Review of Usual Suspects, The: Special Edition 2 Disc Set

Introduction

Sometimes, just sometimes, a movie comes along that makes you think. Yes, that word think, the word that Hollywood seems to be exclude from its usual lineup (no pun intended) of Die Hard rip-offs. When a movie arrives that is provocative and stimulating, it is met with critical acclaim. And the acclaim is justly deserved. They are the movies that keep Hollywood alive - allowing them to churn out more franchises, until they are on the verge of collapse...and then out pops another genre-bender.

So does The Usual Suspects fit into that category? Oh yes. It is written with class, with the kind of understanding of how the audience wants them to play that it has to succeed. Before I go into detail, let`s take a look at the plot. Basically, five criminals are rounded up and stuck into a lineup. The thing is, they are all suspected, whereas a lineup normally constitutes one guilty party. What unfolds from here will leave you breathless and reaching for the same stuff you took to understand Mission Impossible and Memento...

The narrative is told by Verbal Kint, the cripple of the gang, and the last man standing (well sitting, incarcerated in a federal interrogation room) after the other four are all turn up dead. He`s trying to convince the Feds that a mysterious crime lord, known as Keyser Soze, is out there somewhere, and is responsible for the deaths. The script, penned by Christopher McQuarrie (who won the Best Original Screenplay gong in 1995) is intelligent, it ain`t your normal blockbuster...it`s more well, subtle. It plays slowly, building up the characters, fleshing them out, giving them a personality, a purpose. Sure, there are tense, action scenes but the plot focuses on reactions and emotions of those involved instead of descending into a frenzied bloodbath.

This is where The Usual Suspects succeeds...it is bold, treading into uncharted waters even. OK, the plot is way too complex on your first viewing, so you need at least three viewings to grasp it all, but even if you become lost, you`ll still be enjoying the movie. It works on so many levels, and its final twist, the sting in its clever tail, will literally play with your mind for days. It makes you wonder just how perceptive you are, how you missed solving the unwinding puzzle. On your subsequent viewings, you will start to notice subtle effects, slowly showing you how you reached the finale. The clues are good, and so is the plot.

Special mention must go to John Ottman, who not only edited the movie but also composed it. The movie`s editing is as good as Memento, as it criss-crosses from event to event, slowly unravelling itself. The movie is shot well, and rivals the way Fincher manipulates the camera (and in doing so manipulates the audience). To put it bluntly, they are the Hitchcock`s of today.

Video

A 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen transfer is the dish of the day, and an accomplished one at that. The palette is deep and crisp, and there are no compression signs.

This contains a great, grainy flashback scene, which is depicted excellently, and all of the other scenes are all presented well.

Audio

A DD 5.1 track is on offer here. The surrounds are used well, and although this doesn`t have a copious amount of action scenes, when the action does heat up the track does its job well.

The dialogue is always crisp and clear, and the witty script makes full use of it.

Features

There are a stack of features:

`Keyser Soze: Lie Or Legend` - Featurette
`Round Up - Deposing The Usual Suspects`: Pursuing The Usual Suspects, Doin` Time With The Usual Suspects
Bryan Singer`s Gag Reel
Deleted Scenes - Hosted By John Ottman
Heisting Cannes With The Usual Suspects - Featurette
Introducing The Usual Suspects - Featurette
`Taking Out The Usual Suspects - Interviews And Outtakes`: Bryan Singer introduces Kevin Spacey And Friend, Interview With John Ottman. Interview Outtakes
Audio Commentary With Bryan Singer And Christopher McQuarrie
Audio Commentary With John Ottman
US Theatrical TV Spots and Trailers With Introduction By John Ottman

The featurettes all combine to make a solid making-of, with each one being informative. The 2 audio commentaries are great listening, and make you fully grasp the plot. The deleted scenes are good, although they add little to the plot. The TV spots and trailers are the standard affair. The menus are animated well visually and with sound clips.

Overall, they are a great insight into the production, but by the last featurette it gets slightly repetitive, and there is no emphasis on how they achieved certain shots (a la Die Hard With A Vengeance).

Conclusion

Overall, The Usual Suspects plays with you on so many different levels, the acting is excellent, whether you are witnessing burnt-out cop Keaton press the self-destruct button, Oscar winner Benicio Del Toro (of Traffic fame, and who later re-teamed with McQuarrie to make Way of The Gun) adding some style to the proceedings, Chazz Palminteri as experienced Agent Kujan or Kevin Spacey in his Oscar winning turn as Verbal Kint. The script is bold and provocative, and young Bryan Singer directs with a unique flair. Apart from the odd flaw, this comes very highly recommended.

Disc wise, it is very solid, and overall this is an excellent addition to anyone`s collection.