Blow (Infinifilm Edition)

Amazon.com

A briskly paced hybrid of Boogie Nights and Goodfellas, Blow chronicles the three-decade rise and fall of George Jung (Johnny Depp), a normal American kid who makes a personal vow against poverty, builds a marijuana empire in the '60s, multiplies his fortune with the Colombian Medellín cocaine cartel, and blows it all with a series of police busts culminating in one final, long-term jail sentence. "Your dad's a loser," says this absentee father to his estranged but beloved daughter, and he's right: Blow is the story of a nice guy who made wrong choices all his life, almost single-handedly created the American cocaine trade, and got exactly what he deserved. As directed by Ted Demme, the film is vibrantly entertaining, painstakingly authentic... and utterly aimless in terms of overall purpose.

We can't sympathize with Jung's meteoric rise to wealth and the wild life, and Demme isn't suggesting that we should idolize a drug dealer. So what, exactly, is the point of Blow? Simply, it seems, to present Jung's story as the epitome of the coke-driven glory days, and to suggest, ever so subtly, that Jung isn't such a bad guy, after all. Anyone curious about his lifestyle will find this film amazing, and there's plenty of humor mixed with the constant threat of violence and paranoid anxiety. Demme has also populated the film with a fantastic supporting cast (although Penélope Cruz grows tiresome as Jung's hedonistic wife), and this is certainly a compelling look at the other side of Traffic. Still, one wishes that Blow had a more viable reason for being; like a wild party, it leaves you with a hangover and a vague feeling of regret. --Jeff Shannon

Description

Based on a true story, Blow gives us a fast-paced look at the quick rise and fall of George Jung (Johnny Depp) who became a premier importer of Colombian cocaine, in the turbulent 1970's, forever changing the face of drugs in America.

DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
DVD ROM Features
DVD ROM exclusive web site
Documentary
Filmographies
Music Video
Outtakes
Production Notes
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Entertainment. .......2007-09-03

I just picked this up and saw it for the second time. I put it on my list due to my coming across an interview with George Jung in a book on the Drug War. Really, I'm surprised more people didn't love this one. How many more winning attributes can a film possess? It's based a true story about famous people with tons of action and great characters. Depp, of course, was superb, but Jordi Malla as Diego (really Carlos Lehder) is almost as good. The scenes of Escobar stood out as well. I would place this one in my second tier of mafia/action movies.

George Jung.......2007-08-26

George Jung gets out of prison in a few years. Depp portrays Jung who became one of the largest cocaine smugglers in the 1980's. I question some of the truth in parts of the movie and it glamourized drug dealing. However it remains one of my favorite movie's.

Corey Cotta, Author of All of Yesterdays Tomorrows.

George Jung...the anti-hero!.......2007-08-17

What George Jung did was illegal. But why George Jung did it, is really and truly an inspiration!

George Jung vowed never to be poor, and he would do whatever it took to make sure that he (and eventually his family) had the best life they possibly could. Sadly, Jung suffered the consequences after being caught, and ineveitably lost more than his money and freedom. It is this that makes the story of George Jung so riveting and true to the heart.

He did what every red-blooded American wanted to do, make money without really having to work to make it. Is there anything wrong with that? No. Dis he get caught? Yes. Was he man enough to stand there and take the punishment? Absolutely. Jung may have sacrificed quite a bit, but he did it all, not for him, but for his family; for his daughter. For that alone, George Jung is really an American hero.

Johnny Depp has always been my favorite actor, because of his versatility and ability to make you believe that he "is" the character. No surprise here that Depp puts on a stunning portrayel of Jung! Also, I'm really not a fan of Paul Ruebens, but his character Derek was amazingly funny, as well as true.

The rest of the cast was also just as solid. Ray Liotta, Rachel Griffiths, and of course Penelope Cruz, all do wonderful and spot-on jobs as their characters! The directing in this film is also a top-notch acheivement and stands alone as a historical mark.

This film ranks right up there with "Goodfellas" for me as one to become (or may already be) a classic! I urge anyone to at least rent this movie, and see why (I believe) George Jung is a great man!

A Technicolor Life.......2007-07-30

Every time I watch one of those prison documentaries, the same question comes to my mind: How could someone keep committing crimes, knowing they're going back to prison again and again? Having watched *Blow,* I now know the answer: It just sort of happens.

George Jung as played by Johnny Depp has a wheeler-dealer mentality--always out for the next score; getting high on risk-taking; willing to walk into situations that could go seriously wrong at any moment, and roll with whatever happens. How could a guy like that put in his 8 a day at a regular job and be satisfied? Even though George gets "out" of the business periodically, he's only really happy when he's in. It's like his life in the drug business was technicolor and he's trying to live in black and white. Not gonna work.

The characters in the film are pretty one-dimensional, which is fine because the movie is really about the story, not the people in it. The only casting I didn't like was Penelope Cruz as George's Colombian wife. The one requirement for the role would be that the actress be smoking hot, drop-dead gorgeous, which, no offense, Penelope isn't. However, she does work out better later on in the movie as the worn-down, disgusted single mom stretching everything to the limit just trying to keep her and her daughter's life together.

As far as things to watch out for, there is a lot of swearing, violence, and drug use, which makes sense given the subject matter. Also, if you just quit smoking you might want to wait a few weeks before watching this one as all the characters seem to be puffing on cigs 24/7. But do watch the movie, because it grabs you from the word go and keeps you fascinated the rest of the way, even though you basically know how it's going to turn out. It's also one you can watch more than once or twice, so worth the money to get the DVD.

Blow movie.......2007-06-14

I did not receive this product at all, I tracked its progress and it said it was sent to me, but I never did receive, I attempted to contact Amazon about this order and there was no reply. I was very dissatisfied and felt like someone stole my money.

Average customer rating:

Excellent and Educational.
Oh my God the money!
Cocaine Cowboys
The best drug story told....
Great In All Aspects

Cocaine Cowboys
Starring: Kelly Hughes
Director: Billy Corben
Manufacturer: Magnolia
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000KLQUUS
Release Date: 2007-01-23

Amazon.com

More of a real-life exploitation film than a bonafide documentary, Cocaine Cowboys is tailor-made for anyone who worships Brian De Palma's Scarface. It's no surprise that this slick, energetic film found a niche audience among crime-obsessed hip-hoppers; from a journalistic perspective it's an irresponsible mess, but director Billy Corben is obviously more interested in capturing the thrills and danger of the drug trade that transformed Miami, Florida during the Miami Vice era of the late 1970s and '80s. Corben has no particular interest in seriously examining the sociopolitical implications of Miami's drug-fueled rise and fall, so Cocaine Cowboys lives up to its title by focusing on some of the most colorful, daring, and outrageously successful survivors of that era, when tons of cocaine were distributed through Miami by the kingpins of Colombia's notorious Medellin cartel. Chief among the many interviewees are Jon Roberts and Mickey Munday (who personally transported over $2 billion worth of cocaine into Miami) and Jorge "Rivi" Ayala, a convicted drug-trade assassin now serving consecutive life terms in prison. They're lively storytellers who are egotistically eager to share their coke-tales, and Corben's only too happy to capture their exploits on film, up to and including the dubious use of violent reenactments that could easily serve as a recruitment film for Tony Montana wannabes.

It's simultaneously disgusting and compelling, especially since Corben has a knack for matching swift editing to the pulsing score by TV's original Miami Vice composer Jan Hammer. In the final analysis, it must be said that Cocaine Cowboys succeeds as a brash and breathtaking record of a bygone era, when murder rates were at an all-time high, coke was everywhere, and Miami was financially transformed into a nightlife mecca where criminals were kings. Or queens, as in the case of Griselda Blanco, the ruthless and self-appointed "Godmother" of the cocaine trade, who was responsible for countless murders and as of 2007 remained at large, her whereabouts unknown. All of this deadly life in the fast lane makes for a fascinating movie, but Corben and coproducer David Cypkin's breathless commentary makes it clear that they're young, immature thrill-seekers, and their film makes no apologies for glorifying the drug trade while exploring its bloody and frequently fatal consequences. Their commentary also accompanies an abundance of deleted scenes, and there's also a bonus featurette, "Hustlin' with the Godmother," in which Griselda Blanco's former lover and big-time coke dealer Charles Cosby tells his story, which clearly has all the makings of a Hollywood movie along the lines of Blow. You can bet that film will eventually be made, and don't be surprised if it's Corben who makes it. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Excellent and Educational. .......2007-08-25

This kind of looked like it was going to be a seriously low budget no frills production, but it turned out to be a first rate documentary. Cocaine Cowboys explores not only drug traffickers and the cocaine trade, but also the rise of a great American city. Florida in the seventies was "wide open," and, as always, the government was several steps behind the criminals. The venture that Mr. Roberts had with Mr. Munday flying "product" in and out of Columbia was pretty fascinating as were the links with the Ochoa Cartel. The interviews are excellent and these fellows, along with hitman Rivi Ayala, tell us just about everything we need to know about a period in Miami's history when it was wilder than the wild west. Godmother Griselda Blanco was a fascinating, although detestable, character, and one I had never heard of before seeing the documentary. Were it not for drug cash would Miami be what it is today? Quite doubtful.

Oh my God the money!.......2007-08-14

This movie almost makes the case for legalization. Can you imagine making $1.2 million for one trip. I'm still blown away by the amount of money these guys earned. On the other hand, the violence that accompanies the money is scary. In the end, Miami, like Hong Kong, prospered by satisfying the needs of the middle class, the impact of which can still be seen. On another note, the people involved, celebrities, doctors, lawyers and politicians is unbelieveable.

Cocaine Cowboys.......2007-07-05

Definitely a must see movie, shows the real side of miami that alot of people haven't seen.

The best drug story told...........2007-06-30

This documentary was so good, and so well told. It had me at the end of my seat in awe and shocked. One of the best drug told documentries ever...if you haven't seen it yet, please do. Miami was getting money fo' real.

Great In All Aspects.......2007-06-27

As a Miami resident, I found the film to be intriguing and very informative. Having grown up in South Florida, the film was 100% accurate and the way it was presented kept you glued to the TV. I do hope that the great city of Miami never repeats the past.

Average customer rating:

Well Concieved Man
Diesel At His Best - Just Plain Ruthless
Diesel's Best Performance Yet...
I admit it
Not Bad for a Modern Action Flick

A Man Apart
Starring: Vin Diesel , Larenz Tate , Timothy Olyphant , Geno Silva , and Jacqueline Obradors
Director: F. Gary Gray
Manufacturer: New Line Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00009ZPUA
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Amazon.com

Buffed-up action star Vin Diesel plays a reckless DEA agent in A Man Apart, which aspires to merge big-budget action fare with a grittier, The French Connection-style procedural drama. When his wife is murdered by a mysterious drug lord called Diablo, Sean Vetter (Diesel) loses his moral bearings and risks the lives of his fellow agents in a quest for revenge. A Man Apart tries to give Diesel the opportunity to demonstrate a greater emotional range, but it's a mess; the supposedly tender scenes are generic and flat, while the action scenes are utterly incomprehensible. Much of the time it's unclear who's a cop and who's a thug, so when people get shot--and a lot of people get shot--it just becomes a bland wash of blood and bullets. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Vin Diesel stars as a DEA agent on a deadly vendetta to take down the powerful drug cartel that killed his wife.

DVD Features:
Deleted Scenes:Seven Deleted Scenes
Other:Widescreen & Fullscreen on one disc
Theatrical Trailer

Customer Reviews:

Well Concieved Man.......2007-09-10

I wasn't sure what to expect from this as I got it in a three movie Diesel set. I hadn't seen it previously, but I must say I was pleasantly surprised. One review did a good job of pointing out this is a style like "French Connection", but I think it is crossed with something like "S.W.A.T.". Diesel is good as former gangbanger turned DEA agent. The movie makes twists and turns that may fool you as to who is responsible for the death of his wife. Fans of Steven Seagal or Lesley Snipes movies will probably enjoy it.

Diesel At His Best - Just Plain Ruthless.......2006-09-17

This is one movie that does not hold back - the story of a DEA agent avenging his wife's death and his assault on the cartel responsible for her death. To use the term "ruthless abandon" to describe Diesel's character and his actions is an understatement here and that is what makes this movie so great - quite similar to Denzel Washinton's character in Man On Fire. If you like it rough and ruthless this is definitely one for you!

Diesel's Best Performance Yet..........2006-01-10

Revenge movies generally do well with American film audiences, if for no other reason than that they achieve something that other film genres cannot. This type of film speaks to our sense of justice, when someone we love has had some wrong done to them, whether they be hurt, robbed, or worse, be killed, we want to go and set things right. However, in reality we cannot always act on these feelings, as much as we may want to, which is where these movies come in. For one, we don't actually have to go through any real pain or suffering, we simply vicariously live through the characters on screen, and through the emotional connection that is made, if something should happen to one of them, it instantly stirs that feeling for justice to be done.

"A Man Apart" is the story of a volatile DEA agent, Sean Vetter (Vin Diesel), who along with his partner Demetrius Hicks (Larenz Tate), go undercover to bring down the top Mexican drug lord. With the toppling of the top drug lord in Mexico, a new cartel begins to assume control of Mexico, led by a man called Diablo, this new drug cartel is even more ruthless than the one before it. To get the attention of the DEA, more importantly Sean Vetter, Diablo orders a hit on him, Vetter narrowly escapes with his life, sadly his wife was not so lucky. Vowing to take revenge on Diablo, Vetter strikes a deal with the very drug lord he just put away, and with the aid of his DEA partner, Demetrius, sets out to deliver his own lethal brand of justice.

Many revenge films have been hugely successful in Hollywood such as, "Desperado", "The Punisher", "Four Brothers", and many others. Now, "A Man Apart" can be added to the list, directed by F. Gary Gray (director of "The Negotiator" and "The Italian Job"), "A Man Apart" delivers a solid story of a broken man, that has lost the love of his life, and will stop at nothing until those responsible feel his wrath. Vin Diesel delivers possibly his best performance to date, showing a wide range of emotions that he hadn't needed to portray in his previous films "Pitch Black" or "The Fast and the Furious", though some doubted his acting ability, Vin proves here that he is more than just another action hero. The supporting cast is fairly strong, Larenz Tate is solid for the most part, as Vin's right-hand man, there are some weak spots in his performance, but they can be overlooked. The action is fast-paced and frantic, but serves to show the fractured state of Vetter's life without his wife. A problem many films of this genre can suffer from is an over-reliance on action, with not enough of a story to keep the audience engaged. "A Man Apart" succeeds in eluding this pitfall, with a story that continues to engage the audience emotionally, so that the vengeance doesn't seem pointless.

If you enjoy revenge tales or are a fan of Vin Diesel, then this is definitely a movie you should see. Also, if you are one of the many nay-sayers regarding Vin Diesel's movies or his acting, then you should put your skepticism aside and give "A Man Apart" a try, I believe you will quickly see that Diesel definitely has what it takes to be more than just an average action star in Hollywood.

"A Man Apart" is rated R for violence, language, and brief nudity/sensuality.

I admit it.......2005-08-19

I'm a Vin Deisel fan. This is a little out of the ordinary for him. This isn't your straight out action film, but has a good background and story development. A must see for any action film fan.

Not Bad for a Modern Action Flick.......2005-07-30

As someone who grew up watching the action films of the 80s---Chuck Norris, Stallone, Schwarzenegger and others---I fully expected A Man Apart to follow along the same lines. In some ways I ended up being pleasantly surprised, and in some ways I didn't.

The surprise came from the fact that Vin Diesel truly does have a fair amount of acting ability and showed good emotional range as the husband of a murdered wife who becomes obsessed with finding her killers. Vin does well as the strong, silent type with an explosive temper. The bad came from the fact that the basic plot of this film made very little sense, especially the big "who-dunnit" at the end. Was a big chunk of the movie edited out or what? When the main villian is revealed, it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. As we get further along in the movie, the writing lapses into the same old cliches and tired old lines that popped up in all those 80s movies I was talking about. The ending could have been ripped off from Cobra, Commando or one of those other flicks chock full of lame one-liners. I expected more from the ending, frankly, but I can't say that the rest of the movie was altogether bad. A Man Apart is worth viewing at least once.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic!

Rx
Starring: Eric Balfour , Colin Hanks , Lauren German , Daniel Pino , and Lulu Molina
Director: Ariel Vromen
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000JBXXZY
Release Date: 2007-01-30

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic!.......2006-12-03

This film is the one of the best I have seen in a long time. The cast is awesome, especially the beautiful Lauren German. It's a very sad movie too and lots of suspense throughout. The score is also beautiful in places. Highly recommended!

MTV - Making the Band 2 - The Best of Season 1

Average customer rating:

making the band...or rather not
They'll always be there...period
Dont Own This...

MTV - Making the Band 2 - The Best of Season 1
Starring: Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs , Tracey Waples , Alison Stanley , Harve Pierre , and Dylan John
Director: Zo Wesson , Kenny Hull , and Diane Houslin
Manufacturer: MTV
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0000E32WU
Release Date: 2003-12-09

Customer Reviews:

making the band...or rather not.......2007-08-12

It was good,but making the band 4 is even better. but they cut two very good people that should have stayed: Makio, and Carlos.

They'll always be there...period.......2005-02-26

I always admire them for the way they achieve even tho I'm their biggest fan. It's sad that they disband 'cuz of a lack of knowledge and support, y'know. But they'll try hard next time.

I believe that they'll still live on to the fullest. As for Babs, Young City (aka Choppa), and Ness still stayed for Bad Boy except those that left and didn't nothing against them Dylan (the reggae rapper), Sara (the love singer and the 1st singer on the group), and uhhh...let's see...Fred I forgot (he was always ignorant like Choppa for example).

Ok to make this short, I believe that they'll gon start over unless they gon do something about it. When I watched the entire show, it's was crazy and very important to me. Yes there were a lotta fights goin on, messing around, cussing, fooling around, playing games and of that little stuff they're doin.

One thing I like about Ness is that he isn't afraid to show his testimony to the group so now he's off his own putting a new release which 'bout to hit real soon.

And for others included, I never forgot, but I know who u are for example.

Look forward for seasons 2 and 3 comin out on DVD and check out season 4 comin' out on MTV which gon be a girl group this time on Making the Band 3.

Dont Own This..........2004-09-03

I Don't own this but I loved the show and hope they release this on VHS b/c I don't own a DVD player. Making The Band 2 had some extremely talented people and was entertaining in other aspects as well. I hope they release the other seasons, though this is unlikely since Da Band is no more.

Average customer rating:

Although Full Of Stunts Performed With Zeal, Little Care Is Taken With The Production As A Whole.

Zero Tolerance
Starring: Jed Allan , Jeffrey Anderson-Gunter , Michael de Lano , Jeff Doucette , and Mick Fleetwood
Director: Joseph Merhi
Manufacturer: Trinity Home Ent
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0001WTVMK
Release Date: 2004-05-04

Customer Reviews:

Although Full Of Stunts Performed With Zeal, Little Care Is Taken With The Production As A Whole. .......2007-09-12

When FBI agent Jeff Douglas (Robert Patrick) journeys by automobile, along with two other operatives from his Los Angeles office, to fictional "La Ropa", Mexico, to assume custody of an American narcotics dealer incarcerated there, there is no cause for him to expect other than completion of a routine assignment, while looking ahead to a pleasantly familial evening at home with his wife and two children. However, the drug boss, whimsically named Ray Manta (Titus Welliver), is forcefully removed from the clutches of The Law by a large cluster of motorcycle riding desperadoes who capture Douglas and kill his two comrades. His life threatened by the daring rescue that has thwarted the Bureau detail, Jeff is impelled to undertake a galling task. After speaking with his wife by telephone, Douglas is promised by the villains that he will be freed if he will feign at ushering Manta toward FBI custody, whereas in actuality he will be delivering the felon to Las Vegas and into the company of the other four ringleaders of a cabal that calls itself The White Hand, and that has gained what amounts to primary control of liquid heroin trafficking within the United States. Jeff eludes his captors and after he has telephonically learned that his entire family has been slain by minions of The White Hand, Douglas commences upon a mission of retribution, his goal to assassinate the five criminal organization kingpins, including Manta. Therefore, the background has been properly established for an interesting tale of heated vengeance. Unfortunately, the narrative is composed for the most part of set pieces that utilize a large contingent of stunt men and demolition experts, to the detriment of the plotline. It seems that gunmen hired by The White Hand are selected largely upon their proven substandard marksmanship, with scene following risible scene depicting a fortunate Douglas being unharmed by numberless rounds fired at close range by numberless thugs, after which he predictably brings down one each per trigger pull. Plainly, if Jeff were in fact gunned down, the film would be at its end, this truth eliminating any possible creation of suspense. Additionally, when a viewer finds himself chortling at what are ostensibly harrowing circumstances for the hero, it becomes obvious that this production suffers from a shortfall of logic. There is scant opportunity for the display of acting chops here, although Patrick gamely tries to create his role, while playing honours go to Welliver for his consistently effective portrayal of a principal member of the Forces of Evil.

Average customer rating:

Refreshing New Western
Wow..a NEW western

Cartel 1882
Starring: Michael Gregory , Leslie Easterbrook , and Hector "Macho" Camacho
Manufacturer: Peter Pan
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B000PHVY80
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Customer Reviews:

Refreshing New Western.......2007-07-18

This is a refreshing new western with an interesting twist at the end.
Holds your interest with the twists and turns.

Wow..a NEW western.......2007-06-22

OK, Cartel 1882 is a sexy, violent, irreverant tale of betrayal and revenge set in old Texas.

Horace Longstreet operates the most brutal drug empire in the south, dealing with payote, cocoa leaves, laudinum and opium. When he learns a young transporter known as the "Cat" has been skimming profits, he enlists the aid of a former Pinkerton detective, now deep in the bottle and dying of tubeculosis.

In the end however..is the Cat actually running for his life or has the hunted now become the hunter? A startling, final confrontation brings two forces of extreme evil face to face, gun to gun, adn the result may change the entire direction of the future.

It stars Michael Gregory of Total Recall; Robocop 2 and General Hospital. Leslie Easterbrook of Police Academy 1-7 and Devils Rejects. And...wow, Hector "Macho" Camacho!! World Lightweight Boxing Champion.

a fun watch.

Average customer rating:

Spenser: Pale Kings & Princes
Starring: Avery Brooks , Sonja Smits , Robert Urich , Barbara Williams , and Matthew Ferguson
Director: Victor Sarin
Manufacturer: Rykodisc
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000NO9HWK
Release Date: 2007-06-26

Product Description

Spenser Movie Collection.

Average customer rating:

Not "edge of your seat" but not bad
backlash

Backlash
Starring: Charles Durning , Tracey Needham , JoBeth Williams , Tony Plana , and Richard Zavaglia
Director: Jack Ersgard
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00000F3U0
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Customer Reviews:

Not "edge of your seat" but not bad.......2003-04-23

Here's another one of those movies about a guy getting out of prison, then having the cops put wires on him to go undercover to try to bust some bigger fish. That guy is played by Jim Belushi. He does a decent job, just like he always does. This type of movie has been done many times before, so it's nothing that really stands out. It does have a great supporting cast, though, such as Henry Silva, who, of course is the head of the whole drug thing. Henry Silva always does good at this type of charactor and at was good seeing him here after not really seeing much of him since Above The Law. Others include Charles Durning and Tony Plana. You can get this cd in the discounted section of certain big stores and it's worth the money if you find it at a place like that. It may not be worth a full dvd price though.

backlash.......2000-07-18

the movie is great the story the acting is terrific. tracy needham is out standingin this movie. i first saw this movie on cable 2 years ago and have been trying to buy it every sense. i highly recimend it you wont regret it. sam gentile . clearwater florida oh i bought my dvd to day and have watched it twice already.

Average customer rating:

Well, there's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back...

Red Serpent
Starring: Michael Pare , and Roy Scheider
Manufacturer: Mti Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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ASIN: B0009KQONS
Release Date: 2005-07-19

Customer Reviews:

Well, there's 90 minutes of my life I'll never get back..........2005-08-10

That's exactly how I felt last night after watching the film Red Serpent (2002)...I think the medical term is `viewer's remorse'...this is one of those movies where I was constantly checking the displayed running time on the DVD player to see how much more of the film was left to go, something I don't do often, especially if what I'm watching is entertaining, which Red Serpent wasn't, in any way...and let me get this out of the way now...this isn't a monster film, it that's the impression you got from the artwork on the DVD case. The title refers to a codename for a character and/or his criminal organization...that aspect wasn't entirely clear...stupid movie...directed by Gino Tanasescu (his first movie), the film stars Roy `What the Hell Happened to Me?' Scheider (Jaws, Sorcerer), Michael `Sparkling' Paré (Moon 44, Lunarcop), and Oleg Taktarov (Rollerball, Bad Boys II).

The movie, set in Russia, begins as a group of armed men, under orders from criminal mastermind named Hassan (Scheider), stop a freight train and proceed to offload its precious cargo (drugs, I think)...what the men don't know is there's a crack gooberment squad (consisting of all of three KGB agents), called Alpha-One, led by Captain Sergei Popov (Taktarov), onboard the train, waiting to surprise the criminals. The trap is sprung, but things go down poorly, and Sergei's family gets killed (where did they come from you ask? I'm not going to bother going into it, but if you must know, you can watch the film). Anyway, six months pass, and we learn Sergei has since retired, `pursuing his longtime dream of working with animals', i.e. sweeping elephant dung at the circus. Around this time an American businessman named Steve Nichols (Paré) arrives in Russia, with his annoying daughter in tow, to oversee the handling of his shipment of raw materials used in making drugs (not the illegal kind). Hassan and his thugs, tipped off to Nichols' arrival, kidnap his daughter with the intent on using her to force Nichols to put their illegal drugs in with his shipment and transport them to America. Nichols, soon learning the local authorities are all corrupt (aren't they always), finds help in the form of Sergei, who we know from the beginning of the film has a score to settle with Hassan. Sergei assembles his old team (you know, the other two guys), and the four of them face the insurmountable task of taking on Hassan and his small army of ruthless, heavily armed thugs...the Cold War may be over, but things are about to heat up...oh bruther...the actual tagline for this film is `You'll Never Know When He'll Strike."...yes, someone got paid to come up with that...

While this is Tanasescu's first film, it's not his first directing gig as he's worked on such televisions series as "The Slap Maxwell Story", "Baby Boom", and "Drexell's Class", so you'd think he'd know his way around a camera, but evidentially not...I'd venture to guess with this film Tanasescu finally saw an opportunity to explore the more creative aspects of his profession sans the restraints of a television production, much to the dismay of just about anyone who ends up seeing this film, which crawls along at a snails pace, is boring as hell, peppered with pointless slow motion shots, annoying visuals, awkward transitions, and incomplete sequences...there was one worthwhile hand to hand fight scene between two, muscle-bound secondary characters that ended way too soon...we cut back to the pair later to see the aftermath wondering exactly what happened. Another aspect that really annoyed me was near the beginning a rather cheap trick was used to introduce the main characters by still framing their faces and using computer graphics to produce an electronic profile highlighting the character's background and such, like a file Interpol might produce. Problem is the files flashed on the screen so quickly the viewer doesn't get a chance to fully read them, unless they pause the film, which I did, and even then, it was difficult to discern the bad guys from the good guys (stupid film). The acting is awful, the worst being the girl who played Nichols' daughter...normally I hate to pick on little kids, but she was just rotten, standing out like a throbbing hangnail...and that's not to say any of the others were any better, just not as bad. You know, Michael Paré has been appearing in films for over twenty years now, and yeah, most are crummy direct-to-video releases, but you'd think he would have picked up something being in the biz for as long as he has, but that's not the case. He's actually gotten worse, if you can wrap your mind around that concept. Here's something else, he rarely participates in the action that is in the film. Most of the time his character, who is supposed to have a double PhD (this is the part where Jack Palance comes in and say `Believe it...or not!'), stands around being threatened. There is one point where he shoots a gun, one that must have had magic bullets in it because he was able to take down a helicopter. As far as Roy Scheider, I don't know how he ended up where he did in terms of his career, but obviously he's paying for some serious indiscretions from a past life. It just amazes me how someone who could appear in one of the greatest character driven films to date, that of Jaws (1975), could sink to the level of having to work in dreck like this...and then there's Oleg Taktarov, a man who got into acting via being a contestant in The Ultimate Fighting Championship competition, nicknamed The Russian Bear (best known for his submission holds)...he makes a good secondary character (preferable in a non speaking role), but shouldn't be starring in a movie until his skills improve. The dialog is moronic and annoying, the story unwieldy (nothing like taking a relatively simplistic and straightforward plot and unnecessarily complicating the hell out of it), and the technical elements hideous. There are some nice scenic shots of Russia (much of the movie was filmed there), and there is some brief nekkidness (in a poorly shot flashback), but that's about it for the things I liked...and get a load of the incredibly inane and ridiculous twist at the end. It made no sense in terms of the rest of the film, specifically because it inferred that Paré's character's actions throughout were intentional, especially in terms of putting his `daughter' in harm's way.

The picture quality, presented in fullscreen on this Platinum Disc/MTI DVD release, looks decent. The biggest flaw, besides the film itself, is in the audio as it is so inconsistent. One moment it's loud, another it's soft, resulting in the viewer having to constantly (like every ten seconds) adjust the volume. The back of the DVD case claims special features like a trailer, a behind the scenes featurette, and a director's commentary track, but all that was actually on the DVD was the trailer, no featurette or director's commentary...seems like false advertising to me...perhaps I got the one DVD where they forgot to include those items, but I'd doubt it. If you must see this idiotic and poorly made film, borrow it if you can, cause it ain't worth plunking down any of your hard earned dough for this turdburger.

Cookieman108

By the way, I very rarely give out one star ratings, usually only when something is so utterly bereft of any entertainment value as is the case here.

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