The Skulls (Collector's Edition)
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Movie Reviews of The Skulls (Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: Ineffective copy of Brotherhood of The Bell.
Summary: 2 Stars
I've always loved the movie The Brotherhood of the Bell, so I assumed I would like The Skulls, which is basically a remake, only this time set in college instead of the real world.
It's about a secret society in an Ivy league university, where members are expected to put loyalty and service to each other above the law or any outside loyalties, secretly helping each other to advance in society with special favors. In the old version Glenn Ford was an adult who was called upon to repay his debt to the society, at a higher cost than he ever anticipated, and it's intensely suspenseful, as he keeps trying to find a way out but learns everyone he appeals to for help is either loyal to the secret society or threatened and controlled by them. It's a kind of paranoia suspense thriller, almost like Three Days of the Condor.
Unfortunately in this version about college kids, you just get the feeling that the protagonist can simply walk away from the whole thing - they practically tell him that he can, at one point. And the secret society, with corny props all over, seem more like a children's club, like something Opie would join on The Andy Griffith Show, rather than the realistic and subtly ominous organization of The Bell, reminiscent of old conspiracy theories about the Masons and such. Plus, Craig Nelson is just too much a light weight for the villain compared to Dean Jagger. Brotherhood of the Bell had a better cast all around, with great character actors like Will Geer and William Conrad.
So it's just because it was disappointing by comparison to that older movie that I can only give The Skulls 2 stars.
Movie Review: A plot that had so much to explore!
Summary: 3 Stars
Uneven and confused thriller about the lives and risks of a Secret Society and a very young student who is recruited to join them. Some twists and turns here and there but with evident narrative holes that demerit the final balance. Craig T. Nelson and William Petersen do their best they can with this predictable script.
Nevertheless, there are some intriguing moments that may justify its rent for a rainy weekend.
Movie Review: Very Good; Very Detailed; Very Revealing
Summary: 4 Stars
This is entertaining fare, and revealing in so many ways.
Much of the criticism is about the plotting, and how the key events could have happened without the Skulls leaders doing anything to stop the lower ranks acting "wrongly". That proceeds from false assumptions. The central theme of the film is about a power play between two council leaders. Once you see that, then the events of the film fall into place, since the junior players in the events are pawns of the council members who are competing for the leadership of the Skulls. This film has more layers than an onion.
The special FX used in this film are so invisible it is amazing. All the FX serve to further the story.
The additional material is superb, and the commentary shows the production process, amongst other things, and the deleted scenes show how a movie is crafted into a flowing creative, vibrant entity.
ENJOY
Movie Review: Great Movie
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie is one of my favorite movies ever. It really draws me into the plot from the beginning. I am not usually a person who enjoys action films, but this one left me wanting to know more. I have not yet seen either of the sequels, but I don't think they can live up to how great this one was. One of my friends and I love to watch this movie together. Movie Review: Bare bones entertainment
Summary: 3 Stars
In the dark halls once walked by ancient members of secret societies, one group in particular stands out and has survived and prospered...The Skulls. This opening introduction should have been a clue as to how absurdly dramatic this movie would be.
Director Rob Cohen (Daylight, Fast & The Furious) has never been able to pull any gem from the movies he makes with the only exception being Dragon, The Bruce Lee Story. Instead, he usually creates moderately entertaining movies that try so hard to be more than they are. This was the last dramatic movie he made before moving into the even more flashy flair of The Fast & The Furious.
The Skulls starts out promising, with good characters trying to deal with their real life and school. One in particular, Lucas McNamara, played by Joshua Jackson of Dawson's Creek fame, is trying hard to make something of himself, despite his poor roots and semi-criminal childhood. He does well but mostly plays a similar character to what he played on DC. Paul Walker, playing Caleb Mandrake, stands out showing some real emotion as the conflicted rich kid who befriends Lucas and battles his own conscious throughout the movie. You find yourself liking him, despite his `take no responsibility' personality.
The real downfall of the movie is simply the switch in direction from Lucas' journey into sudden wealth and opportunity, to murder mystery. I think it would have been more instresting to see Lucas work his way into the society and find he is nothing like these people, and either find a way to use the Skulls abilities for good purposes. William L. Peterson, always good, plays Senator Levritt, who states this to Lucas early in the movie. This sounded like a promising start to the intrigue that could follow the young man who has never known what it's like to be rich or to have the ability to wield such power.
But alas, the movie falls into bleak territory and barely digs it's way out. All in all, it's an entertaining movie of power, secret society rules superceding the law and discovery of a person's own moral code. A good combination that was clumsily executed but is still good on most levels.