ChicRawIdol A brilliant film that helped define a genre

Ketrivie It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

Nicole I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

benjaminwg It could have been a little longer, though. The actors actually did a decent enough job. The director is normally a stunt coordinator, so it's got a kind of TV show quality eye to the performances... not X-Files or Homeland caliber, mind you. It's adequate, and that's probably how they were shooting. Accessible, clear, and not too many takes to get some really deep moment. The effects weren't terrible. And Andy frigg'n Gray did the music! That left me in shock at the end. Who's EVER done a cover of Piledrive?! Oh, this isn't a cover; it's an unreleased remix from Andy. Dude! Even as-is, a theatrical release wouldn't have been a bad idea. I think it would have made more money. This was before the move to digital distribution, so it was much more expensive back then, but I think people have a good enough memory of the original movie and the lead from the Jungle Book to have gone. The Berlin Decision is worth viewing on a pay site.

zardoz-13 Aside from its premise, "Timecop: The Berlin Directive" shares little in common with the Van Damme original. Like the Muscles from Brussels, Lee is a competent martial artist who performs fights with convincing pugnacity. Veteran TEC agent Ryan Chan (Jason Scott Lee of "Back to the Future 2") Lee fears he has been time jumping a few times too many. He complains about losing pieces of himself in those various eras. Chan isn't the only one concerned about the toll that too much time jumping is exerting on TEC agents. An exasperated female physician, Doc (Mary Page Keller of "The Negotiator"), complains vociferously that the agents aren't given enough turn around time. She argues, "We're suspending them in their own reality, and ripping them back and forth through time." She has evidence that cerebral hemorrhage has impaired one agent. Nevertheless, O'Rourke (John Beck) keeps sending his "go-to boy" Chan back into the breach. Villainous Brandon Miller (Thomas Ian Griffith of "Excessive Force") wants to change history out of a sense of moral duty. "I'm just saying if time travel is possible," Miller opines, "we have a moral obligation to right the wrongs of the past." Chan thwarts him early on in Berlin when Miller attempts to assassinate Adolf Hitler. He manages narrowly to save Hitler's life by knocking aside Miller and shooting Miller's wife Sasha as she is about to shoot Hitler. Miller winds up in prison, but this wily fiend manages to escape and put the status quo into real peril. Since "Timecop 2" lacks the beefy budget of its predecessor, "Slapshot 2" director Steve Boyum and "Furious and the Furious" scenarist Gary Scott Thompson have changed the focus ideas instead of big action. They advocate that time must remain the same. Interestingly enough, they introduce a new source of antagonism. The Society for Authenticity sends people back to observe the past so that we remember it correctly. This organization creates no end of danger, and Miller is the chief example. "Timecop 2" does some other things differently, too. They don't launch them the same way they did in the Van Damme epic. Instead of riding a rocket sled toward a dead end wall, they sit in a chair and particles bombard them. Despite its straight-to-video look, Boyum's thriller is still pretty entertaining. Boyum and Thompson lace the action with exposition straight out of the original movie. John Beck is suitably gruff as Chan's boss. Mind you, Boyum is no Peter Hyams, but he stages the action with a modicum of style.

lskelly-1 First, before watching this movie you should be aware that it is "about" time travel...therefore there is bound to be some inconsistencies and paradox problems; and yes...the film does "bump" into some of these rather clumsily. If you are a movie viewer that demands perfect logic and continuity or a real "time travel" buff you will have to "let it go" for this film. Yes, this movie is ABOUT "time travel" but it is NOT a time travel movie (it is an "Action" movie). Secondly; this is a sequel, and thefore presumes some previous knowledge of the basic premise; what a "timecop's" purpose is and some of the primary "paradox" problems as to what would happen (to the present / future) if you changed the past. I can say that this movie does try to follow most of the "rules" of time travel; as outlined in the "Star Trek" TV shows (a well known "standard" in science fiction circles). The movie starts out posing the question; "should Hitler be assassinated" before he has time to put events into motion & "what would then happen if he was?". The viewer gets to see what happens when someone wants to try; and the Timecops have to stop it from happening (or DO they?). Viewers may also want to know that the "Timecop" story, about cops that monitor consistency & prevent history from being altered; was a comic book before it was a movie. True; "time travel" movies must address such issues in a consistent & believable manner and in this regard the movie is somewhat disappointing. However as an "action" movie (that makes you "think") it generally succeeds.In my opinion it is far better than the first "Timecop" movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme (1994). Given the comic book / Van Damme history; the target audience for this movie is going to be action / martial art movie fans. Jason Scott Lee (as hotshot Timecop Ryan Chan) does very well given the script & direction. Viewers may need to remind themselves that Lee is NOT related to Bruce Lee although he did play him in the movie "Dragon, the Bruce Lee Story" (1993). For that movie Lee was trained in Bruce Lee's "Jeet Kune Do" style of martial arts. So not only does he physically look like Bruce Lee, he also fights using the same "moves". Seeing this, I believe the director recognized that he would be unable to avoid the reference; so he "uses" it consciously. In one fight scene there is deliberate homage paid to Bruce Lee. Timecop Ryan Chan (after getting hit in a fight) gets "really mad" and takes off his shirt; flexing his muscles in the famous "Enter the Dragon" style. When you see this scene you will know why Jason Lee was picked to play Bruce in "The Dragon",..., and why the director (and likely the actor) must accept & work with the inevitable references. For martial arts fans there are some fairly good (albeit short)examples of "Jeet Kune Do" style hand-work,trapping, and a couple of Jeet Kune Do style limb traps / breaks. The martial arts kicks are all "movie" style & less than crisp. Thomas Ian Griffith is quite good in the supporting role (even in the fight scenes); however the movie watcher doesn't really see his character's motivation until the end of the movie. The movie's script is what you would expect given the "Timecop" movie history & story genre (somewhat in the "comic-book" style); although I have the impression that Lee did quite a good job fleshing out his lines. Overall, the movie gets a bit muddled because of all the different time periods involved (the "period" costumes are made necessary, however, to separate and enforce the different time lines)and it is possible that the editing contributes to the confusion. Many of the fight scenes appear to be chopped or cut short (while the special effects scenes, although not over-done, are a tad long). I imagine the editor of this movie had a hard time keeping a cohesive story line and "flow" given the topic(s). There are a lot of things going on in this movie all at once; the good guy "chasing" the bad guy through different time periods, shifting realities due to the changing of past events, and even characters changing or existing / not existing depending on which "reality" you are watching. Not only does the bad guy want to kill Lee's character, he also has the option of going back to almost any time period and kill his parents, thus ending the Hero's family line. If that is possible then, can the Timecop kill the bad guy given what has already happened? You'll have to watch! In a similar movie's plot line, "Jet Li's - The One" (2001 - one of my favorite time-travel movies) these issues and paradox' are better addressed (however I had to watch that movie 4 or 5 times to understand all the nuances). Although you probably won't want to watch "Timecop: The Berlin Decision" again and again; if you liked "Jet Li's - The One" you will probably enjoy this movie as well.

davideo-2 STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All CostsRyan Chan (Jason Scott Lee) is an enforcer for the Time Enforcement Commission which ensures those who attempt to alter the past to affect the present are caught and brought to trial.During one assignment transporting him back to 1940s Nazi Germany,his long time friend and fellow TE Officer Brandon Miller (Thomas Ian Griffith) suddenly decides to break the rules and tries to kill Hitler,causing Ryan to intervene and resulting in the death of Miller's girlfriend,who was in on the act too.He is incarcerated in a prison for the criminally insane,whilst Ryan is given a 30 day suspension.However,upon his release,Ryan learns of Miller's plot to eradicate the present,causing him to race back through time to catch him,as events build to Ryan learning shattering facts about how his past will affect his present.The original 1994 film,with Jean Claude Van Damme in the lead role,was a film that was ultimately destined for a sequel,even if it would be 10 years later and a smaller budget,straight to video effort.And,in Lee,the producers have found a worthy and credible successor to Van Damme.Griffith,who,many years ago was rather self righteously promoted on the front cover of his Excessive Force as the 90s successor to Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris,here appears in what must be his most high profile role in years (if not,surely in his whole career!) as the bad guy.He does have a rather engaging presence though,it must be said,and plays off well and has engaging chemistry with Lee in the hero and villain role respectively.Some of the action's nothing to sniff at,either.With both the lead stars being proficent martial arts experts,most of this revolves around some nicely chereographed fight scenes here and there,and in turn not disappointing in any way in that department.For it all,though,Timecop 2 is,as I stated,an avoidable experience,with it's disjointed,vaguely incoherent (and,sometimes it seems,none existent) storyline and ultra predictable script which offers little in the way of surprises.It's short running time means it can't be considered that much of an arguous ordeal,but,for it's duration,it strictly passes the time rather than going any way in making you think anyone should ever enforce it.**