Director Wolfgang Petersen was a German filmmaker with an eye for intensity and drama. From political action thrillers to historical war epics, he delivered entertaining stories that question right and wrong, as well as conflicted characters dealing with moral issues and dangerous life and death scenarios. His features contain strong heroes and threatening villains, along with appealing visual effects.
The director also brought out some favorable performances from A-list actors like Clint Eastwood, Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman, and George Clooney. Petersen recently passed away this month due to pancreatic cancer, but he leaves behind a legacy of memorable motion pictures.
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The Perfect Storm
Based on a true story, George Clooney and Mark Wahlberg star as crew members on a fishing boat called theAndrea Gailwho get caught up in a treacherous hurricane known as the “1991 Perfect Storm.” The fishermen desperately attempt to overcome tremendous waves and heavy weather from the hurricane, while colleagues and loved ones seek answers to find out where the men are located.
Generally,disaster films are predictable and formulaic, especially when spectators can figure out which characters live and die, or the layout of the story. Petersen’s film also contains familiar elements, but the performances are emotionally impactful, and the visual effects pertaining to the hurricane (including forty to fifty-foot waves) are riveting to watch.
Troy
Petersen’s vision to depict Homer’sThe Iliadin a nearly three-hour movie was thought an impossible task to accomplish considering the massive length of the story and numerous characters. However, the director succeeds in making his film epic and brutal thanks to some powerful acting and gritty battle sequences. The feature focuses on King Agamemnon and his desire to conquer the city of Troy with all the warriors of Greece at his disposal, including Achilles, the greatest fighter. The war ensues when Prince Paris of Troy falls in love with Helen and takes her away from her husband, King Menelaus of Sparta (Agamemnon’s brother).
Along with the intensely well-choreographed sword battles (including the epic fight between Achilles and Prince Hector of Troy), the drama and feuds among the characters are the highlights of the film. Paris (Orlando Bloom) loves Helen but is an inexperienced fighter who tries to stand up for himself against Menelaus. Hector is upset with Paris for starting a war over love, but Hector loves his brother and would do everything to lead his army to victory. Achilles (played byBrad Pitt in fine action form) is a cold-blooded killer who has taken many lives, but he has morals and principles, and considers Agamemnon a poor leader compared to King Priam of Troy.
Das Boot
Nominated for six Oscars (including Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay for Petersen),Das Bootis the epic war film that placed the filmmaker among the best directors in the business.Set during World War II, Petersen’s German feature primarily takes place on a crowded submarine filled with soldiers, machinery, and hard labor. The story is a long journey about a German army who goes through treacherous battles and warfare, while also following rigorous duties on their boat.
This film (which was also released as a TV miniseries) may initially be considered challenging for spectators to watch, considering the story follows the perspective of German soldiers during WWII. However, the main point of Petersen’s epic is to view the members of this crew as human beings who are simply doing their jobs and working hard to serve their country. Jürgen Prochnow (a frequent collaborator of Petersen’s) is usually known for portraying villains in films likeAir Force One,Beverly Hills Cop II, andThe Replacement Killers, but his breakthrough role as the disciplined Captain inDas Bootis one of immense power. He is a leader who looks out for his young and inexperienced army, yet he is also heavily against the war they’re fighting in.
Air Force One
Whilethis is aDie Hardrip-off(Die Hardon an airplane), Petersen created one of the best action thrillers of the 1990s withAir Force One. Harrison Ford’s performance as James Marshall is one of the greatest portrayals of a fictional President in cinematic history. This Commander-in-Chief not only delivers eloquent speeches, but he is also a tough and skillful leader who can physically take on bad guys. In this case, it is a group of Russian terrorists who hijack the President’s plane and hold hostages in order to have a comrade released from prison.
Gary Oldman is menacingas the murderous terrorist leader who threatens the President’s wife and daughter and goes toe-to-toe against Marshall during a couple of tense confrontations. Along with terrific action sequences (including both shootouts and hand-to-hand fights), there’s plenty of drama when Marshall has to make difficult decisions: how to save hostages without getting caught, dumping fuel from the plane, and ignoring terrorist demands.
In The Line Of Fire
This is another suspenseful 90s action thriller starring Clint Eastwood as veteran Secret Service Agent Frank Horrigan, who is stalked by a professional assassin named Mitch Leary (who initially calls himself Booth, in reference to Abraham Lincoln’s killer). Leary intends to kill the current U.S. President, and uses Horrigan as a pawn in his game. John Malkovich portraysthe villainous and cold-bloodedLeary, who intends to prove to Horrigan that he is a superior adversary willing to kill anyone (especially those in a government he considers corrupt).
Petersen’s film is an intense cat-and-mouse game with some rigorous chase scenes and a few violent, bloody action sequences. There’s also some clever use of archival footage to create the illusion that a young Clint Eastwood was actually at John F. Kennedy’s side during his assassination. Eastwood and Malkovich are perfect nemeses in a feature that distinguishes what it means to kill and protect a powerful figure.
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