Reservoir Dogs
Some films are so powerful that they grab a hold of you and draw you in. Like a terrible accident you may be horrified, but you are still compelled to watch. Reservoir Dogs, the impressive directorial debut of Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), definitely falls into this category. Right after the opening credits you are subjected to an intense scene in which a man in the back seat of a moving car is screaming in agony while lying in a pool of his own blood. This movie is definitely not for the squeamish.
Reservoir Dogs is the story of a jewelry heist gone terribly wrong. During the robbery several police officers and civilians were killed or wounded. Out of the six robbers, two are dead or missing and one is slowly dying from a painful gunshot wound to the stomach. The wounded member and three remaining members meet up at the agreed-upon rendezvous point (an abandoned warehouse). As the team tries to pinpoint what happened they suspect that one of the group members may be a rat, though they don't know whom.
All of the team members are total strangers who have been recruited by boss Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney) and his son Eddie (Chris Penn) specifically for this job. Each team member is named after a color so that they cannot reveal too much information to the police if captured. Through a series of flashbacks the film reveals how the team was brought together and the events immediately before and after the robbery. All of these events reach a boil in a compelling and unsettling conclusion.
This may sound like an action flick, but it's actually more of a drama. Although there are some action sequences, the film's strength lies in the excellent script (also written by Tarantino) and strong performances. The script is peppered with sharp dialogue that underlines the edginess and desperation of the situation. The film's rare light moments include a hilarious (and crude) conversation about the true meaning of Madonna's song "Like A Virgin" and a debate about tipping waitresses. Also, the opening credits are so classic that they have been parodied and satired many times since (most notably in the cult classic Swingers).
The all-star cast includes Tim Roth (Mr. Orange), Harvey Keitel (Mr. White), Steve Buschemi (Mr. Pink) and Michael Madsen (Mr. Blond), and each plays his character perfectly. The current and flashback scenes help reveal each character's different personality. The group dynamics caused by these contrasting personalities explains why the robbery went so horribly wrong.
Reservoir Dogs also features a great soundtrack. In fact, one of the film's most memorable moments is when the psychotic Mr. Blond is torturing a captured police officer while listening to "Stuck In The Middle With You" on the radio. The obvious delight that he takes in slicing the officer's ear off and dousing him with gasoline while dancing to the music is alarming. Afterwards, I guarantee that you will associate that song with this scene for years. Another highlight to the soundtrack is listening to the deadpan radio deejay (comedian Steven Wright) introduce the songs in his monotone voice.
Although Reservoir Dogs is an extremely violent movie, the violence is not gratuitous or glorified. In fact, you never see the actual robbery. You know enough from the conversations to piece together what happened. There is no need to actually show it. During the torture scene you don't actually see Mr. Blond cut off the cop's ear, but you know it happened. Sometimes just knowing that something happened is more effective than actually seeing it happen. Unlike most crime movies, Reservoir Dogs does not glamorize the violence. It's not pretty. It's gritty with a dark, sinister edge to it. After watching Reservoir Dogs you may be shocked, but you definitely do not feel cheated. You know that you have watched an honest, well-made film.
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What goes with a bullet wound to the stomach and a severed ear? Why, a Bloody Mary, of course. Otherwise it is probably best to enjoy this flick sober.
This is strictly a guy's guy movie. No love story, no sappiness. In fact, no female characters exist. The strong language and gory violence will probably scare away most female viewers.
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