Style = Substance..... well, nearly...
 Feb 18th, 2006
(Dec 11th, 2007)
Advantages:
Knightly is great, fun from start to finish .
Disadvantages:
Could have been more thoughtful than it is, and more effective as a result .
Recommendable:
Yes
Detailed rating:
Did you enjoy it?
Story
Characters / Performances
Special Effects
Soundtrack
more
  moxon123
About me:
Member since:30.01.2006
Reviews:26
Members who trust:5
Review rated by 16 Ciao members on average: very helpful 
I was fully expecting to despise DOMINO, Tony Scott's last film, MAN ON FIRE, kicked ass, right up until the point when Denzel Washington started to kick ass, and then I could feel my brain sort of shrivel up and almost implode from the explosion of over stylisation and laughable onscreen captions. It just didn't work. DOMINO is Scott taking it to the next level, not only are the violent scenes depicted in an even more hallucinogenic light, but the whole film is filled with that said stylisation. The difference between the films though is that in DOMINO's case this actually works in its favour… A big reason it works so well here is the way the story is told. Based very loosely on the true tale of bounty hunter Domino Harvey who tragically died last year, the film jumps about in time regularly, at once showing the audience both how Domino entered the world she inhabits, and telling the films complex main plot about a bounty pick up gone wrong. Because of the way the film is edited and looks there's a highly kinetic feel to the whole thing that just makes it flow oh so smoothly no matter how often we jump back and forth in time.
At the heart of the film and ultimately why it works as well as it does though, is not Scott's direction, but Keira Knightley's portrayal of the title character. Another reason I just couldn't believe the film would work, Knightley looks like she would snap if you pushed her, so I personally didn't think appearing as a tough bounty hunter would come naturally to the sleek actress, yet she does a brilliant job of being hard assed and keeping her character grounded. Considering the over the top presentation of the film, it's a very believable performance. She is not always likeable in the way she speaks, yet in the end manages to come across as highly sympathetic and needless to say that without her the film wouldn't be as enjoyable as it is and that is mainly down to a somewhat lacking script. From the badly thought out lines of Knightley's narration to the underwritten supporting characters, Richard Kelly's script never finds time for things that are unquestionably important here. Domino's fellow bounty hunters, played by Mickey Rourke and Edgar Ramirez, were very much like family to her and were obviously important people in her life, yet the film never really shows us why. Rourke's Ed Mosbey is the man she looks up too, like a father figure, but besides the fact that Domino tells us that this is so, we never really see it on film. Rourke's performance is fairly entertaining but its all his doing, the script never gives him anything to work with. Ramirez plays somewhat of a love interest for Domino yet after seeing that all his character can do is speak random Spanish and punch walls like a deranged monkey, its hard to sympathise with who we are again told is suppose to be a great guy. As I mentioned Knightley's narration is also hampered by awful lines that seem to completely lack intelligent thought and she repeats the same nonsensical catchphrases over and over again, its not amusing, and in some cases its actually quite cringe worthy.
It's a shame that these problems exist, as they do hamper the film and if Kelly had put as much effort into his characters and dialogue as he had into the intricacies of the plot and the quite spectacular flow of the story, then this could have been a truly great farewell to the late bounty hunter. As it is, Tony Scott has made the kind of film he is best at making, an unpretentious and stylish thrill fest that is full of flashy wit and explosive action. It could have been better, but it is still a lot of fun.
Compare Prices
sorted by Price
![Domino [DVD] [2005]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78501021.jpg)
|
Domino [DVD] [2005]
Loosely based on the real life story of the late bounty hunter Domino Harvey, ...
|
£ 1.84
|
 719 Ratings
|
Postage & Packaging: £1.21
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
|
Visit Shop
amazon dvd
|
|
|
Domino [DVD] [2005]
Loosely based on the real life story of the late bounty hunter Domino Harvey, ...
|
£ 3.98
|
94 Ratings
|
Postage & Packaging: Free!
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
|
Visit Shop
amazon marketplace dvd
|
|
Domino DVD
The already larger than life story of Domino Harvey (daughter of British actor ...
|
£ 3.99
|
337 Ratings
|
Postage & Packaging: £0.00
Availability: 3-5 working days
|
Visit Shop
play.com (films)
|
Read more on this product
Products you might be interested in
 |
The Dark Knight (Blu-ray)
Production Year: 2008 - Action/Adventure - Director: Christopher Nolan - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring:Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine
3 reviews
Buy now for only £ 10.98
|
 |
Rocky 4 (DVD)
(+) The montages
(-) It's a bit cartoonish and over the top
26 reviews
Buy now for only £ 2.93
|
 |
Cypher (DVD)
Production Year: 2002 - Action/Adventure - Director: Vincenzo Natali - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring:Lucy Liu, David Hewlett, Anne Marie Scheffler, Joseph Scoren, Matthew Sharp, Jeremy Northam
2 reviews
Buy Now
|
|
|
![Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill [DVD] [1986]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/83364859.jpg)
18.02.2006 19:49
A great review. Although Keira Knightley is gorgeous, I cannot stand her acting - Kupo x
18.02.2006 19:28
great review xXLizzyXx
18.02.2006 16:45
Knightley couldnt act to save herself, good looking girl though, nice review.......