Review of The Italian Job
November 5th 2006 01:18
The Italian Job (2003)
Directed: F. Gary Gary
Based on the 1969 screenplay by: Troy Kennedy-Martin
Screenplay: Donna & Wayne Powers
Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton and Donald Sutherland
An Italian Job That Manages to Take Place in LA.
Has Hollywood had any original ideas in the last half century? Wait, don’t answer that, it certainly has, but these are getting increasingly few and far between as more and more films are based on old movies, favourite comics and, most disturbingly of all, old TV shows. Not to say that the results are always bad – some of the most entertaining (although perhaps not intellectually stimulating) films of the last decade have been remakes (Ocean’s Eleven springs to mind), but it does beg the question; Is anyone in La La land ready to take a risk?
Having said all of that, this big budget remake of the 1969 British film of the same name does live up to expectations. While perhaps not having the same pomp and ceremony as the original (in which the irascible Noel Coward stole the show as criminal mastermind Mr Bridger), and strangely moving most of the action to LA while still maintaining the classic title (presumably the US audience couldn’t cope with a European setting – they really should think more of the Yanks), the film is still cartloads of fun. With snappy direction, one of the best car chases in modern cinema (in Mini Coopers no less) and a cast that shines in every role it really is no surprise that the film was a box office success and is soon to be spawning the almost obligatory sequel (slated The Brazilian Job – due out in 2008).
Brainless, beautiful and very entertaining:
7/10
Thought Question for the Day:
What is the best remake film ever made? Why?
Directed: F. Gary Gary
Based on the 1969 screenplay by: Troy Kennedy-Martin
Screenplay: Donna & Wayne Powers
Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton and Donald Sutherland
An Italian Job That Manages to Take Place in LA.
Has Hollywood had any original ideas in the last half century? Wait, don’t answer that, it certainly has, but these are getting increasingly few and far between as more and more films are based on old movies, favourite comics and, most disturbingly of all, old TV shows. Not to say that the results are always bad – some of the most entertaining (although perhaps not intellectually stimulating) films of the last decade have been remakes (Ocean’s Eleven springs to mind), but it does beg the question; Is anyone in La La land ready to take a risk?
Having said all of that, this big budget remake of the 1969 British film of the same name does live up to expectations. While perhaps not having the same pomp and ceremony as the original (in which the irascible Noel Coward stole the show as criminal mastermind Mr Bridger), and strangely moving most of the action to LA while still maintaining the classic title (presumably the US audience couldn’t cope with a European setting – they really should think more of the Yanks), the film is still cartloads of fun. With snappy direction, one of the best car chases in modern cinema (in Mini Coopers no less) and a cast that shines in every role it really is no surprise that the film was a box office success and is soon to be spawning the almost obligatory sequel (slated The Brazilian Job – due out in 2008).
Brainless, beautiful and very entertaining:
7/10
Thought Question for the Day:
What is the best remake film ever made? Why?
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
You can see tell that on Ed Norton's face that he was forced at gunpoint to be in this subpar film.
The best remakes would have to be:
Stuart Gordon's Willard
John Carpenters The Thing
Billy Wilder's The Front Page
Alfred Hitchcock's The Man Who Knew Too Much
Phillip Kaufman's Invasion Of the Body Snatchers
Comment by Georgie
Oz Movies
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Just to let you know where Im coming from,
I love the heist genre and when done well they can be exceptionally entertaining (Eg: Steven Soderburgh's Out Of Sight , Sam Peckinjpah's The Getaway and Jules Dassin'sRififfi)
I dont mind mindless, but insulting to the intelligence, thats something else.
Let alone the fact that the source material was brilliant.