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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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Revolver (2007)

Rating: 2 Stars (out of 4)

Pawns Over Brains

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy Revolver on DVD

Guy Ritchie's follow-up to his 2002 Madonna fiasco Swept Away took two years to make it to the U.S., and it promptly disappeared. It starts out like Ritchie's earlier crime pictures, and even stars Jason Statham. He plays Jake, who is released from jail after seven years and plots his revenge against casino owner Macha (Ray Liotta). When Macha tries to kill Jake, a couple loan sharks (Vincent Pastore and André Benjamin) offer to protect him in exchange for all his money. Then they treat him like a lowly employee. I couldn't figure out why Jake would take this offer, since he seemed perfectly able to take care of himself. Then things get weird with a lot of talk about egos and rules and a lot of chess games. Psychologists appear during the end credits to help explain what Ritchie was trying to get at. It's not worth the bother. Luc Besson is credited with adapting the story, but adapted from where is anyone's guess. Statham and Liotta also appeared together in Uwe Boll's In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale.

DVD Details: Sony's DVD comes with the usual stuff: a director's commentary track, deleted scenes and featurettes, as well as trailers for other Sony features.

Starring: Jason Statham, Ray Liotta, Vincent Pastore, André Benjamin, Terence Maynard, Andrew Howard, Mark Strong, Francesca Annis, Anjela Lauren Smith, Elana Binysh
Written by: Guy Ritchie, Luc Besson
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language and some nudity
Running Time: 104 minutes
Date: April 3, 2008