Posted by Gunther Gloop on 12/21/07 12:21

Angus Manwaring wrote:
> On 19-Dec-07 09:42:06, Gunther Gloop said
>> Stroller wrote:
>>> Clem Dye wrote:
>>>> <spoiler alert>
>>>> What I find disappointing about the Final Cut is that Deckard's
>>>> commentary is still missing. That means that when you watch the film,
>>>> you have that continual thread of disappointment, because you know
>>> that
>>>> it could be better. ...
>>>> </spoiler>
>>> Are you saying: if would be better if it had the voice-over? That you
>>> prefer the voice-over? I have to say that I've only watched this movie a
>>> couple of times and find that quite memorable, but I thought that the
>>> Deckard voice-over was critically considered as vandalism (hence the
>>> later releases).
>>>
>
>> I've seen the movie at least 6-8 times -mainly because I couldn't quite
>> get over the fact that I just didn't like it. It looks great and it has
>> everything that I would otherwise like in a movie, but it just never
>> clicked with me. Still, the one viewing I *did* enjoy to some degree was
>> the first time -which I saw with the voiceover.
>
>> When I watched it without the v.o. it all seemed vacuous and boring.
>> I've tried & tried, but I'm done with it now. I've since resigned myself
>> to the opinion that I just don't like any of Ridley Scott's films. Yes,
>> including Blade Runner and (last I looked) Alien too and (most
>> definitely) Gladiator.
>
> But surely you like Blackhawk down? If nothing else as an accurate
> documentary of events? :)
>
> Or was he just trying to do a remake of the film Aliens, except set in
> Africa?
>
>

I know you're joking, but I saw enough of that movie in previews and,
along with my knowledge of where its coming from, made an executive
decision to not bother with it.

It seems to me that Ridley is one of those rarities who gets a free
pass, whereby *everyone* needs to at least watch all of his movies at
least once.. for some reason.
Don't question The Scott!

American Gangster is the first one of his I've seen in a while. While
it's very nice technically, and somewhat more grown-up/ mature (as
opposed to knotted-brow/ overly serious) than most of his other stuff, I
still didn't get a sense of a coherent, involving plot or anything that
would help me decide there was anything there actually worth watching.

Instead, the only thing I could think when watching it is how much it
pales in comparison to the tv series, The Wire. That's not totally fair
since The Wire has many seasons to tell its (excellent) story, but still
there seemed too much to tell in American Gangster in such a short time
that by the end it really didn't show/tell very much of anything.

-Kevin.

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