Search - The Contract on DVD

Above average "low-budget" actioner. Well acted and worth a

P. Eisenman | Upper Michigan | 06/03/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Like most "low-budget" films, THE CONTRACT suffers some of the usual problems one finds in indie films. Namely a wafer thin plot with lots of holes that require LOTS of imagination on the part of the viewer. But the script is decent and the acting doesn't come across as "acting". The characters are actually fairly well developed and not "wooden". The major problem is that the characters seem to be operating in a vacuum, completely removed from the rest of the world. You'll travel to a "no-name" city, in an unknown state, see a U.S. presidential candidate apparantly campaigning for Canadian Prime Minister (given all the Canadian TV microphones at his press conference), and for all the dead bodies and assassinations, there's not a hint of any interest by the police in what the main characters are up to! So, as I said, the viewer will need a bit of imagination to fill in the holes and place the action into the "real" world. Above all, you will need to "suspend reality" and focus on the narrow world in which these characters operate.



Even given this seemingly major flaw, it doesn't seem to detract from your ability to enjoy what's an otherwise exciting, action packed movie. Johanna Black carries the film well, Billy Dee Williams adds some star power (though you can't help feel he was "underused") and there's lots of action.



THE CONTRACT is what it is--a low-budget action film. It delivers with better than average characters, above average script, good acting and lots of action. Just check "reality" at the door and imagine that somewhere, off camera, the rest of the world is still out there!!!



All in all I'd give FOUR stars to THE CONTRACT because, if nothing else, it does ONE THING VERY WELL--it provides 90 minutes of ENJOYABLE ENTERTAINMENT!! That, it seems, is something that even HUGE budget, major studio "blockbusters" fail to do all to often!!"

Not bad, in this post-"Alias" era

Scott Fien | Rochester, NY USA | 04/03/2002

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've become strangely attracted to this indie actioner out of Canada. A "think-I-can" combination of TV's "Alias" and John Woo gun-opera.
Johanna Black is striking as hit woman Hannah, and Billy Dee Williams just has fun as the slimey US Senator.
Sure, BDW's toadies need some acting lessons, but they're easy to ignore as director Bascombe continuously slows down Hannah's gun-toting posing for a cool effect."

Great indie action film

Scott Fien | 01/11/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Fun, action packed little independant film. Johanna is gorgeous and Billy dee is still as charming as ever."