MOVIE REVIEW: 'Revolver'

From the Feb. 1 Oregonian....

If there's any meaning to be gleaned from Guy Ritchie's ridiculous metaphysical crime movie "Revolver," it will NOT be found in buying a ticket expecting to watch one of Ritchie's tightly plotted comic thrillers like "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" or "Snatch."

Because to understand "Revolver" (and I use the word "understand" loosely), you should know in advance that its story is incoherent on purpose. Although it contains crime and absurdity, it's not thrilling or funny, and the title doesn't refer to a gun.

You see, the movie is one giant, convoluted metaphor about learning to defeat your ego -- as represented in the film by horribly written voice-over narration playing in the heads of Ray Liotta and Jason Statham. I know this in part because just before the end credits, Ritchie trots out a few Ph.Ds (and Deepak Chopra, M.D.) to talk about the evils of the human ego in "What the Bleep?"-style interview footage.

Let me write that again: Guy Ritchie trots out a team of doctors to tell you the meaning of his movie the second it ends.

Mr. Ritchie apparently dove head-first into Kabbalistic mysticism after marrying Madonna. Maybe that partially explains why "Revolver" plays like a ranty, repetitive philosophy tract -- despite being 10 minutes shorter than the version released to disastrous reviews in England in 2005.

The story, such as it is, centers on a claustrophobic gambler named Jake (Statham) who learns a foolproof con formula from two mysterious men in prison. Jake leaves prison, uses the formula to become insanely wealthy, finds out he has three days to live, and falls in with two mysterious men (André Benjamin and Vincent Pastore) who promise to help him if he gives them all his money.

There's also some sort of rivalry with a casino boss named Dorothy (Liotta), who spends almost the entire movie wearing nothing but bikini briefs. Like Jake, Dorothy is plagued by awful voice-over narration that eventually reveals itself as a separate character (or characters) who may or may not be benevolent entities called "Mr. Gold" living in all our heads. Or something.

There are a couple of moments where Ritchie reminds you of the visual cleverness he brought to his crime-caper debuts. There's one cool-as-ice hit-man supporting character named Sorter (Mark Strong). Otherwise, the film is a total failure of a director's gifts -- a confusing jumble of freshman-dorm musings, color symbolism and numerological references that never compels you to solve its riddles.
_____

F-plus; 106 minutes; rated R for violence, language and some nudity.

'Revolver' (The Oregonian, Feb. 1, 2008)

Comments

[Nguveren]

Sorry you didn't get it. I loved the movie Revolver!

[T]

I couldn't agree more with this review. It was boring, incredibly confusing, and was so indescribably stupid I couldn't finish the last half hour or so. Awful! Very disappointing as I'm a huge Statham fan.

[cb]

i enjoyed the movie. it definitely required me to think but the message, plot, and purpose of the movie wasn't nearly as impossible to decode as this review makes it out to be. some movies entertain you, some movies change you... this one gives you the option for either or both.

[JB]

I though this movie was BRILLIANT!! Having studied The Course, I absolutely loved the delivery and the dialogue. There is much truth to the evil nature of the ego and if you are interested in learning about who you really are, please visit this site, www.acim.org.

"This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you can elect what you want to take at a given time. The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite.

This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:

Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.

Herein lies the peace of God."

It's truth. All of it. I'm living it and there have been NO CONTRADICTIONS. It's undeniable.

[cw]

Just watched revolver,what an intense pile of dingos kidneys.
You need to be phsyco to watch it.
Give me a good storyline anytime.
What the hell it hopes to acheive Ritchie only knows

[Truth Expanding]

Just saw the movie. Looks like this bloggers Ego is doing it's job. Absoloutely brilliant movie, helps greatly as I'm quitting smoking right now!!

[SAE_adub]

I just finished watching Revolver and I have to admit that I was definitely confused by the ending of the movie. But, having checked out a few sites about the various meanings of the movie I absolutely loved it. Keep in mind that I would never tell anyone to ever watch it because I would probably get slapped for doing so, but as a huge D. Darko fan I can appreciate the many levels of this film. I believe this was a film Ritchie made for himself and it gives us somewhat of a look inside of his mind. I would give this film a B-. As a literature buff it really held my attention and caused me to think outside of the box. Ego is the devil? Wild.

[Treen]

No way is Revolver nearly that bad. The story itself is a maze and requires to pay attention to everything in order to keep up, but the overall message of the film and the point that it relays to us is intense.
It definitely challenges one to challenge their ego.
That said, I dig it.

[Paul]

Only the "chosen" will understand the many revelations of this masterpiece. The rest will remain in the matrix where ignorance is bliss.

[Evgueni]

I loved it, are there other movies about ego or similar themes out there?? Please tell me. If you can, just send me a mail on [email protected]

[TheSmarterOpponent]

Avi & Zack where Mr. Gold, Mr. Green also once he got mind right.
Remember they promised to take him with them.

[Daddy]

You people are very clearly divided between those who have read "The Emperor's New Clothes" and those who haven't. Those of you who think you understand the movie- let go of your ego's. You are not as smart as you think you are ;)

[Akash]

i've read all the comments...im agreed with all of them..bcoz everyone is right in their own place...
but in my openion this movie stunned me to the depth, and the scene in which green fights with his own ego is really appreciable...ive seen the shutter island, black swan, inception, fight club, machineist et cetera....
but if u try to understand this movie you'll know no one can express better than this one, but you have to study a little psychology before it( ego ,id , superego concept especially)..
you can contact me if you have any query related to physical/psychological/spiritual world. my emal is [email protected]

[Akash]

grow out of materialism.....Jesus can never be a god unless he himself realised about his own ego..the enlightenment only occurs when unbalanced ego is not there....
the greatest con that he(ego) have ever pulled is making you believe that he(ego) is you..
ego wants things..if you are mean then start giving...please watch this movie again, bcoz there is something in it that you are not looking at... Namaste - Akash

[andre]

Great movi in its message but maybe not execution, if you watch it again and again
you understand it more..the thing is , even the final message of the ego itself being BAD could be the final con itself played on us.
The movie makes you think though, which is a good thing always as we are so encouraged by the modern zionist education as how not to think for ourselves.
The other thing is we are all programmed one way or another by our genetics and biological predispositions..I mean we did not create ourselves ,did we ? we were born with a programmed chip for the purpose of the creator (whatever or whoever that may be)
We are not free are we?
Even what I am writing now is part of my biological programming to behave and say what I say.
What is the ultimate truth anyway?
We will never know as we are thinking within our creators programme.
Makes sense?

Andre ( a name I am programmed to respond to as me or I)
:)
what the hell I am talking about?

[blankSwan]

I've come to this blog searching for movies similar to Revolver. I am yet to find another. This is a masterpiece. I don't know if I will find another brilliant movie like this one.

[John]

"How radical are you prepared to be, Mr Green"? It's understandable that a majority of film buffs, do not "get" what this film is about - probably because - they are identified with the elusive Sam Gold, themselves. I, like you, was mystified throughout watching the first 3/4's of the film, but began to get an uncomfortable feeling, that, "this wasn't just some confusing gangster movie"....
When the revelation was revealed, I was truly suprized - because I didn't know anything about the movie, before renting it, beforehand - and I'm glad I didn't.
What a stunner! What a beauty! What a revelation! So simply, and generously placed out there - into the public Matrix, where man has mistaken his dream, for reality.
If you didn't get this film, I urge you to sit down, watch it again, and see if you can hear the voice in your head as well.
The scene in the elevator, when Jacob Green was 'christened', because he (finally!!!), was on to Sam Gold - was a cinematic highlight of my life!
Anyone notice the crown on top of Green's head after he ditches his 'best friend'????