Blown Away

Great special effects, not in the bombs but the close ups of everyday devices we see (?) Garrity use to make his weapons. When the phone is reconnected, or the oven ignited, we know that a huge conflagration will follow. It is fascinating, and among the more gripping scenes of the movie.

Why the "pros' dog this out is beyond me. Neither it nor Jones are wacky. It is more spellbinding that just the reviews suggest.

The music of U-2 makes a great backdrop to the impending action. Forrest Whittaker and Lloyd Bridges make great supporting cast members.


Explosions Galore   May 11, 2001
Joe J Barclay (Chula Vista, CA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) is ready to give up his dangerous job on the Boston Bomb Squad and settle down with his girlfriend(Suzy Amis). Shortly after Jimmy accepts a teaching position a mad bomber strikes in Boston. When Jimmy discovers that the mad bomber is his former mentor(Tommy Lee Jones) he is forced back into the life he thought he left behind and his secret past is revealed.

This film takes off with an exciting prison break and never slows down. Jeff Bridges and Tommy Lee Jones are great in thier roles and have an excellent supporting cast including Forest Whitaker, Lloyd Bridges and Suzi Amis. I found this movie very tense and exciting. The only downside is the dvd it self. The disk only includes a theatrical trailer. You can watch the film in widescreen or standard with DD 5.1. All in all its a great movie for any thriller or action junkies like myself and is a steal at this low price.


Explosively Stupid   February 16, 2000
James Booth (UK)
4 out of 10 found this review helpful

What could have been an intelligent, thoughtful portrayal of modern terrorism sadly loses its way 15 minutes into the film, and seems to turn into some kind of unintentional spoof. Tommy Lee Jones is ridiculous as the master bomber, and the scene with him dancing along like the middle-aged man he is to U2's "With or Without You" must count as the most ludicrous image ever trapped on celuloid.

Lloyd Bridges also appears to be labouring under the delusion that he is actually in an "Airplane" film, and turns in an admittadely excellant, although unintentional comedy performance as an ex-IRA man, who for some unexplained reason looks like a cross between the wizard Gandalf and a tramp. His son Jeff, to be fair puts in a decent performance, but even he cant save this depressingly familiar example of a potentially good cinematic idea destroyed by overblown Hollywood corporate mentality.


What a weird Irish accent   September 10, 2005
Dumb Blonde Reviewing (In my bed)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Am I reviewing the right film? Definitely not the Corey Haim film? Right, lets get started.

This was released at the same time as Speed, and did not fare as well. Which is understandable considering it doesn't have a certain Keanu Reeves in it. Instead we get the guy who will forever haunt my nightmares when he was naked during Starman, and a weird but funny, leprachaun-esque accent from Tommy Lee Jones. I challenge you not to smile when he's dancing around making a bomb (?) singing a U2 song.

Although not as fast-paced as Speed, it's a slow ticking bomb, just waiting for the right moment to explode. With a reasonable cast, including Suzy Amis, who I actually had to ask who she was. Duh, she only stars in my favourite film, Titanic! She's virtually unrecognisable.

The only thing I wasn't keen on about this movie was I did not think Jeff Bridges' character's background was well-explained. I didn't understand what happened in his past, or what really was the connection between him & Tommy Lee Jones. And the fact that he kept most of his past secret from his wife, Suzy Amis. Some relationship.

It's not a movie I'd particularly watch again, but it was enjoyable at the time. I'll always prefer Speed over this, but I'll stick to my Starman nightmares thank you.