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Running Scared (2006) DVD Review
Running Scared (2006) DVD Credits:
Running Scared (2006) Directed by:
Wayne Kramer
Running Scared (2006) Written by:
Wayne Kramer
Running Scared (2006) Cast:
Paul Walker, Chazz Palminteri, Cameron Bright, Vera Farmiga, Johnny Messner, Alex Neuberger, Karel Roden, Ivana Milicevic, Bruce Altman, Elizabeth Mitchell
Running Scared (2006) Released by:
Not available at this time
Region:
1
Running Scared (2006) DVD Release Date:
5th June 2006
Our Rating: Extras Rating:

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Running Scared (2006) Synopsis:

Paul Walker ("The Fast and the Furious") stars in the fast-paced crime drama "Running Scared" from critically acclaimed director Wayne Kramer ("The Cooler"). Walker plays a low-level mobster who, in order to save his family, must recover a gun used in a mob hit before it's found by his bosses or the cops.

Running Scared (2006) DVD Review:

I must admit that I immediately had a biased opinion of Running Scared, a sub-par film with all of the elements of a great film. I love gritty action films. The more intense, bloody, and shocking they can possibly be, the more I like them. I can still remember the first time I saw Reservoir Dogs and Desperado. There have been a number of filmmakers who have attempted to duplicate that gritty style that often allows long scenes of pop-culture based dialogue. Many people could argue that Rodriguez and Tarantino duplicated this style from filmmakers before them, like Sergio Leone or Abel Ferrara, but at least they did it successfully. Running Scared may not be a noteworthy film, but in my mind it was a success. It managed to bring me into the film so much that I was cringing at each horrific scene. I also found myself drawn in by the actors, who are given great scenes of dialogue whenever the film slows down. This doesn’t mean that Running Scared is a good film, but we sometimes forget that a film doesn’t necessarily need to be good for us to enjoy it.

Running Scared begins with a scene of confusion in a car with struggling Mob hand, Joey Gazelle (Paul Walker). Then it goes into a title sequence that looks something like an adult fairy tale is about to unfold. Immediately following is an intense confrontation as a drug deal goes wrong. In the end a crooked cop is killed and the weapon must be disposed of. Joey is given the gun but he doesn’t throw it out immediately and that leads to a bloody pursuit as he desperately tries to retrieve the gun.

The children play a very large role in the film and at times they are put in such incredible danger that they will be scarred for the rest of their life. The film truly does unfold like a very dark fable as the children run through the crime ridden streets at night, encounter pimps, hookers, bums and a very strange and disturbing couple. Instead of a big bad wolf, there is a homeless man in the park. Instead of a fairy godmother, there is a hooker. It is so disturbing at times that many people might want to stay away from it, but I was enthralled. The film comes pounding into a climax which has the same speedy intensity that will leave you wondering what happened long after the film is over.

The DVD comes with a comic book insert that some may enjoy, but it just disturbed me. First of all it is from a scene near the end of the movie, and that could ruin the film for an unsuspecting consumer. Also, I don’t want to see the comic book adaptation of the exact scene from the movie. I’ll just watch the movie. There is also a commentary track with writer/director Wayne Kramer, a behind-the-scenes documentary and storyboards. The storyboards are far more interesting than the comic.

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Running Scared (2006) DVD review written by: Ryan Izay

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