After watching a movie I like to read up about it to learn how the movie was made, the inspiration for the screenplay and how the cast came together.
While reading up on Brimstone I came across an interesting tidbit - the Dutch and European press gave the movies strong reviews, while the American critics were more lukewarm. For some reason, these facts really resonated for me.
On the surface, Brimstone should be worthy of praise. Stunning visuals and a strong performance by Guy Pearce, brutal yet not gory violence and a non-linear, but not confusing story structure all work to create a satisfying movie. And more importantly, I believe that the movie delivers on its promise made in the trailer, the viewer will not feel hoodwinked that they were mislead; a la an action movie that is actually slow, or a comedy that turns out to be a boring, coming-of- age drama.
Yet, after viewing the movie I could not shake the feeling of being let down, empty and unmoved. The goal of any film in my mind is to have the ability to stay with a viewer, and I felt as though Brimstone reminded me of a very well made straight to video movie.
The example I will use is having a one night stand with a pretty girl yet you wake up the next morning without feeling elated. She looks the part and has a welcoming personality, but you have no interest in her.
That's the feeling you get with this movie. Great cinematography and powerful acting, but I believe the missing link is a great story. There is no twist and no real character arc. It is a simple tale of hardship and revenge that tries to elevate itself through a non-linear telling.
Final comment: Solid and violent tale in a western setting, with an average story and somewhat non satisfying ending.
While reading up on Brimstone I came across an interesting tidbit - the Dutch and European press gave the movies strong reviews, while the American critics were more lukewarm. For some reason, these facts really resonated for me.
On the surface, Brimstone should be worthy of praise. Stunning visuals and a strong performance by Guy Pearce, brutal yet not gory violence and a non-linear, but not confusing story structure all work to create a satisfying movie. And more importantly, I believe that the movie delivers on its promise made in the trailer, the viewer will not feel hoodwinked that they were mislead; a la an action movie that is actually slow, or a comedy that turns out to be a boring, coming-of- age drama.
Yet, after viewing the movie I could not shake the feeling of being let down, empty and unmoved. The goal of any film in my mind is to have the ability to stay with a viewer, and I felt as though Brimstone reminded me of a very well made straight to video movie.
The example I will use is having a one night stand with a pretty girl yet you wake up the next morning without feeling elated. She looks the part and has a welcoming personality, but you have no interest in her.
That's the feeling you get with this movie. Great cinematography and powerful acting, but I believe the missing link is a great story. There is no twist and no real character arc. It is a simple tale of hardship and revenge that tries to elevate itself through a non-linear telling.
Final comment: Solid and violent tale in a western setting, with an average story and somewhat non satisfying ending.