This film was simply awful in what was intended as an action-thriller. Instead of being fast-paced, it was laboriously slow. Instead of thrilling, it was dull. The plot was so convoluted that the viewer lost track of the different characters and story lines. I'm only guessing due to the confusion of the screenplay, but my viewing suggested that the characters' main goal was to discover notes about a scientific breakthrough left by the visionary physicist Nicholas Tesla in the area of unleashing energy.

The focus of the film was on a beleaguered private detective, who becomes enmeshed in the Tesla plot. The characters and relationships are so poorly developed that it is impossible to care about the detective or anyone else. The most insipid of the characters was a brother-sister team that was apparently out to control the world with the Tesla invention. Matthew Broderick was terrible in the role of the brother.

Somehow, the filmmakers were able to attract several well-known actors (Robert Vaughn, Jeanine Garofalo, and Robert Forster) for cameo parts. But the film as a whole was poorly acted.

The film style was also amateurish with endless repetitive shots of the detective clambering into his car. The set-ups and camera angles were atrocious. As the setting is Buffalo, there was an attempt made to get some action sequences around Niagara Falls. But once again, the editing was so bad that the scenes around the falls were never credible.

It is truly shocking to contemplate how this project ever received a green light and how it now has made its way into slots in Redbox machines. Instead of the title "The American Side," this film should have been called "The American Turkey."

Well, what can i say, this leading actor has got no charisma, he looks (and is or should be) a tv-movie actor. That's not the only trouble this movie has got though...

More bad: the story is boring. The direction is as well, because there simply is no suspense, no thrill. And Matthew Broderick and Robert Forster only have very short lasting appearances which neither can lift this movie up either anyway.

What a dudd of a movie.

I read some good critics about this, and despite that I don't like all those Tesla conspiracy and suppressed inventions theories (rather sick fantasies),I decided to watch it - hey, Camilla Belle is in, and she made some good choices (scenarios). It was just pain to watch. Almost nothing made sense, and I will remember nothing (except bad taste) in month from now. Will not talk about plot, acting - does not deserve it. Just few words about some Tesla related things said: Main character did not hear about Tesla before getting involved in this - someone can believe that ? "Tesla invented 20-th Century" - that was less stupid, because may be seen as partially right - electricity is base of most modern technology. But then some talked about computers, cellar phones and like. No, no way that Tesla could imagine whole cellar phone concept over 100 years ago. It is possible only with digital technology. Then that unlimited free energy - beloved topic all time. But they screwed even that, turning to some supersoldier, with code name Tin Man. That was lowest part, together with abysmal and unoriginal final scene.