15 Minutes

15 Minutes (2001) 

120 min  -  Action | Crime | Drama   -  9 Mars 2001 (USA)
Director: 
John Herzfeld
Writer: 
John Herzfeld
Stars:
 Robert De Niro, Edward Burns and Kelsey Grammer
Language: English & some Czech / Russian.
Country/ Pays: USA/ Etats Unis.
Reviewed by: Black Hills Industry
BHI Rating: 9/10.

Plot: A homicide detective and a fire marshall must stop a pair of murderers who commit videotaped crimes to become media darlings.

Ever wondered why movies of such variety remain largely overlooked or gravely underrated. Blame it on the endless pile of mainstream clutter that has permanently invaded our television sets, cinema halls, multiplexes, tabloids, journals, and a lot more. Gone are the days, when Crime/ Action Thrillers contained some meaningful yet tense, flamboyant but intelligent sequences.

Recall Kurt Russel in “Mean Season”, David Fincher’s classic chiller “Seven”. Although, Michael Mann’s “Collateral” [2004] comes pretty close to this genre. 

These are just a few examples to highlight how dynamic cinema can get. Incidentally, Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day” created magic the same year that this one (15 Mins.) did and yet the former bagged not only the “Best Actor Award” at the Oscar’s, but an astounding 15 other award wins and 14 nominations. So where does that leave "15 Minutes" to?

Poor publicity buzz and marketing strategy can be blamed for tepid box office generation for John Herzfeld’s 2001 shocker. But that never stopped the film from receiving a considerable nomination for Best Action Sequence. Keep in mind that this has an underground feel all the way.

Also, by and large, a respectable chunk of the global population had mixed feelings for this film, some shall I say being rather over opinionated on certain proceedings in the film. Yeah, but I never said that the movie wasn’t going to be offbeat. 15 M has all of these elements and a lot more as you read on. Because, if you are just trying to expect a politically correct premise in a crime thriller, which deals with a bunch of dysfunctional and deranged psychotic killers who are let loose in the country, I think you're probably following just another pattern.

Now to say that 15 Minutes is in reference to the much talked about “15 Minutes to fame” quote in the media would be overly excessive. Not to mention that the media is always under the scanner, at least for now. Hence, Herzfeld does not waste time in trying to get us to preach us about the underbelly happenings of “The Big Apple”. Crime is not rampant; it’s all over the place.

Here’s the deal, Robert De Niro plays a near invincible cop to investigate one of the most controversial and grotesque cases as far as serial murders are concerned. Edward Burns also happens to play an equally significant role as an arson investigator. Let’s just say that both of them happen to meet and find themselves in some of the most bizarre and over the edge sequences and they sure do have their moments, which are by the way are built to last. Let’s not talk about performances here, as De Niro remains flawless in his uniformed attire and so does an equally impressive Edward Burns, who stays cool and calm until the dying moments of the film.

Their presence is godsent, while two East European immigrants happen to play havoc upon entering the United States. This comprises of Oleg Taktarov who plays Oleg Razgul (Russian National) and Karel Roden who plays the deranged and overtly delusional Emil Slovak, a Czech national. Both of them pledge havoc right to the dying moments of the film. Oleg Razgul’s ambitions thrive largely in the oft-quoted “American Dream” particularly in showbiz, while Emil Slovak’s objective seems more manic than ambitious. Both actors display a touch of class, which can be experienced at the crème de la crème show of cult European cinema at your local theaters or the Sundance itself.

Once in the country, the audience is allowed to get a glimpse of graphic violence in the city. Another key highlight is Kelsey Grammer of "Frasier" fame, who plays media kingpin and manipulator. Equally impressive is his team, who further adds an edge to this chiller.

But this should not be mistaken for just another crime time entertainer, because there’s more than meets the eye. "15 M" never loses its flavor or its sense of humor in its direction. It just leaps off the stage, the moment you pop this disc in your machine. It’s like jumping on one of those really super fast Amtraks. You just don’t know when it’s going to stop, but that’s if you really want it to. And the moment it does, Herzfeld tightens the screws in some of the most adrenalin indulging car chases, smart action sequences and some cutting edge dialogue delivery.

Performances couldn’t have been any better. In 1996, John Herzfeld caused a stir with “2 Days in the Valley” (1996), a crime thriller set up in an extremely busy L.A. Here Herzfeld makes his point crystal clear, by displaying the genius in him. Considering the fact that he himself wrote the script, the screenplay is first-rate, which results in 120 minutes losing itself in a matter of minutes or should I say 15 minutes. You’ll be checking your watch and shaking your head in disbelief. 

The film has everything that deals with contemporary lifestyles: power, avarice, fame, media influence and the power of television. So much so that while you are watching, it’s too good to be true. If I may, the plot revolves around Emil Slovak, whose sole purpose to come to the United States is to search and hunt down their former accomplice, who took off with his money and let him rot in jail. He tags Oleg Razgul along as a backup, however, Oleg seems to be more interested in filmmaking and celluloid dreams in the proverbial land of milk and honey.

They steal a handheld camera in broad daylight from a local NY store and after that, it’s pure mayhem because Oleg captures almost everything that is around him. Within a matter of minutes, they end up videotaping some of the most random and graphic acts of violence. This is not your Sunday morning breakfast movie, so you best be prepared.

Up next, Eddie Fleming (De Niro), who is a popular American hero and veteran detective along with Jordy Warsaw (Edward Burns), an arson investigator, are trying to hunt down these criminals down with all their expertise. The plot thickens further as Emil and Oleg attempt to manipulate and abuse the American justice system.

The result is extremely complex as it deals with the element of unpredictability in terms of acting, direction, screenplay, and script. You would be surprised but some of the most intense and jaw-dropping/ tour de force performances are displayed by none other than the East European duo.
This is your real ticket to an unforgettable ride to an Underground Crime Thriller. That being said, don't ever say that I never mentioned it.


And how could I forget? For all those die-hard fans of this genre, the Blu Ray is available on Amazon. Com on the following link. Cheers!: 

http://www.amazon.com/15-MINUTES/dp/B001MWBK40/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1353538339&sr=8-2&keywords=15+Minutes

This won't even take 15 Minutes: http://youtu.be/dCa4c8D5THc

Reviewed by: Saurabh.Mistry (Jason)
for Black Hills Industry.