I'm mystified by the low ratings by viewers of this film. Ordinarily, I don't go for action movies, but this one, while not as intense and complex and thrilling as Survivor, which definitely had a larger Budget, because much of the film was shot on locations, has merits that make it more than worthwhile to watch.
Only one other reviewer mentioned the philosophical framework of this movie. Brief quotes precede each "chapter," as the scenes evolve, and provide a framework for the plot, and reinforce the behavior of the protagonist, Antonio Banderas, of course. The character is credible, which, of course, is vital.
That philosopher was actually Marcus Aurelius who was the last Roman Emperor during a period of stability and peace during the Roman Empire. He was a Stoic philosopher who produced an influential philosophical work, titled "Meditations". He was influenced by the giants of Western philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, as well as Seneca, Apollonius, and others). The quotes extracted from his "Meditations" are, not surprisingly, brief, but full of meaning, useful knowledge, simply phrased and understood by all.
The other thing not mentioned, but equally important about this film, is although you hear the protagonist's thoughts, he never speaks to any other character in the film, following the murder of his wife and daughter. He has taken the vow of silence, and sustains it throughout the film, which simply reinforces Banderas' strength as an actor and his excellent performance.
But apparently much of this was lost by those reviewers who had other standards and preferences.
It's definitely worth watching, for reasons already stated, and the "shaky" portions of the plot are, in the end, minor. Yes, this part of the plot could have more flesh, etc., but, hey, in the end, it didn't really matter.
It's a good film. And that pretty much sums it up.
Only one other reviewer mentioned the philosophical framework of this movie. Brief quotes precede each "chapter," as the scenes evolve, and provide a framework for the plot, and reinforce the behavior of the protagonist, Antonio Banderas, of course. The character is credible, which, of course, is vital.
That philosopher was actually Marcus Aurelius who was the last Roman Emperor during a period of stability and peace during the Roman Empire. He was a Stoic philosopher who produced an influential philosophical work, titled "Meditations". He was influenced by the giants of Western philosophy (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, as well as Seneca, Apollonius, and others). The quotes extracted from his "Meditations" are, not surprisingly, brief, but full of meaning, useful knowledge, simply phrased and understood by all.
The other thing not mentioned, but equally important about this film, is although you hear the protagonist's thoughts, he never speaks to any other character in the film, following the murder of his wife and daughter. He has taken the vow of silence, and sustains it throughout the film, which simply reinforces Banderas' strength as an actor and his excellent performance.
But apparently much of this was lost by those reviewers who had other standards and preferences.
It's definitely worth watching, for reasons already stated, and the "shaky" portions of the plot are, in the end, minor. Yes, this part of the plot could have more flesh, etc., but, hey, in the end, it didn't really matter.
It's a good film. And that pretty much sums it up.