Lee-Tamahori Movie Reviews

Graphic violence, in movies such as 'Once Were Warriors' and Stanley Kubrick's 'A Clockwork Orange', is not gratuitous. Violence in art does serve a purpose: to educate, to shock, to raise awareness and to repulse.

In this screen adaptation of Alan Duff's novel of the same title, the pub brawls, wife beatings and gang fights serve to drive home one point: Violence exists in society, and violence kills and destroys. Violence is not glamorous, but a sign that rot has set in within a family or community. The violent scenes in 'Once Were Warriors' is terrifying, raw and difficult to stomach because we know it can happen anywhere in the world, and it does happen, in our own communities and backyards.

'Once Were Warriors' revolves around a Maori family, Jake and Beth being the parents of five children. As with almost all groups that is low on the socioeconomic scale, alcoholism and domestic violence is a problem. Limited educational and job opportunities are not problems faced exclusively by the Maori but also all marginalized communities. Even reverse discrimination policies have failed to ensure equal treatment and respect for the minorities. Alcoholism becomes a problem for men when, by virtue of being treated as second-class citizens, their self-esteem and sense of cultural pride are repeatedly destroyed.

For our central characters Jake and Beth, life is a struggle to survive from paycheck to paycheck. Jake is horrendously strong and masculine, but also self-absorbed, irresponsible and volatile. Beth, like many women without careers or sources of income of their own, alternates between feeling bitter over her helplessness to provide her children with a better life and feeling pride that she is the wife of the virile and strong Jake.

As every student of behaviorism and behavior training would know, abusive relationships feed on and are sustained by the abuse because the occasional positive reinforcement persuades the abused party that things are not always all that bad and things would be better soon (E.g. read Karen Pryor's behavioral training classic, 'Don't Shoot The Dog'). Jake's rare moments of generosity and tenderness towards Beth convinces her that she is better off living with him, and that leaving Jake would just leave her vulnerable to other problems and abuses. She is battered, then apologized to, then pacified by Jake with displays of affection and declarations of love. This is the reason why most domestic violence victims often take so long to seek external help: Their assumption is that the abuser genuinely loves them, but 'just has a problem with his temper' and the situation will improve 'once he finds a job/is out of debt/once they have a bit of money'.

We are presented with a violent scene where Jake beats up another man in a pub for playing the jukebox too loudly. We, the audience, gasp at his strength and lack of remorse. Later, we see Jake confronting Beth for talking back and refusing to do as she is told. Jake unleashes his fury on her, beating her so badly that she is unable to go to court the following morning for the hearing of her juvenile delinquent son, Boogie. We understand that Beth seems to have accepted the beatings as a normal part of relationships.

Of the Heke children, Nig, the eldest, has left home to join a gang. His gang initiation ceremony involves him being beaten up by about ten older gang members. Boogie, the second son, has been 'running around with the wrong crowd' and is soon placed in a juvenile detention center, where he learns self-discipline, self-respect, love and respect for his culture and 'to wear his taiaha inside' when he is angry. The taiaha imagery here is important as it can be interpreted as a symbol of Maori pride and courage.

Gracie, Jake and Beth's 13-year-old daughter, deserves better than the cesspool of a home she was brought up in. She is kind to the point of overwhelming magnanimity and nurturing to a fault, but her potential is stifled by lack of support and understanding from her parents. Still, Gracie shows the most promise of all the Heke children. Her untimely demise later in the film is a great source of sorrow and resentment for me.

A scene in the later part of the movie shows Jake refusing to hand over the keys to the car to Beth. Again, this is a powerful artistic device to let us see how helpless and trapped Beth is in her marriage to Jake. She can't leave even if she is determined to, she has nowhere to go and she can afford to only go home.

Despite the bleakness of all that has befallen the Heke family; the beatings sustained by Beth and Nig, Jake's revelation that he came 'from a long line of slaves' and was not considered good enough for Beth's family, the detention of Boogie and the rape and subsequent suicide of young Gracie, this movie does provide us with achingly beautiful glimpses into the New Zealand urban landscape and Maori culture. When the village elders performed the Haere Mai welcoming song to welcome Beth and her brood back into the folds of their close-knit community, I believe not many of us can help but feel emotional. Beth turns to her Maori roots to give her strength at a time when she needs it the most, and her people and culture do not forsake her but fortify her instead and help her walk away from the destructive forces that strive to break her spirit and tear her family apart.
The entire cast has given nothing but the best to make this movie the powerful social commentary that it is. The compelling performance by the cast enables us to empathize with the problems and predicaments faced by the Maori as well as so many other marginalized groups. 'Once Were Warriors' is essential watching to anyone who hopes to understand the problems connected with domestic violence, working class society and the effect of imposing a global monoculture on people who already have a culture and religion of their own. While I do not pretend that this movie is able to address all those issues exhaustively, it does help us see things from one family's perspective. And sometimes that's enough.

I am writing in response to the reviews below. I agree with them that it is extremely violent, and touches upon some very sensitive issues, rape, molestation, alcoholism, & domestic violence. This is a good movie, although you should be prepared for its' explicit violence and graphic details. The author and producer did a wonderful job portraying this story of a disfunctional Maori family and their struggles with each other, with their culture and with themselves. As some people may find it hard to watch, it is a sad fact that for some people, this is their reality, their life. I come from a Polynesian family and I see scenarios vaguely reminiscent to this movie all around me, in my family and those of friends. This movie is about more than a man's struggle with violence or about the parent's alcohol addiction. This movie is about a search for identity, both cultural identity and personal identity intertwined. In the end, Beth speaks, of how they come from a tribe, full of "mana", which means power...not a physical power but a spiritual power. This is what, she finally realizes, she has been missing all those years...she realizes that she has mana, she is strong and even though it is so common around her, she is starting to understand what has been happening within her own family NOT supposed to be normal.

This is one of the most moving and yet inspirational films I have seen. Set in the Government Housing area of Aukland,New Zealand (Aotearoa). while much of other reviews covers the simple view of the film, they cannot convey the powerful story/message as well as watching Rena Owen and Temuera Morrison, Taungaroa Emile, Mere Boynton and Mamaengaroa Kerr-Bell, and the rest of the cast.
The Film highlights not only the Maori story, but as mentioned by Rene herself (in an interview on the DVD I have). it highlights the problems of women children and men worldwide, most people can relate to the characters, many of us know a Beth Heke, a Boogie Heke, a Jake (The Mus) Heke, even a Grace Heke.
they need not be Maori, but we all can relate, no matter our origins, this is a story of the human condition that is all too common, and in the eyes of this reviewer, shows that too often when we try to be strong, we get it wrong. if you like Hollywood's greatest, then don't get this film, because this film is not a flight of fantasy, this film is reality.

This movie is so hokey and predictable, I can't believe it was written by the same mind who gave us "Glengarry Glen Ross." I have so many problems with this film, but I'll just list the main ones: (1) unoriginal plot (disaster strikes on a trip into the wilderness. Only the 999th movie to give us that lame storyline.) (2) After the "PLANE CRASH!!!", when the big bear is killed, all of a sudden there is no more bear threat. it's like there were only two bears in that whole wilderness. With all the bleeding going on between those three guys, bears would have been having a festival with those nimrods. (3) Then, it was so implausible to me that Alec Baldwin's character, Bob, would try to kill Anthony Hopkins' character, Charles, who had singlehandedly killed a bear and saved their lives --- because he, Bob, was SECRETLY in love with Charles' wife, the beautiful supermodel back at the warm cozy hunting lodge! Wouldn't he at least have waited until he was a little bit closer to being found? (4) Later, when Bob is injured and bleeding badly, he fades out for a second and Charles says "Don't die on me, Bob!" Hello! Is that not the most hackneyed line in show business? and (5) my personal favorite: just when Bob is playing his deathbed scene --- cue the helicopter to appear through the mountain fog! They're saved! All is well! But, (6) Ooops! Bob just died while the helicopter was buzzing the mountainside! Then, when it mercifully fades to black, we see "The producers would like to thank 'BART THE BEAR' for his contribution to this motion picture. Puhleeeeeeze! Just a horrible, unoriginal film. The only redeeming features were two performances: First and foremost Anthony Hopkins. He made chicken salad out of you know what. And believe it or not, supermodel Elle Macpherson, in the small role of Charles' wife, is not bad. It was a revelation to be a supermodel come through with an understated performance with some nice depth even when she's not speaking; it was very nice. As far as the other actors, they were all right, but nothing great. Alec Baldwin did his usual grimacing, shouting and gnashing of teeth; nothing new from him. I stayed up until 3:30 in the morning watching this thing, waiting for it to become a good film. I kept telling myself "This is Mamet. Come on!" A total disappointment. At least the cinematography was good. And the music was quite good. But the rest of it: A big ole stinker. But I am giving it 2 stars, just because it's Mamet, and I'm sure if I know Hollywood, they probably made him put in some of that junk.

I know what you're thinking, "How can a movie be entertaining when it has a title as lame as 'The Edge'?" That's exactly what I thought before I'd read good reviews on it. The plot is relatively simple: A billionaire named Charles (Hopkins) and his beauty-queen wife Micky (MacPherson) head off to Alaska for a photo-op, but Charles winds up being stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with the photographer Bob (Baldwin) and his assistant Stephen (Perrineau). The three men then try to find ways to survive, not just against nature but among their relationships with each other as well.

This is an intelligent adventure film with more dialogue than explosions. The whole movie isn't always moving at the pace of a hardcore action flick, but when it does it leaves you biting your nails to the roots. One of my favorite scenes is right in the beginning, where you are freaked out one moment and then breathe a sigh of relief the next. The survival sequences are a lot of fun, and Hopkins delivers a great performance. And the scenery is staggeringly beautiful!

There are a few problems with this film, however. Elle MacPherson may be pretty, but she doesn't act very well. Also, once in a while, the dialogue makes a vain attempt to be intelligent and winds up just being vague (like the final line of the film). Finally, the relationship between the men gets a little illogical after the film's pinnacle of excitement (more than halfway through the film).

Nevertheless, the film is quite good, and it's worthy of more than one viewing. Show it to your friends, they may be surprised at how exciting it actually is!

Final note: The R-rating is there because of the violence and profanity. The profanity never gets unreasonable; after all, it's pretty stressful to be lost in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing to eat. The violence, however, involves intense adventure action and occasionally gets quite bloody. It might be best if kids under 12 don't watch this film.

The Edge is a very much underrated film that sadly did not get the proper recognition it deserves, for it is an above average multi-layered movie that works very well on many levels, all equally well written and directed.
New Zealander Lee Tamahori, with the excellent Once We Were Warriors to his name,and writer David Mamet manage to make a movie that offers much more than its genre might suggests, both on the drama and thriller levels.
First there is the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness, spaces so vast they are equally inviting and menacing.A Napoleon general, lamenting the disaster that befell the French army once said: 'The vasteness of Russia devours us'. In the Edge you will too get the impression that the beauty of this untamed nature can also devour: break the bodies and souls of our heroes, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, both offering their most underrated acting best.
Three men are lost in the middle of a wilderness after their plane crash.The hope for an early return/rescue is dashed by the misleading spaces and a huge and determined Kodiak bear.One man, played by Harry Perrineau gets to know first hand about this determination,leaving Hopkins and Baldwin, bewildered, and weary,to try and escape with their lives.
This is when the film really starts. It becomes a journey of incredible hardship that will strip both men of their 'social' selves and replace it with the need to survive that will take them to the 'Edge' of endurance on one hand, and the depths of their own souls on the other. The animosities, tension and grudges that laid hidden between the two men emerge as a powerful and consistent force that mark their relationship from then on.
David Mamet has managed to write the 'Edge' that any human being can face whether lost in an unforgiving wilderness or anywhere else for that matter.It is simply how human beings change,and how social niceties is slowly eroded when the need to survive becomes the single driving force. This is a fine piece of writing!
Of course there is the thriller angle in the film..the bear, the master and primary predator of its environment,chasing two men that have been stripped from all the power and control they once possessed and taken for granted.
The direction and cinematography of these scenes are of top quality.
So if you want to watch gorgeous scenery, be scared of this huge and beautiful animal,or witness the changes incredible circumstances that trigger in men, then the Edge is the film for you eyes and mind, a journey that can easily be revisited in the safety of your own home.

This movie is so hokey and predictable, I can't believe it was written by the same mind who gave us "Glengarry Glen Ross." I have so many problems with this film, but I'll just list the main ones: (1) unoriginal plot (disaster strikes on a trip into the wilderness. Only the 999th movie to give us that lame storyline.) (2) After the "PLANE CRASH!!!", when the big bear is killed, all of a sudden there is no more bear threat. it's like there were only two bears in that whole wilderness. With all the bleeding going on between those three guys, bears would have been having a festival with those nimrods. (3) Then, it was so implausible to me that Alec Baldwin's character, Bob, would try to kill Anthony Hopkins' character, Charles, who had singlehandedly killed a bear and saved their lives --- because he, Bob, was SECRETLY in love with Charles' wife, the beautiful supermodel back at the warm cozy hunting lodge! Wouldn't he at least have waited until he was a little bit closer to being found? (4) Later, when Bob is injured and bleeding badly, he fades out for a second and Charles says "Don't die on me, Bob!" Hello! Is that not the most hackneyed line in show business? and (5) my personal favorite: just when Bob is playing his deathbed scene --- cue the helicopter to appear through the mountain fog! They're saved! All is well! But, (6) Ooops! Bob just died while the helicopter was buzzing the mountainside! Then, when it mercifully fades to black, we see "The producers would like to thank 'BART THE BEAR' for his contribution to this motion picture. Puhleeeeeeze! Just a horrible, unoriginal film. The only redeeming features were two performances: First and foremost Anthony Hopkins. He made chicken salad out of you know what. And believe it or not, supermodel Elle Macpherson, in the small role of Charles' wife, is not bad. It was a revelation to be a supermodel come through with an understated performance with some nice depth even when she's not speaking; it was very nice. As far as the other actors, they were all right, but nothing great. Alec Baldwin did his usual grimacing, shouting and gnashing of teeth; nothing new from him. I stayed up until 3:30 in the morning watching this thing, waiting for it to become a good film. I kept telling myself "This is Mamet. Come on!" A total disappointment. At least the cinematography was good. And the music was quite good. But the rest of it: A big ole stinker. But I am giving it 2 stars, just because it's Mamet, and I'm sure if I know Hollywood, they probably made him put in some of that junk.

I know what you're thinking, "How can a movie be entertaining when it has a title as lame as 'The Edge'?" That's exactly what I thought before I'd read good reviews on it. The plot is relatively simple: A billionaire named Charles (Hopkins) and his beauty-queen wife Micky (MacPherson) head off to Alaska for a photo-op, but Charles winds up being stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with the photographer Bob (Baldwin) and his assistant Stephen (Perrineau). The three men then try to find ways to survive, not just against nature but among their relationships with each other as well.

This is an intelligent adventure film with more dialogue than explosions. The whole movie isn't always moving at the pace of a hardcore action flick, but when it does it leaves you biting your nails to the roots. One of my favorite scenes is right in the beginning, where you are freaked out one moment and then breathe a sigh of relief the next. The survival sequences are a lot of fun, and Hopkins delivers a great performance. And the scenery is staggeringly beautiful!

There are a few problems with this film, however. Elle MacPherson may be pretty, but she doesn't act very well. Also, once in a while, the dialogue makes a vain attempt to be intelligent and winds up just being vague (like the final line of the film). Finally, the relationship between the men gets a little illogical after the film's pinnacle of excitement (more than halfway through the film).

Nevertheless, the film is quite good, and it's worthy of more than one viewing. Show it to your friends, they may be surprised at how exciting it actually is!

Final note: The R-rating is there because of the violence and profanity. The profanity never gets unreasonable; after all, it's pretty stressful to be lost in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing to eat. The violence, however, involves intense adventure action and occasionally gets quite bloody. It might be best if kids under 12 don't watch this film.

The Edge is a very much underrated film that sadly did not get the proper recognition it deserves, for it is an above average multi-layered movie that works very well on many levels, all equally well written and directed.
New Zealander Lee Tamahori, with the excellent Once We Were Warriors to his name,and writer David Mamet manage to make a movie that offers much more than its genre might suggests, both on the drama and thriller levels.
First there is the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness, spaces so vast they are equally inviting and menacing.A Napoleon general, lamenting the disaster that befell the French army once said: 'The vasteness of Russia devours us'. In the Edge you will too get the impression that the beauty of this untamed nature can also devour: break the bodies and souls of our heroes, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, both offering their most underrated acting best.
Three men are lost in the middle of a wilderness after their plane crash.The hope for an early return/rescue is dashed by the misleading spaces and a huge and determined Kodiak bear.One man, played by Harry Perrineau gets to know first hand about this determination,leaving Hopkins and Baldwin, bewildered, and weary,to try and escape with their lives.
This is when the film really starts. It becomes a journey of incredible hardship that will strip both men of their 'social' selves and replace it with the need to survive that will take them to the 'Edge' of endurance on one hand, and the depths of their own souls on the other. The animosities, tension and grudges that laid hidden between the two men emerge as a powerful and consistent force that mark their relationship from then on.
David Mamet has managed to write the 'Edge' that any human being can face whether lost in an unforgiving wilderness or anywhere else for that matter.It is simply how human beings change,and how social niceties is slowly eroded when the need to survive becomes the single driving force. This is a fine piece of writing!
Of course there is the thriller angle in the film..the bear, the master and primary predator of its environment,chasing two men that have been stripped from all the power and control they once possessed and taken for granted.
The direction and cinematography of these scenes are of top quality.
So if you want to watch gorgeous scenery, be scared of this huge and beautiful animal,or witness the changes incredible circumstances that trigger in men, then the Edge is the film for you eyes and mind, a journey that can easily be revisited in the safety of your own home.

This movie is so hokey and predictable, I can't believe it was written by the same mind who gave us "Glengarry Glen Ross." I have so many problems with this film, but I'll just list the main ones: (1) unoriginal plot (disaster strikes on a trip into the wilderness. Only the 999th movie to give us that lame storyline.) (2) After the "PLANE CRASH!!!", when the big bear is killed, all of a sudden there is no more bear threat. it's like there were only two bears in that whole wilderness. With all the bleeding going on between those three guys, bears would have been having a festival with those nimrods. (3) Then, it was so implausible to me that Alec Baldwin's character, Bob, would try to kill Anthony Hopkins' character, Charles, who had singlehandedly killed a bear and saved their lives --- because he, Bob, was SECRETLY in love with Charles' wife, the beautiful supermodel back at the warm cozy hunting lodge! Wouldn't he at least have waited until he was a little bit closer to being found? (4) Later, when Bob is injured and bleeding badly, he fades out for a second and Charles says "Don't die on me, Bob!" Hello! Is that not the most hackneyed line in show business? and (5) my personal favorite: just when Bob is playing his deathbed scene --- cue the helicopter to appear through the mountain fog! They're saved! All is well! But, (6) Ooops! Bob just died while the helicopter was buzzing the mountainside! Then, when it mercifully fades to black, we see "The producers would like to thank 'BART THE BEAR' for his contribution to this motion picture. Puhleeeeeeze! Just a horrible, unoriginal film. The only redeeming features were two performances: First and foremost Anthony Hopkins. He made chicken salad out of you know what. And believe it or not, supermodel Elle Macpherson, in the small role of Charles' wife, is not bad. It was a revelation to be a supermodel come through with an understated performance with some nice depth even when she's not speaking; it was very nice. As far as the other actors, they were all right, but nothing great. Alec Baldwin did his usual grimacing, shouting and gnashing of teeth; nothing new from him. I stayed up until 3:30 in the morning watching this thing, waiting for it to become a good film. I kept telling myself "This is Mamet. Come on!" A total disappointment. At least the cinematography was good. And the music was quite good. But the rest of it: A big ole stinker. But I am giving it 2 stars, just because it's Mamet, and I'm sure if I know Hollywood, they probably made him put in some of that junk.

I know what you're thinking, "How can a movie be entertaining when it has a title as lame as 'The Edge'?" That's exactly what I thought before I'd read good reviews on it. The plot is relatively simple: A billionaire named Charles (Hopkins) and his beauty-queen wife Micky (MacPherson) head off to Alaska for a photo-op, but Charles winds up being stranded in the Alaskan wilderness with the photographer Bob (Baldwin) and his assistant Stephen (Perrineau). The three men then try to find ways to survive, not just against nature but among their relationships with each other as well.

This is an intelligent adventure film with more dialogue than explosions. The whole movie isn't always moving at the pace of a hardcore action flick, but when it does it leaves you biting your nails to the roots. One of my favorite scenes is right in the beginning, where you are freaked out one moment and then breathe a sigh of relief the next. The survival sequences are a lot of fun, and Hopkins delivers a great performance. And the scenery is staggeringly beautiful!

There are a few problems with this film, however. Elle MacPherson may be pretty, but she doesn't act very well. Also, once in a while, the dialogue makes a vain attempt to be intelligent and winds up just being vague (like the final line of the film). Finally, the relationship between the men gets a little illogical after the film's pinnacle of excitement (more than halfway through the film).

Nevertheless, the film is quite good, and it's worthy of more than one viewing. Show it to your friends, they may be surprised at how exciting it actually is!

Final note: The R-rating is there because of the violence and profanity. The profanity never gets unreasonable; after all, it's pretty stressful to be lost in the Alaskan wilderness with nothing to eat. The violence, however, involves intense adventure action and occasionally gets quite bloody. It might be best if kids under 12 don't watch this film.

The Edge is a very much underrated film that sadly did not get the proper recognition it deserves, for it is an above average multi-layered movie that works very well on many levels, all equally well written and directed.
New Zealander Lee Tamahori, with the excellent Once We Were Warriors to his name,and writer David Mamet manage to make a movie that offers much more than its genre might suggests, both on the drama and thriller levels.
First there is the breathtaking Alaskan wilderness, spaces so vast they are equally inviting and menacing.A Napoleon general, lamenting the disaster that befell the French army once said: 'The vasteness of Russia devours us'. In the Edge you will too get the impression that the beauty of this untamed nature can also devour: break the bodies and souls of our heroes, Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin, both offering their most underrated acting best.
Three men are lost in the middle of a wilderness after their plane crash.The hope for an early return/rescue is dashed by the misleading spaces and a huge and determined Kodiak bear.One man, played by Harry Perrineau gets to know first hand about this determination,leaving Hopkins and Baldwin, bewildered, and weary,to try and escape with their lives.
This is when the film really starts. It becomes a journey of incredible hardship that will strip both men of their 'social' selves and replace it with the need to survive that will take them to the 'Edge' of endurance on one hand, and the depths of their own souls on the other. The animosities, tension and grudges that laid hidden between the two men emerge as a powerful and consistent force that mark their relationship from then on.
David Mamet has managed to write the 'Edge' that any human being can face whether lost in an unforgiving wilderness or anywhere else for that matter.It is simply how human beings change,and how social niceties is slowly eroded when the need to survive becomes the single driving force. This is a fine piece of writing!
Of course there is the thriller angle in the film..the bear, the master and primary predator of its environment,chasing two men that have been stripped from all the power and control they once possessed and taken for granted.
The direction and cinematography of these scenes are of top quality.
So if you want to watch gorgeous scenery, be scared of this huge and beautiful animal,or witness the changes incredible circumstances that trigger in men, then the Edge is the film for you eyes and mind, a journey that can easily be revisited in the safety of your own home.

I was really looking forward to this film. I like action movies, and the gadgets, and movies with HALLE Barry.

Sadly this Bond movie was just awful. - Poor development of character, despite an unusual start to the film - Far too much reliance on special effects - many of which were not even remotely likely. - Awful sound track, and probably the worst opening Bond theme tune ever. - And what happened to the use of the James Bond music.... you know, the guitar riff. Usually James gets to say "Bond, James Bond" at least once in the movie, and the little tune goes "dum diddy um dumm". Where's it gone? The whole thing was totally uninvolving.

The villain was ok. And the lesser villain (with the diamond face) was actually the more interesting of the two, but he never really got going. The sword fight was pretty good. The rediculous scene with the rocket-powered ice skating vehicle... what was that all about?? One minute he's doing 400mph and the ray's right up his tail pipe. Next minute he's stopped, and the ray's miles behind him. Errr.. surely if you slow down, it catches you? .....

Bond's supposed to be about wit, sophistication and daring. He's supposed to be the man every man wants to be, and every woman wants. OK, perhaps that's not PC any more, but it's what a Bond film is, and I for one would love to see something that is not PC for a change. ... an non-PC film. Now there's an idea.

So all I saw here was a bunch of gadgets, some product placement (although not as bad as earlier movies... Bond in a family saloon, for heaven's sake) and bad digital effects. The only positive thing was brief "cameos" by Judi Dench, John Cleese and Madonna. ...P>Final verdict? Go see it if you've nothing else to do, but really there are a lot of better films out there.

(All my opinion, of course!)

Well what can I say

*Halle Berry is funny, so is Bond and R and so on
*We see the vunerable Bond( good/bad your choice)
*Madonna sucks
*The Vanish(oh please)
*Long snow fights-boring
*You'll be a genius if you get the plot

In conclusion

*Worth watching five minutes but please....
DON'T WASTE GOOD MONEY

DIE ANOTHER DAY catapults James Bond into the Twenty First Century. This movie is fast paced and cram packed with action on the land, in the sea and in the air. Pierce Brosnan is James Bond and he does it everywhere. Brosnan's Bond is more relaxed, confident and deadlier than all his previous outings as 007. The new Aston Martin has some really great innovations and plays a major part in the movie as its predecessor DB5 did in GOLDFINGER. That being said this film combines both the reality base of the recent Bond films with the larger than life plots for world domination from the older Bond films but with enormous amounts of technological advances added. The result is a whole new frenetic and furious look. David Arnold's pivital score as a whole reflects this new direction as he updates his approach to the music with increased electronic mind blowing audiotronics that really pushes the envelope. The movie's only shortcoming is Halle Berry as Jinx. Jinx is a bit of an enigma. Is she there as Bond's friend or foe? They really don't work together but instead just happen to be around to pull each other out of a jam. Jinx works for the NSA. It is clearly seen that the NSA and MI6 aren't exactly on congenial terms. The movie never really addresses any relationship between Bond and Jinx. That's one fault. Also, the villain's plot was a little uninspired since it involved a virtual duplicate of Blofeld's diamond refracting satellite from DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER. However, DIE ANOTHER DAY does not fail to entertain and it delivers far more action than any other Bond film to date. Besides, it's the first time we get to see Bond smoke since LICENCE TO KILL!

Worst Bond movie since Moonraker. I'm a die-hard fan of the series and this has to be the worst overall Bond movie in years. The plot was awful and any viewer could see the surprises' coming. Halle Berry is not fit for the series and a sequel with her character will bomb. Bronsan better come back to another one and redeem himself from this terrible movie.

This movie has some incredible special effects, great fight scenes, interesting plot and great villains. However, the special gadgets this time around are just a little too far outside the realm of possibility. An invisible car...give me a break. A resort constructed of ice...yeah, when h*ll freezes over.

Of course with any Bond film, you're asked to suspend some degree of reality -- usually the fight scenes, but in this one you definitely have to ignore your sense of science. While I don't mind cooperating, this one asks a little much of its audience.

While Pierce Brosnan taking on the role of James Bond inarguably reinvigorated the franchise, in his latest outing as 007 he looks tired, and the film certainly feels like the creative staff agree.

There are some high points -- the use of North Korea, Bond in captivity, adventures in Cuba -- but the moment the film shifts to the wintery setting for its last half, it's as though we're watching Roger Moore circa "Moonraker." The film becomes cliche, camping and outright silly, and even the ice palace -- clearly meant to be impressive -- just looks like a leftover from a cheap 1970s science fiction movie.

While I hope Bond is never fully retired, it feels like it's time to put the franchise on the shelf again for a decade or so, and let a new generation of creators find a way to make him the hero he's meant to be, and so often has been in the past.

Recommended only as a rental.

A good cast and good director are largely wasted here due to a completely incoherent script. I have not read the James Patterson novel that it is based on, but I gather from other reviewers that it is radically different, and in ways that probably should have been retained in the film. This movie just left me scratching my head. No motivation for character's actions, incomphrensible police/forensic work, "plot twists" that come out of nowhere, etc. One of the worst -- the little kidnapped girl disappears from the kidnappers boat, but we are never told how this happens (she's locked in securely). Horrible CGI special effects that look cartoonish and totally phony.

About all I can say positive is that Morgan Freeman and Michael Wincott, along with Monica Potter, Michael Moriarity and several other good actors, try valiantly to use talent and charisma to make SOMETHING of the material, but with a script this incoherent they didn't stand a chance.

This is not even worth a rental, unless you are completely desperate on a rainy evening and there is absolutely nothing else to watch.

2001 has proven to be the year of the detective\suspense\thriller genre! The year started out with the amazing Sean Penn film starring Jack Nicholson "The Pledge". It was then followed by Ridley Scott's sequel to "The Silence Of The Lambs", "Hannibal". We then had Robert DeNiro and Ed Burns star in "15 Minutes" now along comes "Along Came A Spider", which might not be as good as "The Pledge" and\or "Hannibal", but it does prove to be a very entertaining film. It's a movie that's filled with lots of twist and turns and we go along with them, loving it! Back in 1997 we were first introduced to the character created in James Patterson's novel and the film version of "Kiss The Girls". Morgan Freeman under the direction of Lee Tamahori gives a wonderful performance. Freeman is an actor that truly has a presence that dominates on screen, no matter whom he's acting against. And that presence is very clear to see in this movie. The film opens up with a very exciting scene showing Freeman and his partner in action going after some rapist (I think). Right from that very first scene the viewer knows that they're in for a very suspenseful,exciting, and entertaining ride! A senator's daughter has been kidnapped dispite efforts by Special Agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter) who seems to work well in her scenes with Freeman. Flannigan (Potter) has been watching Megan (The senator's daughter) for 3 years. And can't believe how they're suspect Soneji (Michael Wincott) could have escaped. After a phone call from Soneji himself, sorta requesting that Detective Alex Cross (Freeman) take on this case, we are set to believe that for the rest of the movie Soneji is our man. But, the screenplay by Marc Moss has something else up it's sleeve. A major twist happens that sets us in a completely new direction. If someone can actually tell me that they saw what was going to happen in the end, then I must be the biggest moron walking around. Because I was shocked! If it wasn't for the plot twist, I don't think I would be recommending this movie. A lot of critics are complainng that the movie has too many plot holes. To them I say...LOSEN UP!!!! I've yet to actually see that is without any doubt absolutely perfect. The movie is entertaining. It keeps our attention, and has an ending no one will see coming. It's enjoyable, and exciting and I think people will like it for what it is, and will have a good time watching it.

"Along Came A Spider" can make a slow evening pass very quickly.
The plot centers on the kidnapping of a Senator's young daughter from her private school. The kidnapper then gets in touch with famed criminal psychologist Alex Delaware (Morgan Freeman)in an effort to impress him. Delaware has recently lost his partner due to a mistake on his part. To track down the kidnapper, he enlists the help of a beautiful young secret service agent (Monica Potter), who was stationed at the girl's school and is being blamed for the kidnapping. So both individuals are wounded from their past mistakes and anxious to succeed again.
The movie then follows the twists and turns of the duo's efforts to solve the kidnapping. Several plot twists near the end (which I won't go into so as not to ruin the viewing experience) vastly improve the movie. The actors are very strong: Morgan Freeman is particularly moving as Alex Delaware and the young actress who plays the kidnapping victim, Megan Ann Rose, is wonderful.
I would recommend this movie to those individuals who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre. While you certainly can find a better movie in this category, you also can find a number of poorer ones. And, once again, the twists are pretty good...

A good cast and good director are largely wasted here due to a completely incoherent script. I have not read the James Patterson novel that it is based on, but I gather from other reviewers that it is radically different, and in ways that probably should have been retained in the film. This movie just left me scratching my head. No motivation for character's actions, incomphrensible police/forensic work, "plot twists" that come out of nowhere, etc. One of the worst -- the little kidnapped girl disappears from the kidnappers boat, but we are never told how this happens (she's locked in securely). Horrible CGI special effects that look cartoonish and totally phony.

About all I can say positive is that Morgan Freeman and Michael Wincott, along with Monica Potter, Michael Moriarity and several other good actors, try valiantly to use talent and charisma to make SOMETHING of the material, but with a script this incoherent they didn't stand a chance.

This is not even worth a rental, unless you are completely desperate on a rainy evening and there is absolutely nothing else to watch.

2001 has proven to be the year of the detective\suspense\thriller genre! The year started out with the amazing Sean Penn film starring Jack Nicholson "The Pledge". It was then followed by Ridley Scott's sequel to "The Silence Of The Lambs", "Hannibal". We then had Robert DeNiro and Ed Burns star in "15 Minutes" now along comes "Along Came A Spider", which might not be as good as "The Pledge" and\or "Hannibal", but it does prove to be a very entertaining film. It's a movie that's filled with lots of twist and turns and we go along with them, loving it! Back in 1997 we were first introduced to the character created in James Patterson's novel and the film version of "Kiss The Girls". Morgan Freeman under the direction of Lee Tamahori gives a wonderful performance. Freeman is an actor that truly has a presence that dominates on screen, no matter whom he's acting against. And that presence is very clear to see in this movie. The film opens up with a very exciting scene showing Freeman and his partner in action going after some rapist (I think). Right from that very first scene the viewer knows that they're in for a very suspenseful,exciting, and entertaining ride! A senator's daughter has been kidnapped dispite efforts by Special Agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter) who seems to work well in her scenes with Freeman. Flannigan (Potter) has been watching Megan (The senator's daughter) for 3 years. And can't believe how they're suspect Soneji (Michael Wincott) could have escaped. After a phone call from Soneji himself, sorta requesting that Detective Alex Cross (Freeman) take on this case, we are set to believe that for the rest of the movie Soneji is our man. But, the screenplay by Marc Moss has something else up it's sleeve. A major twist happens that sets us in a completely new direction. If someone can actually tell me that they saw what was going to happen in the end, then I must be the biggest moron walking around. Because I was shocked! If it wasn't for the plot twist, I don't think I would be recommending this movie. A lot of critics are complainng that the movie has too many plot holes. To them I say...LOSEN UP!!!! I've yet to actually see that is without any doubt absolutely perfect. The movie is entertaining. It keeps our attention, and has an ending no one will see coming. It's enjoyable, and exciting and I think people will like it for what it is, and will have a good time watching it.

"Along Came A Spider" can make a slow evening pass very quickly.
The plot centers on the kidnapping of a Senator's young daughter from her private school. The kidnapper then gets in touch with famed criminal psychologist Alex Delaware (Morgan Freeman)in an effort to impress him. Delaware has recently lost his partner due to a mistake on his part. To track down the kidnapper, he enlists the help of a beautiful young secret service agent (Monica Potter), who was stationed at the girl's school and is being blamed for the kidnapping. So both individuals are wounded from their past mistakes and anxious to succeed again.
The movie then follows the twists and turns of the duo's efforts to solve the kidnapping. Several plot twists near the end (which I won't go into so as not to ruin the viewing experience) vastly improve the movie. The actors are very strong: Morgan Freeman is particularly moving as Alex Delaware and the young actress who plays the kidnapping victim, Megan Ann Rose, is wonderful.
I would recommend this movie to those individuals who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre. While you certainly can find a better movie in this category, you also can find a number of poorer ones. And, once again, the twists are pretty good...

A good cast and good director are largely wasted here due to a completely incoherent script. I have not read the James Patterson novel that it is based on, but I gather from other reviewers that it is radically different, and in ways that probably should have been retained in the film. This movie just left me scratching my head. No motivation for character's actions, incomphrensible police/forensic work, "plot twists" that come out of nowhere, etc. One of the worst -- the little kidnapped girl disappears from the kidnappers boat, but we are never told how this happens (she's locked in securely). Horrible CGI special effects that look cartoonish and totally phony.

About all I can say positive is that Morgan Freeman and Michael Wincott, along with Monica Potter, Michael Moriarity and several other good actors, try valiantly to use talent and charisma to make SOMETHING of the material, but with a script this incoherent they didn't stand a chance.

This is not even worth a rental, unless you are completely desperate on a rainy evening and there is absolutely nothing else to watch.

A kidnapped victim, a police detective in need of redemption, a rookie secret service agent in search of a mentor, a perverted villain: this movie has all the elements of a good psychological thriller. So why does it fail, so miserably? It's probably because the spider is so concerned with casting a complex web that it gets tangled in the process. In the middle of the movie, various plot twists lead the movie into a different direction that's not in the least bit compatible with its beginning. True, it makes the story unpredictable; it also makes the events in the story highly improbably, and the characters highly inconsistent. There are a few intense, dramatic moments, such as the scene where the police detective (played aptly by Morgan Freeman), aided by electronic tracing devices, attempts to deliver the ransom, following the kidnapper's cryptic instructions from one phone booth to another, with barely enough time to get from point A to point B. But that's about all that's redeeming in this movie.

The rest of the movie is a complete nonsense. The smart cop commits a stupid error (by shooting and killing the only one person who can lead him to the victim); good cops reveal that they're not that good after all (but no convincing explanation is given). It seems to me this spider starts out as a kidnap-and-ransom thriller, then becomes a relationship drama (an experienced cop and a rookie developing an emotional, tactical codependency), but finally transforms into something about inevitable destiny ("You do what you are," announces the villain). Not even Freeman can untangle this messy web. This spider really bugs me--and not in a good way.

"Along Came A Spider" can make a slow evening pass very quickly.
The plot centers on the kidnapping of a Senator's young daughter from her private school. The kidnapper then gets in touch with famed criminal psychologist Alex Delaware (Morgan Freeman)in an effort to impress him. Delaware has recently lost his partner due to a mistake on his part. To track down the kidnapper, he enlists the help of a beautiful young secret service agent (Monica Potter), who was stationed at the girl's school and is being blamed for the kidnapping. So both individuals are wounded from their past mistakes and anxious to succeed again.
The movie then follows the twists and turns of the duo's efforts to solve the kidnapping. Several plot twists near the end (which I won't go into so as not to ruin the viewing experience) vastly improve the movie. The actors are very strong: Morgan Freeman is particularly moving as Alex Delaware and the young actress who plays the kidnapping victim, Megan Ann Rose, is wonderful.
I would recommend this movie to those individuals who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre. While you certainly can find a better movie in this category, you also can find a number of poorer ones. And, once again, the twists are pretty good...

A good cast and good director are largely wasted here due to a completely incoherent script. I have not read the James Patterson novel that it is based on, but I gather from other reviewers that it is radically different, and in ways that probably should have been retained in the film. This movie just left me scratching my head. No motivation for character's actions, incomphrensible police/forensic work, "plot twists" that come out of nowhere, etc. One of the worst -- the little kidnapped girl disappears from the kidnappers boat, but we are never told how this happens (she's locked in securely). Horrible CGI special effects that look cartoonish and totally phony.

About all I can say positive is that Morgan Freeman and Michael Wincott, along with Monica Potter, Michael Moriarity and several other good actors, try valiantly to use talent and charisma to make SOMETHING of the material, but with a script this incoherent they didn't stand a chance.

This is not even worth a rental, unless you are completely desperate on a rainy evening and there is absolutely nothing else to watch.

2001 has proven to be the year of the detective\suspense\thriller genre! The year started out with the amazing Sean Penn film starring Jack Nicholson "The Pledge". It was then followed by Ridley Scott's sequel to "The Silence Of The Lambs", "Hannibal". We then had Robert DeNiro and Ed Burns star in "15 Minutes" now along comes "Along Came A Spider", which might not be as good as "The Pledge" and\or "Hannibal", but it does prove to be a very entertaining film. It's a movie that's filled with lots of twist and turns and we go along with them, loving it! Back in 1997 we were first introduced to the character created in James Patterson's novel and the film version of "Kiss The Girls". Morgan Freeman under the direction of Lee Tamahori gives a wonderful performance. Freeman is an actor that truly has a presence that dominates on screen, no matter whom he's acting against. And that presence is very clear to see in this movie. The film opens up with a very exciting scene showing Freeman and his partner in action going after some rapist (I think). Right from that very first scene the viewer knows that they're in for a very suspenseful,exciting, and entertaining ride! A senator's daughter has been kidnapped dispite efforts by Special Agent Jezzie Flannigan (Monica Potter) who seems to work well in her scenes with Freeman. Flannigan (Potter) has been watching Megan (The senator's daughter) for 3 years. And can't believe how they're suspect Soneji (Michael Wincott) could have escaped. After a phone call from Soneji himself, sorta requesting that Detective Alex Cross (Freeman) take on this case, we are set to believe that for the rest of the movie Soneji is our man. But, the screenplay by Marc Moss has something else up it's sleeve. A major twist happens that sets us in a completely new direction. If someone can actually tell me that they saw what was going to happen in the end, then I must be the biggest moron walking around. Because I was shocked! If it wasn't for the plot twist, I don't think I would be recommending this movie. A lot of critics are complainng that the movie has too many plot holes. To them I say...LOSEN UP!!!! I've yet to actually see that is without any doubt absolutely perfect. The movie is entertaining. It keeps our attention, and has an ending no one will see coming. It's enjoyable, and exciting and I think people will like it for what it is, and will have a good time watching it.

"Along Came A Spider" can make a slow evening pass very quickly.
The plot centers on the kidnapping of a Senator's young daughter from her private school. The kidnapper then gets in touch with famed criminal psychologist Alex Delaware (Morgan Freeman)in an effort to impress him. Delaware has recently lost his partner due to a mistake on his part. To track down the kidnapper, he enlists the help of a beautiful young secret service agent (Monica Potter), who was stationed at the girl's school and is being blamed for the kidnapping. So both individuals are wounded from their past mistakes and anxious to succeed again.
The movie then follows the twists and turns of the duo's efforts to solve the kidnapping. Several plot twists near the end (which I won't go into so as not to ruin the viewing experience) vastly improve the movie. The actors are very strong: Morgan Freeman is particularly moving as Alex Delaware and the young actress who plays the kidnapping victim, Megan Ann Rose, is wonderful.
I would recommend this movie to those individuals who enjoy the thriller/mystery genre. While you certainly can find a better movie in this category, you also can find a number of poorer ones. And, once again, the twists are pretty good...