canucks_88

The film begins in the town of Amity (where the first 2 movies were set) and focuses on Ellen and Sean Brody (also from the other films in the series). Why this family is still living right on the water after 3 previous life-threatening encounters with great white sharks is beyond me. After Sean is killed by another shark, Ellen decides to head down to the Bahamas with her other son Michael (from the first 3 films). According to Michael, there has never been a great white shark down there, because it is too warm for them. Things get ridiculous when the shark follows them to the Bahamas to seek revenge. The movie has some good points; the cast was decent, the effects were alright, and really might not have been that bad of a movie...However, the idea of humanizing a shark is simply absurd.

First of all, this is not really a sequel to the original, just a movie with a similar script. There are no sharks in this movie, and there is no sea monster that comes to eat these people. This movie is about 6 young adults who make a stupid mistake and end up stranded in the water. The characters weren't very interesting, but I thought the actors did a great job considering the script they had to work with. I like the fact that there was six people stranded in the water, instead of just 2 like in Open Water. I thought this made things a little more interesting, especially when they started panicking and fighting with each other. The suspense was pretty good, and the camera work was beautifully done. I wasn't a big fan of the ending, however. It's almost as if the director couldn't decide how to end the film, came up with 2 possible scenarios, and through them both into the movie. I guess this way the audience can interpret it however they want. I would have rather had the director stick with one ending, and save the other for the special features on the DVD.

If the purpose of this movie was to teach the viewer about nuclear physics, then it has failed miserably. Thankfully, it's purpose is one of entertainment. It is in this purpose that the movie succeeds. If you look to much into the science, then you will find many flaws. This is one of those films that you just have to take at face value. There was decent action and special effects and the story was fairly interesting. The whole idea of the world being in danger is not a new concept. There are many similarities to movies like "Armageddon" and "Deep Impact". If you enjoyed those movies, then you will likely enjoy this as well. Because this movie is so comparable to so many of those disaster flicks, "The Core" will likely not have a lasting effect on anyone.

Just about everything about this movie; the cast, action, suspense, special effects, storyline, was just as good if not better than Alien. This was an overall tremendous effort by James Cameron. The only area where I thought this film lacked was in suspense. Don't get me wrong, there are certain scenes that will truly give you goose bumps, but overall there isn't that same eerie feeling as the first film. In "Alien", there was just one alien, and you didn't know where and when it was going to show up. In Aliens, there is a whole army of these gruesome E.T.'s, almost to the point of overkill. Also, after watching the first film, we know what these Aliens look like and are capable of. Still, this film is a classic that combines the best of the sci-fi/horror/action genres.

Not in the same league as the first 2 Alien films. The special effects were well done, and while the action scenes were excellent, there weren't nearly enough of them. Nothing against director David Fincher, but I would not put him in the same class as Ridley Scott and James Cameron (directors of the first 2 films). This movie did not have a great flow. For the better part of an hour, we're left listening to dull dialogue, before the action picks up. At least with the first Alien film, the suspense kept up the pace of the movie. Also, aside from Lt. Ripley, none of the other characters are the least bit interesting in this film. This movie is enjoyable, and better than a many sci-fi movies out there, but I would not consider this one to be a classic.

Predator starts off not all that differently than many other action movies of the 80's. You have a U.S. military group sent into the jungle of some South American country on a rescue mission. Two points, set this movie apart from those others. The first is the idea of bringing in a unique alien that hunts these soldiers and picks them off one at a time. The "Predator" is unlike anything we had seen before. It's no wonder that this franchise continues to remain so popular today. The second point that makes this film so memorable is simply Arnold Schwarzenegger. Arnold is the master of action movies, the king of cheesy one-liners. He's the one guy that you could put in any movie, and you know he'll kick some serious ass. You're almost left feeling sorry for the alien in this movie, knowing that it's going to have to go up against Arnold. Predator has a great jungle setting, which enhances this suspense and the mood of the film. It is a superb blend of action and science fiction, and is enjoyable to watch anytime.

Alright "phenomenon" may be a stretch, but "cult" definitely describes the Leprechaun film franchise. Writer/Director Mark Jones really took some chances with this movie in the early 90's, a time when the Horror genre appeared to be washed up. The end result was a moderately successful B movie that developed a small, but enthusiastic fan base. The idea of a leprechaun in a slasher flick may seem like a ridiculous concept at first. Let's face it, in most folk tales leprechauns are portrayed as adorable little Irish elves; not as hideous, conniving, murderous creatures. Mark Jones could have tried to make this a dark film, and if he had done that it likely would have failed miserably. By throwing some humour into the mix, the concept of the film begins to make sense and the movie becomes rather enjoyable to watch. Leprechaun was well-cast. Jennifer Aniston got her first big break, and she did a tremendous job. Watching her for the first time, it was obvious that she was going to move on to bigger and better things. Warwick Davis is another talented actor and was the perfect choice to play the Leprechaun. This franchise would likely have never become so popular if it weren't for him. The rest of the cast is made up mostly of character actors such as Ken Olandt, Mark Holton, and Robert Gorman. While their performances aren't Oscar worthy, they all do their part to keep the film moving along smoothly. The story is nothing too complex. It is what one would expect for a horror film with a Leprechaun. A Leprechaun has his pot of gold stolen and will stop at nothing to retrieve it and murder anyone who gets in his way. The only way he can be stopped is by using a four-leaf clover. The effects were decent for a low budget movie. The Leprechaun's make-up was very well done. It really enhanced the idea that this is supposed to be an evil Leprechaun. Overall if you are expecting to get a good scare from this movie, you will be disappointed. However, if you are simply looking for a simple, enjoyable movie with some light humour and a decent amount of gore, then this would definitely be worthwhile.