Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Written: Oct 05 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: direction, dialogue, action
Cons: too intense and graphic for some
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| BrianKoller's Full Review: Reservoir Dogs |
Director, screenwriter and actor Quentin Tarantino went from complete obscurity to a major force in Hollywood with his very first film. It helped that "Reservoir Dogs" was co-produced by Harvey Keitel, but it was the quality of the script and direction that catapulted Tarantino to cinema glory. Perhaps only "Schindler's List" stands in the path of "Reservoir Dogs" claim to being the best film of the decade.
Tarantino's talent for dialogue is evident in the very first scene. A group of men in suits are gathered at a large restaurant table, relaxed and shooting the breeze. Pop songs are analyzed, the merits of tipping discussed. You'd never know that these guys are about to commit an armed robbery. The script's freedom with obscenities is validated by the cleverness of their use. You're laughing far too much to be offended.
The next scene shows the men in black walking together, in slow motion. A song kicks in, a forgotten oldie from the 1970s. This is another Tarantino trademark. While he is hardly the first director to make use of pop oldies (the trend goes back at least to "American Graffiti") he has a way of incorporating them into the story, and the song selection seems perfect.
The following scene has Tim Roth writhing in blood, screaming in pain and fear. This presents us with more Tarantino trademarks; chronological shuffling of scenes, and graphic violence. Again, it's been done before, but never as effectively. The gore and the torture scenes seem as real as if they were occurring in front of our own eyes, creating great tension. The rearrangement of scenes out of chronological order isn't done out of randomness, but to create surprise and to help develop characters.
The story has crime boss Joe (Lawrence Tierney) and his son "Nice Guy" Eddie (Christopher Penn) organizing a jewelry heist. Those taking part in the robbery are all lifelong criminals, with the exception of one, who is an undercover cop. For their own protection, the men are given code names. The heist goes wrong, and the men turn on each other as the cops close in.
Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) is the cop, initially smug but soon hysterical after taking a bullet in the gut. Mr. White (Harvey Kietel) is experienced but too emotional for his own good. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) is a sadistic tough guy, Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi, who has since become a highly successful supporting actor) is overly talkative and opportunistic. Mr. Blue (Eddie Bunker) is an aging, amused felon. Mr. Brown (Tarantino) is even more obnoxious than Mr. Pink. Tarantino gives his character some of the best lines, but then there's plenty to go around.
Tarantino would have an even bigger success with "Pulp Fiction", a great film that lacks some of the intensity of "Reservoir Dogs". "Jackie Brown" was also great, but drew mixed reviews from those hoping for a more flashy film. We all look forward to his upcoming effort, "40 Lashes". (96/100)
Recommended:
Yes
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BrianKoller
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Member: Brian Koller
Location: Plano, Texas
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Conservative grades, but kinder and gentler reviews.
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