The Last Templar (2008) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I agree wholly with John's review. The Last Templar will delight and entertain as long as you take it for what it is - an interesting story in the vein of The DaVinci Code that will provide both laughs and adventure. If you have an open mind, it may even get you thinking.
Compared to the novel on which the movie was based, the character of Tess is funnier, wittier, and more enchanting on screen than on page. This is due in part to the wonderful portrayal of the character by Mira Sorvino who more than "surprises as a credible intellectual", as fellow reviewer Scott expressed - Sorvino is a Harvard alum who graduated magna cum laude and speaks fluent Chinese and French. She IS a credible intellectual cast in a part that allows her to show that side of her personality. Scott Foley, who portrays Agent Sean Reilly and of whom I've seen less work, was more of a surprise to me, playing the devout Catholic with humor and a touch of whimsy.
Having been raised Catholic but no longer practicing, I found the debates between Tess and Sean about religion to be very interesting and reminiscent of those between my mother and I. The overall theme of exactly what the Templar treasure is will garner your attention, but play second fiddle to the chemistry between Foley and Sorvino.
(Major plot spoiler warning) The one criticism I have is that the film version doesn't explain the treasure as successfully as the novel does. In the novel it is very clear that the treasure is a faked version of the gospel of Jesus, with the intent that it be used to unite all religions. In the film, the ending Templar scenes make the viewer aware the document was falsified, but the reasoning for doing so is never made clear, nor will the viewer necessarily catch this fact the first time through.
For those who criticize the film as being just more of the same Catholic bashing that appears to permeate the media, I ask that you really look at the character of Sean and what his beliefs say, the character of Tess and how her beliefs change over the course of the film, and the character of DeAngelis, who is shown to be operating by himself with no support of the Church or Vatican. As Sean intones in a conversation with Tess, there's nothing wrong with doubt - it's dismissal that's the problem. Give this movie a chance. Watch it with an open mind. You'll be glad you did.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Last Templar (2008)

An ancient decoder has been stolen from a collection of Vatican art. When an archaeologist discovers its connection to the history of the Knights Templar she enlists the help of a NYC detective to find it before it falls into the wrong hands. Clue by clue, continent by continent, the quest is on to discover a secret that could change the course of history. Based on the #1 international best-selling novel.

Get 46% OFF

Click here for more information about The Last Templar (2008)

Human Trafficking (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Human Trafficking is a bold and ambitious project; Lifetime is to be congratulated for exposing a part of society most people would prefer to ignore, and doing so in a mature, serious fashion. Originally designed as a mini-series, it is presented here in its entirety, with convenient breaks. This is helpful, at three hours it may be too much for the average viewer to assimilate all at once. Even the jaded appetite will find Human Trafficking upsetting.
One must wonder about those who claim ignorance of sexual slavery as it is practiced around the world. This appalling behavior is more than merely time-honored; it is codified and woven into the fabric of society itself. What is surprising, and what Human Trafficking gets right, is that sexual slavery is alive, well, and lucrative. Like drugs and weapons, a filthy business like this can only exist where there is powerful market demand, and that demand is chillingly close to home.
Human Trafficking benefits from good directing, (Christian Duguay), and some splendid performances. Leading the way is the lovable Scot from The Full Monty, (Robert Carlyle), who plays the Eastern block criminal mastermind behind the sophisticated sexual gulag. His accent is impeccable, and his character well realized. Sergei Karpovich is no Cold War ham-fisted brute. He is smart, computer-savvy, and thoroughly ruthless. (Like so many inner-city drug dealers, under different circumstances he probably would have been a captain of legitimate industry.)
After Carlyle, the showcase performance here belongs to Isabella Blais, (Helena), one of the women whose decent into sexual slavery is tracked. Helena is certainly not stupid, but she is vulnerable, and we watch in horror as one bad decision lures her into an unimaginable nightmare. We also see some of the ingenious techniques used to ensure cooperation. This is where Human Trafficking really shines. It's never sensational, licentious, or titillating. On the contrary, it exposes the complete banality of evil, the disturbing ordinariness of it in flat details that do not manipulate emotions.
There are two problems with Human Trafficking. At times it gets preachy, explaining the story rather than telling it. (With subject matter this explosive, that is completely unnecessary.) The other is the casting of Mira Sorvino. Sorvino is a fine actress, (her performance here is fine), but she is simply too pretty and adorable for the part. One scene attempts to show why she would take on the hideous assignment of catching these vermin, but it's not enough. Making her character female was an interesting decision, but to work, it should have been someone with more edge and less curve. Donald Sutherland, as her boss, excels.
We imagine our society to be advanced, sophisticated, refined. Thanks to the folks at Lifetime for shedding some light on the difficult truth.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Human Trafficking (2005)

Nominated for Two Golden Globes - Best Actress and Best Actor in a TV Miniseries; Lifetime Television's most-watched miniseries of 2005. Featuring Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner Donald Sutherland (The Italian Job), Academy Award and Golden Globe Award winner Mira Sorvino (Mighty Aphrodite) and Trainspotting's Robert Carlyle, Human Trafficking is at once a gripping thriller, a cautionary tale, and one of the most fundamentally important stories of our time. DVD Features include: Interviews with Mira Sorvino and Robert Carlyle, Behind the Scenes with the cast and crew, and A "Take Action" Guide to shop human trafficking now!

Click here for more information about Human Trafficking (2005)