Blown Away

Amazon.com

Before he made the man-eating lion thriller The Ghost and the Darkness and the special- effects-laden Lost in Space, director Stephen Hopkins helmed this ludicrous and critically panned thriller pitting a cop on the Boston Police bomb squad (Jeff Bridges) against a mad Irish bomber (Tommy Lee Jones) who's still holding a grudge from their early years in the Irish Republican Army. A showcase for the explosive skills of demolitions experts, Blown Away has got some impressive action sequences, although the story is somewhat convoluted and mean-spirited. Suzy Amis (Titanic) costars as Bridges's endangered girlfriend, who becomes a target of Jones's destructive scheme. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

DVD movie: BLOWN AWAY.......2007-01-16

The DVD movie: Blown Away, starring Jeff Bridges & Tommy Lee Jones arrived @ my shipping address in good condition. The DVD movie is in great shape.

Sort of ok - watchable definitely.......2006-08-17

Ok - this would come under your typical action movie, where the effects and stunts are perfect excuses for seemingly glaring loopholes in characterization and plot. A bit of stereotypes too make their presence in this movie, in terms of character and situation. For example, the character that Jeff Bridges plays is often a bit artificially constructed - its like building it in blocks. So what we have is a kind of jerky movement of character-creation, from loving-husband-to-be, to superhero ultracool fireman plagued with an inexplicable revulsion to his job, to son of an Irishman, to detective blessed with omniscience, to I-see-flashbacks-in-black-and-white; you get the drift! The plot is your typical "I'm your friend, now back for revenge" & how Jeff Bridges overcomes all the hurdles and faces his tormentor. Throw in some pretty interesting camera angles (outdoors especially) and some interesting fireworks, you've got the movie wrapped up.

What makes this movie really nice and rescues it from a probable disaster is Tommy Lee Jones & U2. Jones' character is built right from the first scene where he escapes from prison till the very end. He also plays the role well, acting menacingly insane and dedicated to revenge. That he builds complex bombs with U2 in the background is a real interesting treatment & this movie is worth watching for just those sequences, if not anything else - especially if you're a U2 fan!

Blown Away - definitely watchable once, dont expect much and just sit back and relax and enjoy this movie.

What a weird Irish accent.......2005-09-10

Am I reviewing the right film? Definitely not the Corey Haim film? Right, lets get started.

This was released at the same time as Speed, and did not fare as well. Which is understandable considering it doesn't have a certain Keanu Reeves in it. Instead we get the guy who will forever haunt my nightmares when he was naked during Starman, and a weird but funny, leprachaun-esque accent from Tommy Lee Jones. I challenge you not to smile when he's dancing around making a bomb (?) singing a U2 song.

Although not as fast-paced as Speed, it's a slow ticking bomb, just waiting for the right moment to explode. With a reasonable cast, including Suzy Amis, who I actually had to ask who she was. Duh, she only stars in my favourite film, Titanic! She's virtually unrecognisable.

The only thing I wasn't keen on about this movie was I did not think Jeff Bridges' character's background was well-explained. I didn't understand what happened in his past, or what really was the connection between him & Tommy Lee Jones. And the fact that he kept most of his past secret from his wife, Suzy Amis. Some relationship.

It's not a movie I'd particularly watch again, but it was enjoyable at the time. I'll always prefer Speed over this, but I'll stick to my Starman nightmares thank you.

Not up to Hopkins' usual standards........2005-06-02

Blown Away (Stephen Hopkins, 1994)

Blown Away is a rare thing, a moment in Stephen Hopkins' career where he dips below the standard he has set for himself throughout his career. Blown Away is surrounded by better films in the director's oeuvre, coming just between the underrated Judgment Night and the mediocre, but fun, The Ghost and the Darkness.

Jeff Bridges stars as Jimmy Dove, a member of Boston's bomb disposal unit who has a shady past. That shady past, in the guise of Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones), catches up with him after Gaerity escapes from prison in Northern Ireland and tracks Dove down, starting to play a deadly game of one-upsmanship with him while the Boston bomb squad tries to bring Gaerity down.

It'd be your typical fun, mindless thriller were it not for some really, really badly overlooked details, like Jeff Bridges' accent. It's about the worst it could be for a person trying to imitate half-Irish half-Boston. Tommy Lee Jones' brogue isn't all that much better, but Jones is playing such a stereotype that one's not really noticeable. (A mad Irish bomber who's obsessed with U2? Oh, please.)

Not a bad way to kill two hours if you want to turn your brain off, but you'll have to turn it farther off than normal for this one. **

"I'm not a destroyer, I'm a creator.".......2005-04-17

Liam McGivney (Jeff Bridges) learned how to be an expert in bombs as a member of the IRA in Belfast, North Ireland. But when his best friend (an IRA bomb maker) Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) went out of control, tragedy resulted and Ryan was arrested and sent to Castle Gleigh prison in Northern Ireland. Liam, who then changed his name to Jimmy Dove, fled to the United States where he became a respected member of Boston's bomb removal squad. He also married a beautiful woman (Suzy Amis) and started a family.

But now Ryan Gaerity's escaped from prison and has come to Boston looking for "Jimmy", and revenge. Refusing to forget the past, Ryan starts killing Jimmy's closest friends with bombs, and it doesn't take Jimmy long to figure out that these killings aren't the work of an amateur, but of his former friend, now an out-of-control killer and psychopath. Ryan gives Jimmy a chilling phone message after killing one of his best friends:"I've come here to create a new country for you called chaos, and a new government called anarchy...all for you." Jimmy then tries desperately to find and stop Ryan before anyone else is murdered. The ending is one of the best showdowns ever!

Although slammed by critics and ignored by many viewers, I found this explosive thriller very entertaining, keeping me on the edge-of-the-seat right up till the end. Tommy Lee Jones gave an extraordinary and chillingly realistic performance and really stole the show from Jeff Bridges, who wasn't very believable as an Irishman but was nevertheless cool. Also, the music, special effects, and cinematography were very impressive. Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Below standard filming with above standard casting
Awful waste of good talent......disappointing.
What the heck happened here!
Oh man it's bad
What the fork is this!?

Ticker
Starring: Tom Sizemore , Dennis Hopper , Steven Seagal , Jaime Pressly , and Nas
Director: Albert Pyun
Manufacturer: Lions Gate
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

4-for-3 Action & Adventure | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

4-for-3 All DVDs | 4-for-3 DVD | Stores | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $9.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( T ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

ASIN: B00005QAP6
Release Date: 2001-11-13

Description

When a mad bomber (Dennis Hopper) descends on San Francisco it's up to two men to uncover his plot and find the massive bomb hidden somewhere in the city. Steven Seagal stars as the Zen leades of the bomb squad and Tom Sizemore is a vice cop out for vengeance. Featurning special appearance by pop sensation Chilli.

Customer Reviews:

Below standard filming with above standard casting.......2007-08-27

One might feel they have to force themselves through an action film of this caliber. The fact that it has such screen stars as Dennis Hopper and Tom Sizemore in it does not help much when the characters they play are shallow and pointless. For an action film it is pretty bad in many areas, particularly the production, which has "ATF" agents with uniforms that look like they were bought at a farm store and had duct tape applied on the back for the Lettering. Sizemore and Hopper do their best but it is not enough to save this film. Seriously, if one is looking for an action film that covers the themes in here, there would be many better to pick from.

Ticker had potential with the plot but half the time the actors are given simple one-liners and minimal scenes to act out frustration or worry, further taking away any credibility one would have with the daunting situations they face. Steven Seagal is almost meaningless in this movie, and although he had his fifteen seconds of fame early in his career, it seems everything he has done since then has been less than filler.

Awful waste of good talent......disappointing........2007-08-25

I watch this movie thinking it would another Speed type film, which is a compliment, but this was bad. Bad meaning why would anyone have big names like this and squander it with bad script and direction. Dennis was so unbelievable even trying to act like a lunatic bomber, if that is even possible given that he did such a wonderful job in Speed. Now i am a big Seagal fan but why is he moving his lips so much in this movie when he is not doing the dialog? Was that even intentional or he forgot his chapstick cause i can't even tell. There is some suspense so i'll give it that but it didn't hold my interest enough because at this point, i really didn't care.

Not recommended!

What the heck happened here!.......2006-08-28

I'm not a movie expert. I just like Movies.....
This film has lots of well known actors. But the thing that strikes me is: 1) The sound is wrong, 2) the cutting is wrong, 3) the direction is wrong, 4) post production editing is wrong.....

When you watch this it seems like it could be a good movie, but it just does not make it. Never seen a film with so many A/B list actors that was so poorly made. Just sad really.....

Oh man it's bad.......2006-01-04

It's called Ticker because you'll be staring at the clock! This is one mess of a movie. It was probably shelved and then released as an afterthought. The movie looks like a bunch of scenes spliced together after-the-fact; it's pretty incoherent. A bunch of dumb, annoying rappers pop in and out, Dennis Hopper plays himself as usual, and Seagal walks around talking about bombs and zen and proffering sage advice, such as "You need to get beyond hope and fear brother. When you get to know your own mind you'll stop suffering." I'm not knockin him, he's the only entertaining part of the film. Here's the only good exchange in the whole movie: "You ever heard of the 12 steps to enlightenment?" "No, but I know about the 12 steps to recovery." Seagal fans be warned however, there are NO fight scenes in this film, just a bunch of lazy scripting. On an interesting sidenote, I once read an interview in which meth head Tom Sizemore said that he hates Steven Seagal's guts and would never, ever be in a picture with him. What happened? Just goes to show, never say never.

What the fork is this!?.......2005-12-29

Okay, ignoring the obvious fact that Pyun made this... "film"... out of the scum that stuck to his shoes after walking through the cutting rooms of 3 or 4 other really crappy movies - all involving... cityscapes and leather, I'd guess... Where was I... Oh yeah. And leaving aside the question of whether any of these actors has every really been good (I love them all, you understand, but I also "like" Starbucks coffee when Kona isn't available - ie all the time except payday)... Um, I feel that what sums this hunk of celery up is that the bad guys "hide" a huge bomb on the roof of the San Francisco city hall, and then have a bunch of henchboobs "guard" it so's Hopper and Pressly can get out of range.

Now, let's recognize that city halls don't tower over every other building in any city on earth (this is reserved for the buildings of banks, insurance companies and general commercial piracy outfits). Which means authorities would be able to see the spear carriers guarding the bomb and act accordingly. This you could see in any bad movie. Perhaps not in the light of the feeling that some of the guards might wonder who would be guarding the bomb while it was their turn to get out of range, though. And how, really, do you sneak a bomb the size of an elephant onto the roof of a city hall. Even pre 9/11 my imagination failed.

But here's where I had to look under the bottom of the disc's case to see if somehow, something had fallen out of it. Can I really believe Ice-T would play a man stupid enough to attempt to take this roof by force? No ladies and gents, a bad movie can be the most fun you'll ever have with your clothes on, but this Ticker goes too far, crosses a line (trips over it actually), and stumbled into chaos. It was like having Korean subtitles on under a Cantonese audio track on a Mime film of about Ladan as told by Swedish Esperantists.

And if you're high enough to actually enjoy such a thing I'd suggest something in a medium budget Godzilla, instead.

Average customer rating:

Well... My wife loved it.

Dead in a Heartbeat
Starring: Judge Reinhold , Penelope Ann Miller , Timothy Busfield , Fulvio Cecere , and Matthew Walker
Director: Paul Antier
Manufacturer: Bfs Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Thrillers | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( D ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B0001BKBMU
Release Date: 2004-04-13

Customer Reviews:

Well... My wife loved it........2007-08-16

My sweetheart made me order this for her after seeing part of it on Lifetime, and she watched it and loved it, she wanted me to watch it with her... I guess I understand how she feels about watching sci-fi with me now.

I thought it was okay but, the acting seemed stilted and the story a bit too unbelievable.

Was it the worst thing I've seen this year? No not by a bit...
Would I go tell all my friends to go watch it? No not by a bit.

Average customer rating:

Engrossing subject matter but not enough is offered
Bombers and the Agencies That Catch Them

NOVA: The Bombing of America
Director: Nancy Linde
Manufacturer: WGBH Boston
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

Science & Technology | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video

WGBH Boston | Television | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

NOVA | PBS | Specialty Stores | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000JJ5F8Y
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Customer Reviews:

Engrossing subject matter but not enough is offered.......2007-08-08

With a duration of just about one hour, NOVA made an average attempt to look at a bombing epidemic in America. There is just too much material to hold a documentary like this to such a narrow timeframe. The individual segments on more famous incidents such as the Oklahoma City bombing, the World Trade Center, the Unabomber, Abortion Clinics in the 80's, and a few others are very encapsulated and don't provide enough detail or footage.

The most interesting aspects of this program, in my opinion, are the specifics of how law enforcement agencies (mainly ATF & FBI) along with forensic scientists and chemists investigate crime scenes and attempt to solve cases. The largest amount of time is spent on this portion of the show. Examined, among other things, are evidence collection processes, research techniques, and the art of criminal profiling to identify suspects.

I ended up wanting and expecting a lot more out of this feature as NOVA is usually quite comprehensive in the material that they produce. I'm not sure why they chose to severely limit what could have been such an intriguing presentation but maybe they'll offer something more in-depth in the future. All in all, this isn't a complete failure in itself but it is somewhat disappointing.

Bombers and the Agencies That Catch Them.......2007-05-19

This work discusses tragic bombing cases and what forensic scientists have done to solve them. Viewers that like "The New Detectives" and "Forensic Files" will also like this. I worried that this disc may teach bombers, rather than prevent them from doing crimes. However, at one point, in the disc, they did say, "We can't say much on a certain bomb detecting technique because we don't want bombers to know about it."

Like the shows I mentioned above, this work only discusses cases that were solved. Something tells me that plenty bombing incidents remain unsolved. This work was made in the mid-1990s, so Columbine and the destruction of the WTC don't come up. Global terrorism is not a topic here either. The work explores the psychological profiles of adult bombers, but it says nothing on that of teens. This is odd in that the work said many bombers are teens who gain instructions from the internet.

Instead of following a chronological pattern, the work introduces the first major bombing case, a series of events that took place in the 1940s, later in time. I think this was done because the footage was not in color and may have bored modern viewers if it were at the beginning.

L.A. Detectives - Homicide/ Juvenile/ Bomb Squad #105

Average customer rating:

L.A. Detectives - Homicide/ Juvenile/ Bomb Squad #105

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FKP2B2
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

Program #105 HOMICIDE: Detective Cheryl Comstock and her partner, Detective Rich Lopez, investigate the murder of a man who had polio and painted with his feet. The coroner determines his death to be due to a form of asphyxia. Through talking with Philippe, one of the models whom Tim was painting, the detectives learn about another man who was posing for Tim. Cheryl finds nude pictures of the other model in Tim's apartment and begins to look for him as a suspect. JUVENILE: After first interviewing an 8-year-old boy who had previously accused his mother's boyfriend of molesting him, Juvenile Investigations Detective John Mayfield brings the suspect, Terry, in for a polygraph examination. BOMB SQUAD: When Sheriff's Deputies find a galvanized pipe bomb in a house, Detective Terry Danielson of the LASD Bomb Squad is called to the scene.

Average customer rating:

Rip It Up
Starring: Bomb Squad
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

( R ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000F6IKZ6
Release Date: 2006-03-21

No Idea Presents - The Fest 3 [Region 2]

Average customer rating:

No Idea Presents - The Fest 3 [Region 2]
Starring: Against Me! , Hot Water Music , Planes Mistaken For Stars , Fifth Hour Hero , and Whiskey & Co.
Manufacturer: No Idea Records
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Musicals & Performing Arts | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( N ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000H5VAC0
Release Date: 2006-09-06

Description

60 Bands, 64 full songs, 3 Hours!

Against Me! Hot Water Music Planes Mistaken For Stars Whiskey & Co. Assholeparade Fifth Hour Hero Grabass Charlestons The Holy Mountain North Lincoln J Church Glass and Ashes Strikeforce Diablo True North Gunmoll Billy Reese Peters Army of Ponch Rehasher This Bike is a Pipe Bomb Engine Down Baroness Tiltwheel Toys That Kill Lucero The Blood Brothers Mates of State Mercury Program New Mexican Disaster Squad Savage Brewtality Smoke or Fire Circle Takes the Square The Sainte Catherines Kudzu Wish The Tim Version Fin Fang Foom Fiya Stressface Deadsure Escape Grace Sir Prize Fighter The Horror Dove Chin Up Chin Up The Lovekill Don Knotts No More Ninja Gun J Page Victory at Sea The Rogue Set Altaira Dukes of Hillsborough Vena Cava Loaded For Bear Moments in Grace Towers of Hanoi Bishop Allen Behead the Romantic Lucky Stranger Fuel the Fire The Y

Average customer rating:
L.A. Detectives - Vice/ Bomb Squad/ Homicide #101

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

All A&E Titles | A&E Home Video | Television | Genres | DVD | Video
( L ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000FKP2BM
Release Date: 2006-05-02

Description

Program #101: VICE DETAIL: Vice Det. Tim Louis leads an undercover operation against a massage parlor suspected of being a house of prostitution. In a second Vice operation, Louis himself is undercover at an X-rated theater where lewd acts are said to be taking place. Moving from the Morals Crew to gambling and bookmaking, Det. Louis successfully raids a bookie parlor. BOMB SQUAD: Bomb Squad Det. Silvia Faris, one of only a handful of women in the country chosen to do this dangerous job, must try to render harmless a pipe bomb found under a public bus bench. HOMICIDE: Homicide Detectives Bobby Taylor and Dee Perales look for a suspect in a gang shooting that killed one young man and injured another. The detectives find a truck believed to have been used in the shooting. Using the "scent" taken off the truck by the Crime Lab, the Sheriff's canine squad leads them to a house around the corner where the detectives find a rifle in the bushes was the murder weapon. Nothing more could be learned because the surviving victim refused to identify his attackers for fear of reprisal. The case remains open.

Average customer rating:

Inside Story: Bomb Squad

Manufacturer: A&E Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

( I ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000E373J4
Release Date: 2000-06-13

Description

Heroic stories of squads that risk life and limb to defuse bombs. Spotlights Israeli units that defuse terrorist weapons on city streets, and the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Northern Ireland that battles some of the most devious bomb-makers.

Average customer rating:

They should have used a bomb squad for this movie

Bomb Squad
Director: Serge Rodnunsky
Manufacturer: Leo Films
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Adventure | Kids & Family | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( B ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: 6305845395
Release Date: 2000-05-30

Customer Reviews:

They should have used a bomb squad for this movie.......2000-05-31

Drop this movie, turn around, and run for your life. If you don't, it will explode in your face. This flick is a BOMB.

DVD:

DVD

DVD