Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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85 of 104 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A highly enjoyable, whacked-out acid trip of a movie, October 16, 2005
Imagine that before going to bed one night, you've read a magazine article about bounty hunter Domino Harvey, watched an over-the-top action movie and taken a hit of acid. Your dreams would likely resemble Tony Scott's new film, Domino. The film opens with "This is based on a true story........ sort of", and "sort of" is certainly accurate. If you're expecting a film biography of Domino Harvey, then you will certainly be disappointed with this movie. It's not a biography at all, in fact after seeing the movie you might know less about Domino Harvey than you did before. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. Rather than delivering another dull overly reverent biopic, Tony Scott brings forth something entirely different. The movie is a mixture of fact and fiction, however there's certainly a lot more fiction than fact. Domino Harvey was a real person who was really a bounty hunter, and died earlier this year. Several other characters in the movie were based on real people. The film's plot was most likely entirely concocted for the movie, however. The fact that it was scripted by Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly explains some of the craziness. I think its separation from reality is one intriguing thing about it, though. It's not supposed to be an accurate biopic, it's merely an action-crime thriller involving several real characters.
Keira Knightley stars as Domino giving a boisterous, abrasive performance that is both thrilling and provocative. She manages to distance herself from her previously girlish roles in such movies as Pirates of the Caribbean and Bend It Like Beckham. Indeed my initial interest in seeing this movie was the image of Keira Knightley brandishing machine guns. How could I resist? But that's not all. You also get Mickey Rourke in full tough-guy mode as Domino's partner Ed Mosbey.
And as if the prospect of Keira Knightley and Mickey Rourke as gun-wielding bounty hunters weren't enough, you also get Christopher Walken as a crazy television producer. However, the insanity doesn't stop there! Tom Waits appears as a sort of religious prophet, and Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering of Beverly Hills 90210 star as themselves! Then, by the time the movie goes to the Jerry Springer show with Mo'Nique unveiling her new categories for racially mixed people, you wonder when the kitchen sink is going to show up. In one scene, Christopher Walken's character is described as having "the attention span of a ferret on crystal meth," and that pretty much sums up the movie as a whole.
It really is a crazy flick. It could be called many things. It's being called a severe case of style over substance, and that's certainly true. However whatever it is, one thing it certainly isn't is boring. There is nearly always something interesting and exciting going on onscreen. High art it's definitely not, but it is an outrageously entertaining movie. Whether or not most viewers like it will most likely depend on personal taste.
Domino is already sharply dividing critics, but that's certainly understandable. If you're at all familiar with Tony Scott's work as a director, then you probably know what to expect. He's not a fan of long takes and the average length of his shots tends to be about two seconds. Domino only increases the hyperkinetic filmmaking style that he's been working on. Viewers will find this to be either enjoyable and interesting or immensely frustrating. Personally, I didn't mind. The movie only occasionally made my head hurt. Anyone with epilepsy will certainly want to stay far away. However, those with a high tolerance for indulgence and manic camerawork and editing may find much to enjoy in Domino. For some, it will certainly be sensory overload, but others will enjoy the over-the-top ultraviolent whacked-out spectacle for what it is. I see definite cult potential for this movie.
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Domino, October 27, 2005
Domino Harvey (Knightley), daughter of actor Laurence Harvey, was a model turned bounty hunter before her recent death. This is her story (sort of). The story is exaggerated and even retold as new information becomes known. Domino is looking to get away from the 90210 world she has lived in, and joins Ed (Roarke) and Choco (Ramirez) as a bounty hunter. They all work for Claremont Williams (Lindo), bringing fugitives to justice. When Williams gets them all involved in a scheme that involves the mob, a billionaire and $300,000, Domino must find a way to get her and her crew out unscathed.
"domino" is a glorious mess that both works and doesn't work depending upon the moment. Director Tony Scott employs ADD filmmaking to get Domino's frantic story across. The constant quick cuts work against the story, but after a while become bearable. Knightly does an adequate job as the titular character, with great support from Rourke. Ironically, two of the best roles are Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering (from "Beverly Hills 90210") playing themselves as hosts of a reality show focusing on Domino and her gang.
This film will probably either be loved or hated by the average viewer, most likely hated. It is not a bad film though, just one that could have been better. I think Tony Scott accomplished what he set out to do, but for this moviegoer, it wasn't enough. Wait for DVD.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fully equipped with the attention span of a ferret on crystal meth..., June 23, 2008
When I first saw `Domino' I was in love. I must admit that I adore Tony Scott's directing style. I remember when I first saw `Man on Fire', I was just blown away by the way Scott could capture your attention so effortlessly. I am a huge fan of his brother Ridley (one of our finest working directors) and while I feel Ridley is the finer director, Tony is working his way up their on his own terms. So to get back to my initial statement, when I first saw `Domino' I was smitten, or in love, whatever I said at first. Upon repeated viewings though, I have found that the film, while fun and explosive and utterly irresistible, is not without flaws; quite a few to be honest.
`Domino' tells the fictionalized story of real life bounty hunter Domino Harvey. Former model and daughter of a famous actor, Domino lived a life of prestige and glamour but she desired something a little more gritty. She resented her money and prominence and wanted to escape it as quickly as possible. When by chance she received an opportunity to do so, she took it, and thus joined bounty hunters Ed and Choco.
Quite possibly the only part of this movie that is true is the fact that Domino Harvey was a real person. More of the story could be based on actual events (I use the word `could' strongly here) but it really doesn't matter much. Whether it's true or not is not the issue. Even the film itself tells you before it begins that this is `sort of' the truth, and we as the audience can appreciate that. This is a way for Scott to pay homage to a friend and he does so with guts and bravado. There is no denying that `Domino' is an exciting visual feast and delivers a good time.
There is a problem though with the manic style in which Scott tells this story. It may not be true, but it should still at least be understandable, and while I'm not saying that the story is impossible to `get' I am saying that it takes a lot out of you to follow it coherently. The film is all over place in most parts, jumping time frames, repeating itself, stuttering, changing direction, jumping back, shifting focus; delivering large amounts of information at once and then going back and changing its mind on us. If you focus your attention you'll get it, but if you are not one who is used to having to really pay close attention you'll find yourself lost, and once you're lost you won't be able to find your way back. `Man on Fire' is a little more controlled, a film that uses the visual flare Tony Scott is known for but with restraint so as not to take away from the impact of the film.
To quote Mena Suvari's character; this film "has the attention span of a ferret on crystal meth."
The plot development is a little overly complicated at times, so much so that it causes me to question Scott's decision to simplify Domino's initiation into the world of bounty hunting. He takes a lot of time to develop this twisted and intricate DMV scam but skimps on showing us how Domino became the bounty hunter that she was (I highly doubt it was as easy as the film makes it seem).
A major highlight to the film though is the acting on the part of the entire cast. Keira Knightley and Mickey Rourke had a great year in 2005. They both gave award winning performances (Knightley in `Pride and Prejudice' and Rourke in `Sin City'), and Knightley even went on to garner an Oscar nomination. Here they excel at playing the character they are given. Knightley gives Harvey heart, and she manages to engage the audience and get us invested in her. Rourke creates a father figure for Domino, but never waters him down. He's still rough and gruff and extreme. Edgar Ramirez does a great job as Choco, the bounty hunter after Domino's heart, and Delroy Lindo is his usual fantastic self as Claremont, Domino's boss. The cast is extensive and serves us memorable performances by everyone from Mo'Nique (her Jerry Springer scene alone is unforgettable) to 90210 stars Ziering and Green (who do a stand up job of digging into their own celebrity).
True, `Domino' could have been a little cleaner, but then again, maybe that would have taken away from the impact Scott was going for. I would have liked to have seen Scott use a little more restraint with his style and delivered something a little more heavy hitting like `Man on Fire' (possibly his best film) and I would have liked to have seem a little more though gone into fleshing out these characters a little morel; but in the end I can't really complain too much. `Domino' is fun and exciting and engaging and serves up a deliciously violent good time. It's not perfect, but no one asked it to be.
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