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Truly Dreadful Film

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

The movies is very difficult to tolerate in the first 30 minutes but I am the persevering type. I watched it entirely. After the initial 30 minutes, it gets interesting. It is about a guy, the Chaman (Trejo) who cannot die but had enough of this world. He wants to die. Another one wants to die happy. Also, having nothing to loose makes him free and quite spiritual. It is also about how love can act as a redemption. How a single day of love can validate a whole lifetime and let you die happy. I wont say more, I need to let room for enjoyment. Very interesting. It is not a blockbuster high budget production. The scenario is more of the kind of intellectual, meaning-oriented movie we would expect more from the Scandinavians or the Germans. It is a bit hard to follow and I am not sure I understand everything in the movie.However, I agree with those users who feel deceived by the box cover. The synopsis is fair but the cover is unrepresentative. It is not a war movie. It is a "higher plane" movie.

Luckily I found out in advance that this film was nothing like what the cover art suggested it would be and even though it also goes under the title THE MERCENARY the plot doesn't really revolve around any kind of mercenary. It's really a very odd film but I didn't think it was bad at all. The plot was intriguing enough to draw my attention and it was very different to other films Gary Daniels had appeared in before.I thought about giving a synopsis which I don't normally do so that people would have a better idea of what to expect but I discovered the plot actually sounds more confusing than it really is. If you watch the film itself the plot makes more sense because there is more than one character story and sometimes it goes from being a supernatural drama to a love story to an action movie and during the third act it's all three at once.On the technical side it's really well made, the cinematography is very nicely done and the acting isn't all that bad. The characters do start to grow on you after a while and granted the film isn't perfect by any means.Overall, it's a very odd film but not bad but I recommend you ignore the cover art as it doesn't really represent what the film really is about. You can expect to see an intriguing plot that is more of a supernatural story with a bit of romance and a few mild action scenes.

If you were expecting an action packed thriller having picked this up based on the title, star names, or cover art, then you will be disappointed. It is essentially a supernatural drama, with only brief moments of action. The helicopters on the DVD cover art, do not in-fact appear in the film.It is refreshing to see Daniels take on a more prominent speaking role (which he does well), but would also be rewarding to see him kicking more ass in this film. Trejo adds an element of enigmatic charisma, but too many unresolved details surround the character for it to play out with satisfaction.Johnny Lee's acting is excellent and he carries the film's intrigue well. He is unfortunately let down by his on-screen counter-part, Krystal Vee, who's erratic and inconsistent delivery fumble the opportunities the script had to shine.Though well directed, and with some excellent cinematography, this film is ultimately let down by a slightly bizarre performance from the lead actress, and lack of action for the aficionados.

After the first part of this movie, I wanted to turn it off due to its dark depressing matter. However, the movie takes you into a very dark place in order to set the stage for the redemption that the female lead makes at the end.I won't deny that this movie is flawed at nearly every level, its cinematography being the one redeeming value, but the lead actress does grow on you and at the end of the movie you feel as though you have been on a journey with her. A little more than half-way through the movie you begin to see that the tone is moving from the darkness into a story of redemption and a lesson that love conquers fear. The movie was courageous in that it took you deeper into despair in the beginning and held you there longer than most movies will dare, and I admit I turned it off in the middle and came back to finish it the next day. The end leaves you feeling good, providing you don't feel like you wasted your time watching it, which I don't.So if you like movies with a heart-felt message that love is the path to healing, and you haven't got anything better to do, this movie will suffice. If you don't care about that subject matter, and you want to critique the movie based on its writing, directing, editing and acting, I would say pass it up.I am interested to see how this writer/director does on his next film, which is currently in pre-production according to IMDb.