Avenging Angelo - Vendicando Angelo

This is what is termed a Screwball Comedy, a Romantic Comedy. Remember, that's all this movie is so expect foolish silliness and just enjoy with laughter. If you don't like foolish silliness then don't bother watching this film. A couple of scenes are funny just because they are so ironic.

Sylvester Stallone plays straight man to Madeleine Stowe's zany character. Both are great in their roles. I found myself laughing at things I normally would not laugh at but the timing was perfect and completely caught me without warning. This is another example of how Stallone is moving away from the stereo typical characters he has helped create; not to say he won't do more of those but he continues to branch out.

This movie is dedicated to the memory of Anthony Quinn. This was his very last film appearance. His work on this film was long enough, considering his health and age. Watch the featurette for more on Anthony Quinn. It may bring tears to your eyes to remember this wonderful man and the many wonderful performances he has given us over six decades.

There's a little mystery thrown into the movie. Watch for clues here and there and see if you can solve the mystery.

This was Tony Quinn's last film. He was dying of cancer of the throat when the film was being made and it shows in his weakness in the film. Appropriately, he gets offed and indeed, he was dying and died before the film was released. A grand old man who gave us lots of moments in hundreds of films from bad guys to good guys, always in the character realm. This film with Maddy Stowe and Sly Stallone is a fun film that wanders between being a kind of Prizzi's Honor in the chick-flick mode to a rather slap-stick comedy. However, what the reviewers herein who are panning Stallone with their "he's over the hill" comments seem to miss is that old Sly can do more than Arnie Swartzenegger clenched teeth grimacing action films with usually lousy story lines. True, this film at times can't seem to make up its mind whether to be a black comedy or pratt-fall filled lampoon of the traditional gangster/mafioso genre. No matter. It's fun because Stowe and Stallone are a delight to watch. Although, it does make one sad to know this was old Tony's last film, we should appreciate he worked right up to the last gasp, as it were. Ciao, Tony and thanks for all the good times. You'll be missed.

Frankie Delano (Sylvester Stalone) is the bodyguard of the mobster Angelo Allieguiere (Anthony Quinn, in his last work). Angelo has a daughter, Jennifer (Madeleine Stowe), who does not know her true identity. Frankie was responsible also for her protection since she was born, and is secretly in love with her. When Angelo is killed by another gangster, Frankie gets close to Jennifer, since she would be in danger. Many funny situations will happen when the killers try to murder Jennifer. This movie, although predictable and with some ridiculous dialogs, entertains and works reasonably well on DVD. It is an average and forgettable comedy, but good for some laughs and killing time. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Missão Perigosa" ("Dangerous Mission")

If nothing else, the film justifies its existence for the restaurant scene at the beginning, wherein Quinn utters the above line. Short as it may be, THAT scene was cinematic magic, especially if you study Quinn's face as he delivers the words. The briefest of pauses makes you wonder if the reality of that line had momentarily struck him, fatally ill as he was with throat cancer during shooting. He died before the film's release bringing to an end one of Hollywood's most illustrious screen careers - one that spanned six decades. Restricted as the role of Angelo was, it was ENOUGH to say "goodbye" with, and with such dignity too. Quinn "conveyed" more in his ten minutes on screen here than others have amassed in a lifetime. He would have been delighted to be working, up to his last breath, literally. Stallone even, if you really look closely, appears to extend a real reverence to his co-star in those opening minutes.

I think to have any hope of either understanding or even "liking" this film, you would need to be over 40 with a depth and awareness not everyone has. It is NOT a "surface" film. If that is all you can see, you're wasting your time. There is fun, chemistry, humor- subtle and less so....and a decent storyline. Whether you view it as parodying THE GODFATHER (which at times it appears to be doing) or telling a less than straightforward tale of revenge...mafioso style, this film has genuine moments of endearing drama. Many reviewers appear to feel short-changed expecting as they were, THE VALACHI PAPERS 2 or THE CURSE OF DON CORLEONE....nor was this wallowing in the putrid wake of OSCAR, Stallone's last "stab" as it were, at portraying the unfunny eccentricities of "la cosa nostra."

I won't bother rehashing the plotline....enough here have done that. I would simply say that it is a great shame it went straight to video - Quinn deserved way more respect than that, and SO did this film. I agree with the reviewer who offered a 6.6 as being reasonable. Like I said though, you have to be able to look past the plot holes, the uneven direction and the oddball characterizations. Stallone and Stowe handed in some good work here!

Disclaimer: I am a Stallone fan, so this is not by any means an impartial review. Still, I readily admit that Sylvester Stallone has made both good and bad films. This is definitely one of the former, though not typical of his better work.

Stallone will never get any respect for his acting in the mainstream press, which is too bad: if he were an unknown in this role, and had given an identical performance, the press would laud him for his ability to handle subtle bits of comedy interspersed with action and gunplay. But he's Stallone- with all the baggage that carries, both good and bad- so his work is often overlooked.

If I were assisting Mr. Stallone's career, I would have suggested putting this out in film, and keeping 'Get Carter' for video.

Madeline Stowe has always been vaguely annoying to me, but not in this film. For one thing, one has to give kudos to her for her amazing physical shape: she's beautiful, with a figure that a lot of current 20-year-olds should aspire to! She deftly handles both the comic and the pathos of the script.

Rent it with an open mind. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.