Nick of Time
The clock is ticking for Johnny Depp in Nick of Time, a twist-filled, race-against-time thriller directed by John Badham (Drop Zone, Saturday Night Fever). And indeed it is a race, filmed in "real time" so that onscreen events unfold minute by nail-biting minute as they would in real life. No sooner does accountant Gene Watson (Depp) arrive at L.A.'s Union station with his six-year-old daughter than he's plunged into a nightmare. Two shadowy strangers (Christopher Walken, Roma Maffia) separate Watson from his little girl, slap a gun into his hand and present a devil's bargain: kill a top government official before she leaves a nearby political rally... or never again see his beloved child.
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Last updated: October 20, 2009, 9:15 pm
Nick of Time Cusomter reviews:
Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 68
(GratedTopping, 2009-09-07) It was an okay watch for the first time; afterwards, it will lose a bit of effect. It was still interesting and fast-moving. I especially didn't like the governor's character. She didn't seem that bright. Depp's character told her that he was going to have to kill her to save his daughter if she made a final speech. He said her husband wanted her dead, advised her to get out of that speech, and that she wouldn't be able to. She tried to cancel...but her husband convinced her to change her mind. Then, the husband said he sent her assistant on an "errand"...but Depp had told her that the assistant was dead. I figure that was more than enough to definitely not do the speech. When the guns are going off, she just stands around forever. Ultimately, it was Mr. Walken's portrayal of the blackmailer that carried this film. He was evil and had some funny moments at the same time. I chuckled when Depp said something like "You're insane." and Walken pauses a moment and goes "What's your point?"; or when Depp's leaving a bathroom and is told to wash his hands. His character wasn't perfect, of course. I would have especially been more suspicious when Depp goes to the shoe shine man a second time; also, when I saw the man laugh a bit/nod after I said something to him...after being told that he was deaf. The "real-time" idea was cool, but I wish it was more...real. When the clock changed in the film to 12:17 and my digital clock nearby said the same thing, I expected it to be accurate with the passage of time. Yet time passed too quickly in the flick. I noted that the region 2 DVD says the time is 90 minutes; but the other says that it's 88 minutes. What happened to the two minutes?
(Pixikins, 2009-07-09) * You would think with stars like Christopher Walken and Johnny Depp that the movie might be fairly good, but not only was it the hokiest conspiracy theory to end all conspiracy theory movies, but it took low blows as to pull on tear jerker heartstrings by putting a cute little girl in mortal peril. The only minor redeeming quality to this movie is Depp's hotness, but then again that can only distract you for so long.
(Craig Connell, 2009-03-29) This is one of the most suspenseful movies you'll ever see, but mainly good for only one viewing. After you've seen it, the impact is greatly lost for further viewings. It got panned by many critics for having too far-fetched a storyline, and I agree. However, if you can put your brain on "hold" for 90 minutes, you'll enjoy the movie. The only annoying part for me was the typical Liberal bias in here where the Liberal politician is the target of a Conservative fanatic. They never show you the other way around. As interesting as the characters Johnny Depp usually plays, the two villains in here were more fun to watch than him. Christopher Walken and Roma Maffia were riveting as the killers. Depp actually played a normal person, which is not normal for him. ****possible spoilers**** The suspense was excellent in this real-time story. That was the best part of the movie. The worst may have been the so-overplayed cliché of the killers hesitating before shooting and then, because of that, being shot themselves. That is so tiresome. Or sometimes the crooks talk instead of shoot, and then are shot. Doesn't that drive you nuts?
(Mrs.Depp, 2009-02-15) This movie wasn't Johnny's best by far but, still a pretty good movie. I liked the plot and how it was set in real time. If your looking for a Johnny Depp thriller movie I'd get this one.
(EMqube, 2009-02-09) A complex real-time thriller with a fantastic cast. Johnny Depp and Christopher Walken anchor a strong cast which also includes Charles S. Dutton's finest film role. To long-time Depp fans this should be a classic. Amongst his strong film roles in the 90's (The Astronauts Wife, Ed Wood, The Ninth Gate), in my opinion this is the strongest. Depp plays the father of a kidnapped child who must find a way to do what is right, while still protecting the life of his child. Christopher Walken is the antithisis of Depp, an agent of evil who will do whatever it takes to achieve his goal of assasinating the governor of California. Charles Dutton is an innocent bystander (the same as Depp) caught in the middle of this cat-and-mouse game being played by Depp and the many forces that have put him in the precarious position in which he now finds himself. The real-time aspect of this film serves to heighten the tension, while providing a unique measuring tool which the viewer can directly relate to. Long before the 'Pirates of the Carribean' franchise vaulted Johnny Depp to A-list fame in Hollywood, he was churning out many top-notch performances such as the one found here in 'Nick of Time'. For any fan of Depp or Walken, this is a definite must own in your collection.