John Woo is a film maker known for making action movies that thrill all sorts of audiences. Even audiences that aren't big fans of action are aware that John Woo has the potential to make the type of action movie that has the power to keep them glued to the screen. There are several reasons behind this expertise of Mr. Woo. Numero uno, one can't forget that in all his movies, such as FACE/OFF, he incorporates emotional bonding in the action drama. Besides, characters are portrayed in a manner that looks straight out of life. Third, the movies are high on technique: the stunts, the thrills, the camera work, the screenplay, the lovely background music, and most importantly, editing is so crisp that not even one scene looks wasted and forced into the narrative.
So when Broken Arrow came back last decade, there were a lot of hopes from the movie to deliver. And rightly so, from day one of its release the hype showed. All over the question was, ''Did it work?'' While one has to say that APPARENTLY some critics wrote it off by no major praise, one also has to say that BROKEN ARROW clicked big time with the majority of the audiences. When a regular cinegoer enters the theatres to watch a movie, entertainment is the most important thing that viewer is looking for. Logic, as many critics suggest as an important ingredient for a success, takes a back seat when lights go off and the action rolls in, at least at times this happens (logic taking a backsteat)! Unless of course you're watching a Tom Hanks movie, there's no use to expect a lot in terms from any movie in terms of logic, especially when Hollywood makes an ACTION movie.
Still, after watching Broken Arrow, I realized that John Woo had delivered the goods, much better than many of the makers' counterparts do when they make their ACTION movies. John Woo sticks to his typical style of film-making and directs a thriller that goes places into the hearts of the viewer, especially a viewer with three sorts of mentalities. One, mentality of being a hardcore action fan. Two, mentality of being a John Travolta fan. Last but not the least, three, being a Christian Slater fan. If you've got even one of these mentalities, BROKEN ARROW is a treat to watch. Even otherwise, it is worth the time invested in it. In one line, ''IT THRILLS YOU!''
For me, an action fan, BROKEN ARROW is probably one of the best movies made in Hollywood. But as an objective reviewer, where speaking for others is equally important, I would still say that BROKEN ARROW is at least a movie worth watching. Even one scene in the movie isn't forced in. The proceedings are highly enticing and moment after moment there's a mini-climax giving a U-Turn to the proceedings. Although the main climax, obviously in an action movie like this, is predictable, one can easily say that its execution is twice as good as the expectations from it. Besides, as mentioned in the first paragraph of the review, the movie meets all the qualities that every John Woo movie, including FACE/OFF, has!
The most thrilling part of BROKEN ARROW is the awesome performance given by each and every artist in the movie, from Travolta to his gangmate who he threw out of the jeep---everyone is way above average and adequate in their part.
The movie, inarguably belongs to John Travolta. The extremely efficient actor carries the movie on his shoulders with immense ease. He hardly shows that he's worked hard for the movie, since he's always busy doing some work in his career. Yet he manages to deliver a performance that easily rocks the socks off the viewer. His boxing sequence in the beginning, the action sequence in the climax, and all the comic and sarcastic scenes stand out in the viewer's memory even ABOUT a decade post the movie's release! Kudos to Travolta who proves yet again that he's one of the best, or arguably even THE BEST Hollywood has to offer!
While John Travolta does steal the show, it is definitely an overstatement to say that no one else is noticeable. Christian Slater is another actor to watch out for, DEFINITELY! There are plenty of reasons his fans can be pleased, myself being one of them. Firstly Slater should be proud for pulling of a role, that though of the main positive lead, is still nowhere compared to Travolta's in terms of quality and charisma. The way Slater does his part is what makes him stand out. His pulling the stunts, his comic timing, and his chemistry with all his co-stars demonstrates how under-used this power-house of talent is. A performance which is a treat for Slater's fans and a reminder for top-notch makers to cast him! Samantha Mathis too looks graceful in the role of a park ranger. Besides she even gives an adequate performance. The supporting cast too succeeds in doing their job well.
Overall, BROKEN ARROW works for all the reasons mentioned in the review---great technique, crisp editing (Below 2 hours length of the movie), top-notch action direction, and high-profile performances. Watch it if you haven't, and it is safe to say that satisfaction over this recommendation is guaranteed!
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