The 15:17 to Paris (2018):
The Star-turned-Director Clint Eastwood has memorable films in his career with Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, American Sniper and Sully. He was after real-life hero tales continuously and this year he came with an even lesser known Thalys Train Attack. Surprisingly, Eastwood did a rare feat, he's cast the real men involved in the events the film depicts as themselves. So how did it go?
Plot: In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris--an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans traveling through Europe. The film follows the course of the friends' lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest weapon and allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers on board.
My Review:
If you watch this film expecting thrilling hostage scenes in train and inspiring heroic acts, you will disappoint as hell. The 15:17 to Paris is one of the most aimlessly made biographical drama film. As far as films on terrorism go, there's not much action to be seen here. The entire train attack lasts hardly more than 15 minutes.This is no action film and not drama too.
I think the script was written by the actors/real life people as it mostly focuses on uninteresting aspects of their life. Their travels, discussions and acts all looks like a Holiday videos. How did they even think that we are interested in watching their lives when almost nothing happens? May be! That is the point. MAy be Eastwood tried to prove that the most boring lives could also turn heroic but No..That didn't got conveyed to me while watching it.
All three real life heroes did good even when this is their first time. Eastwood succeeded in bringing out performances from them. And that's the only place Eastwood succeeded. Even the train sequence is blandly shot.]
My rating 5.25/10
Plot: In the early evening of August 21, 2015, the world watched in stunned silence as the media reported a thwarted terrorist attack on Thalys train #9364 bound for Paris--an attempt prevented by three courageous young Americans traveling through Europe. The film follows the course of the friends' lives, from the struggles of childhood through finding their footing in life, to the series of unlikely events leading up to the attack. Throughout the harrowing ordeal, their friendship never wavers, making it their greatest weapon and allowing them to save the lives of the more than 500 passengers on board.
My Review:
If you watch this film expecting thrilling hostage scenes in train and inspiring heroic acts, you will disappoint as hell. The 15:17 to Paris is one of the most aimlessly made biographical drama film. As far as films on terrorism go, there's not much action to be seen here. The entire train attack lasts hardly more than 15 minutes.This is no action film and not drama too.
I think the script was written by the actors/real life people as it mostly focuses on uninteresting aspects of their life. Their travels, discussions and acts all looks like a Holiday videos. How did they even think that we are interested in watching their lives when almost nothing happens? May be! That is the point. MAy be Eastwood tried to prove that the most boring lives could also turn heroic but No..That didn't got conveyed to me while watching it.
All three real life heroes did good even when this is their first time. Eastwood succeeded in bringing out performances from them. And that's the only place Eastwood succeeded. Even the train sequence is blandly shot.]
My rating 5.25/10