Heaven's Burning

It's the most terrible movie I've seen in years. There were too many things happening and none of them get proper treatment in this movie. Our Japanese heroine looks very attractive in the beginning of the movie. But after "emancipation" -- she becomes BLOND! Wears a pair of very short shorts and goes "trovelling". And this movie irritates. For example, an Australian farmer who's about to be shot (again) by the heroine's jilted Japanese husband irritates the guy by talking about "karma" ( a Hindu concept). There is no chemistry at all between the two leads. The only excellent thing about the movie is the graphic violence. That's all.

Why does Amazon Video list almost all films as "2019" or 2020"? They also quit listing actors and crew on the same page as the movie. This is nuts.

Something people need to understand is that this is a genre-specific movie. Having said that, let me tell you what I thought. Being a huge Russell Crowe fan, I own just about everything he's been in. Some I love, some I like, and some just sit on the shelf and collect dust. I'm not one of those people that love him no matter what he does. Some of the things he's been in need help. Maybe it's him, maybe it's not. The rest of the cast can suck in any movie and no matter how great the star is, the movie simply lacks... Heaven's Burning caught my attention right around the time I saw 'The Crossing' on cable. I liked that one, but I didn't get to see the whole thing, so I'm holding my thoughts on that til I see the whole thing. I started poking around to see what else he had been in and I realized that I had seen most of them, and often asked "Who was that guy?" So, I went down to my local major chain video store, and looked for Heaven's Burning. Not available on video or dvd, I had them special order it for me along with L.A. Confidential. When it came in, I had plenty of time to watch it, so I didn't get around to it right away. I had just been in a car accident, and had lots of time on my hands. I couldn't sleep one night, so I figured that I would have a "Crowe fest". I watched Mystery, Alaska , L.A. Confidential and my newest addition. I really liked the movie overall. It wasn't quite like anything I had seen him in before. It really is a great movie. Not one of AFI's top 100 of all time, but great in a fun quality. I don't want to give away too much, so I won't delve into it too deeply. It does start out sort of slow, but once you get into the whole bank robbery plot it gets going. If you like Rusty, or if you like road movies, you will enjoy this one. If you don't, let me know. =)

HEAVEN'S BURNING is a slick albeit low budget Australian thriller about a heist gone wrong and two oddball characters who find themselves pursued cross-country by various villains, from psycho exes to Afghani torturers. It's a film made by Russell Crowe on the cusp of his Hollywood stardom; I think his next film turned out to be L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, and we all know where he went from there. He gives a solid, edgy performance as the hardman lead, and his relationship with the Japanese girl is well judged. The rest is a mix of genres and a Tarantino-esque vibe, but it's all a little too familiar and a little underwhelming to be that effective.

I watched this movie , and i found it horrible. The only thing that made me continue watching the movie , was the acting of Russel Crowe The actress has a very good potential , but , the way the movie is written ruined it completely The bad guy is a terrible actor. This could be a great movie , if better made , but it was horrible in my opinion. This movie , is one of the worst I've ever seen. I don't recommend it to anyone.IF you are going to watch this movie to see if you have some "good movie time" , you better think twice , only if you're just having a good afternoon with your friends , if you are thinking of watching it alone i don't recommend , you will have no fun at all watching this movie (only if you pretend to make fun of it)

Crowe in HB was for me a discovery similar, though on a smaller scale, to that of the brighter Rourke in A PRAYER …. Sublime romance, in the truest sense; strong performances from the leads. There are some amazing things in …--Crowe's father prophecies (the karma prophecy), etc.. Crowe himself was in his best shape (like Rourke in the aforementioned action drama, like Gibson in Payback ,like Spacey in The Big Kahuna ,1999). The movie is remarkable and original and shows its good writing from the first frames, from the first scene (the bank robbery, when one of the gangsters gets brusquely lifted up and trapped). It is good as romance, as action drama, as script. The dialogs are well—conceived. It is one of the best action dramas of the '90s. What stands up is the poetry, not the violence. The action is rich and multi-layered and following several threads—a vendetta, a racial confrontation that leads to interesting scenes. The semi—serious brio of some facts is sustained by the high sense of poetry and dramatic ascending ;even more, the characters are likable, distinct, interesting (Crowe, his father, the Japanese girl, the pursuer). Here is romanticism without schmaltz. Here is fun for those who enjoy lively films. As a dramatic hero, a cross of Gabin and Flynn, Crowe is perfect. He was exceedingly charming in a few other movies—but HB remains unequaled. His character is infinitely likable. HB is one of the hidden, _unremarked, unsung jewels of the action cinema.And this is Crowe's defining role.

Admittedly I'm a dedicated Crowe fan and have almost all his old movies but when I first got Heaven's Burning I found it a bit odd and would have said - well all great actors have to put in time on mediocre movies before they get to the top stuff. However after watching it again today for about the sixth or seventh time, I have to say that it really is very watchable. Even those awful sideburns. But thanks for not inflicting them on us again Russell. Yes its a road movie crossed with Bonnie & Clyde,Aussie version, but the tender little love story, the fast pace, the violent bits and the collection of grotesque characters met on the way make for an interesting ride.

This is a wild fun Austrailian movie that is well worth the ride The action dominates the movie with a collection of odd broken characters that you so often find in Australian movies. The story sometimes borrows themes from other 'road movies' which are fairly familiar, but the unique characters in the movie make this road movie unique in its own very strange way. Russell Crowe a la sideburns is still very cool, yet he does not dominate each scene as he has done in every movie he has made in the past 5 years. His somewhat understated presence allows his co-star Yidori (?) shine - a wonderful Japanese actress whose ingénue childlike looks contrast sharply with her bizarre change or metamorphosis from the gentle opening scenes. The classical musical romantic score is placed in a wild funny contrast to the plot,sometimes in a very campy way--yet it still works. This is not a great movie or a classic--but it has the zany features of movies like "TRUE ROMANCE', (a cult classic) I would highly recommend this movie for what it it is -- a wild action packed funny bizarre ride with a good run of crazy people--- This movie may be a 10 if you view it the Austrailian way --with a keg of good beer--wish I 'd seen this movie on the big screen but I don't recall this movie in the theater years ago-Enjoy--there are even a few good lines that will make you want to go back to it someday so a DVD purchase would not be wasted....

First of all, I'd like to say that this is a very unique, but also important film that is making a social commentary on the oppression that (specifically, but not exclusively,)many Japanese women suffer at the hands of their domineering and quite often abusive husbands. Because of their ancient cultural structure and social and familial pressures, these women are forced into marriages that are probably not always fulfilling, and this incredible Australian? director has tackled the telling of this poor woman's predicament, which alot of Asian women may be able to relate to, without being able to speak up about it for themselves. At the same time, this director, by bringing Russell Crowe, and a plot that revolves around a bank robbery gone awry, with plenty of action and gore, is probably going to attract viewers who otherwise wouldn't really care about the problems Japanese women face. He is therefore challenging those people to take a look at this human rights issue, and bringing it to light, which is good for everybody. The inter-racial romance is an added entertaining element, but if that's all that viewers see, then they're missing the point. Let's face it,inter-racial relationships between Japanese women and foreign men have been going on since the early days of exploration by Europeans. The director of this film, along with everybody involved must be commended for taking a gamble on a topic that obviously can be touchy, and at the same time misunderstood by the typical, shallow public. To top it off, he also manages to make an homage to the classical composer Richard Wagner, first with the guy in a wheelchair, played by the ex-Men at Work singer (forgot-his-name),who should get an Oscar for his Heroic performance, and then again with the music from Tristan and Isolde at the very end! A really Cool Flic!

I love movies that take me totally by surprise. Turned on the TV, saw a Russel Crowe movie I'd never heard of was starting in a minute and decided I'd give it a whirl. For the next 100 minutes, I don't remember breathing. What could be described as a formulaic detective, on the lam movie was packed with the little things that make movies worth watching. It has a stellar leading cast who evolve in totally unpredictable ways over a very short period. Throw in your typical colorful Aussie characters, tribal Afghan crazies, and Japanese you'd never see act that way in Japan and let the bullets fly. Maybe I also really enjoyed it because in a cast of misfits and crazies, the one who turned out to be the craziest (who starts off the sanest) is driving around the countryside on my motorcycle, a beautiful black Triumph Thunderbird (although it could have been a bonnie, but I don't think so). But I really enjoyed the subtle things that separate good movies from bad. There are thematic (and landscape) shifts, accurate and slightly ugly social commentary, a little philosophizing, Afghan woman with hijaab as computer hacker, and tasty Aussie back-country scenes (the corner country bar, B&S dance), and some father/son dynamics to go with typical on the lam love developing. So see this movie, I bet you'll find things you like about it too.