Snake Eyes (1998) has echoes of the technical wizardry and complex plotting of other Palma films. It starts with an important boxing match in an Atlantic City casino. We are following Ricky Santoro (Nicolas Cage), a flamboyant and corrupt Atlantic City policeman who reveals in the fact that he sees every angle. Ricky has a dream: become so well connected that he can become mayor. In lieu of that, he'll settle for keeping his comfortable lifestyle. On the night of the heavyweight boxing championship, Rick becomes mixed up in a murder, whose security was in charge of his best friend and old pal, Navy Commander Kevin Dunne (Gary Sinese). The latter is keeping an eye on Secretary of Defence Kirkland, who has a ringside seat courtesy of arena owner and munitions tycoon Gilbert Powell (John Heard). Becoming the investigating officer in the case, Rick soon uncovers a conspiracy to kill the Secretary of Defence (Fabiani) and involved a mysterious woman in white (Carla Gugino). The conspiracy was shocking, but not half as shocking as the identity of its mastermind !. Believe Everything Except Your Eyes !. Watch Closely. Now you see it. Now you don't. He's got 14,000 eyewitnesses and no one saw a thing. Seeing is Deceiving !.
Interesting and fast-paced suspense/thriller, recognisably from the blood-spattered hands of expert cinéaste Brian De Palma. De Palma's coldly executed techno-thriller open with a signature sequence: a continuous Steadicam shot begins out of Atlantic City sports arena, then snakes its way along corridors,
up stars and down and elevator, to reveal the packed crowd awaiting the start of a heavyweight boxing match. This haunting thriller flick is plenty of mystery, intrigue, plot twists and suspenseful. Developing throughout a complex police procedure in which Santoro/Nicolas Cage takes charge of the investigation, as he immediately seals the crowd inside the arena and using TV and surveillance camera playback, scans the screens for clues as to the killer's identity. As Santoro interviews key witnesses , the film turns into ¨Rashomon¨ with action replays, as we see flashbacks from multiple points of view. The mechanics of suspense are worked quite well by the filmmaker and tension developing quite adequately, but De Palma has made a habit of dwelling on their more strange side-shoots. Edgy intrigue and powerful kinetic energy are generated by the surprising revelations and razor-sharp editing, while the truth behind its convoluted conspiracy has a really serious emotional and political undertow. A highly attractive film displaying a great cast and catching musical score by Ryuichi Sakamoto who along with Pino Donaggio are De Palma's favorite composers, in Bernard Herrmann style and imitating former hits. There is much for De Palma buffs to savour in this thrilling and atmospheric handling of a complex story with deliberately old-fashioned treatment and filled with twists and turns.
This elegantly dreamy 'Snake Eyes' is as rich and rare as anything De Palma's made for a while. The cinéphile Brian De Palma is a genre unto himself these days, including his own trademarks and a plot twist which, as the writer/filmmaker admits, will alienate half the audience. The movie introduces us to Hitchcock style and the visuals are often impressive. Adding special characteristics techniques as ominous camera movements and split screen. The result is provocative, surprising, outrageous and fun. Stars Nicolas Cage who makes a stubborn, poised, foul-mouthed, confident hero. And Gary Sinese is pretty good as a miltitary officer who gets involved in twisted problems. They're well accompanied by a good cast giving greater or lesser interpretations, such as: John Heard, Carla Gugino, Stan Shaw, Kevin Dunn, Michael Rispoli, Joel Fabiani, Luis Guzmán, David Anthony Higgins, Mike Starr, MarK Camacho, Tamara Tunie, among others.
It contains colorful and glamorous cinematography by cameraman Stephen H. Burum, as well as intriguing and thrilling musical score by composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Displaying a professional and graphically mysterious direction from cinéphile Brian De Palma. This is yet another Hitchcock tribute and the reason for the chief amusement turning out to be inquire what scenes taken from Master of suspense. That's why takes parts especially from Hitchcock. The flick was well directed Brian De Palma in his usual style, but it turns out to be inferior to the other similar suspense films that he directed. This ¨Snake eyes¨(1998) ¨along with ¨Sisters¨, Obsession, ¨Body Double¨, ¨Dressed to Kill¨, ¨Blow out¨ , ¨Femme Fatale¨ most of them resulting outwardly odes to Hitchcock with the accent on the killing, but on many occasions are really decent. Rating : 7/10. Notable thriller, it gets some riveting basic ideas and fascinating images .
