Roger Donaldson – Cut To The Chase

Directed By: Roger Donaldson
Written By Dennis Feldman
Cinematography: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Editor: Conrad Buff

Cast: Natasha Henstridge, Ben Kingsley, Michael Madsen, Forest Whitaker, Alfred Molina, Marg Helgenberger, Michelle Williams

In 1993, during a search for extraterrestrial life, a transmission was received, detailing an alien DNA structure, along with instructions on how to splice it with human DNA. The result is Sil, a sensual but deadly creature who can change from a beautiful woman to an armor-plated killing machine in the blink of an eye. Government agent Xavier Fitch assembles a team of scientists and mercenaries to locate and destroy Sil before she manages to find a mate and breed.

This film is one that might take you by surprise at how enjoyable it is.

One of the few times Michael Madsen has been the good guy but also essentially playing the hero. A kind of romantic one

This is the movie that I believe started all the police procedural such as CSI were to solve the case was seen as a team effort and we saw how much each team member’s work helps to solve the crime that the star will get full credit for as the leader. Ironically one of the stars of CSI co-Stars in this film.

We get to learn about each member of the team and they each get their chance to shine some less triumphantly. Though forest Whitaker’s character is the one who has more of a psychic link with her. Which bumps his character up as much more needed in scenes. Madsen is the leader but mostly the action hero in this scenario.

Ben Kingsley is the boss who gets them all together but can’t be trusted as every decision seems shady for the rest of them.

Essentially making this more an ensemble movie, with a cast of well-known character actors, but majorly focused on the alien played in a glamorous debut by Natasha Henstridge. As she tries to find a mate to procreate and inhabit the earth.

So it’s like a fantasy turned nightmare scenario. Whereas most films find this plot more through horror. This film also goes the sci-for horror route but also leaves room for fantasy. As in most films it is finding a mate or person and using them but maybe getting caught or the person dies before the process can happen. Here most of the men she encounters unfortunately are not good enough or don’t have the goods for what she needs.

This film has its fair share of tension and action to keep you interested and it has an alien character designed by H.R. Giger who created the alien Look for ALIEN

The film has its fair share of exciting action and chase scenes but also leaves room for there to also be a bit of horror throughout. This alien is like a slasher but only truly kills when she is threatened in defense.

Followed by an inferior sequel that just changes the sex around and seems crueler and oddly like they had less money which never comes as close to fun as this film has at least for the audience.

This is an original and enjoyable action Science fiction movie. They don’t feel like a carbon copy. One which I saw In The theaters and made a huge impression on me. The film is never boring and keeps you entertained and interested.

Only wish Natasha Henstridge got roles just as good as this one again. Even though her character is in the end a villain. You do care about her character and root for her a bit. No matter what her actions, plus at times she comes across as innocent snd shows some kind of humanity before she becomes more of a predator.

Grade: B

Directed By: Roger Donaldson
Written By: Robert Towne, Mitch Glazer & Kurt Wimmer
Cinematography By: Stuart Dryburgh
Editor: David Rosenbloom

Cast: Al Pacino, Colin Farrell, Ron Lea, Bridget Moynahan, Gabriel Macht

In an era when the country’s first line of defense, intelligence, is more important than ever, this story opens the CIA’s infamous closed doors and gives an insider’s view into the Agency: how trainees are recruited, how they are prepared for the spy game, and what they learn to survive. James Clayton might not have the attitude of a typical recruit, but he is one of the smartest graduating seniors in the country – and he’s just the person that Walter Burke wants in the Agency. James regards the CIA’s mission as an intriguing alternative to an ordinary life, but before he becomes an Ops Officer, James has to survive the Agency’s secret training ground, where green recruits are molded into seasoned veterans. As Burke teaches him the ropes and the rules of the game, James quickly rises through the ranks and falls for Layla, one of his fellow recruits. But just when James starts to question his role and his cat-and-mouse relationship with his mentor…

The film could have been a good espionage spy film. If it had made any sense. This is one of those films that starts off well then wants to be different than the rest of these types. So that it induces a twist into the plot then another one, Then another one. Soon there are so many double-crosses that you forget who is on whose side. There is no reason to justify any of the double-crosses.

When the film ends it tries to tie everything together in a neat little bow. Hoping you forget all the nonsense that went on before it and just say the plot was all a conspiracy. If the point of all of the confusion was to make the film and characters’ paranoia seem truthful and make the audience question everything then it had achieved what it set out to be.

Though it is not exciting at all with Basic runoff the mill action sequences. The shameful this is that this movie could have been good. You have a director Roger Donaldson who hasn’t had any luck with Hollywood films (The Getaway) but is actually a skilled director (The Bank Job).

He shows a great deal of talent with his projects that are independently funded, but here he just makes things look sharp and nice but with no real input. It has the feel of an espionage film and the look. The film just falls short so that you stop caring due to confusion and what ends up not making any sense.

At first, what is interesting in the film becomes tedious as the movie goes on. Colin Farrell is what I consider his blue period where he made a bunch of Hollywood projects in roles that any actor could have played. He was a struggling actor who was thrust into the limelight and was taking any lead that was offered to him. He has tremendous talent, yet he brings nothing really to the film or role. He is just going through the motions.

Strangely this film feels outdated watching it now. As it seems to be trying to stay in step with what was cutting edge at the time.

This is especially strange when watching a film meant to be an espionage tale. As usually they are more sharp. Understandably they wanted to fit in with the current trends and technology but in the long run hurt the films future and legacy. Truly making this movie feel all the more disposable.

The shocking thing is that the script was written (And I suspect heavily rewritten) By 3 Highly talented Screenwriters and script doctors. I don’t know what went wrong exactly but other than the clever Kurt Vonnegut references the film is heavily disappointing.

Al Pacino is clearly having fun as Colin’s Machiavellian mentor who is chewing the scenery left and right with his overacting. Al Pacino has been doing this overacting schtick. So long he has turned it into his own art form. That only he can do. It’s like a one-man show. It used to be just his acting now his hair and all of its different outrageous styles and size are just as distracting. I respect him he is still a good actor who shows the talent we all know he has once in a while.

I guess as he gets older if he knows the project is beneath him or is just really a paycheck. He doesn’t really bother giving it his all he just has fun with it. It just seems like he is damaging his brand, His career is legendary and once you could always give a movie the benefit of the doubt if the film was bad you could rely on his performance being good. Now it is all a wild card.

Skip it

GRADE: D

Tag: Roger Donaldson

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