Terminal Velocity

This was a generally fun film that is considered an action movie, and rightly so, but has its share of good comedy, too. Charlie Sheen showed he was well on his way to being successful playing comedic roles, as he's doing on television right now.

Nastassja Kinski plays the typical new young macho-female role that introduced on screen in the past generation in which females beat up males. Give me a break! Anyway, I still liked her despite the characterization. James Gandolfini was the best of the villains, and also demonstrated how he was about ready to hit the big time, which he also has on TV with The Sopranos. Christopher McDonald was another villain in here but was stupid, not fun to watch. He was angry all the time and his bleached hair looked ludicrous.

There are a couple of outrageous action scenes in this film, mostly notably when an automobile with Sheen and Kinski still in it is dropped from an airplane! Yes, to enjoy this film don't take any of it seriously! It's simply fast-paced entertainment. For that, it gets a good rating.

"Teminal Velocity", a B-level action flick with sky diving as the principle source of thrills, sticks Sheen and Kinski at the center of international intrigue with sundry bad guys chasing them around as they to manage to find ways to free fall through space and into love. Full of plot-holes, this typical commercial Hollywood product is a potpourri of stunts, shootouts, effects, pytotechnics, romance, etc. sufficient to keep the bleary-eyed channel surfer awake until the end. The flick has one really cool stunt near the end, goes easy on the sex, doesn't take itself too seriously, and is an enjoyable "ride" as long as expectations are kept low.

When this film came out, it has to be said, it bombed. Seriously, and tragically. I put it down to the pseudo intellectualism surrounding modern films. The Idea that a film doesn't actually have to have a deeper meaning, or specific point seems to go over the heads of some people. Films were made for enjoyment and to allow people to escape their ordinary hum drum lives. That's exactly what this film is. Totally implausible fun. But that's what makes it so good! If you want spiritual or intellectual fulfilment, go and watch something with subtitles. If you want escapism from normality and a few laughs along the way, WATCH THIS FILM!!!

When Ditch Brodie takes a novice skydiver (Chris Morrow) up in his plane for lessons, she tragically falls to her death. Brodie loses his license and tries to live with the loss. However an closer look at a video of the accident reveals a second plane where a body was thrown to impersonate Chris. Brodie investigates and uncovers a plot to capture sensitive information and return it to Russia.

This is a really fun film. It's not meant to be a masterpiece or a deep political thriller. It is meant to be a fun ride through exaggerated characters and silly set pieces. The plot is almost pointless - it's just an excuse to hang the set pieces around. However what you do get is Sheen overacting, great action scenes - the best being Sheen skydiving after a car which has Kinsji locked in the trunk. You understand? - it's meant to be big dumb fun. Personally I think this is better than a lot of big summer films that have big special effects scenes and ridiculous plots but try to take themselves seriously. This knows it's all a bit unlikely but enjoys itself anyway.

Sheen is the key to the tongue-in-cheek approach. He doesn't play a character - he almost just plays himself! Even when he's in action scenes he's smiling - because he's having fun! and it makes me enjoy it a lot more. Kinski almost has as much fun in her role, but she has to carry a lot of the plot so she is more serious at time. A pre-Sopranos James Gandolfini is menacing in his small bad guy role and Melvin Van Peebles makes an appearance to show that it's not just his son that can do daft films.

Overall it's silly dumb fun. Sheen enjoys himself so why can't you?

The bad wrap this movie seems to have here is in my opinion a bit over done. Terminal Velocity is not a bad action movie. Actually it's pretty damn good. Over the top at times, but still very good. And by over the top, I mean some of the skydiving sequences. For example, the climax where the car drops out of the plane.. the fall seems to last an eternity. In the end though, stuff like that really doesn't matter if the rest of the movie is good. Luckily it is.

This movie is also the last good movie Sheen did up until Being John Malkovich. And now after Scary Movie 3, maybe in time he'll end up back in the big leagues. Terminal Velocity won't change anybody's life, but as said, it is a good action movie.

**** / *****