Broken Arrow (1996)

The Worst Film Ever

It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

The acting in this movie is really good.

Broken Arrow is a big budget blockbuster film from John Woo starring John Travolta and Christian Slater who are pilots assigned to carry a nuclear weapon when Travolta decides to go rogue. Travolta excels as the bad guy(as also seen in Face Off) and the scenes are over the top in typical Woo fashion. Set pieces aside this is a rudimentary action film one can watch with a few friends.

Hong Kong action maestro John Woo's most bland of American action films. It's not a bad action flick and is actually better than most, but it's a pretty dull script about corrupt US military man John Travolta trying to steal a nuclear warhead and his subordinate, Christian Slater, trying to stop him with the help of a plucky park ranger, Samantha Mathis, which make me want to consider this film a sequel to "Pump Up the Volume." The action is decent and there are Woo trademarks like two gun, Mexican standoffs, enemies back-to-back on opposite sides of a wall, etc. but it feels like he's just going through the motions. The studio supposedly heavily re-cut the film and maybe there exists a director's cut that's much better. Disappointing for a John Woo film, but satisfying enough by Hollywood action film standards.

In his second Hollywood action movie, John Woo lives up to his tag- name "The Mozart of Mayhem" : and he certainly doesn't disappoint! One of the best things about this film was seeing a strong female role played by Samantha Mathias. For once Hollywood used a woman who did not have to rely upon a man to save her. This was not a "love interest" part, it could easily have been played by male or female. The direction was good, as with all John Woo's work, and not cluttered up with too many special effects. The action rattled along. John Travolta made an excellent villain and delivered some pretty cool lines - all credit to the script here for avoiding too much cheesy dialogue. Delroy Lindo as ever, was good, as was Christian Slater - good guys are never as much fun to watch as the villains!John Woo imposes his signature dramatic flair and, so, elevates this from the more generic action thrillers. The slo-mo balletic action beats. The poetic gun-play choreo. The prolonged stand-offs. The flash on this guy! Is it a case of style over substance for this movie? Probably. The story is essentially Slater and Travolta in a cat-and-mouse chase that encompasses the canyons and hills of the desolate Utah badlands. So, it's a travelogue, as well. This movie is far-fetched and mindless and anathema to airtight plotting. If nothing else, this movie is worth it for reuniting Slater and Samantha Mathis who rocked it so hard in "Pump Up the Volume". John Travolta is terrific. Christian Slater breaks typecast by playing a nice, sane soldier doing his duty. The love interest isn't an idiotic supermodel playing a nuclear scientist or something, but a park ranger, also doing her duty. She is cute, earthy, and actually believable. If you want a film that delivers well paced action, some great one-liners and plenty of thrills, Broken Arrow is one to watch.Overall rating: 8 out of 10.

Wow! What a brilliant action movies this is! John Travolta as a bad guy is just priceless! The movie got me gripped right from the start and I couldn't lay my eyes of the TV. Although not much fan of Slater, this was one hell of a ride. Travolta's acting is just brilliant and the ending is even better, just because of a one facial expression Travolta does!! Don't believe me? Watch it. Must see for John Travolta fan's and must see for any action movie fans. Brilliant film and brilliant story... If for no other reason, the excitement on John Travolta's face when he says "I said god damn what a rush!" Overall 10/10 for this brilliant movie.