ENTERLINE MEDIA Acess Hub

Access Gate
ENTERLINE MEDIA Main
DVD articles/ news
DVD Reviews
Movie reviews/ articles
Movies Archive (2000 to 2003)
TV show reviews
TV Archive (2000-2003)
Interviews
Movie Review; HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
DVD Review- STARGATE SG-1: CHILDREN OF THE GODS Final Cut
DVD Review- PRISON BREAK: THE FINAL BREAK
DVD Review: ECHELON CONSPIRACY
DVD Review: PUSH
DVD Review: THE UNBORN Unrated
2009 Movie Preview: Remakes and Sequels
DVD Review- STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN LI
Movie review: TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
DVD Review: THE PERFECT SLEEP
DVD Review: FISSURES
Movie Review- TERMINATOR: SALVATION
DVD Review: THE CHILDREN OF HUANG SHI
Movie Review: STAR TREK (2009)
2008 Movies In Review
2008 DVDs in Review
DVD Review: L.A. CONFIDENTIAL Special Edition
TV show review: DOCTOR WHO Season 4 Part 1
2.46- random rants Fall 2002
2.47

88 MINUTES
DVD Review by David Blackwell

107 minutes, Rated R
VIDEO: 2.35:1 (Anamorphic Widescreen)
AUDIO: English 5.1 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: English, French
EXTRAS: audio commentary with director Jon Avent, two featurettes- DIRECTOR'S POINT OF VIEW/ THE CHARACTER WITHIN, previews

STUDIO: SPHE/ Millennium Films/ Equity Pictures/ Medienfonds/ Nu Image Entertainment/ EFF
RELEASE DATE: 9-16-2008

88 MINUTES is the type of film you watch for the actors. Al Pacino is in his usual acting form. He is Jack Gramm, a haunted forensic psychologist, that receives a call on his cell phone that tells him he has 88 minutes to live. Meanwhile, someone is killing in the same way that a serial killer (Neal McDonough) Jack helped put away (said serial killer will be executed in 12 hours). Did Jack put away the wrong guy (Jack thinks not) or is their a copycat at work? Thus sets the premise for the intriguing paranoid thriller known as 88 MINUTES. It keeps you guessing as Jack tries to find out who is setting him up for a fall as the stakes continue to be raised. Who can he trust? Will he make it out alive? What thing in his past is making him so haunted?

88 MINUTES is a better film for Al Pacino than RIGHTEOUS KILL (also starring Pacino and directed by Jon Avnet). RIGHTEOUS KILL has problems with it's start and end where 88 MINUTES flows so much better.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
audio commentary with director Jon Avent. Jon talks about the story and characters. It is amazing to see what they did in a 39 day shoot on a small budget.

The alternate ending shows a few additional bits to the climax, but the biggest addition is that it goes beyond the theatrical ending. It is debatable whether the alternate ending works better or 88 MINUTES ends at the right point. I go back and forth on this one.

two featurettes:
DIRECTOR'S POINT OF VIEW- Jon Avnet talks about the film's production, story, and the characters.
THE CHARACTER WITHIN- Al Pacino talks about playing Jack Gramm and gives praise for his fellow actors

FINAL ANALYSIS: 88 MINUTES is a good thriller vehicle for Al Pacino. Watch this instead of RIGHTEOUS KILL.

this DVD review is (c)9-15-2008 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com  

look for additional content at http://enterline2.tripod.com  and