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Par kluseba le 12 Novembre 2011 à 23:56
This movie is very difficult to find where I live but after I have fallen in love with the brilliant series and all the other works that David Lynch has done, I was really looking forward to watch this prequel that many professionals had heavily criticized. Many people said that the movie didn't have the same charming way of the life in a small and mysterious town, many people commented that the characters weren't as intense and believable as in the series and some people regretted that some of the series's characters like Audrey Horne or Harry Truman didn't appear in this movie and that some other main characters like Dale Cooper only had small roles.
But I think that those people didn't understand the intention of this movie. It is sure that a movie of two hours and fifteen minutes can't develop the characters as much as a series with almost thirty episodes. It is also sure that this movie is about the last days of Laura Palmer and that's why characters like Audrey Horne have not much to do with this movie as they had no closer connection to the main character. This movie has a faster development than its series, it is straight forward and maybe less mysterious.
But this movie is intense in every sense of the word. It is frightening, has a very dark and desperate atmosphere, it is horrifying and it is brilliantly played by Sheryl Lee and we get a true insight of the character of Laura Palmer and her everyday life along side her strange father, her weak mother, her many different friends and especially boyfriends. This movie shows in a very straight and hard way the wasted life of a beauty that has lost its youth and innocence. This movie is about sex, drugs, violence, crime, murder and fear and how to get drowned in a circle of desperation. The scene were Laura and Donna are in the discotheque is one if the most intense moments ever filmed in cinema's history with its strange music, weird light effects, ugly sex and violence scenes and the feelings that evolve from there. You feel hypnotized and desperate about the characters. The scene where Laura and her father are in their car and surprised by a strange one-armed man is strange, disturbing and extremely weird. The scene where Laura meets the strange Bob in her sleeping room is spooky, haunting and could create nightmares. The scene where Laura finally faces her destiny is brutal, uneasy and pervert. The conclusion and final scene of the movie is the only part where you feel a little bit of piece and hope in a very transcendent and spiritual way.
David Lynch plays with your emotions and your wildest dreams and drowns you from one feeling to the other. While watching this movie I was frightened, I was almost crying, I was disturbed, I was delighted and I was absolutely impressed. I never thought that this movie would mess up with the best series in history but this flick is absolutely at the same level even if it is different because of its intensity.
But even though this movie is straight and heavy, there are still many mysterious details and typical trademarks of the series from time to time like the weird introduction of the case by Gordon Cole and the dancing lady, things that only a genius could have invented. The weird scene with David Bowie is also one for the ages and extremely cool. There are also many little hints to discover that concern the fate of other characters of the series for example the scene where a bloody Annie sleeps next to Laura and transmits her a strange message.
A sure thing is that this movie is no easy stuff and more scaring than any horror movie I have seen in my life. That's why this movie hasn't been a success for the masses and its very particular style is in fact very charismatic and different from anything you might expect. The point of desperation is that you know what will happen if you have seen the series and that you know that the characters are damned or even lost and the frightening about all of this is that you know that there is no escape and that you don't exactly know how or when it might happen. I really felt with the characters in this movie and this is something that has been developed in the series over several episodes but in this movie, I had the same feeling only after a couple of minutes. I have never seen or felt something as intense and strong concerning a movie in my whole life.
I always thought that David Lynch's masterpiece concerning a movie is "Lost highway" but after watching this flick I am no longer sure about it. This is a masterpiece, a mysterious, weird, scaring horror movie with some dramatic elements. This movie doesn't need much blood or gore effects to frighten you, it's all about the atmosphere. This movie is so intense that you simply don't have the time to miss Audrey Horne and all the others that I have liked so much throughout the series. That is something brilliant and unexpected that only David Lynch could create and it's a shame but as well typical for the mainstream masses that they didn't accept this style at the time and that there haven't been any more movies about Twin Peaks. At least, the legacy found its end on an absolute climax.
I would recommend this movie to anyone that likes movies and has a little sense of genius and is open-minded enough to accept the flick's very unique style. It is probably my favourite movie of all times or comes at least quite close to it.
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Par kluseba le 12 Novembre 2011 à 23:44
This is another well done French film noir with a rather dramatical touch. But instead of presenting us ugly events or the worst case scenario, the movie plays in a very intelligent way with wrong expectations, fatal illusions and terrible fears. The philosophy of this movie is shown at its very end and is a rather unconventional style for a film noir which makes this flick somehow stand out in comparison to the usual genre flicks.
What I liked about the movie is that it was always a very realistic and addicting flick without any unbelievable sex or gore scenes. The main actor didn't fell in love with the young student. He didn't kill his old best friend out of his despair. The movie didn't need a dose of extra blood as it worked very well in a psychological way. The movie didn't constantly build up pressure and tension but there were rather reoccurring ups and downs, moments of despair and then moments of relatively tranquillity which was an interesting development.
The reason why this movie didn't get a higher rating was the fact that I was somehow missing a punch or a twist in the end of the movie. I think it is original and unconventional that there wasn't one in the end but it would have addicted me more to the main actor and whole storyline and so I didn't completely get into the whole movie as the actors didn't do more than a good job but not an as convincing one as for example Attal and Cornillac in the brilliant "Le serpent". This distance to the actors and the story rate this movie eventually a little bit down.
But if you like a rather unusual film noir, I would suggest you to rent but maybe not buy this flick.
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Par kluseba le 12 Novembre 2011 à 23:41
I bought this film at a cheap price at a drugstore because I found the story intriguing enough. I haven't heard about the movie or the book before and didn't even know the main actor Yvan Attal. Now, I will never forget him or this movie because I found a true and unexpected masterpiece by chance. This movie is dark, absorbing and intense and sends shivers down my spine by delivering everything a great psycho thriller should show us. This movie is a disturbing vengeance movie and those who always thought that the French were only able to do emotional and intellectual dramas and comedy movies should now be convinced that they can also create some heavier stuff. The great acting and the intense atmosphere are outstanding and even not comparable to other psycho thrillers so that the French have once again created something unique with this movie.
The storyline is slow paced and mysterious and becomes heavier and more and more disturbing. The characters are extremely interesting. The main actor Yvan Attal does an incredible job as a photographer that is going to get divorced soon that finds himself suddenly in the middle of a creepy nightmare that becomes reality without really knowing why. Clovis Cornillac plays the bad guy in a very mysterious, silent and creepy way that is chasing Yvan Attal and trying to destroy his life for a reason that is only revealed in a dramatical final showdown. It is hard to believe that this actor that plays a dangerous maniac and killer in this intense flick has already played Asterix and convinces in both styles. Those two actors are strong enough to carry the whole movie and we can add to them Olga Kurylenko that has a short role as a mysterious and beautiful femme fatale. The movie has a few action, gore and sex scenes but they are only some entertaining gimmicks as the whole movie is underlined by a very depressive atmosphere. The violence of this movie has a mental and not a physical touch. The whole scenery and style of directing is very photographic, very aesthetic and detailed so that a brilliant job by the director, screenwriter and cameramen are added to the perfect executions of the two main actors. Even Alfred Hitchcock or David Lynch could not have created a darker movie and only beat this movie in terms of weirdness and originality or pioneer's work. That's why "Le serpent" is maybe not properly innovating its genre but in my opinion by far the best of its kind in the last decade, maybe together with the epic vengeance movie "Oldboy" and the heavily disturbing instant Quebec classic "5150 rue des Ormes". It's a sad thing that this movie didn't get the attention it would have deserved so I would ask anyone that saw this movie to spread the word about it. I'm close to give a ten point rating to this flick which is a thing that I rarely consider. I just give nine points to this little gem because I haven't seen it often enough and because I don't know if this movie will still feel that intense in a decade or so.
All in all, I highly recommend this movie to anyone that likes disturbing and intriguing psycho thriller or simply the film noir genre. This is truly a rare masterpiece and a must see!
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Par kluseba le 19 Octobre 2011 à 18:54
This movie is nothing very intense or groundbreaking, but a very entertaining and easy to watch film with amazing footages, a very good acting and a well developed plot that is a little bit predictable but still entertaining.
The best thing about the movie is without a doubt the way it is filmed. I really loved the footages of the movie. The director has a very talented way to capture landscapes, surroundings and place its actors into the whole scenery. If you are interested in European style, clothes and culture, this movie has some beautiful fashion, some beautiful buildings and monuments to offer.
Concerning the acting, I think that the smart and soft relationship between the shy and silent Johnny Depp and the dominating femme fatale Angelina Jolie is very credible. Usually, I think that Jolie is an overrated actress and I also think that she didn't do an extremely profound or talented job once again in here, but she works well in combination with Johnny Depp who is much more credible and fits this role.
The story line seems to be a little bit confusing in the beginning but in the end, everything is explained in a very logical, romantic and twisted way. I think that the big twist in the end was easily predictable but that didn't do any harm to the charm and entertainment of the movie. There were some average action scenes, a little bit of tension and a little bit of humour that created an very entertaining and diversified mixture and concentrated on a charming atmosphere like in an old fashioned romantic bourgeoisie movie. This movie is something for expert of arts, experts of old fashioned romantic movies with some slightly crime influences and fans of Johnny Depp. The force of the movie is its decent and shy tranquillity. But you should not expect an intense thriller or tragical drama. It is more a character or footage movie with a beautiful acting. It is easy to consume and very entertaining but nothing innovating or groundbreaking.
I really appreciated to watch the movie and got a perfect entertainment. But I admit that the combination of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie could have created something more intense and profound that would have been worth an unforgettable blockbuster. But that's clearly not what the writers, directors and actors wanted and this unconventional and alternative style is a fresh breathe and can be seen as a positive or negative surprise. To me, it was a positive event. It's up to everyone to judge if he likes that kind of movie or not and I think that my critic is neutral and descriptive enough to give you an idea of what you might expect.
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Par kluseba le 19 Octobre 2011 à 18:35
I gave this movie a try because I think that Denzel Washington is a good actor and I wasn't disappointed by his performance though I think that John Billingsley gets the merit of the best performance in this movie as an alcoholic and somehow crazy partner and fried of Denzel Washington.
The beginning of the movie is very boring. There are some sex scenes and a lot of mediocre dialogues to introduce the main actors but when you have made it through the first twenty-five minutes or so the tension slowly rises. Denzel Washington realizes that he is the main suspect in a double homicide where all the hints lead to him as a police officer and chief of a small local police station in Florida. His lover, Sanaa Lathan who does a decent job and her brutal husband and football player Dean Cain got burned in their house just before she wanted to join Denzel Washington with a huge amount of money from a drug raid that he gave to her to be able to escape with her and fight her cancer illness. Eva Mendez is Denzel Washington's wife that wants to divorce with him and who has to investigate against him. And Denzel Washington tries to erase any proof that connects him to his lover and soon gets in trouble as he has to find the money that he illegally gave to the dead beauty and that strangely disappeared.
By the time, the tension slowly rises, Denzel Washington gets in some really disturbing and uneasy situations and there also some action that comes in and the main characters finally get more profound than before and the movie loosely touches topics like friendship, forgiveness, love, passion, lies and truth. You can finally connect with the characters and get caught by the movie.
The only negative thing is then that the twists are really predictable and offer nothing new or surprising. Of course, there is also the typical happy ending and every cliché you can think of is included in this movie. What really saves this film are the decent performances and the entertaining flow after the first twenty-five minutes or so that keep the tension and attention on a high level.
If you finally want to see a decent and entertaining thriller with some good acting I would recommend you this movie. But this is nothing groundbreaking and I would only recommend you to watch it on the television or loan a DVD but not to buy this movie.
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