does anybody remember laughter?

Rating: Null/10 (28 November 2001)

I read one EXTREMELY wordy review of FD2D here already. So I don't think another scene-by-scene run-down is necessary.
I wasn't surprised to see similar comments to the one my friend made as we left the theater; complaining that the movie changed right in the middle. Although I admit that it would have been nice to see the first story, about the fugitives escaping into Mexico, end in the standard way, the abrupt turnaround was a welcome surprise. If you read most of the reviews on this movie, chances are they will mention the turnaround. So now you know. It completely changes gears on you. Got it? Now, if I can ask a silly question, what's so bad about being surprised? Was it REALLY a serious loss to have the movie take the turn that it did? If they had kept on going with the standard Tarantino/Rodriguez storyline, yeah, it would have been okay. But not too memorable. Mostly predictable. Same for the vampire angle. Seen that plenty o' times. What else ya got?
Splicing two completely different plots together like this is, to put it mildly, rare. That's why it deserves a second look, at least. Granted, it would have been disastrous if this had become Hollywood's next big gimmick, a la "reality tv," but it didn't, and I don't believe that's because the movie simply didn't work. I believe it's because it's a chance most filmmakers aren't willing to take. Put the images up on the screen that people will be familiar with, lay out the snappy one-liners, make with the funny and the action and the obligatory romance. Give the consumers what they want. Hey--Screw the consumers! Have some fun with the project! That's what these guys did. This movie is tense and fun. It's different. The fact that so many people didn't like it is what makes me smile the most. It reminds me why different is usually good.
It's also cool to see George Clooney as a bad motor-scooter. It suits him. And every guy I know who has seen this movie wants to get a tattoo like George had, but none of us has got the cojones to do it....