I still haven't seen 'The Two Jakes', but I recall my favorite film critic, Jonathan Rosenbaum, formerly of the 'Chicago Reader', preferring this to 'Chinatown', a film for which he doesn't especially care.
Siskel's pretentiousness had nothing on Roger's. Most people miss this and insist that Ebert was better because they have their little scorecards out and see that Roger thumbed up more "classic" films than Gene did, but Roger was downright disingenuous and deceptive about movies he didn't like (especially if it had anything at all to do with either politics or scenes that he thought were unhealthy for the general public to see), and he conversely found reasons to suck up to movies he apparently thought that it would be useful to give a good review to (like Aliens or Tarantino, whom he didn't like at all and he forced himself to re-watch Pulp Fiction to intentionally look for the good stuff to focus on to convince himself to give it a good review.) Siskel at least stuck to his guns and usually didn't try to fool himself or the viewer. See Roger's print reviews of The General's Daughter, The Siege, his two reviews of Birth of a Nation, etc. if you want to get a feel for his relentless pretentiousness, preachyness and disingenuity.
I saw this film the very day I saw Chinatown for the first time and man, was this a chore to sit through. What a crushing disappointment after watching a film that may have had the finest script ever written.
Towne wrote Chinstown as an original screenplay, all credit to him, and he want to follow up the long term fallout for the characters in that furst movie.
I watched this after watching Chinatown a few years ago, and this movie wasn't even in the same ballpark as the first. Overlong and convoluted and dull as dishwater. Paying attention to a movie shouldn't be the sole challenge of the film. It should still both entertain and provoke thought as well and the movie failed on both fronts. Chinatown didn't have that problem. S&E were off the mark on this one. Jack was in over his head helming this movie himself
@@johnhein2539 Hard to keep up with a film when there is nothing of interest to watch on the screen. Night Moves was convoluted but I found the film to be highly engaging.
i thought it was fine, not a patch on the original but it ties in well with the original. you really need to be familiar with the original for it to make any sense whatsoever.
Combining a very dense plot by Towne with just adequate direction by Nicholson made this a disappointing watch. Nicholson isn't able to either stitch the film together stylistically or make the film buoyant enough to help us made through all the story elements. It's a fairly dispiriting film after the heights of 'Chinatown'.
This is a great example of critics being influenced by the time they were living in. Obviously they were starved for anything with a hint of complexity and maturity at the time of “The Two Jakes” release. Can’t blame them; it was a rough time for movies. But The Two Jakes is pretty bad. Well, maybe not bad, but if you watch it after Chinatown, it is truly awful by comparison. Maybe that’s unfair, but it’s true.. On it’s own, it doesn’t hold up. Bland television movie cinematography, with only occasional attempts at establishing any kind of mood. Over extended voice over sequences that meander and provide no information and evoke no emotion. Awkward line delivery by some of the minor characters, seemingly floundering without appropriate direction. The main characters have awkward stilted dialog at times, but it’s carried through by charismatic actors, which is the only thing saving the movie. Anyone curious, do yourself a favor and don’t watch “The Two Jakes” anywhere near Chinatown. You’ll have a lot less patience for it’s failures.
Huge disappointment. These two are obviously too devoted to the original film and Jack Nicholson. It was "challenging" because it was a mess, as far as the story goes. Everything else was there. The script wasn't.
Totally forgot about this movie.
HEY, MIKEY THEY LIKED IT !!!!
I’m going to call Chinatown the one Jake from now on
I didn't find it THAT challenging and enjoyed the movie immensely.
This was THE worst movie I ever saw!
@@josephinetracy1485 This isn't even the worst Jack Nicholson film.
@@Shadowman4710 Jack Nicholson doesnt make bad movies
Great video
Thank you for sharing
I still haven't seen 'The Two Jakes', but I recall my favorite film critic, Jonathan Rosenbaum, formerly of the 'Chicago Reader', preferring this to 'Chinatown', a film for which he doesn't especially care.
reccomended
That trademark Gene Siskel pretentiousness is on full display here.
I like this movie BTW.
Siskel's pretentiousness had nothing on Roger's. Most people miss this and insist that Ebert was better because they have their little scorecards out and see that Roger thumbed up more "classic" films than Gene did, but Roger was downright disingenuous and deceptive about movies he didn't like (especially if it had anything at all to do with either politics or scenes that he thought were unhealthy for the general public to see), and he conversely found reasons to suck up to movies he apparently thought that it would be useful to give a good review to (like Aliens or Tarantino, whom he didn't like at all and he forced himself to re-watch Pulp Fiction to intentionally look for the good stuff to focus on to convince himself to give it a good review.) Siskel at least stuck to his guns and usually didn't try to fool himself or the viewer. See Roger's print reviews of The General's Daughter, The Siege, his two reviews of Birth of a Nation, etc. if you want to get a feel for his relentless pretentiousness, preachyness and disingenuity.
The part where Harvey Keitel parrots John Huston’s line about Jake Gittes thinking he knew what he was dealing with was just major cringe.
exactly
I saw this film the very day I saw Chinatown for the first time and man, was this a chore to sit through. What a crushing disappointment after watching a film that may have had the finest script ever written.
It got forgotten soon after it was released! Very quickly indeed
Most of the cinematic masterpieces shouldn’t have sequels, and Chinatown is one of them!!!
Towne wrote Chinstown as an original screenplay, all credit to him, and he want to follow up the long term fallout for the characters in that furst movie.
@@tedbailey3673 I was surprised to learn that Polanski wanted the downbeat ending to Chinatown. Good for him !
I watched this after watching Chinatown a few years ago, and this movie wasn't even in the same ballpark as the first. Overlong and convoluted and dull as dishwater. Paying attention to a movie shouldn't be the sole challenge of the film. It should still both entertain and provoke thought as well and the movie failed on both fronts. Chinatown didn't have that problem.
S&E were off the mark on this one. Jack was in over his head helming this movie himself
It was complicated as hell. You practically had to take notes.
If you watch Brick and Miller's Crossing, as well as the original Chinatown, you should be able to keep up with The Two Jakes
@@johnhein2539 Hard to keep up with a film when there is nothing of interest to watch on the screen. Night Moves was convoluted but I found the film to be highly engaging.
I’m watching it now 😂
It has style but just a little too slow and repetitious compared to Chinatown. Jack just not a seasoned, deft director like Polanski.
get a real job :]
Maybe, but Jack didn’t want the comparisons to Polanski. He wanted to do the film his way, and he did, very underrated film
i thought it was fine, not a patch on the original but it ties in well with the original. you really need to be familiar with the original for it to make any sense whatsoever.
2:47 *WUESTION? Is the film critic dude wearing a WIG! If so that’s a damn going looking Toupee. Johnnie de Bangkok,again*
Combining a very dense plot by Towne with just adequate direction by Nicholson made this a disappointing watch. Nicholson isn't able to either stitch the film together stylistically or make the film buoyant enough to help us made through all the story elements. It's a fairly dispiriting film after the heights of 'Chinatown'.
*Here is an underrated film by Johnnie de Bangkok!* th-cam.com/video/Zvlg_qgdXpc/w-d-xo.html
This is a great example of critics being influenced by the time they were living in. Obviously they were starved for anything with a hint of complexity and maturity at the time of “The Two Jakes” release. Can’t blame them; it was a rough time for movies.
But The Two Jakes is pretty bad. Well, maybe not bad, but if you watch it after Chinatown, it is truly awful by comparison. Maybe that’s unfair, but it’s true..
On it’s own, it doesn’t hold up. Bland television movie cinematography, with only occasional attempts at establishing any kind of mood. Over extended voice over sequences that meander and provide no information and evoke no emotion. Awkward line delivery by some of the minor characters, seemingly floundering without appropriate direction. The main characters have awkward stilted dialog at times, but it’s carried through by charismatic actors, which is the only thing saving the movie.
Anyone curious, do yourself a favor and don’t watch “The Two Jakes” anywhere near Chinatown. You’ll have a lot less patience for it’s failures.
Hey, I hate Two Jakes but you can't dump on it's cinematography. The film is very well photographed and the production design was top notch.
Nah the two jakes is great
Huge disappointment. These two are obviously too devoted to the original film and Jack Nicholson.
It was "challenging" because it was a mess, as far as the story goes. Everything else was there. The script wasn't.
Pretty much the same reason why they liked GF 3. They were nostalgic for the previous films.
This film was corny and convoluted.
Wow, these old farts had terrible taste.
This wasn't a bad movie, but it was an awful sequel. Nothing could probably live up to to Chinatown, but this should have been something else.