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Craig Younkin
Movie Review
Ballistic: Ecks Vs Sever
By Craig Younkin Published November 11, 2002
US Release: September 20, 2002
Directed by: Wych Kaosayananda
Starring: Antonio Banderas , Lucy Liu , Roger R. Cross , Ray Park
R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $14,295,000
Directed by: Wych Kaosayananda
Starring: Antonio Banderas , Lucy Liu , Roger R. Cross , Ray Park
R
Running Time: 91 minutes
Domestic Box Office: $14,295,000
D-
It not only wastes its talent, but it also wastes the audience's time
When a film spends as much time trying to look as cool as Ecks Vs. Sever does, it's quite possibly a doomed production right from the start.
The film, directed by a guy named Kaos, is a blatant dive into senselessness and not your regular action movie style senselessness. Most action movies at least take time to establish a sensible plot or create characters with some personality to them. This on the other hand feels that even that isn't important.
Kaos instead goes with your average MTV music video look. He adds all the excess explosions, gun fire, martial arts, and techno music (sometimes we even get to see all this stuff in slow motion) you can possibly cram into a scene and then repeats that formula several times over, expecting the audience to care each time it happens. The thing is, it doesn't work that way. Instead of excitement, the film reeks of forced desperation. All it ends up being good for is for a lot of cheap, unintentional laughs.
The film stars Antonio Banderas doing his best with the clich?d rogue cop who wants revenge for his murdered family role, as Agent Jeremiah Ecks. He is called into duty by a former boss (Miguel Sandoval) who is trying to stop a madman (Gregg Henry) from using a deadly virus causing device. The device itself has been implanted into the madman's son, who has been kidnapped by another agent, Sever (Lucy Liu).
I can barely even remember what else is involved with this movie, but from the looks of the title - it can't be that much more. Screenwriter Alan B. McElroy puts in a few plot twists, but no number one, they can be seen from a mile away, and number two - are only there to remind us that this thing actually has a script, although I doubt it was used.
Other than Banderas, the only other bright spot here is Liu's lightning quick martial arts moves. Although she sounds like Drew Barrymore every time she talks, she could possibly make it as an action hero in another, better movie. Greg Henry sneers as the main villain and Ray Park (Darth Maul from Star Wars Episode 1) is only there for a final martial arts showdown between Liu and himself, so don't expect much from them.
Also don't expect much from the rest of the film either. Ecks Vs. Sever definitely goes under that category of worst films of the year. It not only wastes its talent, but it also wastes the audience's time. So ecks this off your list or sever yourself from it - just try to avoid seeing it.
The film, directed by a guy named Kaos, is a blatant dive into senselessness and not your regular action movie style senselessness. Most action movies at least take time to establish a sensible plot or create characters with some personality to them. This on the other hand feels that even that isn't important.
Kaos instead goes with your average MTV music video look. He adds all the excess explosions, gun fire, martial arts, and techno music (sometimes we even get to see all this stuff in slow motion) you can possibly cram into a scene and then repeats that formula several times over, expecting the audience to care each time it happens. The thing is, it doesn't work that way. Instead of excitement, the film reeks of forced desperation. All it ends up being good for is for a lot of cheap, unintentional laughs.
The film stars Antonio Banderas doing his best with the clich?d rogue cop who wants revenge for his murdered family role, as Agent Jeremiah Ecks. He is called into duty by a former boss (Miguel Sandoval) who is trying to stop a madman (Gregg Henry) from using a deadly virus causing device. The device itself has been implanted into the madman's son, who has been kidnapped by another agent, Sever (Lucy Liu).
I can barely even remember what else is involved with this movie, but from the looks of the title - it can't be that much more. Screenwriter Alan B. McElroy puts in a few plot twists, but no number one, they can be seen from a mile away, and number two - are only there to remind us that this thing actually has a script, although I doubt it was used.
Other than Banderas, the only other bright spot here is Liu's lightning quick martial arts moves. Although she sounds like Drew Barrymore every time she talks, she could possibly make it as an action hero in another, better movie. Greg Henry sneers as the main villain and Ray Park (Darth Maul from Star Wars Episode 1) is only there for a final martial arts showdown between Liu and himself, so don't expect much from them.
Also don't expect much from the rest of the film either. Ecks Vs. Sever definitely goes under that category of worst films of the year. It not only wastes its talent, but it also wastes the audience's time. So ecks this off your list or sever yourself from it - just try to avoid seeing it.
Craig's Grade: D-
Craig's Overall Grading: 340 graded movies
| A | 10.9% | |
| B | 41.8% | |
| C | 31.8% | |
| D | 15.3% | |
| F | 0.3% |
'Ballistic' Articles
- Lee's review D+
October 18, 2002 Doesn't spring up any load of fun for the audience -- Lee Tistaert
