8MM RATING: 6 / 10 --> Barely recommendable
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What do you get when you slap together the writer of one of the best thrillers to come out in the last ten years, SEVEN (9/10), the cheezy director of the awful BATMAN & ROBIN, and the acting talents of Nicolas "Gimme some tights and I can play Superman" Cage? You get a mediocre checkmark on the blackboard of gripping thrillers.
PLOT: A discreet private investigator gets hired by an aging widow of a rich guy, after she finds a snuff film in his wall-safe, and wants to know if the girl killed on the grainy movie, was killed for real. The private dick slowly delves into the sick, perverted world of underground porn, and slowly uncovers the secrets behind the disgusting film.
CRITIQUE: Dark, gritty thriller that starts off with a great premise, but loses you with its snails pace, awful soundtrack and somewhat predictable and weak conclusion. The film seems to have two endings, one which is quite see-through and anti-climactic, and another longer, drawn-out finish, which does score some points for daring, but not enough to make up for the film's overall laggard inclination. The actors are all very good in their roles, with Cage coming through as the man progressively being torn apart inside, and Joaquin Phoenix as the wise-cracking, porn-shop-clerking, side-kick from hell! Peter Stormare also turns in a fun role as Dino Velvet, one of the film's more seedier characters. And yes, there are quite a few seedy characters in this one, but not as many as I anticipated. In fact, for a film that deals with murder, porn and the Hollywood underground, I didn't find much to be shocked about. Some interesting scenes, but nothing overly appalling or horrific. But then again, maybe I watch too much porn myself :)
I guess that if you're the type of person that enjoys lazy-paced films, with a tinge of character development, then you might enjoy this one, despite its impotent conclusion. But if you check into this film looking for a fast-paced thrill-ride, you will be mightily disappointed, because the hop of this film is not as swift as the mighty rabbit. Having said that, the cinematography of the film is perfect, with the smell of the underground practically carrying you out of your seat and literal darkness choking us all around. But overall, the film doesn't generate enough real thrills, tension or a full-filling conclusion, to be judged a recommendable thriller. Rent SEVEN again, or wait for this SEVEN-lite to come out on video, so that you could sit down with a beer in one hand, a remote in the other, and a pillow nestled plumply behind your fat head.
Little Known Facts about this film and its stars: Director Joel Schumacher has also directed several music videos, including "Devil Inside" by INXS, "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal and "The End is the Beginning is the End" by The Smashing Pumpkins. He has also written several screenplays including the 1976 comedy CAR WASH and 1985's Brat-Pack hit, ST-ELMO'S FIRE. He started his career as an art director for television commercials, before becoming costume designer for such notable films as Woody Allen's SLEEPER and INTERIORS. Despite being born Joaquin Raphael Phoenix, at the age of four Joaquin decided that he wanted a more earthy name, like his elder siblings River and Rain. So while he was raking leaves with his father he decided on Leaf. In the early '90's he would take back his birth name. Actor James Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers University before beginning his acting career in New York theatre. He made his Broadway debut in the 1992 revival of "A Streetcar named Desire" with Alec Baldwin and Jessica Lange. He currently resides in New York. Along with his success in the United States, actor Peter Stormare continues to work in his native country of Sweden. He starred in the title role of the Scandinavian thriller HAMILTON, also featuring Mark Hamill and Leno Olin, which broke box-office records in Sweden and Norway. Chris Bauer, the man who plays "The Machine" in this feature, is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where he appeared in such productions as Othello, The Tempest and MacBeth.
Review Date: February 24, 1999 Director: Joel Schumacher Writer: Andrew Kevin Walker Producers: Joel Schumacher, Judy Hoffland and Gavin Polone Actors: Nicolas Cage as Tom Welles, Joaquin Phoenix as Max California Genre: Thriller Year of Release: 1999
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(c) 1999 Berge Garabedian
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