| Biopic Without Much Biography, But Exciting Entertainment |
After being directed by Amazon's recommendation to "8 Seconds," and reading the reviews, I thought that this would be an enjoyable film and purchased it. I am not a big rodeo fan, but I do enjoy them once in a while; and I have been friends with several bull riders. While I enjoyed the film, I cannot say that it really helped me to know more about Lane Frost (portrayed by Luke Perry), his life, career, his relationships with other performers, or his marriage. Indeed, after watching the film, I found myself looking up more information about Lane Frost on the internet to help me make more sense out of the movie.
What I missed most in the film was the sense of Lane's apparent true love for both his wife and for bull riding. They are essentially implied; that is, the viewer must assume them or "look between the lines." This may, to a degree, be caused by the director's inability to do so without changing the rating of the film; (but really is something that could have been done without changing the rating if they wanted to do so). Also, several of the best songs, in my opinion, were wasted on the credits rather than integrated into the film. If you are a big fan of bull riding or extreme sports, I am sure you will enjoy "8 Seconds," but if you are looking for a good biopic, this film falls flat.
On the other hand, I found the cinematography to be outstanding, and while both Luke Perry and Cynthia Geary (who plays Kellie Frost, Lane's wife) give believable performances, the "chemistry" between them was just not there, as far as I am concerned. Moreover, I feel that the pace of the film was too fast regarding key events and themes, preferring to spend more "film" time on the actual "bull riding." I do not think that "8 Seconds" has too many bull riding scenes--indeed I think it would have helped to have had more scenes of Lane's "bad" rides--but rather that "8 Seconds" needs more depth to the other scenes. I guess, in the final analysis, what I am saying is that the film was edited to be only 105 minutes, when it should have been longer. Hence, I feel, in the end, that "8 Seconds" is a good movie, but not quite as good as other reviewers have rated it.
Please Note: If this review was not helpful to you, I would appreciate learning the reason(s) so I can improve my reviews. My goal is to provide help to potential buyers, not get into any arguments. So, if you only disagree with my opinion, could you please say so in the comments and not indicate that the review was not helpful. Thanks. |
3 Rating
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| Lane Frost Rides Again.... |
Luke Perry is excellent in this Bio-Pic of Rodeo great, Lane Frost. This is a great film. Stephen Baldwin is a laugh riot as Bull Riding Champion, "Tuff" Heddamen. This is a really well put together film. I really liked it. Nobody can deliver a "feel good" movie like John G. Avildsen (Karate Kid, Rocky)....and this is no exception. You really get a sense of who Lane Frost was, and what the "Rodeo Life" is really like. It will make you laugh, it will make you mad, and it will make you cry. This is a great film that is definetely worth the price of admission. So, saddle up and get ready for a great ride !!! 4 Stars. |
4 Rating
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