Despite what you think, despite what hundreds of reviews think, and despite what I myself sometimes think; this is one cool action movie!
Yes, Gary Daniels can't act, Chuck Jeffreys' magic routine is weird (doing it over dead buddies!), Frank Gorshin is all-the-time angry, and Darren Shahlavi is horrible!
But hey, this time you can forgive. And for some reasons.
Firstly, there is redemption. A very fine one. Which's the rest of the movie. I mean, look at the fight sequences; they can't get more perfect. Their choreography is magnificent, their performing is flawless, and their direction is fiery. In brief, it's rare when you see hard-working, creatively-done, and highly enjoyable action like this. Kudos to the movie's choreographer and director Siu-Hung Leung. This man knew, and loved, what he was doing.
Then, the writing. It made the antagonist as a martial arts heroes killer; which's interesting, as it's the serial killer movie, where we'll have the opportunity of savoring a fight sequence before every murder. The buddy cop formula was on. Not the best, but workable. The script was surprising and convincing; one of the definitions of "smart" in my book. The use of the internet element wasn't less smart. It even managed to add some emotional moments; concerning a father and daughter relationship, and an odd-couple turned good-buddies relationship. I just hated the personal, no legal, man-to-man encounter in the end, where killing is the only available justice!
You have to love extra merits; such as the rapid-fire pace, the expressive electronic music, and the lovely montage of New York.
Furthermore, there is a strange quality. It's in the way this movie's bad points develop into good. Watch carefully the infamous acting form nearly everybody, especially the iconic one of Shahlavi. It's TOO LAUGHABLE! It magically serves as a brilliant comedy. Shahlavi is worth watching, more than once, for every single reaction he does. His smiles, eye looks, and way of talking; all were done in a style that great comedians can't reach!
Daniels's low acting talent is compensated by his presence and martial arts wonders. Jeffreys' magic routine was a feature to make his character funny; and it's better than similar features, done with other sidekicks, in other buddy cop movies, for the same purpose; like Dan Aykroyd's schizophrenic spasms in Loose Cannons (1990), Kevin Kline's disguise as a woman in Wild Wild West (1999), and Josh Hartnett's acting mania in Hollywood Homicide (2003)! Gorshin wasn't a disharmony; scrutinize most of the police chiefs, in the American action / thrillers since Dirty Harry (1971), and you'll easily find out that they're nothing but screaming middle-aged naggers!
In this manner, some details are rather appealing. For example, the evil man's customs; as if he's KISS' biggest fan. His joyful bomb at the end. His explanation of it, as he refuses to kill children, yet left on a recorded tape, in case he died (how thoughtful!). And the way how that very tape starts running right after the explosion (Now how precise!).
1997 was light on the buddy action (Men in Black, Double Team, The Edge), and heavy on the buddy comedy (Mousehunt, Gone Fishin', Fathers' Day, Nothing to Lose, Out to Sea, Money Talks, Trial and Error, Good Burger). Now here's Bloodmoon, which can proudly join the list of that year's best buddy action movies,.. and best buddy comedies as well!
It's where the vices can be considered virtues.. Aaah, the more you live, the more you see!
Yes, Gary Daniels can't act, Chuck Jeffreys' magic routine is weird (doing it over dead buddies!), Frank Gorshin is all-the-time angry, and Darren Shahlavi is horrible!
But hey, this time you can forgive. And for some reasons.
Firstly, there is redemption. A very fine one. Which's the rest of the movie. I mean, look at the fight sequences; they can't get more perfect. Their choreography is magnificent, their performing is flawless, and their direction is fiery. In brief, it's rare when you see hard-working, creatively-done, and highly enjoyable action like this. Kudos to the movie's choreographer and director Siu-Hung Leung. This man knew, and loved, what he was doing.
Then, the writing. It made the antagonist as a martial arts heroes killer; which's interesting, as it's the serial killer movie, where we'll have the opportunity of savoring a fight sequence before every murder. The buddy cop formula was on. Not the best, but workable. The script was surprising and convincing; one of the definitions of "smart" in my book. The use of the internet element wasn't less smart. It even managed to add some emotional moments; concerning a father and daughter relationship, and an odd-couple turned good-buddies relationship. I just hated the personal, no legal, man-to-man encounter in the end, where killing is the only available justice!
You have to love extra merits; such as the rapid-fire pace, the expressive electronic music, and the lovely montage of New York.
Furthermore, there is a strange quality. It's in the way this movie's bad points develop into good. Watch carefully the infamous acting form nearly everybody, especially the iconic one of Shahlavi. It's TOO LAUGHABLE! It magically serves as a brilliant comedy. Shahlavi is worth watching, more than once, for every single reaction he does. His smiles, eye looks, and way of talking; all were done in a style that great comedians can't reach!
Daniels's low acting talent is compensated by his presence and martial arts wonders. Jeffreys' magic routine was a feature to make his character funny; and it's better than similar features, done with other sidekicks, in other buddy cop movies, for the same purpose; like Dan Aykroyd's schizophrenic spasms in Loose Cannons (1990), Kevin Kline's disguise as a woman in Wild Wild West (1999), and Josh Hartnett's acting mania in Hollywood Homicide (2003)! Gorshin wasn't a disharmony; scrutinize most of the police chiefs, in the American action / thrillers since Dirty Harry (1971), and you'll easily find out that they're nothing but screaming middle-aged naggers!
In this manner, some details are rather appealing. For example, the evil man's customs; as if he's KISS' biggest fan. His joyful bomb at the end. His explanation of it, as he refuses to kill children, yet left on a recorded tape, in case he died (how thoughtful!). And the way how that very tape starts running right after the explosion (Now how precise!).
1997 was light on the buddy action (Men in Black, Double Team, The Edge), and heavy on the buddy comedy (Mousehunt, Gone Fishin', Fathers' Day, Nothing to Lose, Out to Sea, Money Talks, Trial and Error, Good Burger). Now here's Bloodmoon, which can proudly join the list of that year's best buddy action movies,.. and best buddy comedies as well!
It's where the vices can be considered virtues.. Aaah, the more you live, the more you see!