Customer Reviews

Listening

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Intriguing movie based on the realities of US spying technology and what it could mean for all of us.
A superb cast headed by Michael Parks (From Dusk to Dawn, Kill Bill, Vol I and Death Proof) who is 'frequently cited by longtime fan Quentin Tarantino as the world's greatest living actor' - he does the quote justice.
The story is about one man's struggle to protect an innocent woman from retributions, as she unknowingly becomes embroiled in the sinister world of international espionage, big business and the NSA. Overall very entertaining, a definate one to watch!

I hadn't heard about this movie, but I'm glad I saw it. The NSA can listen to us, even if our cell phones are off? Yikes! Apparently this movie is based on fact! And it's a really good film. Visually, it looks great. And the story is captivating.

Michael Parks is amazing in this great movie. The technology in the movie is real. Its scary what the NSA uses to spy on us.

The other four 5-star reviews derive from the personal political views of the reviewers: three of them are concerned about NSA's capabilities of spying on citizens, while the fourth is happy that Big Brother is listening us all, so we should not be afraid of terrorists. (We take notice: three pinkos and one neoCon. Interesting, but hardly a cinematic fact.)
The film has good photography (it doesn't take much to get breathtaking panoramas from snowy peaks, anyway) and the idea is intriguing, but characters display a less than average intelligence. For example, the Italian lady gets a "stop listening, we are about to burn you" warning from a reliable source, but she just stays there listening so, lo and behold, she and the equipment are espectacularly fried. (By the way: is it possible to transmit so much power over the air? Hmmm)
Next, against Parks character's advice, the Iranian bearded fellow transmits their position to the enemy, so the bad guys come to kill them all. Now, Parks has to give his life to cover the escape of the other three. While escaping, they don't carefully step over each other's footsteps but go side by side, thus leaving three nice rows of footsteps, thereby indicating their number and improving the target area for the pursuing snipers.
But don't worry: The snipers also seem to be of the retarded persuasion, as they are fooled by false foot tracks made by Parks with a pair of makeshift wooden legs. (Did you ever tried that and managed to leave anything remotely ressembling real feet? And; how and when did Parks build them?)
The Iranian guy betrayed their position on the grounds that, since their equipment was destroyed, "we are not going anywhere unless they come for us". However, in a hurry and under much worse conditions, later three of them do escape by foot, anyway.
And to mention intelligent but "enfant terriblish" Tarantino: Michael Parks might be the best living actor, provided you get rid of Brannagh, De Niro, Pacino, Hoffman, Harris, Norton, Caine, Downey Jr, Penn, etc, and if and only he takes quite a few classes of English diction, so we could understand him.

This is really a great movie. I sleep well at night knowing that our Government is protecting us. No matter what people think about our Government, many men and women put their lives on the line for us. On a lighter note, really enjoyed this movie. Thanks.