(Review originally written at 17 May 2008)
Not really too sure what to think of this movie. On the one hand it's a fast going action flick that is always on the movie and on the other hand it's a movie with a real muddled main plot that makes some odd choices with its characters and story elements.
Here we have two tough convicts that escaped but are still friendly enough to save a little boy from being run over and they bring a man to the hospital who tried to shoot them but than got an heart attack in the process. There are some moralistic elements in the movie that seem highly out of place, especially when the main characters in the progress of the movie shoot around a lot without worrying too much about any innocent bystanders. It's such a ridicules contradicting contrast. it's just one of the story elements that makes "Fled" a pretty weak movie to watch.
Also it's main plot line just never really seems to get off the ground. It's one of those stories you simply couldn't care less about and simply pay very little attention to it.
Because of this also not all of the characters really work out in the movie. Actors such as Will Patton and Robert John Burke walk around in this movie but you can wonder why really. Their characters were potentially good ones but they simply got not used very well and only pop up once in a while, causing them to also make a pretty redundant impression.
Laurence Fishburne is a fine actor and he really shows that in this movie. He gives away one fine performance, that alone still makes this movie still somewhat worthwhile. Stephen Baldwin is also not too bad in this movie and he forms a good duo with Fishburne.
It's overall style also made the movie seem as if it was not to sure what it wanted to be. At times it showed the signs of a mismatched buddy comedy flick while at other times it was a pure violent action flick. So no, the movie also lacked a real clear consistent style, which also makes the viewer a bit uneasy on how to watch and approach the movie.
It on the other hand is a fast going action in which basically always something is happening. No it's not always something good or interesting but at least it's not a slow or boring movie. It gives the movie definitely some watchable value. The action itself also isn't too bad and mostly consists out of shooting and a couple of chases. So no, also nothing too original here and it's a pretty formulaic standard action/thriller movie but it's definitely not the worst one around in its genre.
A movie that definitely had some more potential in its core and could had worked out with a different and better approach of the overall story and character treatments. It still remains a somewhat watchable movie though thanks to it's principal actors and good action movie style of film-making.
5/10
Watch trailer
No comments: