The General . Tucson Weekly . 03-15-99

The General

DIRECTED BY: John Boorman

REVIEWED: 03-15-99

Director John Boorman made his name with the extremely effective and disturbing Deliverance. He went on to direct an extremely eclectic mix of films, from the bizarre Wizard of Oz/post-apocalyptic sci-fi fantasy Zardoz to the schmaltzy-sweet environmental film Emerald Forest, to the pagan retelling of the King Arthur legend in Excalibur. What all of these films had in common were vast, colorful and wide-open shots of seemingly magical outdoor scenery. The General is a complete about-face: black and white, with lots of close up, claustrophobic cityscapes. Its engaging story is about the leader of a gang of Irish criminals whose elaborate plans for heists, hold ups and obstructions of the criminal justice system are funny until they become tragic. This would be a perfect "small" film if it were only a little shorter; as it is Boorman succumbs to the current vogue for adding 30 minutes more film than necessary. Still, The General is a strong effort that adds a new wrinkle to an interesting career.

--DiGiovanna

Full Length Reviews
The General

Other Films by John Boorman
Deliverance

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