This thriller with a stunning sequence shot is one of the best of the 90s and can be (re)watched for free

Snake-eyes : by the great Brian De Palma

Brian DePalma is a director with a fascinating filmography. Capable of touching on horror, fantasy, thriller, science fiction, war films or even action blockbusters, the filmmaker has always found a way to develop his obsessions in his works. Among these is the theme of fiction, on which it is built almost entirely Snake-eyes. Released two years later Mission Impossible (1996), the film is a dark thriller that takes place in a single location and over the course of a few hours.

It is in Atlantic City, at the Palais des Sports, that the tragedy will take place. While a boxing match is taking place and the crowd is in delirium and careless of the tropical cyclone that threatens the region, the Secretary of Defense Charles Kirkland is assassinated by a sniper, under the eyes of Inspector Rick Santoro (Nicolas Cage). The latter will have to lead the investigation, aided by Commander Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinise) in charge of security. And among the thousands of witnesses present in the room, one in particular caught Rick’s attention. It is Julia Costello (Carla Gugino), who was about to reveal a conspiracy…

The art of manipulation

With Snake-eyesBrian De Palma captures the viewer’s attention with his famous 13 minute sequence that opens his film. It is actually a false sequence shot, since the connections are perceptible. A choice of no small importance on the part of the filmmaker who, from his introduction, provides clues to his audience to make them understand that everything that is shown is false. Knowing that he openly deceives us with this sequence shot, we can suspect that what he shows of his characters during this passage is only an illusion. It is for this reason that the director combines clichés and stereotypes to deconstruct them as best as possible.

Let’s discover Rick Santoro first, this slightly corrupt policeman and addicted to games that could not be trusted. An exuberant man, the polar opposite of his friend Kevin Dunne, a perfect little soldier with apparently impeccable morals. The latter will leave his post only for professionalism, after seeing a sublime redhead in a long dress, cliché of the femme fatale which will turn out to be very different. And the same goes for Julia, who under her appearance of a sensual and sexy blonde, is actually a fascinating character and the opposite of this image.

This is therefore a large-scale manipulation orchestrated by Brian De Palma with Snake-eyes. In form, but also in substance, since David Koepp’s screenplay speaks about it openly image and data manipulation. From a camera in the room, which will help expose the conspiracy, and from falsified missile test results provided to the Secretary of Defense.

Captivating from start to finish, carried along as much by Brian De Palma’s virtuoso staging as by Ryuichi Sakamoto’s superb composition, Snake-eyes it is to be (re)seen without hesitation French television which offers the film for free until September 10, 2024.

Source: Cine Serie

Ray

Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.