Sleuth (2007)

I loved the original book and the 1972 movie so I was eagerly awaiting the new Sleuth to see what Branagh would bring to the screen. From the outset, the Set Design was a miss as I can't imagine a mystery writer living in a cold, stark concrete and steel mausoleum. Writers do research, they read books, lots of books, and not all are available via the internet, no matter what techies would have you think. Andrew Wyke would have a huge library available to himself within easy reach. The only books on that set were supposedly written by Wyke himself.The camera direction was not comfortable to watch as it was inferred we were watching things unfold through the security camera's. An interesting idea until some of camera's appeared to be tracking the subjects. Good trick, but only if the subjects are wearing tracking devises. They weren't. I have a hard time watching images that only show part of the subject as was the case at the start. It makes me pay attention to the camera and not the story. This is a trick of music video directors when they don't have much of a story to tell but still have to fill the time allotted. Branagh had a great story to tell, just not much of a script.Micheal Caine is a fine actor but when held up to Sir Laurence Olivier's Andrew Wyke, he is left lacking. Jude Law does a fine job with the character he was given but he still didn't outdo Caines original. The entire film was not long enough to give any good character development nor was there good use of the grounds as in the 72' version.If you have never seen the 1972 Sleuth, you may be excused for really enjoying this copy, but if you have seen the older one you will not be able to watch this without making comparisons.I highly recommend watching the 1972 Sleuth with Micheal Caine and Sir Lawrence Olivier to see what this movie should be.

So, we've seen the play, when does the movie start?Directed by Kenneth Branagh, starring Michael Caine and Jude Law, from a play by Harold Pinter: sounds like a good formula, doesn't it? Unfortunately nobody told Messrs Caine, Law and Branagh that they weren't doing a play! The whole movie feels like a play, and has this emptiness and pretentiousness to go with it. The plot was OK, but not watertight. The suspense seemed lacking though. All the twists made you less surprised the next time something which should have been thrilling happened. Made the end an anti- climax.Watch the original 1972 version instead - it's brilliant and light years ahead of this one.

I remember liking the original 1970s "Sleuth" movie when it first came out, so I was interested to see what a modern update would be like, especially since Michael Caine would not only be returning, but playing the senior character this time around. Unfortunately, I thought this update was a big disappointment. For starters, the updated setting of the action is now a high tech environment, which feels absolutely cold and passionless, dragging the movie down to a depressing level. And while I can understand why they changed the last third of the story - you have to expect some major changes in a remake - I thought the new plotting in this last third was pretty silly. Michael Caine and Jude Law do give it their all, and their chemistry does on occasion distract you from the movie's shortcomings. But their characters are more mean-spirited than playfully devious, and that often leaves a bad taste. Track down a copy of the original movie instead.

Yes, this 2007 film is a distinct departure from the original. Some plot twists (many of the best) disappear, and a new twist or two (rather trite) are inserted seemingly solely for the sake of change and shock value. The vide surveillance aspect seems of no purpose other than to remind of modern times (as if this fact has plot value). Even had the changes benefited the plot, Caine is no Olivier and Branagh is no Mankiewicz. Caine's performance and this film fall flat and bore. Law is over the top and stagey, and Caine simply lacks all energy. Most lines fall flat - as if this were an early read-through between the two and background scenery were added late. The original was far superior. This film is predictable, one note and disappointing.