Search - The Ministers on DVD

Modern Day Robin Hood

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 12/23/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"From the box @ the rental store, I'd assume that this was about intrigue within the church. However, the story is quite different. John Leguizamo turns in a solid performance as two twin brothers, Dante and Perfecto Mendoza. Orphaned due to a landlord's placing assets over people, they embark on a vigilante mission against wrong-doing fat cats. There's a bit of a modern-day Robin Hood feel, albeit the brothers execute rather than rob. Celeste Santana plays a cop whose policeman father was gunned down. She falls in love with the brother who was not disfigured by fire. The story unravels bit by bit as the hidden relationships and conflicts bubble to the surface. Harvey Keitel plays the partner Joe Bruno. Wanda DeJesus gives a nice performance as Captain Diaz. While not a classic, this is a strong character-driven crime drama. Enjoy!"

Ecclesiastes 4:9 Two are better than one, because they have

New York Horror Reader | New York USA | 12/29/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This little indie is the second movie John Leguizamo produced and stared in for Franc Reyes, the other being Empire, Reyes first film.

When I first saw the movie poster...I though...meh...they are trying to capitalize on the Boondock Saints 2 that hit theaters around the same time, but because I love Johnny Legz and Harvey Keitel...I figured I would give this a shot. While there are slight similarities between the two films THE MINISTERS is no Boondock Saints..and that is a good thing. It is original, and visceral in it's own right. The story is a large one that spans decades but is crammed into a one hour and twentyfive minute film, because of this it seems like the writing is rushed...or perhaps it is the editing which makes the film feel a bit rushed... I guess Reyes does not have the clout to pull of a 3 hour flick yet in his career...this film could have been allot better with more time spent on character development and story arch. That being said I do not think this was a bad movie at all...in fact I LOVED IT.

Johnny Legs plays twins Dante and Perfecto, from the Bronx New York. The two had an accident in the 70's and feel like the lord has given them the go ahead for a little divine vengeance. Reyes does well with what he is allotted in terms of run time, and John Leguizamo and Harvey Keitel are stellar...in the film would have not been the same without them. This was one of Keitel's best performances in years...if not ever.

The story develops in a way that can be a bit predictable because of the pacing but it is action packed, and highly entertaining....a must see to start your new year."

The fatidic spinning wheel is about to give its last round!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 01/22/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A bold and challenging gaze about the unsuspected ramifications of religion, ethical politics, race and vengeance around Celeste Santana, a police detective of New York police whose father was killed during his job. the only clue is a pamphlet about a mysterious religious group better known as The ministers.



Thirteen years after the gang has reappeared. Celeste claims vengeance for herself but she will be out of the investigation by obvious reasons. Her terrible loneliness will lead her without knowing an erroneous decision. And then a web of unsaid details around this painful incident will be reopened showing us that in last instance all of us have something to hide; and this statement will even include the good guys.



Once more, Harvey Keitel proves he is overtly, one of the top six actors of his generation, the other five would be to my mind Robert de Niro, Al Pacino, James Woods, James Caan and Robert Duvall, gives a brilliant performance as the police partner of Celeste in this interesting movie.



A convincing, absorbing and dark thriller that well deserves to be watched.

"

Overall a Disappointment. Worth a dollar at RedBox.....maybe

The Jaundiced Eye | Texas, USA | 08/16/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"Considering the two major stars and intriguing plot synopsis, I expected a lot more from this movie than it delivered. It had a low budget feel and many technical errors in plot and editing that were confusing and amateurish. John Leguizamo did a good job with the dual part of twins, one disfigured by fire, both on a quest for revenge against slumlords and crooked cops, but they hardly represent a "secret shrouded religious order" as promised in the plot synopsis. Instead, they are merely two bickering brothers living in a crummy apartment, occasionally "shrouding" their faces with ridiculous fright wigs. Harvey Keitel does a fair job with what he is given, but he isn't given much. This is miles away from his performance in "The Bad Lieutenant", and not all of the blame lies with Harvey. Indeed, the character he portrays and his overall performance are entirely forgettable.



Why is the "dirty cop" part necessary? It has no bearing on the story. Why is everyone always angry, shouting, and arguing? Is the arrest of the drug kingpin by Santana a dream or reality, and why is it filmed so differently than the rest of the movie (with a "tacked on" look)? The accidental killing of the third, religious brother is poorly staged and completely unconvincing. A seasoned cop, running into a stranger standing openly on a well-lit corner does not "accidentally" shoot them in the chest. The whole mistaken identity concept that occurs afterward is absurdly unlikely. Santana, supposedly a young rookie, appears to be at least 35 years old. None of the characters resemble the alternate actors chosen to portray them at an earlier age, except for Harvey who looks the same (very old) all the way through, etc. etc. etc.



Overall, this productions comes off as a poor man's version of "Boondocks Saints", with a drastic reduction in dynamic acting, humor and clever dialog, and exciting plot. I rented it at RedBox for $1, and that's all I think it's worth. In fact, had I been informed of the numerous deficiencies in this movie, as I am informing you, I would not have rented it at all."