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DVD : 21 (Single-Disc Edition)Browse or Search and Buy Online our Best Sellers Shopping Sales of DVD and 21 (Single-Disc Edition). Rating:  - It may be fun, but it sure is empty...In the long running tradition of films that lack substance yet make up for it in fun, `21' works quite well, delivering a thrill ride movie experience that is entertaining and engaging even if it is nothing we haven't already seen a hundred times before. With palatable performances and a decent flow of action, `21' tries very hard to reach its target audience (rebellious teenagers) and in that regard it hits the nail on the head. If you are looking for a more intelligent look at this true story then you may be let down, since this movie is purely superficial and exists only to rake in the money. The film tells the story of math genius Ben Campbell who's dreams of getting into college ride on the chance to snag a scholarship, a scholarship that he deserves but most likely won't receive. His mother has saved up all her money to give him for tuition, but he doesn't want to take her savings (he's a saint of sorts). That's when he gets a proposition, to join a secret team of similar math geniuses who train to count cards and then let loose in Vegas under the watchful eye of their professor Micky Rosa. So the film is really little more than a small group of good looking teens gambling and drinking and partying. Like I said; money maker. I really felt that `21' would have a little more substance, beings that the story is so engaging, but they totally went the sell out route with this one, making it nothing more than a random collage of everything you would find in a teen movie. That isn't to say it isn't entertaining, because it is, but it's the type of pointless entertainment you can find almost anywhere. They try and play the whole morality card, but even that attempt is halfhearted and feels a little dead. The performances are actually pretty good, especially from the older actors in the film. Kevin Spacey is pitch-perfect as the `hidden agenda ridden' professor Rosa, and Laurence Fishburne (who I tend to find stiff) is flawless as the hard edged security man trying to hunt down the casino's heavy hitters. The group of youngsters is pretty decent, standouts being Sturgess and Yoo. I usually really like Bosworth (I adored her breakout performance in `Blue Crush') but here she is stale to me. This is not your typical biopic; it's your typical teen Blockbuster. Watch it for the sheer entertainment value but don't expect to really care too much. There is a slew of much better, far richer Blockbuster fare released this very year. Even the superhero movies released this year have more depth than this missed opportunity. Rating:  - Good Movie, kept me guessing the ending.I thought this was a great movie. Not sure if I would buy it, but would rent again. Shocking ending, decent cast and every few minutes something unexpected happened. Rating: - Very good!I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was great, and the storyline kept me interested throughout the whole movie. I have watched it 5 times so far it just keeps getting better and better with each viewing! Rating: - 21This movie looks great in the Blu-Ray format. The Las Vegas scenery is gorgeous. The story is interesting and the characters are believable. Rating: - Slick &Entertaining, But Far From RealityI enjoyed the movie because it was entertaining all the way. It was slick and had interesting characters. The only problem was the last half of it where credibility when flying out the window. The movie is all about supposedly very intelligent people, led by the smartest of the all the group, the only veteran in this college age-dominated cast: "Professor Mickey Rosa," played by Kevin Spacey. Well, Rosa would not do what he did here, for starters, meaning trusting an untrustworthy and revenge-seeking kid. If you've seen the movie you know what I mean. The others in the group wouldn't go along with the renegade - "Ben Campbell" (Jim Sturgess) - either. There is no way this kid is going to totally outsmart the professor, but it makes for good Hollywood dramatics. There are a bunch of other holes, too, such as wanting to be anonymous but going back to the same place; a ridiculous chase scene through the casino gambling area and kitchen; hand signals that a junior detective could see (and are never changed!) and - maybe the worst - winning tons of money in sessions. Nobody with half a brain would win much at any session, because it draws attention. You win a little here, a little there and go from place-to-place and remain anonymous. This movie is based on a true story, and I can guarantee you that's what the MIT students did in real life - not what you see here. Still, facts aside, it's still a fun movie to watch and since entertainment is the name of the game with films, it succeeds and I still give it an "8" star rating for that. At no time was I bored and overly insulted at the dumbness that I would have stopped playing the DVD. It will hold your interest and you'll be thoroughly entertained, especially if you don't know a lot about blackjack and how casinos operate. Oh, as a postscript: they don't beat up "card counters" in back rooms of casinos. If they think you are counting cards, which I don't believe is illegal, they still have the right to kick you out of their establishment.....but they ask you nicely and you are removed from the floor with no big scene or violence. They have your picture, there are security people everywhere, and you aren't allowed back. So, enjoy the film but don't believe the screenplay. |