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Airbolt 
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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 Posted - 08/08/2009 : 22:01:31
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I heard of this "art film" with Jean Claude van Damme and was mightily intrigued. The premise is that it portrays JCVD as a washed-up action star with numerous weaknesses. So far, so postmodern. Playing a version of himself rather than the usual hero, he cuts a very downtrodden figure.
The gimmick, if you will, [ spoiler } is that he blunders into a botched post office hold-up and acts like , well, a normal person.
Stripped of his action persona allows a very personal performance and you see a sympathetic side to this somewhat bombastic man.
I wasn't very keen on one aspect of the film tho - it has a faded unlit look which wears thin very quickly. I know that it is supposed to convey a certain reality a la Private Ryan. Here it merely looks like it was shot through pantyhose.
As a final thought, I was wondering what the hardcore JCVD fans will have made of it. It is packaged as a typical action movie and I can just imagine the horror as they realise ....it's an art film! It's mostly in french too...the horror! |
Edited by - Airbolt on 08/12/2009 20:26:07 |
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MguyXXV 
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 08/09/2009 : 00:02:02
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I really enjoyed this film.
Is that William Shatner in your avatar? |
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Airbolt
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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Posted - 08/09/2009 : 11:38:33
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quote:
Originally posted by MguyX
I really enjoyed this film.
Is that William Shatner in your avatar?
Yes .I think its the episode " The Romulan Curry Incident " |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 12:06:56
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JCVD
I really enjoyed it. It's the only thing I have splashed out for in the new expensive screen at the Prince Charles Cinema, and I was glad that I did. |
Edited by - Demisemicenturian on 08/12/2009 20:52:58 |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 14:03:48
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| I'm going to catch this soon - it's free to watch on Lovefilm. |
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Demisemicenturian
"Four ever European"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 20:54:52
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quote:
Originally posted by demonic
I'm going to catch this soon - it's free to watch on Lovefilm.
I hope you like it, but I'm not sure you will. It's only 'arty' relative to typical J.-C.V.D. fare, and I'm guessing that you're not really into that. |
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MguyXXV
"X marks the spot"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 21:35:46
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quote:
Originally posted by demonic
I'm going to catch this soon - it's free to watch on Lovefilm.
I think you're going to love it. Don't bother with trying to be surprised: having read a prior review about it actually enhanced my viewing experience. |
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/12/2009 : 23:19:27
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| I'm doubly intrigued now - opinion is divided on my opinion! I will say I really liked Time Cop, Kickboxer and particularly Death Warrant as a younger fella. Is it possible to take a JCVD film seriously? We shall see. |
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Airbolt
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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Posted - 08/13/2009 : 22:47:14
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quote:
Originally posted by Salopian
quote:
Originally posted by demonic
I'm going to catch this soon - it's free to watch on Lovefilm.
I hope you like it, but I'm not sure you will. It's only 'arty' relative to typical J.-C.V.D. fare, and I'm guessing that you're not really into that.
I take your point but...I think that the "arty" element of the film lies not in the plot , which is a variation on a theme seen in many mainstream Hollywood movies, e.g the " heist ". It's not even in the drained sepiatone that the film is shot in. [ SPOILER ALERT - The next bit contains possible spoilers ] It's the postmodern concept of a real washed-up DVD action star appearing as a "warts and all" version of himself. Now Jean-Claude is well known for his colourful private life and cantona-like opaque quotes. He is entirely frank about these to the extent of a soul-bearing monologue straight to the camera. In this scene he is physically lifted from the movie set and taken into the lights. He delivers what amounts to a confession of his frailties and pleads with the director to give him "redemption" in the context of the movie.The difference between this and a "talk to the camera" as in "Alfie" is that Caine is not playing a character based on Michael Caine. |
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Airbolt
"teil mann, teil maschine"
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Posted - 08/15/2009 : 11:45:20
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Jason Statham has joined the cast of Ken Loach's " It's all society's fault" as the troubled son of a strife-torn east-end family. His other brothers ( Whip Hubley and Mark Dascasos ) have set up a shoe repair shop but have trouble relating to change. Jason spends hours by the canal pondering the meaning of life , in grainy longshot.
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demonic
"Cinemaniac"
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Posted - 08/25/2009 : 12:44:30
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| Well it started very badly indeed with little to commend it, especially the pointless flashback structure which only pointed up massive stupid plotholes - however, half an hour or so in it got better and I ended up enjoying it a great deal. The "rafters" monologue was brilliant; took me by surprise, impressed and moved me. Well done JC! |
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randall 
"I like to watch."
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Posted - 04/25/2010 : 20:08:40
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I loved it too, demonic, but my take is almost completely opposite yours! I was really taken with the gradual unwinding of the backstory, and I *hated* the rafter monologue. We already knew JCVD was winking at us, and this was a big fat reminder that "Hey: I'm looking at you, audience -- it's only a movie! Notice those Fresnels behind me? As a matter of fact, I'm sitting on a crane while it booms up!" It sucked all the tension out of the hostage endgame. The only justification might have been to show off some middle-aged acting chops, but they're already quite evident in the rest of the picture. Or maybe it's ironic: he's able to nail it all in a single take, a callback to the hilarious opening action sequence. Are both scenes intended to be equally phony?
However, gradually widening the backstory worked like gangbusters for me, particularly the "reverse angle" after our opening Belgian scene. I also disliked the last shot intensely, but it couldn't take away from the fount of good will that the picture had already earned by then. My favorite Van Damme picture by miles and miles. |
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JCVD
