Alvilági játékok

Fekete humorú gengszterfilm, ami Tarantino-féle és Ritchie-féle film akar lenni, de éretlen forgatókönyvíró miatt esélye SINCS rá. Csak az lepett meg, hogy Paul McGuigan rendező azt gondolta, hogy van esélye. A zseniális Wicker Park film után nagyobb hitele volt nálam. (2006.11.14)

Every movie fan since Kill Bill knows that revenge tastes best served cold. Unfortunately, I got my mouth properly scalded by McGuigan. Initially, the story is promisingly paced, narratively enjoyable and witty, with no fucking around with machine guns, and with likeable characters. But about half an hour before the end it changes its face completely, the narrative lightness is gone and the overwrought resolution with tiresome explanatory flashbacks and a numerous body count comes into play, lacking insight and thus putting McGuigan's film among this year's unoriginal, long-worn by me uselessness of the type of Running Scared. I'm just bored of all these ultra-hyper-cool Tarantino clones! Ben Kingsley can only remember his Gandhi and Itzhak Stern with a tear in his eye, his acting is awful (especially noticeable in the dialogue scene between him and Freeman), some of the holes in logic of the plot are truly remarkable, and Josh Hartnett proves that he is just a mediocre actor and simply not up to serious roles. (2006.09.30)

This film was a very pleasant surprise. I hardly had any expectations, I don’t like gangster films and and I’m not a fan of Josh Harnett, and even the title wasn’t very appealing. But I ended up having fun from the very first minute. Lucky Number Slevin begins as a very funny crime comedy with a fleeting plot, where everyone behaves very weird, which I thought was fine since comedies can push the boundaries between logic and stupid behaviour as they see fit. I was very surprised when things got serious in the last half hour, the story becomes rational and the behaviour of the protagonists is explained. Unfortunately, the explanation is quite messy at times, I would have been more satisfied if they’d stuck to the comedy all the way till the end. Regardless, the positive feelings prevail. (2011.08.05)

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. (2010.10.22)

A thoroughly stylish film with an excellent cast, whose credits are taken away only by the bland script. On the other hand, Josh Hartnett's performance can certainly be counted among the pleasant surprises. Perfect for one viewing, but on a second viewing the film has nothing to offer. (2006.08.15)

When the third meaningless murderous scene appeared within the first quarter hour, I started to feel slightly uneasy, and when everything in its ironic spirit led to the same culminating point, I was already almost irritated. But then came what I expected couldn't possibly come. I forgot that Slevin was directed by Paul McGuigan (he definitely wouldn't be pleased to see how many people accuse him of plagiarizing Tarantino), who once played with a confused tangle when he presented me with the excellent film Pushing Tin. And he pulled off something similar here as well when he comes up with a complicated, but brilliantly made gradation that is longer than usual and gives very clear and sufficiently effective answers to all questions. At this moment, I think that the ironic detachment in the first part was actually not so unnecessary because it was balanced by a superb atmosphere and soundtrack right on the border between sarcasm and gangster themes. In the end, just under 80%, absolutely flawless Willis and above-average rest of the cast, along with excellent camera work and McGuigan, whose next work is worth waiting for. (2006.11.28)

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%. (2011.09.07)

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 :) (2006.08.04)

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. (2007.05.23)

An enjoyable one-off, but still lacking something to the perfection of Paycheck or Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. High praise for the casting. Oh, and the distributor's translation is utterly demented. (2008.06.22)

The film had a great cast but without much to show for it. The theme was certainly interesting, but the screenplay not so much, plus, I was shaking my head over the overcomplexity of the story, and I could not really relate to any of the characters. Maybe except for Lindsey, who kept showing up from time to time like a charming robot mouse. (2020.04.17)

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 (2013.02.19)