When an experienced thief accidentally makes off with a Van Gogh, his partner is kidnapped by gangsters in pursuit of the painting, forcing the criminal to hatch a rescue plan. It's all about Bang Bang, and it's really so good at it. (Martin Wheeler)'s script is highly smart (a master thief who has been stolen), it's fast-paced and well-structured in the same time, the action is above average regarding being a D-T-V movie or not, the car chases are awesome (just the continuous fake back-projections annoyed me), but surely this movie for me is a Video Blockbuster !.<br/><br/>The worst thing would be the climax as it wasn't up to all the non-stoppable action before it. And the rest of the criticism will go for points like a non-needed flash-forward for Outhwaite's character before her car being kidnapped by the lead ; it ruined some of the thrill for being slightly cool!. The fact of some fight happening at the bus station (clever one by the way) while no policeman or police camera is watching. And the title (7 Seconds !) whereas it's catchy but got nothing really to do with the story.<br/><br/>Despite handling the action perfectly, on the contrary the dramatic scenes looked like TV ones through these very close close-ups. And with the absence of catchy music, saner editing, or rich sets it missed the touch of being that dazzling. But again that's comparing to the American summer flicks. Because as a product of the "7 Second Film Co. Ltd." Company (!) it is fair.<br/><br/>(Tamzin Outhwaite) is an enjoyment apart, with a magically beautiful presence all along. She actually "performed" her character while she's in a flick that demands no such efforts !, she was extremely sexy, starting from the way she speaks to the way she moves with that tall lissome hot figure of her. Not to mention some chemistry with the lead as well.<br/><br/>(Wesley Snipes) was and still is one of the creative action heroes when it comes to memorable fist-fights or complicated combats on the screen. I remember one of Hollywood's action choreographers talking on a TV program about 3 stars who don't satisfy about themselves unless they added something of their own to the fight scene to make it different; these are (Bruce Willis), (Mel Gibson), and (Snipes). The good part (and the bad part also !) is the fact of Snipes as originally a good actor who hadn't any chance to act a bit in movies like this one.<br/><br/>So with nearly seven D-T-V movies during the period between 2005 till 2008 we must ask why he made them in the first place ?. I think mainly because he took "New Line Cinema" to court with the other producers of "Blade: Trinity" for allegedly failing to pay him his full salary ; One kiss of death in Hollywood where you could be doomed forever if you touched the untouchables and sued the "Holy Producer" !!, or maybe he didn't wait to be treated this way ?, or maybe because he got tired of Hollywood, loving his job this away from it, owning much freedom or a space to make what he wants as he wants ? (The reason why Jackie Chan is still traveling to Hong Kong to make movies away from USA), or maybe it's the green, that he receives in complete these times, without much taxes ?!. I don't know, but what I really know that some of these movies, despite any lower look you may feel, have wonderful potentials and they are solidly entertaining, sometimes superior than ones were on the big screen itself. But a voice in you will somehow remonstrate that (Snipes) meets the fate of (Jean Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal,.. ) making only a Bang Bang direct-to-video works while he's better actor by all means.<br/><br/>At last I have one question : why there isn't any awards for the Direct-to-Video movies till now ? I believe one day we may have at the list of the greatest movies ever some of those flicks ! 7 Seconds is set in Bucharest in Romania where ex US special forces turned thief Jack Tuliver (Wesley Snipes) & his gang hold up three Vanderbrink armoured cars each containing millions in casino takings, Tuliver's elaborate plan works & his gang steal twenty million however while making their getaway they are held up themselves & are all killed except for Tuliver, his girlfriend Suza (Georgina Rylance) who is kidnapped as a hostage & Spanky (Deobia Oparei). Tuliver is pursued & while dodging bullets comes into contact with British Sgt. Kelly Anders (Tamzin Outhwaite), with Tuliver on the loose & Anders under suspicion of being his accomplice she sets out to discover the truth behind the robbery & arrest Tuliver who himself sets out to get his girl back & find out who set him & his gang up & find out if all the double crosses & twists have anything to do with the sixty five million dollar Van Gough painting also stolen from the armoured cars…<br/><br/>This American, Swiss & English co-production was directed by Simon Fellows who is also credited as director of photography I didn't have that high a hopes for 7 Seconds going in to it but I was pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked it, sure it isn't any sort of masterpiece but it's a fairly fun fast moving action thriller. First of all I have to query the title 7 Seconds which means absolutely nothing in context with the film itself, there is no 7 seconds anything in this so why it's called that I have no idea. On to the film itself & it starts off at a brisk pace with an elaborate heist to steal millions of dollars, a double cross, a shoot-out & a car chase all in the first twenty five minutes & then the film didn't go in the directions I thought it would. Snipes lets the woman go & while he beats people up to get to the truth she uses her police authority to solve the crime & I quite liked the two distinct & opposite concurrent narrative. There's a subplot about a possible Van Gough painting, a couple of decent twist's at the end & some smart action scenes including a fight in which Snipes takes on two bad guy's with his hands tied behind his back. The character's are slightly better than usual for this type of offering with Outhwaite's British cop coming across well with personality & a little depth. Some of the plot is a bit muddy, who the actual main bad guy's are & some stuff about two couriers & a painting expert get a little lost but then again I never said it was perfect, did I?<br/><br/>There's one or two good action scenes here with a fun if implausible car chase (you can't jump over another car by travelling backwards into it) & some well choreographed fights & shoot-outs. This is certainly better than I expected & better than the normal for these direct to video action thrillers filmed in Eastern Europe which seem to be everywhere.<br/><br/>The IMDb reckons 7 Seconds had a budget of about $20,000,000 which seems like a lot to me & would be surprised if it was that much. Film in Bucharest in Romania. The acting is alright, there's a few bad accents here which can make it hard to understand what people are saying but it's hardly taxing stuff anyway, British actress Outhwaite is a regular face on British telly & pops up all the time over here in all sorts of things & it's strange to hear her swear but also rather amusing at the same time.<br/><br/>7 Seconds is a film which surprised me, I had very low expectations going into it but I did enjoy it for what it was & think it's one of the better direct to video action films although that in itself isn't saying much. Bottom line it I liked it, it ain't the best film ever made but it ain't the worst either.
Lattalfr replied
330 weeks ago