The Saint
05-26-00, 02:56 AM
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05-26-00, 04:43 AM
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From www.jmreview.web.com
The Saint (1997) is probably my most frequently watched DVD. While not a critical masterpiece, it never fails to put me in a great mood. I also think The Saint is better than all the Pierce Brosnan James Bond movies. In The Saint there are two main characters, a man and a woman. Unlike the Bond movies, these two characters are treated as equals. Although the plot is a pretty weak by spy movie standards, the film’s magic comes from the two remarkable leads. The awesome Val Kilmer is excellent as Simon Templar, a complex man who wears many masks, both literally and figuratively. Kilmer is perfect in the role; we not only admire him we also care for him, as he possesses a humanity that James Bond lacks. Kilmer’s Simon Templar is neither too handsome nor too suave, yet still has a way with women; in the beginning it’s an almost unrecognizable Emily Mortimer (looking very Russian and very pretty), and later it’s Elisabeth Shue. Shue plays Emma Russell, a scientist who has discovered cold fusion. I personally think Elisabeth Shue is one of the most gorgeous screen sirens ever, possessing insane eyes that drive me wild. But I digress.
Audio quality is very good with a good representation of Graeme Revell’s score, fairly clear dialog, good sound effects, and lots of deep bass. It gets a bit bright, harsh, and strained when the volume is turned up, however. The video quality of this 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is excellent, with the blue palette looking fabulous. However, with older Panasonic-based DVD players, The Saint experiences extreme pixelization throughout much of it. This DVD contains a theatrical trailer and a commentary by director Phillip Noyce as extras. The commentary is quite good, as Noyce tells some humorous anecdotes about Kilmer, and discusses extensively the score, source music, and the location shooting. Noyce also talks about the original ending he shot but discarded, as preview audiences did not react well to it. From what Noyce describes, I don’t think I’d like it either, as it would certainly alter the “feel good” quality that The Saint possesses. It would have been nice for Paramount to include this original ending as an extra, however.
The Saint is a highly recommended DVD for spy genre aficionados and fans of Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue. It’s too bad this movie did not fare better with audiences, as it’s really a wonderful film.
Content: *****
Audio: ****
Video: *****
Extras: ****
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"Home is where the theater is!"
The Saint (1997) is probably my most frequently watched DVD. While not a critical masterpiece, it never fails to put me in a great mood. I also think The Saint is better than all the Pierce Brosnan James Bond movies. In The Saint there are two main characters, a man and a woman. Unlike the Bond movies, these two characters are treated as equals. Although the plot is a pretty weak by spy movie standards, the film’s magic comes from the two remarkable leads. The awesome Val Kilmer is excellent as Simon Templar, a complex man who wears many masks, both literally and figuratively. Kilmer is perfect in the role; we not only admire him we also care for him, as he possesses a humanity that James Bond lacks. Kilmer’s Simon Templar is neither too handsome nor too suave, yet still has a way with women; in the beginning it’s an almost unrecognizable Emily Mortimer (looking very Russian and very pretty), and later it’s Elisabeth Shue. Shue plays Emma Russell, a scientist who has discovered cold fusion. I personally think Elisabeth Shue is one of the most gorgeous screen sirens ever, possessing insane eyes that drive me wild. But I digress.
Audio quality is very good with a good representation of Graeme Revell’s score, fairly clear dialog, good sound effects, and lots of deep bass. It gets a bit bright, harsh, and strained when the volume is turned up, however. The video quality of this 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer is excellent, with the blue palette looking fabulous. However, with older Panasonic-based DVD players, The Saint experiences extreme pixelization throughout much of it. This DVD contains a theatrical trailer and a commentary by director Phillip Noyce as extras. The commentary is quite good, as Noyce tells some humorous anecdotes about Kilmer, and discusses extensively the score, source music, and the location shooting. Noyce also talks about the original ending he shot but discarded, as preview audiences did not react well to it. From what Noyce describes, I don’t think I’d like it either, as it would certainly alter the “feel good” quality that The Saint possesses. It would have been nice for Paramount to include this original ending as an extra, however.
The Saint is a highly recommended DVD for spy genre aficionados and fans of Val Kilmer and Elisabeth Shue. It’s too bad this movie did not fare better with audiences, as it’s really a wonderful film.
Content: *****
Audio: ****
Video: *****
Extras: ****
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"Home is where the theater is!"
05-26-00, 03:34 PM
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Spoiler-free review:
The Saint plays like a combination of Ronin and Mission: Impossible. The film centers around a freelance espionage agent who is a master of disguise, freely adopting the names of several Catholic saints. The Saint's on a mission for one last big score: the implementation of cold fusion, known only by a lovely scientist (Shue, of course.) Obtaining the formula is not the only challenge, however: collecting his earnings from his Russian employer could be quite tricky - and then there's the question of how this process will be used. The story plays out against the backdrop of a popular uprising and potential revolution in Russia.
The Saint is a good popcorn spy flick. The plot's about as airtight as a sponge and as unpredictable as the Cubs' end-of-season performance, but if you can turn off your brain, it's a fun film. The style and visuals are exceptional, and Elizabeth Shue's never looked better.
Overall, I'd say there are many worse discs you could buy.
- David Stein
The Saint plays like a combination of Ronin and Mission: Impossible. The film centers around a freelance espionage agent who is a master of disguise, freely adopting the names of several Catholic saints. The Saint's on a mission for one last big score: the implementation of cold fusion, known only by a lovely scientist (Shue, of course.) Obtaining the formula is not the only challenge, however: collecting his earnings from his Russian employer could be quite tricky - and then there's the question of how this process will be used. The story plays out against the backdrop of a popular uprising and potential revolution in Russia.
The Saint is a good popcorn spy flick. The plot's about as airtight as a sponge and as unpredictable as the Cubs' end-of-season performance, but if you can turn off your brain, it's a fun film. The style and visuals are exceptional, and Elizabeth Shue's never looked better.
Overall, I'd say there are many worse discs you could buy.
- David Stein
05-28-00, 04:50 AM
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Great series. Shame about the movie. IMHO the movie definitely did not do the series justice. Very boring and thin on plot and acting. Almost as bad as the Avengers movie which also did not do the series justice just like Mission Impossible. Avoid all three of these movies IMO. Hopefully MI2 is a lot better.
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MY SHORT BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST
"The earth does not belong to people; people belong to the earth. Everything that happens to the earth happens also to the sons and daughters of the earth." -Chief Seattle.
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MY SHORT BUT SLOWLY EXPANDING DVD LIST
"The earth does not belong to people; people belong to the earth. Everything that happens to the earth happens also to the sons and daughters of the earth." -Chief Seattle.
