The Channel

The Channel is a low budget film, but one done with style and skill. It's clearly influenced by crime films like Heat and 21 Bridges (the main cop even looks like Chadwick Boseman!), but the plot manages to go to places that those films did not. The result is a movie that feels fresh and thrilling despite wearing its influences on its sleeve.

The film's secret weapon is definitely director William Kaufman, who has made a career of turning out big action on tiny budgets. His signature is creating visceral, realistic-ish gunfights and he doesn't disappoint here. Shootouts that would last 30 seconds in other movies instead go on for 3-5 minutes here and escalate in a pleasing fashion. I wouldn't say The Channel has the best shootouts he's ever made (see The Brave or Daylight's End for that), but this is certainly the best film he's made. It holds up even during the non-action scenes and I found myself invested in the predicament of the main characters.

If you can accept action movies without big studio production values, then The Channel is a good time at the movies.

A fun, shoestring-budget type, heist movie that borrows heavily from superior films in the genre. Namely and obviously the 199x movie "Heat". It's almost like the writers of this movie just finished Breaking Bad and then watched Heat directly preceding receiving the inspiration for writing this film. All that said, you could do worse than Breaking Bad and Heat for touchstones imo. The acting is not great (especially from the dude who played the good bro and the dude who played Pacino's cop character) and some of the lines are just awful but I found it enjoyable. Lots of gunfights and sincere but laughably terrible attempts at N'Orlins accents. I have definitely seen worse.

Never mind the clearly bogus high reviews, and this film is certainly more deserving than the 1/10's, so here's an honest real review; it's a decent and one-time watchable B-Film. The story is nothing new, but has a nice flow and continuity to it, with very little plot and technical issues, and decent action. The 100 min runtime could've used a 10-15 min trim to get rid of some of the filler. Pacing was decent, as was the cinematography and score, especially for a B film. I've never heard of any of the actors, but they performed fairly decent, although the Walter White looking guy and the lead FBI agent Nicoye Banks could've had better casting choices. Nevertheless, it's no 10 and certainly not a 1, but a fair 7/10 for one of the better watchable B films I've seen in a while.

Action movie fanatics may wanna take a look at Kaufman's work, he started in 2005 with a very low budget flick The Prodigy (200 000 bucks), a dark and gloomy story about a sadistic masked killer. A must watch. The mold for all his other movies.

The way he handles the shoutouts is quite specific, a mixture of quick cuts, and immersive shots, gore wounds, and intense sound design, and believe me it works and it's very enjoyable. It gives a unique and aggressive style to the fight scenes and it shows.

He then continued to direct and write action flicks, using his skills learned in the industry to make good stuffs despite having a limited budget. But he brings back all the old faces you wanna see, Lundgren, Cuba, Berenger, Prochnow,Mandylor,Strong, Coates etc... . I recommend all his movies.

The Channel is no exception and it still got the spirit, good pacing, good acting, immersive music, intense shootout scenes and sound design, you can tell they liked the other good heist movies, there are some references and nod to Heat, Reservoir Dogs and Point Break. No lecturing, no politics, just true Cinema.

I'm curious to see his next movie wich will be released in a 3 days : Shrapnel.

Going into this film with low expectations and unfamiliarity with the cast, I was pleasantly surprised and thoroughly impressed by what unfolded. The movie, which I initially underestimated, proved to be a captivating experience filled with intense action and compelling performances.

From the start, the film grips you with its high-stakes heist plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The actors, though not household names, brought their characters to life with authenticity and vigor that rivaled seasoned stars. Their portrayal of the classic "good guys against the bad guys" scenario was fresh and engaging, making every moment count.

The action sequences were well choreographed, showcasing a blend of strategy and adrenaline that is often hard to balance in heist films. Each scene was crafted with precision, making the action not just exciting but believable.

Overall, this film is a hidden gem that deserves more attention. It's a must-watch for anyone who loves action-packed, edge-of-your-seat thrillers. The movie not only met but exceeded my expectations, earning my full respect and a high recommendation.