Snake Eyes (1998)

I think that the strong point of this film is the direction. Maybe the story is predictable, little original and so on... but it is undeniable Brian De Palma's job on camera movements and on the style is extraordinary. Do we want to talk about the - fake - long take at the beginning, that lasts more than 10 minutes, in which the whole meaning of the film is included? Moreover, I've seen much worse performances by Nicholas Cage.

Not all De Palma films are beloved. Snake Eyes is considered one of his weakest. The story is generic and the ending is a complete letdown. But the cinematography is so on point, it's really hard to dislike this film. It's a lot of fun, in fact. Nicholas Cage doesn't get better. Gary Sinise is superb. The opening shot is a steady cam, long take, reminiscent of the Copa scene in Goodfellas and the opening to Boogie Nights. It gets you right into Ricky's world, and immediately, you are hooked. De Palma knows how to get you invested in his characters. Overall, it's very surprising to me how much of a bad rep Snake Eyes has.

Another good film for Nicolas Cage is the 1968 production of "Snake Eyes". It is directed by Brian De Palma. And it is written by Brian De Palma and David Koepp. The cast includes Nicolas Cage, Gary Sinise, John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw, Kevin Dunn, Michael Rispoli, Joel Fabiani, Luis Guzman, David Anthony Higgins, Mike Starr, Tamara Tunie, Chip Zen, Michaella Bassey, Paul Joseph Bernardo, Jemard Burks, Mark Camacho, and Desmond Campbell, Jean-Paul Chartrand, Chip Chupka, Deano Clavet, Tara Ann Culp, Kelly Deadmon, Frederick De Grandpre, Adam C. Flores, George Foumiotis, Christina Fulton, Kenneth Glegg, Sebastien Delome, Alain Goudern and Dean Hagopian. The story is that of an Atlantic City cop who solves an international espionage ring during a major hurricane. I gave it 8 stars for it frenetic pace and intrigue. Dale Haufrect

Once upon a time, there was a very talented actor called Nicholas Cage, who set Box Offices alight all over the world. As it stands... this fairytale hasn't concluded 'happily ever after,' as poor old Nick hasn't had a hit movie in years. But, during the 'once upon a time' phase, he did a lot of good stuff.'Snake Eyes' is pretty good. Yes, it's a little far-fetched, but the fun you'll get out of it will make up for the times when you have to suspend your disbelief in order to ignore the plot holes (and obvious storytelling).During a live title fight in an Atlantic City boxing ring, a visiting politician is assassinated. But, local cop (and a slightly crooked one at that) Nicholas Cage, is on hand to get to the bottom of it all. So it's a kind of 'who-dun-it' conspiracy thriller. Although there aren't really that many possible culprits, so you'll probably guess who's the mastermind behind it all long before the final act. But that doesn't really matter. The phrase 'larger than life' is best suited to describing Cage's performance. He's pretty over the top in all his scenes and, again, you may not always believe that a real person can act like that, you'll enjoy the ride all the same.It's not a long film, clocking in at slightly over the hour and a half mark. And, despite having not that much new on offer, it's still worth a watch. If you find it on TV late at night some time and feel like staying up, you'll have a good time. Despite being shot in the nineties, it still stands the test of time in the 'fun stakes.'