On the Line (II) (2022) User Reviews

Great Fun

[martimusross · 6/10 · 11 August 2023]

On The Line

Overall this was all good fun, at best it was a TV movie with a few twists, the acting was firm and where it was clunky that was entirely deliberate as you will see as the plot unfolds.

Mel Gibson was good and I must say I really rather enjoyed it, some critics on here are overly harsh or picky this was never meant to be an Oscar contender lol. The direction was crisp the side actors delivered, the music was good and unobtrusive and there was a good deal of comic gags throughout despite this being a thriller

I'm gonna give this a firm 6 outta 10 for pure entertainment, for me it was a downloader to watch on the home cinema with ice cream midweek.

Has an energy that makes it impossible to dislike

[jtindahouse · 7/10 · 7 November 2022]

I probably wasn't planning to watch 'On the Line', however the synopsis sounded like my kind of movie and I realised it had been a long time since I'd seen Mel Gibson in anything. So I gave it a shot. Man, the energy in this one was wild.

The film is clunky, I'll start by saying. Gibson's acting is a class above everyone else. He's so natural on screen that it sort of brings everyone else down a peg, simply by comparison.

The movie gets into the action fairly quickly. In fact that is something I have to give praise to, is that the overall pacing is very good. Once things kick into gear it doesn't really relent.

So I was having a good time with this movie, wondering where it was all headed, when suddenly I felt like I got hit by a sledge hammer. I haven't been that caught off guard by a plot twist in a long time. I thought surely not. But yes, sure enough they went with it.

I found it almost impossible to dislike this film. Is it perfectly made, no. Is it as polished as other films, perhaps not. But is it more entertaining and bold than your average film, absolutely. 7/10.

Well-made programmer with an inspired star turn

[dima-12 · 7/10 · 7 November 2022]

On the Line by Romuald Boulanger is a resourceful and well-acted Mel Gibson vehicle in which director smartly puts his star front and center for an hour and the half and charisma does the rest.

Mel Gibson's recent output - with the exception of extraordinary Father Stu - consists of so-called geezer teasers which featured him supporting roles simply distributed throughout the runtime in order to make him seem like an important character. However, unlike Bruce Willis whose late pre-retirement output was based around similar projects, Mel Gibson never phoned it in and always did his best even with low-grade material.

Thus giving Mel Gibson the actual spotlight and making the film that really relies on his star power in a leading role is a coup not just for this project but for Mel's fans as well. After a long while, maybe after Blood Father made by another Frenchman Jean-Francois Richet we see Mel actually running the proceedings with authority.

The first act of the picture feels not only genuinely inspired but loads of gallows humour and the genuine sense that Elvis Cooney is a real edgelord feels as if Mel was really hands on even when it comes to the script. In later developments which rely on the closed quarters thriller dynamics and feel slightly mechanical, Mel Gibson elevates the material.

Boulanger surrounds Gibson with an international cast with some great elements but their multiple accents do remind us that film is set in Los Angeles but shot in Paris. Maybe, some decisions could have been different when it comes to either setting or cast, but otherwise the production is resourceful and decently mounted.

In the end, the only element that could have been better is the thriller element. With more inventive set-up, something along the lines of good Blumhouse work and with Mel's performance which is already there this could have been a classic.

Anyhow it's a really good programmer with an inspired turn by Mel Gibson.

You will hate yourself for having watched this at the end.

[sevsevencom · 1/10 · 5 November 2022]

Prepare to lose 1:44 Of your life watching this movie just to be enraged at the ending.. is that a spoiler? I don't think so.

I was waiting until the last minute for a big bus to come and run over everyone in this movie.

I'm surprised It took 30 executive producers to make this pathetic thing.

I was hoping for a talk radio type of movie but it's just an endless run around ending in complete and total frustration and disappointment for all audience members.. As usual with these lame movies, they put a big name at the top and awful actors and bad casting right under... You'll be asking for your money back if this even gets to a theatre.

I hope they lose money with this movie.

1000 thumbs down..

Nice flick!

[Withoutrage · 13 February 2023]

Very enjoyable entertainment, good twists and a fabulous Mel Gibson. No masterpiece but a nice flick!

Don't understand the bad reviews.

In my book it's all about managing expectations. If you choose a movie because the plot line interests you, you like the cast and you're in for a relaxing few hours in front of the telly then you're rarely disappointed.

Although if you are a movie Connaisseur or critic, you might want to apply different criteria to pick your movies to avoid disappointment.

In this case it did what it said on the tin and provided very enjoyable light entertainment, a good portion of suspense and a good ending.

A different take on an old subject

[kevdexxx · 7/10 · 4 February 2023]

I'm not sure why there are so many negative reviews of this, as my wife and I (and she is hard to please) both really enjoyed this film.

Yes, there are plenty of riffs from other films, as you'd expect with this kind of storyline, but that's not unusual in any film, and there are plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep you interested and the film was ended very well.

Gibson fell out of favour with filmmakers for too long and is now rebuilding his career in later life, and while he is a little hammy at times in this, and certainly takes cues from his Ransom performance, he is still a fine actor and he steers this film along nicely. All of the supporting cast, many relatively unknown, give solid performances, nothing too outstanding, but nothing terrible either.

Overall then, an enjoyable thriller with some cool twists that might surprise you. A solid watch.

Utter horse manure

[iainlee-43271 · 1/10 · 17 November 2022]

Awful awful awful. It's hard to review this film without spoilers. I wis I could spoil it for you to save you all the misfortune of wasting your life watching this badly acted, limp 'thriller'.

Gibson growls his way through one of the worst plots I have ever been unlucky enough to sit through. It was doing OK until...well...if you've seen it, you know what I'm talking about.

Everyone (except Gibson) is better than this movie and should hang their heads for taking us on a rather long journey down the toilet bowl of poor poor plots. I'd give it a zero but for some reason IMDB won't allow that.

Shockingly TERRIBLE!!

[amanjourney-78822 · 1/10 · 25 November 2022]

I agree with one of the other (human) reviewers. Anything over a 2 is a bot or marketing. This was terrible! Awful!! Laughable!!!

Acting was bad, script was super cheezy. This was extremely disappointing. Shame on Mel Gibson. With his career history, he should have been able to take 1 look at this script and know it was awful! Instead, he played it out, collected his paycheck and took my money....

The story line could have made this a one-of-a-kind. But it fell so far short, the writers were the worst. Directing was ok, acting was poor, but the writing was like it came from a 10 year old. No offense to 10 year olds...

The worst movie we've seen, EVER!

Not bad at all

[sindizwane · 7/10 · 8 November 2022]

I think the movie needed someone with a strong villain voice thats all .voices like keifer Sutherland (phone booth),James spader ( The blacklist) or maybe Michael Sheen (unthinkable). Besides that the movie was not bad at all .Mel Gibson played his part very good as a lead character.i mean its not a bad thing to select or give new coming actors and actresses a chance but sometimes its wise to select the best quality so that your movie can sell. I still have faith in you. I mean Quinton Tarantino invested/picked best characters in Django and took awards for that...I think you can also do better.

Wow

[teqphkg · 1/10 · 5 November 2022]

Im not sure who's money went into this thing, but it may be one of the worst scripts of all time.

To say the acting was cringey doesn't quite sum it up for me, I tend to thing that would be a let off.

It kind of feels like I'm watching an acting class where a group is given a scenario to improvise. And I don't mean an acting class filled with people trying to be career actors. I mean just random people who took a free class for a little hobby on weeknights, and they go for a pizza together afterwards.

As far as Mel Gibson goes, I suppose if someone offered me a bunch of cash to do something embarrassing that nobody would ever remember.. I'd probably consider it too.

More Than Meets The Eye

[pudjo-dewo · 7/10 · 4 December 2022]

The Low rating doesn't do this movie justice. Granted it's not a masterpiece but it is very entertaining.

Mel Gibson always delivers, be in it a huge box office hits or a mediocre piece like this one. At the first half this movie reminds me of Ransom, with all the kidnapping mystery. Then I started to see few plot holes and dumb decisions that questions the quality of the written. And the ln by the final act I realized those plot holes and dumb decisions in the story was actually intended as part of the story, this turns out theu did a good job in writing the story, more than Meets the eye Don't judge this movie halfway.. you just gotta watch until the end and you'll understand. Granted it's not for everyone but they really put some thought into this.

Any score over 3 is lying, stupid or a bot

[llewellyn-paul-r · 1/10 · 19 November 2022]

I walked out on this half way, which was a first for me.

The premise is fine and with better direction, script, dialogue and acting it could have been okay.

Gibson did the best he could with what he had to work with. I think the other actors will be harshly judged for this mess but they were paid, so they can suck it up.

The script and dialogue was as awful as I've ever heard. It was insulting to keep hearing them bumble through an explanation of why they were doing what they were. The voice of the 'baddie' was pathetic, he wasn't menacing or maniacal - I've heard scarier train announcements.

But the direction and obvious holes in the script were the most painful thing to watch. From the start, anyone with a modicum of brains is asking why, how or WTF?

I hope the producers die destitute and the director is nailed to a cross through his fat head for releasing this rubbish.

Think of the worst movie you've ever seen, and I promise you'd prefer to watch it twice instead of this.

May God not have mercy on their souls.

it had incredible potential

[lukefletcher-33649 · 8/10 · 12 May 2023]

On the line was a very... interesting movie, the concept is fascinating and that was enough for me to give it a watch. Whilst the acting was decent for the most part, some parts that were intended to be serious made me laugh but that was only once or twice. However the ending was shallow- I get why its like that but I'm not sure why they actually went with it. Time absolutely flew whilst I was watching it though and it kept me on the edge of my seat and that's all I can really ask of a thriller. I'm not sure what but something just kept me watching, was it the concept? Was it the characters? I cant say for sure but what I can say is that its a hit or miss film.

Solid classic Mel Gibsom

[vnblu · 7/10 · 4 June 2023]

A little Die Hard, some The Game, and some good old Mel Gibson fun. While On the Line isn't the greatest movie, it held my interest with non-stop suspense. It is a real nail-biter until you realize what is really happening. Mel does a great job of playing Elvis the Talk-show host, and delivers a good believable portrayal of a man on the edge. The story gets moving very early on and builds to a crescendo that might be a bit too predictable. But still very entertaining. It's good to see Mel Gibson in a decent role again, and while this movie wasn't a Lethal Weapon or a Braveheart it was a pretty decent movie.

Gibson needed $

[Ameliex · 2/10 · 8 November 2022]

Oh my lord. Holy moly canoly.

I wish I could warn everyone about this movie. This movie is so bad. So bad. I am a huge fan of Mel Gibson and watch all his movies. But damn, this one went down, crashed and burned.

I feel so sorry for him that he had to do this. The only reason why he did this were the $$$. Why else would he do this movie?

Low budget, bad comedy, bad actors and actresses and nothing else is going on here. It isn't even a thriller. I would not count this as a thriller. It is a bad comedy movie.

This story and movie could have been so great, but I don't know why it felt like watching a kids theater play.

Please folks don't waste your time seeing this movie. But I assume actresses and actors can't always do amazing movie. It has to be some kind of balance. LOL.

But damn this wasn't good folks, not good at all. I am super disappointed.

Really really tough

[hahnk542003 · 3/10 · 30 March 2024]

I'm a Mel Gibson fan for the most part. I'll spare the reasons why and why not, but I always watch his films. This movie was beyond terrible. A prank gone way too far that has the watcher emotionally invested, and family members on the line? Just no no no to everything. Just a really really bad movie. It was sooooo bad. Man Mel, you're great; but bro you can't take these roles anymore man. Please don't. It feels like the end of an actors legendary career where you're just taking anything. This is a god awful script. You're a great actor, but why would you put your name on something like this? It actually breaks my heart.

Rubbish movie

[lucascranwell · 1/10 · 1 April 2024]

Title: On the Line: A Failed Attempt at Thrills"On the Line" masquerades as a thriller but ends up being a disappointing venture into mediocrity, lacking both suspense and humor. Despite its aspirations, the film fails to deliver on its promises, resulting in an underwhelming viewing experience that leaves audiences unimpressed and unenthused.

Right from the start, "On the Line" struggles to establish any semblance of tension or excitement. The plot unfolds predictably, with twists and turns that feel tired and uninspired. Any attempts at suspense fall flat, leaving viewers feeling apathetic rather than on the edge of their seats. In a desperate bid to inject some excitement, the film resorts to cheap thrills and clichéd plot devices, further diminishing its credibility.

Adding insult to injury, "On the Line" also attempts to incorporate humor into its narrative, but the results are cringe-worthy at best. The jokes are forced and contrived, failing to elicit so much as a chuckle from the audience. Instead of enhancing the viewing experience, the failed attempts at humor only serve to highlight the film's shortcomings, further detracting from its overall appeal.

The performances in "On the Line" do little to salvage the material, with actors delivering lackluster and forgettable portrayals. Even the presence of seasoned talent like Mel Gibson fails to elevate the film beyond its pedestrian roots. Characters feel flat and uninteresting, lacking the depth and complexity necessary to engage audiences on an emotional level.

Technically speaking, "On the Line" is also sorely lacking. The cinematography is uninspired, with bland visuals that do little to enhance the storytelling. Similarly, the editing feels disjointed and sloppy, failing to maintain a cohesive narrative flow. These technical shortcomings only serve to further undermine the film's credibility and impact.

Ultimately, "On the Line" is a film that fails to deliver on multiple fronts. Its lackluster plot, failed attempts at humor, and technical shortcomings make it a forgettable addition to the thriller genre. Even die-hard fans of Mel Gibson are likely to be disappointed by this lackluster offering.

In conclusion, "On the Line" is a film that falls flat in its attempt to thrill and entertain. With its predictable plot, unfunny humor, and technical deficiencies, it fails to captivate or engage audiences. For those seeking a genuinely thrilling movie experience, "On the Line" is best avoided. Overall, I would rate this film a dismal one out of ten.

A fun and lightening fast thriller

[mjanssens26 · 9/10 · 17 July 2023]

While the film delivers a gut punch ending, it's still a fun ride and moves at lightening speed. Halfway through the film I thought so many of the things that were happening seemed to be impossible but it all actually comes together nicely at the end.

Without giving anything away, the movie speaks to the insanity of this day and age and the crazy lengths that people are willing to go to with social media, staying relevant, and also exploring a plot point about revenge that runs throughout the film. Mel Gibson is controversial for some, but he gives a great performance along with the young cast. If you can take a deep breath and realize they did something mostly unique with the ending, you'll enjoy this fast-paced thrill ride.

Solid Entertainment!

[lhevans · 6/10 · 23 April 2023]

I only read the brief IMDB synopsis and a few of the user reviews before plonking down $2.99 to stream this, but I thought it was well worth the money. Best Picture material....this ain't, but it is a solid B-movie and goes to show that you don't need to spend a fortune making a movie as long as you have a creative story and a quality cast...kudos to Mel Gibson and Kevin Dillon for having some fun with their characters.

This title was on a rental sale on the streaming platform I use, but I would have felt equally satisfied if it had cost $5.99. This is only my second review after using IMDB for 20 years. Writing this review is my testament to the entertainment I derived from watching this film and my thanks to all of the people involved that worked to bring this fun film to fruition.

I'm sure I'll watch this again in a few years and I plan to recommend it to several friends.

The trash is better than this movie.

[kawahasan-56896 · 1/10 · 2 April 2024]

In my entire life I have seen thousands of movies but I have never seen anything worse than this movie.

This kind of movies it's only for kids and teenagers The end of the film included them.

Frankly, the film was about psychological and physical torture I expected everything except this ridiculous ending

All the characters they were laughing at the Englishman where they mock him as if he were a fool or trash until the middle the movie was surprising and interesting

Unfortunately Mel Gibson Played one of the worst roles during his professional career

I hope all the children of the world watch this movie.

What a pile

[BrianSewell · 1/10 · 13 November 2022]

Absolute trash. How on earth did this amateur dramatics rubbish get made. Do not bother. I have never seen a film this bad, honestly.. It makes Sharknado look like Gandhi. Gibson and the crew gave the most OTT performance I've ever seem. I am truly shocked by the quality of this. I know Gibson is on his way out but this was a big nail in a career coffin that should have been buried years ago. Fake acting, bad effects, the tension of a perished rubber band. The only spoiler would be if this was the last film you ever saw. I was hoping that the obvious was not the obvious and was a red herring and there would be a crooked plot twist but no. Set in a radio station, maybe this should have bern a radio play.

Skip the first half hour. Then skip the second. And finally skip the third. Only watch the end credits!

[imseeg · 3/10 · 6 November 2022]

I am a Mel Gibson fan. The guy has aged well, even looks better in some regards then when he was younger (babyface) and I still like to watch (SOME of) his movies nowadays. NOT this one though...

The bad: There is no thrill. No suspense. No good jokes. Not any acting performance worth mentioning either. Even the direction is bland.

Not any good then? I honestly cant think of any.

This movie is an incredibly tedious watch. I didnt laugh once. I didnt get excitd once. Nor was I suprised once.

I did get annoyed AND bored though, because Mel Gibson is phoning his performance in and the direction hasnt got any cojones. What a dud.

Recommended to SKIP it ENTIRELY!

Entertaining

[FromRiches2Rags · 8/10 · 20 December 2022]

Mel Gibson is excellent at entertainment and this one is no different. Don't expect Braveheart, Lethal Weapon quality and see it knowing the bloodsuckers at the top of Hollywood have put him through hell for years and have paid trolls to knock him down, then you can appreciate the mans efforts even more.

There is suspense, thrills, action and laughs. Go in not expecting a gold standard but just an entertaining movie and you will enjoy it.

All the actors and actresses did a great job to keep the viewer hooked on the edge of the seat until the end.

Side note, some radio show hosts are downright obnoxious on air and I met a famous one from Leeds, UK while doing security at an event and had to escort him with other guards to his house and the man was very grateful and shook all our hands before he went home. Mel's character reminded me of him.

Sufficiently satisfying thriller, let down by the most stupid ending ever

[wellthatswhatithinkanyway · 7/10 · 20 March 2023]

STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful

Elvis Cooney (Mel Gibson) is a late night, shock jock talk show host, with a younger wife and daughter at home. Arriving in work one night, he throws his weight around, showing up new kid Dylan (William Moseley) and sharing edgy banter with co host Mary (Alia Seror O'Neill.) Anticipating another night of outrageous phone ins, suddenly a man called Gary (Paul Spera) phones in, claiming to be in Elvis's home, with his wife and daughter, and that he'll kill them if he doesn't do exactly what he says.

The 'real-time' thriller is a successful concept that has sprung up here and there over time, with varying degrees of success. Now, writer/director Romwad Boulanger delivers this latest addition to the genre, with lead star Mel Gibson in a role that might be better suited to a lead star with twenty years skimmed off (no ageism or anything.) But he still has an undeniable presence and charisma, defiantly non-PC and still able to deliver the wisecracks with a cheeky glint that warms you to him.

If a thriller's going to model itself on the 'real time' concept, the shorter and sweeter it is the better, as successful examples like Joel Schumacher's Phone Booth proved, but at well over an hour and a half, Boulanger's film pushes it a bit over the edge, evaporating the sense of tension a little. Nevertheless, it still manages some effective sense of suspense and intrigue, but then...there's the ending. That stupid, nonsensical, ridiculous ending...that contravenes everything that went before it (you'll have to see it to believe it.) That doesn't just leave it after one go, but pushes it one step further. I don't know if Boulanger was trying to be creative or original, but it really is the most ridiculous thing you'll ever see.

As stupid as it is, the ending ends up overshadowing everything else with its sheer incredulousness, even though if it weren't for the appealing watch ability of the film itself it would have completely ruined it. FILM: ***/RIDICULOUS ENDING: NO STARS.

A cringy ending 😒 don't waste your time and your money

[jeangodard-97546 · 1/10 · 9 November 2022]

I think it's was a movie for graduation from a low-cost film making school with no idea about ABC of film making.

Sad ending for Mel Gibson 😔 to be part of it.

A film with no target, just we pick the Mel Gibson's name to make marketing.

But really we don't care anymore of any superstar who had millions and millions, in 2022, we care about ideas, film making skills, the storytelling, come on guys, respect our time and money.

There was no joke in the ending, just a childish joke, doesn't deserve to be a movie with Mel Gibson.

The cringe level on the top.

The young actors are good with a decent editing.