Who Asked You...Movie Review - After The Sunset

After The Sunset

Directed by Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour", "Rush Hour 2")

Starring: Pierce Brosnan (James Bond), Salma Hayek ("Frida"), Woody Harrelson (Cheers, "Play It To The Bone")

At one point in all of our lives, if not several, we have identity crises. Who am I really? What are my personal goals? What do I aspire to do and be? We have all asked ourselves these questions in one way or another during a adolescence, mid-life, or even quarter-life crisis.

It would seem that motion pictures can suffer from the same lack of focus as well. "After The Sunset", Hollywood's newest jewel heist adventure, appears to have been unable or unwilling to focus on being any one thing. At times it conspires to be a standard crime drama. Other times it pals around with the idea of being a buddy picture. At even other moments it flirts with being romance. Taking the film in any one of these directions would have worked fine for director Brett Ratner. However, attempting to be all of them makes the movie a master of none.

I really enjoy heist films. It is one of my favorite sub-genres. The trickery, sly coolness, and smugly happy moods of the films always cause me to leave the theater feeling like I've been in on the con myself. Sadly, "After The Sunset" does not live up to the standards of some of the quintessential heists like "Ocean's 11".

The film tries, a bit too hard in fact, to be funny. Many of the gag lines feel forced and fall flat. Woody Harrelson really helps the movie with his comedic timing and delivery. Only Harrleson's performance allows the movie to even think about being called a comedy.

One thing that the director is not subtle about is using the looks of his leads to the film's advantage. 95% of the film is set in the Carribean and on a beach. As a result, we get a lot of Salma Hayek in bikinis and Pierce Brosnan without a shirt on. That being said, the film doesn't use sex as a crutch. There are some suggestive scenes and dialougue but the love scenes are quite tames when compared to the actors previous work. (See, and I do mean SEE, Brosnan in "The Thomas Crown Affair" and Hayek in "Frida" or "Desperado")

All of the actors seem to so an admirable job with what they are given. As I mentioned above, Harrleson excels at comic moments and buddy-movie chemistry the same way he always has. Don Cheadle is as excellent as always as an over-the-top and in-your-face villain. Russell Hornsby is Cheadle's top grunt in his first semi-high profile role since "Playmakers" was cancelled. Even good ole, Chris Penn ("Reservoir Dogs") makes a brief appearance. Only Brosnan, who at times seems slow, tired, and possibly lost, and some of the supporting cast fall flat. All in all "After the Sunset" never quite decides what it wants to be more. An action-heist, a comedy, or a buddy picture. All elements are welcome but the lack of focus hurts the film. For example, it doesn't seem as thoughthe audience was meant to like Woody Harrelson's character at the end of the film. However, previous to the final 5 minutes, it seems to want us to sympathize with him. The movie is enjoyable, though it seems to have RENTAL stamped all over it. Unless of course you prefer to see Pierce or Salma on the big screen. Next time people, make up your mind before you make a movie.