The Last King of Scotland (Widescreen Edition)

Amazon.com

As the evil Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives an unforgettable performance in The Last King of Scotland. Powerfully illustrating the terrible truth that absolute power corrupts absolutely, this fictionalized chronicle of Amin's rise and fall is based on the acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, in which Amin's despotic reign of terror is viewed through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a Scottish doctor who arrives in Uganda in the early 1970s to serve as Amin's personal physician. His outsider's perspective causes him to be initially impressed by Amin's calculated rise to power, but as the story progresses--and as Whitaker's award-worthy performance grows increasingly monstrous--The Last King of Scotland turns into a pointed examination of how independent Uganda (a British colony until 1962) became a breeding ground for Amin's genocidal tyranny. As Whitaker plays him, Amin is both seductive and horribly destructive--sometimes in the same breath--and McAvoy effectively conveys the tragic cost of his character's naiveté, which grows increasingly prone to exploitation. As directed by Kevin Macdonald (who made the riveting semi-documentary Into the Void), this potent cautionary tale my prompt some viewers to check out Barbet Schroeder's equally revealing documentary General Idi Amin Dada, an essential source for much of this film's authentic detail. --Jeff Shannon

Beyond The Last King of Scotland

More from Forest Whitaker
General Idi Amin Dada
The Last King of Scotland (Paperback)

Stills from The Last King of Scotland

Description

As Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, Forest Whitaker gives "one of the greatest performances of modern movie history" (Wall Street Journal), one that the Associated Press calls "nothing short of Oscar(r) worthy." This is Amin's incredible story as seen through the eyes of Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young Scotsman who becomes the volatile leader's personal physician, due in part to Amin's unexpected passion for Scottish culture -- Amin even proclaims himself "The Last King of Scotland". Seduced by Amin's charisma and blinded by decadence, Garrigan's dream life becomes a waking nightmare of betrayal and madness from which there is no escape. Inspired by real people and events, this gripping, suspenseful stunner is filled with performances you will never forget.

Customer Reviews:

Idi Amin.......2007-08-27

I thought this was a pretty good movie. I like the concept of seeing Amin's regime thru the eyes of an outsider. I have seen a very good documentary and also a very old OOP movie about Amin that were also very good. I thought Forrest Whitaker was ok as Amin but I don't give him the rave reviews that some others have. This is a good movie though no doubt and I recommend it to anybody though it is a bit gruesome and has some pretty extreme violence.

Idi Amin.......2007-08-25

Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin was amazing. Amin slaughtered thousands in Uganda before being over thrown. He went to Saudi Arabia into exile and died several years ago. This story takes you inside his world.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

Great Movie.......2007-08-20

This movie was so phenom! Didn't know what to expect and then found it so charming and told a great story. Made the main character so real. The hardest part to watch was the end which was really hardcore violence.
But overall it was a great movie.

a bonus star for Whitaker.......2007-08-18

This film probably would have otherwise gotten a 3 stars from me, but all due respect goes to Forest Whitaker for an amazing performance, so he alone bumps this up to 4 stars for me.

I saw this movie expecting that I would be at least a little let down, since I had read the Foden novel and wasn't entirely impressed by the book. In the novel, I found Dr. Garrigan a little too plodding, though I did appreciate the aspect the bookwas working on of a man who is trying to avoid controversy nevertheless wooed into the thick of controversy through both his neutrality and through the powerful personality and charm of Idi Amin.

But the movie took a completely unfortunate tack. Instead of being mildly weathered and maybe a little pessimistic about the world, Doctor Garrigan is instead young and naive and ambitious and idealistic, and these are what Amin uses to bring Garrigan into his fold. While the book did drag a bit for its resistance to melodrama (except, maybe, towards the end), the movie makes the doctor quite the young piece of bravado by having him shooting cattle in the head and sleeping with the President's wife. I found this stupidity (no other word for it) just plain over the top, which is tough to say when dealing with the story of Idi Amin's tyranny, but nonetheless the case.

It is unfortunate because it seems that some movie execs got together and decided that Foden's Garrigan would not be an interesting leading man for the movie, so he went into rewrite. The shame with this decision is that it is a total revision of the book to its very essence--rather than Amin being a threat for his ability to exploit anything but rabid dissention, Garrigan is instead a bumbling Scot who seems to lack too much common sense to avoid Amin at all. Most of the threat is removed, and so Amin is down to being a mad killer rather than a charismatic mad killer. Also, the removal of some wonderful Amin monlogues from the book, where he meanders wonderfully and shows the depth of his delusions, were a gaping hole here.

Whitaker clearly deserved all accolades he received for his performance, but the movie as a whole left me rather wanting.

A dramatic and engaging film.......2007-08-18

A young Scottish doctor longs for adventure so he spins a globe and decides he'll close his eyes and point to the place where he will go. His finger falls upon Uganda and his fate is sealed. At first he works at a clinic, but then his path crosses that of dictator Idi Amin and his life becomes inexorably intertwined with that of the Ugandan ruler as he becomes his personal physician. The movie is dramatic and fast-moving and the performance of Forest Whitaker as Amin is truly memorable. Fiction though it may be, the film is very entertaining and it does give the viewer a look at the havoc that one man can cause when given absolute power.

Average customer rating:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie.
Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD
George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V
Natalie Portman
haunting

V for Vendetta [HD DVD]
Starring: Natalie Portman , Hugo Weaving , Stephen Rea , Stephen Fry , and John Hurt
Director: James McTeigue
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000I2JKFG
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Amazon.com

"Remember, remember the fifth of November," for on this day, in 2020, the minds of the masses shall be set free. So says code-name V (Hugo Weaving), a man on a mission to shake society out of its blank complacent stares in the film V For Vendetta. His tactics, however, are a bit revolutionary to say the least. The world in which V lives is very similar to Orwell's totalitarian dystopia in 1984: after years of various wars, England is now under "big brother" Chancellor Adam Sutler (played by John Hurt, who ironically played Winston Smith in the movie 1984) whose party uses force and fear to run the nation. After gaining power, minorities and political dissenters were rounded up and removed; artistic and unacceptable religious works were confiscated. Cameras and microphones are littered throughout the land, and the people are perpetually sedated through the governmentally controlled media. Taking inspiration from Guy Fawkes, the 17th century co-conspirator of a failed attempt to blow up Parliament on November 5, 1605, V dons a Fawkes mask and costume and sets off to wake the masses by destroying the symbols of their oppressors, literally and figuratively. At the beginning of his vendetta, V rescues Evey (Natalie Portman) from a group of police officers and has her live with him in his underworld lair. It is through their relationship where we learn how V became V, the extremities of the party's corruption, the problems of an oppressive government, V's revenge plot and his philosophy on how to induce change.

Based on the popular graphic novel by Alan Moore, V For Vendetta's screenplay was written by the Wachowski Brothers (of The Matrix fame) and directed by their protégé, James McTeigue. Controversy and criticism followed the film since its inception, from the hyper-stylized use of anarchistic terrorism to overthrow a corrupt government and the blatant jabs at the current US political arena, to graphic novel fans complaining about the reconstruction of Alan Moore's original vision (Moore himself has dismissed the film). Many are valid critiques and opinions, but there's no hiding the message the film is trying to express: Radical and drastic events often need to occur in order to shake people out of their state of indifference in order to bring about real change. Unfortunately, the movie only offers a means with no ends, and those looking for answers may find the film stylish, but a bit empty. --Rob Bracco

Product Description

Warner Brothers V For Vendetta - HD-DVD
Set against the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, V For Vendetta tells the story of a mild-mannered young womannamed Evey (Natalie Portman) who is rescued from a life-and-death situation by a masked man (Hugo Weaving) known only as "V." Incomparably charismatic and ferociously skilled in the art of combat anddeception, V ignites a revolution when he urges his fellow citizens to rise up against tyranny and oppression. As Evey uncovers the truth about V's mysterious background, she also discovers the truthabout herself - and emerges as his unlikely ally in the culmination of his plan to bring freedom and justice back to a society fraught with cruelty and corruption.
Running Time: 133 min.

Customer Reviews:

Standing on its own I thought it was a fantastic movie........2007-09-12

This is one of my favorite all time movies. Its not designed for children as it doesnt contain that kind of hero. I cant think of any other movie so loved and hated at the same time! Politics aside I thought it was a very good movie and without a doubt is different then all the other movies out there. I can understand why people can hate this movie based on todays political environment but I feel its unjustified. This is a movie that will last the test of time and will be considered one of the greats 10 years from now.

Excellent Movie! Excellent HD-DVD.......2007-09-10

I don't know if you guys have priced HD-DVD's locally at places like Best Buy, but the prices at those retail stores are CRAZY! If you browse the HD-DVD's here on Amazon, you'll notice most are around $19.99. Well I went to best buy and the absolute cheapest one was $24.99 and most were $29.99 and up! You just can't go wrong with buying HD-DVD's at Amazon. And no i don't work for them....I've just already done the research...so you don't have too!

Back to this particular movie on HD-DVD. Looked great to me on my Toshiba HD-A2!

George Orwell, 1984, Alan Moore, and V.......2007-09-10

I read the graphic novel of "V for Vendetta" when it was originally released in the mid 1980s. Right from the beginning, I could see that this was Alan Moore's homage to Orwell and "1984" - he was most likely inspired by the book as the title's date approached and Moore observed Thatcher's England and Reagan's America unfold. What an amazing story "V for Vendetta" told. Alan Moore saw that Fascism was still alive and well in the world of 1984 as it was in Orwell's Post WWII 1940s.

Jump forward 20 years, and we have a retelling of this amazing story, but this time on film instead of the comic panel. In this day and age of Terrorism, the fear of Terrorism, and the Fascist use of that fear, the story is more important than ever in Bush's America/World. Fear is the most powerful tool of the fascist as has been demonstrated in both the real world - Nazi Germany and Post 9/11 America - and in fiction - "1984" and "V for Vendetta". "V for Vendetta" capture's this by potraying a not-to-distant future where plague and terrorism have crippled the world and are cooped by the fearful conservative right (where all fascism is born as they are similar psychoses) to control the masses and "protect" the people.

Though Moore set "V" in his native England, 20 years after its writing it could have been set in Post 9/11 America where even treehugging is consider terrorism by the ruling administration. Yes, this film portrays a terrorist as the "good guy", but it actually delves deeper into the heart of all of us; and it challenges every one of us to stand up for ourselves BEFORE we would need to resort to acts of violence to safeguard our freedoms - or worse have to reclaim them. Watch this film to be inspired for what we have to loose, before it becomes what we have lost.

A final note on Alan Moore not endorsing the film...Moore doesn't endorse any of his works being made into film. But, I would like to think that he will see it and see his vision properly realized; this is what I saw in the film...his vision on screen (though I was disappointed that the musical numbers found in the graphic novel were missing!). With this film, I await "The Watchmen" even more.

Natalie Portman.......2007-08-26

Natalie Portman with her best British ascent is great in this movie. Britian has become a fascist state in this tale of the future.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

haunting.......2007-08-17

I haven't made up my mind if I like this or not. I watch it once and awhile because it has a haunting quality to it. Love Portman.Can't get the lines by V out of my head.Has some truths in it that you can't forget.

Average customer rating:

masterpiece!
Exilerating.
Best of Miyazaki Films
nausicaa valley of the wind
Nausicaa

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Starring: Sumi Shimamoto , Mahito Tsujimura , Hisako Kyôda , Gorô Naya , and Ichirô Nagai
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Home Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001XAPZ6
Release Date: 2005-02-22

Amazon.com

Hayao Miyazaki gained widespread attention in Japan for his complex ecological manga series, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1982), which he adapted for the screen two years later. One thousand years after a war devastated much of the Earth, humanity clings to existence at the fringes of a vast, polluted forest inhabited by monstrous insects. Only Nausicaä, the princess of the tiny realm of the Valley of the Wind, grasps the environmental significance of the forest. She sees beyond petty wars and national rivalries to the only viable future for the planet. In Nausicaä, Miyazaki began to explore elements he would develop more fully in his later films: daring, compassionate heroines; exciting flying sequences; colorful side characters; strong interpersonal relationships; and a call for an ecologically sustainable way of life. Nausicaä prefigures Sheeta in Castle in the Sky and Chihiro in Spirited Away, just as the rough and ready Asbel anticipates Pazu in Castle in the Sky and Ashitaka in Princess Mononoke. For years, Nausicaä was available in the United States only as the badly re-edited Warriors of the Wind. The new English dub from Disney presents the film in its entirety, with strong vocal performances by Uma Thurman, Patrick Stewart, Alison Lohman, and Edward James Olmos. (Rated PG: violence, frightening imagery) --Charles Solomon

Description

From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation and the creator of the Academy Award(R)-winning SPIRITED AWAY (Best Animated Feature Film, 2002) comes Hayao Miyazaki's epic masterpiece NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND. A thousand years after a global war, a seaside kingdom known as the Valley Of The Wind remains one of only a few areas still populated. Led by the courageous Princess Nausicaä, the people of the Valley are engaged in a constant struggle with powerful insects called ohmu, who guard a poisonous jungle that is spreading across the Earth. Nausicaä and her brave companions, together with the people of the Valley, strive to restore the bond between humanity and the Earth. NAUSICAÄ OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND is written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. And this spectacuar 2-disc set features exotic settings, impactful music, and a timeless story about courage and compassion in the face of danger.

Customer Reviews:

masterpiece!.......2007-09-06

when i first saw this film i thought to my self "it's ok, it could be better", but then i watched it again and was mystified! this is a beautiful story of a young girl fighting to save the humans that are left and the earth. the story takes place after a nuclear war that destroys the planet and most of the people and animals on it, the only forest left is a poison forest full of giant insects that protect it. its a cautionary tale of how if we let our selves go to far their will be nothing left, this is one of the reasons i love Mr. miyazaki's films so much most of the say that we half to protect our world, because if we don't, who will?

Exilerating........2007-08-10

I love this movie. The animation is amazing. The story line is fun. And it has a great message. I recomend it completley. I never tire of watching it.

Best of Miyazaki Films.......2007-08-10

I have seen all of Miyazaki's films and this is easily my favorite. Beautiful music and scenery mixed with a futuristic message for protecting the environment.

nausicaa valley of the wind.......2007-07-17

Wonderful animation. Good story about respecting others and our planet. My 4 year old daughter absolutely loves this movie.

Nausicaa.......2007-07-09

The exhilarating feature by "Spirited Away" director-animator Miyazaki, "Nausicaa" is an epic masterpiece about an issue very much on the minds of young people today: sustainable living and the future of our planet. Borrowing its apocalyptic scenario from Miyazaki's own manga originals, this dark fantasia pits a band of warrior activists against the encroachment of a poisonous environment. As always with Miyazaki, this is a world where good and evil coexist, sometimes in the same character. Splendid visuals, great voice acting by Thurman, Stewart, and Lohman, and an absorbing finale make this a science-fiction film with a heart, mind, and message.

Average customer rating:

28 "zombies" later
Stop calling it a zombie movie
ONE OF THE GREAT ZOMBIE MOVIES!!
Charming, Poignant, and Inspiring
Entertaining movie

28 Days Later (Widescreen Edition)
Starring: Alex Palmer , Bindu De Stoppani , Jukka Hiltunen , David Schneider (IV) , and Cillian Murphy
Director: Danny Boyle , and Toby James
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JMA8
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

The director/producer team that created Trainspotting turn their dynamic cinematic imaginations to the classic science fiction scenario of the last people on Earth. Jim (Cillian Murphy) wakes up from a coma to find London deserted--until he runs into a mob of crazed plague victims. He gradually finds other still-human survivors (including Naomie Harris), with whom he heads off across the abandoned countryside to find the source of a radio broadcast that promises salvation. 28 Days Later is basically an updated version of The Omega Man and other post-apocalyptic visions; but while the movie may lack originality, it makes up for it in vivid details and creepy paranoid atmosphere. 28 Days Later's portrait of how people behave in extreme circumstances--written by novelist Alex Garland (The Beach)--will haunt you afterward. Also featuring Brendan Gleeson (The General, Gangs of New York) and Christopher Eccleston (Shallow Grave, The Others). --Bret Fetzer

Description

Hailed as the most frightening film since The Exorcist, acclaimed Director Danny Boyle's visionary take on zombie horror "isn't just scary…it's absolutely terrifying" (Access Hollywood).

An infirmary patient awakens from a coma to an empty room…in a vacant hospital…in a deserted city. A powerful virus, which locks victims into a permanent state of murderous rage, has transformed the world around him into a seemingly desolate wasteland. Now a handful of survivors must fight to stay alive, unaware that the worst is yet to come…

Customer Reviews:

28 "zombies" later.......2007-09-07

Ok, first and foremost..."28 days later" is not a zombie movie, no matter how it was marketed, or reviewed or talked about. The bad element of 28 days are people infected with a viral toxin (rage), that causes them to succumb to extreme violent acts. They are not dead, or undead. The do not devour their victims. They are not rotting...etc.

While 28 days shares familiar territory with Romero's classic Living Dead movies and an introduction to the lead character ripped from Day of the Triffids, the zombie genre ends there.

What "28 days later" is, however, is a very good low budget suspense flick with a great opener, a good middle section and an ok end section, which despite being entertaining kind of loses its way. It starts of well, with the actions that release "rage" virus and its scenes of a deserted London with unknown unseen danger and drips with atmosphere. People from Britain (or anyone whose spent some time in the city) could easily imagine themselves in Jim's dilemma, played admirably by Cork's Cillian Murphy.

Going into too much detail will spoil the suspense for those who haven't seen the film, but needless to say Jim eventually meets and runs away from the "infected", right into other survivors (including another Irishman Brendan Gleeson) who have been managing to hide out and stay "normal" in the face of overwhelming odds. Together this group decide to hook up with a military outfit that has set up the "answer to infection" in Manchester.

"28 Days Later" has enough to hold the viewer for its duration, in fact it rewards several viewings (I seen it three times now). But the budget constraints do show at times and the story does seem to run a little out of steam. It's very apparent that director Danny Boyle wasn't sure how to end the film and one is left a little let down at the films conclusion. This feeling may disappear however, now that "28 weeks later" is out and the second installment of the drama lets us into other areas of life in infected Britain, although I have yet to see that particular episode.

All in all, "28 Days Later" is an effective and entertaining film, with some fine scenes...but it ain't "Day of the Dead", but then again, nothing is.

Stop calling it a zombie movie.......2007-09-06

OK, 28 days later is an OK virus movie. A monkey that's been experimented on and infected with the "Rage" virus bites an activist who in turn is infected and attacks her mates. Explodes and you have a post-apocalyptic story with some great shots of abandoned streets and markets and some good chase scenes taboot. Add some great film treatments and good camera work and it's an edgy flick with some nice emotional touches.

BUT! It completely fails to be a Zombie movie.

Aside from breaking all conventions in Zombie movies, there aren't any walking dead. Between 28 days later and 28 weeks later, we find out that the infected, although usually killed through conventional zombie means (remove the head or destroy the brain) can also drown, bleed to death, asphyxiate, die from being gassed, starve, and be generally mauled. All their primary bodily functions are still going and that's what keeps them alive. Zombies (as originally portrayed in Night of the Living Dead) die and then start causing trouble.

If you don't look at it as a Zombie movie, it's an OK flick. If you're expecting a Zombie movie (and you know what a Zombie movie IS), you'll be disappointed.

ONE OF THE GREAT ZOMBIE MOVIES!!.......2007-09-01

a city ravished by disease, millions of zombies, only a few survivors, and you turn with just one drop of blood...crazy. loved this movie, i thought it was very well done. all the chaos, a world of the dead, where's saftey, how do you get out? i love zombies, i think they're the freakiest. they're people and they're dead, and all they want is to eat people. pretty damn scary. the whole movie was very good, i really liked it. i didn't get scared, but the film in general was wicked good. two thumbs up no doubt.

Charming, Poignant, and Inspiring.......2007-08-03

Having long been a fan of Sandra Bullock's, I expected 28 Days Later to be another one of her light-hearted, action-packed comedies (or are they comedy-packed action flicks?). I was in for a real surprise, however, as we are taken through the story of Gwen Cummings, played by Bullock, who is sent to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. At first she resists getting involved in the program, and refuses to admit that she has a problem, but as she gets to know her fellow patients and as she gets the chance to look deeper inside herself, she learns to accept that she does in fact have a problem, and only then is she able to have true hope for the future. She then wakes up 28 days later in the abandoned hospital only to learn that the world has changed drastically while she was in her unconscious stupor, and most people have been infected by a horrible and extremely contagious virus that turns even the kindest person into a hate-filled zombie filled with uninhibited violence. And she must face the question: who is the real enemy here? The blood-vomiting zombie-like infected who would love nothing more than to bite her throat out...or is the real enemy HERSELF?

Entertaining movie.......2007-08-02

Although the plot is not original this was a well made film. Good acting, good script, good directing and excellent camera work. Well worth seeing.

Average customer rating:

1 good news and 2 bad news
HD DVD delivers
The classic post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller
The best it's going to get for Mad Max fans
Finally!

The Road Warrior [HD DVD]
Starring: Mel Gibson , Bruce Spence , Michael Preston , Max Phipps , and Vernon Wells
Director: George Miller (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: HD DVD

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ASIN: B000OCZD60
Release Date: 2007-05-15

Description

World War III has just ended and the world's remaining inhabitants are on a desperate, devastating, struggle to survive. Gasoline is in short supply and those remaining, turn on one another for the crude oil.

Customer Reviews:

1 good news and 2 bad news.......2007-09-02

I was delighted when i saw this movie available in HD and i rushed to buy it.Yes the madmax "icon" is still alive since 1982 but the movie has difficult to live well today.

The good news is about the picture quality which is very good withy no grain.

Despite what you may think about typical Mad Max actions scenes the movie is boring for 2 reasons

a) there is nearly no dialog and instead of this there is a permanent horrible music with trumpets and brass instruments who try to give the rythm in the movie.This kills everything.

b) the audio is realy under average. don't expect to hear the engines roaring and the explosion to blow yr living room.

So my opinion is at least rent it before to buy it

In the opposite and maybe in the same category "Waterworld" in HD DVd is something totaling amazing at all levels.

HD DVD delivers.......2007-07-17

I won't go into the movie itself, since everyone has seen it by now and knows it is a classic. This HD disc is great though, for a movie of this budget and age. There are a few short segments that look soft, but overall this disc has spectacular razor sharp HD, and I never thought Mad Max 2 could ever look this great. Seriously, some of these scenes are some of the best I've seen from my HD-A2.
Now for the not-so-good. Sound is adequate, but it won't knock anyone's socks off. The disc is absolutely bare bones. But if you gotta have this movie in HD, I doubt you would be disappointed.

The classic post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller.......2007-07-05

Sequel to the earlier Mad Max movie, The Road Warrior is a blast of fun and looks great on HD DVD.

I hadn't seen this in years but picked up the HD DVD right away, and it sure looks good. A very fun movie with the classic anti-hero hero Max and, of course, the great chase scene at the climax.

I seem to recall that the third movie, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, was a bloated bust of a sequel, but that hasn't been released on HD DVD yet...

The best it's going to get for Mad Max fans.......2007-06-13

I'm rating this 5-stars not because it's the best look HD-DVD ever, but because I believe this is certainly the best presentation of Road Warrior that's ever been released, or will ever likely be released. It's a keeper.

I remember seeing this movie in the theater. I don't think even the film as shown in the theater contained this much detail, as I noticed details in the movie that I had not seen before. It's a excellent picture.

The sound is good, but nothing like blockbuster movies from recent years, because Road Warrior was made several years ago, and not exactly on a huge budget. Still, it's the best sound quality you're likely to hear for this movie.

Some purists may enjoy the fact that the movie is shown with the title "Mad Max 2" rather than "The Road Warrior" at the beginning, but I don't like it. When I saw the movie in the theater it said "The Road Warrior", and had a bright shining metal effect. I wanted to see THAT, not something that was originally shown in Austrailia. However, I'm not going to get all misty over it and lower the star rating.

If you have Road Warrior on DVD or LaserDisc this is one title that you should absolutely buy the replacement HD-DVD. It makes a big difference.

Finally!.......2007-05-19

I'm saying "finally" because we've finally received a version of the Road Warrior that looks outstanding! The picture looks the best I've ever seen and while the sound isn't as great in terms of bass reproduction, it still sounds very clear, just a tiny bit lackluster. Several of the scenes have a bit of softness to them probably due to age but I'd say about 95% of the film looks crystal clear. There aren't many extras other than an introduction by film critic Leonard Maltin and a filmmaker commentary. A bit lacking in the extras department but the commentary is informative enough for film enthusiasts and fans of the film. It'd be nice to get a retrospective documentary one day on this classic.

At the end of the day, the movie is delivered in an above average presentation and definitely worth a peek in HD.

Average customer rating:

Morgan leFay finally tells her side of the story
Longed for the Movie
Great Movie
Just because I love it...
Good movie, Good story

The Mists of Avalon
Starring: Anjelica Huston , Julianna Margulies , Joan Allen , Samantha Mathis , and Caroline Goodall
Director: Uli Edel
Manufacturer: Turner Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005QW5Y
Release Date: 2001-12-11

Amazon.com

This adaptation of Marion Zimmer Bradley's sprawling and perennially popular book, whose retelling of the Arthurian legends focused on the role of powerful females, compresses a wealth of mysticism, family intrigue, and bloody swordplay into three hours. While the plot can meander slowly and can sometimes seem, well, mystifying, the work of three notable actresses holds the production together, and the numerous complications do eventually get resolved. As Viviane, the Lady of the Lake, Anjelica Huston endeavors to perpetuate the old religion as pagan Britain comes into contact with Christianity. The scheming Morgause, played to evil perfection by Joan Allen, conspires to her own ends. And Avalon priestess Morgaine, played by Julianna Margulies, travels the heroine's journey, overcoming tragedies, injustice, and all manner of obstacles in her duty to both "the goddess" and her younger brother, King Arthur. Although the action lags at times, the production is quite lavish for a made-for-television feature and the film is ultimately entertaining. --Robert J. McNamara

Description

The King is dead, long live the King, but who will it be? The answer is found on the battlefields and in the mystical and powerful manipulations of fate emanating from the women of the legendary isle of Avalon in this intrigue-filled retelling of the King Arthur/Camelot legend. Starring Julianna Margulies, Anjelica Huston, Joan Allen, Caroline Goodall, Edward Atterton, and Samantha Mathis.

Customer Reviews:

Morgan leFay finally tells her side of the story.......2007-09-09

Feminine power of the sisters of Avalon dominates this story, and rightly so, since the intention is tell a story otherwise told by men for hundreds of years. Story is organic and as such the essentials of plot can be retold by a teller to effect a different understanding of the way things are. While I have loved the Arthurian tales all my life, and particularly the stories of Malory in all the grand knightly language, I enjoyed delving more deeply into the complex female characters and their struggle to endure. Perhaps it goes a bit farther into more contemporary, conventional understanding of the pagan rituals, stylizing what was probably more raw and barbaric; still, it is a lovely film and worth watching if you enjoy a well-woven tale.

Longed for the Movie.......2007-08-25

I had read the book, and thoroughly loved it! Heard the movie was coming out and couldn't wait. But it was a let down. If you haven't read the book, the movie is good to see. But if you've read the book, well, the movie was a dissapointment to me.

Great Movie.......2007-08-23

I enjoyed this movie. It was an excellent adaption of the book. I do wish that it had stayed more true to the novel, but then that would have made for a very long film.

Just because I love it..........2007-08-22

does not mean that in any way I think this is a good movie. Nor do I think it is a good representation of the book. Actually, in both regards, this movie comes up incredibly short. But yet, I love it. A lot.

This movie introduced me to two people who have led me to things I'm passionate about. The first is Juliana Margulies, who, as a miscast and lacking Morgaine (I still love her in this movie), led me to ER. The earlier seasons (the only ones I watch), featuring her as the well-cast and well-acted Carol Hathaway are my favourite bits of television. The second person probably changed my life. That would be Loreena McKennitt, whose enchanting song 'The Mystic's Dream' is featured in this movie. To make a long story short, her music is one with my soul, and I can't help but thank this movie for completing me.

Anyway, this is a miscast and lacking movie that has infectious qualities and is based on the most wonderful book I've ever read. Read the book. Love it. Watch the movie. Scoff at how little it follows the book. Learn to laugh at it and love it for what it is. Good times will certainly ensue.

Good movie, Good story.......2007-08-14

I remember seeing this movie when I was younger, it instantly became one of my all time favorites. Anyone interested in movies that have abit of legend mixed with war,religion, cultural changes, drama should buy this movie. It doesn't overdo any aspect and does a good job at portraying one aspect of the legend of king Arthur. It does have its moments where it can seem unnatural and disgusting but that doesnt subtract at all from the overall movie. I would recommend it to anyone that wishes to have a good all around movie based on a legend and historical accounts(limited) and with a good story line.

Average customer rating:

An Entertaining Tool Applicable To Business.
Surprisingly good
Doesn't do Justice to the book
A great tell about LBOs
Barbaric parody at the Gates

Barbarians at the Gate
Starring: James Garner , Jonathan Pryce , Peter Riegert , Joanna Cassidy , and Fred Dalton Thompson
Director: Glenn Jordan
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B00005MHOC
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com

This HBO original comedy, adapted by Larry Gelbart (Tootsie) from the book by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar, concerns one of the most compelling tales of corporate buyout madness in the go-go 1980s. James Garner plays F. Ross Johnson, CEO of RJR Nabisco. Following failed and expensive efforts to sell a smokeless cigarette to the public, Johnson decides that he's had enough of navigating around the wrath of the company's stockholders. Drawing up plans to buy RJR Nabisco outright, he soon finds himself outmatched (though still determined) in a race for the prize with takeover king Henry Kravis (Jonathan Pryce). The ensuing battle is both bitterly funny and full of acid-tinged insights into the '80s greed that changed corporate America forever. Besides Gelbart's great script and Glenn Jordan's competent direction, the star of this exciting film is Garner, who is absolutely wonderful as the gracious Johnson. --Tom Keogh

Customer Reviews:

An Entertaining Tool Applicable To Business........2007-09-02

This movie, based on a true story, chronicles the sale of RJR Nabisco during an era when Mergers and Acquisitions were at an all time high. James Garner, in a brilliant performance, plays F. Ross Johnson, the CEO of RJR Nabisco who wants to take Nabisco private and be its majority owner.

The movie does a nice job explaining the financial aspects of a LBO(Leveraged Buyout) on such a basic level that anyone can understand. Throughout the film the storyline flows quickly, although at times certain scenes were a little canned and the satire a bit corny.

The backdrop of the movie is loaded with back and forth backstabbing, blatant greed, under the table dealing, and Jonathan Pryce's depiction of Henry Kravis, a Wall Street mover and shaker and corporate raider is outstanding.

Of course by no means this work supersedes the book, but nevertheless you may find the effort quite entertaining.

Over all, I really enjoyed this movie.

Surprisingly good.......2007-05-24

I'm a big fan of Garner from way back, ever since he did "Support Your Local Sheriff," a low key but very funny spoof on western films from the early 70s, if I remember right. He seems like a down to earth guy whose big screen stardom never went to his head--much like Sean Connery--who certainly could have let such fame, money and stardom go to his head, too.

This movie chronicles the shenanigans surrounding a leveraged buyout of RJR Nabisco. You wouldn't think a corporate buyout would be that interesting a subject for a movie, but the movie succeeds on Garner's witty, cynical, repeatedly exasperated, and humorous portrayal of the company's CEO, although the rest of the cast is good too. The movie is also a reminder of the unbridled greed that swept the country in the 80s as hostile takeovers became the rage on Wall St., and it didn't matter how many people lost their jobs or their retirements as long as the takeover sharks got their cut.

As a result of these changes, as my fellow Top 100 reviewer, Jeff Leach, said previously in his much more detailed review, it's a lot harder for the average American to get and hold a job, and make a decent wage. And real wages (which is wages adjusted for inflation) have been declining in the U.S. since the late 60s--another dire trend which is unfortunately likely to continue as a result of competition from India and China, and our increasingly extravagant deficit spending.

Doesn't do Justice to the book.......2007-02-14

An average movie with average performances. Glosses over many of the details in the book and ignores the role of many important characters. It wont appeal much to the general audience and neither will it satisfy the people who have already read the book.

A great tell about LBOs .......2007-01-12

I really liked this movie. For those who like finance and are aware of the stress that it conveys, Barbarians At The Gate shows the intricacies of LBOs and also how every business has a strong emotional factor that is many times overlooked.

Barbaric parody at the Gates.......2007-01-09

The screen version of the book is nothing like the book in any manner, except for the characters and the plot. The movie lacks that serious business and glamorous edge that the book brings out. The movie summarises the story and shreds it almost to pieces. The movie rushes through the story in mock-comedy fashion as if the whole shinding was an episode of a comedy series. The book is about the power, greed, bravado and glory that emanated from Wall Street in the roaring '80s and shook the entire financial and business world in that era - globally. The movie misses that point by light years. It's a childish and vindictive parody of a great story. It's also pretends to be a "Dummy's guide to LBO's in the 1980's" when characters explain the salient points of LBO's. I hope another director/producer team will give this another bash and bring to the screen a real powerful and moving story based on this book.

Average customer rating:

NOt quite on par with the original but good.
Has the usual modern film-making problems
Great Sci Fi
Ridiculous film doesn't even make sense
Great Movie

The Time Machine
Starring: Yancey Arias , Jeremy Irons , Doug Jones , Phyllida Law , and Lenny Loftin
Manufacturer: Dreamworks Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005JKLZ
Release Date: 2002-07-23

Amazon.com

While the 1960 version of The Time Machine remains a science fiction classic, this adaptation of the H.G. Wells novel benefits from a dazzling CGI facelift. Digital wizardry shows us the awesome splendor of eons passing in an eye blink, while Wells's heroic time traveler--played with appealing conviction by Memento's Guy Pearce--is given a stronger motivation for piloting his time machine 800,000 years into the future. Long after New York City has crumbled and the moon shattered by a nuclear accident, Pearce finds a new home with the peacefully primitive Eloi, after confronting the subterranean Morlocks (courtesy of Stan Winson's monster shop) and their evil overlord (Jeremy Irons in wicked, pigmentless makeup). Trading Wells's social commentary for pure adventure, director Simon Wells (the author's great-grandson) maintains the story's legacy of wonder, despite a few hokey embellishments. Catering to a younger audience, this Time Machine is fun without being particularly distinguished--a treat for the eyes, if not the brain. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

NOt quite on par with the original but good........2007-09-02

I really enjoyed this film, a sense of fun is to be had and some food of thought. Guy Pearce is a great actor and does well in this. I never quite understood why alot of people didn't like this, it in no way butchers H.G. Wells story, like the original this one entertains.

Has the usual modern film-making problems.......2007-08-26

This 2002 version of the H.G. Wells story is simply awful, and should never have been made. The movie simply deviates too much from Wells' original intentions for the story in terms of story direction and purpose. And the scene that really got me the most was when Guy Pearce meets a Weena-type in this film. In what is so typical of digital-age movies, this Weena-type immediately greets the time traveler with sarcastic remarks. She says to him, "They're deciding if they should throw you in the water or not." Then the time traveler says he came in a time machine, so the Weena-type then says something like, "Oh, then maybe they'll think you're just a walking nut." This is such a ridiculous attitude the writers gave her. She sees a complete stranger arriving in their somewhat primitive society, who claims he's from a different time period, and she just has a cavalier attitude, complete with a dry sense of humor. In this particular situation, this is not a realistic attitude for someone to have, regardless of how much some people today might think this is realistic. The Weena in the original 1960 film might've been too child-like, but her initial reaction to the time traveler was much more believeable. But personally, I think the most realistic-behaving Weena was the one played by Priscilla Barnes in the 1978 made-for-TV version.

The visual effects in this version are the best, and the images showing the continuous time progression looked much better than in the earlier movies.

Finally, Guy Pearce gave a decent performance, but as with a lot of actors these days, his performance just seemed phoned-in. It's a shame, because Rod Taylor really loved doing the 1960 original, and his heart and soul was really into the project. You just don't seem to see much of that with today's A-list performers.

Great Sci Fi.......2007-04-25

if you like sci fi, and enjoy a large scale presentation (on a big home system), this movie is haunting, sad and powerful. i do not understand the poor reviews by some unless they do not like sentimental and unhappy endings...

Ridiculous film doesn't even make sense.......2007-04-08

This insipid remake takes far too many liberties with the story, butchers its source material, and unsurprisingly ends up being quite a mess. Furthermore, the movie doesn't even really make sense when you think about it. The protagonist this time wants to travel to the past to save his love, and finds he can't alter what happened. This turns out to supposedly be because of a `time paradox' (though how the protagonist `caused' the Jeremy Irons character to exist is never explained). He then goes to the future where he CAN alter events. The remake entirely forgets the point that the Eloi are supposed to be cattle, and not a somewhat advanced civilization. That they're not kind of entirely destroys the whole point of the book, and the film greatly suffers as a result. The character played by Jeremy Irons was a dumb addition to the story, and so was introducing Eloi that speak English! Ironically, the special effects used to depict the Morlocks were better in the 60s film! Some bad choices were made here, to be certain. In the original the protagonist travels to the future because he does not like the Victorian era, and he learns that the assumption that things will only get better with time and `progress' isn't entirely true. Things only got worse. Here we're given a silly subplot about a lost loved one. In the original the protagonist basically happens upon a hippy commune and teaches them how to be men, how to fight the Morlocks. In the remake the protagonist blows up his time machine, which magically ages all the Morlocks and kills them, but doesn't age anything else around them, which is yet another thing in the film that makes no sense. The original, it bears mentioning, boasts one of the greatest soundtracks ever written. The music in the remake sounds like some annoying drivel lifted from The Lion King.

Great Movie.......2007-03-15

I have read Well's book and seen the older movie. That said, I love this movie. Guy Pearce is very convincing in his role.

We see a man in love. When he looses that love, he uses his genius to try and save her. Failing to do that, he embarks on a quest to find out why. When he gets his answer, he realizes he has found a new life, and to leave the past in the past.

I thought the ending, with the past next to the future, was well done.

And Orlando Jones role is entertaining.

Average customer rating:

Unique and Marvelous.
WOW
A fight to the death for gasoline
Can you say "Peak Oil" boys and girls?
The Road Warrior

The Road Warrior
Starring: Mel Gibson , Bruce Spence , Michael Preston , Max Phipps , and Vernon Wells
Director: George Miller (II)
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: 0790729342
Release Date: 1997-03-26

Amazon.com

A strong candidate for the designation of most thrilling action movie ever made (the turbo-charged exhilaration of its full-throttle highway chases has never been equaled), the second part of George Miller's post-apocalyptic trilogy is also a magnificently imagined movie myth. Like the Star Wars trilogy (by that other George) the Mad Max films draw their inspiration from the works of mythologist Joseph Campbell. In the 1979 original, Max (Mel Gibson) is a policeman, the last guardian of civilization and order in a devastated world reduced to chaos. But when a leather-clad gang of sadomasochistic speed demons mows down Max's family, his remaining connections to humanity are also permanently severed. After brutally exacting his revenge, Max wanders off into the wasteland alone, "a burned out shell of a man" who (to paraphrase The Searchers) is destined to wander forever between the winds. In The Road Warrior, Max rediscovers a sliver of his shattered humanity, and a spark of redemption, when he helps an embattled colony of pioneers fight off the savages who are after that most precious of all commodities: "guzzline." Max is transformed into a legendary hero, just as Mel Gibson was catapulted to international movie stardom. With its final stirring images, The Road Warrior transcends its genre (whatever that may be--science fiction? Western? action adventure?) and becomes something timeless. It's a great movie. --Jim Emerson

Customer Reviews:

Unique and Marvelous. .......2007-08-16

I first saw this movie over 20 years ago and didn't like it because I didn't like any of the characters. Flashforward two decades and I now like at least six of them. That tells you the way time builds human understanding. As a kid I assumed that the world was a good place, but now I know it to be equal parts good and evil. Few films showcase this eventuality more artfully and powerfully than the Road Warrior. This is an amazing production and I truly envy you if you've never seen it before.

The Road Warrior is both entertaining and deeply enlightening. There is more truth in its portrayal of human nature than a million self-help books and a hundred Hollywood movies. Civilization's veneer is thin. Without police and a government we would revert to shameful behaviors and attempt to survive by any means necessary. Max and the Gyro Captain are great but I still think that the feral boy character steals the spotlight from everyone else. The movie also tells us much about the nature of friendship along with the way we quickly bond with others in times of need. If you haven't seen it please do.

WOW.......2007-08-12

So it is the future and gasoline is like gold. Well this is obviously dated because when I fill up now I feel like I am paying a gold bar for a tank. Besides that, most of the places now do not allow you to pump and then pay, because so many people are stealing from the pumps. They call these "Driveoffs" and we need a guy like the one Gibson plays in this movie to chase them down!

The nice thing is in this movie is that on these roads you do not have to worry about a speed limit. So yeah, sorry peoples but the radar detector you just got would be worthless in this film.

The part that is not realistic is of course the roads themselves. C'mon peoples everywhere you go they are always having detours due to construction and road repair, in reality if this kind of thing played out, you would get a flat tire from all the potholes and debris that would fill up on the road over time. I mean really where are the streetsweepers? You have to be realistic even in a Science Fiction environment, but hey no problem, it is still good.

A fight to the death for gasoline.......2007-08-09

The second film of the trilogy is getting off the banality of the first one with its rape, infanticide and vengeance. Here we get to a world that is a real war to the death of one tribe against another and there is no law anywhere close. It is war for survival hence for the only thing that has some value in this desertic world where you can only move safely in motor vehicles, hence with gas. A fight for a tanker of gas, that's what the stake is. Mad Max gets on the side that controls the tanker in order to get gas for his car and he manages to serve them in a way and be accepted, though he tries to go away on his own when the service is finished. But he gets wrecked and has to be brought back by some accessory to the action who has some kind of unidentifiable flying object, some kind of ancestor of the chopper. So he will be the hero of the essential part of the film, the chase after the tanker. We will follow it with anxiety especially since a tanker like that is a bomb on wheels. The successive attacks against the tanker will be creative and some people will die on both sides and the driver will be seriously endangered by the attackers, to the point that he will not be able to avoid the final crash. And surprise, surprise, the tanker will not explode. The good old valueless gas had been transferred to the school bus in which the women were traveling. But the wreck of the tanker will incite the attackers, or what's left of them, to go away. Strangely enough they will not verify the content of the tanker and will not be able to think that the gas was somewhere else: these attackers are barbarians somewhere, hence they are intellectually retarded. And the final leg of the migration to safety could start and Mad Max could disappear in a mirage in the desert like some sand on a wind. Entertaining but in no way too intellectual: you will not get any nightmares nor headaches. Just funny after all. But that kind of chase will be imitated galore in the coming years after 1981. And that's probably one reason why it became cult: it was one of the very first films to work on the technique of shooting and editing such a chase.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Can you say "Peak Oil" boys and girls?.......2007-08-01

Hehehe I knew you could;-) Mad Max, when it came out in the states was seen as a post-nuclear war vision. One where the US and Russia wipe each other out, but the rest of the world just faces the economic collapse that the two superpowers war causes. The Australian perspective was more to do with the energy crunch of the Opec embargo, one that hit Australia very hard. Mad Max is more of a 'peak oil' series than a 'post nuclear' series.

And we are facing the beginnings of that dark future now. It could be 20 years, it could be tomorrow. Once the fuel prices spike high and stay that way, the panic it will cause will alone be enough to disrupt, possibly destroy civilization.

This is a movie that we should put back in theaters. Like the budget theaters that some cities/towns have. People will come for the action and Mel Gibson, then they'll remember the beginning and the end of this movie, the narrative.

The Road Warrior.......2007-07-10

Technically a sequel to Australian director George Miller's "Mad Max," this gripping, hyperkinetic sci-fi action film not only stands on its own, but actually throttles past its predecessor. Gibson, reprising his role as Max, is all nerve and bone as the rugged, laconic loner, and his visceral performance has star power written all over it. In supporting roles, Emil Minty is touching as Max's feral-child sidekick, while Kjell Nilsson is unforgettably fearsome as tribal leader Humungus. Miller's "Road Warrior" is one long adrenaline rush, epitomized in the climactic scene involving a band of crazed villains pursuing an oil tanker at breakneck speed.

Average customer rating:

Some more refinement and this would be a truly great film
Much Maligned Film Deserves to Be Seen
Kurt did a great job
Fear and discipline
Soldier

Soldier
Starring: Kurt Russell , Jason Scott Lee , Jason Isaacs , Connie Nielsen , and Sean Pertwee
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Manufacturer: Warner Home Video
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ASIN: 0790740443
Release Date: 1999-03-02

Product Description

After being defeated and left for dead by his genetically engineered replacements, Sergeant Todd must save a peaceful community from destruction by the same soldiers.

System Requirements:
Starring: Kurt Russell, et al. Edition Details: Region 1 encoding (for use in US and Canada only) Color, Special Edition Number of discs: 1

Format: DVD MOVIE

Amazon.com

Kurt Russell hits new heights in laconic action heroes with his portrayal of Sergeant Todd, born and bred to be a soldier in a futuristic army. Raised to kill mercilessly, living only for battle, he finds himself at the twilight of his career (and so-called life) when a regiment of genetically enhanced warriors threatens to make his brand of soldiering obsolete. Despite his extensive skills, he is no match for the best of breed of the new order, and he's left for dead on a planet that serves only as a junk heap. There he encounters a ragtag group of castaways, and in his own strange and silent way slowly begins to learn how to be less a killer and more a human. All is disrupted, though, when the genetic regiment arrives on the trash planet and decides to eradicate the local human "trespassers." Though Todd had been overmatched before, this time he has more than ever to fight for--a home, and friends. Soldier is one of those rare sci fi movies that relies more on plot and action than special effects (though the trash planet is effectively wrought). The pace of action in the last half of the film is relentless and exciting, and Russell's portrayal of the old warrior as he warms to human emotions relies more on expression than words--in fact, he barely utters more than a half-dozen lines. --Tod Nelson

Customer Reviews:

Some more refinement and this would be a truly great film.......2007-06-28

This movie reminds me of the graphic novel War Machine. The novel is about a genetically created soldier who was trained since birth to serve with unfaltering loyalty and does so until he is abandoned. Both the book and the movie have that similar story of a futuristic soldier trained since birth who defies his leaders for a moral solution. They are two very different and specific stories mind you. But I digress. Soldier is kind of a mixed bag of action and a little heart, with some quirks as well. Ultimately what you get is a great movie with some gaping flaws that still make it a pretty good flick in the end.

I think the biggest feather in this movie's cap is seeing dispossessed soldier Todd, played by Kurt Russell, interact with civilians and try to unlearn his conditioning. It is not done in a cheesy way like having Todd shed his first tear or anything like that. The script seems to respect the fact that you cannot change yourself overnight. Also theew is a love interest of sorts that is pretty much unrequited. At least through the course of the movie. Again these things don't change overnight. Kurt hardly says a line and still shines in this movie. Some might disagree, but I think Kurt Russel's acting was very well done and appropriate for the kind of character he was. Most of it is in his eyes. The acting is real subtle but very effective.

Cinematography was nice. Colored lenses were used in basic but effective ways. The junk planet landscape gave a good post-apocalyptic feel (again with color filters adding to the ambience). The guns and tech should keep you military types drooling. Big guns and even more massive assault vehicles were definitely fun to see in action. The special effects are very good and not overdone, and thats always a nice touch.

The plot is solid enough. The thing is they do some odd things in the movie. I mean REALLY odd things like officers ordering these super soldiers to fight each other to the death to prove a point and other strangeness. The truly stupid stuff comes around the end when Todd goes toe to toe with newer soldiers. I can't figure out why genetically enhanced soldiers that are made to ignore pain scream like little girls when they are dying. Also the soldiers themselves don't seem to have much of a concept of small unit tactics. They just walk in and shoot. I suppose that is explained well enough with captains and colonels arguing over the unit having no real combat experience. Todd doesn't seem to have a problem using surprise tactics, but the 'new recruits' didn't seem to get it. I don't know... this military of the future is pretty dirt dumb.

This DVD is pretty sparse on special features, but you do get a pretty informative commentary by director Paul Anderson, co-produc