The Postman [DVD] [1997]

Product Description ------------------- Kevin Costner stars in and directs this futuristic, post-apocalyptic action adventure. In the year 2013, Earth has been ravaged by World War Three, its population fragmented into isolated communities. These groups are terrorised by General Bethlehem (Will Patton) and his army, until a wandering performer (Costner) appropriates the uniform of a postman, and is eagerly accepted into the community of Pineview as a representative of order. The Postman inspires the locals to fight back against Bethlehem, who vows to take revenge by destroying the village and its flourishing communications network, which is gradually spreading hope across the ravaged country. .co.uk Review ------------- Falling from the O-winning glory of Dances with Wolves to the site end of the critical and box-office scale, Kevin Costner must have been deeply humbled when this three-hour postapocalyptic tale--his sopre effort as a director--was greeted with a critical thing and tepid audience response. One of the most conspicuous flops of its decade, the 1997 release must have seemed like a sure thing on paper: a kind of futurist Western starring Costner as a charismatic drifter-turned-hero who leads the resistance against a tyrant (Will Patton) by reviving the long-dormant postal system to reunite isolated communities in their fight for freedom. The movie bombed, but, like many audacious failures, it's got qualities that make it at least partially endearing, and its earnestness (although bordering on corny) keeps it from being entirely silly. Faint praise, perhaps, but Costner's ode to patriotism is occasionally stirring and visually impressive. --Jeff Shannon

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