Dec 10, 2002 04:29 AM
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(Updated Dec 10, 2002 04:37 AM)
I saw this movie recently and have mixed reactions – it is one of those situations, either you like it or you hate it. After a long internal deliberation, I decided that I hate this movie and would not recommend it to be seen.
At the risk of stirring up emotions of those who adored the movie, I submit before you, my review. (Remember – shoot the message, not the messenger)
This movie was released in 1994 and had four main players – John Travolta (as Vincent), Samuel Jackson(as Jules), Uma Thurman (as Mia) and Bruce Willis (as Butch).
The plot
The film is series of sub-plots:
Sub-plot # 1
The film opens with a would-be hold up of a diner.
Sub-plot # 2
Vincent and Jules are hit men and are in the process of eliminating some guys and they obtain a brief case (till the end they do not show what is in the case except that when you open it, there is almost a golden glow – my guess is the brief case is full of gold bars?)
Sub-plot # 3
Vincent escorts Mia (who is the wife of the Big Boss) to a dinner in a restaurant. She has an overdose of drugs, passes out and Vincent has to inject adrenalin right into her heart.
Sub-plot # 4
Bruce is a small time boxer – who fights for money. He double-crosses the Big Boss and is on the run and wants to leave town. He forgets his watch (read “Saving Grace” below to understand the significance of the watch). Bruce meets the Big Boss and something “gross” happens and the Big Boss forgives Bruce and asks him to leave town pronto.
Sub-plot # 5
Continuing Sub-plot #1, the restaurant hold up is taking place – Jules prevents it from happening. Jules and Vincent walk away.
Saving Grace
The only saving grace in the movie is the incident about the watch. The watch is a family heirloom in Bruce’s family. His great-grandfather who fought in WW-I passes it to his grandfather who fought WW-II, who passes it to his father who fought in Nam and that is how it came to Bruce.
What I hated about the movie
# Too much of drugs and its usage
# The crowning glory. (The hair stylist had too much of the above).
The ugly wig of Jules
The ponytail of Vincent
The straight wig of Mia
(Luckily Butch was bald)
# The ending where Jules and Vincent just walk away happily, as if nothing happened.
Some positives
# The dialogues between Jules and Vincent. They were witty and well delivered.
# The connection between the various sub-plots especially how Butch, when he goes back to his apartment to get his watch, encounters Vincent. There was some suspense here.
