Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Watching '44 Minutes' is a strange experience to me. It begins with semi-documentary touch with the grainy images and the actors talking to the camera, but once the bank robbery happens, suddenly the made-for-TV film begins to look like the violent shoot-outs in `Heat.' Lots of bullets fly in the air, making huge holes in the bodies of the cars, and many people are gunned down in the street, police officers and civilians alike. Suppose someone tells you this is made for television, and it would take some time before you believe what is told.
Perhaps before the day February 28, 1997, story of '44 Minutes' would be almost unbelievable. Two robbers armed with AK-47s and covered with body armor go into the bank, and open fire on the outmatched police surrounding the building. The only way for the police officers to fight back is to shoot the head of the criminal, but shooting the moving target is extremely difficult. And as you see, standard 9 mm handgun is not the best choice to do that.
Though Michael Madsen, Ron Livingston and Mario van Peebles all give solid acting, it is the skillful editing and intense gunfights that are the most impressive in the film. The tension of the life-threatening situation is heightened by the good sound effect that conveys the firepower of AK-47s though the use of shaky camera would divide the opinions. Though some (including me) would say the shaky camera brings realism to the film, others would say it is only annoying.
Unfortunately, the characters do not have much time to tell us about themselves. It is understandable that we see no so-called character development as the film is based on the recent events and the real-life people, but the portraits of the LAPD officers here often look like those of the police dramas on TV. The script of Tim Metcalfe gets sometimes flat when it tells of the background story of each character, or Michael Madsen's character who does one thing to keep the loud party-giving neighbors very quiet. It is funny, and I like that scene, but well, is it true? I don't think so.
I don't know anything about the accuracy of the film, but as far as the heroism of the police officers are concerned, the film is a success with one of the intense and realistic shoot-outs I have ever seen recently. But with a less conventional and more detailed approach to the characterization of the brave officers, '44 Minutes' could be much better.
Click Here to see more reviews about: 44 Minutes (2003)
In North Hollywood on a calm summer day in 1997, fifty police officers were defenseless against two lone gunmen armed with AK 47 assault rifles and full military body armor. Only their extreme courage, valor and training put and end to the massacre inspiring a new motto for the L.A.P.D. - "The Day Willpower Beat Firepower." Based on the true story of the North Hollywood shootout.
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