FILM / Critical round-up

PATRIOT GAMES

'So duff that you wonder why they didn't ask Roger Moore to star . . . being degrees worse than The Hunt for Red October. Between the implausibilities . . . loose ends, and climactic speedboat duel, one might be forgiven for viewing it as a Saturday Morning Picture Club serial.' Brian Case, Time Out.

'Not the most original movie, it is a shameless crowd-pleaser guaranteed to satisfy the undemanding.' Anwar Brett, Film Review

'Provided you don't think too long and simply go with the flow of the action, this is a movie that delivers the adrenaline in satisfying doses.' Hugo Davenport, Daily Telegraph.

'In short, Patriot Games is about as unmissable as a cheddar cheese at 400 paces, but suffices as a big-budget spectacular with a shrewd eye for what's wanted.' Derek Malcolm, Guardian.

'So long as we stick with Ryan's plight as a hunted man, the film remains entertaining; but its topical pose and strong-arm tactics badly misfire. 'You know nothing about terrorism,' the CIA tell Ryan; the same goes for Patriot Games.' Geoff Brown, Times.

JUST LIKE A WOMAN

'Despite the prosaic script, director Christopher Monger displays genuine sympathy for his oddball characters, and never stoops to easy laughter. But his attempt at an opulent international sheen falls flat: the film remains poky, parochial, and its message is clear - no sex, please, we're British.' Geoff Brown, Times.

'This is undemanding stuff which could have been made expressly to elicit thought-provoking, mildly racy human-interest articles in the women's monthlies.' Jonathan Romney, Time Out.