Recensioni degli utenti

I honestly don't understand the really nasty reviews here. This is a very well directed thriller with some great acting from the leads & well worth a look. If you are fond of one location thrillers with a good build up of suspense & tension along with fine character development you'll enjoy it too. If you're looking for an action-packed thrill-a-minute flick this is not the movie for you. I loved the performances of all three leads - the little girl was excellent - and I thought the direction was exceptionally good - I look forward to seeing what the director can produce in the future as he develops. I have no idea why so many people these days think movies should be direct copies of reality - that's why they're movies. They're not going to be "real" - for that you need to pick up a documentary. That said, the premise of this movie, while requiring some suspension of disbelief, does not stray as far from believability as some of these reviews would have you believe. It's not brilliant or perfect but it's a good watch.

'STANDOFF': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Low-budget action flick, about a standoff between a war veteran and an assassin, in the veteran's country home; over the safety of a young girl, who witnessed a vicious crime. The movie stars Thomas Jane, Laurence Fishburne and newcomer Ella Ballentine. It was written and directed by first time feature filmmaker Adam Alleca. For what it is, the film isn't bad.

Jane plays Carter Green; a military veteran that recently suffered a horrible tragedy. He's now a depressed alcoholic, that lives alone and contemplates suicide. Fishburne plays a hit-man named Sade; who's very good at his job, and extremely calculated. When a young girl, named Bird (Ballentine), witnesses Sade killing multiple people, the hit- man decides she must die. Bird runs to Carter's house for protection, and an intense standoff between the two men develops. Carter has nothing but a shotgun, and two rounds, to protect him and the girl.

The movie is pretty well done, for such a simple story. The characters are nicely developed, the performances are decent, and the directing is more than adequate (especially for such a low budget film). With all that said, there's still not a lot to the movie; and I don't think I'll probably remember much about it, years from now. Still, I had a good time while I was watching it.

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Just watched this on the Sony Movie Channel and to be fair they do pump out some good films almost as well as Film4 and this is no exception.

I have always liked Thomas Jane since I saw him in The Mist and many other films as he straddles the ability to fit in as an Action movie star but with the ability to handle the drama and romance softer side of acting which is no mean feat these days.

This movie is action packed full of gruesome violence but yet has a solid story and good characterization and is one of those movies set in a static confined location which is not an easy thing to accomplish by any director but Adam Alleca pulls it off with aplomb and deserves full credit for taking a basic story and making it into a riveting and engaging action/thriller.

I loved the surprise ending; it almost gets an extra star just for that but it deserves a very solid 7/10 stars from me as it was a most unexpected and enjoyable evenings movie viewing.

"The little lady has seen my face, now she's got to pay the price. Like everybody else. That's how it works." Sade (Fishburne) is an assassin with one rule, leave no witnesses. After taking care of who he was supposed to he sees a little girl. Not wanting to break his rule he follows her to the home of Carter (Jane). The two engage in a standoff over a little girl with neither willing to budge at all. It becomes a battle of wills with the little girl's life at stake. This is a movie that only works because of one thing. The acting. This easily could have become super cheesy, boring or unwatchable if the casting wasn't right. Luckily for the film, and for us, they got it right. Fishburne does a great job of playing a hard edge assassin without becoming too over the top or hokey. Jane does a great job of playing a veteran on the edge of losing everything and seeing this girl as his salvation. They turn the movie from a great half hour TV show idea into a full length movie that works. It does seem to drag and get repetitive at times, but overall this is a good movie that is worth your time because of the acting. I give this a B.

"Well, well, well. That man knows his guns. So do I."

As I said in my review about the film "Weaponized" : "I have a weak spot for low-budget, straight to DVD, B-movies" and occasionally I discover "a piddling, unknown and unloved movie, which surpasses some blockbusters in terms of content and design". "Standoff" is such a movie. An unpretentious film with a straight forward script. The makers don't waste too much time and introduce practically immediately a deadly, accurate assassin (Laurence Fishburne), who turns a modest funeral into a bloody massacre without batting an eye. His appearance reminded me a little of "The Terminator". But this time with a jet-black balaclava.

The only thing this professional, routinized killer didn't take into account, is Bird (Ella Ballentine). A skinny, shy girl with a camera around her neck serving as protection against and a window at the unjust world, who unwittingly takes a snapshot of the face of the killer. What follows is a chase because the murderer wants to clean up this last witness at all cost. An isolated farmhouse owned by Carter (Thomas Jane), an ex-soldier full of self-pity and remorse trying to forget his grief using booze, is the endpoint. Remorse because of an unfortunate accident that happened to his son. As a result his wife also left him. Bird showing up there might probably be interpreted by Carter as an opportunity to show a sense of responsibility for once.

And before you know it, those two ex-military are in the grip of a standoff. Sade, the assassin with enough firepower, installs himself on the ground floor, while Carter and Bird entrench themselves upstairs, only armed with a "20-gauge shotgun" and only one shell. And so the psychological warfare between the two rivals can start with Bird at stake. There's no lengthy intro or a detailed explanation. Even the multiple assassination at the beginning isn't explained or elucidated. This is in fact of secondary importance. The story develops rapidly at the beginning. Within 10 minutes you are fully aware what situation both men are in. There's the possibility that from there on it could become boring, monotonous and slow. However, the opposite is true.

Sade tries in a verbal manner (and also in other ways) to persuade Carter to turn in Bird, while Carter guards the staircase. The subsequent dialogs between these two are on the one hand provocative and offensive. But on the other hand they are also psychologically thought through. Fishburne is clearly in his element as the unscrupulous villain. It was a pleasure to see him again in a leading role (it's at least more impressive than his roles in "The Signal" and "The Colony"). Jane surprised me and this shows that it wasn't his fault that his acting in "Vice" was worthless, but indeed, that film was quite appalling. Not to say utter crap. Here Jane plays a perfectly balanced role as a tormented heap of misery, full of despair and weariness of life, who transforms into a responsible savior. And finally an honorable mention for Ella Ballentine who did great.

Even though this "home invasion" film wasn't very original and the storyline was quite simple, it still managed to captivate me. And even though the end was kind of predictable, I still wondered how it would eventually end up anyway. An additional advantage was the short playing time which in turn led to a proper pace. All in all, a fascinating film. Yet another proof that films that take place exclusively in one particular location, can also be entertaining. At least I didn't need to fight against sleep, as those two guys.

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I was on the fence about seeing this film, but I'm glad I did. First of all I have to say i completely disagree with the negative reviews for this movie. After all, the reason we go see movies is to escape reality and come out with a different perspective on life (or we should anyway) than try to figure out if the plot or premise of a film is believable or not. Star Wars or Star Trek don't have a believable premise either but we love to watch'em. This movie, although completely different than a Sci-Fi film, is well worth watching from a psychological point of view alone. People make films. And just like people, all films have flaws even the high budget theatrical releases. I watched this film before I even knew it was a strictly video release and the director was popping his cherry for the first time. But considering either of these, I have to give credit where credit is due and say this movie was really good. It was more positive than negative that's for sure.

If you are planning to see a western movie, you can skip "The hateful eight" (which in my opinion was crap) and see this instead. This movie is a modern time western in many ways including clothing, scenery and theme.

The direction of photography is very good. Artistic sometimes yet efficient. The music pad adds to the atmosphere without being in the way. The pace of the film is the appropriate. Not to hasty and certainly not boring.

But the major asset of the movie is the performance from the 2 leads. Laurence Fishburne takes his role seriously and portraying the villain with finesse. Thomas Jane looks good too and his performance is solid.

The plot it resembles that of a western. It is a little bit on the naive side but it works. The movie has emotions and suspense. Obviously I won't spoil you the ending but it might needed an extra (obvious?) scene that you might miss.

Overall: You don't need a budget made of millions to make a good movie. Good camera work. Good performances and directing and you have what it takes.

When I stumbled upon this 2016 thriller here in 2021, I had to sit down and watch it right away, as the movie had both Thomas Jane and Laurence Fishburne on the cast list. And as I never had heard about the movie, I didn't know what it was about. But that was hardly an issue given the cast ensemble.

And now that I have seen "Standoff", I must admit that writer and director Adam Alleca definitely managed to put together an entertaining movie and an interesting storyline. Sure, the movie takes place at essentially just a single small location, but the interaction between the characters and the growing tension is what carries the movie, not to mention the good acting performances.

While "Standoff" is entertaining and watchable, this was hardly the type of thriller that you will return to watch a second time, as the contents of the storyline just doesn't have enough meat on it to support that. This is the type of thriller that you just enjoy once.

Now the acting performances by Thomas Jane and Laurence Fishburne were good and they had such good on screen chemistry between them. But the movie also had Ella Ballentine on the cast list, and I don't believe I am at all familiar with her acting performances, but she really managed to put on a good and believable performance in "Standoff".

My rating of "Standoff" lands on a six out of ten stars.

We see Hit-man Sade (Laurence Fishburne) shoot and kill the people at a cemetery burial and he realizes that a little girl, Bird, (Ella Ballentine) has seen him and can identify him. Bird runs away to a farm house where Carter (Thomas Jane) is feeling sorry for himself. Sade must find that little girl.

The role of Sade seemed, to me, to be more suited to Samuel L. Jackson but maybe he wasn't available. We are not used to seeing Fishburne in this kind of a bad guy role, but he does okay not as good as Samuel L. Jackson, perhaps, but okay. Sade comes across Carter's house and a standoff ensues. Carter won't give the girl up.

One would think that this standoff wouldn't last long, but it does and the pacing is pretty good and we aren't bored. Good acting by Jane and Fishburne help that along. There is nothing uncomfortable in here except for the fact that Sade must kill the little girl. (That's uncomfortable enough)

Regardless of any good or great acting by Fishburne and Jane, this is not for everyone. (5/10)

Violence: Yes. Sex: No. Nudity: No. Language: Yes, but not much.

The story is a simple one but entertaining. The acting is great all around. I mostly was drawn towards Fishburne; his portrayal of his character was very believable and acted well enough for you to truly hate him. The story, like most at their core, is a simple struggle of morals and what's easier, and what's right. But the acting between Fishburne and Jane is so great that I could watch this film again right now. Old films had one thing right; a series of long scenes with dialogue. Of course now you need explosions and quick cuts yada yada. If Tarantino proves anything, these long scenes still work. And this film(not directed by Tarantino) proves that to also be true. Anyways, it's not a bad movie and is worth watching at least once. Again, great acting, not a bad story.

Until the middle, it was 7: The usual normal film of its genre. No particular pros or cons. Just a strong middle of interest ... but in the middle of the film I wanted to put 1 from the wildest, utter, strongest disappointment and anger. I hate with all the chakras of my soul and despise this stupid cliche in films, when a police officer acts stupidly and does not do what he has to do in strange situation. And in this film there were so many things that should have seemed very suspicious to him that talking about some kind of "I'll check it first" would be the greatest mistake from the viewer's side, and to forgive this. Even if the rest of the film would be perfect, I won't put it higher than 5.

Just beyond the opening scenes, Standoff quickly rises above its cheapness as an enjoyable and gripping suspense thriller. Then we're treated to an old breed of filmmaking that hasn't been this well-done since the likes of Misery! I love both headlining actors dearly but they've unfairly fallen off the radar in recent years. I still buy into their efforts on occasion despite bitter reviews, though, because budget does not always make for a great movie. In this case, it hits the spot.

So an ex-military man turned mafia hit-man hunts the sole witness of a multiple murder - a young girl with a camera - to a lonely farmhouse inhabited by a grieving alcoholic. Literally this is the premise and the scene is set for a siege and an edgy war of wits as one tries to convince the other to let him have the girl and walk away.

Sometimes that's all you need; no winding plot twists to keep people guessing. Sometimes it's just about the suspense and the viscera, but Standoff benefits from a great script and the skills of the director who also wrote it.

It has an old-school feel to it, and when we get down to it, even the look of the film harks back to a day of shamelessly simple effectiveness.

Fishburne is on top form as the villain, bringing the ghetto mentality of former villainous roles from the likes of King of New York and Assault on Precinct 13. He's sharper than ever, bursting with character and both smouldering and cold-blooded.

Thomas Jane also throws in his strongest performance in a long time and his man on the edge versus the man on a deadline is both genius acting and writing at once. They don't make characters like this anymore. Back in the '70s or '80s the role could have belonged to Lee Marvin, James Coburn or Roy Scheider.

I'm surprised and saddened that Standoff isn't getting recognition. It deserves a round of applause!

As a fan of Thomas Jane and Lawrence Fishburne, I wanted to like this movie. However, what seemed to be pitched as a battle of wits turned into an hour and half screaming match between the two actors.

The movie is basically Jane attempting to keep a little girl from being killed by Fishburne with his last shotgun shell. The two of them spend the whole movie yelling insults and cursing at each other, with very little happening in between. The script tries to add some story by telling giving Jane's character a tragic backstory, but it really doesn't do much to keep the plot moving.

The best part of the movie is the little girl. Ella Ballentine has some definite talent, and finding out what happens to her is the only reason to finish watching the movie. This young actor adds a weariness and "old soul" quality to her character that makes her seem wiser beyond her years.

While pitched as a battle of wits, this is more of a pissing contest between two stubborn men. If that's your thing, then go for it.

I'm generally a big fan of movies that can be made to work with minimal casts and I'm rather impressed by this one. I honestly went in expecting not much but was very pleasantly surprised. It's well acted, well paced, pretty well scripted for the most part.

It's not an action packed rollercoaster but it still kept me engaged. Some of it was predictable but then I watch too many movies.

Don't go in expecting huge budget effects driven movie as it's not that sort of thing. Go in open minded knowing it has minimal cast and only a few locations.

"Not in the mood for documentaries, history, deep thinking or subtitles, honey. Just grab the popcorn and dial up a good action flick." Here y'go.

No Cecil B DeMille spectacular, high-budget blockbuster or attempt of cinematic landmark such as "Scarface" or "In Cold Blood." But that wasn't what you ordered, was it? Just. A. Good. Action. Flick. One that satisfies.

Fishburne and Jane alone have never disappointed and have again maintained that status, elevating this piece above the standard expectations/delivery.

I have to honestly say that I wasn't expecting very much from this movie when I put it on. It had a solid enough cast - the leads are Laurence Fishburne and Thomas Jane (not spectacular actors in my opinion, but decent enough) - but, still, I wasn't really expecting much out of it. I was surprised - pleasantly. This movie packs a lot into less than an hour and a half and it doesn't use the traditional formula you expect. That was probably why my expectations were low. I was expecting this to be formulaic. A young girl witnesses a mass shooting at a funeral in a cemetery, gets a picture of the shooter and then has to run for her life to get away from him. She finds refuge in a farmhouse with a veteran who swears he'll protect her. You expect guns ablazin' from that point on, but for the most part you don't get it. Don't get me wrong. It is violent at times - and unsettling (especially when Sade, the killer, tortures the cop who had come to the house in a bid to get Carter to give up Bird) - but basically this is a psychological thriller. Sade and Carter talk to each other, taunt each other, try to push each other's buttons. Sade's on the main floor, Carter and Bird are upstairs. Each has a gun. It's a stalemate. You watch it unfold as each tries to get an advantage on the other. You can guess how it's going to end - but you don't know exactly how it's going to get there.

I wasn't sure about Fishburne as the killer. Somehow, he didn't fit that role for me - but his performance was extremely good, as was Thomas Jane's as Carter. This was the first time I'd seen Ella Ballentine, who played Bird, and I thought she did a pretty decent job in that role as well. Two things would have made me appreciate this a little more. First, we had no real backstory about the killings. Sade just shows up at the funeral and opens fire. I know that the story was the standoff between Carter and Sade, but I would have appreciated a little bit of knowledge about why the whole situation started. Sade kept referring to his "employer" but we never found out who the employer was, or why Sade had been hired to do the killings. And then the killings themselves. It was a pretty lousy idea, to be honest. Killing people at a cemetery while there's an interment going on? There would have been cemetery workers around, ready to seal the grave when the service was finished. You don't just leave graves open. But even if there weren't for some reason, they'd have to come pretty soon to seal the grave - and they'd surely have been suspicious when they found the grave that they had to close already closed up? So hiding the bodies that way was ridiculous.

Still - this is a really good and tense psychological thriller. It's simple and straightforward, shot pretty much entirely in the house. It's a pretty good movie to spend an afternoon with. (7/10)

I think this is the first fair to middling grade I've given to a film on IMDb. The movie is worth it just for the acting alone. Since it's basically set in one location like a Broadway play, it does have a talky-stagey feel, kinda like a profane and violent Tennessee Williams outing, if you will.

All three leads were right on point with their acting. The standout, to me, was Ella Ballentine. Her role here was probably Oscar material except it happened to be in a film which isn't. I stopped the movie halfway through to google her resume. She's done a lot of work and I expect her to grow into a super fine actress like Meryl Street or Jodie Foster.

The "stretch" with this movie was the dialog. It was too lengthy and improbable, but I guess they did have to stretch the film out to 90 minutes so they may as well had the characters talking and talking and talking. This makes for an interesting character study but not necessarily for an exciting film. If you see this movie, that's cool. If you don't, that's okay, too. It wasn't a total waste of time. I've seen worse.

Simple theme... but the movie was gripping and perfectly executed (pardon the pun). Laurence Fishburne was brilliant lead.... carried the movie on his shoulders from start to finish and Thomas Jane supporting actor.. an ideal partnership. Fishburne commands your full attention.

This must be a very low budget movie... 99% set in a house.. and this is proof that when you have good actors and a good producer.. you have a winner.

From a purely visual point of view, the film is reminiscent of a spaghetti western. Vaguely monochrome. Hence, whoever came up with putting the child actress Ella Ballentine, in a simple, bright red, dress really knew what they were doing. The contrast was worked perfectly.

Great Film... worth watching. Enjoyed it tremendously.

Standoff is one Brilliantly made suspense filled Thriller with Career best performance by the excellent underrated THOMAS JANE!!! Tom Jane gives a truly outstanding raw & powerful tortured performance & in fact one the greatest I've ever seen in cinema!!! His acting as a tortured lost & suicidal grieving father who lost his young boy by a tragic accident is so raw & moving he should of gotten massive recognition or an award easily!!!! Also Lawrence Fishburne gives an equally outstanding gritty & angry performance as a deadly hitman hunting down a little girl who saw his face & took a picture & ends up at Carter's (tom jane) big old farm house where the standoff takes place.

This is truly an instant CLASSIC in my opinion!!! It's excellently directed with a dark moody look to it almost 70's style of filmmaking that sort of dark look & tone for those crime Thrillers it's a fantastic powerful movie. Tom Jane is one of my favourite actors who has got better & better