How much violence is too much. We hope that we never fall prey to the type of violence we see in this film, however, the more violence we see like this the more desensitized we get. The onscreen sex was pretty embarrassing to watch if you aren't used to seeing that sort of thing, but, I guess I should ask are we supposed to think that this is normal behavior for the character and his wife? Just because a film is made from start to finish, doesn't mean that the content should be flat-line hard core from start to finish. This film is rated R for pervasive strong brutal violence and language, sexuality, and drug content. The only thing they left out was the Rock-N-Roll! The film was titled "Running Scared", but I really didn't see anyone in this film that was too scared about anything. This film left my head spinning, which tends to make you feel like asking yourself, "When is all this crazy violence going to end?" The subplots where the kid gets abducted and the wife gets involved was totally over the top of comprehension. What is the woman thinking here? She's a mom turned psycho vigilante? It's like she's thinking, if I don't get as crazy and violent as my husband and neighbors, I'm going to blow the entire film for everyone because they think I might be too decent to get my hands dirty for my psycho husband and my very disturbed child who wouldn't believe that I didn't blow these dirt bags away. Pete Hammond of MAXIM magazine was quoted as saying about "Running Scared", "MAKES KILL BILL LOOK LIKE SESAME STREET". Paul Walker is a good actor, but you have to start wondering whether he really liked playing Joey Gazelle in the film. Paul, I liked you in "Joy Ride" and hope that you get to make some uplifting films in the future. You may soon realize close to the end of the film that he wasn't such a bad guy afterall. * WARNING SPOILER* IF you haven't watched the entire film from start to finish then you'd feel really bad about Paul's character Joey, but close to the end, you start to realize the Joey had to go deep undercover to get deep enough to get these guys to trust him. What was so strange about this was that there was practically no one left to prosecute after the undercover sting operation went down. So Joey has to move away and go into a relocation program after faking his own death. Wow, that's a smart way to get out of the mob. Wayne Kramer did an excellent job directing and editing this film, however, the slick, fast-paced, and brutally shocking tone left me numb. I'll probably never watch this film again because of the disturbing images it betrays as someone's normal life of crime, which is not good for anyone emulate. I'm going to give this a 4/5 for Kramer's attempt to make this story believable ultra-realistic, however, I failed to see the necessity to totally go overboard with the endless shocking tale of roller-coaster violence from start to finish. IF YOU LIKE MY REVIEWS, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW BY VOTING. THANKS.Read full review
Fantastic movie. Very different from the Fast and Furious Paul Walker and well worth it. It's action-packed, great plot, almost a Tarantino-like familiarity and the characters are outrageous. One of the best thrillers ever! You won't be disappointed.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
Paul Walker has not made much of a good image for himself in past movies. He has been the actor that everyone questions his skill as an actor. With the release of "Running Scared" he has succesfully put a halt to those questions. Paul Walker has hit a new high in his acting career with his role in this movie. The movie starts off with a violent gun fight resulting from a drug-bust gone bad that ends up with with a few dead police officers. In an attempt to get out of trouble Paul Walker's character is given the murder weapon to dispose of. Until he can figure out what to do with it, he hides it in his basement, thinking it will be safe. His son's best friend steals the gun, uses it to shoot his abusive step-father and takes off, evidence in hand, nowhere to be found. The movie follows as Paul Walker tries frantically to find this kid, to save his own life, all the while being closely watched by fellow gang members, AND the police. From there the movie has endless twists and turns. You never know what is going to happen next. Guaranteed you will find yourself sitting on the edge of your seat even as the credits start to roll. Paul Walker deserves major credit for playing the character so well, it will definitely be my choice as one of 2006's best DVD releases!!!!Read full review
Running Scared has been on my mind from the minute I walked out of the theater three days ago. Why? Because I really cannot think of a mainstream Hollywood film that reaches the meteoric heights of violence that it does. Seriously, this is a film with teeth. It is ferocious, twisted and gritty; a pulp fan’s dream come true. It takes off like a rocket in the opening scene and is relentless until the closing credits. Writer/director Wayne Kramer (The Cooler) delivers an uncompromising film that will surely stun audiences with its extremes. Paul Walker stars as Joey, a bit player in the Italian mob. He and his crew are forced to kill a dirty cop during a drug deal gone awry. He’s given the relatively simple task of disposing of the incriminating gun. He decides to keep it, for reasons explained in the climax, and hides it in his house. While at dinner with his wife and son, he hears arguing from the Russian neighbors next door. Which is then followed by gunfire that shatters his kitchen window. His son’s best friend, Oleg (Cameron Bright), has shot his cruel stepfather and run away into the night. It turns out that the children saw Joey hide the gun. Joey knows he’s a dead man if the gun falls into the wrong hands and resolves to find Oleg at all costs. There are quite a few surprises in the plot that caught me completely off guard. Just when you think you have an idea of where the story’s going, something happens that throws it in a completely different direction. These twists are somewhat random, but they’re highly entertaining and keep the film on the fast track. Characters who you are led to believe are minor resurface and have a dramatic impact on the outcome. It’s fun to keep guessing and Running Scared delivers some great shocks along the way. Pacing is the key to Running Scared’s believability and this is where Wayne Kramer truly shines. The film is a constant race. It never drags or slows down. Kramer shoots everything in dramatic in close-ups. Each shot is incredibly tight and focused. We see every drop of the characters blood and sweat. He then intertwines these scenes with breakneck editing and clever special effects. The gimmicks that normally detract work spectacularly here. It’s a great choice for a midnight movie. It's not too much of a family movie since there are some violence, nudity, gore, and swearing. It will have you on the edge of your seat due to the really intrense scene's and the ending will astonish you and leave you with your jaw wide open.Read full review
Running Scared is non-stop action, intense and visually great. What more can you ask for? When the mob is out to get you and you only have a short timeframe to make the situation go away, you can imagine how fast paced things can get. Throw in a couple twists and turns and side stories, things get even worse. I highly recommend this movie, especially if you like Snatch and Revolver, this movie sits on the same level as those, if not better.
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Best Selling in DVDs & Blu-ray Discs
Current slide {CURRENT_SLIDE} of {TOTAL_SLIDES}- Save on DVDs & Blu-ray Discs