Frequently Bought Together
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Reviews
From Amazon.co.uk
Neil Jordan's somber The Brave One is reflective movie about a victim's sense of dislocation and isolation from her own life following a harrowing trauma, which will strike a chord with a lot of people who have known violence. The Brave One is also a provocative drama about the nature of justice, a theme explored endlessly in American movies that typically find law enforcement wanting. In Jordan's film, however, the conflict between instinctive vigilantism and legal protocols is approached with more deliberateness and complexity than usual. Finally, despite its seriousness of purpose, The Brave One, to a certain extent, is drearily tethered to the old atrocity-and-revenge genre, bumping along to the familiar, Death Wish-like rhythms of an avenger seeking successive conflicts with bad guys he or she can blow away.
Somewhat at cross-purposes, The Brave One stars Jodie Foster in a shattering performance as Erica Bain, a popular essayist on a public radio station in New York. In love and engaged to David (Naveen Andrews), a doctor, Erica and her fiancé are brutally attacked one night by a gang of thugs. David is killed but Erica survives, only to find herself a stranger in her own skin, facing down her fears by shooting violent criminals.
With the city riveted by her anonymous actions, Erica becomes an object of curiosity for a police detective (an excellent Terrence Howard) disillusioned by his own struggles to protect the innocent from truly evil men. Jordan's previous films (The Crying Game, Breakfast on Pluto) resonate with The Brave One's most interesting angle, i.e., that each of us possesses a hidden element in our identities that comes out in extreme circumstances, making us wonder who we really are. It's all excellent food for thought, but the film squanders much of its significance by thrusting Erica into numerous, outlandish situations in which her only alternative is to put a bullet in a bad guy. The result is a smart film tediously structured like a disposable B movie. --Tom Keogh
Somewhat at cross-purposes, The Brave One stars Jodie Foster in a shattering performance as Erica Bain, a popular essayist on a public radio station in New York. In love and engaged to David (Naveen Andrews), a doctor, Erica and her fiancé are brutally attacked one night by a gang of thugs. David is killed but Erica survives, only to find herself a stranger in her own skin, facing down her fears by shooting violent criminals.
With the city riveted by her anonymous actions, Erica becomes an object of curiosity for a police detective (an excellent Terrence Howard) disillusioned by his own struggles to protect the innocent from truly evil men. Jordan's previous films (The Crying Game, Breakfast on Pluto) resonate with The Brave One's most interesting angle, i.e., that each of us possesses a hidden element in our identities that comes out in extreme circumstances, making us wonder who we really are. It's all excellent food for thought, but the film squanders much of its significance by thrusting Erica into numerous, outlandish situations in which her only alternative is to put a bullet in a bad guy. The result is a smart film tediously structured like a disposable B movie. --Tom Keogh
Product Description
DVD Warner, Bros., Region 2 PAL 2007 119 mins
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This film seemed to slide in and out of the cinema before I had a chance to see it. I'm a fan of Foster's earlier work, but I didn't know what to expect from this film especially after reading the comments made by movie execs that they wanted to stop making films with female leads. I guess it's simple economics to them, but it seemed kind of harsh to me.
This isn't a movie for everyone. It's pretty bleak and contrived in places, but all of the performances are strong and the cinematography and direction are amazing. This isn't the new New York we see in this film, the safest big city in the world. Instead it reveals the ghost of New York, where senseless violence and cruelty dominates. Foster's character is a woman on a mission, and she manages to touch a lot of people along the way. A lesser actress wouldn't have been able to pull this role off, but Foster does it with style and grace.
This film is bracing and thoughtful. If you're in the mood for something different but still Hollywood, the Brave One is a good choice.
This isn't a movie for everyone. It's pretty bleak and contrived in places, but all of the performances are strong and the cinematography and direction are amazing. This isn't the new New York we see in this film, the safest big city in the world. Instead it reveals the ghost of New York, where senseless violence and cruelty dominates. Foster's character is a woman on a mission, and she manages to touch a lot of people along the way. A lesser actress wouldn't have been able to pull this role off, but Foster does it with style and grace.
This film is bracing and thoughtful. If you're in the mood for something different but still Hollywood, the Brave One is a good choice.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By Lark
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:DVD
I think that for revenge movies it is between this feature and the actions of "the bride" in Kill Bill for the number one slot, although while Kill Bill is an out and out fantasy adventure this film is full of menace, realism and grit.
The story follows the journey of a radio hosts journey back to life following a mercilessly violent confrontation with a group of thugs who turn her, her dog and lover into prey when they stray into their path beneath a bridge in a darkened, isolated spot in a public park. The gang have been drinking and their emergence from the shadows is instantly menacing and effecting, the confrontation itself and its rapid and inescapable escalation to extreme murderous violence is THE best and most realistic portrayal I have ever seen in film. The scene has been set perfectly, the inability of the victimised couple to retreat was well thought out and the characterisation of the criminals themselves as playing some sort of sadistic game with those at their mercy, right down to and including the recording of the episode on a mobile phone was just exacting.
From this point on with admission and discharge from hospital the film becomes a little more complex, there are fans and critics who have suggested that the rest of the film in its entirity is a dream sequence enacted in the traumatised, possibly dying, mind of the principle character but I dont believe so. The film has been contrasted and compared with The Complete Death Wish Collection (Death Wish 1, Death Wish 2, Death Wish 3, Death Wish 4 and Death Wish 5) Full and Uncut Import. I'm unsure about this too the films are very different.... Read more ›
The story follows the journey of a radio hosts journey back to life following a mercilessly violent confrontation with a group of thugs who turn her, her dog and lover into prey when they stray into their path beneath a bridge in a darkened, isolated spot in a public park. The gang have been drinking and their emergence from the shadows is instantly menacing and effecting, the confrontation itself and its rapid and inescapable escalation to extreme murderous violence is THE best and most realistic portrayal I have ever seen in film. The scene has been set perfectly, the inability of the victimised couple to retreat was well thought out and the characterisation of the criminals themselves as playing some sort of sadistic game with those at their mercy, right down to and including the recording of the episode on a mobile phone was just exacting.
From this point on with admission and discharge from hospital the film becomes a little more complex, there are fans and critics who have suggested that the rest of the film in its entirity is a dream sequence enacted in the traumatised, possibly dying, mind of the principle character but I dont believe so. The film has been contrasted and compared with The Complete Death Wish Collection (Death Wish 1, Death Wish 2, Death Wish 3, Death Wish 4 and Death Wish 5) Full and Uncut Import. I'm unsure about this too the films are very different.... Read more ›
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Kelvin J. Dickinson
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Blu-ray
Looking beyond its more 'controversial' aspects, THE BRAVE ONE emerges as a solid and highly atmospheric thriller with consistently great cinematography. In other words, a natural choice for the Blu-ray treatment. In 1080p high-definition the picture quality is stunning, containing a depth of field almost entirely absent from the standard-definition DVD and, I have to admit, that both the dramatic and technical experience stayed with me for some considerable time afterwards - which in my book is usually a good sign of something a bit out of the ordinary.
Erica Bain is a New York DJ who, along with her fiance, is brutally attacked and left for dead. She survives, and the only way of coping with her ordeal and her grief is to become a vigilante, wandering the lonely streets of the city and wasting the lowlifes that inhabit its nocturnal underbelly. Complications arise when she strikes up a relationship with the cop who's working on the case...
JODIE FOSTER puts in an excellent performance by injecting her character with a real sense of humanity, making the resulting moral ambiguities somewhat easier to accept (unlike, say, Charles Bronson in DEATH WISH, whose one-dimensional expressions gave away practically nothing of the internal struggles that must accompany such behaviour). Yes, there are contrivances in incident and aftermath but the film builds to a powerfully satisfying climax which is largely unexpected, and due in no small part to a tight script and convincing dialogue. Director NEIL JORDAN has painted a rich canvas, mostly without resorting to cliche, and the city at night is both a beautiful and terrifying prospect (someone equally good at this sort of thing is Michael Mann, see COLLATERAL).... Read more ›
Erica Bain is a New York DJ who, along with her fiance, is brutally attacked and left for dead. She survives, and the only way of coping with her ordeal and her grief is to become a vigilante, wandering the lonely streets of the city and wasting the lowlifes that inhabit its nocturnal underbelly. Complications arise when she strikes up a relationship with the cop who's working on the case...
JODIE FOSTER puts in an excellent performance by injecting her character with a real sense of humanity, making the resulting moral ambiguities somewhat easier to accept (unlike, say, Charles Bronson in DEATH WISH, whose one-dimensional expressions gave away practically nothing of the internal struggles that must accompany such behaviour). Yes, there are contrivances in incident and aftermath but the film builds to a powerfully satisfying climax which is largely unexpected, and due in no small part to a tight script and convincing dialogue. Director NEIL JORDAN has painted a rich canvas, mostly without resorting to cliche, and the city at night is both a beautiful and terrifying prospect (someone equally good at this sort of thing is Michael Mann, see COLLATERAL).... Read more ›
29 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
'The Brave One' stars Jodie Foster as radio DJ Erica Bain, who when one night is walking her dog in the park with her fiancé, is attacked and brutally beaten, leaving her unconscious and her fiancé dead. The police don't seem interested in the case and screaming for revenge, Erica buys a gun and takes the law into her own hands, becoming New York's mysterious Vigilante, getting rid of muggers and murders from the streets before finding her fiancé's killers for the ultimate revenge.
I didn't expect much from this as I hadn't really heard a great deal about it and the reviews have all been fairly average but I was pleasantly surprised to see this was an emotional, exciting and extremely tense thriller that had me sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails in suspense for the whole 2 hours. The direction was really interesting as they focussed more on the bad points of New York, from the small shop robberys to the subway muggings, keeping to the back street locations rather than glamourising it with the big city hot spots.
The story was very clever and didn't drag at all or become too ridiculous. There's a couple of predictable bits but there's also enough twists to keep you watching to see what happens next. Foster's character came off as arrogant and unlikeable to begin with but really had me rooting for her as the film went on.
Overall this is a hugely enjoyable movie that may be a bit too violent and shocking for some, but is a good emotional revenge thriller that is also one of Foster's best performances I've seen her in since films like Silence of the Lambs, Flightplan and Panic Room. Highly recommended.
I didn't expect much from this as I hadn't really heard a great deal about it and the reviews have all been fairly average but I was pleasantly surprised to see this was an emotional, exciting and extremely tense thriller that had me sitting on the edge of my seat, biting my nails in suspense for the whole 2 hours. The direction was really interesting as they focussed more on the bad points of New York, from the small shop robberys to the subway muggings, keeping to the back street locations rather than glamourising it with the big city hot spots.
The story was very clever and didn't drag at all or become too ridiculous. There's a couple of predictable bits but there's also enough twists to keep you watching to see what happens next. Foster's character came off as arrogant and unlikeable to begin with but really had me rooting for her as the film went on.
Overall this is a hugely enjoyable movie that may be a bit too violent and shocking for some, but is a good emotional revenge thriller that is also one of Foster's best performances I've seen her in since films like Silence of the Lambs, Flightplan and Panic Room. Highly recommended.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 231 reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Brave One.
For my money Jodie Foster is one of a very small band of actors whose movies are never duff:This is no exception. Read more
Published 13 days ago by Silver Fox
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tension builder
We all know where this film came from, but this is presented with some interesting twist to the original plot. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. J. A. Bentley
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jodie Foster must have
An excellent film.... Jodie Foster as always gives an excellent performance. The film is interesting in its composition and well worth a view.
Published 2 months ago by Angela M. C. D'alton
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great
Great film, Jodie foster turns vigilante after her b/f is killed and she is gang raped, not for the faint hearted but superb story telling and well acted, for me this was a winner.
Published 2 months ago by clappedoutcarer
5.0 out of 5 stars
brave one
a great watch, it was good to see a female get revenge,male avengers are two a penny,
let's have more movies of this quality!
let's have more movies of this quality!
Published 2 months ago by william hunter
3.0 out of 5 stars
Classic!!!
Classic Jodie foster film with a twist or two!!
Totally fictional but watchable...
Old film now !! but it was good for it's day!!!
Totally fictional but watchable...
Old film now !! but it was good for it's day!!!
Published 3 months ago by mrs e.l forster
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Brave One
An absolutely wonderful performance by jodie Foster. A very thrilling film and kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.
Published 3 months ago by marymccracken
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jodie Foster
All the films I have seen starring Jodie Foster have been excellent viewing.
This DVD is marvellous entertainment as also
Flightplan, Panic Room, The Accused. Read more
This DVD is marvellous entertainment as also
Flightplan, Panic Room, The Accused. Read more
Published 3 months ago by wusman12
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Brave one
I am an avid fan of jodie foster and remember watching this film the first time at the pictures and thought it was great so had to buy it
Published 4 months ago by David Jackson
4.0 out of 5 stars
Recommended
An excellent perfomance by Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard in this tense thriller made for a very entertaining evening. I would highly recommend this film.
Published 5 months ago by Tim Bailey
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
![[Start the discussion]](http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/x-locale/communities/discussion_boards/start-new-discussion-sec._V192198663_.gif){kind=small}
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
