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Reviews
Arlington Road (1999)
the unpredictability of terrorism
I worked in the World Trade Center and personally saw it crumble before my eyes on September 11, 2001 along with the wonderful faces who once worked there as well. In reading other comments for Arlington Road, I noticed many users stating that this movie may prove disturbing after the terrorist attacks. I agree. However, I disagree with those who challenge the ending of the film. Despite the ridiculous details which I shall leave unmentioned to preserve the content for those who have not seen it, the film projects a realistic view of terrorism: terrorism can strike anywhere and can assume any identity. In the past, Americans have identified our enemies in some form... whether it be the Nazis and Japanese of World War II, the Communists of the Cold War and Southeast Asian Conflicts, etc. In the past, America's greatest technology could detect the setting up of nuclear missiles in Cuba or the mobilization of troops in Iraq. As we approach the 21st century, our new enemies hide in the "shadows" by blending into every day, normal life. As hinted by the trailers and the film itself, Arlington Road sends the message that a terrorist can even be the neighbor down the street. How many individuals felt shell-shocked when they discovered that their neighbors were responsible for causing the worst terrorist attack in American history?! I recommend Arlington Road for those interested in suspense and not hell-bent on seeing a happy ending.
Muk lou hung gwong (1999)
edge of your seat thriller?
A combination of Hitchcock suspense and Hong Kong violence best describes Ringo Lam's directing style. This hybrid respresents a difficult task because the film must retain qualities of both genres to succeed. In films such as Full Alert and even Maximum Risk with Jean Claude Van Damme, Lam can create an action joyride with climatic thrills without losing a touch of either genre. This formula fails in Victim. In addition to combining suspense and violence, Lam decides to add the presence of the supernatural. Although Hitchcock has managed excellence with this hybrid, Lam fails because of the consistency of maintaining the unknown throughout the film. In the first half of the film,Lam creates such a spooky environment that we can actually believe there exists a supernatural essence. However, the second half of the film basically abandons this concept. The main character switches from insanity to sanity between scenes in such an awkward manner that Victim loses its credibility in establishing the possibility of ghostly possession. Changing of setting in the second half also causes Victim to lose its supernatural influence. With the exception of the ending, the second half bases itself entirely in the daytime compared to the evening/night for the first half. In fact, the scenes for the nightime setting occured in scary places such as an abandoned hotel and a lonely road/highway. The film's abrupt ending further aggravates the flow of this film. Victim could have been an excellent thriller if Lam maintained the sense of the supernatural by maintaining the consistency of his main character's behavior and a sense of supernatural influence for each scene. Instead, he leaves us with a Hitchcock-wannabe that would not satisfy even the most dedicated thriller fan.