Entertaining and completely overblown gangster flick with a powerhouse central performance by Christopher Walken. Actually all the performances are good, they just pale compared to Walken's freaky frightening intensity.
At times it seems to be put together with a somewhat sloppy hand (stuff like jumping the eye line or wobbly camera work), at other times it seems like it may just be because of practical/budgetary reasons. Generally it's rather nicely put together though, with a few really blistering set pieces, especially an extended indoor shootout set to house music and shot through a blue haze, is impressive and gripping, and when it continues out on the rainy streets, in cars, it doesn't loose a beat.
The writing is uneven, often nuanced and intelligent, equally often over the top, on the nose and rather silly, still, the actors make it work for the most part. Ferrara isn't subtle, and he's not afraid to use some cheap tricks (utterly pointless nudity and violence), but taken in the right spirit, not too seriously, it's certainly never boring, even when it's going over the top.
Did I mention that Walken is excellent?
At times it seems to be put together with a somewhat sloppy hand (stuff like jumping the eye line or wobbly camera work), at other times it seems like it may just be because of practical/budgetary reasons. Generally it's rather nicely put together though, with a few really blistering set pieces, especially an extended indoor shootout set to house music and shot through a blue haze, is impressive and gripping, and when it continues out on the rainy streets, in cars, it doesn't loose a beat.
The writing is uneven, often nuanced and intelligent, equally often over the top, on the nose and rather silly, still, the actors make it work for the most part. Ferrara isn't subtle, and he's not afraid to use some cheap tricks (utterly pointless nudity and violence), but taken in the right spirit, not too seriously, it's certainly never boring, even when it's going over the top.
Did I mention that Walken is excellent?
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