Hey folks, Harry here with that madman with electrical currents bopping around that skull of his and the drool hanging from that bottom lip. Well... he's seen that ol John Frankenheimer flick that got Miramax so excited they signed him to like a half billion movies or something like that. So... We'll just have to wait and see right love? Right. Here's R.P....
Hey Harry, R.P. McMurphy here. I don't think you've had any reviews of REINDEER GAMES yet, so I thought I'd fill you in on what I thought of it.
I'm guessing that there are a lot of people who will hate this movie. The script is full of contrivances and cheesy dialogue (the most bad Christmas puns in any one movie, I believe), which is disappointing, after the smart screenplay for ARLINGTON ROAD which Ehren Kruger wrote.
But....personally, I had a whopping good time at REINDEER GAMES. It's not a film that needs a good script to be successful, and this is something which many may not grasp. It does what it sets out to do very well, which is be a wildly exciting action-thriller.
Director John Frankenheimer is a master at wringing the maximum amount of tension out of a scene, and there are many great edge-of-your-seat scenes (my favorite involved Ben Affleck eluding his enemies in the hallways and parking lot of a motel). There are some fine visuals too, with many cleverly arranged deep-focus shots.
I ate it all up: the ridiculous plot twists which make no sense, the heart-racing chase scenes, the elaborate (but not too sadistic) death scenes (the best involves a squirt gun, and that's all I'll reveal). It is for anyone who really enjoys a well-crafted action movie, one that is quick and efficient. I can safely say it's the best movie of 2000 so far (I've only seen one other, but I thought I'd make a silly exaggeration anyway). It's not going to win any awards, but it's not supposed to...it's just a good "kick-ass movie," pumped with adrenaline, testosterone, and every other body chemical imaginable. I recommend it, even to those cynics who won't have to dig hard for plot holes. Within it's genre, it succeeds smartly, and that's all that ultimately matters.
Until next time,
R.P. McMurphy
