the saint (1997)

an overwhelmingly silly film. everything is dependent on distraction :: expert dynamic-range sound design // neutrally professional supporting character actors // fair and expressive technical lighting // quick and diverting montage // cartoonish plot and blocking tone // intellectual reach for the dumbest in the crowd (down to the scene of professionals slowly explaining what a 'vital' term / idea is — see, winston zeddemore) // and, almost of highest importance in investment-productions as this picture, the occult chosen and emotionally embedded stars. val kilmer drowns in the attempt :: yes, the old man disguise which is harked to at the very end is a clever bit of living room entertainment, but he does not carry the hypnotizing element of presence that is required for what his momentary-narcissism probably assumed to be an interesting role. elizabeth shue is placed in front of a camera only to magnetize, create, heighten, and affirm male desires and female perceptions. the intermittent shots of brain adrenaline from scenes such as, where for a second, it is assumed shue may give kilmer a blowjob in the back of the police van, i'm sure, helps cloud the spectator's perception of their genuine aesthetic enjoyment of the work versus a conditioned response. in this way, it is all so evil. the one aspect of the entire picture that intrigued me at all is the inclusion of cold fusion. COLD FUSION. why did this conversation stop in the popular media? as far as science goes, it ranks just above astrology. that such an anti-authority / anti-capitalist esoteric technology is united in association with such positive emotional-aesthetic designed reactions, even at the highest level of the cultural-state powers (the ideal formerly centered in, and known as, Hollywood) ... this combination is something to be explored. it's not whether cold fusion is possible or not. this is regardless. it's a matter of allowing a physical-psychic space for these kind of ideas, intentions, associations, and denials or affirmations of value, to occur. this is what propaganda does. to constantly and positively affirm cold fusion will never be the cause of cold fusion itself, but will serve to constantly highlight a direction in our society's unfolding story. we need more action films about cold fusion.