A Very good watch

Rating: 9/10 (16 September 2002)

One thing you need to tell yourself whenever you watched a hyped up movie is never to expect too much. One is almost always disappointed. So having watched the #1 billed movie with a more or less open mind here is what I have to say.
Its a fantastic movie as far as the cinematography and non-linear narrative goes. The camera angles and black and white shades are the best I have ever seen. The last time I was impressed with the camerawork was "The Matrix". The narrative is very well done with the initial brief montage followed up by different perspectives of Kane as we go on. I did get briefly bored towards the middle of the movie when it looked like all we were going to be served up is a tycoon's story in detail. But the narrative really took off with Jed Leland's interview and manages to describe a man with as much accomplishment as one can expect in two hours. The remarkable thing is that one gets the feeling that one has known Kane for twenty years with just two hours of watching the movie. There is no tawdry sentimentalism either. It manages to comment on society and the press without getting too preachy either.
Altogether a very good movie. But is certainly not #1 on my list. I find "American Beauty" to be much better (not in cinematography). Dont know if I missed something remarkable about this movie. Most probably a very good movie for a student of cinema with its cinematography, non linear narrative and for potraying a man incisively and dispassionately on film reel.