Review of The Way of the Gun (2000) by Zack P — 21 Jul 2009
It was supposed to be an edgy, slightly off-kilter throwback crime drama. Instead it was basically a two-hour mashup of an old Matlock episode and a Jean Claude Van Damme movie.
Borrowed from Matlock: a lame plot about a mixed-up kidnapping, super cheesy dialogue, wooden acting, shots that linger 10, 20, 30 seconds too long (sometimes longer ... no joke).
Borrowed from JCVD: guns with neverending bullets, the uncanny ability to miss a bad guy 750 consecutive times, then precisely shoot off his kneecap with a .38 revolver from 100 yards while falling off a rooftop and into a trash bin (this doesn't actually happen in "The Way of the Gun," but it wouldn't have been any more unbelievable than some of the shootout action).
I'll give Christopher McQuarrie credit, he did write the screenplay for "The Usual Suspects," which is a fantastic movie. But "The Way of the Gun" falls short by just about every measurable trait to the point where it just isn't a good movie. In the end it's like a two-hour-long hand job -- sure there were times when it felt good, but ultimately you're going home unsatisfied.
This review of The Way of the Gun (2000) was written by Zack P on 21 Jul 2009.
The Way of the Gun has generally received mixed reviews.
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