To the Limit

To the Limit represents everything wrong with mid-90s direct-to-video action cinema, wrapped in a package so transparently exploitative it borders on parody. This sequel to "DaVinci's War" stumbles through its revenge thriller premise with the grace of a drunk rhinoceros, delivering a viewing experience that feels less like entertainment and more like endurance testing.

The film's visual presentation epitomizes the era's low-budget aesthetic with flat, television-quality cinematography that drains any potential tension from action sequences. Lighting appears haphazardly arranged, casting harsh shadows that emphasize the cheap production values rather than creating atmosphere. The action choreography, while occasionally showing flashes of competence, suffers from uninspired direction that reduces shootouts and fight scenes to perfunctory obligations rather than compelling spectacle.

Anna Nicole Smith's performance as the vengeful ex-CIA operative Collette carries the weight of someone clearly cast for reasons having nothing to do with dramatic ability. Her line delivery alternates between wooden monotone and overwrought melodrama, never finding a natural rhythm that serves the character's supposed lethal professionalism. While her physical presence dominates the screen (as clearly intended), Smith struggles with even basic dialogue scenes, making her character's supposed intelligence background laughably unconvincing.

The supporting cast fares marginally better, with Joey Travolta bringing workmanlike competence to his mobster role, though he cannot elevate the material beyond its inherent limitations. Michael Nouri appears to be sleepwalking through his performance, delivering lines with the enthusiasm of someone reading grocery lists. The various character actors populating the criminal underworld feel recycled from dozens of similar productions, contributing to the film's generic, assembly-line quality.

The script's attempts at complexity through its dual revenge storylines only serve to highlight the writers' inability to craft coherent character motivations or believable relationships. Plot developments feel arbitrary rather than earned, with convenient coincidences driving the narrative forward when logic fails. The dialogue oscillates between exposition-heavy information dumps and cringe-inducing one-liners that land with the impact of wet cement.

What emerges is a film that understands the surface elements of action thrillers but completely misses their emotional core. The revenge theme, potentially rich with dramatic possibility, becomes a shallow excuse for violence and exploitation. The pacing lurches between sluggish character development and frantic action, never establishing a consistent tone or building genuine suspense.

This is a movie without meaning.

To The Limit is a poor production: no plot, no budget and no real acting. So the makers provided an eye-catcher - rubenesque actress Anna Nicole Smith.

And that´s it. If You like to waste your time watching:

• closeups of the best parts of Anna Nicole Smith

• totals of rubensque parts of her

• a movie without meaning nor sense

• lousy characters

• useless dialogues

• same for the action (if ever)

this is the movie for You.

Otherwise don´t watch it. Don´t even think about it.

Because there isn´t anything in it.

OK, Playmate Rebecca Ferrati keeps her clothes on, but at least a dozen pair of "no-Playmate" tits are shown as compensation. Isn't that a must for a good, twisty plot???

And the greatest Playmate of them all (at least in one way) is excellent casted as the super agent suffering from "dirtyfobic" - she has to bath ones and take a shower ones. (And make love (er?) twice...)

Of course this movie is a turkey, I would have been disappointed (and very, very surprised) if it wasn't. And you'll get everything you can expect: bad acting, strained twists in a strained plot in a strained script, a lot of action scenes (a few of them are quiet good (!)), a lot of titties, and Anna Nicole Smith. If that's what you want, you won't be disappointed. But if you are the kind of person who's gonna analyze this movie, and complain about the bad directing or the lack of logic in the story, I'll call you pathetic. Because it is like complaining about the lack of car chases in "The Lord of The Rings".

Although Anna Nicole Smith will never be mistaken for a legitimate actress or action star, at least she doesn't embarrass herself in "To The Limit" because the film has been carefully designed to keep her confined within her acting / action limitations (only one - brief - dramatic moment, only one - brief - fight, etc.). The requisite sex / shower scenes do appear, but they are almost treated as an afterthought, as an obligation. The film has a surprisingly intricate plot (quite confusing in fact, at least during the first half), and some of the action / chase sequences (like one where Anna has to drive backwards while the bad guys are shooting at her at the same time) aren't bad. Overall, it's an OK low-budget action film, and really, what more than "OK" could you expect in this case? (**)

Can former Playboy Playmate of the Year Anna Nicole Smith act? Who says that she can? Is Anna Nicole Smith appealing? That would be a definite yes. She is an absolute knockout. As a thriller though, TO THE LIMIT is ludicrous with a plot that just does not make sense. The concept at first sounds promising, but the movie's plot is just overwhelming with too many perfunctory twists and turns that are never fully explained. The connoisseur of mindless movies may feel very alienated by this film's overly sophisticated plot. Anyway, with that said, TO THE LIMIT is bearable. Thanks to the electrifying presence of Anna Nicole Smith, TO THE LIMIT is (barely) endurable. Despite the fact that Anna Nicole Smith is an inept and terrible actress (I'm not meant to be scathing, she does try.), she has done her best in this movie.

Well, the story (You are probably saying, "You mean to tell me that there is actually a REAL plot?!") concerns Frank Da Vinci (Joey Travolta, shameful brother of John Travolta), a proficient hitman and Vietnam Veteran who tries to escape from his violent past. His attempts at both marriage and starting a new life over have dramatically ended in an unnecessary and senseless massacre. His future bride is gunned down, several of his friends are murdered...and Da Vinci himself has barely escaped death...

Then Colette (Anna Nicole Smith), a femme fatale with her own modus operandi, arrives at the scene of the crime. She has vowed revenge after her husband, China Smith (Michael Nouri in an embarrassing cameo) is killed by a car bomb. The lives of both Colette and Da Vinci intertwine and they inevitably develop an infatuation on each other. Their alliance has turned into a romance. I think we all know what that means!

Meanwhile, a boorish villain with tattoos all over his body wants a valuable item: a compact disk that contains some vital though egregious information about interesting stuff. This bad dude has attempted to assassinate Da Vinci...TWICE! Now, this villain is trying to exterminate several of Da Vinci's mob buddies including Philly (John Aprea) and Joey (David Proval).

The quest for the compact disk is in progress as Frank Da Vinci and Colette must retrieve this conundrum of an item before the evil forces do. However, Da Vinci learns that Colette also has a dark secret. Can she be trusted? Is she really Frank Da Vinci's ally, or a secret foe bent on retribution?

TO THE LIMIT is supposed to be a sequel to an earlier film titled DA VINCI'S WAR (1993). Though this picture, filmed ostensibly with a limited budget, is plagued with problems galore, I still found it to be pleasingly entertaining. The main attraction is of course Anna Nicole Smith. Yes, there are ample opportunities for her to expose herself uncensored in this film...and indeed, she takes advantage of all these chances she earns. TO THE LIMIT has its share of gratuitous sexual situations and unclothed females. As a bonus, the viewer is indulged in a number of scenes of our leading lady either in bed, in the shower, or taking a bath.

Moreover TO THE LIMIT, has enough slam-bang action in this movie to hold a B-movie lover's interest. The pyrotechnics are surprisingly good and the action proceeds at an apt pace. As well, there are some intelligent (though rather sportive) one-liners. The dialogue may be funny, but at least the cast does not remotely try to be too serious. Smith herself is a feisty person. She inspires to be hard-boiled, yet she still wants to retain her femininity. Anna Nicole Smith is kind of goofy, but that is what adds to her liveliness. She is one glorious lady.

Although the actors and actresses are not bad, considering that they are not expert thespians, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Anna Nicole Smith in particular needs to polish her acting. Sometimes, I have trouble discerning whether she is acting stern or sassy. Another of this film's shortcomings is its story-line. The convoluted plot about revenge, betrayal, dirty federal agents, and criminal masterminds is too complex for its own good. It's tough to follow, believe me! Some of the extraneous characters should have also been eliminated. Do not get discouraged though, this film is full of "eye candy" which compensates for a deficiency of logic.

TO THE LIMIT is perfect viewing for the undemanding, non-discriminating viewer who revels in these ultra *low-budget* action films. Sure, this movie is trash. Sure, you will feel guilty afterwards, but if you have always wanted to see your favorite Anna Nicole Smith portray a sexy heroic agent, then look no further.

I shall acknowledge the notion that the cast and crew have unexpectedly done their best in manufacturing both a workable plot and character development. I also guarantee that Anna Nicole Smith is certainly a visual asset. As long as there are the desired car chases (and crash and burns), the explosive shoot-outs, the beautifully seductive girls, and the high-risk stunts, why should there be a need to complain about the movie's amateurish style?

RATING: ** out of ****.