Crimson Tide

Since I am trying to watch and appreciate more Tony Scott films of late, I figured it was about time I tried Crimson Tide. Despite it having been script-doctored by Quentin Tarantino, I've simply never got around to seeing it before.

Well, long story short: I wish I hadn't bothered. The story was dumb; the acting (with one or two exceptions) mostly unconvincing; the tension non-existent; and the dialogue awful. And those bits that one might assume are Tarantino's contribution (i.e., those that dwell on comic books and movie stars) just stick out like a big ol' sore thumb.

This was a bad movie. I wish I hadn't bothered. I am fast going off Tony Scott...

Scores
Acting: 12
Story: 5
Direction: 12
Enjoyment: 8
Involvement: 5
Total: 42

Domino

I had mixed feeling in advance of watching Tony Scott's kind-of-based-on-a-
true-story film Domino. I have a love/hate relationship with Scott's work, although I'm coming to the conclusion there's actually very little love in it. In fact, most of what I see by Scott is average at best, and Domino is the same.

The tale told is that of the daughter of British '60s screen legend Laurence Harvey, who was in the original version of The Manchurian Candidate, among other things. She, as a young woman, becomes a bounty hunter... as you do. So far, so barely credible. But it's a "true" story, so you hang in there.

Now, I don't know about you, but I have a preconceived idea of what the average bounty hunter looks like, and Keira Knightley doesn't figure in it.* Not that I think Knightley is particularly attractive. Indeed, I think she's kind of weird looking, with that jaw-jut, bucket-lip thing she's got going on and that way-too-skinny-for-my-
tastes body (if you can call it that). But, y'know, whatever floats yer boat. It's more that she weighs about 6lb wet and is as scrawny as fuck. There's no meat on her; there's no logical reason for us as viewers to suspend our disbelief. She. Just. Don't. Fit.

I think bounty hunters, male or female, should look more like Mickey Rourke: butt-ugly, tough-looking motherfuckers who you know have had to work hard at staying alive in their chosen profession. I'm not a mad Mickey fan, but he does an okay job here. Not as rockin' as in Sin City, but a close second.

Anyway... yada yada yada, another Mexican stand-off, yada yada yada, this time with helicopters. I mean, this is the Mexican stand-off to end 'em all. But too ridiculous.

This film, by and large, bored me. And I thought the direction was among Scott's worst. The repetitious style he used throughout was appalling. For my money, there was very little to recommend. Of course, you're welcome to seek a second opinion, so why not read this or this from two of my blogmates.

* And it seems I was right about this. The real Domino makes a brief cameo at the very end (if you last that long). She looks cool enough, but she ain't movie-star pretty, y'know. C'mon, Tony: keep it real, motherfucker!

Scores
Acting: 11
Story: 13
Direction: 8
Enjoyment: 8
Involvement: 8
Total: 48