12-02-2018, 05:09 PM
EXECUTIVE ACTION (1973)
(the above is a promotional Making Of doc from the movie)
Long before Oliver Stone's conspiracy masterpiece JFK, there was Executive Action.
I love JFK as a movie (not necessarily as history) but it's fanatical fast paced, convoluted and many times contradictory narrative, makes it a challenge to fit all the pieces together even after multiple viewings over the years.
Executive Action tells the story from the conspirator's view point in a linear and compressible manner, that goes through the conspiracy theory check list in a methodical and thorough manner. The movie lacks any characterizations and the conspirators motives are shallow. The movie plays more like tv documentary re-enactment than a theatrical release. The tv feel is furthered by its obvious low budget, use of popular tv character actors (not too mention some really embarrassing bad acting--the guy playing Jack Ruby is horrific) and most of the cast sporting inappropriate 1970s hair styles and wardrobe. Despite this, I still found it a very interesting watch and the actual Dealey Plaza sequence very powerful.
Over 50 years later, and the conspiracy theories continue to grow and evolve. While this movie does not add anything new, it does present most of the accepted "facts" of the time in an easy to digest manner, unlike Stone's film. Definitely worth checking out if you have an interest in the subject matter.
7 out of 10 for me.
(the above is a promotional Making Of doc from the movie)
Long before Oliver Stone's conspiracy masterpiece JFK, there was Executive Action.
I love JFK as a movie (not necessarily as history) but it's fanatical fast paced, convoluted and many times contradictory narrative, makes it a challenge to fit all the pieces together even after multiple viewings over the years.
Executive Action tells the story from the conspirator's view point in a linear and compressible manner, that goes through the conspiracy theory check list in a methodical and thorough manner. The movie lacks any characterizations and the conspirators motives are shallow. The movie plays more like tv documentary re-enactment than a theatrical release. The tv feel is furthered by its obvious low budget, use of popular tv character actors (not too mention some really embarrassing bad acting--the guy playing Jack Ruby is horrific) and most of the cast sporting inappropriate 1970s hair styles and wardrobe. Despite this, I still found it a very interesting watch and the actual Dealey Plaza sequence very powerful.
Over 50 years later, and the conspiracy theories continue to grow and evolve. While this movie does not add anything new, it does present most of the accepted "facts" of the time in an easy to digest manner, unlike Stone's film. Definitely worth checking out if you have an interest in the subject matter.
7 out of 10 for me.
"... let's go exploring!" -- CALVIN.