A Vietnam vet takes forceful control of Central Park to remember those who served and died in the Vietnam War.
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I found this movie extremely hard to watch since it lacked any semblance of a plot and it focused on the action. The music by Tangerine Dream is just over the top and further detracts from the movie experience. After 30 minutes, I fast forwarded to parts that looked promising, but was just disappointed by the continuation of the sad, sad, sad film making attempt. I finally fast forwarded to the end only to confirm that the film made absolutely no sense and is an example of movies that should never have been made in the first place.
I can't imagine Tommy Lee Jones in anything bad... His performance here is solid and believable although a bit hammy at times.... What I like about this movie is the story... With the current state of affairs in the USA at the present time...(2007) It seems very relevant...Everyone seems to be asleep .. Too preoccupied with their cell phones and Ipods to notice what is going on around them. This movie really grabs you... Too bad this doesn't happen in real life! You still find yourself rooting for the guy who you know is doing wrong but his justification is beyond what is legal.. it's simply the right thing to do! Good supporting cast and Helen Shaver does a good job as the objective reporter. It is an old theme but still a very powerful one and all the key elements are there. Sometimes you have to put your selfish desires aside and find the strength to do what is right even though it may not be popular.If you like a story with a solid message, decent acting and a few thrills for good measure, I recommend The Park Is Mine!
The idea is absurd - a Vietnam veteran who feels that Vietnam vets have been poorly treated by the country they served decides to single-handedly take control of New Yorks Central Park by force of arms as a social protest.But the vet is dyeing of cancer (courtesy of agent orange exposure during the war) and commits suicide before he can complete his plan. So instead, he leaves a long letter to his war buddy Mitch (Tommy Lee Jones), asking him to complete the plan in his place.At first, Mitch thinks the plan is as crazy as... well, as it is. But after a series of disappointing encounters with his ex-wife, his landlord, and some snotty NYPD cops, he gets angry enough to complete the plan and take over Central Park, keeping everyone out with explosive booby traps and gunfire (blanks at first) for 48 hours until Veteran's Day.The city administration is understandably upset by this action, and after a police assault to capture Mitch fails, they hire a pair of mercenaries to simply kill him.Complicating matters is an overly ambitious TV reporter (Helen Shaver) who sneaks into the park on her own to try for an interview, and a Swat team leader (Yaphet Koto) who sympathizes with Mitch but wants him out of the park as much as the administration.This movie has it all - action, suspense, drama, a few unsuspected twists, and an ending that leaves you feeling both happy and sad at the same time.Originally made for HBO in 1985, this excellent action flick has unfortunately never been released on DVD. But with so much TV being released on DVD these days, I have hope that one day soon I will be able to add The Park Is Mine to my DVD collection.
Tommy Lee Jones, in an updated version of Taxi Driver, plays a disillusioned, disenchanted Vietnam Vet who only truly feels at home while on patrol. He takes over Central Park in downtown New York City in a believable scenario; seeking control, and seeking recognition, he dominates the city by shutting down the Park.Jones becomes the indigenous guerrilla, the one who controls the fight by setting the scene and drawing the inept Police into his traps. An excellent movie, ahead of its time, imagine a very human Rambo in downtown New York. The movie does not have a neat ending, like Taxi Driver or even Dog Day afternoon. Instead, it ends as you might like it too.