I’m a little skeptical about projects that include actors. As a rule, it is either films-admiration, the name of himself (this very often sins, for example, Kenneth Branna), or the pictures are simply full of all sorts of clichés, unsmoothed roughness, gaps in the plot ... There are enough sins, and at the exit the viewer receives a medium-sized film for the evening and goes to bed disappointed: “Well, not surprised!”
Paxton surprised me! Old Bill (here in his prime) put my preview skepticism to shame. He did not pull the blanket on himself unnecessarily, and in general, quite mature directing is visible (for which you can not say that the director is a debutant).
In the story, one extremely rainy evening in the office of FBI agent Wesley Doyle comes a man of suspicious appearance. He says he can help an agent solve the case of a serial killer known as the Hand of God. Doyle does not believe Fenton, but with each minute of immersion in his story, the reason not to trust his sudden interlocutor becomes less and more questions.
The plot seems unpretentiously simple, because we are on the move put before the fact who is the killer. Mystery solved, case solved. No way! Don’t be in a hurry to deceive you, you will have time.
The film takes place in two time intervals, the transition between which is masterfully honed by the director, and the viewer does not have time to get bored. In the first is the aforementioned long evening of Agent Doyle and the sudden companion Fenton Makes. In the second, we will plunge into the gloomy childhood of the boys (Fenton and his brother Adam).
The atmosphere of the film is gloomy and heavy, but if it does not scare you, then the picture will look in one breath. Enhances the effect of immersion in what is happening brilliantly selected soundtrack, stretching the nerve of the plot to the limit. The religious subtext of the crimes forces to draw involuntary parallels with the film “Seven” by David Fincher. A couple of moments were really scary.
Well, where without the drama of the film, supported by the wonderful acting of Bill Paxton , Mother McConaughey, Powers Booth. At the same time, young Matthew O’Leary and Jeremy Sumpter do not lag behind their experienced colleagues in the workshop.
After watching the film, he poses many questions: “How much can we love our neighbors and turn a blind eye to many inappropriate things?” What are we willing to forgive?
"Vilk" is a really strong representative of the genre of criminal thriller, made according to the gold standards of films of the 90s of this direction. The entire timing of the film does not slow down, and a double twist at the end may make someone grab their head.
What is surprising to me is that the movie was taken quite coolly by the audience, and based on estimates, it barely enters the green zone. It's not fair. The film deserves more than that and you should watch it. Give it a chance. Definitely recommend it!
I came across this film quite by accident - because it popped up in the list of "similar pictures" on the page of one of the thrillers about the maniac. This often happens and here are such random films, sometimes give a lot of pleasure when watching. The same can be said about "Disappointment."
One day, FBI agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Booth) is approached by a young man named Adam Makes (Matthew McConaughey), who claims that his brother Fayton is a maniac killer who is trying to find. Because of the religious nature of the crimes, the killer was nicknamed the “Hand of God.” Adam tells the F.B.I. the story of his family, giving Doyle information about what caused his brother to start killing. As the story takes on more and more purple tones, and after Adam agrees to show the burial place of the bodies, the whole story gets an unexpected turn, as a result of which both the concepts of hunter and victim, and the entire history of the existence of a maniac nicknamed “the Hand of God” will be significantly distorted.
First, it is worth noting that this was the first full-length debut as director Bill Paxton, who played a major role in this film. The first work of the actor-director turned out not to be loud in terms of promoting the picture or mentioning it both after the release and in our days, but at the same time, “The Vice” turned out to be a kind of piece of gold, which the gold miner has been trying to find for a long time unsuccessfully, weeding out sand and clay. The film captivates with its emotional atmosphere, which is created by the main characters.
The relationship between father and sons is exemplified from the point of view that one of the children will almost always be more indulging in the will of his parent, trying to be like him, while the second child will try to be a “rebel” and go against the family system. Imbalance in family relationships occurs when a conflict arises, caused by the rethinking of certain things by the participants in the process. If for some a case seems delusional, then others firmly believe in its correct interpretation.
Secondly, the plot component of “Victim” is very similar to the directorial work “The Promise” from Sean Penn, “The Boy in the Box” with John Hamm and the film “Assassin Hunter” with Ben Kingsley and Aaron Eckhart in the lead roles. Their actions unfold in small towns, mostly in rural areas, and each case is as close as possible to ordinary people for whom the crimes committed in the district are of a kind close to the heart. And the investigation process itself has a kind of parochial character, because in these films, often one investigator conducts his case and succeeds in it. Or not succeeding...
The film has its own rural aura, which is inherent not only in the above films, but also in many films, for example, shot by King. Quiet streets, a sheriff's office with only one guardian of order, one attraction for the whole district - in this case - a rose garden, a father-worker and children who are not difficult to help him with the housework. In short - "Vilice" is a local film.
The story of a maniac nicknamed “The Hand of God” is quite simple. The plot is built largely on the narrative of childhood and is devoid of any exceptional twists. They (turns) appear closer to the end, when the viewer has certain suspicions about the story told by McConaughey’s hero, and the FBI agent himself, being completely bewildered, continues to follow his interlocutor, without even trying to understand the essence of the question about his mother (who watched or watched – he will understand).
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.
Three spoons of burnt brewing pushed, rubbed, and when we saw what happened - as if the elk chewed and eyes do not look. Oh, God, do not let us all tell such stories.
Schizophrenia. Why not? However, any decent schizophrenic would be shy of raving like that.
The plot of Vice at first looks strong and textured, and the film is stylish, and the actors are pleasant. Only here begs one fatty ' but'. And, frankly, I don’t want to put it, because the film really had a chance to become a cool drama.
So to get rid of this annoying ' but', just don't watch the movie until the end.
Imagine that you accidentally hit it on TV somewhere, watched most of it in half-sleep, and then fell asleep, and have no idea how it ended there. I want to know the ending of the film, but you do not know the name of it, nor the actors – all their faces seem blurred, as if God himself does not want you to remember them.
And if suddenly you can remember, find this movie, and find out what really happened, then someone will die. Your demanding viewer, who enjoys a good movie like a child. He can't stand it.
Let this movie be a shattered memory. A good drama about a devout father who once goes mad and deprives children of a bright future. The hardships of living in a conservative American society. About children's cheerfulness, which makes its way to the light through the darkness against all odds.
And all the attributes of the finale - a stupid flirtation with the viewer, scant symbolism, and an unnecessary twist - all this is better left behind.
I would like to ask the writer of this film who did you want to surprise Mr. Henley? Or a little different: Mr. Henley, why write a good story, make interesting characters to snap your fingers in front of the audience at the end, and, like a street magician, turn a beautiful rose into a dead bud of colored paper and glue?
"Flaw" is a picture completely passable from the point of view of the psychological thriller, to which it is ranked. But if you evaluate as a directorial debut, Bil Paxton, previously flashing on the back of such blockbusters as "Terminator" and "Titanic", the task coped quite well. The only problem is that all the power that the director had was channeled into the atmosphere of what was happening: the still blossoming McConaughey, Jeremy Sumpter playing young Adam and, albeit the classical but attractive compositional component of Brian Tyler, all this attracts.
In general, Brent Henley was focused primarily on reality - the writer took the story of Joseph Kallinger, a serial killer and a moving fanatic. Actually, there is nothing surprising, what lover to create such a thing did not sin, drawing inspiration from life? But this is where the implementation of this religious delirium led, you can see in the second half of the film. There, the narrative, previously held in interest precisely because of the expectation of a denouement, is gaining strange momentum and begins to contradict its own judgments.
And here, from any point of view other than the philistine, the “Vilk” does not make sense to watch. Paxton himself is lost in the final, not fully understanding what, after all, wants to show the audience. An ordinary psychopath? So beaten half to death and coupled with the "bumpy" finale is completely stupid. Unfortunately, there is no more.
It is not clear what exactly the author of the film wanted to convey:
1) Mankind is mired in sins and God punishes sinners through the “chosen ones.”
2) Religious fanaticism destroys the lives of normal people.
The first version is deflated because it goes against Christian dogmas - do not judge, let us not judge, murder is a mortal sin.
And the second option is not suitable, we learn about this in the finale, which by the way spoiled the impression of the film.
It started out as a great psychological thriller, but the filmmakers ended up presenting something ambiguous-illogical-fantastic.
Nevertheless, I liked the acting. I was genuinely worried about my eldest son (Fenton), I was interested to see how his inner struggle would end.
The picture is scary, because it feels realistic what is happening... it’s a pity that only before the denouement – it disappointed me, and the message of the film turned out to be disgusting, in my opinion. However, a film that evokes such emotions and thoughts does not deserve a low rating.
9 out of 10
Bill Paxton is a very interesting person. During his 60 years of career in the world of cinema, a hard worker Bill managed to work not only as an actor in such famous films as Apollo 13, Aliens, True Lies, Predator 2, Titanic, Children of Spies and Edge of the Future, but also as a producer, artist - director, screenwriter and even director. At the moment, Paxton’s directorial piggy bank has 5 projects – one evening show, two short films and two full-length films. His directorial debut successful then the actor fixed in the thriller “The Vice”, released in 2001 – om year, and where the main roles were played by Matthew McConaughey and Bill himself.
Texas. For several years, the case of the serial maniac “Hand of God” has been hanging, which no one has ever managed to expose. The first body was found by the police, and after the killer left only notes with the inscription “It was taken by the Hand of God”. The FBI agent Wesley Doyle is responsible for the investigation, and on one seemingly unremarkable evening a certain Fenton Minx comes to him. This very strange-looking man claims that the maniac is his own brother. At first, Doyle does not believe in this nonsense, but Fenton begins to tell his story, beginning in 1979, when he was still a child, and even with such details that it is impossible not to believe.
For the then director, debutant Bill Paxton, the main task was to meet the expectations placed on him by the producers and, of course, decent finances. You can think for a long time about what prevented the film from paying off, but certainly not the directing of a beginner - in this case, he works very competently, neatly placing everything you need in places (details, the story itself, living intrigue and the atmosphere of a tense thriller). Bill perfectly managed to make the first feature-length film, even with a duration did not lose, taking the optimal 96 minutes, rather than stretching the tape in a little more than two hours. The script by Brant Henley (then debutant) is very interesting and most importantly relevant, both in those times and today. At the heart of the script beats the theme of religion – the viewer with every minute in the film or with every dialogue in the script plunges into the world of doubts that arise under certain circumstances. Was Fenton and Edam’s father mad, or was he really directed by God? Were these people living or devious demons? No, the writer does not try to confuse, rather to play with the audience, and at the end just make the appropriate choice (the writer made his choice). Very interesting, competently staged in the form of a story, the script is surprising - it feels every character, situation, atmosphere (the director made a lot of effort to show America of the 79th year) of those times in a smoothly flowing present, while not forgetting the intrigue with unexpected twists and turns. A very good and unusual scenario, especially for the debut, the picture operator Bill Butler confidently works - the image perfectly emphasizes both the period of the 79th year and what is happening on the screen. The operator emphasizes many details and with all his professionalism and resourcefulness tries to give the picture a great sharpness in the genre of thriller - detective, which actually succeeds without any problems, attracting the viewer to view. The music was written by Brian Tyler, who was beginning to gain fame. Since those years, the composer worked a lot on the soundtrack style, having tried almost all genres. He began, as you can see, with thrillers and did not lose - the compositions penetrate into the depth of the film, at the same time impregnating the viewer with its atmosphere, even more immersed in what is happening. The music is calm, unobtrusive, even soothing, but in unexpected moments it sounds like thunder from a clear sky, leaving a corresponding effect.
Producers did not fail with the choice of the cast. It was decided by the director himself - Paxton, inviting his colleague in the film "Yu - 571" novice, already possessing an outstanding talent actor Matthew McConaughey. But the viewer should be surprised and delighted not only with the play of hardened actors, who got a rather secondary role, but with the main characters - young Fenton (Matthew O'Leary) and Edam (Jeremy Sumpter), because they belong to the first plan, it is with them that all this unusual, frightening story begins, a certain first level, reborn in the second, occurring in a few decades, where Matthew and Powers Booth play, playing the role of special agent Wesley Doyle. Watching the film, like the hero of Booth, learns everything from the mouth of Fenton, each time surprised and amazed by all sorts of additions to this story, but it differs from the person watching this film with a small nickel. All screen time is busy and works for the above actors, so the rest almost failed to show themselves (in any case, played properly). Very good, natural and convincing game.
In 2003, the film won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Screenplay, and the International Horror Guild Award for Best Picture. Not left out and “Satrun”, nominated the tape at once for 4 awards (" Best Horror Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Young Actor / Actress), but in the end did not receive anything.
Total:
"Flaw" is an original film - a reasoning, which puts a very interesting topic on which to think. Maybe critics overdid, calling Paxton's picture a horror film, but atmospheric and cold thrillers here definitely blows. Excellent directing, high-quality script, successful camera work, atmospheric soundtrack and natural play of the cast, ultimately make up the creature whose name is “Poor”. I definitely recommend fans of high-quality thrillers, original ideas, as well as fans of the cast - one of the several pearls of this film.
Thank you for your attention and pleasant viewing!
Two brothers. Lots of murder and blood. Unnecessary and superfluous, ruthless and inhuman. Think of the Southerners from Texas Chainsaw Massacre and follow the stern Bill Paxton and the sinister spiritualization of Matthew McConnahy. The plot that these two are acting out is not very interesting, but suggests an explosive ending. And the cool investigator, who strives to go to the very end in the thicket of events, also causes many doubts. Unobtrusive memories of past crimes will lead us into a world of murder and blood. However, the draining blood should not confuse us - the scenario study will leave room for maneuver until the very last minutes.
There is nothing more to say about this film. A few years later, Jennifer Lynch in “On the Chain” will reveal the subject much more. And in general, a retrospection of the life of maniac families of southerners, especially obsessed with religious issues, the question is explored in modern cinema. The daughter of David Lynch made a brighter picture, but who knows if she succeeded in such an action, if not for the more modest traditions of the film “Vilk”. And “Vilk”, in turn, takes its ideological roots from the franchise about the Texas chainsaw massacre. Here, perhaps, you can remember about the painting “American Gothic”, and much more. Only here, alas, the value of the painting “Vicious” is small. The analogies here are excessive. However, the film is made professionally and confidently, which will certainly allow it to gain many fans. And then, he is on the same genre scale along with the atmospheric extravaganza of Victor Salva “Nature of the Beast”, the first season of “True Detective” with a powerful Matthew McConnachi and “American Maniac” with Christopher Bale. For my taste, Paxton's tape loses to those works.
P.S. Leave the intrigue, I add that Powers Booth outplayed all the other actors in this film. He's incredibly cool. Fortunately, in the “Sin City” for such charisma was the place.
6 out of 10
Vice is a film that attempts to erase the boundaries of gods and devils. To mix all this and create a new picture of the perception of religion in general, and of Christianity in particular. It also shows how it can happen that when one thinks of serving God, one does not serve him at all. A very controversial film, something far-fetched and at the same time terrible because of the idea it carries.
The story is simple and not simple at the same time. A young man comes to the investigator. He begins to tell him the story of his family. Father, brother and himself. A farmer, a respectable citizen, a believer, in fact a model father, everything starts very favorably. But the further the story goes, the scarier it becomes. And the viewer, having watched the film to the end, will grovel a little, at least the Russian viewer. However, this plot hides a terrible truth, the truth about the emergence of religious leaders of modern sectarianism, Christian in particular.
As usually happens, a person lives for himself, but suddenly he sees or hears something that turns his life upside down. How much history has known religious leaders, self-proclaimed, who founded large organizations only on their belief in the electivity. Radical sects keep pace with the official religion. Using the same methods.
However, the movie shows a slightly different situation, however, throughout the film, somewhere on the side, it seems to flash a red light bulb, do not believe, do not listen, be careful, it can happen to you. Which makes sense.
A kind of warning film, so that a person thinks with his head, and not with his eyes or ears. Not all miracles are from God, not all feelings are true in their purity, sometimes dirt seems to be down.
This is the first side of the story that catches your eye. But as Matthew McConaughey plays Fenton Makes, one of the sons who came to the investigator, we gradually sink into what was just denied, now gradually our thoughts are led in the opposite direction. What if all this nonsense is true? What if sometimes things that seem insane at first sight make sense, let no one understand, let everyone condemn, but for oneself this can be good and not only, but even holiness, or service to the Most High? And let it be based only on faith.
And that’s where the horror of this movie comes in. And the horror of what's happening on the screen. And terrible things happen there, cruel and bloody, delusional and ruthless.
And towards the end, the third side of the story is revealed, literally in the last frames.
“There are demons among us” is the slogan of the film, translated as “There are demons among us”.
Here is the final answer to all three questions that are presented here. There are demons among us. And this statement fits all sides of what I have described.
1. It happens that demons are people obsessed with their personal greatness.
2. It happens that demons are people who sincerely believe in their infallibility and rush to the gods with pure motives, while remaining demons inside, since delusions are also righteous.
3. It happens that demons really exist, and most importantly, that delusion is true and fate itself, or God helps delirium to happen. If so, there will be no obstacles for such a person.
6 out of 10
This movie is probably well disguised. The sluggish annotation does not tell how good it will be. That is why he is not very much seen in Russia.
And the stronger the impression of seeing it. When you are preparing to see the next film “for six”, and suddenly you get something interesting, entertaining and with a non-trivial plot, the favor for the film increases sharply (perhaps even more than for objective reasons).
The vague hints that the film is not what it seems slip from the start. As soon as it becomes clear that this is not a more or less standard story about a maniac, who was turned over by his brother, and we are not just shown the chronicle of his victims, highlighting the most juicy moments with excavations from his biography, you immediately begin to suspect a certain trick.
Despite the fact that in the process of viewing, the girl and I correctly guessed most of the moves and turns of the plot, this entertaining game brought great pleasure. In some places, the story became “too dramatic” for a thriller, but well, here it was necessary to convey the meaning (and not every film has such a mission).
The actors were good for their roles. I can’t say that I was fascinated by someone, but I did not distract from the story to discuss someone’s game – and this is an indicator.
Result A good film for people who are looking for a clear, elaborate plot with an entertaining game of the director against the viewer. Not for mass use.
Vice is an excellent psychological thriller about the darkness of the human soul, which, as is often the case in modern cinema, has remained almost unnoticed by the general public. In general, it is surprising how the directorial debut of a good actor Bill Paxton suddenly turned out to be such a strong representative of the genre that it can be safely put on a par with the paintings of David Fincher and other masters of the thriller. And the fact is that almost everything that is in Point is not what it seems.
There is such a concept – “false recognition” – denotes the inherent exclusively human ability to look for and find patterns where there are none. When this happens, a person involuntarily finds himself in the captivity of his own illusions, not realizing the difference between reality and fiction. Vice is an interesting and, partly unique, visual demonstration of the mechanism of insanity. However, there is no extreme psychosis here, and all because we, as spectators, watch the madness from the outside - through the eyes of a boy whose father one fateful day becomes a prisoner of his own fictions and seeks, at all costs, to fulfill the will of God - to destroy the demons living on earth under the guise of ordinary people.
In general, when children begin to get involved in such a tin, any movie automatically becomes extremely tense. There is almost no blood or shocking acts of violence in the film, however, for me personally, the film turned out to be much more terrible than most horror films. The matter here is in the competent whipping up of drama and the psychological component - of course, all thanks to a high-quality staging and a strong script and excellent acting - by the way, it is especially worth noting the actors who played the children of the character Bill Paxton - the guys coped with all hundred, despite the fact that the roles they have very, very serious. To watch such a movie, of course, it is necessary only in the original - in another way to evaluate the actors simply will not work.
But on the part of the script - here the creators have a few surprises. I don’t know myself, but somehow the film manages to manipulate the audience’s attention, pushing certain thoughts and evoking certain emotions, almost inducing paranoia, and in the end leaves us fooled, because no one will likely predict the development of events. For a directorial debut, you will agree, more than good.
The vice, of course, not everyone will like it - it was a painfully gloomy and frightening story. However, it is worth paying tribute - the film is very emotional and unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. If you are interested in the genre, you need to look at it in any way. Such films are very rare today!
FBI agent Wesley Doyle is leading the investigation into a Texas serial killer known as the "Hand of God." One night, a young man named Fenton Mikes comes to Doyle and claims to know the killer because he is his younger brother, Adam. But it follows from Fenton’s account that all the crimes committed are but a small part of a long and even more terrifying history. It began after the death of their mother, when Fenton and Adam were still children. Once their father, a modest auto mechanic, was visited by a religious vision: an angel came to him and ordered to kill “demons” – normal-looking people who allegedly bring evil to the world.
From that day on, the father, without waiting for the Judgment Day, with the unhealthy obsession of Rodion Raskolnikov, took up the eradication of evil on Earth, killing the entire list of devils in human form. Moreover, he began to involve his two sons in this process. Fenton tried in various ways to stop his father, and Adam, on the contrary, joined the “sacred” father’s mission. He obeyed his father’s command, and he obeyed him. Fenton tried to enlighten his brother, but suddenly realized that villainy and innocence may not be what they seem at first glance.
Famous actor Bill Paxton, having made his debut in directing, and having played the role of the father-cleaner here, not only proved his worth as a director, but also managed to give this “anti-occult” thriller a seemingly unsuspected philosophical depth. At first, the shocking plot, the eerie oppressive atmosphere, the naturalistic murder scenes and the ambiguity of religious doctrines can alienate viewers, especially those who profess orthodox views. But the final denouement, echoing both The Sixth Sense and The Ordinary Suspects, turns everything upside down, making this film original and, in a sense, even paradoxical.
There are two planes of his perception - domestic and religious. From a everyday point of view, the actors play perfectly, the plot is tense and full of twists, of course, this is not horror, this is a psychological thriller. That's why we don't see any blood. It's not her. It's an interesting sight.
From the point of view of the doctrine to which the author of the story refers, the story is complete and even destructive, blatant nonsense. Which simply cannot be shown to the mass audience, if the director bears the slightest responsibility for the consequences.
Why, ask those who have not bothered to read a line in the basic postulates of Christianity.
Here's why.
First, in Christianity, people who have committed terrible sins and demons are not the same thing. There can be no confusion in God’s visions. If a person is possessed by a demon, there is a practice of exorcism in Christianity, not murder. The weapon against demons is prayer. That's all.
Secondly, murder is a mortal sin, and no one would provoke him in any visions.
Third, we're mortal. Both the righteous and the sinner will die. There is no point in killing if no one is immortal, and life and death are in the hands of God, not in the hands of men.
Fifth, no one should judge. For “as you judge, so you will be judged” (c) is the basic tenet of the New Testament. It is repeated in the Gospels many times in different forms. Whatever one sees when touching sinners is not his job to judge. It is not the sinner who is condemned, but the sin. Murder deprives anyone of the opportunity to repent. The goal is not punishment, but, if possible, the return of the prodigal sons. But in no case is it violent.
Sixth, there is no end of the world according to Christianity. This misconception is again planted by the film industry. There is a terrible judgment that God does, not man. And this is not the end of the world, but its beginning in its original form, before original sin. Roughly speaking, those recorded in the book of life are purified and live happily ever after. The dead rebel, and the living, in fact, perceive the verdict alive. Everything is preceded by events clearly described in the Apocalypse. It is not men who will take the axe, but angels who will blow it, and in the midst of these catastrophes no one prevents God from killing everyone he sees fit without the need to attract people. Then, after the victory over the one whose number is 666 and his father, follows the "thousand-year reign" - the life of those who remained with Jesus until the Last Judgment. That is, there is a lot of time before the Court from the beginning of the first catastrophes, and it is strange, as it were, on the eve of the “End of the World” to start murders and even more so to pass them off as a Court. However, this substitution of concepts is very characteristic of modern society.
In general, the film is interesting, but ideologically so harmful that I am afraid to assume what the director was thinking when he was shooting it. I'm afraid I tried not to think at all. Well, I hope so. For one can imagine the effect: a mass of people with, let’s say, low intelligence and narrow outlook, fanatics, will begin to believe that sinners = demons, that is, not people, but demons can be killed. And then society sailed, and all efforts to abstract a person from the administration of justice will go to waste, in the best traditions of the Middle Ages, we will begin joyfully hammering “demons” with stones with a complete sense of rightness. And since no one is righteous, all are subject to destruction.
The film plays on ignorance and base instincts.
5 out of 10
Because of the level of perception, otherwise I would put 1.
One evening, a man named Fenton Meeks (McConaughey) comes to the police station and tells Detective Doyle (Boute) that his younger brother, Edam (Crace), is hiding under the mask of a serial killer nicknamed “The Hand of God.” This story began many years ago, explains Fenton. Then, as teenagers (O’Leary and Sumpter), they found themselves involved in the process of “demon destruction.” It was this high mission that the angel placed on their completely crazy father (Paxton).
What is Bill Paxton famous and interesting about? As an actor, first of all, by the fact that he managed to play dying characters in three significant sagas of the XX century: “The Terminator”, “Aliens” and “Predator”, as well as by the fact that he performed very well in the film by Ron Howard “Apollo 13”. As a director, Bill Paxton is interesting in that in 2005 he shot a very good picture “Triumph”, in which Shia LaBeouf, untainted by his friendship with robots, convincingly proved to everyone that he was a worthy actor capable of playing a major role in a good dramatic film. In fact, immediately after watching Triumph, I became interested in Paxton’s directorial debut, the film Vice. But her hands only reached her now.
The picture begins very much for health: a dark, dark thriller about a man who is crazy on a religious topic, who “receives” from God lists of demons, weapons and clear instructions how and where they can be captured, as well as about two guys: one of whom is frightened by his father’s unexpected attacks, and the other is admired by his actions and perceives “killing demons” as an exciting and noble game. All this is quite stylish, without excessive naturalism and with good attention to detail. However, the further into the forest, the thicker the guerrillas, as they say. The final third of the film, not only that upsets the viewer with predictability, but also independently destroys everything that was achieved earlier. With such an ending, you can not cook porridge - a surprisingly weak, helpless and simply delusional finale, which frankly breaks out of the general style of the narrative and "pleases" with its armor-piercing logic.
As for the acting, McConaughey, as usual, is good, Paxton himself is also good, but I would like to express separate words of respect to two teenagers: Jeremy Sumpter and Matthew O'Leary. Excellent, mature work (unfortunately, they did not demonstrate anything sensible later in their career). But Powers Booth as Detective Doyle - none. It's too buffalo.
So the first two-thirds of "The Vice" is very good. But the ending is something flimsy, sluggish and weak-willed. Well, sorry. We have to blame this on Paxton’s lack of a proper sense of style (maybe the thrillers are not his) and the creative infantilism of screenwriter Brent Hanley, who can no longer boast of anything. It’s a shame that a good movie could be made. It's just an average.
Probably each film is able to make a good impression first of all interesting and unusual, and even better a new plot. Bill Paxton, sitting in the director’s chair, created a truly unexpected thriller that never tires of surprising with new plot twists, each of which questioned the existing religious views of the viewer.
The idea of the film is really new, there are similar motifs in other films, but "Vilk" went further, turning personally in my mind the concept of good and evil. There are no murders in the film, only the destruction of demons who do not deserve to walk on our land. Tell me, is it God’s right to decide? So he himself appointed the hero "Bill Paxton" to punish the "Hand of God". This is the decision of the creator.
Bill Paxton not only that he made the film, so he still magnificently and very convincingly played the main role. Matthew McConaughey further reinforced my view that the film is not only a brilliant idea, but also a great cast. It was also very interesting to watch one of Paxton’s father’s children, Fenton, with whom I, too, was at first in solidarity, not believing in this divine destiny of my humble family. However, my opinion changed as quickly as the plot gained momentum.
In the film, two storylines smoothly intertwined with each other, not letting the viewer get bored. The connection between the past and the future of the main characters perfectly turned into a very unexpected present. The ending was both intimidating and perfect, as I thought it should be.
Result. A perfect and unique thriller that gives food to the mind. The film is not for everyone, but rather for those who see beyond what is written in the Bible and are ready to see it, and if you still like it, you will not forget it.
A local guy (Matthew McConaughey) turns up to an FBI agent and begins to tell a horrific, chilling story about the origins of a Texas serial killer nicknamed “the hand of God.” The story is presented in the form of flashbacks from the childhood of the main characters (brother of the guy and his father (Bill Paxton). Starting as a strong psychological drama, the film gradually acquires a religious and mystical connotation, touching on such acute topics as the struggle between good and evil, the relationship between father and son in a family without a mother and, most importantly, the question of faith. In general, there are a lot of, I think, moral dilemmas, over which it is worth puzzled.
One of the best directorial debuts I've ever seen. The movie never lets go for a minute. The tape looks in one breath, keeping in suspense until the very end, making you think, empathize with the characters and change your attitude towards them as events unfold. By the way, after 2 days from the date of viewing, I still can not decide: who is this “God’s hand”? A mad monster in human form, or is it really the punishing hand of God?
McConaughey? Hell, in my opinion, this is just the rare case when his presence not only does not spoil the picture, but even vice versa - adds drama and intrigue. Until the last moment you do not know what his hero is and what it will result in. The same can be said of Bill Paxton. He perfectly conveyed the image of a fanatically believing in his mission in the name of the Lord and at the same time a loving, devoted father. The hero of secondary roles here looks quite in his place. Young people have also shown great potential. Do not doubt their sincerity for a second.
As a result, we get a low-budget, close to perfection creation of Paxton, which today will give odds to many newborn expensive trinkets with flashy names and fake content. Here you will find a strict, sustained style with a verified storyline without obvious gaps, with decent acting work and, finally, the opportunity to test the strength of your religious beliefs (and generally think carefully). Fans of the legendary thriller “Seven” should be interested, at least.
What can I say about this movie? Bravo! When I watched the movie, I didn’t know what was real or what wasn’t, who was mentally healthy and who was clearly crazy. Thank you to the director that he did not put a bold question mark at the end of the film in a Lynch way and in the end everything falls into place.
Briefly on the plot. The father, who alone raises two sons, had a dream in which an angel appeared to him and told him that his family had a special mission - to kill demons. That sounds crazy, doesn’t it?
What should be noted in this film. First, the religious component - the director very competently plays with biblical subjects: Abraham and his son, brothers Abel and Cain, the commandment "Thou shalt not kill!", which is often violated here, but as the arbiter of the will of the Lord himself emphasizes - he does not kill demons in human form, but "destroys". Feel the difference.
A characteristic moment when the father of his sons “killed” a person to hide his “crimes” – he vomited, although before that he quite easily, with a sense of accomplishment, administered justice.
Children are also noted - you can rarely find a truly "adult" game in children. Especially noted the eldest son, played by Matthew O’Leary. And how he played the scene when he puts the axe over the "demon" ... you can admire - such determination in the look ...
The father (Bill Paxton) didn't jump either - the tears of affection didn't look fake when the father realized that his son had "eyed." He also plays the role of a fanatic. As a historian, I can say that medieval monks who said they saw God, angels or the Virgin Mary did not lie. They really believed in what they said. Science has proven that if a person prays day and night, does not eat, then eventually hallucinations begin - and a person sees exactly what he wants to see and what he thinks. In fact, it is enough not to sleep for several days and everyone begins to hallucinate. Amazingly, a person is able to stay awake for up to 13 days.
McConaughey plays a supporting role, so I wouldn’t single him out, but the fanatical brilliance in his eyes he performed great.
I think after watching the film, many people wondered if they have sins for which they can be punished by deprivation of life. Thank goodness there is nothing behind me but small sinners.
I will end with this instruction: do not sin and sleep peacefully, otherwise we will come to you!
8 out of 10
Fenton Makes (Matthew McConaughey) arrives to the not-young FBI agent Leslie Doyle (Powers Booth) and claims that he knows who killed a lot of people in Texas in recent years - his brother Adam. And then Fenton begins to tell a long story from his childhood, about how he lived happily with his father Dad (Bill Paxton) and his brother, about how an angel came to his father and told him to kill bad people, about how Adam warmly supported his father, and Fenton began to sausage after each murder.
Fincher's laurels "Seven" still haunt a bunch of aspiring directors, which was in 2001, Bill Paxton. True, Paxton by 2001 took place in a big movie, as a fairly good actor, but apparently over the years you want new ups, especially when in the immediate labor field constantly pushes some brazen and pretty young people like the same McConaughey. However, in this particular film, Paxton did not give way to any McConaughey, playing almost the main role in the whole picture. McConaughey was essentially a storyteller, lit up only at the beginning of the picture, and the final denouement was behind him. All the rest of the time we see compassionate dad Dad/Paxton and teenage actors Matthew O’Leary paired with Jeremy Sumpter (the latter, by the way, played smart, in the States in general, child actors of the highest level).
In general, the “vice” left a mixed impression. Let’s start with the fact that in a wide box office (including us) the film was completely lost, and this despite the fact that it received not bad criticism. Taking into account the advertising costs plus the budget of the film (together 22 million), the film grossed a little more than 17 million at the world box office, which is a failure. And I would not blame only on the unsuccessful promotion of the picture – Paxton’s work, with a sufficiently high-quality directorial production, is still raw. There are mysteries here, but when the mystery is revealed, it is still not surprising. There are dramatic twists and turns here, but they don't make you empathize. In addition, in the film a bunch of elementary illogical moments that cause great skepticism – children keep the secret of murders, corpses are buried in a city park, young Fenton somehow unconvincingly runs away from his father. Individually, all scenarios can be explained, but the overall picture is painfully inconclusive.
The main pluses of the film are two - quite interesting (with all its secondary) plot by screenwriter Brent Hanley (the man also had a debut), and an excellent performance of actors. Every year the film more and more goes into the archives of forgetting, but in case you get it, you can safely watch. Not the worst debut in the big meter Bill Paxton.
The verdict is somewhat overkill with religiosity, but in general it is quite a strong film, which is definitely suitable for viewing.
6.5 out of 10
After watching this movie, I was delighted! I haven’t seen this kind of exciting and interesting pictures in a long time. There are minor flaws in the film, including the murder of his mother by Agent Doyle. And in general, during the viewing, it seems that the picture is missing something. In general, the idea of the film has a good performance of actors, especially Matthew McConaughey, and a great and interesting ending. At first glance, the film seems a little boring, but then you begin to understand that this kind of movie can not be created otherwise. Yes, and director Bill Paxton, despite the debut, did not fall face in the dirt.
As for the religious topic, everyone has their own opinion, I personally consider it IDIOTISM to accept God as bloodthirsty because he kills maniacs and pedophiles.
My conclusion is this: the film can not but like, someone likes as a masterpiece, personally I liked it.
9 out of 10
This film is beautiful due to the manipulation of audience expectations and audience experience. As a director, Bill Paxton focuses on what we've already seen and does the opposite. In the middle of the film, we begin to think that this is a terrible boring and cheap movie. If it’s a thriller, we think, that shows us the killer’s story in the form of a third-person story, it’s not clear why it’s shot, why it’s shot like this, and what the hell is McConaughey doing here? However, the murderous ending turns us over.
Features of the film:
First of all, this is the cold detached game of Matthew McConaughey, who sits throughout the film like a dandelion with big eyes of an alien and fools us.
Secondly, the small number of locations and generally very stingy shooting, which for the most part shows us a person and human metamorphosis within the family. Here is the case when the minimum amount of expressive means reveals the story as deeply as possible on the screen. Even if Paxton just didn't have the money for the movie, thank God.
Third, the hero of Bill Paxton himself: a simple worker, a single father. We don't understand what kind of rein got into his head? We go through all the options: he is sick, he is a fool, he is a joker, he uses some original educational method. .
The fourth is the unplayed actors. Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Powers Booth. If there were superstar faces, the film would be "expected" as a result. We'd lose all effect. Imagine, instead of McConaughey, Nicholas Cage. That's it. Hana.
And the fifth: Plot. But you have to watch, not talk. Otherwise, the rabbit will jump out of the hat through the untimely torn bottom.
In total, we have the finest work of the director, screenwriter and actors.
Thank you for reminding us once again that things may not be as they seem.
There is a maniac who calls himself the Hand of God. As the FBI puzzles, a young man comes to their office to tell a terrifying story of faith and insanity.
A small American town. The family is a father and two sons. Loving, happy, supporting each other. But everything changes when one night the father breaks into the bedroom of the boys and claims that God sent him a vision and now their mission is to destroy the demons. From that day on, he compiles a list of “demons” and takes action. The power with which this man believes in the “message” of the Lord is simply terrifying, and even more terrible is the fact that he makes him believe in this, let me express myself in the nonsense of a younger child. Of course, he listens to his dad, because he is his favorite daddy, so kind, good. Can you doubt what he says? While the elder, Fantom, realizes that their father is not a “savior” at all, but simply a murderer, a madman.
In general, not bad, I would even say a good thriller. However, there is a reason why my review is not positive, but neutral. The first half of the film is psychological. I kept having the same question in my head. Why does a normal adult take such thoughts, such visions? Where is that?! Why does this happen to people? And secondly, I was very interested in the reaction of the boys, what decision they would make in such a difficult situation, especially Fant. And after all this turned into mysticism, I was somehow offended. It’s not like it’s beaten, but it seems that the creators went down the path of less resistance when, in my opinion, it was possible to do something more interesting, original.
7 out of 10
It's stronger than Goethe's Faust. Or maybe there just isn’t enough faith to kill?
Without any sarcasm, it is safe to say that this is a new word in the genre of psychological horror movie. And the fact is that there are no bad and good heroes here, everyone is “smeared” in the cloak of an incredible tangle of events that occur not even in modern America, but in the minds of individual people. Fanaticism is contagious, like AIDS, especially religious fanaticism. It first affects the consciousness of one, and is transmitted like cancer, absorbing the consciousness of other people, there is a splitting of the mind, which does not allow the infected person to distinguish illusion from reality, lies from truth. This story is exaggerated, but it tells about the general state of our society, in which all values are confused, where lies are presented as truth, and it becomes comprehensive, the only possible.
Following psychoanalysis, it is certain that the writer has plunged into the “dark side” of life, and the narrative that touching a person can recognize his vice is his personal phobia. In my opinion, it was because of the introduction of "personal" in the film that he became so deep and psychological. Starting to view this picture, prepare for the “melting” of your consciousness like a candle.
What is unexpected and positive for the whole story is that the main thing in the film is not a killer maniac, but human faith. This should be discussed further in the text.
Bill Paxton is an excellent dramatic actor, this can be more than convinced after watching Sam Raimi’s heavy thriller “A Simple Plan”, when earlier he was mainly listed as “jokes” in the famous blockbusters like “Aliens” or “Predator 2”. Now he undertook his own film, while playing a significant difficult role. This film itself is not easy, it is very reliable and strong emotionally, just as it is able (not every film is “capable”) to show the audience a different view of the established unshakable rule, a certain firm social law, dogma. Therefore, in the finale, involuntarily there is an unpleasant residue of a meeting with such an ending, which is powerful in its essence, at the same time the rejecting afterword has a reasonable undertone of unreasonable actions, and stores an adequate rod! Thus, I can say with confidence that Bill Paxton is a smart director, coupled with his acting direction in this on-screen work.
The director’s style is based on reliability, directness, close simplicity for the benefit of cutting the purity of perception of the emotional actor’s investment in the script, which should be noted masterfully written with all the necessary zigzags and confusing mazes, leading in the final not only to surprises of answers, but also forcing the viewer to think and reflect. And if a movie is capable of stimulating a person’s thoughts on the other side of the screen, then it is intelligent and designed in all aspects. Therefore, it should already be highly valued on merit. Paxton, by the way, is very sensible and sensitive to displaying violence, it's almost invisible, it's hidden, but the effect of fear is strong. In my opinion, thereby, the director performs a difficult task to tell a story about a maniac with a sufficient number of murders, but remaining true to the “adult” view of the creator, not being able to attract a wide audience with brightly separated entertainment, turning the movie into a buffoon.
The problem involves a “subtle question”, very inconvenient, complex, predictably unambiguous – it is at first glance about a madman, a maniac who, being a simple hard worker in a car repair shop, suddenly receives a vision at night from an angel who is frightened by the command that he must use a special weapon (an ordinary axe and a metal pipe) to find “demons” disguised as people and destroy them. The only beauty of the story is that it demonstrates a fanatical belief in the wild mission assigned to a man who has two children. That’s just the narrative and boils down to a demonstration of the world through the eyes of one of the boys who is forced to live with his loving caring father, who suddenly began to do his bloody work, trying to convince the children of this faith. The situation is terrible, this movie is scarier than ordinary maniac thrillers, and in general about various unimaginable monsters, because it is incredibly scary to watch a boy-son who has the fate to live under the same roof with a mad father and a brother who believes every word about angels. And everything is shown very truthfully, this is not some sadistic maniac, but a fanatic who firmly believes that he is doing the right thing, being afraid, but not retreating from the task!
The viewer will get a wonderful screen clash of the adequate mind of his son, his misunderstanding of the systematic killing of people from some convulsively deduced strange list, and his father, stubborn in faith and vocation, also not joyful for him, but necessary. The director and performer of the role of the father Bill Paxton perfectly plays before us his author’s impartiality to the text of the script; in scenes where his character touches future victims, identifying them as “demons”, he does not show their disgusting guts, we see through the eyes of the boy that these are unhappy people, but at the same time he makes small inserts from the face of the hero, shuddering at the collision with the completely evil that he is going to eradicate. There are no computer special effects, but beautiful acting, emotions of nerves, sound effects of chaos and madness are used.
In addition to the truthful participation in his role of Paxton, his little partner, Matthew O’Leary, also copes well. He brings out his hero as emotionally clear, frank and intelligible, making the image alive. It is difficult for him not to empathize, and, strangely, it is difficult to relate evenly to his ideological senior counterpart. The story also features a couple of other actors from the present-time storyline, rather than the childhood memories that Matthew McConaughey and Powers Booth conveyed equally well. McConaughey, in my opinion, generally has a gift and a knack for working in thrillers and creating dark ambiguous personalities than his image is often exploited in romantic monosyllable stories. Generally, you can firmly note the harmony in the selection of the film crew and actors in their hypostases.
As I have already pointed out, screen creep is strong, it is deduced by the close proximity between the opposing characters, their kinship and differences in views and faith. When the action is transferred to the person telling about his past and father, then the viewer is no less able to feel discomfort in connection with the future trick, because it is clear that the movie is competently built in the beginning, then in the end. Emotions are conveyed wonderfully, the main nerve (this is a thriller, so it must instill in the viewer an outright fear) is grasped firmly and bare, in order to expect something unexpected, unpredictable and frightening in each next scene.
Bringing my text to its logical conclusion, I can say that the film “Vilk” is worth seeing any viewer who loves truly all-good thriller pictures, who cannot be bribed by a bright spectacle of effects, who knows that the main thing in the film is its core of interesting problems and honest actor’s investment.
Nevertheless, no matter how strong the last farewell semantic zigzag turned out to be, and no matter how brave the writer’s faith in the erected fair core of history, I (as any reasonable adequate person is sure) categorically do not accept the approval of illegal lynching over people. But what is beautiful about the film is that it simply unshakably makes you doubt and believe in the Faith, which the tape elevates to the sole help of the common standard on earth. And since after the end of the film, thoughts are still arguing with each other, there is a dialogue of different beginnings, trying to find a reasonable way after seeing the miracle of Faith, then the story was successful, and this is the highest assessment. More such ambiguous films, complex scripts, such bold directors, reliable actors, and most importantly, these creations should not be bypassed by viewers who are ready to reflect, but remain sober-minded personalities.
PS: Another beauty of the story is that when you have already looked at it before the farewell credits, and someday start watching again from the beginning, you will already face not only a frightening thriller, but you will open a completely new facet of the drama in the familiar character of your father, surprised by the perception that was previously hidden.
10 out of 10
