El fantasma

I have watched a LOT of really bad movies, and this isn't anywhere near the bottom of the barrel. In fact, it's kind of enjoyable. The bad guy is sufficiently bad that we he drives the story and justifies our anger. He has just enough complexity that he escapes being one- dimensional. Hayden Christensen is acceptable as basically the fallen hero, and Nicholas Cage is, well, a little off the wall.

Some people complain about the action, and the first sequence is not that great. But the later action scenes are decent, and the last sword- fight is pretty good.

Some of the story is sort of sketched in instead of really told in depth, but it's not inconsistent or riddled with plot holes. What story there is moves along at a good pace.

This isn't a great film and I think that the low IMDb rating (4,6) is correct. I'm afraid that the explanation lies in the clichéd dialogues and in the naive action scenes (who could find convincing a man who regularly defeats dozens of enemies as if they just didn't exist?) which seemed outdated for the present times.

But this bad outcome is, under many respects, a pity, because the film has a very good cast, great stunting, beautiful scenery, excellent images, a modern editing and its storyline, although not even remotely original, is a honest classical plot for an adventure movie.

Nick Powell is a top stunt coordinator (and that's why the stunting is so good), here at his first experience as a director. I don't know how great his ambitions are but he didn't seem far from making a film that could be much more appreciated by people like me.

This movie doesn't score great. I've read most reviews and I don't agree. Things about not being correct, so what.

This is a good action movie with, and that's a plus, a nice story. It's not a documentary, it's not a "based on true facts", it's a story to entertain you.

Just enjoy it, as I did.

And by the way, I watched it three times now. I don't choose a movie just because it's near to any truth, or believable. I want to be entertained.

I just wonder. Would any of the critics here criticize a book in the same way, or some piece of music?

What in the hell is this garbage!

Nic Cage...for the love of god man! Seriously! ...know what...its not your fault...no... Im a huge fan...and Ill remain one forever. But for the love of god... James Dormer!!! What was going through your mind as you wrote this poor, boring, mind blowingly (and numbingly) DULL and dreadful script!

How they even got the funding to do this film is like beyond me. Uwe Boll films are BETTER then this. For crying out loud.

There is zero character progression. There is no worthwhile story. Everything happens for no particular reason. Some single event that transpired in the middle east caused Hayden and Nick to travel to China.....done.... nice..... *facepalm* And from there they end up being involved in some Chinese royalist jibber jabber blah blah thats been seen 5000 times by now. The action is lackluster... no typical Chinese cinema special effects or such which could have added substantially to the film. The film feels insanely rushed....yet at the same time you end up sitting there... waiting for it to be over so its actually also painfully long. Whether that makes any sense to you my dear reader is up to you. Im not watching this ever again. There are some really weird and corny...uncomfortably corny camera set- ups. Stuff that will make you think....ehm....okay....which is a small detail but enough to make an already bad film worse.

It couldn't get more painfully boring if they tried. There is nothing Chinese as such over this film too. Everybody speaks English. This is the worst accent I've ever heard Nic Cage make in my life and it pains me to say this cause' I love the guy. He's awesome...but god damn it... this is dreadful.

Imagine Nic Cage role playing with a bunch of dudes in the forest...making medieval'ish accents... Lad...and blah blah...yea...thats the film. I cannot believe the director allowed it. With that said...the director is NOT EVEN A DIRECTOR. he's an assistant director who's never made a film before. WHy Hayden!? Why Cage?! Why anyone in this film...why are you taking part in a disaster like this?! This was doomed before it even began.

my god...this year and video games....this year and films... this is horrific. As if "Left Behind" wasn't bad enough.

*sigh*

I kept asking myself through the film. Who is this made for? because it sure as hell isn't the Nic Cage fan boys...its not the guys loving action. its NOT a Chinese audience... its basically not any audience this film might ...could....appeal to. So who then? Is it to advance the career of the actors? because this film will most certainly NOT accomplish that. Is it a directorial debut? Evidently yes... Congratulations Nick Powell...you messed yours up BADLY!

My god... Why why why why why! Why is it so incomprehensibly difficult to just make a good film. Why Hayden...from Star Wars signed up for this is anyones guess... Nic Cage...FIRE YOUR AGENT! Like RIGHT NOW! if you love your fans... fire that "agent" of yours and start making films like Tokarev...like Bad lieutenant... like Kick Ass... like The Frozen Ground. Cool and great stuff. Stuff that shows you for what you are. A damn good actor!

Stop participating in this garbage! PLEASE! For the sake of your fans! For our health... stop it!

This film hasn't got anything to offer anyone. You wont learn anything you don't already know. You will not take anything away from it. based on that this has absolutely no reason to even exist.

Its just.....more.....I guess. More junk.

Go watch the Last Samurai or Season of the Witch instead. Seriously. If you disliked 47 Ronin with keanu Reeves...you'll absolutely despise this. Reason Im comparing the two is because once again we see Westerners going to the east...go kick ass....in typical Hollywood manner... no interesting story...just pure boring and utterly unrealistic action. Its just about as trivial as it could possibly get.

Regardless my dear reader. Consider yourself warned.

I cannot recommend this to anyone. If you are a Cage fan...STAY far away.

I repeat. Go watch Season of the Witch or The last Samurai instead of this. If you watch this film anyway...use a free film site...do yourself that favor because paying for this will make you regret it.

For the love of god... *facepalm* NIC!!! PLEASE!! GET IT TOGETHER MAN!!!

I want my money back!

No proper connection between the first 10 minutes war of the crusaders and the Chinese war! The crusaders war was intended to fight the Muslim from capturing Jerusalem the holy city!

They are not connected at all! Why someone becomes all of sudden Robin hood and fights a war that it is not his?

How and when the crusaders learned Chinese???????

Nickolas Cage he didn't lead this story, he could have done better job than this!

It could have been better!