tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721915176591296329.post2295677525140602498..comments2014-07-25T06:24:36.359-04:00Comments on Drew Yanno's blog: 1 2 3 and outDREW YANNOhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03072479162573792608noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4721915176591296329.post-65326963792319483532009-07-11T09:47:01.896-04:002009-07-11T09:47:01.896-04:00Drew,
Seeing PELHAM got me thinking about the rol...Drew,<br /><br />Seeing PELHAM got me thinking about the role of character in action/thriller films. More precisely, the role of character change. To communicate my thoughts, I will use as examples three Denzel Washington movies and then one of the all-time greats, THE FUGITIVE.<br /><br /> PELHAM lacked something big and that something was character change. I learned a bit about the Denzel character, but he never changed and I never knew what exactly was motivating him. I wasn't rooting for him in the movie, I wasn't in his shoes, because I didn't know what he was trying to gain or what he was about to lose! You might be able to name a few things he was trying to gain, etc, but I don't think those things were important enough to make ME care.<br /><br />Inapposite, MAN ON FIRE is one of Denzel's best movies and not because he's a badass in the movie, but because he truly goes through a metamorphosous, and I remember that, and depending on where I am in the highs and lows of my life, I can relate to that. Denzel starts out completely broken, and through the story, he is reborn, and he is finally purged and free of himself, he is redeemed, when he walks over to the other side, to die, in exchange for the little girl.<br /><br />AMERICAN GANGSTER is sort of the middle ground. I thought the movie was good, not as great as MAN ON FIRE, not as bad as PELHAM. And the character arcs in the movie reflect that position. The best part of GANGSTER was the redemption of the RUSSELL CROWE character, so broken in his home life, so unappreciated... and we root for him because we like him and want him to be appreciated... though the charcater doesn't necessarily change, it does start out broken and then turn for the better.<br /><br />You could maybe make the same case in PELHAM regarding the Denzel character, but I just didn't feel it to a big enough degree.<br /><br />Finally, to end this, THE FUGITIVE. Incredible movie, an all-time great. But is there any character change? I'm not sure. Which poses the question, when do you need that metamorphousous and when don't you? I guess you can put THE FUGUTIVE in the same box as GANGSTER, as the Harrison Ford character starts out broken (a convicted killer of his wife) and then redeems himself through finding the real murderer.<br /><br />My point being, maybe in PELHAM Denzel's wife should have found out about the bribe taking and Denzel was about to lose her, and that's what motivated him. Or something else... I think this is what was lacking in the film.Mikey Dnoreply@blogger.com