Bad Company (2002)

Action and comedy at their worst

Bad Company wasn't a perfect film and it could have been. With the direction of Joel Schumacher and the on screen partnership of Chris Rock & Anthony Hopkinks but I was wrong. The film is slowly paced and Chris Rock looked bored in the role. Skip this one even if you're a diehard Rock fan. March 25, 2008

More Than Expected!

I don't usually watch a film too concerned about who is in it, who produced and directed it. If any of these are familiar, so much the better (e.g., Tony Scott). First of all, the pairing of Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock was simply a surprise. The soundtrack is excellent (and who cares if any of it was used before?). It begins as what looks like a fairly serious film (several killings in Prague) and then BAM! it is a comedy. If they spent any time showing how they figured out that Michael Turner (Kevin Pope's alias) had a twin brother (the husling Jake Hayes) it would have spoiled the film completely.

Much of the hilarity and charm of this film comes from that BAM--and it comes through. Does anyone expect Anthony Hopkins to be anything but dry as an FBI Agent? I mean, his boss, after all, seems to be 30 years younger than him. Why is he taking orders? Why does he have a crew of geeky 30-somethings to handle, as well as groom Jake Hayes for a critical job?

It isn't perfect. I'll bet Chris Rock made up 40% of his lines on the spot (like, what does C.I.A. stand for?). Anyone expecting "Three Days of the Condor" gets what is expected, disappointment. Taken for what it is (such as, why is one of the head criminals an ex-K.G.B. Colonel named "Vas" which is at best an OLD nickname for an out-of-date Russian first name.....it moves, it is funny, and is definitely worth two viewings, so at least, well, $9.99. And there are so FEW comedies worth the time these days!!! June 6, 2007

Amazing Hopkins-Weak Movie

Bad Company was a quite a disappointment, considering the presence of Anthony Hopkins.
The movie sheds light on a CIA operation that is about to go awry when one of its operatives is killed in Prague. Following the discovery, however, of a long lost twin to take the deceased's place, it just might work...
The plot has elements of both comedy and adventure, though it fails to take off. The acting is pretty weak (with the exception of Anthony Hopkins who does a great job of trying to cover up the mess that is Bad Company), while the humor and the plot are just about average.
On the positive side, the movie's European location was quite enjoyable and Anthony Hopkins is Anthony Hopkins.
On the negative side, Chris Rock really overdoes it with all the hoopla. ENOUGH already!
Moreover, weak/uninteresting story/script/dialogues, with the cherry on the cake being the nationalities of the "terrorists" (who surprisingly say some pretty accurate things!) which are not openly mentioned, but the leader "Dragan" has a Serbian name and his No2 speaks Greek (with a very strong American accent mind you). No further comment needed here...
Though the potential for a great movie was definitely there it fails to take off. A shame really...
In a nutshell, it's an ok movie if you've got nothing else to do, and that's about it; it lacks that extra something to put it over the top. No masterpiece here.
If Anthony Hopkins is what you had in mind, check out the AMAZING movies: Remains of the Day, Instinct, and of course, the Silence of the Lambs, among others. February 4, 2006

Fighting clichés

When I pop a DVD in it's not to see how much action, or which film can I compare it too, it's because I enjoy movies. I like to laugh, and I love a tear jerker! Now I'm a boyish girl so I love me some speed, some violence, and yes some action.

Okay I've been sick so I haven't been doing anything with the exceptions of coughing, blowing my nose, and popping pills that have kept me a little dazed. So while lying on the couch I picked up Bad Company and decided to watch, or let it watch me. WHATEVER....

Chris Rock plays a dual role. One as Jake Hayes and the other is Kevin Pope who is pretending to be Michael Turner. Believe it or not Jake, and Kevin were twins separated at birth and it's not until Jake is needed that he learns that he was a twin.

Jake has all the potential in the world, yet he lacks whatever it is needed to buckle down and do things right. He's a hustler baby, a DJ, a chess player, and a ticket scalper. But it still doesn't seem to be enough. He loves his girl Julie (Kerry Washington) and is sick to death when she tells him she's moving. I mean seriously what girl wants to live with her sister and family while her man lives in some basement apartment hustling here and there?

Okay so as Jake is all lost in love, he goes to sell some tickets and discovers that he had a twin, and now the CIA needs him to workout this major deal for them or else! So do it for your country? NOPE! Do it for your brother? NOPE! Do it for some dollar-dollar bills? OF COURSE!

Okay so Oakes (Anthony Hopkins) who had the pleasure of working with Kevin/Michael has the task of transforming Jake into both in the matter of 9 SHORT DAYS! Dress, speak, customs, and mingle on a higher level with people who know Kevin/Michael personally. Oh did I mention that the great government was using him as bait? Someone is desperately trying to prevent Kevin/Michael from making his detrimental meeting in 9 days. Risking lives, limbs, and whatever else it doesn't take that much for Jakey to realize that he is at risk of loosing more than a couple of dollars. Now the question is will he stick around to see this mission through and why?

This is the part of the film where the main character has grown and is now doing things because he wants a chance to prove people wrong, and he's gained the respect of the person/people who doubted him. BOO WHO...

Okay so everyone is talking about the action and I'm like where? This movie is a major explosion, and not in the way that you think. It's predictable from the very first line. Chris Rock in my opinion is not that great of a comedian. He's loud, and obnoxious and he annoys you trying to get the jokes out. Anthony Hopkins, had to be broke, starving, and gang banging to do this film. I'd almost rather watch him eat people then see him all out of breath here. AND PLEASE what was the purpose of Garcelle Beauvais? Michael Ealy? (Though Bro is FINE!) I did like Irma P. Hall's character.

I'm glad for once that this is a rental cause it has got to get out of here! June 21, 2005

Basically a Junky Movie

However, I was quite fascinated with Anthony Hopkin's performance. It seemed to be quite an interesting extension of his Hannibal Lecter character. I thought he got the jaded, weary, bureaucratic essence of his CIA agent character. Also, the movie was very effective as a window into the matter-of-fact ruthlessness of that world.

And the shots of Prague are beautiful.

Chris Rock's performance appeared to be mostly a disaster. It seemed to me that the director gave him a lot of conflicting signals. I think if the performance had been based on his character's desire to learn more about his identical brother, the movie would have been pulled up by several notches. After all, wouldn't anyone become driven to find out more about his newly discovered biological double, especially if he had grown up as a foster child? And, certainly, the choice would have given Chris Rock a lot more dramatic opportunities.

Perhaps that is the impression I am left with: how good Chris Rock could be if he got the right director and script. May 18, 2005

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