Steve McQueen's skills as an actor and a driver saves this film with a thin story and so-so script from cult oblivion. The car chase segment (filmed with real cars going really fast with McQueen really driving in real locations...and brilliantly,...
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Steve McQueen's skills as an actor and a driver saves this film with a thin story and so-so script from cult oblivion. The car chase segment (filmed with real cars going really fast with McQueen really driving in real locations...and brilliantly, without an overbearing musical score--the cars themselves make the proper music) alone makes this film an undeniable classic and raises it above being a standard cop movie; unfortunately, after the car chase segment, there's nowhere for the movie to go but down. The foot chase scene at the end is anticlimatic and downright illogical. There's also an attempt at a touch of a mystery here regarding the killer, but it comes and goes so fast that it's hardly notable. While I can't give this movie the highest rating because of it failings, its positives make it a must-see classic. McQueen's performance is absolutely perfect for the role, and there's a smart artiness to the whole project (even in the so-cool opening credits) that continues to influence recent filmmakers such as the Coen brothers.

Viewers who have seen Mulholland Dr. will know what to expect from INLAND EMPIRE; the styles are very similar and David Lynch seems to be comfortable in telling us his stories in this unusual manner. Overall, INLAND EMPIRE feels much darker than...
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Viewers who have seen Mulholland Dr. will know what to expect from INLAND EMPIRE; the styles are very similar and David Lynch seems to be comfortable in telling us his stories in this unusual manner. Overall, INLAND EMPIRE feels much darker than Lynch's previous film, with most of his trademark dark humor being not in the story itself this time, but rather in the way the story is presented to the viewer. Lynch toys with the viewer...once again, we have a movie within a movie and actors who become indistinguishable from the roles they play. As we watch this film, we're never sure if we're watching the movie or THE MOVIE, or if we're seeing the actress or THE ACTRESS. It really doesn't matter, and that's Lynch's entire point...in this film, the movie is the same as THE MOVIE, etc...what's real and what's not is irrelevant; the dream world, the fantasy world--what exists in the mind is as real as everything else, and the different realities blur until they are the same reality. Expectations of logical threads and resolutions are doomed to failure, as these 'normal' devices are not used in Lynch's recent films. Lynch tells us everything we need to know, and overanalysis is pointless. Viewers who spend great amounts of time 'figuring it all out' with 'the clues' are snipe-hunting, and that's part of Lynch's joke on us as well. It is what it is, and nothing more.

The use of DV instead of film contributes to the dark feeling of the film. At times, it seems that certain effects are overused; the medium of digital video is relatively new, and Lynch had a great time experimenting with it. But I wonder that, as Lynch later perfects his skills with it, that he won't look back at INLAND EMPIRE and wish he had processed a few scenes in a different way.

Once again, the sound design is brilliant. Lynch definitely believes that the sound/music is as important as the visuals themselves, and digital sound editing has opened up a new world for us to explore as well. We have subliminal sounds that hiss underneath the layers and great booming hits that rattle the subwoofer.

Overall, I liked INLAND EMPIRE very much, but it just wasn't as much fun as Mulholland Dr. The DVD is very well done, especially the sound (with 2 5.1 options), and the bonus disc has some great stuff. As usual, there are no chapter menus for the film, though chapter stops do actually exist in the film itself. Ultimately, we have a brilliant and astonishing film that's not meant for everyone, and that's the way David Lynch intended it to be.

This movie is not bad for what it is, but a lot more should be expected from a movie that is titled 'The Desert Fox'. The film covers the last few months of Rommel's life, and we see almost nothing of why Rommel was referred to as The Desert Fox...
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This movie is not bad for what it is, but a lot more should be expected from a movie that is titled 'The Desert Fox'. The film covers the last few months of Rommel's life, and we see almost nothing of why Rommel was referred to as The Desert Fox at all. The film begins with the historical raid by Scottish commandos at Beda Littoria in 1941. But nothing is explained about this attempt on Rommel's life, and it seems to be just an excuse for some pre-credit sequence over-dramatized action. The raid would make a fine film in itself, but here the sequence seems out of place.
The film jumps almost a year to late 1942, with a sick Rommel being called back to lead his troops at El Alemein. Just as quickly, the desert war is over, with no mention of the later fighting in Tunisia. Then, it is 1944, Rommel is improving coatal defences in France, and the Allies launch Operation Overlord. Rommel struggles to get more units to fight the invaders and gets a visit from a representative of a group of Germans looking to overthrow Hitler Rommel reluctantly considers joining their cause; a strafing attack leaves Rommel wounded, and while he recovers, an attempt is made on Hitler's life. Rommel is implicated in the plot, and chooses suicide as an honorable way to end the matter.
That's pretty much the complete movie. How they managed to stretch that out to just under 90 minutes is amazing. The movie focuses on Rommel's last days, and doesn't quite get it right...most biographical accounts of Rommel indicates that he had no interest at all in overthrowing Hitler...he was just a soldier and politics was irrelevant to him. This film somehow leaves the impression that Rommel was eager to join the plot until he was incapacitated by the strafing attack...a blatant attempt to make Rommel some sort of hero in that regard.

Mason is excellent in the role, but his supporting cast varies. The actors all seem to keep their native accents while playing Germans. It strange seeing Richard Boone as Rommel's aide, but even stranger is the characterization of Hitler Hitler seems anything but sinister; he's portrayed as a chummy fellow whom one could get along with just fine.
Most action in the movie utilizes stock combat footage, and it comes off seeming low-budgeted. Without seeing his earlier battles, the viewer just has to take the narrator's word that Rommel was a military genius. A movie like this needs to be twice as long, and show his rise to the top, in order for the later events in Rommel's life to be in context. But instead we're left with a flawed, but well-meant, movie based upon an equally flawed book written right after the war.

This is one of director John Waters' tamest movies (in comparision to what came before it), but it seems a natural progression. Waters is obviously more interested in telling a story here than being outrageous just to be outrageous. It's the first...
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This is one of director John Waters' tamest movies (in comparision to what came before it), but it seems a natural progression. Waters is obviously more interested in telling a story here than being outrageous just to be outrageous. It's the first of Waters' really slick movies...no one can insult his technical skills anymore. But, there's plenty of oddball humor here, with the strange characters and the even stranger dances we see. By now, an another amazing change is taking place in the way that Waters makes his films. John Waters has no interest in being part of Hollywood, but parts of Hollywood want to be with John Waters...here we have Pia Zadora, Sonny Bono, Debbie Harry, and Jerry Stiller.
All-in-all, this is a fun, enjoyable movie...certainly like no other in my collection. It's still not mainstream (although it remains to be seen how well the remake does...it's hard for a veteran Waters fan to imagine such a thing...a remake!), as even Waters' tamest movies aren't for everybody, and this definitely feels like a Waters film, from start to finish. To the true Waters fan, he never sold out--he just grew as a filmmaker and went down paths that we never would have guessed, but should have known, that he would. And I enjoy this slight detour.

I imagine Johnny Depp's recent success has led tons of people to this film, and it's probably more popular now than it was when it was first released. I suspect that director John Waters was hoping to build upon the success of...
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I imagine Johnny Depp's recent success has led tons of people to this film, and it's probably more popular now than it was when it was first released. I suspect that director John Waters was hoping to build upon the success of "Hairspray" (and the remake will bring even more people into the John Waters universe), but one thing is certain...Waters has an eye for unusual talent, and that's why he cast Depp in this film.
Overall, this is the most un-Waters-like film that he ever made (and why it's easily accessible to non-Waters fans). Waters had no choice but to change directions at this point...so much of his original crew and cast members were gone by now. Still, most viewers will find the film strange--and it is, by pure mainstream standards. Waters still has plenty of oddball scenes and stars--Ricki Lake and Patti Hearst to name two--but so much of the trademark offensive, in-your-face humor is gone. Here, we have a very slick, easy-going rock-and-roll movie (Waters proves that his unusual filmmaking genius extends to unusual but brilliant music selection as well)...certainly the tamest of Waters' films. And that's not a bad thing, as there's still a lot for the Waters' fan to enjoy...and everyone else in the world can enjoy it too, without being offended. I wonder how many of his new fans have gone back to check out his pre-"Hairspray" films...

Little by little, John Waters' were getting slicker and moving more towards what could be considered mainstream. A lot of this has to do with Waters' effect on our perception of the film industry itself...after "Pink Flamingos", even an...
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Little by little, John Waters' were getting slicker and moving more towards what could be considered mainstream. A lot of this has to do with Waters' effect on our perception of the film industry itself...after "Pink Flamingos", even an oddball movie like "Polyester" seems mainstream. This film has plenty of mean, disgusting ideas present, but Waters has grown as a filmmaker and learned how to make it seem more palatable to the viewer. There are lots of the usual absurd but hilarious lines, but overall, the humor is more ironic and subtle, and suddenly Waters' films deserve reflection to fully appreciate the different levels of humor. Adding to the fun was a scratch-and-sniff card for the viewer to use at different parts of the movie. Divine gives his best performance ever, and the addition of "real" actor Tab Hunter just makes this movie seem even odder than it really is. In "Polyester", John Waters has moved beyond simply trying to shock people, and has pulled off the move in a very good way.

Director John Waters returns true to form with this film, a much better movie than the preceding "Female Trouble". I think this is one of Waters' funniest films, packed full of scenes with hilarious lines, and interesting to the very...
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Director John Waters returns true to form with this film, a much better movie than the preceding "Female Trouble". I think this is one of Waters' funniest films, packed full of scenes with hilarious lines, and interesting to the very end. Waters is still mixing disgusting absurdities with appalling sexual themes, but the humor in the presentation is what shows that Waters is a true genius. Another fine performance by Divine is complimented by the appearance of cult movie bombshell Liz Renay. In addition, we have 400-pound Jean Hill...wow, there's so much to love about this movie!

Director John Waters has nowhere to go but down in trying to follow up the cult classic, "Pink Flamingos". There's still plenty of scenes in the trademark disgusting-but-hilarious tradition established by his previous film, but here the...
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Director John Waters has nowhere to go but down in trying to follow up the cult classic, "Pink Flamingos". There's still plenty of scenes in the trademark disgusting-but-hilarious tradition established by his previous film, but here the pay-off just isn't as interesting. I find "Female Trouble" to be the least interesting of Waters' early films, and downright boring in the end. While Divine puts out another fine performance, the story itself seems lacking and poorly paced. There are plenty of good laughs here and there, but it's somehow the least funny of any of Waters' films. It just seems to be the weakest of the early films, and worth seeing if a viewer has an interest in Waters' films, but one shouldn't expect too much out of it.

There's no doubt that this is one of the trashiest, most disgusting films ever made. The acting is bad, the script is silly, and any sign of competent technical craftmanship is nonexistent. Many of the scenes can't be described without having this...
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There's no doubt that this is one of the trashiest, most disgusting films ever made. The acting is bad, the script is silly, and any sign of competent technical craftmanship is nonexistent. Many of the scenes can't be described without having this review as obscene as the film itself.
But, what the potential viewer has to remember is: John Waters wanted it this way! The whole point of the film is to shock the viewer with relentless dark comedy, and that's exactly what is delivered. It's the viewer's choice as to whether to leave the room in disgust or to howl at the screen with laughter. The film is definitely not for everybody, but those that are not easily offended will enjoy this movie in the way it was intended. John Waters was a true pioneer of the independent film genre, and this twisted movie will never be topped as far as sheer outrageousness goes.

An outstanding film, both brilliant and beautiful. This story's been told many times before, but here, the characters and the landscapes seem so very real, as if the cameras went back in time. Malick's slow pacing will lose the impatient viewers...
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An outstanding film, both brilliant and beautiful. This story's been told many times before, but here, the characters and the landscapes seem so very real, as if the cameras went back in time. Malick's slow pacing will lose the impatient viewers very quickly, but that's not who he makes movies for. The scenes are all shot with stunning compositions...it is on the same level as Kubrick's painting-like framing, yet Malick works in an opposite way--no storyboards and a 360 degree set. Since Malick almost always uses natural light, the crews must be prepared to shoot in any direction at any time, and it's Malick's genius and sensibility that makes it all look so scholarly. Scenes often begin and end with cutaway shots that seem irrelevant, but in truth, they add a Lynch-like visual ambience that affects every level of the viewer's mind.
Once we get past the credits, Malick does an equally impressive job with the music score. Malick tosses aside Horner's usual pompous, french horn heavy, Star Trek themes and instead uses Eno-like musical segments that again add ambience and mood to the scenes.
Malick seems to always embrace the theme of modern man's intrusion into the primitive, how it changes the modern man, and yet, how it doesn't really since the modern world is always just at the doorstep. But here, we see another angle, and the viewer is given a lot to think about when Pocahontas visits what, is to her perception, The New World.
What a wonderful, moving film.

I'll be in the minority here, but there were so many things that I didn't like about this movie. First off, the story was totally predictable and without suspense....everything happened just as I expected, even the ending. All things considered,...
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I'll be in the minority here, but there were so many things that I didn't like about this movie. First off, the story was totally predictable and without suspense....everything happened just as I expected, even the ending. All things considered, the story is a bit of fluff (I think Matt Wagner's writing hit a high point in the early issues of Grendel and it was downhill after that) that's pumped up in a Tarentino style but without Tarentino's sensibilities.
Second, the production is just so slick and Hollywood, it's annoying. If Cronenberg has a camera crane rented for the day, then he's sure as heck gonna use it like a rented car, until the motor burns out. At times, the shots are just plain pretentious...Cronenberg makes a big deal out of the opening scene being a continuous four-minute shot, but in reality, it's a plodding waste of film in which nothing much happens at all...anyone could film a sequence like that. Dave, you're not Hitchcock, so consider editing scenes like this into shape before letting it out.
Third, I'm very weary of Cronenberg's twisted depictions of sex. The first steamy scene involves the couple roleplaying as cheerleader and nerd. Hey, let's all talk our companions into doing that, heh heh! Of course, Cronenberg seems quite proud of the particular act he shows them engaging in...yep Dave, you're the first to film that, except for a million porno films that came out before this. And then, there's the scene on the stairway. Cronenberg loves to mix sex scenes with violence (he does in almost every film), and it's just creepy in an unintended way. Cronenberg seems to be doing this just for shock value, something that most other directors grow out of early in their careers. When John Waters offers a fetish act to the viewer, it's done as a joke and the viewer laughs along...but when Cronenberg does it, it's dead serious and pervertedly lewd, and he seems to have an unabated passion for it.

On the positive side, the acting is very, very good, and the action scenes are well-done (although the action sequences do use a lot of quick cuts, as if Cronenberg isn't too sure about them.)

Ultimately, I can see how a lot of people like this flick, despite the trips and failures that I personally perceive. But, this movie tries to be something that it's not, tries so hard that I can only think of it as a failure, and I'm disgusted at what it really is, beneath all of the big-budget gloss. I'm really tired of Cronenberg's pretentious, perverted films...I swear, I'm never going to watch another one.

I'm not a fan of slasher movies, not even the "classic" ones. But, I found this one to be quite amusing! Although there are relatively few technical issues throughout the film, it is somewhat Ed Wood-ish, especially the amaturish acting...
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I'm not a fan of slasher movies, not even the "classic" ones. But, I found this one to be quite amusing! Although there are relatively few technical issues throughout the film, it is somewhat Ed Wood-ish, especially the amaturish acting and the half-baked script...yet, there are also a lot of memorable lines that are very funny, which helps keep this otherwise paint-by-numbers slasher film moving along. For the most part, the sets and special effects are well-done, considering the tiny budget this farce must have had. And while it's not hard to figure out who the killer is, the ending to the film has a surprise that will leave most viewers wide-eyed and howling with glee...a lot of movies promise a twist ending, but, by golly, this one really has one! This is low-budget schlock at its best.

At first, I appreciated Miramax's re-releases of films unavailable except by import. But as I saw more of them, I became disappointed to the point of avoiding them. So many ("Heroic Trio", "Drunken Master II", etc.) are...
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At first, I appreciated Miramax's re-releases of films unavailable except by import. But as I saw more of them, I became disappointed to the point of avoiding them. So many ("Heroic Trio", "Drunken Master II", etc.) are butchered versions, with the music changed and the scenes cut, that they end up being poor substitutes for the original versions.
I get the same feeling with this one, although I haven't seen the original. I sense that it was somewhat better than what I see on the Miramax disk. But, it's still an enjoyable movie, if a person likes Yuen Woo Ping's wire-work action style.

One of the greatest war movies ever made, and unusual in that it is coming from the German's point of view. An epic film, as it follows the crew from wolfpack happy times to their inevitable destruction, yet it never loses sight of the humanity on...
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One of the greatest war movies ever made, and unusual in that it is coming from the German's point of view. An epic film, as it follows the crew from wolfpack happy times to their inevitable destruction, yet it never loses sight of the humanity on a personal level. The run-silent-run-deep scenes have been used so many times before, but the brilliant use of sound and cinematographry makes these scenes fresh and suspenseful here. There are at least four different versions of this film, and I prefer the director's cut, but I highly recommend any of them to anyone who can appreciate great films.

This movie was a tough sell to the moviegoers and critics, who were by then tired of epic movies in ancient times. I think time will tell on this one, and that it will be looked upon as an excellent film (especially the director's cut version)...
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This movie was a tough sell to the moviegoers and critics, who were by then tired of epic movies in ancient times. I think time will tell on this one, and that it will be looked upon as an excellent film (especially the director's cut version) sometime down the road.
The movie is well-done and full of great battle scenes. At times, the film seems to straddle too many fences in regard to religion/politics, but Scott was smart in handling the issues in this way. My biggest complaint is in regard to Bloom's character...he goes from blacksmith, to deadly fighter, to brilliant battlefield general virtually overnight (and then back to blacksmith; it's like a Jethro Bodine fantasy!) and it's just absurd. But it's a fine movie, and deserves to be appreciated more. I think someday it will be.

A total disappointment for fans of independent comic books. None of the weird satire carried over, and I found the movie dull and unamusing. I suppose it might appeal to those unfamiliar with their comic book appearances, and maybe that's who the...
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A total disappointment for fans of independent comic books. None of the weird satire carried over, and I found the movie dull and unamusing. I suppose it might appeal to those unfamiliar with their comic book appearances, and maybe that's who the movie was intended for. Perhaps someday, they'll make a Flaming Carrot movie, make it right, and the real fans can forget about this wasted effort.

Operation Market-Garden certainly had the makings for a great and epic film. Most of Montgomery's offensive campaigns were disasters that would make good film material, and this military blunder is no exception. But somewhere along the way, this...
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Operation Market-Garden certainly had the makings for a great and epic film. Most of Montgomery's offensive campaigns were disasters that would make good film material, and this military blunder is no exception. But somewhere along the way, this movie gets lost and descends into a star cameo vehicle. In many scenes, the movie seems anything but epic...for example, the US airborne assault wave looks tiny compared to what really took place. I suppose that was a budget problem and they couldn't round up enough transports to make it look real. The story of the Polish forces is never really resolved in a meaningful way, which would make a great movie in itself. The script is weak in many scenes and full of cliches. Somehow, I get the feeling that the whole thing was under-budgeted and under-scheduled as well. It is an enjoyable movie, and worth seeing once just for the multitude of stars, but I consider it the most over-rated war movie of all time.

A most-worthy companion to David Lynch's earlier "Blue Velvet", this one likewise explores a journey into the violent and twisted underbelly of the world around the film's characters. Cage's Sailor is more in control than MacLachlan's...
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A most-worthy companion to David Lynch's earlier "Blue Velvet", this one likewise explores a journey into the violent and twisted underbelly of the world around the film's characters. Cage's Sailor is more in control than MacLachlan's Jeffrey, and Dern's Lula is less naive than her Sandy character, but this could almost be a continuation of the same characters from "Blue Velvet"...everyone's just a bit more over-the-top here. It's hard for me to decide which movie has the most despicable character...is it Hopper's Frank Booth or Dafoe's Bobby Peru? Too close for me to make the call.
Despite the expected but still surprising weirdness (such as the "Wizard of Oz" homage)and a descent into situations with characters we'd never want to meet, "Wild At Heart" remains accessible and entertaining for non-Lynch fans. The violent and deranged world of this film is offset by Lynch's brilliant sense of dark humor, and the result is a very satisfying and ultimately optimistic movie, enjoyable by anyone who appreciates more than the standard Hollywood menu.

I've never expected much from films based upon mainstream comic books, especially considering the spotty track record of adaptions from the classic Marvel universe. I was pleasantly surprised with how well "Fantastic Four" holds up; not...
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I've never expected much from films based upon mainstream comic books, especially considering the spotty track record of adaptions from the classic Marvel universe. I was pleasantly surprised with how well "Fantastic Four" holds up; not only does it stay relatively true to its comic book roots for long-time fans, but it also works for those who have never even heard of the comic book.

The Fantastic Four was always one of the more realistic comic books in the genre. Gone is the absurdity of the "secret identity"...everyone knew who the Fantastic Four were and where they lived. The Thing was an unusual character, in that he felt trapped and resentful of his powers. All of this carries over into this film, thankfully.
The "Fantastic Four" comic book also tended to be more cosmic and sci-fi oriented than most of its counterparts, and featured some of the most imaginative work by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. This seemingly will be continued in the movie series, as the Silver Surfer will make an appearance in the next film.
On the negative side, I thought the Sue/Reed/Victor love triangle was a bit melodramatic and soap-operish. Also, the Thing's suit looked a bit too rubbery at times; in some shots, it looked like dusty, hard rocks, as it should.
Overall, a very good film for the genre. An excellent mix of humor, action, and special effects, and still staying mostly true to its comic book origins.

An absolutely great movie for anyone interested in filmmaking. This behind-the-scenes look at the making of a fictional independent film is hilarious and engaging. Excellent casting...Steve Buscemi is perfect in the role of the hapless director....
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An absolutely great movie for anyone interested in filmmaking. This behind-the-scenes look at the making of a fictional independent film is hilarious and engaging. Excellent casting...Steve Buscemi is perfect in the role of the hapless director. With a fine, intelligent script from beginning to end, this movie is a rare gem, and a great departure from what normally passes for entertainment in the film world.

Well, this film more likely reveals the decadence of the 1970's than of ancient Rome. It's basically a very poor script that has hardcore porn clips mixed in here and there. The international, highly-acclaimed cast had no idea the XXX material...
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Well, this film more likely reveals the decadence of the 1970's than of ancient Rome. It's basically a very poor script that has hardcore porn clips mixed in here and there. The international, highly-acclaimed cast had no idea the XXX material would be added after production, so the joke is on them too. Supposedly this film was high-budgeted for the time, but it's hard to tell that by looking at the stage-like sets. It's hardly an epic; we never really learn much about Caligula, or Rome itself for that matter. The film is mostly structured as a series of vignettes that often have no plot continuity.
It probably deserves a rating of just one star, but I'm giving it an extra one for the porn sequences. They're better than the movie itself.

A great technical achievement, but all we have here is the same story that's already been told before. Jackson really adds nothing new, no significant ideas of his own except to spend millions and millions of dollars for special effects.
...
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A great technical achievement, but all we have here is the same story that's already been told before. Jackson really adds nothing new, no significant ideas of his own except to spend millions and millions of dollars for special effects.
The action is cartoonish and juvenile, with the main characters being juggled and flung about by giant creatures, yet without hardly getting a scratch or even dirty. Some of the action scenes run on way too long, to the point of losing their novelty and becoming a bore.
Basically, Peter Jackson has turned into the New Zealand version of George Lucas. They both are spending their careers by rehashing someone else's stories into wildly over-budgeted movies for adolescents. Take away their huge funding, and they can't make movies anymore...because without their huge logistical infrastructure and countless assistants, they can't function. Somewhere along the way, they have forgotten how to be directors and how to make good movies.

Definitely a classic, but in some cases, "classic" doesn't always mean "good". Not only does this version of "Dracula" suffer from a rather dull telling of the story, but also low production values. Here we have...
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Definitely a classic, but in some cases, "classic" doesn't always mean "good". Not only does this version of "Dracula" suffer from a rather dull telling of the story, but also low production values. Here we have armadillos posing as giant rats and sheets of cardboard in plain view to adjust the lighting. Browning does an awful job with the static camera setups...perhaps his goal was to recreate the stage play? Sorry Tod, this is cinema, try being creative. The Spanish version (available on many DVD releases of this film)was much better in that respect. The lack of music was also a problem, but that was a technical issue that no one should be blamed for...nevertheless, the music is sorely missed here.

On a positive note, the cast is very good. Frye is awesome, and without the great Lugosi, I doubt this would be considered a classic at all.

Ultimately, I think someone else should have directed it.

A much better movie that it is given credit for, "Windtalkers" gives us a look the fighting in the relatively obscure Pacific theater, with a few unique angles. I think moviegoers and critics were tired of epic war movies by the time...
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A much better movie that it is given credit for, "Windtalkers" gives us a look the fighting in the relatively obscure Pacific theater, with a few unique angles. I think moviegoers and critics were tired of epic war movies by the time this one came out and just dismissed it right away. But, we get a lot of great battle scenes and several interesting stories of a personal nature, all of which John Woo is a master of.
For sure, there are a few problems with the film. Mainly, it's difficult to understand the motivations of Cage's character. Why does he act the way he does? An integral part of the story, but it's not explained very well...

Until the deluxe director's cut edition came out, and then it all makes sense! Hollywood did a poor job of trimming this movie down for release, but John Woo restores his original vision in the deluxe version. It's the one to get and enjoy.