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In a 10.3 N.Y. Times piece wondering about the commercial potential of Ridley Scott's Body of Lies (Warner Bros., 10.10), John Anderson writes, "To paraphrase the old Vietnam-era bumper sticker: What if they gave a war movie and nobody came?" I sense interest in Scott's war thriller, but not excitement. The real voltage will happen, I predict, with the arrival of Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker. Which Summit Entertainment is afraid to release this year. (Or was the last time I looked.)
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 5, 2008 at 3:39 PM
comment #1
Josh Massey
says ...
I love DiCaprio, Crowe, and Scott - but I can't get over the feeling this is Spy Game II. Count me in the "not excited" camp.
Posted by Josh Massey
at October 5, 2008 4:00 PM
comment #2
p.Vice
says ...
Despite being set against the backdrop of counterterrorism in the Middle East, this certainly cannot qualify as a "war movie" with the seriousness that implies. It's a couple of star notches up from a Chuck Norris cheapie.
Posted by p.Vice
at October 5, 2008 4:29 PM
comment #3
Mr. Gittes
says ...
Greengrass' Green Zone, I think, will provide the voltage.
Posted by Mr. Gittes
at October 5, 2008 4:37 PM
comment #4
LYT
says ...
Am I the only one tired of Ridley Scott/Russell Crowe collaborations?
If Tony Scott had made Body of Lies, and it starred Denzel Washington and Anthony Hopkins, I'd be more interested. At least then I could expect it to be fun.
Posted by LYT
at October 5, 2008 5:11 PM
comment #5
ROTC
says ...
At this point, I fully expect Body of Lies to tank. There isn't a single money shot or sharp piece of dialogue in any of the footage I've seen, and I'm not sensing much star chemistry between Crowe and DiCaprio. It all comes across as a forgettable blur, just like The Kingdom did prior to its unsuccessful release. And I'm fairly sure that Ridley Scott's name means little to the public at large.
Posted by ROTC
at October 5, 2008 5:31 PM
comment #6
MDOC
says ...
I'm looking forward to Body of Lies. I think it will find an Eagle Eye sized audience and gross 70-80 million. Is that good enough?
Posted by MDOC
at October 5, 2008 5:49 PM
comment #7
crsryan
says ...
Speaking of commercial potential, I hope the commercial potential of 007 is greatly diminished by this outrageously spoilerish article I just saw five minutes ago. Since when are actors allowed to do interviews about their death scenes a month before the movie comes out? Avert your eyes now, because the spoiler is even in the link!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1068483/Oilfinger-exclusive-picture-shows-Gemma-Arterton-coming-sticky-end-new-Bond-film.html
Posted by crsryan
at October 5, 2008 5:53 PM
comment #8
scooterzz
says ...
i've already gone on too long about how much i disliked 'body of lies' but, that said, i'm afraid it'll do far more business than 'the hurt locker'.....
Posted by scooterzz
at October 5, 2008 7:06 PM
comment #9
EDouglas
says ...
Anderson's nuts if he thinks Bigelow's movie will have more excitement than a Ridley Scott movie with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russel Crowe... in fact, I'll bet BOdy of Lies makes more opening weekend than Hurt Locker does in total. Anyone in on the bet?
Posted by EDouglas
at October 5, 2008 9:21 PM
comment #10
EDouglas
says ...
crsryan: YOu just fucking spoiled the movie in your fucking post.
Posted by EDouglas
at October 5, 2008 9:22 PM
comment #11
Aris P
says ...
What a dildo.
Posted by Aris P
at October 5, 2008 9:43 PM
comment #12
StoneFan1
says ...
"Body of Lies" will open similar to "Eagle Eye" ($25-30 million) and gross between $80-100 million.
Posted by StoneFan1
at October 5, 2008 10:35 PM
comment #13
T. Holly
says ...
If Wells feels real voltage from Hurt Locker, so do I because of the buzz it got in Toronto, where he didn't walk anyone's dog this year.
Posted by T. Holly
at October 5, 2008 11:15 PM
comment #14
scooterzz
says ...
stonefan is prob right...both movies have the same sensibilities are are steeped in the same truths...they should appeal to the same sort of audience.......
Posted by scooterzz
at October 5, 2008 11:15 PM
comment #15
markj
says ...
Ridley Scott is frustrating, anybody could make flicks like Hannibal, A Good Year, American Gangster and Body of Lies. Ridley seems to be turning into his brother Tony.
Posted by markj
at October 6, 2008 12:54 AM
comment #16
Josh
says ...
Why wouldn't they sell this as an elaborate spy movie?
its not an iraq story
Posted by Josh
at October 6, 2008 7:26 AM
comment #17
duck dodgers
says ...
I tried watching Gladiator again, couldn't hack more than 20 minutes. I liked it at the time, but somehow, it just seemed so obvious and simpleminded. Rome for not very bright people. That it has a Best Picture Oscar and Spartacus doesn't... just proves how many other good things came out in 1960, compared to 2000.
Posted by duck dodgers
at October 6, 2008 7:39 AM
comment #18
bluefugue
says ...
Scott does a lot of tired (but always pretty) work; however, I think the recent Kingdom of Heaven is one of his better efforts. The reason why is, unlike Gladiator, it had a strong and intelligent script by William Monohan. (Monahan's "Tripoli" is IMO the best unproduced screenplay around.)
Just rewatched Alien. That film has dated well. Its grimy, unglamorous sci-fi setting stands like a rebuke to excessively slick and polished Hollywood fare. And what a cast... Tom Skeritt, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Yaphet Kotto, Sigourney Weaver, Harry Dean Stanton... one of the best ensembles ever assembled, period. (Sorry Veronica, you were good too!)
Posted by bluefugue
at October 6, 2008 10:37 AM
comment #19
DavidF
says ...
Gladiator is a fun, fine movie but I've never gotten the best picture stuff.
Yeah, it had some great visual Rome stuff (much of which since trumped by the TV series) but the plot is sooooooo rote. I mean, it's real Robert McKee stuff, isn't it?
(SPOILER!)
Dude is wronged, dude finds reason to live, dude avenges his love and dies...The setting is exotic but the plot is not.
Still, the look and feel of the film carry it a long way. And Crowe is perfect in it.
Everyone talks about the Crowe-Scott relationship but I think it's also great how he recast the snow from Gladiator's opening in Kingdom of Heaven. A lot of the time snow gets even worse roles thrown at it than women over 40 but that particular snow knows how to do it's thing....how to blow around just right, kinda horizontally and dramatically.
I think it had a cameo in American Gangster too but I'm not as optimistic Scott was able to find something for it in this Mid-East thing.
Posted by DavidF
at October 6, 2008 1:28 PM
comment #20
hcat
says ...
DavidF, instead of the snow he will probably find a role for his talented talented stunt dirt which knows just how to leap off the surface of swords and car hoods alike. Since Gladiator, I've noticed it in Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, and Kingdom of Heaven. Its the most steady work done by an inanimate object outside of Nancy Myer's copper pots or Rebecca Pidgeon.
Posted by hcat
at October 6, 2008 2:26 PM
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