Tim-Pigott-Smith Movie Reviews

Despite the obvious knocks on some of the acting, which really isn't bad, and the Hollywood style presentation style of the film, "Victory" is most certainly the greatest soccer film ever, and a real classic.

An inspirational movie set in the late WWII era inside a POW camp, Max Von Sidow, a high-ranking Nazi commandeer, agrees to arrange a "football" match between the POW's and the German national team. This is a propaganda stunt, something which really isn't all that unrealistic considering the Nazi philosophy at the time.

Sylvester Stallone is the star of the film, as the tough American who has an escape plan, but needs to be on the soccer team in order to carry it out. That is arranged through a classic scene in which the real goalkeeper's arm is broken purposely over two bed boards by Michael Cain, a co-star in the film. Cain, of course a Brit POW, is also in on the plan, along with the rest of the team.

A story of human courage and triumph, the inspirational play of the POW football team and the once inconceivable possibility that they can actually win the match against the Nazi's, proves irresistable for the POW's.

The contacts Stallone makes in his brief escape from the camp previously, sets up a half time breakout through the POW team's locker room. Of course when they arrive through the shattered floor of a huge tub via the underground sewer system, Stallone is the first to bail. But would the rest of the team? Will Stallone return to help defeat the Nazi's in a politically charged football match for the ages? You'll have to watch it to find out.

Ultimately this is a great film, the soundtrack is absolutely perfect, the actors and non-actors alike are all very entertaining and the uniquely inspiring storyline makes it an American classic.

Even if you are not a fan of football, this movie can be watched and enjoyed by people of any age. An underappreciated film, undeservingly so, but one that should be on every good American's list!

I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys sheer entertainment as well as some great, memorable actors along with what could be the only up-close look at the great Pele. For a $13 DVD price, it is your duty to own this one.

Victory is about a team of allied soldiers being made to play a Football match against the German National team during the Second World War.Leading the Allied team is Michael Caine and the players in his squad include none other than The Magnificent Pele and The Legendary Real Life England Captain Bobby Moore.Slyvester Stallone also plays an American who wants to escape using the game as cover but because he cant play Football they put him in goal(and break the real Keepers arm)
The Film is pretty poor and there are some very bad mistakes such as the French fans running on the pitch at the end wearing flares.But it is worth watching for a few reasons though.

1, Michael Caine and Slyvestor Stallone playing Football.

2, Two of the Greatest players ever to play the game(Bobby Moore and Pele)playing Football in a film.

3,Ossie Ardiles overhead flick in slow motion.

What a cast of characters. Pele, Stallone, Caine, van Sydow,and a number of other international football stars. Some of the soccer scenes are pure poetry along with some alright acting. But don't get it twisted, it's the final match that holds this film up as a football classic. The drama builds to a razors edge as the players forgo their one chance of escaping to finish the match of their lives knowing that the freedom they so desperately crave will be sacrificed if they do so. Anyone, and I mean anyone who plays soccer and needs some inspiration this is your flick. A must see!

Despite the obvious knocks on some of the acting, which really isn't bad, and the Hollywood style presentation style of the film, "Victory" is most certainly the greatest soccer film ever, and a real classic.

An inspirational movie set in the late WWII era inside a POW camp, Max Von Sidow, a high-ranking Nazi commandeer, agrees to arrange a "football" match between the POW's and the German national team. This is a propaganda stunt, something which really isn't all that unrealistic considering the Nazi philosophy at the time.

Sylvester Stallone is the star of the film, as the tough American who has an escape plan, but needs to be on the soccer team in order to carry it out. That is arranged through a classic scene in which the real goalkeeper's arm is broken purposely over two bed boards by Michael Cain, a co-star in the film. Cain, of course a Brit POW, is also in on the plan, along with the rest of the team.

A story of human courage and triumph, the inspirational play of the POW football team and the once inconceivable possibility that they can actually win the match against the Nazi's, proves irresistable for the POW's.

The contacts Stallone makes in his brief escape from the camp previously, sets up a half time breakout through the POW team's locker room. Of course when they arrive through the shattered floor of a huge tub via the underground sewer system, Stallone is the first to bail. But would the rest of the team? Will Stallone return to help defeat the Nazi's in a politically charged football match for the ages? You'll have to watch it to find out.

Ultimately this is a great film, the soundtrack is absolutely perfect, the actors and non-actors alike are all very entertaining and the uniquely inspiring storyline makes it an American classic.

Even if you are not a fan of football, this movie can be watched and enjoyed by people of any age. An underappreciated film, undeservingly so, but one that should be on every good American's list!

I highly recommend this film to anyone who enjoys sheer entertainment as well as some great, memorable actors along with what could be the only up-close look at the great Pele. For a $13 DVD price, it is your duty to own this one.

Victory is about a team of allied soldiers being made to play a Football match against the German National team during the Second World War.Leading the Allied team is Michael Caine and the players in his squad include none other than The Magnificent Pele and The Legendary Real Life England Captain Bobby Moore.Slyvester Stallone also plays an American who wants to escape using the game as cover but because he cant play Football they put him in goal(and break the real Keepers arm)
The Film is pretty poor and there are some very bad mistakes such as the French fans running on the pitch at the end wearing flares.But it is worth watching for a few reasons though.

1, Michael Caine and Slyvestor Stallone playing Football.

2, Two of the Greatest players ever to play the game(Bobby Moore and Pele)playing Football in a film.

3,Ossie Ardiles overhead flick in slow motion.

What a cast of characters. Pele, Stallone, Caine, van Sydow,and a number of other international football stars. Some of the soccer scenes are pure poetry along with some alright acting. But don't get it twisted, it's the final match that holds this film up as a football classic. The drama builds to a razors edge as the players forgo their one chance of escaping to finish the match of their lives knowing that the freedom they so desperately crave will be sacrificed if they do so. Anyone, and I mean anyone who plays soccer and needs some inspiration this is your flick. A must see!

Familiar with the famous U2 song, "Sunday Bloody Sunday"?? Well, here's a look at the events that inspired that song.

On January 30, 1972 Catholics living in the Northern Ireland's city of Derry march for human rights denied under British rule. But this wasn't an ordinary march by any means. Thirteen marchers were shot dead during what was later termed "Bloody Sunday".

This movie alternates between both sides of the firing line. Efforts of the march's organizers leading up to the march along with several young men who participated in the march are captured. In addition, the military readiness of the British soldiers is also revealed. This movie unveils savage acts of the British soldiers as they fire upon the defenseless crowd.

I recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in this horrific day. It will make you think twice about the role of the military in Northern Ireland.

An emotionally crushing recreation of the infamous January 30, 1972 clash between British troops and Irish protesters in the town of Derry, which led to the deaths of dozens of civilian marchers. "Clash" is perhaps too strong a word -- this film (as well as several abortive inquiries) makes a strong case that the testosterone-amped British "para" soldiers simply went berserk and shot people at random, in hopes of "teaching them a lesson they'd never forget." The distinction between IRA warmongers and the civilian civil rights movement was apparently lost of the embattled English, but their actions at Derry helped lock the Catholic-Protestant feud into place right up to the present day. Filmically, this is an impressive work: the documentary-style handheld camera work, which seems a bit mannered and distracting in the first part of the film, pays off handsomely when the violence starts -- the fear and chaos of the event is made palpable in a suprisingly visceral manner... it's like a punch to the gut when the shooting starts.... and then it worsens and keeps on going for what seems like an eternity. Regardless of what you think of the filmmaker's political slant, the skill with which they built this film's dramatic impact is undeniable. Viewers will have to make up their own minds about what they believe actually happened that day, but this film proides a convincing argument on behalf of the civilian victims. Highly recommended.

Lets keep in mind this was done by a British film crew, and financed by British money, but I did find the story to be extraordinarily even handed and historically accurate. This message board is not supposed to be a debating forum for Unionists vs. Republicans it is to review the movie and judge it on its merits. And anyone attacking the movie on any other basis is doings so purely out of political motivation. This movie is extremely accurate and does convey the conditions, despair and sentiment of the time in Derry and the whole of Northern Ireland in the 70's. It masterfully tells the tail of 800 years of British presence in Ireland in the limited confines of a 2 hour DVD.

The movie hardly serves as a rallying point for the Republican cause as some reviewers here wrongfully assert, the act itself took care of that. The movie merely depicts that specific moment in time and tells it's tale in an extremely unbiased and even handed way. Bravo.

This movie talks about Zeus' son and how he found his destiny. The picture quality is rather grainy but it might got to do with the age of this movie. There are not many extras. just a few facts and how the monsters are made in the movie. it is rather interesting. for a movie that is quite old, i think the special effects r quite well done. the story is rather exciting. overall, i give a 3 stars for dvd due to a lack of extras. rent it instead.

Clash of the Titans is a great movie, and I'm so glad that it is coming out FINALLY on DVD. I remember seeing this for the first time when I was a kid and just really enjoying the film. All the monsters look great, and Madusa especially should look like she had a makeover on the DVD. Also there looks to be some nice extras which I'm also looking forward to checking out. However I was disappointed that it was Warner Bros responsible for Clash of the Titans because I knew then that this great movie was coming in a cheesy looking Snap Case. C'mon Warner Bros get with the program. I, along with many people that I know, hate those things, they are akward looking and just look plain cheap. They definitly don't look half as nice as Keep Cases. A petition should be made to make them change this.

When Clash of the Titans was first announced, it promised much more than any film could possibly deliver. You may not be able to go home again, but you sure can give it a good try. While parts of Clash do measure up to Harryhausen's classic Jason and The Argonauts, the film is a bit uneven. The strong cast and imagative blocking by Desmond Davis does add to the strong quality of the best sequences.

Lawrence Olivier should have played Zeus ages ago. Here's an actor drunk with both the role and his position in cinema (and stage). He chews the scenery well and makes even the most tedious scenes enjoyable. The laser backdrop that greets us when we first see Zeus says it all. Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith and Harry Hamlin make a feast of their meagerly underwritten roles. All three do an admirable job throughout the film acting against the backdrop of Harryhausen's stop motion animation and effects work.

Can't help but wonder why the horrible matte job with Posideon releasing the Krakan was left in. In a movie with so many marvelous effects one has to wonder how this poorly done sequence was overlooked.

The animation of Pegues top is a career high for Harryhausen. He manages to invest life into a character that would be the undoing of most effects people. His work is both breaktaking and original. The section involving Medusa and Calibos are also quite impressive and engaging. The later sequences involve both stop action work and a an actor. The ambitious sequences work well and are integrated into the finished production with care.

I suppose the most important aspect to this film is the love of Greek mythology that Harryhausen brings to the project. Clearly Clash was a labor of love much like Jason and the first Sinbad adventure. While many artists (and make no doubt about it Harryhausen is an artist) revisit the past and manage only to dredge up the memories of former glories, Harryhausen manages to create new ones as well. Despite its flaws, Clash demonstrates that Harryhausen went out at the top of his game.

The screenplay by longtime collaborator Beverly Cross is almost the equal of his work for Jason. The late Cross manages to integrate a wide variety of characters from Greek mythology into a coheren narrative that works very well. A pity that Cross didn't work on the last Sinbad installment as the lack of a strong screenplay (and actor in the title role) undermined that film.

The characters of the Greek gods are surprisingly true to legend (perhaps not since Cross was a classical scholar)and while some of the mortals are little more than stock characters with little elaboration on motivation, they move the story forward. Although not as involving (or accurate ) as the work Cross did on Jason twenty years before, the script does its job of putting the characters through the paces and rolls us along to the next action sequence. That's better than most Hollywood hacks are able to do today.

The direction is fairly sharp but not quite as tight or consistent as in Jason (although an improvement over Nathan Juran and Sam Wanamaker's work on the Sinbad films)Veteran director Desmond Davis does an admirable job given the circumstances. Some of the sequences are a bit clumsy in set up (and I'm not entirely sure that was Davis' fault)but, on the whole, Davis' mise en scene works well. I'm happy that Star Wars and Close Encounters created an environment where Columbia was willing to gamble on another Harryhausen epic even if the result was wanting. Clash is great entertainment for both children and adults regardless of its minor flaws.

The extras on the DVD are great. Although I would have loved to see test footage and outttakes of the animation sequences, it's clear that Harryhausen wants some of the magic to remain. In a film obsessed culture where every one wants to know everything about the making of a film, Harryhausen's attitude is a refreshing change.

This movie talks about Zeus' son and how he found his destiny. The picture quality is rather grainy but it might got to do with the age of this movie. There are not many extras. just a few facts and how the monsters are made in the movie. it is rather interesting. for a movie that is quite old, i think the special effects r quite well done. the story is rather exciting. overall, i give a 3 stars for dvd due to a lack of extras. rent it instead.

Clash of the Titans is a great movie, and I'm so glad that it is coming out FINALLY on DVD. I remember seeing this for the first time when I was a kid and just really enjoying the film. All the monsters look great, and Madusa especially should look like she had a makeover on the DVD. Also there looks to be some nice extras which I'm also looking forward to checking out. However I was disappointed that it was Warner Bros responsible for Clash of the Titans because I knew then that this great movie was coming in a cheesy looking Snap Case. C'mon Warner Bros get with the program. I, along with many people that I know, hate those things, they are akward looking and just look plain cheap. They definitly don't look half as nice as Keep Cases. A petition should be made to make them change this.

When Clash of the Titans was first announced, it promised much more than any film could possibly deliver. You may not be able to go home again, but you sure can give it a good try. While parts of Clash do measure up to Harryhausen's classic Jason and The Argonauts, the film is a bit uneven. The strong cast and imagative blocking by Desmond Davis does add to the strong quality of the best sequences.

Lawrence Olivier should have played Zeus ages ago. Here's an actor drunk with both the role and his position in cinema (and stage). He chews the scenery well and makes even the most tedious scenes enjoyable. The laser backdrop that greets us when we first see Zeus says it all. Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith and Harry Hamlin make a feast of their meagerly underwritten roles. All three do an admirable job throughout the film acting against the backdrop of Harryhausen's stop motion animation and effects work.

Can't help but wonder why the horrible matte job with Posideon releasing the Krakan was left in. In a movie with so many marvelous effects one has to wonder how this poorly done sequence was overlooked.

The animation of Pegues top is a career high for Harryhausen. He manages to invest life into a character that would be the undoing of most effects people. His work is both breaktaking and original. The section involving Medusa and Calibos are also quite impressive and engaging. The later sequences involve both stop action work and a an actor. The ambitious sequences work well and are integrated into the finished production with care.

I suppose the most important aspect to this film is the love of Greek mythology that Harryhausen brings to the project. Clearly Clash was a labor of love much like Jason and the first Sinbad adventure. While many artists (and make no doubt about it Harryhausen is an artist) revisit the past and manage only to dredge up the memories of former glories, Harryhausen manages to create new ones as well. Despite its flaws, Clash demonstrates that Harryhausen went out at the top of his game.

The screenplay by longtime collaborator Beverly Cross is almost the equal of his work for Jason. The late Cross manages to integrate a wide variety of characters from Greek mythology into a coheren narrative that works very well. A pity that Cross didn't work on the last Sinbad installment as the lack of a strong screenplay (and actor in the title role) undermined that film.

The characters of the Greek gods are surprisingly true to legend (perhaps not since Cross was a classical scholar)and while some of the mortals are little more than stock characters with little elaboration on motivation, they move the story forward. Although not as involving (or accurate ) as the work Cross did on Jason twenty years before, the script does its job of putting the characters through the paces and rolls us along to the next action sequence. That's better than most Hollywood hacks are able to do today.

The direction is fairly sharp but not quite as tight or consistent as in Jason (although an improvement over Nathan Juran and Sam Wanamaker's work on the Sinbad films)Veteran director Desmond Davis does an admirable job given the circumstances. Some of the sequences are a bit clumsy in set up (and I'm not entirely sure that was Davis' fault)but, on the whole, Davis' mise en scene works well. I'm happy that Star Wars and Close Encounters created an environment where Columbia was willing to gamble on another Harryhausen epic even if the result was wanting. Clash is great entertainment for both children and adults regardless of its minor flaws.

The extras on the DVD are great. Although I would have loved to see test footage and outttakes of the animation sequences, it's clear that Harryhausen wants some of the magic to remain. In a film obsessed culture where every one wants to know everything about the making of a film, Harryhausen's attitude is a refreshing change.

This movie talks about Zeus' son and how he found his destiny. The picture quality is rather grainy but it might got to do with the age of this movie. There are not many extras. just a few facts and how the monsters are made in the movie. it is rather interesting. for a movie that is quite old, i think the special effects r quite well done. the story is rather exciting. overall, i give a 3 stars for dvd due to a lack of extras. rent it instead.

Clash of the Titans is a great movie, and I'm so glad that it is coming out FINALLY on DVD. I remember seeing this for the first time when I was a kid and just really enjoying the film. All the monsters look great, and Madusa especially should look like she had a makeover on the DVD. Also there looks to be some nice extras which I'm also looking forward to checking out. However I was disappointed that it was Warner Bros responsible for Clash of the Titans because I knew then that this great movie was coming in a cheesy looking Snap Case. C'mon Warner Bros get with the program. I, along with many people that I know, hate those things, they are akward looking and just look plain cheap. They definitly don't look half as nice as Keep Cases. A petition should be made to make them change this.

When Clash of the Titans was first announced, it promised much more than any film could possibly deliver. You may not be able to go home again, but you sure can give it a good try. While parts of Clash do measure up to Harryhausen's classic Jason and The Argonauts, the film is a bit uneven. The strong cast and imagative blocking by Desmond Davis does add to the strong quality of the best sequences.

Lawrence Olivier should have played Zeus ages ago. Here's an actor drunk with both the role and his position in cinema (and stage). He chews the scenery well and makes even the most tedious scenes enjoyable. The laser backdrop that greets us when we first see Zeus says it all. Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith and Harry Hamlin make a feast of their meagerly underwritten roles. All three do an admirable job throughout the film acting against the backdrop of Harryhausen's stop motion animation and effects work.

Can't help but wonder why the horrible matte job with Posideon releasing the Krakan was left in. In a movie with so many marvelous effects one has to wonder how this poorly done sequence was overlooked.

The animation of Pegues top is a career high for Harryhausen. He manages to invest life into a character that would be the undoing of most effects people. His work is both breaktaking and original. The section involving Medusa and Calibos are also quite impressive and engaging. The later sequences involve both stop action work and a an actor. The ambitious sequences work well and are integrated into the finished production with care.

I suppose the most important aspect to this film is the love of Greek mythology that Harryhausen brings to the project. Clearly Clash was a labor of love much like Jason and the first Sinbad adventure. While many artists (and make no doubt about it Harryhausen is an artist) revisit the past and manage only to dredge up the memories of former glories, Harryhausen manages to create new ones as well. Despite its flaws, Clash demonstrates that Harryhausen went out at the top of his game.

The screenplay by longtime collaborator Beverly Cross is almost the equal of his work for Jason. The late Cross manages to integrate a wide variety of characters from Greek mythology into a coheren narrative that works very well. A pity that Cross didn't work on the last Sinbad installment as the lack of a strong screenplay (and actor in the title role) undermined that film.

The characters of the Greek gods are surprisingly true to legend (perhaps not since Cross was a classical scholar)and while some of the mortals are little more than stock characters with little elaboration on motivation, they move the story forward. Although not as involving (or accurate ) as the work Cross did on Jason twenty years before, the script does its job of putting the characters through the paces and rolls us along to the next action sequence. That's better than most Hollywood hacks are able to do today.

The direction is fairly sharp but not quite as tight or consistent as in Jason (although an improvement over Nathan Juran and Sam Wanamaker's work on the Sinbad films)Veteran director Desmond Davis does an admirable job given the circumstances. Some of the sequences are a bit clumsy in set up (and I'm not entirely sure that was Davis' fault)but, on the whole, Davis' mise en scene works well. I'm happy that Star Wars and Close Encounters created an environment where Columbia was willing to gamble on another Harryhausen epic even if the result was wanting. Clash is great entertainment for both children and adults regardless of its minor flaws.

The extras on the DVD are great. Although I would have loved to see test footage and outttakes of the animation sequences, it's clear that Harryhausen wants some of the magic to remain. In a film obsessed culture where every one wants to know everything about the making of a film, Harryhausen's attitude is a refreshing change.

This movie talks about Zeus' son and how he found his destiny. The picture quality is rather grainy but it might got to do with the age of this movie. There are not many extras. just a few facts and how the monsters are made in the movie. it is rather interesting. for a movie that is quite old, i think the special effects r quite well done. the story is rather exciting. overall, i give a 3 stars for dvd due to a lack of extras. rent it instead.

Clash of the Titans is a great movie, and I'm so glad that it is coming out FINALLY on DVD. I remember seeing this for the first time when I was a kid and just really enjoying the film. All the monsters look great, and Madusa especially should look like she had a makeover on the DVD. Also there looks to be some nice extras which I'm also looking forward to checking out. However I was disappointed that it was Warner Bros responsible for Clash of the Titans because I knew then that this great movie was coming in a cheesy looking Snap Case. C'mon Warner Bros get with the program. I, along with many people that I know, hate those things, they are akward looking and just look plain cheap. They definitly don't look half as nice as Keep Cases. A petition should be made to make them change this.

When Clash of the Titans was first announced, it promised much more than any film could possibly deliver. You may not be able to go home again, but you sure can give it a good try. While parts of Clash do measure up to Harryhausen's classic Jason and The Argonauts, the film is a bit uneven. The strong cast and imagative blocking by Desmond Davis does add to the strong quality of the best sequences.

Lawrence Olivier should have played Zeus ages ago. Here's an actor drunk with both the role and his position in cinema (and stage). He chews the scenery well and makes even the most tedious scenes enjoyable. The laser backdrop that greets us when we first see Zeus says it all. Burgess Meredith, Maggie Smith and Harry Hamlin make a feast of their meagerly underwritten roles. All three do an admirable job throughout the film acting against the backdrop of Harryhausen's stop motion animation and effects work.

Can't help but wonder why the horrible matte job with Posideon releasing the Krakan was left in. In a movie with so many marvelous effects one has to wonder how this poorly done sequence was overlooked.

The animation of Pegues top is a career high for Harryhausen. He manages to invest life into a character that would be the undoing of most effects people. His work is both breaktaking and original. The section involving Medusa and Calibos are also quite impressive and engaging. The later sequences involve both stop action work and a an actor. The ambitious sequences work well and are integrated into the finished production with care.

I suppose the most important aspect to this film is the love of Greek mythology that Harryhausen brings to the project. Clearly Clash was a labor of love much like Jason and the first Sinbad adventure. While many artists (and make no doubt about it Harryhausen is an artist) revisit the past and manage only to dredge up the memories of former glories, Harryhausen manages to create new ones as well. Despite its flaws, Clash demonstrates that Harryhausen went out at the top of his game.

The screenplay by longtime collaborator Beverly Cross is almost the equal of his work for Jason. The late Cross manages to integrate a wide variety of characters from Greek mythology into a coheren narrative that works very well. A pity that Cross didn't work on the last Sinbad installment as the lack of a strong screenplay (and actor in the title role) undermined that film.

The characters of the Greek gods are surprisingly true to legend (perhaps not since Cross was a classical scholar)and while some of the mortals are little more than stock characters with little elaboration on motivation, they move the story forward. Although not as involving (or accurate ) as the work Cross did on Jason twenty years before, the script does its job of putting the characters through the paces and rolls us along to the next action sequence. That's better than most Hollywood hacks are able to do today.

The direction is fairly sharp but not quite as tight or consistent as in Jason (although an improvement over Nathan Juran and Sam Wanamaker's work on the Sinbad films)Veteran director Desmond Davis does an admirable job given the circumstances. Some of the sequences are a bit clumsy in set up (and I'm not entirely sure that was Davis' fault)but, on the whole, Davis' mise en scene works well. I'm happy that Star Wars and Close Encounters created an environment where Columbia was willing to gamble on another Harryhausen epic even if the result was wanting. Clash is great entertainment for both children and adults regardless of its minor flaws.

The extras on the DVD are great. Although I would have loved to see test footage and outttakes of the animation sequences, it's clear that Harryhausen wants some of the magic to remain. In a film obsessed culture where every one wants to know everything about the making of a film, Harryhausen's attitude is a refreshing change.

Being a longtime fan of Blackadder and Mr. Bean, I would watch Rowan Atkinson in anything. "Johnny English" is a similar premise to Austin Powers, but not nearly as funny or raunchy. But it succeeds as a vehicle for Rowan Atkinson to give some good one-liners and a few unique facial expressions, so I pretty much got what I expected.

Johnny English (Atkinson) is a middle-level secret agent who is, by default, given the biggest assignment ever handed down...finding the stolen crown jewels, and to thrwart an evil French billionaore's (John Malkovich) plan to take over England. He is not exactly 007 material, though, and he goes through the entire movie bumbling around and making as many mistakes as he can in the 90 minutes the movie allows. His sidekicks (Ben Miller as his smarter partner, and Natalie Imbruglia as his sexy partner/love interest) spend the entire movie both showing him up and keeping him out of trouble.

The acting from Atkinson and, in particular, Malkovich is top notch, considering the type of movie this is. Atkinson plays a less-silly (but equally inept) Mr. Bean, while Malkovich hams it up as a Frenchman with a surprisingly convincing accent. Imruglia has never looked better, and provides the strong female lead needed. The script is surprisingly smart at times, and has a few snappy lines about the French (a popular target in British comedy) that will raise a few laughs. While it it not non-stop laughs, the funny moments are all good ones.

"Johnny English" is just what you would expect- a watchable comedy that has no aspirations to compete with Austin Powers. Going into this movie with the highest of expectations would be a mistake, but if you are looking to lose yourself in a dumb comedy, you can do no better than "Johnny English".

When James Bond thought it is safe again to save the world, in comes another spy spoof with a difference, it stars Rowan Atkinson..
While the Canadian Anglophile Mike Myers did it so well with Austin Powers, adding a lot of surreal touches, Rowan Atkinson is the real deal, creating a spy that has inherited a lot from the characters that has made his name over the years, Mr Bean with his muscle and face twitchings and helplessness, and Blackadder with his nasty but harmless remarks, especially against the French.
There are also elements of Inspector Clouseau too, Johnny English is too a loner who happens to be responsible for a big case just by incredible turn of events.A 'idiot' who happens by sheer good luck to solve the case against all the odds, with an annoyed superior and a faithful deputy who saves the day.
Although there are brilliant comedy moments in the film esp in the sushi restaurant, and some well timed slapstick which seems a rarity in comedy films these days, the script is somehow uneven in places,but it all works out fine at the end.
John Malkovich plays yet again another 'psycho' but as good an actor as he is, he always delivers flawlessly, while the gorgeous Nathalie Imbruglia returns to acting after a break for a successful music career and is quite good as English's side kick.
Peter Howitt,the ex TV star of the sitcom Bread turned director (he has to his name Sliding Doors and Anti Trust),proves to have made a good career move.
In short,Johnny English is a funny movie, is Rowan Atkinson's movie, tailored for his abilities and talent, one that will leave you with a genuine smile or two.

This is the best movie in the universe! The actors are wonderful and the movie is so hilarious. This British film outshines all others. This DVD is very well worth your money! You will get a great laugh when you see this. Well done to everyone who took part in this film!

Being a longtime fan of Blackadder and Mr. Bean, I would watch Rowan Atkinson in anything. "Johnny English" is a similar premise to Austin Powers, but not nearly as funny or raunchy. But it succeeds as a vehicle for Rowan Atkinson to give some good one-liners and a few unique facial expressions, so I pretty much got what I expected.

Johnny English (Atkinson) is a middle-level secret agent who is, by default, given the biggest assignment ever handed down...finding the stolen crown jewels, and to thrwart an evil French billionaore's (John Malkovich) plan to take over England. He is not exactly 007 material, though, and he goes through the entire movie bumbling around and making as many mistakes as he can in the 90 minutes the movie allows. His sidekicks (Ben Miller as his smarter partner, and Natalie Imbruglia as his sexy partner/love interest) spend the entire movie both showing him up and keeping him out of trouble.

The acting from Atkinson and, in particular, Malkovich is top notch, considering the type of movie this is. Atkinson plays a less-silly (but equally inept) Mr. Bean, while Malkovich hams it up as a Frenchman with a surprisingly convincing accent. Imruglia has never looked better, and provides the strong female lead needed. The script is surprisingly smart at times, and has a few snappy lines about the French (a popular target in British comedy) that will raise a few laughs. While it it not non-stop laughs, the funny moments are all good ones.

"Johnny English" is just what you would expect- a watchable comedy that has no aspirations to compete with Austin Powers. Going into this movie with the highest of expectations would be a mistake, but if you are looking to lose yourself in a dumb comedy, you can do no better than "Johnny English".

When James Bond thought it is safe again to save the world, in comes another spy spoof with a difference, it stars Rowan Atkinson..
While the Canadian Anglophile Mike Myers did it so well with Austin Powers, adding a lot of surreal touches, Rowan Atkinson is the real deal, creating a spy that has inherited a lot from the characters that has made his name over the years, Mr Bean with his muscle and face twitchings and helplessness, and Blackadder with his nasty but harmless remarks, especially against the French.
There are also elements of Inspector Clouseau too, Johnny English is too a loner who happens to be responsible for a big case just by incredible turn of events.A 'idiot' who happens by sheer good luck to solve the case against all the odds, with an annoyed superior and a faithful deputy who saves the day.
Although there are brilliant comedy moments in the film esp in the sushi restaurant, and some well timed slapstick which seems a rarity in comedy films these days, the script is somehow uneven in places,but it all works out fine at the end.
John Malkovich plays yet again another 'psycho' but as good an actor as he is, he always delivers flawlessly, while the gorgeous Nathalie Imbruglia returns to acting after a break for a successful music career and is quite good as English's side kick.
Peter Howitt,the ex TV star of the sitcom Bread turned director (he has to his name Sliding Doors and Anti Trust),proves to have made a good career move.
In short,Johnny English is a funny movie, is Rowan Atkinson's movie, tailored for his abilities and talent, one that will leave you with a genuine smile or two.

This is the best movie in the universe! The actors are wonderful and the movie is so hilarious. This British film outshines all others. This DVD is very well worth your money! You will get a great laugh when you see this. Well done to everyone who took part in this film!

I am still waiting for someone to make a movie that's faithful to the original novel - even if it means making it 3 hours long. The producers think that the audiences can't handle Hugo's embrace-in-the-tomb ending. Tuchner's version was a bit darker than the 1939 version with Laughton. Still, I am waiting for a Quasi who actually 20 years old, and an Esmie who looks 16. Thankfully, Leslie Anne Down is not a redhead like Maureen O'Hara, but she's a bit too old to play a naive virgin. There are so many young talented actresses with naturally dark skin and dark hair. As far as Frollo goes, any average math teacher could play him. When will the producers gather the right cast?

If you're looking for a presise adaptation of the book, this is it. The movie's pretty good, the end a bit depressing, and the character of Frollo is almost *likable* at times. Indeed, had his lust for Esmerelda not taken over, we might have liked him! All in all, excellent preformances by all the players!

I have watched many versions of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and I must say that this is the best! I was in awe of the wonderful work put into this faithful adaptation of Victor Hugo's tragic tale. Quasimodo (Anthony Hopkins), the deaf bell ringer of Notre Dame, felt no kindness or love to anyone except his adopted father, Frollo (Derek Jacobi). That is until a beautiful gypsy girl, Esmerelda, comes into his life. She becomes his savior when he is being tortured by an angry mob, and he becomes her savior when Frollo plans to destroy her.
Leslie Anne Down (Esmerelda) was, in my opinion, a miscast, though she plays her part well enough. My only dislike about this movie (or any version, save the 1957 version.)is the fact Esmerelda lives. In the book she is recaptured and hanged, then, several years later, two skeletons were found in a crypt; they were, of course, Esmerelda and the hunchback. I think that ending is much more touching than any of the film's endings.
Still, this is well worth watching. It seems that I was lucky when I purchased my copy, for I only paid eight dollars for it. I see now it is going for sixty dollars and above, though, this movie is worth it!