Writer-director Guy Ritchie basically perfected his own subgenre with Snatch – the film was a more evolved version of his earlier work, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and was one of the best all-style, no-substance films ever made. Rather than continuing this trend, Ritchie has created Revolver, Snatch’s polar opposite (and pale comparison).
At first glance, Revolver seems no different from any other gangster saga. Jake Greene (Jason Statham, War) just got out of a seven-year stretch in prison and is looking for revenge on the man who put him there: casino magnate Dorothy Macha (Ray Liotta, Bee Movie). Soon, we learn that Jake is suffering from a fatal disease, and two mysterious characters offer to save Jake from the disease and help him with Macha. Jake is soon running errands for the men, well-dressed Avi (Andre Benjamin, Battle in Seattle) and the portly Zach (Vincent Pastore, “Big Pussy” from The Sopranos). By the end of the film, all these seemingly familiar strands culminate in a way you won’t expect.
Similarly, you also won’t expect such a self-serious film from Ritchie, as his signature is the chatty gangster film. Surprisingly funny, with clever, profane dialogue, Ritchie’s films have been a pleasure to listen to – that joy mostly ends here. Revolver occasionally drops in a classic Ritchie line (for example, when Jake says Macha would “pass a death sentence quicker than he’ll pass the salt”), but for long stretches, the film consists of vaguely philosophical lecturing. Rather than being thought-provoking, this quickly becomes tiresome.
Revolver is also a departure for Ritchie stylistically. Even though it takes place in the same environment as his previous films, Revolver’s energy is dialed way down. Snatch was a barrage of dynamic editing, catchy music and creative camerawork, whereas Revolver is comparatively straightforward. Sometimes it seems Ritchie can’t help himself and we get some stylish touches, such as color-filtered settings (Macha’s all-blue tanning room) and sporadic forays into animation. Yet, much like the film as a whole, these touches represent Ritchie’s previous tendencies instead of his new serious angle.
Understandably, many of the actors seem uncomfortable with Ritchie’s particular style of dialogue. Rather than being methodically condescending (as many of Ritchie’s characters are), they sound stiff and over-articulate. This is particularly tiresome in the cases of Benjamin and Pastore, who for all intents and purposes are the resident philosophers. The best here is undoubtedly Statham – showing a vulnerable side – but this is expected considering his history of work with Ritchie.
Another actor who stands out is Mark Strong (Stardust) as the tremendously odd assassin Sorter. The aptly named Sorter is the kind of side character who seems to beg for his own (likely better) movie. Sorter “never misses” – occasionally, he does, let’s be honest – but he does bring his A-game when it counts the most.
The fact that this side character is more compelling than the overall film illustrates how disappointing Revolver is. As a whole, the film is an awkward mix of Ritchie’s old style and his newly serious approach. The philosophical slant will leave you thinking, but how much you’re thinking depends on if you still care about Revolver by the film’s end.
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RATING: 1.5 STARS OUT OF 5
