Genres

Visitors Review

ddelamaide 2012-05-20 17:23:22

One for Leonard fans

One of the best things about Elmore Leonard is that he is willing toplumb the depths of criminals' stupidity. They are not, for the mostpart, very bright. Just think of the stupid criminals in Out of Sightand how sadly one of them ended his days.One review here said, c'mon, nobody can be that stupid. But that'sreally the beauty of it. They can be. So it's on display again here,starting with the Hal Holbrook character and his son-in-law. And theMickey Rourke character, Blackbird, is not immune to this condition.So the humor is not slapstick, it's a deeply ironic and cynical view ofthe underworld. This is not a great film, but it won't disappointLeonard fans. Diane Lane fans will also be happy, because she has afair amount of screen time and some great wardrobe.Not sure whether this was filmed before or after Wrestler, but in anycase Rourke or his agent are doing a good job in picking the rightroles for his comeback. He was perfect for this.

2012-05-20 08:22:40

Mickey Rourke steals the show

This review is from: Killshot (DVD) Armand "Blackbird" Degas is a half-Indian hitman for the Toronto mafia. At a certain point while he is on the run he crosses paths with an ordinary couple played by Diane Lane and Thomas Jane. He believes that he has to kill them because they have seen his face and know that he is in the Agonac area. The movie traces the counterpoint between the couple who are coping with marital problems and the hitman who is attempting to elude the law. There are several good performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt,Diane Lane and, particularly, Aldred Montoya as Lionel, an indian who doesn't want Armand back in the area. However the performance that is absolutely riveting, is that of Mickey Rourke as the hitman. His performance is so superior that by itself it moves a good movie to one worth watching more than once for the complex psychological portrait constructed by this very excellent actor.

2012-05-13 11:46:47

A good film that was butchered by the Weinstein company after test screenings still worthwhile

Director John Madden's film of Elmore Leonard's novel "Killshot" was shelved, screened for test audiences, recut,screened again, had reshoots and, ultimately, dumped on the market after being butchered. That's too bad because Madden's strong suspense thriller deserved better. Well made with taunt pacing and strong performances from Thomas Jane, Diane Lane as the estranged couple who witness an attempted extortion and murder by a jaded American Indian hitmman (Mickey Rourke in a terrific performance)and his hot headed partner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), "Killshot" breezes along at a quick pace (probably because an entire subplot has been cut and the film wittled down to less than 90 minutes)remaining suspenseful throughout its brief running time.Sadly, the film doesn't get any extras nor do we get a "Director's Cut" with the excised footage restored. "Killshot" is an enjoyable thriller and it's a pity Madden's original version didn't get a chance to play in theaters or even on home video in its original form.

conveniantjim 2012-05-12 23:31:49

Awful made for TV movie

Truly appalling waste of space. Me and my friend tried to watch thisfilm to its conclusion but had to switch it off about 30 minutes fromthe end. And i can count the films I have switched off before the endon one hand.The script and direction are leaden and deeply uninspiring. I wouldn'tbe surprised if they found the script in a pile of cast off scriptsfrom 1983. For example the irritating scroat threatening the realestate guy from his house phone. I mean seriously. The police would bebeating his door down in minutes. The scenes and events just wash byyou like turds in a river. It is difficult to understand the actualthrust of the film. The narrative flicks between characters in aseemingly random manner breaking up the pathetic attempts at buildingthe characters. Oh and what "characters" they are. The protagonistplayed by Rourke is dreadful. He could have just sent a cardboard cutout of himself and stayed in bed. After 60 or so minutes of the film Ihad built absolutely zero attachment to this character. He is neithersympathetic nor hateful. Just a disfigured dummy from a shop windowblundering through every single scene. His motivation is impossible todiscern from his generally mumbled and emotionless delivery. Is hehappy? Is he sad? Angry? No idea. Just those same dead eyes staring outat you from a disfigured chunk of flesh. And the native American themeis just awful and pointless.The good guys are at best unlikeable. A dull white collar stereotypeand a simpering neurotic ex-wife stereotype. Cue archetypal wife withshotgun face off with bad guy, "you aren't going to shoot me" that isboth tiresomely unoriginal and annoying.The richie nix character seems interesting at first but soon descendsinto an irritating one sided psycho character. Which seems at odds withthe seeming intention of making the bad guys in some way sympathetic orat least realistically motivated.Roasario Dawsons character starts with some promise but soon descendsinto a sickening and childlike parody of the gangsters chick scenesfrom Jackie Brown. You really want me to believe her character was SOattracted to Rourke's? Or worse she is just a floozy who sleeps withanything that moves? Realistic female characters FTW! In summary a complete mess of a film. Hopeless characterisations andperformances. A leaden and hackneyed script along with uninspireddirection. And ultimately extremely dull. Its not even comedy badeither. Laughing at Rourkes haggard face gets pretty old after sittingthrough the first 15 turgid minutes of the film.

Mino 2012-05-11 03:58:54

What's with all the hate?

First of all it's been advertised exactly as what it is, an actionflick, so why some complained about the depth of the experience isbeyond me.You got the carpenteresque score to highlight the suspense, Rourkedwelling in the hoodlum with a "upscale" pimp appearance he got usaccustomed with in both private and public appearances, posing not morethan usual, but more than the average model at a photo-shoot (still,not more than Brando), Gordon Lewitt ripping elks of the wall in araging attempt to reenact de Niro's performance from "Mean Streets".Thomas Jane, well being himself, less than, say, in "Thursday", wherehe was top dog, but still good, and Lane, a bit lost in the mix.Beside the bit lumpy ending, story moves quite well. Fun, funny, greatvisuals. Great soundtrack, also.Would have worked better as a vehicle for Trejo, but turns out good forRourke, also.

2012-05-10 08:18:48

KILLSHOT

This review is from: Killshot (DVD) The Del. was very fast.I movie was very very good it kept you going to the end.

2012-05-09 08:50:52

worth it

As a plot the movie deserves 2 stars. as for the actors, 3 stars, making the movie worth watching once.

maverick-vishal 2012-05-08 18:10:08

Not recommended..!!

The plot of Killshot is poor... The only thing enjoyable is the work ofthe actors.. Rourke as the ice-cold contract killer is good....DianeLane is just OK..The real treat for me was Joseph Gordon-Levitt andthat too strictly in terms of acting. Even his character was prettylame.... I wonder why the viewers have given this movie the rating farabove what it deserves...!! Anyway everyone has their opinion...!!!Again the only standout in the movie is the acting that too watchableonly once.... There's no substance at all in this movie.....If u r afan of any of the actors in the movie then that's the only reason forwatching it else NOT RECOMMENDED...!!!

2012-05-07 13:11:45

Solidly Scary.

I don't normally watch this sort of movie because people like those portrayed in the story really do exist and that's scary enough, but along comes an actor like Mickey Rourke, who seems scary to begin with, acting the part of Blackbird, a stone cold killer and it all becomes too real. Throw in splendid support from Joseph Gordon-Levitt who plays the part of Richie Nix, a real psychopath, and scary gets notched up a bit. Rosario Dawson was good as Richie's girlfriend, but Diane Lane and Thomas Jane as the couple trying not to get killed were eclipsed somewhat by the overpowering killers. Rourke and Levitt do an admirable job of scaring the hell out of you. Be warned it's loaded with violence and foul language, not really fast paced though and something might've been done to improve the dialog and storyline.

danteism 2012-05-06 16:12:53

Far more worthy of your time than countless other wide releases of the last year.

I think it's a terrific shame that this movie never saw a wider releasewhen it was at least as good, and in some cases MUCH better than, allof the following action films released in the last 12 months:Shoot 'Em UpBody of LiesRamboPride and GloryRighteous KillJumpTakenIt's by no means a "must-see" film, but even so, it is still a solid,entertaining, and well paced action/thriller/drama. Well directed, well acted, and well scripted, it definitely deservedmore than the practically non-existent distribution it received. While it is certainly not half the role that Rourke had to work with inThe Wrestler, his part was still well played and had gravitas despitehis mediocre Native American accent.Diane Lane was good as always. Thomas Jane was a pleasant surprise. I expect to see more of him inyears to come.Meanwhile Joseph Gordon-Levitt was absolutely transcendent in hisportrayal of an insecure white trash sociopath gone wildly off therails. With the right casting I have little doubt he has many awardswaiting for him down the road.Despite a few minor flaws, this is absolutely worth a watch if youenjoy gritty action movies that don't insult your intelligence, andrely more on character development than CGI.

TxMike 2012-05-05 21:19:24

Not a bad movie, but it never totally engaged me.

"Killshot" is a reference to the job that Armand 'The Blackbird' Degasdoes. He is an assassin for a mob and as he tells a younger protégé,you have to plan everything and when you go in you take the shot andthen leave. Ideally one shot, one 'kill shot', is all you need.Mickey Rourke is Armand 'The Blackbird' Degas, part Native American. Inthe opening scenes we see a botched job where his little brother getskilled. Because of this when Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Richie Nix entershis life, Armand befriends him because he reminds him of his deadbrother.I have to stop here and state that no one as stupid as Richie Nix wouldstill be alive at 27 if he were a real person. Or, if he were stillalive it would be as a prisoner securely locked away for the rest ofhis life. But in this story he is just more annoying than menacing.Anyway, back to the story. A chance encounter at a real estate officekickstarts the core of this movie. Armand and Richie go there to extortsome money but married couple Diane Lane as Carmen Colson and ThomasJane as Wayne Colson happen to be there. No one gets killed in thebrief fight that ensues, but after Carmen and Wayne saw their faces theassassin's rule is that they must die. So most of the movie has Armandand Richie trying to find Carmen and Wayne while the authoritiesrealize they are in danger so protect them by moving them to southernMissouri with fake names in the Federal Protection Program.The story is further complicated by the fact that Carmen and Wayne werealready contemplating a divorce after 15 years of marriage, and we getto see if this fight to stay alive will become a bonding experiencethat will save their marriage.Veteran actor Hal Holbrook appears briefly as Papa, the head of thecrime family, bare above the waist and with only a towel wrapped aroundhim. He doesn't look bad for a man almost 110 years old.Rosario Dawson is mostly wasted in a small role as Donna, thegirlfriend of Richie.For the subject matter most of the movie is rather dull. Lane and Janearen't given much to work with.SPOILERS: As the movie progressed I wondered several times why Armandput up with Richie, and didn't put a bullet through his head earlier.Finally, in Carmen's house, with Richie blabbing continuously the deedwas done. When Wayne showed up to check on Carmen he noticed, through awindow, a gun on a table and Richie's body on the floor. He correctlyfigured what was going on and went back to his truck to get his gun.There was a showdown of sorts outside between Wayne and Armand, whenCarmen comes out with the pistol and only one bullet. She puts it rightinto Armand's head. Carmen and Wayne win, they get to stay together andrebuild their relationship.

collipal-1 2012-05-05 07:02:42

Not very memorable,but entertaining

The plot summary of Killshot sounds as one of many cheap thrillerswhich infest the dusty shelves of video stores and the night hour fromsome modest cable-TV channels, because we have two formulas we haveseen on many movies from this genre: the retired killer who is going todo his last job, but is betrayed by his powerful bosses and the couplewho accidentally witness a crime and have to run from themurderers.But...wait a minute! Killshot is based on a book written bythe brilliant Elmore Leonard,the cast includes various solid actors(Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson andThomas Jane) and it is directed by John Madden, an Academy Awardnominated filmmaker with a competent filmography of art-house films.Inother words, before watching this movie, you do not have to expect acheap straight-to-DVD action film in the lines of the ones which arestarred by Wesley Snipes, Marc Dacascos or Steven Seagal.Killshotresulted to be much better than I expected,and although it is not verymemorable,it kept me entertained.The story from this film is a bit predictable, but the intenseperformances and precise direction increase the suspense, so the finalresult is a competent thriller which achieves a good combinationbetween Leonard's "noir" sensibility and a modern cinematographicstyle.I liked the atmosphere of a small town this movie brings and to see thestory set in the frontier of the United States and Canada,offering adifferent landscape to the typical locations from Los Ángeles or NewYork.I think the best elements from Killshot are its methodical rhythmand the logical chain of causes and consequences which drive us to asatisfactory ending.Although Killshot does not have much in common withMadden's previous films (Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Proof and thefamous Shakespeare in Love), his mature and disciplined work is alsoseen in here, because he lets the story to flow on a natural rhythm.I did not have very big expectations with Killshot, but it ended upbeing much better than I expected, and I can give a recommendation toit, in spite of being a bit predictable and not very memorable.

Don Willmott 2012-04-28 08:25:22

the quality of the A-list cast's performances do deserve a tip of the hat.

2012-04-27 13:20:48

My grandmother said she was gunna turn me into an owl..I said....I don't want to be no owl

After many many years sitting on the Weinstien brothers shelf...the return of Micky Rourke to the spotlight has given fans of John Madden, Elmore Leneord, and gritty crime drama a chance to see this near masterpiece. The orignal film, slated to come out in 2005 was a more robust film, with scenes with Johnny Knoxxville of Jackass fame that had the internet buzzing. Unfortunately none of those scenes are in this version of the movie. This movie is of a hitman who takes an apprentice and attempts to keep his life from falling apart..like his brothers. Rourke is great ( and in my opinion always delivers) Gordon Levitt ( Cobra Commander in this years G.I. JOE film) is simply brilliant as a non thinking ner' do well, and with Diane Lane, Rosario Dawson, Thomas Jane adding to major support...this movie would have to completely miss the mark to suck. Fortunately for us, it hits the mark...even if the target was slightly altered befor it's release...if it ever comes out as a directors cut...it is a must buy.

2012-04-27 06:26:43

Not bad for a sunday afternoon

This review is from: Killshot (Amazon Instant Video) Enjoyed it, like another reviewer said wasn't the best nor the worst by a long way. Kept you interested didn't move to slow .... no complaints

Joseph Proimakis 2012-04-26 13:43:14

Click for full review

p-stepien 2012-04-25 18:18:42

The Rourke and Gordon-Levitt show

The half-Indian Blackbird (Mickey Rourke) is a contract killer for anItalian pepperoni factory. Aiming to retire in peace his takes on hislast big job, but unfortunately decides to kill off the only witness -the pepperoni king's lover. Which naturally makes him a target. Richie(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a compulsive bad-mouthed orphaned thug, whoby chance hijacks Blackbird. After a short show-down Blackbird decidesnot to kill the boy, but to take the youth under his guidance, due tothe fact that he reminds him of his younger brother, who got killedduring a job.Their lives intertwine with Carmen (Diane Lane) and Wayne (ThomasJane), a marriage in separation. After seeing the faces of Blackbirdand getting away from it alive Carmen and Wayne suddenly become targetsof the hit-man. Soon they find themselves under protective custody ofthe FBI, but this is just the beginning of the debacle...The plot of the movie ranges from ridiculous to decent. Given thatBlackbird is such a cool and calculating person some of the things hedoes are essentially... dumb. Which breaks the build of the movie, asthe characters actions lack much sense. Naturally the compulsiveness ofRichie means anything can be expected from him, but you would expectsome semblance of logic from his tutor. The height of this is achievedwith the murder of Lionel (Aldred Montoya), an action so devoid ofpoint and logic, that it makes you not question the characters humanity(as intended) but their intelligence. Luckily for them the FBI is 5times dumber than they are.The saving grace of the movie is Mickey Rourke and JosephGordon-Levitt. Both lead the movie with such evil grace and style, thatyou are captivated (sometimes repulsed) by each scene with them.Everyone know Mickey Rourke is a class act, but Joseph Gordon-Levitthas gone a long way from the Third Rock from the Sun and currentlyshould be treated of one of the best young actors in Hollywood. Muchmore range and feeling than Leonardo diCaprio ever possessed. It'll beinteresting to see them interact on Inception, but I have the creepingfeeling that Gordon-Levitt may steal diCaprio's thunder...

Jeffrey M. Anderson 2012-04-25 09:47:34

The film's biggest problem is not that it's a disaster, but that it's merely tepid and dull.

2012-04-25 16:12:42

This was a fairly decent movie

Short Attention Span Summary:1. There is a mafia hitman who lost a brother in a holdup (because of the brother's stupidity).2. Said hitman is contracted by the mafia to kill an older boss (because they wanted an outside guy)-- but later they don't want to pay Mr. Hitman.3. He runs across an obnoxious criminal that tries to rob him and whom he eventually befriends and that lets him in on a job.4. While going on the job (extortion of a real estate guy), it doesn't turn out as expected and some Unfortunate Witnesses see his face.5. The remainder of the movie is about the Hitman's trying to seek out these Unfortunate Witnesses so that he can kill them.Review:This was a good movie for an evening-- as in an evening rented from Blockbuster. But some parts of this movie were a bit difficult to believe. Or, I should say that they took a second viewing to understand. One thing is that he went back to his reservation (and this guy didn't look a single bit like an Indian) and found someone who he just happened to know and who just happened to know who saw his face durin a holdup. Another thing that is unbelievable is that a hitman of his caliber was worried about money.Levitt's character was EXTREMELY OBNOXIOUS. Maybe this really was an example of good acting. Rourke's was also pretty good in his character. There seemed to be a certain je ne sais quoi that made this film lose one star. But it is something that I would recommend to a friend.

2012-04-25 01:30:01

Quirky Characters and Fine Acting But ... Where Is the Director's Cut?

I wouldn't miss a chance to see a film starring beautiful Diane Lane. And the film is based on an Elmore Leonard novel. In fact "Killshot" has an impressive cast including Mickey Rourke, Thomas Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario Dawson and Hal Holbrook as a cameo. But I never heard of the film (directed by John Madden, "Shakespeare in Love") until recently, and the reason is simple. "Killshot" is not very good.Mickey Rourke is excellent as a troubled hitman Armand "The Blackbird" Degas thinking of retiring from his job. But when he encounters a psychopathic criminal Richie Nix (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who is hatching an extortion plot, Armand takes him under his wing. Ritchie's brilliant plan goes terribly wrong, however, when trigger-happy Ritchie mistakes a veteran ironworker Wayne (Thomas Jane) visiting for job interview for the real target. Moreover, Wayne's estranged wife Carmen sees the face of Armand, and one of his rules as a professional killer is "never to leave living witnesses."A troubled production history notwithstanding, "Killshot" is not a total disaster. The storyline is disjointed and obviously the film is heavily re-edited, but the film still has original book writer Elmore Leonard's signatures - crackling dialogues and quirky characters bolstered by the competent works from the entire cast. Still the film's final act is a huge letdown and it is hard for anyone (including Mr. Leonard himself) to take the film's sloppiest Federal Witness Protection Program very seriously. Certainly this is better than two recent disappointments, "The Big Bounce" and "Be Cool," but "Killshot" is still a half-baked Elmore Leonard adaptation that could have been "Jackie Brown" with filmmakers who understand the original writer's unique worldview where violence and humor co-exist so naturally.