Orient Express (2004) Reviews

• one of the worst movies of the well known director Sergiu Nicolaescu

  Optimus_2005-02-12

  It's hard to find a single good aspect of the movie, except for strong acting from romanian star Gheorghe Dinica and surprisingly nice performance of Valentin Teodosiu, an actor which i my opinion deserves better roles then he usually gets in movies. For the rest, the didactic speech of the main character, spread over half the movies, practically kills any interest for the picture quite quickly. Mr Nicolaescu should realise that the audience is hardly interested in his vision about nobility, or in a romantic image of the last days of the romanian aristocracy. With the two exceptions already mentioned, acting is 70'ish and of a poor quality, the movie has lost of clichés and generally speaking, without being a horrible experience, is practically a waste of time to watch.

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• A train for yesterday

  tributarystu2004-11-08

  You know, Sergiu Nicloaescu...he's a man most people living in Romania have heard of. As a matter of fact, when I participated at a certain seminar and people were asked to name a Romanian film director, his name popped up on most of the lists. I hadn't seen any of his films and simply had to be intrigued by such a seemingly mesmerizing person. I suppose you all know the saying "Don't judge a book by its cover". It hardly applies, but you catch my drift. If art didn't have any political implications, maybe we'd have missed many masterpieces along the years. However, there is a certain limit where it all has to end. Most unfortunately, limits (still) tend to be overshadowed and misplaced around here...which might well explain a thing or two. The film just isn't in any way how I imagined it to be. There's little of a storyline to follow, for it's a...aham, character study. Take note, authentically ONE character. Obviously, Nicolaescu's. The film goes so far as to harass the dignity an active human brain might possess. Nicolaescu's self-obsession is rather pregnant throughout the gazillion minutes the movie stretches and ends up being a severe insult brought not only to movie goers, but to the whole Romanian nation. It may sound harsh, but it's a fact, because it's an issue of image and we're way behind on this. 2004 really wasn't a glamorous year for Romanian cinema, but to present "Orient Express" to a foreign public is similar to inflicting yourself cut wounds. Luckily enough, such wounds heal, but it can take a while. About the film, well...people act very strange in the mystic forests around the prince's castle, while the superficial image of society is tasteless and hollow. Were it not for the unexpected beginning, I'd dare to say it's an endless bore. And, actually, it is. Nicolaescu's effort consists of gathering a mostly talentless cast (not endangering his superior position) and then shooting an absolutely disappointing flick. I suppose he's got at least one good film in his credits, however, with Orient Express, he proves to be a most untalented director. 3/10

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• One of the worst films I've seen in a while...

  Endymyon2005-11-21

  I know most of Sergiu Nicolaesu's work and somehow in my early childhood back in Romania I enjoyed it. There were mainly war movies going all the way from The Romans and Dacians till The Second World War battles. But this one is a caricature of a flick... No substance, bad acting, no camera movement just to name a few... The actors are incredible dull and shallow and the plot... but what the hack... there is no plot, just a narcissistic character with some gushy women orbiting around him. It seems as it was intended to be a C movie from the start and hopefully it does. So save your ticket and popcorn money for something more interesting.

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• this is a no-no

  bonnie_03152006-06-04

  I must say it was a test of inner strenght to watch the whole movie, this is one of the worst products of Romanian cinematography...but then again none of Mr. Nicolaescu's films impressed me. Just a waste of budget money... As always, he is the director and the main character but he is no Charlie Chaplin, as well as being a bad director, he is a horrible actor, I don't understand why had to make just another movie centered on his character(an 80yr old "prince" that makes all the women love him with desperation) In his quest for adulation, Nicolaescu inserted some cheesy lines, like "youth is wasted on the young" and (as many times before) decided to make it all dramatical by killing almost everybody in the end. Don't watch this movie...it's a waste of time

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• Great movie....but only for humans...

  Crashtested_20042006-02-25

  I've seen this movie, and it is great. The actors are some of the best, but Sergiu Nicolaescu wanted to do something different, so he brought in some new ones. I have seen most of Sergiu Nicolaescu's movies, and THERE IS NO COMUNIST PROPAGANDA IN THEM WHATSOEVER!!! I do not know what absolute idiot chose to comment this movie first...but it is obvious that he did not understand anything from it....probably his intellect is to low... He said that Nicolaescu's movies are o no quality...but that proves that he is an imbecile... Sergiu Nicolaescu is one of the greatest directors, and many people agree that he is the greatest "battle scene director" in the world. His movies are filled with "patriotism" because they have a history based topic. It is obvious that these high quality movies are not for idiots... Orient Express is an extraordinary movie...a MUST SEE for anyone who can understand it.

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