NOTE: This review refers to the director's cut! (of course)
This movie fails on just about every conceivable level. There's no drama or suspense. It's just one big mess. The sex scenes are among the worst in film history, and the ending is laughable.
Yet, I cannot bring myself to say I HATED it-as a matter of fact, it hold a certain curiosity value for me. I kept wondering "how bad can this get?"
In terms of acting, it's either overdone or understated. Bruce is stiff, Jane's unconvincing, and Leslie Ann Warren is just plain awful. Lance Henriksen (who should stick to sci-fi/horror) is the only one who actually delivers a decent performance, but his screen time is too limited to make any difference.
As everyone here knows, this one was the subject of a major battle with the MPAA, due to the sex scenes. The ratings board threatened to slap it with an NC-17 rating, forcing the studio to trim it by fifteen minutes.
However, the rating was later appealed in time for its video release, which is the version most people have seen it in. I haven't seen the general release print (125 min), but I can safely say it's no improvement. It might be even worse. It goes on forever, that's for sure.
I suspect the reason the director's cut eventually made it out with an R rating is because the good folks at the MPAA realized it's just too bad to be taken seriously. I personally don't think I'd have the heart to give it an NC-17, although it probably deserves one.
Truly, this is a turkey for the ages.
P.S. This is director Richard Rush's first film since the critically acclaimed (!!!)"Stunt Man" (1980). It will probably be his last.
Rating: * (out of ****)
140 min/Released by Hollywood Pictures
This movie fails on just about every conceivable level. There's no drama or suspense. It's just one big mess. The sex scenes are among the worst in film history, and the ending is laughable.
Yet, I cannot bring myself to say I HATED it-as a matter of fact, it hold a certain curiosity value for me. I kept wondering "how bad can this get?"
In terms of acting, it's either overdone or understated. Bruce is stiff, Jane's unconvincing, and Leslie Ann Warren is just plain awful. Lance Henriksen (who should stick to sci-fi/horror) is the only one who actually delivers a decent performance, but his screen time is too limited to make any difference.
As everyone here knows, this one was the subject of a major battle with the MPAA, due to the sex scenes. The ratings board threatened to slap it with an NC-17 rating, forcing the studio to trim it by fifteen minutes.
However, the rating was later appealed in time for its video release, which is the version most people have seen it in. I haven't seen the general release print (125 min), but I can safely say it's no improvement. It might be even worse. It goes on forever, that's for sure.
I suspect the reason the director's cut eventually made it out with an R rating is because the good folks at the MPAA realized it's just too bad to be taken seriously. I personally don't think I'd have the heart to give it an NC-17, although it probably deserves one.
Truly, this is a turkey for the ages.
P.S. This is director Richard Rush's first film since the critically acclaimed (!!!)"Stunt Man" (1980). It will probably be his last.
Rating: * (out of ****)
140 min/Released by Hollywood Pictures