Review of Revolver

Introduction

"Guy Ritchie`s most talked about film!" screams the TV advert that I caught for this DVD the other day.

Hmm, yes, that`s true. But the talk has almost always been negative. This film has largely been utterly slated wherever it has been seen, digested and reviewed. After the total cow pat that was the vehicle for Madonna (his wife), aka Swept Away, Ritchie could have done with a Snatch 2. Instead it would seem he came up with a Swept Away 2.

Here`s the mess that passes for a plot. Jake Green (Jason Statham) seems to have been in prison for the last 7 years, where he has met a legendary con man and a chess grand master. His time in jail have given him some ways to get rich, so his first job when he gets out is to do just that. He goes off to humiliate an old enemy, but comes a cropper when he is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder that leaves him with 72 hours to live.

If you`re still following, some other dodgy chaps come along, and imply that they can save him if he hands over his riches. He starts working for them, and tries to work out what`s happening with his life. And who is Sam Gold?

Video

As with all Ritchie films, it all looks slick and stylish, with a lovely looking 2.35:1 anamorphic transfer. A film this tedious doesn`t deserve it, but everything looks very impressive, from the well thought out and realised set pieces, to the continual messing around with colour schemes in different scenes.

Looking good is just not enough though!

Audio

A choice for your ears with DD5.1 and dts soundtracks for your delectation. As ever on my set up, the dts track has the edge. And like Ritchie`s other films, the soundtrack is heavily stylised too, with lots of atmospheric sounds, powerful gunshots, and lots of bullets zinging around the room.

Features

Ok, now the extras. So you might think there would be some good insight into the film. You might think that, here`s what we get.

First a commentary by Guy Ritchie. As annoying and tedious as the film itself in places, you just wish that Ritchie would actually tell you something. Maybe he think`s he`s being clever by commentating in this way, but it`s just annoying.

"The Concept" is the first featurette, featuring an interview with Guy Ritchie and editor James Herbert where they slap each other on the back on congratulate themselves on being so clever.

"The Game: The Making Of Revolver" is the other featurette, which is your usual behind the scenes type of feature with footage, interviews and general clowning around by cast and crew on set.

Deleted and extended scenes come next, but they just serve to increase the pain, particularly with more commentary from Ritchie. There are also some out-takes which aren`t really that exciting.

There`s also a music trailer and your usual stills gallery.

Conclusion

It`s already very trendy to dismiss this film, but it`s also trendy to like the film and tell people who don`t like it that they haven`t understood it so they must be dense or something.

My opinion is that it`s a complete mess. It`s sort of about revenge, but it`s really just about trying to be clever with its "game within a game within a game within a game within a game within a game within a game within a game within a game" tediousness. It drags on and on, and at times you just wish that Ray Liotta would go back to peddling Heineken rather than wandering around in his pants screaming "Fear ME!"

It`s not that I didn`t get it, it`s just that it doesn`t work. If you disagree and proclaim it to be one of the finest films of all time then fine. For me it was a waste of time. Like others, the only good point for me was the character of Sorter, who is a very Ritchie style hitman character, despite appearing to be BBC Political Editor Nick Robinson.

I want to see another Ritchie film again, because Lock, Stock and Snatch were both very enjoyable (not the masterpieces that some would have you believe though). But this "clever" stuff ought to be left to someone else until he`s had time to practice it a bit more, and do some more reading around the subject.

The DVD is a good effort with excellent picture and sound and a few extras to keep you happy. If you liked the film then this DVD will sit well in your collection. If you want to watch it over and over again in an effort to get it, then you can sit and watch this as many times as you can stand. I hope to never see it again.