A Lonely Place for Dying
A Lonely Place for Dying
| 01 January 2009 (USA)
A Lonely Place for Dying Trailers

In 1972, the conflict in Vietnam continues. The creeping threat of communism grips the nation in fear. In an abandoned prison on the US/Mexican border, KGB mole Nikolai Dzerzhinsky waits for his contact from the Washington Post. He holds explosive evidence against the CIA, information he will trade for asylum in the United States. Special Agent Robert Harper's orders are clear: take the documents from Dzerzhinsky and kill him.

Reviews
hsoj_porrah

Plusses; some nice cinematography, great acting by Marquand, pretty cool basic plot, nice retro vibe and instagram feel Minusses; Some ham-fisted acting by the actors. Still bearable though. Robert's character is just a bit too soft to believe his back story... He seems better suited to a family feel good movie. Some unnecessary details that aren't developed. The basic crime/fundament is really poorly described and weak as a basis for what it gives rise to. Worth a watch but almost comes across as the 70's gun drama the retro vibe would like to be suggesting, if it weren't for Marquand's strong performance. What more can I say.

... View More
Kimberly Norman

Not just your regular action movie. There's more behind the guns and fighting than the usual "shoot em up" action flick. The story line is actually well thought out rather than an excuse for more shooting and gore. Great for those looking for action, story twists, chemistry between the main characters, and a story line to bring it all together.Some great names that I've never heard of before. Ross Marquand and Michael Scovotti were fantastic. Loved their chemistry on screen. Hope to see them in more movies in the future.The directing was very well done. Truly blown away that this movie was made on a small budget. Great quality and very well written.Very likely to keep most audiences interested through the whole film.

... View More
mgmwi

INGREDIENTSOne (1) of the Russians from 15 Minutes (but temper him till we can empathize--in this case with a standout performance by Ross Marquand that in many aspects leaves in the dust the rest of the community theater cast who get any real screen time, aside from a couple big-name-recognition cameos that do leave you wanting more).One (1) Bob Woodward-like character from All the President's Men. One (1) '70's parody detective character from Tom Jane's Stander. One (1) Ed Harris-like, Fedora-wearing Parcher-based character from A Beautiful Mind.One (1) Serpico look-alike good-guy-turned-bad-guy. Pinch (to taste) of generic, disposable "red-shirt" henchmen (or is it now "hench-people" or perhaps "hench-persons"?) extras.DIRECTIONSOn a mise-en-scène stovetop with lighting inspired by the look and feel of Peckinpah's Wild Bunch, stir in the plot of the SciFi film Enemy Mine over very low heat, bind one character to a chair a la Reservoir Dogs (but "torture light," please…rest assured that no ears, or 'nads--"I get my kicks above the waistline, Sunshine!"--were harmed in the making of this movie). Add a touch of virtually any and all Die Hard films, then barely simmer for 94 minutes, and…What you'll be rewarded with here is a technically proficient, impressively-executed-for-an-incredibly-low-budget, film that's touring the festival circuit in 2010-11. A Lonely Place for Dying definitely clears the bar technically (and kudos on achieving that look for only $200k), but just sneaks under the fence creatively, albeit with a few memorable lines and set pieces. Aside from achieving some very nice visual effects, enviable ambiance, and the accompaniment of a very professional and dense musical score (that unfortunately sometimes seems to cover up "important" dialog) at really rock-bottom prices, there's not a lot to see here that you haven't already seen, BUT…with the right backing and a real budget, Robert Rodriguez-style director Justin Eugene Evans clearly demonstrates that he has his technical chops well in order, and he just might pull off a darned good film in the near term if he stays focused and motivated...and uses fresher, home-grown ingredients!

... View More
thomd-2

If you like Jason Statham movies like The Transporter, or if you like Guy Ritchie movies like Snatch, or if you enjoyed Chevy Chase in Spies Like Us, then I cannot see how you would not absolutely love "A Lonely Place for Dying", which has elements of all 3 of those movies. Making fun of Russian paranoia, the CIA, Mexican government corruption, and all 007 movies as well, this keeps moving through many surprising turns, but leaves you feeling good in the end, much like Guy Ritchie would do. My only problem with this film is that it has the dumbest title in the history of cinema- a title that tells you nothing about the film and that makes no one want to see it. By the time you see this, the title may have been changed. I hope so. Then they can find a distributor.

... View More