|
Tuesday, 24 October 2006 |
 Lucky Number Sleven
There are few films that require thought as well as attention—Sleven demands this, and to attempt to explain it can only give it away.Suffice it to say that the brutality of New York and its denizens—crime-lords and cops and citizens—is all too real and filled with problems,both everyday and unusual. The remark made by a character about Hitchcock’s North by Northwest is quite apt, yet this is more than just a film about a case of mistaken identity. With solid performances by Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci, Morgan Freeman, Sir Ben Kingsley, and yes, even Bruce Willis, this film has brutality but also kindness. It’s a “thinking” action movie that’s film noir in intent, but with visuals starkly bright and real-world: colors don’t pop off the screen,and it all looks as mundane as a romantic comedy. It’s the audio that often takes center stage—intensifying the violence and stress,bouncing like a ping-pong ball—presented here with a powerful surround that lives up to the name.
Considering the convolutions this film takes,having an alternate ending available is a nice touch; the additions of a behind-the-scenes featurette, deleted scenes with optional director comments, and a photo gallery is nice as well. Add a director’s audio commentary to inform, another by actors Josh Hartnett and Lucy Liu (along with the film’s writer) to entertain, and it all helps to take up the slack as to just what the heck is going on.
| Studio: |
The Weinstein Company |
| Format: |
Widescreen, Dolby Digital 5.1 |
| Audio Quality: |
B |
| Video Quality: |
B+ |
| Ratting: |
R |
| Running Time: |
110 minutes | |
