Some will no doubt get plenty of enjoyment from this very long remake of a John Woo film that I haven't yet had the opportunity to see. It's essentially a heist movie consisting of several complex thefts leading to a third act showdown, where we are in no doubt that there will be a twist, come betrayel, or two.
Indeed that is the main problem with The Adventurers, which is a fine looking, professionally made film, with a very solid cast and exotic, mainly European locations. So much of it we've seen before, even without the benefit of seeing the original film. It seems to be two parts James Bond, two parts Mission Impossible, blended with one part Ocean's Eleven, without being anywhere near as good, as any of the features from any of those three franchises.
Much of the narrative is made up of longish set pieces which just seem to have been lifted holes bolus from any number of films. Car chases, motorbike chases, winged flying suit descents from planes, any number of high-tech gadgets, ceiling declensions through a network of laser anti-theft devices. Sound familiar? It should ; all just so reminiscent of stuff we've seen previously in any number of 007/MI movies. On top of this we get the revenge/last big score before signing off jewel thefts straight out of the Oceans movies. Unusually though we don't get the intricate planning and preparation which adds an extra dimension of reality to superior heist films. In The Adventurers, despite the 140 minute running time, things just seem to happen, with an absolute bare minimum of gestation and exposition.
The eternally youthful - looking Andy Lau essentially plays an oriental version of Ethan Hunt sans any of the entertaining quips and one-liners we've become to associate with Tom Cruise's performances. He's supported by some attractive younger cast members, as well as Jean Reno's detective coyote playing to Lau's roadrunner thief.
Films that run this long, as do many of the Bond/MI films, need to maintain the pace and suspense, whilst delivering an engaging story. As mentioned, there are no doubt some entertaining enough segments in The Adventurers, but I suspect many will find themselves looking at their watches, well before the film's conclusion, due to the predictable nature of the narrative. If films were pizzas, I'd suggest director Stephen Fung has pulled a tasty enough Hawaiian pizza out of the oven, when you were perhaps wishing for a pizza supreme with the works.
Indeed that is the main problem with The Adventurers, which is a fine looking, professionally made film, with a very solid cast and exotic, mainly European locations. So much of it we've seen before, even without the benefit of seeing the original film. It seems to be two parts James Bond, two parts Mission Impossible, blended with one part Ocean's Eleven, without being anywhere near as good, as any of the features from any of those three franchises.
Much of the narrative is made up of longish set pieces which just seem to have been lifted holes bolus from any number of films. Car chases, motorbike chases, winged flying suit descents from planes, any number of high-tech gadgets, ceiling declensions through a network of laser anti-theft devices. Sound familiar? It should ; all just so reminiscent of stuff we've seen previously in any number of 007/MI movies. On top of this we get the revenge/last big score before signing off jewel thefts straight out of the Oceans movies. Unusually though we don't get the intricate planning and preparation which adds an extra dimension of reality to superior heist films. In The Adventurers, despite the 140 minute running time, things just seem to happen, with an absolute bare minimum of gestation and exposition.
The eternally youthful - looking Andy Lau essentially plays an oriental version of Ethan Hunt sans any of the entertaining quips and one-liners we've become to associate with Tom Cruise's performances. He's supported by some attractive younger cast members, as well as Jean Reno's detective coyote playing to Lau's roadrunner thief.
Films that run this long, as do many of the Bond/MI films, need to maintain the pace and suspense, whilst delivering an engaging story. As mentioned, there are no doubt some entertaining enough segments in The Adventurers, but I suspect many will find themselves looking at their watches, well before the film's conclusion, due to the predictable nature of the narrative. If films were pizzas, I'd suggest director Stephen Fung has pulled a tasty enough Hawaiian pizza out of the oven, when you were perhaps wishing for a pizza supreme with the works.