Michael Totten

Jason Statham always makes good tough-guy movies. B-movies, perhaps--but with him, there is always honor--which is more than I can say for the president that was in office--when this movie was copyrighted. I liked the scene where he was captured and beaten: caught, yes, but defeated, NO! He makes good movies, and I watch all of his that I can find (and I'm surprised that I've never seen this one, yet, in fact--a dozen years later, no less!) Despite being a B-movie, I still give it 4 stars--for good entertainment, my kind of entertainment (not for women, children or whooseys, for sure!)

It was interesting, but it was kind of long-winded and slow, focusing too much on unimportant details and unimportant cinematography. Why spend so much time filming a fly, jumping around on Jack Elam's face? And the violence was sickening, too. Meanwhile, the sex was just a shadow of what it could be...and what did this movie teach us? Really nothing much more than senseless violence, bullying, brutality, and beating-up on cripples and killing children! From a moral point of view, this film is just another blast of senseless Hollywood liberal immorality, circa 1969, when this kind of sickness in film became common. Bronson is a good actor, and just as good as Eastwood was in Leone's previous spaghetti westerns, but the plot requires too much effort to figure out, at first--unlike in Death Wish and it's successors--rather much easier to understand. And Bronson has the high moral ground in this otherwise sick Leone western movie, whereas Fonda proves his immoral sickness, clearly, in this movie. Now I know why 12 Angry Men never resolved the issue of who really did commit the murder, in that movie: because Fonda wasn't about any real moral solution--only about attacking the system--just like his otherwise useless actress daughter.

I loved the ending--it blew me away--totally unexpected! This was a very good movie, and gets my 5 stars. And the cast was unbelievable, a veritable who's who of some of the best in Hollywood, today--some of whom were unknown when this 2002 movie was made. Sad about his family, but he persevered, and did good, regardless. What a great story--and true, no less!

I give this movie 4 stars, not 5, because this movie has plot elements and facts that are not presented clearly enough. But, overall, I rate it as a pretty good opening to this story of the horrific failure of our administrative state, overrun with liberals and Democrats. Would Eisenhower have reacted like this during a crisis like this? NO!!! Only our useless Democratic Party liberal, and communist-loving leaders like Obama, would let a travesty happen, partly because they are in bed with Islamic fundamentalists--but partly just because they are useless liberal bureaucrats. And so, by worrying more about their political image, and their liberal political policies and ideas (which, by the way, have totally failed America!)--they have let this disaster happen through their inaction--and their inability to face reality. Michael Bay does begin to point some of this out, especially when reading between the lines--but the fault lies entirely with liberal, entitled politicians--and their failed political ideas. The heroes depicted in this movie are great--but they didn't come about by magic. They came from traditional, conservative American values, like hard work, persistence, honesty, sacrifice, patriotism--and profit-driven enterprise--and faith in God. These are the qualities lacking from the Harvard and Yale liberals, depicted among some of the American civilians, in this movie. Overall, Michael Bay did not do too bad a job, with this movie--but I would go much further--to point out the total failures of current American liberal policies, and many current government agencies.

I deleted my review from 2 years ago, to remove all the "spoilers", that I had put in it. Now it is 10/10/2022, and it is like more than 3 years since I first saw it, and at least 2 years, since I first reviewed it. What I really liked about this movie, was the story. And, not just what happened, but the clever way that the heroine in this movie succeeded, AND how the audience was allowed to follow, what was happening, as well. The scriptwriter was just as excellent, as her excellent acting, if not even a little better. This script fit her style, perfectly. Later on, I saw her in another movie (that she might've made earlier, than Peppermint), but it used fantasy--and for me, in most cases--that doesn't work. Peppermint, on the other hand, as unlikely a story as it is--it could happen. That other movie, however, uses a character (like a superhero), with unreal fantasy powers, that does not exist in reality. But Peppermint is a story, that could happen. And it uses modern day technology, to the fullest. It may never happen, but it is believable--and certainly finds the audience, cheering her on. I liked this movie, immensely, just like Wind River, Highwaymen, and Midway, 3 recent, great movies that I rate highly. See Peppermint; you, like the vast majority who saw it--will LOVE IT. And now, having watched it again on 11/10/24, I can say without a doubt that Wikipedia is wrong, as are all of the critics: this IS a good movie, and today I have enjoyed it again, for the sixth time, since 2018. The more often I watch it, the more I enjoy it, having watched it today with one of my guy buddies--and we both enjoyed it. This movie ain't for kiddies, women or nice guys--but for rough n tumble guys like us--it is good. And I also enjoyed the unspoken but obvious condemnation of the liberal and corrupt justice system, that exists now in CA (thanks to the liberals!) But very glad that our great, conservative hero got elected a few days ago--who believes in effective law enforcement, and border control. CA is a mess right now--and most Americans can see it. That is one reason why the "heartland" voted for the right man--instead of the left. And why did all the lib media critics pan it? Because it clearly depicts CA crime waves, homelessness, and lib-failing courts.

Yeah, there were some flaws in the corny script and story. However, the music in the background was quite good, and the video of aerial combat was the best that I have EVER seen in any movie. What other movie depicts a hundred Flying Fortressses, flying in formation--while Messerschmitts are zooming in and out of their formation, and cutting them to pieces, huh? (And all in COLOR, no less, too!) The cgi that Lucas put together here, is of Star Wars quality. And, regardless of the predictable character development, and rah-rah liberal propaganda--who can deny that these guys DID fight for us? And, how many other fighter groups got at least 96 DFC's? And, let's not forget that these great American heroes--often paid the ultimate price, and were KIA. So, this movie wasn't perfect--but, in reality--they fought (and some of them died) for our country and our freedom--and Lucas is doing the best he can, to pay tribute to them, through this movie (as we all should pay tribute to them, for their bravery and their sacrifices, for us.) Yes, there were some non-believable parts in the plot (like successfully escaping from Germany, in the woods, as an escaped POW)--but there can be no doubt that these fighter pilots (along with millions of others who served in all of our military)--contributed to our victory, in 1945.

I actually enjoyed this movie. Granted, it was no better than the recent version of Death Wish, with Bruce Willis, and not quite as good as Peppermint, with Jennifer Garner, or the Taken series, with Liam Neeson--but I still thought it was good, and I still enjoyed it. The ending was a little lame, but the action throughout was pretty good, because I like vengeance movies like these (and don't forget the gritty, but excellent vengeance movie, Four Brothers, either!) And, I also like the way that one "lead" leads to another, in the detective work tracking down the real criminals, here, in this movie, too. Everyone seems to want to make a good vengeance/vigilante movie these days, and I don't mind watching them. So, I give this movie 4 stars.

A little slow at times, but was a good movie. I loved the modern view, of the Old West, and the clear, logical explanation, of why and how, everything played out, the way it did. The music was excellent. The scenery, out in the wilderness, was excellent. Overall, I enjoyed it, quite a bit (not sure why I gave it 4, instead of 5 stars, because it was good). And those Sioux costumes were excellent, but, militarily, in real life, they would have wiped out, those small groups, of "pale faces". Yes, some of the action WAS unrealistic, hence my 4 out of 5 stars--but still good, anyway. And, I guess I must be the lone voice who enjoyed this movie, since every other review was negative, but then I like wilderness and camping, and grew up with it. And I enjoyed the view of all the topography, of the land, more than usual. And I understand, the Western way of life. But, some of the action, could have been simpler.

Having seen it now, 3 or 4 times, since I first saw it 2 years ago, I still find it quite an excellent film. And now I understand all the clues, and the sequence of events that reveal the clues and define the action. When I first saw it, I was stunned by the action, as well as the wilderness scenario and poverty and despair. But, knowing what is about to happen, I was now able to focus on the clues, and how the investigation played out, and why. It was just a great, great movie, that I would give ten stars to, not just 5 out of 5, if I could. As an Eagle Scout, I understand a lot of what was going on, in that winter wilderness. And, I was awestruck by the beautiful, yet very remote and desolate environment, and scenery. And I loved those big, handmade bullets, and their result! Yeah, it was a violent, horrible, upsetting crime. But it was followed by real, American justice, of the most fitting kind imaginable. And, I just really loved those 2 men, sharing at the end, as only 2 men who have both suffered in the same way, can appreciate being with each other, just talking, hanging out, and enjoying each other's company, man to man. Unlike many other movies, this movie had an ending that played all the way out, leaving me feeling good, about the ending. But, it's not a movie for kids. I don't think even any kid under 18, should watch this movie. Yet, as a full-grown adult of many, many years, I am able to appreciate this movie, without bring psychically destroyed by, some of it's nightmare scenes. And it does have a message, for all of us adults, and a sad testament, to the treatment, of all of our Native Americans.