Quick Movie Reviews
Rating of
2/4
Indyfreak - wrote on 02/18/2020
This remake of the classic thriller has a big cast and looks expensive. There are changes made to update the plot from a Cold War setting to the present day War on Terror. It does add some new elements to enhance the paranoia like mass surveillance or tracking devices. Meryl Streep is perfectly cast as the power hungry Eleanor Iselin. Denzel Washington is decent as Bennett Marco but not as good as Frank Sinatra. The corporate espionage angle is simply not as juicy a subject matter as Communist brainwashing. I credit it for trying to change the ending. Between this and the first movie, I’d certainly recommend the original instead of this.
Rating of
3/4
Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 06/07/2019
This modernization of the Cold War-era political thriller resembles the original, while managing to still be tense and shocking.
Rating of
2.5/4
Unknown - wrote on 03/25/2012
I've never seen the original. That being said, I only felt this was a decent effort. The film had a menacing tone, the story intrigued me to a point, and I thought the payoff was rewarding. Everything else was decent.
Rating of
2/4
Chris Kavan - wrote on 09/07/2011
A slick remake but it's all bark and no bite. The original works much better and while I appreciate the effort, Demme and co. just don't bring anything new to the table other than updating it to suit the Gulf War. Just an average effort as far as I'm concerned.
Rating of
3/4
JetsetJones - wrote on 05/06/2009
Even though I havent seen the original (and to be quite frank, don't plan on it) I wont say that this remake is worthless. I know some will not feel the same as I do. Denzel has done a great job in portraying the lead character, a gulf war vet struck with dreams that counter his actions when he and his troop were ambushed. When certain things are exposed in the film, the line between reality and imagination are BLURRED. The film does a good job of this, leaving you with questions and sort of afraid to get answers.
Rating of
2/4
Alex - wrote on 06/01/2007
A not so good remake that really made no sense why on earth they would try to remake it. The original holds up perfectly well. This cast could have pulled it off but Demme introduced nothing new, therefore it is a failure. For remake lovers
