Customer Reviews

Federal Protection

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4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Federal protection is stylishly directed be Anthony (Hell Raiser)Hickox. Visions of early Tarantino are evident here, as comedy mixes with violence. Although Armand Assante is the big name draw on this video box, it is the supporting cast who steal the show.

Dina Meyer and David Lipper are simply the most interesting to watch, as they combine a sexy performance with great comedic timing. Assante is his usual solid self, staying with the familiar gangster role.

I reccommend this film to anyome who likes movies such as Reservoir Dogs, The Heist, and Witness.

This is a modern version of the 'film noir' genre popular in the late 1940s Hollywood, mostly lower budget films made to feed the chains of theatres. This was mostly filmed in Canada and has many faces not usually seen in Hollywood films. It reminded me of 'Rififi', that 1950s classic that is all but forgotten. Or blacklisted?

It has the usual collection of "average" people who live amoral lives. The husband's adultery with his sister-in-law would be shocking decades ago, but shows like "Jerry" flaunt these people everyday in Reality TV. People who are sleazy are tempted to betray a neighbor for a million dollars. "Those who would sup with the devil should use a long spoon" goes the saying. Of course something goes wrong; amateurs can't match professionals. The scheming pair pay a higher price than they demanded. The "hero" and "heroine" survive, but that is needed for a profitable film. People want to believe that some goodness gets some reward. Some people would question the realism of this action story, but "its only a movie".

That neighborhood is shown as barren of life, or, it could be the need to rein in production costs. That scene in Chicago was the most expensive and could explain the other sparse scenes.

A comedy? Hardly. This movie has some very good action scenes and an engaging (if predictable) plot. Overall, the movie is entertaining, but somebody really missed the opportunity for a great ending. I won't blow it for you by describing how they missed it, but if you do watch this one you'll probably have the same perception -- something is missing at the end, but there's not enough missing to expect a sequel (not to say that they won't cobble one together).

This film isn't much of an action thriller, contrary to what the cover suggests. There's a lengthy shootout scene at the end, but most of the film is an excessive, violent, aiming-to-be-hip comedy which does draw some good laughs, but ultimately falls short of being a good film.

Dina Meyer all but owns the picture. She single-handedly drives the action, and she's clearly having a ball with the scheming, none-too-bright character. She also supplies the film with its best scene, the seductive cat-and-mouse at the police luncheon. It's precisely this spark that Angela Featherstone lacks -- playing the wounded housewife, Featherstone offers nothing we haven't seen before. A shame, because she'd started her career in an array of strange roles, most memorable being Dark Angel: The Ascent -- not the James Cameron TV show, but the Full Moon Pictures gore film. She's become a token actress with soft eyes and elvish haircut, offering no surprises or star quality. Armand Assante's role in the picture isn't all that large, frankly, but he does appear more confident than most of the other actors. Too bad he and Meyer don't really have scenes together; Meyer is a much better actor than Featherstone for Assante to play opposite.

There are some good sight gags -- the golf-club gag, the aforementioned police luncheon -- but some of that is negated by over-the-top violence. Director Anthony Hickox is at fault -- what did you expect from the director of Hellraiser III? As he deserves credit for the inventiveness of the comedic routines, so he deserves blame for the excessive gore-as-sight-gag scenes, which are never as funny as they think they are.

Worth a look, but not much more.

Armand Assante stars in "Federal Protection" a mobster "hide and seek" tale. He plays a very lucky mobster that is put into a suburbia neighborhood to hide from his murderous mob colleagues. Originally he worked in a auto chop shop, but had to leave when the mob got tough and he had to fight for his life. Suburbia changes him as he meets the neighbors and finds true love. "Federal Protection" is action packed and keeps your attention as the neighbors become a big part of the mobster's life.

Federal protection is just another crapy straight to video film that I just didn't find intresting infact halfway through the film I was bored to death yes nothing to see here folks just move along. Everything in this film was lousy including the script, acting and the action scenes none of this mattered except it has Armand Asante who is not exactley a good actor and he might seem to be stuck in this type of film genre. Frank Carbone (Armand Asante) has been a gangster all his life and the mob are out to get him. After an assassination attempt he agrees to testify and becomes involved in the witness protection programme, its not long before the mob closes in. The film was filled with so many cliches from other mafia films that it became irratating, just watch Made men with James Belushi in it instead of this for a better low budget fim.