Hitman (2007)

HitmanBased on the hit Eidos video game, I have played some of the Hitman games including part of Hitman: Codename 47 (game 1) and I have completed Hitman 2: Silent Assassin & Hitman: Contracts (games 2 and 3). I love the games simply because you can’t just play them once, the game is designed so there are multiple ways to “kill” someone, you can go in guns blazing or you can sneak up on your target, even take a single shot from the roof top across town. Also in the game part of who Agent 47 is that he is a genetically engineered clone (like the Storm Troopers, Star Wars) while being an elite assassin (like Jason Bourne, Bourne Identity). The reason I bring up the Bourne Identity is because many of the reviews for this movie have compared it to the Bourne Identity. At the core they are assassin botches a job, meets girl, goes on the run with girl, and so on and so forth, but isn’t that every assassin movie?

Ever since I played Hitman: 2 Silent Assassin (the first Hitman game I played) that they should make a movie based on the game, in light of other movies based off video games I hoped that they wouldn’t F* this one up. Though I wasn’t to sure about the first choice for the role Vin Diesel he stepped down in December 2006, he did stay on and executive produce the film. Needless to say I had high hopes going in to this movie. I didn’t like about this movie was that everything was rushed, this is evident during the opening credits when “Ava Maria” is playing a credit would fade up nice and slow the quickly cut to the next scene, not to ruin the movie for any one but the opening credits is where they show you the origins of 47, they don’t do a real good job at showing that the kids are clones (if indeed they are), because during one of the fight scenes between agents you have 3 men from different races, what happened to them all being clones?

In the end Timothy Olyphant did a great gob acting as agent 47, I was really impressed. Also I like the coloring and lighting of the scenes it really brought out the red tie. Many of the camera angles were adequately positioned, in particular right before 47 enters the bathroom to kill a man the angle is of the third person view very reminiscent of the video games. I also enjoyed the plot twist at the end of this film, it was executed effectively. Killing, girls, and decent movies based off videos games I like, always a winner in my book.

Movie Miguel Rating: 8 out of 10
(Last reviewed on 11.23.07)


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Saw IV

I’m going to start off by saying as Kevin Smith said about Clerks 2 “This movie is for the fans.” I HIGHLY recommend you NOT see this movie UNLESS you have seen the first 3! You will be COMPETLY lost! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, heed my words. When leaving the theater I had this discussion with some people who were also at the premier bout how the movie “Rocked” (one kids opinion) the statement was made that you will get people who have only seen one or two or none of the other movies, they are the ones who will see this movie and say its “crap” and they will be the ones going around telling everyone its “crap” but they are just ill-informed.

Having that said lets get down to the bones of the issue, (haha bones) my Saw 3 review started out as such “This movie is so violent, brutal, sadistic, and gory and down right horrific! The shear blood in this movie will trump most war movies!...Just be prepared to turn in your seat a little.” If Saw 4 doesn’t leave you “turning in seat a lot” there is something really wrong with you. I would advise you seek immediate medical attention, because their isn’t enough room or time to help you on here. Saw 4 was a pure bloodbath the first 5 minuets of the movie they remove a mans brain, slice open his torso and rip it open, break open his rib cage, remove his stomach, then cut it open.

My only criticisms about this Saw IV are the editing and the plot. I really do hope the editing gets cleaned up for DVD release or scenes that got removed get put back in for a Unrated DVD release, most notably is one scene every one is standing in a room things are calm, then suddenly every one is standing in the hallway and people are running around everywhere. Also there is a close up of a mans face he is smiling the it jumps to him frowning; those are some of the examples I found. The plot was superb it fills the requirements for a Saw movie, (more so than Saw 2) its very Pulp Fiction like where you don’t know what the f* is going on. What I didn’t like is the big twist isn’t really explained in detail as much as everything else is in the movie, it does leave you saying “wow I didn’t see that coming” but it also leaves you saying “uh, what?” you really do get left in the dark on that one. I really like that a lot of the smaller characters in the first 3 movies have bigger parts in Saw IV. I like the usual Saw twists where your believing one thing and it’s usually another.

The visual effects for this movie remarkable, the detail that goes in to everything from the autopsy to the sets, like in the first scene every thing is kind of a really pale color their isn’t any over barring colors until they start cutting open the body then there is just red every where it is a very significant contrast.

I am a fan of the Saw movies I really liked this one because with all the other movies every time you watch it you always pick up on something new. The above are just my initial opinions of the movie, my first impressions if you will. I will most definitely be purchasing this on DVD for further analyzing, and I will certainly be anticipating the sequel Saw 5 (Saw V) set for an October 2008 release. Saw IV definitely answers a lot of questions from the first 3 movies, like “What’s on the paper Amanda reads at the end of Saw 3?” Saw 4 also raises many questions, like “What’s going on?” if Saw 5 answers as many questions as Saw 4 did I would be happy with it. Saw IV a must see if you are a fan of the series, and always remember time is an illusion.



Movie Miguel Rating: 8 out of 10
(Last reviewed on 10.25.07)


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SAW 3

Holy Jes*s! This movie is so violent, brutal, sadistic, and gory and down right horrific! The shear blood in this movie will trump most war movies! I mean if you thought a movie like The Patriot was bad (with all the blood) just be prepared to turn in your seat a little.

In an interview with Shawnee Smith and Tobin Bell on the Opie & Anthony show the Monday before the movies release Tobin Bell commented that “Saw 3 leaves it self open for more, if that’s what the fans want.” Lionsgate stated a number of time that SAW 3 is the end of the series. The Monday after the release of the movie Lionsgate announced plans to release SAW 4 in 2007.

The Movie Miguel Rating: 8.5 out of 10
(last reviewed on 10.27.06)


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Flags of Our Fathers

Clint Eastwood Directs another brilliantly composed flick. This is the story behind the photo of the solders raising the flag at Iwo Jima. All though not a regular war flick there is a story here with a “war/battle” scene thrown in here and there piecing the story together nicely, though I did not think enough emphasis was place on Iggy (once you see the movie you’ll understand) I do feel that this movie hasn’t received the credit it has deserved it appeared to be marginally market, then came out and I don’t know anyone that I took with me that actually saw this movie and they all enjoyed it as well. I feel this is a great movie none the less. I walked out of it was like “Wow, that was awesome.”

MovieMiguel rating: 9 out of 10
(Last reviewed on 10.31.06)


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High School High

High School High…where to begin? Wow, this movie is one of those classics that you’re like “I’m sure that’s a good movie…when it came out and people loved it” if Tia Carrere wasn’t in it I probably wouldn’t even care about this movie! Even though most people think she disappeared… well she kind of did I don’t think she has done a live action movie since 1999, she has done a lot of voice over work for Disney. But back to the movie, it’s a lot of jokes in the style of a “Scary Movie/Date Movie” you might make a quick smirk then just wish for the movie to be over…

Tia Carrere if your reading this I would love to see you in move live action stuff, like your next movie due out in 2007 “Dark Honeymoon” cant wait.

MovieMiguel Rating: 2.5 out of 10
(last reviewed on 11.02.06)


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Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

Borat, oh my I have never been so disgusted but yet laugh so hard in my life! Sacha Baron Cohen plays Borat a chacter from his Ali G show. All though this movie “attacks” about every one there is something in or for us all, for the guy’s pictures of “girls making toilet” and for the ladies… well it can only be described as wrestling in a hotel room. If you don’t laugh at this movie (and I don’t mean because its bad) “it’s F*ing hilarious!”

Movie Miguel Rating: 9.5 out of 10
(Last reviewed on 11.03.06)


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