Director: Jeffrey Donovan
Writer: Matt Nix
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Kiele Sanchez and Chandra West
Writer: Matt Nix
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Kiele Sanchez and Chandra West
Release Date: 17 April 2011 (USA)
Genres: Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
At last years Comic-Con, Burn Notice creator Matt Nix has a big announcement. That a film Burn Notice is set in motion in the starring everyone’s favorite alcoholic woman’s husband, Bruce Campbell as the one and only Sam Axe. But I do not think any of us expected it to be ready so soon. Nix said the film was going to show how Sam was removed from the military and ended up in Miami. And boy did he …
The first thing to take note of this film is that they have good Sam Axe, Sam Axe. At no time was given Sam and overly serious story line the back story to fill. It was a simple, small group versus large army storyline. There are no former lover who was killed. There was no family drama that led to Sam’s military removal. There was a dark crime was covered. Nix it smart and we have Sam Axe we already know and love, and put him in Columbia.
The film begins with a rather nice bait and switch. You think it is about that dark, brooding back story that gets real annoying, real quick. But Sam has problems with a front gate and all is right with the world of Burn Notice again. Sam Axe is at its best when just being accidentally or intentionally funny cool, and there are plenty of those in the fall of Sam Axe.
Take the scene where Sam a convoy through the gravel a leading role when he was stopped by a fallen tree. Now, should the shit-get-real Sam Axe says: “It’s trap! Everyone fall back!” But good ol ‘Sam Axe is the mind set of “weeellll, maybe, maybe not.” Which then leads to a wonderful bit with a chain saw that all Bruce Campbell fans should love.
What also works in the film’s favor is the lack of an annoying love interest. Yes, there ‘s a love interest, I do not deny that. But she was dismissive toward Sam’s far from subtle advances to the bitter end and even then it’s not like her and Sam get it on. They kiss, hug and go there separate ways. It would not be surprising to learn that Sam the 1945 version of Mildred Pierce was right to look before heading to Columbia, and was channeling a bit of Wally Fay throughout the mission.
The point I am trying to get across is that Matt Nix knew exactly what story he tells, and there were lots of Burn Notice cheese to go around. He even managed to sneak in a little cameo Michael Weston, who Jeffrey Donovan (who also serves as the film’s director) delivered perfectly and without hesitation. “It was a general’s wife be?” Yes Michael, because when Sam Axe do something, he goes in balls deep (pun intended).
The only real downside is there is not much to say story-wise, because we all know how this story ends. Sam chills in Miami for a year or two and then Weston fell back in his lap, so bring us back to the present day. Of course it is also confirmed by Campbell himself that some of the characters of the film will appear in the upcoming season, so keep your eyes open for that.
Final thoughts: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is one of the few TV movies that the audience would totally play is getting. If you like Burn Notice, as Sam’s fall from the ranks of the military, is probably exactly what you hope.
The first thing to take note of this film is that they have good Sam Axe, Sam Axe. At no time was given Sam and overly serious story line the back story to fill. It was a simple, small group versus large army storyline. There are no former lover who was killed. There was no family drama that led to Sam’s military removal. There was a dark crime was covered. Nix it smart and we have Sam Axe we already know and love, and put him in Columbia.
The film begins with a rather nice bait and switch. You think it is about that dark, brooding back story that gets real annoying, real quick. But Sam has problems with a front gate and all is right with the world of Burn Notice again. Sam Axe is at its best when just being accidentally or intentionally funny cool, and there are plenty of those in the fall of Sam Axe.
Take the scene where Sam a convoy through the gravel a leading role when he was stopped by a fallen tree. Now, should the shit-get-real Sam Axe says: “It’s trap! Everyone fall back!” But good ol ‘Sam Axe is the mind set of “weeellll, maybe, maybe not.” Which then leads to a wonderful bit with a chain saw that all Bruce Campbell fans should love.
What also works in the film’s favor is the lack of an annoying love interest. Yes, there ‘s a love interest, I do not deny that. But she was dismissive toward Sam’s far from subtle advances to the bitter end and even then it’s not like her and Sam get it on. They kiss, hug and go there separate ways. It would not be surprising to learn that Sam the 1945 version of Mildred Pierce was right to look before heading to Columbia, and was channeling a bit of Wally Fay throughout the mission.
The point I am trying to get across is that Matt Nix knew exactly what story he tells, and there were lots of Burn Notice cheese to go around. He even managed to sneak in a little cameo Michael Weston, who Jeffrey Donovan (who also serves as the film’s director) delivered perfectly and without hesitation. “It was a general’s wife be?” Yes Michael, because when Sam Axe do something, he goes in balls deep (pun intended).
The only real downside is there is not much to say story-wise, because we all know how this story ends. Sam chills in Miami for a year or two and then Weston fell back in his lap, so bring us back to the present day. Of course it is also confirmed by Campbell himself that some of the characters of the film will appear in the upcoming season, so keep your eyes open for that.
Final thoughts: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe is one of the few TV movies that the audience would totally play is getting. If you like Burn Notice, as Sam’s fall from the ranks of the military, is probably exactly what you hope.