The Departed is it a good film?
Discussion
I finally watched The Departed last night. It has been out for a while, and comes highly recommended. But although it had a pretty good buildup, some really great characters (Nicholson seemed to be enjoying himself a bit too much!), and it was gripping and involving, it didn't really work for me as a Top Film of of the 21st century.
Without going into the details too much, I felt too much of the plot was confused and contrived, and very hammy, and after the requisite Scorscese bloodbath at the end I was left with a rather empty feeling as if there was nothing (and nobody) left. Maybe that was the point, but I didn't get it.
What do people think?
Without going into the details too much, I felt too much of the plot was confused and contrived, and very hammy, and after the requisite Scorscese bloodbath at the end I was left with a rather empty feeling as if there was nothing (and nobody) left. Maybe that was the point, but I didn't get it.
What do people think?
Infernal Affairs? I'll check it out. But I'm also surprised Scorsese could make a "dodgy" movie, haveing made some really, really good ones in the past
Saying that, from what I've heard about Shutter Island, which sounds like a big name star OTT B-movie, then perhaps he's losing touch a bit.
Saying that, from what I've heard about Shutter Island, which sounds like a big name star OTT B-movie, then perhaps he's losing touch a bit.
prand said:
Infernal Affairs? I'll check it out. But I'm also surprised Scorsese could make a "dodgy" movie, haveing made some really, really good ones in the past
Saying that, from what I've heard about Shutter Island, which sounds like a big name star OTT B-movie, then perhaps he's losing touch a bit.
The American 'ripoff' version is a very good film imho.Saying that, from what I've heard about Shutter Island, which sounds like a big name star OTT B-movie, then perhaps he's losing touch a bit.
It's absolutely brilliant.
I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
prand said:
I finally watched The Departed last night. It has been out for a while, and comes highly recommended. But although it had a pretty good buildup, some really great characters (Nicholson seemed to be enjoying himself a bit too much!), and it was gripping and involving, it didn't really work for me as a Top Film of of the 21st century.
Without going into the details too much, I felt too much of the plot was confused and contrived, and very hammy, and after the requisite Scorscese bloodbath at the end I was left with a rather empty feeling as if there was nothing (and nobody) left. Maybe that was the point, but I didn't get it.
What do people think?
Agree completely, watched in cinema & left feeling underwhelmed.Without going into the details too much, I felt too much of the plot was confused and contrived, and very hammy, and after the requisite Scorscese bloodbath at the end I was left with a rather empty feeling as if there was nothing (and nobody) left. Maybe that was the point, but I didn't get it.
What do people think?
Frankeh said:
It's absolutely brilliant.
I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
I know exactly what you mean by having your expectations taint the viewing of a film - it's like having read a book version first -very rarely do they match up.I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
But I didn't really know anything about The Departed before I watched it. All I knew was that it had been directed by Scorsese and was recommended on Lovefilm.
I suppose I might have been hoping for an epic Goodfellas/Casino/Raging Bull/Taxi Driver level of quality, The Departed didn't seem anywhere in the same league.
I'm not sure what it was, it just seemed messy. There were a lot of happy coincidences and some daft assumptions by characters to force the plot along and quite a few events which didn't seem to add up. And by the end (SPOILER COMING) virtually every significant character has managed to kill each other, which I just though was a bit odd and out of place, and didn't leave much of an ending (except perhaps allowing Mark Wahlberg to ride off into the sunset with the pregnant psychiatrist?). Not really like the shocking and thought provoking twist that Taxi Driver provided for instance.
prand said:
Frankeh said:
It's absolutely brilliant.
I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
I know exactly what you mean by having your expectations taint the viewing of a film - it's like having read a book version first -very rarely do they match up.I saw it without knowing anything about it.
I find that if a film gets tons of praise and people recommend it to you then you'll be looking for fault immediately.
Because of this I now go into 90% of films knowing nothing about them.
In the past year astro boy is the only film I've come out of feeling screwed.
But I didn't really know anything about The Departed before I watched it. All I knew was that it had been directed by Scorsese and was recommended on Lovefilm.
I suppose I might have been hoping for an epic Goodfellas/Casino/Raging Bull/Taxi Driver level of quality, The Departed didn't seem anywhere in the same league.
I'm not sure what it was, it just seemed messy. There were a lot of happy coincidences and some daft assumptions by characters to force the plot along and quite a few events which didn't seem to add up. And by the end (SPOILER COMING) virtually every significant character has managed to kill each other, which I just though was a bit odd and out of place, and didn't leave much of an ending (except perhaps allowing Mark Wahlberg to ride off into the sunset with the pregnant psychiatrist?). Not really like the shocking and thought provoking twist that Taxi Driver provided for instance.
The Departed is very good and had very good cast , but I much prefer the origional.
I watched the whole series of Infernal Affairs prior to The Departed, and I was born in H.K. so I may be biased.
I watched The Departed after I had seen Infernal Affairs 1 & 2 (2 is the superior film imho) and felt a bit let down. Had I not seen Infernal Affairs I'm sure I would have thought it was brilliant. I wouldn't say it is a bad film by any stretch, but i'd rather watch Infernal Affairs again rather The Departed.
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