41 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Pre '24' Real-Time thriller with Depp and Walken, April 23, 2005
This certainly isn't the best film Depp or Walken have ever done, but its well worth your time and money. Set in real-time, Gene Watson (Johnny Depp) and his young daughter Lynn (Courtney Chase) arrive at the Amtrak station in LA, presumably for a business meeting Watson is scheduled for. Watching the new arrivals are Mr. Smith (Christopher Walken) and Ms. Jones (Roma Maffia from Disclosure), shady characters who are looking for someone at random to murder a woman for them.
They choose Gene, approaching him and identifying themselves as cops, they take him and his daughter off in an official looking van. Holding his daughter ransom and threatening to kill her, they send Gene off to a hotel to kill the woman they gave him a picture of. The woman turns out to be the Governor, and Mr. Smith is watching every move Gene makes.
Gene only has an hour and a half to complete his mission, one that he doesn't wish to carry out but cannot figure out how to keep his daughter from harm any other way. Every time Gene attempts to find someone to help him, Mr. Smith is there with his guns and threats. To make matters worse, Gene soon finds out the Smith and Jones are not the only ones in on the plot, and that finding someone to listen to him is going to be a more difficult task than simply pulling the trigger.
'Nick Of Time' is a highly suspenseful movie, some of its plots and intrigues a bit far-fetched, but nonetheless worth your time and money to watch, particularly if you are a fan of Depp or Walken. Both are great in their roles, as is Roma Maffia and Charles Dutton as the shoeshine man.
I could feel myself wanting to bite the face off of Walkin's character, feeling the flesh and gristle grinding under my teeth, and wanted to slap some sense into those who turned their heads away from helping Gene. Walken plays a great bad guy, and Depp plays a great innocent, making this intense thriller a pleasure to watch. Enjoy!
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23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"REAL-TIME THRILLER"? NOT SURE. BUT RIVETING!, March 22, 2004
Neat idea, executed almost to perfection. Played along "real time" to involve the viewer directly into the tension of a stiff deadline. Johnny Depp, an ordinary Joe, is assigned to kill a senator or his daughter will be killed by Walken and the Mafia. All he has is a photograph, a gun and an ultimatum.
I am not convinced that the ambitious concept of real time played out too well, but with this much talent on board it still holds it own. A throwback to the Hitchcock everyman thrillers of years ago, Depp plays his character well and you always believe he is just an ordinary man in an unbelievable situation rather than an action hero in the making while Walken does what he does best and plays the villain well.
You'll be on the edge of your seat until the denouement when you find stuff out at the same time as Depp. Part of the conspiratorial stuff is a little feeble and perhaps could have been skipped without a dent in the script, but thankfully it doesn't dilute the tension around the chemistry of Depp and Walken.
Not a classic thriller but quite an original theme with crafty intrigue. Highly recommended for people with a flavour for action and suspense.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great suspense and excellent acting make this video a hit!, January 9, 2000
This movie is about a father, played by Jonny Depp, who is torn between doing what is right and saving his daughter from a political kidnapper, played by Christopher Walken. Jonny Depp gave us a wonderful performance as the loving father who would do anything to save his daughter. However the show was stolen by Christopher Walken giving us one of his best performances ever. Also the directing was marvelous. Their choice of shots and the focus on the time running out will keep you at the edge of your seat during the entire video.
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