Big Bang, The (2010) [Blu-ray]
Mystery | Thriller

Their searchifor theiultimate missing person will end withia bang.

Late one night, Los Angeles private investigator Ned Cruz (Antonio Banderas) gets a visit from a recently paroled Russian boxer with an intriguing job offer: find Lexie, his missing girlfriend - and the 30-million dollar stash of diamonds she's hiding. As Detective Cruz sets out to find her, the clues send him into the city's seediest corners, from a Hollywood action star with a dirty little secret (James Van Der Beek), to an enterprising porn producer who takes a personal interest in his own work (Snoop Dogg), and a kinky waitress with an unusual fetish for particle physics (Autumn Reeser). Lexie proves to be as elusive as she is beautiful and Cruz becomes obsessed with finding her. With time running out, Cruz discovers the trail leads to a reclusive billionaire (Sam Elliott), and his physicist (Jimmi Simpson), intent on recreating The Big Bang underneath the New Mexico desert. Tailed by a trio of cops also looking to find the missing diamonds, and with the body count piling up, Cruz soon realizes that what appeared to be a standard missing person's case is anything but, and could quite possibly bring about the end of the world as we know it.

User Comment: Matt Kracht (krachtm@yahoo.com) from New York, 18 January 2011 • I'm not quite sure how to rate this movie. It's very well made, with excellent (if somewhat typecast) acting from all involved. The direction shows a real sense of style, making bold use of color, hue, saturation, surreal environments, and dream-like sequences... yet all of these seem directly lifted from a David Lynch movie. Indeed, the director has even produced a Lynch movie (Mulholland Drive). The dreamy yet rocking score from Johnny Marr really gives life to the movie, yet constantly sounds like lost tracks from Achtung Baby, the U2 album. And then there's the story. I love the story, but I loved it even better when it was a Wim Wenders movie called Until the End of the World.

This movie is pure plagiarism, right down to the soundtrack (Johnny Marr, what happened?!), but it's excellently made. As an unauthorized and uncredited American remake of Wim Wenders' awesome 1991 movie [Until the End of the World], there's both a lot to love and a lot to hate.

Someone should be facing a lengthy legal battle right now, and it's a shame, because this movie is so well done. Maybe next time the director will find his own vision, instead of plagiarizing his idols.

Summary: Conflicted.

User Comment: xllence from Greece, 21 January 2011 • I really liked the noir style of the movie, but it looses a bit in the end. Nice and complicated plot that keeps you in mystery until the end but the use of metaphors between the plot and physics are not always very good. Banderas (havent seen him in a while) gives a very good performance. The use of special effects is absolutely genius. The director is playing with smoke, light and colors in such a way that the outcome is just beautiful.

The movie plot and atmosphere get a 10/10, but counting and the "buts" I put a 8/10.

In general, very good movie, very good actors, a must see for noir lovers and not only.

Summary: Quick, simple Review.

[CSW] -2- The metaphors between the plot and physics were for me too far off the mark and made me not only drop my suspension of disbelief but to actively argue with the movie. I liked the cloud chamber tattoo and the "I am both" parts but it was not enough to salvage this movie. Either I don't know enough about modern physics or I know too much, either way it spoiled my enjoyment of this movie.
[V4.5-A4.0] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box.

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