Title: Point Break
Notes: When compiling one of those 'year in film' Friday posts, I realized there's a lot of 1991 I haven't seen, so this was at the top of my list after seeing at featured number one on a fellow bloggers. While I may not love Point Break, there are definitely some good stuff here, while there is also some facepalm-worthy dialogue that at this point in time just sounds like cliche after cliche. And Keanu Reeves has given me his most obnoxious, deadpan performance I've seen him in yet. But whereas Reeves seems to be sleepwalking or at least drugged, I was immensely surprised by Patrick Swayze who owned the screen as Bodhi. Stellar performance. Now if only the rest of the actors made themselves likable or less annoying (there's only so much 'surfer dude' speech I can handle). Cinematography is especially gorgeous, with some marvelous aerial shots in a skydiving sequence, frightening and beautiful pans over a threatening sea, great hand-held work during a on-foot chase sequence, and the bank robberies are especially well shot and edited together. Overall, a compelling movie with a unfortunate reliance on cliches, but has one hell of a great last hour that makes up for the rather rubbish first.
Discuss: The dynamic between Reeves and Swayze. How little Keanu has apparently evolved as a actor the last decade and change. Bank robbery comparisons: Point Break vs. The Town.
3 comments:
Discuss: Are you sure they were cliches in 1991? Would that blogger be me?
God, I love Point Break. Kudos for recognizing the greatness that it the Swayze in it. He was epic. God help him, I thought Reeves was perfectly cast for this. Plays the straight arrow great, and you know he can dumb it down to be a surfer boy.
Given the Zep confession I just read from you, I have to ask: the Anthony Kiedis cameo was totally lost on you, wasn't it?
Apologies for the late reply!
Nah, and I was thinking just that about the cliches. There's loads of things I undoubtedly take as a cliche now that would probably be rather original and OMGish back then. Sometimes I wish I had experienced those moments when watching something entirely original or super impressive that has now been repeated a bazillion times. Like the slow-mo MATRIX shot with Neo and the bullets. That woulda been awesome to see right then and there...
You are, indeed, the blogger I was referring to!
Nope. Anthony Kledis doesn't ring a bell. Don't have hateration towards me...
Well, I certainly can't fault you too much - it's entirely the same exact problem I have with watching movies from even the 70s (but especially before). Hard to take originality into context when you've seen X done 100 times.
I just love Point Break so much...
Kiedis is the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who I know you've heard of. He's the kinda wacky surfer guy that Reeves gets in a fight with (the skinny guy with the dreadlocks).
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