Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Customer Reviews:
Old School Gangsterism.......2004-05-31
The only reason why both of these movies are being bundled together is the presence of the Irish mob in them. However, as far as gangster movies go, they are both idiosyncratic on their own rights.
Unlike The Godfather or Goodfellas where the benchmark for gangsterism in films were set, both of these movies concentrates on the "grunt" level of the mob. It's ground zero. Both movies feature a protagnist caught between conflicting conscience and interests.
Miller's Crossing shows a distinctive Coen style of story telling. Gabriel Byrne shines here, and should have gotten an Oscar nomination. Road to Predition, a prohibition-era take on the Japanese series, Lone Wolf and Cub, takes American everyman, Tom Hanks, into the role of a mob hitman. The crux of the film is on the relationship between the stoic "old-schooled" father and his son. Something of noteworthy: Conrad L. Hall's swansong of a cinematography won an Oscar. A picture perfect close to an extraordinary career.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
Amazon.co.uk Review
A movie with an impeccable pedigree, Road to Perdition is director Sam Mendes' impressive follow-up to American Beauty, and features remarkable contributions from veteran cinematographer Conrad Hall, composer Thomas Newman and a cast of thespian brilliance led by Tom Hanks, Paul Newman and Jude Law. Unfortunately, all their fine efforts have been lavished on an essentially predictable story, adapted from the graphic novel, which here unfolds in an overly leisurely fashion. The result is a movie that looks wonderful but feels a little too much like a contrived morality play.
Hanks plays Michael Sullivan, a family man but also a hit man in the employ of mob boss John Rooney (Newman). A surrogate father-figure to Sullivan, Rooney also has a wayward real son, Connor (Daniel Craig), whose duplicity leads to a deadly alienation between the Rooney family and Sullivan. Forced to go on the run with his own 12-year-old son, Michael junior (Tyler Hoechlin), Sullivan seeks both revenge and a way to prevent his boy from one day taking the same dark road as himself. Thus the Road to Perdition becomes both a literal and metaphorical journey for the protagonists.
It wouldn't matter that there's little tension or doubt about the outcome, except that Hanks' character is all too clearly a decent chap at heart, thus undermining from the outset any sense of a real "journey" towards redemption. It remains a delight to see all the principals acting at their peak and so capably directed, but ultimately Road to Perdition seems like a series of magnificently staged set-pieces that doesn't quite add up to the sum of its parts.
On the DVD: Road to Perdition is presented in an anamorphic version of its original theatrical 2.35:1 ratio with accompanying Dolby 5.1 or DTS sound options. Both picture and sound make the most of the impeccable photography and production design. Extras are a feature commentary from Mendes, a series of deleted scenes also with optional commentary, a standard HBO making of featurette, plus photos, text notes and a trailer for the CD soundtrack. --Mark Walker
Customer Reviews:
A great movie with impeccable pedigree.......2008-02-18
Wunderkind Sam Mendes less-than-feelgood follow-up to American Beauty suffered a critical backlash on release, but its daring gloomy photography is breathtaking, and so also is the soundtrack.
Ton Hanks hitman-with-a-heart is understated, but charismatic Paul Newman still oozes talent, and Jude Law's credibly sinister.
This masterpiece is a bleak, lond dark night of the soul.
Great story with superb acting but a little leisurely.......2008-02-03
We thoroughly enjoyed this film.Without giving too much away,a village is run by mafia and a boy witnesses a murder leading to dramatic events.The location where filming was shot is great,all the main actors are superb and the story has many twists and turns.If i could make a minor observation,the film is a little drawn out and by half-way,you wish it would have a more action and/or speed.We would recommend this film to all over 16years as it does contain some graphic violence.
A moving tale of fatherly love and sibling rivalry.......2007-08-27
I enjoyed every bit of this movie of a two-fold father and son tale between Michael Sullivan vs. Michael Jnr and Rooney vs. Michael Sullivan. With a predictable storyline, the film had to depend on the quality of acting, which was nothing short of brilliant. Paul Newman is brilliant in his role in portraying the personal dilemma between his surrogate son and his actual son but Jude Law's portrayal was a bit too comic-book like. a bit too exhibitionist and eccentric to fit in with the rest of the characters in the story. Great cinematography though, the product design actually brings a real feel of the American Depression era to it. A good father's day movie.
Beautiful and emotional without being over sentimental.......2007-07-12
I finally got to see this for the first time recently on channel 4, and it proves once again that unless it is positive, the only judgement I can truly trust is my own and I would advise everybody if they don't already to not trust anybody that says a film is rubbish until you have seen it yourself, this film for me is a fine example. The upside to taking my advice is you know for certain yourself whether you like a film or think it is the biggest load of rubbish you have ever seen etc., the downside is that you will have wasted a tiny little bit of your life and so the making your own judgement option is by far the better thing to do. Okay I will admit (me included) that there are some films that you know for an absolute fact that you won't like and will avoid like your worst film ever (hope I'm not confusing you), but I mean if you are ever unsure, then the your own judgement option is by far the best.
Because of the nitpicking and negative comments that some of the critics said about this film and at the same time the hype it was getting from other critics, I didn't know what to think about this film, not that I give a flying circus about a critics opinion as everybody is entitled to their own, but I just can't say that I was really looking foward or excited in any way about watching this even though I really enjoyed Sam Mendes debut American Beauty. I know what I think of it now, it is one of the best mainstream movies from hollywood I have seen for a very long time.
This is an absolutely beautiful film and I truly believe it will only get more beautiful the more it ages. There isn't that much talking in this film but it really doesn't matter because you know exactly what everybody is thinking and so credit must go to the fine acting in this. I've always thought that Jude Law is an overrated actor but I have to admit that even he is good in this, maybe I just don't like most of the roles that he usually plays I am not sure. Although I am a fan of Tom Hanks I wasn't sure about him in this role but he did as well as he could have done, the character he plays maybe a more caring gangster but he is also a reliable gangster who will get the job done. One last special mention about the acting must go to the boys who play the sons especially the oldest one, I sometimes find child actors a little annoying but these two are a fine example of how it should be done.
I don't think I really need to say what this film is about but if you are expecting a violent gangster movie then you will be disappointed. To cut a long story short I would class this as a Father/Son relationship revenge movie with a gangster theme. Just one more thing I would like to mention is that the soundtrack is the icing on the cake. A BEAUTIFUL REVENGE FILM.
"Whenever people ask me if Michael Sullivan was a good man...I just tell them he was my father".......2007-05-06
Great film with fantastic acting and cinematography. The storyline focuses on two very different father/son relationships and the consequences of them; therefore Road to Perdition is not really a 'gangster' movie. There isn't much talking in the film, but this is where the cinematography kicks in: relying instead on music and symbolism. However, the message at the end is hard hitting all the same.
UK DVD:
- Sherrybaby [2006]
- Sophie Scholl - Die letzten Tage [2005]
- Spooks: Complete BBC Series 6
- St Elmo's Fire [1985]
- Stepmom [1999]
- The Beach [2000]
- The Bodyguard (Special Edition) [1992]
- The Champ [1979] (REGION 1) (NTSC)
- The Color Purple [1985]
- The Complete Coen Collection: 1984 - 2004 [1998]
UK DVD List
UK DVD
![Road to Perdition [2002]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/217JYXB6F6L.jpg)
All Drama
|
Drama
|
Categories
|
DVD
|
Video
![Catch Me If You Can [2003]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0001E5TJW.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Catch Me If You Can [2003]
![Cast Away (2 Disc Set) [2001]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00005MP5X.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Cast Away (2 Disc Set) [2001]
![Untouchables, The - Special Edition [1987]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0002SD098.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Untouchables, The - Special Edition [1987]
![Catch Me If You Can [2003]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00006FMGX.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Catch Me If You Can [2003]
![Terminal, The [2004]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B0006L7WY0.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
Terminal, The [2004]
![Road to Perdition [2002]](http://www.bill88.com/buy.gif)
![Miller's Crossing / Road To Perdition [2002]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/216TASR1S9L.jpg)
![Fargo (Special Edition) [1996]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B00008AWT1.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![The Usual Suspects (2 Disc Special Edition) [1995]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000063BM9.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![300 [2007]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000VUVG3E.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![The Last King Of Scotland [2006]](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/B000NQRW52.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
![Road to Perdition [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21PS4MDH17L.jpg)
![Road to Perdition [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/217B0VTHR7L.jpg)
![Road to Perdition [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21K3QG5A9ZL.jpg)
![Road to Perdition [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21FZJJSEFSL.jpg)
![Collateral/Road to Perdition [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://www.germanelectronics88.com/noimage.gif)
![Road to Perdition [2002]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21bIxHYha2L.jpg)
![Road to Perdition/The Legend of Bagger Vance [2002] (REGION 1) (NTSC)](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/210GXMTTJ7L.jpg)