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The Manchurian Candidate
2004
U.S. Army Major Bennett Marco (Washington) cant sleep at night and he doesnt want to. Marco spends his days giving inspiring speeches about his platoons ambush in the Kuwaiti desert and the heroics of Sergeant Raymond Shaw (Schreiber), who won the Medal of Honor for saving Marcos crew. But at night, Marcos dreamlike .. Read more
| Starring | Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Meryl Streep, Jon Voigt |
|---|---|
| Director | Jonathan Demme |
| Genres | Drama, Thriller |
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Critics' reviews (5)
View all -
Gerard Butler goes gung-ho in this action/adventure film, for game fans everywhere... read more »
- LOVEFiLM
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Slick thriller that de-fangs the original, removing its paranoia about the political process and replacing it with something less topical and more amorphous; on its own terms it's watchable, but it's no more than another disposable high-tech thriller.
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Major Bennett Marco (Denzel Washington) suffers nightmares, related somehow to his experiences in Kuwait in 1991. But... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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38 out of 51 people found this review helpful
A bland remake of a classic film
The fact that Jonathan Demme's remake doesn't live up to the original comes as little surprise, unfortunately the film fails to impress even when taken on it's own merits. Pedestrian and uninvolving, it had me checking my watch within the first hour. It takes forever for the film to set up the basic premise and then never really delivers on it. The plotting is obvious and often ludicrous, leaving some gaping holes along the way.
'The Manchurian Candidate's main strength is in its fine cast, but not the leading man. Washington just seems to sit there in the middle of the screen for long periods, offering nothing of interest until he switches into his twitchy, sweaty, paranoid mode. It's probably the least engaging performance I've ever seen from this normally compelling actor.
Meryl Streep delivers her usual strong performance as Raymond Shaw's mother, and she gets all the best lines, but the real stand-out is Liev Schreiber as Shaw. He's convincingly slick as the aspiring polititian but also vulnerable and racked with doubt when he needs to be. John Voight is excellent in an all-too-brief role but Kimberly Elise is saddled with a very poorly-conceived character that she can't do much with.
The most disappointing thing about 'The Manchurian Candidate' is how a very creepy and unusual film has been transformed into a straight-faced, slick blockbuster, indistinguishable from many other conspiracy thrillers. Demme's tricksy, cluttered direction is annoying, as are his endless point-of-view shots(which worked well in the confines of 'Silence of the Lambs' but not here).
Demme does get one over on Frankenheimer's film with the well-orchestrated assassination climax, but too often this falls short. And its desperate attempts to make everything seem topical and relevant will ensure it quickly dates while the original continues to shine -
18 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Very entertaining!
Being a great admirer of the original film with Frank Sinatra, I was curious as to how well this re-make would be.
Despite knowing the plot from the original film I found this version to be very entertaining. Denzel Washington has not disappointed again. -
16 out of 17 people found this review helpful
Not what you'd expect from the title
I was very surprised to discover a conspiracy film that has a lot of suspense, a bit of action and an interesting plot. Very entertaining.
Although about war and ploitics, these are only a background for the action. -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
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18 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Very entertaining!
Being a great admirer of the original film with Frank Sinatra, I was curious as to how well this re-make would be.
Despite knowing the plot from the original film I found this version to be very entertaining. Denzel Washington has not disappointed again. -
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Good conspiracy film
Washington has to be one of the great consistent actors under the sun and he doesn't disappoint this time round either. The film isn't quite up to the standard of "Conspiracy Theory" but if you're into that type of genre give this a go.
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38 out of 51 people found this review helpful
A bland remake of a classic film
The fact that Jonathan Demme's remake doesn't live up to the original comes as little surprise, unfortunately the film fails to impress even when taken on it's own merits. Pedestrian and uninvolving, it had me checking my watch within the first hour. It takes forever for the film to set up the basic premise and then never really delivers on it. The plotting is obvious and often ludicrous, leaving some gaping holes along the way.
'The Manchurian Candidate's main strength is in its fine cast, but not the leading man. Washington just seems to sit there in the middle of the screen for long periods, offering nothing of interest until he switches into his twitchy, sweaty, paranoid mode. It's probably the least engaging performance I've ever seen from this normally compelling actor.
Meryl Streep delivers her usual strong performance as Raymond Shaw's mother, and she gets all the best lines, but the real stand-out is Liev Schreiber as Shaw. He's convincingly slick as the aspiring polititian but also vulnerable and racked with doubt when he needs to be. John Voight is excellent in an all-too-brief role but Kimberly Elise is saddled with a very poorly-conceived character that she can't do much with.
The most disappointing thing about 'The Manchurian Candidate' is how a very creepy and unusual film has been transformed into a straight-faced, slick blockbuster, indistinguishable from many other conspiracy thrillers. Demme's tricksy, cluttered direction is annoying, as are his endless point-of-view shots(which worked well in the confines of 'Silence of the Lambs' but not here).
Demme does get one over on Frankenheimer's film with the well-orchestrated assassination climax, but too often this falls short. And its desperate attempts to make everything seem topical and relevant will ensure it quickly dates while the original continues to shine -
18 out of 20 people found this review helpful
Very entertaining!
Being a great admirer of the original film with Frank Sinatra, I was curious as to how well this re-make would be.
Despite knowing the plot from the original film I found this version to be very entertaining. Denzel Washington has not disappointed again. -
16 out of 17 people found this review helpful
Not what you'd expect from the title
I was very surprised to discover a conspiracy film that has a lot of suspense, a bit of action and an interesting plot. Very entertaining.
Although about war and ploitics, these are only a background for the action. -
16 out of 17 people found this review helpful
Hopeless fool
Ignore any ridiculous reviews referring to this as a 'b-movie'. Whilst the concept is sci-fi, the theme of big business interests controlling the white house is uncomfortably close to the truth.
The current president is a puppet of the oil and weapon companies as is the 'manchurian candidate' here.
The sense of madness and frustration that Denzel Washington evokes is palpable. The direction is daring and original, using the rarely seen effect of dialogue shot straight into the camera.
This film is brilliant and has been wrongly overlooked. -
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Good conspiracy film
Washington has to be one of the great consistent actors under the sun and he doesn't disappoint this time round either. The film isn't quite up to the standard of "Conspiracy Theory" but if you're into that type of genre give this a go.
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7 out of 10 people found this review helpful
Partly Succesful
Jonathon Demme's partly succesful remake but still isn't a patch on John Frankenheimer's original....
This time the lost patrol are in Kuwait in 1991 and are ambushed by the Iraqi army - the patrol are saved by Sgt Raymond Shaw(Leiv Shrieber) who wins the medal of honour....or at least that's what they think happened - all the survivors are having the same recurrent nightmare including Major Ben Marco(Denzil Washington) who begins to doubt his take on events.
Shaw is now a Senator whom his obbessed Mother(Meryll Streep in a grandstanding performance) is trying to get on the Vice-Presidential ticket meaning is elected he is (litterly) a heartbeat away from the Presidency....
It follows the original in that Marco has to work out the truth before sinister events take over and murky conspericies are unleashed - what I did like about it was this time round instead of Chinese Communists being behind it all its a faceless corperation that wants to to create the first privatly owned President of the U.S. - no prizes for guessing where that barb is aimed at...Washington is good in the Frank Sinatra role but Schriber hasn't got the twitchy neurosis that made Lawrence Harvey so memorable and even Streep(who is marvellous) just hasn't got the creepyness of Angela Lansbury....although there is good support from Jon Voigt.
The major issue with it is that Frankenheimer kept it all more enigmatic - that amazing opening scene where the Communist Doctors are inter-cut with the floral ladies and its quite a way in before you realise what's going on - Demme makes it all fairly obvious from the opening and there is a certain join-the dots feel to the plot....and the ending is such a cop-out.
That said it as interesting elements and if nothing else made me want to screen the original again.
3.5 stars. -
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Top candidate
Another good un from Denzil Washington. A good psychological thriller which if anything is slightly more predictable than needs to be.
Great start but doess't really pick up a great deal of pace through the movie but keeps you intrigued enough.
As with any good thriller involving espionage, govenrment dealings and alike, it did leave you wondering whether what was portrayed in the movie could actually happen. That for me is enough to give it a big standing 6 out of 7 (but hey i'm slightly biased as i am a fan of Mr Washington's acting prowess).
Still one not to miss! -
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Had to watch it twice to understand!
We were too tired to take this film in the first time round so I watched it again and really enjoyed it.
Denzel Washinton turned in a solid performance (he has a pretty consistent style, we watched Man On Fire about the same time). Meryl Streep was good as the manipulating mother.
Deserves the high scores. -
5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
A Good Word of Warning.
Many here have watched this film and enjoyed it, but many others have seen it as pallid in comparison to the original. I agree with those who decry Denzil Washington's central performance as wanting in expression but who praise Meryl Streep's characterization as powerful and substantial. The merits then are Streep and the timely word of warning against the manipulative trickery in which all governmental agencies are likely to indulge.
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5 out of 6 people found this review helpful
Good solid entertainment
Never watched the original so I am drawing no comparisons and merely judging this film on its own merits. It was great entertainment and a couple of hours well spent. I like Denzel and I always have and in this film he was a solid as ever. The film never blows you away but it never lets you down either. Never destined to be a classic, but you could do a whole lot worse.
Critics' reviews (5)
-
Gerard Butler goes gung-ho in this action/adventure film, for game fans everywhere... read more »
- LOVEFiLM
-
Slick thriller that de-fangs the original, removing its paranoia about the political process and replacing it with something less topical and more amorphous; on its own terms it's watchable, but it's no more than another disposable high-tech thriller.
-
Major Bennett Marco (Denzel Washington) suffers nightmares, related somehow to his experiences in Kuwait in 1991. But... read more on Time Out
-
Film of the Month, intelligent and engrossing.
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A cracking conspiracy thriller.
Buy from the LOVEFiLM shop
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Manchurian Candidate, The - HD DVD Version
Jonathan Demme updates the original 1962 John Frankenheimer classic with plenty of new paranoid twists: This time a sinister Halliburton-style corporation is behind the brainwashing of a Gulf War hero turned vice presidential nominee, Raymond Shaw (Liev Schreiber). Shaw's old unit commander Ben ...
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- Manchurian Candidate, The - BLU-RAY Version
- Blu-Ray: £9.93
Free Delivery - RRP £19.79 (you save: 50%)
Jonathan Demme updates the original 1962 John Frankenheimer classic with plenty of new paranoid twists: This time a sinister Halliburton-style corporation is behind the brainwashing of a Gulf War ... -
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- The Manchurian Candidate
- DVD: £4.93
Free Delivery - RRP £15.79 (you save: 69%)
U.S. Army Major Bennett Marco (Washington) cant sleep at night and he doesnt want to. Marco spends his days giving inspiring speeches about his platoons ambush in the Kuwaiti desert and the ... -
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