The setup for the film was deceptively simple, the sort of thing that makes would-be filmmakers slap their foreheads and say, "Why didn't I think of that?" The really funny things about the film's success are first, that the creators of Blair Witch had a terrible time drumming up support for their project - everybody thought they were nuts - and second, that once they'd unleashed their creation on the world, it proved to be absolutely inimitable. Otherwise - or in addition to - go find a copy of Meet the Tiger and enjoy the real Saint.As Joe Berlinger will no doubt tell you, The Blair Witch Project was a tough act to follow. So far as this film is concerned, this Simon Templar is more like the real Saint since Roger Moore - so watch it for that. Now all one needs is a tablet and a wifi connection and you can tell everything about anything anytime anywhere. In the days of the original Saint - the 1920's and 1930's - you still had to do real detective work to solve mysteries. We want to see our heroes solve problems, not have them solved for them by inexplicable (and non-existent) technology.
Sixteen-inch steel vault door? No problem - just hack that sucker and in you go. There's been a strong push in Hollywood in recent decades to use technology as a panacea to whatever problem the antagonist might come across. In short, I like this Saint, but the film won't get out of it's own way. Although this is the most lovingly adaptation attempt since the Roger Moore days. All the elements are there but watered down and cliché'd to the point of atrophy. Which brings us to this latest attempt to put Saint on film.
Anyone who has read any of the Charteris novels would strongly disagree. A sort of James Bond type who always has something witty to say at the right moment. Unfortunately, most of the texture of The Saint is lost in attempts to portray him just as a lovable, quip-flinging, thief. But, is it really a crime if the subject had it coming to them? Such is life of The Saint - getting rich while sticking it to the bad guy. "The ends justifies the means" is a kind of MO for The Saint, which creates a sort of dilemma - especially in the west - where we tend to regard all individuals - good and bad - to be subject to the same rules. The Saint as a character is brash, abrasive, annoyingly intelligent, and driven by a set a principals to do the right thing, even if "right" in any given instance is stealing, murder, or any other action that on the outside is technically a crime. To know The Saint one must be truthful to the source material. Reviewed by codefool 6 / 10 Hard to get The Saint right
0 kommentar(er)
