Java Heat

"The how I know, the why I haven't figured out yet." After a suicide bomber strikes in Indonesia, American Marine/FBI agent Jake Travers (Lutz) travels there posing as a graduate student to catch the terrorists behind it. Getting help from a Muslim cop Hashim (Bayu) they begin to uncover a hidden truth that could wind up being more dangerous then suicide bombers. I have to start by saying action movies like this don't really rely to much on acting to keep you interested but Lutz's acting is so bad it's almost distracting. Also Mickey Rourke seems miscast in this. Other then that the movie is not too bad but it is a little slow and hard to stay interested in in a few parts. I would still say it's worth watching but be prepared for a movie that feels longer then it is. There have been many movies about terrorist threats like this to come out lately and while this is OK it's not one of the better ones. Overall, worth watching but nothing to rush and see. I give it a C+.

The writing was bad not as bad as Kellan Lutz's acting OMG all these directers and producers are trying to make him into a star and the bottom line is he just can't act ! When you watch Denzel, Keanue etc.. fill in the name of any great action star you believe in their character. You don't with Kellan you can see he is reading from a script. Mickey Rourkes accent i have no idea what it was suppose to be was awful. On the brighter side the acting by Ario Bayu was excellent we did not see much of the woman who played the Sultana but when we did she was also great. They are the reasons i gave this 5 stars. I did not go in to detail about what the bad writing was or what scenes were acted so badly i didn't want to spoil the movie. Yes despite all that the great work by the others is worth your time watching it just don't expect it to be a A movie. We had D actors and writers with the exception of a few upcoming A listers like Mr. Bayu.

I first saw JAVA HEAT at a local action movie festival back in May of 2013. I had never heard of it and went to see it to help support the festival and raise money for a local charity. I wasn't expecting much as most of the movies in this festival had been no great shakes. All action and nothing else. This suited the fans just fine but it left me with a sprained wrist from checking my watch so often. However I came out of JAVA HEAT pleasantly surprised. Not only was I engaged throughout but I got to see lots of local Indonesian culture and more than capable performances from Indonesian actors Ario Bayu and Atiquah Hasiholan.

Mickey Rourke as the international villain (in addition to English he speaks French, Arabic & Javanese) is a delight to watch and to root against. He's clearly enjoying himself as much as Javier Bardem did in SKYFALL. While he-man Kellan Lutz is the weak link in the chain, he is more than adequate to the task at hand (resembling a cross between Christopher Reeve and a young Arnold Schwarzenegger) and he looks great in the buff. There's also a brief moment that makes fun of him having been in TWILIGHT. The film proved so popular that the theater brought it back for a one week run shortly after the festival.

JAVA HEAT is a throwback to the exotic B movie fare of yore like MACAO or SIROCCO only retooled for the 21st century with a little nudity, occasional bursts of graphic violence, and a lot of action set pieces. It has no aspirations of being anything other than what it is, an entertaining way to fill 100 minutes of your time. The use of split screen ala Brian De Palma (think CARRIE) is both retro and put to good use. The movie is technically accomplished in a no-nonsense way with crisp editing, solid photography and effective use of traditional and contemporary music.

The story is familiar but effective. A young American (Lutz) who is not what he claims to be joins forces with a local police lieutenant (Bayu) to try and solve the assassination of a female member of Indonesian royalty (Hasiholan). Things quickly get complicated with payoffs, cover-ups, and a plan to steal the royal treasury thrown into the mix and all masterminded by uber-villain Rourke. The majority of movies are made with nothing more than entertainment in mind and if you enjoy an action flick with an exotic locale and a budget well under $100 million, then JAVA HEAT will more than fill the bill...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

Watchable for the Exotic Location Filming and some Violent Action Pieces, this STV Movie is a bit Different, owing to its Setting. Mickey Rourke was Unadvisedly and for no Good Reason given a thick French Accent. Another slight Setback is the Totally Uncharismatic Lead Actor that is all Buff and not much Else.

The Actor Playing the Local Cop comes off much Better. The Story is Forever Confusing and Keeping Things in some kind of Make Sense Order is a bit Difficult. But Action Fans are Forgiving in this Type of Thing and may find it a Satisfying Shoot Em Up.

The Look of the Movie is Great, so for some Foreign Land Eye Candy with Fantastic Costumes, and some Truly Violent Action this is Worth a Watch.

After Mickey Rourke gave his deservedly highly praised performance in "The Wrestler", I thought that from that point on, his career would be in a permanent rebound. But just a few years later, Rourke is back making straight to DVD movies, "Java Heat" being one of them. In fairness, this particular straight to DVD movie is nowhere as bad as some of Rourke's past efforts in the genre. Some of the action sequences aren't bad, and we are given an interesting look in many corners of Indonesia. However, the movie is both too long and too slow for the most part - it should have been tightened during the scripting stage. And Rourke doesn't come across very well, with his puffy face and his dialogue often spoken in a mumble that makes it hard to understand what he's saying at times. From this movie, I now think that the remainder of Rourke's career will be stuck in the direct to DVD market and that no one will give him another chance at something better. Too bad.