Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Nicolas Cage, January Jones, Guy Pearce, Harold Perrineau, Jennifer Carpenter

Director: Roger Donaldson

My Review: A movie starring Nicolas Cage (Why do I torture myself so?). Starring Nicolas Cage (as Will Gerard), January Jones (Laura Gerard), Guy Pearce (as Simon) and others. The plot is preposterous - Will Gerard's wife is brutally attacked and raped; but she lives. Will is immediately contacted by a mysterious individual named 'Simon'. Simon promises Justice for Will; because we all know that the cops will never catch the guy who did it. All Simon has to do is promise to do a 'favor' for this vigilante organization in the future. He agrees? Sure - What could possibly go wrong? With that as a beginning you can just imagine what 'favor' Will has to perform… The story is slightly fresh, but it doesn't smell so. I could swear I've seen a movie with this premise before… Anyway, the story is poorly handled. Will's hand is forced too quickly, the pressure is relentless. Rather than handling the story as a slow burning thriller, they insist on a fast paced action thriller. The screen play felt extremely compressed. Some of the best parts of the movie? The setting in New Orleans. It's good to see that fine city featured after it's long continuing recovery from Katrina. The twists and turns in this story were fairly predictable. The person you least suspect to be associated with the vigilantes IS associated with the vigilantes. The vigilante group obviously isn't full of good guys. The acting wasn't too bad (some of Nicolas Cage's best…) but the poorly written script really irritated me. By the middle of the movie it becomes a cat and mouse action flick. A humble high school teacher becomes a rambo? Guy Pearce's acting was better than Cage's and January Jones was obviously selected as eye candy, and I had a hard time believing her character (Why would a hotty like Laura go for the old man played by Cage?). The directing by Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, Thirteen Days, The Worlds Fastest Indian) was fine. He did a good job of holding together this disaster of a screen play. I can't muster more than a 2 out of 5. A movie starring Nicolas Cage (Why do I torture myself so?). Starring Nicolas Cage (as Will Gerard), January Jones (Laura Gerard), Guy Pearce (as Simon) and others. The plot is preposterous - Will Gerard's wife is brutally attacked and raped; but she lives. Will is immediately contacted by a mysterious individual named 'Simon'. Simon promises Justice for Will; because we all know that the cops will never catch the guy who did it. All Simon has to do is promise to do a 'favor' for this vigilante organization in the future. He agrees? Sure - What could possibly go wrong? With that as a beginning you can just imagine what 'favor' Will has to perform… The story is slightly fresh, but it doesn't smell so. I could swear I've seen a movie with this premise before… Anyway, the story is poorly handled. Will's hand is forced too quickly, the pressure is relentless. Rather than handling the story as a slow burning thriller, they insist on a fast paced action thriller. The screen play felt extremely compressed. Some of the best parts of the movie? The setting in New Orleans. It's good to see that fine city featured after it's long continuing recovery from Katrina. The twists and turns in this story were fairly predictable. The person you least suspect to be associated with the vigilantes IS associated with the vigilantes. The vigilante group obviously isn't full of good guys. The acting wasn't too bad (some of Nicolas Cage's best…) but the poorly written script really irritated me. By the middle of the movie it becomes a cat and mouse action flick. A humble high school teacher becomes a rambo? Guy Pearce's acting was better than Cage's and January Jones was obviously selected as eye candy, and I had a hard time believing her character (Why would a hotty like Laura go for the old man played by Cage?). The directing by Roger Donaldson (No Way Out, Thirteen Days, The Worlds Fastest Indian) was fine. He did a good job of holding together this disaster of a screen play. I can't muster more than a 2 out of 5.

Summary: In New Orleans, English teacher of the high school Rampart High, Will Gerard, and his wife, musician Laura Gerard, are in love with each other. One night, Laura leaves a rehearsal and is assaulted, while Will is playing chess with his friend Jimmy. Will is visiting her in hospital when, out of the blue, a stranger named Simon tells him that he belongs to an organization of vigilantes and offers to eliminate the assailant. In return, the organisation would want a favor from Will in the future. Will agrees, and the criminal is murdered. Six months later, Simon collects his debt with Will. He demands that Will kill Alan Marsh, a pedophile. Will accidentally kills Alan and soon he learns that the victim was an awarded journalist that was investigating the organization. Now he seeks evidences to prove his innocence but the network of the organization is powerful and is seeking Will out to eliminate him.

Genre: Drama

Year: 1958

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Jack Carson, Judith Anderson

Director: Richard Brooks

My Review: A classic movie based upon a Tennessee Williams play. Screen play (in part) and direction by Richard Brooks (Blackboard Jungle, The Professionals, In Cold Blood, The Hidden) is one of the reasons that this movie succeeds. Two more reasons; The casting and the story. Starring Paul Newman (as Brick Pollitt), Elizabeth Taylor (Maggie Pollitt), Burl Ives (Harvey 'Big Daddy' Pollitt) and others. The story is a southern social drama about the Pollitt family. A highly dependent hierarchy of customs and courtesy holds the Pollitt family together. Big Daddy is the glue that binds them together; when Big Daddy is diagnosed with cancer, the social glue begins to come undone and all the petty bickering, greed and self loathing begin to eat away at the characters. The character development is outstanding, the acting brilliant, the direction masterful and the dialogue - while wordy - tells a story of racism, sexism, desire, eroticism, alcoholism, nepotism, love, family and tradition. An amazing amalgam of social constructs all stirred and simmered until they blend together to form the rich and full-bodied experience that is 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Outstanding movie, nominated for six Oscars. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: The fifth Tennessee Williams play to reach the screen, wealthy Mississippi plantation owner Big Daddy Pollitt, unaware that he's dying of cancer and disturbed by the strained and childless marriage of his favored alcoholic son Brick and his other son, Gooper, whose wife is about to bring forth another in the endless line of little "no-neck monsters," celebrates his sixty-fifth birthday with his family. Brick's wife, Maggie, beautiful and desirable, tries unsuccessfully to coax her husband away from the bottle, while alternately enticing him and taunting him about his obsession with his deceased best friend and the guilt about their relationship. The seamy tensions reach a climax when the truth of Big Daddy's health is revealed, and he and Brick manage to resolve their differences.

Genre: Documentary, Biography, History

Year: 2009

Country: Spain

Rating:

Starring: Rupert Allason, José Antonio Escoriza, Aline Griffith, Juan Kreisler, Joan Pujol

Director: Edmon Roch

My Review: Garbo - The Spy. Not to be confused with Garbo - The Actress (aka Greta Garbo - born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson). This film is a documentary about a double agent code named Garbo by the British and Arabel by the Germans. The story is so compelling that the movie could easily withstand numerous flaws capable of ruining many films. Born Joan Pujol Garcia, this unassuming spaniard survived numerous trials of turmoil in Spain before he became embroiled in the politics of WWII. The documentary wove interviews, archival footage and clips from old movies (there's been several documentaries based upon the exploits of this particular spy) into a totally engrossing mystery and compelling drama. The story is very absorbing. An intelligence story so compelling that I couldn't tear myself away. Garbo worked as an independent agent, for the Allies and the Nazis in a complex web of deceit and deep cover. Throughout it all, he was always on the side of democracy and freedom. Despising Facism and Communisim, his early experiences in Spain taught him the value of Democracy and personal freedoms. The covert contributions of this one individual (especially during Operation Fortitude) were probably more instrumental than the overt contributions of thousands of other agents, soldiers and politicians. Expertly playing the intelligence game, Garbo created a vast network of agents composed entirely out of thin air. With fictional agents infiltrating all levels of the military, intelligence and political arms of the British and German governments, Garbo's ability to feed false information to the Nazi's was instrumental in the great deception which led them to dis-believe the Normandy invasion up until well after the Allied forces had established themselves well within the heart of occupied France. Garbo's exploits were so important to both sides that he was actually awarded the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) from King George the VI (on the 25th of Nov, 1945) and an Iron Cross Second Class (from Hitler on 29 July 1944). An astonishing accomplishment for a civilian. If you are a WWII buff, you MUST see this movie. The documentary unfolds in such a way that the typical viewer is unaware of the true nature of Garbo's role until all the facets of this amazing story are pulled together towards the end of the movie. The documentary even includes actual interviews and footage of Garbo long after the Normandy landings. Returning to France to visit the graves of those who gave their lives, and the haunted battlefields of WWII, you can clearly see how this great war still affected Joan some fourty years later. I give this documentary a 5 out of 5 and I'm adding to my must buy list.

Summary: A compelling account of Juan Pujol, an extraordinary Spanish double agent during WWII who helped change the course of history.

Genre: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Mel Gibson, Kevin Hernandez, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Jesús Ochoa, Dolores Heredia

Director: Adrian Grunberg

My Review: I'm surprised this movie didn't get a wider release, but it seems as if the industry has black-balled Mel Gibson, so that must explain the lack of industry support. A well done movie which presents a (perceived) realistic look inside the Mexican prison system. The story is less surprising than the very authentic reproduction (again perceived) of a Mexican prison. Get The Gringo is co-written by and stars Mel Gibson as 'The Gringo' a career criminal who's stolen money from a big-time American crime boss. He and his co-conspirator are driving south in a getaway attempt. They crash through the fence into freedom and a one way trip to a Mexican prison. His partner doesn't make it, and the cash disappears as 'The Driver' disappears as an undocumented convict inside the Mexican prison system. The Gringo does his best to survive inside this foreign environment. Luckily for him his street smarts serve him well, and he soon forms bonds of friendship inside this 'South of the Border' action adventure flick. The storyline is interesting, and the direction well handled (by Adrian Grunberg; This Second Unit Director (with a couple dozen movies under his belt) delivers with his solo Directorial Debut). Unfortunately, Mel Gibson's acting is a bit too practiced and lacking in conviction. The editing and camera work are expertly handled, and the movie itself is well paced, with that subtle touch of humor that we've come to expect from Mel Gibson. I give this movie a 3 out of 5.

Summary: Apprehended by the Mexican authorities, Driver is sent to a hardcore prison where he enters the strange and dangerous world of 'El Pueblito'. Not an easy place for an outsider, unless it's with the help of someone who knows the ropes - a 10-year-old kid.

Genre: Thriller

Year: 1985

Country: UK

Rating:

Starring: Michael Caine, Anthony Andrews, Victoria Tennant, Lilli Palmer, Mario Adorf

Director: John Frankenheimer

My Review: One of my least favorite John Frankenheimer films (Birdman of Alcatraz, The Manchurian Candidate (1962), The Train, Seconds, The French Connection II, Prophecy, 52 Pick Up, The Island of Dr. Moreau, Ronin, Reindeer Games, Path to War). Starring Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft), Anthony Andrews (as Johann von Tiebolt / Jonathan Tennyson), Victoria Tennant (as Helden von Tiebolt / Helden Tennyson), Lilli Palmer (as Althene Holcroft), and many others. Despite the highly revised screen play (three credits), the Robert Ludlum novel shines through. Michael Cain provides a fair performance as Noel Holcroft. He's starred in numerous spy thrillers (Foxhole in Cairo, The Ipcress File (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Funeral in Berlin (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), Billion Dollar Brain (plays anti-'Bond' British spy Harry Palmer), The Black Windmill, The Jigsaw Man) but I truly believe that he was miscast in his role. He's really not believable as the American raised son of a prestigious Nazi officer. He does his best, but the British accent, curly hair, and slightly aristocratic mannerisms contradict his character. As a Robert Ludlum film, the plot is convoluted and demands a large amount of exposition. Thankfully the editing and screen play (polished by several hands) manages to keep the story line believable and fairly easy to follow. Michael Caine (as Noel Holcroft) is the American raised son of Adolf Hitler's financial advisor. At the end of the war (World War II) Her Kessler and his two co-conspirators have forged a secret covenant that will only take effect many years in the future. Noel and the children of Kessler's co-conspirators are the chosen administrators of a 4.5 Billion dollar trust fund. Supposedly, this fund shall be used to make reparations for the Nazi war crimes. A Swiss bank account with 4.5 Billion dollars, Nazis and a sinister hidden agenda drive this thriller at a quickening pace. The pacing, direction and editing were all outstanding. The acting was a bit mixed, but the Robert Ludlum story manages to keep you interested from beginning to end. I give it a 4 out of 5.

Summary: The son of a German General becomes part of a mysterious conspiracy to gain hidden Nazi funds.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr., Nate Parker, David Oyelowo, Tristan Wilds

Director: Anthony Hemingway

My Review: With no disrespect to the real 'Tuskegee Airmen', the veterans who flew in WWII or the actors in this movie; this movie was terrible. A disappointing treatment for a subject that deserves a serious and well produced effort to honor those men who fought racism at home and Nazis overseas. There is a lot of historical information available from which to draw, but this effort was a laughable attempt to glamorize the serious issues with a smiling, laughing, happy hollywood story. While the CGI was extremely well done, the movie should never have made it the focus of this movie. The perfect clean lines of flawless CGI detracted from what should have been the real character of this movie - The Flight of men who fought for our nation. The perfect CGI encouraged and allowed flying maneuvers that should never have been allowed. The cast was poorly selected and hand picked for hollywood appeal rather than acting skill. The acting wasn't as 'bad' as the horrid dialogue, poor editing and half-baked character direction. Filled with anachronistic dialogue and mannerisms, historical authenticity was a huge detractor to this film. The romance between Joe 'Lightning' Little (played by David Oyelowo) and Sofia (played by Daniela Ruah) was completely unrealistic and detracted greatly from the focus of the movie - Namely 'The Tuskegee Airmen'. The characters in the movie all felt like cardboard cutouts and most were heavily stereotyped. Most were stereotyped as playboy goof-off actors and good-for-nothing spoiled assholes who cared more about themselves than the war effort that they were participating in. The music was poorly matched to the historical impact that the movie should have presented. The racial tension was poorly presented and completely lacked any serious impact. Numerous anachronisms spoiled the setting completely, and I stopped believing the settings or locations about 10 minutes into the film. The dialogue was so bad I kept hoping the unrealistic cgi flying would resume, so I wouldn't have to listen to the incredibly bad dialogue. "How you like that, Mr. Hitler!" Other technical flaws stuck in my craw and slowly added negative mark after negative mark in the tally that made this movie one of the worst I've seen in many years. The way the bombers flew in wing to wing close formation. The way the fighter escort flew in formation with the bombers. The antiaircraft shells used when attacking the fighter aircraft. The guns on a 'Destroyer' attacked and destroyed by a single fighter aircraft. The direct transition from P-40 to P-51D. The constant use of the term 'Squad' when referring to a flight. The entire battle between P-51D and a Jet Fighter. An escape tunnel that ends twenty feet from a tree line. The pilots escorting bombers at altitude find it easier to talk without their oxygen masks on. The list goes on and on. I give this movie a 1 out of 5, and hold out hope for the day when the Tuskegee Airmen once again regain the respect they lost when this movie was released. Please watch 'The Tuskegee Airmen' (HBO release from 1995) instead. I give this movie a 1 out of 5.

Summary: Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky - even as they battle discrimination on the ground. It's a tribute to the unsung heroes who rose above extraordinary challenges and ultimately soared into history.

Genre: Action, Biography, Drama, History, War

Year: 2008

Country: Norway, Denmark, Germany

Rating:

Starring: Aksel Hennie, Agnes Kittelsen, Nicolai Cleve Broch, Ken Duken, Christian Rubeck

Director: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg

My Review: A true story of WWII resistance. Neutral Norway fell to German forces early in 1940. They stood little chance against superior German tactics, numbers and equipment. Germany quickly overwhelmed Norwegian troops and forced the Norwegian government to flee to England. From London, the Norwegian crown coordinated an effective resistance to the Nazi rule. Several patriots volunteered to serve in the resistance. One of those brave partisans was Max Manus. Max Manus and the group that he helped organize worked tirelessly to overthrow the Nazi occupiers and the collaborationist government put in place after the national government was forced to flee. Here is the story of Max Manus and the brave fighters who stood against the oppression of Nazis in Norway. Covering the years 1939 - 1945, the Norwegian resistance did all they could to sabotage German efforts to transform Norway into a breeding ground for hate and racial strife. The movie was magnificent. With an immense and talented cast, the dedication to authenticity and realism was clearly evident in every scene. This biographical drama brought to life the personal struggles the tactical difficulties and political realities of Nazi occupation. The music was outstanding. It lifted the film beyond mere drama into national pride. Excellent direction and acting completed the outstanding screenplay. The story was equally balanced between tense espionage, thrilling combat, and touching interpersonal drama. The ending was sublime. I give it a 5 out of 5.

Summary: The true story about one of the most brilliant saboteurs during World War II and his battle to overcome his inner demons.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson

Director: Joss Whedon

My Review: Awesome movie - I was originally planning to buy a Blu-Ray copy when it became available. Instead, for a little less, I bought an HD digital version directly from Apple. Now it's in the movie collection on my computer, ready for streaming on any of my Apple devices. If I want to, I can even stream it when I'm away from home; because Apple's storing it in their iCloud. As I said earlier, this movie was on my 'Must Watch' list. Yes I was a comic book collector. I still have some old copies in a box somewhere. I read many Marvel comics. I knew the Avengers and I read the exploits of many such heroes when I was a young boy. Despite my less than enthusiastic response to some of the individual Avenger movies (Thor, Captain America, The Incredible Hulk), this movie is outstanding. The cast (Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Ironman; Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America; Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk; Chris Hemsworth as Thor; Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye; Tom Hiddleston as Loki; and many others) worked well together and the acting was pretty good. Mark Ruffalo was much better as the Hulk than previous attempts. As individuals, the acting and movies weren't all that good. Together as members of S.H.I.E.L.D. they did an excellent job. The movie was expertly written and directed by one of my favorite directors: Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog). It's entertaining, filled with action, humor, heart and thrilling drama. A summer block-buster with plot cohesion, plenty of character development, outstanding cinematography, choreography, and some amazing production. Be sure to stay through all the credits to see the extra scenes. I give this movie a 5 out of 5.

Summary: Nick Fury is director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping agency. The agency is a who's who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow. When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury and his team will need all their powers to save the world from disaster.

Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery, Thriller

Year: 2012

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Scott Glenn, Stacy Keach, Edward Norton, Donna Murphy

Director: Tony Gilroy

My Review: With the popularity of Matt Damon behind them, the owners of this franchise felt that they could still capitalize on the name 'Bourne'. To try and compete with a rebooting 'James Bond', they resurrected the 'Bourne'. They found a good action actor in Jeremy Renner, a still hot Rachel Weisz as the obligatory eye candy for guys. The rest of the cast was likewise well selected. You can't really go wrong with Edward Norton, Scott Glenn, David Straithairm and others. The cast did a good job in this movie and the action scenes were extremely well done. The story - The events of this movie appear to take place just after the time of the Bourne Ultimatum. A reporter is planning to go public with a story about 'Treadstone and Black Briar'; covert operations that involved Jason Bourne and an long line of government spooks. The spooky bosses are concerned that this could spell their doom, so they order everything shut down. All their operations, all their black projects. Everyone involved must disappear, including those involved with an operation called 'Outcome' - One such agent trained under the 'Outcome' project is 'Aaron Cross' (played by Jeremy Renner). When they attempt to eliminate their assets, Aaron survives (of course!). What follows is a crazy chase movie where Cross must discover the truth behind the program he's part off and why they're trying to kill him! There's no point in trying to follow the movie beyond that plot point. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. The action and eye candy is the only reason to watch this movie. What a waste of good talent. The producers assembled an excellent cast only to waste them on a poorly written screenplay. As I said earlier, I think they were trying to capitalize on the franchise, and the names involved while simultaneously maintaining a spot in the market for future 'Bourne' movies. The movie doesn't live up to the standards of outrageous action and dramatic acting from the previous films. Jeremy Renner is good to look at, but he doesn't have the gravitas or acting experience that Matt Damon brought to the franchise. The character development was very thin, the story not rich enough and the action not hot enough. The film work and technical aspects were expertly handled, but at the end of the day the script was the weakest point in this film. I give it a 3 out of 5, which means I liked it, but this movie rates as an action flick and nothing more.

Summary: The events in this movie takes place around the same time that the events in The Bourne Ultimatum. When a British reporter was writing an expose about Black Ops operations Treadstone and Black Briar, and the ones responsible for them are concerned. And when Jason Bourne, former Treadstone operative got the file on Treadstone and Black Briar and gave it to Pamela Landy who them passed it to the media. When the men behind Treadstone and Black Briar learn of this, they're concerned how this will affects other ops they have. They decide it's best to shut down all ops and make sure make everyone involved disappears. They try to take out Aaron Cross who is part of another op called Outcome, but he manages to survive. He then seeks out Dr. Marta Shearing who worked on him when he began. It seems part of the program is for all subjects to take medications but he has run out, which is why he seeks her...

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Thriller

Year: 2011

Country: USA

Rating:

Starring: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson

Director: Joe Carnahan

My Review: Liam Neeson is back in a dramatic role. While he's nearly 60, he can still play in a role that's close to that of an action hero. Liam Neeson reminds me of Clint Eastwood in many ways. His style is very similar, he's a loner, an under-spoken champion of the lost cause. The last stand between order and chaos. Here he stars in a man vs the elements story. The story isn't all that original, and some elements (the cgi) detracted from the movie in the typical way. The story - A group of workers are done with their 'shift', after a year long stint in the perpetual cold and dark of Alaska's northern frontier, it's time to head south for a little R&R, a return to civilization and a chance to rediscover everything that makes life worth living. The plane is filled with men anticipating their well deserved vacation from that frozen hell that is an oil field in the darkest coldest climate on earth. Their celebration may have started a bit too early - as the plane attempts to navigate a heavy storm, an engine fails, some panic sets in, sudden turbulence, structural failure, oxygen masks, darkness and the unspeakable happens… When the survivors gather together to stay warm, they form a clan of rugged but selfish survivors. Despite their common humanity, they are soon outmatched by the elements and one inhabitant who doesn't welcome them kindly - Wolves! The wolves in this movie are all cgi generated, and they aren't very well rendered. There were numerous times when I groaned at the blurry outlines visible against the real landscapes. One of the best parts of the movie was the actual scenery. The location shots. Unfortunately, the majority of the film is shot with close, tight, dark shots, and we don't get to see much of that fantastic and fatal landscape. The wolves in this movie are far from reality. They seemed more like creatures straight out of 'Lord of the Rings'. Some sort of demonic creatures have been summoned to kill the members of this adventuring band. Aside from the wolves, the movie did it's best to introduce tension with the other characters who oppose John Ottway (The character played by Liam Neeson is a 'Hunter' - His job was keeping the workers alive by killing wolves who tried to poach straggling or distracted workers). Ottway takes charge of the group, and does his best to keep them alive until they reach safety. He seems a shepherd of sorts, but herding sheep is far simpler than leading men. He does his best to protect these bumbling workers against their worst instincts, but human nature continually thwarts his efforts and the wolves are in their element, waiting for any sign of weakness. The character must struggle against four adversaries: The weather, climate, terrain and cold; The bickering, challenging, deadly survivors; The deadly wolves who seem to have a grudge with this group (or maybe its just Ottway?); and his own self doubts and callus attitude towards life. The film contains obvious atheism themes, and they're sometimes played a bit too heavily; this detracts from other aspects of the film. Liam Neeson was the only good reason to watch this movie. The cgi detracted from the movie in several ways, the story was predictable to the very end, the characters were highly stereotyped, and aside from the Ottway character, they were all expendable, predictable and boring (they may as well have dressed them in 'red shirts'). As a result, the producers didn't bother with a better supporting cast. Some of the camera work was worth noting, but this movie doesn't actually rise above a meager rating of 2 out of 5. The second ending - Seen part-way through the credits - knocked the movie down a notch from 3 to 2.

Summary: In Alaska, a team of oil workers board a flight home; however, they cross a storm and the airplane crashes. Only seven workers survive in the wilderness and John Ottway, who is a huntsman that kills wolves to protect the workers, assumes leadership of the group. Shortly after they learn that they are surrounded by a pack of wolves and Ottway advises that they should seek protection in the woods. But while they walk through the heavy snow, they are chased and attacked by the carnivorous mammals.