The One and Only Rundown Thread

[iliketurtles 0]

Haven't seen one official thread, so here ya go. I'm going to go try to see the movie tonight...if not by the weekend.

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

Hopefully I'll have the time to see it in the next week or so.

 

I have to admit that this is the first Rock movie that I'm actually looking forward to.

[starvenger 0]

Haven't seen one official thread, so here ya go. I'm going to go try to see the movie tonight...if not by the weekend.

There was one, albeit for the advance screenings.

 

Check it out right here

[Mik 0]

The movie is getting amazing reviews. 75% fresh on rottentomatoes for an action movie. Ebert calling Rock the next action star, all that happy stuff. I'm pumped, going to see it in an hour (not before sneaking into Secondhand Lions to see the RotK trailer).

[Guest Joe_G]

I saw it today. Caught an early showing, since I had the day off and it's only $6 before 6 PM at my local theater.

 

It's good. Not a classic, but there were some funny bits and the fight scenes were well done, if a little frantic (did we really need the strobe light during the first fight?). Rock handled himself quite well.

[starvenger 0]

The movie is getting amazing reviews. 75% fresh on rottentomatoes for an action movie. Ebert calling Rock the next action star, all that happy stuff. I'm pumped, going to see it in an hour (not before sneaking into Secondhand Lions to see the RotK trailer).

USA Today onle gave it ** and called it "middle of the road". But then, they called "Very Bad Things" one of the worst movies of the 90's, so fuck 'em.

[BlackFlagg 0]

USA Today can go lick a monkeys anus

[iliketurtles 0]

I'm going to go see a 6:40 showing tonight...I'm pretty pumped for it.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

I got a kick out of this on yahoo..

 

The Rock plays Beck, who longs to open a restaurant with money awaiting him if he'll just retrieve his boss' runaway son (American Wedding's prime cut-up, Seann William Scott (news)) from the jungle. Even though actor Scott again indulges his standard "what, me worry?" screen persona, the script informs us that the doofus he plays dropped out of Stanford. The fact that he could get into Stanford is the most unlikely screen revelation since Disney cast Goofy as a father in 1995's A Goofy Movie, leading to the conclusion that Goofy had once had sex.

[Vern Gagne 0]

^What did that "review" tell us about the movie?

[iliketurtles 0]

Bah! Dinner ran late and I ended up saying "Fuck it."

 

I'll go this week or something.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

^What did that "review" tell us about the movie?

I dunno. I just thought it was funny they were comparing the stupidity of SWS's character dropping out of Stanford to Goofy having sex.

[Boner Kawanger 0]

The movie is getting amazing reviews. 75% fresh on rottentomatoes for an action movie. Ebert calling Rock the next action star, all that happy stuff. I'm pumped, going to see it in an hour (not before sneaking into Secondhand Lions to see the RotK trailer).

USA Today onle gave it ** and called it "middle of the road". But then, they called "Very Bad Things" one of the worst movies of the 90's, so fuck 'em.

Same director, you know.

[Guest wrestlingbs]

I got a kick out of this on yahoo..

 

The Rock plays Beck, who longs to open a restaurant with money awaiting him if he'll just retrieve his boss' runaway son (American Wedding's prime cut-up, Seann William Scott (news)) from the jungle. Even though actor Scott again indulges his standard "what, me worry?" screen persona, the script informs us that the doofus he plays dropped out of Stanford. The fact that he could get into Stanford is the most unlikely screen revelation since Disney cast Goofy as a father in 1995's A Goofy Movie, leading to the conclusion that Goofy had once had sex.

I never even thought about that. They never explained what happened to the mother, did they? I'm guessing it was Minnie.

As for Rundown, I'm seeing it soon.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Here's Ebert's three-and-a-half-star review for those that care (SLIGHT SPOILERS)...

 

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-...rundown26f.html

 

Early in "The Rundown," The Rock is entering a nightclub to confront some tough guys, and he passes Arnold Schwarz-enegger on the way out. "Have a good time," Arnold says. It's like he's passing the torch. Whether The Rock will rival Schwarzenegger's long run as an action hero is hard to say -- but on the basis of "The Rundown," he has a good chance. I liked him in his first starring role, "The Scorpion King" (2002), but only up to a point; "On the basis of this movie," I wrote, "he can definitely star in movies like this." That's also true on the basis of "The Rundown" -- but it's a much better movie, and he has more to do.

 

He plays a man named Beck, a "retrieval expert" who in the early scene is trying to retrieve a bad debt from an NFL quarterback. He does, beating up the entire defensive line in the process. Then his boss sends him on another mission -- to bring back his son, who is somewhere in the Amazon. The moment I heard "Amazon," I perked up, because I'm getting tired of action movies shot entirely within Los Angeles County. Hawaii doubles for South America in the movie, and does a great job of it, apparently aided at times by computer effects; and the jungle locations give the film a texture and beauty that underlines the outsized characters.

 

Beck's mission takes him to a town named El Dorado, run by the evil Hatcher (Christopher Walken, whose first appearance, as usual, cheers up the audience). Beck's quarry is Travis Walker, a feckless fortune hunter played by Seann William Scott, who, yes, is the same Seann William Scott who plays Stifler in the "American Pie" series. Here he has the same cocky in-your-face personality, has add-ed a beard, and is once again a natural comic actor.

 

So is The Rock, within the limits set by his character (there is some kind of a sliding scale in action pictures in which the star can be funny up to a point, but the second banana can go beyond that point). I liked, for example, Beck's call to his boss before beating up half the NFL team: He doesn't want to pound on them because "They may have a chance to repeat."

 

Just about the first person Beck meets in El Dorado is the bartender, Mariana, played by Rosario Dawson, who later sees a lot of action and is convincing in it, reminding me a little of Linda Hamilton in "The Terminator." "Have more beautiful lips ever been photographed?" I asked in my review of her performance in "Chelsea Walls." On the basis of her performance here, I suggest that the answer is "no."

 

Walken's character runs El Dorado as the kind of company town where all your wages go right back into the pocket of the boss (you have to rent your shovel by the day). Dawson's character doesn't like this, but I will not reveal more. Scott's character wants to find and steal a priceless Indian relic that will free the Indians in some unspecified way, but not if he sells it on eBay first. The Rock's character gets in the middle.

 

It goes without saying that Beck and Travis have to get lost in the jungle at some point, but how to arrange this? The film is admirably direct: Beck causes a Jeep to crash, and he and Travis roll down a hillside that is about nine miles long. I was reminded of the similar scene in "Romancing the Stone," and indeed the two movies have a similar comic spirit. Once in the jungle they have all sorts of harrowing adventures, and I enjoyed it that real things were happening, that we were not simply looking at shoot-outs and chases, but at intriguing and daring enterprise.

 

So determined is the film to avoid shoot-outs on autopilot that Beck makes it a point not to use firearms. "Guns take me to a place I don't want to go," he says. When the chips are down and the going is very heavy, however, he reconsiders. There's a lurid, overheated montage showing closeups of guns and ammo and closeups of The Rock's eyes, and the pressure to pick up a gun builds and builds until it's like the drunk in "The Lost Weekend" contemplating falling off the wagon.

 

Christopher Walken has a specialty these days: He walks onscreen and delivers a febrile monologue that seems to come from some steamy bog in his brain. In "Poolhall Junkies," he had a riff about the law of the wild. In "Gigli" he wondered if aliens had kidnapped the judge's brother. Here he tells a torturous parable about the Tooth Fairy, which the locals have a lot of trouble understanding. He also has a hat that reminds me of the hat rule: Hero wears normal hat, sidekick wears funny hat, villain wears ugly hat.

 

The movie was directed by Peter Berg, the actor, whose first directorial job was "Very Bad Things" (1998), a movie I thought was a very bad thing. Since I am quoting my old reviews today, let it be noted that I wrote in my review of that one: "Berg shows that he can direct a good movie, even if he hasn't." Now he has.

[Shanghai Kid 0]

I just saw the Rundown, and thought it was great. The good thing about the movie is that it does not try too hard to be funny, the humor in it is subtle enough where you can really have a good time. The action scenes are GREAT, the best part of the movie is the directing, and the visuals are great.

 

 

As for the acting, Walken is good, Stiffler is good.....for the first time one of his characters are actually given development. And the Rock...is....well let's just say that we can forget about him flopping in Hollywood and comind back to the WWE, cause this guy is going to be a HUGE star.

 

 

Overall, it's a great ride, the most original action movie in a long time.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I saw it just an hour ago. It was pretty good, funny enough, good enough action, all the characters are played very well. They came pretty close to putting together the perfect cast for the movie.

 

Haha, yes! I have to edit this post just because I unknowingly used the phrase "perfect cast" which is another Goofy Movie reference. I'm not sure why I know that, I havent seen the movie since like 6 or 7 years ago with my little cousin.

[Mik 0]

Absolutely, absolutely LOVED this movie. Walken was hilarious, especially his reaction with the cows. "that's a lot of cows." and just smiling because he knows he's defeated. He's funny, Walken is AMAZING and The Rock is a star. He proved it tonight, and then some.

 

Also loved the Bios in the beginning and the entire scene in the club for that matter.

 

Rock is never coming back to WWE, get used to it.

[starvenger 0]

The movie is getting amazing reviews. 75% fresh on rottentomatoes for an action movie. Ebert calling Rock the next action star, all that happy stuff. I'm pumped, going to see it in an hour (not before sneaking into Secondhand Lions to see the RotK trailer).

USA Today onle gave it ** and called it "middle of the road". But then, they called "Very Bad Things" one of the worst movies of the 90's, so fuck 'em.

Same director, you know.

Yep, I knew. The end of the review basically says "what did you expect from the director of Very Bad Things?", so if you didn't know previously (which I did), you would by that point.

[Damaramu 0]

I just saw it...and I thought it was excellent.

I actually viewed The Rock as an actor and not a wrestler.

Now they need to get him away from doing the wrestling moves in his movies...

[Guest Choken One]

Personally, I'd like it if he did something from his wrestling days as a Homage...

 

Like a Eyebrow Raise or something...nothing blatant just little subtle things.

[Guest El Satanico]

Oh I have a feeling anytime someone calls out to him and he has to turn around to address them we'll see the eyebrow.

 

That'll be his thing throughout his career. All the actioneer actors have a trademark...Rock's will be the eyebrow.

[Ted the Poster 0]

Saw it Friday; it was really good. I've always thought Rock would be a better actor in roles with comedic stuff(more than in The Scorpion King I mean) and he busted out some well-sized acting chops. The cameo by Arnold did seem like he was "passing the torch". My only real problem with Rock is that those knuckle tats seemed a bit much. Also, does anybody know what the cross one on his arm is for? It says "6-12(?)-82" and then "Bain".

 

Walken was excellent, as usual. That whole speech about the tooth fairy was fucking awesome: "She takes the god damn thing and leaves a quarter!"

 

The fights were well done. Who knew Rock could do a headscissor takedown(yeah I know it was probably a double)? I also liked it when that guy took Rock's gun using his whip in slow motion. The ending seemed to leave open a lot of potential for a sequel, which I think could very well happen considering Rock and Scott's potential drawing power.

 

Also, Rosario Dawson is one of the hottest women I've seen in a LONG time.

[Guest El Satanico]

Who knew Rock could do a headscissor takedown(yeah I know it was probably a double)?

Why would they use a double when Rock is trained to do these moves where they won't hurt either guy. I doubt it was a double and I'm sure rock learned the move. WWe doesn't exactly give their wrestlers move freedom.

[Mole 0]

I saw a special about the movie, and he does have stunt double. He doesn't use him much, just for some crazy stunts.

 

So from what I have read so far, the Rock is going to be the next big action star?

 

If that is the case, thank GoD it is the Rock and not Vinnie.

[Guest El Satanico]

No one said only action star...

 

I realize he would have a stunt double for the actual stunts, which is why I was talking about him doing a wrestling move not a stunt.

[art_vandelay 0]

The Rock AND Stiffler are both INVINCIBLE in this movie. It's hilarious and reminded me of the many cliches presented in Last Action Hero.

 

I also enjoyed the mandatory, "Hot girl in tight wet t-shirt" scene. Brilliance.

[cabbageboy 0]

The Rock has it all over Vin Diesel in every area: looks, acting ability, personality, comedic timing. Diesel is just an unappealing musclehead and I'm baffled as to what anyone would see in him.

 

In terms of guys like Sly and Arnold, the Rock does have a clear edge: He can actually speak properly. Arnold is an Austrian so he has the accent....but what is Stallone's excuse?

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Rock is easily better than Vin as stated above, and he will be the next big action star. I don't think he's going to touch Arnold though.

 

 

So far:

 

Scorpion King <Conan

The Rundown <Predator

 

My guess to the future...

 

Spy Hunter < True Lies

Terminator 2> Anything Rock does

Total Recall> Anything Rock does.

 

 

I could be wrong, but we'll have to see.

[Shanghai Kid 0]

On another note, Rundown only made 6 million on Friday, which means it's in store for a 17-18 million opening. Kind of dissapointing considering Scorpion King opened at 36 million.

 

 

The movie is great, but Rock isn't the next big thing yet. His movies actually have to make the big bucks first....looks like this might be one of those critically acclaimed flops.