(Spoilers Included)
In this updated-to-the-21st-century noir piece, Brian De Palma's exploration on style is almost successful until the ending, which concludes that most part of the story has taken place in a dream of protagonist Laure (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos). The film should have finished with an intense destiny of Laure and Nicolas (Antonio Banderas); the turning-out-to-be-a-dream ending may indicate that the film's main argument is to present that cheap trick, or that De Palma might have not been able to find a better solution.
The film's most outstanding merit may be incredible cinematography with extreme angles, long takes, and effective usages of reflection, including the one on TV screen showing Double Indemnity at the film's beginning. A twisted plot, complicated characters, and some erotic spices contribute to enhancement of the style altogether. Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto adds a classy mood, scoring with strong influences from the Impressionism and the Expressionism--the opening tune Bolerish might have been written to substitute Ravel's Bolero, which may be still copyrighted.
In this updated-to-the-21st-century noir piece, Brian De Palma's exploration on style is almost successful until the ending, which concludes that most part of the story has taken place in a dream of protagonist Laure (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos). The film should have finished with an intense destiny of Laure and Nicolas (Antonio Banderas); the turning-out-to-be-a-dream ending may indicate that the film's main argument is to present that cheap trick, or that De Palma might have not been able to find a better solution.
The film's most outstanding merit may be incredible cinematography with extreme angles, long takes, and effective usages of reflection, including the one on TV screen showing Double Indemnity at the film's beginning. A twisted plot, complicated characters, and some erotic spices contribute to enhancement of the style altogether. Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto adds a classy mood, scoring with strong influences from the Impressionism and the Expressionism--the opening tune Bolerish might have been written to substitute Ravel's Bolero, which may be still copyrighted.