neurotic71

Naturalism is a stylistic choice just like any other. It works when it makes you think, or perhaps shows you something unexpected. That's why it doesn't work in this film. Is anyone surprised to find out that detective work is often cold, tiresome, and dull? Was anyone in 1971? I doubt it. While reading all the reviews praising this film for being "gritty" and "real", I couldn't help but wonder why that qualified as praise. I could make a very "real" film about people stuck in traffic, filing paperwork, or building a house but all of those things would be just as boring as watching Gene Hackman stand in the cold, sit in his car, or follow a Frenchman for nearly three hours. Just because it is policework doesn't make the reality of it any more interesting.

It seems to me that a film like this has two choices. Either be entertaining, or have something to say. This film did neither. And it easily could have. Think of the implications of what happens in this movie. A subway train is crashed (how's that for realism!), a few policemen are killed, a woman is shot by a sniper, several car crashes occur (with the assumption of injury), untold resources are spent and ultimately (as with all drug busts) not so much as a dent is made in either the supply or demand of illegal drugs. In that scenario Popeye Doyle is actually the bad guy. That would have been interesting. That makes a statement. Instead the entire story is watching some alcoholic deadbeat follow a bunch of Frenchmen around until the film abruptly ends with little or no conclusion. Whatever.

Totally overrated.

I loved the Omen movies as a kid. Couldn't get enough of them. But The Final Conflict falls a little short. There are two reasons for this. First is that in the original two movies the Antichrist is surrounded by legions of birds, dogs, nannies, stepmothers, etc. that always protect him. This gives a really creepy edge to the proceedings as it feels like the devil's minions are everywhere. In this film we see them gather for a while (how silly that a nurse would wear her uniform to a satanic gathering by the way)but there doesn't seem to be that many of them. This episode concentrates too much on Damien and one evil figure isn't nearly as scary as a whole host of evil - even if he is supposed to be the Antichrist. Second is the ending which everyone has talked about. The thing that gets me is that Damien spouts Bible verses throughout the movie, the seven priests are constantly spewing verse, and neither side has figured out yet that christ wasn't supposed to come back as a baby. It's pretty boring stuff for sure, but you'd think one of these guys would have read the Bible. Remember that whole "coming back with eyes of fire and double edged sword, blah, blah, blah" thing. It's pretty clear that's no baby. So the big surprise at the end when everyone realizes that christ didn't come back as a baby isn't much of a surprise at all. And if he didn't return as a baby why is he hiding while the Antichrist gets some baby killing done? It's all so goofy. I don't care if it matches up with the Bible, but it might as well match up with itself. How could nobody have known? Too dumb to get into. Still a slightly scary flick overall and worth seeing if you're into the other two.

This may be the only movie I've ever seen that I thought was better than the book. The book is far too long, never suspenseful, emotionless, tedious, and at times nonsensical. The movie went a long way to correcting major errors in structure and narrative. The movie emphasizes the important things (Gandalf and the Balrog - hardly a footnote in the massive girth of the book) and deemphasizes or excises completely the tedious and worthless parts of the book (Tom Bombadil and the endless and boring trek through the forest, the constant singing by characters of all races, etc.) Unfortunately the movie can't give the story a decent ending or a climax which most narratives have, but otherwise it is a fantastic take on the original. I think I'd rather be beaten with a stick than be forced to read the books again, but I'm excited to see the next movie and see how Jackson fixes Tolkien's awful storytelling device of separating the story into two completely unrelated books. Jackson deserves all the credit in the world for making this hulking mass of crud a viable, and even enjoyable movie.