Kaka

It could have been a solid action flick with a weak story, it could have been one of those “smart” action films, and it could have easily been an easygoing B-movie, but the only word that comes to my mind after it ended is: nonsense. Glaring CGI Matrix-like visual effects, bad editing, confusing camera work. The acting is average, yet with great potential.

The visuals are captivating, Coppola plays with shadows, sets, camera, lighting, sometimes cutting quickly, sometimes putting emphasis on a slow capture of details. All of this creates a positive impression, the director firmly holds this film in his hands and his strongly inventive style and strong visual stylization are the main assets. However, that doesn't change the fact that, as is often the case with Coppola's films, I was bored.

The best part of the whole movie is probably the one-minute sequence in the opening credits, it looked interesting and promised a suspenseful crime drama. The final effect, however, is rather weak. The plot is chaotic, with one lapse in logic after another, and the whole thing feels like a stew of multiple genres.

Each character in the script has their own depth and each plays a smaller or larger, but similarly key role in the film. The outstanding actors also contribute to the excellent result. Jürgen Prochnow excels in the lead role of the captain, but he unfortunately drowned his promising career in B-movie waters. Wolfgang Petersen directed an atmospheric film that is probably still unmatched within the genre.

After Monster's Ball, I was looking for a completely different label for Marc Forster. Yet he surprised with an open “fairy tale” with perfect atmosphere and excellent direction of the actors.

This is how a modern film adaptation of a literary classic should look like. A very strong and captivating artistic stylization, excellent production design, very strong and atmospheric music, and last but not least, a high-quality screenplay. How could it not be, when Frank Darabont was largely involved in it.

A fairly solid comedy about thieves with a touch of crime and romance, which of course has its pros and cons. The pace is quite solid, the dialogues are somewhat light and refreshing, and there is no rush anywhere. However, it lacks the wit and skill of Ocean's Eleven, it doesn't have the speed of The Italian Job, and it also lacks the charm of The Thomas Crown Affair. It only has Salma Hayek.

The fear and horror is not immediately present in the film, but it gradually escalates until the grand and, it must be said, quite brutal finale, which is probably the best part. The screenwriters wrote a simple, typical textbook, linear script, but paid attention to the details, and they wrote the main character well: a diligent scientist whose behavior, appearance, and psyche gradually change. Additionally, the film is presented in a way that can be understood by the average viewer, without unnecessary scientific jargon.

A critique of the rich that is incredibly dull and uninteresting. A film that should never have been made. Or should have been directed by Oliver Stone.

The Crow is one of the most stylish, darkest, and best comic book adaptations I've ever seen. It's basically just an ordinary revenge flick, but very expertly filmed.