Down and Dangerous

I viewed Down and Dangerous because it had IMDb rating of 7.3 at the time. I couldn't watch it for more than 15 minutes but that was more than enough to see it's just bad. It has nothing to do with, as another reviewer put it, inability to "root for someone poisoning people". I don't have a problem rooting for Walter White, nor will the audience have such a problem once Mr. Nice and Marching Powder are released as movies. Who says movies have to be "moral" or teaching us a lesson? More than anything movies should be interesting and fun and DAND just doesn't deliver. Everything about it is third rate, the script, the cast, the acting, it's actually painful to watch. I'd rather watch 90 minutes of CCTV footage from my parking lot than this.

I am not a movie critic, however i do watch a lot of film, and felt the need to review on this movie. There are many things you can review or critic about a film, but many only matter if you have a budget. This film was done with almost no budget as a movie goes, and they managed to out perform so many big budget films on so many levels. Production quality, set design, music atmosphere, and storyline just to name a few. I felt like I was watching a card counter at the blackjack table, I knew they were setting me up the whole time, but i never quite saw it happen. Bravo, I am excited to see what you can do next, and i hope a big budget doesn't go to your head and you make many more great films.

For an independent that probably was made for next to nothing the best description of Down and Dangerous is 'wow'. I won't build it up by trashing contemporary films, those made with traditional budgets and known actors, that isn't necessary. But, I will compare Director Zak Forsman's excellent effort to work by a young Michael Mann (Thief) or that of a mature Taylor Hackford (Parker). All things considered, it is certainly in that class of fine cinema.

Almost all of the performances are first rate, strong and believable. In particular, John Woods and Ross Marquand are fantastic in all ways, both bringing multiple dimensions to their roles from the first moment either appears on the screen.

Forsman's script is rich yet compact with little time wasted on moments that don't advance the story. He adds many small twists that not only are intriguing but also reveal key elements of each character as they are introduced in the body of the story. I think most viewers will be drawn to his movie from the very beginning and sustain strong interest throughout as the story moves fluidly and makes them interested in learning more.

There are several scenes, and moments in scenes that will simply grab you. If you like movies like I do then when you encounter what I am talking about not only will you know but you will find the movie has moved you a bit the way only a good movie can. In addition, the score in the aforementioned scenes will feel almost perfect to you. I intend to hunt down the soundtrack, and you will probably find yourself thinking the same.

So often Indy films are strong in a few areas, weak in others, and we make excuses because of budgets or unknown players or first time directors. None of that is necessary with Down and Dangerous. While I noticed two or three scenes that could have been done better and one of the lead performances (Rojas) that I would have recast such negatives aren't worth more than passing mention. I rated the movie 7 on IMDb and I am a very picky man, with 7 a high mark for me. This is truly the sort of movie that leaves you with the feeling you have really discovered something good, something you need to share with others. Thus, this review.

Dear Zak Forsman

Your movie in the beginning gave me some kind of excitement that I haven't felt in a long time. Where mans movie is kind of revive in your trailer. I watch the film, and I read everybody else comments of your movie, and all I got to say is screw them. I would like to see those who thought your film suck, make something visually. I think you put as much you can to make this film awesome; though visually, the making of the film, and your two actor who I felt worthy on the acting John T. Woods, and Ross Marquand is what really made the film. I'm sorry but your actress that looks Mexican just didn't do justice on the accent, and that's including the drug-lord. Overall, I would like to know more of this character in the future, maybe a trilogy? Why not, I thought Mr. Woods kick ass.

Love the movie Benny.

All the people reviewing it highly seem to do so because "it is an independent film" or "what they did with such a low budget"...

When a movie makes me feel bad for sitting there watching it, I'm going to log in and post a review by golly. It doesn't matter how much I just paid for a ticket or a rental fee, I would still get up and walk out. I stuck with it solely because I kept thinking, "with the reviews it has on IMDb, this must just be a bad part and it can't all be bad..." The closer it got to the end of the show, the more I couldn't wait for it to be over. It's that bad.

The chase scenes are not exciting, they give the feeling of driving under the speed limit and practically use turn signals -- "um, is he being chased or looking for a parking spot?".

The stereotypical beautiful woman stuck with the evil drug lord is beautiful, thus the extra star for the movie. But she confusingly ends up without being stereotypically treated by her evil drug lord and they appear together time and time again looking like nothing just happened to their relationship.

There are famous continuity errors that many people don't notice because the movie is keeping them immersed. When a movie distances me so much as I'm trying to watch it that I find I'm paying more attention to its writing, directing, editing, etc, I'm afraid it has failed as entertainment.