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Now on DVD and Blu-ray-Promised Land -
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Coming to Blu-ray and DVD-Django Unchain ... -
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Coming to Blu-ray and DVD-The Impossible
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MAKING FILM SCHOLARSHIP FUN
Now on DVD/Blu-ray—This Is 40
Playing Nationwide: On the Road
Celeste and Jesse Forever on DVD and Blu ...
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HOORAY FOR 1933—EIGHTY YEARS LATERMan On A Ledge—movie review
My problem with Man on a Ledge is that once I understood the real storyline—the one hidden behind the flashy premise—I became impatient to see it resolved. The film isn’t long, but I lost interest just the same. And while Sam Worthington, as the title character, Elizabeth Banks, as an ostracized hostage negotiator, and Edward Burns, as a dubious fellow cop, turn in good performances, other key characters are shallow and obvious, wasting the talents of such costars as Anthony Mackie, Ed Harris, and Kyra Sedgwick. How many times are we supposed to summon interest in such archetypes as a dirty cop, a ruthless and corrupt business tycoon, and a self-promoting TV reporter?
That’s a shame, because Pablo F. Fenjves’ screenplay has some novel twists here and there, but they’re smothered by shopworn ideas that should have been pruned.
As for the look of the picture, I’m told that the filmmakers are proud of the fact that they actually shot on a building ledge, and put leading man Worthington in that spot. Too bad such efforts are wasted today, when we assume everything is painted on a photorealistic computer palette and can no longer tell the difference between reality and CGI.
Man on a Ledge isn’t a bad movie, but it also isn’t terribly good. It’s the kind of mediocre entertainment I expect to find opening nationwide in January.
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3 Comments
Norm | February 7, 2012 1:08 PM
Gee, wouldn't you think that having Elizabeth Banks as a hostage negotiater might make you rethink being on a ledge, yep, now the film goes into sci-fi category...Of course there is always:
Rewrite: Sam Worthington is having dreams of being a clown, when rejected by the circus, becomes a cop, or does he ? To prove everyone wrong, he goes out on a ledge, physically and metaphorically to confront his demons...or, is it just a dream..Lon Chaney makes a cameo as the ringmaster...Put it in the can...
Norm | February 2, 2012 3:51 AM
I agree with Maltin's review, Harold Lloyd did a better job, and it wasn't even a drama...
It amazes me how many people attack the messenger, but forget or don't understand the message...Of course if you LOVED "The Grey" then even this level of entertainment will mesmerize you for a long , long time...
Jason | January 28, 2012 3:42 PM
With this review and his review of the terrific The Grey, I'm convinced Leonard Maltin needs to be examined for ADD. A six year old has a longer attention span.