Category: Movies

I’m generally a fan of heist films and this one is a real gem. I haven’t viewed most of Spike Lee’s previous back catalogue so I didn’t come into the film with any preconceptions. Essentially Inside Man is about a bank robbery. Clive Owen is a man on a mission, raiding one of Manhattan’s biggest banks in broad daylight.

The movie surrounds the interplay between Clive Owen’s character and Denzel Washington’s hostage negotiator. Both actors are on top form and the sense of tension between them is palpable. There’s also some wonderful scenes with bit-part characters contributing to the story in a way I wouldn’t have expected. Pop-culture references are also included with a bank employee’s ringtone and a kid’s videogame. When the finale comes it’s dealt with intelligently and is unveiled bit by bit. It makes you think about how we judge things and the values associated with power.

I’ve been looking forward to this but hesitant as it’s the Wachowski brothers producing. I loved the Matrix but the sequels were muck and lost sight of what was good about the initial idea. I also have to say that I’m not at all familiar with Alan Moore’s graphic novel on which the movie is based. Saying all that, to be honest, I loved it.

The story is well done and you’re never too sure whether you should be cheering for the titular ‘V’ as he dishes out the vengeance. His opening speech when introduced to Evey is grating though and a real mis-step. However, the rest of the film makes up for it in terms of expanding the background and portraying a chilling view of the future/present. The ending had me beaming but I am intrigued as to how the book ends as Dave says its “so much cooler”.

Update: I seem to get a lot of people coming to this blog having searched for V’s opening speech so I’ve included it here:

“Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is it vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished, as the once vital voice of the verisimilitude now venerates what they once vilified. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition. The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous. Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose vis-à-vis an introduction, and so it is my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V.”

Here’s a video of it

Only catching up on this review now so apologies for the delay. Firstly I’ll say that I’m not crazy about Johnny Cash’s music. I would have heard a couple of his songs before but that would have been it. The film tracks the first half of Cash’s life and Jaoquin Phoenix turns in a masterful display of character nuance. He really nails the part and paints a picture of a guy who could swing from cruel to caring in a heartbeat. The fact that the director insisted on his actors singing each and every tune contributes to the film enormously. I can’t have imagined getting into the film as much if they had been lip-syncing.

Reese Witherspoon as June Carter is also superb and the chemistry between the two leads is palpable. She exudes confidence and seems to be the one person who would stand up to Cash. Her performance hints at a stolen childhood and broken marriages that all take place off screen. When all is considered though the structure of the film is elevated by the actors and turns an average bio-pic into a very good one.

Tony’s Verdict: 8/10