I was SO ready to give this about an 8 - the script let it down - badly, but, all in all, you know...
But then, in the final frames, it suddenly lost it, for me. So. 5 out of 10. Neutral.
Kevin Bacon speaking estuary English. He's actually not THAT bad, (although, for the first 10 minutes or so, I thought he was being dubbed). OK, he could have been voice coached by Danny Dire (that was deliberate), but, actually, he does a passable job. But WHY BOTHER? The script's pretty crap, they could have EITHER got an English actor, or changed his nickname into - I dunno, Skinny Headcase, or something.
Djimon Hounsou - I tell you what, he was pretty damn good, and this character being the lead worked, for me. It's rare to see a non American black guy lead a film, that is, have more than about 20 lines before he dies - even here in the UK.
So.....
Direction, OK, really. 2 leads, OK, even if one of them was pointless. Having an African black man in the lead, priceless. The script, though. Ahh, well. Better luck next time? Surely it was worth paying for someone decent? Presumably not.
OK. Bottom line?
Disappointing. And when you try to tie up all the pseudo-spiritual claptrap in the last few seconds with a supremely un-Buddhist twist? Well I, for one, am left with a sad taste in my mouth.
But then, in the final frames, it suddenly lost it, for me. So. 5 out of 10. Neutral.
Kevin Bacon speaking estuary English. He's actually not THAT bad, (although, for the first 10 minutes or so, I thought he was being dubbed). OK, he could have been voice coached by Danny Dire (that was deliberate), but, actually, he does a passable job. But WHY BOTHER? The script's pretty crap, they could have EITHER got an English actor, or changed his nickname into - I dunno, Skinny Headcase, or something.
Djimon Hounsou - I tell you what, he was pretty damn good, and this character being the lead worked, for me. It's rare to see a non American black guy lead a film, that is, have more than about 20 lines before he dies - even here in the UK.
So.....
Direction, OK, really. 2 leads, OK, even if one of them was pointless. Having an African black man in the lead, priceless. The script, though. Ahh, well. Better luck next time? Surely it was worth paying for someone decent? Presumably not.
OK. Bottom line?
Disappointing. And when you try to tie up all the pseudo-spiritual claptrap in the last few seconds with a supremely un-Buddhist twist? Well I, for one, am left with a sad taste in my mouth.
