Directed by:
Paul McGuiganScreenplay:
Jason SmilovicCinematography:
Milan Peter SovaComposer:
J. RalphCast:
Josh Hartnett, Bruce Willis, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Peter Outerbridge, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Chamberlin, Dorian Missick, Mykelti Williamson (more)VOD (3)
Plots(1)
Down-on-his-luck Slevin stumbles into a running feud between two New York gangsters, The Boss and The Rabbi. Tracked by the mysterious assassin Goodkat and distracted by his flirtatious neighbor, Slevin must use his wits to cheat death. (official distributor synopsis)
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Reviews (12)
The first half, full of wanna-be cool dialogue where the characters are supposed to verbally make fun of each other, is pure misery. Then the action gets going and McGuigan finally puts some edge on the overwrought story. The explanatory flashbacks are fun, but there’s no believability. Hartnett actually acts (!), Willis is stony as usual, and the rest of them sort of shuffle around, content that they have famous names, count their film awards by the metric ton, and try to look terribly above it all. Awkwardness is the impression that best describes it, and I'll probably never give it a second chance. I give it a weaker three stars.
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I'm quite glad that after watching the movie "Bride Wars," I chose to watch "Load and Kill" because I immediately got the feeling that it still makes sense to watch movies and that they can still bring something new and interesting. That's exactly what I got from the movie with the terrible Czech title. It's a great action film that doesn't spare violence and naturalism, but also doesn't spare humor, and it's not afraid to go into absurdities. I wouldn't be afraid to compare it to the movie "Red," where they also have some actors in common - two at once. Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis have come together again, this time giving more space to Josh Hartnett, who is truly great in this case. You will truly believe that fool, and in addition, he is excellently portrayed by the great Lucy Liu. They all fit together perfectly, and you will enjoy the story, which may look a bit tangled at first glance, but once you penetrate it and reveal the essence, you will become part of a thoughtful whole that won't disappoint you. The way it is presented, from the camera to the acting performances and editing, it all fits together. It is such a small, great film that there can never be enough of them. I really enjoyed it, and the film impressed me, even though I didn't hear much about it when it was in theaters. More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/05/kocour-v-botach-jedna-hodne-blba-svatba.html
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Lately, there have been too many of these attempts at innovation, but this relatively tired mess, which is only interesting for its visuals and a few camera moments, is just like all the others, thus nothing special. The initially solid plot is ruined by the final half-hearted and considerably complicated explanation with a ton of flashbacks. The connection with the characters is minimal because at the beginning, we do not know why they act the way they do, since we do not know the whole plot, and the messed up ending can’t save things. It lacks a bit more with and perhaps more action. Ben Kingsley is tragic, and Josh Hartnett simply doesn't fit here, Bruce Willis is great, though.
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Lucky Number Slevin's story isn't revolutionary, but what screenwriter and then director Paul McGuigan did with it “is worth taking my hat off to, that is, if I had one on my head." Of course he had the support of outstanding actors: Bruce Willis, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman and, most importantly, the excellent (I'm surprised at myself using the word in context with him) Josh Hartnett (Slevin Kelevra), whom I never really liked. And Bruce in the role of the hitman, Mr. Goodcat, shows that he doesn't belong on the scrapheap, and after Sin City and 16 Blocks, it's another successful notch in his career. So if you want a suspenseful, entertaining, and dark thriller, you shouldn’t miss Slevin. In addition, you will learn a number of interesting lessons from the film. The main lesson that stuck in my head was: Don't wear a towel longer than necessary :)
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Intellectuals who appreciate the appropriate intellectual nourishment, such as refined works of Tarkovsky or Bergman, should avoid this film like the plague, as it falls into a completely different category within Tarantino's style. We find ourselves in the realm of mass popular culture, specifically crime dramas set in New York, where two mafia clans compete with each other, filled with cynical jokes and one-liners. The screenplay is far from the best in this subgenre, and truth be told, Lucky Number Slevin is one of those films that are worth watching once, with no need to revisit them. If I had the desire and opportunity to see it again, I would mercilessly lower my percentage and star rating. However, I can recommend it for a single viewing, unless you want to dissect the nonsensically convoluted path of the protagonist's revenge. The lighthearted tone and the presence of several acting talents significantly contribute to this, particularly the seasoned genre veteran Bruce Willis. With his typically stone-faced expression and dry one-liners, he marches from one scene to another, leaving behind only the dead bodies of his enemies. Meanwhile, despite the misery of his work, the screenwriter has a few surprises up his sleeve for the audience, so even your sense of the genre game won't be left wanting. Overall impression: 75%.
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