Lazy filmmaking
Demme really didn't try hard enough with this film.
I didn't like...
-the beginning: 2min 10sec of soldiers playing cards? It didn't add anything to the film...
-the pacing in general: Too slow for a thriller
-cheap-looking special effects (burning oil fields, exploding helicopters etc.)
-the ridiculous-looking dream sequences (Monty Python like)
-the B-movie-like 'drilling-easily-in-his-head-without-any-blood' sequence
-the character played by Bruno Ganz just vanishes
-the ridiculous-looking 'brainwashing' sequences where they watch video games & eat noodles (better in a comedy)
-the 'kayak' murder (would have been great in a comedy!)
-the music is generic & boring
-The casting of the 'bad scientist' is wrong (would have been good in a comedy)
-A confusing, needlessly unclear ending
-the motivation of the Manchurian Corp. to do such a 'brainwash' is unclear
-The friendship between Shaw and Marco is not explored enough
-Shaw's love for the girl is not explored enough, so we don't care when she's killed by him
Could have been thrilling, but Demme fu*ked it up