture into the battles between angels.

A Knight's Tale - 2001

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Escape Artists, Finestkind

Written and Directed by Brian Helgeland

Cast:

• William Thatcher – Heath Ledger
• Count Adhemar – Rufus Sewell
• Jocelyn - Shannyn Sossamon
• Geoffrey Chaucer – Paul Bettany
• Kate – Laura Fraser
• Wat – Alan Tudyk
• Roland – Mark Addy
• Christiana - Bérénice Bejo
• Colville / Prince Edward – James Purefoy
• John Thatcher – Christopher Cazenove

Story: We are in medieval times, and the squires of a certain knight, Sir Hector, have discovered he is dead, just moments before his final match in the joust. If the knight wins, he would receive a prize of gold and his squires would be able to eat, which they have not done in three days! So William Thatcher, one of the squires, decides to don his armor and compete in his place, a dangerous decision. If he is discovered, the powers that be would have him hanged, for only persons of royal birth can compete in the joust. They manage to pull off the deception and win the match, but William is determined to continue and keep jousting. On their way to Rouen, they run into Geoffrey Chaucer, who has a bit of a gambling problem, but is a skilled writer and offers to forge patents of nobility for William in exchange for food, clothing, and a chance to travel about. William is successful and gains great renown, but he makes an enemy of Count Adhemar. a knight who finds him very annoying and sets out to destroy him in any way he can. William, of course, falls in love with a beautiful, wealthy girl who admires his skills and honesty. Soon they gain the company of a skilled woman armorer and blacksmith, and our merry band is on the way to the world championships in London.

Review: Probably one of the most original movies ever made, this tale compares modern sports to the realm of jousting in medieval times, and pulls it off magnificently. Heath Ledger is perfect in the role of William Thatcher, a young man hired out to a knight as a squire to “change his stars”. The story has everything, including romance, comedy, and drama. Rufus Sewell as Count Adhemar is the perfect dissociated royalty who cares little for the common folk. He loves the adoration of the crowd and their subservience, and considers them beneath him. Mark Addy, Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk, and Laura Fraser complete his band of Merry Men and do so with a flair seldom seen in actors who are at the beginning of their careers, but perhaps that is the magic Helgeland was able to conjure here. Personally, I would have reversed the roles of Jocelyn and Christiana, since I think Bérénice Bejo is much hotter than Shannyn Sassamon, but I grant you that is a matter of taste. James Purefoy as Edward the Black Prince plays the role to the hilt, and adds the icing on the cake to this already perfectly baked confection. Toss in perfect photography, excellent costuming, and a soundtrack that evokes all the action of modern day sports, and you have a perfect movie. Rated PG-13 for language, violence, and a brief sexual innuendo, I personally don't see a problem with most preteens watching this. Definitely a collectible film, both for the fans of Heath and the rest of us who just like a good movie.

Blade: Trinity - 2004

New Line Cinema, Shawn Danielle Productions Ltd., Amen Ra Films

Written and Directed by David S. Goyer

Cast:

• Blade – Wesley Snipes
• Whistler – Kris Kristofferson
• Hannibal King – Ryan Reynolds
• Abigail Whistler – Jessica Biel
• Danica Talos – Parker Posey
• Drake – Dominic Purcell
• Jarko Grimwood – Paul “Triple H” Levesque
• Dr. Edgar Vance – John Michael Higgins
• Ray Cumberland – James Remar
• Sommerfield – Natasha Lyonne
• Zoey – Ginger Broatch (as Haili Page)

Story: The Vampires, as usual, are up to no good. Not only have they finally located the final resting place of Drake, the original Vampire (known as Dracula or Dagon), but they've managed to set up Blade so he kills a familiar, and they get it on tape. So now Blade has to deal with law enforcement as well as Vampires, and when they raid his base, they capture him while Whistler is killed in the process. Blade is being held in police headquarters when a group of vampire hunters named the Night Stalkers intervenes for a rescue. When they complete the rescue, Blade discovers Whistler was in cahoots with this group as backup for Blade in case something happened to him. The group includes an ex-vampire named Hannibal King and an adept archer named Abigail Whistler...Whistler's daughter. This group is tech savvy and has advanced weaponry and a plan to thwart the vampire nation, a biological weapon called Daystar. The only problem? The DNA from the turned vampires is too thinned out to be of use. Unwittingly, the vampires have brought back the only source of vampire DNA pure enough to make Daystar effective: Drake.

Review: Wesley Snipes and Kris Kristofferson reprise their roles and the hybrid vampire hunter and his partner / armorer. While this film lacks some of the more visceral elements of the first two, it makes up in action what it lacks in darkness. Dominic Purcell is perfect in the role of Drake, the true immortal who is risen from his sleep by the desperate Danica Talos, played by Parker Posey. Parker does a nice job if you take into account a vampire like that might be a bit on the emo side, and the sarcasm between her and her former lover, played nicely by Ryan Reynolds, plays a major part of the script. Reynolds role is non-stop smart ass, and it suits him well. Triple H does an adequate job as the strong arm vampire, but my advice to Paul is not to give up his day job. Jessica Biel shines as Whistler's daughter, and her acting is one of the saving graces of the film. All in all, we do have to remember this is a comic book based in an alternate universe (Canada qualifies, I do believe) and the characters are two dimensional, which is expected. The cinematography and photography are great, the action scenes are exceptional, and we get the impression Blade may not come back to the screen. But who knows, there may be another threat coming up soon. Rated R for violence, language, and brief nudity (Jessica Biel in the shower....oh yeah), this is a collectible is you are a fan of Blade or just a fan of the comic (graphic novel) genre.

Live Free or Die Hard - 2007

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Dune Entertainment, Ingenious Film Partners

Directed by Len Wiseman

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Thomas Gabriel – Timothy Olyphant
• Matthew Farrell – Justin Long
• Mai Linh – Maggie Q
• FBI Dep. Director Miguel Bowman – Cliff Curtis
• Trey – Jonathan Sadowski
• Frederick 'Warlock' Kaludis – Kevin Smith
• Lucy Gennero McClane – Mary Elizabeth Winstead
• Agent Molina – Zejlko Ivanek

Story: The FBI cyber security section is suddenly hacked. It is a momentary glitch, but the deputy director wants to find out what happened, so he tells his agents to get every known hacker capable of doing this and bring them in for questioning. Since they are spread out and the FBI lacks some local resources to bring them all in, the enlist the help of local agencies, including the NYPD. John McClane is in Rutgers, checking up on his daughter, who is currently not speaking with him (sort of a pattern with John and women in general), when he gets the call to go pick up young Matthew Farrell, a hacker in the general area. When he gets to Farrell's apartment, they are about to leave when gunfire erupts, aimed at Farrell. John manages to kill three of the bad guys and escape with Farrell, and heads to Washington DC to deliver the young hacker. When he gets there, he finds the FBI building has been evacuated due to an Anthrax alarm, and everything in the country run by computer is going haywire. They soon discover the source of the disaster, a disgruntled federal employee who has a plan to destroy the entire US monetary system as his revenge for his dismissal. Once again, John McClane must save the day using only his wits and the help of two unlikely sources, a computer hacker named Matt, and an underground cyberwarrior code named Warlock.

Review: Twelve years have passed and the franchise proves just as viable as it ever was. Talk about enduring star quality. Bruce Willis is just as flippant and entertaining as he was in Die Hard, still a cop, still in New York (although there was that brief stint in LA), and still fighting with the women in his family, this time with little Lucy Generro, who has grown into a very attractive young lady. The symmetry of the characters is perfect, and Wiseman certainly knew and understood the passion of the Die Hard films (at his age, he probably grew up watching them, he was 15 when the original came out). Justin Long portrays the cyber nerd Matt Farrell, and he does an excellent job in recreating the foil for McClane's character. Mary Elizabeth Winstead was certainly the right actress to portray McClane's daughter, as feisty and abrupt in the character as Willis. Timothy Olyphant is exceptional as the cyber genius whose knowledge of the computer systems in the government gives him the background to disrupt a nation. Cliff Curtis is great as the FBI Deputy Director of Cyber Security, and adds a wonderful facet to an otherwise typical role as the law enforcement officer who always seems to be at odds with McClane. Since John is more proactive, he is always a step behind, but at least he reacts more quickly once he sees the problem. The plot moves at lightning speed in this latest (last?) installment of the franchise, and the action is exceptional. Rated PG-13 for violence and a brief sexual situation, this film is a wild ride that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Absolutely collectible for the set, and for any fan of great action films.

Die Hard with a Vengeance - 1995

Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Directed by John McTiernan

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Simon Gruber - Jeremy Irons
• Zeus Carver – Samuel L. Jackson
• Joe Lambert – Graham Greene
• Connie Kowalski – Colleen Camp
• Insp. Walter Cobb – Larry Bryggman
• Ricky Walsh – Anthony Peck
• Katya – Sam Phillips

Story: A peaceful morning in New York City. That is until a bomb explodes and takes out a department store along the entire block, causing cars to be thrown into each other and lots of really pissed off New Yorkers. At headquarters, police are trying to coordinate clean up efforts when they get a call from “Simon” who wants to speak with John McClane. Our hero is currently on suspension, but not today. “Simon” informs Inspector Cobb if McClane is not available to play a game of Simon Says with him, he will continue to set off bombs in New York City. They locate McClane, attempt to sober him up, and leave him in the middle of Harlem for the first part of Simon's game. He is to stand in the middle of Harlem wearing a sandwich board and his underwear with the message “I Hate Niggers” on the board. Zeus Carver, a shop owner across the street from where he has been dropped, sees McClane and attempts to get him off the street before local black thugs notice the sign. An altercation does take place, but the two manage to commandeer a taxi and head back to police headquarters, where Simon informs them via telephone they will both be required to complete his game. Simon runs McClane and Carver all over town, apparently for no reason until the FBI tells McClane this is none other than Simon Gruber, the brother of Hans Gruber who McClane dropped off the Nakatomi tower. John figures this is a ruse, and works with the police and Zeus to thwart their efforts.

Review: YEAH! John McTiernan back at the helm. Not that Renny did a horrible job, but this Die Hard comes back to the energy level of the original. John and Holly are heading toward their inevitable divorce, John is back in New York, and now we introduce a couple of wild cards into the mix. Samuel L. Jackson plays Zeus Carver, a businessman in Harlem who does not like white people. Jeremy Irons plays Simon Gruber, the brother of Hans using his desire to take revenge on McClane as an elaborate diversion from his real goal, a robbery of international proportions. Graham Greene and Colleen Camp add a nice flair with their roles, and Bruce gives us an interesting perspective on McClane's development. Like the previous two films, the action is non stop and the good guys prevail, but it is never that simple. There is always one more thing to do. Rated R for violence, language, and a brief passionate encounter. Collectible if you love Willis or just want to have the entire set.

Die Hard 2: Die Harder - 1990

Gordon Company, Silver Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Directed by Renny Harlin

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Holly McClane – Bonnie Bedelia
• Richard Thornburg – William Atherton
• Col. Stuart – William Sadler
• Maj. Grant – John Amos
• Capt. Carmine Lorenzo – Dennis Franz
• Leslie Barnes – Art Evans
• Mr. Trudeau – Fred Dalton Thompson
• Marvin – Tom Bower
• Samantha Coleman – Sheila McCarthy
• Sgt. Al Powell – Reginald VelJohnson

Story: John McClane is at another airport on Christmas Eve, but this time he's picking up his wife, Holly, as she is flying in. This time it's Dulles in Washington D.C., where Holly's parents live. Apparently John is now sporting an LAPD badge, so we can safely assume he has moved to LA to be near Holly as she continues her career with the Nakatomi corporation. Alas, John can't turn off the cop instinct and notices something amiss as he is waiting in the lounge...three men wearing military boots and acting suspiciously. He follows two of them discretely, but they enter a restricted area and he has a janitorial worker open the door and sends him for the airport police. As he approaches the two men who are busy doing something to a panel, they begin shooting, and a battle ensues, one that leaves one of the men dead while the other escapes. The airport police are treating this like a random luggage thief incident, but McClane uses a ink pad and gets the prints off the dead guy. He faxes the prints to Sgt. Powell in LA and asks him to run them. Powell reports back a little later, this guy is dead. Actually, the government says he died two years ago in a helicopter crash. So how was he alive and in the airport? McClane reports his information to the airport police Captain and the supervisor, Mr. Trudeau, but just as Trudeau orders Lorenzo to bring in all his shift commanders, the runway lights begin to go down, systems throughout the control tower shut down, and an ominous voice on the FAA frequency hot line warns them they are in control, and they have two minutes to tell their planes to circle at the outer marker. Col. Stuart and his crack squad of commandos have taken over the airport to free an inbound military general, and John McClane must once again save the day!

Review: At first, I thought the producers had lost their minds. Renny Harlin instead of John McTiernan on a Die Hard? But this one is as good as the first, if not better. Bruce Willis reprises his role as the indestructable John McClane, and like Al says, the insurance companies are getting nervous. This time McClane is up against a top notch crew of black ops commandos who have figured out every angle, except McClane. John is the fly in the ointment, and he does his best to counter every move the commandos make. The action scenes are exceptional, and the actors are perfectly cast. William Atherton and Bonnie Bedelia reprise their roles as well, and their interaction on the plane while John fights the bad guys on the ground adds an additional tension to the film that peaks your interest from the start. Dennis Franz as the irascible airport police chief compliments Fred Dalton Thompson as his boss. John Amos as the changeling Army major sent to foil Col. Stuart is priceless, and even plays up with McClane's character. Marvin the janitor is a perfect substitute for Argyle the limo driver, and the entire film proceeds with the pace and tempo that keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering what the heck is going to happen next. Rated R for violence, brief nudity, and a whole lot of language. Definitely collectible as #2 of the set of four.

Die Hard - 1988

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, Gordon Company, Lawrence Gordon Productions

Directed by John McTiernan

Cast:

• John McClane – Bruce Willis
• Holly Gennero McClane – Bonnie Bedelia
• Hans Gruber – Alan Rickman
• Joseph Takagi - James Shigeta
• Karl – Alexander Godunov
• Sgt. Al Powell – Reginald VelJohnson
• Chief Dwayne Robinson – Paul Gleason
• Richard Thornburg – William Atherton

Story: John McClane, a New York cop, lands at LAX to begin a Christmas vacation with his estranged family. His wife, Holly, works for the Nakatomi Corporation, a hugely successful Japanese company in the final stages of completing their 35 story skyscraper in LA. Argyle, a limo driver, takes John to the building, where he discovers his wife is still listed under her maiden name. He arrives by elevator to the 30th floor, where he is greeted by Mr. Takagi, Holly's boss. Unknown to all, a group of terrorists has arrived in the building as well, and they systematically cut all connections to the outside world. Hans Gruber and his band of thugs enter the party and immediately take everyone hostage, except John McClane, who manages to escape to another part of the building. He singlehandedly attempts to thwart the terrorists / thieves through a battle of attrition, and the results are one of the strangest Christmas stories of all time.

Review: Okay, so who am I to argue with success? Obviously this franchise has proven immensely popular, given the further proliferation of Die Hards 2, 3, & 4. John McClane is Willis' most popular character, and a natural extension of his role in the television series Moonlighting with Cybil Sheppard. McClane is a street cop, a no-nonsense, shoot first ask questions later police officer who apparently gets the job done in the style of Dirty Harry. Alan Rickman is exceptional as Hans Gruber, the ex-terrorist with aspirations of becoming wealthy no matter how many lives are lost. As in most McTiernan action films, there is little background or lead in, just enough to let you know who the players are, and the action quickly starts and barely pauses. Bonnie Bedelia is excellent in her role as Holly Gennero, the top executive with people skills and a sense for reasonable control. She is the perfect executive who thinks of her people first and attempts to maintain calm under duress. Alexander Godunov plays Karl, the hot-headed terrorist on a mission to kill McClane for killing his brother. While no one will ever consider the Die Hards as Oscar worthy films, they are fun and exciting, and definitely collectible. Rated R for some brief nudity, drug use, and a whole lot of gratuitous violence. Like Vin said in xXx, “....think Playstation...Blow shit up!”

Tears of the Sun - 2003

Cheyenne Enterprises, Michael Lobell Productions, Revolution Studios

Directed by Antoine Fuqua

Cast:

• Lt. A. K. Waters – Bruce Willis
• Dr. Lena Kendricks – Monica Bellucci
• James 'Red' Adkins – Cole Hauser
• Ellis 'Zee' Pettigrew – Eamonn Walker
• Kelly Lake – Johnny Messner
• Michael 'Slo' Slowenski – Nick Chinlund
• Demetrius 'Silk' Owens – Charles Ingram
• Danny 'Doc' Kelley – Paul Francis
• Jason 'Flea' Mabry – Chad Smith
• Captain Bill Rhodes – Tom Skerritt

Story: A military coup in Nigeria is forcing the emergency evacuation of American citizens. Navy SEALS are being used to extract the civilians, and Lt. A. K. Waters' crew has just landed on the aircraft carrier after completing one mission to be told they are going to be sent back in. After getting a hot meal and packing for a three day assignment, they are briefed by Captain Rhodes. They will be dropped in by HALO (High Altitude, Low Oxygen) where they will locate and extract an American doctor and her staff. Once at the location, they find the doctor is not willing to leave without her patients. To appease the doctor and get her moving, he tells her only the ambulatory patients can come and they must leave immediately. Her staff, a priest and two nuns, decide to remain with the patients who cannot be moved. When they reach the extraction site, it is obvious there is not enough room in the helicopters for all the people, and the doctor is forced onto the helicopter. As they are flying away, the pass over the hospital they have just come from....the troops have slaughtered everyone. Lt. Waters tells the pilot to turn around, and commits his team to escorting the patients and the doctor to the border of Cameroon, but is unaware there is a traitor in among the patients who is transmitting their location to the rebels.

Review: While this is a work of fiction, there is a strong and powerful political message here. Bruce Willis took a chance and co-produced via Cheyenne Enterprises, and the film was not financially successful. Perhaps the message of the film was one no one wanted to hear, but I applaud Willis for making it, and Fuqua for the film's honesty and integrity. If you pick up the Special Edition DVD, take the time to look at the special features and you will understand what I mean. The extras are from Africa, real people who have lived through the atrocities shown. Because of that, and perhaps because many of these fine actors were drawn in to the plight of the people, this film presents an authenticity seldom seen in a war film. The “SEALs” in the film were trained by Harry Humphries, a former SEAL and Vietnam Veteran, for two weeks to both fight and think like SEALs for the purposes of the film, and carried actual packs and gear during the filming. While Bruce Willis and Monica Bellucci obviously head the cast, this is in every sense an “ensemble” cast and it shows. Cole Hauser, Nick Chinlund and the other members of the SEAL team never once break character, and present the personalities needed with a quiet elegance that you feel through the screen. One significant aspect of Fuqua's directing is clear, this is not a problem of race or location, but of decency. A problem that exists today. The recent attention to KONY has made that apparent, and President Obama has pledged to see to that problem. We shall see. Rated R for violence, atrocities, and language, this film is one for the adults in the house with a strong stomach. Collectible as one of Willis' finest films, and for anyone who appreciates a good war film.

Babylon A.D. - 2008

Babylon, MNP Entreprise, Studio Canal

Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz

Cast:

• Toorup – Vin Diesel
• Sister Rebecca – Michelle Yeoh
• Aurora – Melanie Thierry
• Gorsky – Gerard Depardieu
• The High Priestess – Charlotte Rampling
• Finn – Mark Strong
• Dr. Newton – Joel Kirby

Story: Toorup, a free-lance mercenary living in Russia, is approached by an underworld boss (who travels in an armored personnel carrier with tanks and several squadrons of bodyguards) to deliver a package to New York. This is particularly important for Toorop because it will provide him with the opportunity to return to the United States. He is currently on the terrorist watch list and can not gain admission. The package turns out to be a young woman, Aurora, who has lived her entire life in the oldest, most isolated convent on the planet. She is accompanied by Sister Rebecca, her teacher, surrogate mother, and protector. As they travel, Toorup learns the girl possesses unusual powers. As they are moving forward through a throng of people to board a train, she suddenly begins screaming and running the opposite direction, just before a bomb explodes. Other incidents along the way begin to make Toorup suspicious of exactly who or what she is. When they reach New York, the truth is revealed.

Review: Vin Diesel returns to the action film genre in this interesting post war look at the world where governments are no longer in control. Vin is a mercenary for hire, ready to retire and call it quits, but unable to return to the US. Gerard Depardieu plays an interesting role as Gorsky, the stereotypical Russian mob boss whose only interest is the base things in life and what he can do to have them. Michelle Yeoh gives a formidable performance as Sister Rebecca, and I am certain she was chosen for her obvious skills as both actress and karate master. The film moves well, has the right amount of tension between the players, and never deviates from the plot, which in itself is basic. The scenery and graphics are good, but you can tell the director is not getting his way with the film. Apparently, there were a lot of disagreements between the director and the studio, and the infighting is obvious when you watch the film and listen to the dialog. Hat's off to Vin Diesel, who turned down the lead in “Hitman” to be in this film. Talk about bad choices, but how can you know? Rated PG-13, which in this case is so wrong for a movie of this type, the violence never rises above the level of a video game, so the kids are pretty safe, and the language, well, they've heard it before. Personally I would love to see this one remade in about 10 years with the director being in charge. Give it David Twohy, he'd know what to do with it. A good rental, not a collectible. /p>

xXx - 2002

Revolution Studios, Original Film

Directed by Rob Cohen

Cast:

• Xander Cage – Vin Diesel
• Augustus Gibbons – Samuel L. Jackson
• Yelena – Asia Argento
• Yorgi – Marton Csokas
• Toby Lee Shavers – Michael Roof
• Milan Sova – Richy Müller
• Kirill – Werner Daehn
• Kolya – Petr Jákl
• El Jefe – Danny Trejo

Story: The NSA is trying to infiltrate a very nasty group of criminals in the Czech Republic, but every time they send in an agent, he is identified and killed. Call in Augustus Gibbons, and his plan to recruit new talent from outside the agency...way outside. They go through an elaborate testing process and the winner is: Xander Cage. Xander is reluctant, to say the least. “Do I look like a fan of Law Enforcement?!”, but Gibbons encourages him to take the assignment or spend the rest of his life in prison. He flys to Prague, where the local authorities don't want him there any more than he wants to be there, and meets up with the leader of Anarchy 99, a group of former Russian soldiers with a plan to eliminate the governments of the world and create total anarchy. His mission? Stop them at all costs.

Review: Triple X, is an updated version of James Bond battling the evil forces of SMERSH or SPECTRE or whatever group of baddies are in the mix at the time. Vin's character, the extreme sport athlete known as Xander Cage, is the ideal candidate for this type of assignment. He's agile, quick on his feet, and knows how to deal with the counter culture. Some people have said in reviews he is not “acting” in this film, but they are probably the same folks who feel that Anthony Hopkins is just another pretentious Englishman. Samuel L. Jackson does an excellent job of protraying the pragmatic NSA operative who realizes the world is changing, even if his superiors do not. Marton Csokas (and the rest of his mob) are all two dimensional, stereotypical bad guys, and the good guys are the same...which is exactly what they needed to be for this film. Asia Argento may never win an academy award, but she rises to the task in xXx portraying Yelena, the forgotton FSB agent who is trying to survive. The real treats in the film are the inclusion of Danny Trejo as the Columbian drug lord and Michael Roof as Toby Lee Shavers, the “Q” of the NSA who has only two loves, making impossible weapons and chasing (unsuccessfully) hot women, of which there are plenty in this film. In short, this is an incredibly adept and insightful parody of the Bond genre that has been railroaded as an attempt at a serious action film. And that is particularly disturbing considering how often we use the letter X to denote eXtreme. When you watch this film, enjoy it for what it is, a flight of fantasy taken to the Extreme. Rated PG-13 for violence and language and some innuendo, the teens in the house ought to enjoy this as much as anyone who likes Bond genre films. If you are a collector of spy films, this is a must have.