Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, sexual content/nudity and drug use.
127 Minutes
Directed By: Tony Scott
Written By: Richard Kelly
Staring: Kiera Knightly, Mickey Rourke, Delroy Lindo, Edgar Ramirez, Mena Suvari, MoNique, Macy Gray, Brian Austin Green, Ian Ziering, Jacqueline Bisset, Lucy Liu, Christopher Walken, and Peter Jacobson
My name is Domino Harvey. I am a bounty hunter. You’re probably wondering how a girl like me arrived here. What I say will determine whether or not I spend the rest of my life in prison. Let’s start at the beginning. -Domino Harvey
Review
As a fan of most of Tony Scott’s work (Top Gun, Deja Vu, Enemy Of The State) I had pretty reasonable expectations of his work. His films have a certain air and texture that connect them all, yet lets them remain individual. Domino is an action packed story of a female bounty hunter that is more style than substance, and while occasionally entertains also seems to lose itself in it’s own indulgent depiction. The combination of Ramirez, Rourke, and Knightlry makes some of the more ridiculous moments enjoyable.
The story is loosely based on the true story of Domino Harvey, the daughter of film actor Laurence Harvey. Frustrated by the restraints of living a life as a socialite, even a professional model, Domino rejects her silver spoon lifestyle to become a bounty hunter. Her mentor becomes a veteran of the bounty hunting world, Ed Mosley. He and his crew become a haven for Domino, as she quickly finds she was built for violence. Living a happy life as a bounty hunter, Domino finds herself in the middle of a scheme thatinvolves robbing an armored car, ticking off the mob, a crazed TV producer, the attention of the FBI and the fate of a terminally ill child.
The best part of the story was the integration of 90210 and how Brian Austin Green and Ian Ziering played a role in the chaotic events that followed. The basic representative to everything that Domino hated made it an interesting twist in the story, but at times it also felt like another distraction thrown in for the sake of having more complications.
Delroy Lindo is pretty much a smooth operator in anything he does and Domino was no exception. Knightley pulled off the role of disenchanted hot chick with an edge well enough, but it seemed the concept was so focused on that it was overdone rather a natural setting. Even so her chemistry with Edgar was undeniable. Domino andChoco had tension thick and thicker in the air. Only when death and destruction are faced is their romance even explored. More of them and less of the slow motion shots, or “tough” Domino moments would have made the movie much better. Mickey Rourke also played a role of a tough bounty hunter, and added much needed authority to the film. His gritty portrayal of Ed made every scene he was in just a little more heightened.
The action mostly worked, at least from the end of Kiera’s violence anyway. It was gritty and raw, and without feeling too forced. If it wasn’t focused on the fact that she was a chick and it just let her persona unfold naturally it would have worked better, but the moments apprehending their bounties were all kinds of fun
The shots that panned off and even the drug related scenes were overworked and felt forced. Even as much of an unapologetic action fan as I am, the gun fight at the end isn’t that great and the overall resolve of the situation is pretty dumb. The disruptions in pacing and the ending that felt like it was shocking for the sake of being shocking took a film that could have been really cool, and made it less than entertaining.
Domino was an OK action flick, that becomes a little too focused on itself being cool, but that aside, it entertains and is amusing. Mickey Rourke is dangerous and vicious, with Edgar Ramirez as his maniacal sidekick and Knightley playing the calculating Domino. The charisma of these three character’s is really where the heart of the film rests and succeeds. They are what’s interesting, not necessarily all the “twists” and “turns” in between.
Popularity: 1% [?]
