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Reviews
Sniper (1993)
Confusing characterizations
Not an altogether bad film, but I felt it was seriously marred as the actions of the two main characters were sometimes impossible to explain given the little we knew about them. Ten out of ten for 3-dimensional characters, but without reasons it just appears as random, unmotivated actions.
Captain Apache (1971)
Hilariously bad
This is one of those films that is so bad it slips into a new form of entertainment. I get the impression that someone brought up on a lifetime of Roy Rogers and Batman tried to do a Sergio Leone. Its over labored screenplay is perfectly emphasized by the childish soundtrack.
Highlander (1986)
The first of it's kind?
An excellent idea, for the most part well executed. The casting is good and for some strange reason I didn't find myself too concerned with Sean Connery being an Egyptian/Spaniard with a Scottish accent nor Christopher Lambert as a Scot with a barely concealed French accent. The Screenplay could have been better, and the handling is at times crude. Nevertheless, you are drawn on to watch it through, the basis of the story alone carrying you forward. It seems a shame in retrospect that it was done as one story with sequels as it would have made a great trilogy, moving in chronological order from beginning to end. But then, it's so difficult to know in advance which films will be classics of their type. Personally, I think this one is. In many ways it is the first of a kind and movies such as Jet Lee's The One are further elaborations on the concept.
Master Spy (1963)
Low budget, poor quality spy yarn.
This low budget British spy film is apparently based on the book 'They Also Serve', which I haven't read. The plot is thin and the screenplay bland - there seems to be little for the cast to do but read the words. The music is irritating and intrusive. The photography and lighting lacking in creativity. The result is just barely watchable.
It is impossible not to draw comparisons with Hitchcock's Torn Curtain which was made just two years later and deals with the same subject. Torn Curtain however has action and movement, characters you care about, suspense and humour. Master Spy unfortunately, has none of these.
Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (1996)
Terrible really, but very funny.
This film is perhaps aimed at a younger audience but nevertheless it is absolutely dreadful - that is, in the link sections. Dreadful dialogue, dreadful puppetry, dreadful acting. But I have to admit, when it came to the main course, I ached from laughing - it was truly, brilliantly histerical. This was one of the most difficult films to rate. If you need cheering up, WATCH IT!
xXx (2002)
It is impossible not to compare this with 007
If there had never been any 007 flicks then this would be an exciting new genre. This however is patently not the case. I would salute the replacement of a hero we can better identify with for the upper-class Oxbridge graduate with the oh-so-perfect background. But for future films I'd like to see them breakaway from the unrealistic world takeover plots. Smaller problems are more believable and hence more exciting.