BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

adkturn Ever since the late Michael Cimino made everyone's worst-of list with 'Heaven's Gate' and sunk a studio in the process, it's been too easy to bash his post-HG work. This is an electrifying remake that proves Cimino could still direct action films like no other. The famous synergy between the director and Mickey Rourke is in full supply, while Hopkins and Rogers sympathetically act out a disintegrating marriage amidst the terror of being taken hostage with their 2 kids. Only Lindsay Crouse overdid the uber feminist FBI agent in charge: too much male-bashing and not enough criminal collaring. As for Rourke's portrayal of Michael Bosworth being too over-the-top: of course it is! He's playing a psychopathic killer at the end of his rope! There's something here for everyone: bravura performances and stunning cinematography that stretches from the claustrophobic isolation of a home under siege to the infinite reach of Utah's natural beauty. Don't come to the movie with preconceived notions, just let Cimino's direction work its magic. Even if the film was butchered by the studio in postproduction it still rocks!

preppy-3 Horrible remake of a Humphrey Bogart film. Mickey Rourke plays a criminal who escapes from jail with help from his lawyer (Kelly Lynch). He decides to hide out in the house of a heavily dysfunctional family (played by Mimi Rogers, Anthony Hopkins and Shawnee Smith). Lindsay Crouse pops up as a police chief trying to capture him.I caught this in a theatre back in 1990 and, try as I might, I can't forget how TERRIBLE this film was! Director Michael Cimino frankly can't direct. "The Deer Hunter" was a fluke. After that he did "Heaven's Gate", "Year of the Dragon, "The Sicilian" and this--all box office bombs. The direction in this is beyond belief. Badly lit, terribly staged and weird camera angles. He single-handedly destroys any visual quality the film might have had. The plot is bad--full of loopholes and bad dialogue. The acting couldn't be worse. You have talented actors like Lynch, Rogers and especially Hopkins giving their all time worst performances. Rourke and Crouse never could act so their bad acting is expected. Worst of all was Smith. She is so incredibly annoying you'll be rooting for Rourke to shoot her dead! This was quickly forgotten and (thankfully) has stayed that way. Avoid.

czarnobog Michael Cimino delivers another unfocused, meandering "epic."Like Cimino's "The Sicilian," this movie is an adaptation of a novel. And like that earlier film, this one is dragged down by elliptical and illogical story points.Cimino's weakness as a director is his inability to distinguish between cleanly complex story lines and unnecessarily complicated story machinations. Like "The Sicilian" this film sputters forward in stuttering starts and maddening stalls.How so many fine actors came to agree to be in this movie is a mystery. The script is so illogical at times that it stops you cold with wonder. Didn't anyone notice how inconsistent Mickey Rourke's character was? How unbelievable the characters' motivations and actions were in so many scenes?A few glaring examples: when the teenage boy shows up demanding to keep his date, it would have been simple to have the father tell him she was sick and asleep and couldn't be disturbed. Instead, the consummately cold-blooded and brilliantly devious villain sends the girl out on the date, trusting her not to run right to the police for help? Even worse, she complies.And when the boy does first arrive, he mentions not one word about the massive police barricades he just passed on his way to the house.The interaction between the law officers is just as nutty. Lindsey Crouse is a shrill feminazi barking orders, until her lamely contrived "character change."With three screenwriters on board, it would normally be hard to fathom exactly what went wrong. But checking the credits, we find that two of them had previously collaborated on several much better movies. The third is the original writer, who had a hand in the screenplay, as well as having penned the novel and a play based on it. My guess is that Cimino deserves the blame. Based on his earlier works, he seems to think long and rambling equates to epic. One telling scene set in a beautiful outdoor setting, with music ripped off from a John Ford western, testifies to Cimino's self-grandiose vision.This film wouldn't be nearly as painful to sit through if Cimino was less talented at handling actors and placing his camera. It's too bad he has such rotten story sense. Apparently he needs a stronger, more intelligent producer than DeLaurentiis and better story development executives to reel him in.

theshadow908 After seeing Sin City starring Mickey Rourke, I decided to set out and see all of Mickey Rourke's films. I heard from people that most of his films are terrible, but this one was pretty good. I bought it from the bargain bin, so I wasn't expecting much, but it was okay for 6 bucks. It tells the story of 3 escaped convicts lead by Michael Bosworth (Rourke). They take a woman, her family, and her estranged husband (Anthony Hopkins) hostage in their house. A game of cat and mouse between the two men ensues.I have never seen the original with Humphrey Bogart, but this movie is alright. I really enjoyed the plot, and even though Mickey Rourke isn't the greatest actor around, he's certainly a compelling villain. Anthony Hopkins is pretty good as the husband desperate to save his family, but he's not at his best. I think the biggest mistake anyone can make about this movie is to assume that it's a serious attempt at a thriller. In reality, I think this movie is a fun popcorn movie.Like any cheap action thriller from the early 90's, there's a lot of flaws. Two of the flaws are in the acting. The one playing Bosworth's lawyer/girlfriend is probably one of the worst actresses I've ever seen. Her character is pointless as well. The other terrible acting job was the cop in charge of taking Bosworth down. That actress must've come straight off a soap opera. A really bad and noticeable flaw in the movie was the shoddy editing. The film cuts to a new scene before the previous scene even has a chance to end.Overall, the movie is pretty enjoyable. It was worth a 6 dollar buy.6.5/10