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Absolute Power

Absolute Power

List Price: $12.98
Your Price: $10.38
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: great starring power from Hackman, Eastwood, and Harris.
Review: Ed, Clint and Gene star in agreat suspense filled surprise thriller/mystery! The ending is just what I was looking for in a movie. The best job by all three actors!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: ABSOLUTE POWER!
Review: CLINT EASTWOOD is master thief Luther Whitney, who has a front seat view for MURDER! Imagine his SURPRISE when he sees the PRESIDENT of the United States fooling around with a woman, his SHOCK when things turn violent an dhis HORROR when the Secret Service blows her away! SEE Gene Hackman as the President, Ed Harris as the Cop on the trail of the truth, and Scott Glenn as one of the Secret Service agents GONE WRONG! Clint starts to run, but not for long! You will WEEP when his daughter visits his house and finds all these photographs taken by the FATHER she thought did not care about her! This is a suspensful THRILLER where Clint's character starts out on the wrong side of the law but then helps JUSTICE prevail! Directed by CLINT EASTWOOD himself!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: So bad, it was funny
Review: This movie goes from dark and ugly to ridiculously cliche. I saw in this movie an example of the dangers of absolute unbelievability for a film rather than absolute power of a president.

This could have explored the real dynamics of presidential power but instead was a cliche "suspense" thriller that was too silly to care about. When it was over, my friends and I simultaneously broke into laughter. That was all it was worth.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Old Fashioned, Gimmick-Free Thriller.
Review: Clint Eastwood, once again, takes a Great novel and turns it into an Equally Great Film. His Old Fashioned Directing style, a Cast of Great Performers, an Intriguing Premise with a Strong Script to back it up and High Class Production values make this an Intelligent, Provocative Thriller of the Highest Order.

Eastwood Again takes the Directors chair, and for good measure, he Produces and Stars as well.

The Performances are Definitely the films Strong Suit. Apart from Eastwood and Hackman's Top-Billed Triumphs, we get Ed Harris as the Brilliant Detective on the case, Seth Frank. Harris downplays his role and makes it all look Totally Natural. Scott Glenn also makes an Impression in a Smaller role as a Disgruntled Secret Service Agent.

The Biggest Problem I have with the film is its Poorly Written Female element. Laura Linney plays Luther's Daughter and Judy Davis plays a Presidential Advisor. Their Dialogue is Annoying and it makes their Performances Annoying, they are both Talented Actresses who Deserve Better.

That Said, "Absolute Power" is Still an Above Average Thriller. Though it is Chock Full of Action, it Is full of Tense Thrills, Great Performances and Slick Direction.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not bad, but the book was much better (of course)
Review: The first 20 minutes remained true to the book - and was very welll done. It goes down hill from there, with a few decent scenes scattered throughout. My favorite main character was cut completely from the movie. Considering how much of the plot was eliminated, the movie was still easy to follow. Read the book.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: They Absolutely Blew it !!!
Review: The first 15 to 20 minutes of this film are excellent. There's almost no dialogue and lots of suspense as Luther (Clint Eastwood) a jewel thief, robs a Washington officials apartment. He's almost caught and then witnesses a sleazy sex liaison and murder performed by the President of the United States (Gene Hackman -who mercilessly chews the scenery in this one). Unfortunately what follows becomes more and more unbelievable and the film disintegrates as unrealistic characters appear in the film and it becomes another dumb wanna-be-Hollywood blockbuster kind of film. Surprisingly it was written by William Goodman who has detailed he wasn't happy with the way the film turned but respects the way director and star Clint Eastwood works very much. (1997 - Directed by Clint Eastwood)



Rating: 2 stars
Summary: HERO OF THE AARP MEETING
Review: It grew very tiresome to hear Clint Eastwood's character constantly make jokes about his age. "If I could climb like that, I would be the hero of my AARP meeting..." We all know he is aging, and we doubtlessly do not need to be reminded of it. Oh well, as an aging thief, he once again pulls off a major robbery, but while doing so he witnesses a murder. Not just any murder but one which happens to involved the president of the United States (Gene Hackman, always a good villain). He cannot very well report what he has seen since it will implicate him in his thievery. Ed Harris is the detective who is trying to lure Eastwood into admitting the robbery. Harris also develops a crush on Eastwood's estranged daughter (Laura Linney). Eventually the president and his aides who cover up the murder become aware of Eastwood's cognizance of the murder and aim to harm him... or what is close to him (they go after his daughter). After much suspense and all the cover-ups, the ending is quite lacklustre, and the film goes on too long overall. Disappointing.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Two fabulous moments
Review: Given its pedigree, and the talent on offer in every department, "Absolute Power" ought to be Absolutely Stunning. However, except for two sequences, it is merely competant entertainment.

The first great moment is a conversation in the Museum between Ed Harris (a cop investigating a robbery and murder) and Clint Eastwood (a known jewel thief). Harris suspects Eastwood, and is hoping to trick him into an admission by asking for "advice" on how the crime might have been committed. Eastwood did in fact commit the break-in and witnessed the murder, neither of which facts he wants to reveal. The conversation is a delightful cat-and-mouse game, acknowledged as such by both characters while they continue playing. It ends with Eastwood remarking that he must leave to go and have his pace-maker checked: Harris counters that he will be back tomorrow: "Tomorrow is promised to no-one," comes the rejoinder.

The second is a consumately filmed conversation between Gene Hackman and Judy Davis (respectively the U.S President and his Chief of Staff) while they give an exhibition-dance at a formal White House function. As they waltz, the President reveals to Davis that she is unknowingly wearing a necklace belonging to the murder-victim; in turn, Davis tells him that incriminating evidence is in the hands of Eastwood, who may use it to expose them both. As they trade this ghastly information back and forth in front of the assembled dignitaries, they have to pretend to be having a light-hearted, joking conversation.

Two fine scenes do not make a fine movie. But the rest is sufficiently entertaining that you will probably feel it was worth it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good to mediocre suspense movie.
Review: Fairly well done suspense drama. It was somewhat predictable, however, and the story line was totally implausible. Eastwood fans will appreciate this one, though. Clint is eminently likeable, even when he plays a criminal. (But, boy, he is sure getting old.....!)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Intense!
Review: This movie has a great opening, the first 30 minutes is really intense. Unfortunatly after the first half-hour it returns to "real-life" becomming a ordinary, yet exciting movie. Hackman and Eastwood does a good job. A nice Sunday movie if you like. Replay value: Medium


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