La nuit la plus longue

Anyone trying to do a 'serious review' of this movie needs to lighten up. George Clooney and Quentin Tarantino are the Gecko brothers, two bad, bad men on their way to Mexico. Along the way they pick up a preacher played by Harvey Keitel and his two kids. They're supposed to meet a partner at a bar called The Titty Twister, and once they get there madness ensues. From there it takes a turn that many seem to find infuriating but I personally find highly entertaining. It's humming along like a typical Tarantino picture, and then- BOOM. Out of nowhere, it becomes all too clear that these two bad, bad men are not by a longshot the baddest in *this* bar. All of this can- and *will*, given the right attitude on the part of the viewers- read as a loving high-five to 70s zombie flicks, a homage to the campy fun of those movies. The tough guy dialog continues throughout, the gore level is astounding, and we see via Kate- the preacher's daughter, played by Juliette Lewis- that sometimes a p***ed-off virgin with a crossbow can more than hold her own. On top of that, it has a hella-cool biker-bar soundtrack and Salma Hayek in a bikini. What's not to like?

I loved this film for many reasons. For one, the switch from a crime thriller to a horror thriller was seamless. I for one had not heard much about this film before I watched it, and I assumed the TV Times were mistaken in called this a gory horror thriller. To me, it was a simple crime thriller, the norm which is expected from Tarantino's pen. However, the switch was such a shock and so fast, that I didn't now what happened I was amazed at this revelation, since there was no word of any horror topics beforehand in the script. It was completely out of the blue, and resulted in a pleasant surprise.

And the thing that's interesting is that BOTH halves to this film, both the crime section and horror section are enjoyable. The first half has less action, but tension does mount between Keitel and Clooney, while Tarantino is in the back, paying special attention to Keitel's daughter. A great premise with an equally great script in the first half. The second section is also great because of the horrific violence and as I heard mentioned before, the unique ways on how to kill vampires.

The script is witty and full of dark humour, "I have 6 little friends and they all run faster than you.", and the intro is certainly one of the best I have seen in months. The characters are well established, with Clooney as the 'gentleman' (well, not really) crook, Tarantino as his psychotic brother (who, strangely, I found difficult not to warm to) and Keitel is the preacher who has lost his faith, the hostage who will help out later when the satanic hordes unleash themselves.

A special mention must go to Salma Hayek for that special dance. ;) While this film was never made out of blockbuster material, it is still very understated, taking a unique and perhaps surreal viewing on the horror genre, all the while using horror stereotypes. As far as graphic violence is concerned, it is on par with the likes of Evil Dead (well, perhaps not THAT bad).

For once, this is a film which doesn't give the viewer all the answers beforehand. You are in the same boat as the characters and you don't know what's in store for them. If you hadn't seen this before, without any knowledge of the movie, you'd be in for a huge surprise as I was.

An 8/10 for it's script (thanks to Tarantino) and the actors who, while not trying too hard, make this an enjoyable horror flick with a difference.

George Clooney should have stuck will this kind of role. He did fine in Out of Sight and Ocean's Eleven, but he really dominated this movie with a fury that we may never see again. Almost every line he delivers is memorable and that is not all Tarantino's doing. The rest of the cast is dominated by cool cameos and veteran cult and mainstream names. The exception being Ernest Liu who does a good job of holding his own. No Tarantino film would be complete without a good soundtrack. This one, as with Desperado, features songs by Tito and Tarantula. Although I have only heard four songs by them, I consider them one of my favorites. I will never forget what my parents told me after they watched this without me. "You sure can pick 'em," my mother blurted with distain. Do not make my mistake, watch it with your parents to see them squirm.

Although I am not AS lovestruck with this film as many other reviewers are, I did find it an entertaining albeit conscience-churning experience. From Dusk Till Dawn really is two films in one. The first part tells the story of the Gecko boys(Not Geico) played by George Clooney and Quentin Tarentino. They are escapees from the law and have killed over a dozen people brutally already by the time the film opens. For me, this tale of how they kill a gas station guy and finally abduct a preacher and his two children for their RV is the most chilling part of the film. Clooney plays a guy with little moral conscience well. Tarentino does a good job too and you can see his wit throughout the script. I found both men very despicable, so I guess the acting was good. The film falls into parody/farce, however, once the the whole gang(the two Geckos and the preacher and his daughter and son)reach a strip club/bar out in the middle of nowhere in Mexico. What happens here, to the uninformed viewer, will be totally unexpected. Does it work? To a degree, however, the film really loses momentum and credibility it might have had. The acting in general is all acceptable. Harvey Keitel once again shows us why he is such a good actor. Juliette Lewis is also very good in her role as his daughter. Nice to see guys like Tom Savini and Fred Williamson too. Oh, and Salma Hayek IS the highlight of the film.

Directors Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino are probably the two most recognizable faces of the generation of filmmakers who had their start in the independent scene of the early 90s. Rodriguez had a tremendous success with his western-inspired action movie "El Mariachi" while Tarantino reached fame and glory after updating heist movies in "Reservoir Dogs". Their friendship lead them to make movies together starting with "Four Rooms", but together with make-up masters Kurtzman, Nicotero and Berger the two young directors crafted one of the most original movies of the 90s: "From Dusk Till Dawn".

The plot starts with the escape of two criminal brothers, Seth (George Clooney) and Richard Gecko (Tarantino himself) and their effort to reach Mexico kidnapping the family of a faith-less preacher named Jacob Fuller (Harvey Keitel) who was traveling with his daughter Kate (Juliette Lewis) and his son Scott (Ernest Liu). In their escape the group will arrive to a Mexican strip club where nothing is what it seems.

The story (by Kurtzman) is a very good mix of action, western and horror cleverly put together in Tarantino's witty script. Rodriguez direction gives the film the a 70s feeling that gives the movie a Drive-In spirit pretty much in tone with the plot. In fact, at times the film feels like an updated version of exploitation action films of that era. This lack of pretensions makes it even more enjoyable as it never tries to be something else than pure entertainment.

The movie is interestingly divided in two, the first half dedicated to establishing the relationships between the characters, particularly the complicated clash of the Geckos and the Fullers, in a typical Tarantino style crime/drama fashion; on the other hand, the second half is an action packed thrill ride on the style of 70s action movies that clearly shows John Carpenter's influence over Rodriguez. While it is definitely a tribute to their influences, the Rodriguez/Tarantino team create a solid movie that stands on its own as a very original take on horror movies.

The acting is very effective, with George Clooney carrying the film as the cool-headed older brother who has to take care of his psychotic younger brother. Tarantino is average, but he was certainly having fun with the role. Keitel is terrific as always and is perfect as the faithless pastor who doesn't trust in God anymore. Apearances by Salma Hayek and make-up virtuoso Tom Savini have small but unforgettable roles. Savini steals the film in his role as a biker that brings back memories of his part in Romero's classic "Dawn of the Dead". All in all is a very complete and solid cast that certainly gives the movie a very special flavor.

The special effects by KNB are top-notch, but the CGI used in some scenes is poor when compared to the traditional prosthetic make-up employed in the rest of the film. While the violence is never intended to be realistic, the poor CGI at times make it look more cartoon-like than what it was supposed to be, but it is not a real damaging flaw and the film is still highly enjoyable.

Rodriguez has always done films to have fun, and this is what has set him apart from other filmmakers (Tarantino included). His lack of pretensions and his dedication to his craft seem to transmit the fun he has making movies to the audience who watches them. While his films may not have an introspective depth or a high philosophical meaning, they work perfectly as entertainment of the highest quality. This underrated film is probably among his best and most enjoyable films of his young career. 8/10