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You're reading a really old version of matt-thornton's website. For example, if you're looking at the movie reviews... you'll notice that none of them are of recent films. Indeed, I leave them here for posterity's sake, but I doubt very much that they'll get updated anytime soon. So have a giggle.
You might, if you're lucky, find something recent from Matt at his blog matt's debates. Kernow bys vyken.
Walking Tall
the verdict:
If you're not a WWF fan (not that I am, but I have at least a passing interest) then you'll not be familiar with The Rock. One of the "big" names in WWF, The Rock has made the transition to movies. According to various reviews, his previous films have been a pile of cack. I haven't seen them, so I have no frame of reference, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one.
The Rock plays some special forces dude who returns from the army to his hometown to find it run over with drugs, gambling and prostitution, spearheaded by his ex best mate who owns the new casino in town.
When his brother nearly ODs on some random drug that he got from the doorstaff of the casino, The Rock goes on a rampage to sort things out. Using a 2 by 4 (reminiscent of Hacksaw Jim Duggan of WWF fame. I wonder if that's where they got the idea.)
The first thing to say is that this film is short. It's only 75 minutes, and for an action film, that's short. You wonder if they ran out of things to do, or storylines to pursue. Or after they started working with The Rock, they realised they'd cocked up and so decided to wrap it up as quick as
possible. Who knows. It also stars Johnny Knoxville (Jackass) as his sidekick chap. He's pretty good in it.
In fact, the film itself isn't half bad at all. The cinematography is quite impressive and the acting isn't too wooden. The Rock actually has a charismatic charm about him, and he's certainly more than just a meathead. A facet of this is during the fight scenes, where he doesn't indiscriminantly
kick the shit out everyone, he often gets a pasting himself. Though as a man who built his career on acting fights, it could have been better. But then you don't expect a powerslam, a towering suplex or a DDT in the middle of a gun riddled fight.
Worth a rent, but if you're planning an evening in with films, get another one, cos it's just not long enough.
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