THE GUNMAN

"You're the last real threat on the table..."



          I admit. I'm probably not as dissapointed as I thought I'd be because I came in with low expectations. Anyone hoping to get lost in the fun will be disappointed, but the film has its moments for people who has spare time to be filled with a dose of action flick. Brilliant actors and some slick fight sequences saves this otherwise boring and slow film.

          The thing with the characters here is interesting. They are fun, but they're boring. Sounds weird, but here's why. The actors were brilliant actors with their own unique style - Sean Penn, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone... - you know these guys, and you like them. Myself, I can't stop smiling at Sean's handsome face and Ray's awesome accent. But the problem is, as characters, they become boring. They are dull, and you can't help not caring about them...because you just don't care. Especially Javier Bardem's character, who is more annoying than anything. It's just hard to understand or follow these characters, but the actors did ever so brilliantly with their style, so you enjoy seeing them do their thing.

          The only other thing likeable is some excellent action sequences. There are not a lot of these, and they are done in such a gritty and brutal way. But even in such grittiness and brutality, they are still slick and fast-paced enough to make them enjoyable, in the midst of the boring and dull plot.

          Apart from these two points, I find no reason to claim that this is a good movie. The pace is slow. The plot is straightforward survival mission, and you can hardly care for the characters, anyway. Lack of comedy (or even drama) makes the journey even less interesting than it already is. But it's not as bad as the critics say...there are some moments to be enjoyed, and some actors to be admired.

VERDICT

          If you have time to spare, and can afford a not-so-high expectation, this film may well be good enough, with some exciting action sequences, and some brilliant actors. Apart from that (and Sean Penn's admirable physique), I find no reason to recommend anyone of this film.

SCORE: 4.0