METRO 1997
A film review by Timothy Voon
Copyright 1997 Timothy Voon
1 :-( for old ground
It's not about planes, trains or automobiles. The closest thing that this movie gets to metropolitan is several bank robberies. Why confuse the issues with a name that plays no relevance to the movie at all? Why not simply call the movie "Hostage", or the "The Rescue Techniques of a Personnel Endangerment Officer"? Wait, we are forgetting a vital element in this small picture - Eddie Murphy.
A moment of contemplation please.
Yes. This once simple movie has just taken a U-turn into the schizophrenic wards. However, I am happy to report that Mr Murphy has not forgotten to take his medication, and carries himself throughout this movie with dignified self-control. I haven't seen him this well behaved, since his role as Sherman Klump. Then again he was overweight in that role, and that can have a sobering effect.
The plot is none too complicated. A gunman holds a person hostage. The idea is to rescue everybody without being shot. Eddie Murphy goes about doing this his personal way. Which in no uncertain terms mean confusing the hell out of the kidnapper, then shooting him in the shoulder. Now tell me, where can I find an enlightening chapter on this technique in the "Police Rescue Operator's Manual"? Let's not be overly sceptical, I can see some logic in all of this. After all if Eddie can perplex an entire audience, he should have no problems bewildering the likes of a low IQ, psychopathic bank robber with an antisocial personality.
The mass confusion rescue technique only works with the dumb criminals. The smart ones who graduated with honours in English, Geometry and Personal Grudges, are more likely send a relative to kill your girlfriend. If this fails, they'll come after you personally. This movie has its moments in holding the audience in mild suspense, but these scenes come too far and few in between. Ed is digging a shallow grave with this movie, if he's looking for a more abundant resting hole, he may need to look further abroad than the already corpse littered grounds of Metropolitan.
Timothy Voon e-mail: stirling@netlink.com.au
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