Casting Call

Jumper – Revenge of the Suck.

There was a time when all a movie had to do to be good was cast Sam Jackson.

That time has passed.

This movie is about how Sam Jackson hunts down Jumpers – people who can teleport to anywhere at anytime . He does this because – I don’t know why. I don’t think it matters.

I did not make it to the end of this one. Just couldn’t. It’s like Highlander crossed with . . . Howard the Duck and a sliver of … oh it just sucks. Just awful. Hated it.

Good special effects. Sorta.

Blech.

Hayden Christiansen is in this. It made me long for his brilliant character work in Attack of the Clones.

Just not a good way to spend 2 hours – better off at the dentist.

Not even worth a buck in the Redbox believe it or not.

Rambo… close but no AK-47

Wow.

Following the Rocky revisit that for the most part worked (it was a lot better than Rocky 5 at least) , Sylvester Stallone returned to Thailand to see what everybody’s favorite crazy Vietnam Vet has been up to for 20 years.

This is going to sound a lot harsher than I mean it, but Stallone is most effective as this character when he does not speak. Unfortunately the minute he opens his mouth, no matter what he says – all you hear are the countless Rambo impersonators that have done the “Yo” shtick over the years. That’s too bad, because this movie is a LOT better than Rambo 3 which was basically an episode of GI JOE filmed in live action with no regard for realism.

This movie handles the violence of war in a brutal unflinching manner – much the way Saving Private Ryan did. War is random and whether you live or die is more often about standing an inch to the left or right than what kind of Green Beret bad ass you are. This movie captures that feeling very well.

My major problem is with the end . . .

There are a group of mercenaries pinned down in the fight of their life against Burmese forces – the movie has slowly led up to this point and here in the middle of the climax – our main character, “Rambo” stays 500 feet away providing suppression fire. Something tells me their is an alternate cut with Mr. Stallone getting a bit more action. I would really like to know what happened to cause him to end it like this – see it adn tell me if you don’t agree.

I like this WAY more than I expected to. I have no sarcasm regarding it . . . hmm.

Worth a trip to Blockbuster.