Backtrace

Without any announce I once saw in Sly's filmography “Backtrace” which expecting time willn't so long. Knowledge about this film, as made for VOD, was guiding me only in thoughts that Sylvestre Stallone isn’t against to mar his great filmography since “Guardians of the Galaxy-2”. I didn't expect unbelievable, but gave a chance.

Introduction scene opened to me understanding of how it will end and I was right. Cinematographer made a good work, every actor is well in his performance, director not just a qualified, he has a not bad potential (I even liked his Officer Down.), but screenplay is an ordering work. I watched only for reason to sure that mister Stallone allowed to act in this type of cinema. Narration of Backtrace haven’t any common with real world. This screenplay had a possibility to be a good story, but didn’t. Characters stay in their frames. Matthew Modine’s bank robber didn’t get motives for escape and police in represent of Sylvester Stallone’s hero and few extras in most part for view when this weak investigation could be solved in short terms on any stage. Even the using of stamps haven’t logical sense. For example, in one episode couple of wrong men makes some shootout in wilderness outskirt and have all preferences to check that everybody are dead, but one of them screams “Get out here!” and other one didn’t arrive to lying on the ground main hero. Not only there, but every time director Brian A. Miller fails in making of suspense. As I wrote, he isn’t bad in directing, but he has scenes with built primitive and absolutely losing in directing Miller picks in the last action act where sometimes I was making a back rewind that understand what happened in this disgusting collaboration of directing and editing.              

Sometimes author of this screenplay Mike Maples was harming my ear by phrases, but I didn’t feel awkward myself. It was a nothing special. As same reputation come from movies produced by Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films (since August calls MoviePass Films.), which very rare has an excellent. Backtrace isn’t out the line.  

The Bouncer/Lukas

With grand premiere in Paris, but left inconspicuous for mass audience, Jean-Claude Van Damme in rare times acted in film with non-DVD budget. However, it doesn’t meaning.

Story of The Bouncer or Lukas didn’t promise to be out of ordinarily. A man with surviving in finance who lost a wife many years ago and has only daughter for which he wants a better future. As we know, in one day, after, not important from main hero’s view, changes, this unusual life will turn for him to dangerous circumstances. In this film I more expected from drama side. How the director will tell. Julien Leclercq immerses in wonderful overcast atmosphere of calmly Western Europe. A smoothly frame changes and be impressed in good angles of cameras. But it doesn’t goes until end. Too soon in phrases can see absence of ingenuity as JCVD’s hero Lukas descripts gang on which he works as men who trust to nobody or once again I heard about “best cocaine”. These so bad guys often shows their evil side, because director tries to make a suspense. I can’t take serious films about organized crime where group contains a little number and especially when they calling themselves mafia. Bandits of The Bouncer are international counterfeiters with three members. If don’t take this fact – nothing will change to improvement. Screenplay didn’t well developed relationship between Lukas and important head of criminals, but successful attitude father and daughter is ruining after kidnapping of last, which in this place looks as nothing happened before. Expected primitive story turned to bad taste movie. I was apathetic to everything and in this position I was guessing how will come to the last scenes and almost all was right.

In acting was only sometimes fails from Sveva Alviti with her tired myself line of poor girl. Her story isn’t bad, but was told and put on formality basis. For diversity talented Jean-Claude Van Damme is no place to show again his drama experience. Same nothing as in shooting pistols in this film.

So sad that the charm of French cinema every time is fading in deplorable screenwriting.