The Big Bang
The Big Bang
R | 13 May 2011 (USA)
The Big Bang Trailers

A private detective is hired to find a missing stripper but the job turns complicated when everyone he questions ends up dead. From the mean streets of Los Angeles to the desolate desert of New Mexico, Cruz must contend with a brutal Russian Boxer, three brash LAPD detectives, an aged billionaire looking for the Big Bang, and the billionaire's stunningly gorgeous wife. The solution to the mystery will cost ten lives, net $30 million and just might explain - well - everything.

Reviews
Pacionsbo

Absolutely Fantastic

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Huievest

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

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Nicole

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

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Lela

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

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Bob Angilly (staffba3)

The basic plot is the same as the Raymond Chandler novel and two previous films (Murder, My Sweet with Dick Powell and a later version with Robert Mitchem). Bandaras plays a similar hard boiled private eye to Philip Marlowe, hired by a huge ex-boxer and ex-con to find his lost stripper girlfriend. He travels from LA to finally Mexico but along the way meets an assortment of interesting characters, gets beaten up a lot, and gets involved with a search for lost diamonds and the meaning of the universe. Beautiful surreal use of colors and a lot of green screen effects. Some classic cars. Elements of David Lynch and The Big Lubowski as well. A lot of fun and very unique.

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MrGKB

...primarily on the strength of a surprisingly witty (though highly derivative--my jury is out on plagiarism) script and competent direction from the benighted team that brought us "Otis," along with a pretty good cast headed by Antonio "Desperado" Banderas, whose Spanish accent has shown much improved intelligibility over the years. Support from the likes of William "Drive Angry" Fichtner, Autumn "Valentine" Reeser, Thomas "King Kong" Kretschmann, Delroy "Malcolm X" Lindo, Robert "300" Maillet, Sam "Road House" Elliott, and Sienna "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" Guillory is of piece; there's really not a weak link in the bunch. Shelly "The Wolfman" Johnson's camera wrangling is appropriately stylish and well-lit, Johnny "The Smiths" Marrs' score fits nicely, and the production/artistic design and visual effects belie the relative low budget of the whole affair. Despite its direct-to-video fate, "The Big Bang" would have likely done well on the big screen, given proper promotion. I didn't really care, since I only venture out to the theater for films that absolutely demand my early attention anyway.The only genuine conceit of the show is its insinuation of concepts of quantum physics into the plot line, with various visual references to same scattered throughout the film. It's a reasonably clever gimmick that's mostly pulled off well, and at least ties in with the climactic denouement. The average spud may not understand or appreciate most of it, of course, but it still elevates "The Big Bang" at least a notch above standard Hollywood fare, and certainly well above typical direct-to-video offerings.Definitely worth a watch for genre fans.

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jmcginn174

Direct to Video or B movies used to mean a bad story, b or c list stars, and mediocre action/horror/effects. The 1970's, 1980's, and the early 1990's were the hay day for these kinds of films. Films such as Piranha and Piranha II, Space Rage, Moon 44, Rising Storm, and the endless serial killer/horror movies to name a few. Things began to change in the mid 1990's and the invention of the DVD, but I really believe it was the endless the many B movie companies, and the Big ones seeing the chance to make money decided to get involved also, which put more money and better stars into the movies. Stars like Eric Roberts, Keith David, Val Kilmer, Michael Maidson, Roy Schieder, Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods, and above average to good films like End Game, Unthinkable, The Peacekeeper, Chaos, Executive Target, Edison, and Streets of Blood to name a few. Direct to DVD isn't a bad thing anymore and a quiet a few of them are as good if not better than films being release in theaters now, which leads me to The Big Bang.The Big Bang is a suspense/drama/comedy starring Antonio Banderas, William Fichtner, Sienna Guillory, Thomas Kretschmann, and Delroy Lindo. The plot follows Ned Cruz (Antonio Banderas) waking up in a police interrogation room with three police officers Detective Poley (William Fichtner), Detective Skeres (Deloroy Lindo), and Dectective Frizer (Thomas Kretschmann). The three detectives begin to question Ned, and Ned begins his story which he tells in the first person and narrates it. The story starts up when private detective Ned Cruz is finishing up a case for a high profile and eccentric actor Johnny Nova played well by James Van Der Beek. What ensues is funny as Johnny Nova's house blows up after Ned leaves with his payment nearly killing him. Ned is questioned by Det Frizer but let go. Ned returns to his office and about to head out when Anton Protopov (Robert Maillet) asks Ned to find a woman names Lexie Persimmon (Sienna Guillory) who had been writing him in prison. The thrilling suspense/drama ensues mixed beautifully with comedy.The acting was superb, although Kretschmann, Lindo, and Fichtner don't have to do much in the film. That being said their still brought out their A games, and made their characters interesting. Banderas was excellent in this film mixing a straight face with comedy wonderfully. In my opinion the minor actors steal the show. Sam Elliott (Simon Kestral) playing a recluse billionaire, Robert Maillet who is a huge and scary man plays a very likable character. Jimmi Simpson (Niels Geck) who plays the lead scientist for Simon's experiment. Then there is Sienna Guillory the beautiful actress who by the end the movie has stole the show with her beauty and acting. There is even Snoop Dog who plays a porn director who did a good job and as always enjoyed his scenes.The action was few and far between, but it works for this film. I find that most Hollywood films coming out now try to stuff action down our throats. I can understand why most Americans now don't have long attention spans so studios have to have explosion, car chase, or someone being killed every five minutes. I think that hurts films it takes away from the story, the actors, and characters, which makes a good film into an average one, or a bad film into an average one. The Big Bang doesn't try to stuff violence and action down your throats. It doesn't have to, it has a great story, with good acting, and decent action.Overall this is a great film, and better than many movies that have come out into the theaters recently. I gave this film 5/5 stars and recommend everyone see this. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

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gradyharp

THE BIG BANG is one of the most fascinating uses of color on film. It is a study in graphic design, palette exploration, and crafty editing and manipulation of film. And for that alone the film provides entertainment. Not as much can be said wither for the writing or directing or acting. It is a bizarre mix of film noir, sci-fi, and old fashioned crime dramas that just doesn't manage to end up with anything novel - except for the look. 'A private detective Cruz (Antonio Banderas) is hired to find a missing stripper (Sienna Guillory) but the job turns complicated when everyone he questions ends up dead. From the mean streets of Los Angeles to the desolate desert of New Mexico, Cruz must contend with a brutal Russian Boxer, three brash LAPD detectives (Thomas Kretschman, William Fichtner, Delroy Lindo), an aged billionaire (Sam Elliott) looking for the Big Bang, and the billionaire's stunningly gorgeous wife. The solution to the mystery will cost ten lives, net $30 million and just might explain - well - everything.' It would be difficult to summarize the unsummarizable better. Toss in a few good cameos by Snoop Dogg, James Van Der Beek, Autumn Reeser, Rebecca Mader and Robert Maillet and you have a colorful cast without a whole lot to say. Despite its weak storyline the film takes on a life of its own with flashback sequences taking us out of the initial interrogation room while Banderas tells the story - and tantalizes the cops with knowledge of diamonds. The film often seems like a parody of serious crime films and as such it is entertaining. Grady Harp

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