Man In The Iron Mask (1998)

While critics may not have enjoyed this movie it is a must see for Gabriel Byrne fans everywhere. Playing the role of D'Artagnan, Dumas' pet character, he is caught between a selfish king and his three friends. Fitting the description of a T, T and T (tall, thin, & tortured for those who don't know), his dilema really draws the viewer.

However, if you are a swash buckler fan of any kind this is not that kind of movie. This is about duty and friendship and all that lay between them. Personally I think that many will find this a fun movie. The chemistry among the actors is very good and rolls over onto the screen. Leonardo DiCaprio does a very good job of creating two individual characters and the effect of seeing him in double is better than the early attempts so that if you didn't know better you would think there was another. Malkovich, Depardieu and Irons are all exceptional. If you are even remotely a Jeremy Irons fan then this a good movie for that as well as he plays a key role in this film.

Overall this is a good movie, IMHO, and well worth the money.

The Brylcreem Boys (1996)

While Ireland remained neutral during World War II, they did have a policy to intern German and Allied soldiers captured on Irish soil. What was not stated in this policy was that everyone captured would be imprisoned together. This film follows the story two captured airmen, one Canadian and one German, who meet and fall in love with the same woman.

Deadman (1995)

Highly stylized western in black & white with original music composed and performed by Neil Young.

Johnny Depp plays William Blake, a young accountant who travels west for employment following the death of his parents. Upon arrival though he finds his position at Dickenson Metalworks already filled as he has arrived a month too late. Having little money and no other prospects he encounters a damsel in distress, Thel Russell, in the street and escorts her home. He does more than escort her though as Thel's former fiance, Charlie Dickenson (played by Gabriel Byrne), bursts into the room to find them together in bed. Charlie is ready to accept this and leave until Thel remarks the she never really loved him. Scorned, Charlie turns and shoots Thel, wounding Bill Blake in the process. In defense or retaliation, or perhaps a bit of both, Bill Blake shoots Charlie fatally in the neck and escapes out the window. Enter and exit Gabriel Byrne in the space of about two minutes.

The rest of the film centers on the pursuit of Bill Blake for the murder Charlie Dickenson, who is the son of John Dickenson (Robert Mitchum), the former potential employer of Blake. Three gunmen are hired to track and kill William Blake who has since been found in the care of a native American who repeatedly calls him a "stupid ****ing white man". Is the pursuit of Blake the dream of a dying man or is it a reality with Blake transformed into the killer that he is accused of being?

This is certainly an interesting, if unconventional film, and those who have seen Mystery Train will recognize the style of Jim Jarmusch. But, the biggest, obvious, disappointment is the agonizingly brief appearance by Gabriel Byrne.

Royal Deceit (aka Prince of Jutland) (1994)

ROYAL DECEIT (released as PRINCE OF JUTLAND in Europe) is a remake of Hamlet set in medieval Denmark. Gabriel Byrne plays the villainous (sorry) uncle of the king, Fenge. Helen Mirren is The Queen, and Christian Bale plays Prince Amled. Filmed on location in Denmark, the production frequently has brightness and contrast problems which make me wanna slap the cinematographer.

For those people used to lavish, hectic Hollywood products such as Kenneth Branagh's HAMLET, ROYAL DECEIT can be a frustrating film with its leisurely pace and modest sets. The screenplay is based upon the original Danish historical sources, so the story is not identical to the Shakespearean version. Rated R, it also has some violence (hey, for one thing, just think about the premise upon which the story rests!) and many glimpses of giggling, topless Scandavian women.

Having said all that, let's talk turkey: what's the Gabriel Quotient here? I would say: high, in terms of screen time (he does get first billing after all) but low, in terms of the hero-meter (sad but true). He throws himself into playing the role of the dastardly, murderous scoundrel who covets his brother's wife and throne. With a stark, bristly haircut, Gabriel Byrne's Fenge is thrust into the shadow of Christian Bale's flowing maned Hamlet, er, Amled. (Ironically, the very next year (JUTLAND was released in 1994) poor Gabe would once again be playing second fiddle romantically and thematically to Christian Bale, playing Professor Bahr to his Laurie whatsisname in LITTLE WOMEN.)

Once again, OUR hero (vs. the film's hero) meets and violent end when Bale's character finally takes his revenge for his father and brother's murders. (How many movie deaths does this make it anyway?!) He also glowers, plots and skulks but alas, very rarely (if ever) evinces his charming grin, although it does prove once again, that European actors are more adventurous in their choice of roles than the Tom Cruises of the world. Watching it did make me want to turn around and go see THE USUAL SUSPECTS or MILLER'S CROSSING again though: there's violence (again) but at least Gabe The Babe(tm) gets to play a romantic figure.

Point of No Return (aka The Assassin) (1993)

This film is the American version and mostly faithful remake of La Femme Nikita. While many reviews seem to prefer the original film, Point of No Return offers a tight script, an inspired original score and the addition of music by Nina Simone into the plot.

Bridget Fonda is "Maggie", a drug addict sentenced to death for her complicity in the death of a cop during a drugstore robbery. Following a staged execution, Maggie awakens to find herself faced with another chance at life but only if she agrees to become a government assassin.

Gabriel Byrne plays "Uncle" Bob, the mentor who guides Maggie through the training that effectively transforms her from a streetwise yob to a poised and refined young (hit)woman, code name "Nina". During her training, Bob falls in love with Maggie but it is a love that will never be realized.

Following the completion of her training, Maggie is relocated and assumes a new identity. She meets J.P. (Dermot Mulroney) and attempts to live one life with him while hiding the other. Ultimately though, Maggie wants out and the climax involves a botched hit with Harvey Keitel called in as "The Cleaner".

Hello Again(1987)

Also starring Shelley Long, Corbin Bernson, Judith Ivey. This film seems primarily a Shelley Long vehicle and poorly mixes comedy with the subjects of death and reincarnation. Shelley Long and Corbin Bernson play a so-called happily married couple where Bernson is a plastic surgeon and Long plays the dutiful, though clumsy, housewife. Subsequent to Long's character's unexpected death, her husband marries her best friend and drastically changes his life compared to his prior, somewhat banal, marriage to Long. Long's sister, a psychic, brings her back to life through a series of magical incantations. Her return to this world is temporary though unless she can find true love.

Enter Gabriel Byrne's character- the emergency room doctor who presided during her death is reintroduced as the hopeful true love that will facilitate Long's ability to remain in this world. You can be assured a happy ending, but only after Long's character is challenged and successfully defends her unlikely situation while also exposing her best friend's deceit.

The Keep (1983)

THE KEEP is a weird, slo-mo metaphysically-oriented horror movie directed by Michael Mann (yes, Mr. Miami Vice). Based on the F. Paul Wilson novel of the same name, it is set in WWII Eastern Europe (Roumania, I think, but I forget). It stars a youthful, sinewy Scott Glenn (yum!) as the mysterious hero with blazing (literally) blue eyes, Gabriel Byrne as a very NOT nice babyfaced Stormtrooper commandant, and a Jennifer Beals lookalike as the damsel in distress.

Jurgen Prochnow is the leader of a group of unlucky German soldiers stationed in the eponymous keep to guard a strategic mountain pass. He is a humane officer who is unfortunately not able to keep his troops from unleashing an evil force from its captivity. (Rule #1 of horror movies: NEVER disregard warnings from gloomy, bearded old men!)

Byrne arrives to take charge of the mess and demonstrates rather unnervingly that he is an actor capable of great range: not only did I almost not recognize him, but his character is frighteningly brutal and remorseless. It makes you extremely glad that you are not actually living in the era of Nazi-controlled Europe.

Alas, this being a horror movie, and Gabriel being A Bad Man, I think you know what his fate is (yes, AGAIN) but in the meantime, he paints a fascinating psychological portrait of a terrorist in solder's garb. There are also some other ruminations distilled from Wilson's (presumably more complex -- I like a lot of his other books: very gripping) novel about Faustian bargains and the contagion of evil.

All in all, worth a rental to watch Our Guy, if you can deal with slow paced, almost dreamy, horror films (with the obligatory exploding body parts), especially since he appears to pull a Dorian Gray and look impossibly younger than his actual age AND he gets to flex his acting chops.

Review by Shirley Loh

Excalibur (1981)