Derek recommends....

"I got to fucking do something about this. I can't have the kid fucking talking to the cops. You understand me? The fucking gun is on the street. This whole fucking goddamn thing is about to fucking blow up. If fucking Tommy or any of those fucking guys find out about it, I'm a dead man. You got to fucking help me."

Taking a heavy dose of influence from 1970's cop flicks as well as employing elements of modern action films (with a bit of Grimm's Fairy Tales also in the mix), Wayne Kramer's Running Scared is a hard-hitting, visceral, over-the-top extravaganza of blood and bullets that never lulls for a moment. With his second major movie, writer-director Kramer has delivered a non-stop action powerhouse packed with brutal violence, nightmarish caricatures, gun-toting kids, washing machine cunnilingus and enough f-bombs to make Martin Scorsese blush. It's also laden with pointless-yet-cool camera tricks and a crazily contorted plot structure. In a nutshell: Running Scared is an outrageous catalogue of action movie tricks presented by a director who's clearly having fun sampling from the genre salad bar. This ain't a movie for squeamish or those sensitive to gratuitous violence, but Running Scared is highly recommended if you have a taste for stylish filmmaking and gritty realism - it will leave you breathless.

The less written about this film's storyline, the better. In the simplest words possible, the story concerns a low-level gangster named Joey Gazelle (Walker). Following a botched drug deal that results in the deaths of several corrupt cops, Joey is tasked with disposing the guns used during the shootout. But before he can dispose of the guns, one of them is stolen by a young boy named Oleg (Bright) who uses it to shoot his abusive father (Roden). This gun becomes a MacGuffin which sets things in motion. Throughout the course of one night, Joey has to find the gun as well as Oleg. What follows can be described rather accurately as a feverish fairy tale told in the backdrop of a nihilistic and violent underworld.

Running Scared begins with an eye-popping, violent action sequence that's part True Romance, part Lethal Weapon and part The Matrix. With frenetic camera work, quick edits, slow motion and blood aplenty, this is an ardently visual sequence. Action fanatics will certainly be pleased with this opening which also establishes a fitting "anything can happen" atmosphere. After this shootout, the story slows down in order to develop the characters. Once Oleg uses the gun, however, the film detonates with an exhilarating, kinetic energy. From there, Running Scared becomes a succession of encounters, each one growing more bizarre and overblown. Much of this flick exists in an almost dream-like state, with sequences bordering on surrealism. The screen drips with sweat and blood with scene after scene of relentless brutality. Joey and Oleg's trip down the rabbit hole (if you will) is a despairingly dark odyssey of crime and suspense that culminates in an amazingly violent climax for which all bets are off.

Writer-director Wayne Kramer previously directed the somewhat low-key 2003 film The Cooler, hence Running Scared is a surprise in terms of style. For this film, Kramer adds a multitude of visual tricks that amplify the nightmarish atmosphere. Jim Whitaker's cinematography is equally astounding - with a desaturated colour palette of rich, grimy lustre and a number of magnificent, digitally-enhanced images, the filmmakers have achieved a true comic-book mood in the vein of Sin City and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. This is all topped off with Mark Isham's top-flight score. Director Kramer also truly tests the boundaries for his film's R rating - on top of the orgy of ultra-violence, profanity is plentiful and there are a few full frontal nude shots.

Running Scared is not without its faults, however - the storyline is confusing, with plot holes and unbelievably contrivances galore. The dialogue alternates between outrageously profane and unbelievable, and a lot of the characters are cardboard. Kramer also employs pretty much every crime film cliché in existence. But the visuals are so enthralling, the pacing is so frenetic and the action is so involving that the film only falls apart in retrospect. There are probably too many endings as well, but Running Scared nevertheless remains a deliriously off-beat, psychotic action flick that entertains mightily.

Paul Walker is one of the movie's greatest strengths. The hard-edged, scared-to-death persona of Joey perfectly suits Walker - he does plenty of running, jumping, shooting and swearing with grit and believability backing up his actions. Even better, the actor manages to sell panic better than one would expect judging from his past work (movies like The Fast and the Furious).
The children (Cameron Bright and Alex Neuberger) submit solid work, while the villains (such as Chazz Palminteri, Karel Roden and Johnny Messner) exude malice. As the ever-devoted wife of Joey, there's Vera Farmiga who steals every scene. She even gets a subplot of her own - one which clearly indicates that Running Scared is more of a pulpy comic book or a grim neo-fairytale.

Running Scared is best described as an adult fairytale since writer-director Wayne Kramer blends conventional action-adventure aesthetics with the fantastic and the mythic. So much crazy stuff occurs during the course of Joey's outlandish night that the film frequently feels like a "greatest hits" collection of action flick lunacy. Best of all, Running Scared moves at such a lightning pace that one can easily overlook the preposterousness of the whole enterprise.

"You got my money, you leave that shit in the mailbox on your ass way out, you feel me? Some other motherfuckers let fool rob on them. I don't play scrimmage. But I don't fuck with no kids. And if that girl only hope is you, well, I pray for her, because she's gone, baby. Gone."

Gone Baby Gone denotes the auspicious directorial debut of Ben Affleck. Once undoubtedly one of Hollywood's worst actors (rapidly descending from Hollywood A-List to late-night talk show host punch-line on account of the J-Lo episode), Affleck has seemingly decided that his career has a better future if he remains behind the camera as opposed to in front of it. Based on the novel by Dennis Lehane, Gone Baby Gone was expertly scripted by Affleck and Aaron Stockard. This is a mature film, and first-time director Affleck was clearly determined the employ every ounce of his filmmaking skill in order to do justice to Lehane's source material (apparently Affleck's favourite book). The product is this gripping, densely-plotted crime thriller - a compelling drama that derives its plot twists from moral conundrums as opposed to narrative sleight of hand. Gone Baby Gone engages a viewer on both an emotional and intellectual level. As each onion-like layer of the narrative is peeled away, new ethical dilemmas are revealed that effectively compel the protagonist to question what truly is "right". An audience is invited to answer these questions beside him, and evaluate whether the outcomes of his decisions justify the choices he's made. Gone Baby Gone is a rare and unique motion picture experience that offers an uncompromising perspective of what is right and what is moral.

Full review coming soon...

"He lied to me. Now I can't think of one reason big enough for him to lie about that's small enough not to matter."

"You think killing a man gives you the right to negotiate with me?"

The Negotiator is of a rare breed - an action-thriller relying on suspense generated by lots of dialogue, several superb plot twists and a selection of brilliant, dominant performances rather than a surplus of explosive, over-the-top action sequences. This first-rate white-knuckle thriller is virtually a non-stop venture into tension. Once the (somewhat clichéd) set-up has been established, the film kicks into high gear and moves at an invigorating fast pace; ably keeping a viewer engrossed until its fantastic dénouement. The Negotiator adheres to the classic Die Hard formula - i.e. a protagonist trapped in a nasty situation; compelled to employ his wits and heroics. This enthralling production deserves to be considered one of the best action-thrillers since Die Hard, and is a Dog Day Afternoon of the '90s.

Inspired by a real-life case involving the St. Louis police, The Negotiator is endowed with the premise of a falsely accused man who's forced to violate the law in order to prove his innocence.
Expert hostage negotiator Danny Roman (Jackson) is a respected member of the Chicago Police Department. When he learns too much information regarding police corruption in his own precinct, Roman's partner is murdered. Subsequently, Roman is unjustly framed for the murder and framed for embezzling retirement funds. Recently married but possibly facing a lifetime in prison, Roman is desperate to prove his innocence. In a last frantic attempt to exonerate himself, Roman takes four hostages. His goal: to intimidate the guilty cops into telling the truth and clearing his name. Aware that there are heavily corrupt cops in his precinct, Roman demands to talk to hostage negotiator Chris Sabian (Spacey) who has no affiliation with his precinct and who's recognised for his anti-violence creed. What ensues is an enthralling situation as two accomplished negotiators lock in an intense battle of wits. In the midst of this, Roman endeavours to expose the real crooks and convince Sabian of his innocence.

"You want my blood? Take my blood!"

The Negotiator is a superlative, competently-written thriller, and it's elevated enormously by the two lead actors. Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey aren't just good performers; each exudes an authoritative screen presence that cannot be taught. Placing Spacey and Jackson together is a shrewd casting decision, and witnessing these two high-calibre actors share the frame is a real treat.

Embodying the incorrectly accused Everyman whose life is unfairly threatened, Jackson conveys not only the requisite rage and passion, but additionally a profound sense of humanity. He's an exceptional actor - someone who almost never delivers a defective performance. Put Jackson in a great movie, and he makes it better. Put him in a bad movie, and he rescues it. The Negotiator is a textbook case of the former.
Beside Jackson, Kevin Spacey is exceptional as the veteran hostage negotiator. In the delivery of cynical dialogue, Spacey has no rival - instead he uses his distinctive voice and rhythm to punctuate his speeches.

The supporting cast is most impressive. J.T. Walsh (in his final film) in particular places forth an excellently subdued performance as the ambiguous Niebaum. Walsh died soon after production wrapped, and the film is dedicated to the actor.

David Morse appears as the tough SWAT commander who believes Jackson's Danny Roman takes too many chances. In addition there's Regina Taylor as Roman's new bride, Ron Rifkin as Frost (Roman's friend + colleague), John Spencer as the rational Chief Davis, and finally the duel team of Paul Giamatti and Siobahn Fallon as two civilians caught up in the hostage situation - all hitting their marks impeccably. Giamatti is especially outstanding; providing small dosages of humour, but never overdoing it.

"You hurt one of them, you burn up any currency you have with me. They're all I care about. Getting you out of here alive... a distant second."

The Negotiator benefits from a perfectly-paced, fleshed-out screenplay penned by James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox (two relative newcomers). Their excellent script is beset with detail in the construction of conflict, the revelation of the villains, and the resolution of the story. Since the conclusion is fairly predictable, the real tension and hostility resides in its disclosure of the truth behind the multifaceted conspiracy of avarice and corruption. Furthermore, the minor characters are well-selected, well-conceived and (moderately) three-dimensional. In a genuine masterstroke, the film doesn't telegraph the chief villain too early. The method of the screenwriters and director F. Gary Gray makes everyone appear guilty. Excluding Roman and Sabian, no-one is above suspicion. Each supporting character is given at least one scene that suggests their possible guilt. Consequently, the big reveal of the chief villain isn't much of a surprise, but we can't say we knew all along either. Furthermore, DeMonaco and Fox's screenplay is littered with extensive research on negotiation procedures as the rulebook is constantly referenced. This is a quality rarely included in popcorn action-thrillers, elevating The Negotiator to new heights once again.

Also beneficial is the confidence displayed by the relatively inexperienced director F. Gary Gray. Working with a terrific cast and a bigger budget than in his prior movies (including Friday and Set It Off), Gray demonstrates his ability to handle a large-scale production with an abundance of action set-pieces. The helmer has fashioned a top-notch motion picture that interlaces exhilarating bursts of chaotic action with dark comedy and effective character building - all this achieved in an increasingly-claustrophobic atmosphere. He's particularly adept at managing intense interactions between the central characters. Although Gray was working from a solid script, the story is not a masterpiece of innovation or creativity. It's Gray's directorial style more than anything else that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. He also compels us to be concerned about the characters, to share Roman's frustration and anger, and to get engaged in the delicate process of negotiations. Ace cinematographer Russell Carpenter won an Oscar for his work on Titanic, and his commendable efforts here give the film a great sheen. Locations in Chicago are wonderfully showcased in brilliant overhead shots. Carpenter also gives the film a dark, cohesive look.

"When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers."

Unlike typical summer action movies, The Negotiator isn't dependent on expensive special effects to provide its thrills, nor is it saturated with over-the-top action sequences. While action-oriented summer flicks are admittedly stacks of fun, The Negotiator offers a refreshing and satisfying option of steadily building the tension to boiling point. It's a riveting experience - one that's guaranteed to keep your eyes glued to the screen. The battle of wits that unfolds never loses its edge, although the film is a tad on the long side at roughly 130 minutes. There are other flaws present in the film - too many irritatingly melodramatic scenes are detrimental, as are a few preposterous, Hollywoodised inclusions (simply walking into the sunset after an intense hostage-taking situation would never happen). Still, the level of intelligence is higher than that of a typical summer blockbuster. Furthermore, the film is often formulaic and unoriginal - there's the mandatory wife who demands her husband to stop taking dangerous assignments, and the TV crews that supply the usual obnoxious questions. To director Gray's credit, though, it's almost impossible to notice these clichés until your adrenaline stops pumping and the film has become a mere afterthought. The Negotiator takes a hackneyed story and jacks it up various levels with Gray's craft and style.

Not often are Die Hard emulations of this high standard - The Negotiator is an intense, entertaining, incredibly gripping action-thriller. Director F. Gary Gray has skilfully crafted a deft combination of intense dialogue, plot twists and pulse-pounding action set-pieces. The film doesn't plod despite its lengthy runtime, and the masterful filmmaking guarantees quality viewing regardless of how many times you've previously seen it. The Negotiator opens with a bang, and it's exactly this advantageous energy that pervades the entire picture. Jackson and Spacey are a sublime duo, exchanging witty dialogue delivered with conviction and urgency. This cracking, slam-bang thriller simply cannot be missed!

"I'm still alive, motherfucker!"

Bruce Willis? Hardcore action? Count me in.

"I am the law! Put down your weapons and prepare to be judged."

The greatest cinematic guilty pleasures in history generally feature an 80's action hero as its primary acting talent. Sylvester Stallone is a particularly habitual purveyor of guilty pleasures. Think Cobra, or the second & third Rambo movies, or Tango & Cash. The film in question - 1995's Judge Dredd - is yet another classic example of a guilty pleasure featuring the muscle-bound performer. This isn't a perfect film by any means - in fact from a critical standpoint this is an awful movie. It's inane, stupid, brainless and derivative. Nevertheless, it's irresistibly entertaining, enjoyable and fun. Stallone packs his muscular body into the gold-plated, armoured uniform of Judge Dredd. As this "Judge", he has the privilege of being judge, jury and executioner rolled into one. The whole movie is built around this concept - Stallone fundamentally deals out justice in a futuristic dystopian metropolis for 90 minutes.

Judge Dredd is based on a popular British comic book strip. This comic book atmosphere is retained, although it's fairly cartoonish at times. I'm not accustomed to the source material, thus I can't testify to the level of fidelity, but a majority of the visuals evoke a comic book atmosphere - from the campy costumes to the imitative production design and the corny one-liners. In all honesty, Judge Dredd occasionally seems like a futile retread of Demolition Man.

You want chaos? I'm the chaos. You want fear? I'm the fear. You want a new beginning? I'm the new beginning!

The film is prefaced with a prologue - an opening title reel outlining the story so far. This is the first shred of evidence substantiating the fact Judge Dredd aspires to be Star Wars, made far more obvious with the authoritative, bellowing voice of James Earl Jones to accompany.

The story commences decades into the future when society has deteriorated. In an inevitable amalgam of Mad Max 2 (a.k.a. The Road Warrior) and Blade Runner, crime has flourished to an uncontrollable extent and the "Cursed Earth" is a desolate wasteland. In order to battle crime more efficiently, Judges patrol the streets - they "judge" the criminals they encounter, dishing out an appropriate sentence; be it several years of incarceration or immediate execution. During the action-packed opening sequence, the audience is introduced to Judge Dredd (a suitably lean, gruff, burly Stallone). Dredd is the most formidable and revered of the Street Judges - emotionless, relentless, and merciless. Following this character establishment, a plot (if it can be called that) emerges: a murderous former judge (Assante) hatches a sinister plan to overthrow the government and eliminate the Judges, instead substituting them with clones of himself. Let the chaos and mayhem begin...

"Court's adjourned!"

Limitless plot holes are easily noticeable, and the absurd disposition of the vague plot almost insults the intelligence. Example of a plot hole: early into the film, Dredd explains bullets aren't effective past two hundred metres. However, in truth, as long as a bullet has gravity to guide it, its force won't be weakened until it hits something! Also, villains in the film try so hard to be sinister that they forget to have an adequate motivation.

"The Judge's standard-issue body armor. Yours, when you graduate. The Lawgiver: a Judge's standard-issue sidearm. Yours, if you graduate. The Lawmaster: a Judge's standard-issue personal transport. Yours... if you can ever get it to work."

Judge Dredd is Blade Runner for viewers suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder. Ridley Scott's Blade Runner is ponderous and deeply philosophical, whereas Judge Dredd offers brainless popcorn entertainment. As previously detailed, this is leave-your-brain-at-the-door material. The action sequences manage to thrill, but they are preposterous - even for science fiction. Heroes are entirely impervious to bullets, for instance (even after suffering a wound, a character still manages to save the day in a hopelessly clichéd finale). Then by the time Stallone and Rob Schneider outrun a blast of fire, one can't help but laugh. Be that as it may, Judge Dredd is an underrated gem that deserves to be on the to-watch short-list of any Stallone fan...or just any fan of the action genre. This is 90 minutes of solid entertainment, laced with enjoyably frenetic action sequences and a mind-blowing display of special effects (for the most part, that is - obvious matte paintings during one chase sequence will cause one to wonder if the budget suddenly imploded).

At least visually, Judge Dredd aspires to be the next big sci-fi action extravaganza. Blade Runner presented a unique image of a possible future. Mega-City One (formerly New York City) in Judge Dredd is evidently a glitzy replication. And let's face it: the air speeder chase is an aping of Return of the Jedi. Traces of Mad Max appear to be thrown in...and, interestingly, there are a few cannibalistic mountain folk mirroring The Hills Have Eyes as well. This is a derivative sci-fi action film, but even in spite of its blatant unoriginality it entertains and the sets look genuinely spectacular. In addition, there are a sufficient amount of creative ideas incorporated into the film. Mega-City One is appropriately intricate and exhilarating. And Dredd's signature weapon - a pistol with voice-selectable ammo for all occasions - is undeniably cool. Stallone as Judge Dredd is more or less Dirty Harry in RoboCop's armour. Stallone plays the character in Eastwood style; his lines delivered in a monotone, and his eyes glint with a noble rage (the glint basically means "I'd enjoy killing your arse!").

"The legendary Angel family. Cursed Earth pirates, murderers, scavengers, and of course scumbags!"

Judge Dredd appears to have a serious tonal problem. Stallone grunting through his first few lines is enough to trigger fits of laughter. The dialogue is frequently hilarious - whether intentional or otherwise. Examining the committee of credited screenwriters, it isn't hard to see why. Michael De Luca and William Wisher Jnr. were responsible for RoboCop 3, after all.

Badass one-liners are a necessity for the genre. The Terminator wouldn't be the same without "I'll be back", for instance. Stallone is given all the best lines, most notably his declaration of "I am the law!". Moments like this call to mind memories of Cobra - as a matter of fact, Judge Dredd is Cobra transplanted into a sci-fi setting.

"We're both prisoners warden. You're behind a desk, and I'm behind this."

Director Danny Cannon was obviously aiming for a science fiction action blockbuster with a touch of humour. Cannon handles the material competently. As a supplement for Cannon's visual implementation, there are dynamic sound effects and a pulse-pounding score. Originally the film was to receive a PG-13 rating from the MPAA, hence the disappointingly tame violence. However it was ultimately slapped with an R-rating...but a deplorably soft R-rating.

Performance-wise, there's a selection of two-dimensional acting talent on offer - quite suitable, I suppose. Stallone is Stallone in spades; need more be said? The notoriously bad actor half-grunts and half-bellows his lines throughout the runtime. At the film's beginning he dons a helmet, concealing all except his lips. The effect is slightly disconcerting since it emphasises the slurry, drugged-sounding lethargy of Stallone's vocal delivery. Thankfully, the helmet isn't on for long.

Stallone is given a love interest in Diane Lane as a fellow Judge. The usually reliable actress is somewhat bland, and Lane's chemistry with her co-star is abysmal. Thankfully, Rob Schneider is thrown in for a bit of comic relief. This is definitely a high point for Schneider's career...something to remember since his career was eventually relegated to worthless Adam Sandler vehicles. In this performance Schneider is hysterical; firing off one-liners and conveying his anxiety about a situation amusingly. At one stage during the production, Schneider improvised a mockery of Stallone. The filmmakers found it hilarious, and subsequently added it to the final cut. Armand Assante looks to be having a great time as the central villain; over-the-top, menacing and murderous. In every scene he appears to be vying for the Sociopath of the Year award. Other respected thespians fill in the gaps - Max von Syndow's Obi-Wan-ish manifestation is watchable, and Jürgen Prochnow makes a brief appearance as a Judge.

"The innocent only exist until they inevitably become perpatrators. Guilt or innocence is a matter of timing."

All things considered, Judge Dredd is serviceable low-grade entertainment. It's a brainless popcorn sci-fi action movie, featuring top-notch explosive action sequences fuelled by a pretty horrible script. Aside from Stallone's occasional twinkle - dispersing Dredd's limited repertoire of kick-ass catch phrases - it's the extravagant production design and special effects that effectively engage. Judge Dredd can only be defined as a guilty pleasure. It may be campy and silly beyond all comprehension, but the film provides straightforward fun without being too taxing. In no way am I ashamed to admit I enjoyed this film thoroughly and would willingly watch it again numerous times.

"Emotions... there ought to be a law against them."