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Snake Eyes (1998)

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

De Palma's coldly executed techno-thriller opens with a signature sequence: a continuous Steadicam shot starts outside an Atlantic City sports arena, then snakes its way along corridors, up stairs and down an escalator, to reveal the packed crowd awaiting the start of a heavyweight boxing match. We're following flamboyant Rick Santoro (Cage), a corrupt cop who revels in the fact that he sees every angle. Inside, his old pal, Navy commander Kevin Dunne (Sinise), is keeping an eye on Secretary of Defence Kirkland, who has a ringside seat courtesy of arena owner and munitions tycoon Gilbert Powell (Heard). Minutes later, the odds-on favourite hits the canvas, a shot rings out, and Kirkland is fatally wounded. Santoro immediately seals the crowd inside the arena and, using TV and surveillance camera playback, scans the screens for clues as to the killer's identity. As Santoro interviews key witnesses, the film turns into Rashomon with action replays, as we see flashbacks from multiple points of view. The film echoes the technical wizardry and complex plotting of De Palma's best film, Blow Out. Edgy suspense and powerful kinetic energy are generated by the intriguing revelations and razor-sharp editing, while the truth behind its convoluted conspiracy has a surprisingly serious political and emotional undertow.

Author: NF

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

E A Dobson said...

Posted on Jul 30 2011 16:51 The TO review above seems particularly generous.Ok so the first 45 minutes has it`s moments(hence the second star) but we still have to put up with a poor performance from Cage(purposefully over the top no doubt!) and the ending made me angry,not because i`d actually paid money & bought the dvd(can`t begin to explain why!) but because i`d chosen to watch it on a Saturday night,a Saturday night which i will never get back! For all it`s sentimentality give me Carlito`s Way(also by Brian De Palma) any day of the week! AVOID!

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