Blown Away

We were perusing the On Demand list, and saw this title, with Jeff & Lloyd Bridges, Tommy Lee Jones, and Forest Whitaker, and thought it sounded like a great movie. I should have been forewarned when I didn't recall ever having heard of it before. The opening segment in the prison, where the inmates speak Gaelic ( I believe) and is subtitled, allowed for a bit of confusion when Jones dispatches his cell mate, and says something over his body. Even with repeated viewings, none of us could make out what exactly he says, or even if it's in English. Was the murder done for a reason besides needing a bomb bunker, or was there a back story? Then to watch him assemble his bomb, using all kinds of devices including machine-threaded pipes, explosives, and other unusual items hat would seem to be a bit difficult to accrue in a max security prison, he blows a hole in the wall, and apparently makes his way from that desolate area without any problems, although they don't bother to show how. He next appears in Boston, living in a decrepit, rusty old boat on an abandoned pier, which miraculously not only has electricity, but also has cable TV ( as the orchestra promo mentions that it's on A&E, not an over the air channel). He also has unlimited funds to obtain everything he needs, from explosives, to electronics, to transportation to get around the Boston area. Bridges character, as we soon find out, is also a fugitive IRA guy, wanted by Interpol, yet he apparently had no problem getting past the Boston PD's background check to get hired under his phony identity. He also exhibits almost every Hollywood cliché about the maverick cop, riding a m/c to a bomb scene while smoking a butt and wearing a Hawaiian shirt to let us know how cool he is. He also ignores basic safety procedures while disarming bombs, even though he is supposedly the one who instructs everyone on EOD protocol. Jones also exhibits the troubling Hollywood syndrome of being able to single handedly surveill multiple people and locate their homes, even their vacation homes, and also gain employment with Boston PD as a janitor ( once again, bypassing the pesky background checks a large agency like BPD conducts even for civilians) with not a care in the world. They also never bothered to explain how Jones was able to get Lloyd Bridges from the bar bathroom out the door, and to the school yard , where he was able to secure him with an unbelievably complex device, without a single person noticing. Then of course there is the TV screen continuously showing Bridges wife in closeup even though she is just one person in the Boston Pops. The story just kept getting more and more ludicrous, and of course there had to be the obligatory Hollywood fight where the bad guy is almost indestructible, no matter what he is hit with. If you come across this, keep on going, it was 2 hours that I'll never get back. I can only imagine that the Dude and the rest were in a slump and needed a quick payday, without regards to the script. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was for the Boston scenery.

How on earth did this crap ever get made? IRA terrorists ups sticks and moves to USA and joins Boston police? Glorifies the IRA and period of time known as the troubles here in the UK by referring to "the cause"! Classic Hollywood depiction of de oirish, which makes patriot games look like a master class in character study by comparison Endless playing of u2 - cos theyre oirish you know! God awful oirish accents all round!

Blown Away starts at Castle Gleigh Prison in Nothern Ireland as convicted terrorist bomber Ryan Gaerity (Tommy Lee Jones) escapes using his explosive know how. Jumpt to Boston in the US where bomb squad member Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) has decided to retire & new recruit Anthony Franklin (Forest Whitaker) is set to take his place alongside Jimmy's old partner Blanket (Ruben Santiago-Hudson), on their first job Blanket is killed by a booby trapped explosive which forces Jimmy out of retirement. Soon it gets personal for Jimmy as he discovers that his old terrorist mate from Ireland Ryan is behind a series of bombings & he is out for revenge against Jimmy, his family & friends as it was Jimmy who put Ryan behind bars in Ireland all those years ago... Directed by Stephen Hopkins this is actually the second Hopkins directed film I have seen in the past twenty four hours after also seeing The Reaping (2007) yesterday, it wasn't planned & it was a co-incidence & pretty lousy luck as The Reaping was average & this was plain crap. At two hours long Blown Away is very slow going & apart from the last fifteen or so minutes is really dull, lifeless, bland & dare I say it even boring. The melodramatics between Jimmy & his family are unintentionally funny (the scene when his wife jumps in the jacuzzi to shout at Jimmy is pure comedy) while the hero with a dark past role just doesn't suit Bridges, his confrontations with Tommy Lee Jones are awful as it seems to be a contest between the both of them to discover who can do the worst Irish accent. The plot is extremely predictable, routine & by the numbers as the clichéd tough guy hero with a dark past has to save the day on his own playing by his own rules, any number of better action films use this scenario & add that to a script that offers no surprises (good guy wins in the end, bad guy is stopped) & feels like little or no effort has gone into it. For a big budget action thriller Blown Away is really short on action or thrills, there's a decent explosion at the end, a truck is blown up & there's a speeding jeep & that's it. For a two hour film not enough happens. Footage from Blown Away was edited into two low budget action films called Stealth Fighter (1999) & Agent Red (2000). The Boston locations don't add anything to the film at all to be honest. Apparently the shockwave from the ship explosion at the end shattered 8000 windows in East Boston. If you really want to see an exciting action thriller about bombs then watch Speed (1994) again instead & see how a proper action film should be done. This has decent production values & is well made for what it is but it's still a rubbish film. The acting is poor from a good cast, father & son Jeff & Lloyd Bridges appear here together. Blown Away is a poor action thriller with virtually no action & some poor performances from a decent cast, this is just bad all round really & far too predictable.

I was really surprised to read a few other comments on this film praising Tommy Lee Jones' Irish accent - you have got to be kidding !! The whole film stinks and is as bad if not worse than Patriot Games. What is this obsession with deranged IRA killers?? It may come as a shock to some people but all IRA killers are deranged. As are the Boston Police department for allowing one to work for them without checking - maybe they have a few mass murderers in their ranks too. The Bridges family are useless in this film, I think Lloyd was asleep in his scenes, and Jeff has simply made another bad filming decision !! Jones is ok (apart from the accent) and Forrest Whitaker loses his way. Stuff and nonsense.

Boston's bomb squad expert Jimmy Dove (Jeff Bridges) is now at his most troubling work in his career. Jimmy is a skilled at his work and he always dis-harm every bomb until now. A Terrorist (Oscar-Winner:Tommy Lee Jones) escaped from his prison cell in Ireland and this terrorist turns out to be a former mentor of Jimmy. This Terrorist decides to stalk the family and friends of Jimmy. Jimmy is forced to drawn into the action, not only that he has to face his former mentor/enemy but his troubled past. Directed by Stephen Hopkins (A Nightmare on Elm Street 5:The Dream Child, Predator 2, The Ghost and the Darkness) made an fine if slow-moving action thriller. Jones gives an terrific performance as the villain. The film also stars the late Lloyd Bridges, Froest Whitaker and Suzy Amis. This film was a box office disappointment in the summer of 1994. Hopkins' visual style keeps the film going and ends up with some memorable moments. DVD has an sharp anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1) transfer (Also in Pan & Scan) with an strong-Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. DVD only features are the original theatrical trailer and a collector's booklet. The film plays better on video that it did in theaters but it is a must-see in Widescreen for the well-staged action sequences. Good music score by Alan Silvestri (Back to the Future Trilogy, Cat's Eye, Forrest Gump). Oscar-Winner:Cuba Gooding, Jr. appears unbilled. Super 35. (*** ½/*****).

Tommy Lee Jones wants Jeff Bridges and anybody he knows "Blown Away" in this 1994 film, also starring Suzy Amis, Forest Whitaker and Lloyd Bridges. Bridges, caught up in the Irish trying to get the English out of Ireland, worked with Jones in Ireland, but when one of the bombings goes bad, he splits, and Jones gets arrested. Jones escapes from an Irish prison and traces Bridges to Boston, where he plans on getting revenge on Bridges, his family, and the entire Boston Police Bomb Squad. This movie really needed to be seen on the big screen because of all of the special effects - huge, frequent explosions. The accents are all over the place, but the performances are good, with Lloyd Bridges on hand as a bearded character actor. It was a little too stereotypical for this viewer. The script is by the numbers and derivative, but the actors and the tension engendered from defusing bombs attached to people helps hold interest. Okay, but see it on a large flat-screen TV.

From reading the other comments on this site, I was surprised at all the negativity surrounding this film. Sure, the accents are probably bad, but everyone knows that Hollywood can't do accents and aging. This is not a movie to be picked apart, but one to be enjoyed. Sure, the characters aren't completely fleshed out, but there is enough depth for you to feel for them. The action is good, and despite many contrary opinions, I think the pacing is good too. One of the high points of this film was the sequence where the wife and daughter are in the house and the audience is left suspecting there may be a bomb plant. The camera shots that frame the stove turning on, the light bulb, the phone jack, etc. were done very well, and suspensefully, though I suspect this well done sequence is what is making many people call this film "slow." Finally, the use of "The Joshua Tree" by U2 was a really nice touch. Overall, this film is not outstanding, but if you want a movie that is relatively light, but has some comedy, drama, suspense and action all mixed in, then check it out.

Most IRA movies made in Hollywood are always criticised for the actors not sounding like real Irishmen. I have never once found this to be true and certainly not for Blown Away. Tommy Lee Jones is quite convincing as a deranged bomber who goes after Jeff Bridges in revenge for betraying him 25 years earlier. Stephen Hopkins uses his fave cinematographer and composer Peter Levy and Alan Silvestri to bring some visual style and a powerful musical score to accompany the action and explosion scenes. The final encounter between Jones and Bridges is WAY cool. Trust me. It's one of the best showdowns in history. A cool use of widescreen photography captures a pleasant and eye-pleasing view of Boston. I only ever saw this city in Cheers previously and now it makes wanna visit. This film was overlooked in the summer of 1994 because the audience was too busy with the other BOMB movie Speed. By that I mean movies with bombs. Not movies that are bombs. Speed was about a bomber wanting money. But Blown Away is a more personal, character-driven film and definitely the superior of the two.

This is one of the most dull action films yet. The IRA is at it again with their bombs. Hasn't this horse been beaten long enough? Jimmy Cagney was doing this act back during the depression. Enough, already. And what was with all these brogues? Tommy Lee is a great actor, but that irish lilt of his went over like a led balloon. What a stupid movie. Oh well, top 'o the mornin' to ya'!

This movie was made during the period (early '90s) in which Hollywood was absolutely in love with blowing things up. The more explosions, the better, seemed to be the prevailing attitude. At least they weren't overdone in this film, as they were in so many others. However, the accents might have been overdone as none of the stars - Jeff Bridges,Tommy Lee Jones, Forest Whitaker, Suzy Amis and Lloyd Bridges - sounded like a true Bostonian. It's especially odd to hear Jones attempt his Irish-Boston accent, although he's more adept at it than the younger Bridges. Jones plays an Irish terrorist in this revenge movie, wreaking his havoc in Boston. The film's best asset is the suspense it builds for the two hours and the fact it keeps you interested the entire way, right from the opening scene. The negatives are too much profanity and a contrived story in spots, particularly at the end when the fight between Bridges and Jones goes on forever as does the scene with Jones trying to save his wife. It's just too much. A lot of modern-day action films just don't know when to quit, and this is a prime example. Yet, it's definitely worth at least one look.