Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Skulls

This is topic The Skulls in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000017

Posted by Dwayne Caldwell (Member # 417) on 04-12-2000, 11:37 PM:

I must say this movie actually suprised me. The expectations weren't very high when I walked into the auditorium. And I knew the big screen wasn't exactly working for Rob Cohen (Dragonheart and Daylight) as far as Hollywood critics were concerned. Although I will admit I liked Dragonheart. And I was facing a script by John Pogue (I wonder if he's related to Dragonheart's screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue) who did the much loathed U.S. Marshalls. But I must say, the show was very entertaining. The movie doesn't exactly jump into the conspiracy aspect for awhile as we are subjected to Luke McNamara's (Joshua Jackson) life and his financial troubles despite all the financial aid he can get and his transformation into a member of a brotherhood that can bestow respectability and wealth among the high echelon of society just as quickly as they can take it away. But the character exposition is well done and the actors are in top form (Especally Craig T. Nelson and William Peterson). And Jackson's acting is strong but not overdone. Good chemistry between Lieslie Bibb (who plays McNamara's friend Chloe) and Jackson. The initiation scenes are pretty cool. Especially the scene where Luke has to run from place to place, phone call to phone call (that ends in a liquid narcotic in a skull engraved glass) that he undertakes to prove his determination to become a member of the secret society. The next scene involving the coffins is just weird. But in a cool eerie way. I also liked the confrontational scene with Luke and his Skull partner Caleb Mandrake (played by Paul Walker) while they are caged together in part of a Skull bonding process that involves each partner asking the other anything they wish to know about them or what they've done, just the two of them. The secret that the elite alumni Skulls are trying to keep under wraps is abit basic though. The action is well done for what it is, and by that I mean that most of it involves chasing as opposed to gunfire. But I ,like most people I'm sure, was expecting that. The confrontations weren't cheesy like most films of this genre. Both the score and the songs were pretty good. The song accompaniment to the scene where Luke is running with the forbidden tape is really jamming and works well with the action. And I know most people will probably question the plausibly of Luke's punk friends' possession of surveillence gear but all I can say to that is who knows what products are avaiable in today's black market. Especially for today's youth. The end does fizzle abit though and there is one very annoying scene where Luke brings in the tape to the police and confronts them when it is erased. And its only annoying because of the camera work involved. You'll see what I mean. Over all, I'd say The Skulls is definitely worth checking out when you get the chance.

testing edit

[ 01-09-2003, 03:40 AM: Message edited by: Dwayne Caldwell ]

Posted by Alan Brandt (Member # 426) on 04-14-2000, 01:47 AM: