Rate 'The Blues Brothers' (1980)

THE BLUES BROTHERS is very funny. The song selection as well as the energy displayed by the actors and dancers is impossible to resist. However, THINK feels out of place. It's the only number presented as if the movie was a musical (no instruments are played on screen). Speaking of, Aretha Franklin may be an outstanding singer, but her acting skills leave a lot to be desired. The framing and camera work in the opening scene are stunning. Stephen M. Katz's cinematography during the other scenes isn't as memorable, but it's still good. The car chase scenes are incredibly well put together but, during the 1st one, the combination of John Landis' directing and George Folsey Jr.'s editing make it feel like the cars are going at a slower speed than they actually are. I can root for people who break the law in order to save an orphanage, but not if they have such an indifference towards innocent pedestrians. Sure, the title characters honk to make sure people get out of the way, but what if that chance isn't possible? How could it even be possible when the car is driven inside a building?

8/10


Even though THE BLUES BROTHERS had fantastical moments, they only happened from time to time. They're much more frequent in BLUES BROTHERS 2000. And they mostly involve the supernatural, making this feel like a SCOOBY-DOO episode in all the wrong ways. There's a scene that reveals why the title characters wear black suits and sunglasses. It has to do with how iconic graphic symbols can create a psychological response and--What the Hell?! Why they can't they just be cool outfits?! This is the midi-chlorians situation all over again! Both installments have flimsy plots and are unnecessarily long, but the 1st one is easier to sit through because it at least follows an arc (as basic as it is) and because it has closure. This sequel, while not entirely devoid of laughter and toe-tapping music, is just a series of scenes. With a script like this, you can't afford to have an open ending. Even if we put that aside, the ending isn't built up properly. Without getting into spoilers, the end credits start rolling abruptly. Not to mention that it tries to convince the viewer that the emotional connection between the last 2 characters we see is what the story was about all along, even though that aspect had barely been developed. If you're reading this and you currently work and/or wish to work in the film industry: Please. don't show the credits on the left side of the screen while the right side shows the main actors and cameos singing to the camera one at a time with their names written underneath in a bigger font! It's impossible to read everything!

3/10
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