The job sounded simple enough for Tes, Kara and Dawn. Get in, do the exchange and get out. However, almost immediately it looks more like a double-crossing of some sort and the unstoppable chain of events that unfolds due to an error in judgement. It’s not just about eliminating the competition anymore, there’s something else working beneath the pretty lies and now, it’s a deadly cat and mouse game that’s being played with some huge guns that are pointed at anyone breathing. The question is who will survive this at the end of the day?
Catch .44 is one of those films that tries to be like a Quentin Tarantino film. We have elements of Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs as well as a familiar setting in what could very much have been a Grindhouse film. However the film is not trying to be that completely either, seeing as this is a unique type of flick that tries to stamp it’s own print onto the cinema scene. Director Aaron Harvey (The Evil Woods), which is not necessarily at all a bad director, simply put too many different elements into Catch .44 and overwhelmed the viewer into expecting something that it would not have. The cinematography was amazing, with very much a Tarantino quality feel to it, the acting was great… the girls were pretty and very bad. So what is it about Catch .44 that people don’t like? Well, to some degree the hopping around from one time to another might put the viewer in the position to dislike the film, though that is merely reminiscent of Reservoir Dogs, so it simply cannot be that (although the viewer should be aware that the A-chronological manner that this story is done in is not done with a smooth transition). So what is it?
Looking at Catch .44 from a psychology perspective will bring things more into focus. Here we have a promising film, with a quality that’s along the same lines of Quentin Tarantino flicks, we have beautiful girls, a great soundtrack… Bruce Willis and more. The viewer is presented with everything they want. Even the actual plot is not too shabby. However, the viewer looks at the film and is disappointed to quite some extent and this is merely because he or she expected a Quentin Tarantino film, but forgot that Catch .44 is not even endorsed by the legendary filmmaker. We have a young director with only one other film under his belt, we have a seemingly young cast of actresses and then we have our promising outlook to the legends that makes films enjoyable. So, the problem with the film will be that it’s not a Quentin Tarantino film.
How is that even a reason? Simple. Due to Catch .44 having so many similarities, the viewer will likely think that it may be in the same category and it’s not. It’s a brilliant attempt and frankly, I’d keep my eye out for Aaron Harvey, because if this is merely one of his stepping stones to becoming great, he’s going to put on one hell of a career. The fact is, don’t watch Catch .44 the way you would watch a Tarantino film. Watch it the way you would watch a Harvey film. Don’t expect one thing and be disappointed, just enjoy the film and the music. The soundtrack to this film really is awesome.
Catch .44 stars Deborah Ann Woll (True Blood), Nikki Reed (Twilight), Bruce Willis, Forest Whittaker, Malin Akerman (Watchmen) and more great actors. So, we have our young, our old and our pretty and gold… We even have a sarcastic, seemingly sweet villain. The film has everything that makes for an enjoyable treat, it just lacks a bit of heart.
From a personal point of view, I’d say rent it before you make the decision to buy. This film won’t fall into just anyone’s tastes… I enjoyed it, I enjoyed the music and the whole feel of the film, even though I had to use my brain to keep up with what was going on. Yes, I was slightly disappointed in the end, but that’s only because I forgot who the director was. So, rent it and decide whether or not you would purchase it. It’s a fine grey area, but I would at the very least tell people to watch it.
