Titreenp SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

Aedonerre I gave this film a 9 out of 10, because it was exactly what I expected it to be.

Sanjeev Waters A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Paynbob It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

videorama-759-859391 The Combination was for me, a refreshing surprise of a flick, initially banned, I believe, which would of been such an injustice, as it would deprive movie goers of what is a first rate, independent flick, directed by acting great, Field. This film and it's ferocity, really surprised me, it was that engrossing. It's one film I just couldn't turn off, and finish watching the next day. Not many films focus on the Lebanese community, and here racism still runs high in the inner suburbs of Sydney. An older brother has just got out of the joint. There's much conflict between him and little brother (Firass Dirassi) who's heavily mixed up in crime, where he's heading in the same direction. Not only this, but he's clashing with another student, not Lebanese, at high school over a girl, where a small gang war breaks out. This movie is more take the gloves off high school flick, which can really show what happens with two cultures clash, and the tragic results can culminate. For me, Dirassi's fate was pretty mapped up, where I knew it wasn't gonna end well for him. There's many lessons illustrated in this film, where The Combination is one of the most impressive and searing Aussie films I've seen, and one that must be seen. The same can be said about explosive new talent, Dirassi. Thank you Mr Field, where you've now impressed me as a movie maker.

yourstruly2010 This film comes oh so very close to being a genuine attempt at Australian urban drama but its let down by absolutely awful acting on behalf of one or two actors that really distracts from some amazing acting and genuinely menacing Zeus and some hugely over choreographed fight scenes that belong in a Hollywood shot em up action flick not in a realistic urban drama. the other problem is that Australia has many different types of youth gang from the traditional American/English types to biker and surfer gangs the main reason why these youths are involved in gangs and thug lifestyle is not to do with poverty and horrible circumstances (although I'm sure that is the case some of the time) the vast majority of it seems to be bored teens replicating what they see on TV and hear in rap music in fact most of the people in this movie come from beautiful suburban neighbourhoods drive nice cars and have expensive clothes they come across as obnoxious posers who have no sense of national identity which is of course the point of the film anyway but you just cant help feel thats its pointless to point a camera at a group of rich kids who live in paradise and say "look their pretending to ghetto kids" because everyone accept them can see it anyway and one day their going to look back and cringe at how they used to behave if they're mature enough and mange to survive the little world they've created. thankfully there is more to the story than that, there's racial tension which oddly isn't usually a component of an urban drama so in itself could of been ground braking but its weighed down too heavily by the main clichéd urban drama story of big brother former hood sees little brother going down same route which lead him to jail and must delve in to save his brother (bullet boy, green street, American history X) in short this wants to stand up next to the big boys of the genre (Boyz N The Hood, Menace 2 Society, Babylon, Bullet Boy, La Haine, City Of God, Tribu) but in the end is overly choreographed badly acted and in the end doesn't really have a lot to say about what is probably the most civilised western nations problems of young suburban Asian Australian men imitating black American/British men whilst using race as a subplot (which in itself seems like a total hypocrisy) still worth a look to see a real side of Australia that is scarcely represented on screen and does leave you hoping the Australian film makers realise there are story's to be told in the suburbs with real people in real circumstances and despite what Australia thinks the rest of the English speaking world have no problem understanding their accents and dialects we watch neighbours, home and away, prisoner cell block H, chopper, mad max and much more just as much as we do home grown material and frankly its an insult to our intelligence and to Australians themselves to think otherwise.

dba9000 This is a horrible film made to glorify Lebanese gangsters as hero's. Not to mention the acting is just stupid most of the time. Most of this film contains young Lebanese men purporting that their way of life is somehow more meaningful then those who obey laws and regulation of a country.Before a film showing Lebanese youth as hardcore gangsters, I think the creator should consider perhaps making a film based on a Australian-Lebanese people in a love story, its a better start to a Australian film industry in the eyes of the rest of the world.My advice is to rent a Bollywood musical instead, you'll feel better about life at the end of it.

kevin-rennie After all the conflict at the opening sessions in Sydney, only one other person was in the St Kilda cinema at lunchtime on Saturday to see The Combination. A pity, because this is an Aussie film with attitude. It's a good story, competently told. Actor and now director, David Field's first effort is tight and straightforward.George Basha wrote and stars in this Lebanese/Australian tale of star-crossed lovers. It's more like West Side Story than Romeo and Juliet, a clash of cultures in the modern city. George, as the street toughened John Morkos, does tough guy very well but his delivery of love scene dialogue is a bit flat. Firass Dirani as brother Charlie is a rising star. He handles a difficult part without slipping into melodrama. Doris Younane's performance as their widowed mother Mary is a very professional one.Testosterone rules: school "gangs"; youth, drugs and crime; the boxing gym; knives and even guns. The background noise includes the 2005 riots in the Sydney beach suburb of Cronulla between Lebanese and so-called "old" Australian youths.Don't expect a clash of religions as well. Ironically the only openly Christian group are the Lebanese. The stereotypes just won't fit. The messages of this film are not subtle. John's girlfriend Sydney (Clare Bowen) gets the standard assimilation lecture from her father.We don't learn much about the inner lives of the characters. We are left to wonder why school student Zeus (Ali Haidar) has the heart of a murderer. Their seemingly irrational behaviour is easy to understand using the usual social stereotypes. Until John confronts his mother when she blames him for Charlie's criminality. John asserts personal responsibility, his own and Charlie's. He challenges the web of multi-cultural and economic determinism that has been set up so far in the film. We all live with choices we make.Tony Ryan plays Wesley, the owner of the gym where John works and trains. His aboriginality gives an added racial dimension. There is further irony when he offers John a way up through boxing.First-timer Clare Bowen, fresh from the south coast of New South Wales, gets the rookie award. She has that relaxing Toni Collette quality that makes you think you know her from somewhere. You can't help feeling at home with her character. However, apart from her family, we are left without any history for Sydney or real explanation for why she can withstand all the pressure to walk away. Perhaps this is essentially just a love story after all. And a story about families.This is another Australian film that deserves a bigger audience. Catch it while you can.Film review for "Cinema Takes" http://cinematakes.blogspot.com/