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77 out of 92 people found the following review useful: An adult action movie, 30 July 2004 Author: Grabbagool from Washington DC
I used to like movies like: "The Matrix" and "Bad Boys". But I've grown very tired of violent conflict portrayed as easy, fun, moral, and without risk. This is a movie where all the violence is fearsome, difficult, and wholly unpleasant. As it should be, anything else really is dishonest and evil. This is one reason i think most people don't like this movie. There are two more. One is a somewhat complicated plot. There are about a dozen characters and each one have different motives and I think most people can handle no more than 4 motives. The other reason is that the "main characters" are not the heroes of the story. They set the story in motion and keep it together but they are not who the movie is about and to tell a story in such an unconventionally roundabout way is entirely confusing for some people.So you may not like this movie if...You are uncomfortable with violence being violent,You can't keep track of the motivations of 8 separate characters,You automatically believe that the story is about the characters played by the actors pictured largest on the box.otherwise you may really like this movie because it's really well made in all its aspects.
45 out of 51 people found the following review useful: "The longest distance between two points is a kidnapper and his money.", 30 October 2004 Author: RocknRollTakeover83 from Massachusetts
Thus is a line that sums up "The Way of the Gun" a superb yet complex Crime Thriller that has stayed relatively under the radar when it comes to the mainstream."The Way of the Gun" has drawn comparison to the works of film icon Quentin Tarintino, but personally it shares more with it's Director's (Christopher McQuarrie) other baby, "The Usual Suspects."The story revolves around two Criminal Associates, who the viewers know only as as Parker (Phillippe) and Longbaugh (Del Toro). The two are your typical petty criminal drifters, living essentially with the clothes on their back and undertaking odd tasks for cash. The beginning of the movie finds our anti-heroes donating Sperm for a few bucks. It's while at this sperm bank the two stumble upon an opportunity to bag some real dough. Kidnap the surrogate mother of a rich 'businessman' and hold her for ransom. The two rush into the plan without adequate knowledge of who exactly they're messing with, which, suffice to say, makes things a lot more complicated than they had to be."The Way of the Gun" relies heavily on both it's acting and realistic action. On the acting side of the spectrum, all roles are very well carried out within their confines. Parker and Longbaugh have an assumed friendship which makes for a 'buddy comedy' aspect (ala Butch Cassidy and Sundance), and overall the cast does very well with undertones (mainly due to the complexity and implied nature of the script, which is SUPERB!), never overdoing things, just throwing a line out to the viewer so they can figure things out. The realistic action is a breath of fresh air and nostalgia in today's 'CGI gunfight' era. The gunfights in "The Way of the Gun" don't have slow motion, they don't have ripple effects, they don't have exaggerated firearm reports. In fact, "The Way of the Gun" has some of the most realistic gunplay in a movie to date. Realistic Ballistics, Specs, and Tactics are the name of the game here, and any gun enthusiast will find it to be good news.So when it all comes down to it, "The Way of the Gun" shows what can happen when a strong script, strong acting, and strong direction come together. The Hollywood types should take notes.8/10
43 out of 51 people found the following review useful: Sam Peckinpah is Looking Up Smiling, 8 September 2000 Author: BrianWilsonAsauras from Holy Toledo Ohio
"Way of the Gun" is the best western to come down that perverbial turnpike in a great while. Like the aging cynical worn out outlaws in Peckinpahs Wild Bunch, these modern day anti-hero's whether Old or young realize that sometimes life gives you that one chance. It is up to you to seize it . whether its kidnapping your fortune or giving birth to it we all soon realize that in the end we all come in the same way & go out the same way the difference being on how hard. Although I know I am in the extreme minority "Way of the Gun is a much more complete film than Usual Suspects it is a metaphor for the careless way we lead our lives only realizing that the one most innocent and beautiful thing is life it self. Bravo Christopher a fine film indeed!!!
30 out of 41 people found the following review useful: I thought it was great, 30 January 2001 Author: Gustavo Martinez from Queens, New York
I can only comment negatively about one scene in the movie. I thought the movie was extremely effective in building up the intensity of certain scenes, however they used probably their most dramatic and climatic orchestra number for a scene where they simply dumped bags of money into a truck and drove off. My girlfriend and I stood confused as the music built up and built up, then finally climaxed. Didn't make a bit of sense to either of us.With that said- I thought this movie was outstanding. Benicio Del Toro has this presence about him that radiates "coolness", and Ryan Phillippe did a remarkable job as well with his role. There were scenes in which hardly any dialogue was spoken, yet whole paragraphs were spoken through facial expressions. Thats a testament to the abilities of the actors right there. The double meaning of the game of hearts explanation was fascinating and fun to decipher.Plots twists galore, not a single one of them predictable. The terminology was all new to me (i.e. bagman/dejudication I think it was...) and it made me feel like I was actually participating in the movie.This is a thinkers movie, and some people may not be in the mood for that. The entirely creative car chase scenes and shoot out sequences are enough to satisfy the most mindless action fan, however.This movie is just cool.
18 out of 20 people found the following review useful: Ode to Peckinpaugh -neo-noir pulp fiction, 28 April 2004 Author: george.schmidt (george.schmidt@hbo.com) from fairview, nj
THE WAY OF THE GUN (2000) ***1/2 Ryan Phillippe, Benicio del Toro, Juliette Lewis, James Caan, Taye Diggs, Nicky Katt, Scott Wilson, Kristin Lehmann, Geoffrey Lewis, Sarah Silverman.Christopher McQuarrie makes his directing debut in a big way with an obvious nod to Sam Peckinpaugh with his screenplay about two ne'er do well criminals (Phillippe and del Toro, both exemplary) who decide to make a mark for themselves by kidnapping a very pregnant surrogate mother (Lewis) to a wealthy businessman (Wilson) that eventually pans out to be a big mistake in a tangled web involving the woman's bodyguards (Diggs and Katt) and the bagman friend of the rich man (Caan in one fine, low-key performance of nuanced dread). More than enough rich dialogue and pinpoint camera angle set ups to go around with some live wire moments of unexpected turnarounds, double crosses and shoot outs may be the film's only fault in being an excess of too much of a good thing. A roundelette of pulp fiction best served by its exciting cast (as a side note, del Toro reminded me for some reason as a young Robert Mitchum in some scenes; go figure) and a filmmaker to watch.
24 out of 33 people found the following review useful: Violence Galore!, 15 October 2004 Author: frankwhat from Lakewood, NJ
For any action movie fans out there that love shoot-outs that hinder on the brink of insanity then this movie is for you. The plot was hard to understand in some parts yet it was still good and sometimes the motives were beyond the viewer's grasp but it still flowed well regardless. There were some kick ass quotes as needed in this genre of film and James Caan was simply awesome in his role as an aging bag-man. While I'm not a huge fan of Ryan Phillippe he actually was passable as this character and utilized a suiting accent. Benicio Del Toro was probably the best as his expressions and just the way he says things is unbeatable. Even though it was two hours long it seemed like only half that, so overall it's a great watch. My only warning is that if you're included in the faint of heart then this probably is one to avoid as this was definitely a dab of the good OL' ultra-violence!Final Say:Movies: Would've been enjoyable to see it there.DVD Purchase: Based on how low it's currently priced I probably won't be able to help myself.Rental: Come on, you know you want to!!!
10 out of 12 people found the following review useful: My favorite movie of all time, 30 October 2004 Author: DJ Valentine from United States
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
"The Way of the Gun" to some people may just be an action piece puddled up by drama and really REAL issues like Redemption, Consequences, Trust and the differences between Bad and evil. I think it may be the purest form of a perfect action drama. McQ makes the world its set even more realistic by making you quite unsure who the good guys are...in actuality there really aren't any...everyone here has done something unscrupulous at one time or another...the only ones who have embraced their "bad" are the two characters we follow: Parker and Longbaugh(brilliantly remade characters based on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid). McQ makes us see the story through their eyes(Mainly Parkers played by Ryan Phillippe) They are both Butch and Sundance in a more real underplayed way.But they don't fool themselves about who they are and trick you into believing they are someone else(Good or holsom). They are the perfect guides into this world of shadiness, lies on top of lies and secrets. Lucus used the same technique in Star Wars A New Hope by having a story take place through the eyes of two inconsequential characters(R2 D2 and C3PO). A trick he picked up from the great Akira Kirowsawa. SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILERThe story of a woman becoming a surrogate mother for money to help out her aging criminal father(THE BAGMAN) and in turn finding love from the son of the very same man paying her is like...whew! It could be easily told through the eyes of the daughter or the doctor(Who McQ has said is the real hero of the story). But we see it through Benicio and Ryan. And its great.Their chemistry is terrific. Their almost secret way of communication through glances, cryptic phrases and extreme situational teaching(Mainly Longbaugh teaching Parker never to trust anybody by setting Parker up to get killed a couple times:GUN IN DOCTOR PAINTER'S BAG & SHOTGUN IN THE HOTEL ROOM) They know each other so well they don't even have to say anything. That comes across on screen. Benicio Del Torro owns his role and plays it so low key. There are scenes where he says nothing at all and conveys any and every emotion. This is one of Phillipe's better films, a best personally seeing as I wasn't a fan before this. After which case I was on a soap box shouting that he would have been great as Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels. James Caan is....James Caan...in a role I think must have been written for him...cool aging badass. Taye Diggs...though I hate him...is great in the film because this is one of the only times he doesn't play "Taye Diggs". He turns his warm sex symbol persona on its ear by playing a man of real menace in apathy. And for those who have read long enough about me droning on about this films hidden dramatic elements...the action scenes are great. Some of the most realistic gunfights I have ever scene. Actors were all Navy Seal trained and took it almost too seriously.(Listen to the DVD commentary when McQ talks about Taye Diggs persistent on how he run down an alley with a shotgun in the correct hand or how the actors never put their finger on the trigger unless they were shooting.) The final gun battle goes down for me as one the greatest of all time set eerily in similar surroundings as "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" I dare you to find a better shoot out.McQ and a Mr Tarantino fella are how got into writing. And McQ has some of the funniest and cool-as-hell one liners in this flick. Almost better than his previous film Usual Suspects. Watch The Way of the Gun and you will truly be seeing a hidden masterpiece.
11 out of 15 people found the following review useful: Another future classic from Christopher McQuarrie!, 8 January 2002 Author: Infofreak from Perth, Australia
Look I love 'The Usual Suspects' as much as the next guy, and think it's one of the few movies of the 1990s that can truly be considered a classic. But I think comparing that movie to 'The Way Of The Gun' (Christopher McQuarrie wrote both and directs this in an impressive debut) is unproductive and misguided. Both movies feature criminal anti-heroes and tricky plot twists, but in different ways, and are very different in approach and theme. McQuarrie isn't repeating himself here, this is something new. Something that has more in common with Sam Peckinpah than the plethora of shallow post-Tarantino rip-offs Hollywood has foisted on us in recent years.The basic premise is fairly straightforward - two losers "Parker" (A surprisingly effective Ryan Phillipe in easily his best role to date) and "Longbaugh" (the always excellent Benicio Del Toro), cook up a half baked scheme to kidnap a surrogate mother (Juliette Lewis - 'Cape Fear', 'Kalifornia') and hold her for ransom. Little do they realize that she is carrying a child for Chidduck, a Mob money launderer (veteran character actor Scott Wilson - 'In Cold Blood', 'The Ninth Configuration') who has some nasty associates, and is reluctant to pay up.The guys soon find themselves embroiled in a chinese puzzle of relationships including ruthless bodyguards Jeffers (Taye Digs - 'Go') and Obecks (Nicky Katt - 'SubUrbia', 'The Limey'), and Chidduck's bagman and troubleshooter, the complex Sarno (the legendary James Caan - 'The Godfather', 'Thief'), and Sarno's colleague Abner (frequent Clint Eastwood sidekick, and Juliet's real life father, Geoffrey Lewis). To reveal what happens would be to ruin this wonderful movie. 'The Way Of The Gun' isn't a stupid popcorn action flick. It requires thought and attention to fully appreciate, and that fact, along with the lack of heroes, and the matter of fact violence, seems to have turned many people off. But in my opinion it is just those factors that will make this, like 'The Usual Suspects', a movie that will stand the test of time. Along with 'Chopper', the movie that has impressed the most so far this decade. Don't miss either one!
10 out of 14 people found the following review useful: No Heroes, 15 September 2005 Author: rregan-3 from United States
The title itself is based on the samurai code Way of the Sword. You live by the gun/sword, you die by the gun/sword. Phillipe and Del Toro's characters are reminiscent of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Wild Bunch, and The Man with No Name. The two say so much without ever talking. Their facial expressions and personal ticks speak louder than words ever could. In a world with seemingly no law, these two men get in way over their heads when they kidnapp the wrong surrogate mother. She just happens to be the surrogate mother to one of the richest men with the most mob contacts. Violence and mystery ensue as we see there are no heroes. The grand finale is a shoot-out that ruvals that of The Wild Bunch.
5 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Slow-burn to an almighty finish. (Slight Spoilers)., 27 August 2004 Author: Wilander from England
Most action movies don't bother with such simple devices as plot, characters or an engaging storyline. Some would say that this is a genre strength, an excuse to turn away from highbrow thought to high-key, mindless mayhem. Whilst that is all well and good, most people eventually find themselves wanting...more. That little bit extra to garnish an already tasty dish. Here, Christopher McQuarrie presents a whole lotta extra treats, whilst never losing his grip upon tension or bloody spectacle. Rambo-lovers, however, should best stay clear, for this is undoubtedly a Thinking man's shoot 'em up. When,as an example, did the "hero" confess to feeling guilt over murdering a paedophile? Conduct torture purely for cash? Get royally shafted in what we assumed would be an all-out celebration of hip carnage? Bear in mind that this was 200, a whole year before Spider-Man told folk that "it's ok to cry whilst kicking the sh*t out of somebody". Brave stuff. Were this all that Chris provided in the way of innovation, it'd still be mightily impressive, yet he also shows some serious balls within structural limits. As opposed to having bullet dance/chat/explosion/one-liner, he allows moments to build, ebbing, flowing, surely swelling into one large tidal wave of carnage. By the time blood begins to shed, an audience is engaged with two low-life antiheros, whilst sympathising with their-refreshingly scarred-nemesis. It's truly remarkable to see well-choreographed brutality mixing delicately with excellent performances, there's that constant "Yes, i GET you!" feeling beneath every frame. Sit back, tune your head and, and relish this sun-drenched delight.
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