Rating of
3/4
"Revolver" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 05/11/12
I enjoyed Lock, Stock but thought that it pandered a little too much to the cheap seats. Snatch was better, but still a little rough around the edges. Whereas this, I had been told, was appalling, and so have avoided it until now. But I really, REALLY wish I hadn't. Because I loved it. I can understand why many found the story a little confusing, the psycho-babble and surreal cut-ins showing the characters state of mind is a little jarring. But the whole thing is executed with such style and accomplishment; far more so than Ritchie's previous films. It has also been said that the direction is a little pretentious. Again no argument here. I can also understand why some may complain about it's lack of originality; the template for the plot is clearly The Usual Suspects, executed in the style of Fight Club. The (rather irrelevant) animated segment is clearly pilfered from and inferior to Kill Bill's, and the shoot out involving Mark Strong's hit man who approaches his work with the clinical efficiency of a German tax inspector (easily my favourite character) is very reminiscent of Leon. But guess what? THAT SEQUENCE IS FANTASTIC. It can only suggest that you watch it a series of great scenes instead of a coherent whole, because it's beautifully shot and performed despite the fact that the underlying story could quite possibly be absolute gibberish...to me, the only question that really mattered was "Did I enjoy it?". And the fact is I really, really bloody did.
