ASSASSINS
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
RATING (0 TO 10): 4.1
United States, 1995 U.S. Availability: 10/6/95 (wide) Running Length: 2:12 MPAA Classification: R (Violence, profanity) Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoly Davydov Director: Richard Donner Producers: Joel Silver, Bruce A. Evans, Raynold Gideon, Andrew Lazar, and Jim Van Wyck Screenplay: Andy Wachowski and Larry Wachowski Cinematography: Vilmos Zsigmond Music: Mark Mancina U.S. Distributor: Warner Brothers
Some time ago, I wrote that Sylvester Stallone was a better actor than Steven Seagal. While that was once true, the recent difference between the two might be likened to that of oak and maple: despite dissimilar textures, each is still wood(en). Oddly, Stallone, who once shone in ROCKY, seems to have adopted the non-emotive state in response to the desire of his most ardent fans, who want action, not character. Those Stallone die-hards should be pleased with their idol's latest, ASSASSINS. It effectively fills the above mandate.
One of the most serious gaps in this film is that the script calls for a hero suffering through a deep moral crisis--with the cold war over, hired killer and ex-government operative Robert Rath (Stallone) is re-evaluating his life and career choice--but Stallone is ill-equipped to play someone engaged in a deep inner struggle. It's like Arnold Schwarzenegger essaying an existentialist--laughably absurd. And "absurd" is precisely what a good portion of ASSASSINS is. In addition to Stallone's inflexible facial expression, the film is saddled with a preposterous script and hideous dialogue. Plus, it weighs in at a too- long one-hundred thirty-two minutes.
The plot is an excuse for gun fights. Rath is trying to get out of the hit business after one final $2,000,000 score. He has an adversary, however, in the person of Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas), who is a great admirer of Rath's, but intends to take him out anyway. After all, there can only be one #1, and Bain intends to be it. Rath (like the audience) could care less. He just wants to get out rich and alive. In order to do so, he has to kill Electra (Julianne Moore), a computer security specialist who accidentally captured sensitive information while surfing the Internet. Of course, once Rath actually meets his quarry, he decides she's too attractive to kill. Thus begins one of the great screen romances of the last five minutes...
The cast is interesting. Aside from Stallone, there's Antonio Banderas, who's fast becoming a big-time sex symbol (quite a feat for someone who started out as a Pedro Almodovar regular). It's Banderas' pecs, however, not his acting, on display here. His Bain is a pure caricature--he laughs, sneers, and sweats his way through the part. As for the presence of a solid talent like Julianne Moore in this living comic book... at least she got a nice paycheck.
Director Richard Donner, of LETHAL WEAPON trilogy fame, might do better going back to Mel Gibson as his leading man. Come to think of it, though, even an accomplished actor couldn't do much with this screenplay. The action scenes are competently constructed, and the climactic shootout provides a few moments of tension, but that's scarcely reason to sit through the rest of ASSASSINS' drivel. It all amounts to nothing, anyway--these two indestructible supermen are both guaranteed to be on their feet until the final showdown, which inevitably happens during the last five minutes. There are plenty of more exciting, reasonably intelligent action films (including the aforementioned LETHAL WEAPONs) available to the adrenaline junkie. Of course, with all the gunplay, the body count here goes pretty high, but the biggest casualty of ASSASSINS is the viewer who expects to get something remotely original out of this recycled formula with its stony star.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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