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Astyanax85
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The Recruit (2003)
Plenty of twists in this spy thriller.
I happened across this movie on AMC a few weeks ago, and liked it enough to purchase it on Blu-Ray a few days ago. Colin Farrell plays a hotshot computer whiz named James Clayton. Clayton has just graduated from MIT, and has a promising future in the computer biz. But Clayton is soon approached by a CIA recruiter named Walter Burke(Al Pacino). Burke thinks James is definitely CIA material, and James, though wary at first, can't resist the temptation of a more adventurous life. James joins up with a host of other recruits, and they are taken to a CIA training facility known as "The Farm." There, the recruits are put through a bevy of tests and trials, of the physical and mental variety. Here, James must contend with the rigorous training overseen by Burke, as well as sorting out his feelings for a fellow recruit named Layla. Things soon become even more complicated when Burke informs James that there is a mole in their midst, and he gives James the task of finding out what the traitor is after. One of Burke's favorite sayings is "Nothing is as it seems," and that phrase definitely rings true throughout this film. There are twists and turns at various points throughout the movie, and they really pick up in the film's later stages. There are almost too many twists in the last 20 minutes, to the point that if you're not paying close attention, you'll miss something important. But overall, this is a very entertaining spy thriller/adventure. A thriller with a lot of twists + a memorable performance by Pacino(one of my all-time faves)= 7 stars in my book.
Fast Five (2011)
Like a two hour long roller coaster ride.
After seeing 2 Fast 2 Furious back in '03, I had lost interest in this series. 2 Fast was pretty entertaining, but the story lines were just too similar for my liking. Because of this, I opted not to see Tokyo Drift or 2009's Fast and Furious. But after hearing rave reviews about Fast Five, I decided to give it a shot, and I'm very glad I did.
Dominic Toretto, his sister Mia, and Brian O'Conner are in Rio de Janiero trying to start a new life and gain their freedom. But the gang soon finds themselves between a rock and a hard place, as a powerful businessman/drug lord wants them dead and a relentless Fed by the name of Luke Hobbs (played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) wants them in prison. Needless to say, the story is action-packed, which brings me to the action sequences: they are plentiful and they are intense! A kick-ass fight scene between Toretto and Hobbs was especially memorable for me. Granted, a lot of the stunts are very far-fetched, but what would you expect, this is a Fast and Furious movie, and the seemingly non-stop action makes the 2 hours and 10 minutes a very fun ride. Jaw-dropping action, a fast-paced story, a bold performance by Johnson, and lots of beautiful women; add it all together and you've got a very worthy addition to the Fast and Furious series.