timsharpe1 I had mixed thoughts before watching this film after reading negative reviews, I have to say this movie turned out to be pretty decent. Antonio has made a comeback with an action film. A decent story line that keeps you watching. If you fancy something different other that watching your fav film over again, then watch this. Not bad at all.

Wizard-8 I had high hopes for this movie, because it was a production of Millennium Films, an outfit that usually makes above average B movies. Not only that, the honchos at Millennium Films got Isaac Florentine to direct the movie, and Florentine has demonstrated many times in the past that he can make some great action movies.Unfortunately, despite those two supposed can't-miss ingredients, the movie stumbles enough to be somewhat of a disappointment. I could look past the obvious Bulgarian locations used (unsuccessfully) to depict American locations, and I could also look past some glaring plot holes. What I can't forgive, however, was how BORING most of the movie was. Yes, Florentine does manage to stage a few great hand-to-hand combat sequences; he even gets actor Antonio Banderas to do a lot of the fighting himself instead of a stuntman. However, there is less action in the movie than you might think. The movie is instead badly padded out by a REALLY slow moving plot - it takes forever for Banderas' character to track down the person he is looking for. Scene after scene goes by where Banderas' question advances extremely little (or not at all) at his quest.Even if you are (like me) a fan of Millennium Films and Isaac Florentine, there isn't enough to make this a must see. If you are not of fan of one or both of the above, there's even less here to make it worth a watch.

FlashCallahan Thanks to Liam Neeson, stars from 20 plus years ago are having a little resurgence amongst the direct to Blu Ray action films.Here, Banderas has 'Taken' the geriaction route, and has followed suit.Security wasn't a bad little 'Die Hard in a...' homage, and now the Death Wish routine is recycled once more.But the maguffin here is that special guest star Robert Forster basically tells Banderas that he doesn't want to hear him talk again, so he takes a vow of silence, but before all that, he gets drunk a lot, gets beaten up even more, takes some advice from Urban, and learns karate.The main plot device is rehashed from Jingle All The Way of all places, Banderas is a hardworking lawyer, whom is late for his daughters talent show, but instead of going on a hilarious journey trying to get a toy, his family are merdered.Then the film is split into chapters, the Russian mafia are involved, as is Paz Vega, and we are treated to some decent action scenes, that are reminiscent of Florentines other action vehicles.Obviously in films like this, there has to be an ulterior motive by another cast member, and although it's nothing special, or unsurprising, it makes for a decent finale.Banderas is fine in his role, but it's nothing more than your run of the mill revenge thriller that has been done to death, and will continue to because they are by the numbers stuff that satisfy that eighties action nostalgia we all yearn for.

lavatch In "Acts of Vengeance," the wrinkle that is added to the standard revenge film is a series of quotes from the Roman emperor and stoic philosopher Marcus Aurelius. The main character is defense attorney named Frank Valera (Antonio Banderas) who adopts a vow of silence until he revenges the brutal killings of his wife and daughter. This technique did not work, and it led to the bottom dropping out of the film.At the funeral of Susan Lauren Valera and Olivia Ashley Valera, Frank is confronted by his father-in-law who never wants to hear his voice again. It would appear that the scolding had more of an effect on Frank than the reading of Marcus Aurelius's "Meditations." It is unfortunate that the filmmakers did not work closer to the good quotes from the "Meditations":(1) "To expect bad men not to do wrong is madness."(2) "Punish only he who has committed the crime."(3) "If something is possible foray other man, it is possible for you, too."(4) "Words are opinion, not fact. Action is the only truth."(5) "If there is a god, then all is well. But if chance rules, do not also be governed by it."(6) "There is nothing that hinders you from doing what must be done."(7) "The best revenge is to be unlike your enemy."(8) "Accept the things to which fate binds you."It is especially the last two quotes that Frank did not follow in the period following the deaths of his wife and daughter. The idea of the stoic is to passively accept one's fate. In order to "be unlike your enemy," the idea is develop the discipline of forgiveness, as opposed to revenge. But that did not happen for the obsessive, revenge-minded Frank.There were some interesting tidbits in the film, such as the supposition that men speak 17,000 words a day, as opposed to 20,000 spoken by women. But, as whole, the film was not terribly innovative, even in the fight choreography.In a lengthy bonus track on the DVD of "Acts of Vengeance," the film artists had ample opportunity to justify their rationale for the Frank Valera's character choice of the "vow of silence." But the discussion kept coming around to the themes of "revenge" and "the power of love." The silent treatment given by Frank to the other characters, especially the beautiful nurse Alma, had to seem incongruous to the characters with whom he interacted. And, for the film audience, it merely created confusion.