The Contract
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.23 You Save: $11.75 (78%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.73 (click here) Category: DVD See more DVD releases |
|---|
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
Movie Reviews of The Contract
Movie Review: Rote but watchable thriller with some good performances
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm kinda surprised that names like John Cusack and Morgan Freeman would be associated with such a pedestrian film as this. Then again their names were the only reason I picked this up, so maybe the studio's ploy worked, and it's actually their performances that saved it from being unwatchable.
Cusack is having father/son issues with the teen after his wife passes away from cancer. In an attempt to devote some "quality time" and bond with his son they go on a camping trip in the Washington state wilderness. Unfortunately for them, rogue CIA spook Freeman happens to be en route to prosecution in that area when his mercenary buddies try to free him. The escape scenario doesn't go as smoothly as planned and Freeman ends up in the unwanted "custody" of Cusack (who just happens to be an ex-cop turned teacher) with the help of an errant handgun. In the middle of the nowhere they look to evade the trailing mercenaries and get to safety.
There are way too many implausiblities and cliches in the story to make this a good film (e.g., why wouldn't Cusack just take Freeman's advice and the gun, leave and not put his son in harm's way?). The meeting of the other hiking couple was totally unnecessary and felt tacked on just to try to add some drama at the last scene. The action was OK, but rote and implausible again. But at least we get some nice scenery and decent performances from the leads, so if you're fans of theirs, as I am, you may want to give this a rent.
Movie Review: Cusack and Freeman keep this watchable, plot is only so-so
Summary: 3 Stars
There were so many plot holes in this one that I had a very hard time sitting through it but Morgan Freeman and John Cusack are still worth watching. Even with mediocre material, they do their best to make films work and that is reason enough to watch this. Forget the rather blah plot and focus on them. I watched this movie more than once just to make sure I wasn't missing anything and in order to give the fairest review I could.
The plot, such as it is, centers on a man, Ray, (played by Cusack) who is trying to reach his son after the death of the boy's mother. They decide to go hiking, away from everything, giving them more chances to connect, or so Ray hopes.
Unfortunately, he manages to get dragged into the middle of a nightmarish experience with a contract killer and his intended victim. Freeman plays the contract killer and brings his usual complexity to the part, actually making the guy somewhat likable.
Ray overwhelms the killer and is planning to bring him to justice. This is where things go awry as there were so many instances where I saw opportunities for the killer to escape, take advantage of the situation or turn the tables - all straining viewer credibility.
You could do worse than to watch this, especially with two talented actors at the helm. But I'd wait for it to hit the small screen. Don't buy or rent it.
Movie Review: It's on...
Summary: 3 Stars
The Contract is a well done enough drama that attempts to be a bit more than what it is. That said, it is clearly Morgan Freeman who carries the weight of this otherwise forgettable movie on his shoulders as a hitman with a heart-as long as it's not you who happens to be the target of his latest contract. John Cusak as the middling dad forced into a bad situation has to overcome some implausibly bad odds at times as he outwits Freeman's cohorts and another assassin intent on killing Freeman (it will come as no surprise as to who hired this cheeseball). There are plenty of moments where the characters get to know each other that Freeman plays beautifully. The actor playing Cusak's son offers no chops whatsoever as a teen troubled with the usual vice of pot smoking and he delivers lines more mechanically than the robot on Lost in Space. He is a complete waste as is much of the writing for his character. The backdrop of the film, the wonderful wooded vistas provide visual fodder and were clearly the director's main interest. If you like Morgan Freeman and John Cusak, The Contract is a likable enough film, but is littered with many issues that are difficult to overcome even if you are a veteran watcher of such movies. 3 stars...barelyMovie Review: Multiple bonding
Summary: 3 Stars
Cusack, who is usually a nice guy, but sometimes also funny, for which he gets no chance here, goes on a bonding excursion with his teenage son, and comes back with a new girl friend and a new pal in the underworld.
The movie has all the ingredients for a speedy action thriller, and just how it fails to raise even the tiniest bit of suspense still is not clear to me. It is also not funny, except when the backwoods cop spills the coffee on the DC smartarse's shirt. That is hilarious.
Morgan Freeman does his best to assure everybody that we should not mistake him for a nice guy. Oddly, he fails, and ends up beloved by the audience. We even seem to want him to do his job. After all he wants to put in a solid day's job for his considerable pay.
Movie Review: Enjoyable popcorn thriller...
Summary: 3 Stars
Enjoyable if not derivitive thriller with perfunctory performances by leads Morgan Freemand and John Cusack. The storyline is thin, the characters are thin, but the film is beautifully shot, had some wonderful set pieces (the cliff scene) and some moments of nice suspense and action. A few of the action sequences are extremely well executed and surpisingly quite thrilling. On the downside, the movie definitely plays it too safe, there's certainly nothings screaming "extraordinary" in any sense, and is lacking verisimilitude. Still, it's a pleasant and very scenic journey, has some memorable moments, and John Cusack and Morgan Freeman even when only mediocre are still always fun to watch on screen.