I guess you need to read the book

Rating: 8/10 (21 October 2003)

*SPOILERS*
Flicking through the other reviews here it's becoming clear to me those who didn't read the book are having trouble with the ending. Sean Devine kind of shrugging off Jimmy's crime. He doesn't, it's just at that point he realises he has nothing on Jimmy and is completely unsurprised by his actions. The little gun shot with the hand at the very end and Jimmy's reaction tells you all you need to know. Devine isn't letting Jimmy away with anything. Those moaning about the dark ending, unlucky. This isn't a sugary Hollywood happy, driving into the sunset kind of film. That should have been obvious from the start. Those wondering where Annabeth's sudden burst of hard cored bitterness arose from should have watched more carefully. She's morally ambiguous throughout the whole film, never being anything more than there. Her comments at the end were her introduction to the film. Before that she was largely irrelevant and that was the intent. People say she "turned". How did she? She was never portrayed as being anything until the scene at the end revealed her true character. She's a Savage remember. It would appear the viewers who got this film had read the book. So that would allow the naysayers to slam the film makers for failing to create a fluent film for those who hadn't read the book. I disagree. If you're appalled by the moral tone of the film and supposedly moral characters being nothing of the sort then you won't like the book either. It's pretty much what you see. The message is clear. You should never be surprised by what people are capable of, regardless of how they may appear. That's life, that's the book and that's this film. Well done I say.
8/10
Niz