This review may contain spoilers.
What a wild Ride and weird movie.
The Story itself is really shitty, but sprinkled in there are so many cool scenes, cool Dialoges or Just Nicholas Cage as.. well.. Nicholas Cage.
In my.opinion he is not that great of an actor generally, but those over-the-top emotions he nails. When he goes off the rail and becomes this maniac he just shines maaan.
This is so useless information but imo Max California feels like a character BBC-Series-Moriarty would use as a Fake persona lol. Andrew Scott wouldve also done great instead of Joaquin Phoenix i am Sure.
What i liked:
- Joaquin Phoenix really Had an Interesting role and played It really good. The gem dialogue "I must Tell you, i am straight" "congratulations" involves him
- absolutely Love every piece of Media where the Phone number gets found Out by bugging the Phone and then analysisng the dial tone. Love it. Three days of the Condor peaked with that but Here its also Just neat.
- the whole lookout Scene with Thomas renting the flat across the street from the porn Agent Guy was cool. Some propero investigating at last. After this shitty Investigation until there, i'll Take everything.
- i like how He pushed that one Guy in the empty Pool after being chased. I thought hed Just run away so that took me.by surprise!
- it didnt Matter in the end but i like how Max Just filmed His First day in new York? Its a small Detail THat's useless but appreciated and it looked cool, gave it a cool vibe
- for Variation in the Investigation it was quite nice how late the Client successfully could trace the 1 MIO. I wouldve wished for it to.matter more than Just enabling Thomas to name the sum and reveal the betrayal of longdale but ehhh
- regarding the Film Tape itself there are two very cool looking scenes:
->First, the two Times Thomas sits there, sunk into His Chair, wearing a nice suit, watching the Tape and we see His well acted reaction to the Horror scenes and also this noise of the projector in the Background. It really Sets the Scene so nicely*!
*-> Second: when the Tape is pulled Out and burned. That also is staged very nicely.
- the character Dino Looks really fitting. Also well acted. Unique character. Always calm even when dying. Crossbow Always a cool weapon. And this Swing around when faking to.put it away? Aura kill on longdale
- the settings are really cool. The graphiti House. The Meeting Spot with Dino. Everything is so dirty but in an incredibly aesthetic way wtf!!!
- the mask of 'machine' is bad, but when he is asked multiple times to take it off by Thomas and he is just like "Nuh-uhhh" that shits funny
- music often slaps. Sometimes it even sounded Indian or what would usually play in a movie when a bazarr is shown? Fitted really well to some chase scenes.
- small scene but when Thomas returns to his wife and he looks at himself in the mirror and multiple times tells himself: "we're gonna be okay." That's cool as hell somehow
- another small scene I want to mention positively: "I will Not get tired of hurting you, Eddie" plus filmed from below. That's badass. In general that whole "interrogation" + killing is really well done (even though the motive is just off and unrealistic). That guy even licks the gun like the freak he is
-> also in that scene the phone call to Mary's mom as unrealistic as it is it is really working as to escalating the situation and showing how desperately Thomas is searching for any straw allowing him to kill that guy. "Tell me you loved her." Or "give me the permission to hurt them" very dramatic
-> and then the crescendo: Fire reflecting of thomas. Him in this black undershirt. Blood everywhere. Sweat. Great lighting. Great camera. Incredibly iconic. Nicholas Cages eyes go crazy.
- let's mention that last scene. Let me paint you a picture:
-> Nicholas cage with sunglasses is always a quality factor for me
-> he sneaks into this house, walking like a predator
-> he smokes for the extra aura. Ofc.
-> there is heavy rain. I love heavy rain. Gravestones are shown for the extra vibe
-> music is playing, heavy metal(?) so that Thomas as the intruder can't know for sure where machine is. The music stops, the suspense rises greatly
-> ofc the lights are mostly off. Great for suspense.
-> the Leather Jacket looks cool on thomas
Music stops.
-> after a short fight they both fall through a window. Is an action movie really a good one if this does not happen?
-> no surprise factor anymore. Just a back and forth duel. Love it. Ofc the gun is always 2 cms out of reach. we'll just ignore that this is the third time this exact method of suspense was used already. Still nice
- besides: I found it kinda interesting how George/machine stated things about his upbringing and how he just became this sick torturing guy with no bad nurturing influence at all. Gotta respect the hustle. "What did you expect? A monster? I am GEORGE"
- the second to last scene where Thomas breaks down into his wife's arms and just cries "save me" is a really potent scene, very emotional actually
**What I didn't like:
**- watching the trailer is really misleading because it suggests that everyone watching the tape becomes corrupted and it's the worst thing ever and having seen this just is the sole.motive of things happening yadda yadda. It's not. Thomas gets hired for money and gets involved and it gets personal. The tape is obviously gross but "just" murder.
- the whole fkn relationship of Thomas and his wife Is so useless for this plot. It adds nothing. He does not seem to love them that much tbh even though he says otherwise. The phone calls are just so non-emotional and half of the dialogue between them is either "I love you" or "I miss you". 30 second calls every two days... They don't have any kind of conversation really. Very badly executed. And it's not even the case that the family would mean he would have more to lose than elsewise. They get threatened but after they threaten the guy he knows for 3 days or so know. Guess the prioty of people is clear now. And the story literally starts with Thomas lying to his wife. Repeatedly. And her finding out but not saying anything? And Thomas never speaks about the specifics of his job that requires him to constantly be away? Yikes.
- that scene in the jail was really weird. How he questioned that guy Mary was supposed to run off with. It felt acted and not at all natural.
- when Thomas gives his number to max he writes it down on a note block but literally he writes one digit or so before ripping it off? Come on, with a 2h+ movie you can have this scene last 2 secs more to not make it look this dumb
- I really dislike the very long "investigative" part in the middle. It's probably an hour of this movie. So much of it makes no sense. He just cheats his way into everything by telling a bad story? He just finds the one missing girl from millions of photos? He semi randomly just endulges in the porn industry in order to find Mary Mathews? His odds should be so low.. and what's his approach? He thinks the tape is not real so she must be still alive and in those clubs or in those magazines as she wrote in her diary? What if he does not find her? Then he does not know whether he couldn't find her because she didn't further go that path or if she really died... Seems like a dumb approach.
- l liked the general approach of characterizing the porn industry via that mexican guy arbitrarily threatening him with that gun but it was somehow badly executed idk
- max mentions harmless kinks in the same sentence as mutilation porn when taking about that underground porn business. Wtf do they want to tell you with that ebb
- I don't need sooo many scenes watching Thomas watch hardcore illegal porn. No need. We get it.
- did I sleep there for a second or how did he get to those nuns and the suitcase? Really didn't get that. Also didn't get what was up with that phone number? It was disconnected, no? And the wax museum was mentioned? I didn't get that. Explained poorly
- I find it hard to believe that Thomas would Immediately be followed by the agent guy. By anyone else, sure. But that guy wouldn't really have the ability to know his location.
- was it really common to just send 50k.via post?. Cash or cheque? That seems unsafe.
- as cool as a character max is, he just knows way too much conveniently about everyone. He is the guy behind the counter but also earning some more but I just don't buy it how much info and connection he has. It's just as to drive the story forward. Cheap.
- in his whole investigative era, Thomas looks like an undercover cop. He is so bad at it. He speaks weird and looks weird. Not sneaky at all. Also this scene with "I am camera shy" brother you sus at hell and you don't realize it??
- I am somehow not happy with longdale being the surprise factor. Idk.
- he also says: "I hired you because you were young" and I don't think Nicholas cage looks young at all in that movie right there.
- already stated it but how.dumb is it that max California is threatened to make Thomas to cooperate and only then will they maybe target his family.. priority everybody, priority
- it's so unrealistic and a plot fixing element to send out Thomas with the lawyer. Just escort him with everyone to the car, get the tape and shoot him. The carelessness is really just so that the story could continues
- that throat cut on max is very unrealistic and Dino ordered otherwise whats up with that? Did they talk that over before offdcreen? Weird.
- in some drift scenes it is cut into two scenes. Before entering the turn and after and the speed highly differs between those two even though they are supposed to be half a second apart or sth
- it makes no sense that Thomas tells his client the name of Mary Matthews after revealing the whole story to her. He had talked to her before on many occasions and regularly to inform her about the current status of the investigation. This is just to make us think she didn't know before to justify her suicide which I think was not executed well but that's on another page.
- was that letter with "try to forget me" from the clien mrs Christian? What does it mean??? Huhh? She did not matter at all in this story. If Thomas would have to forget anyone, it would be Mary.
- the whole switch from justice seeking to revenge seeking obviously is great visually and for entertainment but it is also incredibly unrealistic and poorly built up to... I thought so long that he was just bluffing and wanting answers but he never asked any question. I really didn't think they would unprompted make this character change.
- that agent Eddie tells him marry died "you wanted to know. Now you know". Was it not already established that that tape was not fake??? ............ Are we going in circles or what.
- why is Thomas always asking the "why" and specially.asking whether people.masturbated on certain occasions, or if they "came".. that's like three times.
- I don't think there was no other way of proofing those guys were guilty. He had printouts. He had.some solid evidence I think. That narrative that "only Mrs Christiansen saw the tape and she as the last witness died so it's pointless" is dumb as hell
- George saying: "see how hard I am" is so unnecessary. They just wanted to be edgy eh
- before he enters George's home he hears the conversation between him and his mother? Grandmother? Idk. It's about love and church etc and it should show that even that monster of a human has someone who loves him.yadda yadda and it's not about nurture but nature or whatever. It's corny and also there is a closed.window in between, no way Thomas could have realistically heard that
This review may contain spoilers.
What a wild Ride and weird movie.
The Story itself is really shitty, but sprinkled in there are so many cool scenes, cool Dialoges or Just Nicholas Cage as.. well.. Nicholas Cage.
In my.opinion he is not that great of an actor generally, but those over-the-top emotions he nails. When he goes off the rail and becomes this maniac he just shines maaan.
This is so useless information but imo Max California feels like a character BBC-Series-Moriarty would use as a Fake persona lol. Andrew Scott wouldve also done great instead of Joaquin Phoenix i am Sure.
What i liked:
- Joaquin Phoenix really Had an Interesting role and played It really good. The gem dialogue "I must Tell you, i am straight" "congratulations" involves him
- absolutely Love every piece of Media where the Phone number gets found Out by bugging the Phone and then analysisng the dial tone. Love it. Three days of the Condor peaked with that but Here its also Just neat.
- the whole lookout Scene with Thomas renting the flat across the street from the porn Agent Guy was cool. Some propero investigating at last. After this shitty Investigation until there, i'll Take everything.
- i like how He pushed that one Guy in the empty Pool after being chased. I thought hed Just run away so that took me.by surprise!
- it didnt Matter in the end but i like how Max Just filmed His First day in new York? Its a small Detail THat's useless but appreciated and it looked cool, gave it a cool vibe
- for Variation in the Investigation it was quite nice how late the Client successfully could trace the 1 MIO. I wouldve wished for it to.matter more than Just enabling Thomas to name the sum and reveal the betrayal of longdale but ehhh
- regarding the Film Tape itself there are two very cool looking scenes:
->First, the two Times Thomas sits there, sunk into His Chair, wearing a nice suit, watching the Tape and we see His well acted reaction to the Horror scenes and also this noise of the projector in the Background. It really Sets the Scene so nicely*!
*-> Second: when the Tape is pulled Out and burned. That also is staged very nicely.
- the character Dino Looks really fitting. Also well acted. Unique character. Always calm even when dying. Crossbow Always a cool weapon. And this Swing around when faking to.put it away? Aura kill on longdale
- the settings are really cool. The graphiti House. The Meeting Spot with Dino. Everything is so dirty but in an incredibly aesthetic way wtf!!!
- the mask of 'machine' is bad, but when he is asked multiple times to take it off by Thomas and he is just like "Nuh-uhhh" that shits funny
- music often slaps. Sometimes it even sounded Indian or what would usually play in a movie when a bazarr is shown? Fitted really well to some chase scenes.
- small scene but when Thomas returns to his wife and he looks at himself in the mirror and multiple times tells himself: "we're gonna be okay." That's cool as hell somehow
- another small scene I want to mention positively: "I will Not get tired of hurting you, Eddie" plus filmed from below. That's badass. In general that whole "interrogation" + killing is really well done (even though the motive is just off and unrealistic). That guy even licks the gun like the freak he is
-> also in that scene the phone call to Mary's mom as unrealistic as it is it is really working as to escalating the situation and showing how desperately Thomas is searching for any straw allowing him to kill that guy. "Tell me you loved her." Or "give me the permission to hurt them" very dramatic
-> and then the crescendo: Fire reflecting of thomas. Him in this black undershirt. Blood everywhere. Sweat. Great lighting. Great camera. Incredibly iconic. Nicholas Cages eyes go crazy.
- let's mention that last scene. Let me paint you a picture:
-> Nicholas cage with sunglasses is always a quality factor for me
-> he sneaks into this house, walking like a predator
-> he smokes for the extra aura. Ofc.
-> there is heavy rain. I love heavy rain. Gravestones are shown for the extra vibe
-> music is playing, heavy metal(?) so that Thomas as the intruder can't know for sure where machine is. The music stops, the suspense rises greatly
-> ofc the lights are mostly off. Great for suspense.
-> the Leather Jacket looks cool on thomas
Music stops.
-> after a short fight they both fall through a window. Is an action movie really a good one if this does not happen?
-> no surprise factor anymore. Just a back and forth duel. Love it. Ofc the gun is always 2 cms out of reach. we'll just ignore that this is the third time this exact method of suspense was used already. Still nice
- besides: I found it kinda interesting how George/machine stated things about his upbringing and how he just became this sick torturing guy with no bad nurturing influence at all. Gotta respect the hustle. "What did you expect? A monster? I am GEORGE"
- the second to last scene where Thomas breaks down into his wife's arms and just cries "save me" is a really potent scene, very emotional actually
**What I didn't like:
**- watching the trailer is really misleading because it suggests that everyone watching the tape becomes corrupted and it's the worst thing ever and having seen this just is the sole.motive of things happening yadda yadda. It's not. Thomas gets hired for money and gets involved and it gets personal. The tape is obviously gross but "just" murder.
- the whole fkn relationship of Thomas and his wife Is so useless for this plot. It adds nothing. He does not seem to love them that much tbh even though he says otherwise. The phone calls are just so non-emotional and half of the dialogue between them is either "I love you" or "I miss you". 30 second calls every two days... They don't have any kind of conversation really. Very badly executed. And it's not even the case that the family would mean he would have more to lose than elsewise. They get threatened but after they threaten the guy he knows for 3 days or so know. Guess the prioty of people is clear now. And the story literally starts with Thomas lying to his wife. Repeatedly. And her finding out but not saying anything? And Thomas never speaks about the specifics of his job that requires him to constantly be away? Yikes.
- that scene in the jail was really weird. How he questioned that guy Mary was supposed to run off with. It felt acted and not at all natural.
- when Thomas gives his number to max he writes it down on a note block but literally he writes one digit or so before ripping it off? Come on, with a 2h+ movie you can have this scene last 2 secs more to not make it look this dumb
- I really dislike the very long "investigative" part in the middle. It's probably an hour of this movie. So much of it makes no sense. He just cheats his way into everything by telling a bad story? He just finds the one missing girl from millions of photos? He semi randomly just endulges in the porn industry in order to find Mary Mathews? His odds should be so low.. and what's his approach? He thinks the tape is not real so she must be still alive and in those clubs or in those magazines as she wrote in her diary? What if he does not find her? Then he does not know whether he couldn't find her because she didn't further go that path or if she really died... Seems like a dumb approach.
- l liked the general approach of characterizing the porn industry via that mexican guy arbitrarily threatening him with that gun but it was somehow badly executed idk
- max mentions harmless kinks in the same sentence as mutilation porn when taking about that underground porn business. Wtf do they want to tell you with that ebb
- I don't need sooo many scenes watching Thomas watch hardcore illegal porn. No need. We get it.
- did I sleep there for a second or how did he get to those nuns and the suitcase? Really didn't get that. Also didn't get what was up with that phone number? It was disconnected, no? And the wax museum was mentioned? I didn't get that. Explained poorly
- I find it hard to believe that Thomas would Immediately be followed by the agent guy. By anyone else, sure. But that guy wouldn't really have the ability to know his location.
- was it really common to just send 50k.via post?. Cash or cheque? That seems unsafe.
- as cool as a character max is, he just knows way too much conveniently about everyone. He is the guy behind the counter but also earning some more but I just don't buy it how much info and connection he has. It's just as to drive the story forward. Cheap.
- in his whole investigative era, Thomas looks like an undercover cop. He is so bad at it. He speaks weird and looks weird. Not sneaky at all. Also this scene with "I am camera shy" brother you sus at hell and you don't realize it??
- I am somehow not happy with longdale being the surprise factor. Idk.
- he also says: "I hired you because you were young" and I don't think Nicholas cage looks young at all in that movie right there.
- already stated it but how.dumb is it that max California is threatened to make Thomas to cooperate and only then will they maybe target his family.. priority everybody, priority
- it's so unrealistic and a plot fixing element to send out Thomas with the lawyer. Just escort him with everyone to the car, get the tape and shoot him. The carelessness is really just so that the story could continues
- that throat cut on max is very unrealistic and Dino ordered otherwise whats up with that? Did they talk that over before offdcreen? Weird.
- in some drift scenes it is cut into two scenes. Before entering the turn and after and the speed highly differs between those two even though they are supposed to be half a second apart or sth
- it makes no sense that Thomas tells his client the name of Mary Matthews after revealing the whole story to her. He had talked to her before on many occasions and regularly to inform her about the current status of the investigation. This is just to make us think she didn't know before to justify her suicide which I think was not executed well but that's on another page.
- was that letter with "try to forget me" from the clien mrs Christian? What does it mean??? Huhh? She did not matter at all in this story. If Thomas would have to forget anyone, it would be Mary.
- the whole switch from justice seeking to revenge seeking obviously is great visually and for entertainment but it is also incredibly unrealistic and poorly built up to... I thought so long that he was just bluffing and wanting answers but he never asked any question. I really didn't think they would unprompted make this character change.
- that agent Eddie tells him marry died "you wanted to know. Now you know". Was it not already established that that tape was not fake??? ............ Are we going in circles or what.
- why is Thomas always asking the "why" and specially.asking whether people.masturbated on certain occasions, or if they "came".. that's like three times.
- I don't think there was no other way of proofing those guys were guilty. He had printouts. He had.some solid evidence I think. That narrative that "only Mrs Christiansen saw the tape and she as the last witness died so it's pointless" is dumb as hell
- George saying: "see how hard I am" is so unnecessary. They just wanted to be edgy eh
- before he enters George's home he hears the conversation between him and his mother? Grandmother? Idk. It's about love and church etc and it should show that even that monster of a human has someone who loves him.yadda yadda and it's not about nurture but nature or whatever. It's corny and also there is a closed.window in between, no way Thomas could have realistically heard that
