Customer Reviews

Hidden Agenda

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

 

 

"Hidden Agenda" was released during a time when star Dolph Lundgren was teasing retirement to spend more time with his family. While he obviously didn't quit show business, he did end up giving himself a two-year vacation during which fans had little more to celebrate than this troublesome little espionage thriller at the end of a thoroughly mixed body of work. While "Hidden Agenda" actually holds up promisingly against dreck that Lundgren had put out previously like Agent Red and Storm Catcher, it's good to know that at least now he'll have the chance to end his career on a more promising note than a movie that assumes confusing its audience is the same as being intelligent.

The story: Jason Price (Lundgren) is an ex-government agent who makes a living making endangered people disappear more completely than the Witness Protection Program, but when his flawless system is infiltrated by a hitman who starts taking out Price's clients and cohorts alike, he must work his way through his own network of associates to find where the leak occurred and who the killer is.

The summary you just read is the simplified version of the storyline: the movie is a complicated mess of half-truths, double-crosses, and other poorly-explained happenings that often do a poor job of amplifying what one scene has to do with the next or even what kind of relationships the characters have with eachother - I mean, I like Maxim Roy (ReGenesis), but why does Dolph take her along on his adventure halfway into the movie and then has sex with her? Who knows, but even if you are able to deduce the plot, the film's intent on keeping the audience puzzled rather than fleshing out these characters makes it thoroughly unengaging; you're a better person than me if you take the time to even learn the names of any of the poor saps running around.

And wouldn't you know it, there's not even a good helping of action scenes to reward us for sitting through all this head-scratching nonsense. Of the two shootouts and four hand-to-hand fights, only two of the latter sort are noteworthy...and only one so for actually being decent (Dolph's respectable karate fight alongside Roy is matched in notability only by the instance in which he's attacked by a fat man with a spear gun and fights back by throwing a mannequin). Even the competent moments - the ones not totally ruined by weak-looking blows and bad cinematography - are tarnished by frequent, annoying freeze-frame shots, a weird techno soundtrack, and the obvious presence of Lundgren's stunt double in more than a few cuts.

There are a few silly, attention-catching aspects to the film - like when Price dupes FBI agents in the beginning by leading them on a chase scene while wearing a bad wig - and the acting is roundly competent, but it's just not visually or substantially interesting enough to expect fans reared on Lundgren's serious action fare to be entertained by all this sneaking around. Luckily, this movie would largely signal the end of Dolph's high-nosed wannabe-smart movies: while junk like Detention wouldn't be in any state to impress, either, at least it was junk you could eat popcorn to.

Displaying a little more sophistication than your average Dolph Lungren shoot 'em up, Hidden Agenda (2001) is an entertaining, but rather convoluted tale of intrigue, that features Lundgren as Jason Price, a former FBI agent turned restaurateur. Along with his team of associates, Price also works for the National Security Agency (NSA).

FBI agent Sonny Mathis (Ted Whittall), Price's childhood friend, has convinced syndicate bigwig Paul Elkert (Serge Houde) to testify for the Government, against Icarus, an underworld group. When a witness is assassinated in court, a mysterious figure known as "The Cleaner" is suspected of making the hit.

Elkert has millions stashed away, and with Icarus after him, he hires Price to protect him. Price directs Elkert through his elaborate network of "providers" known as "Daedalus", so he can disappear. Mathis fears that he is on the Cleaner's hit list, and also wants to vanish. Price sends Mathis through Daedalus, and is shocked when his friend is reported dead a few days later.

Price and his associates begin back checking, and discover a string of dead providers along the east coast. A lead turns up, when they find Renee Brooks (Maxim Roy), who claims to have been entrusted by Elkert with the key to his safe deposit box in Aruba, which supposedly contains a fortune. Things get more complicated as Price and Brooks follow up a lead in Boston, which eventually brings all the players together for a showdown in Montreal.

Hidden Agenda has a nebulous storyline seeped in secrecy, that takes a rather circuitous route where it is easy to fall off, and get lost on the way. Most of the action doesn't seem very realistic, and the fights are mostly by the numbers. Price's team is underused, and the government agents and criminals, seem like one dimensional props, or incompetent clowns. The big bad threat never materializes, and the supposed to be dramatic resolution, is unfortunately kind of silly.

Lundgren exhibits more personality than usual, but it is still hard to buy him as the happily ever after guy, he ends up as here. While not a great action film, Hidden Agenda is a more polished effort for Lundgren, and may be worth a look if you are a fan.

To be clear this is definatly not dolphs best film, but it is nowhere near his worst. I would say its one of the better directed and produced movie he was in. His performance in the movie is probally in the top five of his career. The action scenes... Well they are very well staged and look real good. The director tried to make them resemble brotherhood of the wolf a little bit, and he didn't really succed. But the directors real weakness in the action was the gunfights. He did not stage them right and didn't do a job editing them. The real flaw of the movie was the last gunfight it was a major letdown. Still a solid movie with a some good action sequences 4 stars!!

As a long time Dolph fan the last few years have not been kind. Dolph has churned out films irregularly and most have been bad. Nearly a year after my last "new Dolph film" Hidden Agenda has finally arrived in my mailbox. Dolphs last was the dire Agent Red. So the long awaited release of Hidden Agenda left me concerned and as I loaded up the DVD in excitment the rather blocky, crude and dull graphic that said lions gate entertainment popped up filling me with more concern.
I then started the movie and from minute 1 to the end the movie screamed class! it looks every inch an A movie, from the cinematography to the explosive action scenes and considering this was shot on a budget, most likely, no more than 10 million thats quite something. Of course the glossy overcoat of the movies visuals are thanks to cinematographer Sylvain Brault, who has been nominated for several awards in his field including an Emmy.
Anyway the plot is good and so is the dialogue. It also seems that research has gone into the various gadgets that these sort of agencies use. The direction is surprsingly first class from Marc S Grenier and I hope Dolph works with him again. His style is reminiscent of John Woo and the Wachowsky Brothers, from the slo-mo fight scenes and gun play to the subtle sound editing used. This is a well written thriller and it features more than enough action sequences for this type of flick. Dolph's martial arts are utilized to full effect thanks to the direction, editing and choreography and we also get the best out of Dolph in the acting department. If you prefer the more all out action approach for a Dolph flick then this will not float your boat in the same way as the Punisher but if you want Dolph in something more clever which also includes impressive action then you should definately purchase this. Whatever your Dolph preferance this is worthy of a rental. I personally think this was his best. It had a good mix of top acting, story and action as well as top draw cinematography and features some impressive explosions. The fight scenes remind me of those in Brotherhood of the Wolf, from the stylish tendancies to the bone crunching sound effects. The few gripes are that at times it gets a little overly complicated and occasionally some shots are quite dark. Also the ending was a minor let down especially compared to the brilliant opening. Still great film that was easily worthy of a theatrical release.

This movie got some good reviews and I expected it to be a return to form for Dolph Lundgren. Instead, I found this to be his worst movie. The script is more or less completely incoherent. I lost interest within a couple of minutes and found myself checking my watch, hoping the movie would end soon. I wouldn't recommend this movie even to Dolph Lundgren fans. I am a fan but I wish I had spent my time watching something else.

Wow Dolph's new movie is here, and it [is great]. A worthy action packed thrill ride, not non stop like some of his movies, but very suspenseful and it has all the right moves. People can say what they want abt. Dolph but he in my opinion is a great actor, and for a Swedish guy, he speaks english like it was a first language. He is very realistic in his movies with his fighting style, and he does some great fight scenes in this. Of course he was a kick boxing champ, so he knows his stuff...B-movie or not, it is still an awesome movie with plenty of excitement and splendid acting. Keep it up Dolph, direct to video or hopefully one day theatrical again. Actually I believe this film was released in theatres in Europe as alot of other Dolphs films are. Anyway, action fans alike, definitely add this to your collection. Enjoy!!!

Despite the fact that I'm a Dolph Lundgren fan, I hated this movie. It was hard to stay awake watching it. Boring! The movie is way too slow. In this movie he is a restaurateur with two computer experts working for him. There are two main women in the film who have a minor romantic connection with Dolph, but it fails to please, partly because these women aren't that attractive. In Dolph's films that were make before 1993 the ladies were always attractive and sexy. In this movie, all the woman are strong, but not sexy. Upon the first encounter with one of the women, she immediately starts trying to punch him. Then, there is a restaurant brawl, and of course, she beats up a man.
Dolph does have some fight scenes in this movie but you have to wait a long time to get to them, and they aren't that great.

This movie is a sad attempt to do an action movie. Dolph has stared in some good action movies, but this one is not one of them. The story is bad and the acting is even worse, Dolph get his ... kicked all the time but wins in the end.
He has an IQ of 140 but that doesnt help him to know which movies he should aviod starring in.

However all of you who want ot see, know you have a choice.
if you buy it, you will regret it, if you rent it you will wish you choosed another.