Leofwine_draca FAR CRY is the film version of a popular video game that I know nothing about. However, I do know something about the career of infamous German director Uwe Boll, a man responsible for the likes of BLOODRAYNE and ALONE IN THE DARK, and commonly thought of as one of our worst modern directors. I'm pleased to report that FAR CRY is by far the best Boll film I've thus watched; it's no masterpiece, that's for sure, but it's reasonably entertaining, unlike the majority of his output.The film contains all of the ingredients usual for a Boll-style B-movie: an ensemble cast of fading faces, lots of low rent action, some cheesy effects and the like, and plenty of cliché. However, this time around that mix is quite fun. Til Schweiger, the German actor who rose to international prominence after his part in Tarantino's INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, is fine as the likable and humorous hero, and Emmanuelle Vaugier and Natalia Avelon are suitably attractive female co-stars.This film is a German/Canadian co-production which is quite convincing when it comes to the styling. The action scenes are fairly well done and certainly you often see B-movie shoot-outs that are done far worse than the ones here. Some of the old-timer actors playing tough guys include Don S. Davis, Craig Fairbrass, Udo Kier, Michael Pare, and Ralf Moeller. The plot is your usual nonsense about a mad scientist creating an army of super soldiers and the one or two soldiers we do get to see here are pretty impressive, coming across as a zombie version of the ones in UNIVERSAL SOLDIER. Anyway, FAR CRY is no great shakes as a film, but it is a reasonably entertaining B-movie nonetheless.

swedzin A mediocre game turns into a bad movie… thanks to who? Ah, the great and immensely wonderful Uwe Boll takes yet another video game and turns it into the motion picture. It's bad enough that the game itself (in my opinion) could be a lot better, but the making of the film (by Boll) was a freaking sacrilege. Boll as usual just took the game, re-wrote the plot and then squeezed out of his butt on the big screen. It has that mad scientist on the Island thing, like in the game, but in the game the plot is settled somewhere on uncharted island in Micronesia, let's just say somewhere on Pacific. While in the film, it took place somewhere… in Canada? In some country on the north of US? Who knows? The looks of the filming locations are unlikely to have a large island with giant military operation. It just doesn't fit. The only thing that is same just like in the game, is that we have heroes Jack Carver and reporter Valerie who hires Carver to find her uncle, while in the game she just looks for the island to find out what is going on there. With the help of a man named Doyle. And, Doyle is not here… There is a mad scientist, there are his monstrous creations… but with the help of Boll, they look more messed up. I think that the game would ask for more budget. Curiously, I think that Boll didn't have enough. That's weird. While his movie funding remains a mystery…Carver is played by Till Schweiger, whose career could have been instantly killed after this. He was kind of likable, but his character was so bad, that I just had a hard time to see… what kind of special, super solider he is. He was just badly written. Valerie is played by Emmanuelle Vaugier, whose career could also have consequences after this. She was nothing that special. In the game, she only appeared by voice, but here, they decided to put her as Carver's love interest, and without any emotion and any of the chemistry. The mad scientist, Dr. Krieger is played by Udo Kier. A fine actor, but he made so much bad movies. Why does he need to pile it up more? Even with this? I don't understand. Why would such a good actor waste his talents on such a bad film and such a bad director. Ralf Moller appears in this film as Valerie's uncle Max. Max was basically pointless. He did not appear in the game, he was put in the film only because Moller is a 6'6" behemoth of a man, who can easily play these super human soldiers. There was just nothing that this character gives to us. And you just can't tell that he is Valerie's uncle. You just can't. There is no connection of any kind. The actors as Michael Pare and Clint Howard are also here. Yeah, the two extremely washed up actors who constantly seeks refuge in Boll films. What the hell? Both are solid actors, not the best, but solid. And by keep appearing in Boll's films are just killing their career more and more. Craig Fairbrass was used because of his soldier like menacing looks, but this can guy can do more than that. He should just avoid Boll. And, sad to say, Chris Coppola, who was the most irritating character in the film, one of the worst performances ever. I know that he is supposed to be irritating and boring character. But his character was so dull written, that Coppola didn't even, probably knew how to perform it, and I think that he was far more confused by Boll's bad directing. The action scenes, camera work, score, editing… they are nothing special. The worst stuff was specified above. Avoid this film. It will ruin your mind. Better stick to the video game.

Robert W. Ironically there is some redeemable parts to this film where Boll seemed to attempt to pay homage to the original video game (one of my all time favourites) but Uwe Boll makes films in a very distinct manner and here's how it is done. He plays a video game, gets excited and loves it and then runs outside to his backyard and 'plays' Far Cry, or BloodRayne, or House of The Dead with his friends only add the fact that he is rich and films it. It's like watching a child imagine real life video games. Far Cry truly is the perfect recipe for an action film but a lot of video games are like that and few of them ever translate into a kick-butt action flick let alone be held back by B-Movie actors and a hack like Boll behind the scenes. The writers took the more lame elements of the video game to try and incorporate them into the script. The idea of the 'Predator' soldiers was far fetched in the game let alone to try and translate to film. While the idea of making them super human does look cool in some situations, it doesn't help. The script is just simply awful and while that aspect can't necessarily be attributed to Boll, he should know when he sees crap.Til Schweiger looks the part. The ripped muscled chiseled features of an action star that has a little Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Stathom, Sly Stallone all mixed into one with a dash of Dolph Lundgren and he might be a good actor but this role does nothing for him. He is a joke and looking the part doesn't even come close to carrying the movie. Emmanuelle Vaugier is a stunning beauty and I've seen her in CSI: NY and I know she's a decent actress. She does okay in this film given how craptastic the script is and I think her and Schweiger could have chemistry but nothing helps them get to that point. She is fantastically hot though. If you were looking to cast an evil German scientist with a B-Movie spin Udo Kier would be the only choice. He is the ultimate looking villain and could have been good possibly if once again the script is crap. He is an utter joke as the lead villain. In my opinion there is literally one redeemable character and performance in the film. Ralf Moeller (think of him as a low budget Schwarzenegger) is a powerhouse of a figure and does a great job playing the quiet security guard who is transformed into a monstrous predator. His battles are the coolest, he looks the coolest and he is the best character in the film. Maybe its just a lucky shot by Moeller or maybe they happened to write him better but he is the only redeemable character.I think I trashed Uwe Boll enough to get the point across that he will ruin almost any video game and keep doing it with money, hence three Bloodrayne films, and a new Dungeon Siege sequel on the way. Lets look at the trilogy of terror that is the writing team for Far Cry. Michael Roesch, Peter Scheerer, Masaji Takei are literally Uwe Boll flunkies. They have written or worked on almost all of his crappiest films so I guess you can only expect so much. No matter what I say the team will continue making films and likely about video games so hopefully they don't get any more good licenses. Until then I will keep sitting through them hoping they finally translate something redeemable. 3/10

Ismaninb When I saw this movie I wasn't aware that is was a based on a Video Game as I don't play that stuff. So I am a little less biased than some others.After the first five minutes I expected a dumb predictable action flick based on a lot of explosions and tough characters. And the plot is lame and stereotypal.1) Dr. Krieger is a reincarnation of Mengele. He has created genetically modificated brainless Super Soldiers. 2) He has a sadistic Russian assistant. The Iron Curtain may have raised, but those ex-commies are never to be trusted, are they? 3) Our herion is an ambitious young reporter, who always Knows What the Right Thing Is To Do. 4) Our hero is an alcoholic ex Special Force, who gets involved against his will.Still after some 20 minutes I was intrigued; I had a few laughs. When Mr. Food Guy was introduced I really began to enjoy myself. Far Cry contains a hilarious escape scene. When the mutants were loose my girlfriend, with whom I watched, as so often asked the crucial question: Who is fighting against who?Exactly. That scene is total chaos. It is reminiscent of the classical tart throwing scenes of slapstick; in fact it is a modern update. My favourite part is when one of the mutants starts pulling the chain on which Jack is hanging.In my opinion Far Cry is a comedy, a spoof if you prefer, and not a bad one. Even in its worst scenes, at the beginning, it does not take itself seriously at all. I refer to the waking Jack up scene by shooting a bell with a rifle. The main flaw of Far Cry is that it doesn't have enough silly jokes in the first 20 minutes, busy as it is with getting into the story.