Tony Scott should really take some lessons from his brother about directing movies. His MTV-style quick cuts throughout the movie are distracting and unnecessary. If he did it in just a couple movies in the right situation, I could understand it, but he does it every single movie I've seen of his. He needs to learn that less is sometimes more. The script was quite predictable throughout, but it still could have had potential if in the hands of a good director.
shareTotally agree. This movie would have been superb if he didn't do all that herky-jerky shyt. What the movie needed was a softer touch. The visuals of Mexico city are intense enough not to warrant the MTV treatment. Big time fail.
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Disagree greatly, the direction was on point and created a truly hectic ride through the madness of organised crime through the eyes of a dying man.
Max Payne 3 stole... I mean, homaged it perfectly.
I agree with you completely. I loved Man On Fire and thought it was directed beautifully. It was directed to convey the shady underworld of crime lords perfectly.
One of my favorite movies of all time.
It's so sad that we'll never see another Tony Scott masterpiece :(
"Creasy's art is death, and he's about to paint his masterpiece"
I didn't find it too distracting except for the scene where Creasy is up in his room sort of tripping out. You get the hard cuts but then he throws in that over-the-top distorted music and at that moment it starts to feel sloppy. It was too much. On the other hand, when Creasy torchers the first guy in the car I love the way that entire sequence is done (scene link below). Overall I think Scott did a good job of not going overboard and for the most part it blended well. I can't say the same for say, Domino, in which he tried to completely forced that same style into the movie.
Scumbag kidnapper #1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=P6LZhpgpggU&N R=1
Back off! ... Way off!
"""when Creasy torchers the first guy"""
"Torchers"!!!??? Seriously?
Dumbest poster on imdb.
At least you have self-esteem. Not many people would be proud of the fact they're the dumbest poster on IMBD, not to mention using as their sig.
This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.
I liked that scene. I guess Scott's style isn't for everyone.
He is for me. As far as making entertaining movies, he is my all-time favorite director.
“There are no ordinary moments. There is always something going on.” – Peaceful Warrior
I agree. I couldn't stand it after about halfway. It was a great film, but this stupid type of directing made me want to stop watching every time it happened. It added absolutely nothing and the film would have been much better without it.
shareIt knocked two points off my IMDB score.
This looked so promising. A two-and-a-half hour eighteen starring Denzel Washington? I purchased the Steelbook blind.
Serves me right.
Those giraffes you sold me, they won't mate. You sold me queer giraffes.
I think the direction is hit and miss, rather than awful.
Scott's direction works during kidnapping scenes, where they convey the confusion that's going. Also works well when Creasy gets wasted and when he gets shot.
It works a little less during certain dramatic scenes heavy in dialog.
Nonetheless, the story and acting elevate the film to a great one, IMO.
Scott's schizophrenic direction gets a bit heavy handed in this film but doesn't distract too much from the storyline. His style is too CSI-ish and looks dated nowadays.
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Definitely agree, I enjoyed the films premise and the acting was well performed but the shaky/chop-change camera work/cutting made it difficult to watch. My wife was really looking forward to watching as well but she suffers from motion-sickness type nausea with this type of constant flickering around of the focus. When Denzel looks at a building for example, rather than a smooth zoom in whilst in first-person perspective, it is staggered and awkward for reasons unknown. When Pita is on the diving blocks, why must the focus shift and change as if we're under the effects of alcohol?
A good story with terrible camera editing.
Agree totally with the OP and others here, would have been a great movie but for the awful chop/change, flashing, slow-mo etc.
I tried to watch this again, but only got to half way before feeling sick, plus I have a head cold.
"You`re right, no human being would stack books like this" - Venkman (Ghostbusters)
The jumping around was horrible. Also the introductory screens titles etc - accompanied by ridiculous 'noise' (depth bomb charges?) - hype that was totally unnecessary - plus the rapid screen cuts.
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