Skin Traffik

Not many people will agree with me but SKIN TRAFFIK (a.k.a A Hit-man IN London) is from one perspective a film with a lot of heart. Given that Ara Paiaya is not only the producer and director but also the editor, Cinematographer and Fight Choreographer. Also what it sets out to be is a film that delivers action at a break neck pace and it delivers in spades.

The cast consist a bunch of familiar faces. Such as leading man Gary Daniels who despite being fifty isn't showing signs of slowing down. as well as Mickey Rourke, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah, Eric Roberts, Alan Ford, Dominique Swain and Jeff Fahey. All of which giving fine performances and adding their own special flavor.

In terms of plot progression the film picks up quickly and maintains its quick pace throughout. The action comes in large doses and remains thoroughly entertaining. The story line isn't the greatest but with this type of film that's pretty much a genre trademark.

The promo looked good. In the first 10 minutes i knew i wasted my money. Acting bad, filming bad, plot worse. Its just compounded all together. I don't like to say it, but an Adam Sandler movie is better. Please trust me and move on in your search for a good action movie to watch. As with previous reviews, the director wears too many hats. The lead could be reading his lines from someone yelling to him off side. Action actually not that bad, its the shot angles and editing that i found disjointed. All, the other stars probably saw this as a quick buck. It is painful to see these quality actor go through the motions. It all looks rushed as if to get in to DVD release asap.I feel bad for me and any other who see the preview, as that was all you need to see to not enjoy what little there is.

Here's another of this grind house sort flicks, British style and pretty bad at that. Another indie sort, that does have it's share of action, it's lead, a likable bad arse. Daniels plays a hit-man, who makes a fatal error, ending the life of an innocent party, the daughter of his objective, a swelled, puffed up libosuctioned faced Rourke, in a why bother film. Daniel's who gone off the radar of his agency, is implored by a young Russian prostitute (an annoying overacted Dominique Swain who needs a good whack in the head) to find her younger sister, caught up in the rackets (stereotypical sexy scenes of young groomed girls, in sexy lingerie, going off reluctantly with older clientele) Daniels visits an illegitimate model agency, run by that memorable cockney guy from Snatch, and finally ends up seeing a guy (Jeff Fahey) who's mistaken for the infamous executive, who has the missing girl. High kicks and fistfights go hand and hand in some great choreographed sequences, but is just bottom b grade. It's frightening to see good actors wasted in crap like this, where more here, it's crap with a trashy b grade style of it's own. Again likable bad arse Michael Madsen and Daryl Hannah, who looks terrible here libosuctioned lips share screen time as hit man accomplices, Madsen, providing one shocking amusing moment. The head of the agency, Daniels works for, is played with slimy sleek professionalism by Eric Roberts, (him and Fahey, the best actors in the movie). Daniel's does make a great action hero, but take Skin Traffik for what it is, trashy entertaining CRAP, nothing more.

Most definitely a guy's movie. It has a very nice retro feel to it. Like a throw back to the 80's. Classic cast of Hollywood veterans seen for the first time all together. Blood, guts and a lot of action from the start to the end. The best part is Gary Daniels he has never looked better and finally the fight scenes are done right with a Hong Kong flavor and in a Hollywood movie. He gives the proper intensity and he's back to his best performance ever!. Damn he looks good for 50 years + old! Essentially it's an all star cast movie about a hit man who kills hundreds of bad men to avenge a dead hooker and save her little sister from human trafficking. Prepare to watch the hero engage in hand-to-hand combat, then shoot, one person after another, non-stop, for the entire 97 minute run time of this movie. Every scene has a famous face in it and it's one for the action movie collection especially for fans of all these Hollywood legends.

Skin Traffik excels, unapologetically, at what it seeks to be: a fun, violent action romp, built upon a amazing cast and plenty of action where Bradley (Gary Daniels) kills mobsters, assassins and all the middlemen in between. As for the actual narrative: it's blessedly simplistic and unsophisticated, with no illusions of grandeur: Bradley's hit goes sideways with Vogal (Mickey Rourke) and his old employer (Eric Roberts) wants him dead. He drops out the game and is hiding out in London where he comes across a hooker (Dominique Swain) who needs help. He makes a promise to help her find her little sister and from that point everyone who gets in Bradley's (Gary Daniels) way as he makes his journey of vengeance ends up in a body bag. Simple. The invincible tough-guy archetype and action mixed with the amazing cast of EVERYONE!!!!! which include MICKEY ROURKE, ERIC ROBERTS, DARYL HANNAH, MICHAEL MADSEN, JEFF FAHEY, DOMINIQUE SWAIN, ALAN FORD ! This is an independent film written, produced, directed, filmed, edited, action, fight choreography and co-starring all by one man ARA PAIAYA. The action and cast are the most enjoyable aspects of the film. Paiaya creates both the visual and physical dimensions of the film it's no surprise that the director is able to put together some of the slickest action sequences seen in an independent film with such a high profile cast being a martial arts expert according to IMDb Trivia and looks to have starred in a bunch of low budget DTV chop socky flicks. Certainly a step up from the usual Hollywood shaky cam action fare. The action is very well executed, slick and polished in design. When the violence and action isn't taking place, some good production and set design plus some nice cinematography help keep the eye reasonably satisfied whenever things slow down. It's action, it's British and it has an all star cast not the greatest story in the world but it's a little action gem.