Abandon
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Movie Reviews of Abandon
Movie Review: "Take me with you."
Summary: 3 Stars
The trailers make Abandon look like an edgy, terrifying thriller. In truth it's a sometimes slow-moving production with a shocking conclusion. It's not a bad movie from a purely thriller-fan standpoint; there are some excellent twists and turns, the performances are quite good, and the Hitchcockian climax is riveting. This film has been compared to many recent movies of the same genre, which really isn't fair. The problem is that the other films came first and Abandon does try to pull a few copycat moves. But this movie has one thing going for it and that's the creepy atmosphere. Dark corridors, dusty libraries, a country cottage after dark, a mansion falling to pieces. These scenes are spliced with taunting memories as Katie relives the past. The cinematography is beautiful but this form of filmmaking also makes the plot difficult to follow. The acting is good (Katie Holmes and Charlie Hunnam have some real intensity between them) but the characters aren't well developed.The movie is a bit tedious at times and demands a twice-over just so you can fully understand the full implications. The ending is also a cliffhanger, leaving you with a lot of questions. The script is fairly decent but does have plot holes. The PG13 rating should be observed, given mostly for scenes of typical secular college life -- drinking, drugs, and casual attitudes toward sex. The ending twist is more disconcerting than satisfying. I was strangely seduced by it the first time, and the story seemed to fill out more after a second viewing. It's not something I would purchase, but by in large the critics have given it an overly rough time. It deserves more respect than it receives.
Movie Review: What the F**k?
Summary: 3 Stars
Academy Award Winning screenwriter Stephen Gaghan (Best Screenplay,
Traffic) made his directorial debut with this film. Oddly enough, a few years later he wrote one of the most acclaimed films of the year "Syriana". The man is obviously talented, so I found it odd that this film recieved so much lack of approval. Well, I'm the kind of person who has respect for a lot of films that people don't like (some indie films) and I'm the kind of person who has respect for movies that critics don't like (Fun With Dick & Jane, Wild Things). So, I was surprised that I didn't like this movie. It's all right in the beginning, but this twist at the end was so stupid and semi-predictable it ruined the whole experience for me. Anyways, a pre-Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes plays Katie, a young college student vying to get a job at a banking company. Around this time, a cop named Wade (Benjamin Bratt) begins asking questions about her ex-boyfriend Embry Larkin (Charlie Hunnam).
Embry has been missing for two years, he hasn't used his credit accounts or plan tickets he had when he went missing. But, then Katie begins to see Embry and suspects that he's spying on her...Duh. That's pretty much the plot. Zooey Deschanel, a massively underrated actress, plays Katie's friend
Sam who has almost all the good lines/one liners. This isn't the first movie Deschanel has made slightly better either (Failure to Launch anyone?). Anyways, Gaghan has returned to form with his last film but I don't know what happened here. This movie is a mess and a waste of time. C-
Movie Review: Worth one viewing only
Summary: 3 Stars
I liked this movie. It portrayed teenagers and college students in a far more subdued manner than normal and didn't animate any characters to the point of stupidity (IE Stifler is not in this movie and no one 'does it' with a dog covered in wedding cake). Almost everyone in is disconnected in some way and have feelings that do not show. It's a character driven movie that works thanks to delicate acting and atmospheric direction. I found the strobing scene to be particularly interesting, especially in retrospect now that I know the (pretty surprising) plot twist.Katie Holmes, though not remarkable, gives her role enough life to make the movie work but still cannot separate from her Dawson's Creek part. Only as the movie draws to a close does she really provoke any emotion from the audience. It's a difficult character to play but she just about makes it.
The script is pretty weak but it's delivered in a deliberately empty way. We almost feel abandoned watching it. The movie is sparsely populated and makes us feel alone. It creates an interesting atmosphere that is the movie's saving grace. Without this edge it would be a waste of time. It's worth a rent, but only for viewing alone.
The DVD has Audio commentary by Director / Writer Stephan Gaghan and Cinematographer Matthew Libatique, brief documentary, Deleted scenes with Director's commentary and a trailer. It is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and is in Dolby 5.1.
Movie Review: RECKLESS ABANDON
Summary: 3 Stars
It's hard to believe that this script was written by Oscar winner Stephen Gagham ("Traffic"). In the interviews afterward, he comes across as a self-effacing young man obviously riding on his Oscar win. He also directs this and it's no more at times than an MTV music video (especially the annoying strobe-lighted sequence where Katie sees her long lost Embrey). The movie is painfully slow in getting to the point, and the endless flashbacks to the little girl in the snow are never fully explained.
On the up side, however, are the dynamic performances of Katie Holmes and Benjamin Bratt. Holmes milks everything out of her girl next door, yet sexy, looks, and is especially good in the interview sequence, where she seems totally in control of things. Bratt parlays his smoldering macho into a genuinely caring, if blind, detective. In a smaller role as Holmes' psychiatrist, Tony Goldwyn gives off a smug lechery.
Gagham obviously focused on making this a "kid accessible" film, but insults their intelligence in not really supplying any real suspense or surprise. I could see the ending coming within the first twenty minutes.
Stylish, yet stifling.
Movie Review: Katie Holmes in sub-standard thriller
Summary: 3 Stars
Katie Holmes is one of those actresses seemingly set for stardom, with those perenially girlish looks and lop sided pout.
However, with this sort of effort on her CV, even with a front page headline marriage, she will soon be doomed to straight to video shelves for the rest of her career. This movie aims for off kilter edgy psycholgical thrills - 'what is really going on' paranoia. But in the end, what it actually achieves is boredom and 'who really cares' apathy.
The story revolves around a colege student preparing for her thesis. She starts having memories surface of her boyfriend, who disappeared strangely 2 years ago, when an ex alcoholic detective is sent to investigate his disappearance. The investigation leads to her seeing the ex boyfriend again. The tension revolves around the uncertainty of whether what she is seeing is real or not.
It's not really a bad movie; the director uses various time dislocation tricks to put the audience off kilter, and Holmes fans will enjoy - just dont expect excitement or any real tension, from a thriller which is clearly intended to be both exciting and tense.