The Famous Five: Review of The Usual Suspects

Classic from the Vault

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Director: Bryan Singer

By Alex Watson

To make a truly iconic ending to a film it needs to have an item in it that will stay with people forever- it could be something as ordinary as a Sledge like in Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane or the mysterious box delivered at the climax of David Fincher Se7en. But the object that probably was had the most effect on a film’s ending is the notice board in Bryan Singer’s masterpiece crime thriller The Usual Suspects! But aside from the brilliant ending, we had given to us one of the most slick and mysterious thrillers to hit our screens.

US Customs agent David Kujan (Chazz Palminteri) is investigating a brutal shootout in a San Pedro harbour in Los Angeles which has left only one survivor, crippled con man Verbal Kint (Kevin Spacey). Although he has immunity from the governor of LA, Kujan is suspicious of Kint’s testimony and forces him to recount the events to him. Through his story, Verbal tells of his meeting of five others felons in a line up including Fenster (Benicio Del Toro), McManus (Stephen Baldwin), Todd (Kevin Pollak) and the notorious ex cop Dean Keaton (Gabriel Bryne). Through his story, Kujan will the shocking truths about their crimes and most interesting element of all, a man named Keyser Soze!

The Usual Suspects is a thriller like no other because the turn of events are so unpredictable when each scene appears you dare not make any assumptions. The narration by Kint adds to the suspense surrounding the story line and from the very get go we wonder how on earth this seemingly small time felons ended up being in involved in an awful massacre where only one of them is left to live?

However Verbal is not a reliable narrator and as Kujan goes back and forth with him, we realize that when he tells a story, its contents are highly questionable.  Especially when he is left alone in a room by himself, which will lead to one of the most shocking endings in the history of cinema and as Kujan’s mug smashes to the ground, the audience will sit wide mouthed in shock when they realize the exact truth about Verbal’s ambiguous tale.

But it’s the presence of the unseen criminal Keyser Soze that provides The Usual Suspects with it mystery element, because his very name alone creates alarm in the underworld! All the way through we are asking who this man is and what makes him so powerful? His identity is a source of continuing guess, is it the famous criminal Keaton? Or could it be Soze’s well informed foreign associate, Kobayashi (Pete Postlethwaite), a man who seems to know too much about the five for his own good.  Soze’s and his true identity will be the source of repeat viewings in the future because its answer we all want to figure out!

The script by Chris McQuarrie deserved won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar and through his brilliant writing we are given a thriller that has earned deserved cult status and a rightful place in film history. Bryan Singer’s excellent direction has also seen him step forward into the list of Hollywood’s elite. Through his impressive visual eye and some impressive editing from John Ottman the picture sings loudly on screen and the impressive ending punch is delivered beautifully!

The film also boasts a magnificent ensemble cast led by Kevin Spacey as the slippery Verbal Kint, through Spacey’s superb Oscar winning performance he brings a great vague quality to Verbal which drives The Usual Suspects forward- this brought Spacey to the public’s full attention and he has been delivering ever since. Gabriel Bryne also gives a strong performance as Keaton, a man trying to going straight but his past is always catching up with him and his joined by other great performances by Pollak, Del Toro and Stephen Baldwin (who never reached the same heights again).

Chazz Palminteri also holds his own and gives a great turn as frustrated cop Kujan and his hard edge that he brings the interrogation sparks the story into life.

The Usual Suspects is a film that deserved repeated viewing because the story is one that you will want to revisit for years to come and each time there are new theories to consider. Singer and McQuarrie have brought a thriller that is as fresh and original as was years before. But the most important question remains, just who is Keyser Soze?

Might & Magic: Excalibur Review

Classic from the Vault

Excalibur (1981)

Director: John Boorman

By Alex Watson

The legend of King Arthur and the knights of the roundtable have already been shown to us in a variety of different forms, with extremely varied results. For instance we have had laughs aplenty in Monty Python’s The Holy Grail (including some very rude Frenchmen), had Clive Owen and Keira Knightley’s bland offering of the tale in Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur and more recently the disappointing TV adaptation Camelot starring Eva Green. But none of them have been more weird and wonderful than director John Boorman’s lavish adaptation, Excalibur. A film which took the legend to the next level and left many shocked.

Boorman’s version begins showing the reign of the brutish King Uther (Gabriel Byrne) who is at war with his rival Gorlois (Corin Redgrave). After Uther is given the magic sword Excalibur by sorcerer Merlin (Nicol Williamson) and war is briefly halted. But soon Uther is murdered by his enemies- before death he impales his magic into a rock and proclaims who ever pull’s it out will become king! Years later his son Arthur (Nigel Terry) becomes that man and reigns over Britain with Guinevere (Cherie Lunghi), but very soon his sorceress sister, Morgana (Helen Mirren) will bring his kingdom to ruins!

Excalibur is a very different kind of Arthurian legend because even though the usual reference such as the sword in the stone and The Lady of the Lake are present, it has a very mystic and supernatural air that surrounds it. This effect gives the film a dream like quality which is captured in a series of lush cinematography by Alex Thomson. Also unlike its predecessor’s Boorman’s film chooses to focus more on the blood spilt and the effects of sorcerery in this classic tale. In doing so it gets rid of any sentiment attached to the tale and shows how even the tightest bonds are tested.

Within the walls of Camelot is where the film really begins to fire because we show Arthur’s love for Guinevere tested by her budding attraction to handsome knight Lancelot (Nicholas Clay) which shall lead to an affair with devastating consequences. It is also within this walls were Morgana weaves her magic and quickly makes mincemeat of Merlin’s plan to destroy her in an epic and chest tightening showdown (I guarantee you will speaking the charm of making for days after).

Beyond the glorious sets and the fabulous photography there lays a dark cloud hanging over head and in Excalibur’s final act the feel of the film descends into a very different place. Under the influence of Morgana we see a kingdom decimated and from there things become a bit confusing in terms of story. But things are re-deemed with a thrilling and energetic final battle between Arthur and his bastard son Mordred where it will literally be the last man standing!

But the real stand out of Boorman’s film is the presence of Merlin, played with relish by Nicol Williamson (who died earlier this year). From the very beginning Merlin’s presence has an effect and his magic causes as many problems as it solves. Merlin played as both clairvoyant and con man and although nurturing to Arthur, his deeds will come to haunt him when he meet Morgana!

Nigel Terry gives a solid performance as the brave yet naive Arthur, whose heroics and trust in faith will shape the fortunes of all. He is matched by Nicholas Clay who gives a sexual charged performance as Lancelot, a man whose allegiance to Arthur will soon come under great strain. But its Helen Mirren who has the most presences as the serpent like Morgana! Her lusts of power lingers heavily her eyes as she lurks in the background watching her brother. Through Mirren she is given an ice cold feel and this carried across well in Excalibur’s latter stages.

Although this version may split viewers as the whether it is really a good telling of a true legend, this really is worth a view. Boorman’s Excalibur is one of the most visual stunning and surreal films you are ever likely to watch and with its great cast (watch from early performances from Patrick Stewart and Liam Neeson) it makes it an exhilarating drama. But be warned there will no one farting in the knights general direction in this movie!