4 – Revolver
This major misfire gained plenty of controversy soon after the film was released; its only positive review that was slapped onto the poster wasn’t genuine. It was the result of a cushy PR deal between the studio and its distributors. Ouch! Is the film so dire for the studio, desperate to recoup their investment, delve to such depths as to fabricate praise? Not quite.
Its convoluted plot line – something Guy Ritchie is all too familiar with – is made significantly difficult to penetrate with its Western/Eastern iconography, symbolism, and philosophical musings. There have been plenty of online discussions of the film’s religious signifiers, and some can help fill in the gaps. Its lush visuals, classical music score, and snippets of great ideas prevent this from becoming an overwhelming self-indulgent bore.
Still, this reviewer shan’t be joining the cult following this film has ascertained over the years, for its faults are loud and glaring. The numerous plotlines with no clear objective alongside its psychological visuals make it difficult for the audience to be placed in a visceral or a cerebral position. How does one approach and engage with the materials if the film is unsure of itself?
With such discussions still continuing today, one has to wonder whether it’s worth deciphering this convoluted movie. Short answer no; long answer no for one probably won’t gain a greater understanding of one’s own existence through doing so, nor gain greater insight into the human condition through the film’s attempt to fuse Easter and Western philosophies. It’s a poor-man’s Lynch meets Jodorowsky crime caper – actually, that sounds better than this film ever could be.
Originally published August 18, 2015. Updated April 15, 2018.
