MovieChat Forums > Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe (2011) Discussion > Sam Axe Movie: The Fall of Burn Notice

Sam Axe Movie: The Fall of Burn Notice

posted 13 years ago by execproducer22
12 replies | jump to latest

This movie serves as another example of how the writers are just running out of ideas.

Don't get me wrong, I like the show and love bruce campbell but this was just terrible.

1. Sam is a navy seal who we are told all throughout the show was a real bad ass in his seal days. During the movie we see him basically get his ass handed to him twice by the "bad guy". I swear he was on the ground more than he was on his feet.

2. Unfortunately, Focusing solely on the character of SAM AXE in a movie just does not hold up. The dynamic on the show really made the character shine. He was comic relief, but they never over did it because they balanced it out with Mike and Fiona. Without the other characters to balance out the movie, it just became a bruce campbell one liner free for all with a couple of explosions thrown in for good measure.

Don't get me wrong, i like bruce campbell one liner movies, but this wasn't one of those. This was a "burn notice" movie focusing on the character of Sam axe, not bruce campbell.

I really wish the writers had remembered that....

3. The tone of this movie was all wrong...

The writers decided to write this as a comedy featuring bruce Campbell. Thats fine if this was one of bruce campbells b movies, it wasn't.

This was a "burn notice " movie! The tone of the show is an action based drama with little bits of comedy thrown in for good measure which is what the movie should have been.

The writers got caught up in the "hype" of this being a movie with bruce campbell headlining and really wrote the tone around that basic idea.

4. Where was this "fall" that we had been hearing about for awhile?

So, they decide to title the movie burn notice: the fall of sam axe. In the movie we see sam doing many things that give the impression that he seems disinterested in being a soldier any more such as sleeping with a admirals wife, dis obeying orders, and speaking at the "inquiry" as if he was ordering from the dollar menu at mcdonalds.

The great "fall" in the movie turns out to be Sam getting an honorable discharge, full pension, free clothes and ticket to Miami. Sam seems to get exactly what he had wanted from the start of this movie so wheres the "fall"?

I realize this is a tv movie and shouldn't be held up to the standards of A full feature film, but if you judge it against the quality of its own show it fails on many levels.

"What color is the boathouse at Hereford!?"

-Sam

[–] SgtHugoStiglitz 13 years ago

1. You do realize that Sam was in his forties when he was sent to Colombia, right? Even the most badass SEALs can't turn back the clock. His glory days were behind him, and he was already washing up (sleeping with the Admiral's wife for instance). Also, it's a Bruce Campbell movie.

2. As long as you view it as such, it shouldn't detract too much from the Burn Notice franchise.

3. The movie matched the tone of the character it was based on. It was a serious situation that involved a very sarcastic character in the middle of it. And it was told from his perspective. Try not to overthink it.

4. I will agree with this one. The thought the Fall of Sam Axe would involve him doing some dirty deeds and getting a dishonorable discharge, among other things. Here, (in addition to being an officer in the Navy, something that doesn't really match up with his character) he's gets to ride the high horse at the end. What crap.

Formerly Love_Machine

[–] execproducer22 13 years ago

1. You do realize that Sam was in his forties when he was sent to Colombia, right? Even the most badass SEALs can't turn back the clock. His glory days were behind him, and he was already washing up (sleeping with the Admiral's wife for instance). Also, it's a Bruce Campbell movie.

I'm sorry, but no your wrong. This isn't a "bruce campbell" movie. It's a burn notice movie and should have been written as such.

As long as you view it as such, it shouldn't detract too much from the Burn Notice franchise.

So, it's ok if the movie is badly written as long as I don't think of it as part of burn notice?

The movie matched the tone of the character it was based on. It was a serious situation that involved a very sarcastic character in the middle of it. And it was told from his perspective. Try not to overthink it.

That's exactly the problem with the movie. It was supposed to match the tone of the show that that character is based in, not the characters attitude on life.

I think you need to stop "underthinking" it and realize that it was bad writing.

"What color is the boathouse at Hereford!?"

-Sam

[–] SgtHugoStiglitz 13 years ago

Wow, okay... you're just someone looking for an e-fight. It's just my opinion there, guy.

If you don't like the movie - remake it. No use getting all butthurt and start attacking other people because they think different.

With that being said:

I didn't know you had to be honorable discharged to get a pension. Considering that, I think the current ending does fit a bit better now. I still think "The Fall of Sam Axe" subtitle was a bit much seing as he just got booted from the Navy. It was more of change of scenery for Sam than more than a change of character. It would've been more interesting to see him go through a more challenging character arc along the way.

Formerly Love_Machine

[–] execproducer22 13 years ago

Wow, okay... you're just someone looking for an e-fight. It's just my opinion there, guy.

No. I was giving you counterpoints to the things you just argued. That is how discussions work right? We are on a discussion board right?

If you don't like the movie - remake it. No use getting all butthurt and start attacking other people because they think different.

So you felt you were being attacked because I was discussing my point of view on this film?

I'm sorry for "attacking you".

I didn't know you had to be honorable discharged to get a pension. Considering that, I think the current ending does fit a bit better now. I still think "The Fall of Sam Axe" subtitle was a bit much seing as he just got booted from the Navy. It was more of change of scenery for Sam than more than a change of character. It would've been more interesting to see him go through a more challenging character arc along the way.

Especially since they promoted the heck out of this movie as the mission that messes up sam axe and really he didnt get off badly at all.

"What color is the boathouse at Hereford!?"

-Sam

[–] Errington_92 13 years ago

Although there were brief moments of humour in The Fall of Sam Axe, it was cliche in terms of the action genre. It seemed to be the usual David vs Goliath storyline which I found at times to be melodramatic, particually when the leader of Beatriz's group was killed. The

"I'd rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not".

[–] steelsheen91 13 years ago

execproducer22 when was Sam Axe ever a soldier? Last time I checked the the US NAVY SEALS were part of the United States Navy. If you're a NAvy member you're a sailor not a soldier. The asshat "writers" made the same mistake in thier crappy script numerous times.

Why are you two ninny's yammering on about Sam being dishonorable discharged for? They can't go back and retcon Sam's back story. The Feds were making him snitch(SNITCHES IS BITCHES AND BITCHES GET GOT)by forcing Sam to be a bitch. The "fall," you inbreds, is that he was forced out of the Navy not on his terms but the Navies.

[–] Mid-World_Gunslinger 13 years ago

Sam had to be honorably discharged; he's getting a pension in the first season of Burn Notice, is he not?

The man in black fled across the desert, and the gunslinger followed.

[–] execproducer22 13 years ago

execproducer22 when was Sam Axe ever a soldier? Last time I checked the the US NAVY SEALS were part of the United States Navy. If you're a NAvy member you're a sailor not a soldier. The asshat "writers" made the same mistake in thier crappy script numerous times.

I was using the term "soldier" in the generic sense of the word so relax son.

Why are you two ninny's yammering on about Sam being dishonorable discharged for? They can't go back and retcon Sam's back story. The Feds were making him snitch(SNITCHES IS BITCHES AND BITCHES GET GOT)by forcing Sam to be a bitch. The "fall," you inbreds, is that he was forced out of the Navy not on his terms but the Navies.

Completely wrong son!

1. Sam did get out on his own terms, unless you missed the part where he tells his superior his demands including new clothes and a ticket to wherever he wanted to go....

2. You must not have read my entire post cuz you missed the point where I said the "fall" in the movie isn't a "fall" at all.

Do you understand now son?

"What color is the boathouse at Hereford!?"

-Sam

[–] nast33 13 years ago

Yeah, it was a major disappointment.
I will post my reply from another thread:

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
by - AdmiralTugBenson on Sun Apr 17 2011 20:19:18
...
I loved the opening where he couldn't get through the gate, then they took the wrong turn, I was laughing my butt off at that.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
That was the first thing that got me to do a *facepalm* and kinda foreshadowed that this was not going to be good.
I was hoping to see not "Sam Axe the comic relief", but "Sam Axe the badass partner in numerous missions from years prior".
Yeah, remember those missions they mention when they need to get out of a tough situation?
I wanted to see THAT Sam, not the usual comic relief guy. Basically in this movie he was adept at best, and got his ass kicked in fistfights, instead of being a tough Navy Seal.
I don't care about the bad uniforms, they messed up the character we should have seen in this movie, and that is the biggest offense they could do.

5/10 considering this is a TV movie and didn't get seriously thought out.

[–] AdmiralTugBenson 13 years ago

Sam Axe: "Sammy's gonna get some hammy tonight".

Need I say more? If you tuned into this movie expecting Platoon starring Bruce Campbell, then I would guess that you probably don't watch a lot of Burn Notice, or Bruce Campbell movies.

"IF THE DEVIL HAD A NAME, IT WOULD BE CHUCK FINLEY!!"

[–] blakep267 13 years ago

thats 1 thing I didnt like was that there was no "fall from grace". I wouldve been different if when he got on the helicopter he figured out what was going on but it was too late and the villages all got killed, then he was dishonourably discharged, Thats a fall. There was no real drama in the movie. We know that sam is alive.

also it was super cheesy, which is kinda my problem with burn notice lately. theres no real drama. the characters arent really in threatening situations. we know mike wont ever die. In these kinda shows, characters need to die or it gets boring.

[–] execproducer22 12 years ago

Finally someone who gets it^^^^^^

"What color is the boathouse at Hereford!?"

-Sam