![]() By that I mean people just want to get on with their lives but are unable to due to a violently repressive state on one side and revolutionaries trying to the state by a system of government that may be just as bad ![]() The budget could have been bigger but instead of spectacle we're shown the very human elements of political chaos. Bearing this mind the scenario of SLEEPING DOGS means if life is grim as it is seen here what hope is there for the rest of humanity ?įrom a film making point of view it's a movie that is rather flat and low key and this shouldn't be taken in any negative way. The only complaint Kiwis have of their country is that life there is very mundane and boring. New Zealanders I have met have been uniformly friendly and any conversation quickly gets round to either rugby or hiking in the mountains and forests of their homeland. It's slightly bigger than mainland Britain but only has a population of 4 million. My own knowledge of New Zealand is that it's a country of great natural wilderness. After just seeing it again after an interval of more than 25 years I'm happy to report that my memory hasn't cheated and is every bit as good as I remember it It was a film that stayed in my memory and I often wondered if it was as good as I remembered. I first saw this on Channel 4 away back in 1986 and as far as I know it was its only broadcast on British network television and was impossible to find in the preceding years. Reviewed by Theo Robertson 8 / 10 Compelling Dystopian Political Thriller Overall, a compelling tale well told, that keeps the viewer attentive until its final scenes. (His peer Geoff Murphy is credited with special FX Murphy himself has directed such movies as "Utu", "The Quiet Earth", "Young Guns II", and "Under Siege 2: Dark Territory".) In the 80s, he moved to Hollywood when he turned out features like "The Bounty", "No Way Out", "Species", and "Dante's Peak". This also announced the arrival of filmmaker Roger Donaldson in a big way. It's a reasonably interesting role that benefits from his unique presence. Naturally, many American viewers may be drawn to this upon seeing that the iconic Warren Oates has a "guest star" role. Gorgeous NZ scenery, an effective music score, and some good action scenes add to the overall entertainment value. Of course, part of the hook of the story is watching Smith resist the inevitable, and wondering if or when he will give in. Jesperson wants Smith to confess to being a revolutionary in exchange for better treatment, but Smith will have none of that. He's surrounded by good Kiwi actors, including Ian Mune (who also co-wrote the screenplay) as the passionate Bullen, Nevan Rowe as Smiths' activist wife Gloria, Ian Watkin (you may remember him as Uncle Les in Peter Jacksons' "Braindead") as helpful bar owner Dudley, and Clyde Scott as government man Jesperson. Neill is typically solid as a rock, and you can understand his characters' frustration. He'd rather live in seclusion on an off-shore island, but people and circumstances keep drawing him into the fray. Sam Neill, in his starring debut, plays Smith, an apolitical man estranged from his family, who does NOT want to get involved. It takes place during a tumultuous time in NZ's history, when people were actively rebelling against the government. Reviewed by Hey_Sweden 8 / 10 "I got my eye on you, boy."Ī history-making New Zealand production (it was the first to obtain general release in the U.S.), "Sleeping Dogs" is a good, engaging story, based on a novel by Christian K.
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