Rating: 
Summary: Will enthrall fans of Pacino,Keanu,Charize,and Satan alike!
Review: I feel like my title demands an explanation regarding it's implication, so here we go; I meant Lucifer IN MOVIES, NOT IN ACTUALITY, k? Good. This DVD edition has it all, it does not lose a morsel of its flair after chronic viewing, which, i feel is a must-have-trait for must-own/see/scrutinize/cherish/love/acclaim-able(bear with me here plz) cinematic experiences. The additional features come in an abundance and are NOT just there to misconstrue you that it's loaded with style-over-substance-ish material, it's all there to inform and amuse you. You all probably know this already, but allow me to say that John Milton (Al Pacino's character, whose role is Kevin's, or Keanu's fatherly guru) was in fact the famous writer/poet who wrote the esteemed (in the literary realm for one/at least) Paradise Lost. I recommend anyone who's eager for "a thrill ride of a film" and one who doesn't mind his intelligence be not insulted, rather exulted. Thirsty for it yet? If so, you've made me a devil's advocate outta me! Thx for reading this and happy viewing! :-)!
Rating: 
Summary: Paradise lost in the Big Apple - and found in Gainesville
Review: The movie has a very intriguing plot, and it would help to remind oneself that, being a supernatural thriller, it has certain scenes and happenings that defy logical explanations, e.g. how Pacino's character Milton could, from a distance, cause the tragic car accident death of the man who told Reeves' Kevin Lomax about Milton's hidden background with other "business" dealings around the world; or how he (Milton) could have gone to the Lomaxes' apartment and done some unspeakable things with Lomax's wife, when Lomax was so certain that Milton had been with him in court at the same time. Also, it is equally baffling how that by shooting himself (towards the end of the film), Lomax could end the series of horrifying events in his and his wife's lives, and bring him back to the court scene at the beginning of the film!! It's as though he had been given a detailed "preview" of the consequences of his winning the Gettys case, and a 'second chance' to do otherwise, which he did, when at the last minute, he relinquished his counsel position for the defendant he felt he could no longer defend with a clear conscience and instead, faced the risk of being disbarred. So after all the nightmarish incidents, it's as though he finally decided that personal integrity and marital bliss with the woman he loves were more important to him than money, career prestige and success. (When his wife asked him what he had done, he simply replied: "The right thing".) An unexpected twist near the end was when his mother dropped the bombshell and revealed that Milton was his "long-lost" father.If not for some disgusting scenes and Milton's over-blasphemous ravings in front of Lomax, I feel this movie would have had a wider audience base and appeal. There had been some saying about Keanu's deadpan delivery style, but I find that in this movie, he is anything but deadpan. My only grouch is his haircut, which sort of reminds me of Kevin Costner in Bodyguard...
Rating: 
Summary: 'bout what you'd expect
Review: Pacino is fantastic, as always, making you forget that you're only watching a film. Keanu Reeves, as always, reminds you that you're watching a film with his bad acting. Charlize Theron (spelling?) is extremely convincing -- at least as good as Pacino. But forget all that, because Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, some Danish/other N.European films) gets naked. She is so beautiful.
Rating:
Summary: Winning Is My Job It's What I Do!
Review: This movie is extremely good. It's not filled with complicated legal language; so anybody can understand it. Keanu Reeves delivers a such a great performance as top notch lawyer,Kevin Lomax . When he joins a corporation owned by a charming John Milton (Al Pacino). Kevin and his wife Maryanne (Charlize Theron) are sent to the big apple where they lead a luxurious life. Kevin continues on his wining streak case after case. Meanwhile, his wife suffers serious depression and begins to breakdown because Kevin doesn't spend time with her anymore. Not until the middle of his biggest case and when his wife's condition worsens does Kevin realize that he's been shaking hands with the Devil and in this case he will lose, but still walk out the court a winner.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking and entertaining
Review: First of all, this movies is not for the whole family. It is not for religious people, people easily offended by nudity, language, and/or gore, and people who really have it out for Keanu Reeves. That being said, "The Devil's Advocate" is a modern epic which probes the nature of evil incisively. Of course, Keanu Reeves is not a great actor, but the role is written (much as the Matrix was written), to minimize his impact on the film and allow true actors and actresses, in this case Al Pacino and Charlize Theron to shine. The film details the descent into darkness of Kevin Lomax (Reeves), a small-town lawyer without much in the way of conscience, and not coincidentally an unblemished court record and his lively wife Mary Ann (Theron) after accepting John Milton (Pacino)'s offer to move to New York City and work for his law firm. Though both his wife and himself sense that all is not right in this alien world of power, sex, and money, Kevin is quickly absorbed by an obsession to win that separates him from his wife and sends them both on parallel tracks into evil. Always at Kevin's side is the suave, down-to earth Milton, who subtly prods him towards evil with a few words when needed. Though Reeves plays the central character, Pacino is certainly the most interesting and amusing of the cast. Just as the role of Lomax was written to fit Keanu Reeves, so the role of the ironically named John Milton (author of the classic Paradise Lost) was written to mesh nearly perfectly with Pacino. Theron shows her rather impressive acting ability in her role as the frustrated, frightened, and isolated wife, and the supporting cast doesn't trip up the film, which is pretty much all that can be asked of it. The film proceeds slowly but steadily through the first 2 hours, but the final half-hour that it builds to is truly awe-inspiring. The showdown between the infinitely calm and clever Pacino and the pissed-off, desperate, Reeves is a scene that really lets Pacino loose, and the twist at the end is a great surprise that few see coming and is more satisfying than other, more contrived endings. This film is not R-rated for the sake of being R-rated. Unlike other films, Devil's Advocate uses nudity, language, and violence to press its point. Without them, the film would take a serious hit in both plausibility and performance. Pacino's monologues are classics in themselves, namely the one prior to Eddie Barzou's death and the longer, more extravagant one at the climax. Reeves' emotions are semi-believable, and can we really expect more? Theron demonstrates why she deserves the leading roles she receives today. Finally, after the film your mind will be charged up and full of questions you can mull over for days, and its ability to create ideas and new concepts are what puts it head and shoulders above the ordinary class of films that entertain but do not make you think, at best.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best movies of its time
Review: I'm sure you've seen this or read the book or you wouldn't be reading a review to buy it, so I won't tell you the story. This movie has great special effects, but I think it is a definite classic too. I've seen the movie about 50 times atleast and I can't say that about more than 3 or 4 movies. It gets better every time. Maybe Reeves isn't exactly a great actor but I think he did better than he'd done before this movie. It probably made him a better actor. And I'm honestly not being sarcastic. And as for Pacino- Every time I watch the final scene or two he makes me notice something different about his eyes or his words. This is by all means the perfect grounds for his talent. It's like they made a movie just for him. Nobody else could have played that part, it was a match made in... well wherever, it's a great match anyway. This is a movie to buy. If you really liked it once or twice, you probably won't get tired of it. Every scene draws me in. It's one of the few recent story lined movies about modern times that is really this much a classic. This is about as epic as Braveheart and Gladiator and The Green mile. Even though the setting and scenery are generally alot less bright and vivid, this is a perfect modern movie. It takes advantage of special effects but they don't make the movie, only support it. Its got strong dialogue and great acting and a great story. The only thing I can tell you is that personally it never gets old, and that's why I think it's worth buying.
Rating:
Summary: The talented actor of our time.
Review: Al Pacino is one of the most talented actor of our time. He is very Mephistophelean and charismatic. This movie was made to re-emphisize his excellence. It is humorously metaphrical. Don't expect something deep and philosophical. This is only a Hollywood movie. Surely fun to watch. By the way, Al Pacino's Russian was pretty good and understandable but his Korean was almost impossible to understand. :-)
Rating:
Summary: Not all it's cracked up to be
Review: Keanu Reeves as a brilliant attorney. That's a bit of a stretch isn't it. I have to give him credit he has gotten further on minimal talent than most. And Pacino's lucifer was too brash for my taste. A subtler prince of darkness would have to me been more intriguing. The ending monologue is entirely too long and uneccesarily melodramatic. The earlier scenes in the film where Pacino was less brash although more charismatic were more interesting. And although the special effects were fabulous perhaps having less of them say with only hints of the true nature of certain characters the film may have been more interesting. Give us (the audience) some credit. It's a rental not a purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Keanu's Big Surprise
Review: Here comes a sharp, strong-voiced New York city lawyer with a lot of experience complemented by rare physical and mental powers. Played by Al Pacino, John Milton is a loner who wins cases by ignoring what is and isn't "by the book". While in the process of establishing a law partner, Milton runs across hot shot Keanu Reeves, who is yet to lose. Reeves turns out to become the perfect missing piece to the puzzle for Pacino. His character spends a significant amount of time with his new law partner in business and pleasure circumstances, in order to indirectly let his new friend know him better, to find out who he really is. As time passes, tension between the two businessmen arises and Keanu, the perfect defender/convicter sees his life unfold to become a total nightmare. "The Devils Advocate" has been compared to "The Firm", but "The Firm" is more drawn out and isn't in with the fantasy or horror genre. Al Pacino really shows his stuff in this, with a more than believable performance that features numerous profound monologues that are always mastered by this Italian legend. His costar, Keanu, hits the target for the first time, bringing genuine emotion and class to the table. Overall, "The Devil's Advocate" is very intriguing, extremely well acted with some impressive special effects. I found this movie to be one of the best of the 90s.
Rating:
Summary: Almost great
Review: This movie actually has some depth, with Pacino (the devil)ranting about humans that are "windup toys", "splittingatoms with their desire", and of course there's the slightlyoveracted monologue at the end--some cliché's there ("thetwentieth century was all mine"...) and the makers did not dareto go about it without some stupid jokes. The ending is a REALdramatic climax, unexpected and actually profound. The producersprobably thought this ending too "bad" for Americanaudiences, so a second ending was added, which seems a bit silly atfirst, but the last line of the movie makes it all right, I guess--andthen the Stones blast off with "Paint it Black", a very goodchoice and not TOO obvious. "Devil's Advocate" has an*almost* great screenplay (the episode with the goat butcher couldhave been skipped): literate, lots of subtext, artfully balancedforeshadowing. Direction and soundtrack: more than OK--enough imagesthat will keep lingering on. Pacino plays (?) the part he's playingfor the last ten years, I really can't see much difference... but forthis part his standard performance is very well suited: hoarse andyellow-teethed, he dominates all his scenes. Reeves is... well, youcan't help thinking that someone else would have done better (perhapsan actual Southerner?). Why put this guy into an R-rated movie? Thelittle girls who adore him aren't allowed to watch itanyway... Charlize Theron's performance is impressive: the naivemoney-and-succes-loving all American girl that gets to see things asthey are through loneliness and despair: if this actress is not reallya very intelligent women, then Hackford did an excellent jb indirecting her. The acting is generally very good, except, again, forReeves: short from being irritating, you're always glad that Pacinoturns up again. Far better than most Hollywood movies, this one getsmore enjoyable the second and third time around. One that could havebeen a classic, without Reeves, with a brushed monologue at the end,without a few scenes that could have been shorter or just discarded.Still, I'll watch it again someday.
|
