Falcon Rising

When a retired Iraq vet and star marine John Falcon Chapman sister is brutally attacked while working to help sick kids in the favelas of Brazil, he wants to find out who did it and why. Falcon is joined by his former marine buddy, now consulate head and a compassionate Brazilian female cop who wants to prove her way works. The search takes Falcon around the favelas and sets him up against the Yakuza and shootouts and car bombings. All to avenge his beaten sister.

I have seen what others have said about this film and feel that out there in critic land, a large body of self absorbed and snobish peeps want to attack this film for not being high brow enough. They have said the film felt vapid and insulting to Brazilian people. These are fair criticisms of the piece. Then people said that White is wooden, he is not and I would argue he is treading the path of Arnie and Van Damme. Then comments have come about how the film is a bog standard action flick, which it is not and I have seen many dull and washy parts to this genre.I am not saying it is a masterpiece or that this will change the face of cinema. It will not set fire to film making or spark a new and powerful movement. I am saying that they and you must give it a chance. You must give it a chance....

Why? Come on. It is a well put together film, visually it has flare and economy. This is also there in the action set pieces that have rhythm and smash walls, teeth and limbs. These scenes hit you and are well choreographed. You will watch them and feel the violence real but thankfully unlike say The Raid, they do not drag on and on. The film is also very well directed, which is to say that Barbarash cared enough to bother about the little stuff. Then the film is very well edited, this is often where action films fall apart and in this case the film does not do this. The path is smooth and the feel is coherent and controlled. Above all else the actors are on the ball and White, though not a method actor of any caliber, is still excellent in a role that is physical and hard. He probably would do great in comedy as well. The truth is that the film is produced to please an audience that want a lot of hard hitting and a little of substance. No crime here, except of course the snobbish response.

DVD includes

Out takes
Deleted scenes
Trailers.





The film works on the level it has set out to and makes the viewer satisfied with its action, plotting and construction.