Reviews

I had a chance to see this film at the YoungCuts Film Festival, and I was really impressed with (a) the production quality, (b) the writing, (c) the film score, and (d) the overall performances of the actors. I don't think you can pigeon-hole this film, it's a bit of drama, comedy, satire, and a dig at traditional Christmas movies.

Production quality: I believe this was shot on a high-end miniDV cam, and you can really see the difference. You'll notice the quality from the very first frame.

Writing: the writing is really tight, I like the way the different stories are somehow linked together. A clever idea, but also well executed.

Music: I loved the jazzy score, with a hint of Christmas jingles. Really catchy, I was still humming it to myself days later. Acting: Solid performances from this young group of performers (under 25 years old).

If you get a chance, contact the filmmaker and ask for a copy.

Had a chance to catch this film at the Montreal World Film Festival. The screenwriter was there to introduce the film, and some interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes. This movie was released just before the London bombings, so the timing was eerie.

The movie tries to cover a lot of ground, as it reveals some back story of the terrorists, as well as the hostages. Some high powered British movie stars play in this movie, including Stockard Channing. Ron Silver is in it as well. When I think back to it, the movie plays a bit like "24". The movie has a good pace to it, not too slow. I expect this movie will be released in the U.S. as well; worth watching.

I give a lot of credit to Michael Bay for making this film. It is NOT a brainless action film that simply goes through the motions. A lot of work was put into the back-story, set design, and futuristic gadgetry. And he took a big risk by casting un-Hollywood actors like Ewan MacGregor and Scarlett Johansson, instead of the low-risk stars like Russell Crowe or Tom Cruise or whatever. Steven Spielberg has his Minority Report, Michael Bay has The Island. I think this movie is a worthy addition to the sci-fi genre, and a Micheal Bay movie wouldn't be complete without incredible action sequences. I might add that Ms. Johansson is particularly hot in this movie! I don't know how well this movie is doing at the box office, but ten years from now this film will still stand out. GO SEE IT!