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Wittsend (43 KP) rated Orphan X in Books

Aug 2, 2017  
Orphan X
Orphan X
Gregg Andrew Hurwitz | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
Believe the hype on this one!!! Orphan X is phenomenal! (0 more)
Orphan X
This is a crazy fast paced thriller! The story grabbed me from the very start and I could not put the book down!

Evan Smoak is taken out of a bad life in Baltimore at the young age of 12 and he is taken to DC where he is trained in a secret Government program to be an assassin. He is mentored by a man named Jack, who becomes a father figure to him. When this program is disbanded, Evan moves to California where he chooses to use these skills and the financial resources he is given to do good. Evan follows a series of commandments that he has learned from Jack to do these missions to help people who have no one else to turn to.

This novel will keep you guessing and make your heart pound! It twists and turns and WOW is it great!

Very Highly Recommended for thriller/spy/action lovers!
  
Léon: The Professional (1994)
Léon: The Professional (1994)
1994 | Action, Drama, Mystery
Cult thriller that gave the world Natalie Portman and briefly turned Luc Besson into someone with Hollywood clout; it's still almost certainly his best film. A troubled young girl (Portman) is orphaned by drug dealers and is taken under the wing of a supernaturally gifted hitman (Reno); he has issues of his own. Slowly the relationship between the two of them deepens, but the question of vengeance against the man who killed her family (Oldman) refuses to go away.

Stylish and witty, with great performances from the three leads; genuinely affecting in a way that most Besson movies simply are not. Surprisingly little action for what's supposedly a thriller but still very involving; the theatrical cut delicately skips around what's really going on in Leon and Mathilda's relationship. Knock a point off if you're watching the director's cut, which trades some of the subtlety for extra scenes which add a mixture of hokeyness and pure ick.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated The Accountant (2016) in Movies

Mar 11, 2018 (Updated Mar 17, 2018)  
The Accountant (2016)
The Accountant (2016)
2016 | Drama
7
7.5 (36 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Really-not-that-bad-at-all action thriller with Ben Affleck doing a surprisingly good job of playing a brilliant accountant-stroke-hitman. The film kind of dodges around the implication that Affleck's character is autistic, but the inference is clear and while this is still Movie Autism (never mind the crippling downsides, you get super powers!!!), it is still sympathetic and has at least a few vestiges of reality to it.

The plot eventually ends up being completely gonzo, involving corruption in the robotics industry and duelling assassins, but the movie fends off the moment when you shout 'this is all utterly ridiculous!' for a surprisingly long time. Eclectic cast includes Affleck, John Lithgow, Jon Bernthal, and Anna Kendrick (who appears to be about three feet tall in a few of her scenes). A fun and engaging movie; not a particularly great thriller but all the peripheral weirdness keeps it watchable.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Ronin (1998) in Movies

Jan 10, 2021  
Ronin (1998)
Ronin (1998)
1998 | Action, Mystery
Solid but faintly generic thriller is given a distinct boost by a strong cast and script. Natascha McElhone plays a woman from County Leprechaun who assembles a team of mercenaries to steal a box (which is a McGuffin of the purest kind). On the roster are Robert De Niro, Jean Reno, Sean Bean, and Stellan Skarsgard, not all of whom are wholly reliable. Soon enough engines are revving, bullets flying, crosses being doubled, and meets going bad.

Thematically (as well as chronologically) this is somewhere between Mission: Impossible and the first Bourne film, initially given a wistful, existential quality by the script (co-written by David Mamet under a pseudonym). It gives an extra lift to what was already a very robust and engaging thriller. What really makes it sing are the action scenes and car chases, which are superb. The movie cops out in a few places, particularly the end, but remains extremely engaging and polished: superior stuff.
  
Cross Justice
Cross Justice
James Patterson | 2016 | Fiction & Poetry
7
9.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Jaw dropping at times but some inconsistencies
There were moments where I actually applauded the writing after finding out another piece of information and twist to this non-stop thriller. The snappy writing allows you to stay engaged with the story and the endless plot turns make it all the more intriguing.

I had a few qualms however. Some of the action sequences were bordering on Hollywood and were totally unbelievable, making Alex Cross seem invincible. And the serial killer narrative that went parallel to the story seemed almost pointless although it was at times even more engaging.
  
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
2012 | Action, Drama, Mystery
A brilliant film and great ending....for now at least to this trilogy. Dark, gritty and brutal it doesn't feel like a comic book action hero film. It's more a harsh crime thriller! I thought Anne Hathaway was well cast as Catwoman as is Tom Hardy as Bane. The only problem I had was understanding everything Bane said through his face mask, at times the voice doesn't seem to match the villain? Only small minor gripes though, still I have to add The Dark Knight is still my favourite of the 3 with this a close second.
  
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Dean (6925 KP) rated The Reef (2010) in Movies

Mar 22, 2018  
The Reef (2010)
The Reef (2010)
2010 | Mystery
6
5.6 (7 Ratings)
Movie Rating
From the same director as Black Water about a Alligator menacing a group of stranded people in the outback. We have this survival thriller about a group of friends whose boat is capsized and after some decide to swim encounter a great white shark. Apparently based on true events...
It does feel very similar to both Open water and Adrift but has a bit more action I felt. Definitely not as slowly paced as Open water. Given the subject matter, this is about as good as this type of film can get. It won't be for everyone.
  
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
Law Abiding Citizen (2009)
2009 | Crime, Drama, Thriller
6
7.5 (24 Ratings)
Movie Rating
A well made and enjoyable to watch revenge action/thriller. The biggest let down really was how far fetched the plot was!! It starts well and has some quite violent scenes for this type of film. It's hard to say who you should be rooting for. At the start you can understand why a man in that position would want his wife and child murderers to suffer......but as he starts to seek revenge on anyone associated with the case, he himself becomes the bad guy. So despite the unbelievable plot it's still an entertaining film.