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REVOLVER
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: REVOLVER, written and directed by Guy
Ritchie, comes off like Jim Thompson crossed with
Philip K. Dick. It is hard to say if it will go
better with a crime audience or a science fiction
audience. Con games. Chess games. Mind games.
They all mix in the hands of a villain you will
not guess. This is a weird and unpredictable
crime film, which is understating it. Ritchie
regular Jason Statham and Ray Liotto star in a
story of revenge, violence, and puzzles. I liked
it, because of the audacious solution, but I
suspect that not many other people will agree.
Sam Gold is for me the new Keyser Soze. Rating:
+2 (-4 to +4) or 7/10
Would you give everything you have to get everything you want for three days? That is the question that Mr. Green (played by Jason Statham) must decide. Just out of seven years in prison he wants retribution on the men who had cheated him. He has gone back to his old haunts to get his revenge, but it is just not working. That is it is not working until two men offer to help him in return for everything he has. Normally that would not be such a great deal. But these two men seem infallible. They seem to have a supernatural knowledge of the future. They are not just infallible; they also seem to be able to bend reality to do anything they need to do. But is it still not a good enough deal? How about after Mr. Green finds out he will die in three days anyway from a rare blood disease? His own independent doctor confirms he is dying. Now the strange offer starts to make sense. Maybe it does. But what is really going on? Is what appears on the surface real? It can't be. Mr. Green does not know whom to trust. And I seriously doubt that any first time viewer is going to guess what is going on either.
In SNATCH and LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS, Guy Ritchie gave us two crime films that were fast-paced and witty. But they also were a little weird and most of the public seemed to like it. REVOLVER is a whole lot weird and I strongly suspect that Ritchie is going to be disappointing those who like his crime films but who will not take to the reality bending.
This is a very tricky mystery with a heavy dose of philosophy and not a little fantasy. Ritchie has some strange touches like suddenly going to anime. There are little quotes at the beginning. Mark them well. They turn out not to be just lessons learned, but integral parts of the film.
REVOLVER is getting a lot of bad reviews. Perhaps most people will not be open to the weirdness of this film and of the solution of the puzzle. It was in front of me all the time, and I never suspected it. I don't think most people will. Okay, I am going to rate this film high, but that is not the same thing as a recommendation. This is a film for a narrow audience. I am not sure I understand the whole thing. When it comes out on DVD I will give it another try, because I like a film that has a new idea and does something new. I just am not sure what it is that it does. I rate REVOLVER a +2 on the -4 to +4 scale or 7/10. Be warned. There is a very good chance your mileage will vary.
Mark R. Leeper
mleeper@optonline.net
Copyright 2006 Mark R. Leeper
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