once more to the well gents....

Rating: 8/10 (20 November 1999)

If that line above makes you laugh, then you will like this move. Steve Buscemi plays a ratty little psycho genius who spits out line after line like that, and had me in stitches. This film is a go getter, pedal to the metal, brains set on stun action adventuror flick to the max. Not a documentary; which I would Advise many of you out there to remember when seeing it.
Spoilers below! Warning!!!!!! You root for the oil drillers big time, and I personally felt quite bad when 'Deep Blue Hero-stuff' Man was killed in a crash. I think they should have kept Owen Wilson on. His guys seemed to be the one who was actually enjoying himself up there.
I thought the shots round the world, showing the reactions in India, Africa, Europe, the US, Turkey, etc. to the explosion above were handled Very well, the music swells and is quite moving to boot.
Other things to look for when seeing it-check out Will Patton's little scene with an ex-wife and his son; where he strains to let them know he has regrets, and is going to somehow go away and make up for his past failings...That is a good scene, well handled if somewhat short. I liked it.
Bruce Willis is flat in some of his lines but is alright all in all. They could have used more pacing, and slowed up on the break neck MTV style editing that they throw at us for the whole film; there is plenty going on there to enjoy if you look for it, and they didn't need to race through so fast.
Having the two killers from Fargo-Buscemi and Leb there again is a hoot; and you will like Leb believe you me. He actually talks in this film!!! Parts they could have done without-the shotgun scenes(are these the same people who we see on the asteroid, one saying 'I love you!!!' with tears streaming down his cheeks? Hmmmm... I would have liked to have gotten a little more light shed on the Freddy Noonan character too-of the drillers, he is the only one they didn't show either getting rounded up by the FBI or talking to the shrink during the testing. Go figger.
Minor caveats. This film is great, big fun, much better than Deep Impact, which makes you want to fall asleep half an hour in. There, they stand round waiting for the earth to die. Here, they do something about it. Give me that anyday.
Rating ***1/2 outta ****, definitely a must see!