Proof that 2006 is a Good Year for Movies

Rating: 7/10 (7 April 2006)

I just returned from seeing "Lucky Number SLevin" and I can honestly say that this puts to rest the fears I held that Hollywood was running out of movie ideas. Despite having one or two slow moments of pointless rambling (namely Leslie's introduction to Slevin) this is a fast paced movie with clever dialogue and plenty of realistic action. When people are shot it looks real, as blood flows from the wounds and is oftentimes black or a dark red you don't see in most movies.
Bruce Willis is good, as always, as the man who kills with style yet necessity. Morgan Freeman was a great villain and went all out in his performance. I don't have much experience of Lucy Lui's works, but she tried very hard and managed to pull out a decent performance here.
Now to those of you angry that this movie is a "cliché" of all other "avenging the death one's parents" movies, you have to look beyond the outer shell of SLeven. I'll admit that as I was watching this movie, I was reminded of the time I read "The Count of Monte Crsito". Though the plots are two totally different things, the avenging the ruining of one's life by killing innocent family members of the guilty party is a big role here. Sometimes the henchmen can be a bit overdone (as well as Slevin's lines), but at the same time it is pointed out by The Boss that the entire situation seems like a cliché.
Adding to this, SLeven goes even further beyond other movies. Though it is predictable that SLevin is the child mentioned in the story early on, the intricate details of the plan aren't known until much later on in the film. It's also interesting to see how everything falls into place, from Willis' part in the scheme to how Slevin gained the eye of The Rabbi and The Boss. A weak aspect of the movie, however, is the reason The Boss and The Rabbi became enemies in the first place.
In closing you should definitely see this movie if you don't mind thinking a little during a movie and can stand seeing blood and gore. This is an intense, funny, and clever experience, more than worth the ticket price. If you enjoy/enjoyed this film I also suggest seeing "Inside Man" as it offers an identical amount of cleaver plot twists without as much blood.