Rent ‘Em, Buy ‘Em or Netflix ‘Em (Action/Adventure)
Tuesday, May 5th, 2009
BREAKDOWN
Director: Jonathan Mostow
Starring: Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh and Kathleen Quinlan

Your mom always told you not to talk to strangers, right?
Well, what if you had no other choice?I like Breakdown because I feel that it could actually happen to you. You’ve seen it before or maybe you’ve experienced it – a car breakdown. You’re in the middle of nowhere with no one you know around, and all you can do is hopefully trust the “good” Samaritan who happens to stumble upon your unfortunate situation. Well, unfortunately for Jeffery Taylor (Russell) and his wife, the person who stumbles across their car breakdown happens to be the lead ringer of a gang of murderous, kidnapping robbers.
Now, I’ve always liked Kurt Russell, and in this particular film he really out performs, well, himself, I guess. In Breakdown, he does a great job of playing the scared/shaken/angry victim. It was interesting for me, especially when this movie came out, to see Russell in a more vulnerable, everyday-man kind of role. As a kid, I was used to seeing Russell star as badass characters like Snake in Escape from New York and L.A., as TODD in Soldier or, better yet, as Wyatt Earp in Tombstone. “You tell ‘em I’m coming! And hell’s coming with me!” Anybody…? Anyway, it was a great contrast to see Russell play the helpless victim and far less badass in Breakdown. But don’t get me wrong; Russell still retains some badass-ness in the movie, so there’s no need to fear, Russell fans.
Not to mention, Breakdown is a film where Russell actually shows emotion and heaven forbid it, speaks frequently. Face it, a lot of Russell’s past roles have him saying very few words and showing sparse hints of any kind of emotion. Perfect example: in the film Soldier, Russell is an emotionless, umm…soldier (of course), hand-picked from birth to be a lean, mean killing machine and nothing more. Breakdown, on the other hand, is a great contrast to many of his previous tough guy roles. Anyways, I recommend this film to anyone looking for a solid, action-packed 90’s flick. It’s one of Russell’s finest action movies.
SWORDFISH
Director: Dominic Sena
Starring: Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, Halle Berry and Don Cheadle

The beginning of Swordfish is one of my favorite film intros. You have no idea what the hell is going on during the initial dialogue (nearly a Travolta monologue) because he’s ranting about how Hollywood, its movies and its actors, is crap. Then suddenly, you realize he’s holding hostages, and one of them blows up while simultaneously unleashing a barrage of speeding, flesh-destroying steel balls. What in H-E-double hockey sticks is happening, right? Well, then the movie rewinds back to the start of the events leading up to the hostage blowup and yada-yada-yada, the story unfolds.
Now, is it just me, or was John Travolta born to play two specific roles: a flamboyant, singing greaser and a psychotic villain? His several roles as Mr. Baddy in movies like Face Off, Broken Arrow and The Punisher have shown the movie-going world how much of a psychotic killer Johnny can be. Also, this movie (shortly after X-Men) helped pave the road for Hugh Jackman’s humble beginnings as a more action-oriented tough guy. Thank God too. Anybody remember Kate & Leopold? Yeah, I didn’t think so. Oh, and did I mention that Halle Berry gets topless in Swordfish? I’d say that alone makes this movie deserve a good, thorough watching…or two?
Anyways, the plot of the movie centers around Jackman, a retired and renown computer hacker, who gets bribed by Travolta to design a new computer worm that will hack a secret government slush fund and steal millions of dollars. Sorry Wolverine fans but there’s no snikt! in this film. From there, it’s a pretty straightforward ride with a few twists and turns along the way. However, where this movie really shines in lies with its cast. Its four big name actors make this movie incredibly enjoyable. I’m no Siskel or Ebert, but I’d give this film a thumb up or two.
APOCALYPTO
Director: Mel Gibson
Starring: No one you’d probably know

Okay, so Mel Gibson might be gradually slipping into lunacy, but the fact is, the man is a Hollywood genius. Not only was he one of Hollywood’s elite actors during his prime, but later in his career, he further displayed his talents by working on the other side of the camera (starring in and directing the best movie of all time: Braveheart). There are several reasons why Apocalypto is an excellent film, and in the next few paragraphs I’m going to let you in on ‘em.
First off, Gibson did an excellent job of capturing the feel of the jungle, especially what it would be like to live off it centuries ago as one of the first civilizations. Simply put, the cinematography and the effects are stunning. In addition, the actors’ make up is amazing. Their piercings, their jewelry and their tattoos are emphatically realistic-looking.
Secondly, I marveled at the fact that Gibson comprised his cast with completely unknown actors and decent ones at that. Of course, he was looking for actors who actually fit the old native civilization look, so that could be in large part why there are none of Hollywood’s several diverse stars in the film. Oh, that was me being facetious, sorry. The majority of Hollywood’s stars is whiter than my lightening thighs.
Third thing: although the plot is rather straightforward and quite unbelievable at times (all these crazy events seem to just coincidently happen), Apocalypto’s story truly shines through its dialogue. The movie is in subtitles, much like Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, and overall, the story is mostly told with little to no words. It’s rather impressive to see the entire movie unfold simply through its visuals and character interaction.
Fourthly, Gibson spares nothing when it comes to adding that much appreciated but not necessarily needed, over-the-top gruesomeness. Many of the films he has directed have painted the screen crimson red. I love it, and I love this movie. Check it out!
As always, thanks for reading
-Dillon (D Dub)

