The Descendants (15)
(Alexander Payne, 2011, Us) George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Robert Forster. 115 mins
A sideways move from Sideways takes Payne on another tour of masculine crises, though this has mellowed and matured for longer. Family issues jolt Clooney out of his Hawaiian comfort zone. His wife's sudden coma puts him in charge of their two daughters, and brings their marriage into perspective, while his control of the ancestral estate adds to the burden. It's a well-rooted drama of great performances and big themes (and probably big awards).
Like Crazy (12A)
(Drake Doremus, 2011, Us) Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence. 90 mins
Young love sees no colour, but it must abide by visa regulations in this cross-Atlantic romantic saga, which tests a couple's endurance in an offbeat, indie style.
The Grey (15)
(Joe Carnahan, 2012, Us) Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo. 117 mins
Liam Neeson v wolves – seems like a good match.
(Alexander Payne, 2011, Us) George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Nick Krause, Robert Forster. 115 mins
A sideways move from Sideways takes Payne on another tour of masculine crises, though this has mellowed and matured for longer. Family issues jolt Clooney out of his Hawaiian comfort zone. His wife's sudden coma puts him in charge of their two daughters, and brings their marriage into perspective, while his control of the ancestral estate adds to the burden. It's a well-rooted drama of great performances and big themes (and probably big awards).
Like Crazy (12A)
(Drake Doremus, 2011, Us) Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence. 90 mins
Young love sees no colour, but it must abide by visa regulations in this cross-Atlantic romantic saga, which tests a couple's endurance in an offbeat, indie style.
The Grey (15)
(Joe Carnahan, 2012, Us) Liam Neeson, Dermot Mulroney, Frank Grillo. 117 mins
Liam Neeson v wolves – seems like a good match.
- 1/28/2012
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Does what it says on the tin
15
Mercenaries is a film that does, as they say, what it says on the tin, and what's on the tin is the promise of a straight-up action film about mercenary commandoes, largely Brits, who go storming into a fictionalised, newly war-torn Serbia whose president has just been toppled. Their specific mission? Aside from shouting and firing extremely large guns? To rescue the Us ambassador and his wife, that's what. So that's one in the eye for those showoff Yanks who have to rely on our chaps to rescue their man in Belgrade. Geezer veteran Geoff Bell plays one of the tough guys. Anyway, the plot and dialogue is borderline ridiculous and the absence of acting Oscar nominations is not exactly a scandal. But director Paris Leonti puts together some reasonably serviceable action sequences on a finite budget.
Rating: 2/5
Action and adventureThrillerPeter Bradshaw
guardian.
15
Mercenaries is a film that does, as they say, what it says on the tin, and what's on the tin is the promise of a straight-up action film about mercenary commandoes, largely Brits, who go storming into a fictionalised, newly war-torn Serbia whose president has just been toppled. Their specific mission? Aside from shouting and firing extremely large guns? To rescue the Us ambassador and his wife, that's what. So that's one in the eye for those showoff Yanks who have to rely on our chaps to rescue their man in Belgrade. Geezer veteran Geoff Bell plays one of the tough guys. Anyway, the plot and dialogue is borderline ridiculous and the absence of acting Oscar nominations is not exactly a scandal. But director Paris Leonti puts together some reasonably serviceable action sequences on a finite budget.
Rating: 2/5
Action and adventureThrillerPeter Bradshaw
guardian.
- 1/27/2012
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Vas Blackwood attends Mercenaries UK Premiere.Photo copyright Landmark / PR Photos. Paris Leonti attends Mercenaries UK Premiere.Photo copyright Landmark / PR Photos. Paris Leonti attends Mercenaries UK Premiere.Photo copyright Landmark / PR Photos. Paris Leonti, Luc Chaudhary and Geoff Bell attends Mercenaries UK Premiere.Photo copyright Landmark / PR Photos. Jake Canuso attends Mercenaries UK Premiere.Photo copyright Landmark / PR Photos. 01/23/2012 - Geoff Bell - "Mercenaries" UK Premiere - Arrivals - Empire Cinema, Leicester Square - London, UK © Landmark / PR Photos 01/23/2012 - Paris Leonti and Robert Fucilla - "Mercenaries" UK Premiere - Arrivals - Empire Cinema, Leicester Square - London, UK © Landmark / PR Photos 01/23/2012 - Geoff Bell...
- 1/25/2012
- by M&C
- Monsters and Critics
Mercenaries
Stars: Billy Zane, Vas Blackwood, Geoff Bell, Kirsty Mitchell, Robert Fucilla | Written and Directed by Paris Leonti
It would be disingenuous to suggest that I had anything other than fairly low expectations for my first screening of 2012. A low-budget, war film starring a bunch of unknown actors ‘and Billy Zane’ (a title card that actually caused titters of mirth among some of the more openly dismissive members of the audience)? How good could this possibly be?
If 462 users on the IMDb (at time of writing) are to be believed, not very good at all. It currently holds a rating of 4.4. Having seen Mercenaries, this seems a little unfair to me. Sure, it’s no classic, nor even a rough diamond, but it’s far from a stinker. The film begins with a military coup in Serbia. The low budget is evident from off, though the brutal execution of the...
Stars: Billy Zane, Vas Blackwood, Geoff Bell, Kirsty Mitchell, Robert Fucilla | Written and Directed by Paris Leonti
It would be disingenuous to suggest that I had anything other than fairly low expectations for my first screening of 2012. A low-budget, war film starring a bunch of unknown actors ‘and Billy Zane’ (a title card that actually caused titters of mirth among some of the more openly dismissive members of the audience)? How good could this possibly be?
If 462 users on the IMDb (at time of writing) are to be believed, not very good at all. It currently holds a rating of 4.4. Having seen Mercenaries, this seems a little unfair to me. Sure, it’s no classic, nor even a rough diamond, but it’s far from a stinker. The film begins with a military coup in Serbia. The low budget is evident from off, though the brutal execution of the...
- 1/11/2012
- by Jack Kirby
- Nerdly
As long as you have Billy Zane on your side, you’ll never be outgunned or outnumbered. Below you’re probably going to find the trailer for director Paris Leonti’s “Mercenaries”, a film that’s currently scheduled to arrive on Region 2 DVD this March. North American residents have not yet been presented with a release date, though I suspect it will probably drop around the same time. This, of course, is nothing more than late-night speculation on my part, so whatsoever you do, don’t quote me. Check out this synopsis before continuing: Andy Marlow is an ex-British S.A.S serviceman turned mercenary who is working covertly at an observation post in the Balkans after a military coup has resulted in the assassination of the Serbian Prime Minister. The coup has been instigated by Olodan Cracovic, the ex-commander of the Croat Army and wanted war criminal. During the unrest,...
- 12/13/2011
- by Todd Rigney
- Beyond Hollywood
A look at what's new on DVD today:
"Game of Death" (2011)
Directed by Giorgio Serafini
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Quite possibly Wesley Snipes' last film for a long, long time, this action flick features the "Passenger 57" star as a CIA agent who is betrayed by his employer after he's deployed to take out an arms dealer in Detroit. "Grindhouse" star Zoe Bell is onhand to provide backup.
"Celestial Films: Lady Hermit" (1971)
Directed by Meng Hua Ho
Released by Funimation
An aspiring female kung fu warrior searches for an elusive master who turns out to pretend to be a servant in this Shaw Brothers produced action flick.
"Daylight Robbery" (2008)
Directed by Paris Leonti
Released by Well Go USA
Paris Leonti's heist flick involves a group of misfits who plot to rob the London Exchange of the loot in their underground vault.
"Disconnect" (2011)
Directed by Robin Christian...
"Game of Death" (2011)
Directed by Giorgio Serafini
Released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Quite possibly Wesley Snipes' last film for a long, long time, this action flick features the "Passenger 57" star as a CIA agent who is betrayed by his employer after he's deployed to take out an arms dealer in Detroit. "Grindhouse" star Zoe Bell is onhand to provide backup.
"Celestial Films: Lady Hermit" (1971)
Directed by Meng Hua Ho
Released by Funimation
An aspiring female kung fu warrior searches for an elusive master who turns out to pretend to be a servant in this Shaw Brothers produced action flick.
"Daylight Robbery" (2008)
Directed by Paris Leonti
Released by Well Go USA
Paris Leonti's heist flick involves a group of misfits who plot to rob the London Exchange of the loot in their underground vault.
"Disconnect" (2011)
Directed by Robin Christian...
- 2/15/2011
- by Stephen Saito
- ifc.com
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