Could Revolver be the greatest film ever?
Film // Jim // 3rd October 2005
A lot has already been written about Guy Ritchie’s new film. Soundbites like “What a complete pile of festering dog shit” and “Honestly, I’d rather sell my children to Gary Glitter than even contemplate sitting through that again.” may have led you to believe that the new release from the director of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is a touch below par.
I am here to tell you that nothing could be wider of the mark. I sit here hands shaking with excitement ready to do my part in spreading the word to the world about the towering cinematic, artistic and philosophical triumph that is Revolver.
Revolver: Towering, jaw-dropping
Taking the work of lesser talents such as Fincher, Singer, Scorsese and Hitchcock, Ritchie subverts the meaning (perhaps even the entire existence?) of modern cinema by toying with their motifs, plots and dialogue. Rendering them creatively impotent with his intellect, taunting them with his brilliance.
It seems almost churlish to discuss issues such as “plot” and “character” when dealing with a work that effectively re-draws the boundaries of what dramatic art can achieve, but as this is the vocabulary that Guy has used to communicate his vision it is fitting that we should examine the “physical” elements of the movie.
The story revolves around one mans quest to extract revenge against an evil crime boss who he holds responsible for the lengthy prison sentence he has just completed. Our hero, Jake Green is played by Jason Statham, in a performance which rates alongside Brando in On The Waterfront or De Niro in the Deer Hunter for sheer depth and nuance. Supporting Statham is a cast to die for, including Ray Liotta as the evil bad guy plus Andre Benjamin and Vincent Pastore as a pair of debt collectors who may be out to help Green, but who really knows?
The screenplay serves up scene after scene of quality drama and incredible dialogue while shrouding its true purposes in a veil of mystery with only the smallest of clues leading to what are probably the most amazing plot twists in the history of fiction. In fact the word “twist” does not convey the jaw-dropping impact that the revelation regarding the true identities of Benjamin and Pastores characters. The complete mindfuck was so amazing that at this point several members of the audience had to leave the cinema, presumably in order to go somewhere quiet in order to contemplate the enormous magnitude of what they had just experienced.
All the action is accompanied by a meaning-laden voice-over, provided by Statham, so accomplished in structure and delivery that you can almost shut your eyes and enjoy it without the need for visual input. If this is not included unexpurgated on the official sound track, someone will have royally fucked up.
Statham: Accomplished, green
Revolver is punctuated by fascinating near subliminal images, spiritual clues and numerical references (the lift stuck between 12 and 14, brilliant!) which are shrouded in mystery and yet pull the viewer in, creating an aura which I am sure will only start to crystalise during the 19th or 20th viewing. If this is the Kabbalah, then send back my e-meter and sign me up now, I’m sold.
In
a final, bold and devastating move, there are no credits. Yes you read that
right:
There.
Are.
No.
Credits.
Amazing! No credits, where did that come from? Fuck you Goddard! Up yours Truffaut!
This film has no credits! I nearly fainted from the sheer balls-out exhilaration
of it.
Did I understand it? No. I didn’t understand all of it, I wasn’t intended to - in the same way that God doesn’t expect man to comprehend the meaning of his existence. Revolver is a film that will be discussed for years to come by great thinkers and intellects; people able to converse on the same level as someone like Guy. When, finally, its meaning becomes apparent, like the decoding of the human genome I believe that mankind will never be the same again.
The only reasonable complaint I have against this film is that it wasn’t nearly long enough. Just two and a half hours? Maestro, you tease us and leave us wanting more! People in the cinema were constantly looking at their watches, seemingly unable to explain how time had gone by so quickly.
The only way this film could have been better is if Madonna had been in it.
Guy Ritchie, I salute you.
Links that you probably aren't clever enough to understand the first time, maybe you should think about them for a while before reading them again.
- Revolver web site
- Oooh its the official web site, get ready for a Flash overload.
- An interview with Guy Ritchie
- Courtesy of his official mouthpiece, The Sun. The great man speaks.
- Oh no, Hang on. It's shit
- Blimey, it really is a load of old rubbish after all
- Really, really very shit indeed
- "Watching Guy Ritchie's Revolver will make you want to pour petrol on your head and set fire to yourself. And not in a good way", it says here
- So how did they get those poster quotes?
- Ah, I see.
Comments
i couldn’t have put it better myself
what a load of horse spunk
Mike : 20/11/2005 22:42:50
Maybe you really like films with madonna if u think revolver is such a big load of crap.
Fuck you Jim
Sonar : 15/12/2005 01:58:21
The film-going world is indeed divided.
Jim : 16/12/2005 00:12:01
WEll i really enjoyed the film after a few screenings...everything seems to make much more sense. I would describe this movie as organizaed chaos and its up to the viewer to pull out whatever they can.
However, I thought the filmotogrphy itself was brilliant.
idea : 08/01/2006 21:35:03
Jim can you please tell me what the film is about then, who is sam gold? why do zack and avi take all his money?, why does macha suddenly become a raging maniac? IM SO CONFUSED iv watched this film 5 times and still am not sure what the fuck is going on. i wish i did because i think the film is fantastic, please please help.
Josh : 31/08/2006 18:14:57
its all about fear people.
confrontin fear.
its fuckin amazing.
the ‘opponent and victim’ thing is also too good. use it, it helps life tick over just for you.
raoul : 10/10/2006 23:17:45
mega mind fuck,loved it.Thought the interesting use of multi medium filming rocked.sound track is devastatingly good.questions; was sam gold a made up figure? why did jakes fellow cell mates come in to help him? where did jakes brother go?LOVE THIS FILM,it is so refreshing to be made to think in this sanitised world we live in.Please can someone out there help me with those questions,greatly appreciated.
staci quinn : 05/03/2007 09:11:25
Guy Richie’s films are aimed at FHM reading, Ben Sherman wearing Lecister Square gelled spiky-haired Big Brother watching gimps. Anyone that rates him as a director needs to be nullo’d.
Why Richie : 24/05/2007 08:39:43
I can only agree to all of that. Plus I’m going to have to start saying “Nullo’d”. Very good. I feel old.
Jim : 25/05/2007 01:06:10
It was fucking amazing. One of the best films I have ever seen. Just finished watching it and right now only have gotten something about religion and the way that people interact with each other. I plan on watching it a few more times to really get a good understanding of it. But it definitely gets my vote for best film ever.
Charlie : 24/01/2008 04:29:12
Great review Jim. I absolutely agree with you. It seems to me that the true value of this movie is underestimated. I’ve watched ti over 10 times and every time I realize something new that I haven’t realized earlier. Brilliant… Truly, REVOLVER could be the best movie ever ...
Jake_Green : 27/02/2008 14:04:26
I find it really funny that so many of the above people didn’t get the point…
Braitmad : 22/03/2008 05:28:07
I find it really funny that so many of the above people didn’t get the point…
Braitmad : 22/03/2008 05:28:16
all you pretentious bastards need to calm down. it’s a movie. hey jim, madonna sucks. Brando and Deniro? really? do you have down syndrome? FURTHERMORE nobody is taken seriously when they say the words “to die for”, you’re a joke. I“m so glad you’re using this review to help people understand the movie, especially when you use words like churlish. Did you make that up, you bitch. also, braitmad, fuck off . This movie was good, but its not going to change mankind...seriously.
I liked the movie, good concept, jim stop sucking guy ritchies dick.
fuck all you : 23/04/2008 05:41:46
all you pretentious bastards need to calm down. it’s a movie. hey jim, madonna sucks. and on par with Brando and Deniro? really? do you have down syndrome? FURTHERMORE nobody is taken seriously when they say the words like “to die for”, you’re a joke. I“m so glad you’re using this review to help people understand the movie, especially when you use words like churlish. Did you make that up, you bitch. This movie was good, but its not going to change mankind...seriously. also, braitmad, fuck off .
I liked the movie, good concept, jim stop sucking guy ritchies dick.
fuck all you : 23/04/2008 05:44:22
Great, great movie, imo. I was stunned that something (again imo) this deep and profound ever made it to the “big screen” and am not surprised that it would be met with a lot of resistance. Here is my take on the meaning of the movie if interested :)
(If you have read Eckart Tolle or A Course in Miracles.. some of the concepts can also be found in these materials)
Mr. Gold is representative of the “dreamer” (or maker) of the dream, which is the entire world of chaos and fear. You could also call Mr. Gold “the ego”. Mr. Gold plays a game within his “world” by using players (people) that act out it’s wishes and thoughts.by placing them within each person’s mind, Mr. Gold’s biggest “achievement is making the “players” believe they are him - an ego - instead of their true nature; spirit.
Mr. Green and Mr. D represent two such personalities or “players” within the game or dream world. Each one can listen to one of either two voices: the ego/fear or the spirit/love—within their own mind.
Mr. Green eventually listened to the voice of reason (avi and zak who represents the “other choice” orspirit/love/peace). Avi and Zak appeared to be “bad guys” and exist in the world of games and fear, in order to help wake up Mr. Green (and others) to the truth.
With the help of the Avi, Mr. Green started waking up to reality that his only enemy was within his own mind (ego/fear) and that the whole world is based on the projection of this fear and blame on other people or players. Every rule listed during the game of chess *also* applied to the rules of the dream world as well.
Mr. Gold is never seen because he is a voice in the mind.
As long Mr. Green did not ecognize this truth, then the ego (Gold) is never revealed for causing fear-based terror and pain happening within the dream world of many games. A “game” could be likened to “a life”. If a the game is “over” you die within the dream, for example.
Mr. Gold is the master manipulator, and the voice of fear in everyone’s mind—the voice of the ego. The point of the movie, imo, is …there is another choice/and voice within your mind, and that is love and the acceptance. The ego is not who you really are...you are much more then this. You are Love itself. AAnd this is why Mr. Green said “I am on to you” to himself in the end, and had no more fear afterward. He denied the ego, and took control back.
So...it’s a metaphysical movie that will not be embraced by all..whereas others will really love it if they can relate to it.
Thanks for reading ~ Sharon
sharon : 09/06/2008 00:32:35