Hamilton

This is an impressing Action-Movie from Sweden. Although I think "Den demokratiske Terroristen" is the best Hamilton-Film, "Hamilton" is a very entertaining and action-packed Movie full of suspense. Peter Stormare is nearly as good as Stellan Skarsgård and Mark Hamill does a good job fighting his "Luke Skywalker"-image and makes a really good villain you´ll love to hate. The book are in fact better because of the many details given about the different secret services and political conspirations, but - hey - this should be an action movie. Despite that, the beginning of "Hamilton" with the nightmarish execution-scene in the russian Tundra from "Ingen mans land" is one of the most intense filmparts ever made. It´s worth watching it.

This film just doesn't work. No two ways about it. I saw it for the first time back in '98 when it was released and I didn't like it. I just bought it on sale a couple of days ago, 'cause I thought "whatta hell, I'll give it a try". I don't regret for the money I put out for Hamilton, but the fact remained the same.. this movie is pointless, dull and uninteresting.

Stormare is usually a delight, but that's when he's making films in the US. Back home he doesn't do the trick. Sure the movie is well made (if you forget the odd stock footage here'n'there), but in the end the only thing that REALLY lifts Hamilton above one star garbage, is Hamill's turn as the bad guy Hawkins. He seriously has fun with the character and is also responsible for the only two good moments in the movie.. "Swedish intelligence, huh? Now there's a contradiction in terms" and when he allows Hamilton to have a word or two with his wife over the phone towards the end of the flick. And that's really pretty much it.

** / *****

This is one of the better movies about Carl Hamilton and his missions for the swedish goverment.

Peter Stormare plays the part of Hamilton quite good but sometimes he is a litle stiff specially in scens with Tess (Lena Olin). But in the action scenes he is perfect. The way he grins with his teeth when Hamilton is in a tight spot is a thing of beauty. Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill is playing the bad guy in this film, and he is not bad as Hawkins. He is both funny and bad at the same time which is making the character more interesting.

The story is not the best one from Jan Guillou but it is enough to make it one of the better ones.

I still think that Stellan Skarsgard is "Carl Hamilton".

This Sweden-Norway co-production begins when Carl Hamilton (Peter Stormare) is assigned the dangerous mission to chase Russian gunrunners . Hamilton reunites a command formed by five tough soldiers . They are parachuted into Russian tundra where meet the smugglers and a nuclear missile SS,20, 1,5 megatons . It leads to Mursmank (Russian), there resides Hawkins (Mark Hamill), he formerly served in Vietnam and Fertile Crescent, today is a cunning manager whose 11 employees were the smugglers . Then , Hamilton goes to Lybian desert where encounters the baddies's base . Meanwhile , his wife (Lena Olin) is kidnapped in his mansion of Stenhara but Hamilton goes on the attack on the headquarter .

The film displays suspense , action-packed , thriller , violence and is quite entertaining . The highlights of the film are the impressive beginning with creepy execution including gore and a breathtaking final attack with fighting , pursuits and explosions . The base took several months to build and nearly 60,000 $ worth of damage was done when it was blown apart . This is an adaptation from TV series about Carl Hamilton and his assignments for Swedish government , filmed with high budget and Swedish players , such as Peter Stormare (Prison break , Fargo) , an usual nasty here turned into a cold action hero , American actors as Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as an exaggerated villain and Terry Carter (Galactica) ; furthermore a gorgeous Swedish , Lena Olin (Ninth gate, Chocolat, Unbearable lightness of being ). Rating : Entertaining and well worth watching.

Sorry to say, this film did not fulfill my expectations at all. Peter stormare may be believable playing single dimension psychotic killers such as in Fargo, but when it comes to a character like Hamilton, his single expression face is far far from enough.

The action in the film was rather ok until the story leads us to north africa and the film suddenly wants to be an american hollywood action flick. Why not make swedish action the way we know best? And by the way... who wrote Mark Hamill´s lines anyway?...

Oh, and finally... if the story gets too boring you can always play the game of "spot the obvious product placement"... Yeeech...