Geophyrd
16-Aug-2006, 01:42 PM
Light spoilers:
This movie, Running Scared, stars Paul Walker, an actor who (inausiciously) I first noticed in Fast and the Furious. That movie wasn't great, he wasn't great and that story wasn't great. It got him on the map. Since then, he's become kind of the go-to guy for interesting pretty boy roles, showing up in movies like Timeline, Joy Ride and The Skulls.
Having said that, and having discounted the guy, I went to see Into The Blue and was stunned by the movie. It was a pretty movie. The ocean, Jessica Albe, Walker and the cinematography were all excellent. The story was actually very good and for once, Paul Walker impressed me.
In Running Scared, he shocked the heck out of me. Where did he learn to act? This was a good movie, a really good movie. Its like Reservoir Dogs on a crystal meth tweak session, combining elements from Usual Suspects and (interestingly) Spike Jonz. The tricks played by the director are fun, interesting and they do further the story.
The story isn't anything new. Walker is a low level hood who is given a dirty gun to dispose of. He hides it, telling his wife that the gun, with a dozen others, are their insurance policy. His 10 year old son sees him hide it with his friend and the guns get out in the world.
Needless to say, he probably should have bought insurance instead. NOTHING goes right and this movie, which isn't horror, features a world where everything is horrible. Everything is lit oddly, and yet appropriately. The normal looking couple can be just having coffee or be on the make for prey. Shadows can reveal demons. Decisions get made to kill and they are absolutely right.
This movie kicked my butt, made me smile and (surprise) made me look forward to whatever movie Paul Walker is going to do next. He's no longer just a pretty boy. This guy's got a good eye for what works and Running Scared works in spades.
This movie, Running Scared, stars Paul Walker, an actor who (inausiciously) I first noticed in Fast and the Furious. That movie wasn't great, he wasn't great and that story wasn't great. It got him on the map. Since then, he's become kind of the go-to guy for interesting pretty boy roles, showing up in movies like Timeline, Joy Ride and The Skulls.
Having said that, and having discounted the guy, I went to see Into The Blue and was stunned by the movie. It was a pretty movie. The ocean, Jessica Albe, Walker and the cinematography were all excellent. The story was actually very good and for once, Paul Walker impressed me.
In Running Scared, he shocked the heck out of me. Where did he learn to act? This was a good movie, a really good movie. Its like Reservoir Dogs on a crystal meth tweak session, combining elements from Usual Suspects and (interestingly) Spike Jonz. The tricks played by the director are fun, interesting and they do further the story.
The story isn't anything new. Walker is a low level hood who is given a dirty gun to dispose of. He hides it, telling his wife that the gun, with a dozen others, are their insurance policy. His 10 year old son sees him hide it with his friend and the guns get out in the world.
Needless to say, he probably should have bought insurance instead. NOTHING goes right and this movie, which isn't horror, features a world where everything is horrible. Everything is lit oddly, and yet appropriately. The normal looking couple can be just having coffee or be on the make for prey. Shadows can reveal demons. Decisions get made to kill and they are absolutely right.
This movie kicked my butt, made me smile and (surprise) made me look forward to whatever movie Paul Walker is going to do next. He's no longer just a pretty boy. This guy's got a good eye for what works and Running Scared works in spades.