ryancarroll88's Profile at Metacritic

Average User Score: 6.4

User Score 5

Billed as a horror movie, Joon-ho Bong's "The Host" is more of a farce, immersing itself in over-drama, wasting no time on suspense, and not even developing any type of setting. The acting is all over the place - take one instance when the family is mourning over the loss of the little girl (the hinging factor of the movie), and all of the actors transition instantly from mourning to just plain silliness, making the entire sequence ineffective. The monster itself, as awesome as it looks, doesn't even feel like a threat most of the time, which is a result of both bad writing and bad sound editing - bad writing because the entire city doesn't seem to worry about a colossal river creature eating and stealing humans, and bad sound editing because every time an action sequence begins, the volume of the soundtrack and effects drop significantly, which really kills the intensity of those moments.… Expand

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Rififi (re-release)

Average User Score: 8.8

User Score 8

"Rififi" is often considered the landmark film that modernized heist movies, and it shines brilliantly as a suave, sexy crime noir (that happens to be French). There are flashes of expressionism throughout - the tantalizing 'Rififi' nightclub song sequence and the shadowy night shots, but the classic quick-slung dialogue and refined criminal setting really give the movie its stride. Of course, it would be impossible to review this movie without mentioning the heist - a complex suspense sequence that takes up a full 28 minutes of running time and has no audio other than the slightest tap of a hammer or patter of a footstep. You can hear your own heartbeat race as each new step of their setup is revealed, bringing a new fear that it won't work or they may be discovered. Even though they carry the stride of first-class cons (they break into the jewelry store wearing complete suits), the characters express both confidence and doubt in their maneuvers, making every second of the continuity exhilarating. When it is finally over, you breathe a sigh of relief for these guys. Even though the heist is the pinnacle of the film, it only takes place halfway through. The second half is a moralist plug that chronicles the downfall of the cons after their perfect crime. Though it has some great scenes and completes the circle of development of each of the characters, it feels like the movie blew off most of its steam by the end. Even though the tension has all but left, there is a strange sense of loss seeing all the characters you cheered for in the first half take their inevitable fall. It's a classic tale, but told with complexity and craft that was completely new for its time, and served as a basis for every other heist-crime movie, from "Reservoir Dogs" to "Ocean's Eleven."… Expand

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Year One

Average User Score: 4.7

User Score 2

I rated this movie the total number of times I snickered throughout its entire 97 minutes. It really boils down to the fact that Jack Black and Michael Cera are a bad combo; combine that with the movie's lackluster writing and you get "Year One."… Expand

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Suspect Zero

Average User Score: 5.9

User Score 1

"Suspect Zero" is really as bad as thrillers come - it looks and feels like it took its inspiration from daytime television and bad serials. The movie builds tension and suspense, but at no time did I wonder what's going to happen next - I just kept wondering why the movie was going through so much effort to get there. Ben Kingsley could be considered a saving grace, but to me the fact that he is in here at all is more an indicator of how badly his career has fallen this decade (just look at his recent filmography).… Expand

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The Iron Giant

Average User Score: 9.3

User Score 10

"The Iron Giant" is a soft-hearted and whimsical take on period movies (I've rarely seen a better take on Communist-era America) that is an absolute joy to behold. The combination of great animation and satirical dialogue makes every character memorable and fun and the finale is as gripping as animated films come.… Expand

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Whale Rider

Average User Score: 6.4

User Score 6

Keisha Castle-Hughes put all other child actors to shame in her dramatization of Paikea, a girl whose destiny as the leader of her people is constantly subverted by the traditional ideas of her grandfather. However, as awe-inspiring and inspirational as the story to "Whale Rider" is, director Niki Caro goes to unnecessary lengths to make sure you know why the movie was made, which detracts from the overall experience.… Expand

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Rush Hour 2

Average User Score: 8.4

User Score 0

In short, one of the worst movies I have ever seen. In long, it's an insipid trip through China where virtually all of the humor is derived from cheap sexism and racism (I'm really a guy that can appreciate the humor in this, but all of the jokes were so unoriginal and flat), as opposed to the fun and ridiculous situations in the first Rush Hour. Jackie Chan's acting is more tired than it has ever been before, and Chris Tucker's antics get worn thin after the first 5 minutes. To me, this ranks among the worst sequels ever made (right alongside Lawnmower Man 2 - there, I said it.)… Expand

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Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Average User Score: 8.3

User Score 7

"Ghost Dog," the story of an inner city dweller who lives by the way of the samurai soaks up its premise not in blood splatter but in level-headed absurdity and complexity, a focus that takes much more time to absorb. Still, the movie is fun in ways that you wouldn't expect - the antagonists are comprised of the worst ...mob probably ever caught on film: they are regularly shown whacking the wrong people, watching cartoons (the movies sly way of equating mob violence to cartoon violence) or falling behind on their rent. Ghost Dog, played by Forest Whitaker, is quite a character himself, trying to make sense of the world through Zen judgment and ancient ways by frequently quoting relevant passages from Hagakure, the book of the Samurai. Furthermore his 'best friend' is an ice cream truck man who can only speak French. This combined with the fact that the movie isn't afraid to address questions of morality and racism make the movie even more of a head-scratcher but nevertheless entertaining. To top it all off, RZA's soundtrack is one of the highlights of the film, layering it with great old-style Wu-Tang hip-hop that is enough to make the movie worth watching itself.… Expand

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21

Average User Score: 6.2

User Score 4

If you think the plot of "21" sounds as if it was slyly brushed out of screenplay purgatory, just wait until you see how bland the movie actually plays out. For being a group of renegade college students, the characters really aren't very interesting at all and the actors constantly allow Kevin Spacey to steal the scenes, even when he's in the next room getting coffee. Props to Jim Sturgess for giving some especially bad narrating, too. If anything, though, the movie's effective editing does do a good job of capturing the excitement and tension of counting cards as a team.… Expand

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A Prophet

Average User Score: 8.8

User Score 10

"A Prophet" is a completely engrossing experience that plays out like a genre film, colliding gangster politics and prison society for a satisfying thriller. However, what really gives the film its drive is the grit and social realism (two aspects rarely afforded by genre) packed into every scene, giving a completely unique crime drama. Unfortunately, the fact that it is French allowed it to fly completely under the American radar - though I doubt it will ever be as iconic or influential, I hope time will allow the movie to takes its rightful place along the ranks of "The Godfather" and "Goodfellas".… Expand

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ryancarroll88's Profile at Metacritic