Blackjack

This movie was good, but it wasn't the best. I wasn't too impressed with the acting, except for Kam Heskin (Cinder)'s. I thought she was the best actress in the whole movie, but didn't really have too much fun stuff to do. The movie, other than lack of acting by the lead role, Dolph Lungdren's Jack, was actually pretty good, even if you don't like action movies.

There's something about Dolph Lundgren that makes him a likable actor. It may be because of his (seemingly) clean personal life, or that he has never tried to portray himself greater than he is (unlike actors like Steven Seagal.) Here, Lundgren gives one of his better performances. He seems very comfortable and assured here, giving off more emotion than he has in other movies. And it's always fun to see Saul Rubinek and Fred Williamson in a movie, and their presence boosts things.

Other than the actors, all I can say in favor of this movie are that the production values aren't bad for a made-for-TV movie. This movie is a mess! Starting with the action scenes. Now, I know Woo was confined by TV censorship rules, but he clearly could still do a lot. Yet every action scene is horribly done - badly edited, improper use of slow-motion, and with the camera often in the wrong place and/or angle. You see the great potential in these scenes, yet Woo botches it each time. Seeing them, it's hard to believe this is the same guy who did the action scenes in HARD BOILED or THE KILLER.

There are plenty of plot holes as well. For example, how does Lundgren get in the fashion show near the end when it's supposedly been tightened up with security? Where is the villain getting all these people to help him? Why does the villain retreat back to his hideout after the secrecy of it was blown? And on and on. But the worst thing about the movie is that it's simply boring. It's slow-moving, and filled with a lot of unnecessary things that easily could have been edited out. Don't "bet" on this one should you see it in the video store - it's a "bust"!

First and foremost this was never intended as a movie. So I do think that should be taken into consideration when viewing.

This was a TV pilot for a show that was never picked up.

After this the pilot was restructured and released DTV to capitalize on Dolph Lundgren's popularity in DTV market.

It probably had the opposite effect and really harmed his career.

Although it got released before, Blackjack (1998) was filmed after Dolph Lundgren's two previous films, Fallen Knight (1998) and Sweepers (1998), that he had made back to back earlier that year (1997).

This 'movie' as an hour long TV pilot would probably be quite fun. It's mostly set up and introducing us to the world of Jack Devlin played by Dolph Lundgren, a U. S Marshal who protects high-profile clients when it comes to a matter of security.

The character Jack Devlin is hit with a strange phobia - fear of white color.

It's a very silly premise but Dolph Lundgren is quite charming in the role. We get introduced to characters that would have been recurring characters in a TV show.

The action for a TV show at the time is actually handled quite well.

'Alias' and 'Dark Angel' would come out a few years later so there was clearly a market for this type of TV spy thriller.

Sadly we will never know if this could have worked as a TV show.

This is more of a curiosity for Dolph Lundgren fans. It would have been fun to see him pursue a TV career as 'Blackjack' seem to represent a real downtrend in his output and popularity.

I do think this film harmed his career and it is evident in the movies he did after this. The quality of his output declined.

I don't think I would recommend this but, if you have low expectations and view it as a curiosity in both Woo and Lundgren's careers you can enjoy some of the action.

It's very slow and unnecessarily long.

1.5/5 stars. Fans only.

Ex-FBI agent Jack is taken on to protect the daughter of his friends from mobsters. Years later his friends are killed in an accident and Jack is left to look after Casey himself. He is also brought into a protection case by his old friend Jim. Cinder James is a model who is being threatened by her ex-husband. However the killer discovers Jack's weakness and uses it against him. Jack has a phobia of the colour white.

Yes…you heard me. The hero is scared of the colour white! That fact alone is a good indication of the film as a whole – silly nonsense that is almost laughably poor at times. My favourite scene is the one where our `hero' is rendered almost totally helpless by the sight of spilt milk! The story makes about as much effort to make sense. The opening 15 minutes just seem to be an excuse for a gun fight – the friends are killed off quickly and Casey is relegated to background character.

The main plot is silly and full of holes….if Cinder's husband is working alone (indeed he's the only one they're looking for) then who are all those guys on motorbikes who come racing out of nowhere every time there's an action scene? It's holes like this that tell you that the writers aren't even trying – all they want is a few action scenes and an excuse to make them happen! The action scenes are average at best – if I didn't know this was Woo I'd have assumed that it was someone ripping him off badly. Occasionally we have a bit of slow-mo diving around – but other than that it is pretty lacking of style.

Lungren isn't terrible, it's only in the `serious' scenes where he has problems. In the other scenes he looks like he's enjoying himself and not taking it too seriously – that helps us relax and enjoy! Heskin is an empty blonde as Cinder – didn't anyone want to give her a character?! Likewise MacKenzie doesn't have much to do as Rory – he seems lie the most interesting character in the film but he gives in to hamminess too often. Jim is a nice cameo from Fred Williamson but that's about it!

Overall this is daft, lazy and totally lacking in the style that Woo has build his reputation on. The TVM sets and actors just make it worse. To me the point where I knew for sure that this was a `bad movie' was when the doctor (played by the Z-grade Vernon) told Jack (with a look of total seriousness) that `your sunglasses are the only protection from all the white out there'. Rubbish – makes you realise how good things like `Die Xue Shuang Xiong' and `Lashou Shentan' are!

Joh Woo has used over and over the slow motion scenes in his action sequences and he always finds a special trick to regenerate his style.But this time,it is a little too much clichéd.Your libido will be absorbed by the blond fluffy bunnies swirling around Dolph Lundgren's muscles and the action scenes are totally unrealistic but this is where all the fun comes from.John Woo always tended to stylize his movies and this one is no exception to the rule.His obsessions for choreography of bullets and killed bodies, as well as friendship and honor, are strongly embedded in all his movies. Unfortunately this movie was made for TV and it demoted the result.