8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Foreign indie, pleasant surprise, November 10, 2002
This indie from the Netherlands, with various film techniques from fast editing to fast music, could be a pleasant surprise to viewers who got fed up with Hollywood's cliches when it comes to suspense and action. Of course the movie would have been even better with a bigger budget for a stronger cast, yet I find it all in all enjoyable.
There's nothing quite new with the plot ("The Replacement Killers" and "The Bourne Identity" being two best in this genre lately) but it still manages to keep you guessing at least half way through. Skeet Ulrich is Kevin Burke, a rising star in an international bank in Rotterdam, working as security agent under his surrogate father and mentor, bank director Karl Jorgensen (Derek de Lint). Just when Kevin prepares to propose to a broker he's deeply in love with, the beautiful Rosalind Bremmond (Katherine Lang), her life is cut short by an assassin's bullet. As Kevin is furiously driven to seek revenge, his investigation into Rosalind's death not only reveals a dark facet of her life, it also drags him into a web of corporate espionage and assassination involving some agents from Interpol and numerous unidentified enemies. While working his way out of this dangerous maze, Kevin confronts with another mysterious beauty, Tessa Jansen (Kristy Swanson), who might well give him the ultimate answer to his deadliest question...
Conclusion: 4 stars, 1 to the cast (especially Derek de Lint), and 3 to the film makers in terms of editing and cinematography (some sexy scenes from the streets of Rotterdam are really worth checking out). One side note: I was a little bit curious about "some sexuality" under the R rating box. Turned out it didn't involve Kristy Swanson, just Katherine Lang. But it was good anyway.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
THE COLOR BLUE, September 1, 2005
SOUL ASSASSIN could have been a fairly entertaining little thriller. It has a complex plot with lots of twists and false leads, and some skillful performances from supporting players Rena Owen and Derek De Lint. However, director Laurence Malkin decided to film 90 percent of it with a blue filter; erratic MTV-style choppy scenes and focused very little on the script or its performers. Hence, all we get is a muddled tale of corporate deception and murder. The use of the blue screen and its chaotic camerawork serves only to make the film more annoying than entertaining. Skeet Ulrich is lost in the miasmic mess and the original Buffy (Kristy Swanson) just floats around with a gun in her hand most of the movie. A potentially good movie murdered by its execution.
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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fun Ride, December 31, 2002
I rented and then bought this DVD. It is different and has an attitude. Off beat locale and happenings...a bicycle chase in Amsterdam, a sniper shootout on the canal and lots of quick cuts and Hi Tech look and feel. The story is interesting as well...betrayal by a "father figure".
I have read some negative reviews of this movie by uptight "filmees". Get a life!! They over analyze all of the things about the movie that are actually fun....the pacing, the styized look, the blue filter....that's what is fun. Get your nose out of obscure and boring films and enjoy life.
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