Reindeer Games

Buy This Item Reindeer Games  Available from Amazon  Click 'BUY IT NOW' to get price.  on 11-29-2008     To fully enjoy <I>Reindeer Games</I>, it must be approached properly: your disbelief <I>must</I> be checked at the door, as this John Frankenheimer film needs be taken with a liberal dose of pure faith in the magic of movie plotting. <p> Christmas approaches and all Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck) can think about is the hot chocolate and pecan pie beckoning when he gets out of prison in a couple of days. But standing between him and his sated stomach is Ashley (Charlize Theron), an irresistible woman waiting for him upon his release. Without giving away any of the myriad twists of this thriller, Rudy falls for Ashley, thus becoming forcibly embroiled in a casino-robbery scheme helmed by Ashley's brother Gabriel (Gary Sinise). <p> Frankenheimer, who excels at devious plot machinations, à la <I>The Manchurian Candidate</I>, goes far enough here to stretch the patience of even his most loyal fans. The script relies a little heavily on bad Christmas jokes, and the film is overwhelmed with close-ups. The convoluted turns become outrageous to the point of ludicrous; yet it's all done in the spirit of fun, and once you get past the implausibility, Frankenheimer takes you on a rousing ride. While Affleck doesn't seem quite hardened enough to be a convicted car thief, he does a superb job with a thin script, and Sinise is as sinister as ever. Theron provides more decoration than acting due to the lightweight plot, but my, what lovely decoration she is. For a thought-provoking evening, stick with the earlier Frankenheimer films; for an adrenaline-pumping evening, <I>Reindeer Games</I> has all the violence, chases, and sex scenes for a night of entertaining diversion. <I>--Jenny Brown</I> Reader Reviews One thing is to suspend belief, another is to suspend one's intelligence, which is what this movie requires. This movie is so bad, it is actually funny, at times. Replete with a bad script and bad acting, it revolves around a convoluted plot that has so many twists and turns, as to simply not be believable. The casting is bad, as well. Ben Affleck as a hardened convict? Come on...give me a break! He is simply not a good enough actor to play against type, charming though he be. Rudy Duncan (Ben Affleck), a professional car thief who has just spent six years in the can, is looking forward to being released and returning to his family for Xmas. His cell mate of six years, Nick, is likewise looking forward to his own simultaneous release, so that he can join his beautiful girl friend and pen pal, Ashley (Charlize Theron), about whom he has talked to Rudy incessantly for years and to whom he has read all her letters. Unfortunately, two days before Nick's and Rudy's release, Nick is stabbed, ostensibly to death. When Rudy leaves prison, he sees the beautiful Ashley waiting for Nick. Having heard all about her for years and feeling like he knows her, Rudy assumes Nick's identity, and hooks up with her. Unbeknownst to Rudy, Ashley has an evil brother (Gary Sinise). When Rudy meets him, somewhat unceromoniously, he forces Rudy to become part of a casino robbery, because he believe Rudy to be Nick and is counting on Nick's prior knowledge of the casino to help them plot the robbery. When Rudy confesses to not being Nick, Sinise does not believe him, and Rudy is forced to use his wits to stay alive. The twists and turns continue. If you think the brother is evil, the viewer finds out that he has nothing on his sister, Ashley. Unfortunately, it gets so unbelievable, as to be ludicrous, and the movie spirals out of control. Like I said, it's so bad, it's funny. Rent it, Don't buy it.

Reindeer Games Available from Amazon Price: Click 'BUY IT NOW' to get price. Updated on 11-29-2008.

SPONSORED LINKS