Body Count - Flucht nach Miami

Some films just don't have good advertising. This one could've been a success - if anyone outside the festival circle would've been aware it even existed. BODY COUNT has a great cast, some nice twists, and generally a zany, well-paced script. It's a matured RESERVOIR DOGS, with less pop-cultural chit-chat and more substance to the plot. Check it out, you might be positively surprised.

The film was awful. The dialogue, speech and Plot, were far below the star cast. Hey Robert Patton-Spruill! if you read this, Try a new concept. Both this and 'Squeeze' were bad examples of your work! How about getting on-board a new D.O.P?

I had delayed seeing this movie because of all the bad reviews and comments it received but I thought it wasn't THAT bad after all ... I mean I picked it up basically because I had seen everything else so I thought ... why not this one ... especially since it was in the "Nobody wants to see this,

right ??" section of the video store ...

I have to say that despite some goofy dialogues ... scenes ... acting ... script ... I was actually "entertained" enough to recommend it ... Some nice twists and turns along the way as those awful people just can't BEHAVE !!... I mean it would be sooooo easy to just shut up and drive all the way to wherever there going ... (was it Florida, not sure ?? But the story doesn't appear to be so important here !! ) ... you don't make a movie with that .. do you ?? hehe !!

I was surprised that with all the recognizable faces in the cast this movie slipped through the cracks ... marginal recommendation ... too bad the last third is kind of a let down ... but before that I thought this movie was actually pretty "intriguing" .. especially if you like movies like Fargo, Reservoir dogs and Pulp Fiction (Although Body count is really faaaaaaar from being as good as those three !!) ...

All those movies just have similar styles ... gruesome violence and sometimes amusing dialogues ... 3/5 and I am pleased considering I was fearing it would be a turkey when I popped it in the VCR ...

Four thieves find themselves on the run after their leader, "Crane" (Forest Whitaker) is shot and killed during an art museum robbery. The problem for them is that one of their members named "Chino" (John Leguizamo) is an extremely loose cannon who is easily provoked by one of the other members by the name of "Hobbs" (David Caruso). As a result the de facto leader, "Pike" (Ving Rhames) has his hands full just trying to get to Miami in order to sell the stolen paintings so that they can each go their separate ways. However, along the way they pick up a woman named "Natalie" (Linda Fiorentino) who causes even more trouble. Now, while this film is billed as a "comedy" I found it to be more of a "crime-drama" than anything else. Even so, it was an interesting film which should keep most viewers guessing from start to finish. Likewise, even though I couldn't stand the character played by John Leguizamo I must admit that he did an excellent job all the same. I also liked the performances of Ving Rhames, David Caruso and Linda Fiorentino as well. All things considered then, I rate this movie as slightly above average.

"Body Count" copies "Reservoir Dogs" so closely that it's a wonder Tarantino didn't sue its makers (or maybe he was simply flattered). The plot (concerning the aftermath of a daring art museum heist, which we only see in flashbacks), the irrelevant/"philosophical" dialogue, the violent, constantly sparring partners-in-crime....NOTHING is fresh in this movie, everything feels forced, tired and second-hand. The characters are extraordinarily stupid; they are supposed to be these big-shot criminals but they behave in the most unprofessional manner possible, doing everything they can to screw up their own plans. Still, the film is not unwatchable; John Lequizamo does a good job of playing a complete sleazebag, and there are a couple of twists at the end. As for the rest of the cast, Ving Rhames keeps his dignity but the great Forest Whitaker is wasted and David Caruso and (especially) Linda Fiorentino are awful. (**)