THE PRINCE
R
93 Minutes
Director: Brad A Williams
Writers: Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore
CAST Bruce Willis…Omar John Cusack…Sam Andara Holt…Candice Jessica Lowndes …Angela 50 Cent…The Pharmacy Jason Patric…Paul
WHAT UP GANGSTA?
Normally, movies this bad go straight to video. But this one deified the odds, and got a wide release. I watched THE PRINCE, because 50 Cent was in the credits. The same way I saw EXIT WOUNDS because of DMX (I knew Steven Seagal couldn't carry such an ambitious piece of art on his own). But 50 is in the movie for less than five minutes, and his performance left my hunger for hardcore-gangsta-shit, unsatiated.
THE TITLE
THE PRINCE is a bad title for a film. Because I can't tell what it's about. It could be about the musician, Prince. Or the 'Fresh Prince', Will Smith. Or it could be based on the book by Niccolò Machiavelli. But most likely, I would think THE PRINCE is about the son of King Ralph. Yes, there are countless possibilities, but this movie isn't a likely one. To eliminate confusion, I propose ESCAPE FROM LA for the title. Because the main character is trying to leave Louisiana.
This film is about Paul, a man who has lost touch with his drug-addled, college dropout, daughter. So he searches for her in New Orleans. But there's a twist. Paul used to be a successful criminal. That is, until he accidentally blew up Bruce Willis's wife, and five-year-old daughter in a car bomb. Bruce Willis wants his revenge...on the viewing audience...I mean Paul's daughter. And rightly so, the protagonist seems like (and you'll have to excuse my language here) a big jerk. So why would I want to root for Paul?
THIS IS WHERE THE FUN STARTS
Just stop it Bruce, with the bad movies, where you play criminal masterminds. You're turning into a non-entertaining Christopher Walken. I suggest you start doing those Seagram's wine cooler commercials again.
THE PRINCE has more shooting than a Perseids meteor shower (that's a super-dorky reference that flew right over your head). The dialogue here serves only to initiate violence. And don't get me wrong, my sensibilities aren't delicate, I don't mind gratuitous violence. But the violence here does nothing for the film, it's not even cartoonish, or funny, like in COMMANDO or NATURAL BORN KILLERS.
I recommend burning down any theater playing this movie, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS-style. Not literally of course. I don't want you to shoot people with automatic weapons. Because this needs to look like an accident.
Final Verdict: 10 out of 100
Sidenote: John Cusack looks like Nick Cage with down syndrome.