This is a very nice review (although not "positive"), which my fanedit received on demonoid. Shouldn't go to waste, so here is it:
filejones 2 wrote: I am a big fan of this movie. It is not an action movie but it has great action scenes. It is not a soap opera, but it has great character development and back stories. Having seen the original many times, I will attempt to offer you all a brief critical analysis of this cut. I hope I don't come off as overbearing but....
It is first essential to understand what this movie was originally intended to be and what re-cutting it makes it into. The two results are completely different and seem to appeal to completely different audiences. If one just cannot tolerate a film running over 1:50 or 2:00, then there are some films you just aren't equipped to digest. If the intent here is to prove that this is a better version, I have to disagree. If the intent here is to appeal to a different viewer, it will succeed on some level I suppose. If you are one of those people who only enjoy the second half of Titanic, then this re-cut is for you. You are the viewer who believes in the visceral elements without regard for motive or emotional investments. And thats.... OK.
However, I am left with the impression that this version has gutted the film in a way that does not serve the whole. I agree, there were some scenes that can be deemed superfluous for an "ACTION" version, but this cut has simply removed EVERY emotional underpinning in the story so that we are left wondering at some points why certain things are happening. Many of the transitions are needlessly abrupt. There could have been SOME backstory left in.....
I believe this should possibly be renamed as the ADD version. Most likely this is what the film looks like through the eyes of my shallow-minded brother who worships every illogical action scene Sly Stallone ever did. That said, it is still very cleverly edited and does have merit on a technical basis. In conclusion, and for no purposes beyond appreciation for the work that has been put into this I will offer a brief list of alterations which might produce a somewhat more cohesive version, yet still appeal to the action minded folks out there:
1] Leave SOME of Hanah's backstory. McCauley's diner with the buddies is left in, but Hanah's diner, his encounter with his wife and the great speech Pacino gives about letting her know about his work is intended as a counterpoint. This is essential to the main point of the film and speaks to his dedication and motivation in pursuit of McCauley. (But I guess this version could also be called the "Crime Pays Greatly - Cops Aren't Human" version.) I do see an obvious bias in favor of McCauley in this version, whereas the whole intent of the original is to show the parallels and commonalities between society's "good" and "evil" people, and how they are left with the same dilemas at the end of the day. It is not out of reach to allude to some of this in an abridged version.
2] One could also easily include Portman's suicide attempt near the end, which is intended as a curve ball anyway. As a matter of fact, it would even be more powerful if some of Portman's scenes are reinserted but trimmed slightly so that she seems more in the background until the suicide attempt. But completely erasing Portman's part is a mistake.
3] Which leads to Venora's part. But I gues this could also be called the "Men's Version" because virtually all the women's roles have been removed, except for Brenneman's (which I thought was one of the WEAKER performances in the movie). Venora's scenes with Pacino are way more interesting and dynamic, while DeNiro's with Brenneman have many dead spots. McCauley's relationship with Eddy is clear. Stay or Go. I never thought it was believable that she would leave with him anyway, and most of their scenes just seem strained and left only with purpose of convincing the AUDIENCE to come with them to New Zealand.
4] I believe that Mrs. Hannah's POV is important. The scene where Pacino meets the boyfriend is also priceless and would not add too much to the length of an ADD version. I would have also left Hannah's first meeting with Albert the snitch, which is an important setup for later on. On the other hand, why were so many John Voight scenes left in? Many of these are unnecessary to an "ACTION" version as well. I don't need the meeting between McCauley and mutant-bank-hacker-guy either. If I was an action junkie, I really wouldn't give shit how they got into the bank.... AND THE COPS END UP BEING THERE ANYWAY!!!
5] Which leads me to the DeNiro-Pacino scene. Oh Boy, here goes..... I originally thought this scene was a failure when I first saw it back in 1995. I was shocked, frankly, that they hadn't done more with it. I was also shocked that they both seemed to have been trying to keep from cracking up at some points and I wasn't sure if that was part of the act. That said, the scene has grown on me over the years, and I have come to understand how it remains the heart and soul of the movie. You just can't remove it or the following scene where the cops loose McCauley over the airport. Plus, just based on historical importance of being the only scene in history that DeNiro and Pacino shared justifies inclusion.
5] I couldn't exactly tell how, but the second heist scene was really ruined somehow. Originally, it was a great, suspenseful scene, but in this version it was a bit rushed and lost much of the tension.
6] The Judd-Kilmer thing is a disaster in this version. All of the emotion AND logic which sets up the final scene at the balcony is gone. What?!?!? Again, there are just a few scenes you can leave in with Kilmer-DeNiro and/or Kilmer-Judd which will restore some of the impact this scene deserves.
7] Which leads me to Waynegro. For Chrissake, why do we need him killing the prostitute? Answer: its only there to add weight to McCauleys revenge at the end, and we don't need it because by the end of the film we already have enough motive for McCauley to terminate Waynegro. So we don't need that scene or the subsequent scene with Pacino showing up to comfort the mom. (Which is powerful, but alas, disposable in an "action" version. Also Kevin Gage's performance as Waynegro is stunning and considering the screen time he gets is incredibly effective.
8] Which leads me to the two endings. If McCauley DOESN'T go back to kill Waynegro at the end (which I have always agreed was more logical and fitting his character), we DEFINITELY don't need the prostitute killing or some of the other Waynegro scenes. In addition, I understand the whole end sequence with Waynegro's death is great, but no fucking way would McCauley come all the way back from New Zealand to Boston (?) to do Waynegro 6 months later.
And I don't need all the unnecessary postscripts at the end about what somebody thought would happen to the other characters. (whats with the Kilmer thing with him ending up bashed up in parking lot??!!??)
Anywho, sorry for droning on but if you read this far you are to be commended. Thank You. Keep in mind I only submit this for 3 reasons: 1) I did enjoy the technical exercise of watching someone elses version of the film and I applaud the concept; that is why I offer my analysis... 2) I had some free time on my hands; and 3) I always wanted to try my hand at a screenplay but never seem to get around to it.
Nice up, BTW