• Review Index
  • About Me
  • Suggestions

vinnieh

~ Movie reviews and anything else that comes to mind

vinnieh

Tag Archives: Bill Pullman

Lake Placid

21 Sunday Feb 2021

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 14 Comments

Tags

1990's, Betty White, Bill Pullman, Brendan Gleeson, Bridget Fonda, Comedy, Horror, Lake Placid, Oliver Platt, Steve Miner

A horror-comedy hybrid about a giant crocodile terrorising a quiet Maine waterway, Lake Placid is something of a mixed bag. For all the flashes of humour and parts that have great tension, the rest of the enterprise fails to impress with the script straddling actors with roles that aren’t that interesting. Still, it’s a fun if slightly forgettable movie but it has some entertainment value amid its often confused identity .

A brutal attack that renders a scuba diver cut in half on Black Lake, Maine, raises immense concern for the safety of others. Gruff Sheriff Hank Keough( Brendan Gleeson) ,who was there with the river but didn’t see what killed him is understandably worried about the future at this point. He is soon joined by a diverse group of people from different fields who arrive to discover just what caused this bloody death. We have the calm and collected Fish and Game Warden Jack Wells( Bill Pullman) , who is skilled in the art of sarcasm. Following him is uptight and prissy palaeontologist  Kelly Scott( Bridget Fonda)who is assigned following a botched fling with her boss and is there because the fragment of an unidentified but very sharp tooth was discovered in the body, though she is not prepared for outdoor conditions in the slightest . And finally we have the eccentric mythology expert Hector Cyr( Oliver Platt) with oodles of money and not much in the way of tact. At first, some think it might be the result of a bear, though Hector is convinced that it is from a crocodile as he is something of an expert in that field. Everyone begins butting heads over the best course of action for the still unseen predator, but soon everyone must band together when terror strikes. It transpires that the creature in the lake is in fact a 30 ft saltwater crocodile that has a rather ferocious appetite. The rag tag group has to decide what to do before they end up as the beast’s next meal. But will any of them actually survive the carnage to tell the tale?

The directing of Steve Miner is passable enough and at least the running time is quite short which means Lake Placid is at least not a long movie. I must give kudos to some great set pieces that give bite to a muddled film. One really stands out for the suspense it induces. In it, the unusual Hector ,who believes that crocodiles are mythological and that he is immune to danger as he’s never been attacked, finds himself in the lake with the beast right behind him. His mix of awe and fear is palpable as it draws closer to him as if studying his every move and patiently waiting to pounce. If only the rest of the film could have been this thrilling, Lake Placid would have had it mad. Miner does very well in these parts, but can’t save the whole exercise from a feeling of lethargy. The script is the point of contention here. Scripted by David E. Kelley, who is known for rapid fire and very dry dialogue, some parts of his ideas work. They just end up feeling repetitive and juvenile as it goes on which doesn’t help matter. Some of it really has a snap too it with some humorous exchanges, but it ends up not mixing with the horror elements effectively.  At least Lake Placid looks good from a visual standpoint and the crocodile is rendered very well, it helps that we only see snippets of it before it lets loose. Stan Winston and his skilful animatronic work, blended with some pretty nifty CGI, make the predatory crocodile intense and believable, even if the film that houses it is not. The music is decent enough at dialling up notches of tension when it needs to but is nothing groundbreaking.

As the leads, we have Bill Pullman and Bridget Fonda. Both are actors I admire and have seen plenty of great work from. The thing is both are somewhat left with roles that don’t stretch them or really let them come alive. Pullman comes off better with his casual attitude and sarcasm providing a few great moments. Unfortunately Fonda is saddled with an annoying character which even her considerable talents can save. The part is whiny, bitchy and often obnoxious . Make no mistake, Bridget Fonda does what she can with material, she’s just left all at sea with a part that should have been better written. The best acting comes from Brendan Gleeson and Oliver Platt, who form something of a chalk and cheese duo who are always at each other’s throats. Gleeson is all scowling, not too bright but authoritative law enforcement, while Platt is out there ideas and an overzealous dedication to his vision that puts everyone in danger. Together the two are a complete blast, sparking off the other with witty retorts and snarling disdain that gives Lake Placid a much needed shot in the arm when it really needs it. They are by far the most entertaining actors and characters here it must be said. And if we are speaking of scene stealing, there’s a very amusing and outrageous small but memorable role for Betty White. She’s loud, foul mouthed and all knowing, plus clearly having a blast in a part you wouldn’t expect from her. I loved it whenever she appeared on screen and went for the jugular with her attitude.

So taking everything into account, Lake Placid is a daft, sometimes funny and scary film. But it just could have mingled better when melding the genres for my liking. It has its good parts though so at least that is something to take away.

The Serpent and the Rainbow

05 Sunday Jul 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 31 Comments

Tags

1980's, Bill Pullman, Brent Jennings, Cathy Tyson, Horror, Paul Winfield, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Wes Craven, Zakes Mokae

Film Title

The Serpent and the Rainbow

Director

Wes Craven

Starring

  • Bill Pullman as Dennis Alan
  • Cathy Tyson as Marielle Duchamp
  • Zakes Mokae as Dargent Peytraud
  • Brent Jennings as Louis Mozart
  • Paul Winfield as Lucien Celine

Loosely based on a true story, The Serpent and the Rainbow is a strange and atmospheric journey into the world of Voodoo which is both eye-opening and chilling.

Dennis Alan is a young Harvard anthropologist who specialises in finding unique herbs for their abilities within the field of medicine and science. The Serpent and the Rainbow DennisHe is approached by a prominent pharmaceuticals company who want him to investigate a most bizarre case. In Haiti, a man was pronounced dead and buried years before. Yet somehow he has surfaced and is among the living, literally it seems he has been brought back from beyond the grave. Believing it to be the work of some powder used within the Voodoo religion, the company send Dennis to the unstable country to investigate and see if the drug could prove beneficial back in the States. Dennis is skeptical as to this as he doesn’t believe in any sort of religion and takes the side of science over faith. Although unsure, he accepts the task and journeys to the country. Once there, he is aided by the beautiful Dr Marielle Duchamp and local Voodoo priests Louis Mozart and Lucien Celine. Yet with political unrest and chaos beginning to ignite, Dennis finds himself in more danger. He comes into vicious contact with the corrupt police chief and sadistic witch doctor Dargent Peytraud, who warns him to leave or else suffer. Unafraid, Dennis continues to poke around for the nature of the strange powder. Yet as he ventures deeper, he becomes the target of Peytraud who begins to plague his dreams with vivid and brutal scenes and horrifying hallucinations. Now Dennis is not just fighting to discover the mysterious properties of the powder, but to save his soul from being taken.

Wes Craven is a very deft director of horror and always knows exactly how to scare us. Here he is a bit more subdued with gore, but more than makes for it with the hallucinogenic episodes and strange rites portrayed. The Serpent and the Rainbow is unique in the way it portrays Voodoo. Buried Alive Serpent and the RainbowBy having the film set in Haiti, it gives extra atmosphere and lets us journey into a world we are unfamiliar with and is quite unexplored. This isn’t sanitized Voodoo that we’re used to seeing, this is more in-depth and strange and all the better for it. This is where the movie derives its horror from, the unknown beliefs and things we are uncertain about. The subtext of revolution and political upheaval provides the film with that added sense of danger. With a slow-burning pace, it nicely builds to thrills and mystical ventures into a nightmarish place of terror and chaos. I do feel that some of the pace could have been improved upon, with some scenes going on for too long. Yet, throughout the majority of it, the slow pace is an asset. The same can be said of the narration provided by Dennis, at times it is quite interesting to hear but in others it feels too insistent for its own good. Yet these are minor quibbles with what is for my money an underrated horror movie, backed by a strange percussive score that perfectly captures the mood and terror.

Bill Pullman is great in the lead role, encompassing an arrogance that none of the spirit talk is real that later gives way to terror as he battles for his life. Cathy Tyson makes the best of her underwritten role, by giving Marielle a pluck and determination. However the real acting highlight from the film is Zakes Mokae in his portrayal of the corrupt and sinister Peytraud. The Serpent and the Rainbow PeytraudWith slithering intensity, booming voice and creepy smiles, he embodies such a memorably terrifying character that will frighten many. Much of the horror in here comes from Mokae and his delivery as he inflicts both mental and physical pain on Dennis. In supporting roles, Brent Jennings and Paul Winfield do their best as Voodoo practitioners.

Despite some flaws along the way, The Serpent and the Rainbow stands as an underrated and terrifying movie.

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012

Categories

  • 007 thoughts and reviews
  • Adventures of Satrap
  • Announcements
  • Awards and Achievements
  • Birthdays and Tributes
  • Blogging Community
  • Blogging Questions
  • Creepy
  • Gif Posts
  • Humour
  • Movie and Television Trivia
  • Movie opinions and thoughts
  • Movie Reviews
  • Music reviews and opinions
  • Photography Discussion
  • Rest In Peace
  • Sport
  • Television Opinions
  • Television Reviews
  • Uncategorized

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
March 2021
M T W T F S S
1234567
891011121314
15161718192021
22232425262728
293031  
« Feb    

Tags

007 1940's 1950's 1960's 1970's 1980's 1990's 2000's 2010's Action Adventure Announcement Based on a true story Bernard Lee Bette Davis Birthday Blogs You Should Follow Carry On Movies Cate Blanchett Comedy Crime Desmond Llewelyn Drama Fantasy Foreign Language Film Gillian Anderson Happy Birthday Horror James Bond Judi Dench Julianne Moore Julia Roberts Liebster Award Lois Maxwell Madonna Maggie Smith Matthew Fox Meryl Streep Michelle Pfeiffer Music Musical Mystery Natalie Portman Neve Campbell Period Drama Psychological Horror Psychological Thriller Rest In Peace Romance Romantic Comedy Science Fiction Spy Supernatural Horror Thriller

Top Posts & Pages

50 First Dates
The Call
The Kingdom
Lyric Analysis - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Kylie Minogue: Where the Wild Roses Grow
Desperate Housewives Season 4
Which Actors and Actresses Seem to Get Naked A lot on Film?
Alias Season 3
Beyoncé's Sexiest Videos
What Makes a Good Bum?
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Follow vinnieh on WordPress.com

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×
    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy