not horrible nor great

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Much has been written about this movie and undeniably most statements are absolutely true. Yes, viewing "Fatal Deviation" can give back eyesight to the blind and has been known to cure lepers. Why James Bennett has not been hired to play a major role in "The Expendables 4" is beyond my understanding, I can only presume that Sly and Arnie are intimidated by Jimmy's sheer awesomeness.Let's just focus on the brilliant dialogs, which really prove that Shakespeare was merely an inarticulate, monosyllable clot. "You made me look bad, and that is not good"!, has since replaced "Hallo, how are you" in my vocabulary. "You have killed my son! Now I'll kill you like I killed your father", sneers the kingpin, who wishes to defend his drug-monopoly in the metropolis of Trim (Population: 8,000). Our hero replies faster and wittier than Eddie Murphy could have ever dreamed off: "You have killed my father! Now I will kill you like I killed your son". I could go on quoting those lyrical gems but am afraid that my keyboard will overheat.Watch out for a cameo by JCVD himself (he appears in a picture hanging from the reform-school dorms wall), which led many a person to the speculation that Bennett has indeed studied under the muscles-from-brussels (or, humble martial artist that he is, has changed his birth name Sean-Claude O'Damme to J.P). The rest of the cast is equally formidable; any puppet-theater in the world would crave to have such fine actors among their ensemble. Not to forget the leading lady: The tag line has promised us "a hot babe" – that's like saying a volcano is only lukewarm. The way she presents our hero with a pancake and than blows at a dandelion made me feel like I was cheating my wife by just watching. Surely, you couldn't find a fyner lass in all of Trim, county Meath.I loved this movie so much that I christened my firstborn daughter James Bennett! And please: Ignore all those reviews that deny the film its greatness and have surely been composed by the sock-puppets of a bitter Chuck Norris and jealous Jackie Chan. The leprechauns pot has finally been discovered and it contains not gold, but a copy "Fatal Deviation"! Only 10/10 and I can only petition IMDb to give us extra points just to bestow it upon this masterpiece.

I don't know many people that have seen this film; however, the few I do know don't seem to like it. I can't understand why this is. It seems to include all the ingredients necessary to make a martial arts masterpiece... insane martial arts moves... intricate plot... sublime acting and Mikey Graham from Irish Boy Band Boyzone.The lead actor/character, James Bennett, is perhaps the most significant martial arts actor since the late great Bruce Lee. He delivers a fantastic acting performance delivering his lines with the eloquence of a Shakespearean actor while delivering his back kicks with the ferocity of a kangaroo. Indeed Bennett's back kick is certainly his most effective weapon which is why he chooses to use it all the time.Another character of note is Bennett's mentor the monk. Every great martial arts film has a mysterious elderly master and fatal deviation is no different. However, it does approach this aspect of the genre in a unique way. The monk, Bennett's master and trainer, doesn't seem to have any training himself. Basically he just gives Bennett Yoga like advice and hides behind trees.Last but certainly not least is the performance of Mikey Graham. Mikey Graham was a member of an Irish boy band called Boyzone which enjoyed major success in Ireland and Britain throughout the late nineties. Always the bride's maid and never the bride, Mikey had always been considered one of the less important members of the band. He was never as popular with the fans as his colleagues were. Fatal Deviation was expected to put Mikey to the forefront... it should have. Playing an extremely brutal gangster was always going to be tough for the clean cut pop star but his stellar performance was comparable with that of Daniel Day Lewis in "Gangs of New York." Look out for his use of "angry eyebrows" to portray how angry he feels.To conclude I feel the film has been unduly criticized, and for true martial arts fans this is a must see.

Ultra-cheapo Irish martial arts movie, shot on VHS with amateurism running through it from head to toe. If the slightly threadbare Irish aspect of 'Father Ted' ever raised a smile then you should definitely give this a look.There's nothing in this film that you could consider in any way professional or competent. The acting stinks, it's badly dubbed, the action scenes are arthritic, the dialogue feeble, the direction barely qualifies as such and the whole thing makes very little sense at all.However.I don't think I've ever seen anything quite as entertaining in my life, and not even in a "so bad it's good" sort of way. It's impossible to explain - but it works, it just works. A quite amazing movie.There's rumoured to be a 10th anniversary festival this year in the village of Trim where it was made. If it pans out, I'm there - if only to meet the incredible James Bennett!

The Greatest Irish Film of all time, regardless of what anybody says; Pure Genius. It's a shame that Jimmy Bennet has not popped up in anything since, skillful as he is not only in martial arts, but his incredible acting abilities sees to be a shameful waste of natural talent. The same goes for the rest of the cast, powerful performances by all give way to real-as- life martial arts and action so intense you will want to watch it over again. As rumors go the films budget was made with an astonishing small amount of only £200, professional camera crew and sensible post production make this small-would-be indie hit into a full explosive, extravagant blockbuster that all should see! The town of Trim has produced an incredible amount of talent for such a small place, Amazing!