Firing Blanks
I didn't watch "Revolver" once, I watched it twice and not because I thought it was that good that it deserved a second viewing. Nope I watched it a second time because it lost me the first time and felt that maybe I had missed something which made it make sense, I didn't. In fact so disappointed by "Revolver" that after the second time around I got in touch with a couple of friends to seek their opinions and they were the same as mine. So here we have a movie which doesn't make sense, but that's not the only issue as "Revolver" is also messy, riddled with as many plot holes as bullet holes and with Guy Ritchie giving us some Quentin Tarrantino inspired scenes it feels like it is trying to be something it isn't. I suppose for those who just want stylized violence and Jason Statham there is something to like but beyond that "Revolver" is a mess.
After spending 7 years in prison, gambler Jake Green (Jason Statham - Cellular) is released and over the next two years manages to amass himself a small fortune. With the money available he is ready to get justice by going after Casino owner Macha (Ray Liotta - John Q), the man he feels is responsible for his incarceration. But having humiliated Macha by winning a vast amount of money Jake blacks out and when he wakes up he discovers that he has a rare disease with just 3 days to live. Not only that but Macha has hired a hitman to take him out whilst 2 loan shark heavies offer him protection in return for all his money and no questions. But who is really after Jake and how has he got in to such a mess?
For about 30 minutes "Revolver" is entertaining as we watch Jake Green exit prison and seek revenge for those 7 years inside as well as the murder of his sister in law. We get this twisting tale which becomes slightly strange when Jake finds himself being protected by two mean loan sharks after Macha hires a hitman to take him out. But then we get the first bit of nonsense as Jake blacks out and discovers he has just 3 days to live. And that is the start of a very quick decline because in trying to make this movie thrilling, mysterious and twisted the story spins out of control. People act without logic, characters show up and disappear and rules are broken leading to a twisted mess.
Now this twisted mess wouldn't be so bad if the pay off to all the mystery was worth it but it frankly isn't. Part of the problem is that even when you lose patience and stop trying to follow the messy storyline you can guess the outcome it doesn't take a genius to work out. And whilst Guy Ritchie tries to create a stylish and violent movie with scenes which pay homage to Tarrantino it too feels messy and inconsistent. It gets too the point that it is trying too hard to be something it isn't and ends up being poor in comparison.
The saving grace to "Revolver" is Jason Statham who may look completely wrong with the hair at least delivers a character who you want to follow. His character may not make much sense but at least Statham delivers persona as do some of the other actors such as Vincent Pastore as Zach and André Benjamin as Avi. And whilst Ray Liotta over acts the entire movie, which I am sure was intentional considering the quirkiness of his character, at least he grabs your attention.
What this all boils down to is that "Revolver" is not a good movie and definitely not up to Guy Ritchie's earlier standards. It is quite simply very messy as it tries to be something more than it is with really only the performances ending up entertaining despite the terrible characters.
