ffrudder

This film was conditioned by the screenplay, and perfectly assembled by the director. del Toro and Philippe make excellent modern-day cowboys, out for the score on whatever rolls their way.

A crime-boss, his wife, their bodyguards and a surrogate mother make an excellent target, especially with the promise of seven-figures. After an all-to-clever kidnapping, the kidnappers themselves meet their match in a weathered, tried nemesis James Caan.

This film has everything somebody looking for a functional and new action-flick has to be. This is the new standard. Like "The Usual Suspects", this film oozes with criminals who we hate to love, criminals who we love to hate, and an ending that is everything if inevitable.

Of all Eastwood's films, this ranks on my top three list. If you're interested in seeing Dirty Harry Callahan with a Phd. in Art History and wearing crampons, then rent this movie tonight. There is some terrific photography in this movie, as the last hour was filmed all in Switzerland. That, coupled with Eastwood's classic delivery of tough-guy one-liners, make this film certainly worth seeing.

With so many liberties being taken when writing screenplays based on novels, you often end up with a movie that is totally different from the book. Maybe some people like that, and since few people read books anymore anyways, rarely does anyone notice it. That is why I think this film is excellent. There were some small parts of the book that were left out, but from start to finish this film does the best job following the novel that I've ever seen from Hollywood.