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This curious fourth film from Guy Ritchie returns the writer-director to familiar gangster territory following his disastrous remake of Swept Away, which starred Ritchies wife, Madonna. Jason Statham, a Ritchie regular, stars as an ex-convict named Jake Green, whose strategy for bankrupting a casino owner/crime boss named Macha (Ray Liotta)--whom Jake holds responsible for his incarceration--results in Macha ordering him killed. Enter a pair of other criminals (Vincent Pastore, Andre Benjamin) with a plan of their own, preventing the hit on Jake but telling him he has a fast-acting disease that will soon take its toll. From there, an increasingly convoluted gangster tale becomes a fascinating if often silly movie about Jakes descent into possible madness while he simultaneously ponders the art of defeating ones enemies and communing with God. Ritchie is indeed in a serious vein, but he doesnt hold back on his unique sense of stylish fun, outfitting each character with memorable dialogue and behavioral traits. Standing out in a crowded pack of colorful underworld types is Liottas villain, who sympathetically conveys an all-too-human level of despair while wearing eyeliner and bikini underwear. The film becomes wearing after a while: Ritchie might be less interested in the crime genre than he once was. But there are plenty of fresh ideas here, even if they dont always fit perfectly together the way Ritchies catchy debut, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, did. --Tom Keogh

Stills from Revolver (click for larger image)

Amazon.com Exclusive Interview with Jason Statham

We had the pleasure of talking with Jason Statham (The Transporter, Snatch, The Italian Job) about Revolver, his new film with director Guy Ritchie. Heres a taste of what he had to say, and you can hear more in the February edition of the Amazon Wire Podcast.

Describe Revolver for people who have yet to see the film:

I would say its a movie thats not to be confused with the likes of Lock Stock or Snatch if you have ever seen any of the previous Guy Ritchie movies, its not to be confused with that kind of a film. Its a little bit more of a serious sort of psychological thriller& about being able to smash what controls you, but at the same time its all set within a world of ya know, violence, ya know that sexy shiny world that Guy Ritchie creates.

Do you see comparisons between Lock Stock, Snatch and this film as a good thing or a bad thing?

Well look, hes made two terrific films, two great black comedies, do you want him to go and make another one as well? Sometimes you have to do something a little bit different& you cant please everyone.

Youve carried a lot of other movies, action movies, where theres explosions and fast cars, but this film is really held together by your presence, and its a totally different mood. Did you you feel a lot of pressure on your performance as Jake to carry the picture?

Um, I mean, no, its best not to try and focus on that really. But obviously if you havent got your usual bells and whistles to rely upon, then you have to try and dig it out from somewhere else.

What did you draw from your own experiences in preparing for this movie?

You might know from reading other stuff that I used to work on street corners hustling, or conning people if you like, so I understood the psychology of that and what you need to do to make somebody sort of bend over and succumb to your will, its a very simple set of rules& theres so many ways that you can be sort of lured down a certain road and its all about making decisions, and if youre aware of what is leading you, you can make the right decision at the right time.

--Rachel, Amazon Movies & TV

Product Reviews

(3 stars) - Too many flashbacks, voice-overs and strange devices
The is awash in hard to follow flashbacks, inner character voices, animations, slow-motions, rapid cuts and time shifting. If you can get through all that, then the movie is some silliness about a revenge fantasy by the main character. Problem is the concept is way tooo hard to follow. The number of bad guys gets confusing, and the weird business about a fatal disease, loan sharks and the insufferable nonsense about high philosophies in defeating one's enemies gets on one's nerves long before it all comes to a merciful end. Also, the violence is bloodily graphic and sadistic. I guess Guy Ritchie was taking his Madonna frustrations out here.

(4 stars) - The Prisoner for the ages
This movie was confusing- but in a good way. In the beginning we see a man being released from prison, but really it's just exchanging one kind of prison for another. This movie takes you on a wild ride, but when it's over, you want to get back on the ride again to see what you missed the first time. I liked it.

(4 stars) - Strange & twisted
Good movie, but only If you have a taste for strange not so coherent, mind puzzling histories.

(3 stars) - I love Guy Ritchie's stuff, BUT ...
Yikes, THIS is a difficult flick to review! On the plus side there's a complicated but intriguing plot in which Jake (Jason Statham) is doing his best to stay a least a few steps ahead of the other players in what appears to be an exquisitely elaborate con game. And there's Guy Ritchies relentlessly hip, hyperrealistic visual style. But on the minus side, there's precious little of the humor that made previous Ritchie movies like "Lock, Stock" and "Snatch" so much fun. And WORST of all: Just when you think Revolver is finally going to come to some sort of satisfying resolution, the film completely jumps the shark in the last 15 minutes and becomes something trying to be far too clever and psychologically profound for its own good.

I do have to give Guy Ritchie credit for acknowledging, in an interview to be found in the DVD extras, some of the vitriolic reviews the movie got upon release. "Revolver" is not a bad film, the former Mr. Madonna has got a lot of talent, and upon repeated viewings and pondering this might ultimately be considered a pretty deep film wrapped in a violent, stylish package. But for a single evenings entertainment "Revolver" proves to be disappointing. Ill be generous and give it 3 stars anyway and HOPE that Ritchie redeems himself with "RockNRolla," which is next on my list of Guy Ritchie films to watch.

(5 stars) - A mindblowing film
On the basis of "RocknRolla" and this film, Guy Ritchie is now my favorite director currently making films. The film got generally poor reviews, both on its 2005 UK release and 2007 American re-edited version (which is what I saw). However, I decided to give it a try anyway because I liked his other films. Glad I did, because this film reminded me of the excitement and challenge of films like Robert Altman's "Images" and "3 Women" (both produced in the 1970s). I take it as a compliment that a director is willing to treat his audience as up for a challenge. How many films from the last decade is that true of?

Watching the film is like wandering into a maze and realizing it's going to take some time to figure your way out of it. Ritchie's script plants a lot of clues, and on the DVD commentary he and his editor reveal what the intention of the film was, but that just scratches the surface. It's not hard to "get" the film if you're willing to give it some effort (I played it, then heard the commentary track, then played it again). The performances are excellent, the cinematography and scoring both strong. I'm not sure it's quite the work of genius some of its cult admirers claim for it. Some of the allusions Ritchie builds into the film strike me as private conceits, like an Easter egg hunt to see how many the viewer can find. Regardless of their significance, they're fun. For instance, why is the film's heavy (played by Ray Liotta) named "Dorothy"? A macho tough guy with a woman's name. Well, I have a suggestion. All the way through the third viewing I was thinking of "The Wizard of Oz," because Jake Green is in the position of Dorothy in that film, trapped in a bizarre world attempting to fight a way out of it, only to discover the power to do so lay within him all along. Of course, Dorothy and Jake in this film are alter egos. But who knows whether that is what Ritchie intended?

Ultimately, I like "RocknRolla" better, but this film is well worth seeing and thinking about. I recommend it.

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