Rule Breaking

The idea of an "intelligent bang" is the idea that pop culture is not, by definiton, stupid. Sometimes, of course, pop culture is dumb, and reflects poorly on the culture's population. If this (horrible reality show, cheesy song, cliche movie) is what is popular, it's because we are all thoughtless sheep, goes the thinking. It is somewhat ironic how popular this is to say and think, how popular it's become to be wry and cynical and dismissive of anything enjoyed...or at least in my college educated and relatively pretentious crowd. So in an effort to champion the underdog, to stick up for the unpopular--or rather, unappreciated--bits that are popular and yet not--against instinct--horrible, cheesy, or cliche, this site was started. It would break the rules to champion something that isn't popular, that hasn't made a "bang." And yet, Guy Ritchie's new/old film "Revolver" is so universally reviled that I simply must break the rule.

With a stunning 6% on rottentomatoes.com, I had an idea that the movie might not be Oscar caliber. One review, by Chicago's Sid Smith, referred to a an online poll that named "Revolver" worse than "Alexander," "Bewitched," and "The Dukes of Hazard." I have seen "Alexander," "Bewitched, and now "Revolver," but unfortunately I cannot, with any authority, say anything about "The Dukes of Hazard." But I can authoritively say that "Revolver" is, to be scientific, about one trillion times better than the atrocious "Alexander" and the blindingly bad "Bewitched." Honestly.

Okay, I will concede that Ray Liotta overacted a smidge. But. Andre Benjamin played it so cool and even that he made up for any exagerrated performances, plus Jason Statham looks great with hair. I mean, God. The film is original and shot with such precision; an aerial shot of a black cadillac slowly filling up the screen as it moves down the street, all curves and angles and shiny and black, demonstrated to me a director who is in control. Yes, of course the film is stylized; intentionally, and to good effect. This is no "Batman" circa George Clooney, bless his charming little soul. The white, pristine jail cells that held (separately) the trio of Vincent Pastore, Andre Benjamin, and Jason Statham, and the aforementioned shiny black cadillac that also holds the three, are not meant to be realistic representations. They are meant to be visual representations of the extended metaphor that is the movie; it's all a game of chess. One brilliant flashback demonstrates how Statham's character passed the time in solitary confinement: he played the game against himself. The Liotta scenes are always lush with color and excess; he is in a gilded room in one scene, and an elaborate and eerie blue tanning, um, room in the next. The so easily dismissed "mTV style" of editing is not jarring or, in 2008, anything to be annoyed about. In fact, many scenes are extended and contemplative and impressive, particularly with Liotta's character--his Bellagio style casino, or maybe Versailles is a better comparison, displays his character's character in long shots, allowing the viewer to see, in more ways than one, the whole picture.

This movie is not thoughtless. It provokes thought, as it means to, but clearly quite a bit of thought went into making it. Too much thought can spoil a film, to be sure, but this is not the case. The movie is trying hard, and I appreciate the effort. I was impressed by the story line, and I thought it kept its focus, and maintained its metaphor without giving anything away. The twist isn't anything outrageous, but it is an unusual one for mainstream films, by which I mean, an indie film this is not. And it doesn't try hard in the "Look at me, I am doing so many crazy things, no one is smart enough to 'get' this film besides me, because I am a genius" way. It is in no way a poor man's David Lynch. Ritchie seems to want the viewer to figure it out--not immediately, but eventually, and gently leaves clues throughout the film. Without spelling anything out, he gives you all the letters. My intelligence was never insulted by dumbed down plot devices or contrived and truly pretentious "symbols." It did make me upset to read that the film is perceived, depending on the review, to be guilty of both of the above director's sins. So, I am breaking the rules, because "Revolver" did, and I am saying to the film's opponents: you are kinda dumb. Read more!