Quite good, but over-rated seems like......

Rating: 7/10 (17 May 2005)

Well, having bought the DVD of this lately, I finally sat myself down and watched Chinatown w/out any commercials. Thank you AMC. Anyways-just what exactly was this 'JaaaaCK' movie/throw-back to the '40's noir flix all about? Why is it praised to the high heavens? Got me.
Here's what's good: *Jack Nicholson. Reins in his scenery chewing and gives a terrific, focused performance ala Bogie or Mitchum. I liked this a lot.
*Stylish camera-work, period detail, etc. Polanski nails it.
*Supporting work by Lopez, Huston, Dunaway and Burt Young, all fine. Huston is clearly a scary SOB no doubting it.
*Involving plot, and Towne was right--water rights and reservoirs aren't quite the same as Maltese Falcons--they're believable and mean huge $$ to those who can corner the market.
*Downbeat ending. Yah sometimes the baddies win.
What's not so good: *Quite slow. This has that '70's d-r-a-g things o-u-t pace, you do wish they'd hurry parts of it along some.
*Polanski and his knife cameo. Like bad Joe Pesci. C'mon guys.
*Hated seeing Faye get shot.
*Dull sorta film overall. You sit and wait for something to happen, and besides a few fights or near drownings, nothing much does for long periods of time save for Jack being...Jaaaaack.
Overall--***1/2 outta ****, Godfather Too was better, but the Conversation, that was the best for '74.