One Of The Greatest Films Ever Made. An Excellent,Powerful,Unforgettable Masterpiece From Oliver Stone.

Rating: 10/10 (24 January 2014)

JFK is one of the greatest films ever made,an excellent,powerful and unforgettable masterpiece that combines amazing direction,a terrific all-star cast,a wonderful script and a brilliant and intense film score. All of those elements make JFK a classic political Thriller/Mystery,an outstanding piece of cinema and Oliver Stone at his best.
Based on the books On The Trail Of The Assassins by Jim Garrison and Crossfire:The Plot That Killed Kennedy,JFK tells the story of Jim Garrison(Kevin Costner),a New Orleans District Attorney who is investigating the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy that happened on November 22,1963. While some think it was just Lee Harvey Oswald(Gary Oldman)alone that did the shooting,Garrison thinks that there was others involved and that there was a conspiracy to kill Kennedy and Jim Garrison is investigating the events that lead up to the assassination.
Released in 1991,JFK is an amazing film that was controversial even before was released into movie theaters and is still one of the most controversial films of all time because some critics and the media felt that director Oliver Stone was taking liberties with historical facts and events. Whether anyone will see the film as fact or fiction,JFK is a brilliant film on every level,a thought-provoking masterpiece that punches you in the face right from the beginning grabbing you by the throat and never letting viewers go until the very end and is a movie that is an assault on the senses and the mind. JFK is also an intense Mystery-Thriller and one of the best Mystery-Thrillers ever made that is filled with intensity and with white hot suspense with questions about the John F. Kennedy Assassination,a tragic event that changed America in 1963. The beauty of JFK is that Kennedy's death is seen as an unsolved mystery not about who killed President Kennedy,but why was Kennedy killed,who really benefited,who has the power to cover it up? Was the Kennedy Assassination a conspiracy? Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone or were there others? Were the United States Federal Government,FBI,CIA and Mob involved? The movie in a frightening way asks these questions but instead of answering them JFK lets viewers answer these questions themselves and the movie messes with you not just physically but mentally as well because the whole entire film is like a giant puzzle or riddle and we as the viewer are trying to put pieces together. JFK is an epic film in the truest sense with a running time of 3 hrs and 9 minutes but it is the fastest three and a half hours you will ever watch and you are never bored or tired. What I love about JFK is the non linear style the film has using flashbacks with some of the characters telling different stories with multiple camera styles to keep the story moving and going nonstop. The screenplay by Zachary Skyler and Oliver Stone is fantastic and powerful with Skyler and Stone giving the movie dialog and scenes that are dramatic and tight and at times feels like a Shakespearean tragedy. The main character Jim Garrison is not only the hero of JFK but he also represents the audience because like Jim Garrison we are investigating why John F. Kennedy was killed and who was behind the assassination and as Garrison goes in deep into the investigation Garrison begins to lose his idealism and the way he used to feel about the law and government before the assassination opening his eyes and realizing white is black and black is white. Although Garrison investigating the case is affecting his personal life with his family,he still loves his family and wants to protect them while still wanting to solve the John F. Kennedy killing never wanting to stop no matter what. Jim Garrison is a fascinating and memorable character and we root for Garrison all the way for wanting to find out the truth. The ending is amazing because even though it is a conclusion It feels like the investigation into John F. Kennedy assassination will go on forever and it will either be solved or remained unsolved with the real truth still being out there. A terrific ending.
The whole cast is amazing. Kevin Costner is excellent and gives the best performance of his career as Jim Garrison,with Costner bringing power,depth and heroic quality to the role. Tommy Lee Jones is terrific as Clay Shaw,a New Orleans business man implicated in the assassination. Gary Oldman is wonderful as Lee Harvey Oswald,the killer and assassin of John F. Kennedy. Joe Pesci is fiery and memorable as David Ferrie,a friend of Clay Shaw's. Kevin Bacon shines as Willie O'Keefe,a male prostitute and friend of David's. Donald Sutherland is fantastic as Mr. X,a former colonial giving Garrison information. Sissy Spacek is great as Liz Garrison,Jim's wife. Jack Lemmon(Jack Martin),Ed Asner(Guy Bannister),Michael Rooker(Bill),Jay O. Sanders(Lou),Laurie Metcalf(Susie),John Candy(Dean Andrews Jr),Walter Matthau(Russell B. Long),Brian Doyle-Murray(Jack Ruby),Wayne Knight(Numa),Beata Pozniak(Marina Oswald),Sally Kirkland(Rose Cheramie)and Vincent D'Onofrio(Bill Newman,eyewitness)give great performances as well.
The direction by Oliver Stone is brilliant and stylish,with Stone always moving the camera showing close-ups,visual stunning shots that use Black and white to great effect and give the film a documentary feel keep the movie going at a quick pace. Wonderful direction,Stone.
The score by John Williams is outstanding,powerful and intense,with Williams' score being epic,heroic and suspenseful matching the film's tone to perfection. A terrific score by Williams and one of his best.
In final word,if you love Oliver Stone,Political Thrillers,Mysteries or films in general,I highly suggest you see JFK,one of the greatest films ever made and an excellent,unforgettable Masterpiece of cinema that you can watch again and again. Highly Recommended. 10/10.