Extreme Measures | | Cast : | Hugh Grant, Gene Hackman | | Director : | Michael Apted | | Studio : | Castle Rock | | Format : | Color, Closed-captioned, Dolby, Widescreen | | Released Date : | September 27, 1996 | | DVD Released Date : | June 07, 2005 | | Language : | English (Dubbed), French (Dubbed), French (Subtitled), English (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Original Language) | | Audience Rating : | R (Restricted) | | | BUY THIS DVD FROM AMAZON |
Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | June 20, 2005 | | Summary | A missed opportunity. | Content
 | The premise of this film is both excellent, interesting and credible. It had the ability to be "Coma" for the 90's, and aswell as raising the issue of the vulnerability of the patient role it highlights the occasional corrupt, explotative nature of the Medical profession. All very real fears, all quiet likely and delivered with believable conviction by a sterling cast. Grant is not always quite believable but this may have more to do with his established typecast as the eternal British fop and speaking as an Englishman I have to say both he and then Girlfiend Hurley (who produced this film) do overplay the Englishness with grating regularity! Hackman is brilliantly menacing, Parker is subdued and intelligently simmering.
The film gathers a sleuth like pace, like the very best of tense thrillers and then it sells out near the end and ruins the enitire work, divorcing itself from reality for the sake of cheap thrills. A terrible shame! |
| Rating | | | Date | April 15, 2005 | | Summary | GENE PLAYS GOD | Content
| EXTREME MEASURES asks the question just how far will medicine go in the name of "good for the common man." In this adaptation of Michael Palmer's novel, Hugh Grant plays a morally consciable physician who finds himself involved in a plot by a famed neurologist (Gene Hackman) to discover a cure for paralysis and other neurological disorders. Surrounded by prospective recipients of his research, he goes to the homeless population to use as disposable guinea pigs in his quest. Director Michael Apted (Coal Miner's Daughter) has a strong command of the actors and the action, and it's a thought provoking entertaining thriller, with a surprise punch at the end.
Grant is exceptional in an out of character role as the heroic doctor; Hackman as always brings a certain sense of logical actions in his otherwise despicable role; Sarah Jessica Parker fills the standard role of the potential ally and love interest, and David Morse is good as the "FBi" agent who wants to find a cure for his near comatose wife.
EXTREME MEASURES makes you think and although sometimes it suspends belief, it's a potent effort. |
| Rating | | | Date | February 15, 2005 | | Summary | A movie worth watching! | Content
| Extreme Measures does an EXCELLENT job of shedding light on the sensitive issue of how far is far enough in relation to scientific advancement and experimentation.
It deals with concepts such as where does one set the boundaries in regards to Medicine and Science, as well as touching on the topics of Morality, Change and Progress, and questions like do the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or should it be the other way around? Most importantly, it brings attention to and succeeds in making people aware of the existence of such dilemmas, which have been characteristic of mankind throughout history.
Hugh Grant does a great job in his dramatic role as Dr Guy Luthan, as does Gene Hackman as Dr Lawrence Myrick. It is an amazing thriller with familiar elements from the X-Files. The plot, the setting, and the dialogues are all very good!
Extreme Measures is a very good movie, guaranteed to provide an evening's entertainment. In addition, it is one of those films that gets you and keeps you thinking long after it's over.
Overall, it is a movie definitely worth watching!
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| Rating | | | Date | September 17, 2004 | | Summary | Clinically Corrupt | Content
| Fans of "Desperate Measures" should enjoy this movie. Both Gene Hackman and Hugh Grant are great. Fans of either of these stars will definitely want to catch them in this dramatic movie. The medical dilemna that unfolds in a seemingly innocent donor program leads to a cover up that is far reaching, and extremely thought provoking in principle.
The drama is great and the acting is superb. The directing, sets, and music are good. What you will carry away the most is probably a good conversation with a friend on the ethics of some medical programs that are or aren't publicly practiced. It is amazing what some people will do in the name of progress or medical science. An ongoing ethical struggle that we see today with Stem cells. |
| Rating | | | Date | July 10, 2003 | | Summary | Entertaining plot sets Hugh Grant in fine serious drama role | Content
| We loved the book by Michael Palmer, on which this movie is "officially" based - but except for experimentation on unknowing human subjects, the two stories bear little more similarity than Palmer's name as "author". Nonetheless, Hugh Grant as Dr. Guy Luthran does a quite competent job in a serious part that's a departure from his normal romantic comedies. Gene Hackman also stars as the "evil" doctor who it turns out is doing illegal surgeries on homeless subjects who get "selected" by special ID work at the hospital where our hero works. A missing victim soon sends Luthran on a scary search for homeless people deep in the city's subway bowels, where David Morse ("Hack", et al) is stalking him for some unknown "FBI" reasons. Sara Jessica Parker serves as a supporting mild love interest but shows up later as part of the insidious plot. Some ethical issues near the end of the film raise some interesting points to ponder, and leave us guessing `til the end which way things might go. A decent plot, good acting, and sustained suspense, with some credible acting by all the name actors, add up to an entertaining movie. The DVD itself has no extra features and comes in a cheap cardboard "keepbox", with only Dolby Surround Sound, not 5.1 Digital. Aside from these quibbles, an enjoyable hour-and-a-half awaits! |
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