67 reviews
why all the negative reviews?
My wife and I enjoyed it. I was entertained and that is all that matters. If there was bad acting I did not see it. Yes there are a thousand movies with the same story line. But all movies are the same, different time, different places, different actors. Also seems to me that a lot of reviewers have very negative attitudes to everything. I find within ten minutes of watching a film I can tell if is going to entertain me, and I turn it off if it does not. Why sit through a movie if you do not like it and then criticise it. Strange.
- blackbutt-46428
- Oct 2, 2019
- Permalink
Missed opportunity within the first 12mins.
Starts off with MJWs brother cody on a mission in which he is killed. No big deal you wont miss him. Credits end and were introduced to our star MJW who in all honesty is still his regular old charming self. Some real bad mob actors try to shake him down just to get their asses beat now heres where everything goes wrong.....MJW going on a mission to avenge his brother. This movie would have been much better if it just was about the mafia and his bar which honestly has a decent back story. They could have explored that more and could have set up plenty of more action scenes with various mafia members. In the end this movie would have benefited from sticking to what feels like the original idea.
- bushidoblazex
- Mar 9, 2019
- Permalink
It's never easy
Yes you'll find quite an abundance in cliches here. And yes the dialog will never be considered Oscar or any other award there is - worthy. But that is not what you are signing up for here. You sign up for an action movie and the stunts themselves are more than decent. Not exceptional or amazingly awesome or whatever else, but not dissapointing either.
And while I get if some of the acting may be considered weak, that is never the case with Michael Jai White. And I'm not saying that because I am afraid that if one day I may meet him, he's going to kick my ass but because he really has gravitas. Now would I like to see him in something with more substance like Black Dynamite more often? You bet I would, but until then, I am content with stuff like this movie
And while I get if some of the acting may be considered weak, that is never the case with Michael Jai White. And I'm not saying that because I am afraid that if one day I may meet him, he's going to kick my ass but because he really has gravitas. Now would I like to see him in something with more substance like Black Dynamite more often? You bet I would, but until then, I am content with stuff like this movie
Poorly Done
Michael Jai White is a decent actor with incredible martial arts skills. Please get him a script for a good movie!!!!!!!
- darren_averett
- Apr 1, 2019
- Permalink
Let's throw all the cliches and see which ones stick
Poorly written, poorly directed, terrible acting by almost everyone and the most outrageous collection of cliches I have come across in quite a while. Sadly, it doesn't fall in the "it's so bad it's good" category. It's just bad.
- saima_pyke
- Mar 10, 2019
- Permalink
Very forgettable stuff
To sum up, "The Hard Way" is a B movie actioner that will fail to give you much excitement, and you'll quickly and completely forget about it after a few days of watching it. The fault with the movie does not lie with its star Michael Jai White - he is as charismatic as ever, and he does put in a lot of effort with his performance and in fight sequences. Instead, the fault lies with the movie writer and director, Keoni Waxman. The script is very familiar, so there are absolutely no surprises, even with the so-called "surprise twist" near the end of the movie. As for Waxman's direction, though he occasionally generates a little heat with the action sequences (though more often than not they are kind of choppy), his direction is often pretentious (what's with the black and white moments and the freeze frame moments?), poorly photographed, makes the Romanian backdrop look like it was filmed in Montreal, and sluggishly and leisurely paced. Though the end results are a little better than the terrible direct to video Steven Seagal movies he cranked out in the past, one will still question why Waxman still is in business after all these years. He has to learn the hard way that he simply can't cut it as a filmmaker.
Michael Jai White is still doing it at 51
- stevenmusole
- Mar 10, 2019
- Permalink
Seriously? 4.6? Thats way too good for this crap
I think the director got the wrong script. Or maybe he got the right script but it was the first draft. I mean holly ***** . Nothing seems to be right in the film. Every scene is full of comedy. I mean it. Its like they have taken out all scenes from a video game. Remember old playstation 2 games? Like Driv3r and GTA san andreas and that stuff? Its like those scenes. But really like I said its just comedy. You watch and laugh. I think if this film gets enough attention it will turn to be a classic movie. Just like The Room
- lbellini-32486
- Mar 23, 2019
- Permalink
Bad
Bad- wish I could watch it but I can't. You can make bad movies in America. Save the airline ticket money to Romania and put it into screen writing.
- captzeppelin
- Sep 20, 2019
- Permalink
Actually not too bad
Any fan of MJW can easily make allowances for this movie's non-existent budget. Most of the shockingly few plot holes are related to it. There are even not that many illogical action sequences which is nuts. MJW is old and less stretchy, but still very spry for an old guy.
Basically if you know anything about fighting that you didn't learn from a video game, you'll be good to waste 1.5hrs on this flick.
If you wear super tight pants and need a safe space, feel free to watch regurgitated and remade-to-be overly PC vomit with a big budget, and maybe stop screwing with IMDB ratings.
It's has to be manually filtered out by those of us who aren't stupid.
...Hey! IMDB, how about you add a snowflake filter?
...Hey! IMDB, how about you add a snowflake filter?
- fallguy_jack
- Aug 2, 2019
- Permalink
Yuck
I watched this for 35 minutes and upon realizing that it wasn't going to get better, stopped. Poorly written, sub par acting/directing and boring.
- philtrabaris
- Mar 14, 2019
- Permalink
Good movie
I don't know why it has low review ratings, but it deserves better than that. Trust me it's actually a good action movie. Good story . Thumbs up. I enjoyed my time
- inavthakur
- Apr 3, 2019
- Permalink
I love Michael Jai White, Luke Goss and Randy Couture
I enjoyed the movie... Michael Jai White has very good skills in martial arts. Sorry for those who didn't like this movie and giving a low score they try to get out from their miserable lives. Criticizing everybody is the only way they have to convince themselves that they have power and they are important. Guess what? Michael Jai White couldn't care less of people like you... he will go on being famous and driving his Ferrari or buying one if he would like to and you won't ever be able to buy a wheel of that Ferrari. Enjoy your poor life without understanding anything about the life. Criticizing, judging the others is just the path to make your life worse. Acceptance, tolerance and enjoying what you have and you are, is the first step for a better life. Maybe a day you'll understand that, maybe not... who cares, the life is yours.
For someone else... if you like action movies, some martial arts, and you don't expect an Oscar movie, you can enjoy "The hard way"... it's up to you deciding whether or not this movie has been worth of your time...
- minunimion
- Feb 29, 2020
- Permalink
waste off time ...
Indeed a hard way to watch the whole movie, bad script, bad acting...
A waste of good talent
The first movie by Jai White that I find boring to the grave. A waste of Jai White's time.
What could have been...
Three or four of the lead actors, the cinematography, and the majority of the fight choreography were positives. Michael Jai White and Madalina Anea were very good, and even George Remes over-the-top psycho was pretty well acted. Luke Goss, though, is a quality actor, who rose above the muck he was given to turn in a really good performance.
The biggest downfall of the film, besides Randy Couture's to-be-expected woeful acting, and the absolutely atrocious 'acting' performances of everyone else in the entire movie not mentioned already, was the script. It was beyond terrible.
One example - a completely unnecessary and ham-fisted attempt to divulge backstory, in an attempt to force the audience to care about a barmaid, delivered by a terrible actress, was so bad it, just, stayed bad. Not one piece of dialogue seemed to fit, and when you give bad dialogue to bad actors, it's not going to turn out well. One of the worst scripts I've seen filmed.
The setup for a sequel was obvious. White and Goss could definitely make a really good movie together, and these characters themselves would be fine. But a better director and an actual script would really help next time.
The biggest downfall of the film, besides Randy Couture's to-be-expected woeful acting, and the absolutely atrocious 'acting' performances of everyone else in the entire movie not mentioned already, was the script. It was beyond terrible.
One example - a completely unnecessary and ham-fisted attempt to divulge backstory, in an attempt to force the audience to care about a barmaid, delivered by a terrible actress, was so bad it, just, stayed bad. Not one piece of dialogue seemed to fit, and when you give bad dialogue to bad actors, it's not going to turn out well. One of the worst scripts I've seen filmed.
The setup for a sequel was obvious. White and Goss could definitely make a really good movie together, and these characters themselves would be fine. But a better director and an actual script would really help next time.
- collectspam
- Apr 21, 2019
- Permalink
Do you know who I am?
- nogodnomasters
- Mar 19, 2019
- Permalink
Entertaining but not a great movie
If you're looking for an action movie to entertain yoursef and not think very much, this is one of them. The plot is decent and the main cast is good enough, the acting mainly in the fighting/shooting moments is really bad, but if you can get pass that, the movie is ok.
Just one of those movies to watch when you don't have anything else better to do or watch.
Just one of those movies to watch when you don't have anything else better to do or watch.
Has to be the worst movie I watched in a long time
The acting is bad, the photography is bad, the directing is awful. The action happens in Romania but nobody speaks Romanian. The list could go on but it's just not worth the time.
- capac-108-256053
- Apr 8, 2019
- Permalink
For Michael Jai White
This is revenge-action movie. Michael Jai White takes revenge for his brothers killing and brother's friend helps him to complete the mission. This is the one liner story. But movie is watchable. It enjoys us from start to finish. No trails, no boring part and not too much lengthy. Moreover brilliant fight sequences of White will definitely impress you. This is the most appreciable part of the movie. Team of Michael Jai White and Luke Goss is well at acting department. Most of times their faces remains with no expression. Story is predictable. Twist at climax is not shocked well, because most of viewers can get hint in earlier. Overall it is watchable movie. For two reasons one for Whites' action and for another is start to finish movie, which will not bore you any more.
- saptesh786
- Nov 26, 2019
- Permalink
Just the usual
- Leofwine_draca
- Mar 11, 2019
- Permalink
nice short movie
It was nice, action movie, again Jai White is very good in his job! I think he should make movies with budget over 20 mil. Acting for like 30 years and he is perfect in every role. The writer should get some credit, but why Romania, this country doesnt have any cinematographyc history.. next time do it at least in boyana film studios in Sofia,Bulgaria!
- denis-indzhov
- Dec 3, 2019
- Permalink
Good movie, bad script
- screbowcsgo
- Feb 8, 2020
- Permalink
Don't. Just don't.
Generally I can watch anything with Michael Jai White in it but this just plain stinks. Awful acting (with the exception of MJW), awful script, awful directing, just all round bilge. And Luke Goss. I mean, really? That's definitely a sign of a straight-to-DVD howler if ever I saw one. Don't waste you time or money on this tripe.
- steve-90353
- Mar 12, 2019
- Permalink
STOP NOW PLEASE !!!!!
Whoever thought that this would be a good idea please look at yourself and think, think hard that the career you have chosen is the wrong one, please go back to you waiting on tables or whatever you did before this travesty and NEVER I repeat NEVER!!1 make a movie again.
No spoilers as its way to predictable .
- dilsonbelper
- May 20, 2019
- Permalink