Slevin vs. Suspects

Rating: 10/10 (28 June 2010)

(one quick thing when watching: don't make the same huge mistake Roger Ebert did and expect Lucky Number Slevin to be a serious movie, the triviality of the characters is meant to be that way)
Almost every thriller is set up so you know there is a twist coming. What makes a thriller stand out is when you forget it's a thriller. Fight Club is just an epic fighting movie. Memento makes you concerned with figuring out what's going on, much like he is trying to do. The Usual Suspects has you guessing at how the boat incident came to be and who Keyser Soze is. All of them make you forget you're watching a thriller, and just leave you concerned with what is happening instead of what will end up happening. Lucky Number Slevin does this brilliantly. With one of the best scripts I've ever heard (the film style and transitions are just as poetic), a very unique and entertaining set up for a story, and a constant introduction of interesting characters, it makes you forget why any of it is related to the opening scenes. Whether or not you love the movie, you must respect what a masterpiece it is, the amount of thought that went into every line and transition is impressive and if you consider yourself a critic in any sense you won't be let down.
Now as far as Lucky Number Slevin being compared to The Usual Suspects, I think Slevin trumps. If any comparison is to be made, it's that Slevin fixed all the problems with Suspects. In the first five minutes I knew who the mastermind was because they showed him and had him talk, one of the most obvious things I've ever seen. Slevin doesn't do that, only one face is shown and that's because he is telling the story. Also, Suspects doesn't have anything really unique to it, the structure isn't that special, and besides a few good quotes it can't compare to Slevin. Slevin and Suspects are completely different, and I would never think judge one from the other. If you want to see a pioneer for thrillers, see Suspects. If you want to experience a script, story, and film style come together virtually flawlessly, see Slevin.